Tosefet Shabbat – Creating Sanctity
The requirement of tosefet Shabbat requires that we begin Shabbat sometime earlier than the moment when Shabbat would otherwise set in. One is able to begin Shabbat at the point of פלג המנחה (1 ¼ halachic hours before sundown), and halacha requires us to begin Shabbat at some point after פלג המנחה, before sundown.
Several important concepts underlie this obligation of tosefet Shabbat.
The first is expressed by Rashi in his commentary to Parashat Bereshit (2:2). The Torah tells that G-d completed the process of creation on the seventh day: ויכל אלקים ביום השביעי מלאכתו אשר עשה. Of course, as Rashi notes, the work actually was completed at the end of the sixth day. The Torah describes Hashem completing the work on the seventh, Rashi explains, because this is how it would have appeared to the human being. Rashi writes:
בשר ודם שאינו יודע עתיו ורגעיו צריך להוסיף מחול על הקודש אבל הקב"ה שיודע עתיו ורגעיו נכנס בו כחוט השערה ונראה כאלו כלה בו ביום.
A human being, who does not know his periods of time and seconds, must add from the weekday onto the holiness [of Shabbat], but the Almighty, who knows His periods of time and seconds – enters it with the precision of a hairsbreadth, and it thus appeared as though he finished on that day.
Human beings are imperfect, and we are thus unable to determine the precise moment when one day ends and the new day begins. G-d could begin Shabbat at the precise moment when the sixth day ends, but we must add some time before the onset of Shabbat to ensure that we begin on time.
This is the first reason underlying tosefet Shabbat – to demonstrate our concern for Shabbat observance by beginning early just to be safe. As Rabbenu Yonah writes, this is true of all mitzvot – when we implement safeguards to help avoid mistakes and ensure proper observance, we demonstrate our yirat Shamayim, our fear of Heaven, our genuine worry and concern about fulfilling G-d’s commands the right way. When we are waiting for the train, we do not stand right at the edge of the platform; we move a few feet away from the edge as a safety precaution. And this should be our policy also when it comes to mitzvot, especially when it comes to a mitzvah as important and as precious as Shabbat.
Tosefet Shabbat thus serves as a precaution to ensure we begin Shabbat on time. Indeed, many communities had the practice of beginning Shabbat well before sundown for this reason, to avoid mistakes. Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein, author of the famous halachic work Aruch Ha’shulhan, writes that this was the practice in the community of Nevarduk, where he served as Rabbi.
The second reason for tosefet Shabbat is discussed by the Or Ha’hayim Ha’kadosh, in his commentary to the Torah. In Parashat Ki-Tisa (Shemot 31:16), the Torah commands, ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת. The word ושמרו is commonly interpreted to mean “observe,” but the Or Ha’hayim explains it differently, as referring to eager anticipation. For example, the Torah in Sefer Bereshit (37:11) tells ואביו שמר את הדבר – Yaakov Avinu anticipated the time when Yosef’s dreams would be fulfilled. Likewise, the pasuk in Tehillim (130:6) speaks of how we long for G-d’s salvation משומרים לבקר – more than the nighttime guards long for the morning, when their shift ends. A שומר is somebody who eagerly waits for the end of his shift. Similarly, the Or Ha’hayim writes, the command ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת means that we should eagerly anticipate the arrival of Shabbat. The way this is done, the Torah then continues, is לעשות את השבת – “to make Shabbat.” The Or Ha’hayim explains that we “make Shabbat” by beginning Shabbat early. Remarkably, G-d empowers us with the ability to create a period of sanctity, to transform time from the weekday into Shabbat, into holiness. Even though Shabbat is scheduled to begin only at sundown, we can create Shabbat by accepting it ten minutes early. Just as a groom “sanctifies” and designates his bride by declaring the words הרי את מקודשת לי, and a person can make an animal or other material object sacred by verbally consecrating it, similarly, we can make time sacred through the mechanism of tosefet Shabbat. Thus, the Or Ha’hayim explains, the Torah here commands us to show our excitement and eager anticipation for Shabbat by “creating” a period of Shabbat even before it is scheduled to begin. Just like schoolchildren relish every opportunity to leave for recess early, we, too, should relish the opportunity to leave the mundane workweek early and rush into the “recess” of Shabbat.
This special power to “create” Shabbat is highlighted by two fascinating halachot in the Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 263). First, the Shulhan Aruch writes that if there is only a single Jewish community in a town, then once the majority of the community accepts the onset of Shabbat, even if this occurs well before sunset, the others are bound by their acceptance. When the majority of the community decides to begin Shabbat at a certain time, then G-d determines that Shabbat has begun in that part of the world, and thus everyone is bound by that decision. Similarly, the Shulhan Aruch rules that if a visitor arrives in a community on Friday afternoon and discovers that the community has begun Shabbat, he must drop his wallet and begin Shabbat. He is bound by the local community’s acceptance of Shabbat, because G-d follows the community’s decision to begin Shabbat early.
Tosefet Shabbat not only testifies the special power that G-d has granted us, but also has a profound impact upon our children. After commanding us to show our anticipation for Shabbat by “creating” a period of tosefet Shabbat, the Torah writes, לדורותם לברית עולם – Shabbat is an eternal covenant, enduring for all generations. When our children see our excitement for Shabbat, that we are so eager to begin Shabbat that we cannot even wait until the time it is meant to begin, they become inspired and recognize the great importance and value of Shabbat. This excitement is what ensures that Shabbat will be a ברית עולם, an everlasting covenant, as it will leave an indelible impact upon our children and motivate them to remain loyal and devoted to Shabbat.
In a somewhat similar vein, the Sifteh Kohen cites the Zohar’s comment that the word לדורותם, which in this pasuk is written without the letter vav (לדרתם), may be read as לדירתם – “their households.” The Torah is alluding to us that we ensure the perpetuation of Shabbat throughout the generations by creating a special atmosphere in our homes on Shabbat, by generating excitement and enthusiasm. And we create this excitement by starting Shabbat early, demonstrating how eager we are for it to begin.
A number of works mention that tosefet Shabbat is a segulah for childless couples to have children, and one of the sources is this pasuk in Parashat Ki-Tisa. (For other sources of this segulah, see Noam Shabbat, p. 182.) By “creating” Shabbat through the mechanism of tosefet Shabbat, we ensure לדורותם, that we will produce future generations that will continue to preserve and respect the sanctity of Shabbat.
Accepting Shabbat early is thus not simply a “nice thing to do.” It is an outright halachic requirement, as well as a powerful expression of our love for Shabbat, which will leave a profound impact upon our children that will endure לדורותם, for all generations, inspiring our descendants to remain faithful to Shabbat and to our heritage.