“Those who keep My Sabbaths…”

Just one Shabbos and we'll all be free?

Trump announced this week that American Jews should celebrate a national Shabbat, from sundown on May 15th to nightfall on May 16th, in honor of 250 years of American independence and the contributions of the American Jewish community.

The first time I heard this, I found it absolutely bizarre.

Hold up, now Trump is trying to get Jews to keep Shabbat? What is that actually about?

And like with most things Trump does, I don't fully understand his rationale. Lately, I haven't found it very important to understand him.

Because in my opinion, it's not really about Trump. I usually see him as God's pawn, a vessel through which God is currently moving reality around us.

I try to judge each action on its own merits, regardless of which politician or political party it's associated with.

I ask myself, is this for good or for evil? Does this represent my values, or does this move fly in the face of what I believe?

I gotta tell you- this national Shabbat announcement is very interesting.

Billed as being a recognition of the Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to God--

I am all for this. I do not know why he's doing it, but here is why I think this is a wonderful thing.

When we were growing up, there was this song, "Just one Shabbos and we'll all be free..." referencing the Talmud Bavli, which says, “If the Jewish people would keep two Shabbatot properly, they would immediately be redeemed.”

It goes on to bring a source from Isiah that says, “Those who keep My Sabbaths…” followed by “I will bring them to My holy mountain…”

There is also a tradition in the Talmud Yerushalmi that says, "If Israel kept one Shabbat properly, Mashiach would immediately come.”

There has always been a part of me that loves that image- just one big Shabbat together, a moment of unity and reflection, of song and food and prayer and togetherness- and that power could bring us into a messianic age.

A universal time of truth, peace, and well-being.

What a beautiful image.

That being said, it is my firm belief that in 2026, there is no one in the world who wouldn't benefit from the message of Shabbat.

In a world of nonstop texting, social media, scrolling, news, catastrophe, work, technology, and so forth...

Shabbat is pause.

It's intentional rest.

Curated time with family and friends.

A time for personal reflection.

A time to reconnect with God, faith, and to invest in your sense of spirituality.

That there is more to life than being tethered to tech and stress.

That "menucha"- translated as rest, is healthy.

Through the ages, Jewish wisdom has always said, "Jews kept Shabbos, but Shabbos kept the Jews," - remarking on how keeping this beautiful tradition kept our Jewish identity alive.

We need that more than ever. Positive Jewish joy and identification.

But today, that line has an additional meaning for me.

Whenever I'm sitting on my couch after lighting and blessing my Shabbat candles, the house smelling like divine foods and fresh challah- I am always thinking-

Thank God for Shabbos.

The unplugging from my phone and my laptop, from constant messages, and pressures of the week- is the break I need to maintain my mental and physical wellbeing.

It's a check against the stress of the moment- a hard stop that frees me to come back to myself.

What a better world we would live in if everyone had permission to pause one day a week.

To take care of themselves.

To nurture their relationships.

And rebalance their nervous systems.

God knew what he was doing when he asked us to keep his special 7th day.

The day He rested.

Thousands of years later, it's still as relevant as ever.

That being said, what do you make of this strange pronouncement from Trump?