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Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Hibernation
With slight variations here and there, most dictionaries define hibernation as 'the act or condition of passing the winter in a torpid or resting state'. That definition also describes what I do on Shabbat afternoons... especially during the winter months.
Here in the Mediterranean region there is a time-honored tradition of taking a daily afternoon 'siesta' (this is the reason that many stores still close between 2 - 4 PM and then reopen for the late afternoon). But for the sake of brevity, let's confine our discussion to the Saturday afternoon nap... specifically the Shabbat nap one takes during the winter months.
On long summer Shabbat afternoons it is possible to go for a walk... visit with friends... and still have time to sneak away for a nice long nap. But as the days grow shorter and shorter, priorities must be weighed and difficult choices made. This means that for all intents and purposes, I won't be walking, visiting or otherwise socializing on Saturday afternoons until, um, well, until springtime! I'll be, well, hibernating.
All I know is that there is something simultaneously intoxicating and decadent about sneaking off after a big lunch of comfort food like chulent (a kind of long-simmering stew), cold cuts, kugels and tea, and then slipping under the duvet for a few hours.
I'm not sure how accepted this practice is among the secular set, but so ingrained is the Shabbat nap among the religious crowd that at the end of lunch this past past shabbat we had the following perfectly normal exchange with a nice couple that was visiting us from Jerusalem for the weekend:
Guests (1:30PM): That was a delicious lunch... thanks so much.
Us (1:31PM): You're very welcome... glad you enjoyed it.
[all of us begin making stretching gestures and start looking meaningfully at our watches]
Guests & Us (1:31PM): Well, I guess we're gonna go lie down for a few minutes... see you in a bit.
Me (5:10PM): [knock, knock] Hey, if you want to join me out in the parking lot for Aravit (evening services) you should think about waking up!
Honestly... are there really people out there who can function without naps???
Posted by David Bogner on November 15, 2005 | Permalink
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Comments
You have hit the nail on the head with this one!
I can barely survive the week without a shabbat afternoon nap.
You know that SHaBaT in Hebrew is an acronym (TLA) for - Sheina Beshabbat Ta'anug = Sleep on Shabbat is a Pleasure!
Posted by: NN | Nov 15, 2005 1:53:41 PM
are there really people out there who can function without naps???
Possibly... but who would want to?
Posted by: efrex | Nov 15, 2005 2:22:18 PM
are there really people out there who can function without naps???
Yes... my (adorable) kiddie-poos.
Posted by: Mike Miller | Nov 15, 2005 3:02:46 PM
I'm with ya on the Shabbat nap! Nothing else like it in the world.
Posted by: Essie | Nov 15, 2005 3:21:24 PM
I guess we could do without naps - in theory, but I ain't goin' to be the one to test that theory, especially after a very sleep-inducing shabbat chulent...
Posted by: mcaryeh | Nov 15, 2005 3:54:21 PM
When I started living in my current community people started to tell me things I could not comprehend.
Namely that people when invited for afternoon meals would stay for hours on end. Hey I need my nap dude!
Fortunately I have not had to experience this first hand. Happy snoozing!
Posted by: Jewish Blogmeister | Nov 15, 2005 4:22:51 PM
A good nap makes all the difference.
Posted by: Jack | Nov 15, 2005 4:43:00 PM
So who takes care of the kids???
Posted by: jaime | Nov 15, 2005 4:53:48 PM
i once knew someone who thought it was inappropriate to nap shabbat afternoon as she felt it was preparation for saturday night (blind dates). . . .talk about missing the point!
Posted by: rachel | Nov 15, 2005 4:58:29 PM
There's nothing like a good Shabbat nap. It's the best!
Posted by: Rahel | Nov 15, 2005 5:20:23 PM
yeah... what are the kids doing when the adults are napping?
Posted by: val | Nov 15, 2005 5:37:08 PM
I never nap.
I have to be near death sick before I will even take to my bed to rest.
I actually dislike sleeping during the day.
Posted by: lisa | Nov 15, 2005 7:13:27 PM
You poor youngsters. To only have one nap a week. Oh, the poverty. The deprivation. I've been napping every day for so long now I can't even remember what staying awake for more than six hours feels like ... and I don't want to. I don't know which I enjoy more ... my midmorning nap or my afternoon nap.
Posted by: Scott | Nov 15, 2005 8:37:01 PM
I actually started keeping Shabbat just so I could have my shabbes shluff!
Posted by: ester | Nov 15, 2005 9:16:09 PM
NN... I hadn't heard that acronym, before, but you can bet I'll be quoting it extensively from now on! :-) Thanks.
Efrex... Um, excuse me. New fathers are not allowed to nap!!! Read the contract... it's all spelled out quite clearly!
Mike Miller... Actually, I have a theory that the reason we need the naps is because the kids suck all the energy out of us.
Essie... The quality of the sleep you get on Shabbat afternoon is actually different from any other time... hard to explain, but it's true.
Mcaryeh... For a while I thought it was just the chulent making me sleepy. But then we adopted the minhag of only having a chulent on shabbatot between sukkot and pessach... and I still needed a nap! Go figure.
Jewish Blogmiester... That's the worst! It's happened a few times to us as well. It's not that I don't like these people, but WHAT THE HELL THEY YOU STILL DOING SITTING AT MY TABLE WHEN WE ALL HAVE BEDS WE COULD BE IN??? Sorry, was I shouting?
Jack... My whole week is ruined if I miss out on my nap.
Jaime... The big kids go visit friends on Shabbat afternoon and then go to Ezra (youth group). Yonah is still young enough that he too needs a nap after lunch. The real issue is that he doesn't stay asleep for more then a couple of hours so we take turns getting up with him after he's napped. I have to tell you that when it's my turn to get up early from my nap and I see Zahava snuggling deeper under the duvet... it's hard not to throw stuff at her. :-)
Rachel... Totally not getting the concept.
Rahel... Amen
Val... Well, when you come visit, they'll be playing with you! :-)
Lisa... I love you dearly... but you type A people are wound way too tight. You need to put down the rake and just mellow out on the weekend once in a while.
Scott... I don't know how old you are, but that's taking a good thing just a little too far. How can you appreciate the nap if there is another one just around the corner. Sheesh.
Ester... Do you really need a better reason? :-)
Posted by: David | Nov 15, 2005 10:24:11 PM
I remember Shabbat naps....after walking the kid(s) to various play dates..no time this time of year...We have (very close) friends to whom I referred as the commitments, shabbat lunch with them was a commitment. tons of fun, good food etc. but a commitment nonetheless. as I recall our first invitation to their Shabbat table it ended up including lunch and Seuda Shlishit. They also made aliya so your paths may cross(or maybe already have). All great but not a Shluff...
Posted by: Shmiel | Nov 16, 2005 3:27:45 AM
I have to nap on Shabbos. It's unavoidable. If I don't get to bed, I will fall asleep at the table. I just need that time to recharge from a week of burning the candle at both ends.
And I'm ashamed to say that, if my guests haven't yet left before nap time, I will sneak out of the living room and go upstairs to sleep anyway.
I don't know how Mrs. B. tolerates me.
Posted by: psychotoddler | Nov 16, 2005 6:20:34 AM
PT: at least you have the good sense to leave the room! Trep has, on countless occasions, fallen asleep right on the couch! Replete with thundering snores....
How does Mrs. B tolerate you? Same way I tolerate this... as Carol Kane told Billy Crystal in "the Princess Bride:" Twooo luubb! :-)
Posted by: zahava | Nov 16, 2005 8:15:30 AM
Shmiel... We know a few families like that... lots of fun, good company and great food.. but a big commitment in time (meaning no nap!).
Psychotoddler... as Zahava has so nicely pointed out, I have been known to excuse myself from the table and stretch out on the couch at the end of a meal (or at least when I deem the meal to have ended). I don't know what Zahava is talking about with the snoring, though. ;-)
Posted by: David | Nov 16, 2005 10:27:22 AM
Had a honkin' bowl of Cholent...
I wonder where the time went?
That's what I love about every Shabbos =
Eatin' beans and kissin alteh bobbes.
Posted by: Elisson | Nov 16, 2005 1:39:35 PM
Every time my parents visit, they start itching for a nap around 1:00 in the afternoon.
As for me, if I actually get a chance for a Shabbos shluff, I am very happy :)
Posted by: A Simple Jew | Nov 16, 2005 1:46:19 PM
Sometimes when I'm REALLY tired on a Shabbos morning, instead of going to my regular shul, I'll go to "Congregation Shluff"!
And I love attending Shabbos afternoon services there, too!
Posted by: Pearl | Nov 16, 2005 3:58:49 PM
Pearl, I prefer Kehillat Sha'arei Shenah ...
Posted by: Rahel | Nov 16, 2005 5:42:06 PM
Elisson... Zahava and I make very different kinds of chulents, and mine has almost no beans (it really is more of a hearty beef stew with kishke on top). Oh, I tend to leave the old ladies alone.
A simple Jew... See, we can learn from our parents! :-)
Pearl... I know that synagogue! It's right down the block from Congregation Ohev Shayna. :-)
Rahel... Great minds think alike. :-)
Posted by: David | Nov 16, 2005 5:47:11 PM
So here I sit wondering if the great bear is sleeping when he is supposed to be posting Photo Friday photos.
It is barely 6 am in the morning. How can I start my day without my photo Friday. Awwwww!
Posted by: Jack | Nov 18, 2005 4:02:53 PM
You might enjoy this Nap Book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0684859300/103-8600329-7147835?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance
Posted by: neil fleischmann | Nov 18, 2005 5:54:44 PM
