Priorities

Because we begin reading the Torah anew each year, we have the opportunity to reexamine the same Parshios that we learned last year with fresh eyes. This offers us the chance to find new meaning and lessons in even those Pessukim and Parshios that we may feel that we are familiar with—reinforcing the notion that Torah is in fact limitless in its messages to us.

The beginning of this week’s Parsha of course details the six days of Brias HaOlam, during which the Torah speaks about the creation of each part of the world and all of its inhabitants. At the beginning of the second Perek, there is a Passuk with which we are all familiar as it is said each Friday night both in Davening and in Kiddush: “VaYichal Elokim B’Yom HaShivii Melachto Asher Asa.”

The simple reading of this Passuk raises a question: we know that Hashem created on six days and rested on the Seventh, as the very next Passuk tells us: “VaYishbos B’Yom HaShivii”. If so, why does the Torah seem to tell us that he finished his work on the seventh day? Rashi seems to be sensitive to this question and offers two seemingly different explanations. The second one, which we will focus on, is that when the sixth day ended and the seventh day arrived everything was created except for the concept of rest itself. Once Shabbos arrived, however, “Bah Shabbos, Bah Menucha” and the existence of rest came to be. This was the final creation that the Passuk speaks of on Shabbos—one that came about only through a lack of work.

The comment of Rashi appears to be based on the words of Chazal in Medrash Rabbah. The exact text of the Medrash, however, seems to be a bit different: rather than expressing that the world was missing the concept of Menucha, the Medrash says “Mah Haya HaOlam Chaser: Shabbos. What was the world lacking? Shabbos.” This difference in terminology is not trivial: Rashi seems focused on the aspect of Menucha, taking the Passuk to mean that without Hahsem having rested no one would ever be able to do so. The Medrash, on the other hand, is centered on the day of Shabbos itself, which as we know is more than just Menucha.

In fact, the way Rashi explains the Passuk is actually a little easier to understand: because mankind needed a way to rest, the concept of Menucha itself had to be created. According to the version in the Medrash, however, it seems that the world needed Shabbos, not just rest, in order to be complete. Why is this the case? Why would the entire creation have been incomplete were it not for the creation of a day called Shabbos? As beautiful and enjoyable as Shabbos is, and central as it is to Yiddishkeit, why would the Briah have been lacking were Shabbos not created?

In addition, Shabbos is referred to as a gift, as Chazal tell us that Hashem said to Moshe Rabeinu “Matana Tova Yesh Li B’Bais Genazai V’Shabbos Shemo.” Generally a gift is understood to be something that is extra or unneeded, if Shabbos itself was such an integral part of the Briah, why is it a Matana? It stands to reason that Shabbos was not created for no one to observe it, and who would do so other than Bnei Yisroel? This being the case, it is understandable that Hashem gave us the Mitzvah of Shabbos for it is a necessary part of the Briah—why then is it called a Matana?

Perhaps, though, if we can explain why Shabbos was so vital to the Briah we can also understand why it is a gift.

Rav Hutner, in Pachad Yitzchok, points out an interesting detail in Hilchos Shabbos: if one carries food in a container, but the amount of food is less than the requisite Shiur, he is Patur. The reason for this is that food is the Ikur and the container is Taful, causing the Kli to become Batul to the food, and the act is therefore not considered a Meleches Machasheves. Although we may assume that this Din is just another detail among many in Hilchos Shabbos, especially as we are familiar with the concept of Ikur and Taffel in Hilchos Brachos, Rav Hutner suggests that from this Halacha we can gain insight into the essence of Shabbos, based on the following idea.

In the six days of creation, there were ten Ma’amaros that were used to create all that exists in the physical world. During those six days, these Ma’amros reigned supreme—they were the focus of the entire Briah—but there was no presence of Kedusah at all. When Shabbos came, however, Kedusha was introduced into the world, as the Passuk tells us “VaYekadesh Osam.” When that happened, all the other Ma’amaros were subordinate to that of Shabbos—powerful as they once were, they became Taffel to the Ikur of Shabbos. Thus, says R’ Hutner, at the very core of Shabbos is the relationship between Ikur and Taffel, between Chol, which is vital yet secondary, and Kedusha, which is primary. This is why the Dinim of Ikur and Taffel apply to Meleches Shabbos—Shabbos itself is rooted in these very ideas.

Based on R’ Hutner’s words, we can perhaps understand why Shabbos was so integral to Brias HaOlam. On a macro level, a world without Shabbos would have been a world without Kedusha—we would live in an environment that was Kulo Chol. Shabbos not only introduces the concept of Kedusha into the world, but allows mankind to elevate the physical, enabling the work of the previous six days to serve their ultimate function. In this sense, the necessity of Shabbos for the world is understood—the creation of Shabbos allowed there to be a presence of Kedusha which is primary in relationship to the mundane.

Besides introducing Kedusha into the world, however, Shabbos teaches us how to resolve the relationship between Kodesh and Chol. Without the advent of a day like Shabbos we may have assumed that that we must choose between the two—committing ourselves to a life of one or the other. Shabbos teaches us that the two can co-exist, but there is a relationship of Ikur and Taffel. This is the gift of Shabbos: through Shabbos we can learn how to function in a world that includes physical as well as spiritual aspects, the Kodesh and the Chol. If we truly perfect our Shmiras Shabbos, we will learn to prioritize properly, enabling us to determine what in life is Ikur and what is Taffel. This is why Shabbos is a gift: besides the Mitzvah of observing the day, through Shmiras Shabbos, we are given tools that can help us enhance our entire lives.

This can also allow us to understand another term that is used to describe Shabbos.

In Parshas Beshalach we are told that Bnei Yisroel received a number of Mitzvos while they were camped in Marah. The Passuk there says “Sham Sam Lo Chok U’Mishpat” and the Milchta explains that “Chok” refers to Shabbos while “Mishpat” refers to Kibud Av V’Em. The word “Chok” usually applies to Mitzvos that are given without reason, or run contrary to human intuition--indeed, other sources explain that this word is referring to Para Aduma, the quintessential Chok—but Shabbos would not seem to fall into this category. The Torah itself speaks about the reasons that we keep Shabbos—we would not assume it to be in the category of Chok B’Lo Ta’am.

There is, however, another meaning to the word Chok. The Passuk in Mishlei refers to “Lechem Chuki”, which means daily bread—that which is vital to one’s very survival. The word “Chok”, then, can be understood as referring to something that is basically essential. Thus, Shabbos—a day that allows us not only to recharge but to learn how to face the world we live in and set the proper boundaries—is indeed in the category of Chok, for without it we could not hope to succesfuly balance Kodesh and Chol. Indeed, it is also understood why Shabbos was given in Marah, as early as possible, for Bnei Yisroel could not hope to survive without the gift of Shabbos and all that it teaches us.

Who amongst us can imagine a life without Shabbos? Rare, if even existent, is the week that does not beg for a day of rest, a day to disconnect from the world and experience the bliss of Shmiras Shabbos. Besides the enjoyment of Menuchas Shabbos, however, we must take advantage of the gift of Shabbos—the insight it provides us into the what is Ikkur and what is Tafel, allowing us to properly prioritize our choices and decisions.