“Rebbi Avahu would sit (on Erev Shabbos) on an ivory chair and fan the fire that was cooking the food in honor of Shabbos. Rav Anan would wear a simple black garment as he prepared for Shabbos.” – Shabbos 119a
At first glance, it may seem that Rebbi Avahu was careful to act in a more distinguished and honorable way while preparing for Shabbos, which is why he sat on a beautiful chair while preparing, while Rav Anan wore simple black clothes because he held there was no such inyan.
But Rashi explains that there is no contradiction in these behaviors. Rav Anan certainly agreed that it would be befitting to act with royalty while preparing for Shabbos, but the reason he wore black clothes was simply because if he wore something refined and honorable, he would minimize the preparations out of a concern for getting these beautiful clothes dirty.
But there is more we can learn from this Gemara than meets the eye. These two pathways toward Shabbos preparations, which at first glance seem to be very different, but on a closer look do not contradict each other at all, represent two ways we may approach Shabbos in the spiritual realm. These, too, seem to be polar opposites until we take a closer look.
The Komarna teaches us (Nesiv Mitzvosecha, Nesiv Emunah 4:2) that sometimes we go through a spiritual darkness which is painful and bitter, and our mission is to strengthen ourselves and cry out to Hashem, and this leads to the revelation of a great light. Then he continues:
Particularly on Erev Shabbos and Yom Tov, the term “Erev” represents the darkness that precedes them, (which is there) in order that afterwards their light can shine and illuminate brightly. Even though the great Tzadik Rav Elimelech (of Lizhensk) said that a sign that someone went through his week with holiness is if he experiences a great light on Erev Shabbos. That is true, but such an experience requires tremendous Heavenly assistance, and a tzadik like him was on such a level. But I say that the truth is, as I learned from my Rebbi (that there is an experience of darkness on Erev Shabbos).
At first glance, it seems that the Erev Shabbos experience of darkness the Komarana (and his Rebbi) had was more similar to Rav Anan, who wore black clothes. And the experience of light of Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk was more in line with that of Rebbi Avahu, who sat in an ivory chair.
But the truth is that the two ways of experiencing Erev Shabbos do not contradict each other at all! Although one seems to be “good” and one seems to be “bad,” they are both simply different ways the great ohr of Shabbos Kodesh is manifested on Erev Shabbos. Even the Komarna himself, in the passage we quoted above, refers to both ways as “the truth!” Sometimes we may see it as light, and sometimes we feel it as darkness before it is revealed as a great light. Elu v’eilu divrei Elokim chaim!
The Bottom Line
Sometimes our Erev Shabbos may be full of light, and sometimes we may feel a spiritual darkness, but the bottom line is that even that darkness is only the way the great light of Shabbos Kodesh is experienced as it draws closer.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Nekuda Tova Listing.
