Past

שבת has been around since the beginning of civilization. The earliest events are recorded in Genesis and it says יהוה used 6 days to create the earth. On the 6th day, he molded Adam in the ground and made Adam like himself. During the next day, יהוה ceased from all the work he was doing, lifting the day up from the others and setting it aside. This cycle has been preserved throughout the ages and primarily kept by Jews because יהוה showed them how to keep it and spoke at Sinai’s peak in front of all the descendants of Israel, reminding them to remember שבת and (how) to reserve it throughout all their lineages after he redeemed them from Egypt’s tyranny and bondage. This is explained in Exodus.

Purpose

יהוה says that שבת is the day to rest and recover from laboring for 6 days and the day to remember when יהוה created the heavens and the earth and reserved the day. יהוה also says it is a sign of a contract between himself and his people and to keep it throughout all generations. Keeping שבת reserved is essential to keeping our side of the contract between him and us that says he is our god and we are his people. יהוה reserved the first שבת when there was only one people, so it’s meant for all people.

Procedure

• After 6 days filled with work, rest on the 7th day.
• This cycle must be kept throughout your lineages from the beginning of time.
• Both you and your workers must keep it.
• Teach this to your children.
• Prepare for שבת.
• Refrain from working during שבת.
• Refrain from harvesting during שבת.
• Refrain from preparing during שבת.
• Reservedly group together (in the sense of reserving a place and time apart from any ordinary place and time).
• Refrain from journeying on שבת.