RestorativeRestandJoy

SONG FOR SHABBAT: MENUCHAH VESIMCHAH – RESTORATIVE REST AND JOY

םיִדוּהְיַל רוֹא הָחְמִׂשְו הָחוּנְמ םיִּדַמֲחַמ םוֹי ,ןוֹתָּבַׁש םוֹי םיִדיִעְמ הָּמֵה ויָרְכוֹזְו ויָרְמוֹשׁ .םיִדְמוֹעְו םיִאוּרְּב לֹּכ הָּׁשִׁשְל יִּכ

םיִּמַיְו ץֶרֶא ,םִיַמָׁש יֵמְׁש םיִמָרְו םיִהוֹבְג םוֹרָמ אָבְצ לָּכ םיִמֵאְר תַיַחְו םָדאְָו ןיִּנַּת .םיִמָלוֹע רוּצ הוהי הָּיְּב יִּכ

וֹתָלֻגְס םַעְל רֶּבִּד רֶׁשֲא אוּה וֹתאֵצ דַע וֹאוֹבִּמ וֹשְּׁדַקְל רוֹמָׁש וֹתָּדְמֶח םוֹי שֶׁדֹק תַּבַׁש .וֹתְּכאַלְמ לָּכִמ לֵא תַבָׁש וֹב יִּכ

ךָציִלֲחַי לֵא תָּבַׁש תַוְצִמְּב ךָצְּמאְַל שׁיִחָי ,ויָלֵא אָרְק םוּק ךָציִרֲעַנ םַגְו יַח לָּכ תַמְׁשִנ .ךָצָר רָבְּכ יִּכ הָחְמִׂשְּב לֹכֱא

הָּבַר שׁוּדִּקְו םֶחֶל הֶנְׁשִמְּב הָביִדְנ ַחוּרְו םיִּמַעְטַמ בֹרְּב הָּּב םיִגְּנַעְתִּמַה בוּט בַרְל וּכְּזִי .אָּבַה םָלוֹעָה יֵיַחְל לֵאוֹגּ תאַיִבְּב Restorative rest and joy bring us light During Shabbat, the day of great delight. Those who keep and recall it are an aid To witness that in six days Creation was made:

The highest heavens, land, and seas, All the host of heavens, rise in high degrees, Sea monsters, animals, and humanity; For Yah, Adonai, formed all reality.

God spoke to His treasured people [spread worldwide]: “Keep Shabbat, from start to finish; make it sanctified.” The holy Shabbat is God’s delight and perk, For on it, God rested from all creative work.

God will strengthen you as you follow Shabbat precepts: Arise and pray; He’ll draw you close, ensuring you’re well kept. Recite Nishmat and the Kedushah prayer, Eat with joy; God knows you’re awesome and rare.

With two loaves, and the daytime Kiddush, With generous spirit and many a tasty dish, Those who delight in Shabbat will merit great reward: The coming of the redeemer and eternity going forward.

THINK

You could understand menuchah vesimchah as “rest and joy,” but you would be limiting the expansiveness of this song’s message. The root of the word menuchah is comfort; we’re not talking about regular rest, the kind of rest we feel when we take a break. We’re talking about restorative rest, the kind of rest that comforts body and soul. And simchah, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks teaches, is never about individuals. It’s the kind of joy we share. Comforting rest and communal joy are pillars of Shabbat worth celebrating in song!

CONNECT

Menuchah has the same root as the name Noah, or Noach in Hebrew. Noah was the first character in Torah who is called a tzadik, a righteous person. What does the restorative rest of Shabbat have to do with Noah? The Jewish mystic and Hasidic traditions teach that tzadikim draw their righteousness from the wellspring of Shabbat, emanating equanimity and a restorative presence.

REFLECT

How do you feel after a deep, undisturbed nap? How do you feel after laughing with your best friends until you’re all crying? What might shift in your life if you “draw from the wellspring of Shabbat,” from menuchah and simchah, restorative rest and communal joy, all week long?

PERSONAL PRAYER

Shabbat rest and joy: I want to feel them. Help me dip into the energy. Help me make the most of these moments. To prepare for the day with flowers and good food, candles and wine, songs that pierce the heavens. Holy, holy, holy is the Shabbat day. I shall emerge better, wiser, closer to You.

— Dara Goldschmidt, Moscow, Russia