In the Company of Hashem
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
It says the Sages barely allowed others to greet each other on Shabbos. Why? Because when you’re in the company of a powerful king, you do not greet your passing friends.
How do we create this lofty sense of being in Hashem’s presence?
We don’t have to create it – it already exists.
All we have to do is remember that today is Shabbos. Our table should be a Shabbos table. We need to recognize Who is at that table. We sing “Askinu seudasa… d’Atika Kadashah — We have prepared a meal; this is the meal of the Holy Ancient One.”
This is the precious gift we look forward to receiving from Shabbos: this is the wealth that Shabbos Kodesh bestows upon us – that we can really truly understand the wonderful fact that Hashem exists. We can spend time with Him, sit at His table, partake in His food.
Shabbos showers us with gifts that during the week are so hard to obtain: emunah, bitachon, ahavas Hashem, yiras Hashem. All the facets of relating to Hashem are within our grasp on Shabbos.
All we have to do is take advantage. That’s why Shabbos is ma'ayan haberachos, the fountain of blessing.
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Let’s Reflect:
How can we remember that we are sitting at Hashem’s table? What conversations will take place at this table, what sort of table settings will be used? Will it all reflect on the fact that the King of all Kings sits amongst us?
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On Shabbos there are no requests — just a relationship
Among the special halachos of Shabbos is the prohibition to pray for the sick on Shabbos. We don’t daven for refuah unless the situation is very serious. Chazal say “Shabbos is not a day for crying, and the healing will arrive quickly… Shabbos is capable of showing compassion. Shabbos can save us from trouble and sickness. There is a story of a very successful meshulach. Before approaching a donor, he would ask around about the man’s history and family, etc. then he would sit down and converse with the wealthy man. The man would eventually ask the meshulach if he came for anything specific. The meshulach would say, “Not really, but it was nice talking to you. Maybe I’ll come again. He would do this several times, and when all was said and done, he’d walk out with $1,800 donation instead of $18.
This is actually what we do on Shabbos. We speak with Hashem at length, but we don’t ask for anything — not for refuah and not for parnasah. We only want a relationship. We take out a Chumash or Tehillim or gemara. And then after Shabbos, we say to Hashem: we have a relationship, correct? So can You please heal so and so? It’s so important to me.”
Through our Shabbos relationship, we gain the opportunity to ask for anything all week long.
But making requests on Shabbos spoils everything. Shabbos is a happy day. We dress nicely, serve fancy food, behave in a festive spirit.
It’s easier than we think: remember today is Shabbos and Hashem will shower us with all of his blessings.
And the greatest blessing? To come away with a real relationship with Hashem
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Let’s Reflect:
How can we ensure we have a true relationship with Hashem?
Let’s use Shabbos to build a happy, loving relationship. Daven, sing, ensure our interactions with the Ribono shel Olam are pleasant and calm. And that way we put out the candle by Havdalah knowing that we are walking way with something genuine, that we’ve built.
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