The seventh day, the Sabbath, a day of rest. According to the Torah, the commandment to observe the Sabbath established by God, who, having completed six days of creation of the world, and blessed and sanctified the seventh day. We read in the Book of Exodus, in the chapter on getting the Jews at Sinai the Ten Commandments: "Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days you shall labor, and do any of their business. But the seventh day - Saturday to God: Do not do any work - nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy servant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For six days Gd created the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, Gd blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. "


The Torah calls the Sabbath Day, which is forbidden to do the job - even in the midst of the harvest field; In addition, Saturday is forbidden to light a fire. Anyone who violates these prohibitions, severely punished by the court. In areas of the Torah, which lists the holidays, Saturday is mentioned first. The prophet Yeshayahu foresaw that the Jewish people will be magnified if it is considered Saturday his delight, the holy day of Gd (sm.58: 13).


Deprived of everyday worries, this day is for spiritual pursuits. Saturday prayer proclaims: "Yes, rejoice in thy kingdom all who keep the Sabbath, the people, sanctify the seventh day ... You called this day decoration days."


Jews at all times so zealous to fulfill the commandment of Saturday, in the eyes of foreigners Saturday became the most characteristic feature of Judaism. The Romans called the Jews "sabatoriyami" Saturday. Seneca, Tacitus, Ovid openly mocked the Jews for their attachment to this day. Interestingly, the hatred of the foreign rulers the Jews have always been accompanied by bans on Saturday. However, all these persecutions in ancient times ended with the seven-day week with the final rest day took all the peoples of the Mediterranean. Week but not on Saturday. Observance of the Sabbath remained purely Jewish commandment.






ravReuven Pyatigorsk