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Why does the Shabbos (שבת) blessing emphasize love while Yom Tov emphasizes joy? The shiur develops that Shabbos is fundamentally a love experience where God comes to us. When we truly feel loved by God, we can love ourselves properly and become effective parents who give values instead of desperately seeking our children's approval.
The shiur explores a fascinating distinction in our davening between Shabbos (שבת) and Yom Tov. While we say God gave us Yom Tov "with love" for "simcha and sasson" (joy and celebration), on Shabbos we add that He gave us "a portion of love" itself. This indicates that while Yom Tov is an experience of joy, Shabbos is fundamentally a love experience. To understand this concept, Rabbi Zweig analyzes Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on Parshas Lech Lecha regarding Bris Milah. Rashi explains that circumcision establishes two covenants: a covenant of love and a covenant regarding Eretz Yisrael. This seems puzzling since God had already promised Avrohom the land 29 years earlier at the Bris Bein Habesarim.
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Up Next in this Series
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 Lech Lecha 17:2
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