Clarification of Previous Post
Sabbath Exclusivity or Sabbath for All?
With regard to my previous post [1]:
The intention wasn’t to exclude non-Jewish individuals from acknowledging the true Sabbath and making it meaningful in a personal way [2], or from voluntarily taking a day off from work.
Rather, the intention was to explain that one cannot properly keep the commandment of observing the Sabbath as a non-Jew, and certainly not as a Christian/Messianic/Muslim, since only Jews [3] are commanded to observe the Sabbath by refraining from all Biblically-prohibited labors. This is made abundantly clear in scripture [4].
This doesn’t mean that others aren’t entitled to make the Sabbath meaningful in their own way [2].
However, those who wish to observe the Sabbath as commanded by God need to join His people as per Exodus 20:10 and Isaiah 56:6.
[With regards to people who claim Jewish descent but aren't recognized by the established Jewish community, please see note 6 below.]
This was mainly in response to recent revisionists who seek to disassociate the true Sabbath (i.e. from Friday sundown till Saturday after nightfall) from the Jewish people, and claim that Jews have “unjustly” made the sabbath their own when in reality it preceded Israel’s existence and the covenant at Sinai by some two millennia. Consequently, such people feel that they’re entitled to “take back” Sabbath observance and make it a Christian practice.
My point is the Sabbath and Israel are inseparable, and while there’s nothing wrong with an non-Jewish individual seeking to make the Sabbath meaningful in his/her own way [2], it is NOT the “Christian Sabbath” and never will be. Nor is the “Messianic Sabbath” or “Sabbatean Sabbath” for that matter, even if they pose as Jews.
“And You, the Lord our God, did not give it [i.e. the Sabbath] to the nations of the world, nor did You, our King, grant it as a heritage to idol-worshipers, nor can the uncircumcised participate in its rest — for You have given it in love to Your people Israel, to the descendants of Jacob whom you have chosen.” [5]
Notes:
[With regard to my previous post [1]:
The intention wasn’t to exclude non-Jewish individuals from acknowledging the true Sabbath and making it meaningful in a personal way [2], or from voluntarily taking a day off from work.
Rather, the intention was to explain that one cannot properly keep the commandment of observing the Sabbath as a non-Jew, and certainly not as a Christian/Messianic/Muslim, since only Jews [3] are commanded to observe the Sabbath by refraining from all Biblically-prohibited labors. This is made abundantly clear in scripture [4].
This doesn’t mean that others aren’t entitled to make the Sabbath meaningful in their own way [2].
However, those who wish to observe the Sabbath as commanded by God need to join His people as per Exodus 20:10 and Isaiah 56:6.
[With regards to people who claim Jewish descent but aren't recognized by the established Jewish community, please see note 6 below.]
This was mainly in response to recent revisionists who seek to disassociate the true Sabbath (i.e. from Friday sundown till Saturday after nightfall) from the Jewish people, and claim that Jews have “unjustly” made the sabbath their own when in reality it preceded Israel’s existence and the covenant at Sinai by some two millennia. Consequently, such people feel that they’re entitled to “take back” Sabbath observance and make it a Christian practice.
My point is the Sabbath and Israel are inseparable, and while there’s nothing wrong with an non-Jewish individual seeking to make the Sabbath meaningful in his/her own way [2], it is NOT the “Christian Sabbath” and never will be. Nor is the “Messianic Sabbath” or “Sabbatean Sabbath” for that matter, even if they pose as Jews.
“And You, the Lord our God, did not give it [i.e. the Sabbath] to the nations of the world, nor did You, our King, grant it as a heritage to idol-worshipers, nor can the uncircumcised participate in its rest — for You have given it in love to Your people Israel, to the descendants of Jacob whom you have chosen.” [5]
Notes:
[1]
[2] Lots more to comment on this topic. For further elucidation, see ttps://asknoah.org/essay/the-seventh-day and https://asknoah.org/faq/why-gentiles-must-not-keep-ritual-sabbath
[3] “Jew,” or yehudi in Biblical Hebrew, refers to any actual member of the Jewish people, modern-day descendants of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel. See Esther 2:5, 3:4, 5:13, 6:10, 6:13, 9:29&31, Chronicles I 4:18, for examples how this term applies to Benjaminites (and descendants of other Israelite tribes) as well. The term yehudim is used widely throughout scripture. See Zechariah 5:23, Jeremiah 34:9, 40:11-12, 43:9, 52:28,30, Kings II 16:6, 25:25, Nehemiah 2:16, 3:33-34, 5:17, 6:6, and numerous places in Esther, Daniel, and Ezra.
[4] See sources cited in original post, Note 1 above.
[5] Shacharith liturgy for Shabbath
[6] I have lots to say on this topic but not able to address it properly in this brief post due to time constraints. Suffice it to say that it's a nuanced, complicated and often personal issue that should be discussed with a competent Orthodox rabbi. Happy to discuss with individuals off-line as time allows.
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