Commento su Esodo 20:10

אתה ובנך ובתך THOU AND THY SON AND THY DAUGHTER — these latter mean the young children. Or perhaps this is not so, but it means your adult children? But you must admit that these have already been placed under this prohibition (by the word “Thou”, because the performance of this command is obligatory upon all adults to whom it was addressed). Therefore these words must be intended only to admonish the adults (implied in the term “Thou”) about the Sabbath rest of their young children (to impose upon the parents the obligation of enforcing the Sabbath rest upon them) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:10:1). This is the meaning of what we have learnt in a Mishna, (Shabbat 16:6) “A minor who is about to extinguish a fire — we do not listen to him (do not permit him to do this), because his observance of the Sabbath is a duty imposed upon you”.

NOR THY STRANGER THAT IS WITHIN THY GATES. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, “the stranger of the gate” is always the geir toshav,⁴⁶⁰Literally: “resident alien,” so called because he was permitted to dwell within the Land of Israel. The conditions under which he becomes a geir toshav are described here in the text. who came to dwell in “the gates of our cities” and has taken upon himself the Seven Laws of the Noachides.⁴⁶¹See Vol. I, p. 417, Note 148, and see also in index there under “Noachides.” It is he who is called “the stranger who eats the unlawfully-slaughtered animal,” of whom Scripture says, thou mayest give it to the stranger that is within thy gates, that he may eat it.⁴⁶²Deuteronomy 14:21. Therefore, the commandment [prohibiting work on the Sabbath] was not directed to him so that Scripture would be saying: “Do not do any work on it, the home-born or the stranger.” Instead, it is we who are commanded that he do no work for our benefit, just as [we are commanded about] our minors and the cattle, but this commandment is not incumbent upon him and he may do work for himself on the Sabbath. The verse which states, so that the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may rest,⁴⁶³Further, 23:12. speaks of the righteous proselyte who has become Jewish and embraced our Torah, which has commanded him concerning the Sabbath and all the rest of the commandments as well, as He has said, One law and one ordinance shall be both for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you;⁴⁶⁴Numbers 15:16. both for the stranger, and for him that is born in the land.⁴⁶⁵Ibid., 9:14.
However, we have found in the words of our Rabbis that they have interpreted it in the opposite manner. Thus they have said⁴⁶⁶Mechilta on the verse here. that by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, thy stranger that is within thy gates means the righteous proselyte, and ceasing from work [on the Sabbath] is incumbent upon him as it is upon us. The verse, so that the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may rest,⁴⁶³Further, 23:12. includes the uncircumcised geir toshav.⁴⁶⁰Literally: “resident alien,” so called because he was permitted to dwell within the Land of Israel. The conditions under which he becomes a geir toshav are described here in the text. The Rabbis’ intent in so explaining the verses is that first, [i.e., right here in the Ten Commandments], “the stranger” warned is the proselyte who has been circumcised, who is obligated in the observance of the Sabbath as we are. The second verse — [further, 23:12] — includes the uncircumcised [geir toshav]. Therefore, he is likened there to the cattle, as the verse says, that thine ox and thine ass may have rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may rest.⁴⁶³Further, 23:12. Thus He commanded us concerning the resting of all of them alike that they should not work for us, but they may do [work] for themselves if they so wish. Similarly, the servant and the stranger mentioned in the Ten Commandments are alike, being obligated in the observance of all laws of the Sabbath as we are, even as He has said, that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.⁴⁵⁸Deuteronomy 5:14.

שבת לה' אלוקיך, the entire day is to be devoted to spiritual matters. This involves studying Torah, teaching it, performing the commandments associated with it, and enjoying the very nature of such a day on which instead of “serving” the needs of one’s survival in a hostile environment one can concentrate on serving the Master, the provider of life and spiritual inspiration. The Talmud Yuma 76 paraphrases this, saying: “wine and pleasant fragrances have made me intelligently perceptive.”