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What does vayonach bayom hashvi'i truly mean—that Hashem (ה׳) stopped working, or that His presence descended into creation? This shiur develops a yesod that Shabbos (שבת) is not about cessation but about Hashem's presence filling the world, creating an opportunity for connection. The prohibition against running or business talk on Shabbos therefore stems not from a need for repose but from avoiding self-absorption that blocks relationship with the Divine.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a Baal HaTurim noting that the word vayonach appears twice in the Torah (תורה): once regarding the locusts in Parshas Bo (vayonach al kol gevul Mitzrayim) and once in the Aseres HaDibros (vayonach bayom hashvi'i). The question arises: these seem to be entirely different words—one meaning to place something down, the other meaning to cease from work. How can they be the same? The shiur builds toward a fundamental reconception of what occurred on the seventh day of creation. Rather than Hashem (ה׳) ceasing work, vayonach bayom hashvi'i means Hashem's presence descended into the world. Creation itself is an act of tzimtzum—divine withdrawal to create space for something other than Hashem to exist. Each day of creation represents further tzimtzum, more separation, culminating in man who has free choice and can even rebel. Shabbos (שבת) reverses this trajectory: Hashem's presence returns to fill creation. Vayonach in both instances thus carries the same meaning—descent and presence.
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Bo; Aseres HaDibros; Berachos
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