The Sabbath Soul: Mystical Reflections on the Transformative Power of Holy Time - Softcover

Eitan Fishbane

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1580234593 ISBN 13: 9781580234597

Publisher: Jewish Lights, 2011

Synopsis

Enter into the mystery of the Sabbath, into the wonder and light of the seventh day.

"We live in a world dominated by speed and distraction, with demands for our attention at every turn.... We frequently forget the restorative blessing of stillness, our desperate need for rest ... a rest that brings us back to the center of existence, a calm that allows us to reconnect with the divine breath at the soul of All."
―from the Introduction

Enrich your spiritual experience of Shabbat by exploring the writings of mystical masters of Hasidism. Drawing from some of the earliest teachings in the family of the Ba'al Shem Tov through late nineteenth-century Poland and the homilies of the Sefat 'Emet, Eitan Fishbane evokes the Sabbath experience―from candle lighting and donning white clothing to the Friday night Kiddush and the act of sacred eating. Fishbane also translates and interprets a wide range of Hasidic sources previously unavailable in English that reflect the spiritual transformation that takes place on the seventh day―one that can shift your awareness into the realm that is all soul. Personal prayers of the Bratzlav (Breslov) Hasidic tradition express the spiritual dimension of Shabbat in the language of devotional and individual yearning.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"In this inspiring new work, Eitan Fishbane invokes the sages who 'spoke of Shabbat as a glimpse of the world to come - a gift to us human beings from the hidden treasure house of God.'  With joyous wisdom, Fishbane opens that treasure house to us, offering precious jewels taught by great spiritual masters, not the least of whom is the author himself. Allow this spirit-filled work to open your heart and soul to the inner mysteries of Shabbat. You will be elevated and enriched!" 
 --Rabbi Marcia Prager

"Beautifully captures the soul of Shabbat in a stunning collection of kavannot - meditations on the meaning of the day, expertly translated and organized for use at the Shabbat table or spiritual preparation for the day. A must-have resource for personal and family celebration!"  --Dr. Ron Wolfson, author of Shabbat: The Family Guide to Welcoming and Celebrating the Sabbath

"This volume interweaves prayers, gracefully rendered mystical texts and elegant commentaries to illuminate the intentional sacred practice of the Sabbath - the quintessential Jewish gift to the world. Eitan Fishbane offers a profound and accessible companion for today's spiritual seeker."
--Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg, Institute for Jewish Spirituality

"Standing by the door of an enchanted garden, holding it open for us to enter, stands the wise and gentle Eitan Fishbane. The garden is Shabbat, and Fishbane welcomes us with extraordinary Hasidic insights and a commentary that ushers us into the very heart of time and soul. This book is filled with insight and delight."  --Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, Vice President, American Jewish University

"Eitan Fishbane reminds us that Shabbat is a day of spiritual practice; in welcoming "The Sabbath Soul" we meet our true selves. Weaving together gems of Hasidic teachings, devotional prayers and commentary, he offers us spiritual exercises that nurture an illumined clarity of mind and heart."  --Rabbi Jonathan Slater, Institute for Jewish Spirituality, author of Mindful Jewish Living: Compassionate Practice

"The Sabbath Soul is a work of genuine religiosity that displays the spiritual depths that reside within Jewish religious teaching and practice.  Drawing upon the power and beauty of mystical teachings offered by Hasidic masters on the Sabbath, Eitan Fishbane unlocks the divinity that dwells in the timeless spirituality of the day." --Rabbi David Ellenson, President, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

"In this 24/7 world where we are always connected and everything is urgent, there is no greater gift than Shabbat. The Sabbath Soul is another gift.  It brings not only insight and intention but also spiritual practices to help deepen the experience of Shabbat."  --Rabbi Laura Geller, Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills

About the Author:

Eitan Fishbane, PhD, a frequent scholar-in-residence and guest speaker at congregations across North America, is assistant professor of Jewish thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary; author of As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (Stanford University Press); and co-editor of Jewish Mysticism and the Spiritual Life: Classical Texts, Contemporary Reflections (Jewish Lights).

Eitan Fishbane is available to speak on the following topics:

• Shabbat
• Prayer
• Spirituality
• God and Theology
• Mysticism
• Ethics
• Torah

About this edition

• Publisher: Jewish Lights
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1580234593
• ISBN 13: 9781580234597
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208