The Power of Shabbat

 

In a recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, US Congressman Chip Roy from Texas wrote that he is taking an indefinite leave from social media, inspired in part by how he saw Jews in Israel celebrate Shabbat. “We were inspired by seeing our Jewish brethren in Israel celebrate Shabbat, which reminded us of the Sundays we grew up with in the 1970s and ’80s,” he writes. “Ever since, one-seventh of our time has been immeasurably better, and Sunday dinner is a highlight of our week.” Congressman Roy continues, “I’m doing so not to make a political statement, but in the hope that America can return to kitchen tables, churches, taverns, coffee shops, dance halls (it’s a Texas thing) — whatever it takes to look others in the eye and rebuild our communities and humanity.”

      Shabbat is a gift that allows us to disconnect from lots of the noise and distraction that we encounter during the week. Shabbat provides us with the opportunity to be fully in the moment and fully present with others. Even Pharoah understood the power of Shabbat. The Midrash Rabbah writes that Moshe convinced Pharaoh to give the Jews a day off from their hard labor. He sold Pharoah on this idea by explaining that overall production will increase if the Jewish slaves were given a day off to rest and recuperate. Pharaoh agreed to this request, for his own self interest. In his wisdom, Moshe suggested Saturday as their day off. Soon enough Pharaoh had a change of heart (one of many that we read about):

תִּכְבַּ֧ד הָֽעֲבֹדָ֛ה עַל־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וְיַֽעֲשׂוּ־בָ֑הּ וְאַל־יִשְׁע֖וּ בְּדִבְרֵי־שָֽׁקֶר:

Let the labor fall heavy upon the men and let them work at it, and let them not talk about false matters. (Shemot 5:8)

      Here the Midrash explains that Moshe had encouraged the Jews to utilize Shabbat not only for physical rest but for spiritual rejuvenation. To help with that, Moshe gave the Jews scrolls to learn. Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky suggests that these scrolls contained lessons about God’s dominion over the universe (even Pharaoh!) and the beauty of Shabbat. Pharaoh found out about this and realized that if the Jews were using Shabbat in this spiritually uplifting manner, then there was a significant risk that the Jews would no longer view themselves as slaves to Egypt, but rather servants to Hashem. In response, Pharaoh called these scrolls “false matters” and cancelled Shabbat, even though it was also to his detriment in terms of production. Pharaoh understood the power of Shabbat. Do we?

 

      Although Shabbat only occurs once a week, its lessons are meant to stay with us and influence our entire week, on an ongoing basis. This is Hashem’s message at the beginning of our Parsha

“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob with [the name] Almighty God, but [with] My name YHWH, I did not become known to them.”

      The name Sha-dai is derived from the word Dai – enough (like Dayeinu).

      The name Hashem (4 letter name that we do not pronounce as it is spelled) is a contraction of the words: Haya Hove Yihyeh. It refers to God’s Omnipresence- all the time; past present and future.

Hashem told Moshe that in the times of the Patriarchs, God appeared on an as-needed basis. But now that this clan has turned into a nation, it is necessary for God’s Presence to be manifest on an ongoing basis.

      We need Shabbat, today more than ever. Let us take advantage of the 25 hours of Shabbat and allow its lessons to influence and improve our lives during the other 143 hours per week of Chol (weekday).