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"Safeguard the Sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days you shall labor, exert yourself
(Avodah) and perform all your work (Melachah). But the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahveh: you shall not
do any work(Melachah)." Deuteronomy 5:12-14
The Fourth Commandment, both in Exodus 20 and in Deut 5, falls into two categories: 'Labor'
and 'Work'.
1. The first six days of the week – six days of labor
and work.
2. The seventh day, Sabbath, you shall not do any work .
On Shabbat, there is no prohibition of 'labor'. It does not say ‘do not do Avodah
- do not labor’. Only Melachah, work, was forbidden. How does Avodah (labor) differ from Melachah
(work), and what insights into the meaning of Shabbat do these distinctions give?
The Torah commands all Israelites to abstain from work on the seventh day, and positively
observe the Shabbat. This
is so important that it is placed in the Ten Commandments. However, there were much deeper aspects to these issues,
ones that do not just affect the seventh day, but the first six days as well. They concern the entire concept and
direction of Man’s occupation and creativity.
'Avodah/labor' means service in the broadest sense. On Shabbat, the day of rest, our service
focuses on worship, praise and prayer. However, during the six days of the week, 'Melachah/work' (business,
work) is also part of our Avodah/service, meaning we should do our weekly business (Melachah) as an act of
service to Yahveh, no less than we do our Avodah on Shabbat:
“Know, acknowledge Him in all your ways.”
Proverbs 3:6
The Torah's concept of Melacha/service involves serving Man through serving Yahveh.
The word Avodah/work is far reaching. It covers both the obvious and less obvious methods of serving
the Almighty. The Torah ideal of Avodah varies from individual to individual according to personal capabilities
and circumstances.
Avodah (serving man and Yahveh) and Melachah (working for man and self)
do not differ in essence, but in form only. Observing Shabbat in a wide variety of positive ways is also a form of Service - Avodah, but without
Melachah, self gain. By refraining from work (self gain) once a week, on the Sabbath Day, we allow
the Shechinah (Yahveh's Presence and Divine Love) to accomplish it's special work of sanctification in us.
Just as we have been commanded concerning resting on the Sabbath Day, so have we been commanded concerning
laboring the other six days. For it is written: "Six days shall you labor and
do all your work, but the seventh day is Yahveh's Sabbath."
"The Israelites shall observe the Sabbath, to do and to make
the Sabbath." Exodus 31:16
They shall do work throughout the week, serving Yahveh in all ways, and that
will make the Shabbat the special day that it is.
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