Lieberman's New Book Extolls 'The Gift of Rest'

Joe Meyers - Connecticut Post

You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy the restorative benefits of the Sabbath.

That's just one of the messages to be taken away from the new book by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, "The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath" (Simon & Schuster).

Of course, the primary reason Jews celebrate the Sabbath is to reconnect with God and their religion every week.

But Lieberman points out how some of the "restrictions" of the day -- no electronic devices, elevated discussion, planned interaction with friends and loved ones -- can be beneficial to anyone.

"What I was hoping for was that (it would encourage) secular people to take one day off a week," Lieberman said during a recent phone interview.

The senator believes that regular time off is vital for everyone -- from ordinary working people to the president of the United States.

When we spoke, President Obama was coming in for some criticism of his Martha's Vineyard vacation with his family (which, after the interview, was cut short by Hurricane Irene).

"I was waiting for someone to draw that connection," Lieberman said, chuckling, of the message of his book and the time-off barbs directed at Obama.

"To me that's silly," the senator said of people who don't think a president and his family should go away for a few days.

"The only reason for him not to go on vacation would be cosmetic," he added of the way that the White House and its responsibilities follow any president wherever he might go.

"He needs that time with his wife and family," Lieberman said.

People tend to work harder when they know a day is being reserved for rest, the senator believes.

"What the Sabbath is about is honoring life and improving the life of those around you," he said.

In his public career Lieberman has always made it clear that his job would include celebrating the Sabbath.

When the senator ran for vice president with Al Gore in 2000, the two religious men informally agreed that if they won, they could spell each other on weekends -- with Gore on call for Saturdays, and Lieberman ready to go on Sundays.

Although he realizes the old blue laws that restricted business activity on weekends will never return, Lieberman believes we lost something important when they were abolished.

"I think people look back on (those) Saturdays and Sundays as very special times. I give a shout out in the book to the owners of two companies who still (follow the blue laws). But it's up to us now to try to come back to some of that (enforced inactivity)."

Lieberman admits in the book to being as technology-addicted as almost everyone else in this country, but that has made him more appreciative of the "restrictions" of the Sabbath.

"I think it's even more necessary and important now because what technology does is enable us to never stop working," he pointed out.

"It's the hardest thing for me to do -- to turn the cell phones and the Blackberries off -- but once you do it, it can be extremely liberating," Lieberman said.

The senator joked that in doing press interviews for "The Gift of Rest" he has encountered a "certain sense of envy" from media people who dream of a day when they're not tethered to their computers, cell phones and the Internet.

Lieberman believes there is a degree of inflated ego involved with people who think they are too important to turn off for a day.

"The world can get by without me for a while and if the world needs me, it'll get in touch," he said, laughing.

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