Shabbat Is A Weekly Day To Spiritually Recharge
Shabbat is the seventh and final day of the week, a day to commemorate how Hashem (God) created the world over six days and continues to sustain it each moment.
Shabbat is a sacred covenant, or agreement, between Hashem and the Jewish people, a day infused with spiritual power, blessing, and joy. It’s when we remind ourselves that Hashem chose us as His nation, and we recognize Hashem’s mastery over the universe.
When we welcome in the holy day of Shabbat, we’re doing something truly extraordinary! We’re testifying that Hashem created the world! Just as witnesses come to a court case to prove that they saw or heard something, so too when we keep Shabbat every week, we are a witness to Hashem’s original creation of the world and His ongoing involvement in our lives. Even though Hashem first created the world over 5,000 years ago, He renews each and every creation every single day!
Extra Special!
On Shabbat, every Jewish individual receives a Neshama Yeteira – a special extra soul that helps them reach greater spiritual heights1. The extra soul given on Shabbat was given in a private way because it is a private sign between Hashem and the Jewish people2. This extra soul comes
from a place in heaven where only joy resides. That is why we are told to avoid the work, hustle and pain of the rest of the week on Shabbos so the neshamah can stay with us3.
From the extra soul we receive, to the peace and beauty we strive to create in our homes, every
aspect of Shabbat is designed to uplift us and reconnect us to our Creator. Shabbat weaves
together the deepest themes of Jewish belief, creating a weekly opportunity to experience a
taste of the World to Come and to recognize and honor Hashem in this world.
Shabbat Tefillot Are Supercharged
Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin shares a special insight into the power of tefillah (prayer) on Shabbat. Every day during the week, tefillah is one of the most powerful tools we have. However, on Shabbat, the strength of our prayers is significantly amplified. He brings down a teaching from the Kuzari: just as our bodies need nourishment through food, our neshamot (soul) also require sustenance. The primary nourishment for the neshamah, he explains, is tefillah. On Shabbat, we are gifted with a neshamah yeteirah, an additional soul. This means our need for spiritual nourishment increases, and our tefillot are not only more essential, but also more effective.
With an added dimension of soul comes a heightened potential for spiritual connection, making our prayers on Shabbat even more powerful. This concept is especially meaningful when considering the tefillah offered during Shabbat candle lighting. The moments following the lighting of the candles are uniquely charged, and is filled with a sense of warmth, longing, and holiness. It is during this sacred time that generations of Jewish women have poured out their hearts in prayer. These prayers, spoken in the soft glow of the candles, carry the added strength of the neshamah yeteirah and the sanctity of Shabbat. They have the power to shape destinies, influence generations, and draw down immense spiritual blessing.
R’ Yitzchok Scheiner shares a remarkable story that illustrates this idea.
Zalman Oren was a high-ranking cabinet member under David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister. Though he was not religious himself, he had a large family that eventually became fully observant.
One day, a man named Moshe was in a shul in Herzliya when he recognized another man who bore a striking resemblance to his old friend, Zalman Oren. Curious, he struck up a conversation and learned that this man was indeed Zalman Oren’s grandson. Intrigued, Moshe asked, “How did Zalman Oren end up with a religious grandson?” The grandson shared the following story:
His grandmother, Zalman’s wife, was not religious. Nevertheless, she lit Shabbat candles every week. As she did, she would cry and pray that her children and grandchildren should grow up to be like Ben Gurion. In her eyes, Ben Gurion was a hero, and she admired him deeply because her husband held him in such high esteem. However, in 1953, something happened that changed the course of her prayers.
Ben Gurion had a meeting with the saintly Chazon Ish. When he returned from the meeting, the usually composed leader was visibly moved and described the Chazon Ish to Zalman Oren with deep admiration. “Had I not seen him myself,” he said, “I wouldn’t have believed that such an angel of a man could walk this earth.”
Zalman relayed this encounter to his wife, and it made a lasting impression on her. She thought to herself, “If Ben Gurion, whom I so admire, is so inspired by the Chazon Ish, then perhaps I should be praying that my children and grandchildren grow up to be like him instead.” From that day forward, she changed the focus of her prayers. Every Friday night, as she lit her candles, she tearfully begged Hashem that her children and grandchildren should grow up to emulate the Chazon Ish. “It is these tefillot,” her grandson concluded, “that our entire family attributes our religious observance to.”
R’ Scheiner added that he, too, came from a home with very little Jewish observance. Yet, there was one practice that his mother never abandoned: the tefillah she offered when lighting Shabbat candles. Week after week, she prayed with all her heart that her son would remain loyal to Torah and mitzvot. R’ Scheiner remarked that this simple, heartfelt prayer is what he credits for the direction his life ultimately took.
Read Shabbat part 2: How Do I Prepare For Shabbat?
Excerpted from Oorah’s Torah Nuggets
Shabbat Part 1 – Sources:
1 Seforno and Ibn Ezra, Shemos 20:11
3 Ohr Hachaim in Bereishis 2:3 and Shemos 31:16
