A year ago, I uploaded a video on YouTube regarding a correction to a previous message about food preparation on the Shabbat titled “Important questions for Shabbat,” and in this brief correction video I explained that I no longer keep food warm using a crockpot on the Shabbat. And just to be clear cooking food on the Shabbat was never an option to begin with nor the use of a microwave. So, I would like to give a detailed explanation as to why I no longer even use a crockpot to warm up food.
Exodus 16:23 (Aramaic Peshitta)
“And it came to pass that on the SIXTH DAY they gathered TWICE AS MUCH BREAD, two omers for one person; and all the elders of the congregation came and told Moses. Moses said to them, This is what YAHWEH has said, Tomorrow is a day of set apart rest a Shabbat to YAHWEH; bake that which you will bake today, and cook what you will cook; and that which is left over, KEEP IT COLD for yourselves until the morning.” Verse 35 “And the children of Yisra’el did eat manna for FORTY YEARS until they came to an inhabited land; they did eat manna until they reached the border of the land of Canaan.”
The traditional interpretation of this scripture was not cook on the Shabbat, but that strict interpretation has come into question over the past few years, and many are allowing it, but praise YAHWEH for revealing the truth through the ancient texts like the Aramaic and the Dead Sea Scrolls. As we can see Moses not only told them not to gather the manna, but also that they must cook and bake whatever they would be eating for the Shabbat, so that they would not have to cook it on the Shabbat which would require a fire. Furthermore, YAHWEH gave TWICE as much manna on the sixth day (the preparation day) to truly show that He wants His children to completely rest on the Shabbat. YAHWEH has already given us the pattern to follow, which means that we need to prepare everything on the sixth day (Friday) before the sunsets. The weekly seventh day Shabbat is a Shabbat Shabbaton, a day for complete stopping/complete ceasing from all activity! And this occurred for forty years in the wilderness so that they would truly get the point!
Jubilees and the Zadok priests in the Damascus Document agree with what is written in the Aramaic. Firstly, is the book of Jubilees inspired and authoritative?
Torah.com says this: “What is “Torah” in Second Temple Texts? In the Second Temple Period, “Torah was not limited to the Five Books of Moses. The Book of Jubilees and the Temple Scroll saw themselves as “Torah”…”
Jubilees 2:29
“Declare and say to the children of Yisra’el: the Torah of this day both that they should guard Shabbat on it, and that they should not forsake it IN THE ERROR OF THEIR HEARTS. It is not lawful to do any work on it which is unseemly, to do their own pleasure, AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT PREPARE ANYTHING TO BE EATEN OR DRUNK ON IT, and it is not lawful to draw water, or bring in, or take out through their gates any burden, WHICH THEY HAD NOT PREPARED FOR THEMSELVES ON THE SIXTH DAY in their dwellings.”
Preparing food on the Shabbat is an “error of the heart” because the “desire” of man is to do what pleases the flesh, and the flesh wants to make the Shabbat like the other six days which produces justification for violating the Shabbat. An “error of the heart” is the perfect explanation because we have already been warned about the heart.
Jeremiah 17:9 (Aramaic Peshitta)
“The HEART IS STUBBORN ABOVE ALL THINGS: who can understand it?”
Proverbs 14:12 (Aramaic)
“There is a way which SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Jubilees 50:9
“You shall do no work WHATSOEVER on Shabbat Day EXCEPT WHAT YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR YOURSELVES ON THE SIXTH DAY, so as to eat, and drink, and rest, and keep Shabbat FROM ALL WORK ON THAT DAY, and to bless YAHWEH your ELOHIM, Who has given you a day of Feast and a set-apart day, and a day of the set-apart kingdom for all Yisra’el is this day among their days forever.”
No matter how anyone tries to define what constitutes as work, Jubilees says that cooking is work! This goes completely against anyone who is saying you can cook up some beef bacon, eggs, grits, biscuits, with some freshly squeezed orange juice on the Shabbat!
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines prepare as: “The meaning of PREPARE is to make ready BEFOREHAND for some purpose, use, or activity.”
In the Damascus Document, under the section titled “Shabbat Laws” it is written:
Covenant of Damascus 10:22
“Let no person EAT ANYTHING ON THE SHABBAT EXCEPT WHAT HE HAS PREPARED (BEFORE THE SHABBAT).”
Covenant of Damascus 10:22 (Penguin classics)
“NO MAN shall eat on the Shabbat day except that which IS ALREADY PREPARED.”
The Zadok priests who followed YAHWEH completely followed the exact instructions that Moses gave to the children of Yisra’el in the wilderness and what is written in Jubilees. Furthermore, a footnote from Steven Fraade on page 98 states:
“10:22: except what has been prepared (before the Shabbat). Food preparation could not take place on the Shabbat, but had to have been COMPLETED BEFORE THE SHABBAT BEGAN. For the same rule, see Jubilees 2:29; 50:9. This may be based on the manna story, Exodus 16:5, 29, in which the food for the seventh day was delivered on the sixth. Josephus (J.W. 2.147) speaks on the Essenes preparing their food on the day before the Shabbat so as NOT TO HAVE TO KINDLE A FIRE ON THE SHABBAT.”
They are not “Essenes” but rather the Zadok Priests, Levites, and converts of the Way. And they did not cook on the Shabbat nor did they warm food on the Shabbat, because a fire would have to be used to do both. We also have another witness with the Samaritans.
In the Samaritan Torah on page 204, Benyamim Tsedaka the translator explains how the Samaritans observe the Shabbat:
“31:14 And you are to keep the Shabbat, for it is set-apart to you”---‘Till present times the Israelite Samaritans have kept the Shabbat AS IT IS WRITTEN, IN A VERY STRICT WAY. On Friday afternoon PREPARATIONS for the Shabbat begin including washing, and purifying the body, and changing the weekday clothes to Shabbat clothes. The clothing for the men includes a long-sleeved floor length robe in different colors, thick for the wintertime and light for the spring and summertime. It is tied with a belt, the same material as the robe. When entering the synagogue heads are covered. The priests wear red turbans on weekdays and white turbans on the Shabbat. The women of the family, along with the children, PREPARE THE FRIDAY EVENING MEAL. When the Shabbat draws near, the COOKED FOOD IS TAKEN OFF THE STOVE AND COVERED BY A THICK BLANKET.”
On page 206 he states:
“Young boys, and girls begin to read with the group around the age of seven. At the end of the reading, hot drinks (STORED IN THERMOSES BEFORE SHABBAT) and pastries are served. Afterwards, the people retire to their Shabbat morning meals, prepared by the women. THIS MEAL CONSISTS OF A LARGE VARIETY OF COLD SALADS.”
This again is a direct match with Exodus 16:23 in the Aramaic “bake that which you will bake today, and cook what you will cook; and that which is left over, KEEP IT COLD for yourselves until the morning.” The Samaritans interpretation and observance of the Shabbat matches what we read about the Qumran community in the Damascus Document and what Josephus said about them not kindling a fire on the Shabbat for food.
We see that the Samaritans take the cooked food off of the stove before the Shabbat to and cover it with a thick blanket to keep the food warm, and if they want a hot drink, it is liquid that has been kept warm in a thermos, and not heated on a stove nor a microwave. And if there was any doubt, we see that they eat cold salads on the Shabbat.
The warning:
Covenant of Damascus 12:2-3
“Anyone who is controlled by the spirits of Belial and teaches apostasy/rebellion shall be judged as a NECROMANCER OR WIZARD. ANYONE WHO LEADS PEOPLE ASTRAY BY TEACHING THEM TO DEFILE/PROFANE THE SHABBATS or Festivals (AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM) should not be put to death but, instead it is the responsibility of the order of the Sons of Adam (custody of men) to watch him, and when he is healed of HERESY, he should be watched for seven years and then allowed back into the Congregation.”
Cooking on the Shabbat profanes the Shabbat because it is work, and those who teach others to profane the Shabbat are viewed as heretics, necromancers and wizards, and not just them, but also those who follow them, so this is not a light matter.
Covenant of Damascus 1:18
“These “SEEKERS OF SMOOTH THINGS” chose deceit and LOOPHOLES IN THE LAW.”
Seekers of smooth things are those who are lax and lenient in their interpretation of the Torah to appease the flesh! One thing we must always keep in mind is:
1 John 5:3 (Aramaic)
“For this is the love of ELOHIM, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are NOT DIFFICULT.”
It cannot be a coincidence that Exodus 16:23, Jubilees, The Zadok Priests, and the Samaritans all agree that there is no cooking on the Shabbat, and we have witnesses against the warming of food as well! Let us return to the ancient path and put our desires aside on the Shabbat! There are plenty of delicious foods to eat cold or room temperature such as salads, subs, cakes, cookies, sardines, smoked fish, fruits, vegetables and more, this is by no means an exhaustive list and there are many great creative ideas out there.
As always may YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!