When people are asked to describe Shabbos, they often characterize Shabbos Kodesh as a day of rest; a time to step away from the distractions of the work week. For those who are busy, working, constantly on their phones, and running errands during the six weekdays, Shabbos offers the opportunity for relaxation, menucha, and yishuv hadaas.
And that’s all true. But there’s another, much more important and integral part of Shabbos Kodesh.
The Gemara tells us that when the Ribono Shel Olam told Moshe Rabbeinu about the gift of Shabbos, He said: “I have a precious present in the innermost storehouse of My palace. Go tell Klal Yisroel about this present.” The Ribono Shel Olam doesn’t tell Moshe Rabbeinu to go give it to Klal Yisroel, but rather to go tell them about the matanah.
The Tzadikim explain that the reason is because, on Shabbos Kodesh, each and every Yid is invited into the innermost chambers of the Ribono Shel Olam to be able to spend time alone with Hashem. It’s not that something was taken out of His innermost chamber to be given to the Jewish people, but that the Jewish people were being invited into Hashem’s innermost chamber.
Shabbos Kodesh is like a date that we’re able to go on with the Ribono Shel Olam. Throughout the six days of the week, maybe we don’t have the time to be able to spend time alone with Hashem in the proper way that we would like to. But Shabbos Kodesh gives each and every Yid the ability to enter into the innermost chambers and to spend time alone with the Melech Malchei HaMelachim in a close and intimate way.
The Torah described Shabbos as
ביני ובין בני ישראל אות הוא לעלם כי ששת ימים עשה ד’ את השמים ואת הארץ וביום השביעי שבת וינפש
Between me and the Jewish people it is a sign forever, that in six days Hashem created the Heaven and Earth, and on the seventh day he rested.
But another way to read it is “L’olam” — for the rest of the world, for the outsider, Ki sheshes yamom… Shabbos is merely a day to commemorate that G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. But the truth is, we understand that the true depth of Shabbos Kodesh is far more than that. We know that Shabbos is Os hi beini ubnei Yisroel, it is a sign between us and the Ribono Shel Olam. It is a sign of connection and oneness, a time when we can achieve true deveykus with Hashem.
When we see Shabbos in this way, then we can experience Shabbos the way it’s meant to be experienced.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 65.
