Shabbat Prayers-Friday Night Amidah-Blessed of all Days

“You sanctified the seventh day for Your Name’s sake, the conclusion of the creation of heaven and earth. Of all days, You blessed it; and of all seasons, You sanctified it.”

The theme we are using this Shabbat is how Shabbat is an experience of the World-to-Come (See: “Kabbalat Shabbat-A Single Utterance”) We offer an insight into the phrase, “Of all days, You blessed it,” based on a Talmudic description of the Future World:

“In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses [meziloth ha-sus]: Holy unto the Lord (Zechariah 14:20.”) What does ‘meziloth ha-sus’ intimate? —

Said Rav Joshua ben Levi: The Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to add to Jerusalem as far as a horse can run and cast its shadow [mazzil — under itself (Rashi: as far as a horse can run from the morning until midday, when its shadow (zel) is directly beneath it).

Rabbi Eleazar said: All the bells which are hung on a horse between its eyes shall be holy unto God (turned into gifts for the Beit Hamikdash).

While Rav Yochanan said: All the spoil which Israel shall take spoil [from morning] until a horse can run and cast its shadow [under itself] shall be holy unto the Lord.

As for him who explains it [as referring to] all the spoil which Israel shall take spoil, it is well: hence it is written, “And the pots in God’s house shall be like the basins before the altar (Even the pots shall be of gold and silver, owing to the abundance of spoil).

But according to those who give the other two explanations, what is the relevance of ‘and the pots in God’s house shall be’ [etc.]?

The verse states another thing; that Israel will become wealthy, make votive offerings, and bring them [to the Temple].

As for him who says that it means spoil, it is well: that is what is written, “and in that day there shall be no more a trafficker in the house of the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 14:21: The Temple Treasurers will not need to buy or sell for the Temple, on account of the great wealth of the

spoil).” But according to those who give the other two explanations, what does “and there shall be no more a trafficker [kena’ani]” mean? —

Said Rabbi Jeremiah: No poor man shall be here. (Pesachim 50A)

Application:

1. For the Shabbat before the Tenth of Tevet: Focus on the blessing for Jerusalem: “The Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to add to Jerusalem as far as a horse can run and cast its shadow under itself.” Kavanah: “May You bless this Shabbat with expansion of Jerusalem beyond any siege by the nations, and without limitation, as You will in the Future World.
2. “All the bells which are hung on a horse between its eyes shall be (turned into gifts for the Beit Hamikdash,” Kavanah: We ask that the blessing of this Shabbat be as the blessing of the World-to-Come, in which everything we have will become holy enough to be used in the Beit Hamikdash.  It is important to treat everything on the Shabbat table with a sense of sanctity.
3. “Even the pots shall be of gold and silver, owing to the abundance of wealth.” Kavanah: “May this Shabbat that is a taste of the Future World and its abundance, bring as its blessing abundance for all of us.”
4. “No poor man shall be here.” Kavanah: May the blessing of this World-to-Come Shabbat bring us into a world in which there are no poor.” If you plan to use this Kavanah; give extra Tzedaka before Shabbat.