There is an old Hasidic story about a trio of friends who decided to see if Shabbat had to be observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening.

So one Tuesday morning, they started cooking and laid out their best Shabbat outfits. They did everything necessary to prepare, and that evening they joyfully began celebrating Shabbat.

The next 24 hours were wonderful. Everything that Shabbat should be. On Thursday morning, they went to their rebbe and asked him what happened.

They wondered, why was it so good? How could that be, if it wasn’t really Shabbat? Does this mean that you can celebrate Shabbat whenever you want? They were confused and not a little upset.

I can’t remember what their rebbe told them. But here’s what I would have said. First I’d ask, “What was missing from your pseudo Shabbat?”

I hope they would notice that their wives and children, neighbors and friends, had not been there.

Shabbat isn’t only an individual experience. It’s also about community. It’s knowing that Jews all over the world are singing the same prayers, reading the same Torah portion.

Even when a Jew is alone on Shabbat, she is still part of a community.

I know, this sounds ridiculously idealistic. And unlike me.

It’s especially odd because today is Thanksgiving and I spent the day alone at home, so sick with a head cold that I could barely function. (Although I did venture out to a gas station for ginger ale and ice cream.) I went through an entire box of tissues, slept off and on, and was generally miserable. So were the dogs. I’ve not been a good dog mom.

And oh my gosh, all the Christmas stuff on TV today! Holidays are funny things. Christmas especially. Christmas ads have been running since before Labor Day. The Hallmark Channel started airing Christmas movies in July. A local TV weather guy is fretting publicly about getting his Christmas decorations up soon enough.

Everything seemed to stop momentarily for Halloween, but then it started up all over again. It barely paused today for Thanksgiving.

The thing that saddens me is the complete lack of Christianity in the Christmas that they’re carrying on about.

So where does all of this leave me tonight? I still feel dreadful. I’m glad I was able to celebrate a pre-Thanksgiving with friends yesterday. I’m glad to have had ice cream and ginger ale and OTC meds today. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with the stress that Christmas seems to cause everyone. I’m glad tomorrow is Shabbat.

And I am especially glad that the Hasids of the old story figured out where they had gone wrong.

Unlike the Christmas portrayed on TV, Shabbat isn’t “magical” and it most certainly is not devoid of God. It’s about us imitating God, being God-like in our rest and our week-day activities. I can’t wait to feel better so I can throw myself into it.