Why is the celebration of Shabbos limited only to the Jewish people? Gentiles are forbidden to keep Shabbos; they have no right.
ANSWER:
Because Shabbos is a very big privilege. Gentiles are supposed to know the creation of the world from nothing, but to celebrate Shabbos is like entering a sanctuary. You know Shabbos has thirty nine forms of forbidden work, and it's a parallel to the thirty nine forms of work that were done to construct the Tabernacle, the Mishkan.
What's the parallel? Because Shabbos is also a sanctuary. The Mishkan is a sanctuary which was made with thirty nine forms of work, weaving, spinning and so on, and Shabbos is a sanctuary. And just as in the Mishkan only the kohanim are privileged to enter, and anybody else that enters has a very severe iniquity, and so Shabbos is a sanctuary that only those who are privileged are permitted to enter.
Shabbos is a gift; it's a gift to the Jewish people. And that's what we say, v'lo nosato Hashem Elokeinu l'goyei hoarotzos, You didn't give this gift to the nations of the world. And if Gentiles practice Shabbos they're stealing what does not belong to them; they haven't earned that privilege. Shabbos is a great honor, yom v'lyla kayitz v'choref lo yishbosu, they cannot keep Shabbos, it's forbidden for a Gentile.
Suppose somebody today would hang up a sign near his door, Doctor so-and-so. So he could get arrested. Therefore if a Gentile will practice Shabbos, he's hanging out the sign, he has no right. It's an honor that's not for him.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Important Numbers
