Yitro, Exodus 18:1–20:23
Everybody’s Working for the Weekend
By Marci N. Bellows
Jethro, priest of
Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for
Israel, God's people, how the Eternal had brought Israel out from Egypt. -
Exodus 18:1
One Monday night, I sat in a circle with my ninth and tenth grade students. We were in the middle of a unit on wellness and k'dushat haguf, "the holiness of our bodies." I asked them to give me an example of a way Judaism encourages us to take care of ourselves. They sat thoughtfully, unsure of how to answer my question. I then asked, "How do you know that it is important to rest and recharge ourselves, at least once a week?" They cried out, "Shabbat!" We discussed how lucky we are to be members of a tradition that not only values self-care, but also commands us to take a break once a week.
We started to think creatively about what activities most recharge us. I told them they couldn't answer, "sleep." My students mentioned reading, listening to music, going for a walk, taking a hot shower, bowling, drinking a cup of tea, or even watching television. After making promises to add a sense of holiness to these mundane activities by deliberately doing them on Shabbat, we concluded our class session with a fifteen-minute guided meditation. My students left feeling more relaxed, calmer, and renewed.
Parashat Yitro contains the familiar words of the Ten Commandments, including the fourth commandment about Shabbat: "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Eternal your God: you shall not do any work-you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements" (Exodus 20:8-10).
As is common with today's middle school and high school students, my confirmation students are already overprogrammed and stressed out by school, commitments, and extracurricular activities. Nonetheless, as our discussion progressed, they realized that they have so many of the tools for self-care already at their disposal: they just haven't learned how to say "no" to overextending themselves or how to say "yes" to taking care of their minds, bodies, and souls.
Continue reading.
One Monday night, I sat in a circle with my ninth and tenth grade students. We were in the middle of a unit on wellness and k'dushat haguf, "the holiness of our bodies." I asked them to give me an example of a way Judaism encourages us to take care of ourselves. They sat thoughtfully, unsure of how to answer my question. I then asked, "How do you know that it is important to rest and recharge ourselves, at least once a week?" They cried out, "Shabbat!" We discussed how lucky we are to be members of a tradition that not only values self-care, but also commands us to take a break once a week.
We started to think creatively about what activities most recharge us. I told them they couldn't answer, "sleep." My students mentioned reading, listening to music, going for a walk, taking a hot shower, bowling, drinking a cup of tea, or even watching television. After making promises to add a sense of holiness to these mundane activities by deliberately doing them on Shabbat, we concluded our class session with a fifteen-minute guided meditation. My students left feeling more relaxed, calmer, and renewed.
Parashat Yitro contains the familiar words of the Ten Commandments, including the fourth commandment about Shabbat: "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Eternal your God: you shall not do any work-you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements" (Exodus 20:8-10).
As is common with today's middle school and high school students, my confirmation students are already overprogrammed and stressed out by school, commitments, and extracurricular activities. Nonetheless, as our discussion progressed, they realized that they have so many of the tools for self-care already at their disposal: they just haven't learned how to say "no" to overextending themselves or how to say "yes" to taking care of their minds, bodies, and souls.
Continue reading.
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