Vayakhel-Pekudei-HaChodesh
Rabbi Jablinowitz
Parshat Vayakhel begins with the mitzvah of Shabbos, as Rashi explains, in order to teach that the building of the Mishkan does not override the prohibition of Shabbos. The specific prohibition mentioned regarding Shabbos is Lo Seva’aru Eish B’chol Moshvoseichem B’Yom HaShabbos. This is the prohibition against lighting fire on Shabbos. Why is this prohibition singled out and used as a paradigm when the Torah is teaching the prohibition of Shabbos?
There is a well-known disagreement between two Tana’im. Rabbi Yose says the specific “Lav”, or prohibition of Lo Seva’aru is to teach that it is different from the other Melachot on Shabbos. While all the others are punishable by death, this one is punishable by Malkos, L’Lav Yatzas. According to this position, the Torah was making a point specifically regarding making a fire, and that is why it was singled out.
However,Rabbi Nasan disagrees and teaches that this Lav is singled out in order to teach that all the prohibitions of Shabbos are separate and distinct, and one is obligated for each one that he violates. This is expressed in the Gemarah as Lechalek Yatzas. According to Rabbi Nasan, however, the question remains, why was this point made specifically with Lo Seva’aru. It could have been made with other prohibitions as well.
The Sfas Emes gives a deep, midrashic explanation for the singling out of this prohibition. When one burns a fire, there is a fuel being burned which sustains and maintains the fire. This fuel becomes pesolet, it is consumed and discarded. This burning process is a metaphor for the purification one needs to accomplish in life. One discards and removes the unnecessary physical objects in this world, and in this process purifies himself. This is something which occurs during the six days of the week. But when it comes to Shabbos, this process ceases. This is why the Torah teaches, Lo Seva’aru Eish B’chol Moshvoseichem B’Yom HaShabbos. On Shabbos, we have the eternal light of the Torah. There is no need to burn the pesolet and make a fire on Shabbos. We have a holier light, the light of Shabbos.
This is the meaning of the Gemarah in Pesachim 54A which explains that the reason we say the bracha Borei Me’Orei Ha’Eish at Havdalah on Motzei Shabbos is because fire was created on Motzei Shabbos. After Shabbos there is a need to continue the process of creating light and purity in the world through the process of burning pesolet. But on Shabbos, when we taste the eternal light of M’aiyn Olam Habah, this process is prohibited with the Lav of Lo Seva’aru Eish.
When we say Havdalah, we say Hineh Keil Yeshuas Evtach V’Lo Efchad, I will trust in Hashem and not fear. Rav Tzadok explains that when Shabbos is over, there is a sense of fear of going back to a lower level of existence. On Shabbos we have a Neshamah Yeseirah and we have eternal light. At Havdalah we bemoan these losses. The Gemarah teaches that we smell the spices because we lose our Neshamah Yeseirah, and as we explained, we make the bracha on the candle because we lose the light of Shabbos. And right after Shabbos, we return to the task of bringing light into the world by discarding the unnecessary aspects of our existence, the pesolet, and creating light in its stead.
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