Shalom and thank you for your question! Yes, there IS a problem in Jewish law (Halacha,) with bringing ANY kind of gift on Shabbat that isn’t designated for use on the Sabbath. Wine for example, or a box of cookies, that could be consumed on the Sabbath itself, are permissible to bring as gifts.
Of course, it must be ascertained that the type of kashrut supervision is the one that is accepted by the people you are bringing it to, which is a topic for another question and answer.
Another issue with flowers is that they need to be put into a vase with water, which is like watering plants, which we do not do on the Sabbath.
The concept of not ‘working’ on Shabbat is not synonymous with exertion. You could theoretically lift up a very heavy object or make ten trips to your neighbors to deliver lunch in ten installments, or host 400 people for lunch, (some people do that,) without transgressing Shabbat laws.
So what is the definition of working on Shabbat?
First, let’s look at what Shabbat is all about. The Midrash, (Shabbat 10b) says:
“I have a precious gift in my treasury, said G-d to Moses: ‘Sabbath’ is is its name; go and tell Israel that I wish to present it to them.”
You may ask, couldn’t we have a day of rest without so many restrictions?
It is a Divine system, and our human understanding is finite. Our Sages teach us that keeping Shabbat is the basis of our faith. The Torah says “6 days shall you labour and do all your work…on the 7th day you shall rest.” This is in microcosm what G-d Himself did in the first week of Creation. Working in accordance with Torah law during the week and then keeping the Sabbath makes us partners in Creation.
The ‘labours’ that are prohibited on Shabbat are based on thirty-nine prototype labours that were performed when the Jewish people built the Sanctuary in the desert. All the prohibitions are based on these prototypes.
So, if there are so many detailed laws about what NOT to do on Shabbat, what DO we do? We concentrate on spiritual pursuits. Pray, read, eat special meals and sing special songs, learn Torah… all the above together with family when possible… and rest and recuperate from mundane weekday concerns.
Interestingly, the weekdays do not have names in Hebrew. They are simply numbered. ‘Yom Rishon’ means day one – Sunday, ‘Yom Sheni’ means day two – Monday, and so on. Why is this? This is because the ultimate goal of the week is the Sabbath, the most spiritual day.
Not only that, but the era we are all waiting for, when all evil will be removed from the face of the earth, is called ‘Yom shekulo Shabbat,’ the day (era) that is entirely Shabbat. (One of many expressions used for the Messianic era.)
I was brought up in a traditional but not orthodox home. As a teenager trying to decide whether to be observantly Jewish or lead a secular lifestyle, I felt that I could not leave the Sabbath behind, with the white tablecloth, or the candles and Kiddush and the Shabbat songs. So I chose the orthodox path.
We are pleased to answer more questions if you have them.
Have a healthy winter!
