I am working in a company which is open 24/7.And it says in the Bible that we can work just six times, is it ok ,that we could rest once a week but not on sunday?
Answer:
it is true that the Bible states that one should rest on the Sabbath, which is the seventh day of the week (Saturday). However, according to the Jewish tradition, this instruction is limited to Jews, and does not apply to non-Jews, for whom there is no obligation of resting one day a week. Judaism maintains that there are a number of Noahide laws, which apply to all of humanity, but resting one day a week is not among them. Yet, on a practical level, it is certainly advisable to have a day of rest, and as far as Judaism is concerned you can choose whichever day is convenient.
The eitzah to set a day of rest may require some qualification.
There is an issur of yomam ve-laila lo yishbosu that prohibits non-Jews from regularly observing any specific day as a day of rest even if the motives are not religious and even if that day is not saturday. See Sanhedrin 58b; Rashi ad loc.; Rambam & Ridbaz to Melachim 10:9; Igros Moshe OC II:9. Therefore, a non-Jew should not set a particular day as his day of rest.
Only the Yad Ramah seems to hold that one may select a regular day as a day of rest if there is no religious motivation.
Thanks for this.
I think that on the contrary, the Rambam (Melachim 10:9) implies that this is only true of a non-Jew who is “mechadesh das,” meaning who rests out of religious obligation (as he continues to say that it is done for a mitzvah).
This is also the assumption of the Maharsha (Beitzah 16) – and not like Rashi on Sanhedrin. This is in addition to the Rama that you note.
Although who are we to say, this opinion also stands to reason based on the idea behind the prohibition of emulating the Jews.
Best wishes.
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