)
The mitzva to “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy” (Exodus 20:7) requires us to remember two foundations of faith: Creation and divine providence. By creation, we mean remembering that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, and that He ensures the world’s continued existence. Divine providence is exemplified by the Exodus. When God took His nation out of Egypt, He made it clear He not only created the world, but He also supervises and manages it, punishing the wicked and rewarding the righteous. He chose the Jewish nation to be His special people, through whom it would be clear to the world that God is in charge, and through whom blessing would emanate to all the nations.
We remember the ideas associated with Shabbat by mentioning the creation of the world and the Exodus from Egypt in the Shabbat prayers and in the Kiddush (see below). However, the mitzva also requires the entire day to be sanctified, as the verse ends, “keep it holy.” All of Shabbat is meant to be spent on holy pursuits, which include studying Torah (such as by attending the sermons and classes of Torah scholars), as well as enjoying Shabbat by eating festive meals and resting.
