Sanhedrin 58a: (Reish Lakish): If a Nochri did not work for an entire day, he is Chayav Misah - "v'Yom v'Laylah Lo Yishbosu" “A day and a night shall not cease” (Bereshis 8, 22); A Nochri is Chayav Misah for transgressing any of his Mitzvos. (Ravina): He is liable even if he (did not intend to observe our Shabbos or the Nochri 'day of rest', rather, he) ceased on Monday.
The Medrash tells us Yaacov Avinu and Yosef (and by extension all of the Avos) were Shomer Shabbos. Yet they lived prior to Matan Torah and had a status of a Ben-Noach (a non-Jew, a Nochri)). How did the Avos not transgress this prohibition of “Lo Yishbosu”?
Perashas Derachim (also author of the Mishneh LeMelech): From this point, it is obvious that the Avos were not considered as the status of Ben Noach, even for leniencies. The Avos were not included in the prohibition of "Lo Yishbosu" because they were in the category of people who dedicate their lives to serving HaShem. They therefore were not prohibited from observing Shabbos in the normal manner. (However, this exemption applies only before the Torah was given, before Hashem clearly distinguished between Nochrim and Bnei Yisrael. Today a person who is born a Nochri has only one of two options, as stated by the Rambam.).
Rambam: The concern about making a new religion only applies to the Nochri, but the Avos clearly wished to follow the ways of HaShem. Therefore, when they kept the Mitzvos it was not considered like “making a new religion” and they could do the mitzvos even though the mitzvos were not yet commanded.
HaMakneh: To Bnei Noach the night follows the day. However, the time of Shabbos begins with the night and continues with the following day. Therefore, when the Avos kept Shabbos (Friday night and Saturday day) they did not violate the prohibition since they did not violate the prohibition of a day and its following night.
Choshek Shlomo: The Avos would wear Tzitzis on Shabbos and avoided any violation of this prohibition. If they were considered having the status of Jews, then they were fulfilling the mitzvah of Tzitzis and allowed to wear Tzitzis as part of their clothing on Shabbos. If they were considered having the status of Bnei Noach, then they were not fulfilling the mitzvah of Tzitzis; therefore, when they wore Tzitzis on Shabbos they were doing the melachah of “carrying” and thus, would not completely observe the Shabbos and not violate the prohibition of "Lo Yishbosu".
Chasam Sofer: The Avos made a shliach (agent) to do a melachah on Shabbos. Thus, either way they would not violate a prohibition. Alternative solution is that they did a melachah with another, which is not a violation of Shabbos for a Jew, but this action would be a melachah for a non-Jew.
Pardes Yosef: The Avos would carry an item that one is not permitted to have benefit from that item. If they were considered to have the status of a Jew, carrying such an item is not a violation of Shabbos (Shabbos 75b). If they were considered as a non-Jew, carrying such an item would be considered not keeping Shabbos.
Torah Temimah: The understanding of this verse is that the action of “not refraining” refers to a person, and not to the six types of times previously mentioned in the verse, since these time periods and constellations did not cease to function during the Flood. And the general rule is that a human was created to do work, and needs to do work to live and not die. Great is the work that a person does, since it will “enliven” one. Thus, G-d commanded that humans must work or they would “as if” incur a death penalty. However, Jews (or the Avos) are able to do a positive alternative by engaging in Torah study and spiritual avodah when refraining from work (which is not an option for non-Jews).
The nature of this prohibition:
- Rambam: "We do not let them make a new religion and to make up their own Mitzvos. Rather, he (the Nochri) should become a righteous convert and observe all of the Mitzvos, or he should uphold his laws (the Seven Mitzvos of Bnei Noach) and not add to or subtract from them."
- Ramah: Due to stealing since they would not fulfill their worldly obligations.
- Meiri: If they kept Shabbos, they would appear like Jews and could be misleading.
