Honoring Shabbos
On Wednesday night I just could not fall asleep. Early
Thursday morning I walked into Mea Shearim to look for an
early minyan, and I saw a number of older men walking
down a side street towards an old shtiebel. I decided
to follow them, and join their minyan.
Everything was going fine, until during the middle of
chazoras hashatz the chazan started to say
Aneinu, the tefilloh recited on a fast day. I
looked around but no one seemed surprised at the chazan's
actions. I thought to myself "Maybe it's a fast day," but
when I checked the calendar I saw that this was not the case.
What was going on here?
All of a sudden I understood what happened: I had stumbled
into a minyan of men who fasted every Monday and
Thursday. Since Thursday morning was a fast day for them,
they were reciting the tefillos of a
ta'anis.
The Shulchan Oruch writes that some individuals fast every
Monday and Thursday in mourning over the Temple's destruction
(Shulchan Oruch 580,3) Certain people fast on days
that tragic events transpired in Jewish history
(ibid., 2). There are those who have the custom to
refrain from eating for the entire month of Elul (during the
day).
Most of us have trouble fasting on the days that we are
obligated to do so. We get so weak by abstaining from eating
for a whole day that we are unable to function on a basic
level. Kabbalistic literature explains that fasting is
considered as if one is offering his entire being as a
sacrifice to Hashem. Is there anything that we can do that
parallels these fasts?
*
"Eating on Shabbos is equivalent to fasting one thousand
days" (Medrash Tanchumah, Bereishis 3). Shabbos is a
day that we are together with Hashem, and in such company the
most appropriate way to express our appreciation of His glory
is to take pleasure in the day. Glorifying Shabbos through
eating the seudas accomplishes more than fasting
during the week.
Lengthy Services
"A person should make sure to eat before the sixth hour on
Shabbos, since it is forbidden to fast on Shabbos" (Talmud
Yerushalmi, Taanis 3,11). Our Sages explain that someone
who eats after six hours from sunrise does not derive
significant benefit from his food (Shulchan Oruch
157). If one finishes his prayers after chatzos,
halachic noon, is this considered fasting on Shabbos?
Some poskim suggest that we do not count these six
hours from the sunrise, but from when one wakes up in the
morning. Aristocracy for example, who are not under pressure
to rush off to work, are accustomed to get up at the third
hour of the day, and would not be obligated to eat until
three hours after halachic noon, in between halachic noon and
night. However, refraining from eating after this time (i.e.
the ninth hour of the day) causes everyone to get hunger
pains, and is definitely considered fasting (Rashi,
Taanis 25b; Magen Avrohom 157,1).
Other poskim find a different reason to allow
tefillos to run into noon. The gemora cites an
opinion that allows one to spend the bulk of his day on
Shabbos engaged in tefilloh and Torah (Beitza
16b). According to this understanding, since one's primary
focus on Shabbos should be on spiritual endeavors, there is
room to be lenient with regard to learning or praying on
Shabbos into the afternoon (Elya Rabba 288,1;
Mishnah Berurah 288, 2).
The tefillos of Rosh Hashanah are extremely long, and
generally extend into the afternoon. Since Rosh Hashanah is
also a Yom Tov, on the Day of Judgment shouldn't we make sure
to eat earlier? Since some opinions rule that it is proper
conduct to fast on Rosh Hashanah, our Sages lengthened the
tefillos in order to push the seudah off until
the afternoon. In this way it is as if we fasted on Rosh
Hashanah (Bach 288).
Nightmares and Daydreams
"Whoever has a bad dream on Shabbos and fasts that day, will
have more oneg than if he does not fast, since his
fast has the power to annul harsh decrees and removes the
worrying about the dream" (Mordechai, Shabbos 229).
Although eating is an integral part of the mitzvah of
enjoying Shabbos, the thought that a Heavenly decree might
make this his last Shabbos can seriously reduce any pleasure
that one gets from his Shabbos seudas. Since fasting
helps calm a person about his bad dream, in this case it is
considered more enjoyable than eating.
Other Rishonim write that it is permitted to fast on Shabbos,
for only if the fast takes place on the day of the dream will
it be annulled (Tosafos). This, together with Torah,
tefilloh and teshuvoh, will insure that a harsh
Heavenly decree will not take place. The halacha is that one
may even say vidui on Shabbos (Mishnah Berurah
288,7).
However since fasting on Shabbos is a semi-transgression, one
needs to fast again on Sunday in order to atone for his fast
on Shabbos (Shulchan Oruch 288,4). The other halachos
of fasting on Shabbos are numerous, and it is worthwhile to
consult with a rov. The following story brings out some of
these dinim:
All week long Mr. Reuven Gold was involved with one of the
biggest business transactions in his life, purchasing a
company worth close to one hundred million dollars. By Friday
afternoon Mr. Gold was just about ready to complete the deal,
but he could not arrange a meeting with the other side before
Shabbos. They would just have to wait until after Shabbos to
conclude the deal.
Because of the huge figures involved and the amount to be
gained or lost if this transaction did not go through, Reuven
had not slept more than two hours any night during the week.
Friday afternoon, he collapsed on his bed, in order to get a
few minutes rest before Shabbos. He dreamt that the deal did
not go through, and woke up in a state of panic. He got out
of bed in a sweat, ran to shul, had his seudah, and
went to sleep. That night the same dream occurred, but not
only didn't the transaction materialize, Reuven even lost a
significant amount of money.
Mr. Gold woke up with a start, and spent the rest of the
night finishing sefer Tehillim -- twice. He went to
shul, came home, ate his seudah, and apprehensively
took another nap. This time to his utter dismay, he dreamt
that not only did the transaction fall apart, but he lost
every cent that he owned, and his house fell down. Reuven
jumped out of bed and decided that the time had come to pay a
visit to his spiritual guide, Rav Silver.
Mr. Gold walked into the Rabbi's study and related his
dreams. Rav Silver told Reuven that even though in most cases
we do not fast for having bad dreams on Shabbos, the fact
that the same one reoccurred three times added significance
to the dream's meaning (Shulchan Oruch 288,5).
Furthermore the Shulchan Oruch writes that there are
certain dreams that one should fast for on Shabbos, and one
of them is seeing one's house collapse (ibid.). Since
Reuven had seen his home fall down in the last dream, there
was strong reason for him to fast. Rav Silver told Reuven
that if he really felt worried about the dream and fasting
would help calm his agitation, he should fast until the end
of Shabbos.
Never having fasted on Shabbos, Reuven asked Rav Silver if
there were any special halachos that he had to be aware of.
Rav Silver thought for a second and replied that generally a
person who is fasting on Shabbos or during the week recites
the Aneinu prayer in the Shemoneh Esrei of
Minchah. However since Reuven was starting his fast
towards the end of the day he should not say this
tefilloh.
Rav Silver added that since the final dream had occurred in
the afternoon after he had completed his second Shabbos meal,
it was not sufficient to fast until sundown. Rather he should
fast until the middle of the night, calculating at least 12
hours from when he last woke up. The halochoh considers this
is if one fasted all Shabbos day (Rema 288,4).
Reuven looked at his watch and saw that it was close to six
P.M. "Rabbi" he asked, "I woke up at five-thirty. Does that
means I have to fast until five- thirty in the morning on
Sunday? When will I make Havdoloh?"
Rav Silver told Reuven that this was a good question, and he
went to check the halochoh.
After a few minutes paging through various seforim,
Rav Silver told Reuven that even though one is permitted
to make Havdoloh on Sunday, this is not the preferable
way to fulfill the mitzvah. Therefore in this case it was
permitted to end his fast at sundown, as one does on a normal
fast day (Biyur halochoh ibid.).
As Reuven was getting up to leave, the rav asked, "By any
chance were you thinking about this at any time during the
day?" Reuven poured out his soul to his rav, and told him how
much pressure he had been under from this transaction, and
how he had been worrying about the possibility of the
transaction failing all week. Rav Silver told Reuven that
since he had been thinking about this topic he did not need
to fast altogether (Mishnah Berurah 288,7).
Reuven told the rav that even though he had been thinking
about the business deal, he had not thought about his house
falling down. Perhaps he should still fast for this dream?
Rav Silver replied, "Our Sages tell us that dreams follow
their interpretations. I give you my heartfelt brochoh
that your deal should go through and I believe that the
meaning of your house-falling-down dream is that soon your
wife will give birth to a baby boy."
The next morning, to his great relief, Reuven met with the
other party and concluded his transaction. Within a year, Rav
Silver's words were fulfilled completely: the rav was asked
to be the sandek at the bris of Reuven's new baby boy!
(Mishnah Berurah 288,17 citing Medrash).
Dreaming About Others
Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (known as the Netziv) the rosh
yeshiva of the Volozhin yeshiva, often invited prominent
students to his Shabbos table. One Shabbos he invited two
young bochurim, Rav Chaim Brisker and Rav Eliezer
Rabinovitch, for the morning seudah. R. Rabinovitch
was hesitant to attend, but Rav Chaim Brisker urged him to
come, for an interesting Torah discussion would take place.
Rav Chaim explained that the Netziv would refuse to make
Kiddush, and then R. Chaim would say the fast is on me
and an argument would ensue.
R. Rabinovitch agreed to come. Just as predicted, the Netziv
asked someone else to make Kiddush. Rav Chaim piped up
that the fast was his and the two got into a heated
discussion. R. Rabinovitch looked on with amazement, thinking
to himself that R. Chaim must surely have Divine
intuition.
Rav Chaim later told R. Rabinovitch that early that morning
the Netziv had come to R. Chaim's room to check if he was all
right. The Netziv thought that R. Chaim was sleeping but
really he was awake. The Netziv then went to the bookshelves
and started to page through a number of seforim.
That morning right before the aliyah of Levi
during Krias Hatorah, the Netziv was staring
anxiously at Rav Chaim. When someone else was called up for
Levi, a very disappointed look appeared on the face of
the Netziv. Putting together all of the evidence, Rav Chaim
understood that the Netziv had dreamt that Rav Chaim would be
called up to the Torah, a dream that the Shulchan Oruch
rules that one should fast for even on Shabbos.
However, since the dream was about his student and not
himself, R. Chaim argued that it was his own obligation to
fast and not that of the Netziv. Since the halochoh dictates
that if one is not concerned with a dream it is not necessary
to fast, Rav Chaim argued that there was no obligation to
fast for this dream, and the Netziv was forbidden to fast on
Shabbos (Asufos Rabbeinu Chaim HaLevi p. 41).
The Netziv argued back that if the dream had occurred to R.
Chaim then he would have the choice to ignore it or not.
Since the message had been sent via the Netziv, it was his
responsibility to do everything in his power to try and annul
the potential Divine decree. Fasting on Shabbos was included
in the obligation, "Not to stand idly by one's brothers
blood." Hashem is infinitely merciful and would accept his
fasting even on Shabbos (Responsa Meishiv Dovor 1,25;
see Mishnah Berurah 288,6).
Spared Punishment
"Eating on Shabbos is equivalent to fasting one thousand
days" (Medrash Tanchumah, Bereishis 3). For most
families, the Shabbos seudas are one of the most
enjoyable aspects of the entire week. We can only react with
sheer amazement and wonder to this comparison to eating on
Shabbos and fasting one thousand times!
"Teshuvoh, tefilloh, and tzedokoh can annul
an evil decree (Tefillos Rosh Hashanah)." Some
commentators explain that teshuvoh refers to fasting.
At times of crisis some individuals will accept fasts upon
themselves, in hope that this gesture will spare them from
harm (Shulchan Oruch 569,1).
Anyone who fulfills his obligation to eat three seudas
on Shabbos will be saved from three devastating
punishments: the pains that will accompany the coming of
Moshiach, the judgment of Gehennom, and the war
of Gog and Magog (Shabbos 118a). There is no greater
suffering than these three situations. Since the Shabbos
seudas spare one from these tribulations, fulfilling them
properly is viewed as if one fasted at least one thousand
times.
The Medrash adds that honoring Shabbos is a Torah obligation
while Ta'anis is only Rabbinic (see Sha'ar HaTziyon
242,1). In the merit of fulfilling the mitzvah of the
Shabbos seudas with the respect that they deserve, may
we be spared from any suffering that might cause us to fast,
and may we see complete redemption from all of our
tribulations speedily.
Honoring Shabbos
On Wednesday night I just could not fall asleep. Early
Thursday morning I walked into Mea Shearim to look for an
early minyan, and I saw a number of older men walking
down a side street towards an old shtiebel. I decided
to follow them, and join their minyan.
Everything was going fine, until during the middle of
chazoras hashatz the chazan started to say
Aneinu, the tefilloh recited on a fast day. I
looked around but no one seemed surprised at the chazan's
actions. I thought to myself "Maybe it's a fast day," but
when I checked the calendar I saw that this was not the case.
What was going on here?
All of a sudden I understood what happened: I had stumbled
into a minyan of men who fasted every Monday and
Thursday. Since Thursday morning was a fast day for them,
they were reciting the tefillos of a
ta'anis.
The Shulchan Oruch writes that some individuals fast every
Monday and Thursday in mourning over the Temple's destruction
(Shulchan Oruch 580,3) Certain people fast on days
that tragic events transpired in Jewish history
(ibid., 2). There are those who have the custom to
refrain from eating for the entire month of Elul (during the
day).
Most of us have trouble fasting on the days that we are
obligated to do so. We get so weak by abstaining from eating
for a whole day that we are unable to function on a basic
level. Kabbalistic literature explains that fasting is
considered as if one is offering his entire being as a
sacrifice to Hashem. Is there anything that we can do that
parallels these fasts?
*
"Eating on Shabbos is equivalent to fasting one thousand
days" (Medrash Tanchumah, Bereishis 3). Shabbos is a
day that we are together with Hashem, and in such company the
most appropriate way to express our appreciation of His glory
is to take pleasure in the day. Glorifying Shabbos through
eating the seudas accomplishes more than fasting
during the week.
Lengthy Services
"A person should make sure to eat before the sixth hour on
Shabbos, since it is forbidden to fast on Shabbos" (Talmud
Yerushalmi, Taanis 3,11). Our Sages explain that someone
who eats after six hours from sunrise does not derive
significant benefit from his food (Shulchan Oruch
157). If one finishes his prayers after chatzos,
halachic noon, is this considered fasting on Shabbos?
Some poskim suggest that we do not count these six
hours from the sunrise, but from when one wakes up in the
morning. Aristocracy for example, who are not under pressure
to rush off to work, are accustomed to get up at the third
hour of the day, and would not be obligated to eat until
three hours after halachic noon, in between halachic noon and
night. However, refraining from eating after this time (i.e.
the ninth hour of the day) causes everyone to get hunger
pains, and is definitely considered fasting (Rashi,
Taanis 25b; Magen Avrohom 157,1).
Other poskim find a different reason to allow
tefillos to run into noon. The gemora cites an
opinion that allows one to spend the bulk of his day on
Shabbos engaged in tefilloh and Torah (Beitza
16b). According to this understanding, since one's primary
focus on Shabbos should be on spiritual endeavors, there is
room to be lenient with regard to learning or praying on
Shabbos into the afternoon (Elya Rabba 288,1;
Mishnah Berurah 288, 2).
The tefillos of Rosh Hashanah are extremely long, and
generally extend into the afternoon. Since Rosh Hashanah is
also a Yom Tov, on the Day of Judgment shouldn't we make sure
to eat earlier? Since some opinions rule that it is proper
conduct to fast on Rosh Hashanah, our Sages lengthened the
tefillos in order to push the seudah off until
the afternoon. In this way it is as if we fasted on Rosh
Hashanah (Bach 288).
Nightmares and Daydreams
"Whoever has a bad dream on Shabbos and fasts that day, will
have more oneg than if he does not fast, since his
fast has the power to annul harsh decrees and removes the
worrying about the dream" (Mordechai, Shabbos 229).
Although eating is an integral part of the mitzvah of
enjoying Shabbos, the thought that a Heavenly decree might
make this his last Shabbos can seriously reduce any pleasure
that one gets from his Shabbos seudas. Since fasting
helps calm a person about his bad dream, in this case it is
considered more enjoyable than eating.
Other Rishonim write that it is permitted to fast on Shabbos,
for only if the fast takes place on the day of the dream will
it be annulled (Tosafos). This, together with Torah,
tefilloh and teshuvoh, will insure that a harsh
Heavenly decree will not take place. The halacha is that one
may even say vidui on Shabbos (Mishnah Berurah
288,7).
However since fasting on Shabbos is a semi-transgression, one
needs to fast again on Sunday in order to atone for his fast
on Shabbos (Shulchan Oruch 288,4). The other halachos
of fasting on Shabbos are numerous, and it is worthwhile to
consult with a rov. The following story brings out some of
these dinim:
All week long Mr. Reuven Gold was involved with one of the
biggest business transactions in his life, purchasing a
company worth close to one hundred million dollars. By Friday
afternoon Mr. Gold was just about ready to complete the deal,
but he could not arrange a meeting with the other side before
Shabbos. They would just have to wait until after Shabbos to
conclude the deal.
Because of the huge figures involved and the amount to be
gained or lost if this transaction did not go through, Reuven
had not slept more than two hours any night during the week.
Friday afternoon, he collapsed on his bed, in order to get a
few minutes rest before Shabbos. He dreamt that the deal did
not go through, and woke up in a state of panic. He got out
of bed in a sweat, ran to shul, had his seudah, and
went to sleep. That night the same dream occurred, but not
only didn't the transaction materialize, Reuven even lost a
significant amount of money.
Mr. Gold woke up with a start, and spent the rest of the
night finishing sefer Tehillim -- twice. He went to
shul, came home, ate his seudah, and apprehensively
took another nap. This time to his utter dismay, he dreamt
that not only did the transaction fall apart, but he lost
every cent that he owned, and his house fell down. Reuven
jumped out of bed and decided that the time had come to pay a
visit to his spiritual guide, Rav Silver.
Mr. Gold walked into the Rabbi's study and related his
dreams. Rav Silver told Reuven that even though in most cases
we do not fast for having bad dreams on Shabbos, the fact
that the same one reoccurred three times added significance
to the dream's meaning (Shulchan Oruch 288,5).
Furthermore the Shulchan Oruch writes that there are
certain dreams that one should fast for on Shabbos, and one
of them is seeing one's house collapse (ibid.). Since
Reuven had seen his home fall down in the last dream, there
was strong reason for him to fast. Rav Silver told Reuven
that if he really felt worried about the dream and fasting
would help calm his agitation, he should fast until the end
of Shabbos.
Never having fasted on Shabbos, Reuven asked Rav Silver if
there were any special halachos that he had to be aware of.
Rav Silver thought for a second and replied that generally a
person who is fasting on Shabbos or during the week recites
the Aneinu prayer in the Shemoneh Esrei of
Minchah. However since Reuven was starting his fast
towards the end of the day he should not say this
tefilloh.
Rav Silver added that since the final dream had occurred in
the afternoon after he had completed his second Shabbos meal,
it was not sufficient to fast until sundown. Rather he should
fast until the middle of the night, calculating at least 12
hours from when he last woke up. The halochoh considers this
is if one fasted all Shabbos day (Rema 288,4).
Reuven looked at his watch and saw that it was close to six
P.M. "Rabbi" he asked, "I woke up at five-thirty. Does that
means I have to fast until five- thirty in the morning on
Sunday? When will I make Havdoloh?"
Rav Silver told Reuven that this was a good question, and he
went to check the halochoh.
After a few minutes paging through various seforim,
Rav Silver told Reuven that even though one is permitted
to make Havdoloh on Sunday, this is not the preferable
way to fulfill the mitzvah. Therefore in this case it was
permitted to end his fast at sundown, as one does on a normal
fast day (Biyur halochoh ibid.).
As Reuven was getting up to leave, the rav asked, "By any
chance were you thinking about this at any time during the
day?" Reuven poured out his soul to his rav, and told him how
much pressure he had been under from this transaction, and
how he had been worrying about the possibility of the
transaction failing all week. Rav Silver told Reuven that
since he had been thinking about this topic he did not need
to fast altogether (Mishnah Berurah 288,7).
Reuven told the rav that even though he had been thinking
about the business deal, he had not thought about his house
falling down. Perhaps he should still fast for this dream?
Rav Silver replied, "Our Sages tell us that dreams follow
their interpretations. I give you my heartfelt brochoh
that your deal should go through and I believe that the
meaning of your house-falling-down dream is that soon your
wife will give birth to a baby boy."
The next morning, to his great relief, Reuven met with the
other party and concluded his transaction. Within a year, Rav
Silver's words were fulfilled completely: the rav was asked
to be the sandek at the bris of Reuven's new baby boy!
(Mishnah Berurah 288,17 citing Medrash).
Dreaming About Others
Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (known as the Netziv) the rosh
yeshiva of the Volozhin yeshiva, often invited prominent
students to his Shabbos table. One Shabbos he invited two
young bochurim, Rav Chaim Brisker and Rav Eliezer
Rabinovitch, for the morning seudah. R. Rabinovitch
was hesitant to attend, but Rav Chaim Brisker urged him to
come, for an interesting Torah discussion would take place.
Rav Chaim explained that the Netziv would refuse to make
Kiddush, and then R. Chaim would say the fast is on me
and an argument would ensue.
R. Rabinovitch agreed to come. Just as predicted, the Netziv
asked someone else to make Kiddush. Rav Chaim piped up
that the fast was his and the two got into a heated
discussion. R. Rabinovitch looked on with amazement, thinking
to himself that R. Chaim must surely have Divine
intuition.
Rav Chaim later told R. Rabinovitch that early that morning
the Netziv had come to R. Chaim's room to check if he was all
right. The Netziv thought that R. Chaim was sleeping but
really he was awake. The Netziv then went to the bookshelves
and started to page through a number of seforim.
That morning right before the aliyah of Levi
during Krias Hatorah, the Netziv was staring
anxiously at Rav Chaim. When someone else was called up for
Levi, a very disappointed look appeared on the face of
the Netziv. Putting together all of the evidence, Rav Chaim
understood that the Netziv had dreamt that Rav Chaim would be
called up to the Torah, a dream that the Shulchan Oruch
rules that one should fast for even on Shabbos.
However, since the dream was about his student and not
himself, R. Chaim argued that it was his own obligation to
fast and not that of the Netziv. Since the halochoh dictates
that if one is not concerned with a dream it is not necessary
to fast, Rav Chaim argued that there was no obligation to
fast for this dream, and the Netziv was forbidden to fast on
Shabbos (Asufos Rabbeinu Chaim HaLevi p. 41).
The Netziv argued back that if the dream had occurred to R.
Chaim then he would have the choice to ignore it or not.
Since the message had been sent via the Netziv, it was his
responsibility to do everything in his power to try and annul
the potential Divine decree. Fasting on Shabbos was included
in the obligation, "Not to stand idly by one's brothers
blood." Hashem is infinitely merciful and would accept his
fasting even on Shabbos (Responsa Meishiv Dovor 1,25;
see Mishnah Berurah 288,6).
Spared Punishment
"Eating on Shabbos is equivalent to fasting one thousand
days" (Medrash Tanchumah, Bereishis 3). For most
families, the Shabbos seudas are one of the most
enjoyable aspects of the entire week. We can only react with
sheer amazement and wonder to this comparison to eating on
Shabbos and fasting one thousand times!
"Teshuvoh, tefilloh, and tzedokoh can annul
an evil decree (Tefillos Rosh Hashanah)." Some
commentators explain that teshuvoh refers to fasting.
At times of crisis some individuals will accept fasts upon
themselves, in hope that this gesture will spare them from
harm (Shulchan Oruch 569,1).
Anyone who fulfills his obligation to eat three seudas
on Shabbos will be saved from three devastating
punishments: the pains that will accompany the coming of
Moshiach, the judgment of Gehennom, and the war
of Gog and Magog (Shabbos 118a). There is no greater
suffering than these three situations. Since the Shabbos
seudas spare one from these tribulations, fulfilling them
properly is viewed as if one fasted at least one thousand
times.
The Medrash adds that honoring Shabbos is a Torah obligation
while Ta'anis is only Rabbinic (see Sha'ar HaTziyon
242,1). In the merit of fulfilling the mitzvah of the
Shabbos seudas with the respect that they deserve, may
we be spared from any suffering that might cause us to fast,
and may we see complete redemption from all of our
tribulations speedily.
