Shabbos: Ta’Am Hachaim Vayera 5773

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayera 5773 (From the archives) Shabbos in the Parasha protection and to bless our homes when they see that everything is prepared in In this week’s parashah it is said that honor of Shabbos. On a deeper level, subsequent to Avraham circumcising however, HaShem sends us angels on himself, HaShem appeared to Avraham. Friday night as a sign that HaShem is What was the reason for this unexpected pleased with the actions that we have visit from HaShem? Rashi, quoting the performed during the week. Thus, the Gemara (Bava Metzia 86b) writes that it angels represent a sign that HaShem is was the third day from when Avraham rewarding us for our virtuous behavior. had been circumcised and HaShem was This idea sheds light on the debate visiting Avraham to inquire of his whether one should recite Shalom welfare. Yet, we do not find that Aleichem on Friday night or not. Some HaShem said anything to Avraham. The opinions maintain that one should not Ramban therefore posits that HaShem make requests on Shabbos, and there are appeared to Avraham as a sign of also opinions that maintain that one endearment, which demonstrated that should not request that angels bless him, HaShem was pleased with Avraham for as we must direct all our prayers and having circumcised himself. This, the supplications directly to HaShem. In Ramban writes, is what the Gemara light of the above-mentioned means when it states that HaShem explanation, however, we can suggest appeared to Avraham to visit the sick. that since the angels are present as a sign HaShem did not see a need to converse of the honor that HaShem is bestowing with Avraham. Rather, HaShem visited upon us, there is no need to even make Avraham as a sign of honor. Similarly, mention of them. They are HaShem’s the Ramban writes that when Yaakov emissaries but they do not arrive to was returning from Lavan and was en perform any function. The accepted route to Eretz Yisroel, he encountered custom is that we recite Shalom angels, who were sent by HaShem as a Aleichem and most people request that sign that HaShem was pleased with the angels bless them, but we should still Yaakov’s actions. It is noteworthy that bear in mind that with the arrival of the Gemara (Shabbos 119b) states that Shabbos, HaShem wishes to demonstrate on Friday night when we leave shul and His affection for His Chosen People, and walk to our homes, we are escorted by He honors us by sending us His two angels. What is the purpose of these emissaries. HaShem should allow us to angels escorting us? In a simple sense, merit being worthy of His Presence in the angels escort us home as a sign of our midst on the Holy Shabbos. 1 Shabbos in the Zemiros Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman, Shlita, said that regarding the service of the Kohen Askinu Seudasa Gadol on Yom Kippur, it is said (Vayikra 16:3) bizos yavo Aharon el Composed by the Arizal, Rabbi Yitzchak hakodesh, with this shall Aharon come Luria into the Sanctuary. The word bizos implies something specific and true, and Asader lidroma minarta dissima on Yom Kippur we are demonstrating vishulchan im nahama bitzipona arshin, that we are being truthful with our I shall arrange to the south the Menorah recognition of HaShem. Perhaps we can of hidden wisdom and a table with bread suggest that the same principle applies to shall I emplace to the north. The Gemara this passage, as we are declaring that (Bava Basra 25b) states that one who zeh, this, is the song of Shabbos, as the wishes to become wise should face the word Shabbos and the word emes, truth, south, whereas one who wishes to in mispar katan, digit sum, both equal 9, become wealthy should turn to the north. as Shabbos is the day of truth. For this The symbol for these two ideas is that in reason we state that this is the song of the Mishkan, the Menorah, which praise of the Shabbos day, as this is the represented wisdom, was located in the truth, which is reflected in Shabbos. south, and the Shulchan, which represented material wealth, was located Shabbos Stories in the north. I saw an amazing explanation for this passage in the Sefer There was once a Karliner Chassid who Kol Mevaser. He writes that Asader lived in a small town in a small broken lidroma minarta dissima means that the down house. This Chassid did not have ultimate goal and desire is in the south, much of anything, but nonetheless he where the wisdom is found. Nonetheless, was happy with his lot. Every year when vishulchan im nahama bitzipona arshin, the festival of Sukkos arrived, the I give permission (arshin is from the Chassid would wait until everyone else root word reshus, which means had built their Sukkos, and he would permission) for wealth to come from the then go around and ask for whatever north, as Torah scholars who are poor they had left over. People would offer will thus be able to have the resources to him a rotted board or a rusted nail, and it sufficiently honor the Shabbos. was from these leftovers that he would build his Sukkah. For seven days the Shabbos in Tefillah Chassid would sit in his Sukkah and sing with great joy. Across the field from the Zeh shir shevach shel yom hashevii Chassid lived a very wealthy man. This shebo shavas Keil mikol milachto, this is wealthy man owned the local factory and the song of praise of the Shabbos Day: employed most of the town. The that on it G-d rested from all His work. magnate’s house was large, and he did 2 not lack anything in the way of when suddenly he had a brainstorm. In materialism. The wealthy man had the town’s cemetery, the people would everything he could imagine, but he was place wooden planks to serve as not happy. In fact, he was more than just tombstones instead of the standard not happy. He was really sad and marble or stone tombstones. On the downright miserable. The Sukkah that wooden planks was inscribed the words the wealthy man had built every year “Here lies..” The Chassid knew that was a wonder. The Sukkah was the size there were many wooden planks in the of a football field, with an oak table, cemetery, so he thought to himself: candelabras and running water. The “certainly there will not be hundreds of Sukkah had within it everything one people who die in this town over could imagine. Nonetheless, every year Sukkos. Thus, why would anyone care if the wealthy man sat in his Sukkah, and I were to borrow a few planks and return when he would hear the Karliner them after the holiday?” The day before Chassid singing from across the field, it Sukkos arrived and the wealthy man drove him absolutely crazy. There is looked across the field and smiled. This nothing that makes a sad person so sad year there was no Sukkah outside the as to meet a happy person, and there is house of the Karliner Chassid. Sukkos nothing that makes a sad person happier arrived and the wealthy rich man sat at than to meet another sad person. One his oak table in his Sukkah, with his year as the festival of Sukkos candelabras and everything he could approached, the wealthy man was struck imagine. The wealthy man recited by an idea. The wealthy man approached Kiddush in peace and blissful quiet. He everyone in his town and told them, then began to eat his fish, still in peace “When the Karliner Chassid comes and blissful quiet. Suddenly, from across around asking for a rotted board or a the field, he heard singing! The wealthy rusted nail, do not give it to him.” Now man quickly jumped up! “How can it when the wealthy man issued such a be?” he wondered aloud. He looked directive, what was anyone to do? After outside and lo and behold, across the all, the wealthy man did own the town. field, a shabby Sukkah was propped Thus, when the Chassid requested from against the Karliner Chassid’s house. the townspeople if they could spare a The wealthy man ran across the field and leftover piece from their Sukkah, the burst in on the Chassid. “Where did you people would just shrug their shoulders, get the wood for this Sukkah?” the turn their palms up, and shake their wealthy man exclaimed. The Karliner heads. “I am sorry,” they would say, Chassid received the wealthy man with a “but this year I cannot even spare a rusty glowing face. “Shalom Aleichem! Come nail.” The Chassid was rejected by every in! Sit down!” Still standing, the rich single person in town and was about to man repeated his question, “Where did despair of building a Sukkah that year, you get this wood from?” “I will be glad 3 to tell you,” the Chassid said, “just come bother, because that guy is so sad, it is in and sit down.” The wealthy man’s like he is already dead.’ The Angel of eyes darted to and fro, first gazing at the Death said, ‘He is that sad?’ ‘Yes,’ I Chassid, and then at the Sukkah, the responded, he is that sad.’ ‘Well,’ said door, and then back to the Chassid. the Angel of Death, ‘if he is that sad, I Frowning, the wealthy man at himself on guess I do not even have to bother.

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