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The Joys Of Shabbat
And Its Sanctity
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I
n this week's Torah portion,
Parshat Ki Tissa, in the midst
of verses discussing the con-
struction of the tabernacle,
there are a few verses relating to
the observance of Shabbat. In
fact, it is this juxtaposition of the
construction of the tabernacle to
the observace of Shabbat (in a
number of places in the Torah)
that the "rest" we observe on
Shabbat is defined according to
Jewish law.
Those very acts necessary for
the construction of the taberna-
cle (39 categories of creative ac-
tivity, according to tradition) are
the very activities forbidden to
perform on Shabbat. Contrary to
the popular misconception, it is
this "creative activity" from which
we refrain on Shabbat — not
work per se.
The tabernacle represents ke-
dushas hamokom — the sancti-
ty of place, of geography, while
Shabbat represents kedushas
haz'man — the sanctity of time.
God has given us a universe
wherein sanctity — God's pres-
ence — can be recognized and
celebrated in the dimensions of
reality in time and space.
These verses concerning Shab-
bat begin by telling us (Exodus
31:13): "Keep my Sabbath be-
cause it is a sign between Me and
you for all generations to know
that I, the Lord, have sanctified
you." Thus, the Torah tells us
that the observance of Shabbat
is the symbol of the intrinsic sanc-
tity of the human being in gen-
eral and the Jewish people in
particular. The observance of
Shabbat itself — a communion
with God, with our families, with
our fellow man — is a celebration
of our sanctity and our ability to
bring God and godliness into our
lives.
Further in these verses, it
states (Exodus 31:16-17): "And
the Jewish people will observe
the Sabbath to make the Sabbath
for all generations an everlasting
covenant between me and the
Jewish people; it is a sign forev-
er that in six days the Lord made
the heavens and the earth and
He rested on the seventh day and
enlivened Himself." It is through
this anthropomorphic description
of creation based on a human
time that enables the Jew to at
once acknowledge the existence
of the Creator and to imitate His
behavior. We become His agents
in our world.
Sahbbat, then, is not a sign of
Rabbi Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of
Young Israel of Oak-Woods.
our recognition of God's existence
as the Creator and His continu-
al relationship with us through-
out time. This duality of symbol
can also clearly be seen in the two
versions of the Ten Command-
ments. In Exodus (20:11) we are
told to observe Sabbath: "Because
God made the heavens and the
earth, the sea and all contained
therein ..." While in the Ten Com-
mandments repeated by Moses
in Deuteronomy (5:15) we are
told: "And remember that you
Shabbat Ki Tissa:
Exodus 30:11 - 34:35
Numbers 19:1-22
Ezekiel 36:16-38.
were slaves in Egypt and the
Lord your God took you from
there with a strong hand and an
outstretched arm; therefore, the
Lord your God commanded you
to make the Sabbath day." These
two complimentary themes —
God the creator and God the re-
deemer — are unified in our ob-
servance of Shabbat. (The
Midrash indicates as much in ex-
plaining the differences in the
two versions of the Ten Corn-
mandmanets "B'dibur echud" —
they were said as one.)
In fact, our very prayers for
Shabbat reflect these same
-/
themes. The Ma'ariv service Fri- L_\
day night speaks of sanctification
of Shabbat as the final act of cre-
ation. At Shacharit Saturday
morning, we speak of the corn-
mandment of Shabbat at Mount
Sinai — God's revelation — and
at Minchah on Saturday we pray
for the ultimate Shabbat of re-
demption.
May I offer my wishes that we (j`
may all celebrate the joy and ho-
liness of Shabbat together. Cl
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Purim Fun
At Emanu-El
Temple Emanu-El's annual
Purim Carnival is set for Sunday,
March 10, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
There will be food and a raffle. ci/\
Costumes are optional.
Tickets, at four for $1, can be
bought at the door and may be
used for games and refresh-
ments.