Taanug vs. Excitement

Taanug not Excitement

Introduction

We mentioned a number of times that the main difficulty we are faced with when trying to find areas where we can improve our avoda on Shabbos, is that Shabbos comes only once a week. That makes it much more difficult to work on. However, we must try and find an aspect of Shabbos which is also present during the rest of the week – an aspect we can work on which will perhaps prepare us for how we should be experiencing Shabbos. 

Last time we spoke of menucha – this time we will discuss something which is very relevant when analyzing the modern world –relevant and worrying. It also separates Torah Judaism from western culture. And it is crucial for understanding menuchas Shabbos and Oneg Shabbos. 

The difference between excitement and Oneg

In todays world one sees that there is a continuous perusal of what we call excitement. Excitement by definition requires a certain affinity to that which one is getting excited about. But excitement is much more than just affinity – the feeling of excitement is where one is so completely absorbed with that particular experience that you simply “explode” with enjoyment. It is that feeling that people seem to be aiming for. They want to be excited about the davening on Shabbos. They want to be excited about the food on Shabbos. 

Oneg is something very different. Oneg is that experience where you find yourself being touched by something which transcends your reality. That’s how the Mashgiach explained the word oneg – from the word nogea. Because they both have the same letters נ’ ג’ ע’. Oneg is like receiving a kvetch [someone grabbing hold of you] – from something which is above us. Being touched while at the same time the feeling that it is limiting us somewhat. With excitement we need more enjoyment and we need it immediately. With Oneg we are being touched by something above us which has an impact on our lives – and that actually gives a feeling of tranquility.
Oneg and Menuchas Hanefesh

We can take this idea a little bit further. Oneg is actually possible only when we are in a state of menuchas hanefesh. Oneg is born from menuchas hanefesh. Oneg can only touch you if you are in a state of menucha – a calm state of mind where one actually want to be where they are at present. Excitement demands that one looks for something new – something different. Excitement is an emotion which is never at rest. You are always looking for the next experience which will take you to another extreme. So one can see that Oneg Shabbos and excitement are two diametrically opposed ways of living. Oneg Shabbos is the exact opposite of western culture, with its continuous emphasis on excitement. 

If we cannot stop with our continuous perusal of excitement and rather derive satisfaction from menuchas Hanefesh and Oneg then we will never achieve a state of menuchas Shabbos. We will only be touched by that which is beyond us if we can reach a state of menucha. 

Working on our approach to food

We mustn’t get caught up trying to find inspiring ideas in order to feel how spiritual Shabbos should make us feel. Because that will not actually cause real growth. Without avoda there can be no real growth. So perhaps we can try and move forward by looking at something relevant but maybe unexpected – food. 

On Shabbos we know that the food we eat is meant to be a source of oneg. ( ע’ שבת דף קי”ח: “במה מענגו בתבשיל של תרדין ודגים גדולים”) But when we start to work on the concept of food being a part of oneg Shabbos we start thinking of lofty ideas like our Neshomo Yesairo( ע’ לדוגמא  ביצה ט”ז. ורש”י שם “נשמה יתירה רוחב לב למנוחה ולשמחה ולהיות פתוח לרוחה ויאכל וישתה ואין נפשו קצה עליו”. וע”ע תענית כ”ז: ורש”י שם “דנשמה יתירה שמרחיבין דעתו לאכילה ושתיה וכו'”). But we really don’t know what the Neshomo Yesairo is – so we really can’t start working on something which is so far removed from how we live our lives. Contemplating such ideas may be very uplifting – but whatever we gain is easily lost. We have to build firm foundations before we start to deal with such concepts. 

If we want to work on food and how we eat on Shabbos it might be easier to begin with the food we eat during the week, because the food we eat on Shabbos is special, and it’s easy to get excited about. But food on a regular day of the week is often not very exciting at all. However, instead of looking at the food, one perhaps could start thinking that food actually comes with a message – that the Borei Olam is interested in doing an act of chessed, He wants to feed me and keep me healthy.

With this new understanding, one really can find oneself eating “Ernst”. The word in English “earnest” comes from that word which is German. It is a word which implies an act which is performed with a certain amount of seriousness or sincerity – or perhaps כובד ראש. An awareness that something important is happening here.

One may well find that by seeing the kindness of the Borei Olam when looking at a plate of food opens the door to being touched by something far bigger, something which is really beyond us. And yet we are connected to that aspect. To some extent we may find that we can experience menucha and oneg while eating. 

With these thoughts eating has become an “ernster zach”. Eating has become an experience of feeling how small I am and yet how I am connected with something so profound. 

We see that this is actually the approach of the Torah towards eating. When we say Bircas Hamozon we find that we are thanking the Borei Olam for a plethora of different things which are not connected to food at all. We talk of Matan Torah, we talk of Yerushalayim, we talk of milah, and of Kedushas Haguf. Why talk of all these important things when we are thanking Hashem for the food we just ate? What’s the connection? 

The reason that we talk of so many other things, is that eating can connect you to something so much bigger – you can feel how much chessed the Borei Olam does for us. So we mention all those aspects which are also a part of that reality. We feel the impact of the Borei Olam in the world we live in – and that feeling is one of oneg.

So perhaps we can try and make our eating during the week more of an “ernster zach”. We might then find a change with our eating on Shabbos. Don’t try making a change every time you eat. Shammai and Hillel were preparing for Shabbos all the time – we really are not on that sort of level. But at least we should try once a day to eat in preparation for how we will eat on Shabbos. Here is an opportunity to work on Shabbos throughout the week, in preparation for our avoda on Shabbos. 

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Written by Rabbi Mordechai Mays