R. M. Levi
Shabbat was one of the subjects dearest to Dad (Rabbi Shimshon Dovid Pincus, zt”l). Interestingly, when speaking on a wide variety of subjects and occasions, he often brought the discussion around to Shabbat. He worked very hard on this subject, putting his whole self into it.
I personally heard him say more than once that he felt his purpose in this world was to reveal two subjects to the Jewish people—the subject of Prayer and the subject of Shabbat. He devoted a great deal of effort to this, writing two books: Gates of Prayer (שערים בתפילה) and The Shabbat Queen (שבת מלכתא). After Dad's death, many books were published based on his lessons and talks. But these two books were written, carefully checked, and published by him personally. It is impossible to describe how much time he spent writing his books—not so much writing as erasing what he had already written. Dad checked every word and liked to repeat that when writing books, he felt he received special help from Heaven in the merit of knowing how to erase.
To explore the subject of Shabbat, let us ask a few questions. The first is—
What Is Shabbat?
Throughout the year, the Jewish calendar has many “stops,” given to us by the Almighty so that we can regain our strength. Each stop is another point along our path that lifts us up and gives us the impetus to continue our Jewish lives. The calendar cycle begins with Pesach, when we recharge our faith. On Shavuot, we receive the Torah anew. Then come the Days of Awe, Sukkot, Chanukah, and Purim—each has its own purpose, its own distinctive quality, and its own influence. Each stop is an opportunity to acquire something that will enable us to grow in a particular aspect.
There is an additional stop—Shabbat Kodesh, a stop we reach every week rather than once a year, and whose importance we therefore often underestimate. The Sages teach us that Shabbat is the holiest day of the year. But because it comes our way every week, we perceive it as part of our everyday routine. We do not pause, do not ask the questions we ought to ask, and do not receive the answers we could receive. We do not understand what is happening, what makes this day so special, or what a gift we have received from the Almighty. Shabbat ends, the week flies by, and we stumble into the next Shabbat. I once heard one of my students say: “For me, Shabbat is a blanket, a pillow, and a glass of tea.” Of course, rest is one component of Shabbat. But it is not its essence!
What, then, is Shabbat? What has the Almighty given us? We prepare delicious food, clean the house, and spread white tablecloths—these are familiar rules, but they are external. What is the inner essence of Shabbat? The Almighty addresses Moshe, saying: “I have a precious gift tucked away for you. Its name is Shabbat. Go and tell the Jewish people about it.” What kind of gift requires advance notice? If the Almighty wants to give us a gift, let Him give it. Why must it be announced?
Let us take an example from everyday life. A grandmother visits her grandson with a gift. The grandson picks up the beautifully wrapped box and is beside himself with delight: “Grandma, where did you get such beautiful paper, with such wonderful pictures?” Grandma explains that the gift was wrapped in the paper at the store and suggests that he unwrap it. But her grandson cannot stop admiring the gift wrapping: “Grandma, where did you get such lovely ribbons—red, with gold edges?” Grandma is disappointed: “The salesperson at the store tied the ribbons too. But that is not the main thing. Open your gift! You cannot even imagine what is inside!!! Open it and look!”
The gift we received from the Almighty is beautifully wrapped—in festive clothes, a clean house, and exquisite food. This “wrapping” is very important and must not be neglected. Yet one can live for one hundred and twenty years, observing Shabbat every week and admiring the colorful wrapping, without ever looking at what is inside! That is why the Almighty asks that Shabbat be announced in advance, so that we remember to open the wrapping and look inside.