Journal Mitzvah

Journal Mitzvah

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Ger Toshav - Shabbat Observance




As today’s rabbis debate whether a Ger Toshav may or must observe the Shabbat, this passage from Talmud Bavli Keritot 9a shows that Rabbi Akiva held held that the Ger Toshav is required to show a level of Shabbat observance, and while other sages disagree, nobody holds that the Ger Toshav may not observe the Shabbat as some irresponsible individuals today are claiming.

ואיכא דמתני לה על הדא דת"ר גר תושב מותר לעשות מלאכה בשבת
לעצמו כישראל בחולו של מועד

The Gemara comments: And there are those who teach this statement of Rav Adda bar Ahava with regard to this case, as the Sages taught in a baraita: A gentile who resides in Eretz Yisrael and observes the seven Noahide mitzvot [ger toshav] is permitted to perform labor on Shabbat for himself in the same manner that a Jew is permitted to perform labor on the intermediate days of a Festival, i.e., only for matters that, if unattended, will result in significant loss.

ר"ע אומר כישראל בי"ט ר' יוסי אומר גר תושב עושה בשבת לעצמו כישראל בחול רש"א ואחד גר תושב ואחד [עובד כוכבים] עבד ואמה התושבים עושין מלאכה בשבת לעצמן כישראל בחול:

The baraita continues: Rabbi Akiva says: A ger toshav may perform labor on Shabbat in the same manner that a Jew is permitted to perform labor on a Festival, i.e., only for the purpose of preparing food. Rabbi Yosei says: A ger toshav may perform labor on Shabbat for himself in the same manner that a Jew is permitted to perform labor on a weekday. Rabbi Shimon says: Both a ger toshav and a resident male or female slave may perform labor on Shabbat for themselves in the same manner that a Jew may perform labor on a weekday. According to this tradition, it is in relation to this baraita that Rav Adda bar Ahava said that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon.


By: Avraham ben Yaakov

Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum
Azamra Institute
P.O. Box 50037 Jerusalem 9150001 Israel 

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