Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vayakhel

Parshat ShkalimErev Rosh Chodesh Adar B

We  read this Shabbat

וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶֽת־כׇּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃

Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that G’d  has commanded you to do:

שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ שַׁבַּ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן לַיהֹוָ֑ה  

On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to G’d.

לֹא־תְבַעֲר֣וּ אֵ֔שׁ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּי֖וֹם הַשַּׁבָּת׃

You shall kindle no fire throughout your settlements on the Sabbath day.

The first verse says that the following are to do commandments, but in fact they are instructions about what not to do.  Not do any work on Shabbat. So why does the first verse begin with “These are the things that G’d has commanded you to do” ? 

Perhaps, it is an important indication as to the idea of Shabbat. 

Indeed, if one spends the Shabbat just as a day of rest, basically doing nothing but eat, rest and sleep, he might not positively violate any law, but he does not keep Shabbat. 

We have the seventh day for resting from our (six days) work. But in order to create a meaningful Shabbat, to fill the day of rest with “soul” we really need to do. 

The “doing” agenda for Shabbat, is not meant to contradict the idea of a restful day, but rather to enhance it and provide us, not only with Shabbat food, but with a lot of food for thought. 

Shabbat Shalom, Chodesh tov and warm greetings

Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld