Parshat Vayelech Shabbos Shuvah 5782
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Shabbos of Aseres Yemei Teshuvah is called Shabbos Shuvah. The reason for this is because we read the Haftarah which begins (Hoshea, Chapter 14, Pasuk 2) Shuvah Yisrael ad Hashem Elokecha. Return, Israel, to the Lord, your Gd. Others, primarily Chasidim, refer to this Shabbos as Shabbos Teshuvah since we are in the period when our focus is on performing the mitzvah of Teshuvah.
The Sfas Emes teaches that the reason for this Shabbos being Shabbos Teshuvah is more than its timing between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rather, Shabbos is an important and facilitating part of the Teshuvah process. There needs to be a Shabbos between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Zohar Hakadosh on parshat Yisro teaches that the first half of the Aseres HaDibros correspond to the second half. The mitzvah of Shabbos, the fourth of the first five, corresponds to the prohibition of testifying falsely, the ninth of the second five commandments. And this is because in keeping Shabbos, we are testifying about Hashem as the Creator of the world. Hashem has designated us as His witnesses to testify about Him through keeping Shabbos. When we work for six days and stop and keep the holiness of Shabbos, we are indicating to the world around us that Hashem created the world. Therefore, keeping Shabbos is similar to the prohibition against bearing false witness.
The Rema brings in the Halachos of Gittin that the Rav arranging a Get should tell the witnesses that they should do Teshuvah before they serve as a witness. This is the case even if he is known as a righteous person, since many aveiros (including Chayvei Malkos, and certainly Misah or Kares as well), disqualify a person for testimony. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Rav in a case of Gittin or Kiddushin, where the witnesses create the Halachic effect (Chalos), to insure the witnesses have done Teshuvah.
Similarly, when we act as witnesses on Shabbos, it must be from a state of Teshuvah. We would not be performing our duties properly on Shabbos if we are holding on to other aveiros. How can we keep Shabbos and still hold on to other aveiros?
This is the p’shat in the Gemara in Shabbos 118B which states, anyone who keeps Shabbos, even if he did serious Avodah Zarah, his sins are forgiven. Kol MeShamer Shabbos Ke’Hilchaso, Afilu Oved Avodah Zarah Ke’Dor Enosh, Mochalin Lo, as the pasuk says (sefer Yeshayahu, Chapter 56, Pasuk 2), Shomer Shabbos Me’Chalelo. The Gemara says to read the word Me’Chalelo as Machul Lo; if he keeps Shabbos, his sins are forgiven. The Sfas Emes explains, if he is keeping Shabbos properly, then he must have done Teshuvah and his sins have been forgiven. Otherwise, He would not have been a proper eid. That’s why the Gemara stresses, Kol MeShamer Shabbos Ke’Hilchaso; if he keeps Shabbos properly, it’s a sign of proper testimony and that he’s done Teshuvah.
The end result is that the job of a Jew is testify that Hashem has created the world. And this purpose is particularly poignant and relevant during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah. And as opposed to other types of witnesses, our testimony is not performed through speech, but rather through action. When we act as Jews and we keep Shabbos, we are sending an essential message to the world.
This task is facilitated for us on Shabbos. Shabbos is a day of memory, as the pasuk states (Shemos, Chapter 20, Pasuk 8), Zachor es Yom Ha’Shabbos Le’Kadsho; Remember the day of Shabbos and sanctify it. Shabbos is a day we recall our purpose of spreading the message that Hashem created the world. And though we tend to forget this during the week, on Shabbos we are usually able to remember. Therefore, it is particularly critical for us to have a Shabbos during the week of Aseres Yemei Tehsuvah; for Shabbos is truly a day which we can’t keep and appreciate without doing Teshuvah.
Good Shabbos and Gemar Chasima Tova!
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