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of rest, so the mutual dependence of the two words on each other accords with the idea of their having been uttered at once.

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R. Eliezer Askenasi says, on the Sabbath day man is to repose from bodily labour, but not from spiritual exercise; for this day is dedicated to contemplation and study of the word of God; and therefore the Scripture says, "1" remember," in respect of the corporeal functions, that is, to keep in mind the creation of the world; but as meditation leads to the contemplation of the eternal rest after this life, of which the Sabbath is a symbol, it says, "keep," which may also be translated "expect," as 7 8 100 1281 "and his father expected the thing" (or event),5 and one depending on the other is the same as if both had been simultaneously delivered.

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R. Judah bar Besaleel and R. Ephraim, notably say, "Remember the Sabbath day" applies to all mankind, for all must admit the creation of the world; on which account it continues to say, "in six days God created the heavens and the earth," &c., but "keep" belonged exclusively to Israel, as is demonstrated by the reason following the commandment in Deuteronomy, that they were slaves in Egypt, wherefore they could not keep it without remembering that event: and with this meaning, the two words are said to have been uttered together.

It may also be solved in another way. The Sabbath, as R. Akiba answered Tornorophos, has two witnesses that God sanctified it: one is the Sabbatical river, mentioned in various parts of the Talmud, Rabot,9 and Yalcut,1o and even by Josephus," an historian of great authority and veracity, who relates that Titus, in passing through Assyria, stopped on seeing this river, which had the wonderful property of running most rapidly during the week, and drying at the expiration of the sixth day, and returning after the Sabbath to its former flowing state, without any visible change; and as it constantly observed this order of weekly rest, it was called the Sabbatical River, taking the name from the seventh day, on which it reposed.12

Nachmanides considers this river to be the 1 (Gozan); where it is said the Ten Tribes were carried away captive, whose return we fervently hope for at the coming of the Messiah; and whom the ancient Sages consider to be those dwelling on the other side of the river, commonly called the River of Stones; which they collect from the words of Isaiah, sy 'niors mars 13 Saying to the imprisoned go forth." By this testimony R.Akiba proved the Sabbath to be sanctified; and that Tornorophos might be completely satisfied, he offered another, which was, that on the Sabbath day wizards and necromancers cannot practise their diabolical arts; which is a fact acknowledged by themselves.

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In Shemot Raba,14 a third witness brought forward is the manna; which never fell on the Sabbath day, so that none might work in collecting it. God, who had given so many proofs of the sanctification of the Sabbath, desirous that all might eternally enjoy it, placed it in the Decalogue, which is universally

5 Gen. 37:11. 6 Gueburat Ashem, c. 45.
9 Bereshit Raba, c. 73.
10 B. 2.

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7 Keli Yakar.

B. 7, c. 5, s. 1. statement here

4 Maasé Tora, c. 7. 8 Sanhedrin, c. 8. c. 11. 12 The author appears to have had a correct copy of Josephus; for the made is conformable to the Chaldee of Jonathan bar Uziel, written long before him, and which Pliny corroborates in his Nat. Hist., c. 1. The incorrectness of Whiston's version of Josephus must be obvious to every attentive reader; for so able an historian cannot be supposed to have been ignorant of the reigns of the Hebrew kings, yet it is stated, b. 8, c. 7, s. 8, that Solomon reigned eighty years, when in Kings and Chronicles he is shewn to have reigned only forty.-TRANSLATOR.

13 Isa. 49:9.

14 C. 25.

admitted to be everlasting, that, being one of the commandments, they might observe it; and to prevent their thinking that to remember it was sufficient, he said, "remember" and "keep," thus not only representing the obligation of its being borne in mind, but that its observance was also necessary; therefore, it it first says "remember," and afterwards " keep," both being equally requisite; and on this ground the ancient sages said, that the words were spoken together. Moses understanding the import of the two words, in repeating the Decalogue wrote the latter.

QUESTION 108.

Exod. 20:9. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work.

Exod. 31:15. Six days shall work he done.

RECONCILIATION.

And

Although the contradiction is not remarkable, it is pointed out from having been mooted by the ancient Sages; who say, that from the words, "Six days shalt thou labour," it appears to allude to work done by one's own hands, and "Six days shall work be done," refers to that performed by others. to the question, how is this to be understood? they answer,1 When Israel performed the will of God, they had those who served them and did their work, but when they disobeyed that will, they had not only to do their own work, but also that of others, to whom they were in subjection; as the Scripture says, "Thou shalt serve thine enemies."2

QUESTION 109.

Exod. 20:11. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, &c.

Deut. 5:15. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt.

The motive of the ordinance of the Sabbath appears, according to Exodus, to have proceeded from the creation of the world in six days; if so, how does Moses, repeating the Commandments in Deuteronomy, give the children of Israel's servitude in Egypt as the reason?

RECONCILIATION.

Maimonides' observing this difference says, "The populace being completely material in their ideas, do not imprint any true or scientific opinion on their minds, except by the comprehension of some corporeal act: in order, therefore, that so essential a point as the creation of the world should be indelibly impressed on their memory, God commanded that they should rest on the seventh day: the reason of which being asked, they might be told, "In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth," &c., thus confirming them in this article of belief, the beginning and foundation of all. Now (says he) there are two different effects proceeding from this article, founded on two different

causes.

1 Yalcut, b. 1, art.391.

2 Deut. 28:48.

1 Guide, b. 2, c. 34.

The first from the creation of the world, and the other from having been slaves in Egypt. The first effect requires the explanation for what reason God commanded they should rest on the seventh, more than on any other day of the week. This is answered by Scripture saying, that God himself worked in the creation of the world during six days, and rested on the seventh.

The question flowing from the second, is, "The seed of Israel being called into existence long after the Sabbath, why was this precept given to them particularly?" The answer is, "That having been slaves in Egypt, where they were rigorously forced to work for their masters, God, in lieu thereof, granted them the rest of freedom." So that Exodus explains the cause of the seventh day being appointed as the Sabbath in preference to any other; and in Deuteronomy, Moses, by divine revelation, stated the reason why it was so particularly enjoined to Israel, more than to other nations.

The learned Aben Ezra not only noticed these differences in the words, and reasons of the Sabbath being enjoined, as pointed out, but a still greater variation, for in Exodus it says, "Remember the Sabbath-day to sanctify it," but in Deuteronomy, after "Keep the Sabbath-day to sanctify it," it adds "as the Lord thy God commanded thee;" from which he infers that Moses alludes to the reason before promulgated, and is the same as if he had said, "Keep the Sabbath-day for the reason God has already given you, that is, the creation of the world" but as God had also ordered that men and maidservants should rest without assigning any reason, Moses explains it in Deuteronomy, saying, "Because you yourselves suffered the hardships of slavery in Egypt;" so that its saying, "Keep, &c. as the Lord thy God commanded thee," contains the reason of the enjoined remembrance given in Exodus, which was the creation of the world, and states, besides, why servants are to rest; which is, in remembrance of the Egyptian bondage.

Nachmanides, who wrote most learnedly on the Holy Scripture, says on this point, that the Sabbath is a demonstration of the deliverance from Egypt; and the deliverance from Egypt is demonstrative of the Sabbath: in this manner, the true and essential reason why the observance of the Sabbath is ordained is, as pointed out in Exodus, from the world having been created in six days; but as some, led away by heathenish opinions, might doubt if the world had a beginning; Moses came and gave an infallible proof and demonstration of it, by the act of deliverance from Egypt, for the Creator of the Universe only could perform the miracles wrought in Egypt, and the Commandment implies thus much-" Know that God created the world, and if any doubt it, let them remember, God delivered you from Egypt, and that the Lord of the Universe alone, by his power could alter the fixed order of nature, as He did in the miracles He performed in Egypt."

This is the reason why, as R. Judah a Levi3 properly argues, when the Lord explained the first Commandment, he said "I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt," and did not say to them, "I am the Lord thy God that created the heavens and the earth, and all that they contain," as he chose to place before them what none could deny, and what they had themselves witnessed and experienced, so that they would readily acknowledge the other, which was the Creation, as a belief arising from the conviction of Almighty power displayed in both cases, as before stated.

R. Moses Israel also pointed this out, to which may be added that the first verse in the Pentateuch or law treats on the Creation, and the last, on the

3 Cuzari, b. 1, art. 25.

4 Exodus 20:2.

5 Torat Olam, b. 3, c. 11.

miracles performed by Moses; for which reason an ancient custom exists among the Jews on the Festival of the rejoicing of the law, when the reading of it in portions during the year is brought to a conclusion; immediately one reader finishes the last verse of the Five Books, referring to the miracles which Moses performed by command of God, another immediately commences with the account of the Creation, without any intervening delay, signifying that the two things being dependent on each other, join as in a circle, for the miracles being recognised, the Creation becomes acknowledged, and upon the Creation depend the miracles.

R. Joseph Albo says in another way, that the Sabbath represents two things: first, that God is the efficient Cause of the world, and the other, His Will being efficient, even after the Creation of the world, He constantly acts as He wills. His being the efficient Cause is signified in Exodus, by saying In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, &c." and that His Will is efficient, is denoted by the deliverance from Egypt, in which it is demonstrated and proved by the miracles performed there, that He alters and changes the order of nature how and when He pleases.

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R. Isaac Arama,7 following the consideration stated in Question 107, in connection with the Sabbath having been given on account of the Creation of the world, is of opinion, that the repose enjoined was commanded for the same reason, but he attributes the cause given of the deliverance from Egypt as applying to the complete cessation of work requisite on that day.

R. Levi ben Gershon has no difficulty in attributing two reasons for this precept; he says, that in the same way as many plants and animals possess numberless qualities and serve for various medicinal purposes, so every precept of the law may be founded on many reasons. The authors cited have thus given excellent elucidations to these words of the living God, blessed be His name!

QUESTION 110.

Exod. 20:11. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, &c. and rested on the seventh day.

Isaiah 40:28. The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, tireth not, nor wearieth.

Repose and rest pre-suppose work and fatigue, and as, according to Isaiah, this cannot apply to God, how does Moses say that God rested on the seventh day?

RECONCILIATION.

This doubt is thus mooted in Mehilta, "And reposed or rested on the seventh day;" does the Lord perchance fatigue himself? but it is written "He will not tire nor be wearied;" and another verse says, "He giveth strength to the faint;" and in another passage we find "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made;"2 then what does Scripture teach us, by saying "He rested"? From the law alone can this be learned, for God himself wrote (on

6 Ycarim, b. 3, c. 26.

7 Aquedat, c. 55.

1 Isaiah 40:29.

2 Psalm 33:6.

These

the two tables of stone) that "He had created the world in six days and rested on the seventh;" from which the consequence may be deduced, that if God, in whom there is no fatigue or weariness, says He rested on the seventh day, how much more requisite for man, who is born for labour, to do so! are the words of the ancient sages, which are well worthy of being weighed; for by them, we clearly see, they stood in no need of philosophical doctrines, whose supporters wondered at the idea of rest being necessary to God.

For, as Aben Ezra said, if the heavens constantly perform their rapid revolutions and movements without being wearied, how much less can the supposition be entertained in respect of spiritual beings, whose actions or works are not the result of any fixed or particular motion; to what an infinite degree must the idea be heightened of the Supreme Creator's works being the effect of His mere volition, and that they were called into existence solely by his word and will; so that saying "God rested," was to impress more strongly on man, the necessity of rest.

In confirmation of which R. Bechayai says, that as night is necessary for the invigoration of mankind by sleep, to meet the labours of the ensuing day, (even the smallest animal requires sleep, without which it could not exist,) so the Sabbath serves to refresh mankind and prevents their exhaustion through uninterrupted labour. Some are of opinion that the seventh day is appropriated to rest, because the number seven occurs in periods tending to the determination of human life, and that all the sevens are dangerous to it. Besides, as R. Judah á Levi3 argued, the humble people of Israel, keep and perpetuate the Sabbaths and other solemn days, because, although burning in the fire of captivity similar to Moses' bush, they never entirely consume; and were it not so, the nations of the earth, among whom they are scattered, would make use of them in their wars on account of their single-mindedness and fidelity; but they are prevented doing so by the tenacity of the Jews in conforming to the Divine command of resting on those days, in commemoration of the creation of the world, the deliverance from Egypt, and the delivery of the law by God: and were they not observed so strictly, the Israelites would probably not assemble to hear the reading of the law, nor care about clothing themselves; owing to the low and abject state to which the captivity has reduced them; nor would they enjoy a single day of rest or tranquillity during life, whereas by the observance of fifty-two Sabbaths, and seven solemn days of festival, which, together make fifty-nine, rest is obtained during the sixth part of the lunar year, which consists of three hundred and fifty-four days, or by reckoning the Sabbaths for a seventh part of life, as Maimonides said, they thereby acquire more rest than kings with all their power can attain, because their minds are constantly occupied with the cares of state, even on the days of their repose and recreation; for if a project of war or ambition enters their mind they instantly plan and contrive how to put it into execution, so that they never enjoy complete repose. And, although the nations of the world endeavour to imitate Israel, and establish a day of rest weekly, it is not observed with such a scrupulous refraining from all work as among the Hebrews on their Sabbath; the difference between one and the other being like the shadow to the substance. But, returning to the point, Scripture saying that the Lord rested, is strongly demonstrative of the absolute necessity of repose to human nature.

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3 Cuzari, b. 3, art. 10.

4 Guide, b.3, c. 43.

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