BS’D
Thanks to all who have contributed to this cause in the past. This goes 100% directly to the soon to be wedded couple. A special request came my way via close friends of ours in Monsey, NY. A 22-year-old boy, Yehuda from Yerushalayim, is getting married B’H on the 5th of Adar A’. He is the oldest of 11 children, father is a Sofer Stam, family is extremely poor, and their home is maxed in mortgage funds. Please, if there is anything that anyone can contribute to assist this amazing talmid, it is desperately needed. Pass it on. You can contact his uncle in Monsey Yaron Yehuda at email: Yaron2802@gmail.com. Tizku’ l’mitzvot.
All week long our mind races endlessly – we are stuck in the world of commerce. The important questions in life like, ‘Why am I here in this world’ finds a difficult time gaining attention. Rav Avigdor Miller ztk’l teaches that on Shabbat we must abstain from the mundane habits that occupy us so we may pay attention to questions like these.
The goal of refraining from these habits is to prevent us from becoming slaves onto this world. The Chovot Halevavot teaches that we were given the gift of Shabbat so that our minds cease being enslaved to the ‘thinking’ of this world. Shabbat encourages us to shift our minds and relish in menucha (peacefulness). This mental and physical state of disconnecting from the world enables us to get to ‘know’ Hashem. In as much as we are able to ‘empty’ out our minds from thinking about this world and all that we didn’t complete and all that awaits us on motzei Shabbat, we will make room for the much needed state of menuchat hanefesh (peace of mind) to enter.
This world is imaginary. The only thing that is real is Hashem. The RamBam is Hilchot Yesodei Torah writes, ‘Hu Levado Emet (He is the only One who is true {reality})’, all of the rest is an illusion. Consequently, when we worry and grow anxious about anything in life, it is the yetzer hara placing shadows and phantoms for us to get ‘excited’ over.
We hustle and bustle running around, planning and fixing, confused over what will happen next; we get ‘excited’ over the well-planned show. The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat then teaches us a remarkable lesson, ‘When you make kiddush, you restore your eyesight.’ How? By saying the words, “…vayachulu HaShamayim v’ha’aretz v’kol Tzeva’am… (… and the Heavens and earth were completed, and all their hosts…)”.
You think you are in control; well that is if you worry. What are you getting ‘excited’ about? Kiddush realigns our thinking by reminding us that Hashem made everything from start to its completion and it is only Him who controls it all. How important it is for us to hear this reminder every erev Shabbat. B’H may we internalize its message so that it carries us throughout the week as well.
