ILOVETORAH.COM ...... JEWISH FAMILY TORAH WEBSITES
[ Sefer Kavanos Halev ] [ A Frum Shidduch! ] [ Torah Video's ] [ All New Breslov ] [ Jewish Music Palace ] [ Simcha Smile Site ] [ Jewish Children ] [ Orthodox Wedding Video ] [ Litvish Chassid Torah Bayis ] [ About Us ] [ Moshiach Petition ] [ Queen Shabbos Online ] [ Jewish United Torah Sites ] [ Torah Discussion Boards ]
.... .. ... . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ......... . . .......
When approaching a stop sign while driving, according to the law, you are to come to a complete stop even if the road is clear. Most of us though, continue to drift without completely stopping. If we were to enter that same intersection seeing a police car standing nearby, we would be careful to stop, as we should. Many of us enter Shabbos rolling through the stop sign, not coming to a complete stop. Hashem is watching us to see if we proceed to role, making the past week collide with the coming week, or do we stop to take in Shabbos properly. But how are we in our busy day and age to stop suddenly and just tune-out the surrounding world? How can we better our Shabbos to get the most out of it?
There are thirty-nine commandments regarding the types of
work we are not permitted to do on the seventh day. Violation of even one of
these laws can be compared to rolling through the stop sign. Understanding these
laws in order to perform them perfectly takes a lifetime of studying and
practice. We should never assume that we know them perfectly and do them without
flaw. Our Creator is watching us continually, and every act done on Shabbos
is being noted in its entirety. In
order for our conduct to be impeccable we must develop a respect for this holy
day. To accomplish this, we must learn how it is so holy.
“What was created when Hashem rested? Contentment, peace of
mind, tranquility and restful bliss.”[1]
We too are able tap into this harmony through resting on this precious day. As
much as we unwind physically on this day of rest, spiritually we are to awaken.
There was a young man that heard wonderful things about the land of
Israel and how a person can experience great holiness by going there. After a
few months spent soul searching in the holy land he was concerned as to why he
did not feel the surge of sublimity he was expecting. He traveled to the Kotel
and to many of the graves of holy tzaddikim. Finally he approached a
rabbi and told him, “People told me I would feel holiness here, but I feel
nothing at all. I’m going to just
return home disappointed.” The rabbi responded, “Do you know what a
bafutstick is? Can you feel a bafutstick?” The puzzled young man answered
back, “I do not know what a bafutstick is.”
The rabbi responded, “…and do you know what holy is? Come into my Yeshivah
and learn what holy is!”[2]
The same can be true of the Shabbos. The immense kedushah that Shabbos
brings takes much effort and patience to experience. It is not accomplished over
night. If you want to know what it is to feel this holiness you have to learn
about it in great depth.
A king once told his friend, the prime minister, “I see in the stars
that whoever eats any wheat that grows this year will become mad. What do you
suggest I do?” The prime minister replied, “We should put aside enough wheat
so that we ourselves will not have to eat from this harvest.” The king
answered, “But if we alone are the sane ones, and the rest of the world is
mad, then we will be the ones who everyone will consider to be the mad ones. It
is not possible to place aside enough wheat for everyone, so we too must eat
this year’s grain. But let us make a mark on our foreheads so that we should
at least know that we are mad. I will look at your forehead, you will look at
mine, and seeing this sign, we will know that we are both mad.”[3]
Today we live amongst the nations exiled from our homeland and as we all
know, the world has gone mad. Children are now capable of killing, immorality is
everywhere and homes are broken from an alarming divorce rate. It is difficult
to escape the madness as tumah has managed to seep into even the smallest
of crevices. We as Jews have a special sign that keeps us apart from madness.
This sign is that we are Jews and even amongst all this insanity we still remain
holy Jews by the observance of Shabbos. The Shabbos has given our
people a cense of family and has separated us from the goyim “The Shabbos
sensation is a sign of the future, when Hashem and man will be in
complete harmony.”[4]
Hashem wanted to make the Jewish people worthy of the World to
Come therefore; He gave us the Torah and commandments.[5] He also wanted to give us
a taste of the spiritual bliss of the next world, so He gave us Shabbos.
The pleasure one feels on the Shabbos is a counterpart of the World to
Come, and every Jew can experience spiritual delight on the Shabbos.
Chazal have taught us, “Reward for the commandments does not
exist in this world.” If this is true then a question arises, how can a person
enjoy Shabbos? The answer is that Hashem in His absolute kindness
gave it to us as a free gift. The reward for the commandments may not exist in
this world, but Hashem allowed us to take pleasure in it, even in this
world. We know that Shabbos is liken
to the World to Come from the Talmud where it states, “The Shabbos is
one sixtieth of the World to Come.”[6] Therefore Hashem
wanted us a taste of the splendor of Olam
Habah, as an incentive to do His will and keep the Shabbos. “You
shall keep the Shabbos [for it is a sign... that I am G-d who makes you
holy].”[7]
If you keep the Shabbos, you will experience the spiritual joy of the
World to Come, the Shabbos will bring
holiness into your life. Shabbos is therefore a “sign” leading to the
future reward. This is why it says, “It is a sign.... that I am G-d, who makes
you holy.” Through observing the Shabbos, you will come to know the G-d
who will make you holy in the World of Eternity- in the world where all is Shabbos.[8]
When
Hashem created the world, it was like a body without a soul. Just like Hashem
infused life into the nostrils of man and gave him a soul, so too, He brought
the peace of Shabbos into the world. It is thus written, “On the
seventh day He rested and was refreshed, vayinafash.”[9]
The word vayinafash is related to the word nefesh, soul, for the Shabbos
is the soul of all creation.[10]
Each day of the week draws its sustenance from what is done on Shabbos.
This especially holds true of the three seudos, festive meals, we take
part in. We learn from Sha’are Orah
that the Shabbos is the source of all of the blessing and holiness that
is given to us. Someone who keeps the Shabbos in accordance with its
laws, becomes a throne for the heavenly constellation of Hashem, Blessed
be He. Therefore Shabbos is known as meNuChaH (a resting place).
As it says in Psalms 132:14, “This is my resting place forever and ever.
Anyone who keeps Shabbos in accordance to its laws fulfills the Torah
in its entirety.” We also see this in Isaiah where it says, “Happy is the
one who does this; he who keeps the Shabbos and does not profane it.”[11]
The Shabbos is the light of the eyes that illuminate the Holy
Temple and the entire world. This is why those who keep the Shabbos will
have their eyes opened and will have the power to ascertain how far they have
reached in their spiritual journey. They will be able to repent for their
failings and come to recognize the true greatness of Hashem. They will be
drawn to the innermost aspect of truth, to the true tzaddik and to those
who have genuine fear of Heaven. It will be as if they are engaged in rebuilding
the Holy Temple.[12]
The seventh day, being Shabbos, is a day of rest from all toil and
worldly matters. We should use this day to reflect on the passed week, and
analyze all of our deeds and intensions. It is a time for families to sit down
together and draw closer. The Shabbos day is truly a present from Hashem,
and is the best thing that can happen to the family unit. Body and soul are
infused, so thereby dependent on each other. All week our bodies are stressed
from the pressures of work and material matters. We do not have anytime to
scrutinize over what is truly important, our family, friends, ruchnius
and Judaism. When Shabbos comes the world disappears leaving heavenly
ecstasy.
When a person brings the light of Shabbos into there life, it
opens up many new doors. The more of an elevated state reached on Shabbos,
the closer to Hashem you will feel. Giving your children an upbringing
that includes the observance of Shabbos is the greatest gift you can give
them. Rebbe Nachman said once, “When a person experiences the holiness of the Shabbos,
they can attain true purity. This means to understand ones own lowliness and to
be so aware of the greatness of Israel, to such an extent that he is prepared to
sacrifice his very life for them, as Moses did.”[13]
Let us teach this mitzvah of Shabbos
to our families and to the entire world.
The purpose of mans creation was that he should strive to emulate Hashem.
The example for this is the Shabbos where the Torah says that you
should work six days and rest on the seventh, as Hashem did when creating
the world. Thus, in the commandment of observing the Shabbos,
the Torah is instructing us to emulate Hashem.[14]
The six days of the week are a preparation for the
holiness of Shabbos. This can be compared to a man who was sitting in the
dark for many days and suddenly went out into the light. He will not be able to
stand the light for it will harm his eyes. It is the same way with someone whose
actions are dark during the week, and will not be able to receive the light of
the holiness of Shabbos.[15]
We see from this how important it is to make a vessel of oneself for the Shabbos,
by increasing ones awareness of Hashem and their performance of mitzvos
during the week.
Rabbi Yudan stated that according to the tradition of the world, the
master tells his servants, “Work for me six days and one day we be for you.”
Hashem however says, “Work for
yourselves six days and for Me one day.”[16]
Shabbos observance is the basis of pure faith. All the acts of
charity and other good deeds that we do are created with radiance and perfection
only in virtue of the Shabbos. This is
because Shabbos is the very embodiment
of faith itself. Charity has the strength to bring an abundance of blessings and
holy influences into the world, but they only become manifested in reality
because of the Shabbos. As the
embodiment of faith, Shabbos is the
fountain of blessings. Shabbos brings
everything in the world to its greatest perfection. Devoid of Shabbos, and the faith it brings with it, all things are lacking.
This relates also to our Da’at, the understanding we have of Godliness and our
knowledge of Torah. True wisdom and
the understanding of Torah can thrive
only through the influence of Shabbos
and of faith.[17]
As we can see from Rebbe Nachman’s words, Shabbos enables the actions we do on the weekdays to take on more real effect. The things we do during the weekday’s lack meaning until Shabbos comes and adds to their holiness enabling them to be processed at a much higher level. We too cannot experience our true purpose without her. With this realization, it is a wonder why all week long we are not continuously thinking about Shabbos and what we can add to make our Shabbos all the more glorious and holy.
Some people go through Shabbos
every week and something is just missing in there Shabbos.
This is because, as much you put into Shabbos,
that amount you get back in ruchnius. When a person puts into Shabbos
one day of his week, his Shabbos
shines double. If he puts in two days, triple illumination and so forth. When
all the days of the week are put into Shabbos,
expecting and preparing for it whether spiritually or physically, all ones days
have an essence of Ohlam Habah.
In our daily prayers every morning when we say over the psalm for the day
we always mention the Shabbos. Today
is this day of the week of the Shabbos.
This shows how everyday of the week is in preparation for the coming Shabbos and draws holiness from it. Rabbi Asher of Stolin taught
that we should always be looking forward to the coming of Shabbos the entire week, thinking to ourselves, “When will Shabbos
come?”[18]
Every day of the week, remember the holy Shabbos
by preparing, if possible, something for its honor.[19]
Once Rabbi Chaim of Tzanz sat at a table on Wednesday at some mitzvah
meal and he began to speak about the holiness of Shabbos. During his speech, he became so ecstatic about it and so
full of fervor that he called out to those around him, “Shabbos Shalom to you!” It seemed to Rabbi Yuda Tzvi who was
sitting with him that Shabbos was soon
approaching and he went home to get his white shirt and went right to the mikvah
in honor of the Shabbos. On the way
there he met another man who was also at the table with the Tzanzer and they
both proceeded together with their white shirts under their arms to the mikvah
for Shabbos. When they got there they
saw that they were the only ones at the mikvah and then realized their mistake
that it was only Wednesday and not Friday afternoon. The fervor of the Tzanzer
had affected them to such an extent that they thought that Shabbos
was already upon them.[20]
For many Shabbos afternoon is like a mad rush to get everything done. It is
very important that the Shabbos be
brought into ones home with peace. The Satan is well aware of opportunity given
him during erev Shabbos. Tempers can
easily fly causing the Shabbos to be
brought in with accompanying family strife. This is the exact opposite of what
the Shabbos is supposed to bring.
Early preparation is very much the key to avoid this. It should also not be
beneath husbands and boys to take on one or two of the Shabbos preparatory chores. After all, if you want to take the light
from Shabbos you have to put into it
yourself. The Gemara says there are three things a man should ask his wife on
the coming of Shabbos. Have you
set-aside tithes, have you put up the erev and have you lit your candles yet.[21]
Rabba bar Rav Huna said “he must say them in a gentle way so that his family
may accept them in good faith.”[22]
Rav Ashi stated that he did this as a manner of common sense. We can see from
this that it is very important to keep things calm before Shabbos as much as it is important to get everything done and
completed before Shabbos. “A man
should wake up early [on Friday] to prepare provisions for the Shabbos;
as it says,[23]
And it shall come to pass on the sixth day, when they get ready what they shall
have brought in, i.e., as soon as they bring it [early in the morning] it should
to be prepared [early].[24]
“Better a meal of vegetables”- on Shabbos-“where
there is love [between you and your wife and family] than a fattened ox where
there is hate.”[25]
This teaches you that one should not say, “Let me go out and purchase
delicacies for Shabbos, “knowing
full well that he will dispute with his wife, his father and mother, and members
of his family. “Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feast with
strife”[26]
This pertains both to Shabbos and Yom
Tov; and the same concept is reflected in the phrase “bechibadeso”,
“Honor [the Shabbos]”[27]–by
avoiding arguments[28].[29]
Chazal said, “If you prepare on Friday, you will have food on Shabbos.”
One should be very eager to make preparations for Shabbos. You
should move quickly like a man told that the queen and her entourage are coming
to lodge in his house. He says with excitement “What an honor they are
bestowing onto me by coming to stay in my house.” He tells his servants to get
the house ready. “Sweep, tidy up, and prepare the beds with the finest
linens.” Then he personally stands in the kitchen to prepare the finest
delicacies and buys the riches wines. What greater a guest is there than Shabbos,
which is called “a queen” and “a delight.”
How much more that the master of the house himself should take the
trouble to prepare like Rava, a leading Talmudic authority, who himself salted a
fish in honor of Shabbos.[30]
One is required to get ready cooked foods, meat, oil and good wine for
the pleasure of the Shabbos.[31]
Emperor Antoninus on one occasion had lunch with Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi on Shabbos.
Several of the dishes were served cold; nevertheless the Emperor ate them with
delight. He invited himself a second time to partake of lunch. This time he came
on a weekday, the dishes were served hot, but the Emperor didn’t enjoy them as
much. Wondering why this was the case, he thus inquired of his host, “The
other meal was more to my taste. Why so?” Rabbi Yehudah replied, "This
feast is without an important ingredient.” The Emperor asked, “Why have you
not requested this special ingredient from my provisions?” Rabbi Yehudah
responded, “Since this ingredient is not in your possession; it is the Shabbos
which is missing. Have you the Shabbos
in your storehouses?”[32]
Rabbi Chaim Luzzatto said, “The
additional amount that you do to honor Shabbos
and the holidays, the more you will honor the Creator who commanded you to do
so. The universal rule is that you should do as much as you can as a
demonstration of your respect for Shabbos.
It says in the Talmud how even the greatest scholars would take care to
personally do things to prepare for Shabbos.
They would envision what they might do for a prominent person whom they wished
to honor, and then they would do comparable things for Shabbos.”[33]
Once there was a man who earned the title, “Yoseph Mokir Shabbos”
(Joseph who honors the Shabbos). He
rightly called this because no matter how meager his earnings, he would always
honor the Shabbos with all types of
table delicacies, notably when it came to buying the finest fish. Where he
lived, there lived a certain gentile who owned a large amount property. One day
he was consulting his mystic friends and they told him that the man Yoseph would
consume all his land. Thinking he would go around this fate, he went, sold all
his property and purchased a precious stone with the proceeds, which he put in
his coat. As he was crossing a bridge, a powerful wind blew it off and cast it
into the river, whereby a fish straight away swallowed it up. This very same
fish was later hauled up by a fisherman and brought to the market on erev Shabbos,
towards sunset. “Who will purchase it now?” they cried in anxiousness as Shabbos was soon approaching and most people had already bought and
cooked their seudos. “Go and take it to Yoseph Mokir Shabbos,” they were told by fellow shopkeepers. So they took it to
him and he purchased it. Upon opening it, he found the valuable jewel and sold
it for an enormous sum. (Shabbos 119a)
Our Sages trained us that in order to truly observe the Shabbos
in a holy manner, we must remember it all week long and prepare for it. If you
see something during the week that you would enjoy having on Shabbos, by all means acquire it and set it apart for the Shabbos
day. (Beitzah 15b)
Shamai would constantly eat in honor of the Shabbos.
If he saw a prime cut of meat, he would say, “Let this be for Shabbos.”
If he found a better one, he would place in reserve the second for the Shabbos
and eat the first. Hillel on the other hand had adopted a different approach.
All of his actions were believing in Hashem
that he would find something worthy for the Shabbos
day, as it is said: “Blessed be Hashem,
day by day.” It was thus taught: The school of Shammai says, “From the first
day of the week, one should prepare for the Shabbos,”
but the school of Hillel say, “Blessed be Hashem,
day by day.” (Beitzah 16a)
If one is able, it is a nice practice to write down something for every
day of the week that you will complete that day in honor of the coming Shabbos.
See if there is an organization you can give charity to or personally help out
which provides the poor or sick with food for Shabbos. Too make another person’s Shabbos is a very holy mitzvahh.
Deliver some flowers Lekavod, in honor of Shabbos
to your friends and neighbors occasionally. Think up ideas for yourself in this
regard. Make your weekday holy by thinking of the coming Shabbos and preparing for it not just for you but for others as
well. Teach your fellow Jews of the holiness of Shabbos
and share this mitzvahh with them.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach once said, “If you want to taste the Shabbos,
then give it to someone else.” It is such a wonderful thing to see Jews
willing to share the Shabbos with
their fellow Jews. The Shabbos guests
one invites to stay over or eat the festive meal truly adds to the flavor and mitzvahh your Shabbos.
One should repeatedly try to take pleasure in the Shabbos
and festivals. If one is financially insecure, in need all week long, he should
take special care to see that there is funds for the Shabbos and he should try to enjoy the Shabbos to the best of his ability. Even if he is inhibited from
preparing a great deal, so long as he gave it his best effort and his intentions
were good, his reward will be as great comparable to that of a wealthy man who
prepares a great deal for the Shabbos. (Rambam, Mishna Torah,
Shabbos 30:7-8)
Rabbi Tachifa, the brother of Rabinia, stated: “The provisions of a
person for the full year is determined and set between Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur, not including for the costs that are incurred through Shabbosos
and Yomim Tovim (festivals), and for the tuition of his children in Torah
study. If a person spends fewer for any of these, he is approved less; if more,
then he is granted an additional amount to balance the expenditures.” (Beitzah
15b)
Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of R. Eliezer ben Reb Shimon that Hashem
declares, “My children, borrow on My account to better rejoice in the holiness
of the Shabbos day; trust Me and I
will repay you!” (Beitzah 15b)
Besides actual physical preparations, there are many spiritual practices
that can really add to ones Shabbos.
With all the necessary house chores and physical preparations it is important
not to forget to prepare our souls for the tremendous holiness the Shabbos
brings upon us. If we are prepared only physically for the Shabbos, it just will not be enough. Shabbos is much more then just a physical day of the week. It is a
time when the heaven’s open up and divine radiance fills the entire world. We
want to be a part of this and feel the kedushah
in our souls therefore we must be spiritually clean. Let me share with you some
ways our holy Rabbi’s cleansed themselves in order to take on the physical and
spiritual change of Shabbos.
It is a halachic requirement to read the holy scripture of the week,
verse by verse, once in Hebrew and twice in Targum. (Berachos 8a) Rebbe Nachman
explains (Likutey Maharan 19) that the Targum language is like a balance beam
between good and evil. By reciting the Targum and thereby bringing nogah into kedushah
one spiritually purifies themselves. This is an important preparation for Shabbos
therefore it is said Friday.
Rabbi Zev Wolf of Zhitomir related, once the Great Maggid of Mezritch sat
in his room, which was next to his Beis Midrash, and said the Torah
portion of the week, twice Torah and
once Targum. Quite a few of us students were sitting in the Beis Midrash
[studying] when all of a sudden a great light shone on us. At once the door of
the Maggid’s room flew open and his flaming countenance was revealed to our
eyes. This unusual vision almost caused us to loose our minds. Rabbi Pinchas of
Frankfort and his brother Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg, and Rabbi Elimelech of
Lizensk and his brother Rabbi Zusya of Hanipol, all fled outside. Rabbi Levi
Yitzchak of Berditchev went into a state of ecstasy and rolled on the floor
under the table. Even I [even though I am not an emotional person] clapped my
hands in uncontainable excitement. (HaMaggid mi-Mezritch, p. 69)
Through reading twice Torah and
once in Targum, an extra soul power comes to a person. (Yalkut Reuveni quoted in
Or ha-Shabbos, p38)
One should be careful not to disrupt their reading of twice Torah
and once Targum for any conversation, even of Torah,
so that they do not slacken the taut rope that is trying to sanctify and to
empower their soul. Once having recited the reading of twice Torah
and once Targum a person should meditate on repentance, because if you are stuck
in your impurity, how will you be able to attain to the light of the Shabbos
holiness? (Or ha-Shabbos, p.37)
On Each holy Erev Shabbos you
should meditate on repentance with a broken and remorseful heart. You should
feel be repentant for all the sins you committed that past week so that you can
come into the holy Shabbos in a state
of holiness and receive the enlightenment of the extra soul given to you. (Avodah
u’Moreh Derech, p.49)
I heard it from my Rav the Rabbi
of Barniv, the memory of a Tzaddik for
a blessing, and he was told it from an elderly gentleman who was one of the
servants in the house of the rebbe, Rabbi Elimelech of Lizensk. The elderly man
said that “Erev Shabbos, even the
men and women who were servants in the Rebbe’s house, myself included, would
beg forgiveness from one another, just like on Erev Yom Kippur. They would all
be trembling and crying and their knees would be knocking against each other
until the candles of the holy Shabbos
were lit. When the candles were finally lit, a great joy fell upon each of us
and we all tasted the joy of Shabbos,
feeling a very great and elevated joy.” (Or Zarua l’Tzaddik, quoted in Or ha-Shabbos,
p.48)
By Rabbi Elimelech of Lizensk
every Erev Shabbos was like Erev Yom
Kippur. The entire town got together in the synagogue to say Psalms and they
cried and cried and Rav Elimelech would say over inspirational words of mussar
to them before the start of Shabbos. (Ohel
Elimelech, p. 82, #198)
In the code of Jewish law, it says that it is a mitzvahh
to was ones entire body with hot water on Erev Shabbos.
If this is not possible, at the very least, one should wash their face, hands
and feet. (Shulchan Oruch 360,1)
Why do we wash with hot water Erev Shabbos?
His is parallel to the immersion of the soul in the River of Fire to remove the
stains of its sins. So when you bathe in hot water Erev Shabbos the stains of your sins are removed. (Taamei ha-Minhagim,
p.119)
The Arizal would foremost read the Shemos and then he would immerse in
the mikvah. The Tosefes Shabbos [the
additional holiness that descends upon a Jew before Shabbos] does not cause his countenance to radiate until after
immersion [in the mikvah, even before midday]. It further relates that the main
time for this shining countenance begins after midday. The closer to Shabbos,
the greater the revelation.” It was also his minhag to think about during his
first immersion into the mikvah that he is removing the weekday soul and the
second to take on the new extra clean soul of Shabbos.
(Minhagei ha-Arizal, p.31b)
The explanation why we go to bathe in the
mikvah Erev Shabbos is that it is a
matter of spiritually removing one soul-garment and putting on another. We need
to have a different spiritual aspect altogether on Shabbos, a different soul-garment. Therefore we go to the mikvah,
remove our weekday cloths, go through the transforming experience of the bath
and put on our Shabbos cloths, all
this being replicated with our spiritual garments. (Pe’er l’Yesharim, p.22a
#248)
I asked my father if there was truth to what
they say about Rabbi Chayim, that from Erev Shabbos,
after he was in the mikvah, until the holy Shabbos
finished, he was a full head taller than he was during the week. He replied,
“Son, you know that it’s not my manner to exaggerate, and of course I
didn’t measure his height. But this I can disclose to you, with clear
testimony, that I saw him every Erev Shabbos
when he walked to the mikvah and as he came back. I can tell you that the man
who came back was not the same man. He appeared like a completely different
person: his face, his height, and everything about the look of his holy body was
altered from what it had been.” (Saarei Orah, p.9)
For many, a nap before Shabbos
would be preparatory to their greeting the Shabbos
queen. Rabbi Tzvi Mendel, the son of Rabbi Zusya of Hanipol told over an
important moshal. “Tzaddikim are
always progressing higher and higher in their service of Hashem,
going from chamber to chamber, ever advancing in the heavenly Palace, and
ascending from World to World. Before they can go forward though, each time they
must first shed from them the life force that they have at present, so as to be
able to be given another and greater one. Then they will receive a new
consciousness and a new perception will shine on them at every elevation. This
is the real secret of sleep. (Menoras Zhav, p.98)
One person who followed this
practice was Rabbi Mordechai of Lechovitz, may his merit protect us. He was
always careful to take a nap Erev Shabbos,
for this is also component of the honor of Shabbos,
to receive Shabbos with a clear mind
and fully alert. (Or ha-Ner, p.11, #1)
A person would never think of greeting a queen without wearing the best
of their wardrobe. The same should be true of the Shabbos
queen. “Undertake to wear different clothing on Shabbos;
replace your weekday clothing by putting on Shabbos
cloths. Happy is the person who has special cloths from top to bottom for Shabbos…
When getting yourself ready for Shabbos…
state that you are doing it for the honor of Shabbos.
(Rabbi Chayim Yosef David Azulai, Avodas ha-Kodesh, Moreh b’Etzba, 4-139)
Rabbi Chaim Vital once learned from his teacher the Arizal, “that it is
improper to wear any of the cloths you wear during the week on the Shabbos.
The same holds true with the six day of the week. One should not wear any of
their Shabbos clothing, even your Shabbos
shirt. (Minhagei ha-Arizal, p.33, #15,16)
The main time for the giving of Tzedakah is Erev Shabbos
and Erev Yom Tov. (Derech Chayim, 3-4) Many women before lighting their candles
have a custom to give Tziedakah. (Or ha-Shabbos,
p.63)
On the sacred Shabbos, whose deep meaning is the spiritual elevation of all the
worlds, the Shabbos candle serves to
represent the elevation of the soul and of holiness. (Divrei Chayim quoted in Or
ha-Shabbos, p.61)
There are many customs as to how many candles a woman should light to
welcome in the Shabbos. The traditional custom is too light two candles for husband
and wife but many women add one for every child they have. There are those who
light seven for the seven days of the week. Others light ten for the Ten
Commandments. (Or ha-Shabbos, p.61)
There are those who light a Shabbos
candle in each room of their house that they use on Shabbos. (Be’er Hativ, quoted in Or ha-Shabbos, p.61) The B’nai Yissachar told over, “A few of our
masters of previous generations were very cautious always to light thirty-six
candles, signifying the thirty-six hours that Adam had the benefit of the Divine
Light before it was hidden away. (Or ha-Shabbos,
p.65) I personally have never seen anyone light so many candles as stated as
most people follow the usual custom of one per member of the house. It is
interesting to note though that it says in Ayin Yakkov Shabbos that he who has the custom of lighting many lamps [on Shabbos
and Yom Tov] will have scholarly sons. He who is strict in the observance of
Mezuzah will be worthy of having a beautiful dwelling. Also, the person who is
strict in the observance of the Kiddush
[on Shabbos and Yom Tov] will be worthy of having jars filled with
wine.” (Ayin Yakkov Shabbos 22a)
When a person walks home from shul Friday night, they are accompanied by
three malachim. The sense of menucha really starts to manifest itself. What a
becoming time to start reflecting on ways to come close to Hashem.
Sometimes this menucha is so becoming that we start to ramble about this and
that. The walk home should therefore be watched carefully. Torah thoughts, and singer are most appropriate for such a walk with
accompanying angels. Every week when the Nikesberger Rebbe walks home from shul,
his Chassidim accompany him as he sings aloud in the streets with the joy of Shabbos.
He also asks one of the young buchorim to speak over a d'var Torah
and together they discuss it. The Shabbos
walk of menuchah henceforth should be carefully appreciated.
Shabbos is holy; Shabbos
brings peace the Rebbe sings on his way home from Shul. Inner peace, serenity,
harmony, bliss, this is what Shabbos
brings. This is because the peace of Shabbos
is not only peace between human beings but it also instills peace between man
and creation. The Zohar says that the mystery of the Shabbos is Unity (Zohar 2:135b). On the Shabbos, Hashem created
harmony between Himself and the universe. By
keeping the Shabbos a person enters
into harmony with Hashem and the
world. Man is then in a state of peace with all of creation. It is like plugging
something into a socket. It has no energy, it doesn’t exist until it is
plugged in and receives a charge.
During the Inauguration of the Shabbos
(Kabbalas Shabbos), prior to the evening service, all universes and
observances are elevated. This is the concept of the elevation of the universes.
(Maggid Devarav LeYakkov 60)
Now that this harmony is in the upper worlds,
it is time to draw some down to ourselves through the holy Kiddush when we return home from shul. It is a custom amongst the
Sefardim for the person making the Kiddush
to call out lechayim after saying sarvri maranan. Rabbi Shlomo Goldman says that
this is a practice all of us should keep as it teaches us an understanding that
through our kiddush we get life and
sustenance. Therefore, one should have in mind all of their spiritual and
physical needs during the Kiddush.
This is a very important concept to understand. We should make an extra effort
to concentrate deeply during this time saying or listening to the words with
much kavanah.
When you perform Kiddush,
you should “Make the Kiddush with
joy, and have the intention that you are giving witness that Hashem
created the world in six days and rested on the Shabbos.”
(Derech Chayim, 1-41)
“Six days shall you labor and do all your work.” This indicates that
when the Shabbos enters, we should feel as if all our work were completed,
leaving our minds and bodies completely free.” (Shemos 20:9, Yalkut Yisro 296)
One should do their best to draw the holiness of Shabbos
into the six working days of the week and sanctify them as well. The more the
weekdays are invested with holiness, the more the forces of evil will be
subdued. (Likutey
Eitzos Shabbos, #4). A person should
first perfect their observance of Shabbos
from sundown to sunset Friday night till the eve of Saturday. Having already
done so, it is a very holy practice to draw the Shabbos holiness into your weekday by adding some additional time to
your Shabbos both before and after.
Having personally added time to Shabbos,
I have noticed my following weekday infused with much more blessing and material
matters seem to go much more smoothly. I therefore recommend this practice to
those who are able to fulfill it. It is important not to forget quality verses
quantity. If extending the Shabbos
longer will lead you to use the time wastefully then it might be better to just
end it at the normal hour. Even a couple minutes longer at the conclusion of Shabbos
before Havdalah draws a little bit more holiness into the weekdays but how much
more so a half hour or an hour.
What is this “rest”? It is the absence of work. It is a recess that
is called Shabbos (meaning rest). What is this like? A King possessed seven
gardens, and the middle one contained a fountain, coming up from a living
source. Three [of his gardens] are at its right, and three are at its left. When
it performed its duty and overflowed, they all celebrated, saying, “It
overflowed for our sake”. It waters them and makes them grow, while they wait
and rest. Are we then say that it waters the seven? But it is written in Isaiah
(43,5), “From the east I will bring your seed”. This shows that one of [the
seven] waters it. We must therefore say, that it waters the Heart, and the Heart
then waters them all. (Bahir 159)
When the Torah starts, it begins with the word Bereshis, “in the
beginning.” It begins by telling over the story of creation. If you rearrange
the letters of the word Bereshis you have the word yere Shabbat, revere the Shabbos.
The Baal Shem Tov taught, by observing the Shabbos
according to its laws, with all their fine points and laws brings the
forgiveness of sin.
As a little boy, Rebbe Yisrael of Rizhin was once studying a tractate of
Mishnah with his private melamed, teacher. “This tractate deals with a
situation where a person for some reason has lost their sense of time and
forgotten when Shabbos is,” his
melamed explained. “But how can one possibly forget when Shabbos
is”, interrupted the boy. Patiently, the melamed presented an example of a man
who somehow got lost in a desert and lost all track of time thereby. “Still,
it’s impossible to forget!”, the boy insisted. The melamed continued to
explain how unpredicted situations could happen. Little Rebbe Yisrael still
wouldn’t accept any of his explanations. “Its simply impossible to
forget”, he claimed once again. Finally, the exasperated melamed asked him,
“Why do you insist that this cannot happen”. The boy responded, “It’s
quite obvious he said. On Shabbos, the
sky looks different than it does all week. When one is in doubt, all he needs to
do is to gaze up at the sky and he will surely see if it is Shabbos
or not!”
I’m sure not all of us could see the difference in the clouds during
the weekdays and on Shabbos but this little boy was able to. Maybe you are able to sense
it in another way because there truly is an obvious difference in the world
physically and spiritually.
Rabbi Chaim Zaitchyk said, “The peace and tranquility that are an
essential ingredient of Shabbos should become part of one’s personality the entire week.
If a person stays with his anger and quarreling, it is an indication that he has
not integrated the fundamental message of Shabbos.
The tranquility and serenity of Shabbos
should be so compelling and so deep that it will have a lasting effect on a
person’s nature. The internal peace that a person experiences on Shabbos
should be internalized and its positive effects should be evident in one’s
relationship with his family, friends, and neighbors.” (Consulting the Wise,
12,16)
The Shabbos comes from the feminine aspect. This being the central point
that draws all six points together. All week long in our toil to gain
spirituality, we are on a male level. On the Shabbos, we are on a female level because we can soak up the fruits
of all we have done during the week. Hence, a person could labor very hard
spiritually all week long, but without the Shabbos
he would have no means of receiving it. This is because the Shabbos
is akin to the final Heh of the tatragrammaton. It is the hand that receives
from above. Therefore, without the Shabbos,
it is like cutting off a person’s hand, inhibiting him from receiving
spiritually. It is similar to working for something but never receiving it. From
this, you can see why the Shabbos is
of such importance in Judaism. (Inner Space p.75)
Chazal says that when you search for chametz, you are supposed to
simultaneously search your deeds. The same should be so when you prepare for Shabbos.
You must search your soul as to how to properly come close to Hashem.
If a King offered you a key to his treasure box, would you not take it?
For those of us that keep the Shabbos,
it is difficult to understand how anyone would not accept the key to the
treasure from the Master of the World. Then there are those of us that take the
key by keeping Shabbos in all its laws
but we do not attempt to open the treasure box. For those that go all the way
though and open the Shabbos for
themselves, they discover a light which shines seven days.
It takes six days to prepare oneself physically and spiritually for Shabbos.
If a person were to prepare five days then they would not be ready to take on
the Shabbos. Look at the Shabbos
as being the center of a circle. As you can see, all six days surround her. How
can we not all look at Shabbos this
same way? If only we all did, can you imagine? All of our days would be centered
around her! This is how Shabbos should
be in our eyes. The center of our lives!
Sunday
Wednesday Monday
SHABBOS
Thursday
Tuesday
Friday |
Superficially, creation is characterized by the idea of plurality. The
six days of the week accordingly parallel the diffuse disposition of the six
Sefiros from Chessed to Yesod. It is only on the Shabbos
that the vital unity of creation is realized. This is when creation is joined
with Hashem. The Shabbos is therefore called the “mystery of Unity,” when all
creation returns to its Source. (Zohar 2:135a)
It says in Sharei Orah, you must be precise to fulfill the commandment to
eat three meals in honor of the Shabbos
because it entails unifying very holy things. It unifies this world and the
world to come. The name of Hashem,
YKVK is united with its essence, which is the third sphere with the seventh. The
three meals on Shabbos each correspond
to unifying the sefiros (There are ten spiritual Sefiros in which Hashem created which work to keep the world in balance. Every mitzvahh
we do helps these sefiros to give off blessing to the world and become balanced
again. The world will not be balanced again until the time when Moshiach will
come. It is our job to fix these sefiros and we do this through following the Torah). The first seuda, meal we eat on Shabbos corresponds to Hashem’s
name Adna, which becomes one on the Shabbos
which is the essence of the seventh sefirah’s (Malkhus) unity. The second
seuda we eat unifies the name YKVK and the third corresponds to Binah that is
connected to the essence of Hashem’s
name EKYE. This is the essence of the unity of three, the essence of the verse
“and you will call the Shabbos Oneg,
delight”. Therefore when a person observes the Shabbos desisting from doing labor and honors it by delighting in
the three seudos, they become a true messenger of Hashem. How fortunate you will be in keeping Shabbos, for you will be a host to the ten sefiros (explained in
more detail in Sha’are Orah).
The
penalty for neglecting the three Shabbos
meals is sickness and disease. The mitzvahh
to eat these meals is part of the basis in celebrating the Shabbos with delight (Oneg). The opposite of “Oneg” in Hebrew is
“nega” (plague). (Zohar Eikev 273a, Sefer Yetzirah 2:4)
Rabbi
Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Jose, “The person who observes the Shabbos,
with enjoyments, will be blessed with boundless inheritance, as it is written
(Isaiah 58,14), “Then shall you find delight in Hashem,
etc… And I will enable you to enjoy the inheritance of Jacob, your father. (Ayin
Yakkov 118)
Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Rab, “The person who observes the Shabbos,
with delight, will be granted his heart’s desires, for it is said (Psalms
37,4) And delight in Hashem and He
will give you the wishes of your heart. The meaning of delight means in the Shabbos
given to us by Hashem. (Ayin Yakkov
118a)
On Shabbos a person should not say, “Let’s go to sleep so that
we’ll be able to work late on Motzei Shabbos”
because it is forbidden to make plans on Shabbos
for things to do the next day, even to make plans for writing Torah
thoughts. The reason is that you are giving the impression that you are resting
or sleeping on Shabbos for the sake of
a weekday. What you should say is, “Lets lie down to rest because today is Shabbos.’ (Sefer Chassidim, Shabbos
p.33)
Praying on the Shabbos is extra special. The “other side” so to speak is set
aside, and there is a manifestation of radiant Godliness. The prayers of the Shabbos
are especially beloved on high. (Zohar II: 135, III: 243a) The gate of the inner
court… shall be closed during the six working days, but on the Shabbos
it shall be opened.”(Ezekiel 46:1) On the weekdays prayer needs much more
effort then on the Shabbos though we
are required to pray every day of the week. If we don’t pray during the six
days of the week our prayer will simply not work on the Shabbos. Also on the Shabbos,
our prayers should not be about mundane matters but should be more focused on
our spiritual being and closeness to Hashem.
This is why in the prayer books; the Shabbos
prayers are completely different from the weekday ones. On Shabbos one must force themselves not to think about weekday
activities and concerns. The Shabbos
is a day of rest from all worries and concerns. It is a time to rejuvenate
spiritually and physically. It is a true delight if we let it be. We must let go
and give ourselves a break and let our minds refocus on the true purpose of
life. We must lift up the remaining sparks that have fallen from the beginning
of creation. Our lives should be spent trying to bring about the final
redemption in our generation. The mitzvahh
of keeping Shabbos truly has the power
to bring redemption into our own lives as well as for the entire world. It
isn’t enough to just keep Shabbos
though; one has to live a life of Shabbos
as learned above.
Tefilah Shabbos
Shabbos is the greatest gift in the world, Hashem. It is so holy, so precious. Thank You for giving us this special day when our soul shines double. No other nation has Shabbos but ours. What a present you have blessed us with!
Help me to rest and have peace of mind on Shabbos. May I be a vessel to take in all the kedusha Shabbos has to offer to my soul. Let the excitement of Shabbos be appreciated by my family and those around me. Help me to prepare something each day of the week in preparation for the coming Shabbos.
Hashem, please assist me to not be careless with my speech and actions on Shabbos. I want to make the most of out of this special day to grow spiritually, drawing closer to You. Open my heart and eyes that I should see the kedusha of Shabbos and not be held back by remembering weekday thoughts.
Giving Shabbos to myself is good but help me to taste the Shabbos by giving it to others as well. Hashem, I want to have guests for Shabbos but the burdens of the extra preparations thereby are difficult. Please ease my burden that I may give Shabbos to other people. Help me to participate in the hearing of the Torah portion and community activities in honor of this precious day.
Thank you, Hashem for this beautiful day of blessing. All our sustenance comes from the three meals and prayers on the Shabbos. Therefore, may the suidos I make or participate in be ones of wholeness and tranquility.
Rebbono Shel Ohlom, what would I do without the holiness of Shabbos in my life? Thank you, for this wonderful and important day of rest. That is, a day to reflect and appreciate all that You have given me. May I keep its laws and observe in the most respectful and observant way.
[1] Bereshis Rabbah 10:12
[2] Heard in a shiur by Rabbi Moshe Meir Weiss
[3] Rebbe Nachman’s Stories
[4] Reishis Chochmah, Shaar Hakedushahh 3
[5] Makkoth 3:16
[6] Berachos 57b
[7] Exodus 3:13
[8] Kedushahs Levi, Ki Thisa p. 162
[9] Exedus 31:17
[10] Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Hakdama
[11] Isaiah 56:2
[12] Likutey Eitzos 21
[13] Likutey Eitzos Shabbos, #12
[14] Inner Space p.88
[15] Eser Tzachtzachos, P. 55, #44
[16] Pesikta Rabbasi 23:2
[17] Likutey Moharan I, 31:2
[18] Beit Aharon, Kikkutim, p. 286
[19] Derech Chayim 7-42
[20] Pe’er Yitzchak, P. 125, #10
[21] Ein Yaakov 139
[22] Ibid
[23] Exodus 16.5
[24] Ayin Yaakov 117
[25] Proverbs 15:17
[26] Proverbs 17:1
[27] Isaiah 58:13
[28] Gitten 52a
[29] Sefer Chassidim p.35
[30] Sefer Chassidim page 31
[31] Beitzah 15b
[32] Bereshis Rabbah 11:2
[33] Consulting the Wise, 6,10