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Exod 12:38 38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. (KJV)
The context of the above verse from the Hebrew Scriptures teaches us that in the Exodus we find a blending of peoples who will make the trip to Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments; one of which the the Commandment to keep and observe the sabbath. Traditional interpretation of the text has always pictured for us that the Jews left Egypt and a few straggling Egyptians accompanied them. Archeology today has revealed to us the truth behinds these texts so cleverly woven by Ezra when rewriting these accounts which hide the truth of the matter; the truth being that a religious revolution in Egypt headed by Akhenaton, the Biblical Moses, was the 2nd of 4 Exoduses and that contrary to our prior understanding huge numbers of non-Jewish Egyptians as well as half-breed "Hebrews" followed Akhenaton, the Biblical Moses, to Mt. Sinai where both they as Egyptian non-Jews and these Hebrew followers of Moses would accept this Covenant with God which included the Sabbath Commandment. So this is not just a "Jewish" Commandment as once thought.
A little history is needed before we go on and get in-depth with the study of the Sabbath.
Egyptian history records for us, as does the Bible, that there was a tribe from either the west of Egypt or from just above the red sea, who during a period of famine moved to Egypt at the invitation of one of their own who was kidnapped and taken to Egypt. In the old Testament we have Joseph, and in another Arabic legend we have Ran, who through his interpretation of dreams gained power and may have imported the notion of a single god (his local god) into Egyptian consciousness. It is important to note that from the 13th Dynasty, Semitic races invaded Egypt and by 1663 BC they are the Hyksos or Desert Princes of which the most familiar would be the Abraham of the Bible. Some hundreds of years later Akhenaton, whom many scholars believe to be the Biblical Moses, on his ascension to the throne of Egypt developed his beliefs in a one god and enforced worship of the single deity as revealed in the Sun disk Aton. He did not worship the sun but the life giving force that emanated from and gave power to it. Let is be said that scientifically we now accept that the sun is what gives life to everything on our planet so Akhenaton was correct in this matter way back then. He modelled the god on his own pacifist ideals. This led to disinterest in power and stability and undermined the power of the Priests of Amon and the other gods and this brought Akhenaton into severe conflict with the Egyptian priesthood. After closing all the Temple in Egypt and mandating the worship of this "One God" only the nation was in disarray, Akhenaton was eventually replaced with his son or more probably step son or son-in-law, the manageable ten year old Tutankhamun. The young king, possibly under pressure from those older and more powerful, restored the old temples, persecuted the followers of his father and this single deity, and was himself dead or murdered by eighteen.
At the time of Ramses II, Akhenaton, if he still lived, or another powerful follower of the Aton, would have been in his Eighties or younger, similar to the reported great age of Moses. In the Acts of the Apostles, Moses was 40 when he left Egypt and after another 40 years he returned to Egypt at eighty to free 'his' people and spent a further 40 years wandering in the desert. It is also said that Akhenaton or Moses and his followers soon left Amarna or were driven from Egypt and this is the 2nd of 4 Exoduses which embarked to Mt. Sinai to receive the Commandments of this "One God". Moses was reputedly connected to the house of the Pharaohs and he and his household gathered a large group of followers (local Semites) and led his new people to a promised land or even back to where the tribe had once lived, and where they could practice their religion of the one god. The various names of god are similar to various local tribal gods of the Middle East and also this god's name often could not be spoken and had no image.
Answer for yourself: Does this not sound similar to YHWH of the Jews today?
Similarly the Aton had no image other than the disk of the Sun and such gods as Amun or Amun-Ra were the unknowable and even though some images exist of him as a man he had no real image as the one creator of all. This would also fit into a desire for secrecy to prevent word spreading the short distance to Egypt and thus again bring on the persecution of the followers of Aton. The area was an Egyptian province at the time. Also it is said that later the connection with Egypt and the Aton was severed so a new name for the same concept was adopted.
Answer for yourself: Is it coincidental or possible that the greatest upheaval in Egyptian theology occurred within the same period as did the Exodus and not be related? Was the Exodus from Egypt over conflict in religious theology among the Egyptians and not because of the cruelty of these Hebrews as we have been taught? If you want to get to the bottom of all of this mystery and deception of the true events behind the Biblical story given us by Ezra I recommend: http://egyptcx.netfirms.com. After all, in the Old Testament there are over 600 references to Egypt and we need to know why the Bible speaks so negatively about Egypt when Moses loved Egypt and its God. We have to look at Ezra, a Persian who represented a nation which was at war with Egypt when these former followers of Aton, were released and sent home to be a "fort" and line of defense between Persia and Egypt who were anything but friends at the time. Ezra knew quite well that these "captives" surely did not need to know that "the enemy" was their fathers so he spun a redaction of history and renamed these primary Egyptian players in this historical drama as "Jews" when in reality archeology today has shown us that this Royal Bloodline of King David and Solomon, as far back as Isaac and Jacob, were not Jews at all but Pharaohs of Egypt. That means the Blood Line that brings the hoped for Messiah is "Jewish" only because of intermarriage with Egyptian non-Jews and Semites.
Answer for yourself: What should this mean to us as non-Jews today? Simply that the Sabbath Commandment, which is the longest of all of these Ten Commandments, was originally given to both non-Jews as well as semites at Mt. Sinai. This puts a whole new spin on it when considering the identity of this "mixed multitude" that receives this Sabbath Commandment. Factoring in what archeology has shown us in these last 100 or so years; namely that the sons of Pharaoh Jacoba (the Jacob of the Bible) are Egyptian non-Jews and not Jews as we once believed. It is important for us to know that over time these Egyptians intermarried with Semites and created a half-breed race of sorts and it is these who also become the followers of Akhenaton and who follow him into the wilderness of Sinai. These "followers" of Akhenaton who leave Egypt and travel to Mt. Sinai are both Gentiles and "Hebrews" and it is they who accept the Sabbath Commandment. So this is not just a "Jewish thing" as once supposed and as taught by Judaism today. In closing remember due to the extreme persecution upon the Jews by the Gentile antisemitic Church the Sabbath as well as other Commandments were used a "fences" to keep apart and separate the Jews from non-Jews. No greater example of this could be found than this Sabbath Commandment which you now clearly see what given to both non-Jews and Jews; in fact the irony of it is that it was most likely given to more non-Jews present that day than Jews. Now let us move on.
The Sabbath (or Shabbat, as it is called in Hebrew) is one of the best known and least understood of all Jewish observances. As a Christian for most of my life I did not observe Shabbat and thought of it as it was taught to me by my Christian teachers to be a day filled with stifling restrictions, or as a day of prayer like the Christian Sabbath. But once having gone to Seminary and awaking to the need for a recovery of "the Jewish Roots to my Christian Faith" I came to see upon serious study that to those who observe Shabbat, it is a precious gift from God, a day of great joy eagerly awaited throughout the week, a time when all of God's children can set aside all of their weekday anxieties and devote themselves to the higher pursuits of the soul. In Jewish literature, poetry and music, Shabbat is described as a bride or queen, as in the popular Shabbat hymn Lecha Dodi Likrat Kallah (come, my beloved, to meet the [Sabbath] bride). It is said "more than Israel has kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept Israel."
It has been well said that "the Shabbat is the most important ritual observance in Judaism" because it is the only ritual observance instituted in the Ten Commandments. It is also the most important special day, even more important than Yom Kippur. This is clear from the fact that more aliyoth (opportunities for congregants to be called up to the Torah) are given on Shabbat than on any other day.
Most people know that the Shabbat is primarily a day of rest and spiritual enrichment. The word "Shabbat" comes from the root Shin-Bet-Tav, meaning to cease, to end, or to rest.
One thing connected to the Shabbat is "spiritual renewal" and this involves prayer. I loved the use of the Siddur on the Sabbath and I found myself praying deeper than ever as a Christian. The Siddur opened to me prayer as never before and I highly recommend it to you for your Sabbath worship. Although the Jews pray on Shabbat, and spend a substantial amount of time in synagogue praying. Prayer, believe it or not is not what distinguishes Shabbat from the rest of the week because observant Jews pray every day of the week. In fact observant Jews pray three times a day. Therefor to think or say that the Shabbat is a day of prayer is no more accurate than to say that Shabbat is a day of feasting because we eat every day. What separates the Sabbath for other days of the week and spiritual endeavors is that on the Sabbath one reserves the best for the sabbath as not only the culmination of the week but as a picture of the world to come when shalom is the rule of Eternity. Therefore one eats their best meals of the week on the Sabbath and prays in a more leisurely fashion.
In modern America we often hear of the five-day work-week and so much so that we have grown numb concerning the uniqueness of the radical concept of a day of rest and how unique it was in ancient times. The weekly day of rest has no parallel in any other ancient civilization. In ancient times, leisure was for the wealthy and the ruling classes only and never for the serving or laboring classes. Such is the way of man but not the way of God who even commanded the Sabbath for animals as well. The Sabbath is God's time for the soul to rest and restore whether human or animal. Historically we find mention that the Greeks thought Jews were lazy because they insisted on having a "holy day" and a day of rest every seventh day.
We are commanded to remember Shabbat; but remembering means much more than merely not forgetting to observe Shabbat. It also means to remember the significance of Shabbat, both as a commemoration of creation and as a commemoration of one's freedom (the Jews remember their freedom from slavery in Egypt). Having now understood the persecutions that came to the followers of Akhenaton following his departure from Egypt it is easy to understand the need for freedom by those who remained and were "religious outsiders".
In Exodus 20:11, after Fourth Commandment is first instituted, God explains, "because for six days, the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and on the seventh day, he rested; therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it." By resting on the seventh day and sanctifying it, all of God's children are to remember and acknowledge that God is the creator of heaven and earth and all living things. We are given the opportunity to "choose" to emulate the divine example, by refraining from work on the seventh day, as God did.
Answer for yourself: If God's work can be set aside for a day of rest, how can we believe that our own work is too important to set aside temporarily?
Moses reiterates reiterates the Ten Commandments in Deut. 5:15. Here he makes note of the second thing that we must remember on Shabbat: "remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord, your God brought you forth from there with a might hand and with an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."
Answer for yourself: What does the Exodus have to do with resting on the seventh day? Freedom! As I mentioned above, in ancient times, leisure was confined to certain classes; slaves did not get days off. Thus, by resting on Shabbat, we are reminded that we are free. But in a more general sense, Shabbat frees us from our weekday anxieties and concerns, from the pressures of our jobs, out deadlines, responsibilities, schedules and commitments. During the week, we are slaves to our jobs, to our creditors, to our need to provide for ourselves; on Shabbat, we are freed from these concerns, much as our ancestors were freed from slavery in Egypt. We can find peace and shalom on the Sabbath.
Answer for yourself: How can this be accomplished? How can I experience this freedom on the sabbath? Well the Sabbath begins on Friday evenings at sundown. It is then that we remember these two meanings of Shabbat when we recite kiddush (the prayer over wine sanctifying Shabbat or a holiday). Friday night kiddush refers to Shabbat as both zikkaron l'ma'aseh bereishit (a memorial of the work in the beginning) and zeicher litzi'at mitzrayim (a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt). It is when we light the sabbath candles and recite the kiddush that we make a point to recognize before God that we take personal note of this special "appointed time with God" and refocus of sorts on that truly is important about our lives. We choose to take the time out to focus upon God and His Creation that gave us our life while at the same time we choose to "slow down" from the hectic pace we run all week long and choose to taste God's peace and shalom at this time which will quickly become a longed for memory once the Monday rush traffic begins again.
Along with the theme of "Remember the Sabbath" comes the second theme of the Sabbath; namely "Observe". We must look now at types of action and "work" that is forbidden by Jewish tradition regarding how to correctly "observe" the Sabbath. As a young Christian growing up in church I often heard the word "work" or "works" and often misused but I would not understand that at the time. Let it suffice to say that seldom as anything been more grossly misunderstood by people than the concept of refraining from "work on the Sabbath".
Before I studied Judaism in detail I was like most Americans who would see the word "work" and think of it in the English sense of the word: physical labor and effort, or employment. Under this definition, turning on a light would be permitted, because it does not require effort, but a rabbi would not be permitted to lead Shabbat services, because leading services is his employment.
Answer for yourself: Are you aware that Jewish law prohibits the former and permits the latter? That means we are missing something here that is very important.
Many Americans therefore conclude that Jewish law doesn't make any sense and that is a tragic mistake of our ignorance as Gentiles and Christians today.
The problem lies not in Jewish law, but in the definition that Americans are using.
Answer for yourself: Are you aware that the Torah does not prohibit "work" in the 20th century English sense of the word?
The Torah prohibits "melachah", 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" as used in the Hebrew.
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). The classic example of melachah is the work of creating the universe, which God ceased from on the seventh day. Note that God's work did not require a great physical effort: he spoke, and it was done.
Surprisingly 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 31:14-15).
Exod 31:13-15 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. (KJV)
Notably, the Shabbat restrictions are reiterated during this discussion, 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. They found 39 categories of forbidden acts, all of which are types of work that were needed to build the sanctuary:
(Mishnah Shabbat, 7:2)
All of these tasks are prohibited, as well as any task that operates by the same principle or has the same purpose. In addition, the rabbis have prohibited handling any implement that is intended to perform one of the above purposes (for example, a hammer, a pencil or a match) unless the tool is needed for a permitted purpose (using a hammer to crack nuts when nothing else is available) or needs to be moved to do something permitted (moving a pencil that is sitting on a prayer book), or in certain other limited circumstances. Objects that may not be handled on Shabbat are referred to as "muktzeh," which means, "that which is set aside," because you set it aside (and don't use it unnecessarily) on Shabbat.
The rabbis have also prohibited travel, buying and selling, and other weekday tasks that would interfere with the spirit of Shabbat. The use of electricity is prohibited because it serves the same function as fire or some of the other prohibitions, or because it is technically considered to be "fire."
The issue of the use of an automobile on Shabbat, so often argued by non-observant Jews, is not really an issue at all for observant Jews. The automobile is powered by an internal combustion engine, which operates by burning gasoline and oil, a clear violation of the Torah prohibition against kindling a fire. In addition, the movement of the car would constitute transporting an object in the public domain, another violation of a Torah prohibition, and in all likelihood the car would be used to travel a distance greater than that permitted by rabbinical prohibitions. For all these reasons, and many more, the use of an automobile on Shabbat is clearly not permitted.
As with almost all of the commandments, all of these Shabbat restrictions can be violated if necessary to save a life.
Let me say up front that I believe in "progressive obedience". To me that means that as we grow in the Spirit and grace of our Lord we often are not able to be fully obedient to a Commandment as we like but that does not mean that we cannot begin to be "partially obedient" to the best of our ability. The Sabbath is a perfect example. Over time I found myself able to be more completely observant as I matured and grew in the knowledge of these Commandments. What I found difficult at time with my work schedule would through time and prayer remedy itself whereby I could become more fully observant of this Commandment. But it took time for God to help align all the things in my life where I could be more Torah obedient.
So in the Spirit of progressive obedience in light of what we just read about travel and money let me say that a small beginning at attempted obedience is better than no obedience at all. So one might want to begin to observe and remember the Sabbath by beginning early on Friday afternoons to begin Shabbat preparations. The mood is much like preparing for the arrival of a special, beloved guest. For such an arrival of a much beloved guest or Sabbath queen the house is cleaned whereupon the family bathes and dresses up for the joyous occasion that lays before them. Mom used her best dishes and the best tableware are set. A festive meal is prepared. In addition, everything that cannot be done during Shabbat must be set up in advance. Here are some examples: lights and appliances must be set (or timers placed on them, if the household does so), the light bulb in the refrigerator must be removed or unscrewed, so it does not turn on when you open it (don't lite a fire), and preparations for the remaining Shabbat meals must be made (preserving leftovers since you cannot cook or light a fire on the sabbath proper or until sundown Saturday). These might sound difficult but I assure you with a little planning this can be done quite easily. This is a matter of the "heart" and not "the head".
Shabbat, like all Jewish days, begins at sunset, because in the story of creation in Genesis Ch. 1, you will notice that it says, "And there was evening, and there was morning, one day." From this, we deduce that a day begins with evening, that is, sunset. For the precise time when Shabbat begins in your area, consult the list of candle lighting times provided by the Orthodox Union or any Jewish calendar. These are equally available on the Internet.
Shabbat candles are lit and a blessing is recited no later than eighteen minutes before sunset. This ritual, performed by the woman of the house, officially marks the beginning of Shabbat. Two candles are lit, representing the two commandments: zachor (remember) and shamor (observe), as discussed above.
Some celebrate, keep, and observe the Sabbath by attending a Synagogue service that evening if possible. Others adapt and deep the Sabbath entirely at home.
Before dinner, the man of the house recites Kiddush, a prayer over wine sanctifying Shabbat. Lifting the wine to God one recites:
"Blessed are You, HaShem our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has created the fruit of the vine."
The usual prayer for eating bread is recited over two loaves of challah, a sweet, eggy bread shaped in a braid. The family then eats dinner. Lifting the bread to God in thanks one recites:
"Blessed are You, HaShem our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth."
Although there are no specific requirements or customs regarding what to eat, meals are generally stewed or slow cooked items, because of the prohibition against cooking during Shabbat. It is important to remember that things that are mostly cooked before Shabbat and then reheated or kept warm on a hotplate are permissible.
After dinner, the birkat ha-mazon (grace after meals) is recited. Although this is done every day, on Shabbat, it is done in a leisurely manner with many upbeat tunes.
"And you shall eat and you shall be satisfied. And you shall bless YHWH, your God, for the good land he has given you." (Deuteronomy 8:10)
By the time all of this is completed, it may be late evening. The family has an hour or two to talk or study the Torah, and then go to sleep. Many of our students at Bet Emet used the times to do associated studies on other areas of recovering the Jewish Roots of the Christian faith.
The next morning Shabbat services begin at nearby synagogues and many of our students at Bet Emet would attend the morning services and later congregate with Bet Emet in the late afternoon and evening. Quite often Bible studies are held in homes on the Sabbath where friends attend and hold informal Sabbath services themselves. We at Bet Emet often did this and it is from a year of informal meetings that we grew into a full-fledged congregation with an adapted "Pattern of Worship" as found in the Synagogues. The only difference is that we had limited use of Hebrew in the service so we as non-Jews could have better understanding. Recollecting that we are to "remember" and "observe" we must understand that much of this is left up to you as to just how you do this. Understand as well that we at Bet Emet modified yet followed the Synagogue Pattern of Worship in our Sabbath Home Services.
To those who went to Synagogue on Sabbath mornings upon returning home after the service the family says kiddush again and has another leisurely, festive meal. A typical afternoon meal is usually some form of a slow cooked stew or soup that was kept warm on a heating plate ever night. By the time birkat ha-mazon (grace after meals) is done, it is about mid-afternoons. Many use this time to refocus on the Torah while others find leisurely activities to do. Many study the Torah for a while, others talk or take afternoon walks. Others find it relaxing to play games or engage in other leisure activities. A short afternoon nap is not uncommon. It is traditional to have a third meal before Shabbat is over. This is usually a light meal in the late afternoon or early evening before sundown for again remember it is at sundown that the Sabbath leaves and the first day of the week returns. It is interesting to note that in Judaism these 3 meals on the Sabbath is called "The Lord's Supper".
Shabbat ends at nightfall, when three stars are visible, approximately 40 minutes after sunset. It was at this time that Congregation Bet Emet chose to hold its services in order to not only share in the joy of the Sabbath but to partake of the Havdalah service as well. It was during this time that we all partook of a "modified" Synagogue service that consisted of Scripture readings, prayer, worship songs, teaching, and fellowship and even dancing before the Lord.
At the conclusion of Shabbat, it is customary for the family to perform a concluding ritual called Havdalah (separation, division) and we at Bet Emet ended our services with the Havdalah. In the Havdalah blessings are recited over wine, spices and candles. Then a blessing is recited regarding the division between the sacred and the secular, between Shabbat and the working days, etc. We would end with a song of hope remembering Elijah the Prophet whose coming is to announce the days of Messiah.
As you can see, Shabbat is a very full day when it is properly observed, and very relaxing and a joy to share with others.
Bennoah1@airmail.net