Kaisipang Hudyo sa Exodo 31:16: Akeidat Yitzchak & Yesod Mora VeSod HaTorah

Inasmuch as we observe during creation both activity, i.e. male forces and passivity i.e. female forces, the concept "rest" as represented by the Sabbath, appears to be devoid even of passivity (since it is close to bittul, negation, not like passivity which is conversion of the potential to the actual) The complaint of the Sabbath (our opening Midrash), seems inherently justified when it said "to me You have not even given the privilege enjoyed by the passive parts of creation, namely to help convert the potential to become actual." G-d’s reply was that the Jewish people by observance of the Sabbath, something that appears like an "inactivity" at first glance, would make out of it la-assot something positive, active, i.e. masculine, the exact opposite of bittul, negation. The meaning of the verse veshamru beney yisrael et hashabbat, la-assot et hashabbat is that the Jewish people by negating work on the Sabbath, are making the Sabbath into an active, masculine phenomenon. By accepting the Torah at Mount Sinai, the Jewish people would testify to their awareness of this fundamental teaching of Torah that G-d created the universe ex nihilo, and that therefore He was a truly free Force, not beholden to any pre-existing condition or matter.

Pay attention and contemplate that all the mitzvot that are fundamental or dependent on a specific matter or are mentioned or received traditions are positive or negative commandments explicitly stated or derived from their roots. Their secret is in the negative commandment, as it is written: "The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath" (Exodus 31:16). Sabbath observance is not an action but rather refraining from action and resting from it. As it is written: "And He rested on the seventh day from all His work" (Genesis 2:2), meaning to prepare before the Sabbath so that no work is done on that day. Similarly, it is written: "You shall afflict your souls" (Leviticus 16:29), and the meaning is to not indulge in eating and drinking, for affliction transforms pleasure. And likewise, it is written: "And you shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy" (Leviticus 20:7), meaning do not defile your souls by consuming anything abhorrent and corrupt in its origins. And the Nazirite, who shall not drink wine, is deemed holy.