Taamei Hamitzvos - Shabbos Boundaries
SHABBOS BOUNDARIES
(Mitzvah #24 in Sefer HaChinuch)
See that Hashem has granted you the Shabbos. Therefore, on the sixth day [of the week] He gives you bread for two days. Let every man remain where he is; no man shall leave his place on the seventh day
(Shemos 16:29).
THE MITZVAH
When Hashem sustained the Jewish people with manna in the Wilderness, He gave a double portion on Erev Shabbos and commanded them not to leave their places to gather it on Shabbos. The Sages interpret the words “no man shall leave his place on the seventh day”as a mitzvah for all generations, that we may not travel outside the city on Shabbos. Noting that the “place” mentioned in the verse refers to the Jewish encampment, which measures twelve mil by twelve mil, the Sages infer that one may travel up to this distance outside a city on Shabbos. As a safeguard, the Sages decreed a further restriction, decreasing the permitted distance to onemil (Chinuch). One mil is approximately 1 kilometer, or 0.6 miles.
REASON ONE: A DAY OF REST
We are commanded to observe the seventh day as a day of rest so that we remember that the world has a Creator, Who completed His work and rested on this day. The Torah therefore forbids the highly strenuous activity of travelling. Until a distance of twelve mil, however, a walk may be considered pleasurable and restful (Chinuch §24).
REASON TWO: A DAY OF ABSTAINING FROM BUSINESS
This mitzvah was given in the Wilderness where the only source of livelihood was the manna; the command not to leave the encampment to get the manna was essentially a command not to pursue one’s livelihood (see Chizkuni). Even after that period of history, travelling always remains a primary means of doing business. The Torah thus limits our travel on the day of rest, measure to prevent us from engaging in the pursuit of our livelihood.
REASON THREE: A DAY AT HOME
“Let every man remain where he is”means that a person should stay home (Ibn Ezra). This indicates another facet of this mitzvah, in addition to the ‘travel ban’: We are commanded to be at total rest in our homes on the day of Shabbos.
REASON FOUR: A DAY OF APPRECIATION
During the week, we preoccupy ourselves with the pursuit of our needs and wants, and we cannot properly recognize and appreciate that which we already have. This is similar to the way that someone who is constantly moving around cannot focus on anything. On Shabbos, every Jew is commanded “Let every man remain where he is” so that he can appreciate what he already has and give thanks and praise to the Creator, as it is written, “Mizmor shir l’yom HaShabbos: Tov lehodos laHashem...A psalm of song for the day of Shabbos: It is good to thank Hashem….” (based partly on Ayalah Temimah).
REASON FIVE: A DAY OF SPIRITUAL PURSUIT
Shabbos is a holy day, on which our conduct must be distinctly holier than that of the week. For this reason, the Torah states, “Let every man remain where he is; no man shall leave His place on the seventh day.” “His place” alludes to Hashem’s place, as it is written “Blessed is Hashem’s glory from His place.” We dwell with Hashem throughout Shabbos by meditating upon His Torah. In order to enable our minds to better perceive the Torah, our souls expand on Shabbos, and our intellectual capacity increases correspondingly. This is one reason why the Torah at Sinai was given specifically on Shabbos (Rav Menachem HaBavli §13).
