This may not be a hot topic to discuss for most being that our culture tells us we are under grace and therefore can do and eat anything. I however have been returning to the text in the scripture specificly the teachings of the Torah and what Jesus has to say about it. This brings me to a very difficult scenario.
In the Torah life always comes first. Yeshua (Jesus ) reminds us with it as far as David is converned with the fact that the rabbi's came after Yeshua (Jesus ) about the dciples eating w/o washing their hands. The Torah itself never actually says food is unclean if you don't wash your hands, that is a Oral Torah observance taught as a way to protect the Torah which we can see Yeshua is really annoyed by because this is man's observance not obsevance of God when we do the traditions of men dialogue. So Yeshua never meant it to be so bound up with many of the rules the sages have applied by creating the oral Torah and He says my yoke is easy my burden is light. Yeshua told the rabbi's David went into the temple that only levitical priests are allowed to consume, does Yeshua break the Torah by claiming that it was fine for him to do so, to break the law? No, Yeshua is using the Torah to explain that Davids life was more important or superceeded the Torah whnever life is concerned. That is why Yeshua was cool with saving an animal on Sabbath. That is where life superceeds the commandment to do no work.
So, the Sabbath as some may know is sundown Friday to Sundown Saturday. As a budding photographer in the process of building my business this presents a problem as i become more observant of the Torah. Are there any Torah observant photographers out there that have wrestled with this and how do we do our job and keep the sabbath holy? Does new beginnings and new life together as married people fit into the life teaching? What does one do?
Thanks in advance for all those who are willing to take an honest look at this. Seriously this is a struggle for me lately.
Shalom,
Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Let me first say that I respect a great deal how you feel and that I think there is a special Grace from God in your heart to consider and give serious thought to your faith in relation to your business. I will also say that more than likely I won't be able to help you, because as a Catholic, my worship obligation - Mass - is only 1 hour long. However, I do share your same conviction about doing a wedding during the time I need to be in God's house for worship. What I have done with my business is that I won't take any weddings or sessions during the time(s) I need to attend Mass. In this sense I am kind of blessed because within 20 minutes of my house I have access to 5 different Masses on 2 different days, so I have some choices. But if it is so that a wedding will interfere with my time of worship, I will simply pass on that wedding.

Again, because the Sabbath is a day long observance it's a bit harder to work around shooting weddings which are normally on Sat. One question though, is there a way to maybe focus your wedding business to the Jewish community? I would imagine that faithful practicing Jews won't get married on a Sabbath, or am I wrong. That way you can grow your business as a specialist in Jewish weddings, and still being able to take some daytime Friday weddings or some Sunday weddings whether they are Jewish or not. I have an Indian friend and although he shoots any kind of wedding, he specializes in the Indian weddings and about 90-95% of the weddings he shoots are for Indian couples. He is able to sell his services because he presents himself as a specialist that knows very intimately the meaning or the rituals in the ceremonies and such. Using that to his advantage, he is able to capture those moments in a light that gives the images more meaning, then say, if I was to shoot an Indian wedding.

Sorry for my ramblings. I hope I at least gave you some ideas, and let me say again how much I respect and admire your convictions. God Bless you.

Easy solution. Only do Russian weddings -- they're all on Sunday.

+1

If it's your belief to "keep the sabbath day holy" by avoiding work during that time then you've answered your own question

This has nothing to do with what other people think (unless you have children that you're trying to teach to believe the same) because you know in your heart it's a committment between you and god.