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Chabad.org » Mitzvahs & Traditions » Shabbat » Shabbat Guide » Questions & Answers » Shabbat Rest » How can I stop working on Shabbat?
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How can I stop working on Shabbat? That’s when all my business is!


You’re born into this world and your time is limited. While here, the major decision you’ll make is "Who’s in charge?"

You can decide that the world is in charge. It sets the rules, and it’s big and scary. You’ll try to get as much as you can out of it without getting burnt too badly. But unfortunately, you’ll have to work on Shabbat—that’s one of the rules.

Or you can decide that you’re in charge. Who knows, you may win. But there’s going to be some stiff competition—a few billion people out there think the same thing.

The third alternative is to decide that the One Who Made This Place is in charge. You’re just here as His rep. He says, "I left some of this world for you to fix up. Give it a try and do your best. I’ll be there to help you."

Now, this Big and Awesome G-d you’re working for isn’t planning to make things easy. You can bet on it that He’ll throw a few mighty challenges along your path. How else is He going to get you to put your all into it? But you can also rest assured that He’s on your side every step along the way. And He’s in charge. 100%.

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By Tzvi Freeman   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Tzvi Freeman is well known to net-surfers for his controversial essays on Judaism and the new spirituality. He lectures at UBC in Vancouver, where he lives, on Multimedia Design and Human Interface. Rabbi Freeman is available for public speaking and workshops. Read more on his bio page.
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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Oct 1, 2007
The Rebbe's opinion
surely you can make a feature of the Rebbe's say on all issues like this etc...

looking forward to it.

p.s. I enjoy your site very much!
the new layout on the homepage is very beautiful!
but please, add chassidic warmth to it. (reffering to KabbalaTunes)
Posted By Anonymous

Posted: May 11, 2008
Re: Second Shift
You could work Sunday through Thursday, instead of Monday through Friday.
Posted By Stephen Weinstein, Camarillo, CA
via chabadcamarillo.com

Posted: May 11, 2008
RE: Second Shift
Shabbat comes to the world on Friday at sundown and finishes on Saturday night at nightfall. As much as we may wish it were otherwise, we are to serve G-d at the times of His choice and not at the times which are better for us.
Posted By Menachem Posner, for Chabad.org

Posted: May 11, 2008
2nd shift
I accepted my position before I had desire to become observant. Now that I have worked here, 11 years, I finally get 3 weeks vacation, so now I can schedule it for the Appointed Times.

My shift ends usually by midnight, yet that is about 6 hours past sundown, locally.

Can I simply start Shabbat an hour after my shift ends, and extend it that amount of time into then next day, for a full 24-hours, to avoid transgressing the Commandment?
Posted By Anonymous, Joplin, MO

Posted: Oct 3, 2007
Who is in charge.
I don't understand these comments at all.
So G-d wants you to break his laws?
I don't think so.
Posted By Sam Ramirez, San Leandro, CA



 


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