Sabbath Made for Man?

Today is the beginning of the Sabbath for us here in Israel. From around 3:30 PM on Fridays through 6:00 PM on Saturdays most of Jerusalem comes to a stop as people take the day to reflect on God.
In Mark 2:27, Jesus speaks of the Sabbath and says, “Sabbath was made for man”. After taking a look at the customs on the Sabbath, I have come to the conclusion that this verse should read, “The Sabbath was made for teenagers”. Allow me to explain some of the customs to help illustrate my point.

• Beginning Friday afternoon, no one is allowed to work or even acquire any new knowledge. In other words, homework, studying, and even reading to gain knowledge is technically prohibited (Although you can learn from Synagogue).

• Friday evenings usually include hanging out with friends over dinner and an abundance of wine is often involved.

• On Saturdays, it is the norm to sleep in as long as one desires. It is the day of rest.

• No work can be done on Saturdays. This means no washing dishes or clothes, no “taking out the trash”, no “cleaning your room”, no washing cars, no cooking, and no yard work can be completed.

• No one is allowed to go to work on Saturdays or Friday Nights. These times are reserved for spending time with friends.

• Finally, to prove that the Sabbath is for teenage boys, a truly observant Jew will not shower or brush their teeth on the Sabbath.

So, all of you parents out there who struggle to get your teenage son or daughter to do any work, make sure they do not read the Talmud which gives the Rabbis explanations of how one is to observe the Sabbath. This will only give them a spiritual argument for laziness on the weekend. For all of you teenagers out there, just tell your teachers and bosses that it is against your belief in God to work on the Sabbath so you demand some religious tolerance. Shabbat Shalom.

For deeper thoughts on what the Sabbath means, please Click Here to read my more philosophical blog.