Nedarim 7b: Dasan and Aviram did not get away with murder

The Gemara states that that the source for the precept that poverty is akin to death is from that which it is said (Shemos 4:19) Hashem said to Moshe in Midyan, “Go, return to Egypt, for all the people who seek your life have died.” The Ran explains that this verse, which was said regarding Dasan and Aviram, could not be referring to tzaraas, lack of children, or blindness. They could not have been blind because Dasan and Aviram said about themselves, (Bamidbar 16:14) “even if you would gouge out the eyes of those men themselves we shall not go up.” They could not have been afflicted with tzaraas because it is said regarding Dasan and Aviram (Devarim 11:6) in the midst of all Israel. It cannot be said that they were lacking children, because this would not warrant that they would not be able to stand before Pharaoh. Thus, Dasan and Aviram must have become impoverished, and for this reason they did not have a voice in the royal court. The Shelah (Parashas Korach: Torah Ohr 5) writes that nonetheless, Dasan and Aviram died the death that is related to these four punishments. Dasan and Aviram did not bear children in Egypt, and even the children that they bore in the Wilderness died along with the entourage of Korach. They were certainly metzoraim, afflicted with tzaraas, because they were motzi sheim ra (slandered) on Moshe. Although they were not afflicted with the physical form of tzaraas, they were certainly afflicted with the spiritual malady of tzaraas. It is said (Mishlei 21:23) shomer piv ulishono shomer mitzaras nafsho, one who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles. The Zohar states: do not read the word as mitzaras, from troubles. Rather, read it as mitzaraas, that his soul should not become afflicted with tzaraas. Incorporated in the words (Shemos 4:19) for all the people who seek your life have died, is the punishment of becoming impoverished. By declaring even if you would gouge out their eyes of those men themselves we shall not go up, Dasan and Aviram inflicted blindness upon themselves.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemos 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemos 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

This week we commence a new book in the Torah, the Book of Shemos. The Ramban refers to the Book of Shemos as the Book of Geulah, Redemption. In continuing with the theme that we mentioned last week regarding unity, it is noteworthy that the parashah commences with the verse that states (Shemos 1:1) veileh shemos bnei Yisroel habaaim mitzraymah es Yaakov ish uveiso bau, and these are the names of the Children of Israel who were coming to Egypt; with Yaakov, each man and his household came. Despite the fact that the Jewish People are set to descend into exile and slavery, the Torah provides the antidote before the punishment. The Gemara (Yoma 9b) states that the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed because of sinas chinam, unwarranted hatred amongst Jews. The Egyptian exile was precipitated by the hatred that the brothers had for Yosef. The antidote for this enmity amongst the brothers was unity. We find later in the parashah that Moshe goes out to his brothers. Moshe acted in this manner despite the fact that he grew up in the royal palace and he could have justified himself by remaining inside the palace and not acting on behalf of his downtrodden brethren. Thus, an act of brotherhood and unity was what led to the redemption from Egypt. It is fascinating to note that the actual exodus culminated with the offering of the Korban Pesach, regarding which the Maharal writes that the underlying theme of the Korban Pesach is unity. This idea is reflected in the fact that the offering was required to be eaten whole, in one house, a bone could not be broken, and numerous other aspects that reflect unity (see Maharal in Gevuros HaShem §60 for further explanation of this concept). Thus, the exile was catalyzed by needless hatred, and the exodus was predicated on unity and culminated in an offering that symbolizes unity. The Medrash (Targum attributed to Yonasan ben Uziel Shemos 2:24) states that the Jewish People were redeemed when they all repented without anyone being aware of each other’s repentance. The conventional form of repentance is where the Jewish People assemble and pray and fast in unison. Yet, the Jewish People in Egypt were required to distance themselves from idolatry and become one with HaShem. This form of repentance necessitated that each Jew reflect on his actions in private and repent from his sins. Additionally, while the Jewish People were enslaved to the Egyptians, aside from one or two individuals, there was no slander amongst the people [The Medrash (Shemos Rabbah 1:30) states that Moshe claimed that the Jewish People were not deserving of redemption because there were slanderers amongst them. However, Reb Tzadok in Ohr Zarua Latzaddik §7 explains that Moshe hid the Egyptian that he killed in the sand, and the Medrash (Ibid 1:29) states that this alludes to the idea that the Jewish People would not reveal the secret that the Egyptian had been killed.] This was a sign of unity. Furthermore, the Jewish People were required to be circumcised before being redeemed, and the Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:49) writes that circumcision is a sign of brotherhood. Thus, circumcision reflects unity, and in the merit of this display of unity the Jewish People were deemed deserving of redemption. In a similar vein, Shabbos is the culmination of the week. Whereas the week has potential for strife and discord, the Holy Shabbos reflects unity, where we are one with HaShem with HaShem, His Torah, and His people. When we observe the Shabbos properly, we will merit the Ultimate Redemption, regarding which it is said (Micah 7:15) kimei tzeischso mimitzrayim arenu niflaos, as in the days when you left Egypt I will show it wonders.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Ribbon kol HaOlamim

Published in 5401 (1641)

Modeh ani lefeonecho HaShem Elokai vEilokei avosai al kol hachesed asher asisa imadi vaasher atah asid lassos imi viim kol bnei veisi viim kol briyosecho bnei vrisi, I give thanks before You, HaShem, my G-d and the G-d of my ancestors, for all the goodness You have done with me and which you will do with me, with all my household, and with all Your creatures who are my fellows. This declaration is awe-inspiring, as we thank HaShem for the kindness that he performs with the entire world. How often do we thank HaShem for being benevolent to others? It is difficult enough to thank HaShem for the good that He performs with us. To declare that HaShem is good because of the kindness that He performs on behalf of the entire world is nothing short of remarkable. Perhaps this unique declaration is recited on Shabbos because we are free from our pursuit of materialism and we can recognize that Hashem controls everything that occurs in the world, so it is only fitting that we praise Him for the kindness that He performs with our household and with all of His creatures.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Mah rabu maasechah HaShem, how great are Your works, HaShem. The word mah, normally translated as how, can also be understood as an exclamation of wonder. It is truly amazing how great the works of HaShem are. It is said (Devarim 10:12) viatah Yisroel mah HaShem elokecha shoeil meimach, now, O Israel, what does HaShem, your G-d, ask of you? The Gemara (Menachos 43b) states, do not read mah, rather meah, as this alludes to the daily requirement that one recite one hundred blessings. The Baal HaTurim (Devarim 10:12) writes that the word mah in at bash equals one hundred. We can suggest that the word mah itself reflects praise. Similarly, in the Hagadah Shel Pesach we recite the words mah nishtanah halaylah hazeh mikol haleilos, literally translated as why is this night different from all other nights. Homiletically, however, we can interpret this passage as follows. The word nishtanah is from the root yashan, which means old. Reb Yaakov Emden writes in his siddur that in his opinion, the greatest miracle that has occurred to the Jewish People is our survival amongst the gentiles throughout the generations. Thus, we can suggest that in the Hagadah we are declaring the following: Mah, how remarkable it is that nishtanah halaylah hazeh, we have been in the darkness of exile for so long, and we still survive and flourish in our service of HaShem. Hashem should allow us to renew our service to Him and then we will merit the Ultimate Redemption, speedily, in our days.

Shabbos Story

In the house of Reb Yechezkel Abramsky, the Shabbos table was always set early Friday morning. Reb Yechezkel once related, “my wife’s grandfather (author of the Ridvaz commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi) was seriously ill. Sitting at his beside, I heard him say, ‘Master of the universe! What is it that I must pledge to merit a speedy recovery? I wrote a commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi. Do You wish that I also write a commentary on Talmud Bavli?’ The Ridvaz then feel silent, as if he were asleep. When he awoke, he called to his wife and said, ‘from now on, when I return from shul on Friday morning, we must set the table for Shabbos. It was revealed to me that by pledging this, my life will be extended. Soon afterward, the Ridvaz’s condition improved dramatically.

Shabbos in Navi

Yehoshua Chapter 17

In this chapter the Navi continues to delineate the inheritance of the tribe of Yosef. It is said (Yehoshua 17:14) vayidabru bnei Yosef es Yehoshua leimor madua nasata li nachalah goral echod vichevel echod vaani am rav ad asher ad koh beirchani HaShem, the children of Yosef spoke to Yehoshua, saying, “Why have you given me an inheritance of [only] a single lot and a single portion, seeing that I am a numerous people, for HaShem has blessed me to such an extent?” The Sfas Emes writes that Yosef reflects Tosefes Shabbos, adding on to Shabbos. Perhaps this idea is alluded to in this verse, as the children of Yosef declared that HaShem has blessed them to such an extent, i.e. not only do they earn the blessing of Shabbos, but this blessing extends itself into the week. This is alluded to in the fact that the word koh in mispar katan equals 7, and Shabbos is the seventh day of the week.

Shabbos in Agadah

On Friday evening we recite Kabbalas Shabbos where we welcome the Shabbos. What does it mean to welcome the Shabbos? Is Shabbos not a day that comes whether we welcome it or not? Why is it necessary to welcome the Shabbos? In the prayer of Lecho Dodi we recite the words likraas Shabbos lechu vineilcha, to welcome the Shabbos, let us go forth. Yet, the word likraas, whose root is kara, means to call. The Medrash Toras Kohanim beginning of Vayikra) states that the word kara denotes a term of endearment. Perhaps we can suggest that when we are welcoming the Shabbos, we are essentially stating that Shabbos is endearing to us, and we go forth to welcome and embrace the Shabbos like a long-lost friend.

Shabbos in Halacha

Tea bags or tea leaves cannot be immersed in hot water that is yad soledes bo on Shabbos, no matter what kind of vessel one wishes to immerse the tea bag or leaves in. One must therefore prepare tea essence before Shabbos, and this is accomplished by pouring water over the leaves or tea bags and allowing them to steep in the water. If the essence of tea is kept hot during Shabbos i.e. on the blech, it is best to pour some essence into a glass and then add hot water to it. If the essence is not kept hot, one must first pour hot water into a cup (kli sheini), and then add the essence.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

The Medrash (Shemos Rabbah 1:28) states that Moshe requested from Pharaoh that the Jewish People be granted one day of rest every week, and Pharaoh agreed to allow the Jewish People to rest on Shabbos. It is noteworthy that when Pharaoh decided to rescind this grant, it is said (Shemos 5:5) vayomer Pharaoh hein rabim atah am haaretz vihishbatem osam misivlosam, and Pharaoh said, “Behold! The people of the land are now numerous, and you would have them cease from their burdens. The word vihishbatem contains the word Shabbos.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemos 5768

is sponsored by Avraham and Rochel ElChonen

shevach vehodaah laHashem al kol hatov

vial simchas nisuiin shel Aharon and Aviva

I will be delivering a class in Navi this Friday night

at my home 26100 Marlowe Place in Oak Park.

The class will be 8:30-9:15

We will be studying Sefer Shmuel Perek 1 and there will be Oneg Shabbos.

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

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Nedarim 2a: An oath is HaShem's Name

The Mishnah states that an alias for a vow has the same status as a vow and an alias for an oath has the same status as an oath. The Sifri (Matos) states that the distinction between a neder, a vow, and a shevuah, an oath, is that one who take a vow is invoking the life of the king, whereas one who takes an oath is invoking the King Himself. The Ran (S.v. ushevuos kishevuos) infers from the Mishnah that one who takes an oath is not required to us the Name of HaShem. Rather, it is sufficient to use the alias term of an oath for the oath to have an effect. Perhaps we can explain this ruling based on the Sifri. When one takes an oath, he is invoking the King Himself, so it is not necessary to use the Name of HaShem when taking an oath.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayechi 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayechi 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah the Torah records the blessings the Yaakov conferred upon his twelve sons. Upon close examination, we will notice a recurring theme throughout the blessings. This theme will be one of unity and its converse, disparity. When Yaakov seeks to bless his children, it is said (Bereishis 49:1-2) vayikra Yaakov el banav vayomer heiasfu viagida lachem es asher yikra eschem biacharis hayamim hikavtzu vishimu bnei Yaakov vishimu el Yisroel avichem, then Yaakov called for his sons and said: Assemble yourselves and I will tell you what will befall you in the End of Days. Gather yourselves and listen, O sons of Yaakov, and listen to Israel your father. These seemingly innocuous words actually define the essence of the blessings that Yaakov conferred on his sons. Yaakov was not merely calling to his children. Rather, he was demonstrating to them that the prerequisite for redemption was unity. The chastisement that Yaakov delivered to Reuven reflects on the idea that Reuven was not conforming to the principle of unity. Yaakov told Reuven (Ibid verse 4) pachaz kamayim al tosar ki alisa mishkivei avicha az chilalta yitzui ala, water-like impetuosity-you cannot be foremost, because you mounted your father’s bed; then you desecrated Him Who ascended my couch. Rashi explains that Yaakov was informing Reuven that his fault was that he had violated the Divine Presence that frequented Yaakov’s resting place. The Divine Presence reflects unity, and Reuven had disrupted this unity. Thus, Reuven could not function as the king of the Jewish People, as the essential function of the king is to unify the nation under the banner of Torah and HaShem’s will. Shimon and Levi acted like brothers, yet their unity was misplaced. Yaakov thus prayed that his own name not be mentioned regarding the spies in the Wilderness, as the spies were unified for a cause that brought catastrophe upon the Jewish People. Yaakov also requested that his name not be mentioned regarding the disgrace that Zimri, a leader from the tribe of Shimon, brought upon the Jewish People. Pinchas, a descendant of Levi, was the one who appeased the Divine wrath by killing Zimri and Kazbi, the Midianite woman. This act was one of unity, allowing the Divine Presence to rest upon the Jewish People. Additionally, Yaakov requested that his name not be invoked regarding the dispute that Korach and his entourage engaged in with Moshe, as this was a blatant declaration of division and strife amongst the Jewish People. The apparent curse that Yaakov delivered to Shimon and Levi was that they would be dispersed amongst the Jewish People. The function of this curse was that Shimon and Levi would act as the teachers of the Jewish People, thus bringing the nation closer to HaShem. Yaakov than reinstated Yehudah as the king, because Yehudah made the effort of saving Yosef from a certain death. The brothers felt threatened by Yosef, and they condemned him to death, thus willingly separating Yosef from the Jewish People. Yehudah, who advised against killing Yosef, merited that Moshiach will descend from him, and the function of Moshiach is to unify the Jewish People to perform HaShem’s will. Due to space constraints, we will not discuss all the tribes, but it is noteworthy that regarding the tribe of Dan, it is said (Ibid verse 17) Dan yadin amo kiachad shivtei Yisroel, Dan will avenge his people; the tribes of Israel will be united as one. Rashi writes in an alternative interpretation that the words kiachad shivtei Yisroel can be interpreted to mean that Shimshon, a descendant of the tribe of Dan, would judge the Jewish People akin to Dovid, who was a descendant of the tribe of Yehudah. Thus, Yaakov foresaw that Shimshon would have the potential to unify the nation to the degree that Shimshon could have been Moshiach (Bereishis Rabbah 98:14). This is why Yaakov prayed (ibid verse 18) lishuasicho kivisi HaShem, for Your salvation do I long, HaShem. The Holy Shabbos is referred to in the Zohar as raza diechod, the secret of unity. Throughout the week the Jewish People are prone to disparity and rivalry, but upon the onset of Shabbos, all distinctions between Jews vanish and we are all unified. It is for this reason that Yaakov reflects Shabbos, as Yaakov was constantly seeking unity amongst the Jewish People and Shabbos reflects unity. HaShem should allow us to merit being unified to perform His will, and then we will merit the fulfillment of the verse that states (Hoshea 2:2) vinikbitzu bnei Yehudah uvnei Yisroel yachdav visamu lahem rosh echod vialu min haaretz ki gadol yom Yizriel, the Children of Yehudah and the Children of Israel will be assembled together, and they will appoint for themselves one head and ascend from the land, for the day of Jezreel is great.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Ribbon kol HaOlamim

Published in 5401 (1641)

Melech tamim darco, King Whose way is wholesome. The word tamim can be translated as wholesome, and can also refer to one who is honest and innocent. It is said (Devarim 32:4) haTzur tamim paalo, The Rock!-perfect is His work. When one is honest in all his actions, even what may seem like deceit will eventually be revealed to be truthful. Often we are perplexed by the way that HaShem conducts His world, as we see the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. Yet, by believing that Hashem is “honest and innocent,” we can declare that HaShem is perfect and wholesome in His ways, as in the future it will be revealed that everything HaShem has done is for our good and for the world to reach a state of perfection. This theme is elaborated on by the Ramchal in Daas Tevunos, a truly insightful work describing how Hashem conducts Himself in this world.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Uvituvo mechadesh bichol yom tamid maaseh vireishis, and in His goodness renews daily, perpetually, then work of creation. It is well-known that the meaning of this passage is that were HaShem to cease even for a moment from giving life to the universe, the entire universe would cease to exist. It is important, however, to focus on the word uvituvo, and in His goodness. Every second that the world exists is because of HaShem’s goodness. Ultimately, everything that HaShem created is for the good. Were we to be cognizant of this fact, we would most likely never sin and we would merit the Ultimate Redemption immediately.

Shabbos Story

[Yechiel Mechel Rabinowicz was a businessman who lived in England during World War II. He was devout in his Jewish observance, letting nothing stand in the way of Torah tradition. As his daughter relates:] Upon his return to London, my father opened a small factory, similar to the one in Birmingham. He was employed by the government to check the precision of various instruments and to produce munitions. My father was paid a salary by the government and was not permitted to accrue any personal profits from his work. As he had done in Birmingham, he hired as many Jews and refugees as he could. This was a godsend for many Shabbos-observant Jews; obtaining a job that did not require work on Shabbos in those times was next to impossible. The refugees he hired were saved the fate of being drafted or evicted from the country. One Friday night, when my parents were sitting at the Shabbos table, a government official and two police officers came to their home. “Where is Mr. Rabinowicz?” they demanded. “I am Mr. Rabinowicz,” my father answered. “I am a government inspector,” said the official. “I found that your factory is closed tonight. You must come with us.” My mother protested and begged them to wait until after Shabbos, to no avail. “All right,” Father said. “I will come with you now, but I must walk since I do not ride in a vehicle on the Sabbath.” They had no choice but to agree. He walked while they rode alongside him in their police car to the nearest police station, which was not very close by. The officer in charge gazed at my father with a stern expression on his face. “Mr. Rabinowicz, are you aware that all war production plants are required to operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day, in three shifts, in order to ensure maximum efficiency of our war effort?” My father responded calmly, “Certainly, sir, I am aware of this fact. But you see, sir, as an Orthodox Jew I am a Sabbath observer. We are commanded to rest on the Sabbath. It is impossible for me to have my factory in operation on the Sabbath.” “Mr. Rabinowicz,” the man bellowed, “you are charged with the crime of having your factory closed on Saturday. Your crime falls under the category of jeopardizing the safety of our country during wartime, a most serious offense. We will inform you when the court-martial will take place. You are advised to hire the best lawyer you can find, and you may be accompanied only by your lawyer in court. Remember that failure to appear at the court-martial is a serious infringement of the law. You may return home now.” The police officer who accompanied my father home tried to explain to him the ramifications of his crime. He told my father that he need not bother to retain a lawyer, since the men in the tribunal that would try him were not judges by profession. They were army and naval officers, and in their eyes his offense was inexcusable. By jeopardizing the safety of the country, he would be found guilty of treason, which usually incurred the death sentence. It was worse than that, my father thought to himself. He was not even a British citizen but was actually a former resident of Austria, an enemy ally. His travel permit classified him as “stateless,” which implied that there was something suspicious about him. Father decided to forgo the services of a lawyer (he did not have the money for one anyway) and prepared his own defense. He spent the next few days and nights preparing the production records of the factory. He recorded all the orders he had received, when he had delivered the samples, and when he had filled the orders. His records were meticulous to the last detail. The call finally came, informing him exactly when and where to appear in court. My mother was not permitted to accompany him, and she had an agonizing wait until he finally returned home at the end of the day. He announced simply that he was a free man and described the scene to her. He had been led to a room containing a long table. There were many men sitting there, adorned with all sorts of medals. It was obvious that they were high-ranking army and naval officers. My father was asked where his lawyer was. He replied that he had prepared his own defense. Then he was asked to state his name, address, and occupation and to answer questions about the nature of his work. He told them, “I have made a tremendous effort, working many extra hours, sometimes close to exhaustion, in order to meet my production deadlines. If you will examine the records I have brought of our production schedules, you will see that I have never missed my deadlines for government consignments by even one day.” They did a thorough examination of his records. One of the officers said, “Since you have been hired by the government as part of the war effort, and the law of the land is that any such enterprise must be in full production seven days a week, 24 hours a day, you are accused of jeopardizing the safety of our homeland, Great Britain. What do you have to say in your defense? Keep in mind that if you are found guilty you may incur the death penalty.” “I felt no fear as I looked into their eyes,” Father told Mother. “I knew exactly what I was going to say. I told them, ‘I may not operate my factory on Saturday. G-d does not permit me to work on the Sabbath’.” “We also have a Sabbath-Sunday-but we go to work. We are in the midst of a war!” his accuser countered. “How can you jeopardize the safety of an entire country for the sake of the Sabbath?” “My dear, honorable officers, I am a newcomer to this land of England. I have chosen to live in this country because you are the defenders of democracy. You are fighting the forces of evil in the world and saving the lives of the many innocent brothers and sisters I left behind in mainland Europe. I wish for victory for our homeland surely as much as you do. “What I realize, however, is that this war that we are fighting is not a war like other wars. It is not a natural war. It is not two nations or a number of nations fighting each other. I see clearly here that in this war a group of allied nations is fighting evil. In order to be able to successfully overcome this evil we must elicit the help of G-d in Heaven. He has the ability to destroy this evil and to allow the forces of democracy to rule throughout the world. And so I pray daily to our Father in Heaven that He deliver the enemy into our hands, to stop the deaths of our noble and good English citizens, and to allow us to end the war. But, my dear gentlemen, in order for me to find favor in G-d’s eyes, I must do His will. Why would He listen to me and answer my plea, why would He help me, if I disobey His word? I am a religious Jew, and our code of law is the holy Torah. One of the commandments of our Torah, as I am sure you are aware, is to honor the Sabbath. If I were to transgress the Sabbath, not only would I not find favor in the eyes of G-d, but He would certainly pay no attention to my pleas of mercy to Him. And so, as part of my efforts toward winning the war, I am doing whatever is in my capabilities to win G-d’s favor and to get Him to fight our battle for us. “And so, gentlemen, by keeping my factory closed on the Sabbath and fulfilling the will of G-d, I am actually helping you win the war. May G-d be with us and bring victory to our land.” The men were silent for a long moment as they absorbed my father’s fiery words. Then they all stood up for him. They were visibly overcome with emotion, something the proud Englishman rarely exhibits. One by one they extended their hands to shake my father’s. The death tribunal unanimously waived the charges against him. My father’s chief accuser said, “Continue working as you have until now, continue observing your Sabbath, and continue praying for our victory!”

Shabbos in Navi

Yehoshua Chapter 16

In this chapter the Navi delineates the inheritance of the tribe of Yosef. It is said (Yehoshua 16:4) vayinchalu vnei Yosef Menasheh viEphraim, the children of Yosef-Menasheh and Ephraim-received their heritages. The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 84:5) states that Yaakov is akin to the fire, whereas Yosef is akin to the flame. The Sfas Emes (Vayigash 5659) writes that Yosef reflects Tosefes Shabbos, the addition of Shabbos to the weekday. Perhaps we can suggest that Menasheh, whose name is rooted in the word nashah, forgetfulness, reflects the six days of the week, when one may forget his true purpose in this world. Ephraim, however, means to become fruitful, so Ephraim reflects Shabbos, when one returns to himself and to his true purpose in this world. In truth, both forgetfulness and remembrance play important roles in our lives, as we constantly seek to forget the evil and remember the good. Yosef himself epitomized this dual function, as he sought to forget his troubles and only remember the good. Thus, the verse that states that the children of Yosef-Menasheh and Ephraim-received their heritages alludes to this idea, as by forgetting the troubles of the week and remembering the Shabbos, we merit the heritage of Yaakov, which is Shabbos, and the heritage of Yosef, who reflects Tosefes Shabbos.

Shabbos in Agadah

The Gemara (Shabbos 119a; Avodah Zara 3a) extols the virtue of one who prepares well for Shabbos. Yet, the Torah states (Shemos 20:9) that one should work six days of the week. How, then, is one expected to prepare for Shabbos properly if he is constantly engaged in labor throughout the week? The simple answer to this question is that when one is not engaged in labor during the week, he will have time to prepare for Shabbos. In truth, however, there is a more profound answer to this question. The Meshech Chochmah (Shemos 31:16) writes that in one instance it is said (Shemos 20:9) sheishes yamim taavod viasisa kol milachtecha, six days shall you work and accomplish all your work, whereas in two other instances it is said (Shemos 31:15; Ibid 35:2) sheishes yamim yaiaseh (teiaseh) melacha, for six days work may be done. In the first instance the Torah is stating that one should work six days, whereas in the other two instances the Torah states that the work will be done by others. The Mechilta explains that when the Jewish People are performing the will of HaShem, their work will be done by others. Thus, in our present state we must work during the week and subsequently we have little time left to prepare for Shabbos. When we will merit the redemption, however, our work during the week will be performed by others and we will have the leisure of preparing for Shabbos throughout the entire week.

Shabbos in Halacha

Instant coffee can be prepared in the same way as coffee. One can only prepare unprocessed cocoa, however, in a kli shelishi.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

It is said (Bereishis 3:21) vayaas HaShem Elokim liadam ulishto kosnos ohr vayalbisheim, and HaShem made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and He clothed them. The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 20:12) states that in the Torah of Rabbi Meir the word ohr (ayin-vav-fei), skin, was written ohr (aleph-vav-fei), light. The commentators write that the meaning of this statement is that one should aspire to ascend from skin, i.e. materialism, to light, i.e. spirituality. This idea is reflected in Shabbos, as throughout the week one can be submerged in materialism, and he only sees the true light on Shabbos. It is noteworthy that the word ohr, skin, spelled with an ayin, in mispar katan, digit sum, equals 6, which alludes to the six days of the week. The word ohr, light, spelled with an aleph, in mispar katan, equals 9, and the word Shabbos in mispar katan equals 9, thus alluding to the light of Shabbos.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayechi 5768

is sponsored anonymously

I will be delivering a class in Navi this Friday night

at my home 26100 Marlowe Place in Oak Park.

The class will be 8:30-9:15

We will be studying Sefer Shmuel Perek 1 and there will be Oneg Shabbos.

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

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