Shabbat Prayers: “Yismach Moshe”

Shabbat offers us the opportunity to live in the world before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam was permitted to remain in the Garden of Eden for the Shabbat even though he had sinned.

This is why when we describe Moshe teaching the Shabbat, we read the verses that appear in the Torah immediately before the sin of the Golden Calf; Shabbat offers us the opportunity to experience the world as did Israel before their sin.

This is Moshe’s greatest joy, the “reliable servant,” the one who has not sinned; Adam before his sin, and Israel before theirs.

Moshe taught us how to use Shabbat to reconnect to the perfect state before sin. When we appreciate, even for just a moment, the possibilities offered by Shabbat, we give pure joy to Moshe.