Once, in the times of monarchs and kings, there was a king who sent his son, the prince, to live a peasant life for a few months. The purpose of this was for the prince to get an understanding of the people who he will eventually rule over.

The prince had a very difficult time there. He was used to the comforts and delicacies of the king's palace and suddenly he needs to till the land and eat rough food. The peasants didn't understand him and made fun of his perfectionism. For them living in the field was way better than living in the city and being required to live up to its lifestyle. After many months he received a letter informing him that in two weeks the king's servants will come and pick him up.

The prince's excitement knew no bounds. He wanted to dance and laugh but he knew the peasants won't understand him and will only make more fun of him. He thought of a good idea. With the bit of money he still had, he went to buy liquor and beer. He then paid a few coins to some peasants who knew how to play instruments and he threw a party.

The peasants were extremely excited to be treated to a party. They drank, danced, and laughed the entire night. The prince was then able to express his excitement and he danced and laughed too but for an entirely different reason. The peasants thought that he is rejoicing with them but really his mind was far away. His excitement and joy were about his returning to the palace and to the royal family, something that they couldn't even grasp.

This parable is given to understand why on Shabbos Jews celebrate with food and joy. Shabbos is about remembering the six days of creation and that on the seventh day G-d ceased to create and just let the world be. The seventh day is Saturday, the Shabbos. We work six days to bring food to the table but for the seventh, the food is already prepared from before Shabbos. No creativity and manipulation of nature is allowed; we need to allow the world to be.

Really the Shabbos is a day for the soul; to study, pray, and sing. Why then is it also a day to enjoy deliciously cooked food? The answer is with the above parable. The soul and our inside psyche are like foreigners in the world of the material. Sometimes our souls express a spiritual quest or moments that are like epiphanies, but our bodies try to suppress them. On Shabbos, we feed the body to be in a good mood, so that it will allow the soul to rejoice and immerse itself in something deeper.

Sometimes this idea works the other way around. When our souls don't feel right and isn't inspired, the body and physical movement can awaken it.

Many studies have shown that exercise activates chemicals in the brain and makes a person get out of a depressive state. Or when someone is in a lazy mood, quick movement of the body helps a person become energized. Angry moods can dissipate by talking to a friend pleasantly and with a smile.

These are not easy tasks. When someone is in a bad mood, they don't want to exit that mood, it feels good in a certain way. Because moods entangle us, the best remedy is action. Thoughts won't help much to take us out of a bad or lazy mood.

Action has immense power. That's why Judaism teaches a whole array of Mitzvos (commandments) that are related to deeds. Giving charity makes a person kinder, putting on Tefillin (phylacteries) deepens our connection to the Creator, Shabbos makes a person realize the importance and limits of human creation, Study makes a person be contemplative, and so on. When we do something, it doesn't just make us think, it changes our identity.

Comments? Email me: moshe@jaketv.tv.