Mystical Jewish sources (Sfas Emet, Noah 5635) say that Noah and Shabbat are connected to the idea of menucha, rest, as they both share the same Hebrew root letters (nun and chet -- נח). As such, Noah’s name is connected to Shabbat, as Shabbat is the quintessential day of rest and inextricably tied to rest. What is the deeper meaning behind this?

Lesson:

Noah and Shabbat are connected in that they both have the ability to rescue. Just as Noah rescued the animals and his family from the flood, ensuring the continuation of mankind, Shabbat has the ability to rescue us from the flood of the week. During the week, we are immersed in the mundane, toiling in the physical, trying to create and accomplish. We feel the physical limitations and pulls necessary to keep everything afloat. But on Shabbat, we stop. We stop accomplishing, creating, working and we allow the waves of rest to enter into our homes and our beings.

Even our mundane activities, such as eating and drinking are suddenly rescued and transformed into holy activities, through which we even sanctify Shabbat. We are rescued from the everyday pulls that gnaw on us, worry us, weigh us down as on Shabbat, we focus on making God the focus. As we remember that God created the entire universe in six days, surely God can help me with whatever I need. When we allow our focus to shift from one of worry to one of rest, we create an immediate and authentic rescue. And that is the ultimate rest.

Exercise: Do one thing this week to help in your menucha, your state of rest by making Shabbat extra special. Buy or make something extra special/savory, let the kids play while you read or take a nap. Try to carry the rest of Shabbat throughout the week.

Sources quoted and idea inspired from Short and Sweet on the Torah by Rabbi Bregman