Friday, August 29, 2008

"Have A Happy Shabbos"

(Illustration by Raphael Eisenberg)

On two occasions, I noted that the Sudilkover Rebbe wished me a "happy Shabbos" instead of "good Shabbos". While English is not his first language, I intuitively understood that he had chosen the word "happy" to express a specific idea.

When I finally asked him about his word choice, the Rebbe responded that he uses the word "happy" since it has an unmistakably positive connotation and the word "good" does not seem to mean anything as it is commonly used in American English. He then remarked,

"The most important thing on Shabbos is being b'simcha. A person must be happy!"

5 Comments:

At August 29, 2008 at 7:55:00 AM EDT, Blogger Yaacov David Shulman said...

R. Nachman explicitly links Shabbos with simchah in Likutei Moharan Tinyana 2. If you wish, I will be glad to translate it.

By the way, I just translated an incredible teaching by R. Nachman about how on Rosh Hashanah we seek atonement from God even as He seeks atonement. You can see it at jewishlights.blogspot.com.

 
At August 29, 2008 at 2:14:00 PM EDT, Blogger Leora said...

Wonderful, ecstatic drawing.

Have a happy shabbos.

 
At August 29, 2008 at 3:37:00 PM EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And a happy Erev Shabbos, too!

 
At August 29, 2008 at 5:32:00 PM EDT, Blogger frumhouse said...

I have heard more than once that the most difficult mitzva is to happy on Yom Tov. It doesn't seem like it should be hard, but is often is!

Have a happy Shabbos!

 
At August 30, 2008 at 3:50:00 PM EDT, Blogger Yaacov David Shulman said...

I have translated the R. Nachman teaching (Likutei Moharan II 2) on Shabbos & simchah. You may find it at jewishlights.blogspot.com. A gutn chodesh!

 

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