Chaggai,” asked Bina, “why did Hashem call the seventh day Shabbos? Doesn’t Shabbos mean that He rested? Was G–d tired after He created the world?”

“Of course not!” said Benny indignantly. “Hashem is never tired! Besides, He didn’t have to do any work. He created the world by speaking. He commanded things to be, and then they were!”

Chaggai fluffed up his feathers and thought for a moment.

“Shabbos doesn’t just mean He rested, Bina; it means He stopped. As soon as the world was complete, G–d stopped creating. Of course He wasn’t tired. G–d doesn’t get tired, but we do! All week long we’re busy working and doing and making things. Hashem created Shabbos for us, not for Himself. He gave us one day when we stop all of our weekday activities and become kings and queens. It is the day when we are completely free to think about Hashem, Who created the world, and to serve Him. And on that day He gives us an extra neshamah -- an extra soul to help bring us closer to Him and His Torah.

“In fact, Shabbos is so important that it is considered equal to all of the other mitzvos combined. The Torah teaches us that whenever a Jew keeps Shabbos, it is as though he is keeping the entire Torah!”

“That must be why Shabbos is mentioned in the Torah so many times!” said Bina.

Shabbos comes to remind us of two very important things ...

Shabbos is

ZIKARON L’MA’ASEI VEREISHIS

It reminds us that it was G–d Who created the World.

Shabbos is also

ZECHER LI’TZIAS MITZRAYIM

It reminds us that G–d took us out of slaveryin the land of Egypt.

In the Book of Shemos the Torah tells us:

Remember the Shabbos day to keep it holy ...

In the Book of Devarim the Torah says:

Observe the Shabbos day to keep it holy ...

ZACHOR • SHAMOR

Remember it and observe it ...

“What’s the difference between Zachor/ Remembering and Shamor/Observing?” asked Benny.

“Zachor teaches us all of the YES commandments, all the things we must do on Shabbos,” answered Chaggai.