Parshas Ki Sisa
By Rabbi Dovid Zauderer
FRIDAY NIGHT SHABBOS MEAL: “The Mitzvah to Sleep on Shabbos”
You may not have known this but there is actually a Rabbinic commandment to chap a shluff (Yiddish slang for taking a nap or a snooze) after the meal on Shabbos afternoon. It is part of the greater mitzvah of Oneg Shabbos, enjoying one’s self on the Shabbos. [Ed. note: Of course, if you don’t enjoy sleeping, then it is no joy for you to take a nap, in which case you are not obligated to do so -dz]
The Rabbis have found this alluded to in the name Shabbos (spelled in Hebrew shin, beis, tuf) which may be read as an acronym for sheinah b’Shabbos ta’anug, “sleep on the Sabbath is a delight”. However, ideally, one may sleep only sufficiently to refresh himself so that he may return to the study of Torah; and it is forbidden to sleep on Shabbos in order to be rested for the following day.
Many have the custom of waking up (to pray) later on Shabbos morning than they do during the rest of the week – as part of their Oneg Shabbos.
Interestingly, this mitzvah of sleeping extra on Shabbos is spelled out in one of the timeless Shabbos zemiros (songs) that many Jews (myself included) sing on Friday night at the Shabbos table. The name of the 400-year-old (!) Hebrew song is Mah Yedidus, and the beginning of the 5th stanza reads as follows:
“May your walk be calm, declare the Shabbos a delight, its sleep is praiseworthy, when sufficient to refresh the soul …”
SHABBOS MORNING MEAL: “Søren Kierkegaard and the Chasam Sofer”
I believe it was Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish theologian and philosopher, who said that “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” [Frankly, I am not really sure what Kierkegaard meant by that quote … but it sounds really cool to quote him.]
But seriously folks, what Kierkegaard was saying sounds a lot like something the great Rabbi Moshe Sofer of Pressburg, Hungary (otherwise known as the Chasam Sofer) once wrote to explain a verse in this week’s Torah portion.
In Parshas Ki Sisa, G-d says to Moses: “… and you will see My back, but My face may not be seen” (Exodus 33:23).
The Chasam Sofer interpreted this verse homiletically as follows: There are many things in life that seem totally incomprehensible at the time they occur, but, with the passage of time, their purpose becomes clear in retrospect. For instance, in the events leading up to the miracle of Purim, many perplexing things came to pass – the execution of Vashti, the taking of Esther to the king’s palace, the rise of Haman, Haman’s decrees, etc. Afterwards, however, when the miraculous finale had been completely played out, it became perfectly clear how all the steps of the drama had led up to the stunning climax.
Jewish people, faithful to G-d for generation after generation, believe with all their hearts that there is a plan and a purpose to everything in life. At the time things happen, however, though we believe them to be Divinely directed, we do not really understand their significance. Nevertheless, this lack of understanding does not undermine our powerful faith. We attribute our lack of understanding to our own limitations.
Fortunate is the person who believes, who can maintain a powerful belief in the significance of all things, even when he does not see it. He will be richly rewarded for this belief and faith.
All this is alluded to in the verse, “… and you will see My back, but My face may not be seen”. After the fact, when you “see My back”, so to speak, you will understand, but you will not “see My face”. You will not understand at the time it happens.
THE THIRD SHABBOS MEAL: “The Ropes of Mashiach”
Our Sages teach us that in the Pre-Messianic Era, the Jewish people will be faced with many difficult tests and challenges to their faith. The holy Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk zt’l once expanded on this theme at Shalosh Seudos (“The Third Meal”), sharing three concepts of Emunah (faith):
[Ed. note: The following words were heard from Reb Refael Auerbach zt'l [brother of Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt'l] who heard them from an old man who was present when Rebbe Elimelech said these three points.-dz]
“(1) Before Mashiach (the “Messiah”) comes, the Yirei Hashem (“G-d fearing Jews”) will be disrespected and on a low social standing, and the sinners will be in power and successful. This situation will be so distressful that even the holy Baal Shem Tov’s students wouldn't have been able to tolerate it. (2) Rebbe Elimelech compared it to a pot cooking on the fire. The unwanted flour rises to the top and is removed, and the good food remains in the pot. This is what will occur at the end of days. The resha'im (wicked) will jump to the top and take power and control, while those who fear G-d are trampled at the bottom. But those sinners will all be removed, and only the righteous people will remain in the end. (3) In the final generation before Mashiach comes, it will be as if G-d spreads out a long rope, from one side of the world to the other, and all Jews will grasp hold on to the rope. G-d will shake the rope forcefully, and the fools will take that to mean that G-d wants them to leave Him. But the wise will say, "This is a test. We must hold on to the rope with all our strength. And whoever holds on tightly will be saved. This is חבלי משיח ,the “ropes” of Mashiach.”
[Ed. note: Of course, the simple meaning of the words Chevlei Mashiach is “birth pangs” of the Messiah, and refers to the cataclysmic upheaval and suffering that is prophesied for the period preceding the coming of the Messiah. Not to worry, though, as the Talmud in Shabbos 118b teaches that whoever is scrupulous in eating the three Shabbos meals will be spared all that agony and suffering -dz]
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