a Sabbath day's journey

A very short, undemanding journey, or the distance thereof. From Rabbinical law that stated a Jew could travel no more than a mile on the Sabbath (the holy day of rest). My father refused to go anywhere on the weekend if you needed to get there by car—or longer than a Sabbath day's journey, as he was fond of saying. I went on my first real, out-of-state vacation when I was 12—before then, I'd never been more than a Sabbath day's journey from my hometown. I'm not interested in going anywhere for dinner if it's more than a Sabbath day's journey away—I'm tired.

a sabbath day's journey

a short and easy journey.

Rabbinical law allowed a Jew to travel a certain distance on the Sabbath (about a kilometre); in the Bible, Mount Olivet is described as being ‘from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey’ (Acts 1:12).