Was the Sabbath a day of animal sacrifice?
The Sabbath was a day of rest, not a day of animal sacrifice. It was never a day of worship or ritual slaughter. The Old Testament contains no record of Israelites killing an animal on the Saturday Sabbath; they were forbidden even to pick up sticks.
Les explains that the Sabbath day, Saturday, was never a day of animal sacrifice. He notes that never in Israel's history did they sacrifice animals on the Sabbath, and there is no record they ever killed an animal on that day. He contrasts the common idea that the Sabbath was a day of worship and ritual, clarifying it was a day of rest. Because of this, the Passover could not have been a Saturday Passover. He adds that they were not even to pick up sticks, let alone carry an animal to be sacrificed.