What’s really real? Is this world the main stage, and Shabbos is there to force us to take a pause from it? Are we commanded to ‘rest’ on the 7th day, just so that we can dive right back into the world of the Six Days with even more energy?
This type of mindset could cause Shabbos to be approached with dread. “It’s Shabbos again already?! I’m so busy though!” It also makes the whole experience of Shabbos something one just needs to get through, in order to just get to Motzoei Shabbos and melacha already.
No, Shabbos isn’t a ‘break.’ When Hashem told Moshe that He has a gift for us from his treasured storage, He calls it a matana tova — its name is Shabbos. We’re taught that the world as we know it is but a pruzdor, a hallway, to the main event — the World to Come. Every seven days we get to take a pit stop called Shabbos, which is mei’en Olam Haba — a taste of the World to Come. The feeling on Shabbos is an energetic portal into a totally different dimension. What is the World to Come? It’s a Yom shekulo Shabbos. One long magical Shabbos.
There are three elements to experiencing Shabbos fully:
1) Oneg – all the physical delights like food, clothing, nice tablescape etc.
2) Shivisa – refraining from 39 Melachos
3) Kavod – honoring Shabbos with more dignified clothing, food, appearance etc.
When we have a balance of all three, we get a download of ruchniyus that then powers us through the full week ahead.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 91.
