Sabbath Manifesto: Slowing Down Live Since 2009

I would like to hear more about this one and the bread one. These seem out of place.

this should be drink wine or juice. wine while a fruit, can spoil shabbat for some.

Wine and bread follow Jewish Sabbath traditions: http://judaism.about.com/od/sabbathdayshabb2/p/friday_evening.htm

In a more modern context, I think they provide an opportunity to be thankful to our planet for the food and drink we’re blessed with.

RE: “wine” versus “wine or juice.” We discussed this issue when creating the Manifesto, but ultimately decided on going with the most simple language possible. It goes without saying that those who don’t drink alcohol are free to interpret “wine” as wine, juice, or any beverage for that matter. Chocolate milk!

Wine, Juice – yes. chocolate milk — no.

fruit of the cow?

Check out Malcolm Gladwell's article about drinking here: http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2010-02-15#fol...
He talks about the communal benefits of drinking parties under guided social rules – not so different than the value of drinking wine in forming a Shabbat community.

WAaaaaayyyyy out of place!!!

You should put drink water instead of wine and eat fruits and vegetables instead of bread…. most people live life dehydrated and malnourished. Might as well make this a more holistic and mindful event that takes into consideration the whole person… mind and body…

can whiskey be a substitute?

Wine has always been a symbol. Try to relate the meaning of wine- which included celebration and relaxation- to the day and make it a time to rejoice.

not if you're an alcoholic

Today, my wife & I practiced everything excapt giving back. (Not out of selfishness, but out of sloppiness: I will explained.) We live in Colorado and we took a picnic up to a mountain park. We ate bread my wife baked and tuna fish sandwiches. We took a walk w/our dachsunds. When we got home, we sat on out front porch and enjoyed watching the kids in the street ride their bikes as we drank some Cab, ate the rest of the bread and lit candles, and watched the sunset. I am Roman Catholic, so as I was enjoying what C.S. Lewis called “The pleasant levels of intoxication'” ie, a mild buzz, the words if the Rosary came into my
mind and I prayed. I thanked God for all my blessings.

Don't drink alcohol at all.

No, it most certainly does not 'go without saying': “It goes without saying that those who don't drink alcohol are free to interpret 'wine' as wine, juice, or any beverage for that matter.” I could also say it “goes without saying” that 07 contradicts 03. Why not enable a clickable (hidden before clicking) brief comment under each of these, and for number 7, mention that “wine can stand for any beverage” or whatever interpretation you support?

But even with that, I–as a Jew who is also an alcoholic/addict with nearly thirteen years of recovery under my belt–call BS on your explanation. It isn't “any” beverage. Your message is: chill out and relax with people / celebrate by way of consuming a type of alcohol that has a lot of value in Jewish law, ritual, and tradition. And that's fine, really, it's all well and good, but it sends a particular message, and don't pretend that it doesn't. After all, your entire 10 points already “go without saying,” don't they?

wine is great here. just as there are recovering alcoholics there are also recovering fundamentalists. i'll have a dry cabernet.

YAY the Internet is giving me permission to go binge drinking on 1 day of the week. I can't wait! Before I read this site I had no idea that I was going to do this. But now that you have told me to do so, I will go drink very large volumes of wine now. Oh and Bread! Yes, I will eat 18 pounds of this holiday fruitcake I have sitting over here.

Too bad I'm an adult and will make my own decisions based on the information (suggestions) you have provided here. Otherwise, YAHOOOO! drunk time!

I think there are enough concerns about alcohol, the tendency of some in our community to abuse it even if they are not alcoholics, and the reality of alcohol-related accidents, that we should look to some statement that is more general to use as one of the ten points, say, “Enjoyment of the Senses.” This could include drinking ANY substance that makes one feel good, eating any food that does the same thing, and participating in playful, human sexuality which is also a proper activity on Shabbat.

Are you nuts? Talk about childish. Grow up and learn about the beauty of balance and self control. Listen to yourself. You are called to be like your Father in Heaven, a child of the Most High Creator of all things. Think about what being that calls you to be and do. May you learn to listen to His STILL SMALL VOICE within your heart and not the raging demon that tries to destroy all things that the Lord God has made and ordained. My response, but I am appalled.

You are supposed to do that all the time. This is a special time, think about what the bread and wind represent.

Sounds like a 4th grader trying to get attention.

It is nice to know that a Roman Catholic is taking the first steps toward keeping a Sabbath. You might think about looking at http://www.biblegateway.org
this is a place to quickly look up by subject or verse all the things in the Bible, they even have a variety of versions. But I invite you to compare the 4th Commandment in Exodus 20 to your Catholic bible. Also, you can find on the left a “key word search” and click on that and enter the word SABBATH. This instantly brings up that word throughout the Old and New Testament… You can try this with any word you would like to study. I choose the King James or New King James usually, that is just my preference, unless I want to read a paraphrase like the AMPLIFIED Bible. The Word of God tells us that our salvation is to be worked out individually between us and God alone. I personally invite you to read and pray for understanding for yourself. No one else stands before God in your stead – except Yeshua, who gave His life for you. Shalom and glad you are interested enough to ‘unplug’ for a Sabbath rest.

Wine, bread, and candles are all Jewish elements. The other 7 items are more universal. What might be some ways to universalize these?

Thanks. That’s very kind of you.

I was not being kind, just an honest reaction.

What if your a recovering alcoholic?

drink juice

As a middle school charter school teacher I would love to for my entire school to be involved with this project. But given this particular “Principal” I am unable to promote it

Dude, Wino’s post was sarcasm, duh! lighten up, Francis!

I like 9 of the 10 principles. However, I’ve taken a vow against drinking any alcohol so I’ll have to pass on that wine drinking suggestiopn.
it brings to mind potential difficulties, especiually for those who are alcoholics. – vajrabooger

Not a drinker. Not liking this suggestion too much.

Im actually 14 and its illegal

Because I am Jewish I do get the “wine” thing. One would hope people in here are enough on the ball to “get” the Sabbath reference. In lieu of this a grape beverage will suffice. It is the physical act of consuming a pure drink from nature’s bounty and giving thanks for the abundance we have been blessed with…fermentation is not required for pity sakes do we always have to be so literal?
The description to the left of these posts says, “We’ve created 10 core principles completely open for your unique interpretation.”

Maybe this and the following, eat bread could be translated as attending a Eucharist and receiving the sacrament. Just a thought!

This is unfortunate, because it shoots the whole manifesto, which is otherwise a great initiative, in the foot. The ten principles should be things that can apply to everyone. I can’t use this at our church because we have a number of alcoholics, both recovering and otherwise.

Ninab – yes, I certainly get the sabbath reference, and have no problem with a wider interpretation (and you dont need to be Jewish for that The NT has plenty of reference to wine, not least in the Eucharist, and that is managed in different ways. But I’d like to use this manifesto more widely, and I know for sure (as you’ve seen in the comments here) that plenty of people will jump on the explicit reference to wine and raise objections to it (for reasons wise and foolish), so instead of promoting something that focusses on unplugging, we promote something that will cause debate and argument over a side issue. I don’t want to promote argument as a principle for the sabbath.

For me, “wine” sends a mixed message and involves a brain state and a body response. We may be aware that we speak and listen but how aware are we of how the word “wine” shapes our world esp. given all ages and the disease of alcoholism. The word “wine” may give us the illusion that we all can have it without any notion that we may have a predisposition to the disease of alcoholism.

Can we find another word that gives us the sense of what you really mean and not have us left to freely interpret what we think you mean, because we all think differently for different reasons, ha. I know you are teaching us to be more healthy and I applaud you. I thank you. I believe that taking more effort in choosing the precise word or words can give a better understanding of a meaning, concept or specific idea. So, if this word “wine” is representative of what you wanted to convey, then why does the word “wine” have such an impact on significant others?

apples and oranges not the same.

Well, I like the idea of drinking anything, alcoholic or not, is a good choice for folks to make. “Enjoyment of the senses” sounds fine too. But I still prefer scotch, not wine, at the end of a long day of caring for others in my care!