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 SABBATH

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SABBATH

Matt., xxv-ii. 62; Mark, xv, 42; etc.). Besides ab- stention from work, special religious observances were prescribed, (a) The daily sacrifices were doubled, that is two lambs of a year old without blemish were offered up in the morning, and two in the evening, with twice the usual quantity of flour tempered with oil and of the wine of libation (Num., xx\-iii, 3-10). (b) New loaves of proposition were placed before the Lord (Lev., xxiv, 5; I Par., ix, 32). (c) A sacred assembly was to be held in the sanctuary for solemn worship (Lev., xxiii,2-3,Heb. text; Ezech., xl\-i, 3). We have no details as to what was done by those living at a distance from the sanctuarj'. Syna- gogal worship belongs to the post-ExiUc period; still it is probably a development of an old custom. In earlier davs the people were wont to go to hear the instructions of the Prophets (IV Kings, iv, 23), and it is not unlikely that meetings for edification and prayer were common from the oldest times.

Meaning of the Sabbath. — The Sabbath was the con- secration of one day of the weekly period to God as the Author of the universe and of time. The day thus being the Lord's, it required that man should abstain from working for his own ends and interests, since by working he would appropriate the day to himself, and that he should devote his activity to God by special acts of positive worship. After the Sinaitic covenant God stood to Israel in the relation of Lord of that covenant. The Sabbath thereby also became a sign, and its observance an acknowledgment of the pact: "See that thou keep my sabbath: because it is a sign between me and you in your generations: that you may know that I am the Lord, who sanctify you" (Ex., xxxi, 13). But while the Sabbath was primarily a religious day, it had a social and philanthropic side. It was also intended as a day of rest and relaxation, particularly for the slaves (Deut., v, 14). Because of the double character, religious and philanthropic, of the day, two different reasons are given for its observance. The first is taken from God's rest oe the seventh day of creation: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, . . . and rested on the seventh day: therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it" (Ex., xx, 11; xxxi, 17). This does not mean that the Sabbath was instituted at the Creation, as some commentators have thought, but that the Israelites were to imitate God's example and rest on the day which He had sanctified by His rest. The Sabbath as the sign of the Sinaitic covenant recalled the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. Hence, in the .second place, the Israelites are bidden to remember that they were once slaves in Egj^pt, and should therefore in grateful remembrance of their deliverance rest them.selves and allow their bond- servants to rest (Deut., v, 14, 15). As a reminder of God's benefits to Israel the Sabbath was to be a day of joy (Is., Iviii, 13), and such it was in practice (cf. Csee, ii, 11; Lam., ii, 6). No fasting was done on the Sabbath (Judith, viii, 6), on the contrary the choicest meals were served to which friends were in- vited (cf. Luke, xiv, 1;.

Origin of the Sabbath. — The Sabbath is first met with in connexion with the fall of the manna (Ex., xvi, 22 sqq.), but it there appears as an institution alrea/ly known to the Israelites. The Sinaitic legis- lation therefore only gave the force of law to an exist- ing custom. The origin of this custom is involved in obscurity. It wa« not borrowed from the Egyp- tians, a« the wef;k of seven days closing with a day of H'st was unknown to them. In recent years a Babylonian origin has been a<Ivocated. A lexi- crjgraphical tablet gives sh/ibattu as the equivalent of fi/n nHh litM, "day of the appeasement of the heart" (of the gods). Furthermore, a religious calendar of the intercalary month Elul and of the month Marchesvan mentions the 7th, 14th, 2lHt, 28th, and 19th days, the latter probably because it

was the 49th (7 x 7) day from the beginning of the preceding month, as days on which the king, the magician, and the physician were to abstain from cer- tain acts. The king, for instance, w:xs not to eat food prepared with fire, put on bright garincnls, ride in a chariot, or e.xercise acts of authority. These days were, then, days of propitiation, and therefore shabatla days. We have thus periods cf seven days the last day of which is marked by abstention from certain actions, and called s^habattn, in other words the equivalent of the Sabbath. A Babylcmian ori- gin is not in itself improbable, since Chaldca was the original home of the Hebrews, but there is no proof that such is actually the case. The reading shabattu is uncertain, shapattu being at least equally probable. Besides, there is no evidence that these days were called shabattu; the signs so read are found affixed only to the 15th day of the month, where, however, sha patti, "division" of the month, is the more probable reading. These days, moreover, differed entirely from the Sabbath. They were not days of general rest, business being transacted as on other days. The abstention from certain acts had for object to appease the anger of the gods; the days were, therefore, days of penance, not of joy like the Sabbath. Lastly, these days followed the phases of the moon, whereas the Sabbath was independent of them. Since the Sabbath always appears as a weekly feast without connexion with the moon, it cannot be derived, as is done by .some writers, from the Babylonian feast of the full moon, or fifteenth day of the month, which, moreover, has only a doubtful claim to the designation shabattu.

Observance of the Sabbath. — Violations of the Sab- bath seem to have been rather common before and during the exile (Jer., xvii, 19 sqq., Ezech., xx, 13, 16, 21, 24; xxii, 8; xxiii, 38); hence the Prophets laid great stress on its proper observance (Amos, viii, 5; Is., i, 13; Iviii, 13-14; Jer., loc. cit.; Ezech., XX, 12 sqq.). After the Restoration the day was openly profaned, and Nehemias found some difliculty in stopping the abuse (II Esd., xiii, 15-22). Soon, however, a movement set in towards a meticulous observance which went far beyond what the law con- templated. At the time of the Machabees the faith- ful Jews allowed themselves to be massacred rather than fight on the Sabbath (I Mach., ii, 35-38) ; Matha- thias and his followers realizing the folly of such a policy decided to defend themselves if attacked on the Sabbath, though they would not Ji.s.sume the offensive (I Mach., ii, 4-41 ; II Mach., viii, 26). Under the in- fluence of Pharisaic rigorism a system of minute and burdensome regulations was elaborated, while the higher purpo.se of the Sal)hatli was lost sight of. The Mishna treatise .S/K/Ww/Zicnuincratcs tliirty-nine main heads of forbidden actions, each with subdivisions. Among the main heads are such trifling actions as weaving two threads, sewing two stitches, writing two letters, etc. To pluck two ears of wheat was considered as reaping, while to rub them was a species of thresh- ing (cf. Matt., xii, 1-2; Mark, ii, 23-24; Luke, vi, 1-2). To carry an object of the weight of a fig was carrying a burden; hence to carry a bed (John, v. 10) was a gross breach of th(! Sabbath. It was unlawful to cure on the Sabbath, or to ajjply a remedy unless life was endan- gered (cf. Matt., xii, 10 sqq.; Mark, iii,2sqq.; Luke, vi, 7 sqq.). Thisexi)hiins why the sick were brought to Chri.st after sumlow ii (.Mark", i, :',2). It was even for- bidden to use a medicaiiient the i)re('c<ling day if it produced its effect on the; Sabbath. In the time of Christ it was allowed to lift an animal out of a pit (Matt., xii, 11; Luke, xiv, 5), but this was later modified so that it w;is not permitted to lay hold of it and lift it out, though it might be h(lpe<l to come out of it.self by means of mattresses and cushions. These; exampK's, and they are not the worst, show the narrowness of the system. Some of the rules