Class 7 - Kol Mekadesh Shevi'i: Sanctifiers of the Seventh, Unite!

All who sanctify the Seventh as it deserves,

All who protect the Sabbath according to its law from breakers.

His reward is very great, correspondent to his act,

Each according to his camp, each according to his flag:

God-lovers, who hope for the building of Ariel,

On the Sabbath day they celebrate like those who received the gift of Nahaliel.

Also their hands lift up the holy, and they say to God,

"Blessed is the LORD who gave rest to his people Israel.":

God-seekers, progeny of Abraham his beloved,

Who delay leaving the Sabbath, and hurry to enter it.

Who are happy to keep it, and to make its eruv,

"This is the day which the LORD made, let us celebrate on it!":

Recall the Law of Moses, which records the Sabbath commandment!,

Set for the seventh day, like a bride arranged between her maids.

The pure ones inherit her, and sanctify her by retelling all which she did,

"And God completed on the seventh day the work which he did.":

A holy day is it, from its coming to its departure,

All progeny of Jacob will glorify it, per royal decree.

To rest on it and to celebrate its pleasures, to eat and drink,

"All the gathering of Israel will do this.":

Disburse your kindness to those who know you, O jealous and vengeful god,

Guards of the seventh day, who establish "Recall" and "Keep".

Celebrate in the building of Salem, make them shine with the radiance of your face,

"They will overflow with the abundance of your houses, and with your delicious spring you will water them.":

Help those who rest on the seventh, planting and harvest, forever,

Taking a small step, eating so as to bless three times.

Their righteousness shines like the light of the seven days,

"LORD god of Israel, give a sign!":

Sanctify them with you commandments, and make them as pure as the very sky,

Let your spirit give them rest like a beast descending to the plain from a peak.

Settle their tribes in the territory of the moon,

"Like groves they will spread, like gardens by the river.":

As for the foreigners who are joined to GOD, to render service, and to love GOD’s name, to be devoted servants—All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it, and who hold fast to My covenant— I will bring them to My sacred mount and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be welcome on My altar; for My House shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

...The Hekhal was narrow behind and broad in front, resembling a lion...Just as a lion is narrow behind and broad in front, so the Hekhal was narrow behind and broad in front.

The Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta, Sota 15:11): When the Temple was destroyed a second time, there was an increase in the number of ascetics among the Jews, whose practice was to not eat meat and to not drink wine. Rabbi Yehoshua joined them to discuss their practice. He said to them: My children, for what reason do you not eat meat and do you not drink wine? They said to him: Shall we eat meat, from which offerings are sacrificed upon the altar, and now the altar has ceased to exist? Shall we drink wine, which is poured as a libation upon the altar, and now the altar has ceased to exist? Rabbi Yehoshua said to them: If so, we will not eat bread either, since the meal-offerings that were offered upon the altar have ceased. They replied: You are correct. It is possible to subsist with produce. He said to them: We will not eat produce either, since the bringing of the first fruits have ceased...He said to them: If so, we will not drink water, since the water libation has ceased. They were silent, as they realized that they could not survive without water. Rabbi Yehoshua said to them: My children, come, and I will tell you how we should act. To not mourn at all is impossible, as the decree was already issued and the Temple has been destroyed. But to mourn excessively as you are doing is also impossible, as the Sages do not issue a decree upon the public unless a majority of the public is able to abide by it...Rather, this is what the Sages said: A person may plaster his house with plaster, but he must leave over a small amount in it without plaster to remember the destruction of the Temple...The Sages said that a person may prepare all that he needs for a meal, but he must leave out a small item to remember the destruction of the Temple...The Sages said that a woman may engage in all of her cosmetic treatments, but she must leave out a small matter to remember the destruction of the Temple...​​​​​​​

One who serves [God] out of love occupies himself in the Torah and the mitzvot and walks in the paths of wisdom for no ulterior motive: not because of fear that evil will occur, nor in order to acquire benefit. Rather, he does what is true because it is true, and ultimately, good will come because of it.

This is a very high level which is not merited by every wise man. It is the level of our Patriarch, Abraham, whom God described as, "he who loved Me," for his service was only motivated by love.

God commanded us [to seek] this rung [of service] as conveyed by Moses as [Deuteronomy 6:5] states: "Love God, your Lord.'' When a man will love God in the proper manner, he will immediately perform all of the mitzvot motivated by love.

(1) It is a mitzvah to love...God, as [Deuteronomy 6:5] states: "And you shall love God, your Lord...

(2) What is the path [to attain] love...of Him? When a person contemplates His wondrous and great deeds and creations and appreciates His infinite wisdom that surpasses all comparison, he will immediately love, praise, and glorify [Him], yearning with tremendous desire to know [God's] great name...

Based on these concepts, I will explain important principles regarding the deeds of the Master of the worlds to provide a foothold for a person of understanding to [develop] love for God, as our Sages said regarding love: "In this manner, you will recognize He who spoke and [thus,] brought the world into being."

Gebal’s elders and artisans were within you, Making your repairs. All the ships of the sea, with their crews, Were in your harbor To traffic in your wares.

Rav said, and some say Rav Ashi said: Abraham our Patriarch fulfilled the entire Torah, even the mitzva of the joining of cooked foods, a rabbinic ordinance instituted later, as it is stated: My Torahs. Since the term is in the plural, it indicates that Abraham kept two Torahs; one, the Written Torah, and one, the Oral Torah. In the course of fulfilling the Oral Torah, he fulfilled all the details and parameters included therein.

(8) When the king’s order and edict was proclaimed, and when many girls were assembled in the fortress Shushan under the supervision of Hegai, Esther too was taken into the king’s palace under the supervision of Hegai, guardian of the women.

(3) Also, in every province that the king’s command and decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and everybody lay in sackcloth and ashes.—

(8) if Your Majesty will do me the favor, if it please Your Majesty to grant my wish and accede to my request—let Your Majesty and Haman come to the feast which I will prepare for them; and tomorrow I will do Your Majesty’s bidding.”

(17) And in every province and in every city, when the king’s command and decree arrived, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many of the people of the land professed to be Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

And so, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month—that is, the month of Adar—when the king’s command and decree were to be executed, the very day on which the enemies of the Jews had expected to get them in their power, the opposite happened, and the Jews got their enemies in their power.

(1) There are four [dimensions] to the [observance of] the Sabbath: two originating in the Torah, and two originating in the words of our Sages, which are given exposition by the Prophets. [The two dimensions originating] in the Torah are the commandments "Remember [the Sabbath day]" and "Observe [the Sabbath day]."

[The two dimensions] given exposition by the Prophets are honor and pleasure, as [Isaiah 58:13] states: "And you shall call the Sabbath 'A delight, sanctified unto God and honored.'

(2) What is meant by honor? This refers to our Sages' statement that it is a mitzvah for a person to wash his face, his hands, and his feet in hot water on Friday...and sit with proper respect, waiting to receive the Sabbath as one goes out to greet a king...
(3) Among the ways of honoring the Sabbath is wearing a clean garment. One's Sabbath garments should not resemble one's weekday clothes...

(4) ...as an expression of honor for the Sabbath, a person should refrain from planning a meal for [mid]afternoon on, so that he will enter the Sabbath with an appetite.

(5) A person should prepare his table on Friday...Similarly, a person should prepare his table on Saturday night...(which) shows his respect for the Sabbath when it enters and when it departs.

One should prepare one's house while it is still day as an expression of respect for the Sabbath. There should be a lamp burning, a table prepared [with food] to eat, and a couch bedecked with spreads. All of these are expressions of honor for the Sabbath.

(6) Even a very important person who is unaccustomed to buying items at the marketplace or to doing housework is required to perform tasks to prepare by himself for the Sabbath. This is an expression of his own personal honor.

The Sages of the former generations [would involve themselves in such activities]: There was one who would chop wood to cook with, one who would salt meat, one would braid wicks, and one who would kindle the lamps. Others would go out and purchase food and beverages for the Sabbath, even though this was not their ordinary practice. The more one involves oneself in such activities, the more praiseworthy it is.

(44) But any householder’s purchased male slave may eat of it once he has been circumcised. (45) No bound or hired laborer shall eat of it. (46) It shall be eaten in one house: you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house; nor shall you break a bone of it. (47) The whole community of Israel shall offer it. (48) If a male stranger who dwells with you would offer the passover to ה׳, all his males must be circumcised; then he shall be admitted to offer it; he shall then be as a citizen of the country. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it. (49) There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you. (50) And all the Israelites did so; as ה׳ had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

(21) Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor; you shall cease from labor even at plowing time and harvest time.

...It is forbidden to run and jump on the Sabbath...the manner in which you walk on the Sabbath should not resemble the manner in which you walk during the week...It is forbidden to speak extensively about idle matters...the manner in which you speak on the Sabbath should not resemble the manner in which you speak during the week.

(1) 1. The Laws of Shabbat as it relates to Speech, 22 Seifim: “Ve’daber davar” (teaches us) that one’s manner of speech on Shabbos must not be the same as one’s manner of speech on a weekday. Therefore, it is prohibited to say 'I will do such and such tomorrow' or 'I will purchase this and this merchandise tomorrow'. Even idle talk should be curbed. RAMA: People who enjoy hearing stories or the latest news may speak these things on Shabbos but one who does not enjoy them may not speak them for the sake of giving pleasure to someone else.

Your navel is like a round goblet—Let mixed wine not be lacking!—Your belly like a heap of wheat Hedged about with lilies.

...“Your navel is a moon-shaped goblet” (Song of Songs 7:3); it is speaking of the Sanhedrin that was situated in the Chamber of Hewn Stone and is analogized to the navel. Why is it analogized to the navel? It is, that just as this navel is situated in the middle of the body, so, the Sanhedrin is situated in the middle of the Temple...