Parshat Yisro 5777
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha the mitzvah of remembering Shabbos, the fourth of the Ten Commandments. The Torah commands (Chapter 20, Pasukim 8-10), Zachor es Yom HaShabbos Lekadsho, Sheshes Yamim Ta'avod V'Asisa Kol Melachtecha V'Yom Ha'Shvi'I Shabbos L'Hashem Elokecha. The Torah commands us to remember Shabbos and then we are told to work for six days and then the seventh day is Shabbos. Why is it necessary to mention that we work for six days? Surely if we are to rest on Shabbos we must make sure that we work only during the previous six days! And further, we learn from Zachor es Yom HaShabbos Lekadsho the obligation to make Kiddush on Shabbos. Why does the Torah begin with Shabbos, then it discusses working the previous six days, and afterwards returns to keeping Shabbos? The order of the pasukim doesn't flow!
Rashi answers by bringing the words of the Mechilta. When the Torah tells us to work during the six days, it is teaching us that when Shabbos arrives we must consider all our work as having been completed during the previous six days. When Shabbos comes don't think about your work. According to Rashi, when the Torah commands Sheshes Yamim Ta'avod V'Asisa Kol Melachtecha, it is not telling us what to do during the week. Rather, it is teaching us what our mind set is meant to be during Shabbos. It is referring to Shabbos and teaching us an important aspect of what Shabbos is meant to be.
The Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh brings a different p'shat. He explains that the Torah mentions work during the six days in order to teach us a bracha about Shabbos. When we remember and sanctify Shabbos, then all our work will be done for Shabbos and we won't need to work beyond the previous six days. According to the Ohr Hachaim, it's not as Rashi explains that we must consider all our work as having been done; rather all our work will be done as a result of keeping Shabbos.
The Sfas Emes teaches that Rashi and the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh are not arguing. Rather, one is dependent on the other. When we consider all our work as having been completed by Shabbos, then we will merit that all our work will in fact be completed by Shabbos. When our focus is that the six days of the week are the only time for work, all our work will be done by Shabbos.
And how do we accomplish this? We accomplish this by fulfilling the first words in the mitzvah of Shabbos, Zachor es Yom HaShabbos Lekadsho. According to the Sfas Emes, the mitzvah of remembering Shabbos applies to the week before. We need to spend the whole week remembering and longing for Shabbos. We work during the week, but it's the Shabbos that we desire. When Shabbos arrives, we are more than happy to stop working and for us all our work is done. When we have this approach, then we get the bracha of Shabbos and all our work will surely be completed for Shabbos. We receive the bracha of the Ohr Hachaim when we spend the week remembering Shabbos and eager to switch off for Shabbos, as Rashi teaches.
The Gemara in Shabbos 20B makes a comparison between the mitzvah of Shabbos in our parsha and the mitzvah of Shabbos in parshat V'Eschanan. Our parsha commands Zachor es Yom HaShabbos Lekadsho, while there the Torah says Shamor es Yom HaShabbos Lekadsho. Zachor teaches the positive command of Kiddush, as we explained, and Shamor teaches the negative command of not violating Shabbos. The Gemara compares and connects the two and teaches that whoever is obligated in the negative command, like women, are also included in the positive mitzvah of Kiddush. Kol Sheyeshno B'Shmirah, Isnehu B'Zechirah.
The Sfas Emes learns an amazing p'shat. The Torah says regarding Yaakov Avinu that when he heard about the dreams of Yosef (Bereishis, Chapter 37, Pasuk 11), V'Aviv Shamar es HaDavar. Literally it means Yaakov guarded it and kept it to himself. Rashi adds that the word Shamar here means he was waiting in anticipation for the dreams to be fulfilled. Here as well, explains the Sfas Emes, it means that we have to constantly be awaiting and anticipating the arrival of Shabbos. And therefore Kol Sheyeshno B'Shmirah, Isnehu B'Zechirah; whoever waits for the Shabbos to happen will be the one who constantly remembers Shabbos all week long. May we be zocheh to spend the week longing for and anticipating the arrival of Shabbos and waiting to finish our work for Shabbos. And in this merit, we should receive the bracha that all our work will actually be completed by Shabbos.
Good Shabbos
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