חפצי שמים מותר לדבר בהם כגון חשבונות של מצוה ולפסוק צדקה ולפקח על עסקי רבים ולשדך התינוק ליארוס וללמדו ספר או אומנות ודוקא לדבר אם רוצה להשתכר אבל לשכרו ולהזכיר לו סכום מעות אסור.
הגה י"א דבמקום שנוהגין ליתן לקורא בתורה מי שבירך ונודר לצדקה או לחזן דאסור בשבת לפסוק כמה יתן (א"ז) והמנהג להקל דהא מותר לפסוק צדקה:
It’s permitted to speak about the desires of Heaven (aka mitzvos) on Shabes. For example, accounting for how much a mitzvah will cost, pledging tzedakah, supervising the interests of the community, negotiating marriage for a child to become engaged, and (hiring a teacher to) teach them a book or a trade. One can specifically speak (to a potential hire) if one wants to earn a living, however to hire them and mention the amount of their wages is forbidden.
Haga:
There are some who say that in a place wherein it is the custom to give to the person having an aliya a mi sheberakh and pledge tzedakah, it’s forbidden on Shabes to pledge how much they will give but the custom is to be lenient- that it’s permitted to pledge tzedakah.
Terms
Tzedaka:: giving justice (aka of money or the Jewish paradigm for "charity")
Mitzva:: carrying out a command from the Torah, like lighting Shabbat candles or keeping kosher
Mi Sheberakh:: a special prayer formula given in front of the congregation to someone who receives an aliya which asks for specific goodness be showered down upon this person and their family
חשבונות – lit. an accounting– refers to keeping track of or taking stock of something; it could be related to one’s business, social calendar, organizing or related to keeping track of one’s soul work through doing mitzvos, for example, or some other ritualized practice. In context of one’s speech on Shabes- taking stock has the potential to lead one into distracting thought spirals
(לג) לפסוק צדקה - ואפילו החזן עשיר כיון שנותנין לו זה כדי שיתפלל לפני העמוד הוי צורך מצוה.
ובענין הכרזת מצות בבהכ"נ יש אוסרין ויש מתירין דלא שייך מקח וממכר אלא בחפץ הנקנה
ובמקום שנהגו היתר אין למחות בידן.
"To pledge tzedakah" – and even if the one leading the service is rich, since the one receiving the aliya is giving them this (pledge) so that they will pray on behalf of the congregation, it constitutes a mitzvah need.
And in the matter of one who publicizes themself doing a mitzvah in the shul, there are those who forbid and (also) there are those who permit that which is not pertinent to buying or selling, except in the thing that is being bought – (i.e. you can buy and sell this mitzvah but don’t think this gives you permission to talk about your business or commercial consumption on Shabes).
And in a place where the custom is to allow, one doesn’t object with their hands (i.e. you can’t outbid).
Stop! Discuss together:
Context: there used to a more widespread custom of auctioning off various honors (here termed "mitzvah") related to the service as a way to generate money for the shul. One could gain prestige and social capital in buying an honor hence the shul had more of a marketplace atmosphere to it. This poses some problems for Shabbat in particular as it relates to money and transactions.
- Look back over the Shulchan Arukh text: What questions come up for you regarding these various permitted topics of speech on Shabes? Why would you think they might not be allowed to speak about on Shabes?
- Look at the difference of opinion that the Haga raises- What's the difference between what he is saying around pledging tzedaka and what the Shulchan Arukh is saying?
- What is the Mishna Berura adding to the conversation? What distinctions is he drawing around needs? How does this relate back to our overall topic of permitted speech on Shabes?
Thinking about their interests is permitted. However in order to honor oneg shabes, it is a mitzvah to not think about them at all because it should be in a person's eyes as if all their work is complete.
Terms:
Oneg Shabes:: Shabes pleasure- there is a requirement that we have pleasure on Shabbat, such as through eating delicacies we don't normally eat during the week or singing songs together around a table.
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"It’s a mitzvah to not think about" – all the more so if there is a thought near to them that troubles the heart and (brings on) anxiety. One should be careful about creating anxiety. |
(לט) ויהא בעיניו וכו' - וכדאיתא במכלתא פ' יתרו ששת ימים תעבוד ועשית כל מלאכתך וכי אפשר לאדם לעשות כל מלאכתו בששת ימים אלא שבות כאלו כל מלאכתך עשויה:
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"Because it will be in their eyes etc" – And like how it is stated in Parshas Yisro (Ex 20:9): “Six days you will do and perform all your work” – it’s possible for a person to do all their work in six days and the ceasing is as if all of their work is complete. |
Stop! Questions to discuss together:
- Look at the Shulchan Arukh again: how do you personally relate to this idea of refraining from thinking about your interests? What happens when you normally do this? What sensations does it create for you in your body?
- Consider what the Mishna Berura has to say about thoughts that potentially create anxiety. Any questions arise?
- Now look at the second Mishna Berura quoting Parshas Yisro. What do the two Mishna Beruras communicate about the ideal Shabbat world and the potential for our minds and hearts in such a world?
- Take a moment to sit quietly together and just think. What thoughts arise? What do they make you feel in your heart and your body? Do they make you want to act, to feel tired or something else? Share back with your chevrusa.
דיני שבת התלויים בדיבור ובו כ"ב סעיפים:
ודבר דבר שלא יהא דבורך של שבת כדבורך של חול הילכך אסור לומר דבר פלוני אעשה למחר או סחורה פלונית אקנה למחר ואפי' בשיחת דברים בטלים אסור להרבות:
הגה וב"א שסיפור שמועות ודברי חדושים הוא עונג להם מותר לספרם בשבת כמו בחול אבל מי שאינו מתענג אסור לאומרם כדי שיתענג בהם חבירו: (ת"ה סי' ס"א):
Laws of Shabes dependent on speech:
“Ve’daber davar”/“And speaking matters” (Isaiah 58:13) (doing business) (teaches us) that your Shabes speech should not be like your weekday speech.
Therefore it is forbidden to say a thing, “I will do such and such tomorrow” or “Such and such goods I will buy tomorrow” and even in a conversation of things that have already happened it is forbidden to go on about them.
Haga: People for whom stories of rumors and novel things are oneg, it’s permitted to tell them on Shabes like it is during the week, however one who doesn’t find oneg (in them) it’s forbidden to say them in order that their friend take pleasure in them. AKA one shouldn’t people-please and recount gossip if they don’t themselves like gossip.
It’s forbidden to calculate your accountings (money) even if they already happened.
For example “I spent such and such on such and such an affair.”
And in fact (one can’t speak about one’s accountings) if the wages of the workers are still at their house; but if they paid them already, this is permitted.
Stop! Questions to ask your chevrusa:
Context: Text from Yishaya/Isaiah: "If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, From pursuing your affairs on My holy day; If you call the sabbath “delight,” The LORD’s holy day “honored”; And if you honor it and go not your ways nor look to your affairs, nor strike bargains"
- What are questions that arise for you in the Shulchan Arukh?
- How is he understanding the text from Yishaya and how does this inform your overall reading of the paragraph?
- Consider the last part about refraining from speaking extensively about things that are in the past- whether personal or monetary. Think of times that you recounted to someone something from your past. Can you remember how your body felt as you spoke? Where were you when you were telling your story and what impact did it have on the environment or your sense of time and space?
- What questions arise for you about the Haga's addition on telling rumors?
- How does this entire section paint a picture overall of the ideal Shabes world and sense of self, body and time?
מליצות ומשלים של שיחת חולין ודברי חשק כגון ספר עמנואל וכן ספרי מלחמות אסור לקרות בהם בשבת ואף בחול אסור משום מושב לצים ועובר משום אל תפנו אל האלילים לא תפנו אל מדעתכם ובדברי חשק איכא תו משום מגרה יצר הרע ומי שחיברן ומי שהעתיקן ואין צריך לומר המדפיסן מחטיאים את הרבים:
הגה ונראה לדקדק הא דאסור לקרות בשיחות חולין וספורי מלחמות היינו דוקא אם כתובים בלשון לע"ז אבל בלשון הקודש שרי וכן נ"ל מלשון שכתבו התוס' פרק כל כתבי וכן נהגו להקל בזה:
Satires and fables of idle chatter and words of pleasure, for example the book of Emmanuel or books of wars- it's forbidden to read them on Shabes.
And even during the week- it’s forbidden because of the "company of scoffers" (Psalms 1:1). Transgressing it (is like) “do not turn towards idols” (Leviticus/Vayikra 19:4).
Don’t follow after your awareness/inclination in matters of pleasure- because it tempts one's yetzer hara (i.e. publications of pleasure tempts a person's yetzer hara)
And someone who binds them (these passion-filled writings into a book) and someone who transcribes them- it goes without saying someone who does the printing (of them)- they all cause the public to sin.
Haga: And we make a distinction around that which is forbidden to read regarding idle chatter and accounts of war- if one is written in the language of idol worship and one is written in the language of kodesh- it’s permitted. (And thus it seems to me from the words of Tosefos in Perek Kol Kisvei (Shabbos 116b) and so we are lenient about this.
Terms:
שיחת חולין – lit. profane/idle chatter – meaning conversation that has the potential to distract others by creating thought spirals, like unfounded bits of information or random seemingly urgent details unrelated to the conversation being had or the environment being created
יצר הרע – lit. the evil urge- referring the inclination inside each of us to perform actions that are innate to our human desire system. These urges do not necessarily possess the value binary of “good” and “bad,” they could just be part of how we are human. Like eating more cookies than we know is healthy for our bodies or the desire to have babies. However, the yetzer hara is also the energetic impulse to speak gossip or fetishize someone- sexually or in another manner.
בלשון לע"ז… בלשון הקודש – lit. in the language of idol worship; in the language of holiness – referring to the language we speak in our mundane world versus the language we study our holy texts in. Traditionally we understand holy language to be Hebrew and Aramaic and the language we speak to be whatever our primary language is, like English or Spanish. Our tradition regards a language like English as Diasporic and thus part of a paradigm in which we are waiting to be liberated from via the arrival of Moshiach; if we follow this paradigm, it would follow that English, for example, can lead to thought spirals beyond the scope or intention of Shabes. Whereas studying and immersing in Hebrew and Aramaic, even in translation, will lead us to ponder more topics related to G-d/Higher Power/Eternity, our role in Creation, how we might conceive of relating to Eternity/Higher Power/G-d and each other.
Context: Classically, it was thought to not read stories of war even during the week since reading them is the equivalent of spending time in “the company of scoffers."
Tehillim/Psalms 1:1:
אַשְׁרֵי־הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים לֹא עָמָד וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים לֹא יָשָׁב׃
Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, or taken the path of sinners, or joined the company of the insolent.
Second source cited:
Vayikra 19:4
אַל־תִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלִילִ֔ים וֵֽאלֹהֵי֙ מַסֵּכָ֔ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
Do not turn to idols or make molten gods for yourselves: I the LORD am your God.
"Your awareness": that which causes you to act, which is informed by your heart ('s desires. AKA your awareness can lead you astray if instigated by emotion)
אסור ללמוד בשבת ויום טוב זולת בדברי תורה ואפי' בספרי חכמות אסור ויש מי שמתיר ועל פי סברתו מותר להביט באסטרול"ב בשבת [ולהפכה ולטלטלה כדלקמן סי' ש"ח]:
It's forbidden to study anything on Shabes and a holiday except Torah. Even (reading) books of (secular) wisdom are forbidden, though there are some who allow it.
According to their opinion- it’s permitted to look at an astrolabe on Shabes (and to turn it or to move it as is written in Siman 308:50)
Stop! Questions to ask your chevrusa:
Context: "An astrolabe is an instrument formerly used to make astronomical measurements, typically of the altitudes of celestial bodies, and in navigation for calculating latitude, before the development of the sextant. In its basic form (known from classical times), it consists of a disk with the edge marked in degrees and a pivoted pointer" (Oxford Languages); "equates to a handheld model of the universe" (Wikipedia).
- What questions come up for you around this section?
- What are some unifying themes?
- What about materials that provoke the heart or imagination can you conjecture would be problematic (in this very classical understanding of "passions") in creating a Shabes world?
- What modern examples of materials, songs or objects can you think of that create a different experience than the Shabes world being erected in these sources so far?
- Consider what the Haga says about permitted languages for reading materials. How does the distinction drawn between "idol worship" language versus "holiness language" relate to how one might think about engaging with Shabes? What's the impact (or not) of which kind of language we immerse ourselves in on this day?
- Regarding the astrolabe: Being permitted to use one on Shabes seems similar to playing G-d in that it is a tool to concretely understand celestial bodies. In what ways could this be imagined to be part of the Shabes world?