Timeless Torah

The immediate prelude to the Sin of the Golden Calf is, “To make the Shabbos throughout their generations…It is an eternal sign between Me and the Children of Israel.” The discerning reader must wonder: What is the connection between Shabbos and the Golden Calf that renders the former the introduction to the latter?
Reconciling a Jewish People involved with idolatry only forty days after the Revelation at Sinai, is always troublesome. How did the impact of, “You shall have no other gods,” evaporate so quickly?

One explanation (of many) is that the prophetic encounter the nation experienced at the giving of the Ten Commandments was akin to a gift. We all recognize that attainments earned after years of hard work are valued and treasured, while free bequests granted for minimal effort are more likely to be lost and squandered. Witness the lottery winners who fritter away their prize money or the children who dissipate their inheritance.

Shabbos remedies the mindset of those who do not appreciate receiving a wonderful gift. As with a priceless work of art, we are well advised not to disturb it. Not to fix it, but let it be; to sit back and appreciate it. Similarly, we are asked to behold the awe and majesty of Shabbos; pure holiness already assembled.

True, we can enhance Shabbos with fine foods and special clothing, but the biggest benefit is to be gained by not spoiling its already pristine state of sanctity. In that way, Shabbos is the pre-delivered cure for the root problem of the Golden Calf, which suggests our belief that we can improve upon G-d’s system of communicating with the Divine. Through the discipline of guarding Shabbos - in weekly installments - we are meant to gradually master the fine art of keeping the ‘holy’ holy!
Another facet of this command is the term, “an eternal sign.” Imagine opening a business. You find a good location, and prominently hang a sign for all to see. As long as your sign is hanging, all can assume that you are still in business. However, should the sign be removed, it probably means you’re bankrupt.

Shabbos is a sign. As long as the sign is prominent our belief in G-d is still strong. For Shabbos is our way of demonstrating that (A) not only G-d created the world, but (B) He’s still in charge.

To the uninitiated, Shabbos may seem like a time of great restriction. But to those who observe the Holy Day these same constraints create an environment where we can reflect on who we are and recharge. Indeed, the busier a person is and the more pressing his obligations; the more necessary Shabbos is. It forces us to realize that our work is not our life.

This is especially true today, when the tendency to define who we are is by what we do: I am a doctor, a storeowner, an engineer, etc. In the Book of Jonah, the prophet rejects these as peripheral to his real identity. Thus, when the sailors cast lots to see who was causing the storm threatening the ship, and the lot fell to Jonah, they asked him, “What is your work, and where do you come from? What is your land…?” He simply answered “Ivri anochi - I am a Hebrew.” Everything else is unimportant.

We are not yet done examining the verse. The phrase, “Throughout their (dorosom) generations, ” is written in such a way that it could also be read, Throughout their (dirosom) dwellings.” According to the Talmud this means that the spirit of Shabbos can be felt in the entire household. Shabbos changes the way families interact. Parents and children enjoy each other’s company, uninterrupted by calls and looming deadlines. No one who experiences this emerges unaffected.
In too many homes, the sign has come down. To some, Judaism seems to be going out of business. But a Shabbos meal is something every one of us can do. And no generation needs a weekly vacation more than ours. So post the sign. Surprising profits are awaiting you and your family.

For the novice, Shabbos does not have to be an all- or-nothing venture: “If I’m not willing to observe Shabbos for 25 hours, then it’s not worthwhile to observe it for 25 minutes.” This is not true. The Talmud alludes to this when it teaches that a man who comes home from the synagogue on Friday night is accompanied by two angels, one good and one evil. If when they reach the house and find that (A) the candles are lit, (B) the table is set, and (C) the beds are made (meaning, the house is ready), then the good angel says, “May it be His will that it be so for another Shabbos,” and the bad angel is forced to answer, “Amen.”

These few words reveal the tremendous value in lighting candles at a set table and sitting down together as a Jewish family, regardless of what happens later. A Shabbos family dinner works. It has been effective, “for all generations,” and, “for all homes.”

With this we can understand the Biblical expression, “To make the Shabbos.” / Staying home from work and enjoying your family can prove quite advantageous. As multi-billionaire Warren Buffet says, “I make more money when I am asleep than when I am awake.”