The Origins and Meaning of Shabbat

Last Saturday’s Torah reading of Vayakhel begins with an injunction to observe the Sabbath, one of the several times the holy day is mentioned in the book of Exodus alone. The commandment to observe a day of rest, explains Jon D. Levenson in conversation with Helen Bond and David Roos, was originally a distinctive feature of Judaism, with few if any parallels in other ancient cultures. Levenson also discusses various theories about Shabbat’s origins, the New Testament’s approach to the Sabbath observance, and the meaning of what he terms “Israel’s day of light and joy.” (Audio, 57 minutes.)