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Shabbos Holiness Elevates the Weekday Labors

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Shemos 35:1
וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה אֶת־כׇּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהֹוָה לַעֲשֹׂת אֹתָם
Moshe assembled the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael and said to them, “These are the things that Hashem commanded, to do them.”
1“He said to them, ‘These are the things that Hashem commanded, to do them.’”1 The holy Ohr HaChaim asks why it says “that Hashem commanded, to do them.” The verse speaks of the mitzvah to rest from work on Shabbos, a mitzvah of holding back rather than acting, so it should have said “not to do them.”
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם (לה, א). בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ הִקְשָׁה, לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר ׳אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם׳, הֲלֹא הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר כָּאן בְּמִצְוַת הַשְּׁבִיתָה מִמְּלָאכוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהִיא מִצְוָה בְּשֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה, וְאִם כֵּן ׳שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם׳ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר.
  1. Shemos 35:1; Ohr HaChaim there. ↩
In shortWhy does the Torah call Shabbos, a mitzvah of refraining from work, something Hashem commanded “to do”?
2Notice, too, the next verse: “Six days work shall be done, and on the seventh day it shall be holy for you …”2 Chazal teach that wherever the letter vav, “and,” stands at the beginning of a word, it adds to what came before.3 If so, “and on the seventh day” adds to the words just before it, “Six days work shall be done.” But what does resting on the seventh day have to do with “Six days work shall be done”?
עוֹד בַּכָּתוּב ״שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִהְיֶה לָכֶם קוֹדֶשׁ״ וְגוֹ׳, וְיֵשׁ לְדַיֵּיק עַל פִּי מַה דְּאִיתָא בחז״ל (פסחים ה, א) דִּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אוֹת ו׳ בִּתְחִילַּת הַתֵּיבָה, הוּא מוֹסִיף עַל עִנְיָן רִאשׁוֹן, וְאִם כֵּן ׳וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי׳ בָּא לְהוֹסִיף עַל הָאָמוּר קוֹדֶם לָכֵן ׳שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה׳, וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַה הִיא הַשַּׁיָּיכוֹת שֶׁל שְׁבִיתַת הַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לָזֶה שֶׁ׳שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה׳.
  1. Shemos 35:2. ↩
  2. Pesachim 5a. ↩
In shortIf the vav of “and on the seventh day” adds to the six workdays, what does the rest of Shabbos have to do with them?
3Let us also first cite the Midrash: “Do you think that perhaps I gave you Shabbos for your harm? I gave it to you only for your good. How so? You sanctify Shabbos with food, with drink and with clean clothing, and you give your soul pleasure, and I give you reward. Where do we learn this? ‘And you shall call Shabbos a delight …’ What is written after it? ‘Then you shall delight in Hashem, and He will grant you the requests of your heart.’”4 The holy sefarim ask:5 why would anyone think that the mitzvah of Shabbos is for Israel's harm, Heaven forbid? And even if there were reason to think so, how does “and I give you reward” answer it?
נַקְדִּים עוֹד דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ (דברים רבה ג, א), וְאַתְּ סָבוּר שֶׁמָּא לְרָעָתְךָ נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, לֹא נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶלָּא לְטוֹבָתְךָ, כֵּיצַד, אַתָּה מְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה וּבִכְסוּת נְקִיָּה וּמְהַנֶּה אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ שָׂכָר, מִנַּיִן, ״וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עוֹנֶג״ וְגוֹ׳ (ישעיה נח, יג), מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו ״אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל ה׳ וְיִתֶּן לְךָ מִשְׁאֲלוֹת לִבֶּךָ״. וְהִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (עיין סידורו של שבת ח״ב ה, א, שם משמואל עקב), מֶה הָיָה הַצַּד לוֹמַר שֶׁמִּצְוַות הַשַּׁבָּת הִיא לְרָעַת יִשְׂרָאֵל ח״ו, וְעוֹד, אִם כֵּן יֵשׁ צַד כָּזֶה, מָה הַתְּשׁוּבָה כְּנֶגֶד זֶה בָּזֶה שֶׁ׳וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ שָׂכָר׳.
  1. Devarim Rabbah 3:1; Yeshayahu 58:13. Yeshayahu 58:14 begins “Then you shall delight in Hashem”; the words “and He will grant you the requests of your heart” are from Tehillim 37:4. ↩
  2. See Sidduro shel Shabbos, part II 5a; Shem MiShmuel, Eikev. ↩
In shortThe Midrash says Shabbos was given for our good, with reward for its delights; but who would think it harmful, and how does reward answer?
4aWe may explain it this way. On Shabbos, holiness rests upon all the creatures in the world. As Chazal relate: “The wicked Turnus Rufus asked R' Akiva this question as well. He said to him, ‘What makes one day different from any other? Who says that today is Shabbos?’” R' Akiva said to him, “The river Sambatyon will prove it.” [Rashi explains: a river of stones that rushes along all week and on Shabbos is quiet and at rest.] “The necromancer will prove it.” [Rashi explains: the dead he calls up do not come up on Shabbos.] “His father's grave will prove it, for it does not give off smoke on Shabbos.”6 Chazal also tell: “The Caesar said to R' Yehoshua ben Chananya, ‘Why does the Shabbos dish smell so fragrant?’ He answered, ‘We have a certain spice called Shabbos, which we put into it, and its aroma spreads.’”7 All this shows that the very day of holy Shabbos brings holiness to rest on everything that exists in the world.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ, דְּהִנֵּה מָצִינוּ כִּי בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ שׁוֹרָה בּוֹ קְדוּשָּׁה עַל כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (סנהדרין סה, ב) וְאַף שְׁאֵלָה זוֹ שָׁאַל טוּרְנוּסְרוּפוּס הָרָשָׁע אֶת רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אָמַר לוֹ וּמָה יוֹם מִיּוֹמַיִם, מִי יֵימַר דְּהָאִידָּנָא שַׁבְּתָא, אָמַר לוֹ נְהַר סַמְבַּטְיוֹן יוֹכִיחַ [פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י נָהָר אֶחָד שֶׁל אֲבָנִים וּבְכָל יְמוֹת הַשַּׁבָּת שׁוֹטֵף וְהוֹלֵךְ וּבְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת שׁוֹקֵט וְנָח], בַּעַל אוֹב יוֹכִיחַ [פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה בְּשַׁבָּת], קִבְרוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו יוֹכִיחַ שֶׁאֵין מַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן בַּשַּׁבָּת. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ עוֹד בחז״ל (שבת קיט, א), אָמַר לוֹ קֵיסָר לְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן חֲנַנְיָא, מִפְּנֵי מָה תַּבְשִׁיל שֶׁל שַׁבָּת רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף, אָמַר לוֹ תַּבְלִין אֶחָד יֵשׁ לָנוּ וְשַׁבָּת שְׁמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ מְטִילִין לְתוֹכוֹ וְרֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף. דְּמִכָּל זֶה מַשְׁמַע, שֶׁעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ יֵשׁ בּוֹ הַשְׁרָאַת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה עַל כָּל הַנִּמְצָאִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם.
  1. Sanhedrin 65b; Rashi there. Turnus Rufus was a Roman governor of Judea. The grave of his own father, who was being punished after death, smoked all week but not on Shabbos. ↩
  2. Shabbos 119a. ↩
4bFrom here we can say this. By nature, a person finds it hard to serve Hashem while doing physical things, and to do them properly, according to His will and for His honor. But on Shabbos, when holiness rests on all of creation, it is easier to engage in physical things and do them for the honor of the Creator. That is the idea behind the mitzvah of the Shabbos meals. The holiness that flows down on this day helps a person to eat and drink, too, in the proper way, for the honor of the Creator, and so it was made a mitzvah. The additional soul that a Jew receives on Shabbos also comes down to help him, giving “an expansive heart for eating and drinking,”8 so that he can engage in eating and drinking and raise physical things up to holiness.
וּמֵעַתָּה יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּאַף שֶׁמִּצַּד טֶבַע הָאָדָם קָשֶׁה עָלָיו לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּעֵת עֲשִׂיַּית דְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, לַעֲשׂוֹתָם בְּאוֹפֶן הָרָאוּי כִּרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ וְלִכְבוֹדוֹ, אוּלָם בְּשַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ שֶׁבּוֹ שׁוֹרָה קְדוּשָּׁה עַל הַבְּרִיאָה כּוּלָּהּ, בּוֹ אֶפְשָׁר בְּנָקֵל יוֹתֵר לַעֲסוֹק בְּעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים לַעֲשׂוֹתָם לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ. וְזֶהוּ עִנְיַן מִצְוַת סְעוּדוֹת שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁכֵּן עַל יְדֵי הַקְּדוּשָּׁה הַנִּשְׁפַּעַת בְּיוֹם זֶה, יֵשׁ סִיּוּעַ לַעֲסוֹק אַף בַּאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה בְּאוֹפֶן הָרָאוּי לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא, וְלָכֵן נִקְבְּעָה מִצְוָה בְּכָךְ, וְנִשְׁפַּע סִיּוּעַ שֶׁל נְשָׁמָה יְתֵירָה רוֹחַב לֵב לַאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה (רש״י ביצה טו, ב), בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל הָאָדָם לַעֲסוֹק בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, וּלְהַעֲלוֹת הָעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים לִקְדוּשָּׁה.
  1. Rashi on Beitzah 16a (the sefer has 15b). ↩
In shortShabbos spreads holiness over creation, and with the additional soul it lets a person eat for Hashem's honor; hence the Shabbos meals are a mitzvah.
5This lets us explain the Midrash “Do you think that perhaps I gave you Shabbos for your harm? I gave it to you only for your good.” We may say that it refers to the mitzvah of delighting in Shabbos. One might have thought that eating and drinking on Shabbos could make a person stumble, Heaven forbid, since he has to be so busy with physical things. To this Chazal answered: “I did not give you Shabbos for your harm but for your good. How so? You sanctify Shabbos with food and with drink … and I give you reward …” In other words, the holiness that flows into the world on Shabbos lets a person engage even in physical things without stumbling. This is what the Midrash means by saying that you receive reward: the reward of Shabbos flows down, as it were, already now, in this world. That reward is the holiness that the seventh day pours upon all creatures.
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ ׳וְאַתְּ סָבוּר שֶׁמָּא לְרָעָתְךָ נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, לֹא נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶלָּא לְטוֹבָתְךָ׳, דְּיֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁהַכַּוָּונָה לְמִצְוַות עוֹנֶג שַׁבָּת, שֶׁבָּזֶה הָיָה מָקוֹם לַחְשׁוֹב, שֶׁהָעֵסֶק בְּשַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ בְּעִנְיְינֵי אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה יָכוֹל לְהָבִיא הָאָדָם לְמִכְשׁוֹל ח״ו, מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁעָלָיו לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּעֵסֶק בְּעִנְיְנֵי גַּשְׁמִיּוּת. וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ ׳לֹא לְרָעָתְךָ נָתַתִּי אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת אֶלָּא לְטוֹבָתְךָ, כֵּיצַד אַתְּ מְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה וְכוּ׳ וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ שָׂכָר׳ וְכוּ׳, הַיְינוּ דְּעַל יְדֵי הַקְּדוּשָּׁה הַנִּשְׁפַּעַת בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בָּעוֹלָם, אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲסוֹק אַף בְּעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים בְּלֹא שֶׁזֶּה יִגְרוֹם מִכְשׁוֹל לָאָדָם, וְזֶהוּ ׳וְאַתָּה מְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁשְּׂכַר הַשַּׁבָּת נִשְׁפָּע כִּבְיָכוֹל גַּם עַתָּה כְּבָר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁקְּדוּשַּׁת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְשַׁפַּעַת קְדוּשָּׁה עַל כָּל הַיְּצוּרִים.
In shortThe delights of Shabbos might seem a risk, but their “reward” comes already now: holiness poured over creation keeps those pleasures pure.
6In this light we can understand the words “and on the seventh day it shall be holy for you …” The day itself is holiness flowing down upon everything. So in everything you do, even in matters that are merely permitted, which are called “for you,”9 you will be able to act in complete holiness.
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ׳וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִהְיֶה לָכֶם קוֹדֶשׁ׳ וְגוֹ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁעֶצֶם יוֹם זֶה הוּא מְצִיאוּת שֶׁל קְדוּשָּׁה הַנִּשְׁפַּעַת עַל הַכֹּל, וְלָכֵן בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּ אַף בְּעִנְיְנֵי רְשׁוּת הַקְּרוּיִים ׳לָכֶם׳, תּוּכְלוּ לַעֲסוֹק בָּהֶם בִּשְׁלֵימוּת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה.
  1. Chazal (Pesachim 68b) describe a festival as “half for Hashem and half for you,” the part given to one's own eating and enjoyment. ↩
In short“Holy for you”: the holiness of Shabbos reaches even a person's own permitted activities, so they too can be done in complete holiness.
7aWhen a person is privileged to do even the physical things of Shabbos in holiness, properly and for the honor of Hashem, that holiness flows into all the weekdays too. It reaches all the permitted things he does during the six days of work, so that he does them in holiness, as he should. So we find that Shammai HaZaken ate in honor of Shabbos all his days.10 That is, because of the holiness of his conduct on Shabbos, he was privileged to eat on a higher level on weekdays as well. This answers our question about the vav in “Six days work shall be done, and on the seventh day it shall be holy for you.” The vav adds to what came before: the seventh day, which will be holy, will pour holiness onto a person's conduct all through the six days of work.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר זוֹכֶה אָדָם לְכָךְ, דְּאַף כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא מִתְעַסֵּק בְּעִנְיָינִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים בְּשַׁבָּת הוּא עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם בִּקְדוּשָּׁה וּבְאוֹפֶן הָרָאוּי לִכְבוֹד ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, מִזֶּה נִשְׁפָּע גַּם עַל כָּל יְמוֹת הַחוֹל, עַל כָּל עִנְיְינֵי הָרְשׁוּת אֲשֶׁר הָאָדָם עָסוּק בָּהֶם בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁיְּהֵא עוֹסֵק בָּהֶם בִּקְדוּשָּׁה כָּרָאוּי. וְכִדְמָצִינוּ (ביצה טז, א) בְּשַׁמַּאי הַזָּקֵן שֶׁכָּל יָמָיו הָיוּ אוֹכֵל לִכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת, הַיְינוּ שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת קְדוּשַּׁת הַנְהָגָתוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת, זָכָה גַּם בִּימוֹת הַחוֹל לֶאֱכוֹל בְּדַרְגָּה נַעֲלֵית. וְעַל כֵּן נֶאֱמַר ׳שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִהְיֶה לָכֶם קוֹדֶשׁ׳, בְּו׳ הַמּוֹסִיף עַל עִנְיָן רִאשׁוֹן, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה קוֹדֶשׁ, יַשְׁפִּיעַ קְדוּשָּׁה עַל הַהַנְהָגָה בְּכָל שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה.
  1. Beitzah 16a. Whenever Shammai found a fine food during the week, he set it aside for Shabbos. ↩
7bThis is also the meaning of “These are the things that Hashem commanded, to do them.” We know that Chazal learned from the word eileh, “these,” that there are thirty-nine kinds of work forbidden on Shabbos.11 By the power of the holiness of Shabbos, an imprint of holiness remains in those thirty-nine kinds of work, and about this it says, “that Hashem commanded, to do them.” That is why the next verse says, “Six days work shall be done”: it hints that, as it were, even while a person works during the six days, the holiness of Shabbos will be awakened and flow down.
וְזֶהוּ ׳אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם׳, דְּיָדוּעַ שחז״ל לָמְדוּ מִתֵּיבַת ׳אֵלֶּה׳ שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם ל״ט מְלָאכוֹת שֶׁאָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת (שבת ע, א), וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁמִּכֹּחַ קְדוּשַּׁת שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ נִשְׁאַר רְשִׁימָה דִּקְדוּשָּׁה בל״ט מְלָאכוֹת, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר ׳אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם׳. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַחַר כָּךְ ׳שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה׳, דְּנִרְמַז שֶׁכִּבְיָכוֹל אַף בְּעֵת עֲשִׂיַּית הַמְּלָאכָה בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, תְּהֵא מִתְעוֹרֶרֶת וְנִשְׁפַּעַת קְדוּשַּׁת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת.
  1. Shabbos 70a. The numerical value of eileh (אלה) is 36. The plural devarim, “things,” adds two, and the definite article in hadevarim, “the things,” adds one more, making thirty-nine. ↩
In shortHoliness kept on Shabbos flows into the six workdays: hence the joining vav, and hence Hashem commanded the thirty-nine labors “to do.”
8aThis lets us explain the words of the holy Zohar that a Torah scholar is like Shabbos.12 Just as on Shabbos the holiness of the day lets a person engage even in physical things properly, for the honor of Heaven, so a Torah scholar, in his great holiness, does all his affairs all week long for the honor of Heaven. Through this he even raises up and repairs the physical affairs of simple people.
וּבָזֶה אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר דִּבְרֵי הַזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (ח״ג כט, א) שֶׁתַּלְמִיד חָכָם הוּא בִּבְחִינַת שַׁבָּת. דִּכְשֵׁם שֶׁבְּשַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ, אֲזַי עַל יְדֵי קְדוּשַּׁת הַיּוֹם נִיתָּן לַעֲסוֹק גַּם בְּעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים בְּאוֹפֶן הָרָאוּי לִכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, כֵּן הַתַּלְמִיד חָכָם בְּרוֹב קְדוּשָּׁתוֹ עוֹסֵק בְּכָל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ בְּכָל עִנְיָנָיו לִכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְאַף מַעֲלֶה וּמְתַקֵּן עַל יְדֵי כָּךְ עִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים שֶׁל פְּשׁוּטֵי הָעָם.
  1. Zohar III 29a. ↩
8bThat raising is itself a kind of blessing, as I heard in the name of my holy father and teacher, zt"l, on the verse “Aharon lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them.”13 He explained it this way. We know that one must serve the Holy One, blessed be He, even while doing physical things, doing them for the sake of Heaven and for the honor of the Creator. But not every mind can bear this, and simple people find it hard to do all this properly. The tzaddik, though, through his service, lifts up and raises the physical affairs of simple people. That is the hint in “Aharon lifted up his hands”: “his hands” stand for the things people do, physical things, and Aharon lifted everything up and raised it to holiness. That raising is itself a blessing for Bnei Yisrael, and so the verse says, “and blessed them.” That is the gist of his words. So it is with Shabbos, the source of blessing, for the Zohar says that all six days are blessed from it.14
וְזֶה עַצְמוֹ בְּחִינַת בְּרָכָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי בְּשֵׁם כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה עַל הַכָּתוּב (ויקרא ט, כב) ״וַיִּשָּׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדָיו אֶל הָעָם וַיְבָרְכֵם״, וּפֵירֵשׁ בָּזֶה, כִּי יָדוּעַ כִּי צָרִיךְ לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הקב״ה אֲפִילּוּ בְּעֵת עֲשִׂיַּית דְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, לַעֲשׂוֹתָם בְּכַוָּונָה לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם וְלִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, אַךְ לָאו כָּל מוֹחָא סָבִיל דָּא, וְלַאֲנָשִׁים פְּשׁוּטִים קָשֶׁה לְקַיֵּים כָּרָאוּי כָּל זֶה, אַךְ הַצַּדִּיק בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ מַגְבִּיהַּ וּמַעֲלֶה עִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים שֶׁל פְּשׁוּטֵי הָעָם. וְזֶה הָרֶמֶז ׳וַיִּשָּׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדָיו׳, ׳יָדָיו׳ רוֹמֵז עַל עִנְיְנֵי הָעֲשִׂיָּה, דְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, וְאַהֲרֹן הֶעֱלָה וְהִגְבִּיהַּ הַכֹּל לִקְדוּשָּׁה, וְעִנְיָן זֶה עַצְמוֹ הוּא בְּרָכָה עֲבוּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב ׳וַיְבָרְכֵם׳, עכ״ד. וְכֵן הוּא בְּחִינַת שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהִיא מְקוֹר הַבְּרָכָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (ח״ב פח, א) שֶׁכָּל שִׁיתָּא יוֹמִין מִינֵּיהּ מִתְבָּרְכִין.
  1. Vayikra 9:22. ↩
  2. Zohar II 88a. ↩
In shortA Torah scholar, like Shabbos, does his physical affairs for Heaven and raises those of simple people, and that raising is itself a blessing.
9May Hashem grant that we soon be privileged to see Chazal's words fulfilled: “If Israel kept two Shabbosos, it would be redeemed at once.”15 Amen.
יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לְמַאֲמָרָם ז״ל (שבת קיח, א) ״אִלְמָלֵי שָׁמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת מִיָּד נִגְאָלִים״, אָמֵן.
  1. Shabbos 118b (the sefer has 118a). ↩
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we soon see Chazal's words fulfilled: if Israel kept two Shabbosos, it would be redeemed at once.
Takeaway

Shabbos pours holiness over all of creation, so that its meals and pleasures can be done fully for Hashem's honor, and that is its reward already in this world. When we eat and rest on Shabbos in holiness, the holiness does not stay in the seventh day: it leaves its imprint on our work all through the six days, as Shammai ate all week in honor of Shabbos. And where we find this hard, the tzaddik, like Aharon lifting his hands, raises our physical lives up with him, and that itself is a blessing.

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English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.