Shabbath Shuth
Zvulun Orlev of the National Religious Party , a.k.a. the “Mafdal”, has proposed a law that will make Sunday a day-off. Commercial activity currently taking place on Shabbat will be transferred to Sunday. [Note: I firmly believe that we should not have any “religious parties” in Israel... but we won't get into that.]
Transportation and recreational activities will also be permitted, although anyone who has ever been on a bus knows that Meretz voters—who so desperately want Shabbat transportation—feel that riding buses is beneath them. IMHO, except for a few routes to the beach, Dan, Egged and anyone else will offer only the most minimal of services since it won’t be economically viable.
The good news is that according to a poll, Israelis support this initiative 56% to 30%.
The shuth news is that the black-clad guardians of the Torah are against it:
Transportation and recreational activities will also be permitted, although anyone who has ever been on a bus knows that Meretz voters—who so desperately want Shabbat transportation—feel that riding buses is beneath them. IMHO, except for a few routes to the beach, Dan, Egged and anyone else will offer only the most minimal of services since it won’t be economically viable.
The good news is that according to a poll, Israelis support this initiative 56% to 30%.
The shuth news is that the black-clad guardians of the Torah are against it:
Do you support a proposed law according to which Sunday will also be a day off and commercial activities now being carried out on the Sabbath be transferred to Sunday?If they really love the Torah, what exactly are they afraid of?
Total: Yes 56% No 30%
National religious: Yes 64% No 29%
Ultra orthodox: Yes 6% No 84%
Secular: Yes 64% No 10%
Of those currently making purchases on Sabbath: Yes 55%
- That simchah—and unity--of chol hamoed might visit us nearly every week?
- That there might be less sinat chinam since all of Am Yisrael will be able to come into contact?
- That extended families of Shabbat observers and non-observers might get together for a kosher cookout?
- That they might not be able to use the “book of books” as a cudgel to bash their brethren?
- That people might get used to not working and want to be on the dole too?
Comments
Too bad as Orlev is finally being useful. At least he's not claimed that he invented "Sundays off". In any case, we all know Al Gore did.
The Torah tells us 6 days you shall work.
I am quite upset that a representative of the religous party has to propose that we follow the way of the goyim and make sunday into shabat.
I support everything you said in this blog. Despite my grandparent comming from Ashkenazi countries, I eat kitniyoth on Pesach. I agree with Rav Bar Hayim's Hashkafa.
But we don't need sunday off.
I work many many hours for my parnasa.
My time with my family in on Shabat. Sunday is a work day for Jews. I want Israel to be Jewish. We are trying to be more and more like the rest of the world. Sunday as a day of is not Jewish.
We need another day off so we can drive to the beach? go to the mall?
The Torah says that you shall work for 6 days and rest on the 7th. That does not mean that we are required to work all 6 days but it certainly should not become the standard that we don't work on sunday in the Jewish state.
Such a change can lead to more changes where we become like the goyim. When I was a child most children in Israel did not know about the christian new year. Today it is common for everyone to greet everyone Happy New Year in January.
We are trying to become and more and more like the goyim.
The nice thing about Medinat Israel as bad as it is today is that the day off is Shabat. The holidays are the Jewish holidays.
When you go to work on Sunday you feel that you are in a Jewish State. It is a week day.
Does Rav Bar Hayim support this nonsense? I would be quite surprised and disappointed if he did.
We should model our State after the Torah and not after the nations.
Don't forget that we allready get out early on friday. Some people have off friday, others have a half day. Getting out early is a good thing because we can prepare for Shabat. But now that we make Sunday another day off we will only work 4.5 days a week.
Is that what the Torah teaches us?
I want my kids to go to school on Sunday so they know it is a week day just like all other days and there is nothing special about it.
You work hard 6 days and appreciate Shabat as the day of rest.