The anticipation of a monumental event can loom large in our lives. The excitement builds as we mark our calendars, counting down the days. But once the event passes, it’s easy to slip back into routine, as if nothing ever happened.
Does it have to be that way?
Perhaps not. It really depends on how deeply the event impacts us. The day after a couple gets married, for example, life doesn’t return to how it was; it becomes a new chapter entirely.
This Shabbat is “the Shabbat after.” That is, if we travel back in time. Let’s do that. More than 3,330 years ago, the Jewish people already observed Shabbat. Even Pharaoh recognized the need for a weekly day of rest and granted the Jews Saturdays off. But Shabbat was different then, because those Shabbatot came after the giving of the Torah.
At Mount Sinai, for the very first time, G-d gave us the ability to touch the Divine. G-d made Shabbat holy, and when we observe it, we become holy too. This depth of connection was never possible before.
To merge the physical and spiritual worlds is more than just a gift - it’s an empowerment. We were, and still are, empowered to change the world in meaningful, lasting ways.
So “the Shabbat after” wasn’t just another weekend. It represented a new reality: our ability to transform the world for good.
Let’s do that, one Shabbat at a time.
Shabbat Shalom