#111: Machshavah

We mentioned in last week’s Machshavah about the connection between the Shabbat meals and being saved from the birth pangs of mashiach. Rav Eliezer Melamed expands on the connection further (see https://ph.yhb.org.il/en/01-07-01/):

“One who enjoys Shabbat through Torah, prayer, and good food connects his body with its spiritual roots. The physical becomes a vehicle of expression for the soul and for the sanctity of Shabbat... By cleaning our houses and eating festive meals in honor of Shabbat, we link the material world to its spiritual roots, and draw down blessing upon it. This is the meaning of the statement of the Sages: ‘Whoever makes Shabbat enjoyable receives boundless territory.’”

According to the Peninei Halachah, the observance and celebration of the physical pleasures of Shabbat, as highlighted by the three Shabbat meals, remind us that physical enjoyment is not the ultimate purpose of this world, or of the positive mitzvot of Shabbat. Rather, our goal is to look at the bigger picture of their purpose and utilize the physical to achieve spiritual closeness to Hashem.

Perhaps this is another connection to the birthpangs of Mashiach. If one understands that enjoying Shabbat is designed to lead to greater spiritual heights, one can also understand that the purpose of the physical troubles and calamities in the world that precede the “good times” (i.e., Mashiach) are merely a means of propelling us closer to those better times. Such a person is thus equipped to handle all of the difficulties with this positive outlook, and in that merit, will be spared from those calamities.

During the last year, we have certainly felt some of the birth pangs of Mashiach; indeed we hope that is where it is all leading. Let us try to maintain the positive perspective that all of these events are leading us to a greater and improved world, which will give us the courage to deal with it well now. May our having proper, inspirational Shabbat meals, with good food, family time, divrei torah, beautiful zemirot and a feeling of unity among all those at the table be a zechut for ourselves and all of Klal Yisrael to be saved from the continuing birth pangs of Mashiach.

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.