Don't Let Go
לזכר נשמות לאה שושנה בת אהרן ריעדער מורינו ר׳ צבי הערש בן ר׳ ניסן חיים מורינו ר׳ ישעי בן ר׳ משה ר׳ יעקב בן ר׳ שמואל יוסף מ׳ חוה רבקה בת ר׳ שמעון ריעדער
Based on Nefesh Shimshon by Rav Shimshon Pincus, zt”l
The world can seem like a dark place, but those who bring Hashem into their lives through Shabbos can experience a world filled with light.
Chazal tell us how Yosef HaTzaddik would daven and mention Hashem’s name as he went abut his regular daily activities. He was with Hashem all the time and had tremendous siyata D'Shmaya because of that.
To go through life without Hashem is a dark and depressing experience.
Tomorrow is an unknown for us all: what will the future bring? In Eichah, there is a passuk that says, “to their mothers they will say, where is grain and wine?”
Children under siege conditions shouldn’t be asking for delicacies, they should ask for water. But that was what they were used to drinking. The destruction had come upon them so swiftly, they didn’t have time to get used to lower expectations.
Rav Shimshon Pincus shares an experience he had during the Six Day War. War was about to break out and everyone was so afraid. “It was two months after I got married and I wasn’t afraid,” he said. “I’m American, I can board a plane get out
whenever I need.” But his wife needed a passport.
So he headed to the Ministry of Interiors in Jerusalem to get her a passport.
“The clerk told me to get out of Israel as soon as I could. He promised to do a rush job on the passport. Then he looked at my papers and said, ‘Wait, your files are in Tel Aviv, I can't help you.’”
Rav Shimshon’s father contacted senators and diplomats and the next day, he had a passport for his wife. And the same day… war broke out.
“I couldn't believe it,” Rav Shimshon said. “I had thought I was safe. I was an American citizen! Now everything was different. I was stuck here with everyone else.”
To their mothers they said where is grain and wine?
Only yesterday they were drinking wine, and today, they didn’t even have bread and water.
The wisest man, Shlomo HaMelech, declared, “What has been is what will be.”
People are worried that dangers lie ahead.
Our antidote to the worry? Grab hold of Hashem and don’t let go! Your life won’t be a worried one but a happy one.
I found the One my soul loves, I took hold of Him and I won't let go.
If you are holding onto Hashem, you have nothing to worry about.
We all meet Hashem three times a day.
Don’t just go through the routine of davening. Seize the opportunity! Grab onto Him! You’ll see how far reaching His kindness is. The ultimate meeting with Hashem is on Shabbos. Then He smiles and is extra benevolent. He greets us with a kiss. On a regular day, we bring a “korban chatas.” On Shabbos, there is no offering for our sins. There is no sin! Shabbos has only Mussaf. Because it doesn’t matter who you are, Hashem treats you like a tzaddik.
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Let’s Reflect:
How can we utilize the special day of Shabbos, when Hashem views us as sin free? Can we use the day to grow closer to Him? Maybe putting extra kavanah in the tefillos, or if we rarely have time to daven, finding a slot for a Mussaf Shemoneh Esreh or to daven brachos out loud. If Hashem is treating us like we are great, let’s rise to meet that from where we are!
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Getting Ready
There is a practical way to merit the kedushah of Shabbos. We just need to properly greet Shabbos when it arrives. Unfortunately, we’re usually in a massive rush when Shabbos approaches.
Why is it so hard?
It’s not just time mismanagement – there’s a spiritual reason for the rushing.
We usually start early in the morning, yet can still barely manage.
What is going on here?
It’s written that all the forces of evil that plague us all week disappear when Shabbos comes in.
The yetzer hara knows that it's out of a job for 24 hours of Shabbos, so it works hard and makes an extra effort beforehand.
But that’s exactly our opportunity to tap into the tremendous potential of Shabbos.
However we go into Shabbos, that will be how it continues.
So when Shabbos comes in, grab onto Hashem with all your strength.
Think about Shabbos all the 24 hours through: I found the One my soul loves
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Let’s Reflect:
How can we hold onto Hashem? Just remember that Shabbos is His day. Look at the flowers, think how they're l'kavod Shabbos. That piece of chocolate? Eaten in honor of Shabbos? The meats and salads? For Shabbos. It’s Hashem’s meal, on His cheshbon. You are His guest, enjoy yourself!
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