Q&A: Sorrow on the Sabbath
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Sorrow on the Sabbath
Question
Hello, Rabbi, I would be glad if you could please explain the statement that it is forbidden to be sorrowful on the Sabbath.
Is this Jewish law? What is its source? What exactly should I do if I am very sad about something and at the moment cannot find comfort in faith?
Thank you very much in advance
Answer
There is an obligation of honoring the Sabbath and delighting in the Sabbath, and sorrow is the opposite of delight. See Wikipedia, “Delighting in the Sabbath.”
If you are sad, you should try to get out of it. As far as I can see, it has nothing to do with finding comfort in faith. Find comfort in something else. If you cannot manage it, then perhaps you are under duress.