Days of Blessing

Here in the Middle East, among both Muslim and Jewish communities, one of the patterns of life that I love are ‘days of blessing.’  For Muslims, Fridays are a day of prayer, a day to rest.  In Cairo, I used to be bored sometimes on Fridays, because most shops, cafes and restaurants are closed until late afternoon.  I used to wake up as late as possible, often around 12:30 when the mosques started blaring the Friday sermons on their loudspeakers.  Usually Muslim men go to the mosque to pray on Fridays, women usually pray at home. 

Last year in Kufr Qara, Fridays were my favorite day. J Because, especially on warm summer days, the family I lived with would often get together in the late afternoon for a BBQ and lunch. I loved those days, sitting in the garden with all the family. We usually stayed for hours into the evening, talking, eating and drinking tea at hour intervals. Fridays were really a day of rest and enjoyment, being with family. A day of blessing.

In Israel, the Jewish day of Shabbat is Saturday. From sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, most places are closed in Israel, including malls, all public transit, and many restaurants. Now, many of my friends have heard me say: “I hate Shabbat!” because due to my lack of a car, I am reliant on Israeli buses to get around. The Shabbat schedule greatly inhibits my ability to do anything on weekends. J However, I can appreciate setting aside a day for rest, not going out in the usual busyness of daily life. Some Orthodox Jews practice Shabbat by abstaining even from electricity, doing any kind of work, from traveling and using technology. Many Jews have a special Shabbat meal on Friday evenings or during the days Saturday with their families. In general, Shabbat is also meant to be a day of rest.

In the U.S., most people have lost this idea of a day of blessing.  Even here among Jews or Muslims it is often not acknowledged, but the forced change of pace creates a sort of forced reflection.  I know for me in Kufr Qara, the feeling of Fridays gave me energy for the rest of the week, and I was comforted being with a caring family. Last weekend visiting Darin's family in Tel gave me the same feeling.  Even when I get frustrated by Shabbat sometimes, and wish I could take a bus J it is nice to think about all the families enjoying a day of blessing together.