Chazal (Shabbos 11:B) teach, “Hashem said to Moshe, ‘I have a good (very special) gift in My treasury (where I keep My precious treasures). It is called Shabbos. I wish to give it to Klal Yisrael. Go and inform them.’” Shabbos is a precious treasure that Hashem saved especially for His children. We must learn to appreciate the unique nature of this gift, and, above all, how much it means to Hashem. The Tzaddik, Horav Avraham, zl, m’Porisav related in the name of the Chidushei HaRim, the meaning of, Leich v’hodiam, “Go and inform them” (which Hashem said to Moshe). Leich implies to go in the future. This means, says the Gerer Rebbe, that every Erev Shabbos, Moshe Rabbeinu himself goes to every Jew and informs him that Shabbos is coming. This implies that regardless of a Jew’s geographical position – both physical and spiritual – the distance notwithstanding – Moshe will notify him that Shabbos is arriving. Thus, every Jew is able to sense the kedushah, holiness, of Shabbos when it arrives. Anyone who has ever reached out to an unaffiliated Jew and invited him for Shabbos will notice a certain sense of calm, a spiritual uplifting which overcomes him when he experiences his first Shabbos. This applies to every Jew, every Shabbos, everywhere.
The Bais Avraham m’Slonim once visited Teveriah. On Shabbos morning, after davening, he sat at the table together with his Chassidim. They had recited Kiddush, and potato kugel was brought out to the table. The Rebbe (as is customary) divided the kugel and gave shirayim, small portions, to each chasid. They began to grab for the kugel, which annoyed the Rebbe. He related the following story (in way of conveying a lesson to them).
The holy Horav Shmelke, zl, m’Nikolsburg, was well-known for his generosity. He would give everything that he had to the poor. As a result, he was the primary address to which to turn for those in need. One day, a man who was obviously a victim of abject poverty stood by his door with his hand out, begging for alms. The Rebbe was beside himself, since he did not have a cent in his house. Suddenly, he reminded himself that his wife kept her jewelry hidden beneath the mattress in her room. He went there and removed a gold ring set with a beautiful diamond. When he brought the ring to the poor man, the fellow began to dance with glee and left.
The Rebbetzin was coming up the walk and noticed this poor man who was all smiles, and she began to wonder what could her revered husband have given him. They had nothing at home. When she discovered what Rav Shmelke had done, she screamed, “That ring is worth three hundred rubles. The poor man has no idea what you just gave him! He will go and sell it for a few pennies!”
Immediately, Rav Shmelke ran out and searched for the man. When he caught up with him, he said, “I just wanted you to know that the ring that I gave you is worth hundreds of rubles. Do not sell yourself short.” (Obviously, there is an important lesson concerning tzedakah, charity, to be derived from here, but that is not the focus of this thesis.)
That Shabbos, Rav Shmelke related the incident to his Chassidim. In summation he said, “This is what Hashem told Moshe, ‘I have a special gift for you in My treasury and Shabbos is its name. I wish to give it to Klal Yisrael. Go and inform them.’ What is meant by, ‘Go inform them’? Hashem was teaching Moshe to see to it that the Jewish People understand the extraordinary significance of Shabbos. They should learn to appreciate its value – not to give it away for a piece of kugel! There is much more to Shabbos than Kiddush with its many palate-friendly foods. Shabbos is a holy day reserved for achieving spiritual ascendency, for taking stock of our lives and charting a course for spiritual success in the following week. It certainly is not about kugel!”
