According to our tradition, Shabbat is not simply a good idea, but a mitzvah. The Ten Commandments, Aseret Hadibrot, urge us: "Remember Shabbat and set it apart. Six days you shall toil and do all your work but the seventy day is the Shabbat of the Eternal your God" (Exodus 20:8-10).

The medieval sage Rashi focused on a curious part of the commandment: "Six days shall you toil and do all your work..." How, he asked, can you complete all your work in six days? In eleventh century France, Rashi understood what we still face today—that there is simply more work to get done each week than we can possibly manage. Said Rashi, "When Shabbat comes, it should seem to you as if all your work is completed. You should stop thinking about work" (Rashi on Exodus 20:9).

Our ancestors recognized that it is hard to make the transition from the six days of the work week to a day of rest. Friday evening is designed to help us perform this magic trick, to begin to act as if our work is done. Our transition can actually begin as early as Wednesday when, according to tradition, we may begin to wish each other "Shabbat shalom" In the ancient world, Thursday was a market day, when the planning for and preparation of the Sabbath meal began.

Music can help set the mood. Candles help, too, creating an atmosphere of warmth. Good food and drink make Shabbat an oneg, a joy. Work is set aside. The Sabbath Queen has arrived!