“It is good to give thanks to Adonai, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your steadfast love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night.”
(Psalm 92:2–3)
Every week as the sun sets on Friday, Jewish communities around the world prepare to welcome Shabbat — to bring in peace, light, and a sense of sacred time. Candles are lit, blessings are said, and families gather for a festive meal or head to the synagogue to greet the Shabbat Bride.
Psalm 92 reminds us that Shabbat is not merely a pause from work — it is a celebration of creation, a moment to see the world through gratitude.
When I first began my journey toward Judaism, this was one of the hardest ideas for me to grasp. Why do we do this? What is its purpose? And who exactly is the “Shabbat Bride”? I didn’t have those answers right away — but standing in services, hearing the melodies, and joining the community in song felt… right. My rabbi and Cantor often spoke about Shabbat as a time of renewal, a way to begin the week refreshed and grounded. Their words resonated deeply, even before I fully understood them.
As I learned more, I discovered that menukhah — rest — isn’t about idleness. It’s about spiritual alignment. Psalm 92 teaches that rest is active praise, not absence of effort. “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, grow tall like a cedar in Lebanon” (92:13). True rest nourishes the soul. It allows our hearts and minds to expand, to feel restored and rooted once again in what truly matters.
Through my conversion journey, I’ve come to cherish Shabbat, not just as a commandment, but as a gift. Each week it offers me a chance to reset my soul, to step back from the noise of life and remember that God’s order and purpose remain constant, even in uncertain times.
Shabbat is more than a ritual — it’s an embrace, a reminder of who we are and Whose world we live in.
