And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it He rested from all His work which God in creating had made. (Genesis 2:1–3)

וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם. וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, וַיִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ – כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ, אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַעֲשׂוֹת. (בראשית ב', א-ג)

The Sabbath is the weekly day of rest. A person works for a living for six days, then rests from the week’s labor on the seventh and gathers strength for what lies ahead. This weekly pause also allows people to encounter themselves, their families, and their communities.

Unlike natural cycles, such as day and night, the lunar month, and the solar year, the weekly cycle is not grounded in a natural phenomenon but derives from human agreement. According to Scripture, living by a seven-day cycle with a day of rest at its end acquires religious significance because it acknowledges the creation of the world in seven days:

for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11)

כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה' אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם, וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי – עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ ה' אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ. (שמות כ׳, יא)

Although the creation story presents the Sabbath as universal, belonging to all humanity, in practice only the Israelites were commanded to observe it:

It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’ (Exodus 31:17)

בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹת הִוא לְעֹלָם, כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה' אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי – שָׁבַת, וַיִּנָּפַשׁ. (שמות ל"א, יז)

Why, then, were only the Israelites commanded concerning the Sabbath, rather than all human beings?

To answer this, we must understand that the Sabbath’s significance consists of several layers. The first, universal layer is the week’s very existence – a seven-day cycle ending in a day of rest, expressing recognition of creation. The second layer, particular to Israel, adds blessing and holiness to the Sabbath.

As Cassuto explained, the innovation in Exodus’s command concerning the Israelite Sabbath lay neither in creating a seven-day week nor in establishing a weekly day of rest. Both existed already. The innovation was the command to the Israelites: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), which adds the dimension of holiness to the Sabbath.

Only the people of Israel, commanded to be holy – as it is written, “and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6), and “Ye shall be holy” (Leviticus 19:2) – were commanded to observe the Sabbath hallowed by the LORD at creation’s dawn, and thereby fulfill their vocation. Thus the command “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8) is a sign of the covenant specifically between Israel and the LORD.

Whereas among the nations the Sabbath finds expression in living by a seven-day cycle and having a weekly day of rest, Israel has an additional, distinctive commandment: to refrain entirely and comprehensively from work on the Sabbath, so that everyone rests – not only free people, but slaves, resident aliens, and even animals (Exodus 20:10; see the chapter “Thy Man-servant and Thy Maid-servant – Like Thee”). Moreover, a severe sanction applies to anyone who deliberately desecrates the Sabbath. This attests to its binding holiness and its standing as a distinctive covenant separating Israel from the nations.

Although the Sabbath’s holiness is a distinctive sign and covenant between the LORD and Israel, we must remember that the Sabbath rests on a universal foundation belonging to all humanity. Moreover, the worldwide recognition of a seven-day week – preserved continuously, according to tradition, from creation to our own day – enabled Israel to keep the Sabbath among the nations. Without it, Sabbath observance would have become a considerable challenge.

In light of this understanding of the Sabbath’s place in all humanity, we can better understand Isaiah’s prophecy at the beginning of chapter 56, read on public fast days. It speaks of a reality in which the nations, too, observe the Sabbath while retaining their non-Israelite identity.

Isaiah addresses all humanity, human beings as such: “Happy is the man that doeth this, And the son of man that holdeth fast by it” (Isaiah 56:2). He addresses those among them who keep the Sabbath and refrain from profaning it: “That keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, And keepeth his hand from doing any evil” (Isaiah 56:2). Later, in verses 6–7, the prophet promises “Also the aliens, that join themselves to the LORD, to minister unto Him” – those who refrain from profaning the Sabbath, keep His covenant, and make it a universal covenant with all humanity – “Every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, And holdeth fast by My covenant” (Isaiah 56:6):

Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer; Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices Shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; For My house shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples. (Isaiah 56:7)

וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי, וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי. עוֹלֹתֵיהֶם וְזִבְחֵיהֶם לְרָצוֹן עַל מִזְבְּחִי, כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא – לְכָל הָעַמִּים. (ישעיהו נ״ו, ז)