How can I make a long summer shabbat a delight?

Question

Where I live, shabbat ends at nearly 10PM at the peak of summer, and I find it challenging to get to the end of that without starting to develop some negative feelings. I try to spend most of Shabbat afternoon reading, but due to some eye problems I'm finding it more and more difficult to read for more than a couple hours at a stretch from books/magazines (where I of course can't change the font size). I don't have family to "do shabbat" with, and my community doesn't have a lot of afternoon shiurim or other get-togethers. I sometimes take a walk in the park to break up the afternoon.

So what else could I do between lunch and sunset on these long days so that Shabbat will feel like a delight and not a long slog?

Answer 1

• Nap.

  As the OU has it:

  Extra sleep is also considered appropriate and desirable on Shabbat, in line with the principle of "Shayna b'Shabbat Taanug," "(Extra) Sleep on Shabbat is considered a Delight!"

• Start your own afternoon gathering. You don't need to be super-learned or invest a great deal of time to start very interesting and worthwhile discussions.

Answer 2

• Sleep.
• Recite T'hilim (from a large-print copy).
• Visit with neighbors/friends. (Avoid lashon hara. :-) )
• Visit the homebound. (Or hospital-bound, but CYLOR about automatic doors and other issues.)
• Push the community to have more classes or get-togethers. Talk to local rabbis and/or lay leaders.

You say you already read but have a hard time because of print size: maybe get large-print books?

Answer 3

Have you heard the story about a goat? A Jew comes to his Rabbi and says: "Rebbe, my house is tiny, and I have a large family. It has become so crowded, that it is unbearable! What should I do?" The Rebbe says: "Do you have a goat?" The Jew says: "Yes, I have a goat". "Then bring the goat into the house."

The Jew is puzzled, but he does what the Rebbe said. He comes back next day saying: "Rebbe, this is not helping. If anything, the house is more crowded now". The Rebbe says: "Do you have a rooster?" The Jew says: "Yes, I have a rooster." "Then bring the rooster into the house," says the Rebbe.

The Jew is even more puzzled, but still he does as the Rebbe told him. The next day he is back again, complaining that his life is even worse than before. The Rebbe says: "Now, bring your chickens into the house too."

The Jew again grudgingly does as the Rebbe told him, and comes back the next day screaming: "Rebbe! What kind of an advice is this? I am ready to go mad from all the people and animals that are in my tiny house!" The Rebbe says: "Now, throw the goat, the rooster, and the chickens out of the house!"

The next day, the Jew comes to the Rebbe saying "Rebbe, thank you! I've never realized how huge my house is!"

So, how about this: keep yourself really busy during the week. Then doing nothing until 10pm on Shabbes will indeed be a delight. :)

Answer 4

Sing. I can spend an hour just singing zemirot after lunch, and sometimes I'll take down my copy of Avraham Baer's "Der Practische Vorbeter" or one of Chazzan Pinchas Spiro's series of books, or the Harvard Hillel bentcher, and teach myself a new tune to a tefillah.

Answer 5

Chesed! Do for others and you'll find the time flying by. I believe PZ (referenced in another answer) has a hachnasas orchim program for shabbos which you can sign up for. But in general I'm sure there is a lot of chesed that can be done in Pittsburgh. Offer to take someone's kids to the park, visit the elderly or offer to teach a class.

When you make someone else's shabbos a delight Hashem will bless you with the same.

Answer 6

Move to Israel, where shabbat does not last so long. :) Or play really long games of risk.

Answer 7

Meditate on the fact that you do not live in Gateshead, England or in Denmark or Norway where Shabbos is not over until after midnight for much of the Spring/Summer season!! Then thank G-d for that through song and prayer!

Answer 8

There is a positive commandment "lishbos mim'lacha" - to refrain from constructive activity. More than simply the lack of such activity, this command is explained as obligating us to proclaim the unity and Novelty of God as well as his Creative power. Infusing every moment of shabas with the attitude that one's very inaction expresses a profound theological point can make it all much more fulfilling.

Answer 9

Monica, I noticed that your profile and blog indicate that you are a Pittsburgher. I'm not sure what your religious observance level is, but since you indicate a desire to attend Shi'urim, I thought you'd like to know about Poale Zedeck's adult education options. You can view them here: http://poalezedeck.typepad.com/congregation_poale_zedeck/poale-zedeck-education-booklet/

I've been to PZ a number of times (although quite some time ago). I also know the rabbi somewhat from a previous life (meaning my youth). I have only good things to say about both the Shul and Rabbi Yolkut. If you would like more information about either, I'd be happy to share privately.

Also, as others suggested, maybe you could reach out to others and organize weekly get-togethers and addtional Shi'urim. In my community someone complained that the women never get to socialize outside of Shul. At her husband's urging, she started a women's Se'udah Shelishith group, and it's been meeting, rotating homes/hostesses, once a month for something like 5 years now.

Answer 10

It took several days for it to sink in, but I finally understand the premise of your question - the mitzva of oneg shabas! This requirement, which some hold is Biblical in nature, and everyone holds is at least bindingly scriptural, obligates one to delight in shabas to such an extent that they call the day "a delight".

The simplest way to fulfill this obligation is explained by the Ramba"m in Mishne Torah 30:10

אכילת בשר ושתיית יין בשבת עונג הוא לו

Eating and drinking things that one finds enjoyable (as others unlimit the seemingly narrow specification of food and beverage to various forms of aesthetic enjoyment) achieves a fulfillment of this mitzva. Designating special foods for shabas of which one particularly does not partake during the rest of the week could make the experience more marked and contribute to one's pleasure in the physical reflection of the spiritual goodness of the day.

Answer 11

Board Games

Check www.boardgamegeek.com for games that are intellectually stimulating and can be played solitaire repeatedly. The longer sets can really help time pass.

Answer 12

I appreciate & relate to this question. When you have active nearby Jewish community, it’s different: you can enjoy learning, eating, singing, learning some more, etc with others. In the absence of that kind of community (for geographical reasons or otherwise), even with the intention to focus your awareness on Hashem and the beauty of Shabbos and the extra opportunity to delve into learning, a long Shabbos can sometimes feel isolating. Add to that the challenges of a long hot day when temperatures soar through the 90s, and your usual relaxing Shabbos stroll is less appealing,

I think it’s a good challenge to consider both how we can incorporate those kinds of nourishing Jewish community connections more steadily into our lives, and also how we can enjoy Shabbos as an opportunity to prioritize our G-dly soul *and sanctified physical pleasures, by taking extra delight and gratitude not only in rest and special food but also in learning the parsha, saying tehillm, learning chassidus, etc.