Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

The last fifteen chapters of Shmot, Exodus, deal primarily with the details toward establishing a Mishkan, a portable sanctuary. Already we have seen aspects pertaining to Shabbat interrupt the details of the Tabernacle. At the outset of Parshat Vayakhel, Moses gathers the entirety of the people of Israel. The purpose would seem to elicit full voluntary participation in making the Mishkan. However, in a mere two verses, Moses reminds the Israelites not to perform Melacha on Shabbat. What is Melacha? It is not the conventional word for "work." A voluminous tractate of Talmud called "Tractate Shabbat" identifies 39 prohibited categories of Melacha on Shabbat. According to the Sages, all these categories deal with specific tasks performed in building the Mishkan. These tasks and their derivatives are prohibited on Shabbat. The one example found in the beginning of Parshat Vayakhel is the ban on kindling fire on Shabbat.

It is noteworthy that the Karaites of the Middle Ages took the Torah verse literally and sat in the dark on Shabbat. However, the Sages recognized the need for joy and celebration, Kibud V'Oneg, on Shabbat. So, the last thing we do before the onset of Shabbat is lighting two or more Shabbat candles. For most of us, we do not rely on these candles for illumination on Shabbat, and these candles burn out in a couple of hours. In antiquity, larger sources of oil were used to keep the Jewish home lit for all of Shabbat.

Shabbat is a combination of special positive acts as well as specific prohibitions so that Shabbat is truly a day different from all other days of the week. Each morning, the concluding Psalm is prefaced by the words, "Today is such and such a day toward the coming Shabbat." We look forward to Shabbat as a day to partake in physical and spiritual tranquility, to spend more time focusing inwardly and in relationship with family and friends, and to appreciate God's presence in our lives by minimizing our intervention with nature for a one day period.

In years past, a particular date in March was celebrated with a dinner in shul as part of a North American initiative called Shabbat Across North America. While Covid has kept us from gathering in shul for the time being, Shabbat is always an oasis in time.

As the famous Zionist Ahad Ha'Am was fond of saying, "More than the Jews have preserved Shabbat, Shabbat has preserved the Jews."

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison