What were the Israelites supposed to do if there were 2 Sabbaths in a row?

Question

Such as if the first day of Passover was the day before a Sabbath. Were or are they allowed to work on one?


Exodus 31:15
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.

Answer 1

The case you cite is that holidays, such as passover, are described as 'sabbath-like' in the bible...although most english translations do not account for this subtle, but important difference.

On the holidays, most of the Sabbath prohibitions are in effect. There are three basic leniencies on the holidays from the Sabbath. These involve carrying objects in a public domain (very technical), the distance one is able to travel on foot (travelling by any other means is still prohibited), and cooking food for that day provided the fire was already burning from the day before.

So what happens when a holiday falls adjacent to a Sabbath? The requisite prohibitions for each day are still in effect. The more stringent on the sabbath, itself, and the less stringent on the holiday.

The laws that govern how to transition from one day to the next are technical and complex and beyond the scope of this forum.

Answer 2

If a holy day of rest occurs before or after the sabbath then no work is done on those consecutive days. Because holidays occur on a schedule people know when they are coming and can prepare. also it is permissible to cook on a holiday but not on the sabbath.

Answer 3

I do not know of a time when a High Sabbath is the day before a weekly Sabbath. They would know about it far enough in advance to be able to properly prepare.

Answer 4

There can't be two Sabbaths in a row. Sabbath is Saturday. That's like saying "What if there were two Sundays in a row?"

Answer 5

Passover is not a Sabbath.