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Why did Rav Chanina greet Shabbos (שבת) wearing tzitzis as "the queen," while Rav Yannai dressed up to greet "the bride"? The shiur develops a fundamental chakira: Shabbos has two simultaneous dimensions—as Malka, God reasserts His kingship and we passively accept His authority; as Kallah, we actively sanctify the day and create its kedushah. Each dimension determines different aspects of our Shabbos avodah.
The shiur opens with a Gemara (גמרא) in Shabbos (שבת) (119a) describing two different customs for greeting Shabbos. Rav Chanina would put on his tzitzis and declare, "Come, let us go out and greet Shabbos the queen (Malka)." Rav Yannai would dress in fine clothing and say, "Come, bride (Kallah), come bride." The difference between these approaches is not merely stylistic; it reflects two fundamentally different dimensions of Shabbos itself. Rabbi Zweig first establishes the nature of the mitzvah (מצוה) of tzitzis. Chazal teach that tzitzis is equivalent to all other mitzvos, yet uniquely, there is no absolute obligation to wear tzitzis—one can avoid it entirely by not wearing a four-cornered garment. This seeming contradiction reveals tzitzis's essence: it functions as a reminder to perform mitzvos precisely because it is voluntary. Something can only serve as a reminder if it is unusual, if it represents a conscious choice. When one puts on tzitzis, he is making an active commitment to do mitzvos—not fulfilling a rote obligation but choosing to create a reminder system. If tzitzis becomes mere routine, it loses its function as a reminder.
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Shabbos 119a
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Why does the Gemara present a kal v'chomer for chuppah making kiddushin based on kesef not being maichel b'terumah, only to reject it? The shiur reveals that even the rejected kal v'chomer establishes a fundamental yesod: kiddushin is a kinyan for ishus (marital relationship), not merely a kinyan in hilchos kinyanim. The second kal v'chomer—from chuppah being gomeres—raises Tosafos's famous question.
Is the kesef used in kiddushin a true kinyan (acquisition), or merely a symbolic means of establishing marriage? The shiur analyzes multiple interpretations of the Gemara's derivation from ki yikach ki'ach mi'Sayeffron, exploring whether marriage constitutes ownership, and develops three fundamental approaches: (1) The Gemara proves ishus is a kinyan, (2) ishus is not a kinyan but uses kinyan-like means, or (3) ishus is a kinyan but the kesef may not be a ma'aseh kinyan. The Rambam's position—calling kesef "midivrei sofrim"—is explained as distinguishing between cross-referencing concepts versus borrowing terminology.
Why does the Mishna alternate between the language of "kinyan" (acquisition) and "kiddushin" (sanctification) when describing marriage? The shiur develops a fundamental distinction: marriage has two separate aspects—a kinyan dimension (ownership) and a kedusha dimension (sanctified relationship). Either aspect can initiate the bond, and understanding this dual nature resolves multiple textual and halachic questions throughout the sugya.
Does kiddushei shetar require a shevah pruta? The Ran presents two approaches to the Rif's position. The shiur develops the Ran's second pshat that shetar kiddushin functions as a hachnah (exchange) rather than a mere kinyan nesina. This reading has profound implications for isuri hana'ah, mechubar, and the relationship between kesef and shetar.
