Parshas Emor
by Rabbi Dovid Green
The Sabbath is one of the topics in this week's parsha. "Six days work
should be done, and on the seventh day it is a Sabbath of Sabbaths. It is a
special holiday to G-d, and you should not do any work. Wherever you live it
is a Sabbath to G-d" (Leviticus 23:3).
The modern concept of work is very different from what the Torah means when
it stresses "do not do any work." The word for work is "melacha". The
definition of this word is derived from its usage elsewhere in the Torah. In
the places discussing the building of the Tabernacle the word "melacha" is
used. There it is used to mean any of 39 activities enumerated in the Talmud
which were done in the building of the Tabernacle. The Torah doesn't only
mean to say that one should not go to work. In fact, some people are
actually allowed to do jobs which don't involve transgressing any of the 39
activities. The Talmud discusses people who guard orchards as a permitted
activity.
The topic of the Sabbath is explained by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (19
cent. Frankfurt). "Behold! G-d crowned his work with the seventh day of
creation...and bestowed on it a constantly recurring sanctity and a
blessing. A sanctity, that through it man should be continually reminded of
his appointment by G-d in G-d's world to be G-d's servant. A blessing, that
on the seventh day spirit and mind should always gain renewed strength for
the worthy fulfilment of his duty...But how can the Sabbath become such a
symbol, education, and sanctification for this task?...How above all, does
man show his dominion over the earth? In that he can fashion all things in
his environment to his own purpose...He is allowed to rule over the world
for six days with G-d's will. On the seventh day, however, he is forbidden
by Divine behest to fashion anything for his own purpose. In this way he
acknowledges that he has no rights of ownership or authority over the
world...On each Sabbath day, the world, so to speak, is restored to G-d, and
thus man proclaims, both to himself and his surroundings, that he enjoys
only a borrowed authority."
Shabbos is a time to emphasize our spirituality and our relationship with
G-d. Shabbos is to those who love it, a time to change gears. One who
partakes of the Shabbos spirit doesn't view the retrictions as limiting. He
views them as liberating. Shabbos is the time when we can concentrate fully
on our purpose in this world and recharge our batteries so we can begin the
week anew with those goals. Shabbos is a day to spend time with family, and
share our lives together.
Shabbos has been the dear friend and trusted companion of the Jewish Nation
for 33 centuries. Become aware of Shabbos. Contemplate its message. Live
with Shabbos.
Good Shabbos.
Text Copyright © 1998 Rabbi Dovid Green and
Project Genesis, Inc.
