Sabbath
Shabbat (Hebrew: שבת, shabbāt, "rest"; Shabbos or Shabbes in Ashkenazic pronunciation), is the weekly day of rest in Judaism. It is observed, from before sundown on Friday until after nightfall on Saturday, by many Jewish people with varying degrees of involvement in Judaism.
Sabbath in Judaism
Etymology and origins
The Hebrew word Shabbat comes from the Hebrew verb shavat, which literally means "to cease." Thus, Shabbat is the day of ceasing from work. It is likewise understood that God "ended" (kalah) his labor on the seventh day of creation after making the universe, all living things, and humankind.
Shabbat is the source for the English term Sabbath and for similar words in many languages, such as the Arabic As-Sabt (السبت), the Armenian Shabat (Շաբաթ), the Persian shambe, Spanish and Portuguese Sábado, the Greek Savato, the Russian "subbota" (суббота) and the Italian word Sabato—all referring to Saturday.
According to the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, God created the world in six days, and on the seventh day "he rested from all his labors," and therefore "sanctified" (made holy) the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:11).
At the Exodus, when God freed the Israelites from Egypt by the hand of Moses, he brought them to Mount Sinai and revealed the Law to them. Among the ten commandments given at Sinai was a command to observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, in memorial of creation. Prior to this, the Israelites had been commanded not to gather manna on the seventh day (Exodus 16). In Exodus 31:12ff. the Sabbath is called a "sign" between God Israel, as well as a covenant; breaking the Sabbath would incur the death penalty. The Sabbath command reappears several times in the laws of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. In Deuteronomy chapter 5, the Sabbath commandment is reiterated but instead of commemorating creation it now symbolizes the redemption of Israel from Egypt.
The observance of the Sabbath is considered so important that the punishment given in ancient times for desecrating Shabbat was stoning to death, the most severe punishment within Jewish law. During the Maccabean revolt of the second century B.C.E., some Jews were so strict in their observance of the Sabbath that they allowed themselves to be killed by their enemies rather than fight, although this tradition did not become a permanent one.
The historical origin the Sabbath tradition is much debated. In the Bible, the first Sabbath was observed by God on the seventh day of creation. Observance of Shabbat is mentioned a number of times elsewhere in the Torah, most notably as the fourth of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Traditionally these laws were instituted by Moses at God's command. However, critical scholars believe that the Sabbath tradition actually emerged later in Israelite history, not during their nomadic wilderness existence, but after a settled agricultural culture had been established.
Observance
Jewish law defines a day as ending at dusk and nightfall, which is when the next day then begins. Thus, the Jewish Sabbath begins before sundown Friday night and ends at after nightfall Saturday night.
Jewish tradition describes the Sabbath as having three purposes:
- A commemoration of the Israelites' redemption from slavery in Ancient Egypt;
- A commemoration of God's creation of the universe; on the seventh day God rested from (or ceased) his work;
- A foreshadowing of the world in Messianic times.
Judaism accords Shabbat the status of a joyous holy day. It is the first holy day mentioned in the Bible, and God is thought to be the first one to observe it as he rested for his labor on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-3). Jewish liturgy treats the Sabbath as a "bride" and "queen," to be welcomed with joy by the congregation. On Shabbat the reading of the Torah is divided into seven sections, more than on any other holy day. Following this is a reading from the Hebrew prophets. A talmudic tradition holds that the Messiah will come if every Jew properly observes two consecutive Sabbaths (Shabbat 118).
Shabbat is a day of celebration as well as one of prayer. In most Jewish communities, three sumptuous meals are eaten each Shabbat after synagogue services conclude. One on Friday night, another Saturday around noon, and a third late Saturday afternoon before the conclusion of the Shabbat. However all cooking of these meals must be done prior to the start of the Sabbath. Many more Jews attend services at a synagogue during Shabbat than on weekdays.
With the exception of Yom Kippur, days of public fasting are postponed or advanced if they coincide with Shabbat, and ourners are forbidden to express public signs of grief.
According to Rabbinic literature, Jews are commanded by God to observe (by refraining from forbidden activity) and remember (with words, thoughts, and actions) the Sabbath. These two actions are symbolized by lighting candles late Friday afternoon by Jewish women, usually the mother, although men who live alone are required to do so themselves. At least one candle is required, and two are customary.
Orthodox Shabbat laws include:
- Recitation of kiddush (a prayer of sanctification) over a cup of wine before the first Sabbath meal and after the conclusion of morning prayers.
- Eating three sumptuous meals initiated with two loaves of bread, usually braided challah.
- Recitation of Havdalah, ("separation") at the conclusion on Saturday night over a cup of wine, and with the use of fragrant spices and a candle.
- Enjoying Shabbat (Oneg Shabbat), include activities such as eating tasty food, resting, study, singing, or engaging in sexual relations with one's spouse.
- Honoring Shabbat (Kavod Shabbat) i.e. making an effort during the week to prepare for each upcoming Sabbath, such as taking a shower on Friday, getting a haircut, beautifying the home and wearing special clothes.
Prohibited activities
Jewish law prohibits doing any form of "work" or traveling long distances on Shabbat. Various Jewish denominations view the prohibition on work in different ways. Observant Orthodox and Conservative Jews do not perform the 39 categories of activity prohibited by Mishnah Tractate Shabbat 7:2 in the Talmud. In modern times, debates have arisen over such matters as riding in elevators or turning on light switches (thought to be a form of kindling a fire, which is prohibited). A common solution involves pre-set timers for electric appliances, to turn them on and off automatically, with no human intervention on Shabbat itself.
In the event that a human life is in danger, a Jew is not only allowed, but required, to violate any Sabbath law that stands in the way of saving that person. However in ancient times this exception was not followed by all sects. For example the Essene text known as the Damascus Document specifically prohibits the lowering of a ladder into a cistern to help a drowning person on the Sabbath.
When there is an urgent human need which is not life-threatening, it is possible to perform seemingly "forbidden" acts by modifying the relevant technology to such an extent that no law is actually violated. An example is the "Sabbath elevator." In this mode, an elevator will stop automatically at every floor, allowing people to step on and off without anyone having to press any buttons that activate electrical switches. However, many rabbinical authorities consider the use of such elevators by people who could use the stairs to be as a violation of the Sabbath.
Adherents of Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism, generally speaking, believe that it is up to the individual Jew to determine whether to follow those prohibitions on Shabbat or not. Some Jews in these traditions do not observe Sabbath, as well as "secular Jews," do not observe Sabbath at all, while others, for example, some Jews might find writing, cooking, sports, or driving across town to see relatives to be enjoyable, pious activities that "enhance" Shabbat and its holiness. Many Reform Jews believe that what constitutes "work" is different for each person; thus only what the person considers "work" is forbidden.
Christian sabbaths
In Christianity, the Sabbath is a weekly religious day of rest as ordained by one of the Ten Commandments: the third commandment by Roman Catholic and Lutheran numbering, and the fourth by Eastern Orthodox and other Protestant numbering. Early Christians kept the Sabbath as first-century Jews did. However, in Christian-based cultures today, the term "sabbath" can mean one of several things:
- Saturday as above, in reference to the Jewish day of rest, also observed by some contemporary Christian groups
- Sunday, as a synonym for "the Lord's Day" in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ, for most Christian groups
- Any day of rest, prayer, worship or ritual, as in "Friday is the Muslim Sabbath"
Early developments
In the New Testament, the Sabbath was a point of controversy in the ministry of Jesus Christ. Although an observant Jew who stressed the importance of fulfilling the Law Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus took a relatively liberal attitude toward what was permissible on the Sabbath. Accused of breaking the Sabbath by allowing his disciples to pick an eat grain as the walked through a field, he responded that "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). Like other rabbis of his day, he also taught that it was right to do good—specifically referring to healing—on the Sabbath (Mark 3:4, Luke 6:9).
In the early church, the Sabbath continued to be a time of communal gathering for Jewish Christians at the synagogue (Acts 15:21). Christians, both Jew and Gentile, observed the seventh day as the Sabbath for some time into the Christian Era. At the same time, worship on the first day of the week, or Sunday, appeared quite early. The Book of Revelation (mid-late first century) speaks of Sunday as the “Lord’s Day” (Rev. 1:10), apparently in commemoration of Jesus' resurrection on that day.
After the Jerusalem church was scattered and the Gentile churches came to the fore after 70 C.E., Jewish-style Sabbath-keeping began to wane. Justin Martyr (mid-second century), describes the Lord’s Day as a day of gathering and worship. In Rome, Carthage, Alexandria and other churches, the observance of the Saturday Sabbath gradually ceased. Eventually, keeping the Jewish Sabbath was condemned as a Judaizing practice.
By the early fourth century, Sunday worship was the norm in many areas of the Roman Empire. In 321, Emperor Constantine I decreed Sunday to be a general day of rest and worship, although farm labor was exempted. Council of Laodicea around 365 C.E. attempted to put a stop to the practice of Saturday Sabbath observance for Christians. It decreed that Christians must not rest on the Jewish Sabbath but should work on that day and rest on the Lord's Day.
However, the observance of Saturday Sabbaths remained part of Christian tradition in some areas. In the late fourth century, Bishop John Chrysostom felt compelled to preach vehemently against the Christians of Antioch observing the Jewish Sabbath and other Jewish customs. In the fifth century, the church historian Socrates Scholasticus indicated that seventh-day Sabbath observance was the norm in Eastern Roman Empire: "Although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the Sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this." (Church History, 5) Sozomen's Church History likewise states: "Assemblies are not held in all churches on the same time or manner. The people of Constantinople, and almost everywhere, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria."
By the Middle Ages, however, Sunday had become the nearly universal Christian Sabbath, and would remain so until after the Protestant Reformation, when several Christian denominations would return to Saturday Sabbath observance in accordance with their interpretation of the Bible.
Beside being celebrated on Sunday, Christian Sabbaths differ from their Jewish counterparts in terms of what is forbidden and other aspects of observance. For example, while work is generally discouraged, it is defined more in terms of professional labor rather than such activities as cooking, traveling, housework, and service industries such as inns. Worship centered on the Eucharistic celebration and there was no prohibition regarding the use of animals and wagon to arrive in church. In more recent times, "blue laws" requiring certain types of stores to close on Sunday are still evident in some jurisdiction even in countries which avowedly practice the separation of church and state.
Protestant Sunday-observance
Many Protestants have historically regarded Lord's Day, Sabbath, and Sunday as synonymous terms for the Christian day of worship. A new rigorism was brought into the observance of the Lord's Day with the Protestant Reformation, especially among the Puritans of England and Scotland, in reaction to the relative laxity with which Sunday observance was customarily kept.
One expression of this influence survives in the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 21, Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day, Section 7-8:
(God) hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe a holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations, but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
Many Christians today consider that they are not required to observe a day of rest either on Saturday or Sunday, arguing that the Law of Moses was fulfilled by Christ and is therefore—unlike moral law—no longer binding. In this interpretation, Sunday is observed as the day of Christian assembly and worship in accordance with church tradition, but the sabbath commandment is dissociated from this practice.
Christian sabbatarianism
Seventh-day sabbatarianism did not initially become prevalent among European Protestants, and seventh-day sabbatarian leaders and churches were persecuted as heretics in England. The Seventh Day Baptists, however, exercised an important influence on other sects, especially in the middle of the nineteenth century in the United States, when their doctrines were instrumental in founding the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Seventh-day Church of God. Seventh-day Adventists have traditionally taught that observing the Sabbath on the seventh-day Sabbath constitutes a providential a test, leading to the sealing of God's people during the end times.
The Worldwide Church of God, which was founded after a schism in the Seventh-day Church of God in 1934, was founded as a seventh-day Sabbath-keeping church. However, in 1995 it renounced sabbatarianism and moved toward the Evangelical "mainstream." Its move from sabbatarianism, and other doctrines, caused more schism, with large groups splitting off to continue to observe the Sabbath as new church organizations. See the list of Sabbath keeping Church of God.
The Ethiopian Orthodox observe a Saturday Sabbath, and the primarily Chinese True Jesus Church also supports a Saturday Sabbath. Some, though not all, Messianic Jews—meaning Jews who accept Jesus—also observe Sabbath in the traditional Jewish manner.
Sabbaths in other traditions
- The Muslim Sabbath is kept on Friday, which is the day for communal prayer. However, the only special feature of the Muslim “Sabbath” that Muslim are encouraged on that day to perform the noon prayer communally. After congregating at a Mosque for prayer, Muslims are free to go back to work as normal. Some historians believe that Muslims initially kept the Sabbath in a manner which closely approximated the Jewish tradition for at least the first two centuries after Muhammad. Traditionally, however, Muslims believe that Friday, the sixth day of the week, was chosen by the Prophet Muhammad himself, in commemoration of the creation of human beings on the “sixth day,” as well as to differentiate Islam from both Christians and Jews.
- Theravada Buddhism also has a tradition similar to Sabbath, known as Uposatha, believed to have been in existence from the Buddha's time (500 B.C.E.). The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind," resulting in inner calm and joy. Uposatha is observed about once a week in accordance with the four phases of the moon. In some communities, only the new moon and full moon are observed as Uposatha days. On these days, disciples, monks, and nuns intensify their religious practice, deepen their knowledge through study and meditation, and express communal commitment through almsgiving and hospitality.
In the Middle Ages, a Witches' Sabbath was a supposed meeting of those who practice witchcraft. European records tell of innumerable cases of persons accused of taking part in these gatherings from the Middle Ages to the seventeenth century or later. However, much of what was written about them may be the product of popular imagination and confessions under torture.
- In neo-paganism and Wicca, the Wheel of the Year is a term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons, consisting of eight festivals, referred to by Wiccans as Sabbats.
- In secular society, the 40-hour or 36-hour work week evolved out of the Sabbath tradition, extending the legally-mandated rest period from one day in seven to two or more. Such days of rest are no longer directly associated with the principle of a Jewish or Christian Sabbath. However, vestiges of religious Sabbaths in secular societies can be seen in such phenomena as "blue laws" mandating stores to close on Sunday or banning the sale of alcohol in some jurisdictions.
- A "sabbatical" is a longer period of rest from work, a hiatus, typically 2 months plus. The concept relates to biblical commandments (Leviticus 25, for example) requiring that fields be allowed to lie fallow in the seventh year. In the modern sense, one takes a sabbatical to take a break from work or fulfill a goal such writing a book or traveling extensively for research. Some universities and other institutional employers of scientists, physicians, and/or academics offer a paid sabbatical as an employee benefit, called sabbatical leave. Some companies offer an unpaid sabbatical for people wanting to take career breaks.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
External links
- Online Shabbat Guide
- FAQ about Shabbat shamash.org
- FAQ about Shabbat askmoses.com
- Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat World Wide
- Molad - Freeware Jewish Calendar with Shabbat candle lighting times for Mobiles.
- Information on Shabbat from the Union of Orthodox Congregations
- a more detailed summary of the laws of Shabbat from Torah.org, based on the Shulchan Aruch
- The Laws of Shabbat A 37-part self study course) by Rabbi Daniel Schloss
- Honoring Shabbat
- The Sabbath Directory, which lists a large number of Sabbath-keeping organizations
- Transcript Of A Debate For And Against Sabbath Observance
- The SABBATH or Sunday – which?
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New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
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