Didn't Joe Lieberman refuse to campaign for Al Gore during the Jewish Sabbath?

[IndianaGreen]

Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. I often attend Erev Shabbat services at my congregation on early Friday evenings. My question about Lieberman, who claims to be Orthodox, is that while he did not campaign for Gore during the Sabbath, he did show up at the Senate last night to give a speech on the stimulus package. So what gives about Lieberman? Bad to campaign for Gore, but good to pontificate on the Senate floor during Shabbat?

Lieberman's Sabbath has deep spiritual meaning
August 12, 2000
Web posted at: 2:24 PM EDT (1824 GMT)

By Alan Elsner/Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - And on the seventh day he rested.

This Saturday, the first Sabbath after he was selected as Democratic vice presidential candidate, Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew, stepped off the campaign trail and retreated into a world of prayer and celebration, as he does most Saturdays unless interrupted by official business.

While this was just another day for Al Gore, George W. Bush and his running mate Dick Cheney, Lieberman was seeking the spirituality and tranquillity of a traditional Jewish "Shabbat."

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/08/12/campaign.sabbath.reut/index.html

[w4rma]

1. LIEberman is a fraud and a con-artist. (nt)

[pink-o]

2. Lieberman's God is Lieberman.

He'll follow the Torah as long as it's self-serving.

Man, I wish Obama had ground that little shlemiel under his foot! I don't trust him not to turn like the worm he is!

PS: In all fairness, Rahm Emanuel got permission from his Rabbi to work during Yom Kippur. Even Sandy Koufax refused to do that--and he was supposed to pitch for the Dodgers in the World Series.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Koufax was great!

I am a rabid Yankee fan, but that year I rooted for the LA Dodgers because of Sandy Koufax, who I believe is another of Bernie Madoff's many victims.

[WinkyDink]

8. I digress: Koufax remains the best-looking man in baseball!

[dsc]

3. unless interrupted by official business

right in your article.

[IndianaGreen]

6. There is no such exemption for Shabbat among Orthodox

Even in my more liberal tradition, we don't have weddings during Shabbat. Funerals during Shabbat are avoided.

[karynnj]

7. There is an exception - t you can and are requiered to tend to the sick .

But, I doubt a Lieberman speech falls under that category - but you might be able to make the case for him being there if his vote would have been number 60. He could argue that that bill is needed for the the repair of the world. (I don't think there is a prohibition to speaking - or a requirement that he has to speak only of religion.)

Not to mention, he doesn't wear a yamulke.

[Ikonoklast]

5. Holy Joe can put on or take off his religious mantle at any time he desires.

He is a fifth columnist, and a fraud.

[tigereye]

9. what's your point?

that he talks out of both sides of his mouth? This is news? :shrug:

[Hippo_Tron]

10. Being raised Jewish I found the observance rules of shabbat to be one of the dumbest things ever

The rules made sense for a "day of rest" in biblical times but eschewing modern conveniences isn't relaxing, it's simply more work.