Creating a New World

Shabbos – creating a new world

Introduction

We will begin by asking a question which comes from a more modern standpoint. We should never be afraid to ask such questions, because there are always ways of dealing with the period of time we are living in. We have to realize that when it comes to our own personal avoda, our approach must be based on the times we are living in. Otherwise, we will find that what we are doing is merely an imitation of previous generations – and that will never work for us, who are living in the present. 

The question regards the concepts of Shabbos, menuchas Shabbos and mein Olam Habo. Looking at these concepts through the eyes of the modern world they seem almost immature. Surely we have come to this world for a life of struggle, a life of overcoming obstacles, a life where we need to work – to deal with nisyonos and to become stronger. That is the purpose of this world. So why do we have a special day of sitting down and relaxing and enjoying the fruits of our labors? Surely, these ideas come directly from the Middle Ages, when people were weak and needed to rest. In the modern world we know that progress is the result of a continuous struggle to overcome obstacles, so why do we need Shabbos?  

Menucha – to experience brocho and kedusha

The explanation is as follows. Shabbos, by definition, is a time of brocho and a time of Kedusha [1]. But it is only when we are in a state of menucha that we find that Shabbos is a time of brocho and Kedusha. The concept of Kedusha means that a world which is beyond the one we live in is revealed within our reality. Menucha allows us to experience something which usually transcends our world. 

So the question we posed is perfectly understandable when looking at the world through the eyes of the אומות העולם. The אומות העולם are exactly that – ‘nations of the world’, that is to say nations of this world. They experience this world but no more than that. This world really is a place where you have to work, where there is nothing more profound to be found than work and struggle. Jews on the other hand can grasp to some extent that this world is only transitory, and that there is a whole other world which we are yet to experience which Shabbos is a small example of – mein Olam Habo. Therefore, it is forbidden for the אומות העולם to keep Shabbos, because they will try to experience Shabbos on their terms, by actively working as they do during the rest of the week. Which not only contradicts the whole concept of Shabbos – you are also chayav misa. 

Perhaps now we can understand the words of Chazal [2] in a much deeper way. We might well have understood that the goyim were created to work – that they were created to make the world a more comfortable place for us to live in, therefore, they cannot keep Shabbos. But that really is a very superficial reading of Chazal. Rather we see that they cannot be involved with Shabbos because they have no way of understanding a reality which is beyond the world in which they live. They live in this world. Even when they speak of Olam Habo it is always in terms of whatever they enjoyed here. 

Shabbos is a completely different world

We need to realise that the essential point of Shabbos as mein Olam Habo, does not mean that on Shabbos we are living in a different “edition” of this world. Shabbos as mein Olam Habo – means that for one day a week you live in a world beyond where we are at present. You live a world where you physically experience your Neshomo as the center of your world. You live a world of netzach. 

What will happen when we reach 120 is a question of שכר ועונש – that has nothing to do with the way we experience Shabbos every week. We do not know what type of Olam Habo we will have. But Shabbos is mein olam habo – no matter who you are. For one day a week I live in a very different reality, something which is usually beyond our reach. 

Shabbos differs from other mitzvos

In this way Shabbos is very different from other mitzvos. Every mitzvah comes with its own message – it has its own story. With Tefillin we internalize the fact that

 כי שם ה’ נקרא אליך [4]. Tzitzis remind us ולא תתורו [5]. Mezuzah has its own message – that divrei torah are with you wherever you go. (That is what the Ramban is saying when he discusses the mitzvah of mezuzah in the first parsha of Kriyas Shma. He says that maybe the mitzva of mezuzah is also connected to the posuk “למען תהיה תורת ה’ בפיך” [6]. The idea is that your mouth represents the power of speech. It is how you connect with the outside world. The mezuzah reminds you of your connection with the Borei Olam within the world we live). However, all these mitzvos hint at the fact that the way we experience this world is through a connection with Borei Olam. But Shabbos is something else entirely. On Shabbos we live in an entirely different world, in a completely different reality – not in this world. Only we as Jews can experience that, because we are not only connected to this world. For the אומות העולם – who are only connected to this world, Shabbos really is a ridiculous idea. 

Where to begin experiencing Shabbos as a different world

So we started with a question which we were afraid to ask – but by asking the question we have benefitted tremendously. We have started to understand Shabbos that bit more. In order to make it more tangible – in order to really experience Shabbos as a different world, I would like to touch on the topic of food. 

A major part of Shabbos takes place around the food we eat on Shabbos. So obviously we have to ask what is the connection between קדושה וברכה which are mentioned in connection to Shabbos, and food? 

There is an interesting Chazal, which at first glance is really rather bizarre –

“ואמר רב ברכיה הרוצה לנסך יין על גבי המזבח ימלא גרונם של תלמידי חכמים יין” [7] 

How can pouring a bottle of wine down the throat of a Talmid Chochom have anything to do with לנסך יין? Another question, similar to the first. Rashi says that Zvulun will put food into the mouth of Yissochor [8]. What does Rashi mean? Are Yissochor so helpless that they can’t feed themselves? 

The answer is the same to both questions. A real Talmid Chochom is not connected to this world. Therefore, any time we talk of Talmidei Chochomim and their connection to food, we imply that a Talmid Chochom does not interact with the physical world without being forced to. The physical aspects of this world are not where he feels at home.  

However, on Shabbos a Talmid Chochom has a connection to food. Not because it is tasty – but because there is something inherently important about the food on Shabbos. We are in another world on Shabbos – and the food we eat on Shabbos is part of that other world. 

We have to understand that whatever our Shabbos table looks like – all the people sitting around the table are part of that ‘other world’ which is called Shabbos. Thus, our avoda has to be something which takes them into account. Some people try doing their avoda on Shabbos no matter what is going on around them. They will sing zemiros even if it creates a tense atmosphere, even if no one else wants to hear zemiros. That is the wrong way to go about connecting to Shabbos. 

Seeing beyond the surface

So perhaps we can start working on the concept of food on Shabbos, by looking at the way we take the challah on Shabbos. That really is the start of our Seudas Shabbos. There are so many different things we have to pay attention to when we take the challah – but there is perhaps one aspect which we may not have paid attention to. 

Let me tell you something about a very special person who I have known for a long time – Reb Binyomin Finkel also known as Reb Binyomin Hatzadik. In his home his wife makes challos. After Netilas Yodayim of course he cannot speak, so when he uncovers the challos he smells the challos and then he looks at his wife and with a gesture of appreciation and excitement he exclaims – ‘ooh wah’. He turns the experience of food on Shabbos into an experience of bein odom lechaveiro – food can mean so much more than just food. That is what we mean when we say that Shabbos is mein olam habo – there is so much more then what is on the surface. 

It is a simple idea perhaps – you certainly do not have to stop everything in order to concentrate, it really can be something which is quite natural. But it really does put you in entirely different place. 

Shabbos has to be our Shabbos – it has to be Shabbos in the 21st century. We cannot understand what the Shabbos of the Ramban looked like – all we can do is try and understand what our Shabbos is meant to look like. Mein olam habo is not an additional aspect of Shabbos – it is the definition of Shabbos, a different world. The Mashgiach once commented – that if you want to know if you are a ben olam habo, have a look at what your Shabbos looks like. So let’s try and connect to that other world which is Shabbos. 

[1] “ויברך אלקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אותו”

[2] ע’ ב”ר פ’ ס”ו ד’ – “יעבדוך עמים – אלו שבעים אמות”.

[3] ע’ ר”ה דף י”ז.

[4] דברים כ”ח י’

[5] במדבר ט”ו ל”ט

[6] ע’ רמב”ן על התורה דברים פרק ו פסוקים ז-ט “והוסיף בכאן מצות המזוזה וכתבתם על מזוזות ביתך ובשעריך שלא נזכרה, ואולי גם זו מבוארת נרמזה שם במצות לזכרון בין עיניך למען תהיה תורת ה’ בפיך”

[7] יומא ע”א.

[8] ע’ דברים ל”ג י”ח ורש”י שם “זבולון ויששכר עשו שותפות, זבולון לחוף ימים ישכון (בראשית מ”ט י”ג) ויצא לפרקמטיא בספינות ומשתכר ונותן לתוך פיו של יששכר”. 

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written by Rabbi Mordechai Mays