- How do you keep track of time?
- What was a time when you totally lost track of time?
Music to transition us into this space
Courtesy Yosef Goldman
Watch: Shalom Aleichem, Yosef Goldman, "Open My Heart," 2019
אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ אוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֵימָתַי שַׁבָּת, מוֹנֶה שִׁשָּׁה יָמִים וּמְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד. חִיָּיא בַּר רַב אוֹמֵר: מְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד, וּמוֹנֶה שִׁשָּׁה.
בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי — מָר סָבַר כִּבְרִיָּיתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וּמָר סָבַר כְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן.
מֵיתִיבִי: הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֵימָתַי שַׁבָּת מְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד לְשִׁשָּׁה. מַאי לָאו, מוֹנֶה שִׁשָּׁה וּמְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד?! לָא, מְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד וּמוֹנֶה שִׁשָּׁה. אִי הָכִי ״מְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד לְשִׁשָּׁה״ — ״מְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד וּמוֹנֶה שִׁשָּׁה״ מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ. וְעוֹד, תַּנְיָא: הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ אוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֵימָתַי שַׁבָּת, מוֹנֶה שִׁשָּׁה וּמְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד, תְּיוּבְתָּא דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר רַב! תְּיוּבְתָּא.
אָמַר רָבָא: בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ כְּדֵי פַרְנָסָתוֹ [בַּר מֵהָהוּא יוֹמָא]. וְהָהוּא יוֹמָא לֵימוּת?! דְּעָבֵיד מֵאֶתְמוֹל שְׁתֵּי פַרְנָסוֹת. וְדִילְמָא מֵאֶתְמוֹל שַׁבָּת הֲוַאי! אֶלָּא כָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ פַּרְנָסָתוֹ, אֲפִילּוּ הָהוּא יוֹמָא.
וְהָהוּא יוֹמָא בְּמַאי מִינְּכַר לֵיהּ? בְּקִידּוּשָׁא וְאַבְדָּלְתָּא.
Rav Huna said: One who was walking along the way or in the desert, and he does not know when Shabbat occurs, he counts six days from the day that he realized that he lost track of Shabbat and then observes one day as Shabbat. Ḥiyya bar Rav says: He first observes one day as Shabbat and then he counts six weekdays.
The Gemara explains: With regard to what do they disagree? One Sage, Rav Huna, held: It is like the creation of the world, weekdays followed by Shabbat. And one Sage, Ḥiyya bar Rav, held: It is like Adam, the first man, who was created on the sixth day. He observed Shabbat followed by the six days of the week.
The Gemara raises an objection to the opinion of Ḥiyya bar Rav from a baraita (orally-transmitted Jewish traditions): If a person was walking along the way and does not know when Shabbat occurs, he observes one day for every six. What, does this not mean that he counts six and then observes one day in accordance with the opinion of Rav Huna? The Gemara rejects this: No, it could also mean that he observes one day and then counts six. The Gemara asks: If so, if that is what the baraita meant, why employ the phrase: He observes one day for six? It should have stated: He observes one day and counts six. And furthermore, it was taught in a baraita: If one was walking along the way or was in the desert, and he does not know when Shabbat occurs, he counts six days and observes one day. That is a conclusive refutation of the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rav. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, it is a conclusive refutation of the opinion of Ḥiyya bar Rav.
Rava said: The person who lost track of Shabbat and treats one day a week as Shabbat, each day he makes enough food to sustain himself, except for that day which he designated as Shabbat. The Gemara asks: And on that day let him die? Rather, it means that the day before he makes twice the amount of food that he prepared on the other days to sustain him for that day and the following day. The Gemara asks: And perhaps the day before was actually Shabbat? In that case, not only did he perform labor on Shabbat, but he also performed labor on Shabbat in preparation for a weekday. Rather, on each and every day he makes enough food to sustain himself for that day, including on that day that he designated as Shabbat.
And if you ask: And how is that day which he designated as Shabbat distinguishable from the rest? It is distinguishable by means of the kiddush and the havdala that he recites on that day.
- What's the scenario here?
- What is Rav Huna's argument and why?
- What is Ḥiyya bar Rav's argument and why?
- What would you argue?
- How would you distinguish Shabbat/weekend from the rest of the week, if you were cut off from society and lost track of time?
My Jewish Learning, Sarah Zager
These two opinions offer two interestingly different understandings of Shabbat’s significance: Rav Huna treats Shabbat from the divine perspective, as the conclusion of the six days of creation. On this view, Shabbat is a feature of the cosmic reality, built into the structure of the world, even without human intervention. In contrast, Hiya the son of Rav treats Shabbat as deeply grounded in human reality: the first human beings were created on Erev Shabbat, and their first full day was Shabbat.
In practice, we have inherited aspects of both Rav Huna and Hiya son of Rav’s positions. On the one hand, Shabbat’s structure is dictated by cosmic realities: it begins when the sun sets, whether we have prepared fully, or if you’re anything like me, always when you have just one more thing left to do. At the same time though, Shabbat only reaches its full potential when it is integrated into a human community. In a very literal sense, we are responsible for “making Shabbat.”
When the traveler described in the Gemara finds themselves on the road or in the desert without the human, social rhythms of Shabbat, both Rav Huna and Hiya son of Rav authorize him to create Shabbat on his own, and strikingly, either opinion could lead the traveler to keep Shabbat on the wrong day. So, even if we think that Shabbat is something that is written in the cosmos, it relies on some human input to make it into a recognizably different and special period of time.
These days, even when practically the whole world follows the same weekly calendar, there can be times when we feel like we walking alone in the desert. The simple act of counting six days, and making the seventh one a bit more holy can reshape time, making space for both ourselves and God to rest.
Weekly Ritual Spotlight: Motzi // Blessing over Challah/Bread
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, ruler of the universe who brings forth
bread from the earth.
The specific practice varies. Some dip the bread into salt before the blessing on bread. Others say the blessing, cut or tear the challah into pieces, and only then dip the pieces in salt, or sprinkle them with salt, before they are eaten.
Normally, the custom is not to talk between washing hands and eating bread. However, according to some, if salt was not placed on the table, it is permitted to ask for someone to bring salt, before the blessing on bread is recited.
Customs vary whether the challah is dipped in salt, salt is sprinkled on it, or salt is merely present on the table.
The Torah requires that Temple sacrifices to God be offered with salt. Following the destruction of the Second Temple, Rabbinic literature suggested that a table set for a meal symbolically replaces the Temple altar; therefore, the blessing over food should only be recited with salt present on the table. Should one eat a meal without performing a commandment, the covenant of salt protects them.
To the rabbis, a meal without salt was considered no meal. Furthermore, in the Torah, salt symbolizes the eternal covenant between God and Israel. As a preservative, salt never spoils or decays, signifying the immortality of this bond.
As we enter Shabbat this week think about...
- What essential experiences and practices fill you up with joy (like kiddish).
- Reflect on what brings a distinctive light (havdallah) to your life.
Shabbat Intention for this week
Designate an extra amount of time this weekend to do something you've been holding off that you love!
Shabbat Shalom!