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Best Of: Sabbath and the Art of Rest

2024/12/27

The Ezra Klein Show

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Ezra Klein

一位深受欢迎的美国记者、政治分析师和《纽约时报》专栏作家，通过其《The Ezra Klein Show》podcast 探讨各种社会和政治问题。

Judith Shulevitz

Topics

Ezra Klein: 现代社会对空间的过度关注以牺牲时间为代价，导致人们对时间感到恐惧，生活节奏过快，这并非我们真正想要的。安息日提供了一种反思生活方式的机会，思考如果将生命中七分之一的时间用于以不同速度生活会怎样。现代人将休息比作手机充电，这是一种错误的理解，人并非负担牲畜，安息日并非为了提高工作效率。安息日的意义在于创造，而非仅仅是放弃。在科技发达的现代社会，安息日作为一种古老的实践，其反文化和激进的意义更加突出，也更显紧迫。我个人希望建立一种持续的安息日实践，以寻求在工作与生活之间取得平衡，并探索如何真正地休息。我个人在实践安息日时，发现很难摆脱将休息视为对其他事情的否定，而未能将其视为一种积极的状态。我尝试过各种世俗版本的安息日，以及个体版本的安息日，但都没有成功。这让我意识到，在没有建立在安息日基础上的生活中，安息日实践很难奏效。我认为，在现代社会中，停止科技成瘾可能是我们能做的最难的事情，也是实现安息日生活方式的最大障碍。我个人尝试过各种世俗版本的安息日，以及个体版本的安息日，但都没有成功。这让我意识到，在没有建立在安息日基础上的生活中，安息日实践很难奏效。我个人在实践安息日时，发现很难摆脱将休息视为对其他事情的否定，而未能将其视为一种积极的状态。我认为，在现代社会中，停止科技成瘾可能是我们能做的最难的事情，也是实现安息日生活方式的最大障碍。 Judith Shulevitz: 安息日的规则旨在创造意义，将日常生活中的平凡转化为非凡。安息日的戒律是为了保护世界免受人类的破坏，也为了保护人们免于成为永恒的奴隶，还可以被视为一种集体行动的解决方案，避免竞争，促进共同休息。创世纪故事中，上帝在第七天创造了安息日，这是一种意义的创造，而非物质的创造。休息不仅仅是停止工作，更是一种积极的状态，需要主动创造和获得。安息日是创造意义和特殊体验的积极行为，需要主动创造空间。安息日并非个体行为，需要社区的共同参与才能实现真正的休息。创造安息日的社区凝聚力需要四个步骤：限制工作时间、协调时间安排、养成习惯、营造节日氛围。安息日是社会强化的时间结构，既有时间维度，也有社会维度。时间紧迫会降低人们的道德感和感知能力。现代人工作时间并未显著增加，但由于多任务处理和媒体消费，时间变得更快、更浅显。关掉电子设备，参与社区活动，可以增进邻里关系，并对孩子有益。安息日应积极地融入生活，而非仅仅是消极地放弃某些活动。对安息日的世俗化解读，以及将安息日作为一种隐喻而非实践的趋势，我个人认为世俗化的安息日实践通常围绕着晚餐或社交活动展开，这与宗教传统中的安息日实践存在关联。神圣的时间是我们自己创造和神圣化的，需要投入和承诺才能获得神圣的体验。神圣化安息日的方式包括准备仪式、打扮自己和美化家园。要获得安息日的益处，需要提前做好准备，这既是功利主义的考虑，也是宗教上的要求。安息日的实践并非易事，需要努力和坚持，并可能带来负面体验。在以色列更容易体验到安息日的宁静，因为那里有相关的法律和社会规范。美国曾经是一个奉行安息日的国家，但20世纪以来，这种传统逐渐消失，导致在现代社会中创造安息日空间变得更加困难。商业活动对人们生活空间的入侵程度日益加剧，安息日作为一种对抗商业和资本主义的实践显得更加紧迫。安息日既是时间上的逃离，也是空间上的逃离，这取决于商业活动的可及性和社会规范。互联网和手机正在模糊时间界限，使人们难以区分不同的时间类型（消费时间、交流时间、工作时间）。在实践中，安息日可能与其他价值观发生冲突，需要做出价值判断和区分。建立在安息日基础上的社区，可以帮助人们更好地遵守安息日的传统。早期，我个人的安息日实践比较孤独，后来通过参与社区活动，逐渐建立了更真实的社区联系。安息日对于年轻家庭来说，也并非易事，需要灵活调整，并理解安息日的核心在于创造空间和时间，而非控制。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

What is the core critique of modern life presented by Abraham Joshua Heschel in his book 'The Sabbath'?

Heschel critiques the modern world's obsession with mastering space, arguing that people labor for material things at the expense of time, leading to a dread of time and a failure to truly live.

What does Judith Shulevitz suggest the Sabbath rules are attempting to create?

Shulevitz argues that the Sabbath rules aim to create meaning by framing time, making it special, and fostering collective experiences like meals, community gatherings, and moments of tranquility.

Why does Judith Shulevitz emphasize the social dimension of the Sabbath?

Shulevitz stresses that the Sabbath cannot be practiced individually; it requires a community to make rest pleasurable and festive, creating a collective atmosphere of repose and non-work.

What is the significance of the Good Samaritan experiment in relation to the Sabbath?

The experiment shows that ethics become a luxury as life speeds up, with people less likely to help others when they feel rushed. This highlights the importance of slowing down, a key principle of the Sabbath.

How does Judith Shulevitz view the secularization of the Sabbath?

Shulevitz sees secular Sabbath practices as a starting point but believes they often lead back to communal and religious roots, as the richness of the experience is best achieved within a community that values it.

What does Judith Shulevitz recommend for young families trying to practice the Sabbath?

Shulevitz suggests that families focus on creating a space for togetherness, even if it’s chaotic, and emphasizes the long-term benefits of teaching children to engage without devices, fostering deeper connections and future traditions.

What are Judith Shulevitz's book recommendations related to the Sabbath?

Shulevitz recommends 'Adam Bede' by George Eliot for its depiction of a pre-industrial Sabbath, 'The Seven Day Circle' by Eviatar Zerubavel for its history of the week, and 'On the Clock' by Emily Guendelsberger for its exploration of modern work's impact on time and family.

Shownotes Transcript

I have a tendency to end the year feeling pretty worn out. And that’s partly because I struggle to rest properly throughout the year, to build rest into a routine and stick to it.

That’s how I was feeling at the end of 2022, when we originally taped this episode. And it’s certainly how I’m feeling at the end of this year, so this felt like a valuable episode to revisit.

Judith Shulevitz’s wonderful book, “The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time),” draws out lessons from the Jewish ritual of the Sabbath that everyone can benefit from, regardless of whether you’re Jewish or religious at all. The Sabbath, as commonly practiced, involves taking a day a week off from work, turning off your phone and spending a lot of time with family and your community. To Shulevitz, there’s a radicalism in this ritual — a stinging critique of the speed at which we live our lives, the ways we choose to spend our time and how we think about the idea of rest itself. She sees the Sabbath as more than just taking a break from the world, but also as an act of creating a different one. I left the conversation feeling awed by how such an ancient practice can contain wisdom that feels so urgent right now. I hope you enjoy — and that at the end of this year, you find time for some true rest.

Mentioned:

The Sabbath) by Abraham Joshua Heschel

I and Thou) by Martin Buber

Book Recommendations:

Adam Bede) by George Eliot

The Seven Day Circle) by Eviatar Zerubavel

On the Clock) by Emily Guendelsberger

Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. Guest suggestions? Fill out this form).

You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast), and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs).

This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Emefa Agawu. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. The show’s production time also includes Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith, Kristin Lin and Jack McCordick. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts) or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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