BS’D
Today, 20th of Adar is the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910-1995), leader of Jerusalem Jewry for much of the 20th century. Rabbi Auerbach was beloved for his piety and concern for every Jew. Incredibly, Rabbi Auerbach testified that throughout his entire marriage, he and his wife never once offended or hurt one another. (Aish.com) May we merit to emulate his ways and may he serve as a holy advocate for Klal Yisrael on high, Amen!
Before Shabbat Kodesh enters into the world we should prepare ourselves by doing a spiritual self-accounting so that we may appear before the Shabbat Queen with a restored aura.
The Shulchan Aruch brings down that erev Shabbat encases within it all days of that week just as Rosh Chodesh does all the days of that month. Consequently, when we do chesbon nefesh, self-evaluation of where we are holding spiritually on erev Shabbat in effect we are rectifying the entire week.
Our essence during the workweek is poles apart from our quintessence on Shabbat. It is not merely an elevated state, but an entirely new formation of who we are. During the six days we ‘relate’ to HaKadosh Baruch Hu as a child to their father. Yet on Shabbat we ascend to the level of ‘His soul companion’, rising to a completely elevated creation.
To the degree that we prepare ourselves to tightly bond with the Shechinah, we are injected with closeness to Hashem. Our task is to safeguard ourselves from all possible barriers (such as negative thoughts, speech and actions to the largest extent possible) that wish to interfere with this spiritual union.
We learn this from the passuk, “v’Shamru B’nai Yisrael et HaShabbat (B’nai Yisrael shall observe the Shabbat).” Our calling is to preciously hold onto the Shabbat spirit by embracing her importance and honoring her presence.
When a person desecrates Shabbat c”v he is called Mechalel Shabbat. The word mechalel is derived from the root word chalal (hollow). The holiness of Shabbat fills us up but we need to guard it otherwise it may leave us. What will remain in its place? an inner sense of hollowness that can only be filled by the holiness of Shabbat.
Today’s Daily Dose of Emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Malka Shoshana bat Tzivya. May Hashem shower her with rachamei Shamayim and a complete healing of her knee amongst all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering and a zivug hagun b’karov, Amen.
