Commentary for Exodus 23:12

וביום השביעי תשבת [SIX DAYS SHALT THOU DO THY WORK] AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY THOU SHALT LEAVE OFF — Even in the Sabbatical year you shall not abrogate the weekly Sabbath: you shall not say, “Since the whole year bears the name of ‘Sabbath’, the weekly Sabbath need not to be observed” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:12:1).

L’MA’AN’ (THAT) THINE OX AND THINE ASS MAY HAVE REST. Because the word l’ma’an is like ba’avur (“in order that”), we must explain³⁶⁴Ramban’s intention is as follows: It cannot be said that the command here is directed to the owner himself, that he should rest on the Sabbath, since it says clearly ‘in order that’ thine ox… may have rest; neither can it be referring to a case where the owner works together with the animal, for if that were so, why does the Torah not mention that the reason is that he himself should have rest? Hence Ramban explains the verse in the following way: “Six days thou shalt do thy work in such a manner as if it were all completed by the Sabbath-day, so that the animal can have rest by itself on that day.” that the verse is stating: “Six days you shall do all your work in the house and in the field, in order that the ox and the ass may have rest on the seventh day. And the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed — in order that they all be witnesses to the Creation.” The verse here is then similar in meaning to: Bake that which ye will bake.³⁶⁵Above, 16:23. In other words, bake on the sixth day double in order that you should not have to bake on the Sabbath. Here likewise a similar thought is expressed: do all your work in six days so that the animal can have rest on the seventh day. Similarly He said, Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work,³⁶⁶Ibid., 20:9. as I have explained there.

תשבות, you must even refrain from doing things which are not prohibited under the heading of מלאכה, the kind of activity associated with construction of the Tabernacle, if these activities represent strenuous exertion customary on weekdays. We have been taught in Shabbat 113 that one of the ways of honouring the gift of the Sabbath is to refrain from engaging in activities that remind one of weekdays. The Talmud bases this on Isaiah 58,13 who defines proper Sabbath observance as distinct from merely formal Sabbath observance, with these words: “if you refrain from trampling the Sabbath, from pursuing your affairs on My holy day; if you call the Sabbath ‘delight,’ the Lord’s holy day ‘honored,’ and if you honour it and go not your ways nor look to your affairs nor strike bargains, then you can seek the favour of the Lord.”

תעשה מעשיך, "you shall do your work, etc." The Torah was careful not to write: "all your work" as in the Ten Commandments (concerning the Sabbath). The reason is that during the Shmittah year the farmer cannot do his regular work even on the six days of the week.

למען ינוח שורך וחמורך,“in order for your ox and your donkey to enjoy rest.” The meaning of the words: “so that your ox and donkey can rest,” is the tail end of the legislation that you shall work for six days and shall rest on the seventh day. As a result of your resting, your man-servants, maid-servants, oxen and donkeys will rest also, as well as your stranger. The objective of the legislation is not aimed at rewarding your donkeys, etc., with rest but if you do all your work during six days so that you will rest on the seventh day, then also your labourers and your beasts of burden will rest on that day. We find a similar construction in Deut. 16,3 למען תזכור את יום צאתך ממצרים, “on account (of this) eating of unleavened bread, etc., you will remember the day you went out of Egypt.”

Do not cancel the weekly Shabbos. . . [Rashi explains it this way] because otherwise, why is [this verse, speaking of Shabbos,] juxtaposed to [the previous verse, speaking of] the seventh year? Although this verse needed to be written for the new laws it contains, that an uncircumcised slave, a stranger and a settler must rest on Shabbos, nevertheless, we learn this matter (not to cancel the weekly Shabbos) as well.

V. 12. Und was das Schabbatjahr für die Stellung der Nation im Lande ist, das ist der Schabbattag für die Stellung des Menschen in der Welt. Es ist die Bekenntnistat des Menschen für die Hörigkeit der Welt und des Menschen an Gott, seinen und ihren Schöpfer und Herrn, dem er mit jedem siebten Tage sich und seine Welt huldigend zu Füßen legt und keine Herrscherkraft an irgend einem Gottesgeschöpf übt. Sofort ist aber der Schabbat zugleich wieder eine Schule der Achtung eines jeden Wesens neben sich als ebenbürtig in der Kindschaft Gottes, und diese Ausspannung aller Wesen aus der Menschenherrschaft ist Mitzweck des Schabbats, dieses Tages der Gotteshuldigung, למען, "damit" Arbeit- und Lasttier des Menschen zur Ruhe und auch das Kind der Leibeigenen und der Fremde "zu sich" komme, seiner Menschenwürde bewusst, sich Selbstzweck werde. — למען ינוח שורך וחמורך. In der מכילתא wird hier noch die besondere Pflicht deduziert, das Tier nicht nur am Schabbat unbeschäftigt sein zu lassen, sondern ihm dabei auch ungestörte Weide zu gewähren .הוסיף לו הכתוב נייח אחד להיות תולש מן הקרקע ואוכל

ששת ימים תעשה מעשיך, “during six days you may pursue your usual pursuits, etc.;” why is this verse inserted at this juncture? It is because of the commandment to allow also the son of your maidservant and the stranger to rest on the Sabbath, seeing that generally they are poor people.

למען ינוח שורך means, give it (the animal) some satisfaction (ניח) by permitting it to pull up and eat grass from the ground as it pleases. Or, perhaps, this is not the meaning but it means that is must rest: that one must tie it up in its stall so that it does no work in the field! You will, however, admit this is no satisfaction but a source of annoyance (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:12:2).

למען ינוח שורך וחמורך, as a result of your Sabbath observance also your beasts of burden will enjoy rest.

Allow it to relax, permitting it to tear up. . . [Rashi explains it this way] because otherwise, why is it said here, “So that your ox and your donkey may rest”? This was already said in the Ten Commandments. And if it is written in order that we will not say, “Since the entire year is called Shabbos. . .” then the phrase “But on the seventh day you must cease” would be sufficient.

בן אמתך והגר (siehe zu Kap. 20, 10). —

בן אמתך THE SON OF THY HANDMAID — Scripture speaks of an uncircumcised Canaanitish servant; (that the circumcised servant should rest is already mentioned in Deuteronomy 5:14: עבדך ואמתך כמוך) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:12:3).

וינפש בן אמתך והגר, as a corollary of your own Sabbath observance also your personnel will enjoy physical respite from their weekday chores. The Torah describes the contrast with your own experience while you were slaves in Egypt, when you did not enjoy rest on your master’s holidays. We have proof of this in Exodus 5,9 when Pharaoh ordered a further intensification of the hard labour performed by the Israelites as a response to their request for a brief vacation in order to attend to their religious obligations. This is part of the national aspect of the Sabbath, stressed in Deuteronomy 5,14, as opposed to the universal aspect of Sabbath observance stressed in Exodus 20,11.

An uncircumcised slave. Before, in the Ten Commandments, it spoke of a gentile slave who is circumcised. Here, it speaks of one who is uncircumcised — but still within twelve months of being purchased. However, his master may not keep an uncircumcised gentile slave longer than this, if the slave does not want to undergo circumcision.

והגר means a גר תושב, a proselyte settler (one who renounces idolatry and thus acquires limited citizenship in Palestine).

גר תושב — “a settler.” [Rashi knows this] because if it was referring to a convert to Judaism, it is already written: “and the foreigner ( גר ) within your gates.” Alternatively, [Rashi knows this] because a convert is full Jew [and need not be mentioned separately].

That is that He commanded us to ascend to the Temple three times a year. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "Three times a year shall you have a holiday for me" (Exodus 23:14). And it is already explained in Scripture that this holiday is that all who ascend do so with a sacrifice to offer. And behold that this command has been repeated twice. And their language (Chagigah 6b) is, "Three commandments are practiced on the festival - the festival-offering, the sight-offering and the joy-offering." And the content of this festival-offering is that it be offered as a peace offering. But women are not obligated to do it. And the regulations of this commandment have already been explained in Tractate Chagigah. (See Parashat Mishpatim; Mishneh Torah, Festival Offering.)