25 May Why Keep Shabbos?

Over the past few years, non-religious Jews have been rediscovering Shabbos. The intrusion of mobile technology into our lives creates a constant state of being busy. Many are realizing that a day of rest offers great benefits during an otherwise whirlwind week. Some proponents of Judaism revel in this defense of tradition. The idea that Judaism thought of it first, that the religion’s ancient wisdom is finally receiving the acknowledgment it deserves, confirms the observant in their practices and may even encourage others to become Jewishly observant.

Yet, that sentiment has been offered before and, at the time, was rejected as a distortion of Judaism. Previously, I have discussed why a lack of commandedness, a failure to treat Shabbos as inviolable (except in the case of a medical emergency, of course), robs Shabbos of its importance. But there is more to it. In the middle of the eighteenth century, as Jews gained entry to European cities, they struggled with the economic consequences of closing their businesses on Shabbos. Not coincidentally, this was also the time that Reform ideas began spreading throughout Europe. One Reform proposal was moving the Jewish day of rest to Sunday. If Shabbos is about resting from work one day a week, why wouldn’t Sunday suffice?

I believe that Orthodox rabbis responded by emphasizing the importance of Shabbos. Below are insights into the weekly Torah portion from two leading rabbis of the time.

Rav Shmuel Avraham Binyamin Sofer, also known as the Kesav Sofer, took over as the rabbi of Pressburg, the leading rabbinical position in Hungary, the passing of his father, Rav Moshe Sofer (Chasam Sofer), in 1839. He held that position until his death in 1871. As the rabbi of Pressburg and rosh yeshiva of its large yeshiva, and as a vocal proponent of a moderate Orthodoxy, he wielded immense influence in the Jewish community.

Rav Yosef Shaul Nathanson served as the rabbi of Levov (Lemberg), Galicia (at that time part of the Austrian empire), from 1857 until his death in 1875. A prolific author, some of his commentaries are standard in printed editions of the Shulchan Arukh and Talmud. He was among the leading halakhic authorities of his day, answering questions from all over Europe and the United States. His responsa are difficult to use but at the time were highly influential.

Both of these rabbis were masters of the art of homiletical interpretation of the Bible. They offered brilliant insights into the weekly Torah reading on multiple levels — peshat, derash, halakhah — many of which were gathered into books and published. Rav Sofer’s insights into the Torah (the Pentateuch, haftaros and megillos) are called Kesav Sofer Al Ha-Torah and Rav Nathanson’s insights on the same are published as Divrei Shaul Al Ha-Torah (in multiple editions, recently combined into a single edition). I found repeated references in both of these works to the notion that Shabbos is a day of rest from work, which they explicitly rejected.

I cannot be certain that these rabbis were responding directly to Reform proposals. Historically, a direct response seems unlikely. I am not aware of a Reform movement in Galicia at that time and Hungary’s Neologs were much more traditional. However, as globally influential rabbis, they may have been responding to developments in Germany. They may also have been responding to ideas that were floating around the culture, even without a specific movement or proponent.

Divrei Shaul, Ex. 15:25 – God gave three mitzvos at Marah, prior to the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai: honoring parents, Shabbos and the red heifer. Following the Radak’s formulation of three types of commandments, Rav Nathanson explains that honoring parents is an example of a logical mitzvah, Shabbos is a mitzvah that demonstrates faith (in Creation), and the red heifer is a mitzvah that we cannot explain (chok). While the first two types of commandment lend themselves to observance because of their underlying meaning, the third was given to teach that really we must observe all commandments as decrees, because God commanded us to follow them, and not because of their reasons.

Divrei Shaul, Ex. 20:8-20 – Some people rest on Shabbos so they have more strength during the week. For them, rest is for the purpose of work. However, the proper attitude is the reverse–to work all week in order to rest on Shabbos for the physical and spiritual break. Zakhor means to remember during the week that we are working in order to rest on Shabbos.

Divrei Shaul, Ex. 31:14 – The Arizal (Likkutim, as loc.) says that there are two aspects to the suspension of labor on Shabbos–to rest from the work we do the other days of the week and to represent Creation. The practical difference between these two reasons is someone who is not tired and wants to continue working.

Kesav Sofer, Lev. 23:3 – Why does it say that for six days work will be done in a passive voice (tei’aseh melakhah)? And why does the Torah include Shabbos in a list of holidays? Rashi (ad loc.) explains that someone who violates the holidays is as if he violated the Shabbasos, and someone who observes the holidays is as if he observes the Shabbasos. This explanation remains somewhat cryptic. The Kesav Sofer explains that Shabbos is not just a day to rest from work but a day of holiness we must sanctify. Someone who rests on Shabbos only for the break from work will not need to rest for the holidays that fall out on weekdays, as well (he doesn’t say this but this holds true particularly for the last day of Sukkos, which comes after many holidays off from work). Therefore, someone who violates the holidays demonstrates that he only observes Shabbos as a break from work, not as a holy day, and effectively desecrates Shabbos. However, someone who observes the holidays shows that he does so because of the holiness, and by implication observes Shabbos for the same reason. The Kesav Sofer adds that someone with servants may also take days off during the week. If he believes that Shabbos is merely about a day off from work, he might see no need to observe it. Therefore, the verse says that even if work is done for you, you still must rest on Shabbos.

Kesav Sofer, Num. 22:28 – Bilam hit his donkey three times. To his surprise, his donkey spoke to him and asked, “Why did you hit me these three times (shalosh regalim)?” The phrase used for “three times” also means “three holidays.” Rashi (ad loc.) says that the donkey’s intended question is why Balak was trying to undermine the Jewish nation which celebrates three holidays. The Kesav Sofer asks why this midrashic interpretation of the donkey emphasized holidays and not Shabbos observance. He explains that someone who observes Shabbos may be doing so merely for the rest from work. However, resting for weekday holidays–particularly for a Sunday holiday that immediately follows Shabbos–shows that you are not just resting for the day off from work but for the holiness.

If I am correct that these interpretations are part of an anti-Reform polemic, that does not mean that they are artificial, that they do not represent the true and honestly arrived at view of eminent Torah scholars. The polemic is the reason for their expressing the idea–repeatedly and in this format. However, the idea that Shabbos is more than a utilitarian day of rest predates Rav Sofer and Rav Nathanson by centuries.

For example, Rav Yehudah Halevi (Kuzari 2:48) distinguishes between rational and civil laws, on the one hand, and divine laws, on the other. The latter are neither are neither derived by logic nor opposed by it. These laws, rather than the former, distinguish Jews from other nations. Rav Yehudah Halevi offers three examples of divine laws: animal sacrifices, circumcision and Shabbos. While there is more to discuss about Rav Yehudah Halevi’s attitude to commandments, and Shabbos in particular, he clearly rejects the rational reason for Shabbos — that people need a day to rest from work. Rather, he sees it as a non-rational commandment.

Similarly, Rav Sofer and Rav Nathanson rejected the rational approach to Shabbos as insufficient, instead seeing it as a holy day, each in his own way.