Abstract
Shabbat begins on Wednesday just before sunset and lasts till the following Saturday when we can see the first star. Of course there are some tables with all the hours, called lou'hot, made by rabbinic authority. It is forbidden to work on Shabbat and that's why it is the official rest day in Israel, shops and public transport don't work.
The roots of the word Shabbat is "shev" which is the root of "lashevet", a verb used in Hebrew to mean "to sit". Most people translate it by "resting" however it seems it refers more to "abstention" (from work), cessation associated with the notion of voluntary rest. Jewish theology underlined the fact that Shabbat, with its abstinence of creative work, was chosen by God to enable people to take rest to regenerate their souls.
