Biblical Hebrew Forum

["K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Pere:
Part of understanding the language is to fit it into the culture it is used.

Having lived in a rural society, there are many things that need to be done
seven days a week, like feeding the animals, milking cows, and so forth. But
in a subsistence farming society where the farmer would have only a few
animals, those tasks usually took only a short while.

But farmers, particularly those who have a fairly good sized spread, really
work hard during plowing and harvest, often a month or more of 18 hour days,
seven days a week. Hence Exodus 34:21. Then there were many other tasks
around the farm: weeding, taking care of the buildings and equipment, sewing
clothes, and so forth, which if all done can keep a farmer and his family
quite busy. The temptation is to work constantly. So the concept of
mandating a ceasing to the work in that day was revolutionary. The idea was
not to command that work should be done six days a week, rather that one day
a week there should be a ceasing to the work ($BT = "stop").

Similarly, many societies commanded work seven days a week, even in the
non-farm sector.

As for which day in the week to stop working, that is a theological issue I
won't touch. Further, there is no where that having two days a week off work
is frowned on, as long as it does not lead to laziness.

Karl W. Randolph.

On Fri, Apr 25, 2008 at 12:49 AM, <pporta AT oham.net> wrote:

> I do not know whether my question on Ex 20:9-10 fits the rules of this
> list.
> If not, please excuse me.
> ___________
>
> In Ex 20:9-10 it is written that God commands to man to work during six
> days
> but to reserve the seventh, Shabat, to Him (God).
> I heared along my life that at explaining this commandment the stress has
> always been put on the fact that "we must sanctify Sunday, the Lord's day".
> But... does this commandement imply also the duty of WORKING during SIX
> days? Could we say that someone who stops his work at Friday evening,
> namely
> after FIVE days, and starts it again at Monday morning... does not obey the
> spirit of this Commandement?
> Can this conclusion be inferred or deduced from the Hebrew text of Ex
> 20:9-10?
>
> Pere Porta
> Barcelona (Spain)