A Day of Rest

Observing Sabbath

“Sunday is sort of like a piece of bright golden brocade lying in a pile of white muslin weekdays.”
Yoshiko Uchida (A Jar of Dreams)

Number four in the ‘Big Ten’ is the commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The exposition of this commandment in Exodus 20 goes on longer than any other: Six days shall you labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates…” It goes on for several more sentences. I do realize that there are some notable exceptions here: wife, mother, sister, granny, aunt—I mean somebody’s got to feed this lot, right?

Actually, I’m sure it was an oversight, but just in case, I am declaring this: Everyone should have a Sabbath day whether it’s on Sunday or some other day of the week--especially women. I remember Sunday ‘dinner’ at my Great Aunts’ house when they rose before the chickens and cooked enough meat and vegetables and desserts to feed the entire town. Then they went to worship at the Methodist Church, and half the church came home with them to eat. When everyone had gone away sated, they spent the afternoon washing all those dishes by hand because they never owned a dishwasher. So Sunday was decidedly not a day of rest for them. And it is not a day of rest for most women. Therefore, I suggest that every woman in the world decide upon a personal Sabbath day and guard it like the seraphim outside the gates of Eden.

According to Sarah Ban Breathnach, this is what the Sabbath is for: “reverence, rest, renewal, rejuvenation, reassuring rituals, recreation, rejoicing, revelation, remembering how much you have to be grateful for, and saying thank you!” I would add to that list, a nice hot soak in the tub, a glass of red wine, and maybe, painting your toe nails. Whatever gives you pleasure and is not done in the service of others is good Sabbath material. So all you ladies out there grab that golden brocade and spread it on your white muslin days and care for yourself at least as well as you care for everyone around you.

Blessings,
Jane