How can the Sabbath be kept
in a NON-SABBATH world?

On July 17, 1986, the Sabbath became business news. The front page of the Wall Street Journal, the renowned business daily, carried a feature story, "Delicate Balance: Keeping the Sabbath and a Worldly Career Tests Religious Jews."

The subject of the news story was the 500,000 or 600,000 American Jews, mostly Orthodox, who strictly observe the Sabbath. They are a minority of a minority, for 5 million of their fellow Jews do not have the same religious convictions as the Shomer Shabbat (Sabbath observers or Sabbath-keepers).

As these Sabbath-keepers plunge into the American mainstream business world, their religious dedication is being tested, as well as the willingness of the majority to tolerate the religious practices of the few.

What's not to forget?

Wall Street Journal reporter Selwyn Feinstein describes several observant Jews, including Yoni Mozeson, whose father and grandfather are orthodox rabbis. Yoni writes copy for a Madison Avenue advertising agency, but is nevertheless true to his forebears. In the winter Mozeson leaves work on Fridays, as early as 3 p.m., to be home with his wife before sunset (which is the beginning of the Bible Sabbath). He takes off as many as thirteen days a year for Jewish holidays and leaves work early on the days before. His adherence to Bible dietary laws limits what he can eat with clients and colleagues. Mozeson states, "I never forget I'm a Jew living in a non-Jewish society."

Who were the pioneering Jewish Sabbath-keepers?

For generations many strict Jews shunned the outside world. Jewish professionals served primarily or only other Jews. Things began to change, however, beginning in the middle part of the twentieth century. Many Jews began attending Ivy League colleges where they were successful in getting kosher kitchens and alternatives to Saturday classes and exams. This made it easier for them, and other Sabbath-keepers, to follow their religious convictions.

How can the Sabbath be kept and NOT lose your job?

The Wall Street Journal article mentioned above stated:

"Most problems [of Sabbath observance] can be handled by deft planning and a willingness to make up for missed time."

Frederick Lawrence, as an assistant U.S. Attorney, worked "plenty of Saturday nights and Sundays" to catch up on work left over from early Friday departures and other religious days off. A Sabbath-observing lawyer advises, "you have to make people aware that you're going to be gone."

Dietary restrictions can be as easily handled. A Shomer Shabbat account coordinator keeps kosher at client lunches by ordering a green salad or fruit plate. A traveling metallurgist buys tuna from a store and turns in a low expense account.

What is the REAL test of keeping the Sabbath?

Many non-Jewish employers are learning to accommodate the religious practices of today's pioneering Sabbath-observant Jews. Some older Jews are fearful that the expansion of Jews into the business mainstream is a threat to the Jewish religion. They believe many of these Jews will gradually give up their Sabbath-keeping in order to compete in the business world.

"The real test," says Samuel Heilman, a professor of sociology at Queens College," is whether their children continue to be orthodox."

Is constant vigilance required?

The Wall Street Journal is to be commended for carrying such an informative, thought provoking article.

I am a Messianic "Shomer Shabbat," who works daily in the business world of a large corporation. I greatly appreciate the half-million Jews who honor the Eternal's Sabbath. Sometimes, I too fear that business will lead me away from the Sabbath. Would it be possible for me some Friday to "forget" the Sabbath and stay late working on a project that "must" be completed? Yes, it could happen. The answer is, as the Jews say, "constant vigilance." Those that keep the Sabbath must NEVER forget that they are living and working in a non-Sabbath-keeping world.

What is the delicate balance between business and beliefs?

There are MANY non-Jewish Sabbath-keepers in the United States. Sabbath-keepers who believe Jesus is the Messiah are being tested no less than those of Jewish Shomer Shabbat.

Many people in supervisory positions or who own their own business are usually reasonable in regard to accommodating others. A hard-working employee who is an asset to the company, who plans skillfully and is willing to make up for missed time, can usually stay Shomer Shabbat and employed. The employer knows that a good employee increases the company's profit. Five or six days from one hard worker is better than six or seven days from a lazy one. Let people know where you stand, in a positive way, and they will usually respect you for it.

The Wall Street Journal had it right when it stated it is a delicate balance to not let the cares of the business world choke one's religious convictions - especially Sabbath observance. We need to be aware of this, and be lights illuminating this world of spiritual darkness.

Is there a watered-down version of the Sabbath?

Unfortunately, there are many who keep only a watered-down version of the Sabbath rest. They are like the Reform Jews mentioned in the Journal article who wanted to pay a young Jewish singer to perform for Saturday afternoon parties, but the strict Sabbath-keeping woman and her colleagues would not work on the Sabbath. Jews who take the Sabbath lightly give it a bad name.

Shomer means "keeper" (Strong's Concordance #7763, meaning to guard or protect). This word should describe the way Sabbath keepers feel about the Sabbath.

The word kalal (Strong's Concordance #2490 and #2491) has the opposite meaning which is to pollute, profane or defile. Eight times this word is used in Ezekiel 20 to describe the pollution of the Holy Sabbath by the Almighty's own people. Two of these occurrences in the chapter are:

"Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness;  they did not walk in My statutes;  they despised My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them'; and they greatly defiled (Strong's #2490) My Sabbaths . . ."

"So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, 'flowing with milk and honey,' the glory of all lands, because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned (Strong's #2490) My Sabbaths . . . " (Ezekiel 20:13, 15-16, NKJV)

Another word, tame, (Strong's Concordance #2930), which means contaminated, defile or pollute is also used three times in Ezekiel 20.

Don't follow those who water down and pollute the Sabbath. Be a Shomer Shabbat (Sabbath Observer), not a Kalal Shabbat (Sabbath Polluter).