Shabbat: Taking mindfulness to a new level.

I have recently been receiving the ‘Daily Tanya’ by Rav Nadav Cohen. One of the concepts that is discussed is how a Jew has two souls; the animal soul and the Gdly soul. Everything we do is either the voice of our higher being that wants to connect to Gd through holiness or the voice of our lower soul that wants to fill our passions and desires.

So what about all the activities in between? What about seemingly neutral pleasures such as eating, relaxing, sleeping, shopping, reading or listening to music?

These depend on our intentions. If we are doing these things purely for the sake of pleasure; they are indeed the voice of our animal soul. And this has no place for a Jew. But if we are using them , to rejuvenate ourself or for a holy purpose, such as shopping for Shabbat, relaxing to feel more calm and present, or saying a blessing  on our food, then it is indeed a holy act.

Every single moment can be holy. We can use everything we do to bring more good into the world with the right thoughts and intention. And with mindfulness.

I recently heard a beautiful quote from Rabbanit Yemima Mizrahi in the name of Rav yeruchem miMir.

He said that the secret of simcha (joy) is to say: “What I’m doing now is the most important thing in the world.” (This is taking mindfulness to a new level:). When I’m cooking for Shabbos, or listening to my child -whatever I’m doing, I’m doing fully with my whole heart.

The Ben ish chai said. “When you cook for Shabbat, with the right intentions, you can give Yir’at shamayim (awareness of heaven) to all who eat the food till the last day of their life!”

Keep praying as you’re cooking. For everything you want for your children….

Shabbat is one of the big ways we can elevate everything we’re doing as women. We can be constantly thinking about Shabbat all week and cleaning and cooking in its honour. When we do housework or shop, for example, it is already a holy act because we are doing acts of kindness. But when we have Shabbat in mind, wow- it’s even holier.

I read by Rav Pinkus that the role of a Jew is to uplift the spiritual. Shabbat has elements of the physical- there is so much physical enjoyment. But it’s a spiritual day. We use the physical for the sake of the spiritual.

And Friday, which is such a physical, “hard-working day”, has elements of the spiritual (which flow over into all the weekdays!) Although Friday is mundane, the spiritual penetrates it. Friday is that day that unifies the holiness of Shabbos into the rest of the week.

Try get in touch with the spiritual holy element of erev Shabbos. It’s not just physical work. Keep focused on the beautiful spiritual feeling of holiness.

And all week long, we can try find the spiritual element in everything that we do.