Monday, September 1, 2014

Shabbat and the Exodus from Egypt

Hi,

"We say in kiddush [that Shabbat is] 'a memorial for the exodus from Egypt,' as stated in Pesachim 117b; the Tur strained regarding this, for Shabbat commemorates Creation! He explained that the phrase refers to 'days of holy convocation' – [the line in kiddush should read: 'it is the first of the days of holy convocation, which are a memorial for the exodus from Egypt.'

"In the name of Rambam, the Tur wrote that Shabbat itself commemorates the exodus from Egypt, for in the exodus from Egypt it was clarified that He is Divine, first, creating, desiring and capable, and this is what Shabbat itself teaches.


"But Ibn Ezra wrote simply that Shabbat commemorates Creation, and the rest of the slave on Shabbat commemorates the exodus from Egypt. This is explicit in the second appearance of the Commandments (Devarim 5:14), 'So that your male and female slave will rest like you, and you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, etc.'"

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 271:27)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

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