by Kefa
I’m sure we’ve all gotten some sort of request by our employer for some weekend work sometime in our lives (ok, I actually haven’t :P) A quick favor turns into an agitated plea, which turns into an irritated requisite, which turns into an ultimatum; your job or your religion.
There are three sides to a response:
- Honor G-d, honor the Torah, and honor the Sabbath; never work on a Saturday, whatever the cost.
- Avoid any Saturday work until it puts your family’s well-being in jeopardy (job-threatening).
- And, of course, you could just work on Shabbat…
If you’re an option 3 person, you can stop reading here.
A lot of men are torn between their responsibilities as a husband/father/provider and their obligation to the G-d of Israel. G-d commands us in Exodus 20,
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your G-d. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Pretty straight forward, don’t you think? You may argue that G-d values life over the Sabbath. It’s for this reason that we find no problem lying to save a life. The Preservation of Life trumps any other mitzvah in the Torah. But can providing money for your family be considered the Preservation of Life?
Is the necessity of financial security, a roof under which to sleep, and food to eat an influence caused by the world? Perhaps we need to re-examine our convictions.
I would turn your attention to Joseph, son of Jacob, who was faced with pleasure and security on one side and his convictions and conscience on the other. Sleeping with Potiphar’s wife would have saved him from a bad reputation, losing his job, and ultimately ending up in jail (not to distract from the point, but if had slept with her he also wouldn’t have had to flash the other servants). But of course, he chose to disregard what the world considered valuable and he glorified G-d’s Name and His Torah.
Adultery may seem a far cry from the Sabbath, but is the situation much different? “Break commandment (one of those special ten, no less!) for reward.” What is the difference from your employer saying, “You will lose your job if you don’t lie to this prospect about the value of the item,” or, “You’re fired unless you steal our competition’s business plan,” or, “You can say goodbye to your job if you don’t come with the boys down to the strip club”? What makes the Sabbath a lesser commandment that you would make an excuse to break it? Have you no shame?!
“How can we serve G-d if we starve to death? How can we be a light to the world if our children are unclothed, unhoused, or unfed?”
Is it really our place to question the Will of G-d?! From where do we draw the authority to assume that G-d will not provide for the ones who love him, as demonstrated by their adherence to his commands?
If you are truly convicted of your beliefs, you will be willing to suffer for what you choose to do or choose not to do; you will accept the consequences and trust G-d for the omnipotent father that he is.
The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.
Proverbs 21:1
circumcisedgentile
Greg
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peter squicciarini
4 comments
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April 20, 2010 at 4:17 am
kefabenyosef
“Blessed is the man who trusts in HaShem, then HaShem will be his security. ”
-minchah for sabbath and festivals
April 21, 2010 at 11:48 am
Alex Burroughs
Kefa: Excellent post! It not only challenges me in my own faith walk, but also reminds me of the following verses…
Proverbs 14:12 — “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
Matthew 7:14 — “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Matthew 6:24 — “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
June 23, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Under Construction
*Now that I got my name typed correctly :)*
Kefa: Great post! What would you consider if a contract (or covenant) were in place prior to an understanding of the Mitzvah?
July 16, 2010 at 5:58 pm
kefabenyosef
Under Construction:
Thank you for your comment! That’s a great question, and I apologize for waiting so long before responding.
From the outside looking in, the situation you presented looks very simple, morally speaking. Since G-d very specifically commanded us not to work on the seventh day, a situation in which one is required to labor on the Sabbath is the problem of two masters (just as Mr. Burroughs stated above, although the second master may not be wealth).
Unfortunately, if there is a contract in place, it can be extraordinarily difficult to serve G-d in the way He intended. It’s like someone who gets a tattoo and then realizes that it’s against the Torah. I can only recommend ardently pursuing freedom from this ‘covenant’ which apparently directly violates the commands of G-d; unceasingly appealing for a compromise, with the confidence of conviction. If no change can be made, fulfill the contract with the resolve never to be ‘tattooed’ again.
It’s very important to remember whose you are; He has set us apart for just a time as this.
Kefa