What is the deeper reason we so often feel pressure and stress on Erev Shabbos?
This is not a new concept. In the times of Chazal, Erev Shabbos was busy as well. There are even restrictions on Erev Shabbos to minimize other activities — even spiritual ones — to allow ourselves more time to prepare for Shabbos. Examples of this include not saying Tachanun by Mincha, not getting married, and even minimizing certain types of Torah learning.
Some of these restrictions are easier to understand, because they take time and lead a person to become very preoccupied with them. But what about the short tefilla of Tachanun? Does skipping Tachanun really give a person more time to prepare for Shabbos?
When Hashem created the world, he had to create a process of “tzimtzum,” a restriction of the Infinite light of Hashem, in order for the limited human being to be able to exist. It is a mistake to think that His light was ‘reduced’ in any way. Tzimtzum does not mean that there is “less Hashem,” G-d forbid. Since Hashem can do anything, He was able to create a reality that His light was infused into the entirety of existence, while the limited human can still exist. This is what tzimtzum means.
The seforim teach us that at first there was a Shivras Hakeilim (breaking of the vessels), and then there was a tikkun (repairing). The breaking represents the mistaken belief that the Infinite G-d cannot coexist with the finite creation. The repairing happens when we understand that the Infinite G-d can do anything, and that out of His deep love for the Jewish people, He created a reality where His light remains Infinite, just as it always was, yet we can exist as well.
During the six days of the week, our mission is to “repair” the “breaking”, which means that while living in a state of tzimtzum, within the pressures and limitations of life, specifically from that place we work to battle against the concealment of Hashem’s Infinite light. Our job is to reveal the Oneness of Hashem, how He is fully present in every single aspect of our lives, even though it looks like His presence is restricted and concealed. Maleh kol haaretz kevodo, the entire world is filled with His honor! Les atar penoi menai, there is no place that is empty of Him!
Then comes Shabbos Kodesh, and we get a taste of the world to come, a taste of what it is like for the klippos to become nullified and for the entire world to unite in revealing the presence of Hashem without any restrictions or limitations.
When Erev Shabbos comes, the kedusha of Shabbos already begins to illuminate. The pressure we feel on Erev Shabbos, that there are so many things to do and too much to do in one day, is a direct outcome of the holiness of Shabbos that began to shine. This katnus (smallness) is what naturally preceded gadlus (greatness), and the feeling like we can’t fit everything we need to do into one day (which is a sort of shviras hakeilim in itself) is because we can already start to sense the Oneness of Shabbos arriving.
With this, we can better understand why we don’t say Tachanun. It is not because the short time it takes to say Tachanun will not allow us to get ready for Shabbos in time. Rather, since on Friday morning, we already start to feel the pressure of preparing for Shabbos, that itself is a sign that the light of Shabbos has begun to illuminate. If the light of Shabbos is already a little bit here, it is not appropriate to say Tachanun!
The Bottom Line
Erev Shabbos pressure comes from the holy light of Shabbos, which is already starting to light up the world.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Nekuda Tova Listing.
