The Power of the Shabbat Lights
Rabbi Aryeh Citron
Parsha Halacha--Parshat Chayei Sarah
Miami, FL http://holybagelspizzeria.com May Hashem bless this endeavor with much success
The Power of the Shabbat Lights
In this week’s Torah portion we read how Eliezer went to look for the appropriate match for our patriarch Yitzchak (Isaac) and how he found the virtuous Rivkah.[1] Many miracles occurred to indicate that Rivkah was Yitzchak’s perfect match. Several of them:
· Eliezer and his ten camels left Abraham’s house in Chevron and arrived in Aram Naharayim, the city of Nachor, within three hours a journey that normally takes 17 days.[2] G-d miraculously shortened the journey so that Rivkah could be brought back to marry Yitzchak before she could be (morally) corrupted by the people of her city.[3]
· Eliezer prayed that G-d give him a sign to show him which girl was the suitable match for Yitzchak. The sign was that the one who would give him water to drink and offer to give water to his camels as well was the right girl. Even before he finished praying, Rivkah appeared and fulfilled this sign precisely. This was despite the fact that as a daughter of nobility she would not normally draw water from the well herself.[4]
· When Eliezer presented her with the bracelets, they fit her perfectly. This indicated that the “Shidduch” (match) was similarly a “perfect fit.”[5]
· Rivkah’s father Besuel tried to poison Eliezer’s food so that he could steal all of his wealth. The angel that was accompanying Eliezer switched the plates so that Besuel was poisoned and died instead of Eliezer.[6]
Yitzchak Is Convinced
Despite the fact that Eliezer recounted all of these miracles to Yitzchak, he was not completely convinced that Rivkah was sufficiently virtuous to become his wife and the mother of the Jewish people. He was convinced only when he observed the following behaviors of Rivkah and the miracles G-d wrought on her behalf:
· When Rivkah entered the tent of Yitzchak’s mother Sarah, the cloud of the Divine Presence which had departed upon the passing of Sarah returned.
· When making bread, Rivkah was careful to do so in a state of purity and to separate Challah in a state of purity as Sarah had done.
· The bread that Rivkah baked was blessed (i.e., one who ate only a small mount would feel miraculously satisfied) in the same way that the bread of Sarah was blessed.
· Rivkah immediately began hosting guests in the tent. Thus, the doors which had once been open for wayfarers but were closed upon the death of Sarah were once again opened wide.
· The Shabbos candles that Rivkah lit would miraculously last from (Erev) Shabbat to (Erev) Shabbat as had the candles of Sarah.
When Yitzchak realized her tremendous virtues which paralleled his righteous mother’s virtues in so many ways, he then married her and loved her.[7]
The Three Mitzvot of Women
The three miracles that occurred to Rivkah (and Sarah before her) were in the merit of the exemplary observance of the three mitzvot that are primarily the woman’s obligation.[8] These are referred to by the acronym of חנה/Chana.
· ח (chet) stands for Challah. In the merit of observing this mitzvah, their bread (which is a symbol for all of one’s physical needs) was blessed.
· נ (nun) stands for Niddah. In the merit of observing the laws of family purity, the Divine Presence rested on their tent. This means that their household and descendants were imbued with holiness.
· ה (hei) stands for Hadlakat HaNer – the lighting of the Shabbat candles. In the merit of observing this mitzvah, their homes were physically and spiritually illuminated for the entire week.
Certainly when the descendants of Sarah and Rivkah observe these mitzvot properly, they merit these same blessings (although not necessarily in a physical manner).[9]
The Power of the Shabbat Candles
According to the Talmud,[10] lighting the Shabbos candles is a segulah (spiritually propitious act) for:
· Shalom Bayit (Peace in the Home).
o The physical light of the candles illuminates the home so that people do not trip on things and become angry,[11] while the spiritual light of the candles illuminate the home in such a way that each person appreciates the positive qualities of the other. This is the basis for the peaceful atmosphere in one’s home.[12]
· To Have Children Who Are Torah Scholars.[13]
o The candle is a vessel for the light. In the merit of this mitzvah, one merits children who are worthy vessels (recipients) for the light of the Torah.[14]
o For this reason it is customary for Jewish women to pray for their children and households after lighting the Shabbat candles.[15]
o For a women who does not yet have children, it is a segulah to read the story and prayer of Chana (Samuel I, 1 and 2, 1 – 10) at this time.[16]
· Long Life and Divine protection.
o The Talmud says that women who are not careful in the observance of this mitzvah may die during childbirth (G-d forbid).[17] From this we can infer that one who is careful in this mitzvah will merit Divine protection even during dangerous times and will thus live long.
o The soul is likened to a candle. Since Eve caused the extinguishing of “G-d’s candle” (i.e. Adam), (had Adam and Eve not sinned with the Tree of Knowledge, they were destined to live eternally and never die), she (and her female descendants) were given the mitzvah of the (Shabbat) candles. By observing this mitzvah properly, one merits that their soul be protected.[18]
The Laws of the Shabbat Candles will be in next week’s e-mail, with G-d’s help.
I apologize for the late arrival of this e-mail. Thank G-d, I had a busy week with the upsherinish (first haircut) of my son Eli. May he grow up to be a G-d fearing and learned Chasid.
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom, Aryeh Citron
[1] Gen. 24
[2] Pireki DeRebbi Eliezer, 16
[3] See Bereishit Rabbah 60, 5 (as explained by the Etz Yosef) that up to that day no one in the city had ever seen Rivkah. Her beauty was so exquisite that had she been seen in the city, the men would have desired her. This would have had a negative effect on her even if she was not physically touched in any way.
[4] Pirkei DeRebbi Eliezer, ibid
[5] Ohr HaChayim, 24, 22
[6] Midrash Agadah 24, 53 See there that Rivkah’s father Besuel was the ruler of that city. He would regularly violate young girls before their wedding night. For his reason the angel killed him so that he would not violate his own daughter. Alternately, the angel killed him to save the family from the wrath of the city should he not violate his own daughter as he had done to the daughters of everyone else.
[7] Midrash Rabbah 60, 16 According to the Etz Yosef, these five things are alluded to in the extra hei in the word הָאֹהֱלָה/Ha’ohelah (into the tent of), Gen, 25, 67 (the numerical value of the Hebrew letter hei, is five).
[8] Imrei Yosher on Midrash Rabbah ibid
[9] See Likutei Sichot 15, page 171
[10] Shabbat 25b
[11] Rashi on ibid D.H. Hadlakat HaNeir
[12] Introduction to The Radiance of Shabbos by Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen in the name of the Maharal
[13] Shabbat 23b see Rashi D.H. Banim (This is also referring to the mitzvah of Chanukah candles.)
[14] Maharal on Shabbat ibid
[15] See Mishnah Berurah 263, 2
[16] Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 75, 2
[17] Shabbat 31b
[18] See ibid 32a