are there any historical documents or evidence that show services were offered during the week? If the ban was included for priests and service was only on the sabbath do we conclude this is the reason the commandment is " keep the sabbath holy" and not :" thou shalt attend temple on the sabbath?"
Vin
2007-07-15 11:08:32 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Kohanim (The descendants of Aaron who performed the duties in the temple related to the sacrifices) and the Levi'im (the rest of the tribe of levi that did the manual labour/were the choir etc) were allowed to perform the temple services on the Shabbat.
In the Talmud, Masechta Shabbt, the temr melachah is discussed and explained as "creative work", with 39 categories related to the building of the mishkan (the Aron Kodesh, holy ark). It also brings the verses related to the sacrifices to show how and why the Kohanim and Levi'im were allowed to violate these laws- specifically, one of the principles of rabbinical exegesis is that if something is brought out from a general category, it is brought out to teach only about its self- in this case, the laws relating to the sacrifices and other temple services were specifically stated to be done on Shabbat, thus bringing them out of the general category of melachah and making them permitted.
other sacrifices- such as voluntary sacrifices and sarifices for atonement of sin were NOT allowed on shabbat since these sacrifices were not stated in connection with shabbat and thus stayed in the general category of melachah.
As for the week- the Tamid sacrifice was commanded from before Mt. Sinai and was conducted daily. The sacrices are discussed in quite a few places in the Talmud, in virtualy every tractate of the orders of Moed and Kodshim, but they are frequently mentioned and discussed throughout the Talmud. For a good description of how the daily sacrifices were allocated, and how the Kohanim were alloted to specific watches, Tractate Yoma has an excellent description
edit: In the example given by Dee- Jesus and his disciples would have been in violation of the Av melacha (category of forbidden work) of reaping. Nothing to do with services! And while you can violate the law in case of people that need you to do so in order to live- to do so merely because you are hungry and do not want to wait is a violation of shabbos and should not be done.
2007-07-16 21:58:34 · answer #1 · answered by allonyoav 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No. The Jewish definition of "work" and the Xtian definition of "work" is very different. A Xtian might say well, I can watch t.v. because I'm relaxing and not working, but a rabbi cannot give sermons on the Sabbath because that is his job." In Judaism, it's the other way around. There are 39 categories of things (called melachot) that we are not allowed to do on Shabbat--these were all the things done to build the Ark of the Covenant.
A rabbi giving a sermon or going to the Temple did not violate the laws of Shabbat. Services were given during the week, every day of the week, because the way Jewish services today (and the way the siddur [prayer book] is structured today) is based on how Jewish services were conducted. It's complicated to explain, but yes, services were offered during the week and on Shabbat (actually, there are extra services on Shabbat--musaf--because it's Shabbat) because because male Jews are required to pray three times a day, and some prayers can only be said in the presence of a minyan--10 Jewish adults.
The reason the commandment is "keep the Sabbath holy" is because when G-d was creating the world, He rested on Shabbat, so we should too, as He declared it a day of rest.
2007-07-15 21:12:08 · answer #2 · answered by LadySuri 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
"At that time Jesus was walking through some fields of grain on a Sabbath day. His followers were hungry, so they began to pick the grain and eat it. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, "Look! Your followers are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath day." Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he and the people with him were hungry? He went into God's house, and he and those with him ate the holy bread, which was lawful only for priests to eat. And have you not read in the law of Moses that on every Sabbath day the priests in the Temple break this law about the Sabbath day? But the priests are not wrong for doing that." (Matthew 12:1 - 5 NCV)
Jesus seems to suggest that the priests broke the law by having a service on the Sabbath yet they were not wrong for doing it (there was an exeption made to the law for the priests to do their duty).
2007-07-16 20:21:47 · answer #3 · answered by dee 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
There were specific sacrifices that were brought every day. In addition, there were specific sacrifices that were brought on the Sabbath.
In other words, the Temple service did not constitute labour as defined by the Torah.
2007-07-16 17:02:52 · answer #4 · answered by BMCR 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No. One of the tribes had that as its job. I believe it was Levi, but don't quote me on that. They received their income from the tithes.
2007-07-15 18:14:35 · answer #5 · answered by Grendel's Father 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Try reading your Bible and you will
find the answer there.
2007-07-15 18:42:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋