“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”
Exodus 20:8
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;”
Hebrews 4:9-10
Sabbath candles
She has been greeted as a bride and as a queen. Through the ages she has been called “holy” and “a delight.” It has been said of her that what the Temple was in space, she is in time. Her name is the Sabbath, or Shabbat as she is known in the Hebrew language. Always she is greeted as a woman, because it is felt that the “skekinah” or the female aspects of God’s comforting nature are beautifully expressed in her.
The Sabbath is one of the most glorious, but possibly one of the least understood realities of God’s creation. We are told in Genesis 2:1-3, that after God had finished his great and magnificent creation, he hallowed the seventh day and rested on it from all his labors. It appears that this rest was meant to be an example for all humankind. We know from the scriptures that the Sabbath is an eternal token of the covenant between God and his people Israel (Exo. 31:12-17). Yet, we must acknowledge the fact that the Sabbath was created many centuries before Israel came into existence. We can only conclude that the Sabbath was given to all peoples as well. This truth is reflected in the words of Jesus himself when he said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
The prophets seem to foresee a day when Gentile people will adore the Sabbath (Isa. 66:23). Indeed, a respect for the Sabbath appears to be almost a prerequisite for those Gentiles who will live and work in the land of Israel (Isa. 56:6-8). Even today, many Christians in Israel, either out of desire or necessity, hold their weekly worship services on the Sabbath rather than on Sunday. In not a few homes in Israel and elsewhere, the Sabbath, as well as Sunday, has already come to be honored and celebrated by Christians.
LEARNING FROM THE SABBATH
There is much to learn from the Sabbath. Volumes have been written expounding the virtues and significance of this special day. Like the feasts of Israel, the Sabbath can teach us much about the God whom we serve, about the universe he has created and even about ourselves as his creation. Rabbi Hanina b. Isaac has said that “The Sabbath is the incomplete form of the world to come.” We Christians cannot help but see the Sabbath as a picture of Jesus and the rest he has remaining for us.
The beauty and glory of the Sabbath are seen more clearly in Israel than in other places. Fridays begin in Israel with a great frenzy of activity. The week’s work is brought to a close early. Mothers and fathers scurry to the market for last minute food items. The house is thoroughly scoured, the rugs beaten and the candlesticks polished. All food for the next day is prepared and kept warm by special heating arrangements, so that no fire will be kindled on the Sabbath. As the afternoon passes, the air becomes laced with the aromas of exotic foods from the world over.
By 2 P.M., the shops begin to close and soon the buses stop running. The frenzy of Friday’s activities begins to wind down. Husbands return home to greet their wives with the customary bouquets of fresh flowers. It seems that all family members share a joyful anticipation of the Sabbath eve, and the day with God and family. Later in the afternoon, before the Sabbath actually begins, the women often can be seen from the apartment windows reverently lighting the Sabbath candles. A blissful quiet begins to descend upon the land. The queen has come again; the bride has made her appearance. All is at rest!
THE SABBATH – A DELIGHT
The Sabbath is truly a delight for the people of Israel. There is much food and fellowship with family, relatives and friends. There is finally the time to cuddle the child, to laugh, to enjoy. For the father, the sons, and sometimes the whole family, there is the peaceful walk to the nearby synagogue. At the evening meal, the brimming cup of wine is blessed and shared along with the two loaves of special Sabbath bread called “challah.” The King of Israel is thanked for his bountiful supply. The joys and blessing of God’s unique covenant with Israel are again remembered and relished.
During the leisurely Sabbath meal there are songs, teaching and loving fellowship. It is customary for the father to caress and bless each child with words like these for the boys, “may God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh…” For the girls the father might say, “may God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel or Leah.” The wife, too, receives special favor, as Proverbs thirty-one is quoted by the husband in her honor: “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies….” The Sabbath is such a special family experience that it has been credited by some in holding the Jewish people together the last two thousand years.
As the Sabbath day dawns, there are again the walks to the synagogue, the reading of the Torah, the meditation, the visits with friends and relatives, the stroll with the family, and just the quiet reading and reflecting. The Sabbath seems designed to sharpen the spiritual awareness of its celebrants. As the day progresses a person is expected to become less attached to the creation and more attached to the Creator. Israel remembers again that this is the Father’s world, and that God is perfectly capable of maintaining the world for a day without the help of man.
As the evening approaches, the devout linger over the Sabbath and try to prolong her visit. The Havdalah services are held. The special candle is lit and the spices are smelled. Each one tries to remember the sweetness and glory of queen Sabbath until she
returns again.
– Jim Gerrish
HOW ABOUT A CHALLAH RECIPE?
Israeli women chooses challah in the Jerusalem market
Perhaps you would like to try your hand at making challah, the traditional Sabbath bread. Here is one of my wife’s favorite recipes.
Ingredients:
1 c. warm water
2 packages dry yeast
2/3 cup sugar
4 to 5 cups unbleached, white flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspons salt
1 small egg + 1 tbsp. water
In a large bowl, mix water, yeast, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 cups flour and set aside to rise for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, in another large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Cut in margarine (use corn oil only – not milk margarine).
Add 2 slightly beaten eggs to the yeast mixture (the first bowl). Next, work in the flour mixture and stir until completely mixed. If the dough seems too sticky, add up to 1 more cup flour. Knead on a floured board about 5 minutes. Place in a very large, oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk – about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Turn out on a floured surface and roll out long – like a rope. Divide each piece in half (for 2 loves) then divide each loaf into three pieces. Braid each loaf carefully and place on greased and floured baking sheets. Let rise about 3 – 4 hours. Brush each with the beaten egg and water and bake at 350 degrees F until golden brown (25-30 minutes). Serve hot or warm.
Sesame or poppy seeds may be sprinkled on top after brushing with egg. For those who prefer whole wheat, add 3 tbsp. honey with the beaten eggs. Substitute 1 1/2 to 2 cups whole wheat (graham) flour for white flour in the second bowl.
The beautiful loaves of challah are representative of God’s provision for his people. They certainly remind us of the shewbread, or the bread of God’s presence, which was baked fresh each Sabbath in the days of the Tabernacle and Temple.
– Betsy Gerrish
The above updated articles are presented courtesy of Bridges For Peace, Jerusalem.