How Do I Start Keeping Shabbos?
Real questions, submitted by actual OU Torah followers, with their real answers. NOTE: For questions of practical halacha, please consult your own rabbi for guidance.
Q. Through a variety of factors, I have been drawn back to spirituality. I have been reading about Shabbat but it doesn’t give me a way to start my journey. We have family Shabbat dinners every week but I don’t feel compelled to give up travelling on Shabbat. I would like a place to begin my journey without taking on all the mitzvot. I have a strictly kosher home. I am looking for gentle advice please.
A. Thanks for your question, which was forwarded to my attention, and congratulations for your interest in taking the first step. Beyond that fact that you already have a Shabbos meal and that you're not willing to give up travel at this time, I don't have a lot of information about what you do and don't do, so I'm going to toss out a couple of ideas that may or may not be appropriate for you at this juncture.
Do you light candles before Shabbos? If not, now is a good time to start!
You say you have a Shabbos dinner. Do you say kiddush? Do you bentch? If not, add that those to your repertoire. If you know any zemiros (Shabbos songs), sing them. If not, learn some! (I haven't looked but I bet you can find some online.)
There's a mitzvah to have three meals on Shabbos. Do you have a Shabbos lunch? How about "shalosh seudos" (a lighter, late-afternoon meal)? Those are pretty painless was to increase your Shabbos observance! (There's also melave malka, the post-Shabbos meal.)
I'd suggest gradually decreasing your Shabbos labors. Before Shabbos, set the lights around the house as you would like them for Shabbos, or use a timer. (There are also a number of different Shabbos-friendly lamps that you can find in Judaica stores.) Instead of watching TV, try reading - preferably books about Shabbos or other Jewish themes! If someplace is walkable, walk there. Postpone your errands until Sunday.
Those seem like some practical small steps that might be worth a try. I think you'll discover that the more you do, the more you're able to do!
Rabbi Jack's latest book, Ask Rabbi Jack, is now available from Kodesh Press and on Amazon.com.