The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath - Hardcover

Lieberman, Joseph I.; Klinghoffer, David

4.07

337 ratings by Goodreads

9781451606171: The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1451606176 ISBN 13: 9781451606171

Publisher: Howard Books, 2011

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The Sabbath is a gift that Senator Joe Lieberman, as an observant Jew, received from his parents who, in turn, received it from their parents, who received it from generations of Jews before them. According to ancient tradition, the line of transmission extends back to Moses at Mt. Sinai, who received the Sabbath as the fourth of the Ten Commandments. In this book, Lieberman will offer the gift of Sabbath observance—a gift that has anchored, ordered, and inspired his life—to readers of all faiths.

In the past century, the Sabbath has fallen on hard times. It is thought of as just another day or as a time to squeeze in some extra errands or recreation that you may have missed during the workweek. The weekend passes in a blur of often meaningless activity. Combining personal and political memoir with history and broadly informed religious reflection, this book is a practical how-to guide, with simple suggestions for introducing the Sabbath into your own life. It will be a very personal book, yet also one animated by reflections on history and larger social trends. It will also include profound reflections of both classical and modern Jewish sages, from the Talmud and the ancient Jewish prayer book, the Siddur, to Maimonides, to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Rabbi Soloveitchik.

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Review:

“What a wonderful book! Reading it helped me to recapture the wonder and excitement I experienced when I first became a Sabbath observer some thirty years ago. Senator Joe Lieberman and David Klinghoffer provide insights that can enrich anyone's life, not just weekly but daily.” (Michael Medved, nationally syndicated talk radio host, author of The 10 Big Lies About America)

“What a wonderful service Joe Lieberman has rendered his frazzled fellow Americans by reminding them of God’s gift of the Sabbath. The Gift of Rest has certainly convicted this too-busy Baptist to mend his ways and once again embrace a weekly ‘day of rest.’” (Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission)

“Joe Lieberman’s modest memoir of a notable political career, lived wholly within the frame of the eternal Jewish Sabbath, is unique in its zestful picture of how he does it in this day and age.” (Herman Wouk, bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Caine Mutiny)

“The Gift of Rest is a charming, beautifully written inspirational gem, as well as a fascinating insider’s look at how spirituality and faith intersect at the highest echelons of political power.” (Jonathan Kellerman, bestselling novelist)

“This charming, personal, and informative book by the popular Senator Joe Lieberman ‘is my love song to the Shabbat,’ the Jewish Sabbath, and what it can mean for non-Jews as well. This discovery and rediscovery of the Shabbat offers an intimate glimpse into the mind and heart of a decent and thoughtful person, written in non-technical prose, and which cannot fail to inspire a sensitive reader. Read it and cherish it. It will add a new dimension to your life.” (Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, Chancellor of Yeshiva University, Rosh Hayeshiva (Head) of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary)

“Senator Lieberman’s The Gift of Rest is itself a gift of faith. In these few pages, Senator Lieberman reminds us that the God-given day of rest—whether we call it Sabbath or Sunday—should be honored by all believers. As Pope John Paul II taught: we cannot work with God all week, if we do not rest with God on His Sabbath! Senator Lieberman’s reflections help each of us to remember just how to rest in God’s presence on His day.” (Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York)

“Joseph Lieberman does not just acknowledge the Sabbath as a break from the working week. As an observant Jew he relishes and bathes in the spirit of it. While most other faiths do not embrace the formal rituals of Judaism, there is much here that we can admire and that will remind Christians of what we have lost as respect and love for the Sabbath has diminished. This is a book about faith that both informs and transforms the reader.” (Cecil O. Samuelson, President, Brigham Young University)

“What a beautiful book about a beautiful concept—a day of rest as a gift to humanity. Senator Lieberman’s account of the Sabbath brought back fond memories of my own past while inspiring me to try to return to the values embodied in the Sabbath.” (Alan Dershowitz, author of The Trials of Zion)

“This deeply sincere and highly readable composition is certain to help people rethink their concept of Sabbath and prod them to rest.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The author deftly weaves his experience as an observant Jew on Capitol Hill into the readable exposition. Appealing for true believers and politicos alike.” (Kirkus Reviews)

About the Author:

Joe Lieberman is a United States senator representing Connecticut. As the 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate, he became the first Jew in American history to run for national office on a major-party ticket. With close ties and a wide fan base among Evangelical Christians, a popular speaker at churches and conferences, Lieberman counts top Evangelical leaders including Pastor John Hagee, Joyce Meyer, and Rick Warren as his friends and supporters.

Senator Lieberman lives in Stamford and Washington with his wife Hadassah. Together they are the proud parents of four children—Matthew, Rebecca, Ethan and Hana—four granddaughters, Tennessee, Willie, Eden and Madeleine, and a grandson, Yitzhak.

David Klinghoffer is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute in Seattle. He is the author of five books including Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History (Doubleday, 2005), Shattered Tablets: Why We Ignore the Ten Commandments at Our Peril (Doubleday, 2007), and the spiritual memoir The Lord Will Gather Me In: My Journey to Jewish Orthodoxy (Free Press, 1999), a National Jewish Book Award finalist. A former senior editor of National Review magazine, he has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Commentary, The Weekly Standard, and many other publications.

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