intensely dislike disagreements, but a topic of minor controversy interrupted what I was expecting to be the beginning of a peaceful Sabbath. Ironically, the disagreement centers on that very thing: peaceful Sabbath. The question is, "When is the appropriate time to say, 'Shabbat shalom'?" One opinion is that you can say it at any time during the week, although all parties seem to agree the best time is from anytime on Friday until the end of the Sabbath. The other opinion is that we really shouldn't bid someone a "Shabbat shalom" until the Sabbath has already begun. I personally lean towards this latter view. In the scheme of things, this topic really should be something we can agree to disagree on over a cup of coffee. As I shared with a friend, "Oh, how I wish the timing of when to say, 'Shabbat shalom' to someone could be the greatest controversy among Sabbathkeepers!" But disagreements happen, and regardless of how minor a disagreement can be, it's never pleasant. Psalms 133:1 comes to mind.

     When I was lightly chastened for my personal stance that the most appropriate time to tell someone "Shabbat shalom" is at or after the beginning of the weekly Sabbath, I performed a Google search to see if anyone else has wondered the same thing. It turns out they have, and there are mixed opinions on this very topic. In fact, my personal view may be in the minority, in which case I would remind those of the majority opinion that being in the minority is not the same thing as being wrong. I feel the Beit El Yeshiva Learning Center website offers a fairly balanced view. According to Judaism 101, "Shabbat shalom" is an expression used on the Sabbath (i.e., not before and not after):

Shabbat Shalom (shah-BAHT shah-LOHM)
Hebrew. Literally, Sabbath peace or peaceful Sabbath. This is an appropriate greeting at any time on Shabbat, although it is most commonly used at the end of a Shabbat service.[1]

     Just to make it crystal clear that I am not dogmatic about this one particular view, my own son bid me a Shabbat shalom nearly three hours before the beginning of this week's Sabbath, and I replied with a similar greeting. I love hearing from him and I appreciate the love and kindness behind the words. But it was a greeting, and that's my point. Greeting. Let's face it: "Shabbat shalom" is a greeting, as affirmed within the above citation. Admittedly, the words translate "peaceful Sabbath," and not "Sabbath greetings," yet after nearly 40 years of Sabbathkeeping, I've grown accustomed to saying, "Shabbat shalom" to fellow sabbathkeepers on the Sabbath day, and those words are used in greeting those believers. It's essentially an abbreviated means of saying, "Greetings to you on this Sabbath day, and may it be a peaceful one for you!" Maybe you don't see it that way; if you don't, then so be it. It's really not that big of a deal, or at least I don't think it should be. But the Sabbath day is the ONE day of the week I most look forward to, and when the sun sets on Friday, that initiates a very special time for me. Not a second before.

     The Sabbath day is very special to me because it's special to Yahweh. It's a holy day. The intervening moments before Shabbat begins may be filled with joyous anticipation of the onset of the Sabbath, but it's not the Sabbath. It's not holy time–at least not yet. I am now retired, but when I was employed, the day of the week everyone most looked forward to was Friday because that was the last day of the work week. The early morning phrase "Happy Friday!" echoed via all means of communication, whether verbally, by email or by text. But no one ever said, "Happy Friday!" on Thursday. Maybe I'm different from others out there, but in all my years of employment, I don't remember anyone ever telling me, "Happy Friday!" on a Thursday. And since I personally regard "Shabbat shalom!" as the abbreviated means of simultaneously greeting someone and wishing them a blessed and peaceful Sabbath, I don't initiate a "Shabbat shalom" greeting with anyone until the Sabbath has actually begun. If you don't see it that way, I'm okay with that, but hopefully you can at least see and understand my perspective.

     Finally, I think it's great to express the desire for someone to have a pleasant and peaceful Sabbath on any day of the week. I have often told others things like, "May your Sabbath be blessed!" on some day other than the Sabbath, especially when I know I won't communicate with them again until after the upcoming Sabbath. To me, there's a difference between expressing the desire for someone to have a blessed Sabbath–on whichever day of the week you choose to express it–and saying "Shabbat shalom," which I personally regard as a Sabbath greeting. I try to reserve saying, "Shabbat shalom" for a very, very special occasion: the Sabbath. But that's me. I hope my fellow Sabbathkeepers understand, even if they don't agree. 

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[1] "Expressions and Greetings," Judaism 101. Retrieved 2 August 2024. The underlining is mine for emphasis purposes.