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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 God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner living among you.
(Exodus 20:8-10)
זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ.
שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל מְלַאכְתֶּךָ.
וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לַה’ אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ
לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל מְלָאכָה
אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ.
Foundations for Planning
Essential Questions
- How do Jewish practices reflect Jewish values?
- How can literature serve as a vehicle for social change?
- What are the Jewish values (e.g., freedom, responsibility, justice, community, respect of diversity etc.) that should be honored in an ideal society?
Content Questions Related to the Essential Questions
- How do Jewish practices reflect Jewish values?
- How can literature serve as a vehicle for social change?
- What are the Jewish values (e.g., freedom, responsibility, justice, community, respect of diversity etc.) that should be honored in an ideal society?
Background for Teacher
In the ancient world there was no regular day of rest each week for everyone. Members of the upper classes could rest whenever they liked, but most people had no right to a day off work. Those who worked more were left without rest...
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In the ancient world there was no regular day of rest each week for everyone. Members of the upper classes could rest whenever they liked, but most people had no right to a day off work. Those who worked more were left without rest and vacations. The idea of Shabbat, as presented in the Bible, was innovative and revolutionary. Every person, regardless of their status, and even animals, had an equal right to a regular day of rest every week. The text from the Ten Commandments in Shemot establishes this principle and adds an important layer of values to the idea of Shabbat rest. These verses are also part of the Kiddush we recite on Saturday lunch.
Optional Hooks 
In-Depth Discussion 
Suggested Activities 
Further Study Show a movie clip depicting workers of low socioeconomic status (street cleaners, cashiers, dishwashers, etc.). Ask the students to stage a conversation between one of the workers and the boss in which the worker asks for a day off work each week, and the boss refuses due to their concern that this will make their business less profitable.
Click here to view our consolidated list of suggested interactive pedagogies for classroom discussion.
- According to the Torah, who deserves to rest on Shabbat? Were you surprised by any of the categories included in the verses above? Why?
- For most of us, equality is an obvious value, even if it isn’t always implemented universally. But in ancient times, equality was not an accepted value: There were slaves who had no rights, and women and children also had limited rights. Class differences were reflected in distinct rights and obligations. What innovative message does the Torah present regarding these distinctions?
- In your opinion, why is it important to grant everyone an equal right to a day of rest?
- The verses above mention the existence of male and female slaves as part of the socioeconomic system. Today slavery is regarded as immoral, but there are still many people who are denied equality. Suggest a new way of wording these verses to make them relevant to modern people. Who would you mention in the list of those who have the right to rest on Shabbat?
For older students – a challenging question:
- In the past, not everyone was entitled to a day of rest. The idea of Shabbat led to the diffusion around the world of this moral approach. What can we learn from this about the capacity of a sacred text to influence society? What other Jewish values do you think should be presented to non-Jewish people?
Imagine that you are taking part in a demonstration for workers’ rights in a country where the law does not require a regular weekly day off work. Think of a catchy slogan you could write on a sign to hold at the demonstration. The slogan should include the words “rest” or “equality.” (You can show the students examples of signs from demonstrations).
- For older students: Read this text by Aharon Megged:
The greatest contribution that Judaism has made to human progress was the Ten Commandments, and of these ‘Remember the Sabbath day’ is the first act of social legislation in the world, and one that sparked a tremendous revolution! Even the eight-hour working day adopted 3,500 years later is not more valuable! A day of rest each week, even for male or female servants, for strangers, and for animals! Had the Jewish people been created for this alone – it would have been worthwhile for the world!(Aharon Megged, Secular People for Shabbat, Daf Tarbut Yehudit 97, Sivan 5739)
Ask the students to research one of the following themes on the internet and to prepare a short podcast on their chosen subject: Social laws – what are they are what is their purpose; A weekly day of rest in cultures around the world; the impact of Shabbat on various peoples; etc.
- Read the section from Bereshit discussing how God rested on the seventh day of Creation. This section is included in the Friday-evening Kiddush, while the passage from Exodus appears in the Kiddush for Saturday morning. Compare the two passages and the different aspects of Shabbat each one of them represents.
- Read the remarks by Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan regarding Shabbat as a time to take a fresh look at the week. On the basis of his comments, explain why it is particularly important to ensure that all workers, without distinction, enjoy a day of rest.
