Guard My Sabbaths, the Sign and the Foretaste of the World to Come

"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying" (Exodus 31:12-13) — not through an angel and not through a messenger. "You shall keep My sabbaths." Why is this said? Because it says, "You shall not do any work" (Exodus 20:10), I would know only matters that are forbidden as labor; from where do I know matters forbidden as resting [shevut]? Scripture teaches, "Yet you shall keep My sabbaths," to include matters forbidden as resting. "For it is a sign between Me and you" — and not between Me and the nations. "To know" — why is this said? Because it says, "And the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath," I might hear that even a deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor are included; Scripture teaches, "to know" — I spoke only of one who has understanding. "For I am the LORD who sanctifies you" — in the World to Come, like the sanctity of the Sabbath, which is a foretaste of the World to Come. And so it says, "A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day" (Psalms 92:1) — for the day that is wholly Sabbath. One who knows the essence of the Sabbath and performs many labors on many sabbaths is liable for each and every sabbath. One who knows that it is the Sabbath and performs many labors on many sabbaths is liable for each principal category of labor. From where are these matters derived? Two verses are written: "And the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath," and it is written, "You shall keep My sabbaths" (Leviticus 19:3). How so? "And the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath" — an observance for each and every sabbath; "and you shall keep My sabbaths" — a single observance for many sabbaths.