Wishing Shabbat Will Never End
There is great benefit to prolonging Shabbat, both at the beginning – by accepting Shabbat several minutes earlier – and at the end – by finishing Shabbat a few minutes later. Of course, the challenge of prolonging Shabbat depends on the time of the year. In the summer months, accepting Shabbat early is not very difficult, but it is a challenge to end Shabbat late; in the winter, accepting Shabbat early is exceedingly difficult, but ending Shabbat later is relatively easy. The highest level is accepting Shabbat early even in the wintertime, and ending Shabbat late even in the summertime.
The source of this concept is a comment made by Rabbi Yossi, cited by the Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (118b). Rabbi Yossi expressed his admiration for those people who, in his words, “begin Shabbat in Teverya and end Shabbat in Tzipori.” Rashi explains that Teverya is situated in a valley, where, in the days before the invention of clocks, it was difficult to determine when the sun set, as the horizon was obstructed by mountains. Therefore, people in Teverya would begin Shabbat early to ensure they accept Shabbat before sundown. Tzipori, by contrast, was on a hilltop, and people there would end Shabbat late, to ensure that the sun had really set and night had indeed fallen. The Hid”a, citing the Ri Mi’gash, added that it was possible to walk on Shabbat from one of these two cities to the other. Rabbi Yossi therefore expressed his admiration for those people who began Shabbat in Teverya, accepting Shabbat early, and then ended Shabbat in Tzipori, where people would end Shabbat late. This is the source for the concept that one earns special rewards for adding onto Shabbat at both ends, at the beginning and at the end.
Rav Eliezer Papo (author of Pele Yoetz), in his work Hesed La’alafim (263), cites Rav Haim Vital as teaching (based on Rav Hai Gaon) that there is great value to praying the Arvit prayer service on Motza’eh Shabbat slowly, with melodies, in order to prolong Shabbat. This is, indeed, the custom in some communities. Each minute that we extend Shabbat is immensely valuable, and thus just as one should endeavor to begin Shabbat several minutes early, we should try to end Shabbat several minutes later, as well.
This tradition dates as far back as the time of the Exodus from Egypt. As we know, the Shabbat before Pesach is called “Shabbat Ha’gadol” (literally, “the Great Shabbat”), and several different reasons have been offered for why this Shabbat is given this name. One explanation, which is offered by the Maharit, citing his father, the Mabit, is that the final Shabbat before the Exodus was, in a sense, a “long” Shabbat, a Shabbat which never ended. Pharaoh allowed Beneh Yisrael a day off from their slave labor every week, on Shabbat, but once Shabbat ended, the people immediately returned to their backbreaking labor and harsh suffering. The final Shabbat in Egypt, however, never ended. It was the “long” Shabbat, in that Beneh Yisrael did not have to report for their labor when Shabbat ended.
This should be our attitude every week as Shabbat draws to a close. Rather than be relieved that it is ending, we should wish that it could continue forever. We should long for the יום שכולו שבת, for the time when Shabbat will never end, when we will never be forced to return to the rigors and pressures of the workweek.
Rabbi Dov Loketch of Congregation Agudas Yisrael Magen Avraham in Southfield, Michigan told in this context the memories which his father shared with him of his experiences as a child in Warsaw, Poland in the 1930s. Times were exceedingly difficult in Warsaw at that time, and many people were unable to earn a living. Rabbi Loketch’s grandfather was fortunate to operate a small coal store, through which he was just barely able to eke out a meager living for the family. Unable to afford an actual home, the family rented some space next to the coal store which served as their residence. There was just one room which served as their living space, and at night they would put out cots and partitions for sleeping. The father worked from early morning to late at night delivering coal, and the children would assist in the backbreaking work as soon as they returned home from school.
Shabbat was an oasis of life when the family received a break from the grueling and bleak workweek. The coal store closed several hours before Shabbat, whereupon the entire family immediately got to work removing the thick layer of soot and dust that collected on the walls from the coal over the course of the week. They scrubbed and washed their humble living quarters, and the father, who was covered with grime and filth all week, transformed himself into a king for Shabbat. This transformation, however, was short-lived. As soon as Shabbat ended, the coal store reopened, and the harsh workweek resumed. Rabbi Loketch’s father recalled seeing his mother on late Shabbat afternoon looking out the window, seeing the sun poised to set, crying and praying, “Hashem, please don’t end Shabbat just yet. Please, let Shabbat continue for just a little longer.”
We, of course, do not have to endure the harsh conditions of 1930s Poland, or the slave conditions of our ancestors in Egypt. Nevertheless, we, too, should have this feeling that we do not want Shabbat to end, that we want it to continue forever. We should look upon Shabbat as a schoolchild looks upon his summer vacation – counting down the days until it begins, and wishing it never ends. Shabbat is our “vacation” lovingly given to us by Hashem, who allows us one “off day” each week, when He guarantees to sustain us without us having to work. It is a time which we are given for spiritual rejuvenation, and which we should therefore cherish and wish would last forever. Once we appreciate this great gift of Shabbat, we will eagerly begin Shabbat early and end it late each week, thereby deriving the maximum benefit and blessings that it offers us.