Parshat Vaeschanan 5783
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha, in the Aseres HaDibros, the mitzvah of Shabbos. The pasuk says (Chapter 5, Pasuk 12), שמור את יום השבת לקדשו. Keep the Sabbath in order to sanctify it. This is in contradistinction to the mitzvah of Shabbos as brought in the Aseres HaDibros in parshat Yisro. There the pasuk says (Chapter 20, Pasuk 8), זכור את יום השבת לקדשו; remember the Sabbath in order to sanctify it. The mitzvah of Shamor is taught by Chazal to mean, refrain from doing the forbidden Melachos on Shabbos. The mitzvah of Zachor is teaching the positive command of Shabbos, more precisely, the mitzvah of Kiddush on Shabbos.
There is another fundamental difference between the two commands of Shabbos. In our parsha, the Torah states the reason for the mitzvah of Shabbos is because we were slaves in Egypt. The pasuk says (Chapter 5, Pasuk 15), וזכרת כי עבד היית בארץ מצרים...על כן צוך ד' אלוקיך את יום השבת. You should remember that you were slaves in Egypt and Hashem took you out with a strong hand; therefore, He commanded you the mitzvah of Shabbos. While in parshat Yisro the Torah states (Chapter 20, Pasuk 12), כי ששת ימים עשה ד' את השמים ואת הארץ...על כן ברך ד' את יום השבת ויקדשהו. Here the Torah mentions the reason for Shabbos is that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
A basic reading of these pasukim would suggest that in parshat Yisro we are taught the reason for the mitzvah of Shabbos; we are emulating Hashem Who created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Similarly, we work for six days and then rest on Shabbos. And the pasuk in our parsha is teaching why the mitzvah of Shabbos isn’t commanded to the entire world, but only to Clal Yisrael. This is because we experienced slavery and then freedom, and as a result, we can connect more to Hashem as the Creator who subsequently rested. This is an approach taken by some of the commentators.
The Sfas Emes suggests another approach. Chazal teach in Rosh Hashanah 27A that שמור וזכור בדבור אחד נאמרו. These two commands were given simultaneously, indicating that they are one unit. The mitzvah of Shamor is to cease from doing work in order to fix and purify one’s physical component. Just as we became free men and left Egypt, so too on Shabbos we need to become free from the servitude of our physical desires. Once we fulfill the purification of Shamor, we can move forward to Zachor, the positive command of sanctifying Shabbos and utilizing the Neshamah Yeseirah of Shabbos.
It’s the סור מרע ועשה טוב of Shabbos, though Shabbos has its own pasuk. The pasuk says in sefer Yeshayahu (Chapter 58, Pasuk 13), אם תשיב משבת רגליך...וקראת לשבת ענג. If you turn your legs away from doing Melacha on Shabbos, then you will be able to fulfill the positive command of Oneg on Shabbos. And even though Zachor appears first in the Torah, when Chazal teach that they are a unit, they mention Shamor first. שמור וזכור בדבור אחד נאמרו.
We also read the mitzvah of Tefillin in this week’s parsha. The Gemara in Menachos 36B teaches that we are exempt from the mitzvah of Tefillin on Shabbos since Shabbos itself is an Os, and we don’t need the Os of Tefillin. This is because the mitzvah of Tefillin parallels the Avodah of Shabbos. The pasuk says (Chapter 6, Pasuk 8), וקשרתם לאות על ידך ולטוטפות בין עיניך. We first put on the Tefillin shel Yad in order to control our physical side. And the mitzvah of Tefillin was given as a result of יציאת מצרים, just like Shabbos. Because יציאת מצרים is what taught us how to be free from physical slavery. Similarly, we put on Tefillin shel Yad in order to learn how to control and purify our physical acts.
After Tefillin shel Yad, we put on Tefillin shel Rosh. The Tefillin shel Rosh enable us to fulfill the goal of (Shemos, Chapter 13, Pasuk 9), למען תהיה תורת ד' בפיך; Torah should be constantly in your mouth. For after Yetzias Mitzrayim we received the Torah. First the freedom from physical slavery, and then raising ourselves up to the level of receiving the Torah. And everyone agrees the Torah was given on Shabbos. First שמור and then זכור; first Tefillin shel Yad, and then Tefillin shel Rosh.
The Gemara in Berachos 20B teaches that women are obligated in the mitzvah of Kiddush on Shabbos, even though it’s a positive command dependent on time. This is because Chazal make a היקש, a comparison between Shamor and Zachor. The Gemara says, כל שישנו בשמירה ישנו בזכירה; since women are obligated to keep Shabbos, they are obligated in Kiddush of Shabbos as well.
The Sfas Emes learns כל שישנו בשמירה ישנו בזכירה as a proof of his p’shat. In order to reach Zachor, you must first keep Shamor. Hence, כל שישנו בשמירה ישנו בזכירה; if you purify your body by refraining from work on Shabbos, then you will be able to reach the level of holiness necessary to appreciate your Neshamah Yeseirah and fulfill the pasuk of וקראת לשבת ענג.
Good Shabbos
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