Wish to hear from an Orthodox Rabbi on Sabbath issue please?

[Tumah]

"Interpretation". Maybe you or someone else can show exactly where it says in Torah that a gentile cannot observe the Law? Matter of fact, they had to observe some of the Law when living in eretz Israel. Are you familiar with the term "God-Fearers" and what that referred to a couple of thousand years ago? What harm did they do to Judaism or Jews?

But the main point is simply how in any way does a gentile preferring to observe Shabbat negatively affect you or I? There's a Seventh-Day Adventist church walking distance from my home in the L.P., but I haven't been accosted and mugged because they "dare" to have services on Saturday.

So, to me, unless there's some established harm, let them do what they want instead of trying to micro-manage their religious lives.

Your tone seems as though you believe that there are Jews going around proselytizing to gentiles or something that they don't keep the Sabbath. No one is doing that. But there are Laws that apply to non-Jews just as there are Laws that apply to Jews. So if any gentiles are interested in knowing them, why shouldn't we let them know? In fact if they ask and we don't let them know, it might be a transgression of putting a stumbling block in front of a blind man.

If they come to ask what the G-d of the Jews expects of them and we inform them - as was done in this thread - isn't that helping them do what they want?

 

[metis]

Your tone seems as though you believe that there are Jews going around proselytizing to gentiles or something that they don't keep the Sabbath. No one is doing that. But there are Laws that apply to non-Jews just as there are Laws that apply to Jews. So if any gentiles are interested in knowing them, why shouldn't we let them know? In fact if they ask and we don't let them know, it might be a transgression of putting a stumbling block in front of a blind man.

If they come to ask what the G-d of the Jews expects of them and we inform them - as was done in this thread - isn't that helping them do what they want?

You're missing my point. I have no problem with the OP, nor the rabbinic responses to the OP. My original point is why do some have this teaching that stretches across religious lines to a group that is not Jewish nor whose practice entails Judaism? That was my point, especially in light of the fact that gentiles in Israel were and are required to observe some of the Law that formed what we may call "civil law". It's like we're saying "It's not proper to follow the Shabbat Laws, but you must follow the Law in reference to murder, theft, paying taxes, etc.".

 

[Tarheeler]

Gentlemen, this is the Orthodox Judaism DIR. If you do not identify as such, remember that you are a guest and your participation is limited as such, and if you do identify as such, remember that there is no debating in a DIR.

 

[Tumah]

You're missing my point. I have no problem with the OP, nor the rabbinic responses to the OP. My original point is why do some have this teaching that stretches across religious lines to a group that is not Jewish nor whose practice entails Judaism? That was my point, especially in light of the fact that gentiles in Israel were and are required to observe some of the Law that formed what we may call "civil law". It's like we're saying "It's not proper to follow the Shabbat Laws, but you must follow the Law in reference to murder, theft, paying taxes, etc.".

Everyone is required to recognize and serve G-d, not just Jews. The way to do so is described in the Torah that G-d gave us, just like it is for Jews.
I don't know what Judaism-specific laws are found in Israeli civil law that would apply to non-Jews, but I'd hardly equate that with religious Laws.

The Sabbath Law is part of the code of Jewish Laws which happens to also contain laws for murder, theft, etc. The Gentile Code of Law (ie. the Noahide Law) also contains laws for murder, theft, etc. But they are two identical laws within two separate codes of Law. Its not one code of Law with some applying to Jews and some to Gentiles. You can see this distinction in how one Noahide Law will contain multiple sub-categories, while in Jewish Law each sub-category is a separate Law. The Sabbath Law is not in their set of Laws. What we are saying is, G-d wants them to follow all their Laws. That doesn't mean that they can't choose individual Laws from our code. But there are a few that they can't choose from, one of them being the Sabbath. And the commentators give a few different reasons why that is so.

 

[rosends]

I thought that the simplest explanation is sourced in Exodus 31:16-17 which indicates that the observance is a sign between God and the Jews, so not anyone else.

 

[metis]

Everyone is required to recognize and serve G-d, not just Jews. The way to do so is described in the Torah that G-d gave us, just like it is for Jews.
I don't know what Judaism-specific laws are found in Israeli civil law that would apply to non-Jews, but I'd hardly equate that with religious Laws.

The Sabbath Law is part of the code of Jewish Laws which happens to also contain laws for murder, theft, etc. The Gentile Code of Law (ie. the Noahide Law) also contains laws for murder, theft, etc. But they are two identical laws within two separate codes of Law. Its not one code of Law with some applying to Jews and some to Gentiles. You can see this distinction in how one Noahide Law will contain multiple sub-categories, while in Jewish Law each sub-category is a separate Law. The Sabbath Law is not in their set of Laws. What we are saying is, G-d wants them to follow all their Laws. That doesn't mean that they can't choose individual Laws from our code. But there are a few that they can't choose from, one of them being the Sabbath. And the commentators give a few different reasons why that is so.

Thanks for the explanation.