The Sabbath as the Ideal Manifestation of Leisure in Traditional Jewish Thought

Abstract

This chapter explores the traditional conception of the Jewish Sabbath as a manifestation of the ideal concept of leisure, in terms of time, activities, state of mind, and principle in traditional-religious thought. The Jewish conception of leisure, practically reflected in the concept of the Sabbath, sheds light on the conceptions of leisure in modern twenty-first-century society. We explore the factors that shape the nature of the Sabbath and the different styles of Sabbath leisure in Israel, whose cultural foundation combines the modern with the traditional. This chapter may have practical implications for leisure education and the educational challenge of facilitating the acquisition of leisure behaviors and for the promotion of understanding and tolerance among cultures.