SHABBAT
Also know as the Sabbath.
Shabbat
"Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy." - Exodus 20:8 (TLV)
The weekly or seventh day Shabbat or Sabbath is the first of the Appointed Times established by G-D in Leviticus 23. As the first of these Feasts of the L-RD the Shabbat became the foundation for all of the Feasts to follow. As the Heavens and Earth were created and completed in seven days this basis on which the calendar was established. At Brit Ahm we celebrate weekly Shabbat to demonstrate our faith in G-D’s creative power and in His redemption power.
Shabbat
"Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy." - Exodus 20:8 (TLV)
The weekly or seventh day Shabbat or Sabbath is the first of the Appointed Times established by G-D in Leviticus 23. As the first of these Feasts of the L-RD the Shabbat became the foundation for all of the Feasts to follow. As the Heavens and Earth were created and completed in seven days this basis on which the calendar was established. At Brit Ahm we celebrate weekly Shabbat to demonstrate our faith in G-D’s creative power and in His redemption power.
Biblical References:
“God completed—on the seventh day—His work that He made, and He ceased—on the seventh day—from all His work that He made. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work that God created for the purpose of preparing.” Genesis 2:2-3 TLV
“You must remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Adonai your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore Adonai your God commanded you to keep Yom Shabbat.” Deuteronomy 5:15 TLV
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” Exodus 31:16-17 TLV
“Work may be done for six days, but the seventh day is a Shabbat of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You are to do no work—it is a Shabbat to Adonai in all your dwellings.” Leviticus 23:3 TLV
“‘If you turn back your foot from Shabbat, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call Shabbat a delight, the holy day of Adonai honorable, if you honor it, not going your own ways, not seeking your own pleasure, nor speaking your usual speech, then You will delight yourself in Adonai, and I will let you ride over the heights of the earth, I will feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.’ For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14 TLV
“Then He said to them, ‘Shabbat was made for man, and not man for Shabbat. So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.’” Mark 2:27-28 TLV
“For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So there remains a Shabbat rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered God’s rest has also ceased from his own work, just as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:8-10 TLV
Biblical References:
“God completed—on the seventh day—His work that He made, and He ceased—on the seventh day—from all His work that He made. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work that God created for the purpose of preparing.” Genesis 2:2-3 TLV
“You must remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Adonai your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore Adonai your God commanded you to keep Yom Shabbat.” Deuteronomy 5:15 TLV
“So Bnei-Yisrael is to keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and Bnei-Yisrael forever, for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’” Exodus 31:16-17 TLV
“Work may be done for six days, but the seventh day is a Shabbat of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You are to do no work—it is a Shabbat to Adonai in all your dwellings.” Leviticus 23:3 TLV
“‘If you turn back your foot from Shabbat, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call Shabbat a delight, the holy day of Adonai honorable, if you honor it, not going your own ways, not seeking your own pleasure, nor speaking your usual speech, then You will delight yourself in Adonai, and I will let you ride over the heights of the earth, I will feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.’ For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14 TLV
“Then He said to them, ‘Shabbat was made for man, and not man for Shabbat. So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.’” Mark 2:27-28 TLV
“For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So there remains a Shabbat rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered God’s rest has also ceased from his own work, just as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:8-10 TLV
Questions & Answers
If you have a question that is not answered below click here to ask the Rabbi.
What is the Sabbath?
The simple definition is that the Sabbath is the seventh day which was given by G-D to mankind as a day of rest. Genesis 2:1-3, Mark 2:27
What day of the week is the Sabbath?
The Sabbath day is the seventh day of the week. The Biblical day begins in the evening and ends the next evening, so the Sabbath day begins Friday evening and ends Saturday evening. Genesis 1:5, 1:8, 1:13 etc.
When did God direct us to observe the Sabbath?
The first instruction to keep the Sabbath is found in Exodus 16:16-30.
Where in the Bible does it command us to observe the Sabbath?
The first instruction to keep the Sabbath is found in Exodus 16:16-30, but the most well known reference is found within what are known as the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:8-11: “8 “Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy. 9 You are to work six days, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat to Adonai your God. In it you shall not do any work—not you, nor your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, nor the outsider that is within your gates. 11 For in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Thus Adonai blessed Yom Shabbat, and made it holy.
What does it mean to "keep the Sabbath"?
In Exodus 20:8 we are commanded to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. The word holy means distinct or separate to G-D. So we are commanded to live the Sabbath day for G-D differently than the other six days. In Deuteronomy 5:12 when the Sabbath day commandment is repeated, we are told to guard ourselves and our actions to make sure that the Sabbath remains holy.
Wasn't the Sabbath changed to Sunday?
Not one place in the entire Bible do we find the Sabbath being changed from Saturday to Sunday. As a matter of fact, every time we read about the disciples observing Sabbath in the New Testament it is the Saturday Sabbath.
What does "Shabbat" mean?
The Hebrew word Shabbat or Sabbath means to cease or to rest.
Isn't the Saturday Sabbath for the Jews and the Sunday Sabbath for the Christians?
All Biblical evidence demonstrates that the disciples that we read about in the New Testament, those who today are referred to as the first Christians, observed Saturday Sabbath. There is no Biblical evidence or example that shows there was an intent by those who walked with and followed Yeshua/Jesus to change the day in which Sabbath was observed after the death of Yeshua.
Is it wrong to go to church on Sunday?
While it is never wrong to worship G-D no matter what day you choose to worship, the Bible is clear that G-D commanded us to remember and keep “The Sabbath Day” not “A Sabbath day.”
Did the disciples keep the Sabbath day after Jesus died?
There are more than 80 references to the disciples continuing to observe Saturday Sabbath after the resurrection of Yeshua. Some references are the following:
Acts 13:13-14, Acts 16:11-13, Acts 17:1-2, and Acts 18:4.
Acts 13:13-14, Acts 16:11-13, Acts 17:1-2, and Acts 18:4.
Is it okay for the military, police, firefighters, and medical employees to work on the Sabbath?
The Torah teaches us that we keep the commandments so that we might live. Deuteronomy 8:1 is just one of the references to this concept. So, any occupation such as those listed above which preserve life are not just allowed, but are expected to be performed on Shabbat.