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Saturday, April 5, 2025

Vayikra Shabbos HaGadol

 Vayikra shabbos hagadol

The last topic of the parsha are discussing the korban for someone who falsely swore to save or gain money and upon bringing the korban he is atoned לאשמה בה - for the guilt involved in the false oath. Tha Apta Rav says that these letters are an acronym for     לאל אשר שבת מכל המעשים בום השביעי The connection seems quite strange!

Besides for being consecutive commandments in the Aseres HaDibros, an oath and a full week are both called Shavuah. Both relate to a sense of absoluteness completion. Shabbos completes the week with a full break from all weekday affairs and an oath expresses a complete absolute truth that is unwavering.

When someone is so attached to his money that it leads him to verbally swear falsely there is no question that on shabbos as well he most certainly did not rest his words from his financial endeavors. So, one who is guilty of abusing his power of speech for his money, is guilty to Hashem who detached for all His creative actions done with 10 Ma'amaros. Hashem rested His speech on Shabbos, but this person certainly transgressed shabbos by being too attached to his weekday affairs and business. 


Perhaps we can say that Shabbos Hagadol is similar to "Sheves Gadol" - the payment a damager must make for permanent unemployment. Relative to the busyness of the week before Pesach, the tremendous "brakes" that must be applied to stop all work and preparations and even in thought, to feel that nothing must be taken care of and all is done, makes this Shabbos into Shabbos Hagadol - The Great Resting.