Shavous | Sefaria

Shavous

ByAmi Epstein

In the Ten Commandments, one of the Commandments is to remember Shabbat and to keep it holy.

שמות כ׳:ח׳

(ח) זָכ֛וֹר֩ אֶת־י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ

Exodus 20:8

(8) Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.

שמות כ׳:ט׳

(ט) שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ כָּל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒

Exodus 20:9

(9) Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

שמות כ׳:י׳

(י) וְי֙וֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔֜י שַׁבָּ֖֣ת ׀ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑֗יךָ לֹֽ֣א־תַעֲשֶׂ֣֨ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֡֜ה אַתָּ֣ה ׀ וּבִנְךָֽ֣־וּ֠בִתֶּ֗ךָ עַבְדְּךָ֤֨ וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֜֙ וּבְהֶמְתֶּ֔֗ךָ וְגֵרְךָ֖֙ אֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽ֔יךָ

Exodus 20:10

(10) but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God: you shall not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements.

1. Why specifically the "stranger who is within your settlements"?

2. How would the cattle do any work?

3. What if the cattle work on their own?

ברכות כ׳ ב:י׳

אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא: אָמַר קְרָא ״זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר״ — כׇּל שֶׁיֶּשְׁנוֹ בִּשְׁמִירָה יֶשְׁנוֹ בִּזְכִירָה. וְהָנֵי נְשֵׁי הוֹאִיל וְאִיתַנְהוּ בִּשְׁמִירָה, אִיתַנְהוּ בִּזְכִירָה.

Berakhot 20b:10

Rather, Rava said: This has a unique explanation. In the Ten Commandments in the book of Exodus, the verse said: “Remember Shabbat and sanctify it” (Exodus 20:8), while in the book of Deuteronomy it is said: “Observe Shabbat and sanctify it” (Deuteronomy 5:12). From these two variants, we can deduce that anyone included in the obligation to observe Shabbat by avoiding its desecration, is also included in the mitzvah to remember Shabbat by reciting kiddush. Since these women are included in the mitzvah to observe Shabbat, as there is no distinction between men and women in the obligation to observe prohibitions in general and to refrain from the desecration of Shabbat in particular, so too are they included in the mitzvah of remembering Shabbat.

1. What is the difference between observing Shabbat and remembering Shabbat?

2. What if you forget to recite Kiddush?

3. How do you sanctify Shabbat?

ביצה ט״ו ב:ד׳

גְּמָ׳ מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל דְּאָמַר קְרָא זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ זׇכְרֵהוּ מֵאַחֵר שֶׁבָּא לְהַשְׁכִּיחוֹ

Beitzah 15b:4

GEMARA: The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? What is the source of the halakha of the joining of cooked foods and of the halakha that one who failed to prepare such an eiruv may not cook on a Festival for Shabbat? Shmuel said that the source is as the verse states: “Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8); from which he infers: Remember it and safeguard it from another day that comes to make it forgotten. When a Festival occurs on Friday, preoccupation with the Festival and the preparation and enjoyment of its meals could lead one to overlook Shabbat. Therefore, the Sages instituted an ordinance to ensure that Shabbat will be remembered even then.

1. What if the Festival is to celebrate that Shabbat is coming?

2. What if the preparation of the meals is for Shabbat meals?

3. How does one keep Shabbat holy?

This shows us that there are many ways to observe/keep Shabbat. So does that mean that there are ways to bypass what the Torah states? Are there loopholes? If so, how do we find them, where are they?