The
Rabbi Speaks
Mark Green’s Poker Lessons
(as told to Ashley Adams):
Shabbat
I want to talk with you about Shabbat. It goes by other names. Some older or more traditional Jews use the old pronunciation “shabbos”. And most non-Jewish Americans call it by the English name “Sabbath”.
Shabbat is my favorite Jewish observance. It is, in fact, our most important one as well. It is even more important than Yom Kippur.
It happens every week – from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday. Jews are supposed to rest during that period – performing no work of any kind. We are fulfilling the commandment to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy – because God rested on the seventh day. Six days we shall work but on the seventh day we must rest.
Today, with a five day work week, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal. But in ancient times it was a revolutionary concept – unique to the Jews. The Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians – for them rest was only for the wealthy. Workers worked everyday, without rest. Jews insisting on this weekly holiday were considered lazy.
It is our contribution to the world – perhaps our greatest contribution. Everyone needs at least a day of rest after six days of work. It is, in my view, the natural order of things. As I and other Jews celebrate it, it is a day of great joy that allows for spiritual, physical, emotional and psychic renewal on a regular basis. I look forward to it every week with great anticipation.
I even apply it to my poker game. And, in my opinion, so should everyone. A little shabbos can do wonders for you. Let me explain.
We’ve all had those ultra-long poker sessions. Our minds become numb – as do our bodies. We play automatically, mechanically, robotically. The longer we stay, the less we think and the more we react instinctively. We may be experts, and we may be profiting during our entire marathon session, but as fatigue sets in our play can only diminish.
Similarly, if you’ve ever played for many consecutive days you’ll find a similar deadening of your senses. It’s happened to me many times. While I may be more attuned to my opponents, the longer I continue to play on a daily basis, the less able I am to see and understand my own play. I become habitual and unthinking.
The whole notion of Shabbat embraces the concept of rest and renewal. On Shabbat we enter a different realm from the rest of the week – a time when we refrain from the activities we normally engage in. We step back. We pause. We become enriched spiritually. The word “Shabbat” comes from the root Shin-Bet-Tav – meaning to cease and to rest.
We need rest and renewal from our poker game. Consider the alternative – someone who plays without rest – ceaselessly and diligently. They may be a good player. But their play must eventually diminish. Without rest, without reflection, without pause they become not just tired but also robotic. They cease to give full thought and consideration to how they are playing. They fail to notice the small mistakes that inevitably slip into their game.
I know that I must take breaks from the game. When I am running bad or even when I am running good, I find that it helps to step away for a while, from time to time, to think about what I’ve been doing and to evaluate myself as a player. Only in that way can I return to the table refreshed and renewed.
It is traditional for Jews to celebrate Shabbat with a special meal, with candles and with wine. We also cease most if not all of those activities that bind us to our work lives. No phones, no TV, no driving, no radio and no work! My family and I have always done this. We surround our special day with beauty and warmth while clearly separating it from the regular routine of our week. That separation helps keep the otherwise invasive workweek from seeping in. It allows us to get our full measure of renewal without interruption or disturbance.
So do I recommend that you separate yourself as much as possible from your poker game when you take a break. I do this in a few ways. First of all, I have a clear rule that I never play poker on Shabbat. I love the game. But I love the enforced break from the game even more. It means that I will always have one day free from this activity –free to renew myself by engaging and indulging other parts of my brain and my person.
I also do this on a more regular basis while I am playing. When I take a meal break I insist on leaving the table. I see so many players eating and drinking at the table. What a shame that they can’t do one thing at a time. They need that break. They need to enjoy their meal. They need to get away from the table. Instead they eat and play and eat and play. It’s unhealthy for them and unhealthy for their game.
For me, the essence of keeping my poker game on track is in keeping my life on track. And that means regularly and purposefully separating myself from poker on a regular basis. I need it for renewal and replenishment. Without my Shabbat, I believe my game would suffer – but I’m certain my life would suffer.
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