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The seventh day of Creation, God rested, sanctified the day and blessed it, because in it he rested.

God obviously did not need to rest; the logical conclusion is that He did so as an example to man/adam.

It seems as though God continues to operated conscious of a seven day cycle as he calls Noah and his family into the ark, and tells them that in seven days the rain will begin. Sure enough seven days later, the rains begin.

It seems as though Noah, after the flood is conscious of a seven day cycle, for he sends out a dove, exactly seven days later sends out another, and exactly seven days later sends out another. And on that day, God calls him out of the ark and makes an offering upon an altar to God. God smells his offering and is pleased and makes a covenant with Noah and his descendants because of it.

It seems to me that Noah, the righteous man, was keeping Sabbath, and worshiping God on this day. It even seems possible that God was teaching Noah of it before the flood, then after the flood, Noah operates in keeping with it and the worship offered pleases God.

I don't know if there is enough information provided in the text to determine if the rest of the days are evenly divided by seven as well. I provided the text for that as well in case someone understands the calendar(s) alluded to and can figure it.

Note: There are many sevens in the account and it does make one take notice of them and consider it more deeply. This question, though, is based on and pertains only to days.

Do any of the sages expound on this?

Noah and his family enter into the ark--Bereishit 7:1,4

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לְנֹחַ, בֹּא-אַתָּה וְכָל-בֵּיתְךָ אֶל-הַתֵּבָה: כִּי-אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי, בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה.

God says in seven days the rain will start--Bereishit 7:1,4

כִּי לְיָמִים עוֹד שִׁבְעָה, אָנֹכִי מַמְטִיר עַל-הָאָרֶץ, אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה; וּמָחִיתִי, אֶת-כָּל-הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי, מֵעַל, פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה.

Seven days later the rain begins--Bereishit 7:10-11 וַיְהִי, לְשִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים; וּמֵי הַמַּבּוּל, הָיוּ עַל-הָאָרֶץ.
יא בִּשְׁנַת שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, לְחַיֵּי-נֹחַ, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי, בְּשִׁבְעָה-עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ--בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, נִבְקְעוּ כָּל-מַעְיְנֹת תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, וַאֲרֻבֹּת הַשָּׁמַיִם, נִפְתָּחוּ.

On the seventh month seventeenth day of the month the ark rests--Bereishit 8:4

וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי, בְּשִׁבְעָה-עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ, עַל, הָרֵי אֲרָרָט.

Seven days later--Bereishit 8:10

וַיָּחֶל עוֹד, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֲחֵרִים; וַיֹּסֶף שַׁלַּח אֶת-הַיּוֹנָה, מִן-הַתֵּבָה.

Another Seven days later--Bereishit 8:12

וַיִּיָּחֶל עוֹד, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֲחֵרִים; וַיְשַׁלַּח, אֶת-הַיּוֹנָה, וְלֹא-יָסְפָה שׁוּב-אֵלָיו, עוֹד.

Offering offered on the altar--Bereishit 8:20:

וַיִּבֶן נֹחַ מִזְבֵּחַ, לַיהוָה; וַיִּקַּח מִכֹּל הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְּהֹרָה, וּמִכֹּל הָעוֹף הַטָּהוֹר, וַיַּעַל עֹלֹת, בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ.

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    You quote many many verse to indicate exactly three "7"s. 7 day warning before takeoff, 7th month, 7 days between birds. Why should any of these have to do with the Sabbath? – Double AA May 18 '16 at 20:53
  • possible dupe http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/4078/759 – Double AA May 18 '16 at 20:54
  • I'm not sure I see a connection between the link you posted and the question. –  May 18 '16 at 21:48
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    A dupe is a duplicate. If this question was asked before then the newest one will be closed and will point to the older one – mbloch May 18 '16 at 22:20
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    @mbloch Technically the question which is better posed should be pointed to by the worse posed question. When both are on the same level precedence is given to age. – Double AA May 18 '16 at 23:58
  • Note that the meforshim say the seven days before the flood were for the seven days of mourning for Mesushelach (Methuselah) not for the Sabbath. – sabbahillel May 19 '16 at 04:09
  • Did Noach only build the ark 6 days of the week? – CashCow May 19 '16 at 12:05

1 Answers1

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Your question seems to indicate that you believe that because things with Noach and the Flood happened in Sevens, that therefore Noach was observing the Shabbat. I'm not sure I see the connection. However, to address parts of your question:

  1. The Chinuch (Mitzvah 330 - Positive Commmandment to count the years until Yovel) (sorry I don't have an english link) says (and I'm paraphrasing - and perhaps extrapolating) that the number 7 is associated with the natural existence of the world, which is why so many things in the Torah are in groups of 7.

    If so, the reason why things happened in Sevens by Noach is not connected to the Shabbat, as much as it is connected to the natural order of things.

  2. Our Sages tell us that Noach was aware of the Torah, as brought here. It is therefore plausible to say that he was aware of the idea of Shabbat.

  3. B'nei Noach were not forbidden from keeping Shabbat until after the flood (See here), so there would have been nothing wrong with Noach keeping Shabbat before the flood.
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Menachem
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  • Leviticus 25:6 indicates that strangers in you gates are also blessed by Sabbath. Rashi indicates these are non-Jews. http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9926#showrashi=true –  Jun 12 '16 at 19:04
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    @Sarah: That is talking about Shemita, not Shabbat – Menachem Jun 14 '16 at 19:36
  • the same word and phrase seems to be used in Exodus 20:10 concerning the weekly Sabbath. http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9881#showrashi=true –  Jun 15 '16 at 04:01
  • @Sarah: A non-Jew is not allowed to work for a Jew on Shabbat. That is not talking about a non-Jew keeping the Shabbat – Menachem Jun 15 '16 at 06:43
  • Grammatically, it indicates that the stranger in your cities is to perform NO labor. Remember, you are a holy people, set apart, brought to a holy place where He intended to cause His Holy presence to dwell. Everything set apart (holy) has a specific purpose. Part of your trust is to preserve everything for it's purpose--the holy people, the holy things, the holy places, the holy times. The seventh day was given a specific purpose--rest, no work. This is not to be violated in your cities! not by you, not by your children, not by your servants, not by the animals, not by the stranger. –  Jun 15 '16 at 19:00
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    @Sarah: See a discussion on this exact issue here: http://www.dafyomi.co.il/yevamos/insites/ye-dt-048.htm – Menachem Jun 16 '16 at 01:20
  • The foreigner himself is responsible to respond to this instruction. But God was speaking to the Israelites. How is the stranger in your cites going to know to do no work, if you do not faithfully pass on to him the information pertaining to him. This is a sacred trust you have been given. –  Jun 16 '16 at 12:31
  • Just for the record, I looked up the two words for stranger in Lev. 25:6 and Exodus 20:10 and they are different. –  Jun 16 '16 at 13:52
  • @Sarah: It seems this discussion has gone beyond the scope of the comments of this answer. I'd recommend asking a question. – Menachem Jun 16 '16 at 20:49