Erev Shabbat Jewish Blogging
Mar. 24th, 2006 04:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gnomiThis week, observing and remembering.
The word we use for observing or guarding is "shomer" or "shemira." There are many things we're told to be "shomer." In fact, the Torah uses "shomer" to command us -- multiple times -- to observe the laws given by Hashem.
The word "zachor" means "remember." There are things that we are specifically told to remember: the day we left Egypt (see Exodus 12:14), what Amalek did when we left Egypt (see Deuteronomy 25:17).
With regards to Shabbat, we are told both. In the Torah, the Aseret HaDibrot (10 Commandments) appear twice, once in Exodus and once in Deuteronomy. In Exodus, we are told "zachor," and in Deuteronomy, we are told "shamor." And tradition has it that the two words were spoken simultaneously when the Commandments were given. There are aspects of both remembering and observing in the way we keep Shabbat, and thus both words apply.
Shabbat shalom!
The word we use for observing or guarding is "shomer" or "shemira." There are many things we're told to be "shomer." In fact, the Torah uses "shomer" to command us -- multiple times -- to observe the laws given by Hashem.
The word "zachor" means "remember." There are things that we are specifically told to remember: the day we left Egypt (see Exodus 12:14), what Amalek did when we left Egypt (see Deuteronomy 25:17).
With regards to Shabbat, we are told both. In the Torah, the Aseret HaDibrot (10 Commandments) appear twice, once in Exodus and once in Deuteronomy. In Exodus, we are told "zachor," and in Deuteronomy, we are told "shamor." And tradition has it that the two words were spoken simultaneously when the Commandments were given. There are aspects of both remembering and observing in the way we keep Shabbat, and thus both words apply.
Shabbat shalom!
