Special special Shabbos
A good erev Shabbos to all.
Special that it is Shabbos mevarichim. Rosh Chodesh is Wednesday night and Thursday. The new moon as they announce in shul will be Tuesday at the tenth hour 14 minutes and 11 seconds. I have no idea what that means but it’s a custom to announce the ‘birth’ of the new moon when we say the blessing for Rosh Chodesh.
The mitzva of Rosh Chodesh was the first mitzva we were given as a nation, still in Egypt. this Shabbos if we were in shul we would read the portion in Exodus 12:1 when we were given the mitzva. Of eating the Pesach offering in Egypt, declaring the month of Nissan the first month of the year.
It is a beautiful parsha of VaYakhel. I was reading Rav Yaacov Galinsky’s sefer on this parsha and his words struck me as so timely as this Shabbos there is no public transportation and etc. I’m sure you have all seen the messages about how this week the entire country of Israel is keeping Shabbos. The cynics can say what they will, but many irreligious people have declared that they will be keeping Shabbos. Rav Galinsky gives insight into the special mitzvah of keeping Shabbos.
”One Friday morning I was walking down the stairwell of his building and he noticed his neighbor coming up with bags of groceries for Shabbos. I complimented him on doing the mitzva of preparing for Shabbos on Friday and reminded him to say lekavod Shabbos Kodesh ‘in honor of the holy Shabbos’ as making the preparations because saying so out loud creates a spirit of Kedusha ( Mishna Brerura). Glancing in his baskets, I noticed papers with lettering which is problematic when opening on Shabbos, so I politely asked’and what is this?’. ‘Ah, newspapers, my oneg Shabbos, Shabbos enjoyment.’ And with that he continued up the stairs.
Certainly one is permitted to read newspapers on Shabbos, and if he gets enjoyment from it, fine and good! But woe to him that reading newspapers is his Oneg Shabbos. The Bais Yosef comments on the first two verses of Parshas VaYakhel ‘and Moshe gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel ...on the seventh day it will be a holy day, Shabbos of solemn rest to HaShem.’ The Holy One Blessed be He said to Yisrael, [this obviously doesn’t apply to our unusual situation now, when Corona has required us all not to gather together and not to go to shul this Shabbos] “If you gather on every Shabbos in the synagogues and study halls and are busy with the Torah, then I, HaShem, will consider it as if you had crowned me as king in My world. As it says in Isaiah, “for you are my witnesses, says the Lrd,and I am your HaShem.” This is the source for the custom in all corners of the diaspora to gather in synagogues and read the Torah, and discuss the commentaries after the meal on Shabbos day. In the Talmud Yerusalmi it is written that Shabbos and the holidays were given only in order to be busy in Torah on those days. The Zohar comments that on Motzei Shabbos when the special neshama we are given on Shabbos returns to Heaven, it is asked what new insight into Torah it heard on Shabbos.
So while it is certainly permitted to read the paper on Shabbos, one who considers this his Oneg Shabbos, well the following parable pretty much describes him.
As the coronation day of the king approached the king decided that as a mark of celebration he would fund the wishes of all of his countrymen. The advisors were quick to point out that in a short amount of time he will deplete his entire treasury. As a compromise the king agreed that the first hour of the day of his coronation he will fulfill the wish of whoever gains an audience with him. The plan was announced and three days before the coronation a line began to form. Hundreds, thousands, stood in line, slept there and ate there hoping to get the opportunity to have the new king fulfill their request. Even when it became obvious the king would never be able to se so many people in one hour, those at the end of the line did not despair - maybe he will extend the audience time.
Finally the moment arrived and the great gates began to open. Orderliness had prevailed but this moment when there was obviously something happening towards the beginning of the line, and everyone jumped back to allow one man a clear path to the very head of the line. Who was this man? None other than the leper of the town. Ostracized by the townsfolk he ate what he was able to scrounge from the garbage, slept in barns, and was covered in oozing and horrid looking sores. No one would come near him. He easily gained access to the front of the line. The kings guards took one look at this unkempt, unwashed, smelly and obviously contagious fellow. They covered their noses and asked what he wanted. Of course he wanted his audience with the king. They brim into the palace, bathed him, shaved him, gave him a haircut, dressed his wounds, gave him new clothes and shoes and a hefty spray of strong perfume. With his new fragrance preceding him, the leper approached the king.
“And what can I do you today?” Asked the king. “To be quite honest, I am a leper. I survive from scraps I find in the rubbish. I sleep with cows and horses for no one will give me lodging. I have oozing sounds from my condition that scratch terribly. The only joy I have in life is when I can scratch myself and get some relief. I can never reach my back and have no relief from the itching there. I’d like the king to make me two brushes with long handles so I can scratch my back.” The King was only too happy to grant his wish and told the secretary to write the request down. With a chuckle, the secretary carefully wrote the leper’s wish.
“Your majesty” protested the leper “it’s not enough I suffer from the jeers in the town, your secretary has to laugh at me while writing down my request?!” “This is indeed impolite, secretary. Why did you laugh?” Asked the king. Hoping to use the opportunity to hint to the hapless leper how much he could accomplish before his audience was over, the secretary replied “Your majesty, this man has the opportunity to ask whatever he wants. He could ask for the kings doctors to attend to his illness, to dress his wounds and heal his skin. Then he could return to take his place in society. It would seem he prefers his present lifestyle.” The leper was insulted. He straightened his shoulders, pouted, and retorted “Don’t tell me what to do!” Fool! At least he could have still saved himself, but no. Opportunity squandered.
With Shabbos before us, this special Shabbos in so many ways, let’s be sure to use it properly. To pray, with the opportunity to focus on the special prayers of Shabbos. To study, perhaps something in Judaism we have always wanted to study but never had the chance. To speak and play with our children in the special Shabbos atmosphere. Enjoy the meals, and don’t lose our tempers. To relax and to say on everything we do “Lekavod Shabbos Kodesh” - In honor of the Holy Shabbos.
Shabbat Shalom
Bayle
Below is the special portion Read for Parshas haChodesh.
The Haftora is Ezekiel 45:15 (May be 16 can’t see it well)
Special that it is Shabbos mevarichim. Rosh Chodesh is Wednesday night and Thursday. The new moon as they announce in shul will be Tuesday at the tenth hour 14 minutes and 11 seconds. I have no idea what that means but it’s a custom to announce the ‘birth’ of the new moon when we say the blessing for Rosh Chodesh.
The mitzva of Rosh Chodesh was the first mitzva we were given as a nation, still in Egypt. this Shabbos if we were in shul we would read the portion in Exodus 12:1 when we were given the mitzva. Of eating the Pesach offering in Egypt, declaring the month of Nissan the first month of the year.
It is a beautiful parsha of VaYakhel. I was reading Rav Yaacov Galinsky’s sefer on this parsha and his words struck me as so timely as this Shabbos there is no public transportation and etc. I’m sure you have all seen the messages about how this week the entire country of Israel is keeping Shabbos. The cynics can say what they will, but many irreligious people have declared that they will be keeping Shabbos. Rav Galinsky gives insight into the special mitzvah of keeping Shabbos.
”One Friday morning I was walking down the stairwell of his building and he noticed his neighbor coming up with bags of groceries for Shabbos. I complimented him on doing the mitzva of preparing for Shabbos on Friday and reminded him to say lekavod Shabbos Kodesh ‘in honor of the holy Shabbos’ as making the preparations because saying so out loud creates a spirit of Kedusha ( Mishna Brerura). Glancing in his baskets, I noticed papers with lettering which is problematic when opening on Shabbos, so I politely asked’and what is this?’. ‘Ah, newspapers, my oneg Shabbos, Shabbos enjoyment.’ And with that he continued up the stairs.
Certainly one is permitted to read newspapers on Shabbos, and if he gets enjoyment from it, fine and good! But woe to him that reading newspapers is his Oneg Shabbos. The Bais Yosef comments on the first two verses of Parshas VaYakhel ‘and Moshe gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel ...on the seventh day it will be a holy day, Shabbos of solemn rest to HaShem.’ The Holy One Blessed be He said to Yisrael, [this obviously doesn’t apply to our unusual situation now, when Corona has required us all not to gather together and not to go to shul this Shabbos] “If you gather on every Shabbos in the synagogues and study halls and are busy with the Torah, then I, HaShem, will consider it as if you had crowned me as king in My world. As it says in Isaiah, “for you are my witnesses, says the Lrd,and I am your HaShem.” This is the source for the custom in all corners of the diaspora to gather in synagogues and read the Torah, and discuss the commentaries after the meal on Shabbos day. In the Talmud Yerusalmi it is written that Shabbos and the holidays were given only in order to be busy in Torah on those days. The Zohar comments that on Motzei Shabbos when the special neshama we are given on Shabbos returns to Heaven, it is asked what new insight into Torah it heard on Shabbos.
So while it is certainly permitted to read the paper on Shabbos, one who considers this his Oneg Shabbos, well the following parable pretty much describes him.
As the coronation day of the king approached the king decided that as a mark of celebration he would fund the wishes of all of his countrymen. The advisors were quick to point out that in a short amount of time he will deplete his entire treasury. As a compromise the king agreed that the first hour of the day of his coronation he will fulfill the wish of whoever gains an audience with him. The plan was announced and three days before the coronation a line began to form. Hundreds, thousands, stood in line, slept there and ate there hoping to get the opportunity to have the new king fulfill their request. Even when it became obvious the king would never be able to se so many people in one hour, those at the end of the line did not despair - maybe he will extend the audience time.
Finally the moment arrived and the great gates began to open. Orderliness had prevailed but this moment when there was obviously something happening towards the beginning of the line, and everyone jumped back to allow one man a clear path to the very head of the line. Who was this man? None other than the leper of the town. Ostracized by the townsfolk he ate what he was able to scrounge from the garbage, slept in barns, and was covered in oozing and horrid looking sores. No one would come near him. He easily gained access to the front of the line. The kings guards took one look at this unkempt, unwashed, smelly and obviously contagious fellow. They covered their noses and asked what he wanted. Of course he wanted his audience with the king. They brim into the palace, bathed him, shaved him, gave him a haircut, dressed his wounds, gave him new clothes and shoes and a hefty spray of strong perfume. With his new fragrance preceding him, the leper approached the king.
“And what can I do you today?” Asked the king. “To be quite honest, I am a leper. I survive from scraps I find in the rubbish. I sleep with cows and horses for no one will give me lodging. I have oozing sounds from my condition that scratch terribly. The only joy I have in life is when I can scratch myself and get some relief. I can never reach my back and have no relief from the itching there. I’d like the king to make me two brushes with long handles so I can scratch my back.” The King was only too happy to grant his wish and told the secretary to write the request down. With a chuckle, the secretary carefully wrote the leper’s wish.
“Your majesty” protested the leper “it’s not enough I suffer from the jeers in the town, your secretary has to laugh at me while writing down my request?!” “This is indeed impolite, secretary. Why did you laugh?” Asked the king. Hoping to use the opportunity to hint to the hapless leper how much he could accomplish before his audience was over, the secretary replied “Your majesty, this man has the opportunity to ask whatever he wants. He could ask for the kings doctors to attend to his illness, to dress his wounds and heal his skin. Then he could return to take his place in society. It would seem he prefers his present lifestyle.” The leper was insulted. He straightened his shoulders, pouted, and retorted “Don’t tell me what to do!” Fool! At least he could have still saved himself, but no. Opportunity squandered.
With Shabbos before us, this special Shabbos in so many ways, let’s be sure to use it properly. To pray, with the opportunity to focus on the special prayers of Shabbos. To study, perhaps something in Judaism we have always wanted to study but never had the chance. To speak and play with our children in the special Shabbos atmosphere. Enjoy the meals, and don’t lose our tempers. To relax and to say on everything we do “Lekavod Shabbos Kodesh” - In honor of the Holy Shabbos.
Shabbat Shalom
Bayle
Below is the special portion Read for Parshas haChodesh.
The Haftora is Ezekiel 45:15 (May be 16 can’t see it well)
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