Olelot Ephraim: Shabbat II: Present: Torah

The 7th of Iyar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shlomo Ephraim of Luntchitz, author of Kli Yakar and Olelot Ephraim: Observance of Shabbat is the foundation of three principles, past, present, and future: Of the past; God’s creation of the world. In the future; the World to Come. In the present; Torah study.

We explained Shabbat as reaffirming our faith in God’s existence and His creation of the world as expressed in the law of walking differently on Shabbat, and represented by Kiddush. (See Olelot Ephraim: Shabbat I: The Past: God’s Existence & The Creation)

Torah:

“Or discussing the forbidden,” that your speech and conversation on Shabbat should not be like your speech on weekdays. ‘Speaking’: speech is forbidden, but thought about mundane matters is permitted. (Shabbat 113a)

One’s speech on Shabbat should be different by focusing only on Torah, and spoken with awe of God. I explained in my Sefer Rivavot Ephraim that the reason the verse does not conclude the Shabbat by saying, “and it was evening, and it was morning, the seventh day,” as it does at the conclusion of each of the six days of creation, because it is only during the six days that there is a difference between evening and morning; one is a time of work and the other a time of rest, as the verse says, “The sun rises and they are gathered in, and in their dens they crouch. Man goes forth to his work, and to his labor until evening (Psalms 104:22-23).” However, on Shabbat, when we have been elevated to focus on Torah, of which the verse says, “In his Torah he meditates day and night (Psalms 1:2),” there is no difference between evening and morning.