General Background
Perhaps the most incredible, awe-inspiring account in the Torah is its description of the creation of the world. Almost 6000 years ago, the Torah tells us, G-d fashioned this entire wondrous universe and all that it contains: the heavens and the earth, the land and the sea, the world of plant life, the celestial bodies, the entire animal kingdom, and the very first human beings, Adam and Eve.
As the Torah relates, over the course of a mere six days, G-d revealed a tiny fraction of His infinite power and created the entire world ex nihilo—out of nothing. The following is a brief synopsis of the Six Days of Creation:
On the first day, G-d brought order to the “chaos” that preceded the world’s existence. On that day, He created the heavens, the earth, and light. The entire surface of the world was still covered with water.
On the second day, G-d created the firmament that separates the water above the sky from the water below it.
On the third day, G-d caused the water to recede and the land to be revealed. He also created the entire plant kingdom on that day.
On the fourth day, G-d created the sun, the moon, and the stars.
On the fifth day, G-d created aquatic and avian life.
On the sixth day, G-d created other living creatures, culminating with the creation of man, the crown of the universe.
Following the sixth day of Creation, G-d “rested,” so to speak. For an entire twenty-four-hour period, He did not engage in the “work” of creation that He had previously performed. At this time, He blessed the seventh day of the week and infused it with special sanctity.
G-d designated the seventh day of the week to serve as a day of rest, a day when human beings would have an opportunity to sanctify and elevate themselves. It is a day when His beloved creations can come to recognize their Creator, when they can divest themselves of their usual material pursuits and, for at least one day every week, live purer, more spiritual lives.
In commemoration of the creation of the world, the Torah commands us to honor the seventh day of the week and to desist from labor on that day.
What is the Torah’s definition of “rest” and “work”? We will deal with that subject at length in the course of this section.
The Source of the Name and the Nature of the Day
The Origin of the Term “Shabbat”
“Shabbat” (or “Shabbos”) is the Jewish name for the seventh day of the week. The Torah first mentions it as “the seventh day” at the conclusion of its account of the creation of the world: “G-d completed on the seventh day all the work that He did.” That very verse continues, “For on that day He desisted [shavat] from all of His work, that G-d created to do.” This is the very first appearance of the word “Shabbat,” which is a derivative of the verb lishbot, “to cease,” used in conjunction with ceasing an activity.
The Essence of Shabbat
On a practical level, Shabbat is a day of rest.
Shabbat reminds us that G-d “rested” from the “work” of creating the world during the days of the week. It is a fixed reminder to us to dedicate the seventh day of the week to a break from our mundane activities and humdrum daily routine so that we can take some time to experience sanctity and spiritual elevation.
The Biblical precept of observing Shabbat is one of the Ten Commandments that G-d gave directly to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. The fourth of the Ten Commandments states, “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it. You shall work for six days and perform all of your labors, and the seventh day shall be a Shabbat for G-d, your L-rd. You shall not perform any labor—you, your son, or your daughter.”
Those same verses go on to describe the background for the Jewish day of rest: “For over six days G-d made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore G-d has blessed the Shabbat day and made it holy.”
Shabbat provides us with the awareness that the world does not belong to us. It reminds us that we cannot simply do as we please, for our world is G-d’s sacred creation.
A Day of Rest
In the midst of our daily routines–the hassle of daily life, the struggle to earn a living, and all the other mundane chores with which we must contend—Shabbat arrives and catapults us into a higher dimension, a more elevated and spiritual plane.
Anyone who observes Shabbat senses the wondrous feeling that hovers in the air as soon as Friday arrives. We spend the entire day making changes and preparing ourselves for the transition from the world of the workweek to an entirely different realm, a world of rest, tranquility, and sanctity. We close our businesses, we leave work early, and we place all of our concerns and responsibilities aside. We stop thinking about how we are going to make another dollar and how we are going to improve the material aspect of our lives.
Once a week, for a period of 25 hours, the “outside” world literally comes to a stop. The office is closed. The car remains parked. The telephone, the radio, and the computer are turned off. Even our advanced, intelligent cellular phones “go to sleep,” taking with them the entire virtual world that holds us firmly in its grip at every hour of the day.
All the pressures and worries of life are temporarily forgotten. We cease all of our creative involvement with the physical world, and our gazes turn inward. We focus on the world of the spiritual, the world of emotion and thought—a quiet, inner world.
On Shabbat, we have more quality time to spend with our family and friends. (Yes, with so many virtual forms of communication today, we barely have time to speak with anyone face to face.) Most important of all, we have more quality time to spend with ourselves, with our own souls.
Neshamah Yeteirah—the Additional Soul
The wisdom of Kabbalah reveals to us that when Shabbat arrives, every Jew is blessed with an infusion of sanctity and spiritual elevation that transcends the plane of weekday existence. This special Shabbat-related sanctity is called the neshamah yeteirah, “additional soul,” and it is what gives a person a sense of holiness and elevation on Shabbat. Consequently, even if a person were to try to observe “Shabbat” on a different day of the week and desist from forbidden labors throughout that day, he would not experience the special feeling associated with Shabbat itself.
This “extra soul” resides within us throughout the Shabbat day and departs as soon as Shabbat is over. This is the reason that we recite a blessing over fragrant herbs at Havdalah at the end of Shabbat; the pleasant aroma soothes our souls when the neshamah yeteirah departs and they are left alone.
The Two Dimensions of Shabbat Observance
The Torah contains two distinct commandments with respect to Shabbat. In one place, the Torah admonishes us, “Remember the Shabbat day,” while in another place, the Torah enjoins us, “Guard the Shabbat day to keep it sacred.” We often refer to these commandments with the Hebrew words zachor (remember) and shamor (guard), the actual words that appear in the Torah. What is the difference between “remembering” and “guarding”?
The requirement to remember Shabbat obligates us to engage in positive actions that express the uniqueness of this special day. The zachor precept includes such actions as lighting Shabbat candles, making Kiddush, celebrating the day with festive meals, and reciting the special prayers associated with Shabbat.
The requirement to guard the Shabbat day, in contrast, encompasses all the prohibitions associated with its observance. By restricting our activities on Shabbat, we “protect” it from being profaned by involvement in regular, mundane activities. We desist from work, we do not do business, we do not make purchases, and we do not even speak about mundane matters.
These two precepts actually complement each other. “Remembering” Shabbat reminds us to observe its prohibitions, and “guarding” it by desisting from forbidden activities also serves as a demonstration of the unique character of the day. When Shabbat is a part of our consciousness, it is much easier to follow the rules of its observance.
General Conduct on Shabbat
Our Sages established certain rules of conduct to help us feel the sanctity of Shabbat even when we are not in the synagogue. Following these rules generates a unique atmosphere that is qualitatively different from the mood that prevails on a regular weekday.
Walking: On Shabbat, we do not take large strides, run, or even walk quickly as we do during the week. Instead, we walk at a slow, relaxed pace.
Work: On Shabbat, anything related to our work, our mundane studies, or other activities associated with the rest of the week must be put aside. Even if these activities do not technically fit the parameters of the forbidden labors of Shabbat, if they have the character of weekday activities, one should refrain from them on Shabbat.
Speech: Our speech on Shabbat also differs from the way we speak during the week. One should refrain from ideal chatter and from speaking about mundane topics such as business, politics, sports, money, and the like.
Shabbat—Past, Present and Future!
Jewish history is replete with episodes when the enemies of our people expressed venomous hatred for Shabbat observance and sought to stamp it out. The foes of the Jewish people know very well that Shabbat is much more than simply a day of rest. They recognize that our Shabbat observance is an eternal proof of G-d’s existence. The fact that an entire nation adheres to its heritage with all of its might, continues to believe in the Master of the Universe, and dedicates an entire day every week to its bond with G-d, serves as a public declaration of the fact that G-d created our world.
In defiance of fierce persecution, anti-religious edicts, the confiscation of their property and even executions of Jews who observed Shabbat, our ancestors fought valiantly to continue keeping Shabbat and even laid down their lives for its sake. They were fully aware of the fact that Shabbat is the most important anchor of our religion, the jugular vein of Judaism, and the part of our lives without which the rest of the week would be lifeless, dry, and lacking the Divinity that characterizes the life of a Jew.
Jews have never viewed closing their businesses on Shabbat as a particular sacrifice, even at times in history when observing Shabbat was fraught with unimaginable difficulty. The Jewish people have always understood that desecrating the Shabbat is not a wise move, not only because whatever money they would earn on Shabbat would lack any true value, but also because it would prevent G-d’s blessing from filling the remainder of the week a well.
Proper observance of Shabbat, with all of its laws, is one of the primary ways that we concretize our Jewishness and pass our heritage on to our children and grandchildren.
Try it at home!
Proper Conduct for Shabbat
Torah Study
After the Shabbat meal, it is desirable to engage in Torah study. Every Jew is obligated to learn Torah on Shabbat, but this obligation has particular bearing on people who spend the week working to earn a living. They have a particular obligation to dedicate the Shabbat day to Torah study.
Completing One Hundred Blessings
There is an obligation for a Jewish person to recite a minimum of one hundred blessings every day. On Shabbat, some of the usual daily blessings are lacking (because the Shemoneh Esrei of Shabbat has only seven blessings, rather than the nineteen that make up the Shemoneh Esrei of a weekday). We therefore attempt to compensate for this lack by eating additional fruits and other foods in order to reach a total of 100 blessings on Shabbat as well.
Who enacted the requirement to recite 100 blessings every day, and why did he do so? The answers to these questions can be found in One Hundred Blessings—Daily Jewish Life.
Sleeping
For a person who is accustomed to taking an afternoon nap during the week, sleeping on Shabbat afternoon should not pose a problem at all. It is forbidden, however, for a person to go to sleep on Shabbat afternoon if his entire purpose in doing so is to be awake and alert after Shabbat has ended. This is included in the prohibition of preparing on Shabbat for a weekday.
Electricity and Appliances on Shabbat
- One should not turn electric lights on or off on Shabbat.
- A person who has a motion-sensitive light, which is activated whenever someone passes by, in his yard or home should deactivate it before Shabbat.
- One should not turn any electronic devices on or off on Shabbat, including a telephone or cell phone, a camera, a computer, a microwave, an air conditioner, and so forth.
- Electronic devices are Muktzeh, and it is prohibited to touch or handle them on Shabbat. Any nonelectronic accessories to these devices are also Muktzeh, such as electric splitters, extension cords, CDs, flash drives, and the like.
- It is permissible to move an electric fan that is in operation in order to direct the flow of air to a specific spot. One should be careful not to disconnect the fan from the electricity while moving it, and one should certainly take care not to adjust the settings.
- A wristwatch is not Muktzeh even if it runs on a battery.
Leisure Activities
- One should not run or exercise on Shabbat (whether at a gym or in the privacy of one’s own home).
- It is prohibited to go swimming in the sea or in a pool on Shabbat.
- One should not play basketball, soccer, and the like, nor should one be a spectator at a sports game.
- It is permissible to play card games or strategy games.
- It is prohibited to take or develop pictures.
- One should not use instruments to produce sound, such as a noisemaker, a whistle, a bell, and the like.
- One should not play any musical instrument, even one that is not electronic, such as a piano or a guitar.
In the Garden
- When eating outside on Shabbat, one must be very careful not to allow water or any other liquid to spill on grass or soil. For this reason, it is preferable not to eat on a lawn or in a garden on Shabbat.
- It is permissible to open the sprinklers in a garden before Shabbat and leave them open on Shabbat itself in order to water the plants. It is also permissible to close the sprinklers on Shabbat itself.
- One should not perform any task associated with caring for a garden, trees, flowers, or grass. (This includes planting, cutting plants, pruning, watering plants, spreading fertilizer on the ground, removing weeds, spraying pesticide, clearing away stones, and so forth.)
- It is forbidden to climb a tree on Shabbat.
Outside the Home
- It is permissible to ride in a “Shabbat elevator” (an elevator that moves automatically from floor to floor), but it is preferable to refrain from doing so.
- One should not run or take large strides on Shabbat. One should walk at a calm, even pace.
- One should not engage in any activities related to construction, such as digging a hole, evening ground, laying cement, building walls, hammering nails, and the like.
- Any items used for building are Muktzeh and should not be handled. This category includes piles of sand, wooden beams, tools, and so forth.
- It is forbidden to open or use an umbrella on Shabbat.
- One should not take an excessively long walk on foot outside the city limits.
- Before removing any objects from a house, one should make sure that there is a proper Eiruv.
Cars on Shabbat
- It is forbidden to drive or travel as a passenger in any automobile, even if the driver is a non-Jew and the vehicle is moving anyway (such as a train or streetcar that is driven by a Gentile and will continue moving regardless of whether or not the Jew boards it).
- A car with electronic controls is also Muktzeh and should not be touched.
Laws Pertaining to Women
- It is prohibited to use makeup on Shabbat.
- It is prohibited to use any type of cosmetic cream or other creams or ointments.
- It is prohibited to apply nail polish on Shabbat.
- It is permissible to spread powder on the face, but it is preferable to refrain from that as well.
- One should not use a regular comb. It is permissible to use a soft comb that does not pull out hairs.
- It is forbidden to braid one’s hair or to undo an existing braid on Shabbat.
- It is permissible to make a part in hair, but only with one’s hand and not with a comb or brush.
- It is permissible to wear jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, and earrings on Shabbat.
Laws Pertaining to Children
- On Shabbat, children may be permitted to play games using letters, numbers, or puzzle pieces that are not connected.
- Children may play with a ball, but only if the ball is not liable to burst in the course of a standard game.
- Children are permitted to ride on toy cars on Shabbat, since the cars are intended solely as toys and not as a means of transportation.
- A child should not ride a bicycle on Shabbat. Bicycles generally have tires that are filled with air, and if a tire is punctured, someone might inadvertently replace it, which is forbidden on Shabbat.
- Children may be permitted to play in a sandbox on Shabbat.
- Children should not play with dolls that contain electronic mechanisms or operate on batteries.
- Games that require the use of glue or stickers should not be used on Shabbat.
- One should not play any game involving writing, drawing, and the like.
- One should not play Monopoly or any other game based on the concept of financial profit and loss (even though the money is not real).
- Children should not play with clay or Play-Doh.
- When cleaning up children’s toys, one should not sort them according to their various types. Rather, the toys should be left jumbled together in their boxes until after Shabbat.
Laws Pertaining to Babies
- It is preferable to refrain from using baby wipes containing a significant amount of liquid, since it is prohibited to wring out absorbed liquid on Shabbat.
- It is permissible to cut up fruits and vegetables into very small pieces or to mash them for a baby (or anyone else who has difficulty eating), but this should be done with a fork or spoon and not with a utensil designed specifically for that purpose.
- If a baby became soiled, it is permissible to wash his body with hot water that was prepared before Shabbat, but a sponge should not be used.
- One may spread oil on a baby’s body with one’s hands, but a cloth or piece of cotton should not be dipped in oil.
- Powder may be applied to a baby’s body.
- Creams should not be applied to a baby’s body. If there is a medical need for it, the cream should be placed on the spot where it is needed, but it should not be rubbed in.
Laws Pertaining to Clothing
- It is forbidden to launder or iron clothing on Shabbat.
- It is forbidden to soak clothing in water, even a baby’s soiled diapers or clothing.
- It is forbidden to hang up laundry to dry or to take down laundry that was hung up to dry before Shabbat. (If the clothes are needed on Shabbat, then it is permissible to take them down.)
- One should not remove a stain from a garment on Shabbat.
- Laundry detergent is Muktzeh.
- If one’s clothes became dirty from a dusty wall and the like, one should not shake the dust off.
- Garments may not be folded along preexisting creases. This is particularly applicable to folding a tallit after the morning prayers.
- One should not tie a necktie on Shabbat. It should be prepared before Shabbat instead. A person who wishes to wear a necktie on Shabbat day as well should remove it on Friday night without untying the knot.
Laws Pertaining to Animals
- In general, animals are considered Muktzeh and should not be touched on Shabbat. If they are suffering, one may assist them as needed. For instance, if an animal is stuck inside a box, behind stones, in a pit, and the like, one may handle the animal in order to alleviate its distress.
- It is forbidden to trap or capture animals on Shabbat even without killing them. (This is applicable, for instance, to flies and mosquitoes.)
- One should not set a mouse trap or any other type of trap on Shabbat.
- It is permissible to capture animals that might cause harm, such as snakes or scorpions.
- Live fish (in a pool or aquarium) are considered Muktzeh, and it is forbidden to touch them.
- It is permissible to walk a domesticated dog, provided that the dog knows the way on his own and does not need to be led by hand.
Health on Shabbat
- A person who feels ill to the extent that his sickness disrupts his normal physical functioning is permitted to take any sort of medicine on Shabbat, both pills and syrups.
- When opening a new package of pills and the like, one must take care not to tear the letters that are printed on the package.
- It is permissible to measure one’s temperature with a regular mercury thermometer, but it is prohibited to use a battery-operated digital thermometer on Shabbat.
- A wound that is bleeding may be bandaged only with a material that is intended for that purpose (a bandage, gauze, etc.).
- One should not apply an ointment to the bandage or to the wound. If there is an urgent need for ointment, it may be placed on the wound without being rubbed in, and then the bandage may be placed gently on top of it.
- A person suffering from a severe earache or pain in his eyes may use drops to alleviate his discomfort. (This applies also to a person who wears contact lenses and suffers from dry eyes; it is permissible for such a person to place drops in his eyes).
- For a detailed description of the laws pertaining to an expectant mother, a woman who had given birth, and a woman who is nursing, see Yahaduton—The Life of a Jewish Woman.
- Important note: In any situation where there is a chance, however small, that a person’s life may be endangered by delaying medical treatment, one may engage in full- fledged Shabbat desecration for the patient’s sake, including calling an ambulance, boiling water, lighting a fire to provide heat, traveling by car to get help, etc.
Mourning and Fasting
- On Shabbat, one should refrain from reading anything which might cause distress.
- One should not discuss topics that might cause distress, such as the deaths of relatives and the like.
- It is forbidden to fast on Shabbat.
Mundane Matters
- On Shabbat, one should not speak about things that it is prohibited to do on Shabbat, such as traveling by car, planning a flight, writing a letter, etc.
- One should not read a cookbook or a book of recipes on Shabbat.
- One should not look through bank statements and bills or make financial calculations on Shabbat.
- A person should not read books or articles related to his occupation.
Other
- It is prohibited to smoke on Shabbat.
- One should not engage in commerce on Shabbat, whether buying or selling.
- One should not write or draw (or erase) anything, whether on a piece of paper or on a board, or even in sand, dust, or condensation on a windowpane.
- It is preferable to have an adequate supply of already cut toilet paper available from before Shabbat in order to avoid the necessity of ripping the paper on Shabbat. If a person failed to prepare it before Shabbat and no precut toilet paper is available, he may rip toilet paper from a roll, provided that he does not rip it on the perforation. Tearing it on the perforation is categorically forbidden.
- It is prohibited to sew, to tighten a thread, or to undo stitches.
- It is prohibited to use glue or tape.
- One should not use any type of cream or polish, including shoe polish, hand cream, and the like.
