Sabbath: What Do You Personally Do and How Do You Observe It?

Shalom..

Before going further, I wanted to add that this discussion is open to all - be it Messianics or Jewish people

That said, I was asking on the issue of Shabbat due to some thoughts I was wrestling with recently and seeing some things that I could possibly do...in light of the beauty of what others do on Shabbat.



I have enjoyed fellowshipping/living life with my Messianic Jewish family for years now - and seeing the many varieties that others have on Saturday with Shabbat.

And yet I've often seen it where others tend to condemn folks for times they are unable to make service/synagouge.

This perplexed me whenever such things were said in the name of "You need to Observe the Sabbath!!" - for although Messianic services (i.e. Torah Readings, Prayers/Liturgy, Fellowship, etc.) are wonderful, it was interesting to consider the ways that Sabbath itself did not seem to mandate at any point for others to meet on Saturday for a Corporate gathering - and for those who seemed to condemn others for not making it and somehow "failing to keep Sabbath", it seemed that going strictly by what the Mosaic Code says would leave a lot of people sorely lacking.

When looking at the Sabbath within the Mosaic Torah, I see some thing pretty clear things:

• No work done at all (Ex. 20: 10; Lev. 23: 3; Jer. 17:21-22)
  • • Exodus 20:10
      but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.
      Exodus 20:9-11 Exodus 20

• • • Leviticus 23:2-4/ Leviticus 23 “‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord

• • • Jeremiah 17:21-23/ Jeremiah 17 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers. 23 Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. 24 But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, 25 then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. 26 People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings, incense and thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’”

• No kindling of a fire (Ex. 35:3):
  • • Exodus 31:13-15/Exodus 31: Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, “These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do: 2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.3 Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

• No traveling (Ex. 16:29)
• • Exodus 16:28: “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you[a] refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

• No marketing (Neh. 10:31; 13:15,19).
  • • Nehemiah 10:32 “When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts

• • • Nehemiah 13: "Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.15In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. 17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.

• Ensuring that one have "... a holy assembly with double the daily offering along with the other offerings. ..meaning, in other words, that you are to give twice as much on the Sabbath (Num. 28:9):
• • • Numbers 28:9 “‘On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[c] of fine flour mixed with oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

More things could be said besides that..but it was interesting to me to see how complicated Sabbath was - and how it doesn't really seem (if there's honesty) that anyone really does it as prescribed.


Many Messianic Jews I've fellowshiped with would do things like have celebration gatherings at the end of the day or House warming parties for people after they had just moved in - and if/when going by a strict interpretation of the Sabbath Law, one could not do that. There'd be no allowance of things like fellowship cookouts or barbecues...and you'd not be able to go with friends to a restaurant or get meat that's been flame broiled, nor could you can't cook eggs/ hash browns in the morning due to the rule of not kindling a fire for cooking. I've been amazed that some have even interpreted the OT law as saying one could not drive a car because that'd technically be choosing to "kindle a fire" in the combustion chamber of your engine.

The issue of travel was something that really stood out to me - for as many times as I've heard others be condemned for not making it to either synagouge or service on Saturday, the strict/literal intepretation of the Law would seem to required that believers choose to STAY HOME and not go outside at all. I'm aware that Jews added to this law, allowing only a half mile of travel on the Sabbath which we see observed in the Brit Chadashah . But at the most literal, the Law says to "stay at home."..if I understand it correctly. That'd mean no travelling to one's local fellowship if one sought to keep this part of the law, as you could not travel to your local ecclesia/gathering unless it was less than one-quarter mile away from home.


Hospital emergencies may be a differing matter since Yeshua healed on the Sabbath (and was accussed of not being faithful in keeping it - as seen in John 5 and Luke 13 - and he also got food in Matthew 12 /Luke 6 in the fields when gleaning to eat.

But for other things, it'd seem to be out of the window - even as basic like walking down in the Park with friends/family. And a lot of activities - as it concerns the part in the Mosaic that says "stay home" would not be allowed. Whether that be playing basketball with family/friends as a way to relax...or choosing to go swimming/travel to a body of water (should one live by a beach - like the Messianic Fellowships in Hawaii - or living by a pool).

Even basics like getting gas to go to Shabbat service - as you could not "trade" money for gasoline per what it says about the merchants/trading - and in the event your local ecclesia had a bookstore you'd enjoy that had Jewish resources to review....or that there was a bookstore nearby you wanted to enjoy on your day off, you'd not be allowed to buy a CD, teaching series on that morning's message or a book at the store. This would also extend into things like shopping - as I know many Messianic Jews who enjoy doing fellowship activities like going out to resturants to connect with the family....or going to stores to look at enjoyable things they could buy for one another, be it a toy for the child..or roses for the wife from the Husband and a Card for the husband to encourage hm... or food at a festival/Fair that's available on the Weekends - or the movies ...getting some candy and other similar things.

On the law of giving twice as much each week, it didn't seem that many people I've witnessed really did that. We enjoyed learning about Jewish culture/outreach and studying God's law - but I have yet to see people go to Shabbat and give twice as much each week. Even with work - many of the activities that one groups says are relaxing for them and that they don't consider work (i.e. mowing the lawn, decorating the house, exercise, etc.), others would say are a matter of "hard work" that should not be done - and so there does not seem to be anything conclusive on how others define work.

I wonder if the Sabbath laws were so sharp because the work that others did on those days was truly LABOR intensive work rather than things that were more recreational. And asically, part of me is wondering on the issue of what is the best way of Observing Sabbath - and is there a golden rule - or is it the case that one must observe as much as they see fit in it?

Easy G (G²);62140801 said:

More things could be said besides that..but it was interesting to me to see how complicated Sabbath was - and how it doesn't really seem (if there's honesty) that anyone really does it as prescribed.

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To add more to what was noted earlier
When I consider what I've seen over the years with Sabbath Observance, it has been very enjoyable and I've learned working with other Messianic Jews who helped to give insight. But it is interesting how we desire to honor it - and yet recognize that no one is really able to keep it fully as it was applied fully back in day. Even with the aspect of taking time off on Saturday, someone once asked "Do you or your congregation work for 6 days? Or 5?" - and I had to consider that since the actual whole command is to work 6 days with only the 7th observed as a rest day. If one wasn't working throughout the week, it'd seem to make Sabbath a bit needless since they hadn't really worked to gain any kind of rest....

And for anyone who does not keep it consistently, it is interesting to question wow many times does one need to break the Sabbath to receive its penalty. For the consequences in the Mosaic code came after ONE violation. The penalty is not enforced today obviously - and yet there was never a law God gave that reversed ANY of the Sabbath day restrictions. Were the punishments ever negated or are they still enforced? Forit's a big deal to maintain consistency ....as one cannot can’t say we are under a period of grace for the penalty in Yeshua and yet not under grace in the keeping of the day.


Moreover - when I've studied the Torah, it doesn't seem to have the focus that Sabbath was just a day alone. For there were Sabbath Years or Weeks (Leviticus 25:1-17) and Days ( Leviticus 23:27 )the Lord called others in the TOrah itself to consider as Sabbath (and of course, calenders) - more discussed in thread such as #51 , here or here or here in the following:

• Guidance on Sabbath arguments..
• To All Friday, Saturday and Sunday keepers.
• Can any one explain the lunar sabbath to me?

Although every Saturday can be considered "Sabbath", it seems Sabbath never fell on Saturday all the time in light of things such as the calender. Clearly the weekly Sabbath day in the Hebrew Bible was Saturday, the seventh day. But other days could be Sabbath...as Leviticus 23:27 tells us that Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), falling on the tenth day of Tishri (the seventh month), was also a sabbath. Yom Kippur could fall on any day of the week and whichever day it fell on was a sabbath. Rosh Hashana, the Biblical Feast of Trumpets, which falls on the first of Tishri, was also a day of sacred assembly and rest, a sabbath, according to Leviticus 23:24....and this can also occur on any day of the week, including Sunday.
But again, I am wondering how exactly is Sabbath kept overall in differing parts of the Messianic movement. Again, I know others who've advocated that family stay home the ENTIRE day and not go to services whatsoever and others who say Services are mandatory as a part of observance - and I am curious as to how others here choose to observe the Sabbath on their side of the street

ChavaK said:

Not exactly true....you might want to do a little research on this

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Did (here for specifics). From "Jewish Virtual Library":




And to be clear, I don't think it was ever the case that all Jews universally adhered to it. Some did, though - unless you have any other information you feel would be relevant. Would love to check out

aniello said:

EZ G, just do the best ya can.

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That was already understood, A (and been doing that for some time )- although the question of the OP (if participating) was focused on sharing what others do as individuals when it comes to celebrating Sabbath - and how each sees "the best they can" in their own area. Do you choose to stay home or do you choose to go to services? Do you do not activites of any kind - in your interpretation - or do you simply avoid extreme labor that doesn't lead to relaxation? Do you walk down the street/go shopping with family - or do you sleep the entire day? And so on. Hope that makes sense.

Where I'm at, as said earlier, the drive is about 30min or less to fellowship. Service is amazing - from the Liturgy to the Prayers to the Worship and then Torah reading - and later we end up fellowshipping with food and laughter. That lasts for 2 to 3hrs...and some, after we set down, go home to rest with their familes while others choose to go out with other members of the fellowship/do a group activity based in rest/enjoyment of the Day God gave us to honor Him. Sometimes, it's going to a Festival - but other times, it's a party at someone's house. We meet throughout the week as well (as often as we can) in honor of what the early believers had in Acts 2 and Acts 4 when they met in the homes of one another/encouraged one another. ..and to help out those who are truly unable to come due to their professions - like someone who's a Doctor/saving lives or another working 3 jobs/barely making ends meat for the family (more shared here in #2 #3 79 #106 ). For it's the SPirit of rest we're concerned on rather than the dyanamic of telling all others "You better make it this Saturday Or else you can be sure GOd's not gonna be pleased in you!!". We also have enjoyed watching documentaries and film with Biblical themes in the spirit of learning/growth. If choosing to rest by yourself, there's always the option of studying scripture/prayer and meditating on the things of the Lord

ChavaK said:

Yes, the limit is not a distance of .5 miles, it's .5 miles from the last house of the town.

So theorectically one could walk hundreds of miles if one town literally ran into another.

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Indeed, when seeing the technicalities. However, for most people who travel, they don't get far very quickly by walking due to the distances and fellowships not being town to town in a string dynamic. Some people at my fellowship drive over 1 and a half hours to get to Shabbat on Saturday (with there being nothing but interstate and mountains in-between) - and part of me did think "Technically, they'd really not be allowed to travel if going by the rabbinical law."

Avodat said:

I try to avoid all types of work, including driving, doing the washing or ironing, doing work on the computer etc. Being on my own it is relatively easy but on occasions it is not always possible to avoid doing some things you would prefer not to.

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What examples did you have in mind that you would say are things you feel you couldn't avoid?

ChavaK said:

I've known people who have walked four miles or more to shul (one way!).
Personally, I would stay home

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Mad props to the folks who did that. I think I've done that only once in my life (highschool, as I was a Long Distance runner for Cross Country) - walking over 13 miles to the church I grew up at when I didn't have a ride and I didn't want to miss service - but I barely got there in time before it was halfway over....and I was sweaty from walking/jogging. It's a work - out ...but I'd never do it again if I didn't have to '

But for those walking to shul, I have nothing but respect for them. Staying home is something I can see as being valid for many - especially those who are older.

Avodat said:

An example would be meeting the needs of others which may entail going to hospital (driving) or providing food etc., (shopping).

I don't think G_d would condemn such essential pastoral 'work'.

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I got ya. I'd add visiting the elderly on top of that - or helping out the sick. Babysitting/Caretaking may be another, in the event that others have others infirm in the homes who they cannot leave at home by themselves. I do think it's amazing when others choose to go visit the homes of members who may not be able to come and essentially take the fellowship to where they are - one of the reasons I believe they met daily in the early body of believers. There was one individual I knew who once broke his back - and was unable to come to any visits with the ecelesia whatsoever - and yet it meant the world to him when the body of believers surprised him by meeting at his home, with fun/humor and encouragement

That's something the early body of believers took seriously...
With meeting as often as possible, I'm thinking of Messianic congregations who meet together on the 6th day/Sabbath. In practical terms, that'd be others who meet together on Friday evening (just as numerous Messianic Fellowships have done for a long time, Chosen People Ministries being one and Zola Levitt's being another one of them) for fellowship as well as early in the morning on Saturday (7th day). Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and continued for 24 hours to the next sundown on Saturday and the 6th day, the day before the Sabbath, was called the Preparation Day, since all work, preparation of meals, housework and all secular activities were to be completed before Sabbath began.

With meeting, Messianic Jews have been doing so throughout the centuries on Friday as well as on Saturday...and actually seeing what Yeshua said about it when noting the Sabbath was made for man ( Mark 2:26-28/John 5:13-19/John 7:22-24 / John 7 ) and did things on the Sabbath that he did throughout the rest of the week as well. Sabbath will always be a day of rest, but everyday was meant to do righteousness and good AND reflect on the Lord. Yeshua blessed His disciples beyond the 7th day, as "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Yeshua came and stood among them and said, "Shalom Aleichem" (John 20:19). Christ is our Sabbath Rest ( Hebrews 4:4-11). ..everything pointing to Him. And so long as the 6th/7th day are used to do that rather than the days worshipped in/of themselves, there's no issue. More has been shared elsewhere on the issue #73 /here...

Sadly, as it concerns meeting together daily as others in the early church did, it does seem that there are others who would say that's an error because it's only good to meet on Saturday - and IMHO, whenever people focus on Shabbos as being the main time to meet, I'm always reminded of how there are/were many Sabbaths. Saturday was merely the weekly Sabbath. Passover was a Sabbath. The first day of Feast of Unleavened Bread was a Sabbath. Pentecost was a Sabbath (and interestingly enough, Pentecost happened on a SUNDAY as well...for everyone claiming Jewish believers never worshipped on that day). The Day of Atonement was a Sabbath. Etc. The Israelites were to rest on ALL of those Sabbaths, not just the seventh day of the week. Are we to refrain from manual labor when the Jews celebrate Yom Kippur? Are we to refrain from work when the Jews live in tents? Are we to refrain from work when the Jews begin the Feast of Unleavened Bread? No, otherwise we are mocking Yeshua, as Christ is the embodiment of those Feasts, and Christ is the embodiment of those Sabbaths - Hebrews 4. He is the embodiment of ALL of the Sabbaths, including the weekly Sabbath..

mercy1061 said:

I guess many people "read" the law pertaining to the Sabbath; but apparently many poeple also have difficulty practicing what they have read or studied in the law. We will find varying interpretations of the Sabbath commandment; however Adonai did not rest until "all" of his good work was finished. I maintain that a man must finish his good work before he can truly rest.

If a male child was born, 8 days after his birth happens to be the Sabbath; the priest work is not done. The priest must do the work of circumcision during the Sabbath.

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Essentially, are you of the mindset that a man - if he still has work to be done that is good work - he is not to rest on the Sabbath? Trying to be certain as to where you're coming from. I'm aware of what Yeshua noted in Matthew 12:4-6/Matthew 12 when referring to the examples of David with the Showbread and the Priests continually doing ministry on the Sabbath (i.e. attending to the Temple/Tabernacle, offerings/sacrifices, etc.) - for the priests must perform duties even on the Sabbath.




Additionally, from what I've seen in the scriptures, Israelites could honour their ceremonial laws above the Sabbath law. Jesus Himself declared: John 7:21-23 "Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath?"



Rules and Procedures for circumcisng on the sabbath had been developed in Jewish tradition. According to Leviticus 12:2-4/ Leviticus 12, circumcision was noted to be on the 8th day ..and the law of Moses stated that every male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day in honor of what the Lord told Abraham: Gen 17:12 "For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household." If this day happened to fall on the Sabbath day, the child would be circumcised, despite the fact that this was working on the Sabbath day of rest - and that is something I have to consider when studying Sabbath and seeing the ways that the days for when it lands on Sabbath can shift.

xDenax said:

Ha, me too! And I like to walk.

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Walking is a blessing...