The Bottom Line
The ikar avodah of Shabbos is acknowledging that Hakadosh Baruch Hu created shamayim va’aretz and He rested on Shabbos, and, using Shabbos as the dream time to learn Torah. Doing these avodos will instill in me emunas hachiddush, as well as hashgachas ha’Borei and gemul ve’onesh. Shabbos is the most powerful reminder that every single moment, Hashem not only recreates the world from nothing, but He also gives life to every cell and organ of my body – simply to be metiv with me. If for example I can move my hands and feet and I can breathe, while sitting at my Shabbos table this week, I must understand that all of this is nothing but a tremendous chesed from Hashem that He imbues me with every single moment! And for that I have to thank Him, fulfilling the famous dictum of ‘טוב להודות לה on Shabbos. So this Friday night, after I start my meal, I will, bli neder, spend few extra minutes thanking Hakodosh Boruch Hu for ‘chayei, banai and mezonai,’ focusing on and detailing some specific details of each of these chassadim that Hashem bestowed upon me and my family during the previous week. And with the long summer days upon us already, I will also attempt to, bli neder, maximize my Torah-learning opportunities on Shabbos. In the zechus of following this ‘exercise program’, I will enhance my Shabbos experiences specifically, and will elevate my relationship with Hashem altogether, to a whole new level.
