“[Assist those who cease work on Shabbat…;] who stride on it with short steps; who feast on it three times in order to bless. May their righteousness shine forth like the light of the seven days.” (Shabbat Table Song)
Behold, it is known that during the weekdays the external forces rule. But on the eve of the holy Shabbat, <after midday,> they have no rule at all. As is brought in the holy Zohar: When the day’s sanctity sets in, “all doers of iniquity are dispersed”.
Now, their rule during the week is primarily over the aspect of the feet. They prevent a person from walking in the ways of God. <As> is brought in the Talmud: It is they who cause the knees of the rabbis to become tired (Berakhot 6a) .
But on the holy Shabbat, the strength to walk is returned to them, as it is written (Isaiah 58:13), “If you turn back your feet because it is Shabbat.” This is as we said, that on the holy Shabbat one is able to walk in the ways of God.
However, this is comparable to a child. When first beginning to walk, he still needs support to keep him steady. And even with this, he cannot walk quickly. He can take only small steps, and [others] have to support him. It is the same when a person first begins walking in the ways of God on Shabbat. He is still in need of support to keep him steady.
This support is the element of truth. This element of truth is the aspect of a third leg, as is brought in the Talmud: Truth stands. And Shabbat corresponds to truth, as is brought: Even the unlearned fear telling a lie on Shabbat. Thus when a person binds himself to this trait, it supports him in keeping steady and is the aspect of a third leg.
However, we still need to bless the aforementioned three legs and strengthen them if they are to walk well. This is accomplished by the charity one does on Shabbat—i.e., that one gives a person for Shabbat [expenses], or one <invites> a poor person to one’s table.
For there are two types of charity: the charity we do on the weekdays, and the charity we do on the holy Shabbat. Now, charity corresponds to the sun, as it is written, “a charitable sun.” The charity we do during the week parallels the sun of this world. But the charity of Shabbat, which is a taste of the World to Come, parallels the sun as it is destined to be renewed in the Future—this being “like the light of the seven days.”
And the sun, which corresponds to charity, gives strength to the legs, as it is said, “TZeDeK (Righteousness) will walk before him”—i.e., TZeDaKah (charity) will enable him to walk. And it is also said, “The sun shone for him,” and Rashi explains: [It shone] for his benefit, to heal his limp. From this we see that the Shabbat charity one does corresponds to the light of the sun, “like the light of the seven days.” It is this that gives strength to the aforementioned aspect of the three legs.
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וְזֶהוּ פֵּרוּשׁ:
2. This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“Assist those who cease work on Shabbat…; who stride on it with short steps; so’adim (who feast) on it three times in order to bless. May their tzedek (righteousness) shine forth like the light of the seven days.”}
three times in order to bless—These are the three legs, as explained above. The way to strengthen them, so that he can walk properly, is this: May their tzedek shine forth like the light of the seven days—That is, he should give Shabbat tzedakah, this being the aspect of the sun as it is destined to be renewed “like the light of the seven days,” as explained above.
פּוֹסְעִים בּוֹ פְּסִיעָה קְטַנָּה סוֹעֲדִים בּוֹ לְבָרֵךְ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים וְכוּ':
“[Assist those who cease work on Shabbat…;] who stride on it with short steps; who feast on it three times in order to bless. May their righteousness shine forth like the light of the seven days.” (Shabbat Table Song)
הִנֵּה יָדוּע,ַ כִּי בִּימֵי הַחֹל הוּא שְׁלִיטַת הַחִיצוֹנִים, וְעֶרֶב־שַׁבָּת־ קֹדֶשׁ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת אֵין לָהֶם שְׁלִיטָה כְּלָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ: כַּד אִתְקַדַּשׁ יוֹמָא כְּדֵין יִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל פּוֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן.
Behold, it is known that during the weekdays the external forces rule. But on the eve of the holy Shabbat, <after midday,> they have no rule at all. As is brought in the holy Zohar: When the day’s sanctity sets in, “all doers of iniquity are dispersed”.
וְעִקַּר שְׁלִיטָה שֶׁלָּהֶן בִּימֵי הַחֹל הוּא בִּבְחִינוֹת רַגְלִין, שֶׁאֵין מַנִּיחִין לָאָדָם לֵילֵךְ בְּדַרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. דְּאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (ברכות ו): הַנֵי בִּרְכֵּי דְּרַבָּנָן דְּשָׁלְהִי מִנַּיְהוּ,
Now, their rule during the week is primarily over the aspect of the feet. They prevent a person from walking in the ways of God. <As> is brought in the Talmud: It is they who cause the knees of the rabbis to become tired (Berakhot 6a) .
וּבְשַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ חוֹזְרִין לָהֶם כֹּחַ הַהֲלִיכָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו נ״ח:י״ג): אִם תָּשִׁיב מִשַּׁבָּת רַגְלֶךָ; הַיְנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, שֶׁבְּשַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בְּדַרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
But on the holy Shabbat, the strength to walk is returned to them, as it is written (Isaiah 58:13), “If you turn back your feet because it is Shabbat.” This is as we said, that on the holy Shabbat one is able to walk in the ways of God.
אַךְ לְמָשָׁל, תִּינוֹק כְּשֶׁמַּתְחִיל לֵילֵךְ, עֲדַיִן צָרִיךְ סַעַד לְתָמְכוֹ, וְאַף־עַל־ פִּי־כֵן אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בִּמְרוּצָה, רַק פְּסִיעוֹת קְטַנּוֹת, וּצְרִיכִין לְחַזֵּק אוֹתוֹ. כָּךְ כְּשֶׁאָדָם מַתְחִיל בְּשַׁבָּת לֵילֵךְ בְּדַרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, צָרִיךְ עוֹד סַעַד לְתָמְכוֹ,
However, this is comparable to a child. When first beginning to walk, he still needs support to keep him steady. And even with this, he cannot walk quickly. He can take only small steps, and [others] have to support him. It is the same when a person first begins walking in the ways of God on Shabbat. He is still in need of support to keep him steady.
וְהַסַּעַד הַזֶּה הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמֶת. וּבְחִינַת אֱמֶת הַזֶּה הוּא בְּחִינַת רֶגֶל שְׁלִישִׁי, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (שבת קד): קֻשְׁטָא קָאֵי, וְשַׁבָּת הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמֶת, כִּדְאִיתָא (במסכת דמאי פ"ד): אֲפִלּוּ עַם הָאָרֶץ יָרֵא לְשַׁקֵּר בְּשַׁבָּת. וּכְשֶׁמְּדַבֵּק אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּמִדָּה זוֹ, הוּא סַעַד לְתָמְכוֹ, וּבְחִינַת רֶגֶל שְׁלִישִׁי.
This support is the element of truth. This element of truth is the aspect of a third leg, as is brought in the Talmud: Truth stands. And Shabbat corresponds to truth, as is brought: Even the unlearned fear telling a lie on Shabbat. Thus when a person binds himself to this trait, it supports him in keeping steady and is the aspect of a third leg.
אַךְ עֲדַיִן צְרִיכִין לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַשָּׁלֹשׁ רַגְלַיִם הַנַּ"ל, וְלִתֵּן כֹּחַ בָּהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לֵילֵךְ הֵיטֵב. וְהוּא עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה בְּשַׁבָּת, הַיְנוּ שֶׁנּוֹתֵן לְאָדָם עַל שַׁבָּת, אוֹ שֶׁמְּאַכְסֵן עָנִי עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ.
However, we still need to bless the aforementioned three legs and strengthen them if they are to walk well. This is accomplished by the charity one does on Shabbat—i.e., that one gives a person for Shabbat [expenses], or one <invites> a poor person to one’s table.
כִּי יֵשׁ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי צְדָקָה: יֵשׁ צְדָקָה שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בִּימֵי הַחֹל, וּצְדָקָה שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בְּשַׁבַּת־קֹדֶשׁ. וּצְדָקָה הוּא בְּחִינוֹת שֶׁמֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלאכי ג׳:כ׳): שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וְכוּ'. וּצְדָקָה שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בִּימֵי הַחֹל, הוּא כְּנֶגֶד שֶׁמֶשׁ שֶׁבַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה. וּצְדָקָה שֶׁל שַׁבָּת, שֶׁהוּא מֵעֵין עוֹלָם הַבָּא, הִיא כְּנֶגֶד שֶׁמֶשׁ הָעֲתִידָה לְהִתְחַדֵּשׁ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁהוּא כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים.
For there are two types of charity: the charity we do on the weekdays, and the charity we do on the holy Shabbat. Now, charity corresponds to the sun, as it is written, “a charitable sun.” The charity we do during the week parallels the sun of this world. But the charity of Shabbat, which is a taste of the World to Come, parallels the sun as it is destined to be renewed in the Future—this being “like the light of the seven days.”
וְשֶׁמֶשׁ שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינוֹת צְדָקָה, הוּא נוֹתֵן כֹּחַ לִבְחִינַת רַגְלִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים פ״ה:י״ד): צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁצְּדָקָה עוֹשָׂה לוֹ הֲלִיכָה. וְגַם נֶאֱמַר (בראשית ל״ב:ל״ב): וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: לוֹ – לְצָרְכּוֹ, לְרַפְּאוֹתוֹ מִצִּלְעָתוֹ. נִמְצָא בָּזֶה שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה צְדָקָה בְּשַׁבָּת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אוֹר הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים, הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן כֹּחַ לִבְחִינַת שָׁלֹשׁ רַגְלִין הַנַּ"ל:
And the sun, which corresponds to charity, gives strength to the legs, as it is said, “TZeDeK (Righteousness) will walk before him”—i.e., TZeDaKah (charity) will enable him to walk. And it is also said, “The sun shone for him,” and Rashi explains: [It shone] for his benefit, to heal his limp. From this we see that the Shabbat charity one does corresponds to the light of the sun, “like the light of the seven days.” It is this that gives strength to the aforementioned aspect of the three legs.
וְזֶהוּ פֵּרוּשׁ:
2. This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“Assist those who cease work on Shabbat…; who stride on it with short steps; so’adim (who feast) on it three times in order to bless. May their tzedek (righteousness) shine forth like the light of the seven days.”}
פּוֹסְעִים בּוֹ פְּסִיעָה קְטַנָּה – הַיְנוּ שֶׁבְּשַׁבָּת פּוֹסֵעַ עֲדַיִן פְּסִיעָה קְטַנָּה כַּנַּ"ל.
who stride on it with short steps—That is, on Shabbat he still takes short steps, as explained above.
סוֹעֲדִים בּוֹ – הַיְנוּ עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת שַׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמֶת כַּנַּ"ל, הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לְעַצְמוֹ סַעַד וְרֶגֶל שְׁלִישִׁי.
So’ADim on it—That is, by means of Shabbat, which is the aspect of truth, he creates for himself SaAD (support) and a third leg.
לְבָרֵךְ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים – הַיְנוּ שָׁלֹשׁ רַגְלַיִם הַנַּ"ל. וְלִתֵּן כֹּחַ בָּהֶם שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לֵילֵךְ כָּרָאוּי, הוּא עַל יְדֵי: צִדְקָתָם תַּצְהִיר כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים – הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּתֵּן צְדָקָה בְּשַׁבָּת כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שֶׁמֶשׁ הָעֲתִידָה לְהִתְחַדֵּשׁ כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים כַּנַּ"ל:
three times in order to bless—These are the three legs, as explained above. The way to strengthen them, so that he can walk properly, is this: May their tzedek shine forth like the light of the seven days—That is, he should give Shabbat tzedakah, this being the aspect of the sun as it is destined to be renewed “like the light of the seven days,” as explained above.