Accepting Shabbos Early
Anticipating the Day
Shabbos is the most coveted of all days as we say in the Shemoneh Esrei of Shabbos chemdas ha’yamim, most coveted of days.[1] It is a day we must look forward to.[2] This is another meaning in shamor es yom ha’Shabbos,[3] to anticipate Shabbos, as shamor can mean to anticipate as in v’aviv shamar es ha’davar, Yaakov looked forward to when it would come true.[4] In a similar fashion, the Ohr Hachaim interprets v’shamru Bnei Yisrael es ha’Shabbos.[5] For this reason, we say every day in the Shir Shel Yom, hayom yom…b’Shabbos.[6]
The gemara[7] tells us that in regard to bringing in Shabbos, the more we advance it, the better, as it shows we cherish Shabbos. Indeed, we sing in Friday night zemiros umimaharim lavo, rush to enter Shabbos.[8] This shows that Shabbos is beloved by him. The Shem Eliezer comments on byom ha’Shabbos byom ha’Shabbos ya’archenu,[9] that the two times it mentions yom ha’Shabbos they refer to Shabbos and Tosefes (adding onto) Shabbos. When we do this, ya’archenu — it shows that we value Shabbos.
Here is an amazing story to close with. After many years of being childless, a couple was finally blessed with a child. However, their excitement soon faded as they were informed that the baby boy was born with a hole in his heart that was threatening his life. All the top doctors they went to didn’t help. The parents then traveled to the Chofetz Chaim. The grandson that was attending to the Chofetz Chaim told his grandfather the story of the infant boy with a hole in his heart and the danger the baby is facing. The Chofetz Chaim told them, “I don’t know why you traveled so far to ask me for a bracha as Shabbos is the source of bracha. Accept upon yourself to start Shabbos a bit earlier, glorify the Shabbos a bit more than usual and you will receive the blessing you need from Shabbos itself.”[10] The parents followed the advice and with Hashem’s help the child was healed.
[1] Incidentally, we say in kedusha on Shabbos (Mussaf), “ayeih mekom kevodo…, where is the place of His glory…?” The answer is Shabbos, as ayeih is an acronym for es yom ha’Shabbos (Shemos 20:8).
[2] See Rambam, Hilchos Shabbos 30:2. Concerning playing chess on Shabbos, R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Yoreh Deah, 3:15:2) writes that really it is not forbidden if one gets pleasure from it. Still, it is surely better not to play because of v’dabeir davar (Yeshaya 58:13), your speech on Shabbos should not be like your speech on weekdays (See Shabbos 113). Also, sometimes the one who loses is upset and then it is surely forbidden (See also the Minchas Yitzchak 3:33:1 where he discourages chess).
[3] Devarim 5:12.
[4] Breishis 37:11. Siduro Shel Shabbos, Volume 2, 4:1:15. Tangentially, R’ Chananel (died in 1055) writes that R’ Chanina would dance when bringing in Shabbos (Baba Kamma 32a).
[5] Shemos 31:16. We know that Shabbos is likened to olam haba, the world to come (see Brachos 57b). The Chidushai Harim makes a comparison: Just as the next world is after one exits this world, likewise Shabbos comes after one leaves the weekday completely.
[6] See Ramban Shemos 20:8.
[7] Pesachim 105b.
[8] The Baal Haturim (to Shemos 16:23) tells us an allusion to the idea of adding from the weekday to Shabbos both before and after Shabbos. It says Shabbason Shabbos kodesh (Shemos 16:23) where the word Shabbos precedes kodesh while in another place it is in the reverse as it says yihyeh lachem kodesh Shabbos Shabbason l’Hashem (Shemos 35:2). There the word kodesh precedes the word Shabbos. These indicate that we add to Shabbos when it begins and when it ends.
[9] Vayikra 24:8. The simple meaning is that each and every Shabbos he should arrange the lechem hapanim.
Rabbi Yehoshua Alt
Author of four books including the recently released “Amazing Shabbos Insights”.
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