Deuteronomy 5:12-15
““‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you. You shall labor six days, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. In it you shall not do any work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.’”
This passage is part of Moses' address to the Israelites as they stand on the edge of the Promised Land, recounting the giving of the Ten Commandments. It re-establishes foundational principles for their community, reminding them of their history and identity as a people freed from oppression.
What systems or pressures in our lives make it difficult to cease from work and ensure rest for ourselves and others?