Shabbos and the Mishkan - the Antithesis of Amalek

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February 23 2011
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"On six days, work may be done, but the Seventh Day shall be holy for you, a complete day of rest for Hashem; whoever does work on it shall be put to death" (Shmos 35:2). 


 


Moshe Rabenu descended from Har Sinai and relayed to the nation Hashem's command regarding their obligation to observe the Shabbos.  Although this obligation refers to all prohibited melacha, the very next pasuk states: "You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Shabbos day".


 


If there are thirty-nine categories of forbidden melacha and if the previous pasuk already stated that we may not work on Shabbos, why did the Torah single out this prohibition?  We find several opinions in the Bavli and Yerushalmi regarding why the Torah singled out the prohibition against kindling a fire on Shabbos.  One view sees in this verse not as a warning against violating this particular melacha, but rather an allusion to the fact that should we fail to observe the Shabbos then Hashem will destroy Yerushalayim by fire, G-d forbid.   The prophet Yirmiyhau explicitly warned the nation about this.  This explanation would interpret the pasuk as follows: "you shall not kindle fire in (your houses in order that you not burn down) your city (dwellings)."


 


On a more homiletic note, there are commentaries that base their explanation on the following words of Chazal: "Fires are not common except in a place where there is Shabbos desecration" (Shabbos 119b).  According to this interpretation, the Torah here is informing us that violation of the Shabbos can result in fire in our homes. 


 


Other commentators have put forth the idea that the fire of Gehinom is only active on Shabbos for those who desecrate the Shabbos.  This means that for those sentenced to Gehinom, had they observed Shabbos they would at least have a respite from the fire of Gehinom on Shabbos.  With this interpretation in mind, we can explain the pasuk as follows: "you shall not kindle the fire of Gehinom on Shabbos" - by violating the Shabbos you are in effect kindling the fire of Gehinom which would otherwise not be active on Shabbos.  In fact it is mentioned in halacha that the vehu rachum at the start of Maariv on Motzaei Shabbat and the vihi noam should be said slowly so that the reshaim's rest will be lengthened before they need to return to Gehinom.


 


We find another explanation in the Yerushalmi.  "Do not kindle" means that people who are deserving of punishment by Beis Din should not be punished on Shabbos.  The Rambam cites lehalacha that Beis Din should not punish on Shabbos.  Perhaps we can offer the following explanation: a king who builds a palace makes a feast celebrating the completion of the work.  As part of the festivities the king may decide to pardon all those who are deserving of punishment.  Perhaps on the day celebrating the completion of Hashem's palace, the King does not wish for people to be punished.


 


From a more halachic perspective: "'kindling was singled out to be a mere prohibition', these are the words of R' Yossi, R' Nosson said 'it was singled out to separate'" (Shabbos 70a). 


 


R' Yossi is of the opinion that although violating other prohibitions of Shabbos is punishable with either death by stoning for those who willfully violate this melacha, a Korban Chatas for those who transgress accidentally, or kareis for those who were not forewarned, the punishment for kindling a fire on Shabbos is only malkus (for unlike the other prohibited acts, it has been singled out to have the status of a lav - an ordinary negative prohibition).  R' Nosson, on the other hand, opines that the singling out of the prohibition against kindling a fire teaches us that violation of each category of prohibited melacha is viewed by the Torah as a separate independent transgression.  Therefore, one who transgresses a few melachos in one interval and only later realizes that he has violated the Shabbos is liable for each act individually rather than has having been guilty of one global violation of the Shabbos.


 


Although the generally accepted view among halachic authorities does not accord with the view of R' Yossi, the question remains: why did R' Yossi consider lighting a fire a less serious violation than the other thirty-eight categories of melacha?


 


Perhaps we can offer the following explanation: what types of activities are prohibited on Shabbos?   Given that Hashem rested on Shabbos from creating the world, we too must refrain from performing those acts which Hashem used to create the world.   Every element of the creation was created in six days with the exception of fire, as Chazal teach us:"and as for our fire, it entered the thoughts of G-d to be created on the eve of the initial Shabbat at twilight, but was not actually created until the departure of that Shabbat, for it was taught in a Braisa: R' Yossi says: ' at the departure of the Shabbat, the Holy One, Blessed is He, placed in Adam HaRishon an understanding that was reflective of the Divine model of understanding and as a result Adam brought two stones and ground them together and a flame shot out from them'" (Pesachim 54a). 


 


The Torah, therefore, needs to emphasize that although fire was not a part of the initial creation and Hashem did not rest from creating it, it is still prohibited on Shabbos.  Perhaps R' Yossi's opinion that "kindling is but a mere prohibition", and is not punishable with death by stoning, stems from the fact that it was not a part of the initial creation and thus cannot be considered a complete act of work.  We kindle a fire and recite the bracha of borei meorei haeish on Motzaei Shabbos as a reminder of that initial fire kindled by Adam HaRishon.


           


This explanation, however, does not answer why if the world was created in six days, did Hashem leave the creation of fire for Motzaei Shabbos?  The psukim in the Torah actually support the notion that the creation was not complete during the initial six days.  We first read:"by the Seventh Day G-d completed His work which He had done, and He abstained on the Seventh Day from all His work which He had done" (Bereishis 2:2) which implies that the entire creation was complete prior to the advent of the first Shabbos. The very next pasuk, however, states:  "G-d blessed the Seventh Day and sanctified it because on it He abstained from all His work which G-d created to make".


 


The concluding words "G-d created to make" imply that the world was not yet complete.  We can now resolve this contradiction by explaining that the creation of the fire was left for Motzaei Shabbos.  Why was the creation not completed during the first six days of creation?


 


We can compare this to a king who completed construction of a magnificent mansion on the 3rd of Tammuz.  When the construction was completed, the king held a gala celebration to formally dedicate his home. This grandiose chanukas habayis proclaimed to all how much the king valued his palace.  What would we think if the king elected to hold this celebration two days earlier on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz prior to completing the finishing touches on the palace?  We would say that not only did he value his palace, but it was also important for him to hold his celebration on Rosh Chodesh, even if it meant going on with the festivities despite not having yet completed construction of the mansion.


 


The Sheiltos writes that Shabbos is Hashem's "chanukas habayis", so to speak.  If Hashem were to hold this celebration only after completing all the work, we would certainly understand that His palace - the world - is important to Him, but from where would we learn how much He values the Shabbos?  By holding His celebration prior to having completed the work, He has taught us the major significance of Shabbos.  From the importance of the Shabbos Chazal derive that seven is a very special number.  We mentioned above that we recite the bracha on the fire on Motzaei Shabbos because that is when it was created.  We can now add that that we deliberately recite this blessing immediately at the conclusion of the Shabbos because the kindling of this fire demonstrates to us the sanctity of the Shabbos.  The moment we escort the Shabbos we emphasize its holiness.


 


How are we mortals expected to know what activities to refrain from on Shabbos?  Is there any way we can know what is involved in creating a world?  How can we emulate Hashem's rest when we cannot possibly know from what acts Hashem rested?  


 


Hashem gave us the Mishkan which was a miniature world - a microcosmic picture of heaven and earth.  Chazal point out that Parshas Vayakhel which deals primarily with the construction of the Mishkan, begins with the prohibition against violating the Shabbos.   Chazal derive from this juxtaposition that we are forbidden to perform any tasks which were required for construction of the Mishkan (See Shabbos 49b).  By refraining from the work used in construction of the Mishkan, we are ceasing from the work used to create the world.


 


Chazal teach us: "Bezalel knew how to join the letters with which heaven and earth were created, for it is written here: 'He filled him with G-dly spirit, with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge' (Shemos 35:31), and it is written there: 'Hashem founded the earth with wisdom; He established the heavens with understanding,' and it is written 'through His knowledge the depths were cleaved' (Mishle 3:19-20)" (Berachos 55a). 


 


We find similar language used in describing Chiram who assisted Shlomo in construction of the Mikdash: "full of wisdom, insight and knowledge to do all sorts of work" (Melachim I 7:14)


 


The implication here is that construction of the Mishkan (or Mikdash) requires wisdom, understanding, and knowledge similar to that which was required to create heaven and earth.  In other words, the construction of the Mishkan is a miniature version of the creation of heaven and earth.  This explains why the laws of Shabbos are derived from the Mishkan, for the tasks needed for construction of the Mishkan are the same actions that the Creator, so to speak, used when creating heaven and earth.  It is from these acts that we must refrain from on Shabbos.


 


Parshios Ki Sisah and this week's parsha of Vayakhel teach us the connection between the Mishkan and Shabbos.   Hashem wishes for the world to become a mishkan, a place where He can dwell.  A talmid chacham can be compared to Shabbat.  The Jewish people are the mamleches Kohanim - just as Kohanim serve Hashem in the Beis HaMikdash we must serve Hashem in this world. 


 


We pray for the day when there will be a Yom Shekulo Shabbos - a day that is completely Shabbos.  When the world is a Mishkan then it is always Shabbos.  Adam and Chava sinned in Gan Eden when they ate from the etz hadaas.  Perhaps we can explain that Hashem wished for Adam HaRishon to be the kohen of the world.  Had he eaten from the etz hachayim he would have served Hashem in the way Hashem wanted.  The serpent however convinced Chava that it is better to live in an imperfect world.  When a person has no yetzer hara then he will not be properly compensated for the work he does, would you not rather have a yetzer hara?  The serpent did not wish for this world to be a Shabbos.  Adam and Chava's mistake was that they listened to the advice of the serpent.


 


There is a view that the sin of the meraglim was likened to the sin of Adam and Chava.  The Torah relates:  "They arrived at the Valley of Eshkol and cut from there a vine with one cluster of grapes".  This view states that they took from the etz hadaas.  They were not interested in holiness, they understood that if the Jewish nation was to enter Eretz Yisrael then the entire world would become holy.  They preferred that the Jewish people remain outside of Eretz Yisrael so that the world will not become holy, in the manner of the serpent's words to Adam and Chava.


 


We find a similar view with regard to the mekoshesh eitzim.  Which trees were involved?  The trees in Gan Eden - the etz hachaim and the etz hadaas.   The mekoshesh was debating whether he preferred the etz hadaas or the etz hachaim.  The serpent convinced Adam and Chava that it is preferable to eat from the etz hadaas, that it is better not to be holy like the Shabbos.  The mekoshesh decided to desecrate the sanctity of the Shabbos, he preferred a world without that sanctity.


 


We prefer sanctity, kedusha, without the yetzer hara, we wish to bring honor to Hashem.  This is the opposite of Amalek.  Amalek battled the Jewish nation in an attempt to prevent them from receiving the Torah at Har Sinai.  Amalek clearly believed in Hashem, for had he not believed then the Jewish nation arriving at Har Sinai would be of no significance to him.  Haman believed in Hashem but wished for Him to remain in the Heavens and not reveal Himself in this world.  Amalek understood that Moshe's bringing the Torah down to the Jewish nation would raise the level of sanctity in this world and Hashem's honor would be revealed.


 


His descendant Haman also wished to prevent Hashem from appearing in this world.  He made himself into an avoda zara and made everyone bow down to him.  He was unable to stand even one Jew not bowing down to him, for that meant there was another G-d in this world.  He wished to destroy the entire Jewish nation, chas veshalom, as punishment for Mordechai's not bowing down to him.  Amalek was trying to prevent this world from becoming a Shabbos, he wanted the profane and not sanctity.


 


We, thank G-d, are searching for how to bring Hashem's glory into the world.  We strive for a yom shekulo Shabbos.  We try to make every act of ours holy, even physical acts such as eating and drinking must be channeled towards holiness.  The Messilas Yesharim writes that a holy man's eating and drinking is likened to a korban for Hashem's honor.  Our Seudas Purim is imbued with sanctity because it is a day when we strive to reach a level of holiness and thank Hashem for having saved us.  We strive to bring Hashem's Kingship into the world. 


 


We do not eat and drink only for ourselves.  This is illustrated by the mitzvah of mishloach manos when we try to include other people in our simcha.  The Rambam writes that as great as the mitzvah of mishloach manos is, the mitzvah of matanos laevyonim is even greater.  A Jew who celebrates must try to make sure that others have with what to celebrate as well.  The mitzvah of simchas Yom Tov is not completely fulfilled until we bring joy to the poor.  This shows that the joy is not for ourselves but for Hashem.


 


Our Torah and mitzvos should be with intent of bringing Hashem's Kingship into the world so that we may reach a yom shekulo Shabbos speedily in our day.  This is the idea of Purim and this is the opposite of Haman.  The Gemara asks what the source is for Haman in the Torah.  The Gemara answers by citing the pasuk of Hashem asking Adam HaRishon: "hamin (same letters as Haman) haetz asher tzivisicha levilit achol mimenu achalta "have you eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?" (Bereishis 2:11) (Chullin 139b).  The eating from the etz hadaas therefore serves as an allusion to Haman.  We do not wish to eat from the etz hadaas we would rather eat from the etz hachaim - etz chaim hee lamachazikim ba - "It is a tree of life for those who grasp on to it".  The Torah is the etz hachaim and we yearn for more and more holiness and arrive at the yom shekulo shabbos bimhera beyamenu amen.

Venue: Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh

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