Shabbat Part 3: A Day of Rest for the World

Two Dimensions of Shabbat

Shabbat in the Torah appears during the creation story and then again in the book of Exodus after the Israelites leave Egypt. The first time it appears, we learn how God created the world in six days but rested on the seventh day, sanctifying it as a holy day. Shabbat became a ‘day of rest’ not just for the Jewish people but for all humanity.

In this regard every human being has a responsibility to stop on the seventh day and acknowledge God as the creator of heaven and earth. When we say ‘shabbat shalom’ we share a bond with all people on earth who should thank God for this wonderful existence. There is a rabbinic teaching which learns an invaluable lesson from the decalogue, mentioned twice in the Bible.

‘Remembering’ and ‘Guarding; the Holy Sabbath Day

In the first experience Moses handed down the Ten Commandments and the fourth began with the word ‘zachor’, meaning remember the holy Shabbat day. In the second experience, in the final book of the Pentatuech, Moses recorded the Ten Commandments in which the fourth began with the word ‘shamor’, meaning guard the holy Shabbat day.

A medieval rabbi Eliezer explained: Zachor (the element of remembering) was given to all of humanity, while Shamor (the element of guarding) was given to the nation of Israel alone.

Shabbat is not just a day to ‘remember’ and acknowledge God, but it is also a day to guard and protect the holiness of Shabbat. We do this by ceasing from work on Shabbat, making it unique from the rest of the week. When we stop creative work on Shabbat we recognize that for six days we are commanded to create, build, develop this world, but on the seventh we stop and realize that God is the ultimate creator.