The Sabbath

VII

Eternity Utters a Day

Six days a week the spirit is alone, disregarded, forsaken, forgotten. Working under strain, beset with worries, enmeshed in anxieties, man has no mind for ethereal beauty. But the spirit is waiting for man to join it.

Then comes the sixth day. Anxiety and tension give place to the excitement that precedes a great event. The Sabbath is still away but the thought of its imminent arrival stirs in the heart a passionate eagerness to be ready and worthy to receive it.

“It is incumbent on every man to be very, very zealous in making the Sabbath day preparations, to be prompt and diligent as a man who has heard that the queen is coming to lodge at his house, or that the bride and her entire entourage are coming to his home. What would such a man do? He would rejoice greatly and exclaim: ‘What a great honor they do me by their coming to dwell under my roof!’ He would say to his servants: ‘Arrange the house, clean and tidy it, and prepare the beds in honor of the arrival, and I will go to purchase the bread, meat and fish—whatever I can obtain in their honor.’ Such a man will busy himself in the preparation of the Sabbath food, even though he have a thousand servants.

“Now who is greater than the Sabbath which is both bride and queen and who is called delightful. A thousand times more so should the master of the house himself be busy in making the preparations, even though he may have a hundred servants.”¹

“This was the practice of Rabbi Judah ben Ilai—on the eve of the Sabbath a basin filled with hot water was brought to him, and he washed his face, hands and feet, and he wrapped himself and sat in fringed linen robes, and was like an angel of the Lord of hosts.”²

“When Rabbi Hamnuna the Ancient used to come out from the river on a Friday afternoon (after taking his bath), he was wont to rest a little on the bank, and, raising his eyes in gladness, he would say that he sat there in order to behold the joyous sight of the heavenly angels ascending and descending. At each arrival of the Sabbath, he said, man is caught up into the world of souls. Happy is he who is aware of the mysteries of his Lord.”³

When all work is brought to a standstill, the candles are lit. Just as creation began with the word, “Let there be light!” so does the celebration of creation begin with the kindling of lights. It is the woman who ushers in the joy and sets up the most exquisite symbol, light, to dominate the atmosphere of the home.

And the world becomes a place of rest. An hour arrives like a guide, and raises our minds above accustomed thoughts. People assemble to welcome the wonder of the seventh day, while the Sabbath sends out its presence over the fields, into our homes, into our hearts. It is a moment of resurrection of the dormant spirit in our souls.

Refreshed and renewed, attired in festive garments, with candles nodding dreamily to unutterable expectations, to intuitions of eternity, some of us are overcome with a feeling, as if almost all they would say would be like a veil. There is not enough grandeur in our souls to be able to unravel in words the knot of time and eternity. One should like to sing for all men, for all generations. Some people chant the greatest of all songs: The Song of Songs. What ancient attachment, what an accumulation of soul is flowing in their chant! It is a chant of love for God, a song of passion, nostalgia and tender apology.

Set me as a seal upon thy heart,
As a seal upon thy arm;
For love is strong as death,
Jealousy is cruel as the grave:
The coals thereof are coals of fire,
A most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
Neither can the floods drown it;
If a man would give all the substance of his house for love,
He would utterly be contemned.

A thought has blown the market place away. There is a song in the wind and joy in the trees. The Sabbath arrives in the world, scattering a song in the silence of the night: eternity utters a day. Where are the words that could compete with such might?

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters …
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty …
And strippeth the forests bare:
And in His temple all say: Glory.

We all go out to welcome the queen, to serenade the bride.

Come, Beloved, meet the Bride!
Let us go and welcome the Sabbath!

Zion is in ruins, Jerusalem lies in the dust. All week there is only hope of redemption. But when the Sabbath is entering the world, man is touched by a moment of actual redemption; as if for a moment the spirit of the Messiah moved over the face of the earth.

Shrine of the King, royal city, arise!
Come forth from thy ruins.
Long enough have you dwelt in the vale of tears …
Shake off your dust, arise!
Put on your glorious garments, my people …
Be not ashamed nor confounded.
Why are you downcast?
Why do you moan?
The afflicted of my people will be sheltered within you;
The city shall be rebuilt on its ancient site …
Your God will rejoice over you
As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

Before the last stanza the congregation rises and turns to the west as a sign of welcoming the invisible guest. They all bow their heads in greeting.

Come in peace, crown of God,
Come with joy and cheerfulness,
Amidst the faithful, precious people …
Come, Beloved, meet the Bride.

The Sabbath comes like a caress, wiping away fear, sorrow and somber memories. It is already night when joy begins, when a beautifying surplus of soul visits our mortal bones and lingers on.

We do not know how to thank and to say:

With wisdom Thou openest the gates of heaven …
Thou changest times …
Thou rollest away darkness before light …
Thou makest the distinction between day and night.

But there is something greater than the marvel of the world: the spirit. In His world we sense His wisdom, in His spirit we see His love.

With eternal love Thou hast loved the house of Israel

Torah, mitzvot, laws and judgements Thou hast taught us.

Mayest Thou never take away Thy love from us.

Then we hear again the words of Moses urging us to learn how to reciprocate the divine love.

Thou shalt love The Lord, Thy God
With all thy heart, with all thy soul,
And with all thy might …

Then we read the words of God:

Remember to do all the commands of the Lord, and ye will not follow the desires of your heart and your eyes that lead you astray.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.

And this is the response:

True and certain is all this,

He is the Lord our God, no one else, and we Israel are

His people.

If we only had enough spirit to comprehend His sovereignty, to live in His kingdom. But our mind is weak, divided our spirit.

Spread Thou over us Thy shelter of peace,
Direct us aright with Thine good counsel …
Save us for Thy name’s sake.