Psalm 92 תהלים
ELOHIM completed the creation of this beautiful world by the seventh day, according to the poetry of Genesis. Therefore, the seventh day, when ELOHIM rested from the work of creation, was called Shabbath. It was Moshe, according to the Book of Exodus (20:8), that instituted the seventh day as a time of rest from all work.
זָכ֛וֹר אֶת־י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ
The commandment is quoted later (attributed to Moshe) in the long speech of Deuteronomy (5:12). There it says:
שָׁמ֣֛וֹר אֶת־י֥וֹם֩ הַשַׁבָּ֖֨ת לְקַדְּשׁ֑֜וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖֣ ׀ יי אֱלֹהֶֽ֗יךָ
Notice that in Exodus says remember (זכור) while in Deuteronomy says guard (שמור). In the Kabbalistic poem Lekha Dodi (לכה דודי) in reference to these two verses Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz wrote, following the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 27a:2):
שמור וזכור בדבור אחד
This legend developed obviously to explain the differences in these verses. Instead of accepting that perhaps the speaker did not remember the exact words or simply was instructing everyone to keep what was taught earlier. Of course, no one knows which text was first. Chronology within the Torah as well as in the rest of the biblical text is very complex. However, the instruction is very clear: remember to keep the seventh day as a sacred day. A day to set aside to rest and renew both physical and spiritual life.
Shabbath is a gift from Heavens. Accept it into your life. It will make a difference. Set aside this beautiful day for prayer. Read those wonderful prayers of ancient times in both the biblical text and the siddur. Write your own prayers or spontaneously speak to the Holy One. Read devotionally or study carefully and academically the parasha of the week. Abstain from work. Rest, relax and take time for meditation on the Haftarah of this day. Rabbis have debated what work should not be done (cf. Talmud, Shabbath 49b). The basic prohibited work, by rabbinical understanding, is any task done during the construction of the Mishkan. There are still some debates about it.
Take time and think carefully and ask yourself: What distracts me from physical rest and spiritual renewal this sacred day? Then be sure not to do that. Everything and anything you do on Shabbath must enhance your spiritual life and will contribute to your mental and physical health. Obviously buying and selling or making any financial profit during Shabbath is prohibited (cf. Isaiah 58:13-14). You have six days to make all the profit you need.
Resting on Shabbath without spiritual renewal or insist on spiritual renewal and neglect physical rest, does not fulfill the command to observe the Shabbath. Neither selecting another day during the week. It is an eternal covenant between the Almighty and Ancient Israel, inherited by its descendants and everyone of any nation who join the House of Israel. The day will come when all nations will celebrate this day, as it was set at the Creation. In the third book of Isaiah (66:23) says:
וְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כָל־בָּשָׂ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יי
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