In Ki Tisa, the Torah delivers a line that has always resonated deeply for me: The Israelite people shall guard the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout the ages as a covenant for all time.

Not celebrate it. Not enjoy it. Guard it.

That verb is load-bearing. A covenant isn't a party. It isn't a pleasant ritual you slot into the calendar when convenient. A covenant is a bond — mutual, binding, and fragile enough that it requires proactive protection.