The Beauty of Shabbos
Carmen B.
What is the most important holiday in the Jewish calendar?
Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana? These holidays are indeed importantbut what about Shabbos, a day that comes once a week. Each week we have one day to rest. As Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh we too are commanded to workfor six days and rest on the seventh.
What does it mean to "rest" on the seventh day, are we to spend our day sleeping, resting and doing nothing?
Hashem, the creator of the universe has given us so much adn continue to watch over us, protect us, feed us, shelter and provides with the essentials. How selfish would it be for us to use this day to sleep, to do nothing?we spend maybe an hour or a little more davening day. Is that enough, is that all that Hashem deserves, ONE HOUR OF OUR TIME? Is it too much to devote a whole day to Him.
Shabbos, not a day of sleep but a day of thanks, praise and joy.
Why should we thank Hashem?
We have eyes, ears fingers and toes because of Hashem. We have freedom, wealth, shelter and food because of Hashem. We have the ability and privelege to study Torah, all these things and so much more we have because of the love Hashem hs for us. He shows us this every day so we spend one day showing our love back.
If the President or another great world leader was coming to your house you would dress to impress, do your spring cleaning early and prepare your best dishes and use the china reserved for only "special occasions".We should hold the same regard to Hashem.
How do we show our praise and joy and Shabbos?
We prepare a variety of foods on Shabbos and often invite people to share this time with you. We sing zimerot, shabbos songs, some to show our praise and some to show our joy. We learn Torah to show Hashem that we love Him and we love learning about his majestic ways.
A POEM:
A Simple Evidence
I am a thinking being I think, therefore I am Whatever I think I only know
Why do I think? How do I think? I do not know Whatever you think You only know
Why do you think? How do you think? You do not know From which source does this thinking spring? Nobody knows You are my thought I think of you It means you are I am your thought You think of me It means I am
I think there is yonder a star It signifies that it exists And you think of the milky way You don't see with your naked eyes But your thought proves its existence
Thus while I think that there is God Whose entity I presume above board Whose perfection I never doubt Whose beauty and grace I ever adore Can you tell me? Whence does this thought enter my mind?
One must say it has come from God Who does exist He does exist not ony here Not only there but everywhere Who generated into my mind this noble thought?
It stands to reason that it is none but God Himself His attributes are here and there His signs and clues are everywhere
In the sweet fragrance of roses
In the diverse hues of butterflies
In tiny green lights of glow-worms
In the scented magnolia trees
In rustling of wind in the trees
In deepening dales, in winding streams
In the sweet songs of nigtingales
In the softly lighted cathedral
In high minarets and domes of mosques
In twinkling stars and Milky Ways
In high mountains and darkening clouds
In rainbow, shimmering of moonlight
In waterfalls, fountains and lakes
In lightnings, thunder and earthquakes
I think of God Whose reflections I ever sought I love my God Whose subtle glimpses I always caught
Iqbal Ahmad Rashid
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