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It’s a mitzvah to do things specifically in honor of Shabbos. Some things are easy – setting the table, wearing special clothes, etc. But then there are stories about how people prepare the entire week, whether with food, or other things. I’ve been trying to get to the point where I do things specifically for Shabbos, but it’s extremely difficult.
For example, someone bought me a Romanian salami from Chicago. For those who don’t know, Romanian makes some of the best quality stuff out there, and their salamis are really, really good. So I had this salami, and I wanted to eat some of it. But, I stopped myself, and kept it until Shabbos. Did I do it in honor of Shabbos? I wasn’t thinking that as Shabbos approached. I was thinking of the delicious food I’d eat. But I figured that it’s a step in the right direction.
When I’m helping my wife cook for Shabbos, I sing Carlebach’s song “L’kavod Shabbos”, to remind myself of the reason I’m cooking.
Can anyone offer some tips on how to really do things just in honor of Shabbos, and not, as a Rebbe of mine used to say, “l’chvoid my boich!”? I can channel my inner Wolf and call myself a sheigetz for not doing things lishma, but I won’t do that – I just want to improve. (Sorry Wolf, I couldn’t resist – which probably makes me doubly a sheigetz!)
Anyway, have a Shabbat Shalom everyone!!!
” But I figured that it’s a step in the right direction”
Wow. More like a space flight out of the solar system in the right direction!
I’ve also heard of that Rabbi who mocked and said “l’chvoid my boich”. Wrong. Wrong. And again, WRONG!!!
In halacha it says when doing, preparing something for Shabbos, one should say “Lekavod Shabbos Kodesh” (don’t know where, sources, anyone?) That uplifts the actions, and indeed turns the mundane into something of holiness.
We are bidden by the Torah to eat, rest, enjoy ourselves, on the holy day. ????? ???? ????. And that is Kavod Shabbos. We are enjoying ourselves (or as a baser person would say “our boich”), because that is how HaShem enjoined us to. That in itself is Kavod HaSHem and His Shabbos. Of course there are more sublime levels, as there are to anything related to holiness, but that in itself is something of great importance. To have in mind we are enjoying ourselves because we are doing Ratzon HaBorei. Our souls too have a much greater oppertunity to be in sync with HaShem and His Torah, levels of Kedusha, when the body is in a state of serene, rest, peacefulness.
Read what Rabbi Miller ztatzal (Yahtzeit this week) has to say about this subject!
I think having Romanian salami or deli is the epitome of oneg shabbos.
Other examples: singing zemiros at the table, saying divrei torah at the table, reading all the shabbos bulletins from all the different places that accumulate at shul, going to shiurim and classes, bikur cholim visits (On the UWS, OZ has a group that leaves from in front of the shul and walks over to Mt. Sinai), going to a Friday night oneg shabbos/tisch in the winter months, where people have nosh and mashke and sing and say divrei torah, shabbos afternoon walks and a nap, a nice shalosh seudos, learning with your children if you have kids, doing chazora on your learning from the week, etc.
I think shuls should organize more activities for shabbos.
DaMoshe:
Can anyone offer some tips on how to really do things just in honor of Shabbos, and not, as a Rebbe of mine used to say, “l’chvoid my boich!”?
Just an idea, but maybe try to learn more about the ideals that Shabbos represents, and about what it is that we’re celebrating with all of this food and drink. Then you’ll be able to honor the concepts of Shabbos, not just the practices.
Read Nefesh Shimshon on Shabbos/ Rabbi Dovid Meisels’ Shabbos Secrets.
Bikkur cholim should not scheduled specifically and exclusively for Shabbos, according to halacha.
Re “taking a walk”: See Zichru Torath Moshe, Chapter 10, about those people whose evil inclination entices to take ‘walks’ supposedly in honor of Shabbos.
Rav Miller zatzal also has some nice Torah about the greatness of Shabbos.
About the salami – what you did was an act of piety (to save it for Shabbos). From the letter of the law, you could have eaten it during the week. So probably a step in the right direction.
I’ve also heard of that Rabbi who mocked and said “l’chvoid my boich”.
I don’t believe that was ever anyone’s intention. As I understood
that story, it was meant to tell other people that they should not
think the Rebbe is on the level of doing things for the sake of
Shabbos and not the sake of his own gratification. (Or, in a sharper interpretation, to teach that just because one says
“l’kavod Shabbos” does not mean his motives are pure, and perhaps
a different declaration would be in order for honesty’s sake –
there is also a story of the Sfas Emes telling a grandson that
it is enough to think “l’kavod Shabbos” – it need not be spoken.)
I humbly disagree. Any amount of intention of Kovod Shabbos is in itself a meritorious act. The fact that one enjoys himself too, is HaShem’s great kindness, he lets us eat the cake too. And enjoy ourselves!! But Kavod Shabbos it is!!
Nothing is “beyond the level” of doing HaShem’s mitzvohs. (would he say he’s not on the level of putting on tefillin?)
And I think that saying, yes – verbally saying out “Lekavod Shabbos” is important. You may not have to SHOUT, but saying it creates the spiritual essence it was intended to. Mere thinking, while to a degree potent, is not as powerful as going verbal. (never heard of that story, maybe because he only thought it)
This issue is actually recorded in the midrash (Mekhilta, Ex. 20:7) as a difference of opinion between Beis Hillel and Beis Shammai (Beis Shammai behaved as you suggested, though with verbalization as others have noted).
The Mishna Berurah (250:2) clarifies the dispute and suggests that Beis Hillel wasn’t entirely opposed to the position of Beis Shammai.
What if I’m doing something that is l’kavod Shabbos, but not this Shabbos? Is it really a kavod for Shabbos, or is it a bizayon for Shabbos since I’m not using it this Shabbos?
Example:
I bought a new platter to use in my home for Shabbos. However, this coming Shabbos, I’m invited away for all meals and won’t have the opportunity to use it. Is it disrespectful to the coming Shabbos that I’m skipping it in favor of the next one, or is it all fine and well?
The Wolf
If there’s another issue, let me know and I’ll tell the chevra from OZ they’re wrong.
We’re noheg that there’s no issue of doing bikur cholim on shabbos. likewise there is no issue of doing Bikur Cholim on Yom ha’Atzma’ut, and wishing the Choleh/Choloh a Yom ha’Atzma’ut Sameach. Bringing an Israeli flag to a Choleh/Choloh who already is missing all the usual Yom ha’Atzma’ut festivities, would surely uplift his/her spirits.
If the choleh was a Zionist, I don’t see why not.
I bought a new platter to use in my home for Shabbos. However, this coming Shabbos, I’m invited away for all meals and won’t have the opportunity to use it. Is it disrespectful to the coming Shabbos that I’m skipping it in favor of the next one, or is it all fine and well?
You mean, should you wait until after this Shabbos (when you
will not have the opportunity to use the item) to buy it?
I don’t think so, but you could ask a rav.
(As for whether you would say “l’kavod Shabbos” when making the purchase, I’m not confident you would say it even for this Shabbos.)
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