Why Taking a 24-Hour Break from this One Thing on Shabbat Might Be the Most Important Thing You Do This Week
The command to "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8) is one many of us set out to honor each week. We light the candles, we say the blessings, we attend synagogue, we set a beautiful table. But in our digital age, there’s one sneaky thing many of us forget to set aside: our screens.
One Shabbat afternoon, my family returned home from Synagogue. I kicked off my shoes, laid down on the couch, and mindlessly opened Pinterest. My husband settled at his laptop to play a game. One daughter was on her tablet watching cartoons, the other in the playroom tapping away on an iPad game.
Each of us in a separate room.
Each of us staring at a screen.
Now, none of those things are inherently bad. Technology can be fun, educational, even relaxing. And yes, screens have a place in our home during the week in limited and intentional ways. But that afternoon, something stirred in me: this didn’t look different than any other day of the week.
And Shabbat is supposed to be different.
The Rest Our Souls Are Starving For
Shabbat is God's invitation to taste Eden every week. It's a 24-hour pause from the hustle, from productivity, from worry—and from the digital noise that clutters our minds. It’s meant to be a day of ceasing—but have we truly ceased if we’re still endlessly scrolling?
Let’s talk honestly: most of us spend hours a day on our phones. According to a 2023 report by DataReportal, the average person spends 6 hours and 37 minutes per day online, with more than 2.5 hours per day on social media.
And what’s all that scrolling doing to us?
Dopamine overload: Social media is designed to activate our brain’s reward system. Every like, scroll, and click floods our system with dopamine, creating addictive patterns.
Mental exhaustion: Studies from the University of California Irvine show that switching between tasks and consuming too much information leads to cognitive fatigue and reduced attention spans.
Spiritual distraction: In the book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, author John Mark Comer writes, “What you give your attention to is the person you become.” If our attention is constantly fractured by digital noise, how can we focus our heart on God?
Shabbat is the antidote. But only if we let it be.
Screens Don’t Let Us Rest—They Numb Us
Scrolling feels restful, but it isn’t.
It’s passive. It disconnects us from the moment. It numbs our inner life instead of reviving it.
God didn’t design Shabbat to be numbing. He designed it to be restorative. He said:
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15 TLV)
But quietness can’t reach us if we’re constantly reaching for our phones.
When Shabbat Starts to Look Like Tuesday
The truth is, many of us feel burned out because there’s no true separation in our week other than attending a service. If we never fully unplug—if our minds are always checking notifications and absorbing content—our souls don’t get the Sabbath they desperately need.
When I looked around at my family that Shabbat afternoon, each of us in our own digital bubble, I felt convicted. Not guilty, not ashamed—but deeply aware. We needed to reclaim the gift of rest we were being offered.
So we decided to do something bold.
We started a new rhythm in our home: a 24-hour digital break every Shabbat.
Talk about first-world problems. It’s hard. But hard isn’t the same thing as bad.
What Happens When You Take a Digital Shabbat
In the Jewish world, the idea of a “tech Shabbat” isn’t new. Tiffany Shlain, author of 24/6: Giving up Screens One Day a Week to Get More Time, Creativity, and Connection, writes:
“It’s the one day we don’t let the world in. No emails, no news, no notifications. Just presence. And we’re better for it.”
When we unplug, here’s what happens:
Our nervous systems reset. The blue light, endless information, and constant pings fade. Our brains enter a more peaceful rhythm.
We look each other in the eye. We make eye contact, linger in conversations, and connect more deeply.
We remember who we are. Not followers. Not consumers. Not algorithms. Just people made in the image of God.
And most importantly: we hear God more clearly.
Grace for the Journey
There are times we forget. Times we cave and scroll. Times we turn on a family movie after dinner because everyone is tired. That’s okay. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention.
The beauty of Shabbat is that it meets us with grace. It invites us back week after week to try again—to remember, to pause, to let go.
So here’s your reminder: if you want to find rest that actually fills you—you have to disconnect from the world and reconnect with the One who created it.
How to Start a 24-Hour Shabbat Social Media Fast
1. Make the decision ahead of time. Before candlelighting on Friday night, put your phone away. Turn off notifications. Let people know you’re unavailable until Saturday night.
2. Set expectations for your family. Talk with your spouse and kids about the heart behind this practice. Invite them in gently. Maybe not everyone is ready to fast entirely—but start somewhere.
3. Replace screen time with meaningful rest. Instead of numbing, choose activities that nourish. Here are some ideas:
For Families:
Go on a nature walk
Play board games together
Bake a Shabbat dessert
Read aloud a story or family devotional
Build a puzzle
Sit in the backyard and cloud-watch
For Individuals:
Journal or write prayers
Read the Psalms slowly and aloud
Take a nap (yes, really)
Do something creative with your hands
Sit in silence with a cup of tea
4. Don’t judge your success—celebrate your attempts. Even if you make it half the day without your phone, that’s something! Build the muscle of digital rest slowly and with grace.
Let This Be Your Sign to Log Off
You were not made to carry the weight of the world, the heartbreak of every headline, or the noise of everyone’s opinion 24 hours a day.
You were made for Sabbath.
Let Shabbat be your sanctuary. Let it be different. Let it restore your soul in ways no scroll ever could.
When you choose to fast from social media for 24 hours on Shabbat, you’re not just resting from something—you’re making space for something better: connection, presence, peace.
This week, I invite you to log off. Light the candles. Put away the phone. And receive the full gift of Shabbat rest.
You’ll be amazed at what you find in the quiet.
