שפת אמת

Shabbos as peace through ratzon Hashem

Toldot · תרנ"א (1890) · Essay 2Share

Shabbos · shalom · ratzon Hashem · l'shem Shomayim · Yitzchak

וכתיב ברצות ה' דרכי איש גם אויביו ישלים אתו.

And it is written: "When Hashem favors a man's ways, even his enemies make peace with him" (Mishlei 16:7).

When a person's conduct is pleasing to Hashem, even those who would oppose him are brought into harmony with him.

וש"ק הוא ברצות ה' כמ"ש ורצה בנו ושבת קדשו הנחילנו.

And Shabbos Kodesh is the aspect of "Hashem favoring," as we say: "He desired us, and gave us His holy Shabbos as an inheritance."

The ratzon (favor) of Hashem mentioned in the posuk is embodied in Shabbos, the day on which Hashem's desire for Bnei Yisrael is revealed.

ויתכן לפרש ברצות ה' דרכי איש שאם כל דרכיו לשם שמים לעשות רצונו ית' בלבד.

And it may be explained: "When Hashem favors a man's ways" — that if all his ways are l'shem Shomayim, to do only His blessed will,

The condition for this peace is that a person directs all his conduct solely toward fulfilling Hashem's ratzon, with no personal agenda.

ממילא אין שם קנאה ושנאה.

then automatically there is no jealousy or hatred there.

When self-interest is removed and only Hashem's will is sought, the roots of strife — envy and hatred — simply disappear.

כי הכל מסייעין לעשות רצון המלך.

For everyone is helping to carry out the will of the King.

Once all are united in the single goal of doing the ratzon Hashem, they become partners rather than rivals.

ובש"ק שבנ"י מניחין כל המעשים ואין עוסקין רק בעבודת השי"ת.

And on Shabbos Kodesh, when Bnei Yisrael set aside all their activities and occupy themselves only with the avodah of Hashem Yisborach,

On Shabbos all weekday pursuits cease, leaving Bnei Yisrael engaged purely in serving Hashem.

לכן נקרא שלום שאין מלחמות ומריבות ביום השבת.

therefore it is called "Shalom" (peace), for there are no wars or quarrels on the day of Shabbos.

Since on Shabbos everyone is united solely in Hashem's avodah, the day is one of complete peace, free of conflict.

וז"ש ויעתק משם.

And this is the meaning of "And he moved on from there" (regarding Yitzchak and the wells).

Yitzchak's moving away alludes to detaching oneself from the realm of strife.

ולא רבו עלי'.

"And they did not quarrel over it" (Bereishis 26:22).

Once he reached the place of peace, the contention over the wells ceased entirely.

ע"י שנפרש לגמרי מהטבע בחי' השבת כנ"ל:

This came about by his separating himself completely from the natural order — the aspect of Shabbos, as above.

By rising above the natural world of self-interest into the Shabbos-dimension of pure avodah, all quarrel falls away and peace remains.

Summary: When a person directs all his ways solely to fulfill Hashem's ratzon — the quality of Shabbos, when Bnei Yisrael set aside all activity and serve Hashem alone — jealousy and hatred vanish and even enemies are reconciled, for everyone is united in carrying out the will of the King; this is why Shabbos is called Shalom.

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