Volunteering to help the poor on the Sabbath ok?

[mystic]

Hey guys, there is a food pantry here which shares out food to the homeless or anyone who needs it on a Saturday morning. I was always thinking of helping out and since Jesus said it's ok to do good on the sabbath. On the other hand Christ I think was referring to helping out someone "in a situation" maybe like if someone should have a crisis on Sabbath then we help them but since this would be a volunteering ongoing situation not sure this will be ok.

One SDA person told me:

The Sabbath is holy (Genesis 2:1-3); therefore it is wrong to bring into its sacred hours that which is common. The Sabbath is defiled when any unnecessary work is done upon it. Acts of mercy, of necessity, or of religious observance are not forbidden on that day (Matthew 12:1-13; Mark 2:23-28.) There are still some jobs in the medical field that have to be carried on. The Bible records that Jesus, by His example, shows that it is right to relieve suffering on the Sabbath day, and that by relieving the afflicted we can bring honor to His day. But it is still best to try to choose shifts that will allow a person to be off on the Sabbath whenever possible, so that one's spiritual life does not suffer. There are times when we must take our turn, or emergencies arise where we must do duty on the Sabbath, but I feel the money we make on that day should be put in God's treasury. I know of many conscientious Sabbath-keepers who do this and those God honors and blesses in a great way.

Any thoughts on this please?

[alon]

Jan 13, 2020 5:57:17 GMT -8 mystic said:

Hey guys, there is a food pantry here which shares out food to the homeless or anyone who needs it on a Saturday morning. I was always thinking of helping out and since Jesus said it's ok to do good on the sabbath. On the other hand Christ I think was referring to helping out someone "in a situation" maybe like if someone should have a crisis on Sabbath then we help them but since this would be a volunteering ongoing situation not sure this will be ok.

One SDA person told me:

The Sabbath is holy (Genesis 2:1-3); therefore it is wrong to bring into its sacred hours that which is common. The Sabbath is defiled when any unnecessary work is done upon it. Acts of mercy, of necessity, or of religious observance are not forbidden on that day (Matthew 12:1-13; Mark 2:23-28.) There are still some jobs in the medical field that have to be carried on. The Bible records that Jesus, by His example, shows that it is right to relieve suffering on the Sabbath day, and that by relieving the afflicted we can bring honor to His day. But it is still best to try to choose shifts that will allow a person to be off on the Sabbath whenever possible, so that one's spiritual life does not suffer. There are times when we must take our turn, or emergencies arise where we must do duty on the Sabbath, but I feel the money we make on that day should be put in God's treasury. I know of many conscientious Sabbath-keepers who do this and those God honors and blesses in a great way.

Any thoughts on this please?

While the SDA perspective there is mostly correct, I think it is too absolute. Since most food banks operate on Saturdays (some exclusively so) I think if you want to volunteer there it wouldn't be a problem. While it is preferable a mitzvah which breaks Shabbat would be for something that is done as a witness for HaShem, doing something to help the needy without any expectation of personal gain is OK. As he said, "The Bible records that Jesus, by His example, shows that it is right to relieve suffering on the Sabbath day, and that by relieving the afflicted we can bring honor to His day." Relieving hunger is a huge thing. I'd agree with him that if they are open during the week and need help then it would be better. However typically those Saturday shifts are the hardest to fill. So I see nothing wrong with volunteering a few hours on Shabbat. This is just my opinion.

This is especially true where, if I recall your situation correctly you need to get out of the house a bit on Shabbat. If it were interfering with your worship it would be a different matter. But you have no synagogue, right? I guess I see it as we can make this so rigid it is more a chore than a blessing to observe Shabbat. If doing something to help others helps your shalom on Shabbat, then I see no problems. Whenever I do break Shabbat to do a mitzvah, I still ask forgiveness. But there is nothing to repent of. I just respect His Shabbat enough to say sorry when I break it, even for good reason.

I also don't think that emergency services personnel working their regular rotation on weekends or called out in emergent situations should be pressured to donate that portion of their pay earned on Shabbat. That is their livelihood, and nowhere does it say take food off the family table to enrich the church. If they can afford it and want to give it back that certainly is an admirable gesture. But they should not boast of it or try to pressure others to do the same.

Again,  I cannot make halacha, nor rule on it. This is all my opinion. So pray about it, weigh all the factors (especially the commandments about Shabbat) and decide for yourself. But I see no problems there based on my limited information.

Dan C

[mystic]

Thanks. Way I see it as the SDA said "Acts of mercy are not forbidden on that day" so what better act of mercy than to help feed the hungry and if that is the only day on which it can done then so be it.

Also since "The Bible records that Jesus, by His example, shows that it is right to relieve suffering on the Sabbath day, and that by relieving the afflicted we can bring honor to His day" this too to me is suggesting the same thing that by feeding the hungry we are relieving suffering, not so?


Great point too that since the Food Bank only operates only that day, if everyone involved are Sabbath observers and should choose not to feed the hungry on that day the only day when they are able to do so then a lot of people go hungry because of this. I am not seeing how that will please God?

[mystic]

I think this scripture suggests it's ok for me to help feed the hungry on the Sabbath? This was not a "crisis" situation rather Christ called the man out of compassion to help him, is this correct?

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored

[alon]

Mark 3:1-6 (ESV) Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand.  And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.  And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.”  And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.  And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.  The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

That is an excellent example of exactly what you are asking about. Well spotted! Doing a mitzvah is always allowed, especially I'd say like feeding the poor.

The Herodians spoken of here were probably more secular Jews who wanted to restore the Herodian dynasty.  They may have included Sadducees, who were in power in the Sanhedrin due to their support from Rome. History is unclear on them. Either way the actions of the Pharisaic leadership in uniting with the Herodians was tantamount to treason. Yeshua saw through their heart condition. This overly strict building of fences and enforcing them like they were was what He opposed. e Himself built fences around . The Sermon on the Mount is full of them! But they were gentle, meant to protect the individual and the nation from sin. His fences never prevented anyone from doing good!

This is why I always speak against making this hard on ourselves. Often in our zeal to keep we impose our own fences which are too strict. We worry incessantly if we are doing things "right." And we miss the joy and freedom that is in obedience. Now this is not an excuse to sin. If something is clearly wrong then leave it! But making this unworkable was never God's intent. Relax. Do good for its own sake, even on the Sabbath.

I know, we'll still worry if we are doing right. That's because our hearts are in the right place. But we also can rest in His grace, that says it is ok to make honest mistakes. It's ok to get it wrong. Just if He ever shows us clearly something is wrong the, at that time we become absolutely responsible for it. But trust God to bring you into truth in His time.

And again, I see nothing wrong in doing this based on what you've told me. Just look at all the variables, do as much as you can ahead of time (buy transportation passes ahead if possible, tings like that), then do whatever you must to get the job done on Shabbat. But again, I hold no authority in making halacha. This is just my opinion and advice. Anyone here may question it.

Dan C 

[mystic]

Thanks, yeah I believe in giving mercy ahead of sacrifice just got to be careful not to completely go against Sabbath rules. Maybe I can find a task in the process which is not strenuous as an example so I would still be keeping the "rest" part of the command.

[alon]

Jan 22, 2020 6:22:20 GMT -8 mystic said:

Thanks, yeah I believe in giving mercy ahead of sacrifice just got to be careful not to completely go against Sabbath rules. Maybe I can find a task in the process which is not strenuous as an example so I would still be keeping the "rest" part of the command.

I don't think strenuous is the problem halachically. The problem would be if you say "I'm here, and there is a movie I want to see so I'll catch that on the way back." Or if you could purchases a pass ahead of time but instead chose to just pay for the trip every Shabbat. Things like that as examples. But if you are going there to help, then help where they need it. And you may have to give out treif foods. As long as you don't eat them yourself, I'd say there is no sin in handing out cans of Pork and Beans. Their need is food, and those are the kinds of things they eat. Just do the job you volunteered for and help.

My ex-Rabbi's wife is a chef. She used to prepare dishes with pork, shrimp, etc as part of her job. To do them right, she had to taste them; so she would taste, then spit it out in something (sink, scullery, can or bucket ...). Legal or not legal? Many would say not, and truthfully it bothered me when I learned of it. However as I thought about itthe higher mitzvah was to do a good job for her employer. The restaurant's continued existence depended on her getting things right. So yeah, it's pretty much stretching halacha to do that. And she left that for a position where she didn't have to as soon as she could. But it goes back to what I say, don't make this impossible, or any harder than you have to.

Dan C 

[mystic]

Got it.

[madison5]

According to Exodus 31:15 which says "On six days work will get done; but the seventh day is Shabbat, for complete rest, set apart for Adonai.  Whoever does any work on the day of Shabbat must be put to death." (CJB), is a reminder to me that volunteering is the same as doing a good deed or mitzvah.  Adonai doesn't want us to engage in doing manual labor on Shabbat unless it is mandatory.  Personally, my husband and I try not to conduct business on Shabbat and wait until sundown which is the next day.

Madison5

[alon]

Jan 28, 2020 19:06:22 GMT -8 madison5 said:

According to Exodus 31:15 which says "On six days work will get done; but the seventh day is Shabbat, for complete rest, set apart for Adonai.  Whoever does any work on the day of Shabbat must be put to death." (CJB), is a reminder to me that volunteering is the same as doing a good deed or mitzvah.  Adonai doesn't want us to engage in doing manual labor on Shabbat unless it is mandatory.  Personally, my husband and I try not to conduct business on Shabbat and wait until sundown which is the next day.

Madison5

That is very commendable, and certainly it is the ideal. However the question arises here about whether doing a mitzvah to feed the poor is lawful on Shabbat. And like you, I go to scripture for my answer:

Matthew 12:3-7 (NASB) But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions,  how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?  Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?  But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.  But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion [mercy], and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Leviticus 24:8 (NASB) Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the Lord continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel.

So there are exceptions, and examples specifically in the context of feeding those in need. Then there are the examples of Yeshua healing on Shabbat, and the examples of getting livestock out of the ditch on Shabbat. Livestock has to be fed, watered, and cared for on Shabbat just like any other day as well. I am not saying we can ignore the commandment. I am saying we can treat it too literally and in so doing violate other commandments.

Proverbs 12:10 (NASB) A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

Deuteronomy 22:4 (NASB) You shall not see your countryman’s donkey or his ox fallen down on the way, and pay no attention to them; you shall certainly help him to raise them up.

There is another issue here. Most who come here here from divided homes and have no  assembly to meet with. For those fortunate enough to be able to go to synagogue, or whose spouse is Messianic and so you can practice a proper Shabbat, it is (or can be) a wonderful thing. However for most of us our Shabbat experience is just like a hole in our week. Whatever we do it will be solo, and so honestly much of the meaning is lost. MJ is not meant to be a solo sport, however for many this is by necessity the case. I can actually see helping feed the poor as a type of worship, at least preferable to sitting alone going through the motions in some parody of Shabbat ritual. Again, my opinion- and I certainly don't disagree with you- in fact, it sounds like we are at least partially in agreement. But I think we can make this too restrictive, too absolute, and too hard on ourselves. That will take the joy right out of what we are doing. It is also the kind of thing Yeshua got after the Pharisaic leaders about.

I definitely would caution us about abusing this principle though. Keep an eye on motivation, as well as can this be done on a different day. Will it cause me to break other commandments? And so on ...

Dan C 

Edit: cleaned it up a bit. Also, this to me is a bit of a grey area- mostly because I cannot know all the variables informing someone's decision. Neither do I know everything about scripture. So I am not being arbitrary here at all- far from it! Just giving advice like anyone else, and more than willing to enter into discussion on it.