English translation — מקץ ב

A.

On the verse¹

"And Joseph saw etc. and said to the one over his house etc. and slaughter, slaughter and prepare etc.,"

it stands in the Midrash²

: "And prepare,

there is no 'and prepare' except Shabbat³,

as it is said: 'And it was on the sixth day and they prepared etc.'⁴,

this says that Joseph kept the Sabbath before it was given"⁵.

From the plain language of the Midrash one could have a mistake,

that thereby is meant to distinguish Joseph regarding his brothers,

and Sabbath observance regarding other commandments,

D.

H.

<b>He</b> and not the other tribes kept the Sabbath; kept the Sabbath,

and not other commandments.

Chazal&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;

say that the Patriarchs observed all the mitzvos of the Torah,

although they had no command regarding this,

and it

stands

(by Avraham)&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;

"for the sake that he will command his children and his household after him",

it is certain,

that also by Yaakov there was "he will command his children" — all his sons&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;,

and as Rashi writes &lt;b&gt;explicitly &lt;/b&gt;

(in his commentary on the Talmud&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;)

"&lt;b&gt;that the sons of Yaakov &lt;/b&gt;were keepers of the mitzvos,

although the Torah was not given, they had received [it] from their fathers"&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;

Rather — the midrash does not intend to negate the existence of the other commandments by Joseph

and the existence of the commandment of Shabbos

(and the other commandments)

by the tribes

— rather that Joseph's observance of Shabbos is derived from a verse

("this says")

but not so the other commandments that Joseph fulfilled,

and about this — that the observance of the commandment of Shabbos

(and all the commandments)

of all the tribes

is not explicit in

verse.

The above-mentioned matter,

the emphasis on the virtue of keeping the Sabbath by Joseph,

is found in the Midrash also in another place¹⁶

Who has preceded Me that I should pay*¹⁶,

speaks about Joseph, who preceded and kept the Sabbath before it was given,

And slaughter the slaughter and prepare; Rabbi Yochanan said: It was the eve of Sabbath, and “prepare” refers only to the Sabbath, as it is said: “And it was on the sixth day, and they prepared etc.”

(And the Midrash elaborates)

Said the Holy One, blessed be He: “Joseph, you kept the Sabbath before the Torah was given,

by your life, I will pay your son’s son so that he will offer his sacrifice on the Sabbath.”

From the Midrash it is understood

(as a continuation of the above),

that that which the matter of the guarding of Shabbat of Yosef is distributed is not

(merely)

in that by him it is explicit in the verse,

but that his guarding of Shabbat was with an advantage&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

regarding his fulfillment of other commandments&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;,

and also in relation to the fulfillment of the commandments of the rest of the tribes — until that as a result of this, &lt;b&gt;specifically &lt;/b&gt;the son of the son of Yosef merited a special reward for the guarding of Shabbat,

— and on the contrary — this is the reason why specifically the guarding of Shabbat of Yosef is explicit in the verse.

One must understand: In what does the superiority of the guarding of the Shabbat consist

Yosef regarding the observance of Shabbat of the other tribes&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;,

and how is this hinted at in the words "and slaughter the meat and prepare"?

B.

Also one must understand the proof from "there is no 'prepare' except Shabbat",

that "Yosef observed the Shabbat":

As one learns simply, since Joseph commanded that they prepare the foods for Shabbat before Shabbat,

it is a proof that on the day of Shabbat itself they could not do it — the work of cooking and the like.

According to this, however, it requires explanation: Why is the matter of Joseph's observance of Shabbat brought out in the Midrash indirectly — since he prepared on erev Shabbat for Shabbat, it implies that on Shabbat he could not prepare,

do any work²⁰?

The Torah,

seemingly,

should have told us about Joseph's observance of Shabbat directly — with a phrase like that of the Mechilta.

In the Mechilta²¹

one indeed finds it in this manner: from that which Joseph prepared

was on Friday, one learns,

that he fulfilled the message²²

"<b>Remember </b>the Sabbath day"; which in our case,

<b>Preparation </b>this applies specifically before Shabbos

(on weekdays)

— on Friday²³

that from the verse "Remember etc." one learns "You should mention it on the first day of the week, so that if a fine portion falls to you, you should prepare it for Shabbat"].

3.

One will understand this with an introduction of the explanation,

that the Midrash adds and emphasizes that Yosef's observance of Shabbat was "before it was not given" — which is difficult,

and in the language of the HaYefet&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

"What does this teach us,

it is obvious that in the days of Yosef it was not yet given"?

The Yefei To’ar answers,

“And perhaps because ostensibly there was a prohibition in the matter that it had not yet been given,

for a son of Noah who observed Shabbat is liable to death&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;

(because it says&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;

still before the Giving of the Torah they shall not rest)

therefore he said that nevertheless he would have observed it”&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;.

But according to this, the emphasis must be not on that the commandment of Shabbat had not yet been given,

but on that it was given

(later)

specifically to Jews.

For the matter that a son of Noah who observed Shabbat is liable to death is indeed not

(only)

before the Giving of the Torah,

but

(also)

after

that was given,

M”T²⁹,

surely there should have been a phrase appropriate to this,

like “that Yosef observed the Shabbos that was given only to Yisrael” and the like.

And one can explain the explanation in this: “giving”³⁰

is applicable to say when the given thing exists in reality,

the “giving” only adds,

that the thing is taken out from one place and domain and passes over into a second place and domain³¹.

Since one emphasizes especially regarding Shabbos³²

"before it was given",

"until it was not given"³³,

it is understood,

that Shabbos existed from before,

and <b>it</b> is given³⁴.

D.

The explanation in this:

Of the reasons for the mitzvahs of Shabbos

(Remembering Shabbos³⁵,

Observing Shabbos³⁶

etc.),

It is written in the Torah³⁷

"For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth ...

And He rested on the seventh day",

"And on the seventh day He ceased and rested."

From this it is understood,

That already during the six days of creation Shabbos was a distinct day from the other days of the week; and as the Torah says directly in Parshas Bereishis at the beginning of creation³⁸

"And He ceased on the seventh day from all His work etc. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because on it He ceased from all His work"; It is only that the <b>commandment</b> to <b>Jews</b> was only after the Exodus from Egypt — at the Giving of the Torah and before that at Marah

(After the Exodus from Egypt)³⁹

that the two reasons for the commandment of Shabbat — in the First Tablets it says "for six days [etc.]" and in "Mishneh Torah&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;

And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt etc. therefore the L-rd your G-d commanded you etc." — it is "because they are for two different causes ..

for the cause in the first statement is the honor of the day and its greatness ..

but His giving &lt;b&gt;to us &lt;/b&gt;the Torah of Shabbat and His commanding &lt;b&gt;us &lt;/b&gt;to keep it is a cause derived from the reason of our having been slaves in Egypt" — that.

is.

that the reason and cause why the commandment of keeping Shabbat pertains &lt;b&gt;only &lt;/b&gt;to Jews

(and not to the other nations,

although they too are included in the category of

"all were created and renewed in the act of Creation"&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;),

is because of "our having been slaves in Egypt, where we did not work by our will and at the time we desired, and we were not&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;

able to rest"&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;].

Accordingly, it is understood with what is

(before the Giving of the Torah)

the commandment of Shabbat was distinguished from the rest of the commandments of the Torah: other commandments,

their "existence" was renewed at the time of the Giving of the Torah,

before that they were not in the category of existence

(an "object" in itself,

an "object" of commandment)

; in the fulfillment of the commandments before the Giving of the Torah there was only an action of the person

(deed of the person)⁴⁵.

But not so Shabbat,

that the time of the seventh day is distinguished from the side of creation,

the "And He rested on the seventh day",

it turns out that the "object" of the day of Shabbat already existed also before the Giving of the Torah,

from the six days of creation⁴⁶,

— only there was not yet the <b>command </b>to the person

(Jews),

and consequently there was not — an object <b>of the commandment </b>of G-d to man.

And according to this will be sweetened what the concept,

that Shabbat has no connection to the children of Noah,

is learned⁴⁷

from⁴⁸

"and day and night they shall not cease",

which is stated by Noah — since the "object" of Shabbat was already then] ⁴⁹.

And this is the explanation of what is said regarding Shabbat the expression "before it was given",

"until it was not given":

Also before the &lt;b&gt;command&lt;/b&gt; regarding Shabbat observance, Shabbat was a reality and moreover in the same &lt;b&gt;essence&lt;/b&gt; as later

(after the “giving”)

— a day of rest from work,

only then it was in a different

(higher)

&lt;b&gt;domain&lt;/b&gt;,

domain of the giver: Shabbat was a special time for that which the &lt;b&gt;Most High&lt;/b&gt; on that day,

as it were,

“rested” from His work; the “giving” of Shabbat revealed,

that this should pass from the domain of the giver

(also to — )

to the domain of the receiver,

i.

H.

e.

the rest should come to the “person”,

to the Jew here below.

Before there was the “&lt;b&gt;giving&lt;/b&gt;” of Shabbat from the One who “rested on the seventh day”,

Hashem,

it had no relevance to others.

In other words: a “created being” does not have the power to reveal that with him should be the time of Shabbat in the manner that it is with the “Creator”&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;,

and consequently there is no place that &lt;b&gt;he&lt;/b&gt; should rest from work; at the &lt;b&gt;giving of the Torah&lt;/b&gt; the “giving” was revealed in general and in particular — since at the giving of the Torah the decree was nullified and “the upper ones descended to the lower ones”&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;,

and in particular regarding Shabbat,

(in the manner that circumcision became an object of the commandment&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;

even before the giving of the Torah)

— “your command at Marah” was commanded the

Gavra — the Supreme One has "given" to Jews this time of the seventh day,

the "cheftza" of Shabbos,

so that this should "be" a cheftza d'mitzvah among the people⁵³,

accomplish in a Jew down here.

6.

And one may say,

that in this consisted the superior quality of the Shabbos observance of Yosef

(relative to the Shabbos observance of the tribes)

That which the Patriarchs and tribes fulfilled commandments before they were commanded,

this was to the extent that human action can accomplish; but he cannot change the reality and nature of the object as it was created — not an object

(matzah and the like)

distinguished by their action — from other objects

(commandments)

such as,

the object of the commandment.

And likewise was the resting on Shabbat by the tribes,

that it is only an action of the person,

but the "object" of Shabbat as a time they could not change

(their resting from work was only a sign of "for in it He rested, etc.").

However, by Joseph — his observance of Shabbat is explicit in the Torah — it becomes a reality in the world

(and furthermore — an eternal reality⁵⁴).

And it can be said the reason in the matter:

It is known⁵⁵

the superiority of Yosef relative to the rest of the tribes: the tribes were

Shepherds of sheep, that this is a mode of divine service that is "the cause of solitude"⁵⁶

and detachment from worldly matters,

therefore their actions,

including the observance of Shabbat, are "detached" from the world.

Their "bo shabbat" did not change the

(time of)

world; but the work of Joseph was <b>in </b>Egypt,

"the nakedness of the land"; and not only did Egypt not hinder him in his service of G-d,

rather, being in Egypt he was the ruler and governor over Egypt, and without you no man shall lift his <b>hand </b>and his <b>foot </b>in all the land of Egypt⁵⁷

and not only regarding physicality

(and he broke the famine to Egypt etc.),

but also in connection to spirituality

(Joseph opened "their circumcision"⁵⁸).

And since being "below"

(in Egypt,

and there itself,

and still being "in the house of his master the Egyptian" — before "and without you" etc.)

"And <b>the Lord </b>was with Joseph"⁵⁹,

there was with him and <b>with the nation </b>

(togetherness and connection —)

inherent the Shabbat of the Most High,

"for on it He rested from all His work",

the "object" of Shabbat <b>to the Lord</b>,

and consequently his observance of Shabbat "before it was given" contained within itself

(a kind of the quality of)

the observance of Shabbat after the giving of the Torah⁶⁰.

7.

Based on this, we can explain that the Torah revealed the matter of Joseph's observance of Shabbat specifically through the expression "והכן",

which indicates, as above, the "והי׳ ביום הששי <b>והכינו </b>גו׳":

The <b>cessation </b>and abstention from work <b>on the </b>Shabbat day itself brings out the change in the "person",

The <b>man </b>is on that day at rest and abstains from work;

Specifically, the <b>action</b> of the preparation from Friday to Shabbat affects the objects of the world and the time of the world,

that from the perspective of the difference of Shabbat, one prepares oneself for it

(still from before)

and acts in the world.

And it can be said further beyond this — an <b>action</b> that continues on the day of Shabbat*⁶⁰,

And as this is brought out also in halachah:

From "And it was on the sixth day and they shall prepare etc." one learns⁶¹

(Not so,

Not only that one must prepare for Shabbat through action,

bake and cook while it is still day; this is stated explicitly in the verse,

"That which you will bake, bake, and that which you will cook, cook"⁶²,

rather from this one sees)

that "the Merciful One <b>considers </b>the meal

<b>Shabbos</b>,

that one invites her

(with his mouth)

before the day and on a weekday⁶³.

The "והכינו את אשר יביאו" brings out that the meal of <b>Shabbos</b>,

which one eats it <b>on Shabbos</b>,

is an important meal.

Therefore the Torah hints the matter of keeping Shabbat of Yosef in the language "preparation",

because the advantage and superiority of his keeping Shabbat consisted in that through him and in him the <b>day</b> was a special day,

i.e.

that is

it was the "object" of "and He rested on the seventh day",

which expresses itself,

as mentioned,

in the matter of the preparation specifically⁶⁴.

Ch.

Just as there were the two aforementioned manners of keeping Shabbat before the Giving of the Torah,

similar to this and in this manner they also exist after the Giving of the Torah:

It is⁶⁵

here Shabbat as it is <b>given </b>was by speech explicitly in the plain sense of the halachah,

resting on Shabbat from work etc.,

and there is "the aspect of 'keep' in inwardness",

"<b>resting </b>from physical speech"⁶⁶

— not only not <b>multiplying </b>in speech⁶⁷,

but in a manner of resting,

"not to converse any idle conversation G-d forbid"⁶⁶

; the manner of the resting⁶⁸

derives

from this that by Jews begins the "resting" of the Most High

(not only the resting from making heaven and earth physical,

but)

"as the Lord rested from the ten <b>utterances </b>by which heaven and earth were created"⁶⁶.

And just as the completeness of observing Shabbat before the Giving of the Torah by Yosef,

is because by him began the "for in it He rested" of the Most High,

so too regarding observing Shabbat after the Giving of the Torah,

that the "one who observes Shabbat according to its law"⁶⁹

rests not only from physical actions and physical speech,

but by him is heard,

as it were,

the resting of the Most High,

until the "innerness⁶⁶

of Shabbat is the intention in the Shabbat prayer and in Torah study to cleave to the One God, as it is said⁷⁰

Shabbat for the Lord your God".

Which brings <b>immediately </b>the true and complete redemption through our righteous Mashiach,

as our sages, of blessed memory, said⁷¹

Were Israel to observe two Shabbats according to their law

(which is during the period of <b>one</b>⁷²

Shabbat)

<b>immediately </b>they would be redeemed.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Metzora 5741)