"Shake It off" Jewish Parody- I'm Taking Off (Shabbat)
Section A-Overview and Description
-This music video is based on a song called, “I’m taking off”. The song uses the same melodic rhythm as the song by Taylor Swift called, “Shake It off”. In this song, it discusses how Shabbat is very important to Jewish people. It showed a Jewish man taking off early from work on a Friday afternoon to tend to his religious Shabbat duties.
-A particular aspect of the religious is represented in the Jewish men in the video. Jewish people overall take celebrations and holidays super seriously. Especially, Shabbat. That is one thing in which is super important in practicing Judaism. Jewish people are also known for praying, the belief of a practice, and the actual practice of the belief.
Section B- Comparative Analysis
-Shabbat is also known as the day of rest. This was god’s way of resting after working all week, creating nature and earth. Those who take part in the celebration of Shabbat, it is a precious gift from god, a day of great joy eagerly awaited throughout the week, a time when we can set aside all of our weekday concerns and devote ourselves to higher pursuits. Shabbat is the most important ritual observance in Judaism. It is the only ritual observance commenced in the Ten Commandments. Shabbat is not specifically a day of just prayers. Although jewish people pray on Shabbat, and spend a vast amount of time in synagogue praying, prayer is not what differentiates Shabbat from the rest of the week. In America’s society today, Jewish people will take the five-day work week so much for granted that we forget what a radical concept a day of rest was in ancient times. The weekly day of rest has no parallel in any other ancient civilization. During the ancient times, leisure was for the wealthy and the ruling classes only, never for the serving or laboring classes. Of course, things have changed over the years. Some people specifically have their work hours arranged with their supervisors and bosses to make sure they are free from work when sundown hits on Friday through Saturday.
-Three similarities of religious themes in the song was the fact that the Jewish men in the video were asking permission to leave work on Friday earlier than everyone in preparation for Shabbat. Another similarity was the fact at these men went home to a feast and were able to lounge around and have leisure time. The last similarity was the fact that they lit the candles and said their prayers.
-Three differences were that these men portrayed in the video showed Orthodox Jews only practicing this when in fact all Jews celebrate Shabbat whether you are Orthodox, Conservative or Reform. The traditional clothing these men are wearing in the video are not exclusively because of Shabbat, these men just seem to be Orthodox, thus explaining the choice of clothing and hats and other accessories.