Spiritual Treasures of the Sabbath

On occasion, I am contacted by reporters who want to schedule interviews with me on Friday evening or Saturday, or by associates who want to discuss business over Friday dinner. These are opportunities I respectfully decline - and not because of a lack of interest in furthering The Fellowship’s work. The real reason is that Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown is the Jewish Sabbath.

The biblical call to Sabbath observance is found in Exodus 20:

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God."

Thus, on the Sabbath, our work and other activities of our normal day-to-day routine come to a halt. It is a time set aside for physical rest and spiritual refreshment, a time to ponder and give thanks for the wonder of God's creation. Though "impractical" when viewed through human eyes used to structuring time around business meetings and conference calls, Sabbath observance teaches us a wonderful lesson about God’s sovereignty and the proper ordering of our lives.

Through this weekly time set aside for God, we remember that our lives are not our own - that we live a world created by God, and that our time is properly spent serving Him and His purposes.

Sabbath observance helps us put our priorities straight and set our minds on things eternal.

The Sabbath, or Shabbat as it is known in Hebrew, is the most beloved and cherished of all holy days in the Jewish year. While most people know the Sabbath as a day for refraining from physical labor, in fact the benefits to believers of following the commandment to "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8) are primarily spiritual. In this program, Rabbi Eckstein discusses the Sabbath, and how both Jews and Christians can experience its spiritual treasures. Video

The Sabbath, God's stop sign - What is the Sabbath, and why do Jews observe it? On this second of two shows dealing with the Sabbath, Rabbi Eckstein explains that the Sabbath is "God's stop sign" - a time set aside specifically to acknowledge His sovereignty over our lives - and reveals how Sabbath observance can help both Jews and Christians realize that true freedom is found in service to God. Video

Today, I invite you to view the special teaching on the Sabbath I’ve prepared. My hope is that it will help Christians understand more about Jewish Sabbath traditions and the biblical basis of Sabbath observance, and that it will inspire everyone - Jews and Christians alike - to consider new ways that they can enrich their lives through Sabbath observance. And, in that observance, I pray that all will find a glimpse of the peace and fulfillment that can only come from drawing closer to God.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, President

How joyful are those who fear the LORD
and delight in obeying his commands.
Their children will be successful everywhere;
an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
They themselves will be wealthy,
and their good deeds will last forever.
Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.

Psalm 112:1-4