Messianic Shabbat Dos and Don'ts

[Woodsy]

Hello again, chaverim!

There's some stuff I've been wondering about and would like to discuss not in theory but in practice.

I touched on it in another thread ("Sabbath not mandatory"), but here's a fuller question:

Could the Messianic Jews here give a short description of what they do and don't do on Shabbat and why?

I don't mean to start debate, and I hope the question isn't inappropriate - I just know that there are many differences of opinion between different Messianic Jews and their beliefs and practices.

 

[simchat_torah]

Would you like Jews to respond as well? Or simply mj's?

-yafet

 

[Bon]

I refrain from work (ie: laundry, cleaning, gardening, etc.)

We don't go shopping.
We generally take it easy, relax, read, play (we have a 3 year old son)

I do my best to make meals ahead of time, or just keep them simple and leave the washing up until Saturday sunset - after sabbath has ended.

Basically, we keep the biblical Shabbat to the best of our ability, but you will find that there are some here who keep rabbinical Shabbat.

I think that is on of the main differences.

Bon

 

[Woodsy]

Would you like Jews to respond as well? Or simply mj's?

-yafet

Thanks for the question, Yafet!
I think that I have a pretty good understanding of the major Jewish positions re: Sabbath observance. If yours differs, I'd love your input as well.
You probably remember my struggles from the million and a half times I've written about them:

I don't believe that all Torah law was abolished, nor do I believe that Yeshua and his Talmidim ate or condoned eating pork chops and lobster.
But I like hearing the practices and reasoning of Messianics because I think it helps me (sloooowly) get out of thinking that Orthodox Judaism is the only way to be Torah-observant.

 

[Woodsy]

Thanks, Bon, for your input. Do you turn on lights or make fires on Shabbes? Listen to the radio?

It sounds as though you're avoiding actual work on the Sabbath, and not trying to avoid the expanded list of kind-of work-like things. I can understand that.

 

[Wags]

Your question reminded me that I forgot to order the new pocket guides from FFOZ "Guarding Shabbat Card Pocket Guide to Keeping Shabbat" and
"Remembering Shabbat Pocket Guide to Shabbat Blessings". At only $1.50 each I had meant to order a few along with my last bulk book order of Restoration.

Short list:

• No buying or selling

• No ordinary work - except where preservation of life is involved - to include animals. (Taking care of the sick, emergency life preservation, not "I'm going to "starve if I don't stop for icecream")

• No kindling of fire - no BBQ today

• Attend a sacred assembly - in your area, no extended travel.

Whoops - there is more, but the baby just made a huge mess in the kitchen....

 

[Woodsy]

Thanks, Wags - I appreciate your input.
Also thanks for the links!

b'Shalom

 

[Bon]

Thanks, Bon, for your input. Do you turn on lights or make fires on Shabbes? Listen to the radio?

It sounds as though you're avoiding actual work on the Sabbath, and not trying to avoid the expanded list of kind-of work-like things. I can understand that.

Exodus 35:1 Then Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said to them, “These are the words which the LORD has commanded you to do: 2 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

These days, it seems like a rather unusual command, not to light a fire on the Sabbath day. But how I see it, lighting a fire back then would have taken much effort.....in collection of the wood, setting up the fire, and making a flame to ignite the wood....etc.

That!.....would be pretty involved WORK and would result in taking our focus away from YHWH..

In my home today, however, the only fire that I would light would be my gas stove top to cook something......but I usually refrain from that anyway. I cant think of any other reason that I would 'kindle' a fire on Shabbat. (I dont smoke)

If I had an open-fire place in my home, I would refrain from lighting it on Shabbat....unless I had it prepared and ready to go at the strike of a match if needed. (If there was no other way to stay warm in winter)

As for heating (which in biblical times, would have been done by lighting a fire), I have no problem with switching the button on our ducted heating in winter time.

I do turn lights on and off also. (I have no problem in doing that. I don't class it as a distraction from worshipping YHWH....In fact, it often gives me light for reading His Word.

Bon

 

[debi b]

I DO get to spend time with Him

I DO get to study His word

I DO get to rest

 

[visionary]

I DO get to take time to walk out in His nature.
I DO get imspiritions as I meditate on His Word that help me a lot.
I DO find my mind gets to rest.
I DO enjoy this time with Him.
I DO enjoy the adventures that the Lord presents to me

 

[simchat_torah]

Whoops - there is more, but the baby just made a huge mess in the kitchen....

Better than in their pants

*chuckles*

 

[Wags]

Not really - changing a diaper is a snap.... cleaning up flour and what not all over the kitchen, is not nearly as easy. My "baby" is 16 months old, very agile and apparently has learned to push a chair up to the kitchen counters to get at what she wants! Yikes!!! Have no idea how I'm going to cope with two under two when baby brother arrives in December!

 

[Wags]

The following is an excerpt from an article intitled "The Glory of the Sabbath" by Messianic Rabbi Dr. David M. Hargis

HOW SHOULD WE CELEBRATE SHABBAT?

• Shabbat was meant to be a celebration of rest. It should be joyful and fun, while totally respectful and thoughtful of the Most High. It should not be a feast for getting selfish desires. Children should know that G_d loves their playfulness, but it should be balanced. There should not be fasting on Shabbat unless it is an extended fast which goes longer than a week.
• There is to be no regular mundane work on the Shabbat, especially building or creating with the hands. Spiritual work, emergency work, healing work, protective work, feeding, priestly work and guarding (military and police) are all allowed exceptions. G_d wants us to use our common sense. He also knows that in a non-Shabbat honoring world people will be required by employers to work on Shabbat. The Sabbath keeper should make every effort not to work on the seventh day by being kindly communicative with employers about their wishes and/or looking for an alternative vocation. If a person cannot avoid regular work on Shabbat, they definitely should be seeking the Most High for a remedy as they depart their workday.
• Other kinds of work that are not in the Spirit of Shabbat: building a fire, doing commerce (except that which is necessary according to the above exceptions), seeking out worldly entertainment, and doing any activity that causes a fuss, a ruckus or disrespectfully loud noises.
• On Shabbat there should be praying, praising, worshiping, reading Holy Scripture, singing unto the L_RD, even dancing unto the L_RD, and talking to others about the L_RD and His Word, that is, whatever honors the Most High.
• Remember, the seventh day is sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, because “the evening and the morning” separated each day, not sunrise or 12:00 midnight. In many observant homes and synagogues two candles are lighted with prayer to mark the beginning and help establish the celebration. A Hebrew/Jewish calendar will give the time when each Shabbat begins. For computers we suggest the Hebrew Calendar available at www.calendar-maven.com .

Not saying I agree with everything he wrote (cause I don't) but I just wanted to post another messianic viewpoint on the subject.

 

[jgonz]

"no buying or selling"
"no building or creating with hands"

I don't see these in Scripture anywhere. I did a search through the Strong's concordance earlier today and didn't see anything even resembling these prohibitions. Are these fence laws? or Oral Tradition additions?

 

[Henaynei]

We are growing constantly in our Shomer Shabbat v'Mitzvot -- currently...

we set the time aside to relax, spend time with each other, study scripture and rest...to truly enjoy the most important things in life...

to create this sanctuary in time we refrain from (imperfectly but always trying to improve) those things that are creating such as cooking, turning things on and off, etc - reminding me that my ability and drive to create and manipulate my environment is merely a pale reflection of the awesome creativity and loving drive of my G-d; and those things related to earning a living such as buying, selling, working with my bank account etc - reminding me that it is G-d who gives me the ability to make a living...

we observe His regulations as a remembrance to His unbounded love and power that brought into being this world in which we find life and that delivered us from the oppression of serving sinful man into the Light of serving a Loving G-d....

 

[Henaynei]

"no buying or selling"
"no building or creating with hands"

I don't see these in Scripture anywhere. I did a search through the Strong's concordance earlier today and didn't see anything even resembling these prohibitions. Are these fence laws? or Oral Tradition additions?

Nehemiah 13:15-22
15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our G-d bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my G-d, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

Isaiah 58:13-14
13 If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the L-rd honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs; 14 then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob, for the mouth of the L-rd has spoken.

 

[Wags]

"no buying or selling"
"no building or creating with hands"

I don't see these in Scripture anywhere. I did a search through the Strong's concordance earlier today and didn't see anything even resembling these prohibitions. Are these fence laws? or Oral Tradition additions?

Buying & Selling:

Nehamiah 13:15 - 22
[font=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]15 During this time I saw in Y'hudah some people who were treading winepresses on Shabbat, also bringing in heaps of grain and loading donkeys with it, likewise wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads; and they were bringing them into Yerushalayim on the day of Shabbat. On the day when they were planning to sell the food, I warned them not to. 16 There were also living there people from Tzor who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on Shabbat to the people in Y'hudah and even in Yerushalayim. 17 I disputed with the nobles of Y'hudah, demanding of them, "What is this terrible thing you are doing, profaning the day of Shabbat? 18 Didn't your ancestors do this, and didn't our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you are bringing still more fury against Isra'el by profaning Shabbat!" 19 So when the gates of Yerushalayim began to grow dark before Shabbat, I ordered that the doors be shut; and I ordered that they not be reopened until after Shabbat. I put some of my servants in charge of the gates, to see to it that no loads be brought in on Shabbat. 20 The merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Yerushalayim once or twice, 21 until I warned them, "Why are you spending the night by the wall? Do it again, and I'll use force against you!" From then on they stopped coming on Shabbat. 22 Then I ordered the L'vi'im to purify themselves and come and guard the gates, in order to keep the day of Shabbat holy. My God, remember this too for me, and have mercy on me in keeping with the greatness of your grace![/font]

 

[Wags]

Hmmm... should I post on the second one or just let Henaynei do it since we seem to be on the same track...



No building or creating with hands:

This one is based more on Oral Torah, than a particular verse(s) but the resons for the prohibition makes sense when studied. Although I don't necessarily agree with the whole list of prohibitions put in place by the orthodox.

Judasim101[/url]]The Torah does not prohibit "work" in the 20th century English sense of the word. The Torah prohibits "melachah" (Mem-Lamed-Alef-Kaf-Heh), which is usually translated as "work," but does not mean precisely the same thing as the English word. Before you can begin to understand the Shabbat restrictions, you must understand the word "melachah." Melachah generally refers to the kind of work that is creative, or that exercises control or dominion over your environment. The word may be related to "melekh" (king; Mem-Lamed-Kaf). The quintessential example of melachah is the work of creating the universe, which G-d ceased from on the seventh day. Note that G-d's work did not require a great physical effort: he spoke, and it was done.

The word melachah is rarely used in scripture outside of the context of Shabbat and holiday restrictions. The only other repeated use of the word is in the discussion of the building of the sanctuary and its vessels in the wilderness. Exodus Ch. 31, 35-38. Notably, the Shabbat restrictions are reiterated during this discussion (Ex. 31:13), thus we can infer that the work of creating the sanctuary had to be stopped for Shabbat. From this, the rabbis concluded that the work prohibited on Shabbat is the same as the work of creating the sanctuary.

Exodus 31:12-18
[font=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]12 ADONAI said to Moshe, 13 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'You are to observe my Shabbats; for this is a sign between me and you through all your generations; so that you will know that I am ADONAI, who sets you apart for me. 14 Therefore you are to keep my Shabbat, because it is set apart for you. Everyone who treats it as ordinary must be put to death; for whoever does any work on it is to be cut off from his people. 15 On six days work will get done; but the seventh day is Shabbat, for complete rest, set apart for ADONAI. Whoever does any work on the day of Shabbat must be put to death. 16 The people of Isra'el are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the people of Isra'el forever; for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and rested.'" 18 When he had finished speaking with Moshe on Mount Sinai, ADONAI gave him the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.[/font]

If you change the above from "work/working" to "create/creating", which is the intent of the word, you can easily see where the prohibition stems from.

Also consider Isaiah 58:13-14

[font=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]13 "If you hold back your foot on Shabbat from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call Shabbat a delight, ADONAI's holy day, worth honoring; then honor it by not doing your usual things or pursuing your interests or speaking about them. 14 If you do, you will find delight in ADONAI - I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Ya'akov, for the mouth of ADONAI has spoken."

For most of us creating something, painting, building etc is all about pursuing our own intrests and doing what delights us. This is why many say you should not engage in your hobbies on Shabbat.
[/font]

 

[jgonz]

Ok, I see where you're coming from now. I was only looking in the Torah, not the prophets. Thanks!

 

[Henaynei]

"taking the whole counsel of the Word of G-d" "all scripture is profitable for instruction..."