Kesubos 4 A lesson in true Repentance

The Gemara states that if all the preparations are made for a wedding and the father of the bridegroom or the mother of the bride passed away, we place the deceased in a room and the bridegroom and bride marry and consummate the marriage.

When Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish People, it is said (Shemos 24:10-11) vayiru es Elokei Yisroel visachas raglav kimaaseih livnas hasapir uchietzem hashamayim latohar, viel atzilei bnei yisroel lo shalach yado vayechezu es haelokim vayochlu vayishtu, they saw the G-d of Israel, and under his feet was the likeness of sapphire brickwork, and it was like the essence of the heaven in purity. Against the great men of the children of Israel, He did not stretch out His hand-they gazed at G-d, yet they ate and drank. Rashi (Ibid) quotes the Medrash that states that two of the great men were Nadav and Avihu, and for gazing at HaShem’s Presence, they were liable the death penalty. Hashem did not want to disrupt the festivities of Matan Torah, so He waited until the dedication of the Mishkan.

Elsewhere, (Vayikra 10:4) Rashi writes that Mishael and Eltzafan, the cousins of Nadav and Avihu, were instructed by Moshe to remove the dead bodies of Nadav and Avihu, akin to one who tells his friend, “remove the deceased’s body from before the bride, so as not to spoil the joy of the wedding.” One must wonder why HaShem felt that the joy of Matan Torah should not be disturbed, whereas the festivities for the Inauguration of the Mishkan could be disturbed.

Perhaps the answer to this question can be found in the words of the Gemara (Yoma 86b) that states that the ideal form of repentance is when one returns to the same situation that he was tempted with when he sinned, and in this instance he controls his desires and refrains from sinning. Similarly, the sin of Nadav and Avihu was that when HaShem revealed Himself at Sinai, the Jewish People experienced a high level of spirituality. Nadav and Avihu, however, were not satisfied with that exalted experience, and to satisfy their desire for striving higher on the spiritual ladder, they gazed at the Divine Presence, thus convicting themselves of the death penalty.

Hashem subsequently sought to offer Nadav and Avihu the opportunity for ideal repentance, HaShem chose the setting of the Inauguration of the Mishkan, where, according to the Ramban (Shemos 25:1) the Divine Presence that had reposed on Sinai revealed, now rested discreetly on the Mishkan. Nadav and Avihu, along with the rest of the Jewish People, again experienced a great revelation of the Divine Presence. In their desire to contain themselves, Nadav and Avihu attempted to enter the Holy of Holies with their firepans and offer the Ketores, the most beloved of all sacrifices. They were put to death because HaShem did not desire this service from them. Thus, HaShem felt that this lesson in repentance was justified in disrupting the festivities of inaugurating the Mishkan.

This idea is a powerful lesson in repentance. We are a few days before Rosh HaShanah, when our focus is in bettering ourselves and repenting from our many sins. It is brought in halacha (Mateh Ephraim 619) that one who sheds tears upon hearing the reading in the Torah of the death of Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, is guaranteed that his children will not die in his lifetime.

Perhaps the reason for this merit is because one who sheds tears over the death of Nadav and Avihu demonstrates that he has internalized the lesson of not succumbing to the temptation of a sin that he has committed previously. Although children may at times die on account of their parents sins, this person deserves that his children shall not die for his previous sins. May we merit this year to truly repent from our sins and that HaShem inscribes us with the righteous of Israel in the Book of Life.

Kesubos 3 Sanctity through the Torah scholars

The Gemara states that one who is mekadesh, betroths, a woman in a Jewish marriage ceremony, betroths her subject to the will of the Chachamim. The Baalei mussar, Masters of Ethics, derive from this statement that one who wishes to sanctify himself in his service of HaShem should do so subject to the will of the Chachamim. One should seek guidance from rabbis and righteous people of his generation. One who seeks to sanctify himself on his own is more prone to failure and his efforts will not be sustained.

We can add that it is said (Mishlei 9:10) techilas chochmah yiras HaShem vidaas kedoshim binah, the beginning of wisdom is fear of HaShem, and [the beginning of] understanding is knowledge of the sacred. The Gemara (Pesachim 22b) states that fear of HaShem incorporates fear of Torah scholars. In a similar vein, we can suggest that the beginning of wisdom is fear of HaShem, and the beginning of understanding is knowledge of the sacred, i.e. the Torah scholars (see Medrash Mishlei Ibid that interprets these words to be referring to those who study the Talmud). Thus, in order to be considered truly G-d fearing and holy, one must know and fear the Torah scholars, who are deemed to be holy by virtue of toiling in and understanding the Torah.

Kesubos 2 Besulah and the Bais HaMikdash

A besulah marries on the fourth day of the week.

The Devarim Nechmadim interprets this statement homiletically. The Yerushalmi (Brachos 2:4) states that on the day the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed, the Redeemer was born. The Mishnah alludes to this idea by stating that the Besulas Yisroel, i.e. the Bais HaMikdash, fell on the fourth day, i.e. at the end of the fourth millennia, as a thousand years in HaShem’s eyes is akin to a day. Nonetheless, she remarried immediately, as subsequent to the destruction, the Redeemer was born.

Kesubos 2b Tosfos s.v. pashit

Tosfos s.v. Pashit writes that the Rashbam is of the opinion that Rav Achai mentioned in the Gemara here is Rav Achai Gaon, the author of the Sheiltos. For this reason Rav Achai employs unique terminology throughout the Talmud. Examples of the unique terminologies are parich Rav Achai, parish Rav Acahai. Rabbeinu Tam, however, disagrees with the Rashbam, because Rav Ashi is the one who responds to Rav Achai. Rabbeinu Tam apparently understood that Rav Ashi and Rav Acahai did not live in the same era.

I was wondering if it was possible to say in defense of the Rashbam that Rav Ashi was elderly when Rav Achai lived and thus Rav Ashi was responding to the younger Rav Acahai.

Kesubos 2

The Maseches begins with the words besulah nisas leyom harevii. It is noteworthy that we commence this Maseches in the month of Elul, which is the mazel of besulah. This reflects the idea stated in the Medrash (Vayikra Rabbah 29:12) that on Rosh Hashanah, we are deemed to be a new creation. Hashem should allow us to start the year with freshness and we should be rejuvenated to study Torah with more diligence and perform mitzvos with more focus.

The Mishnah states:

A besulah marries on the fourth day of the week.

What is the significance of the fourth day? The Gemara (Shabbos 19a; See Baal HaMaor Ibid) states that the three days following Shabbos are referred to as after Shabbos, whereas the three days that precede the Shabbos are referred to as before Shabbos. Perhaps our Mishnah alludes to this idea, as the Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 11:8) states that Shabbos is the mate of the Jewish People. Thus, one should marry on the fourth day of the week or later in the week, as the marriage will be more connected to Shabbos, which reflects the marriage to the Jewish People.

Shabbos: Ta'am HaChaim Ki Savo 5767

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Ki Savo 5767

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah it is said (Devarim 29:3) velo nasan HaShem lachem leiv ladaas viainayim liros viaznaim lishmoa ad hayom hazeh, but HaShem did not give you a heart to know, or eyes to see, or ears to hear until this day. What is the meaning of this verse? The generation that sojourned in the Wilderness was known as the Dor Deah, the generation of knowledge. How is it possible that after all the years of journeying in the Wilderness, they did not have a heart to know? In order to answer this question, let us examine a similar concept that we find regarding Shabbos. We pray three times a day the Shemone Esrei, where we recite the following words atah chonen liadam daas umelamed leenosh binah, You graciously endow man with knowledge and teach insight to a frail mortal. It is clear that during the weekday one is endowed with daas, knowledge. Yet, with regard to the observance of Shabbos, HaShem instructs Moshe (Shemos 31:13) viatah dabeir el bnei Yisroel leimor ach es Shabbsosai tishmoru ki os hi beini uveineichem ledorseichem ladaas ki ani mikadishchem, now you speak to the Children of Israel, saying: ‘However, you must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you for your generations, to know that I am HaShem, Who makes you holy.’ The Sfas Emes writes that the goal of Shabbos is to attain a level of daas, knowledge. During the week one attains a certain level of daas, knowledge, but on Shabbos, one ascends in his level of daas, knowledge. In a same vein, the generation of the Wilderness reached an unprecedented level of daas, but Moshe was informing them that they still were able to ascend higher in their attainment of daas. When we approach the Holy Shabbos, we should be cognizant of the fact that despite all that we have achieved during the week, Shabbos offers us an opportunity to ascend to unfathomable spiritual heights. During the month of Elul, we recite twice a day the psalm that begins with the words LeDovid HaShem Ori, by Dovid, HaShem is my light. Dovid Hamelech makes the following declaration: (Tehillim 27:8) lecho amar libi bakshu fanai es panecho HaShem avakeish, in Your behalf my heart has said, “ Seek My presence.” Your Presence, Hashem, I do seek. The Sfas Emes writes that the festivals are linked to Shabbos, as through the festival, one receives the light and the daas of Shabbos. As we approach the Days of Awe, we should bear in mind that our spirituality is contingent on our observance of Shabbos. HaShem should allow us to merit observing and sanctifying the Shabbos, and in this merit we should all be inscribed in the Book of Life.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Ribbon kol HaOlamim

Published in 5401 (1641)

Melech vasik, King Who is faithful. How does HaShem demonstrate His faithfulness? Hashem is constantly renewing the creation of the world and breathing life into every creation. There is no greater faithfulness than this. In Shemone Esrei we recite the words umekayeim emunoso lisheini afar, and maintains His faith to those asleep in the dust. In truth, however, HaShem is faithful when He renews creation, which in a sense is akin to the Resurrection of the Dead.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Baruch atah HaShem kel melech gadol umehulal batishbachos, Blessed are You, HaShem, G-d, King exalted and lauded through praises. I recently read about the concept that when we perform mitzvos, we are mefarnes, support, so to speak, HaShem. Although this idea requires further explanation, we can understand it on a simple level to mean that when we perform the will of HaShem, we are giving Him satisfaction. It is said (Tehillim 22:4) viatah kadosh yosheiv tehillos Yisroel, You are the holy One, enthroned upon the praises of Israel. In a sense, HaShem reigns and His kingdom is established through our praises. This is what it means when we say that HaShem is exalted and lauded through praises. HaShem’s greatness is reflected in our praises.

Shabbos Story

Rav Eichenstien, the Ziditchover Rebbe, tells the following story: One Friday, a man entered the study of the Tchortkover Rebbe with a request that was very common in those days. “My son was drafted into the army,” the man began. “However, we have a way out. On Sunday, we are going to a doctor who will falsely declare him unfit for service. This way he will be spared certain misery, perhaps even death in that terrible army. “Rebbe,” he asked, “I need your blessing that he evade the draft.” The Rebbe quietly told him that Shabbos was nearing and he could not concentrate on blessings. The man should return to him on Friday evening after his tish (ceremonious Chasidic table). The man did so. After most of the Chasidim had left, the man repeated his request, almost verbatim. Again the Rebbe was non-committal. “Return to me after the morning service.” Unperturbed, the man noted that he would really like to resolve this matter before Sunday morning. Shabbos morning, after services, the man approached the Rebbe again. Calmly he repeated the predicament. “Sunday morning I am going to a doctor who will falsely declare my son unfit for military service. Please pray that we will evade conscription.” The Rebbe was not moved. Again, he deferred until the afternoon. At the third Shabbos meal, the scene repeated again, precisely the way it had the previous three times. “I understand that you are leaving Sunday morning. Come back to me late Saturday night,” said the Rebbe. “By then I will have an answer for you.” By this time, his Chasidim’s curiosity was piqued. They had never seen their Rebbe so reluctant to mete a blessing, especially when it was one that would save a Jewish soul from the frightful Polish army. Saturday night a large crowd gathered as the man approached with his request. Frustrated and disgruntled, the man, once again, repeated his story, almost verbatim, for the fifth time. Immediately, the Rebbe sprung from his chair and began to shout. “What are you asking me? Why would one even try to evade the service of our wonderful country? How dare you ask me for a blessing of that sort? Your son would make a fine soldier for our country. I wish him the best of luck in the army!” The man quickly scurried from the room and left town. The Chasidim stood shocked and bewildered. Never had they heard such an uncharacteristic outcry from the Rebbe. “I will explain,” said the Rebbe. “The man was a fraud. He had no son, and if he did, he wanted him in the army. He was sent by the government to test our loyalty. Thank G-d we passed the test.” “But, Rebbe!” cried the Chasidim, “how did you know?” “Simple,” explained the Rebbe. “I watched the level of intensity. From the moment he met me until tonight there was no increase in intensity or feeling of desperation with each request. The moment I heard his request tonight and it contained no more passion or desperation than his first request on Friday night, I knew he was a fraud.”

Shabbos in History

The Gemara (Shabbos 118b) states that were the Jewish People to observe just two Shabbosos, they would be redeemed immediately. Is not one Shabbos enough? Why specifically two? This is especially difficult as the same Gemara also refers to one Shabbos as being enough. There is a Midrash Peliah, a Mystery Medrash that states: “The Shechinah, the Divine Presence, has never left the Jewish People, even during the weekday Shabbos (see Midrash Haneelam parshas Korach). What is the idea of this “weekday Shabbos” which also is graced by the Divine Presence? It is true, says the Zichron Menachem, that there is a Shabbos which the Torah establishes. This Shabbos is immutable. But there is also a Shabbos that only we can make. The Gemara (Yoma 81b) states that we know that there is a mitzvah to add on part of the mundane [the weekday] to the holy [Shabbos], because the Torah refers to it [Shabbos] as Shabbatchem, your Shabbos. This teaches us that it is a mitzvah to add on to Shabbos from your own time. The Shabbos proper has an official commencement, whereas Tosefes Shabbos-that which we add on by accepting Shabbos before its official time-depends totally on us. Even a minute (or less) is enough to satisfy one’s obligation to add on to the Shabbos. If a person wishes to add more chol (mundane) to kodesh, he may do so, thus increasing the length of his Shabbos. This is not as simple as it might appear. Once a person has accepted Tosefes Shabbos by declaring verbally or mentally that he now accepts Shabbos and will refrain from work, he is halachically forbidden from performing any melacha no matter how important that act of labor may be (matters of life-and-death are obviously excluded as on Shabbos proper). By getting ready early and greeting Shabbos before it comes, one becomes a partner with Hashem in making Shabbos, giving Shabbos an additional sanctity which only he can do. The Zichron Menachem explains that this is the idea of the “weekday Shabbos.” Just as the Shechinah graces the “Torah’s Shabbos” with its presence, so too the weekday Shabbos a Jew “makes”-by going to mikveh early, getting himself ready, going to shul and greeting Shabbos before it comes-is graced by the same kedushah and sanctity. These are the “two” Shabbosos which are really one. To be redeemed, it seems, it is not enough to merely observe Shabbos with all of its halachos. We have to demonstrate our anxiousness and love of Shabbos by adding on to the holy from the mundane, and it is in this merit that we will be redeemed.

Shabbos in the Daf

Yevamos 121b

The Gemara relates an incident where the daughter of Nechunyah the well digger fell into a pit. Upon being informed of this tragic incident, Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa told the people that the girl was safe, as her father was engaged in the mitzvah of providing water to the pilgrims who ascended to Jerusalem for the festivals. Thus, it was not possible that the daughter of Nechunyah should die through the very same water that her father used to perform a mitzvah. We can extrapolate from this incident how important it is for us to observe Shabbos properly. If we observe Shabbos properly, HaShem will surely not allow our children to desecrate the Shabbos, and Shabbos observance will continue until the end of time.

Shabbos in Halacha

In practice, when one uses a ladle to take soup from a kli rishon, i.e., a pot, the halacha is as follows. Regarding uncooked spices, we deem the ladle to be a kli rishon, thus rendering the bowl a kli sheini. Subsequently, prior to adding any uncooked seasoning to a bowl of soup, one is required to transfer the soup to a kli shelishi, or he should wait until the soup cools below the temperature of yad soledes bo. Regarding baked items, we deem the ladle to be a kli sheini and the bowl is a kli shelishi. [The issue of cooking a previously baked item is itself the subject of debate, so regarding a ladle we can follow the lenient view that deems the ladle to be a kli sheini and the bowl to be a kli shelishi.] Thus, one would be allowed to add pieces of matzah or croutons to soup that was placed in a bowl with a ladle. One would also be permitted to pour soup from the ladle directly onto a baked item, as pouring from a kli sheini falls under the rule of a kli shelishi.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

It is known that the Torah that one studies on Shabbos is more exalted than the Torah that one studies during the week. It is thus noteworthy that in all four Shabbos prayers we recite the words visein chelkeinu bisorasecho, grant our share in Your Torah. The first letters of these words equal 16, and 1+6=7, which is Shabbos, the seventh day of the week.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Ki Savo 5767

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos.

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

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Shabbos: Ta'am HaChaim Ki Seitzei 5767

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Ki Seitzei 5767

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah the Torah instructs us regarding the nations of Ammon and Moav. It is said (Devarim 23:4-7) lo yavo Amoni uMoavi bikehal HaShem gam dor asiri lo yavo lahem bikehal HaShem ad olam. Al devar asher lo kidmu eschem balechem uvamayim baderech bitzeischem mimitzrayim vaasher sachar alecho es Balaam ben Beor miPesor Aram Naharayim lekalileko. Velo avah HaShem elokecha lishmoa el Balaam vayahafoch HaShem Elokecha lecho es hakelalah livrachah ki aheivechah HaShem Elokecha. Lo sidrosh shelomam vitovasam kol yamecha liolam. An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the congregation of HaShem, even their tenth generation shall not enter the congregation of HaShem, to eternity. Because of the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water on the road when you were leaving Egypt, and because he hired against you Balaam, son of Beor, of Pethor, Aram Naharaim, to curse you. But HaShem, your G-d, refused to listen to Balaam, and HaShem, your G-d, reversed the curse to a blessing for you, because HaShem, your G-d, loved you. You shall not seek their peace or their welfare, all your days, forever. The Torah informs us that the primary reason that the males from Ammon and Moav are prohibited from marrying into the Jewish People is because they were not considerate of the Jewish People’s needs when the Jewish People were sojourning in the Wilderness. The Torah thus exhorts the Jewish People that they should not seek the good or peace of Ammon and Moav for eternity. The Jewish People are all about good and peace, and Ammon and Moav cannot partake in those attributes. It is noteworthy that regarding Shabbos, we find the words good and peace mentioned numerous times. The Zohar states that Shabbos is peace, and the Gemara (Shabbos 23b) states that a woman lights Shabbos candles for Shalom bayis, domestic harmony. In the Shabbos prayers we recite the words sabeinu mituvecha, satiate us from Your Goodness. Why is Shabbos referred to as a day of goodness and peace? We know that good is usually interpreted as the opposite of bad, but peace does not necessarily mean serenity. Rather, peace connotes the co-existence of two contradictory ideas. Ammon and Moav are deemed to be bad neighbors of the Jewish People (See Gemara Sanhedrin 96b). The reason that they are bad neighbors is because despite the fact that the Torah instructs us not to provoke Ammon and Moav to war, these nations still felt it necessary to deny us bread and water and Moav hires Balaam to curse the Jewish People. Thus, one who cannot co-exist with another is not at peace and is certainly not good. On Shabbos, we are at peace, because, despite the trials and tribulations we may undergo during the week, on Shabbos we come to peace with our situation and we enter into the world of HaShem, where everything is truly good.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Ribbon kol HaOlamim

Published in 5401 (1641)

Melech hadur, King Who is glorious. What do we mean when we declare that HaShem is glorious? It is said (Tehillim 104:1) hod vehadar lavashta, You have donned glory and majesty. Glory is an external cloak that HaShem dons (see Malbim Tehillim Ibid and to 96:6) and this in a sense defines HaShem’s exterior. Similarly, it is said (Ibid) hadar kevod hodecho vidivrei nifliosecha asicha, the splendorous glory of Your power and wondrous deeds I shall discuss. Hashem’s Power is revealed and His wondrous deeds are often hidden. When we declare that HaShem is glorious, we are indicating that we can discern His external glory but we cannot necessarily attain an understanding into His Inner Glory.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Umeiolam vead olam atah kel, from this world to the World to Come, You, are G-d. The Mishnah in Brachos (54a) states that all those who would conclude blessings in the first Bais HaMikdash would say ad haOlam, “until the World.” When the Sadducees corrupted the faith and declared that there is only one world, Ezra and his colleagues instituted that those who conclude blessings in the Bais HaMikdash should say: min haOlam vead haOlam, “from the World until the World.” This declaration strengthened the belief in the existence of the World to Come. The Sfas Emes writes (Vayikra-Shabbos HaGadol 5637) that there are two types of Shabbos. One form of Shabbos is when one is granted respite from the Evil Inclination and forces of evil. A second Shabbos is when one is no longer a servant to HaShem in the traditional sense. Rather, one serves HaShem like a son serves His father. This, the Sfas Emes writes, is the meaning of the words min haOlam vead haOlam, from this world to the World to Come. The word olam is derived from the word helam, which means hidden. There are two forms of concealment. One form of concealment is when one is physically submerged and he cannot see because of the darkness that the Evil Inclination spreads over him. The second form of concealment is when one cannot perceive the depths of holiness which is so distant from him. When one is freed from the first concealment, he merits the first Shabbos, and he enters into the servitude of HaShem, which in relation to the first enslavement, is deemed to be freedom. When the Jewish People were redeemed from Egypt, however, they merited the second level of Shabbos, and this is referred to as Shabbos HaGadol. (See Sfas Emes Ibid for detailed explanation of this profound concept.)

Shabbos Story

Dr. James David Weis had been attending Rabbi Berel Wein’s classes for a while, and though he was not committed to Yiddishkeit in all its aspects, he was truly fascinated by the amazing insights and the spiritual impact that Torah study had made on his life. In fact, although he was a shiur regular, and his wife was committed to Torah observance as prescribed by the Shulchan Aruch, the doctor had not yet made the commitment to observe Shabbos. Towards the summer, Dr. Weiss mentioned to Rabbi Wein that shortly he would be visiting Israel. The doctor had heard Rabbi Wein’s stories of his experiences, as the Rabbi of Miami Beach, having chauffeured Rabbi Yosef Kahaneman, the Ponovezher Rav, on his fund-raising missions in the United States. In many of his lectures, Rabbi Wein had related his close relationship with Rav Kahaneman, and Dr. Weiss excitedly told Rabbi Wein that he would soon visit the Ponovezher Yeshiva. Dr. Weiss did not know that the Rav had passed away a decade earlier, so he enthusiastically offered to send Rabbi Wein’s regards to the Ponovezher Rav. Not trying to discourage the visit, Rabbi Wein smiled and said, “you could try.” Dr. Weiss arrived at the Ponovezher Yeshiva and after marveling at the beauty of its gilded Aron Kodesh and nearly 1000 swaying Talmudists, he asked a boy to direct him to the Ponovezher Rav. Since the Rav had passed away a decade earlier, they directed him to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Eliezer Menachem Shach. Dr. Weiss waited for the sage to lift his head from the large tome. The old sage looked up and greeted the doctor. Dr. Weiss stuck out his hand, and with the remnants of the Yiddish he had salvaged from his youth, he addressed Rav Shach. “Sholom Aleichem! My name is Dr. Weiss I study with Rabbi Wein and I come from America with warmest regards from him.” Rav Shach looked at him quizzically. “I do not know a Rabbi Wein.” “Do you not remember?” asked Dr. Weiss in shock. “Rabbi Berel Wein,” he repeated. “He would often drive you when you visited Miami on behalf of the Yeshiva.” Rav Shach smiled. “I do not know Rabbi Wein, and I have never been to Miami. My name is Shach. I think you meant to see Rav Kahaneman, but unfortunately he has passed away.” Dr. Weiss looked embarrassed, but Rav Shach quickly dissolved the discomfort by holding the doctor’s hand and blessing him warmly. “Dr. Weiss, you are a good Jew and you should be a gebenchta (a blessed) Jew. But remember, Shabbos observance is an integral part of Yiddishkeit. Do not forsake the Shabbos!” Dr. Weiss was astonished. How did Rav Shach know about his wavering commitment to Torah-observance? It did not make much of a difference, because from that day on Dr. Weiss affirmed his committed to Shabbos with the same intensity that he had always committed to his fellow man.

Shabbos in History

In the years before the establishment of the State of Israel, Rabbi Aryeh Levin, the Tzaddik of Jerusalem, would visit the inmates of the British-controlled Jerusalem prison on every Shabbos. Though most of the Jewish prisoners were not observant, they would quickly don kippot before the revered Rabbi would greet them. Then they would join in the Shabbos morning prayer service that Reb Aryeh organized and they would read along with the rabbi, as if they were observant Jews. The entire scene agitated one particularly nasty fellow named Yaakov. He would try in every way to irritate the gentle Rabbi. Each Shabbos, he would purposely light up a cigarette in Reb Aryeh's face in order to disturb him. Reb Aryeh was never fazed. One Shabbos, Yaakov stormed into the makeshift synagogue and snapped at the aged Rabbi. “Why do you waste your time with these liars and fakes? They are no more observant than I am. They only put the kippah on their heads when you come here. Furthermore, they only pray and open their lips to G-d when you are here. Otherwise they have no feeling in their hearts!” Reb Aryeh turned to Yaakov and rebuked him with a firm but gentle voice. “Why do you slander these souls? They come to pray every single week. I do not look at their heads but rather in their hearts. And when I hear the prayers coming from their lips, I know that their hearts are following as well.” It was not long before Yaakov became a steady member of the prayer group.

Shabbos in the Daf

Yevamos 114a

The Gemara states that if a gentile seeks to extinguish a fire on Shabbos, we do not tell him to extinguish the fire, as the Chachamim prohibited one from instructing a gentile to violate a Shabbos prohibition. Yet, one is not required to tell the gentile not to extinguish the fire, as a Jew is not commanded to restrain a gentile from performing labor on Shabbos. Regarding a Jewish minor, however, if the minor seeks to extinguish the fire, we do not allow him to do so, because we are commanded to restrain a minor from violating a Shabbos prohibition. It is fascinating that Jewish children from a young age are inculcated with the concept that an item is muktzeh, prohibited from moving on Shabbos, and other tenets of the Holy Shabbos. Shabbos is ingrained in the Jewish People, and it is worth our while to educate our children regarding all the various laws of Shabbos, so that they will observe the Shabbos properly. In this way they will also appreciate the distinction between a Jew and a gentile, as this is one of the fundamentals of Shabbos.

Shabbos in Halacha

When one uses a ladle to take soup from a kli rishon, i.e., a pot, there is a question regarding the status of the ladle. Some Poskim adopt the view that the ladle has a status of a kli sheini, thus rendering the bowl in which the soup is served a kli shelishi. According to this opinion, one would be permitted to add baked items or any spices to the bowl of soup. Other Poskim rule that given the fact that the ladle is submerged in a kli rishon (the pot), the ladle is also deemed to be a kli rishon. According to this view, the bowl is only a kli sheini, into which one is forbidden to add baked items or uncooked spices. [We will discuss next week what one should do in practice].

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

It is said regarding Shabbos (Shemos 31:17) beini uvein bnei Yisroel os hi liolam, between Me and the Children of Israel it is a sign forever. The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 11:8) states that HaShem told Shabbos that the Jewish People would be its mate. It is noteworthy that the last letters of the words os hi liolam spell the word teom, which means twin. This alludes to the idea that Shabbos is between HaShem and the Jewish People like a twin, as Shabbos is the mate of the Jewish People.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Ki Seitzei 5767

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos.

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

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