The Sabbath That Testifies to Creation and Warns Its Breakers

"You shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you" (Exodus 31:14). This is what Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: the Sabbath is handed over to you, and you are not handed over to the Sabbath. "For it is holy to you": this tells that the Sabbath always adds holiness to Israel. Why is this one's shop closed? Because he keeps the Sabbath. Why is that one idle from his work? Because he keeps the Sabbath. And he thereby testifies before the One who spoke and the world came into being that He created the world in the six days of creation and rested on the seventh day. So it says, "You are My witnesses, says the LORD, and I am God" (Isaiah 43:10). "Those who profane it shall surely be put to death" (Exodus 31:14). Why is this said? Because it says, "Whoever does work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death" (Exodus 31:15), we have heard the punishment but not the warning; Scripture teaches, saying, "The seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall do no manner of work" (Exodus 20:10). I would know only of punishment and warning for daytime work; punishment and warning for nighttime work from where? Scripture teaches, "Those who profane it shall surely be put to death." We have heard the punishment but not the warning; Scripture teaches, "The seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD"; the word "sabbath" need not be stated except to bring the night under the warning. These are the words of Rabbi Achi son of Rabbi Yoshiyah. Rabbi Yehudah ben Beterah says: If gentiles came to a city and Israelites profaned the Sabbath [in defense], one might think that Israel would say, since we have already profaned part of it, let the whole Sabbath be profaned; Scripture teaches, "Those who profane it shall surely be put to death": even for the blink of an eye, "those who profane it shall surely be put to death." "For whoever does work on it" (Exodus 31:14): until he does a complete labor. If one wrote a single letter in the morning and a single letter toward evening, or wove one thread in the morning and one thread toward evening, I might think he is liable; Scripture teaches, "For whoever does work on it," until he does a complete labor. "Shall be cut off": why is this said? Because it says, "Those who profane it shall surely be put to death," I would know only of one who acted deliberately with the warning of witnesses; one who acted deliberately by himself, from where? Scripture teaches, "shall be cut off," to include the one who acted deliberately by himself. "Shall be cut off": cutting off means nothing other than the ending of the soul. "That [soul]": when it acted deliberately, the words of Rabbi Akiva. "From the midst of its people": but its people are at peace.