Importance of Learning Hilchois Shabbos in Public during the Time of Minchah

On the holy Shabbat, toward the time of Minchah, they should occupy themselves with the laws of Shabbat. For “The law of Shabbat is important.” It is easy for man to stumble in it, Heaven forfend, even in the matter of a prohibition involving extirpation and stoning, because of a lack of knowledge, and “error in teaching amounts to intentional sin,” Heaven forfend. No need to mention (that the same applies to) the Rabbinic injunctions which are ever so numerous, and especially with respect to the prohibitions of muktzeh, of which there are many; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The words of the Soferim are more severe than the words of Torah.” For whoever transgresses the words of the Sages, even but a light injunction of theirs [as, for instance, he who eats before the evening prayer, and the like] is guilty of death, just as one who transgresses the severe matters of the Torah.

And let no individual separate himself from the congregation, even to learn something else; rather, (each one is to participate) in whatever the congregation busies itself with. There is no need to mention that one should not leave if there are not ten without him; to him I apply the verse “And those that leave the L–rd shall be consumed…,” as our Sages, of blessed memory, said with respect to every sacred matter. For There is no holiness as the holiness of the Torah—whereas “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed is He, are entirely one.”

Thus, whoever separates himself from the community…, but he who will listen to me shall dwell securely, and in his and in our own days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell securely—Amen, may this be (His) will.

Since, due to the frailty of the generation, not everyone is capable of fasting as he ought, the counsel offered is the declaration of our Sages, of blessed memory, “Whoever observes Shabbat according to its halachah (law) is forgiven all his sins.” Note, according to its law. Therefore it is incumbent upon every individual to master the major law of Shabbat.

Also, be most careful not to indulge in idle chatter, G–d forbid.

For it is known to the students of Kabbalah that in all mitzvot there are the internal and the external aspects. The externality of Shabbat is the cessation of physical labor, just as G–d ceased making physical heaven and earth.

The internal aspect of Shabbat is the kavanah (intention) in the Shabbat prayers and Torah study, to cleave to the One G–d, as it is said, “It is Shabbat to the L–rd your G–d.” This is the state of “Remember.”

The state of “Observe” in the inwardness (of Shabbat) is refraining from speech about material affairs, as G–d ceased from the Ten Utterances through which physical heaven and earth were created. For one is opposite the other….

Keep the Shabbat strictly, according to the Halachah, with all its details and specifics. The mnemonic by which to remember this, is the verse, “You turn back-Tashev-תשב man-Enosh-אנוש into pulp.” The word “You turn back-Tashev-תשב” consists of the same letters as, “Shabbat-שבת.” The word used for man here is, “Enosh-אנוש” indicating that, “Even if he is an idolater, like the generation of Enosh, he will be forgiven.”

The Sage of the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught in a baraita: A person may go out ab initio donning phylacteries on Shabbat eve at nightfall. Although one does not don phylacteries on Shabbat and going out donning them involves an element of carrying, there is no concern lest he forget and remove them on Shabbat. What is the reason for this? Because Rabba bar Rav Huna said: A person is obligated to touch his phylacteries at all times that he is donning them. This is derived from an a fortiori inference [kal vaḥomer] from the frontplate [tzitz] of the High Priest. Just as with regard to the frontplate, which has only one mention of God’s name, the Torah said: “And it should be always upon his forehead” (Exodus 28:38), which means that the High Priest must always be aware that the tzitz is placed on his head and that he should not be distracted from it; phylacteries that have numerous mentions of God’s name, all the more so one should always be aware of them. Therefore, he remembers that the phylacteries are on his head and is not likely to come to carry them on Shabbat. On a related note, the Gemara mentions that it was taught in a baraita that Ḥananya says: A person is required to feel his clothing on Shabbat eve at nightfall to ascertain whether he forgot an object in his pockets that he might come to carry on Shabbat. And Rav Yosef commented and said: That is a significant halakha for Shabbat, and it is fitting to do so in order to refrain from violating a prohibition.