Q&A: Addition to the Sabbath
Addition to the Sabbath
Question
Hello and blessings!
I didn’t understand the conceptual inquiry regarding the addition to the Sabbath: is the time of the “addition” like the very essence of the Sabbath and the holiday itself, or is it an entirely ordinary weekday except that certain laws apply during that time from the moment one accepted the “addition” upon oneself?
How can one say that the addition is actually Sabbath (the practical difference being Friday afternoon prayer, etc.)?
After all, just as there cannot be a law that tells me a dog is a cat, how can a law tell me that Friday is Sabbath?
At the end of the day, a day is a factual, reality-based concept.
I understand that I’m probably missing something, but I can’t quite sharpen the point for myself fully.
Answer
The Sabbath is a halakhic concept. Therefore Jewish law can say that the Sabbath begins on Friday at 15:48. The question is whether the halakhic Sabbath itself begins earlier, or only its laws do.
Discussion on Answer
Because it is Sabbath.
So from your perspective, do you understand the opinions that say one can count the Omer then for the following day?
Even though there what matters is not the Sabbath but the next day?
The next day is Sabbath, and now it is Sabbath, so you can count.
I understand that Sabbath is a halakhic concept, but the inquiry says that the seventh day comes earlier—otherwise why wouldn’t it be possible to pray the Friday afternoon prayer then?