How to observe the Sabbath / Shabath

Correctly, and in a Holy Manner

This page is ALWAYS on going

----------------------------------------------------------------

 

These are the rules that determine what is allowed, and what is not allowed to be done during the Shabath. There are 4 to 5 main things, or aspects that I can come up with, or think of, at the moment of what an individual must know in order to observe the Shabath correctly. By knowing these few aspects, or guidelines, one can judge every single situation life offers to see if it is, or is not allowed to be done during the Shabath.

1)  The first thing in determining how the Shabath is correctly observed is by understanding the word

    "remember." This word in the Shabath command, "Remember the Shabath

    day in order to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8)," is talking about each future, upcoming Shabath

    regarding each week, not any of the past Sabbaths. It is when each individual Shabath   

    approaches, you must remember that is is coming in so many days, so that you do not defile it.

  . Thus, when HaShem uttered this word, we are commanded not to do

    anything whatsoever as far as activities, deeds, tasks, chores, labor, work, hobbies,

    playing (to an extent),  carrying things, beginning to wear things, doing things and also every

    single aspect regarding life that one can do or get done either before the Shabath shall start,

    or that it can possibly wait til after the Shabath in order to do whatever is desired.

    However, this does not include deeds that must absolutely be done during the Shabath because of

    other laws commanding you to do something, or because of circumstance. I will give a few

    examples of some situations regarding everything I have spoken of so far, as far as the

    word "remember" is concerned.

    Example A) This is why the person was stoned to death just for simply picking up some

      sticks during the Shabath. This story is found in (Numbers 15:32-36). For he did not

      "remember" the Shabath and what was commanded of him, and for the fact he did not

      need to gather sticks on that day. For, it is pretty hard to forget the Shabath if you are

      living among 600,000 plus nomads in the desert, and all of them are observing the Shabath at the

      same time. Thus this person deserved his judgment of death, for he did not 'remember' the Shabath. That

      or he simply outright disregarded it. But now let us delve into it in more detail in order 

      to make my point even clearer. Let us say he was hungry and he was

      gathering sticks so that he could cook the raw manna he had gotten the previous day. The man

      would still be under transgression because there was a commandment to do and finish all his

      cooking before the Shabath even started. Thus, he was to "remember" that the Shabath was soon to

      come and all must be done and complete before the start of the Shabath. Therefore,

      this person did not pay attention to the command, and so he did not remember.  However,

      we must acknowledge that we do not really know why he was gathering sticks, for the

      Torah does not give this reason and it is a treacherous thing to assume any speculations are

      fact. This is because it is written and commanded, "you must not lie" and no liars will enter

      paradise and you would not truly know if you are lying if you are believing speculation as fact.

      Thus as mentioned, if things can be done prior to Shabath or can wait til after the Shabath in order

      to do such things, yet they are done during the Shabath, such a person sins and must be put to

      death.

   Example B) Another example we can use under the "remember" commands of the Shabath

      is traveling. Whether that be by car, train, airplane, ship or boat or any water vessel or floater (even a

      surf board) , a scooter, a beast, (such as a horse, camel, donkey, llama, ostrich, elephant, dogs or

      reindeer used for a sled, etc...), even roller blades, a skateboard, or skis, (such as for cross-country

      skiing)... or anything in which you must use in order to travel with, you must not use. Any traveling that you

      can not do on foot or are not able to do on foot during the Shabath, because you would have

      to rest or take a break for awhile in order to keep going, whether that be because you are fat and

      out of shape or that the place is to far, you are not allowed to do such during the Shabath. For the

      whole point of the shabath is to be rest and be refreshed, thus if you are exerting yourself, you sin. Therefore,

      plan ahead, for wherever that destination might be regarding the place you want to go, you could have

      arrived there before the Shabath, and spent the night there, or at a place within sabbath walking distance

      from it.

    Example C) Let us say there are idols in the land of Israel, in which there are ofcourse. In

      fact, there are many. Idols from the Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox Churches  

      and many other "Christian" denominations in which they have drawings, paintings, mosaics, stain

      glass windows, carvings, statues, reliefs and so on,.... of so-called God and of the man Jesus. The

      makers of these idols might argue "Jesus was seen by men, so we can do this".  When in fact one

      must never make such, nor own, nor borrow such. Even if you are special, and you get a chance to see

      the Father, or His agent, the Moshiach in days to come, (for Moses saw HaShem, as well as

      Abraham, Ezekiel, Isaiah and Daniel), yet they were commanded to never draw, nor paint,

      nor make any kind of an image of what they had seen. Thus, regarding the "remember" laws, even

      though these things must not exist in the land or territory of Israel, you nonetheless must not start, nor continue

      destroying them during the Shabath, for they are not going anywhere. Thus saying, you can do such

      after the Shabath is over. Therefore, regarding the "remember" commands, whatever you can do before

      the Shabath or can postpone until after the Shabath, this you must do.

2)  And so this brings us to the second aspect regarding the Shabath, in how one must know

    how to observe it. This part is regarding to circumstances that concern everyday deeds, and/or

    particular commands that you must obey regardless of what day it might be, which includes the

    Shabath or even special holiday Shabaths. These particular commands deal with a variety of issues,

    like commands concerning love based deeds, such as mercy and compassion. Or, in regards to the

    bathroom, death, childbirth, circumcision and.... So, let me give you a few examples:

  

Example A) It is normally not allowed to pick up a knife or cutting tool during the Shabath,

     for everything that must be cut, such as bread, or a steak, or an orange must be cut and done

     before the Shabath. However, if your wife shall give birth to a son, and the eighth day after his

     birth falls on the Shabath, you are commanded to fulfill the law of circumcision. Thus, you, (or a mohel)

     must take a sharp object and circumcise him. Yet, because the Shabath is going on you must

     do the least amount of work as possible) This means that everything for this event must be prepared

     before hand, and once the circumcision is done, you must drop everything. Because after that point you

     are no longer allowed to lift such items until after the Shabath. This is regarding commandments

     that must be obeyed, regardless what day they fall on. This also is the same for priests regarding the

     Temple such as kindling the altar fire, the menorah, replacing and eating the showbread, and all their

     commanded rituals. The priests must offer the sacred offerings to HaShem, but they must keep their

     work to a minimum, while still fulfilling all of the commands, since it is the Shabath, and....

  Example B) Example B is for circumstances that occur everyday, thus allowance for them is

    tolerated or allowed. Such as: For it is regularly not allowed to pick up a shovel or burying tool

   during the Shabath; but in Deut 23:12, it is commanded that after emptying yourself, (that is

   emptying the dung within you), you are commanded to bury it with the dirt that you dug out from

   a pit that you had to make. This is so that HaShem will not see anything unclean among you.

   But as stated before, because it would be the Shabath, you must do the least amount of work

   or deeds as possible in order to fulfill the commandment on the Shabath.. Therefore the moment you

   are done burying such you must drop the tool immediately. This is an example of special circumstances.

  Example C) These aspects are regarding mercy, in which some of them can go under

  "special circumstances."

  1) If a house is burning you may help to put it out, but you must do the

  least amount of work as possible. 

  2) If a child gets injured, you may help them.

  3) If a domestic, or owned animal gets into trouble you may help that animal.

  4) You may help an elderly person go to the bathroom if they need help.

  5) You may feed someone if they are hungry. And similar aspects, but not situations

  as: if you see a person with a flat tire you must not help them as far as the tire is concerned.

  For they were commanded to not even be traveling in the first place, but you may invite them

  into your home until after sundown. After sundown, you may help them. Even if you invite them

  into your home, you are not allowed to let them use your phone at all until after sundown.

3) Some activities, deeds or even just movements of your own body can not fit under the "remember

   commands", thus we come upon the third aspect in observing the Shabath correctly. It is upon

   this commandment that we find the greater reason for the true reason or purpose for the Shabath command.

   Before the Exodus from Egypt, the Shabath was not observed as a day of rest, yet the people did know

   that the God of Israel commanded His son to make the heavens and earth in six days. And, it was on 

   the seventh day that he rested and thus blessed it, because of that rest. But, up to that point, He never

   commanded us to do what he did; that is rest on that day. And so, here is the commandment and

   the greater reason it was commanded in the first place, more than just remember that he created and made all.

   For without Him doing what He did, that is rest, we would not understand the shabath's full purpose. Let us

   read that purpose:  "Six days you shall do all your work, but during the seventh day you must rest,

   so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your handmaid and the sojourner, may be

   refreshed, as well". This must go along with "And remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt,

   and that HaShem, the God regarding you, brought you out using a mighty hand and by an outstretched

   arm; therefore, HaShem the God regarding you commanded you to keep the Shabath day." Thus

   saying this is the greater and main reason that the Shabath was commanded, and not simply to

   remind us of what He had done at creation. Remember that all the feasts, including the Shabath, are

   supposed to remind us of what He did for us in Egypt, and regarding the Exodus and His deeds in the desert,

   so that we will never, ever forget what He has done for us. Thus, in doing this, He commands us to

   remember that this same Lord (Jesus) that redeemed us from slavery is the same Lord that created the heavens

   and the earth, a mighty one, and so He commanded us to rest as Jesus did. Therefore, when we rest, we

   remember both the slavery days, because we were not allowed to rest, and the days of creation in which Yehoshua

   rested and was refreshed. We do this in order to gain strength for the following week. Thus, here

   is the "B" group: Anything that causes you to need to be refreshed even more, you are not allowed to do, for

   that would defeat the whole purpose of the Shabath. Thus, in the "A" group walking cannot fit, nor running

   or..., but in this group it does, thus giving the command, "You may walk as far as you so desire during the

   Shabath, but not so far that you should exert yourself in any way, for this defeats the Shabath's existence."

   This also goes for walking up stairs or running or ..... All people are different, for one man

  might be athletic and so he can walk 2 miles plus, without even phasing him, while another man

  might not be able to walk more than 100 feet because they are either fat or out of shape or old..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.    You must not discuss business during the Shabath.

2.    You must not hire a non-believer or non-Jew to work for you during the Shabath. For it is 

       written, '"Your manservant or maidservant (Ex 20:9) must not work during the Shabath."

3.    You must not become unclean during the Shabath, or become more unclean during the

      Shabath. Example: "If you are a man and you are unclean because of a corpse, you

      must not become more unclean by producing semen or by touching a woman that is in her

      uncleanness of menstruation or..."

4.    You must not do anything during the Shabath that would cause you to have to be refreshed even

      more (like a bath, etc), for this is why the Shabath exists, thus you will be refreshed for the

      week to come, as it is written, "Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day

      thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine donkey may rest, and the son of thy handmaid,

      and the foreigner, may be refreshed.

5.    You must not do any type of deeds, activities, tasks, traveling, choirs, work of any kind

      what so ever during the Shabath if you could have done it the day before or you can do it

      after the Shabath. However there are commands that one cannot avoid in doing during

      the Shabath, thus for these special commands you may fulfill them, yet because it is the

      Shabath the other laws still apply, thus you must do the lest amount of work as possible.

      Some of these commands would be:

  a. If the eighth day after childbirth regarding a male should fall on the Shabath, you are still

      commanded to circumcise that boy, but because you would already know that this day

      would fall on the Shabath, and you know that you must pick up a blade to circumcise the

      boy, which normally you are not allowed to pick up or even move a blade during the

      Shabath, you must have everything prepared before hand, thus you do not have to work

      so much, thus when the circumcision is complete, you must drop everything that you are

     doing and one of the parents of the boy, the mother, may take care of him, since she must

      pick him up anyway to nurse him. Thus also saying the husband is not allowed to pick him 

      up during the Shabath, nor any of his children, lest of coarse this is an absolute necessity or an

      emergency.

   b. The priests may do their sacrifices and kindle the necessary fires for such

   c. You may take a tool to bury your excrement (Deut 23:12-14)

   d. If a person is truly starving, he may pick fruit from a tree, if that is the only food around.

       For otherwise all picking must be done before the Shabath starts.

6.   You must not dial a phone number, nor pick up the phone during the Shabath.

7.   You must not use the computer during the Shabath if you must use any physical effort. That

     is to say if you need to type a single keyboard letter or even move the mouse or turn the

     computer power on.

8.   You must not communicate with someone using a computer, radio or telephone or... during

      the sixth day of the week or the first night of the week, if the time where the person you

     are communicating with is still during the hours of Shabath.

9.  You must not turn on the light during the Shabath, lest it is done by itself as by a timer, or it

    takes no physical effort on your part as in to actually moving something to cause the light to

    exist, as a switch or knob, but not if you can just touch it as a touch lamp or it is hooked up

    to a motion detector or that it can come on by sound as clapping your hands or voice

    control. Also, you absolutely must not do the above deeds if you have to get your power from a

    utility company. Meaning: if you have to pay for the power you use, you must not do these things.

    The reason for this is because you must not conduct business during the Shabath and if you have

    to later on pay for it, you conducted business during the Shabath. For the meter measures what

    what you use. If you have solar pads, a generator that you operate prior sunset, a windmill or water

    wheel, you may then do such during the Shabath, but not if outright physical effort is used.

10. You may pull a blanket over you during the Shabath, because this has to do with warmth,

     but you must not move the pillow toward or away from you or form it in a particular way

     to make it more comfortable, because this has to do with luxury and comfort, not necessity.

    Thus if you want your pillow in a particular fashion or way you must do this before sunset.

11. You may wear your watch during the Shabath, but you cannot put it on during the Shabath,

     thus you must put it on before the Shabath starts.

12. You may wear jewelry during the Shabath, but you must not put it on during the Shabath,

     thus you must do it prior the Shabath, if you desire to wear it.

13.  You must not groom you hair with a thing or comb or brush during the Shabath, for this

      has to do with luxury and appearance.

14.  You must not give tithes during the Shabath, for this is still business.

15.  You must not hold, nor put on a microphone during the Shabath.

16.  You must not listen to the radio during the Shabath, nor turn it on using any physical   

      movement. That is turning a knob or pushing a button or flipping a switch. That is to also

      say, moving anything that has to do with the object. This also goes for the television set,  

      and also regarding the remote control unit.

17.  You must not carry more than one book at a time during the Shabath, because it is

      impossible to use more than one book at the same time, for you cannot read two things at

      the same time, thus if you are holding two books at the same time, one is used and one is

      not and so you must not hold any book during the Shabath if you are not reading it or using

      it, thus you are holding it vainly and vise versa between the two books if you go back and

      forth in regards to reading from one then the other and back again.

18.  If you have a voice activated tape recorder, you may use it during the Shabath as long as

      you press the record button prior the Shabath shall begin., but only if the thing operates by batteries

      and not if you have to plug it in. For then you would have to pay the power company for using power

      on the Shabath During the Shabath you cannot rewind it, nor stop it or whatever else, that is if it only

      is recorded by voice activation, but the stop, play, record, rewind, fast forward and eject controls are buttons,

      but not if such is as a touch lamp in where you do not actually move anything. However

      you also cannot carry it, thus it must remain in one place during the Shabath.

19.  You must not slice bread during the Shabath.

20.  You must not use a knife during the Shabath.

21.  You must not rip paper or... during the Shabath, lest it is food as bread or beef jerky or  

      some other food.

22.  You must not break anything during the Shabath, as a seal or...., not even an idol, for you

      can do this after the Shabath, even though you are commanded to break all idols, icons

      and pictures people make in regards to their thoughts of what He might look like or a part

      of Him as His hand or... as some artists have drawn HaShem writing the Ten

      Commandment with His own finger, this is evil and you must destroy it, but since it is the

      Shabath, you must wait till after the Shabath.

23.  You must not eat defiled food during the Shabath, lest you are already defiled, then you

      may eat of such food, defiled kosher food that is. Example: If you are clean from a corpse,

      but some food was existing under the same roof where a corpse was and now that food is

      existing outside of that house, since you are clean and because it is the Shabath, you must

      not eat of that food. For you must not defile yourself during the Shabath, lest under

      absolute necessity. However if you where in the same house where the corpse was, you

      are defiled as the food is and so even if it should be the Shabath you may eat of it since

      you are equal with that food.

24. You must not use a yod (pointer) during the Shabath in order to follow along the text of a

     scroll, for that would be lifting something that has nothing to do with necessity during the

     Shabath.

25.  If you are in a building during the Shabath as a shul or synagogue or wherever and there

      is a torah scroll there vs. a book of the torah, you always must take the lighter one of the

     two, that is to say if the scroll lacks all the ornaments, for you must not pick up any such

     ornaments during the Shabath.

26.  During the Shabath you must not dance around with the torah, for then you would be

      carrying something that you are not using at the moment, for you may only carry it so that

      you may read it, not simply because you want to thank HaShem for it, for you must not

      thank HaShem and transgress at the same time or your praises shall be in vain.

27.  Because of the remembrance command of the Shabath, it is understandable then Exodus 35:3

     commands, "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Shabath day." Because

     you can kindle a fire right before sundown.

28.  Because of the remembrance command of the Shabath, it is understandable why the person was

      guilty of capital offense for simply picking up sticks during the Shabath, thus you must not do such

      either, "While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath

      day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly,

      and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the LORD

      said to Moses, "The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp."

29.  The judges may arrest criminals during the Shabath.

30.  The judges however must not kill an offender of the law during the Shabath, for this can wait till after the Shabath.

31. You must not put water in a tub during the Shabath, so that you can bath during the Shabath, however you can

    do so before the Shabath, and if you wash during the Shabath, you cannot pick up a cloth or anything during the

    Shabath in order to dry yourself during the Shabath hours, because you could have done such just minutes before the

    Shabath started.

32. You may wash your hands during the Shabath, but the water must be already poured prior the Shabath and you may

     dry your hands with a dry towel or something, but you must not pick up that towel, rather you can do something like

     wipe your wet hands off on that towel as it lies on the table or hung somewhere.

33.  You must not pick up soap in order to wash your hands during the Shabath.

34.  You must not put on deodorant during the Shabath.

35.  You must not brush your teeth during the Shabath.

36.  You must not watch live TV, whether that be live news or even a movie that's been made for awhile, even years, yet

      is being aired at that present time, or a live show of some sort, either from antenna, cable or satellite or the Internet.

      However you my watch something that you recorded before the Shabath started, however you must push the play

      button before the Shabath starts. Also that program in which you watch must not be of anything pertaining to

      business. Nor anything that does not transgress the sabbath commandments.

37.   You must not put on cosmetics during the Shabath.

38.   You must not put on a wedding ring or put one on another during the Shabath, though you can get married during the

       Shabath.

39.   You must not put on a watch or time piece during the Shabath.

40.   You must not pick up a comb during the Shabath in order to groom your hair.

41.   You must not listen to the radio during the Shabath.

42.   You must not pass out fliers or papers for advertisement of your business or for another business, not even for a

       Torah get together during the Shabath.

43.   If someone is passing out fliers of advertisement for a business during the Shabath, you must not take any of them.

44.   During the regular week day you must not make plans with a person so that you can go somewhere during the

       Shabath by car so that person can take you somewhere or bring you with them, even though you yourself would not

       defile the Shabath itself on that day, yet he would and doesn't really care for he does not observe Shabath, you must

       not do such, because your heart is not in the right place and you are participating in making plans for another person

       defile it in action and in conduct. For it is written, "Remember the Shabath day in order to keep it holy."

45.   You may pick up a book to read it during the Shabath, but it must not pertain of anything regarding business, but of

       faith, history, and all that is kosher and holy is ok, but not art books, nor shopping catalogs, nor anything that

       makes you plan something or think of ideas to plan something.

46.   You must not carry more than one book at a time, since it is impossible to read two things at once, for yes you can

       see two things at once, but it is impossible to read two things at once for like your mouth, it cannot speak two words

       simultaneously. Thus saying, one book is not being used, thus saying you must not carry something during the

       Shabath and then not use it, not even at one point.

47.   You must not peal fruit during the Shabath, like a banana, orange or citrus fruit, avocado, pomegranates and...., nor

       break the shells off of other types of food during the Shabath, like nuts or the shells for seeds as sunflower seeds.

       For all this could be done prior the start of the Shabath.

48.   If you find yourself starving during the Shabath and to the point you cannot fast till the end of the Shabath to eat, you

      must do the least amount of work possible, for you must honor the command. For example: if you are in a field of fruit

      trees it is better to take the fruit that which has fallen vs. that which is still on the tree, for normally you are not

      allowed to pick fruit during the Shabath, because this could have been done prior the Shabath. So whatever is the

      least amount of work, this you must do.

50.  Before the Shabath starts, each and every sabbath, as well as every new moon, you must shut off at the meter your

      power, water and gas and anything else, so that nothing will be bought during these hours. Because you must

      not conduct business during the Shabath, nor on new moons.

51.  ................... all for now, but this is an example for you to show you where this is going

  

    

 

A letter from a reader on 6/20/2007:

Hello, I was doing some research on clean and unclean food and came across your website.  I was reading about how to keep the sabbath correctly and you didn't say what day the Sabbath should be kept. On what day do you believe the Sabbath day should be kept?

Thanks,

Raegan

My response later that day, right before Chag Shavuot / Feast of Weeks / Pentecost:

Hi there my dear friend,

In Judaism, the faith that the God of Israel gave to His people, we only have one day for the sabbath, this is why it is not mentioned on the page. For Jewish people would know what day that is. 'Christians', however, are not sure what day that is. Regardless of what they think it remains the same day. I have a problem in saying the gentile days of the week, because we are not allow to "say the names of other gods (Exodus 23:13)". For they name 5 out of 7 days after their gods. Nonetheless, two of those days are fine, being Sunday and Monday. The Sabbath is the day before Sunday; Or, 5 days after Monday.

In other words:

1st day = Sunday

2nd Day = Monday

3rd day = ?????

4th day = ?????

5th day = ?????

6th day = ?????

7th day = the holy shabath (Hebrew) / sabbath

I hope this answers your question.

HeShallGovern

Raegan's response:

Thank you so much, that is great. I am a Sabbath keeper. My family attends a church on [the same day that you have***]. Not many people do. I was raised to keep the Sabbath day...as [the same day that you have***]. I sent your web inform to my pastor....your clean and unclean food is very interesting. Thank you for going into such detail.  I work for a Christian institution....but they believe that God eventually cleaned EVERYTHING.....which is wrong....I've stayed true...and hope to convince them to change their eating ways.

God Bless!!

*** "the same day that you have": This is Maregaal's edit, for we must not memorialize the names of other god's, thus I made his e-mail kosher.

If you would like to learn more truth about Yehoshua and his God and the truth about the faith and religion that he practiced and taught, Biblical Judaism, please go to my front page at "www.HeShallGovern.Com." For what Yehoshua practiced is, obviously, the way to salvation!!!

HeShallGovern.Com

Correction for others, not from us at HeShallGovern:

Many people, including Seventh Day Adventists and Seventh Day Baptists, assume that the shabath [sabbath] was instituted after all things were created at "the beginning." In truth, this is NOT the case. On a real quick side note: the God of Israel does not get weary, nor tired in any regard; but because His son came later, as all sons do,  which tells us the son is not eternal - the son can become tired. We see, therefore, the son "resting" and getting "refreshed" on the seventh day after he created all things by the commandment of his God. Remember, in Judaism the messiah or moshiach is not the God of Israel, rather he is His greatest servant and prophet among all the servants of Yehowah. Now to confirm all of this, this is what Micah says in Micah 5:2, "whose goings forth / birth or origins are from the days of eternity," not that "he is eternal." Meaning: Yehoshua is a made being, but being a son, as with all sons or children of whatever specie, he can do what his Father can do, because he is of the same kind or specie, this is why he has the power to create (whereas seraphs, angels and cherubs do not.) Solomon, our Jewish ancestral king says the same thing about the son being made and being the first of all creation, he says this in Pro 8:22, "Yehowah made me as the first of his works of old," and "I was the craftsman or architect at His side." So, it is clear that there are two separate individuals. This is why mankind only consists of two individuals on the sixth day of creation, because there were only two of them, the Father and His son. Psalm 110 confirms this by saying, "Yehowah said to adonai [my rabbi or my master], "Sit thou at My right hand." In Judaism, the faith of the Tanach or the Jewish Bible, we have never taught - in six thousand years of teachings and history - a trinity, nor the trinity. Only Yehowah or the Father alone is the God of Israel. His son is not 'God,' nor the God of Israel in any shape or form. He has similar power, but is no where close to the power of his Father, because he is made; his knowledge is also limited, and so on. He is, nonetheless, greater than all other spirits, for all else are lower than him, but he still remains below the God of Israel and so serves Him. Well, with all that finally being said, the sabbath was not instituted on the seventh day ["of creation."]  No, in fact, no one of the ancient world, prior to Moses the prophet, observed the sabbath. This is because it was instituted as a memorial to the time when we Jewish folks were slaves in the land of Egypt and were not allowed to rest, but had to work rigorously all of the time. For this is what the Torah, or the law of Moses says, "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and [that] the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day [Deut 5:15]." This is the main reason it was given, not because of creation alone.

The Sabbath or Shabath was given in Exodus 16, when the manna came. It was not when HaShem uttered the 10 commandments - after which Moses had to get the remainder of the other commandments, because the people were to afraid to hear the rest of them from HaShem's mouth. This is the truth of why the sabbath/shabath was instituted.

My friends, thank you for taking the time to read this page. As you read this page, whether or not you have kept the shabath in times past, or never, but want to start keeping it, or just learn the things surrounding the holy shabath, you may find that the rules/commandments of it are more or less restrictive than you assume.

Please write with questions or comments and we will be glad to answer them and help you keep the shabath.

For those of you that might be wondering whether or not the shabath day still needs to be observed or not; or whether or not it was done away with, please look at the end of this page for a similar colored box for details. You will see the opposing teachings of Jesus and his 11 apostles verses Paul's teachings concerning the sabbath.  Thank You.

Many people assume that the sabbath or the shabath was done away with when Yehoshua

or Jesus died due to the writings of Paul. Whereas others assume and believe that the sabbath is an everlasting covenant and has never been done away with.

We are going to look at both sides of the issue so that you can see for yourself what is the real truth and what is the real deception.

BUT to bluntly tell you from the start: The Shabath / Sabbath still needs to be kept unto this day by Jew and non-Jew alike.

Nonetheless, here is our study - let's start with Paul and his writings.

According to Paul:

According to Paul [but not the other apostles, the true apostles], the Torah was done away with when Yehoshua died, for this is what Paul says in Eph 2:

Again, this is what Paul said and taught to the Colossians in Colossians 2:11-17 NIV

Using Paul's life as an example of what he truly believed, which bares more evidence than mere words, he truly lived in a way that the Torah did not need to be kept any longer. For in the torah we see that all Israelites must go up to Jerusalem three times a year, every year to celebrate the three annul harvest festivals. This commandment is found in Exodus 23:14-17:

Now here is what Paul testifies to after accepting the fact that Yehoshua is the Jewish moshiach or messiah, this is taken from Paul's writings people call "Galatians" in Chapter 1:16-2:

So we see that Paul admits that he no longer kept the Torah, nor really cared to go up to Jerusalem every year as the Torah requires.

Now let me give to the counter balence to Paul and his life that was totally hypocritical and literally vile before HaShem, the God of Israel, like Solomon's was after some time.

Even though the REAL APOSTLES fell in Acts 15 by forgetting the words of their Rabbi, that is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Yosef concerning the Gentiles, they nonetheless NEVER taught that the Torah or the law of Moses as wel as the other prophets were ever done away with. Whereas as Yehoshua told his disciples to tell all nations to observe the commandments and/or the Torah - all of it and that it was never going to be done away with or abolished.

For if you recall, this is what the master or our rabbi said:

"If you want to enter into life, you must obey the commandments," Matthew 19:17.

And, "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do," Matthew 23:1-3.

And, "Did not Moses give you the law, and [yet] none of you keepeth the law?" John 7:19

And, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me," Jhon 14:21.

And, "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings," John 14:24.

And, "Do not even think that I have come do away with or abolish the Torah or the things given by the holy prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to bring into fruition all that they prophecied about. For I tell you the truth, unless the heavens as well as the earth perish, not a a single jot or tittle shall ever pass from the law until all things that were predicted should come to pass," Matthew 5.

Now after seeing that the rabbi from Galilee just said that the Torah is enduring and that observing it is a requirement for salvation, as stated in Matthew 19, He goes on to say this in Matthew 28, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations... ....Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." That teaching of Yehoshua was the Torah and any new commandments he added to that Torah by the authority of heaven as would any prophet do that came in the name of HaShem, the God of Israel. The teachings of the prophets was the path to holiness. And "without holiness no one will see the God of Israel." Thus, holiness is a requirement - to go along with what Yehoshua said.

Well, sorry for the long detour, but as I touched on earlier, even though the REAL apostles fell from the teachings of their rabbi in Acts 15 concerning the Gentiles, they still never, ever taught that the Torah was abolished as Paul did. What they truly taught was that the Jews must always keep all of the Torah, whereas Acts 15 and Acts 21 states that the Gentiles need only to keep 4 things of that vast law.

I will now quote Acts 21 so that you can see the proof that the REAL APOSTLES never taught that the Torah was abolished. When I am all done I will pull in the observance of the sabbath within this study Okay. By this Acts 21 passage we can clearly see Paul's hypocracy, because this the "14 years later" he himself mentioned in his own letter, which I quoted already.

Acts 21:

Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;

In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,

having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

having canceled the written code, with its regulations [The Torah], that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, [which is] at the latter end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

.....immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

And they glorified God in me.

Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with [me] also.

And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

And the [day] following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

And when they heard [it], they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

And they [the believing Jews] are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, neither to walk after the customs.

What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave [their] heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but [that] thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written [and] concluded that they observe no such thing, save only

1) that they keep themselves from [things] offered to idols,

2) and from blood,

3) and from strangled,

4) and from sexual immorality.

Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

-----------PROVING HIS HYPOCRACY------------

Yet the people don't buy Paul's acting as truth, for it continues:

And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all [men] every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks [notice this is a plural word - I say this because even though the Book of Acts in 21:29 says only one person, "Trophimus an Ephesian," Titus could have been there, since according to Paul's own words, as I quoted earlier, Titus went with Paul to Jerusalem] also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place."