Parshat Va'eschanan
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha the Aseres HaDibros which appear in the Torah for the second time. The first time they appear is in parshat Yisro. One of the fundamental differences between the way they are brought here and in Yisro is regarding the mitzvah of Shabbos. In Yisro Shabbos is presented as being in commemoration of Bri'as HaOlam, the creation of the world, while in our parsha Shabbos is presented as being in commemoration of Yetzias Mitzrayim, the exodus from Egypt. As the pasuk states in our parsha (Chapter 5, Pasuk 15), V'Zacharta Ki Eved Hayisa B'Eretz Mitzrayim, You shall remember that you were slaves in Egypt. Why does the Torah bring both reasons for the mitzvah of Shabbos?
This is a well known question which we have discussed in past years, focusing then more on the reasons given by the Rambam and the Ramban. I would like to present here the position of the Sfas Emes.
The Gemara in Shabbos 118A teaches that one who properly fulfills the mitzvah of Oneg Shabbosreceives a Nachalah Bli Metzarim, he receives a portion without borders. This is the portion of Yaakov Avinu who kept Shabbos and inherited Eretz Yisrael without any borders or limits as the pasuk says (Bereishis, Chapter 28, Pasuk 14), Ufaratzta Yamah V'Kaidmah Tzafona V'Negba. From here we learn that Shabbos itself is a portion without borders.
The first one of the commandments states (Chapter 5, Pasuk 6), Anochi Hashem Elokecha Asher Hotzaisicha M'Eretz Mitzrayim M'Beis Avadim. Eretz Mitzrayim is described as a Beis Avadim, a house of slaves. The Medrash teaches that this is a general term for the physical, natural world. This is because the nature of the world is a hierarchy; some creatures are subservient to others. This is certainly true of the animal kingdom and it's true among humans as well. When Hashem took us out from being slaves in Egypt, aside from the miracles performed during the Makos, the actual taking us out from Egypt was a miracle unto itself. As the pasuk says (Chapter 4, Pasuk 34), Lavo Lakachas Lo Goy M'Kerev Goy, just taking one nation out from another was a miracle.
Mitzrayim comes from the word Meitzar which means border. We were enslaved and closed up in Egypt. When Hashem took us out from Mitzrayim it was in order that we should serve Him exclusively. Instead of serving Pharaoh, we became slaves to Hashem. This is also the reality on Shabbos; we are no longer enslaved to our desires and to the physical world and we become under the total dominion of Hashem. And this is why Shabbos is a Nachalah Bli Metzarim, a portion without borders. Instead of being enslaved and limited by the restrictions imposed on us in the physical world, we experience true freedom, spiritual freedom, and our ability to connect to Hashem is boundless.
This is why Shabbos is Zecher L'Yetzias Mitzrayim. It reminds us that Hashem created the world and runs the world as evidenced by Yetzias Mitzrayim. Every Shabbos we have the ability to connect with Hashem exclusively and experience the only freedom possible, spiritual freedom, which occurred to the whole nation together at once during Yetzias Mitzrayim.
In parshat Yisro when Hashem commands us the mitzvah of Shabbos, it is because Shabbos commemorates Gd creating the world. This is the reason for Shabbos, as the pasuk says (Shmos, Chapter 20, Pasuk 10), Al Kein Beirach, this is why Hashem blessed and sanctified Shabbos. But in our parsha it explains why we specifically were commanded (Chapter 5, Pasuk 15), Al Kein Tzivcha.We specifically were commanded the mitzvah of Shabbos since we were slaves and were taken out from slavery. We alone understand the significance of being slaves only to Hashem and not to anything else. In essence, Shabbos is Zecher L'Yetzias Mitzrayim and Yetzias Mitzrayim reminds us of Shabbos as well.
Good Shabbos
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