577. Beginning Hilchos Shabbos

Milah 3:9

The mitzvah of bris milah is so important that not even Moshe was permitted to delay it (Exodus 4:24-26). Regarding the 613 mitzvos, there are three covenants: Deuteronomy 28:69 says, “These are the words of the covenant that God commanded...in addition to the covenant that He forged with you at Choreiv.” Deuteronomy 29:9-11 says, “You are all standing today...to enter into a covenant with Hashem, your God.” When it comes to bris milah, however, thirteen covenants are stated: “I will place My covenant between Me and you,” “behold, My covenant is with you,” “I will forge My covenant between Me and you,” “an eternal covenant,” “you shall observe My covenant, “This is My covenant that you shall observe,” “It will be a sign of the covenant,” “My covenant shall be in your flesh,” “an eternal covenant,” “He will have voided My covenant,” “I will establish My covenant with him,” “an eternal covenant” and “I will forge My covenant with Isaac” (Genesis 12:2-21).

This concludes Sefer Ahava, the second volume of Mishneh Torah.

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Sefer Z’manim

Shabbos 1:1

Refraining from labor on the seventh day fulfills a Torah obligation as per Exodus 23:12, “You shall rest on the seventh day.” One who performs an act of labor on this day not only fails to fulfill a positive commandment, he violates a negative commandment since Exodus 20:10 states, “Do not perform any labor….” If a person willfully performs an act of labor on Shabbos as an intentional act of defiance, he is liable to the penalty of kareis (spiritual excision). If there are witnesses who issue a warning, he would be liable to the penalty of stoning (in Temple times). If one performed an act of labor without being aware that he was violating Shabbos, he would be obligated to bring a sin offering.