Shabbat can be experienced in different ways. For some, Shabbat is a day of “don’t.” Don’t use your phone, don’t drive, don’t shop, etc. For others, Shabbat is a day to deal with – it’s not bad, it’s not good, it just is, and we live Shabbat once a week. For some, Shabbat is a taste of heaven. For those who experience Shabbat as heaven, not using their phone or driving their car and spending time praying, studying, and enjoying good food and family isn’t a burden but a blessing.
The “Chafetz Chaim” was a leading rabbi in Poland in the early 1900s. In his commentary on the laws of Shabbat, he discussed a situation where someone’s life was in danger on Shabbat and the only way of saving their life was by violating the laws of Shabbat. The Chafetz Chaim went a step further than stating the well-known law that we violate Shabbat to preserve life and wrote that even asking a rabbi if they should violate Shabbat could be considered an act of murder because the time taken to ask the question could make the difference between life and death.
Instead of blaming the person who asked the rabbi the question for wasting time, the Chafetz Chaim laid blame on the rabbi for not teaching his congregation the law that we violate Shabbat to save a life – even in a situation in which we’re in doubt that a life is even at risk. The Torah puts such a priority on saving life that we completely set Shabbat aside when life is at risk.
Shabbat is meant to be spent in prayer, Torah study, and enjoying good food surrounded by family, neighbors, and friends. Keeping to these activities, even in our conversations, creates a unique atmosphere called menucha (a word that has no perfect English translation) on Shabbat, which feels like everything is fine in the world. If we spend Shabbat talking about business, politics, and God forbid, gossip, we will have spoiled the Shabbat atmosphere.
The Rambam wrote that there are activities that are forbidden on the Shabbat even though they do not technically violate any Shabbat laws, nor will they lead to the violation of any Shabbat laws. When performed, these activities take away from the unique atmosphere of Shabbat. One example is speaking extensively about secular matters. Rambam listed a principle; “The manner in which you speak on the Shabbat should not resemble the manner in which you speak during the week.”
It is also prohibited to fast and call out in prayer for relief from trouble on Shabbat. The special atmosphere of menucha on Shabbat comes with an obligation to feel as if all our problems are taken care of and there is nothing to worry about in life. The need to feel that everything is fine in our lives on Shabbat is the reason we omit the blessings of requests in the prayers on Shabbat. Yet, when a national calamity or trial affects the entire nation, our Shabbat menucha is already ruined.
Since there is no menucha and the Shabbat atmosphere has been ruined, there is no prohibition of calling out and even fasting on Shabbat. An example of a national calamity or trial that would allow the normally prohibited calling out to God in prayer for relief is war. Since October 7, almost all congregations and communities have been calling out to God, even on Shabbat, with special prayers for relief from the war and the return of our hostages. The Jewish people haven’t had a normal Shabbat since the attacks; we haven’t experienced menucha in months.
All Torah scholars agree that in the war following October 7, Shabbat takes secondary importance to the security situation Israel faces. Many communities watched on Shabbat-Simchat Torah as their Shabbat was destroyed by the horrible news of the attacks in the South and the subsequent call-up of reservists. Communities that never see cars drive on their roads on Shabbat saw a constant flow of traffic as soldiers rushed back to their bases and reservists met their call-up orders. Not only were these Shabbat violations permitted, but they were required to protect the nation and save lives.
Technology and the breakneck speed at which information spreads through the Internet have also taken a toll on our Shabbat. It’s not just emergencies and news of attacks, but even good news. A few weeks ago, news spread on Shabbat afternoon of the heroic rescue of four hostages. Even in Shabbat-observant communities, the information spread fast and jubilant celebrations ensued.
In our home, we happened to be hosting a soldier who is required to immediately be on their phone when any news breaks. They had a responsibility to turn their phone on and monitor the information in real-time. Of course, we sat eagerly nearby waiting for any information they could share with us. While we were celebrating and so happy at the news, I couldn’t help but feel that sitting around a soldier using their phone wasn’t the Shabbat atmosphere of quiet and menucha we should ideally be enjoying.
A necessary violation
Since the start of the war hundreds of thousands of soldiers have been defending Israel bravely and their responsibilities don’t have weekend breaks. For the rest of the nation, the worry and fear, so often somewhat alleviated by talking about “the situation,” is just as worrisome on Shabbat as it is during the week. It is understandable that our Shabbat table discussions have been completely overwhelmed by discussions of the war. While discussing the war provides some comfort for our worries, it also spoils the wonderful atmosphere we used to enjoy every Shabbat.
Violating the laws of Shabbat is necessary and a crucial mitzvah during the war. While pushing off the laws of Shabbat for life-saving duties like serving in the army is what needs to be done, I can’t help but feel we’ve lost our Shabbat these past nine months. Watching cars drive through the once-quiet streets, having our phones on and at times in our pockets, and having political- and war-connected discussions at the Shabbat table has taken away from the unique Shabbat experience made up of Torah study, prayer, and family time.
Like so many areas of our lives, our pristine Shabbatot have become collateral damage of the war. This was unavoidable and not something we should regret – the opposite is in fact true, we should be proud that we followed Halacha and violated Shabbat to preserve life. At the same time, it is important to recognize the costs of this war in all areas of life and strive to recover those losses in better times. I pray that God restores the peace and tranquility of Shabbat to the Jewish people quickly.
The writer, a Zionist educator at institutions around the world, recently published a new book, Zionism Today.