The Jewish Nation is seen walking to and from shul carrying their precious lulavim and esrogim, and are heard singing their joyous Shabbos and Yom Tov tunes through the thin walls of their magnificent sukkahs. The beauty of Klal Yisroel shining through and on display in a very royal and majestic way, all over the world – wow! Mi K’amcha Yisroel!
When Rosh Hashanah arrives, the shofar announces its arrival along with all the new beginnings and fresh opportunities that we had hoped and prayed for the entire year. But if you listen closely, you will understand that the shofar does much more than we thought.
Shabbos has served as a weekly reminder that even though we don’t know what awaits us in the coming week, we do know that Hashem is here with us and is orchestrating the entire thing. That knowledge alone has given us the comfort and hope that we have desperately needed in order to regain our focus and to forge on another 7 days…
When we are able to recognize the good, to the point that we are able to verbalize our appreciation for it, then we have reached the levels of the Upright, the Righteous and the Devout. And when we are able to sing out in praise and in gratitude, then we have reached the holiest level of all – indeed, our very essence.
Later, when they had some quiet time to talk, Yisro said, “I was just wondering, we haven’t had more than a few moments to chat. Where are you from?”
The boy looked pained, then stared down at the floor and said softly, “Ramallah.”
Yisro’s heart skipped a beat. He was sure he’d heard the boy say “Ramallah,” a large Arab city on the West Bank. Quickly he caught himself, and then realized that he must have said Ramleh, an Israeli city. Yisro said, “Oh, I have a cousin there. Do you know Ephraim Warner? He lives on Herzl Street.”
The young man shook his head sadly. “There are no Jews in Ramallah.”
When you love someone, there is nothing that you won’t do for them. Seemingly insignificant tasks are no longer tedious but are held in the utmost import and are done with zing and flourish. Think of all the things that we do for our loved ones, spouses, children, etc. What we do for others shows the love we have for them. This is the way we must act towards Hashem, because He is our Loved One – our most Beloved.
Just as the salt of our Shabbos tables is used to enhance the taste of the delicacies before us, the choice of song is of utmost importance and must enhance the spiritual taste of our Shabbos tables.
There is a story of a young, newly married man who came to complain to Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein zt’l. He said that as much as he admonished his wife, she was never ready on time to light the Shabbos candles, and he asked for advice on how to remedy the problem. Reb Chatzkel bluntly responded, “You pick up a broom.“
Memories are a beautiful gift to us from Hashem. By being able to access the fond and warm memories of time spent together and conversations we had and simchos we shared, I can find a measure of consolation to my grief. It is the memories of Shabbos in our home that I will forever cherish…