Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Terumah 5773 (From the archives) Shabbos in the Parasha bris HaShem noseia lifneihem derech sheloshes yamim lasur lahem menuchah, In this week’s parashah the Torah they journeyed from the Mountain of records the instruction that HaShem HaShem a three-day distance, and the gave to Moshe regarding the Ark of the covenant of HaShem construction of the Mishkan. The journeyed before them a three-day primary vessels in the Mishkan were the distance to search out for them a resting Aron (ark) the Shulchan (table) and the place. The idea of changing one clothes Menorah (the candelabra). What was the corresponds to the Shulchan, where the significance of these vessels? It is Lechem HaPanim, the Showbread, was noteworthy that in the Friday night placed. The Lechem HaPanim was zemiros recited in many households, we placed on the Shulchan every Shabbos declare that I have kindled my lamps, and was removed the subsequent spread my bed and changed my clothes Shabbos when new loaves replaced the in honor of the Shabbos day. It would old ones, and the bread was eaten by the appear from this declaration that there Kohanim. Thus, the Lechem HaPanim are three components to the holiness of reflected renewal and this renewal Shabbos. One aspect of Shabbos is the occurred on Shabbos. Similarly, prior to lighting of candles, the second aspect is the onset of Shabbos one should change having a bed made, and the third aspect his clothing, as this external action is fresh clothing. The lighting of the reflects the transformation that one candles corresponds to the lighting of the undergoes internally upon the arrival of Menorah in the Mishkan and in the Bais Shabbos. HaShem should allow us to HaMikdash. The prepared bed sanctify our homes to be akin to the corresponds to the Aron, the ark, as it is Mishkan, and we should merit the said (Shir HaShirim 1:13) tzeror hamor building of the Third Bais HaMikdash, dodi li bein shadai yalin, but my with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, Beloved responded with a bundle of speedily, in our days. myrrh, the fragrant atonement of erecting a Tabernacle where His Shabbos in the Zemiros Presence would dwell between the Holy Arks staves. Thus, we see that the Aron Eishes Chayil reflects the idea of rest. This is also Composed by Shlomo HaMelech in evidenced by the fact that it is said Mishlei (Bamidbar 10:35) vayisu meihar HaShem derech sheloshes yamim vaaron 1 she also find that when Yaakov experience ,טָעֲמָה, כִּי-טֹוב סַחְרָ ּה; ֹלא-יִּכְבֶּה בַלַיְלָה נֵרָ ּה discerns that her enterprise is good; her his dream upon his journey to return to lamp is not snuffed out at night. In this Eretz Yisroel, the Medrash (Bereishis verse it is said that she discerns that her Rabbah 68:12) states that the angels enterprise is good. Interpreting these words to be referring to Shabbos, we can ascended on high and saw the image of suggest that this means that one must not Yaakov engraved on the Heavenly merely enter into Shabbos and assume Throne and they descended to earth and that he will benefit from the holiness and found Yaakov sleeping. Thus, we see joy of the day. It is brought in Halacha that Yaakov was deemed to be godly, that one should taste the food prior to and this is what puzzled the angels when Shabbos, and this is based on the they saw this godly being sleeping. passage that we recite in the Shabbos Mussaf prayers, toameha chaim zachu, Regarding Yaakov it is said (Bereishis those who savor it will merit life. One 28:17) nora, awesome, and Yaakov is should engage in preparations prior to also reflected in the third blessing of Shabbos so that when he enters Shabbos Shemone Esrei, which describes how the he will be able to truly savor the holy ones praise HaShem. Thus, in this Shabbos. passage here we declare that Yaakov is nora, awesome, and kadosh, he is holy. Shabbos in Tefillah By describing Yaakov in this manner we attempt to glean an understanding of Through the Patriarchs we glean an HaShem’s awesomeness and holiness. understanding of HaShem’s greatness This idea is in line with the Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 47:6) that states: Es sheim hamelech hagadol hagibor haavos hen merkavah (lashechinah), the vihanora kadosh hu, the Name of G-d, Patriarchs were the chariot (for the the great, mighty and awesome King; Divine Presence). This means that holy is He. Why is it that after we through the Patriarchs we get a glimpse declare that HaShem is great, mighty of who HaShem is. and awesome, we then state that HaShem is holy? Perhaps we can Shabbos Stories suggest the following idea. Ultimately it is impossible to comprehend who The smell of Gan Eden HaShem is, despite all of the appellations that we prescribe to Him. Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky writes: The Gemara and Medrash therefore Rabbi Chaim of Sanz was once walking offered us a manner in which to in a small shtetl with his shammas understand who HaShem is, and that is (sexton). Suddenly he stopped in front of by giving us a glimpse into the character the home of a simple Jew. “There is a certain spirituality that I sense here. I'd of the righteous. Regarding Yaakov the like to stop by this man's home.” Gemara (Megillah 18a) states that HaShem called Yaakov Keil, G-d. We 2 His shammas knocked on the door, and got the money and I never returned the as it opened the holy Rebbe exclaimed, vestments he gave me.” “There is a smell in this home that must be from the Garden of Eden. It is sweet The Rebbe turned and said, “Yes. These and pure. Pray tell me, where does it clothing are truly holy. They are the come from?” source of the spirituality I sense.” Legend has it that the Rebbe told the The simple Jew did not know what to man to be buried in those clothes. answer, but allowed the Rebbe to roam (www.Torah.org) freely through his humble abode and open any door he chose. Suddenly the Shabbos in Navi Rebbe pointed to a closet. “What is in that closet? The holiness comes from Shmuel I Chapter 27 within.” The man was reluctant to open the door, but the Rebbe urged him. The The importance of saying the truth on man opened the door and in the closet Shabbos hung the vestments of a priest! The Rebbe turned to the man once again and In this chapter we learn how Dovid fled asked. “Please tell me. What is a holy from Shaul to Achish the king of Gas in Jew doing with those clothing?” the land of the Plishtim. Achish gave The poor Jew told his tale: “Years ago, I Dovid the town of Tziklag in the was asked to help raise money for a countryside to settle in. Dovid and his family thrown into jail by a poritz men then went and raided the Geshuri, (landowner) to whom they owed rent. the Gizri and the Amalekites. When My Rebbe asked me to raise the funds, Achish questioned Dovid as to where he and I immediately agreed. After all, I had raided, Dovid would respond that he thought, with the Rebbe's wishes it would be an easy task. Everyone would had raided the south of Yehudah, the give to save a Jewish family! I was south of the Yirachmieili and the south wrong. Everyone in town had an excuse of the Keini. Achish believed Dovid, not to give. There was a deadline thinking that Dovid really had come to approaching, and I had no choice but to abhor his own people and that he would approach the wealthiest Jew in town who always be a servant to Achish. One must was known for his malevolence toward wonder how Dovid was permitted to lie Chassidim. "The man told me he would give me the entire sum that day on one to Achish and tell him that he was condition. I must parade through the raiding Jewish territory when in fact town, dressed as a priest singing psalms Dovid had raided the Plishtim and the in Hebrew and asking for tzedakah Amalekites. It is noteworthy that the (charity) in Yiddish. At the end of the Sefer HaChasidim (§ 1017) writes that day, he would pay the ransom. from this incident of Dovid we learn that “I did what I had to do, while a group of if armed robbers attacked Jews and the his friends followed me around, laughing Jews killed the armed bandits and there and mocking me wherever I walked. I were gentiles who witnessed the fact, the 3 Jews are permitted to kill the gentiles Rather, one contemplates these requests. who witnessed the act. The reason for An example of this request is when we this is because the gentiles cannot be recite the words sabeinu mituvecho, trusted that they will not inform anyone satisfy us from Your goodness. of the act, and the proof is from Dovid who would not leave alive any man or Shabbos in Halacha woman, because otherwise they would Insulating with a heat-retaining inform on Dovid. Perhaps in this material incident we can derive a lesson that is manifest in Shabbos. The word Shabbos Most materials that one wraps around a in mispar katan, digit sum, is the same container of hot food only serve to retain numerical value as the word emes, truth, the heat of the food or to slow its cooling in mispar katan (9).