When I was a kid, I tried to get out of as much work as humanly possible. (I guess I still do that sometimes, but that’s neither here nor there).
As such, my 12-year-old self would have absolutely loved the statements in Leviticus 23 about setting aside time each week to “do no laborious work.” It’s mentioned six times in this chapter alone, and pops up twelve times total in Leviticus.
But what does God mean when He says that the people of Israel are to do “no laborious work” on these days? What actually counts as laborious? What counts as work?
If you look at parallel versions of this verse (I use the New American Standard Bible), you’ll see a smattering of different words in play. Some render this as “ordinary work,” others translate it as “customary work.”
If we take those at face value, the idea seems to be work that is in line what one would normally do. A 9-5 job, in other words—something that you are actively engaged in as a general occupation through your life. That’s what you’re supposed to avoid.
The Jews didn’t leave it at that, though. They outlined 39 different categories for work, and includes domestic activities such as grinding flour, kneading dough, and tying knots in the construction of a tent.
These types of activities were only forbidden on the Sabbath, though. That rest mirrored what the Israelites were charged with concerning the collection of manna. Back in Exodus 16, they were told to collect a day’s portion every day except Friday, when they took in twice as much to sustain them through the Sabbath.
The only feast day that had this idea of total rest was the Day of Atonement. In Leviticus 23:26-31, Israel was to do “no work at all.” Anyone who tried to do any kind of labor was executed.
The other six festivals used the phrase “laborious” or “ordinary work.” During those times, Jews were prohibited from engaging in the regular type of work they performed on a regular basis. Food preparation and domestic activities were approved.
Even though we’re not bound by these law codes anymore, I find myself trying to adopt a similar mindset. Instead of hustling 24/7 and trying to do more and create more and be more, there is a lot of value in the rest that God mandates. Not just in relaxation though, but in the focus on Him.
The activities of everyday life sometimes blind us to the One who gives us life in the first place.
