Moshe Sigdon: 'Shabbat Always Protected Us, Now We Must Learn to Protect It'

The 'Simchat Moshe Rabbeinu' organization, led by Moshe Sigdon, orchestrates the study of Shabbat laws in hundreds of schools across Israel, born from a deeply challenging event. One Friday evening, police officers came to Sigdon’s door. They came to inform him that one of his sons, Yosef, had passed away.

Moshe Sigdon, a staunch supporter of Shabbat, organized his son's funeral in the two hours remaining before the candle lighting. By sunset, the family was back home after burying their beloved son and brother.

"I gathered the children and said: 'If you want to cry, you have the right, he is your brother. But if you want to do something good for his soul, as I promised him by his grave, come with me to the Shabbat table properly, with songs and Shabbat foods,'" says Sigdon. The family agreed, and the Shabbat table was set in order. "People thought I took pills or got an injection. But no, it was entirely the power of Shabbat that helped me overcome."

He carried this strength forward when he founded 'Simchat Moshe Rabbeinu,' which distributes booklets for studying Shabbat laws in schools throughout Israel. An annual national quiz on the laws is also held. Sigdon recounts that the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef attended these quizzes during the last two years of his life, even when he was very weak.

"This year, we significantly expanded the scope of our activities," Sigdon tells us. "I obtained the email addresses of all 'Bnei Yosef' school networks, all independent education schools, and all state religious schools, and we sent them all materials via email. We are still compiling the list of schools that will actually run the program, and we hope to see significant growth."

This year, he adds, a new feature was added to the program: "We introduced the concept of 'Exemplary Behavior in Ethics.' Each school sends the child selected for good behavior in the field of interpersonal relations, and he receives a certificate of excellence and a drone. This too is in memory of my beloved son, who always loved to help and stayed away from gossip."

Everyone loves to talk about the uniqueness of Shabbat, Sigdon reminds us. Yet, how many of us know how to properly observe Shabbat? "Shabbat is so important, and we don't truly know her! Beyond slogans, I want people to know how to observe Shabbat. Shabbat always protected us, and we need to know how to protect it properly."

The feedback he receives, Sigdon shares, comes not only from teachers and students but also from parents. "A mother once told me she was amazed to discover, thanks to our booklets, that she hadn't observed Shabbat properly until now! For example, she had no idea that squeezing is forbidden on Shabbat."

"We want to help bring the redemption," Sigdon concludes. "In our organization, we don't say 'ashercha' (lucky you), we say 'asherenu' (lucky us)... Lucky us to be Jews and to have received a precious gift like Shabbat. It's an honor for us to keep it as Hashem wants."