Embrace Shabbat

Introduction: The Root of Shabbos Restrictions Welcome to our Erev Shabbos edition. Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explains that the root of all forbidden activities on Shabbos is the nullification of a person's independent mastery toward God. What does that mean? On Shabbos, the illusion that man possesses ownership over creation disappears. God created the world—He is the sole owner and the only one in control. Therefore, we do not have permission to alter His world arbitrarily; you cannot make changes or assert dominion over property that is not yours. The Guest in the House Imagine you are invited to someone's home for the weekend. You settle into the guest room and notice there is no hook to hang your coat. Most people appreciate a hook for their jacket, but there isn't one here. You think, "I have a great idea: I'll just grab a drill and put a hole in the wall. That way, I'll have a place to hang my jacket." You cannot do that. Why? Because it is not your home; you are merely a guest. When Shabbos arrives, it serves as an absolute reminder: you are not the boss, you do not own the house, and you are not in charge. The Raavad's Foundation: Recognizing the Master Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz writes in his Sefer Da'at Torah (on Parshas Behar, Vayikra 25:2) that this concept serves as the bedrock of all mitzvos. He cites the Raavad's introduction to Ba'alei HaNefesh , which addresses the fundamental purpose of the commandments: "Lema'an yeida ha'adam ki yesh lo Borei ha-moshel alav" — so that man may recognize that he has a Creator Who rules over him. It is not enough simply to state that God created the world. One might think, "Yes, God created the universe, but now He has handed full control over to me." That is equivalent to saying, "A contractor built the house I live in, but it belongs entirely to me now." In reality, it remains the Contractor's house. Rabbi Yerucham explains that over time, human nature leads people to view themselves as the ultimate ba'alim (owners), convinced there is no authority above them. They gradually forget Hashem. Mitzvos as Constant Reminders of Ownership To counter this, Hashem embedded a law, rule, or boundary into virtually every human action to demonstrate that the world is not ours. Consider shatnez : the Torah prohibits wearing garments woven of wool and linen together. Why? Because the clothing does not fundamentally belong to you. The true Owner dictates how it may be worn; He is lending it to you. Adhering to these boundaries reinforces the awareness that we are merely custodians. The Raavad elaborates on this across various areas of life: Marriage & Family: Marriage is a sacred gift. With it come the laws of family purity and guidelines defining how spouses treat and respect one another. It is a gift with divine responsibilities attached. If someone presents you with a treasured heirloom and asks that you care for it according to specific instructions, you honor those terms because you respect the giver. Agriculture & the Land: When farming a field, the Torah establishes boundaries at every stage—plowing, planting, and harvesting. You cannot plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together ( kilayim ), nor can you co-plant grain and grapevines. During harvest, you must leave the corner of the field ( pe'ah ), dropped stalks ( leket ), and forgotten sheaves ( shikchechah ) for the poor. Once the crop is processed, tithes ( terumos and ma'asros ) must be separated for the kohen and Levi. Food & Daily Life: When kneading dough, a portion ( challah ) must be set aside for the kohen . Before and after eating, we recite berachos . Body, Time, and Environment: There are laws governing vineyards, olive groves, and garments ( tzitzis and kilayim ). There are mitzvos inscribed directly on the body, such as bris milah , and sanctifications placed upon time itself, such as the laws of Shabbos. Shemittah and Shabbos: Annulling the Ego Rabbi Yerucham notes that this is the primary motif of Shemittah. Once every seven years, the Torah commands us to let the land lie fallow and declare all produce ownerless ( hefker ). The purpose is clear: "Ki la'Hashem ha'aretz" — for the earth belongs to Hashem. The weekly counterpart to Shemittah is Shabbos: "Shabbos la'Hashem" — a Sabbath unto God. A day dedicated "unto God" means setting aside the human ego. For six days a week, man works and builds, easily succumbing to the mindset of "kochi v'otzem yadi" ("my own strength and power produced this wealth"). Then Shabbos arrives, calling a complete halt to creative labor. On this day, batel ata, batel kochacha —your self-importance and creative assertion are nullified. It is set apart to bear witness that the world is Hashem's. Because it instills this foundational truth— lema'an yeida ha'adam ki yesh li-Voro memshalah alav —our Sages teach that Shabbos is shekulah k'khol ha-mitzvos (equivalent in weight to all the commandments combined). Undoing the Primordial Sin This concept runs even deeper. The Ben Ish Chai (Ki Teizeh year 1 ) notes that the root of the curses ( kelalos ) brought about through the sin of Adam HaRishon corresponds to the Hebrew word Lot ( ל-ט ), which equals 39 in gematria and signifies curse, in contrast to Avraham, who brought blessing. The 39 creative labors ( melachos ) forbidden on Shabbos rectify these 39 curses. Following the sin, Shabbos served as Adam's defense and refuge, (Vayikra Raba 10:5) inspiring him to sing Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbos (Psalm 92). The core of Adam's sin was the ambition to act as an autonomous creator and master. Shabbos restores balance by asserting: you are not the creator, and you are not the master. Just as a houseguest may enjoy the hospitality of a home but cannot drill holes into its walls, man cannot engage in unauthorized creative production ( melachah ) within God's world. There is one Creator ( Borei ), and as we recite in the Amidah, He is Koneh hakol —He owns everything. Recognizing His ownership requires adherence to His boundaries. Recognizing the Creator's Signature On Friday night, we recite in Kiddush: "Atah kidashta es yom ha-shevi'i li-shmecha" ("You sanctified the seventh day for the sake of Your Name"). Regarding Shemittah, the Torah states: "V'shavtah ha'aretz Shabbos la'Hashem." Rashi explains that Shabbos la'Hashem means l'shem Hashem (for the sake of God's Name), just as Shabbos Bereishis was established lishmo (for His Name). Reb Yerucham cites the Ramban, who questions Rashi by asking why the Yamim Tovim (festivals) are not described using the exact phrase Shabbos la'Hashem , even though they are also kept for God's sake. He explains that l'shem Hashem in this context goes beyond having proper religious intent ( lishmah ); it means acting specifically to reveal and acknowledge God's Name in the world. During the High Holidays, we pray: "V'shimcha nora al kol mah she-barasa" — Your awesome Name rests upon everything You have created. Every manufactured item bears the mark of its maker. A tissue box displays its brand; a watch bears the maker's hallmark. In the natural world, God's signature is everywhere. A banana comes sealed in an ingenious, waterproof peel that transitions neatly from green to yellow as it ripens—an elegant design bearing the stamp of its Maker. Furthermore, our liturgy reminds us: "V'shimcha ha-gadol ve-ha-kadosh aleinu karata" ("Your great and holy Name is proclaimed upon us"). While creation reflects God's nora (awesome) presence, the Jewish people carry an even higher manifestation of His great and holy Name. Our lifelong mission is to seek out, recognize, and honor that divine signature across all of creation.

The Essence of Shabbos: Understanding Menuchah Welcome to our Erev Shabbos edition, discussing the importance and lessons of Shabbos. We are all familiar with the idea that one of the most fundamental concepts of Shabbos is menuchah (rest). In the Shabbat afternoon Minchah Amidah , we declare: "For from You comes their rest." We must recognize that our true menuchah comes directly from Hashem. The prayer continues: "And through their rest, they sanctify Your Name." Through our menuchah , we create a Kiddush Hashem . But what exactly is menuchah , and how does it connect to Shabbos? Olam HaBa (the World to Come) represents the ultimate menuchah . It is a realm of eternal rest and divine reward where creative labor ceases. As we know, Shabbos is mei'en Olam HaBa ( מעין עולם הבא )—a microcosm and taste of the World to Come. Rootedness vs. Dispersion: Defining Menuchah What characterizes the menuchah of Olam HaBa ? In Sefer Da'as Torah ( Parashas Vayeira , Ma'amarim , p. 147), Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz cites the Gemara in Sanhedrin 90a: "All of Israel have a portion in the World to Come." This teaching derives from the verse in Yeshayahu 60:21: "And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting." What is this "land" they will inherit? It refers to Olam HaBa . The imagery signifies being firmly rooted in the land—anchored and deeply connected, rather than scattered or tossed about. That is the true definition of menuchah : being rooted in one place, completely focused on where you are, free from external pull. Concerning the wicked, the verse states: "The wicked are like a driven sea." (Yeshayahu 57:20) Their existence resembles turbulent waves rising and falling, perpetually chasing one fleeting thing after another. Conventional rest is often viewed as reaching a vacation spot, lying on a quiet beach with nowhere to go and nothing to do, momentarily grounded. However, authentic, internal menuchah does not require a beach. True menuchah means sitting in gridlock traffic or walking through a freezing snowstorm while retaining that exact same calm, rooted demeanor. You remain centered—neither frazzled nor mefuzar u'meforad (scattered and fragmented). In Chovos HaLevavos ( Sha'ar HaBitachon ), Rabbeinu Bachya explains that the direct antithesis of menuchah is pizur hanefesh —inner dispersion and mental fragmentation. When one lacks menuchah , they are not natu'a (planted). Describing the righteous individual in the opening chapter of Tehillim (1:3–4), Dovid HaMelech writes: "He shall be like a tree planted by streams of water... Not so the wicked, who are like chaff driven by the wind." Menuchah means being centered within oneself, rather than spinning in perpetual circles. The Prescription for Calm: The Alter of Kelm How do we achieve this state? Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz recounts a well-known story involving the daughter of the Alter of Kelm (Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv). Suffering from an illness, she visited a renowned specialist. The doctor evaluated her and concluded: "What you need for your condition is menuchah —you must remain calm and avoid getting upset." Consider a parallel experience: when dealing with high blood pressure, a physician might outline four directives: Eliminate sodium from your diet. Exercise regularly. Lose excess weight. Eliminate stress. The first three instructions are actionable and measurable: one can cut out salt, walk daily, and eliminate carbohydrates and refined sugars. But the fourth directive— relieve stress —often feels impossible on command. When the Alter of Kelm's daughter returned home, she was thrilled. The Kelm yeshiva tradition was renowned for cultivating menuchas hanefesh (serenity and emotional composure). She eagerly informed her father that modern medicine also prescribes menuchah . The Alter replied: "You should have asked him: 'My dear professor, it is true we need menuchah , but tell me— how do we achieve it?'" As Rabbi Yerucham notes, this was an incisive observation. The secular world readily advises people to avoid anger and reduce stress, but offers few definitive tools to attain that equilibrium. Here we see the reality of Torah min HaShamayim (Torah from Heaven). The Torah does not merely mandate menuchah on Shabbos; it provides the concrete methodology to reach it. On Shabbos, we enter into: "A rest of peace, serenity, tranquility, and secure trust." For six days, we interact with the outside world. When Shabbos arrives, all constructive work ceases. We regard all our affairs as complete. That is sod hamenuchah —the inner secret of Shabbos rest. The Spiritual Regimen: The 39 Melachos How does the Torah train us to acquire menuchah ? Hashem created mankind and knows precisely what undermines our inner peace: the impulse to scatter our energy outward. On Shabbos, the Torah instructs that every person remain in their place: Spatial boundaries: Halachah establishes a techum (geographical limit) beyond which one may not travel. Domain boundaries: Halachah prohibits carrying an object across distinct domains or more than four amos in the public domain. Shabbos establishes an intentional concept of place. Hashem provided a spiritual regimen for stress relief and tranquility. This regimen is not composed of dietary rules about salt, sugar, or carbohydrates; it consists of the 39 Melachos (categories of creative labor) forbidden on Shabbos. Once a week, we adhere to this regimen down to its finest details. Guarding the 39 melachos grounds us within ourselves. Every creative labor we perform during the week shifts us into the category of metaltelin (movable property). In halachah, there are two legal classifications of physical property: Karka ( קרקע ): Immovable real estate, rooted directly in the earth ( mechubar l'karka ). Metaltelin ( מטלטלין ): Movable items—such as pens, paper, or furniture—which can be moved anywhere. A person can live as mechubar l'karka —rooted, stable, and anchored like Olam HaBa —or live as metaltelin , driven by every shifting wind. Weekday creative actions fragment our focus outward. Shabbos calls us back into ourselves. While bitachon (trust in Hashem) is essential to internalize that all work is done, raw faith alone will not generate serenity if a person remains physically and mentally running in every direction. Every melachah pulls against stillness. Anchoring the Soul: Torah and Restraint This dynamic extends across the entire Torah. Shabbos is the pinnacle, but all mitzvos serve to anchor us so we do not drift aimlessly. Rabbi Yerucham cites Midrash Rabbah (12:11) on the verse in Koheles 12:11: "The words of the wise are like goads, and like firmly embedded nails." A goad is a handheld staff used to direct sheep, yet a staff is movable. The verse therefore immediately adds: k'masmeros netu'im —like nails driven deep into a surface, or like a secure peg ( yaseid ne'emanah ). The purpose of Torah wisdom is to transform the human spirit from something easily jostled into an anchor that cannot be moved. What most readily disrupts our menuchah ? Unrestrained speech. The Navi warns concerning Shabbos: "From pursuing your own affairs, or speaking idle words." (Yeshayahu 58:13) When we wander the street letting our eyes dart everywhere and speaking without boundary, we lose touch with ourselves. Menuchah means cultivating an internal world so rich that we no longer need to chase stimulation outside. Everything essential is housed within. Returning to the Source: Vayinafash In Alei Shur (Vol. 2, p. 383), Rav Shlomo Wolbe presents a profound perspective on Creation. The Torah uses the root bara ( ברא ) to denote creation. In Aramaic, bara ( לברא ) means "outside"—as in the Talmudic phrase puk chazi l'vara ("go outside and see"). Similarly, we distinguish between a Mishnah (the foundational, core codification by Rebbi) and a Beraita (teachings left outside the primary canon). Prior to Creation, there was no reality outside of Hashem: Ein Od Milvado (there is nothing beside Him). Through the process described in Kabbalistic thought as tzimtzum , Hashem concealed His infinite presence to allow a world to appear distinct from Him. In that sense, to "create" ( bara ) was to manifest an outward realm. What occurred on the seventh day? "He ceased from work and rested ( vayinafash )." (Shemos 31:17) The word vayinafash shares its root with nefesh (soul/self). Creation withdrew from its outward expansion and returned to its Divine Source. That is the task of Shabbos: to step back from the outward momentum of the week, slow down, and return to our true selves. Every Shabbos, we draw our scattered energy inward to restore our fundamental center.

**This week's essay is dedicated in memory of Rosa bat Shafia** The Midrash ( Bereshit Rabbah 56:3) observes that in the Torah's account of עקידת יצחק – the story of Avraham Avinu placing his son, Yitzchak, on the altar and preparing to slaughter him in compliance with Hashem's command – the Torah refers to Avraham's knife with the term מאכולת. A knife is occasionally called מאכולת , a term that stems from the root א.כ.ל. ("eat"), because it is used to slaughter animals so their meat may be consumed. In the specific context of עקידת יצחק, however, the Midrash comments that this term alludes to the fact that the Jewish People, the descendants of Avraham Avinu, continue"eating" and benefiting from the merit of this great act of self-sacrifice and subservience to the Divine Will, to this very day. The Vilna Gaon ( Kol Eliyahu , Parashat Vayera) raises the question of how to reconcile the Midrash's comment with the well-established principle of שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא ליכא – the reward for mitzvot is granted in the next world and not in this world. How do we benefit here in this world from the great mitzvah of עקידת יצחק , if our Sages teach that we receive reward for mitzvot only in the next world? The Gaon answers that the Midrash refers to the mitzvot for all the extensive preparations that Avraham made to sacrifice his son. Of course, he never actually performed the sacrifice, as at the last moment, Hashem ordered him to withdraw his knife. The rewards that we receive, then, are only for the preparations – the three-day journey to Mount Moriah, tying Yitzchak upon the altar, preparing the knife, and so on. Preparing for any mitzvah yields very significant rewards. It is through the efforts we invest before the mitzvah is performed, in preparation for the act, that we earn great merit. This is especially true of Shabbat. The Torat Hayim (Eruvin 19a) writes that our preparation for Shabbat parallels our preparation in this world for our lives in the eternal world. As Shabbat is מעין עולם הבא – a glimpse of the next world, our preparations for Shabbat are to resemble our preparations for the afterlife. In order for a person to earn a share in the next world, he must be spiritually pure. Those whose souls have been contaminated in this world must undergo a "cleansing" process before they earn entry into the next world. Correspondingly, halachah requires us to bathe with warm water on Erev Shabbat as part of our preparations for Shabbat. This cleansing of our bodies represents the cleansing of our souls, a necessary prerequisite for experiencing the beauty and splendor of the next world. It emerges, then, that preparing for Shabbat has a "cleansing" effect upon our souls. The hard work and effort we invest in preparing for Shabbat, even bathing, has a very significant spiritual impact, preparing our souls to receive the special kedushah of Shabbat. Further insight into this "cleansing" power can be gleaned from a remarkable comment by the Ben Ish Hai. Halachah requires washing our hands each morning when we awaken in order to remove the tum'ah (impurity) that descends upon our hands as we sleep. The Ben Ish Hai explains this concept by way of an analogy to the body's circulatory system. When a person's blood is not circulating properly, then this condition is manifest specifically in the body's extremities – the fingers and feet. They turn blue and do not function properly because the blood does not reach these outermost regions of the body. Similarly, the Ben Ish Hai writes that when a person wakes up in the morning, most of the contamination that descended over the course of the night leaves, but it remains on the body's extremities. Therefore, one is required to wash one's hands each morning. However, as the Ben Ish Hai proceeds to note, this gives rise to the question of why halachah does not also require washing one's feet each morning. If the tum'ah on the body's extremities remains when one awakens, then why must he wash only his hands? The Ben Ish Hai answers that halachah does not require washing one's feet in the morning because this would not suffice to eliminate the tum'ah . Since the feet tread continuously on the ground, the tum'ah on the feet is so powerful that it cannot be removed through washing. The exception to this rule, the Ben Ish Hai adds, is the kohanim in the Bet Ha'mikdash , who are required to wash their hands and feet before entering the Mikdash . The special sanctity of the Mikdash makes it possible to eliminate the tum'ah even from the feet, and so although we are not required to wash our feet each morning, the kohanim are required to wash their feet before entering the Bet Ha'mikdash . Remarkably, there is also a second exception – Erev Shabbat. The Ben Ish Hai writes that halachah requires us to wash, minimally, our face, hands, and feet every Erev Shabbat in preparation for Shabbat. The reason is that just as the sanctity of the Mikdash makes it possible for the kohanim to eliminate the tum'ah from their feet, the special sanctity of Shabbat similarly has this unique ability. Shabbat preparations offer us an opportunity that is otherwise reserved exclusively for the kohanim in the Bet Ha'mikdash – to thoroughly cleanse our souls and achieve a pristine level of spiritual purity. This theme of preparation closely relates to the sefirat ha'omer period, when we spend forty-nine days preparing for Matan Torah . The period of sefirat ha'omer is intended to serve as a period of intensive preparation because the more we prepare for the event of Matan Toraah , the greater and more enduring impact the experience of Matan Torah will have upon us. Our Sages note that although Avraham had numerous servants, he himself saddled his donkey and made the necessary preparations for עקידת יצחק . Years later, when Bilam set out to place a curse upon Beneh Yisrael , he specifically saddled his own donkey, rather than asking one of his servants to do so, in an effort to "counter" Avraham's enthusiasm. Bilam keenly understood the power of preparation and sought to use this power for his evil plot to destroy Beneh Yisrael . We are to follow the inspiring example of Avraham, who utilized the power of preparation for the purpose of serving Hashem and bringing kedushah into the world. Let us, then, joyfully and enthusiastically prepare for Shabbat each week, recognizing the great benefits and impact of these efforts.

Whenever we involve ourselves in some project or undertaking, it’s a good idea to properly appreciate the value of what we’re doing, in order to sustain our zeal and motivation to accomplish and achieve at the highest standard. This is true of Shabbat, as well. The more we understand and appreciate the immense value of Shabbat, the more driven we will be to enhance our Shabbat observance and bring it to a higher level. This is especially so as we prepare for the final Shabbat of the year. Performing any mitzvah is a great privilege. While we perform mitzvot first and foremost because we are obligated to do so, we must also recognize that it is a great privilege to serve the Almighty and accrue merits through the performance of a mitzvah . And one of the greatest rewards we earn through the performance of a mitzvah is the privilege of performing additional mitzvot . This concept is powerfully conveyed through a story told by the Ponevitcher Rav about a conversation he once had with the Hazon Ish. The Ponevitcher Rav occasionally traveled to the United States to raise money for the yeshiva, and after one of his trips, he asked the Hazon Ish about a curious phenomenon that he experienced. Every so often, when he approached a prospective donor to ask for a contribution, the man would ask him to come back the next day. “I just don’t understand,” the Ponevitcher Rav said. “If he wants to donate, then why doesn’t he just donate, and if he does not want to donate, then why doesn’t he just say so?” The Hazon Ish asked him what he thought the explanation was, and the Ponevitcher Rav said that perhaps people say this because they do not really wish to donate, and so they tell him to return the next day in the hope that he won’t, or that they would not be available when he comes. The Hazon Ish, however, said that this is not correct. The reason why they respond this way, he explained, is because they need a zechut (source of merit) with which to earn the mitzvah of supporting Torah study. If a person does not feel quite ready to donate, and so he asks the Rabbi to return the next day, it is because he needs an additional source of merit, such as another prayer, or another act of kindness, before he earns the great privilege of supporting Torah. Another story that illustrates this point is told by Rav Avraham Mordechai Shapiro, a famous student of Rav Aharon Kotler, in his work Imreh Mordechai . He tells that he was once in Tel-Aviv on a Friday in the 1950s, and he happened to be in front of a small shop. A customer came to the shop and asked to buy a pack of cigarettes. The shopkeeper looked at his watch, and told the man that he could not sell him the cigarettes because of the time. He explained that his practice was not to sell cigarettes after midday on Friday, because he did not want to facilitate Shabbat desecration. Rav Shapiro overheard this exchange, and was intrigued by the shopkeeper. He was further impressed when he saw that the shopkeeper had a volume of Mishnayot – Masechet Ma’aser Sheni – open on his desk as he sat waiting for customers. He approached the man and they started talking. The man told Rav Shapiro that his name was Yaakov, and that he used to be a butcher in the city of Minsk. Rav Shapiro mentioned that he was visiting from the United States. The man then asked if he knew anything about a certain Arkeleh Sislitzer. He had heard that this young man, Arkeleh, who was originally from Minsk, had gone to the United States and became very renowned among American Jewry. He wondered if Rav Shapiro had heard of him. Rav Shapiro soon realized that the man was referring to was his esteemed Rabbi – Rav Aharon Kotler. The man proceeded to tell him that during his years working as a butcher in Minsk, he would donate a few pennies for every kilo of meat he sold to hire tutors for children who had trouble learning. There was one orphan who exhibited an exceptional intellect, and at the age of 14, he was already too advanced for any Torah learning framework available in Minsk. And, as the Enlightenment movement was very influential in the city, he feared that this boy – Arkeleh – might come under the movement’s influence. So, the butcher donated the money to pay for tickets for him and for another student – whose name he did not remember – to travel to Slobodka and learn in the yeshiva there. Remarkably, this man had the privilege of sending 14-year-old Arkeleh Sislitzer to yeshiva, where he would eventually become the great Rav Aharon Kotler. Rav Shapiro told this story to Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky, who learned in Slobodka together with Rav Aharon Kotler. As he told this story, he asked Rav Yaakov if he knew the second boy whose trip to Slobodka was sponsored by this butcher. “You’re looking at him,” Rav Yaakov replied. This butcher obviously had a great zechut previously that enabled him to be the one to send two young men off to learn that eventually became gedolim that changed the face of America. Enhancing our observance of Shabbat has the ability to bring us great merit. The merit of this mitzvah is very powerful, and leads us to additional privileges and opportunity to earn rewards. In 2006, the community of Lakewood, NJ was graced by a visit by Rav Aharon Leib Steinman. This was a difficult time in Lakewood, when the community was struck by an unusually large number of tragedies. When Rav Steinman visited, the people of Lakewood asked what they could do to earn merit to improve the situation. Rav Steinman answered that Shabbat is the source of all blessing in the world, and so by accepting Shabbat a half-hour early, they will earn blessing. That Shabbat, the entire community of Lakewood accepted Shabbat a half-hour early. After the first hour of Shabbat, the local Hatzalah dispatcher noticed that he had not received any phone calls, and feared that there might be a problem with the communications system. Normally, within the first hour of Shabbat, Hatzalah would receive several calls of medical emergencies, but on that Shabbat, everything was silent. He checked the network and found that everything was in perfect working order. The silence continued throughout the night, and even throughout the next day. Hatzalah did not receive a single call that entire Shabbat. After Shabbat, Rav Malkiel Kotler excitedly phoned Rav Steinman and shared with him the news. On a typical Shabbat, he said, Hatzalah receives some 40 calls, but on that Shabbat, it did not receive any. This remarkable story should reinforce our appreciation for the great privilege that we have to observe Shabbat, and for the great blessings that we earn through this mitzvah . If we are looking to end the year the right way, and to begin the new year the right way, the best thing we can do is to enhance Shabbat, by beginning Shabbat a bit early, by spending it the right way, and by making it the spiritual and serene experience that it is meant to be. If we work to raise our standards of Shabbat observance, then we will access the great bounty of blessing that Shabbat offers us, and we will see the fulfillment of the wish תחל שנה וברכותיה – “May the year begin with its blessings.”

Welcome to Embrace Shabbat. The Yaarot Devash teaches that there are seven mazalot , which correspond to the seven days of the week, and Shabbat corresponds to a negative mazal . It is for this reason that other religions celebrate their Sabbath on Friday or Sunday, rather than Shabbat. They believe that connecting their day of rest to Shabbat will bring negativity upon them. However, as Jews, we believe that by celebrating Shabbat, we demonstrate that we do not believe in other forces, such as mazalot , controlling us. Rather, we know that it is HaKadosh Baruch Hu Who is in charge and determines the course of our lives. The Avudraham (as quoted in the Anaf Yosef in Ein Yaakov on Masechet Shabbat 119b) teaches that the mazal of Friday is named “ Tzedek ,” and it is accompanied by the angel Tzadkiel , a good angel. The power of this mazal remains in existence through the final moments of Erev Shabbat. The mazal of Shabbat is mahadim , from the root word edom - red. The Gemara teaches that one who is born under this mazal of redness has a bloodthirsty nature and will have a tendency to direct his energies to being a mohel, shochet, or murderer. Rav Wolbe explains that for such a person, his violent tendencies will not change. However, he can chanel it for a mitzvah , such as milah ; a positive action (though not a mitzvah ), such a preparing kosher meat; or murder. This mazal of redness is the mazal of Shabbat. The power of this mazal comes into effect right from the start of Shabbat and is accompanied by the malach is סמאל , a negative angel (it is preferred not to pronounce the name of this malach and therefore people refer to it as ס-מ ). The Avudarham explains the connection between these two angels and the famous Gemara in Shabbat: two angels accompany a person home from shul on Friday night, a good angel and a bad angel. The Avudarham explains that these two angles are the positive angel of Friday and the negative angel of Shabbat, who “change shifts” and walk a person home as Shabbat begins. When they reach his home, they check if the table is set, the bedroom is made up, and the candles are lit. Then, either the good angel blesses the home and the bad angel answers “Amen,” or vice versa. When we sing שלום עליכם מלאכי השרת on Friday night, we welcome in these two angels: Tzadkiel of Friday and the negative ס-מ of Shabbat. Commenting on the words ה' פֹּ֘קֵ֤חַ עִוְרִ֗ים , G-d opens up the eyes of the blind, the Chidah (Tehillim 146:8) explains that the root of the name ס-מ is סומה , a blind person ; he blinds others from seeing the difference between an aveira and a mitzvah . ה' פֹּ֘קֵ֤חַ עִוְרִ֗ים does not just refer to a blind person who cannot see, but also a person that is blinded by the yetzer hara and can’t see correctly . When a person does Teshuva , Hashem is ה' פֹּ֘קֵ֤חַ עִוְרִ֗ים , He opens up the eyes of the blind. On Shabbat, the angel of ס-מ brings darkness and negativity. Therefore, we light candles to symbolically light up that darkness. The Iyun Yaakov teaches that the two candles as well as the two angels represent Shamor and Zachur . It is our hope that lighting the two candles will bring light into our Shabbat. Have a Shabbat Shalom.

Welcome to Embrace Shabbat. The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat 118b teaches: אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל הַמְשַׁמֵּר שַׁבָּתכְּהִלְכָתוֹ, אֲפִילּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה [כְּדוֹר] אֱנוֹשׁ — מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ RabbiYochanan said: anyone who observes Shabbat properly, even if he worshipsidolatry, as in the generation of Enosh, he will be forgiven. Rashi explains that Enosh is specificallymentioned because in his generation, the people began serving avodah zara . The Rambam explains thedriving force behind Enosh's sin: at first, the people of the generationrecognized G-d's greatness, and felt that honoring His celestial beings wouldserve as a means of honoring Him, as the heavenly bodies serve as intermediariesthat assist G-d. With time, however, people forgot G-d- the original Source-and began serving the heavenly bodies themselves, thinking that the stars andmoon were controlling the world on their own. How, according to Rabbi Yochanan, can Shabbatserve as a counterforce to this belief?While Shabbat may serve as a reminder that G-d created the world in six daysand rested on the seventh, that belief does not counteract idolatry; a personmay believe that G-d created the world and put it in the hands ofintermediaries, with whom He wants us to communicate. How does Shabbat provethat a person should deal directly with G-d? The Sefer AhavatEitan, a commentary on the Ein Yaakov ,explains that when a person keeps Shabbat, he attests to the fact that G-dcontinues to run and supervise the world. Observing Shabbat demands of a personto put their parnassah in the handsof Hashem and trust that He will continue to sustain them. Therefore, when aperson keeps Shabbat, he attests to the fact that HaKadosh Baruch Hu deals withhim directly without any intermediary. The bracha of Shabbat only comes through refraining fromworking. On a deeper level, the Yearot Devash teaches that each day of the week has a differentmazal and the mazal of Shabbat is "Shabtai", the mazal of destruction. Peoplebelieved that order to appease this mazal, a person must be in a sad andmelancholy mood. Therefore, the Jewish people were happy and celebrated Shabbatto show that they were not influenced by the mazal, because they dealt directlywith HaKadosh Baruch Hu. When a person keeps Shabbat properly, he demonstratesthat he does not need to worry about mazalot or intermediaries, as they deal with HaKadosh Baruch Hu directly. It is for these reasons that Shabbat is a dayof strengthening Emunah. In addition to refraining from the 39 melachot , a person must guard Shabbat. A person can accomplishthis by pondering Hashem's hashgacha and supervision- that He deals with uswithout an intermediary. A person may think about the fact that they do notneed to worry about mazalot, which today refers to natural forces that appearto have some strength, because they don't actually do anything. May theseEmunah lessons strengthen us with every single Shabbat. Have a Shabbat Shalom, and bez'h throughkeeping Shabbat, our sins will be forgiven.

Welcome to Embrace Shabbat. Rav Gershon Edelstein zt"l, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevezh Yeshiva, shares a beautiful thought about Shabbat. In Beraishit it tells us, וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ, G-d blessed the seventh day and He made it holy. Rav Edelstein points out that this is something that existed even before Matan Torah: Shabbat inherently had added blessing and kedusha. What is the added blessing? Shabbat is the mekor haBeracha , which refers to physical blessings. Shabbat provides bracha for a person’s body, their parnassah, their food and drink, and everything else needed for Shabbat and the rest of the year. In the merit of Shabbat, HaKadosh Baruch Hu gives us our parnassah. As the famous Chofetz Chaim teaches: when a person works on Shabbat, it is as if he put a seventh hole in an existing barrel. Nothing more will come out. Shabbat is the source of all physical blessings. וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ- Kedusha refers to the spiritual uplifting of Shabbat. On Shabbat, not only is the day itself holy, but a person themselves can become holier. This was true even before Matan Torah. Adam HaRishon and the avot kept Shabbat- inherently Shabbat brings Kedusha unto a person. Medrash Rabba (Beraishit 11:2) explains that this special kedusha refers to a person’s face. אֵינוֹ דוֹמֶה אוֹר פָּנָיו שֶׁל אָדָם כָּל יְמוֹת הַשַּׁבָּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא דּוֹמֶה בְּשַׁבָּת. On Shabbat a person has a different face. The word פָּנִים, face, is connected to פְּנִים, your inside; a person’s face expresses what is going on inside of them. The Chofetz Chaim relates the following story to show that even a young child can recognize this. A father that was angry at his daughter during the week and was still walking around with an angry face. The girl said to her father, “Can you please have your Shabbat face on?” Even a little girl was able to pick up that there is a Shabbat face, there is something different there about the face of Shabbat. This concept that the face expresses what is inside explains why it is that there is a certain chein (grace) in young children. When we look at young children, we see a certain wholesomeness, because the child hasn’t sinned yet. Similarly, when Sarah Imeinu died, the Torah tells us that when she was 20, it was like she was a 7 in beauty. The obvious question is that 7 year olds are not beautiful! Why are we comparing her at 20 to be like a 7 year old? A seven year old has a wholesome beauty that does not have any sinful thought to it. Therefore, even though Sarah turned 20, it was still like she was stuck in a seven year old body. Let us tap into these two aspects of Shabbat: kedusha and bracha. May we have the holiness of kedusha and the physical blessings from our bracha. On Shabbat, we have to enhance and appreciate both of these things. Appreciate the physical blessing that Shabbat brings us. We start Shabbat off with kiddush, which has in it both aspects. We cannot eat before we say Kiddush, which means that we are acknowledging G-d’s holiness and the holiness of Shabbat before start the meal. May we merit to both gain from the kedusha, the holiness, and the bracha of Shabbat. Have a Shabbat Shalom.

Welcome to Embrace Shabbat. ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת לעשות את השבת לדרתם , Bnei Yisrael should preserve Shabbat, to maintain Shabbat for their future generations. The Zohar highlights that the word לדרתם is written without a vuv , and therefore can be read as לְדִרֹתָם , for their dwellings . How does a person guarantee the continuation of their generations? לְדִרֹתָם - make Shabbat in their homes . We don’t appreciate the impact of Shabbat on our family’s continuity. In the early years of America, many people assimilated because they gave up on Shabbat. (We are not judging them. There were great challenges at the time.) Without Shabbat, the generations don’t continue. Rav Shach had a son who was not as strong as his father was. There was another Rosh Yeshiva who lived in the same apartment building, and all of his sons followed in his ways and became Roshei Yeshiva. Some once asked Rav Shach, “Why is it that you are a Rosh Yeshiva, but your son didn’t follow in your ways?” Rav Shach admitted that he made a mistake. When he was younger and was raising his children, he would finish the Shabbat meal very quickly so that he could go learn. The other Rosh Yeshiva spent time singing zemirot and making the Shabbat table into a special place. Rav Shach attributed it to this difference and learned from his mistake. There are stories about couples who came to him to ask for advice about their children who were going off the derech or assimilating. Rav Shach told them to turn Shabbat into a special time, and the kedusha of Shabbat will make an impact on the future generations. How does this work? Our Rabbis teach that Shabbat is strongly connected to the Beit HaMikdash. The 39 melachot (activities are prohibited on Shabbat) are the same activities that were performed in building the Mishkan. By guarding the 39 melachot of Shabbat, we are building the Beit HaMikdash in our own homes. We see many connections between the Beit HaMikdash and Shabbat in our homes today: 1. Lighting candles corresponds to lighting the Menorah. 2. The loaves of challah correspond to the 12 loaves of bread on the shulchan 3. At a minimum, a person must wash their hands and feet with hot water before Shabbat. Similarly, the Jewish people would wash their hands and feet at the kiyur before the service. 4. We have zemirot and wine at our Shabbat table. There is a concept of אין שירה אלא על היין , one only recites a song of praise over wine. In the Beit HaMikdash, song was always accompanied by wine and therefore kiddush , which is likened to song in the Beit HaMikdash, is recited over a cup of wine. 5. We wear special clothing on Shabbat, just like the kohanim wore special clothing in the Beit HaMikdash. 6. We mention arousing the Beit HaMikdash in our Friday night prayers. In Lecha Dodi we recite: מִקְדַּש מֶלֶךְ עִיר מְלוּכָה. קוּמִי צְאִי מִתּוךְ הַהֲפֵכָה. רַב לָךְ שבֶת בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא , the Mikdash, city of royalty. Rise and get out of the rubble. You have been sitting in the valley of destruction for too long. 7. Further, many have a text in the Friday night prayers where they mention Yerushalayim- ופרושׂ עלינו ועל ירושלים עירך סוכת שלום or הַפּורֵש סֻכַּת שלום עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמּו יִשרָאֵל וְעַל יְרוּשלָיִם . We bring Yerushalayim into our prayers because our homes turn into a Beit HaMIkdash. The connection between the Beit Hamikdash and Shabbat explains how Shabbat ensures a continuation of the generations. There is nothing better for a person than being in a holy place. We don’t have the ability to enter the Beit HaMikdash today, but we do have the ability to keep Shabbat. When our homes are filled with kedusha from Shabbat, then our children are located in the Beit HaMikdash and that brings holiness upon us and ensures the future of our people. Have a wonderful day and a Shabbat Shalom.

Shabbat is a day especially suited for quality family time, as parents and children sit around the table together for long periods. One might wonder, is this just a nice custom that evolved, or is there a source in the Torah for this aspect of Shabbat? The Torah commands in Parashat Kedoshim, קדושים תהיו...איש אמו ואביו תיראו ואת שבתותי תשמורו – “You shall be sacred… Each person shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall observe my Shabbatot.” These verses incorporate three different commands: being “sacred,” respecting parents, and observing Shabbat. To explain the connection between these mitzvot , the Hatam Sofer writes that kedushah is preserved among the Jewish People through the parent-child relationship. Parents transmit to their children the laws, traditions, values and customs that make us a sacred people, and this transmission succeeds only if the children respect their parents and heed their guidance and instructions. This process occurs primarily on Shabbat, when parents are free from work and thus have time to sit with their children. Thus, the command of קדושים תהיו , being a sacred nation, is fulfilled through the mitzvot of respecting parents and Shabbat, as it is by children spending time listening to their parents on Shabbat that the principles of kedushah are transmitted and thereby preserved. Rashi, in his comments to these verses in Sefer Vayikra, gives a different explanation for the connection between the commands of Shabbat and respecting parents. He writes that the Torah juxtaposed these two commands to teach us that one should not violate Shabbat for the sake of respecting his parents. If his father or mother asks him to perform some action on Shabbat that constitutes a Shabbat violation, he must refuse the request. Although he is required to obey his parents, his parents are required to obey G-d, and thus G-d’s laws take precedence over the parents’ wishes. The Meshech Hochmah raises the question of why such an inference was necessary. Is it not obvious that we should not violate G-d’s word for the sake of fulfilling the wishes of another human being? Wouldn’t we have intuitively understood that our obligations to Hashem take precedence over our obligations to other people, who are also bound by His laws? The Meshech Hochmah answers that although it is evident that we may not transgress G-d’s laws to grant another person’s request, one might have nevertheless assumed that obeying parents marks an exception to this rule. As we know, the Ten Commandments were engraved on two stones, one which contained the five commandments that relate to our duties to Hashem ( מצוות בין אדם למקום ), and the other which contained the five commandments governing our responsibilities to other people ( מצוות בין אדם לחבירו ). Revealingly, the command to respect parents – כבד את אביך ואת אמך – was engraved on the right stone, the stone which contained the מצוות בין אדם למקום . The Meshech Hochmah explains that our entire religion is based upon our belief in the Revelation at Sinai. We were not present when G-d revealed Himself to our ancestors at Sinai, but those who were present told of this event to their children, who conveyed this information to their children, and so on. This is how we know of the Revelation and why we believe in our obligation to Torah – through the transmission from parent to child over the course of the generations. It emerges, then, that our entire faith hinges upon the parent-child relationship. As such, honoring parents involves more than our appreciation to our parents for all they’ve done for us. It is the key to the successful transmission of our mesorah (tradition). For this reason, one might have assumed that honoring parents’ wishes overrides our responsibilities to Hashem, since our entire religion depends upon respect for parents. Similarly, the Ramban writes in this commentary to Sefer Devarim that the memory of the Revelation is preserved for all time by parents telling of the event to their children. Children understand that parents would not tell them nonsense, and we therefore do not entertain any doubts about the truth of this event. The Hatam Sofer , elsewhere in his writings (responsa, Y.D. 356), observes that with the exception of the story of Bilam, we have eye-witness testimony to all the events recorded in the Torah. All Am Yisrael – 600,000 adult men, plus the women and children – witnessed the miracles of the Exodus and the Revelation at Sinai. And as for the earlier events, Adam clearly knew that he and the whole earth were created, and he told about it to his offspring, including Noach, whom he knew. Noach lived long enough to know the patriarchs, and thus they heard firsthand accounts about events such as the flood, the Tower of Babel, and so on. They transmitted all this information to their offspring, and thus all Beneh Yisrael received this tradition. In essence, then, our tradition is testimony to the truth of all these events. This point is made also by the Sefer Ha’ikarim , who emphasizes that our religion cannot be sustained without children respecting their parents. For this reason, he writes, the Torah commands in Parashat Ha’azinu, שאל אביך ויגדך זקניך ויאמרו לך – “Ask your father, and he will inform you; your elders – and they will tell you.” On this basis, the Sefer Ha’ikarim explains the severe punishment the Torah decrees upon a בן סורר ומורה , the wayward thirteen-year-old son who shows signs of complete disobedience and utter disregard for his parents’ authority, such as stealing their money and using it for self-indulgence. The source of our faith is our tradition, and so a child who severs the connection to his parents undermines the entire foundation of our religion. Therefore, Shabbat, which is the day to bolster our emunah , is the day of tradition, the day when parents and children are to strengthen their bonds to ensure the successful transmission of our mesorah . Shabbat is the day of kedushah , and as the Hatam Sofer teaches, kedushah is maintained through the relationship between parents and children, which is strengthened specifically on Shabbat. Let us, then, use Shabbat as a time to reinforce the bonds between the generations, between parents and children, which will have the effect of reinforcing our faith and thus reinforcing our special bond to the Almighty.

The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (18b) tells of a certain hasid (pious man) who once gave a significant sum of money to a poor person on Erev Rosh Hashanah, during a period of drought. When he arrived home, his wife became very angry that he gave away their money. The hasid left his home and went to sleep in the cemetery. (Rav Yisrael Salanter explained that the hasid felt himself harboring resentment towards his wife for her angry reaction, and he thus decided to undertake this drastic measure of sleeping in a cemetery to rid himself of his arrogance and negativity.) As he slept, he heard two spirits talking with one another. One went to find out what Hashem was decreeing upon the world for the coming year, and returned with the report that anything planted at the beginning of planting season would be destroyed by hail. Armed with this information, the hasid planted later than everybody else, and became wealthy. Rav Matisyahu Salomon explained that this hasid was slated to receive great blessing, but in order to receive it, he needed to first overcome tests and challenges. He first gave charity to help a needy person despite his own hardship, and then overcame the test posed by his wife’s angry reaction. By overcoming these challenges, he became worthy of the great bounty that G-d wished to give him. Life presents us with many challenges, and by withstanding them and passing our tests we prepare ourselves for receiving Hashem’s blessings. This is especially true about Shabbat, which is מקור הברכה – the source of all blessing. In order to access all the blessings that Shabbat makes available to us, we need to pass the difficult tests that Shabbat observance poses. Rav Shaul Semah of Lakewood told a story which he heard firsthand from the person involved. Rabbi Shalom Sklar, a Hassidic Rabbi, emigrated to the United States from Russia, and the Jewish Agency, which facilitated the resettlement of Jewish immigrants in the U.S. at that time, decided to send him to Chicago. Rabbi Sklar explored many different employment possibilities, but could not find a job. Every employer with whom he met said in no uncertain terms that if he would not work on Saturday, he would not have his job on Monday. He was intelligent, hard-working and talented, but nobody wanted to hire somebody who would not work on Saturday. Finally, he was hired to pluck feathers from geese to stuff blankets and pillows. This was a menial job, but he worked diligently and managed to keep the job for several months. But one Friday, his boss called him over and said that he had just received a very large order, and needed extra hours of work. As Rabbi Sklar was an exceptionally diligent worker, the boss wanted him to come into work on Saturday to produce the extra volume of merchandise. But Rabbi Sklar refused. “Why can’t you be like the others, who attend the early prayer services and then come into work?” the boss asked. “What’s the problem with that?” The Rabbi still refused, and he was fired. A short while later, whatever money he had ran out, and he did not even have any food. Finally, he stumbled upon a job shoveling coals into a heating furnace of an apartment building. He would go into the basement of the building each morning, clear out the furnace, and then shovel coals into the furnace. This entailed backbreaking work, but the Rabbi had no choice. A wealthy Jewish lawyer happened to live in a penthouse on the top floor of that building. One day, he mistakenly pressed the wrong button in the elevator, and ended up in the basement of the building, instead of the lobby. When he arrived at the basement, he saw a Hassidic Rabbi shoveling coals into the furnace. “Rabbi,” the attorney asked, “why are you shoveling coals?” Rabb Sklar explained that this was the only job he could find. “Clean yourself up and come into my office,” the lawyer said. “I want to speak with you.” Rabbi Sklar did as the man told him. He cleaned himself and went up to the office, where the lawyer’s secretary was told to let him in. He sat in the lawyer’s office, and the lawyer told him to look out the window at the Chicago skyline. “You see that building over there,” he told Rabbi Sklar, pointing. “I am planning to buy that building soon. I want to make you my 5% percent partner in this venture. You are a Rabbi, so you will be my ‘good luck charm’ in this enterprise.” “But I have no money,” the Rabbi said. “Don’t worry,” the lawyer assured him. “I will lend you the money, and you can pay me back with your earnings as a 5% partner after we sell the building.” The Rabbi agreed, and became this man’s partner. They embarked on numerous ventures together, and were very successful. Finally, they purchased a large piece of property on the outskirts of Chicago, which ultimately became the site of O’Hare International Airport. Practically overnight, Rabbi Sklar became a multimillionaire. He moved to Lakewood where he was a bastion of charity, extending generous assistance to all who needed it. He had to endure several grueling tests, losing his job because of Shabbat, and then having to perform backbreaking work, but these tests paved the way for Hashem’s blessings. Another story is told of a man named Mr. Friedman who opened a simple curtain business, and later developed it into a wholesale business. One day, at a trade show, he made an appointment with representatives from a large hotel chain. This was an opportunity to make a very large deal that would earn a huge profit. The meeting took place on Friday afternoon, and as the parties were negotiating, Mr. Friedman kept his eye on his watch to ensure that he would leave in time for Shabbat. Finally, as the hour drew late, he apologized to the hotel representatives, and said he needed to go. “We are leaving at the end of the trade show,” they said. “If you leave now, the deal is over.” The man explained he had no choice, and he left. He was not prepared to compromise Shabbat observance for the sake of a profit. On Monday, he received a call from the hotel chain. “After you left we reconsidered,” they said. “We realized that somebody could take advantage of us, which would cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars. But if you are so honest that you were prepared to lose all this money for the sake of your religion, then we can trust you.” They closed the deal. Before Hashem brings us blessing, He first has us withstand tests. Shabbat, the מקור הברכה , offers special tests for us to withstand, whereby we become deserving of great reward and the unlimited blessings that Hashem has in store for us.