Bereishis, 26:5: “Because Avraham heeded My voice, he observed My safeguards, My commandments, My decrees and My laws.
Yoma, 28b: “Rav says, ‘Avraham Avinu kept the entire Torah as it says, ‘because Avraham heeded My voice…
In Parshas Toldos, HaShem blesses Yitzchak Avinu in the merit of his father, Avraham Avinu, because Avraham listened to HaShem’svoice. The Gemaraexplains that this is coming to teach that Avraham actually kept the Torah even before it was given. Most commentaries understand that all the Avosand the Shevatimalso observed the Torah. How could they keep the Torah before the mitzvoswere revealed? The commentaries explain that even without being formally commanded about the mitzvos, the heightened spiritual sensitivity of the Avosenabled them to independently intuit what actions constituted mitzvos.
A number of questions are asked on this Gemara based on sources that indicate that the Avosdid not always keep the Torah. Most notably, the commentaries ask how Yaakov Avinu could marry two sisters, which is expressly forbidden by the Torah. One well-known approach to this question is that of the Ramban.[6] The Ramban explains that the Avos only kept the Torah when in Eretz Yisrael as they perceived that living in Eretz Yisrael entailed keeping the mitzvoseven though they had not been commanded yet. However, when they were in chutz l’aretz,they did not adopt this practice. Yaakov married two sisters when he was in chutz l’aretz. He also notes that this is why Rachel, the second wife, died before they entered Eretz Yisrael as it would have been forbidden there to be married to two sisters.
However, the Rambanthen notes a seeming contradiction to his assertion that the Avosand Shevatimdid not keep the Torah outside of Eretz Yisrael. The Midrash[7] states that Yosef HaTzaddik kept Shabbos even when he was in Mitzrayim. According to the Ramban, why did Yosef do this given that he was in chutz l’aretz? The Rambananswers that Shabbos was an exception deemed necessary by Yosef because he wanted to instill the fundamentals of emunahand monotheism into his children who were living in the idolatrous surroundings of Mitzrayim. However, there was no concept of Yosef or the Avoskeeping other parts of the Torah when they were in chutz l’aretz.
The Ramban’sexplanation about Yosef’s Shabbos observance serves as a reminder as to the seminal importance of shemiras Shabbos in our relationship with HaShem. In a similar vein, its significance to the well-being of Klal Yisrael has been continually stressed by Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein shlit’a in the difficult times that Klal Yisrael finds itself in now, with our existence in the land being threatened. Indeed, Rav Zilberstein notes that there is a clear link between shemiras Shabbos and our ability to live in Eretz Yisrael in peace.
He cites the famous verse in Yeshaya that we read in the Haftarah of Yom Kippur: “If you restrain, because of Shabbos, your feet, refrain from accomplishing your own needs on My Holy day; If you proclaim the Shabbos a delight…and you honor it by not engaging in your own ways, from seeking your needs or discussing the forbidden. Then you shall be granted pleasure with HaShemand I shall mount you astride the heights of the land; and I will provide you the heritage of your forefather, Yaakov.[8] Rav Zilberstein points out that the passukis making a causative link between properly observing the Shabbos and living in peace in Eretz Yisrael – the implication being that if one does not keep Shabbos, then things will not be good in the land.
Rav Zilberstein adds a similar point made by Rabbeinu Bechaye in Kad Hakemach. He points out that Shabbos is called menucha, as it says, “Veyanach beyom hashevii”[9]. Eretz Yisrael is also called menuchaas it says, “el hamenucha v’el hanachalah,”[10] which refers to Eretz Yisrael. We see from here that Shabbos and Eretz Yisrael are interlinked. The passukpromises that if the Jewish people will preserve the menuchaof Shabbos, then HaShemwill protect them in the Land; and if they do not keep Shabbos, then He will decree that the land be destroyed.
Rav Zilberstein then explains the connection with a mashalof the Dubno Maggid. In his words:
“There was a king who had a minister. Sometimes, this minister obeyed the king, and other times, he didn’t obey him so well. But the minister retained the king’s favor because he had a very clever wife whose advice the king greatly valued. Once the woman came to the palace, and the king saw that she was beaten and bloody. The king asked what happened to her, and she refused to answer. Again and again, he pressed her for an explanation, but she would not respond. ‘I’m guessing that you were beaten’, the king said. Silence. ‘It’s clear to me’, the king said, ‘that you were beaten by your husband, and therefore he will be hanged at once. I should have killed him long ago – he has long lost my favor. I only kept him alive because of his wife. Now that he is mistreating his wife, then what use do I have for him?”[11]
Rav Zilberstein continues: “The parable of the Dubno Maggid explains how the existence of the Jewish people in intertwined with its observance of Shabbos. Shabbos sometimes cries, it pains me to say. Our Shabbos is the queen, Shabbos Malkesa, Lecha Dodi likras kallah. And the King – HaKadosh Baruch Hu – sees Shabbos crying and trampled, and therefore Am Yisrael loses whatever merit they have.”
The obvious lesson to be derived from these ideas is of the importance for each person, according to his or her level, to improve their observance of Shabbos. If a person does not learn hilchos Shabbos, it is impossible for him to keep it properly as there are so many intricate laws that a person cannot even be aware of if he hasn’t learnt the halachos. Rav Zilberstein suggests that everyone learn two halachosof Shabbos a day. There is also now a proliferation of programs that offer in-depth learning of Hilchos Shabbos both for men and women. Another way to improve Shabbos observance is to positively influence others in their Shabbos observance. One way of doing that is by inviting people who have not merited to experience a true Shabbos for Shabbos meals so that they can see first-hand the beauty of Shabbos.
May we all merit to properly keep the Shabbos and thereby be kept safely in the Land.
[1] A possible answer is based on the Ramban (Bereishis, 28:5)who notes that Esav should have learnt from Yitzchak’s instruction to Yaakov, to go davke to the daughters of Lavan and not to Yishmael’s daughter. Some commentaries add that his new wife was also wicked like the prior wives. A different approach is given above.
[2] Even though it should have been obvious that he should not marry idol worshipping Canaanite women.
[3] Sifsei Chaim al HaTorah, Bereishis, p.280.
[4] Bereishis Rabbah, Parsha 65, Piska 16.
[5] Ramban Al HaTorah, 28:5.
[6] Ramban, 26:5. There are a number of other answers to this question. See Daas Zekeinim, Bereishis ,37:35; Gur Aryeh, Bereishis, 46:10; Nefesh HaChaim, 1:21.
[7] Bereishis Rabbah, 92:4.
[8] Yeshaya, 58:13-14.
[9] Shemos, 20:11.
[10] Devarim, 12:9.
[11] Cited in Mishpacha, Parshas Noach, 5784.