There is a very clear process going on in Kabbolas Shabbos, the decision to enter the world of the Borei Olam, the recognition of what a wonderful place the world of the Borei Olam is, and finally the understanding of how the Borei Olam comes and lights up the world – how everything becomes so clear!
Defining Menucha on Shabbos
It is clear that there is a concept of “menucha” on Shabbos. Menucha might be understood as “being content” on Shabbos. But menucha has far greater implications. It means feeling, that given the choice there is nowhere one would want to be – other then experiencing Shabbos! In that way it is similar to menuchas hanefesh – which is a certain degree of contentment with what the Borei Olam has given.
Shabbos is emuna in action!
Thus Shabbos is called a “מעשה אמונה” – it’s “emuna in action”! It’s not only that Shabbos is about emuna – it’s that ones approach to Shabbos is an act of emuna. Certainly one has to accept that everything that happens is for ones own good – however on Shabbos a person has be absolutely certain that this is the place and time that he wants to be in – and nowhere else!
בו ינוחו בן ובת
One could give an example of someone who wants to sign a contract on Friday. Unfortunately, he misses his chance and has to wait until the following Monday to close the deal. If his approach to Shabbos is one where he experiences menucha correctly, he will not spend all of Shabbos trying to convince himself that it’s all for the best – when essentially he would rather be signing the contract, rather then experiencing Shabbos! As Shabbos begins he should feel that now there is nowhere he would rather be!
In the Shabbos Zemiros there is a hint to this definition of menucha. “בו ינוחו בן ובת” – which is a euphuism for mitzvas ona – and it being an act of menucha. The rest of the world looks at things completely differently – that it is an act of passion, a time to lose control. We look at mitzvas ona as an act of menucha because when you have a meaningful relationship – then being with that person is the only place you want to be – it is the perfect example of menucha! One cannot deny that the yetzer is also involved, but the essence of the act points to wanting to be only with that person. A state of menucha.
That is why working on menuchas Shabbos is such a challenge, because it only comes once a week – and when it comes, no matter how many little children are jumping around, no matter what is going on at work, the moment Shabbos arrives one has to want to be there!
Kabbolas Shabbos – a key to experiencing Shabbos
One of the preparations for experiencing Shabbos is Kabbolas Shabbos. for many people Kabbolas Shabbos could be a key for really entering the atmosphere of Shabbos. So an analysis of the prokim in Tehilim which are said might aid in experiencing Shabbos properly.
לכו נרננה לה’ – deals with someone who is standing in a world without Shabbos, and desires to enter into the world of Shabbos. He makes a declaration לכו נרננה לה’ – that he wants to make a move towards a different reality.
באו נשתחוה ונכרעה נברכה לפני ה’ עשינו – he wants to take the initiative make a move which will bring him closer to the Borei Olam. As Shabbos enters a person might experience a conflict within the recesses of his soul – where would he rather be, with the Borei Olam or signing a contract! So he proclaims – אל תקשו לבבכם – it is not because he has to force himself to keep Shabbos, he really wants to be there, and only there! The mizmor clearly develops a process of moving in the direction of Shabbos.
The next perek of Tehilim is שירו לה’ שיר חדש. It is the stage of שירה. One stands and observes the world of the Borei Olam and sings His praises. He sings to the whole world – ספרו בגוים…אמרו בגוים – what a wonderful world of Shabbos there is to experience!
It is after His praises have been sung that the Borei Olam reveals Himself.
ה’ מלך תגל הארץ is the next mizmor – and there is found a description of how the Borei Olam comes to light up the world – machts lichtig!
That’s what האירו ברקיו תבל means! Everything is so clear – that no wonder there is a sense of shame for those who are far from Hashem – those who suddenly see the truth staring them in the face – יבשו כל עבדי פסל.
There is a very clear process going on in Kabbolas Shabbos, the decision to enter the world of the Borei Olam, the recognition of what a wonderful place the world of the Borei Olam is, and finally the understanding of how the Borei Olam comes and lights up the world – how everything becomes so clear!
The next stage is מזמור שירו לה’ שיר חדש. What is the additional שירה being spoken of here? The concept of שירה has already been mentioned in שירו לה’ שיר חדש?
The answer can be found if one looks at where the shira is occurring. The first time that שירה was mentioned it was from the perspective of someone standing outside the world of the Borei Olam and looking at what is happening within. The second שירה is from the perspective of the person standing within! He sees things from the perspective of the Borei Olam! He sings the Praises of the Borei Olam –
הושיע לו…ישועתו…צדקתו…אמונתו – its all about how the Borei Olam sees His world! And it is a wondrous gift from the Borei Olam to Klal Yisroel that they can experience that reality. One in which the Borei Olam is alone and is not relating to His creation.
After having entered the world of the Borei Olam and having said שיר חדש – comes the perek of ה’ מלך – and there is mentioned –
“משה ואהרן בכהניו ושמואל בקראי שמו…ונקם על עלילותם”. The posuk is not saying that they conspired against the Borei Olam chas vesholom! Rather chazal explain that Moshe Rabbeinu came to the Borei Olam with a complaint – that he was forced to hit the rock, it was all a conspiracy! The Borei Olam answers him that never the less he will be punished for what he has done. These are the plans of the Borei Olam when viewed from His perspective, a world beyond the understanding of mankind. That is the viewpoint of this mizmor.
It is at this point that מזמור לדוד is said. The name of the Ribbono Shel Olam is mentioned eighteen times! The message is clear – everywhere a person looks, everywhere he turns, all there is, is Shem Hashem! The world was wiped out during the מבול and then the Ribbono Shel Olam was King! That will happen again – וישב ה’ מלך לעולם! Then the only reality will be שם ה’! The world will be as nothing – “a shpei in vasser” – a spit in the ocean! When the Ribbono Shel Olam will truly be King the world as it is will cease to exist! However –
ה’ עוז לעמו יתן ה’ יברך את עמו בשלום! In that reality the Borei Olam will still make place for his people – and it is that special place that Klal Yisroel enters on Shabbos!
Now is the the most appropriate time to say מזמור שיר ליום השבת. Dovid Hamelech talks of the success of the reshoim in this world – and yet at this point it is not problematic! Why not? It bothered ירמיהו הנביא! He asked “מדוע דרך רשעים צלחה”?! The answer is so simple – because Klal Yisroel is experiencing Shabbos! On Shabbos we experience the world of the Borei Olam – and in His world there are no questions, there are only answers!
In conclusion to Kabbolas Shabbos we say ה’ מלך. This is somewhat strange – surely we should say it before מזמור שיר ליום השבת, after all ה’ מלך is the shir shel yom for Friday – the day before Shabbos!? The answer is that saying ה’ מלך even after one has entered the world of the Borei Olam is an expression of the fact that even in the world of Shabbos which Klal Yisroel enters once a week – they are still able to relate to the Borei Olam as King.
The major difficulty about working on the concept of Shabbos
The problem which many people face when working on the avoda of Shabbos is that Shabbos comes but once a week, thus one cannot make a kabbolo to be fulfilled daily. There is no way that people can start keeping Shabbos for five minutes on a daily basis! Furthermore, there is another deterrent that the world of Shabbos is conceptually so lofty! But that is no reason for not trying! When one opens the front door on Shabbos, one should feel that there is no better place to be. Not because of the food, not because of the candles – rather something deep and meaningful which convinces a person that there is no better place to be other then Shabbos.
Perhaps a good place to start is to contemplate the mitzva of ona. That could open a door to the relationship with ones spouse – and open the door to a deeper understanding of Shabbos. Internalizing that with the entry into the world of Shabbos there is no other place one could want to be.
