“The burnt offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation.”
(Numbers 28:10)
Rashi explains: “And not the burnt offering of one Sabbath on another Sabbath. If a person did not offer it on this Sabbath, one might think that he could offer two on the following Sabbath. Therefore the verse says, ‘on its Sabbath,’ teaching that once its day has passed, its offering is no longer valid.”
In Likutey Moharan (Torah 54, section 2), Rebbe Nachman speaks about a person’s task of refining the imagination. He explains that HaShem constricts His Infinite Divinity, descending from level to level until reaching the very center point of this physical world in which each of us stands. There, He sends every person hints and reminders, drawing him closer to His service.
When Shabbat arrives, our imagination often paints a very specific picture of what it should look like: a beautifully set table, a perfectly prepared home, a well-groomed family, children singing sweetly, and everyone getting along peacefully.
But sometimes reality looks very different. The children are noisy and unruly, tensions arise, the house is not quite as organized as we hoped, and the Shabbat table does not appear the way we envisioned it.
At that point, we try to escape from the fantasy and reconnect with reality - but that can feel extremely difficult. Throughout the week, whenever things become uncomfortable, there is always somewhere to escape: media, distractions, and endless diversions. But on Shabbat, when those avenues are absent and there is nowhere to run, how can a person overcome the feeling of disappointment and missed expectations?
This is the secret revealed in our parashah.
As Rashi teaches, we cannot imagine that on a future Shabbat we will bring two offerings and then finally experience the joy we were missing. We cannot say, “This Shabbat was not very successful, but next week will make up for it.”
Rebbe Nachman teaches that HaShem is constantly sending us hints and messages, and especially on holy Shabbat, when we are living in reality rather than escaping into distractions. The key is simply to rejoice in what is right in front of us.
Rejoice in the challah. Rejoice in the soup. Rejoice in the meat, or whatever HaShem has placed before you. Focus on the reality that exists right now and find joy within it.
When you do, you will discover something remarkable: Shabbat is not a day of deprivation, a day when there is nowhere to escape. Rather, Shabbat is the day on which a person can genuinely learn to rejoice in every single thing.
We do not live in dreams about future Shabbatot. This Shabbat is your Shabbat. It is the Shabbat in which you rise above imagination and enter reality, seeking HaShem precisely through the life that He has placed before you.
Shabbat Shalom. |
No comments:
Post a Comment