 The Yahrtzeit of Nehemiah is either on the 9th or 10th of Tevet. Nehemiah changed the way we keep Shabbat. We dedicate this edition of The Music of Halacha to his merit in the
hope that we can learn from the entire process of Nehemiah’s decrees, and learn how to enhance and protect our Shabbat:
I. The Book of Nehemiah
Nehemiah 13:15-22: In those days I have seen in Judah people treading wine-vats on the Sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and lading on the donkeys, and also, wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, they are bringing in to Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day, and I warned them on the day of their selling provision. And the Tyrians who dwelled there, bringing in fish, and every ware, and selling on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah and in Jerusalem.
So I contended with the aristocrats of Judah, and I said to them, 'what is this evil thing that you are doing, and desecrating the Sabbath-day? Did not your fathers do this and our Lord brought all this evil upon us, and on this city, and you are adding wrath on Israel, by desecrating the Sabbath.'
And it came to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem cast shadows before the Sabbath, that I spoke the order, and the doors were shut, and I spoke the order, that they do not open them till after the Sabbath. I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no burden could come in on the Sabbath-day. And they lodged -- the merchants and sellers of all ware -- at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice, and I warned them, and said to them, 'Why are you lodging over-against the wall? If you repeat this, I will send a force against you!'
From that time onward they did not come in on the Sabbath. And I said to the Levites, that they should regularly purify themselves and come as guards of the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Also, this, remember for me,
O my God, and have pity on me, according to the abundance of Your kindness.
Nehemiah was not battling the violation of the Shabbat laws; he was fighting against the violation of the spirit of Shabbat. It is possible to observe all the Biblical laws of Shabbat and carry on business as usual.
II. The Talmud
The Talmud elaborates: Our Rabbis taught: At first they [the Sages] ruled, Three utensils may be handled on the Sabbath: A fig-cake knife, a pot soup ladle, and a small table-knife. Then they permitted [other articles], and they permitted again [still more], and they permitted still further, until they ruled: All utensils may be handled on the Sabbath except a large saw and the pin of a plough.
R. Hanina said: This Mishna was taught in the days of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah, for it is written, “In those days I saw in Judah some treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves.” (Shabbat 123b)
Nehemiah did not impose a permanent law. He used his decree of Muktzah as an awareness training exercise. He began by forbidding anything other than three absolutely necessary utensils, and then, as people began to appreciate that they had to create the spirit of Shabbat in their lives, slowly expanded what was permitted.
In fact, Tosafot (Bava Kammah 94b sv. Bimei Rebbi) teaches that the expression “was taught in the days,” means that the rules applied only to those times! Nehemiah imposed his decrees on his generation.
III. The Ramban
The Ramban describes in detail what Shabbat would be like without Nehemiah’s approach: A farmer could perform many of his strenuous chores on Shabbat. Bushels of produce and sacks of flour could be measured and weighed. These heavy items could then be carried even across wide tracts of land into silos and storage buildings. A barn or garage could be cleared of rocks, hay, or heavy tools to make needed storage place. Eggs could be collected from chickens and used on Shabbat.
It would be possible for many people to ply their trades on Shabbat. In an area enclosed by an Eruv people could commute on public transportation. Stores could buy and sell as usual.
 IV. Application
There are hundreds of laws regulating our Shabbat observance. However, we can still apply Nehemiah’s ideas:
It is up to us to create the spirit of Shabbat in our homes and lives.
We should use temporary measures to remind us of the areas of Shabbat laws in which we are weak. If we are lax in our observance of the laws of cooking on Shabbat, we should not cook at all for a few weeks, and then slowly expand what we allow ourselves to do.
If we have difficulty maintaining proper Shabbat speech over the Shabbat table, we should prohibit any speech other than Torah or what is necessary for the meal, until the family has a better sense of which speech is appropriate at the Shabbat table. We can then slowly expand the conversations allowed at the Shabbat table.
Nehemiah ordered the Leviim who would guard the gates to first purify themselves! People who assume the responsibility, as “Guardians of Shabbat” must only do so in the greatest purity. We cannot push our family members or friends or students to be more careful if we are not striving for purity!
Why purity?
I’ll leave that to you.
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