On the second day what did they say?
[The one commencing], Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, because he
divided His works
and
reigned over them like a king.
On the third day they said, God stands
in the congregation of God, because He revealed the earth in His
wisdom and established the world for His community.
On the fourth day they said, O Lord,
Thou God, to whom vengeance belongs, because He created the sun and the moon
and will one day punish those who serve them.
On the fifth day they said, Sing aloud
to the God of our strength, because He created
fish and birds to praise His name.
On the sixth day they said, The Lord
reigns, He is clothed in majesty, because He completed His work and
reigned over His creatures.
On the seventh day they said, A psalm a
song for the Shabbos day, to wit, for the day which will be all Shabbos.
Rashi explains on the words "for the day
which will be all Shabbos" - ליום שכולו שבת - שעתיד העולם להיות
חרב ואין אדם, וכל המלאכות שובתות על אותו יום אומרים שיר של שבחו עכ"ל .
In the future the
world will be destroyed and there will be no man and all of the melachos will
be suspended. About that day we say a song of praise.
The
Braisa continues: Said
Rav Nechemiah: What grounds had the Sages for making a difference between
these sections
[the psalms for the first six days, all of which they take to refer to the
past, and that for the seventh day, which they take to refer to the future]? No. On the first day [the reason for the psalm
said is] because He took possession and gave possession and was [sole] ruler in
His world; on the second day because He divided and ruled over them; on the third
day because He revealed the earth in His wisdom and established the world for
His community;on the fourth day, because He created the sun and the moon and
will one day punish those who serve them; on the fifth day because He created
birds and fishes to praise His name; on the sixth day because He completed His
work and reigned over His creatures; on the seventh day, because He rested.
We see from this
gemara that Shabbos has a dual theme. It is both in memory of the creation
of the world [and yetzias mitzraim as we say in Kiddush] and the future Shabbos
at the end of days. We have to understand how one day encompasses two seemingly
different aspects.
Maran HaRav Hutner
discussed this in numerous places. The source that Shabbos is may-ain olam haba
is in the medrash on the pasuk "Es Shabsosai tishmoru etc. Ani Hashem mekadeshchem" - The medrash says "Mahu mekadeshchem –
li-olam haba". Explained Rav Hutner that the word "shabsosai" in
the pasuk is plural. The gemara in Shabbos learns from the plural
"shabsosai" that if the Jews keep two Shabbosos they will be immediately redeemed. This is the
source of the medrash that "mekadeshchem" is referring to olam haba –
those two Shabbosos that bring us to olam haba.
Rav Hutner also
noted that the gemara is not talking about reward and punishment, that if we keep
two Shabbosos we will be rewarded with redemption because if that were the case
it would have said "mayvee geulah la-olam" or something to that
effect. Rather it says "mee-yad hayn nigaleen" which implies that the
inevitable outcome of keeping two shabossos would be geula.
We must understand
these two shabboses and how they bring geula.
When we thank
Hashem for the world on Shabbos we appreciate not only what we see but also all
of the wonders of creation that we do not yet see. As the world develops we
appreciate more and more of what Hashem created. Example: For many, many years
in order to go overseas you needed to travel by boat. Then we discovered a
koach in the briya where if you put some pieces of metal together [and a few
more things] you can literally fly. That discovery is "may-ain olam
haba" a greater appreciation of Hashem's greatness and all of the wonders
we find in His creation. This machine I am using right now didn't exist when I was
a child [at least not in its present developed form] where I can press a button
here and all over the world people can instantaneously read what I write. So
all along we thanked Hashem for these wonders but when they were revealed it
was a taste of olam haba and a heightened appreciation of Hashem's wonders.
Every Shabbos we
thank Hashem for all that is and all that will be in the future but the next
Shabbos we taste a little more of that future because of what was revealed
during the week.
Now we understand
the two Shabbasos and what they have to do with olam haba.
[Based on Marbeh Zikaron Vol. 3 page 61 from Rabbi Yaakov Dovid
Homnick Shlita]
