כֹּהֲנֶ֜יהָ חָמְס֣וּ תוֹרָתִי֮ וַיְחַלְּל֣וּ קָדָשַׁי֒ בֵּֽין־קֹ֤דֶשׁ לְחֹל֙ לֹ֣א הִבְדִּ֔ילוּ וּבֵין־הַטָּמֵ֥א לְטָה֖וֹר לֹ֣א הוֹדִ֑יעוּ וּמִשַׁבְּתוֹתַי֙ הֶעְלִ֣ימוּ עֵֽינֵיהֶ֔ם וָאֵחַ֖ל בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
그 제사장들은 내 율법을 범하였으며 나의 성물을 더럽혔으며 거룩함과 속된 것을 분변치 아니하였으며 부정함과 정한 것을 사람으로 분변하게 하지 아니하였으며 그 눈을 가리워 나의 안식일을 보지 아니하였으므로 내가 그 가운데서 더럽힘을 받았느니라
Rabbeinu Bahya
Sabbath is the first commandment given to Israel before the Torah was given. It is the basis of our faith and is equated with all other commandments combined. The Sabbath affirms our belief that G'd created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
Our sages (Shabbat 119) state that Jerusalem was destroyed only on account of desecration of the Sabbath. They derive this from Ezekiel 22,26: ”they have closed their eyes to My Sabbaths so that I became profaned in their midst.” Jeremiah 17,27 warned the Jewish people concerning the observance of the Sabbath telling them that both Jerusalem and the dynasty of the house of David would survive only by merit of Sabbath observance. Failing such observance, the prophet warns that the city would be burned and that the fire would not be extinguished.
Concerning the positive value of Sabbath observance, we are told in Shabbat 118 that if the Israelites (all of them) were to observe only two Sabbaths they would be redeemed from exile immediately. They base this on the wording in Isaiah 56,4אשר ישמרו את שבתותי , “who will observe My Sabbath days.” Even as few as two such Sabbaths qualify for the plural used by the prophet in describing the result of such observance as being: “I will give them My house and within My walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, etc.” The passage concludes with the words: “I will bring them to My sacred mount and let them rejoice in My house of prayer.”
On the subject of Sabbath observance our sages in Shabbat 118 continue that if someone observes the laws of the Sabbath meticulously he will be forgiven such sins as the type of idolatry committed by the first generation of idolaters, the people at the time of Enosh, seeing that the prophet said אשרי אנוש יעשה זאת...שומר שבת מחללו, “hail to (even someone like Enosh) who does this and makes sure not to desecrate the Sabbath” (Isaiah 56,2). The sages substitute the word מחול לו, for the word מחללו, in the verse, i.e. he who does not desecrate it (מחללו), will be forgiven (מחול לו) for his sins.
The plain meaning of the text, i.e. why the Torah here speaks about the Sabbath in the plural, is simply because there are many Sabbath days in the course of a year as distinct from the other festivals which occur only once a year.
Our sages (Shabbat 119) state that Jerusalem was destroyed only on account of desecration of the Sabbath. They derive this from Ezekiel 22,26: ”they have closed their eyes to My Sabbaths so that I became profaned in their midst.” Jeremiah 17,27 warned the Jewish people concerning the observance of the Sabbath telling them that both Jerusalem and the dynasty of the house of David would survive only by merit of Sabbath observance. Failing such observance, the prophet warns that the city would be burned and that the fire would not be extinguished.
Concerning the positive value of Sabbath observance, we are told in Shabbat 118 that if the Israelites (all of them) were to observe only two Sabbaths they would be redeemed from exile immediately. They base this on the wording in Isaiah 56,4אשר ישמרו את שבתותי , “who will observe My Sabbath days.” Even as few as two such Sabbaths qualify for the plural used by the prophet in describing the result of such observance as being: “I will give them My house and within My walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, etc.” The passage concludes with the words: “I will bring them to My sacred mount and let them rejoice in My house of prayer.”
On the subject of Sabbath observance our sages in Shabbat 118 continue that if someone observes the laws of the Sabbath meticulously he will be forgiven such sins as the type of idolatry committed by the first generation of idolaters, the people at the time of Enosh, seeing that the prophet said אשרי אנוש יעשה זאת...שומר שבת מחללו, “hail to (even someone like Enosh) who does this and makes sure not to desecrate the Sabbath” (Isaiah 56,2). The sages substitute the word מחול לו, for the word מחללו, in the verse, i.e. he who does not desecrate it (מחללו), will be forgiven (מחול לו) for his sins.
The plain meaning of the text, i.e. why the Torah here speaks about the Sabbath in the plural, is simply because there are many Sabbath days in the course of a year as distinct from the other festivals which occur only once a year.
Kli Yakar
However, since we find that all matters of charity are doubled, You shall surely tithe [Hebrew: aser te’aser], You shall surely give [Hebrew: naton titen], You shall surely open [Hebrew: patoach tiftach], You shall surely lend [Hebrew: ha’avet ta’avitenu], and likewise the reward is doubled as it says He will surely bless you [Hebrew: barech yevarechecha]. Therefore, it appears that all matters of charity are doubled: the giving with the hand, and the appeasement with the mouth, through not letting one’s heart be grieved and giving with a pleasant countenance and a whole heart, and “the poor man does not hear rebuke.” As our Sages said (Berakhot 8a), “One who prays should wait the time it takes to enter through two doorways, etc.” This is to fulfill what is said (Psalms 17:15), I, through righteousness, shall see Your face. From here they learned that before one prays, one should give a coin to charity (Bava Batra 10a). And this is the measure of “two doorways,” as it is written, You shall surely open your hand. That is, the opening of the hand and the opening of the heart, which is mentioned in the preceding verse: You shall not harden your heart nor close your hand. Therefore, all matters of charity are doubled, one with the hand and one with the heart, and for each of these, the Holy One, blessed be He, establishes a separate reward. Thus it says, “He will surely bless you.” And regarding this, our Sages said in the Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah 445), “They sinned doubly, etc.” For they sinned regarding charity, which is a doubled matter, as it is written (Ezekiel 16:49), Behold, this was the sin of Sodom, your sister: the hand of the poor and needy she did not strengthen. And they also sinned regarding Sabbaths, as it is written (Ezekiel 22:26), And from My Sabbaths they averted their eyes, for all matters of Sabbath are doubled (Midrash Tehillim 92:1). And they also sinned in the releasing of servants to freedom in the days of Jeremiah (34:11), and it is written about them (Deuteronomy 15:18), For double the wages of a hired servant has your servant worked for you. And this is [the meaning of] “they sinned doubly, etc.”