Parshat Bereishis
Rabbi Jablinowitz
In the beginning of the second chapter in this week’s parsha, the Torah describes how creation came to a close with the onset of Shabbos. The pasuk reads, Vayechal Elokim Bayom HaShvi’i Melachto Asher Asah, And Gd finished His work on the seventh day. Rashi asks, how could Gd’s work have been completed on Shabbos if no work was actually done on Shabbos. He gives two answers, the second one being that something was actually created on Shabbos, and that was Menuchah, or rest. When Shabbos came, that’s when Menuchah came into the world and Gd’s work was completed.
What does Rashi mean to say that Menuchah was created on Shabbos? Menuchah seems to be the lack of work, not that something actually came into being on Shabbos.
The creation was an act of Gd in which He revealed Himself to the world through the creation. Chazal even equate the ten acts of speaking,Asarah Ma’amarot, with the Ten Commandments, Aseret HaDibrot. They were both great events of revelation. Nonetheless, there was a certain irony in the creation of the world. After the world was created, one might easily see a system of nature set up in the world which is devoid of Gd’s presence. There needed to be some way to prevent this distortion from occurring.
This is why Shabbos is the completion of the creation. The rest, or Menuchah, Rashi describes is not merely a lack of work. The meaning of theMenuchah is not that rest came into being, or that we have some concept of resting on Shabbos. The Sfas Emes explains that the rest ofMenuchah is that something unique rests on us. Rashi is speaking of a certain Ruach HaKodesh, or increased spiritual awareness that affects us on Shabbos. As the pasuk in Yeshayahu says (Chapter 11, Pasuk 2), V’nachah Alav Ruach Hashem, And the spirit of Gd rested on him. This increased awareness, the Neshamah Yeseirah of Shabbos, enables us to see the hand of Gd behind creation. Shabbos prevents the distorted perception of the world being a world of nature without Divine involvement. Hence, Shabbos truly is the completion of creation. Menuchah is not merely the lack of work; it is the ability to understand creation.
This is also the meaning of the pasuk, (Chapter 2, Verse 15), Vayanicheihu B’Gan Eden, And He placed him in Gan Eden. The Medrash teaches that the word Vayanicheihu is from the word Menuchah. Adam HaRishon in Gan Eden had a level of Ruach Hakodesh and holiness similar to what we have on Shabbos. Adam before the sin had a connection to Hashem independent of the natural world. Gan Eden was like Olam Habah, a place where the spirit of Hashem “rested” on Adam and Chavah.
We recite on Shabbos “Hallel HaGadol”, and one of the statements we make is “L’Oseh Nifla’os Gedolos Levado, Ki L’Olam Chasdo. Shabbos is about recognizing that all of the creation of Gd is a “peleh”, a wonder and a miracle. And the first letters of L’Oseh Niflao's Gedolos stand for the word “Oneg”, which is a special mitzvah on Shabbos. And it is brought in the Sefarim that the word “Oneg” stands for “Eden”, “Nahar”, and“Gan”. The unique spiritual connection we have to Hashem on Shabbos gives us an appreciation for Gd’s creation of the world, and puts us on a level to Adam in Gan Eden. Ruach HaKodesh, Gan Eden, and Shabbos all come together with the word “Oneg”.
Now we can answer a well-known question, why are the Jews the only ones with the mitzvah of Shabbos. If Shabbos is to commemorate the creation of the world, why aren’t all people of the world commanded to keep Shabbos. The answer is that Shabbos is not merely to commemorate the creation, but rather to explain through our special connection that we feel on Shabbos, that Gd really created the world. It’s to give us a connection to Gd independent of the physical, natural world. And this is a level only applicable to Clal Yisrael. Only the Jewish people have the ability to experience “Menuchah” a level of “Ruach Hakodesh” which enables us to appreciation the greatness of Gd’s world, the final step in creation. "Ba'as Shabbos, Ba'as Menuchah".
Good Shabbos
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