The sages said with reference to Shammai ha-Zaken (the old) that everything he ate was kept in honor of the Sabbath. When he came across a fine beast, he would say: "I will keep it for the Sabbath." And when he saw a better one, he would say: "I will slaughter the first one and keep this for the Sabbath." Thus everything he ate was in honor of the Sabbath.

Hillel ha-Zaken (the old) had a different virtue. All his deeds were done for the sake of Heaven. He always depended on God to provide him with a fine beast for the Sabbath day. And in general whenever he went to buy anything, he always relied on God to provide for his want in accordance with the verse: "Blessed be God who provides for our needs every day" (Ps. 68.20). We also learn that the School of Shammai say: "On the morrow of the Sabbath for thy Sabbath," meaning that from the first of the week, i. e. Sunday, one should begin buying for the Sabbath day. And if one gets something better, he should consume the first and keep the latter for the Sabbath.

Furthermore, Rabbi Jose says in the name of Rabbi Simeon son of Yohai, all the commandments which God gave to Israel He gave openly, except the Sabbath, which he gave secretly to Israel, as the Bible says: "Between Me and the children of Israel it is for concealment" (Ex. 31.17). In other words, God says that the Sabbath is a sign between Me and My children Israel for concealment, that is to say, it is concealed from the other nations, except Israel alone. Here the Gemara says': "If the Gentiles do not know that we have the Sabbath, why should they be punished to this day for not keeping it?" The Gemara answers: "They know very well that we have the Sabbath and this is not a secret to them, therefore will they be punished. It is the reward of the Sabbath that is concealed from them."

Man has also one more soul on the Sabbath day than on a week day, and this can be easily observed in the fact that one is more care-free on the Sabbath than on any day of the week. Rabbi Simeon ben Lakish says: "The Holy One, blessed be He, gives man on Friday, on the eve of Sabbath, an additional soul, and at the termination of the Sabbath, the Holy One, blessed be He, takes it back again." The verse, "He rested and was refreshed (ibid.)," means that when one has completed the Sabbath rest, the second soul departs. And the reason why at the termination of the Sabbath we smell spices, is that we may regain our strength when the second soul leaves us. Therefore if one keeps the Sabbath properly, one is well rewarded and receives a second soul. But one should not do it for the purpose of being rewarded. For our sages say, "Be not as the servants who serve their master in order to obtain a reward." But man's relation to God should be like that of a servant who serves his master for love. When a man does a pious deed, he should not expect that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give him his reward in this world, but he should serve the Holy One, blessed be He, for love and the reward will come of itself. But if one does not keep the Sabbath properly, he does not receive the second soul and is unable to rest, as the Gemara says further: "On Friday evening, when a man comes out of the synagogue, two angels accompany him to his house.

And when the angels find the candles lit and the table properly set, the good angel says: 'May it be the same the next Sabbath.' And the other angel, who forebodes evil, is obliged to say 'Amen,' against his will. On the other hand, if the candles are not burning and the table is not laid as it should be, the bad angel says, 'May it be the same the next Sabbath,' and the good angel is obliged, against his will, to say 'Amen.' "

Therefore a man should honor the Sabbath in the very best way he can, with good fish and good meat and good wine. And God will repay him more than double. Moreover he will also merit the second soul and be able to rest, as the Gemara says: "When one borrows for the Sabbath, the Sabbath repays," which means that if one spends a great deal for the Sabbath, the Sabbath will repay one, for the Holy One, blessed be He, provides him amply so that he is able to keep properly the following Sabbath also and reach a good old age in peace.