The Torah's first chapter describes Hashem’s creation of the world. Interestingly, after detailing His creations on each of the six days, the Torah describes how He ceased creating on the seventh. The seventh day was more than just a lack of creation; Hashem also gave it positive meaning by blessing and sanctifying it. Other creations — fish, birds, and man — had already received berachot. Shabbat is the only creation that Hashem sanctified.^[1]

Shabbat also features prominently in the Aseret HaDibrot — it is the first mitzvah after those that relate to Hashem Himself. It also appears more times in the Torah than any other mitzvah, and it is a fundamental part of being a Jew — one who violates Shabbat is considered to have violated the entire Torah.^[2]

Why is Shabbat so important?

Creation

Remembering Our Creator — Parshat Yitro

The Aseret HaDibrot in Parshat Yitro spell out the most basic meaning of Shabbat — it commemorates Hashem’s creation of the world. Working six days and resting on the seventh reminds us that Hashem did the same when He created the world. Shabbat is a weekly reminder of how the world came to be. It was created by Hashem, not just here on its own.^[3]

Shabbat’s connection to Hashem’s creativity explains why its central prohibition is melachah. Shabbat’s thirty-nine categories of work prohibit creativity, not strenuous effort. They prohibit lighting or carrying a match, but not schlepping a couch, because we are commemorating Hashem’s cessation from creation, not His “rest” from “effort” (neither of which are relevant to Him).^[4]

Defining Our Work

Notably, the Aseret HaDibrot mention not only our rest on Shabbat, but also our six days of work. This is because Shabbat defines our work on those days, as well. By creating for six days and stopping on the seventh, we emulate Hashem’s having done the same.

This emulation makes a statement about our work. Following Hashem’s pattern for work and rest shows that we see our work as a continuation of His. As we saw in our last piece, Hashem left the world in incomplete form to leave room for us to complete it. When we view our work this way, we are partners with Hashem in creating the world.^[5] We demonstrate this perspective by following Hashem’s work pattern, which includes resting on Shabbat.

Creating and Defining a New Week

The Zohar sees our rest on Shabbat as having an even bigger impact — it generates the following week.^[6] Hashem created the world with the ability to last for only six days. Our rest each Shabbat generates the next set of six. When we emulate Hashem’s pattern of work and rest, we reaffirm our view of ourselves as continuing Hashem’s creation and justify another round of ma’aseh bereishit. Our rest not only defines our work; it makes another week of it possible.^[7]

As our Shabbat generates the new week, it also sets its tone. This is why Hashem sanctified Shabbat and why we must do the same.^[8] By filling each Shabbat with holiness and holy activities, we bring holiness into the upcoming week for both ourselves and for the entire world.^[9] Shabbat is meant to be more than a day when we cease creating. It should be a day when we focus on and involve ourselves in spiritual matters, rather than mundane ones.^[10] It is a day to nourish our souls and deepen our connection with Hashem.

The Connection to the Mishkan — Parshat Ki Tisa

The second part of Sefer Shemot links Shabbat to another major historical event — the building of the Mishkan. When Hashem instructs Moshe on the details of building the Mishkan, He also includes the mitzvah of Shabbat.^[11] Later, when Moshe relays Hashem’s words about the Mishkan to the Jewish people, he, too, begins with the mitzvah of Shabbat.^[12]

Chazal explain the linkage as teaching us that the construction of the Mishkan is forbidden on Shabbat.^[13] The holiness of Shabbat supersedes all human endeavors  — even the building of an abode for the Shechinah. This supersession is central to the makeup of Shabbat — the work required to build the Mishkan becomes the categories of work prohibited on Shabbat.^[14] Building the Mishkan is the ideal form of human creativity and thus serves as the prototype of what Shabbat prohibits.

Zecher L’Yetziat Mitzrayim — Parshat Va’etchanan

The Aseret HaDibrot in Parshat Va’etchanan^[15] offer a second explanation for Shabbat, connecting it to Yetziat Mitzrayim. While enslaved in Egypt, we were unable to rest; therefore, we commemorate Hashem freeing us by resting.^[16]

The association of Shabbat with Yetziat Mitzrayim is the basis of our special relationship with Shabbat.^[17] Although Shabbat is a fundamental part of the seven days of Creation, Hashem gave the mitzvah to observe it only to the Jewish people. In fact, Hashem designated it as a sign of our personal covenant with Him^[18] to the point where non-Jews are prohibited from observing it.^[19] Though non-Jews are products of creation, they did not experience the Exodus and are therefore excluded from Shabbat observance.

Va’etchanan’s linkage to Yetziat Mitzrayim also emphasizes the importance of our rest on Shabbat. Our rest not only commemorates Hashem’s cessation of work; it is also an important end in and of itself.

The pesukim specify the rest of two types of people: our slaves and ourselves. Each is independently significant.^[20] First, Shabbat ensures that no slave is forced to work incessantly.^[21] We experienced that kind of enslavement in Mitzrayim and thus need to be sensitive not to enslave others this way.

But rest is also important in and of itself — not just for slaves, but for all people.^[22] All of us need to rest, not just those enslaved by others. This second aspect has taken on added significance in our time. For millennia, men worked hard in the fields and at other tasks throughout the week, looking to Shabbat as a day of rest from physical labor. Today, most people do not engage in physically strenuous labor. Instead, people face intense pressure and bombardment by constant communications throughout the week. Shabbat is a time to unplug and focus on where we are and who we are with.^[23] 

This rest is not just physical, but also spiritual. It is a time to disconnect from the mundane and connect with the Divine. It is a time to reflect, pray, and spend quality time with family and community.

Conclusion

The mitzvah of Shabbat is of great significance because it both reminds us of Hashem and gives us perspective on our lives. In addition to reminding us of Hashem’s role as Creator and of our role within His world, Shabbat also provides us with a break from the world’s otherwise unending burdens and pressures. It offers us a time for spiritual renewal and for gaining a fresh perspective on life.

I recommend considering and speaking with family this Shabbat and on future Shabbatot about the various bases and significances of Shabbat. May doing so inspire us to observe Shabbat properly and happily.

Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA. His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com 

^[1] Bereishit 2:3. See also Shemot 20:11, which mentions this as a basis for the mitzvah of Shabbat.

^[2] Chullin 5a.

^[3] Moreh Nevuchim 3:43; Chinuch 24; and Ramban, Shemot 20:8.

^[4] See Moreh Nevuchim 1:67 and Seforno, Bereishit 2:3.

^[5] Shabbat 119b.

^[6] Zohar 2:88a as explained by the Ohr HaChayim, Bereishit 2:3. See Netivot Shalom, Bereishit, who sees this as the true meaning of our “partnership” with Hashem in creating the world. See also Sefat Emet, Yitro 5639.

^[7] See Ibn Ezra, Bereishit 2:3 and Kuzrai 3:5, who describe how Shabbat renews our physical and spiritual capabilities.

^[8] The first pasuk of each version of the Aseret HaDibrot present the commandment to observe Shabbat as sanctifying it (Shemot 20:8, Devarim 5:12). See also Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 29:1 and Ramban, Shemot 20:8. This is why the Torah describes Shabbat as being holy to both us and Hashem (Shemot 31:14–15 and 35:2).

^[9] Pri Tzaddik, Beshalach 6. See also Kuzari 3:5, which explains how the intensive involvement in avodat Hashem is what renews our physical and spiritual capabilities.

^[10] Yeshayahu 58:13–14, Shabbat 113a, and Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 307.

^[11] Shemot 31:12–17.

^[12] Shemot 35:1–3. See also Vayikra 26:2.

^[13] Rashi, Shemot 35:2.

^[14] Shabbat 49b. The Mishkan is also the source for the central melechet Shabbat principle of melechet machshevet (Chagigah 10a).

^[15] Devarim 5:12–15.

^[16] Chinuch 32. See also Ramban, Devarim 5:14, who discusses whether Shabbat truly aims to commemorate Yetziat Mitzrayim. We seem to assume that it does, as in the Shabbat tefillot we describe Shabbat as commemorating both Creation and Yetziat Mitzrayim.

^[17] Moreh Nevuchim 2:31 and Ramban, Devarim 5:14 (at the end). This explains why Hashem gave the mitzvah of Shabbat to the Jewish people right after Yetziat Mitzrayim (Rashi, Shemot 15:25) and used the giving of the mannah at that point to help them appreciate its significance (Shemot 16:5, 23–27).

^[18] Shemot 31:13, 16–17. See also Shemot Rabbah 11:8 and Aruch HaShulchan, O.C. 242:1.

^[19] Sanhedrin 58b. See Mechilta (Ki Tisa, Mesechta D’Shabbata, 1: D”H Ki), which links this prohibition to Shabbat’s status as a sign of our exclusive relationship with Hashem.

See also the Shemoneh Esreh for Shabbat Shacharit, which emphasizes the fact that Shabbat is given only to the Jewish people.

^[20] See Ibn Ezra, Devarim 5:13.

^[21] See also Shemot 23:12, which mentions one’s animals in addition to one’s slaves.

^[22] Moreh Nevuchim 3:43.

^[23] This is due to the prohibitions against using electricity and traveling out of one’s city.