The two men who went to Emmaus traveled anywhere from two to seven miles.  The speed with which they returned to Jerusalem indicates three miles or less.  There is textual disagreement in the MSS on Luke 24:13 concerning the distance, and also a difference of opinion on whether the distance given is one way or round trip.  To top it off, nobody truly knows where Emmaus is anymore.        There are two acceptable explanations to this travelling on the Sabbath.  First, it is quite possible that the distance a Galilean would go on the Sabbath was considerably greater the Judean limit of 2000 cubits.  As one can normally walk 3 miles in one hour, it would not be unreasonable for a healthy farmer or fisherman to feel refreshed by a four mile stroll.  This is in keeping with a liberal interpretation of the commandment in the context, "No man shall go out of his place," meaning that no one shall go out to gather manna, which would today mean, that travel associated with procuring food, shelter, or clothing was prohibited.  Even the Rabbis make exceptions to the absoluteness of the travel limit.  Is it not best to examine the context to see why Yahweh told them to stay in their place?        Now if one is commited to the 2000 cubit limit, and practices it strictly, then there is another likely explanation, and this is that the two men actually violatated the halakhah in their grief and lack of faith (remember Peter), and that Yayshua went after them to redeem them as a man pulls his beast out of a pit on the Sabbath.      Back.