Why did Jesus tell the Jews to pray that the end-times flight would not be on the Sabbath?
He instructed Jews to pray their escape would not fall on the Sabbath because their law limited Sabbath travel to roughly 4,000 feet, under a mile. Observant Jews would not dare exceed that distance, so they could not get out of town or escape the Antichrist's persecution.
Les explains that because the Temple had been operating for the first 3 1/2 years, the Jews would be acutely aware of the Sabbath law and how far they could walk without breaking it. Jesus therefore told them to pray their flight would not be on the Sabbath, since most would not dare walk more than about 4,000 feet—less than a mile—and thus would not get out of town. He also said to pray it would not be in winter, because they would be walking and carrying their goods, making the flight miserable. This flight occurs when the Antichrist defiles the Temple and turns on the children of Israel, triggering an Exodus. The context includes woe to those with child and nursing, showing a cross section of society in the escaping remnant.