Trump Calls for a National Shabbat: A Historic Moment for the Jewish People - Rabbi Daniel Glatstein

In honor of the 250th year of the United States of America and in recognition of the contribution that the Jewish people have made to the history of the United States of America President Donald Trump has proclaimed a Jubilee celebration rededicate 250 and has called upon the Jewish people to observe a national Shabbos. No sitting president has ever called upon the Jewish people to observe a Shabbos. In fact, no world leader in history has ever called upon the Jewish people to observe Shabbos. Shabbos proclaims to the world that the Jewish people are the beloved children of Hashem. God created the world in six days and he rested on the seventh day. The seventh day, Shabbos, belongs to God as a day of rest. Not anyone could observe the seventh day. Only the beloved children of Hashem could observe the Shabbos. Interestingly, amazingly, the central principle of the whole Torah the Hidarites, the cornerstone principle of our Torah from the day that we left Egypt until today is that we are the beloved children of Hashem and this is such an important concept. We actually apply Persuma Nisa to this concept. It is a concept that needs to be publicized to the whole world that while God created man in his image, only the Jewish people are the beloved children of Hashem and this is demonstrated by our observing Shabbos. So, this is a historic moment in United States history, in world history. In the times of Hanukkah there was a great threat that was hurled against the Jewish people. There was a decree that we were not allowed to observe Shabbos. And our sacred literature teaches us that the Syrian Greeks assaulted the Shabbos because they were attacking the concept that the Jewish people are the beloved children of Hashem. And when the Hanukkah miracle happened, it reinstated and authenticated and proclaimed and disseminated to the world that in fact we are the beloved children of Hashem. Almost 2,000 years ago, there was a threat against us. There was a decree against us that the Jewish people were not allowed to observe the Shabbos because they were trying to attack the concept that we're the beloved children of Hashem. And now, 2,000 years later, the most powerful government in the world is issuing a decree, is giving an order, is proclaiming that the Jewish people should publicly observe the Shabbos. This is telecasting and broadcasting to the world the central principle of the Torah, that the Jewish people are the beloved children of Hashem. And it is not scheduled for any Shabbos. May 15th, May 16th, Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar, the Shabbos before the giving of the Torah. Our tradition is this is called Shabbos Kallah because on the day God gives us the Torah, that's the day that establishes us as the children of Hashem. Hashem gave us the Torah because we're his beloved children. Actually, and amazingly, there's a question, a legal question, that since the Torah is was in heaven, why didn't God give it to the angels? The angels are the neighbor. There's a rule Dina d'var metzra that if somebody has real estate or property, they should first offer it to the neighbor rather than someone far away. So, why did God offer it to us and not the angels? The angels wanted the Torah. We only were able to wrestle the Torah away from the angels because we are the beloved children of Hashem. Actually, Chida teaches that almost all the great gifts, mitzvahs, spiritual benefits accrue to us only because we're the beloved children of Hashem. The mitzvah of tzitzis, the mitzvah of tefillin, the mitzvah of Shabbos, the Torah, and all the great things that will happen to the Jewish people, whether it's the resurrection of the dead and the final redemption, it's only because we're the children of Hashem. So, this national observance of Shabbos, this proclamation, which is upholding and disseminating and publicizing that we're the beloved children of Hashem, is priming us to be able to increase our efforts in Torah study. Is readying us, making us as eligible as ever for all the great gifts that God has in store for the Jewish people, namely, the Geulah Hashleima. So, this should fill our hearts with great pride and should stir us to anticipate great coming attractions for the Jewish people. And May 15th to May 16th wasn't only proclaimed as a national observance of Shabbos, but even it's proclaimed as a halachic observance of Shabbos as the time given was from sundown on May 15th to nightfall on May 16th. From shkiah hachama at the beginning of Shabbos to tzeis hakochavim at the end of Shabbos. Chazal say the Jewish people would only observe one Shabbos, the redemption would happen. Observing Shabbos solidifies us as the children of Hashem. And you could be sure that the Almighty will come and redeem his children. As we should be to have a good Shabbos and the Sheyibanei and hear me now. Amen.