The zogn Toyre, offers me a way of reading the entire Torah, and helps at the same time to find a way out of our personal Mitzrayim. The zogn Toyre was written more than two hundred years ago by our Chassidishe leaders. Reading and studying zogn Torah is a way of uplifting our soul and taking the journey home, to discover that oneness that will transform both in the world and in our self.
Zogn Toyre offers inside Chassidus of Shabbos, which I like to share with you.
" Align your heart towards the Holy of Holies"
Our limbs correspond to the structure of the Mishkan, and the holy Shabbos.
In the Amidah we ask HaShem His Holy Shabbos. We recite these words four times, in each Shabbos service. Even when Shabbos is passing away, we are still asking HaShem to grant us His holy Shabbos. Why do we ask this, as we already received Shabbos on Friday early so it can be added to the holy day.
The Kabbalas Shabbos and Kiddush recited on Friday night, and in the morning the Musaf, Amidah, and then the Ein K' Eloheinu. We recite the entire Tehillim before the Shacharis. Afternoon Mincha, prior to Amidah. The Seudah, we sing the Zemiros, and a bracha after every meal throughout Shabbos.
What more are we suppose to do, that we keep on asking HaShem to grant us Shabbos?
Chassidus teaches us that there is a great difference between our Shabbos, and the Shabbos of HaShem. This is a light hidden from us. When we ask HaShem to grant us Shabbos, even after we done all there is to be done, we are asking HaShem " Now You do what You have to do, and grant us HaShem, Your holy Shabbos. To give us purity of heart so that we can grasp the Shabbos You observe.
Shabbos for me is not just a day on a calendar, a time of rest, with its own rules. No, Shabbos is a state of being, and increases our connection with HaShem. There are multiple levels to experience this, but the ultimate Shabbos is HaShem's own.
The rest we take from labor we perform six days a week, is placed within the Divine self. Our Shabbos is just a small part of the Shabbos mystery, the one we ask HaShem to grant us, to share with us.
The construction of the Mishkan has thirty- nine forms of labor, and represents " Know Him in all your ways." Through our work we are building up what is broken, and through which HaShem dwells in lowly things, and bringing them up to their root. " The whole earth is filled with glory. " This service is in the realm of speech, thought and deed, and is called; constructing the dwelling, making a home for HaShem throughout the world, by these thirty- nine forms of labors, which represents the whole universal space.
The same is true in word and thought. When you speak, words matter. We do not let ourselves be separated from the upper life- force which is flowing within, which gives us the power of speech.
With Shabbos, we return to our source. We exist only through the will of HaShem, when we celebrate Shabbos with simcha, we attach ourselves to HaShem, which is also fulfilling His will. When HaShem was shining His light upon us, we turned to Him, and that is His hope, why we exist, this is the matter of Shabbos, returning to our root.
This mystical explanation of Chassidishe teachings of Shabbos captures the love of the Jewish soul has for our Torah. It is not only the person who has a Neshama Yetera- an extra soul- on Shabbos. It is through creation which is filled with this new radiance, one that the Neshama Yetera allows us to see.
We should really live all week awaiting the gift of Shabbos, which is a holy renewal of life. There is this balance between the need to work and our spiritual life to understand the ultimate gift that comes from beyond, and this is not only regarding Shabbos. Our Torah way of life, so full of rituals, Torah learning, and brachos, which are a vessel in which we can find Divine light that shines upon us and the world.
Rambam reminded us regarding Shabbos: " Remember that you were a slave in the land of Mitzrayim, and therefore HaShem asks from us to keep Shabbos. How does these two things relate to one another? " For six days HaShem created the heavens and earth..HaShem blessed the seventh day and made it holy." Shabbos is a part of creation, to remember the Shabbos day and keep it holy. When we came out of Mitzrayim, HaShem Divine presence was revealed us, including the faith that HaShem created the world and everyhing in it. Therefore we have to remember that we were a slave in Mitzrayim and that HaShem brought us out of slavery: " Through which you will have faith that in six days HaShem created the heavens and earth.
Zikaron is referring to creation, and with the reminder of zekher we are coming out of Mitzrayim!
Shabbos is the mitzvah returning to our root, the root that gives light to the brances; the brances who are filled with simcha and for their root. This is what it means to be one with HaShem