GETTING TO THE ROOT
There are only a handful of Shabbosim who carry a second name. Our Shabos carries the name Shabbos Shuva or Shabbos Teshuva. The reason for the first variant is because the haftorah begins with the word Shuva, as Hoshea tells his people to return to HaShem. The reason for the second variant is because it is the Shabbos of the Ten Days of Teshuva. Question: Why then is Friday not called Friday Teshuva, and for that matter, every other day of this week?
Perhaps this is not a fair question since the week is called by its Shabbos. Nevertheless, I would like to suggest an answer. Both Shabbos and Teshuva derive from the same root word; l’shuv, which means to return. There is a relationship between the process of Teshuva and the day of Shabbos. It is therefore natural for Shabbos to take on this second name.
How does Shabbos relate to returning? Who is returning to Shabbos? Let us use the wooden cube model. If one will create a six sided cube from a fallen tree it will be a useless block of wood. Its only real purpose would be for firewood. If, however, he will carve a space inside of the cube, the cube will now become a box. As a box, it is a utensil with a purpose. By creating that space every one of those six sides was given meaning and purpose; they were now serving to protect the space inside. Per-haps Shabbos finds her origin in the word ‘l’shuv’ because the six days of the week bring their meaning and purpose to the Shabbos just as the six sides of the cube bring their meaning and purpose to the inner space. The six days return to their Shabbos.
How does Teshuva relate to returning? We often associate Teshuva with going to places of spiritual greatness that were not previously attained. It is therefore difficult to understand how Teshuva relates to its root word ‘l’shuv’, which means to return. Most baalei Teshuva are on a path of life they never saw before. In what way is Teshuva returning?
In the core of every Jew is a neshama whose integrity has not been compromised. No matter what the person may have done, at his core, his neshama remains pure. This is reflected in the prayer that every Jew recites every morning “My G.D, the soul You have given me is pure, You created her, You formed her, etc.” In figurative speech we can say that this neshama is a piece of HaShem. It is actually the breath of HaShem; the breath which HaShem blew into Adam. The connection we have with Ha-Shem runs through our neshama. It is therefore critical that our neshama has the least interference possible. As we go along our way in life we often become cluttered with deeds and words that create interference and we lose contact with our neshama. Teshuva is the process by which we clear up the clutter and return back to our inner core.
Once we return to our neshama we consequently find our way to HaShem. Teshuva does not return us to a previous way of life, it returns us to ourselves.
So, as we return this Friday night to Shabbos may HaShem grant us the awareness of our inner self and this Shabbos should become a Shabbos Teshuva.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and an easy fast on Yom Kippur.
Paysach Diskind