Shabbos – Tay-o-se melacha

I wanted to discuss at the beginning of this week's Parsha a little bit about Inyanim of Shabbos. I think we're reviewing something we once discussed in a different context. ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה and then at U'vayom Hashvi'i Shabbos. So in this context, the Torah says ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה. The Torah doesn't say ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה. Torah formulates it in a passive. So what's the significance of that fact? So Lichora as follows. When a person is Shoves mimelacha on Shabbos, the Emuna which he professes is that it's not his efforts which determine his fate in the world and that his sustenance and his livelihood don't result directly from his efforts, but rather because the Ribono Shel Olam provides us with what we need. The Ribono Shel Olam chooses to work through natural channels, so Mimeila we're called upon to make a Hishtadlus to support ourselves Vechulu, but we should never make the mistake of believing that there's a cause, a direct immediate cause and effect between what we do and what we earn, what we gain. And the way a Jew constantly professes this Emuna is that on Shabbos he withdraws. On Shabbos he withdraws. And nevertheless, we see that a Jew continues to live and he doesn't follow, he doesn't follow up on his business interests. And nevertheless, a Jew does it knowing full well, knowing full well that his livelihood is not going to be compromised. We say in L'cha Dodi and K'yadua, L'cha Dodi is all Al pi Torah, Nigla, Nistar, לקראת שבת לכו ונלכה כי היא מקור הברכה. That Shabbos is the Mekor Habracha and that B'emes the source and the wellspring for Bracha is not the Hishtadlus which a person does all week, but rather is the Bracha ויברך אלקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אותו. So part of the Bracha of Yom Hashvi'i is that Shabbos is really the Mekor Habracha for the rest of the week. So the true relationship between Shabbos and Sheshes Yimei Hama'aseh is inverted from that which we think. We think that well if you earn enough money during the six days, you can afford to take the seventh day off. And in truth, the Torah says ויברך אלקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אותו, that the relationship is inverted, that it's Shabbos which is the Mekor Habracha for the Sheshes Yimei Hama'aseh and it's because of Shabbos that during Sheshes Yimei Hama'aseh so. Hakadosh Baruch Hu allows us and channels to us what we need, but really the source for it is the bracha of Yom HaShabbos. So mameila, that's what the Torah here is underscoring ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה. If a person truly understands what Shabbos represents and truly appreciates the relationship between Shabbos and sheshes yemei hama'aseh, so then a person understands that it's not really that ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה. It's not that you're doing the melacha all six days and that you are controlling your fate and that you are determining your own destiny. But be'emes is a person who keeps Shabbos, a person who's a shomer Shabbos, so he realizes that all week it's ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה, that the work is just being done and that what results from the work is coming from the Ribono Shel Olam. It's not something a person can attribute to himself. And that's what the Torah is saying, that an authentic full-fledged shmiras Shabbos expresses itself also in a person's attitude during the sheshes yemei hama'aseh as well and that a person should have the understanding and the awareness that all week it's ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה. It's not that he is again responsible in a direct cause and effect for what's happening, but ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה. What he's doing is only hishtadlus and then the melacha is done, is completed and perfected because of the siyata d'shmaya because the Ribono Shel Olam gives it to him as a present. And that's the pshat ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה that only with that, only is that attitude is consistent with a true and genuine shmiras Shabbos.