Welcome to Embrace Shabbat.
This week is the first Shabbat after the holiday season and it is important to recall and appreciate that every Shabbat has tremendous powers inherent in it, equal to or greater than the actual High Holiday season.
The Gemara in Rosh Hashana (31a) teaches that in Mussaf on Shabbat, the Leviim would sing ืืืืื ื. They would break the shira up into portions that spelled ืืืื ืื, the shining is Yours. ื stands for ืืืืื ื, the ื stands for ืึฐืึนืจึ ืึฐืึฃืึนืช ืขืึนืึธึื, the ื stands for ืึทืจึฐืึผึดืึตึืืึผึ, etc. Similarly, when reading ืคืจืฉืช ืืืืื ื nowadays, the parsha is also divided into the same six portions to spell ืืืื ืื (the seventh portion corresponding to ื is not part of the actual shira of ืืืืื ื).
What is the message of ืืืื ืื, the shining in Yours?
Rabbeinu Bachyeh teaches that it is an uplifting message regarding our redemption in the future. The exact same words of ืืืืื ื that were recited by the Leviim so long ago continue to be said until today! Similarly, we continue breaking up the shira in the exact same way of ืืืื ืื, the shining in Yours, going back to Ezra HaSofer, who saw in Ruach HaKodesh that we would still be reading the Sefer Torah bโTzibbur until this day. Ezra arranged for ืืืืื ื to be read in these sections to indicate ืฉืืืืืจ ืืืื ืืืืืืจ ืืืืืื ืืืชืคืืจืช ืืืฉืจืื ืืืืจืืฉืื ื, the shining light, honor, and glory will return to the Jewish people as in former days. All of the glory that we lost is going to come back.
It is for this reason that we read Parshat Haazinu during the High Holiday season (either between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur or between Yom Kippur and Sukkot). It is always a special Shabbat of Teshuva.
The Rishonim quote from Rav Saadia Gaon that the letters of ืืืื ืื also hint to aliyot given out on the High Holiday season. ื stands for the 5 aliyot of Rosh Hashana on a weekday, ื hints to the 7 aliyot of Rosh Hashana that falls out on Shabbat, ื is for the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, ื stands for the 6 aliyot of Yom Kippur, ื stands for the 30 kolot, and ื is for 20 days of fasting that people used to fast over the 40 days of repentance. Built into ืืืื ืื is a strong connection to Aseret Yemei Teshuva, which is the time period in which it is read today.
As mentioned, ืืืื ืื was also recited in the times of the Beit HaMikdash during Mussaf on Shabbat. Why?
The Chidah provides a beautiful explanation. Yom Kippur atones for Chet HaEgel, where the Jewish people lost their crowns of glory. These crowns were given over to Moshe Rabbeinu, causing his face to have a constant glow. On Shabbat, G-d returns these crowns to the Jewish people, as reflected in the words ืืฉืื ืืฉื ืืืชื ืช ืืืงื, Moshe is happy with his portion being given back to the Jewish people.
This concept is also seen in Parshat Vayakhel, where the topic of Shabbat is included right after the Torah discusses Mosheโs shining face. The Baal HaTurim comments that it is because the Jewish peopleโs faces shine like Moshe Rabbeinuโs. The Targum of the word ืงืจื ื ืืื is ืืื- the shine is that of Moshe Rabbeinuโs face, which we get back every Shabbat.
ืืืื ืื- you donโt have to wait for the High Holiday season. Every Shabbat, we shine again and regain that which was lost. In a certain way, we are redeemed and our glory returns. In Mincha on Shabbat we read ืืชื ืืื ืืฉืื ืืื, reflecting the concept that G-d is One, which will take place in the times of Mashiach. ืืืื ืื- the glory is ours. Even though we are still in Galut, on Shabbat the glory comes back. Let us appreciate the greatness of every Shabbat. ืืืื ืื- the shining is yours.
Shabbat Shalom.