Parshas Ki Sisa 5786: The Sign of Shabbos

  

Torah Parallels 

Parshas Ki Sisa 

לעוי נשמת האדא בת מרדכי 



 

The Sign of Shabbos 

Parshas Ki Sisa seems to interrupt the flow of the Torah’s description of all the preparations for building the Mishkan, the keilim, and bigdei kehuna, with a reminder of the mitzvah of Shabbos.  

Rashi (31:13) explains that the Torah places these passukim about Shabbos here to teach that even though Hashem commanded us to build the Mishkan, its construction does not override Shabbos. Even though the work for the Mishkan was exciting, inspiring, and beautiful, and one could certainly imagine the enthusiasm to complete it, Hashem reminds us that when Shabbos arrives, the work must stop. Rashi continues and calls Shabbos an “os gadol” - a great sign.  

This raises a question. Both Shabbos and the Mishkan are described as signs of the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people. The Mishkan is the place where the Shechinah rests among B’nei Yisroel, where miracles occur and where we serve Hashem in the most direct way. If so, why should we not set aside one “os” for another? Why should Shabbos override something as central and elevated as building the Mishkan? 

Clearly the Torah is teaching us that this is not the case, that not all signs are equal. Somehow Shabbos is more fundamental. But why? What makes the sign of Shabbos greater than the Mishkan itself?  

Perhaps the answer lies in what we actually do when we keep Shabbos. During the days of Beriashis, Hashem created the world and then rested on the seventh day. When we keep Shabbos, we are not merely obeying a set of Mitzvos; we are imitating Hashem’s own pattern of creation and rest. In other words, Shabbos is not just a mitzvah we perform; it is a way of directly emulating Hashem Himself.  

This idea is echoed by Rashi and the Chizkuni (31:13), who explain that when we keep Shabbos, it becomes clear to the world that we are Hashem’s nation. Shabbos is the sign that reveals our identity. Through it we show that we live in Hashem’s world, following His cycle and recognizing Him as the Borei Olam and ongoing Manhig. 

In recent years - and even more so in recent months, weeks, and days- we have seen how confusing the moral landscape can become. Lines are drawn in strange places, and people can somehow claim to stand for peace and life while missing what should be obvious truths. When the world cannot see clearly what we stand for, perhaps it means that our “os” is not shining strongly enough. 

Shabbos is meant to be that sign. It is the weekly declaration of who we are and what we believe. Perhaps this Shabbos, and in the weeks beyond, we can strengthen that os just a little more: sing one extra zemer, speak one less word about business, and be a little more deliberate in guarding ourselves from melachah. 

By doing so we give greater strength to the אות הגדול of Shabbos - a sign so powerful that the Torah does not allow us to break it even for something as great as building the Mishkan, a place filled with miracles and the service of Hashem. Because Shabbos itself is what makes us the people worthy of building such a place in the first place. 

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