Shabbat Parashat Bamidbar 5784

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: The Disgrace of Violating Shabbat in the Holy Land – #226

Recipient: An open letter, apparently mainly focused on the commercial sector of Yafo.

 Body: [We are skipping the first paragraph, which is a somewhat esoteric analysis of a gemara, illustrating the danger of lacking self-respect.]

 I come to you this time, my respected, beloved people, with a moral feeling of the need to strengthen self-respect, which is worthwhile for us all to strongly internalize. I refer to self-respect for ourselves and self-respect for our nation and our Holy Land. These are concepts that are accessible and palatable to the heart of every person who lives among us.

Thank G-d, we live on holy soil, which should give us tremendous honor and glory. The fact that the Assemblage of Israel is living in the Desired Land is lofty and honorable in the eyes of our whole nation, our brethren in the Diaspora. Therefore, how proper it is for we who live in the beautiful Land to have a tremendous obligation to be aware of our clearly elevated value.

We, who live in this place, which has a great impact on our life course from a special, internal perspective, should feel the greatness of the moment when we hear the sound of the trumpet announcing the coming of the sanctity of the day of Shabbat. This signifies the correct time of sanctity and rest for the Nation of Israel. This system is so pleasant and encouraging, and it is very appropriate for our heart’s great internal desire when it has its intended effect. It should remind our hearts of days of old, in the time when our forefathers lived on this holy soil (the gemara, Shabbat 35b, discusses the practice of ending the week of commerce with shofar or trumpet blasts). Nowadays, too, the blowing should also cause people to make their last food preparations and close their stores.

Shabbat’s sanctity envelopes the whole Land of Israel. Its arrival brings a state of rest. The Jewish spirit is sanctified, as it removes the elements of the mundane weekday and its darkness and we rise toward Shabbat’s sanctity and light.

It is so painful to the soul to see our brothers hardening their hearts to prevent themselves from recognizing the honor and power of this lofty moment [of the nation ceasing work], and instead continuing in their stores and businesses at this holy, pleasant time. This disturbs the pleasant and holy harmoniousness that the whole nation’s spirit and soul strives for, in the public realm, here in the good and holy Land. Only a deafness to feeling and a smallness of the spirit can explain [ignoring Shabbat’s nobleness]. How one belittles our value in our own eyes and the eyes of others!

Therefore, dear brothers, please return and let us sanctify Shabbat, the day of sanctity and rest for Israel. Let us sanctify it as it enters, at the proper time. Give greatness and strength to our great nation, so that its remnant will receive [what the nation was promised]. Brothers, have mercy on the honor of our nation and our Land. We are in a position of weakness; our hands are in shackles, and we cannot act with great power. But at least, respect the great desire that is hidden in the weak speech and tired hands.

The great Name of the savior and strength of Israel, the Greatness of Yaakov and its lot, calls upon us powerfully with grandeur: “Sanctify Shabbat! Refrain from keeping the coffee shop open and from all desecration of the holy Shabbat. Fill yourselves with greatness, the grandeur of eternity, and the sanctity of the light of Israel.”

“You shall guard Shabbat because it is holy for you” (Shemot 31:14). “Whoever guards Shabbat from desecration, and holds back his hand from doing any evil. I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer, for My house is a place of prayer for all the nations, as Hashem the Lord, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, says. I will gather them again” (Yeshaya 56:6-8). May it occur speedily in our days!

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