We are currently in the special month of Elul.
There are forty days from the beginning of Elul until Yom Kippur.
We know that in Judaism, the number forty comes up often. What is the significance of these forty days?
After G-d spoke to us at Mount Sinai when He delivered the Ten Commandments to the Jewish nation, our leader Moshe went up to Heaven and spent the next 40 days learning the entirety of Torah from G-d Himself. Moshe returned with the two Tablets containing the Ten Commandments. However, when he witnessed some of the Jews worshipping the golden calf, the ultimate treason towards G-d, our leader Moshe shattered the tablets and returned to the Heaven and pleaded with an extremely incensed G-d for 40 days to spare the Jewish nation. During this time, Moshe and the Jews repented, and their remorse prompted G-d to instruct Moshe to return to the people and inform them that G-d was eager to atone for the Jews with mercy.
Moshe returned to Heaven on Rosh Chodesh Elul, and during the next 40 days Moshe and the Jews sincerely repented. G-d accepted their repentance and instructed Moshe to return with the second set of Tablets. This occurred on the 40th day which was the 10th day of Tishrei, the day which became Yom Kippur, our day of atonement.
Since that time, these 40 days have been associated with a unique and special bond and closeness that G-d has with us and we have with Him.
Our sages tell us that it takes forty days following conception, for a fetus to form into a living entity. In a similar vein, during these forty days we can undergo a complete transformation if we utilize the days for Teshuvah – repentance, prayer, good deeds and spiritual growth. We thus become a new entity and identity and G-d looks favorably on us and will grant us life and success for the coming year.
Last week I received a call from a dear friend/student, who had the upcoming days of Elul on his mind. He asked me what I would suggest he focus on and consider to upgrade as the holidays approach.
I was very impressed, because a rabbi doesn’t always get a request like this.
I recommended that he take a Mitzvah or observance that he already has an affinity towards and build and expand upon it. This wasn’t enough for him; he told me he was ready to take on more.
We began discussing which area he would like to focus on and promoting Shabbos observance was on his mind.
I shared with him that the Talmud makes the following statement, “One who prepares on Friday/Erev Shabbos will eat on Shabbos, while one who does not prepare on Friday/Erev Shabbos will not eat on Shabbos.”
On the surface this seems to be elementary. One can only eat if they prepare.
Our Sages explain this on a deeper level. The world that we live in is called Erev Shabbos. It is here when we are alive that we have opportunities to fulfill Mitzvos and can prepare for the ultimate Shabbos – the eternal World to Come which is referred to as ‘Shabbos.’ It is during the eternal ‘Shabbos’ when we will ‘eat’ and benefit from the rewards of our spiritual achievements we accomplished during the duration of our ‘Erev Shabbos – our lives.”
However, the basic statement of the Talmud is very useful. “One who prepares on Friday/Erev Shabbos will eat on Shabbos, while one who does not prepare on Friday/Erev Shabbos will not eat on Shabbos.”
Our Sages are not only telling us that we can only eat food on Shabbos if we shopped for it before Shabbos and if we prepared and cooked the food before Shabbos, for we all know that actively cooking and baking is forbidden on Shabbos.
Our Sages are using the preparation of food as a universal example to apply to other areas of our Shabbos observance and experience. Just as thought needs to be put into the production and preparation of our Shabbos meals, so too, one needs to utilize Erev Shabbos to navigate how they can manage and maximize their observance of Shabbos and to minimize the tests and challenges to violating it.
For example, if one takes the time to survey the rooms of their home they will occupy on Shabbos, timeclocks can be installed in outlets and receptacles and they can be set before Shabbos to turn on and off over the course of Shabbos thus abating the liability of turning lights on or off on Shabbos.
Nightlights can be plugged into the bathroom and there are specially designed Shabbos Lamps that can be kept on in a bedroom and are outfitted with a shade that blocks the light when needed.
When buying kitchen appliances today, many major manufacturers have included a Shabbos mode that bypasses lights being turned on when opening a fridge and bypasses the automatic oven shut off after it is on for 12 hours. This is particularly useful on two- and three-day holidays.
Erev Shabbos is when we can stop and think – how can I maximize my Shabbos experience in a sound and pure manner?
One last thought from the Chidushai Harim: The Torah is very particular about a Jew following the laws of Shabbos. It mentions it numerous times and is strict with the punishment for its purposeful violation which could result in death.
Says the Chidushai Harim – the flipside is – when we observe and honor the Shabbos – Hashem gives us life!
Isn’t that what we are hoping and praying for?!
