By Yair Hoffman
Teveriah is one of the four holiest cities in Judaism alongside Jerusalem, Tzfas, and Hebron. And the question of “Shabbos or shiksah” was presented to the illustrious rosh kollel of the M’tzur Dvash Kollel located there.
The 43 avreichim of Kollel M’tzur Dvash not only study Torah day and night, but they also engage in kiruv rechokim twice a week. The kollel was launched at the behest of both Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, and Rav Gershon Edelstein, shlita.
This author was recently in Teveriah and spoke to one of the avreichim. He was studying with a family of three brothers. The two younger brothers had become ba’alei teshuvah. The oldest, Nachal, a large and burly delivery man, was feeling the desire to make the plunge as well.
But, alas, Nachal had an issue. He had just discovered that his girlfriend was not Jewish. He told the kollel avreich who was studying with him: “I cannot do both. I can commit to breaking up with her, or I can commit to observing Shabbos. Which option should I pick? I will do whichever one you recommend.”
The avreich posed the question to his rosh kollel. The rosh kollel posed the question to Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita.
The Two Sides
Before we get to Rav Chaim’s answer, let’s explore the two sides of the issue. On the one hand, it is recognized that one of the greatest challenges to Klal Yisrael in modern times is that of Jewish intermarriage.
According to the 2020 Pew Report on Jewry in the United States, the intermarriage rate among all U.S. Jews who were married between the years 2010 and 2020 is 61%. Among the non-Orthodox and non-affiliated Jews, it is even higher, an astounding 72%.
And then there is the apathy. Only 34% of American Jews, according to the report, said it is very important that their grandchildren are Jewish. This, too, is very concerning. Marriage to a non-Jew entirely stops Jewish continuity.
On the other hand, Shabbos has always been viewed as the symbol or flag of the Jewish nation. Just as patriots look at their flag as more than a mere dyed cloth with fancy designs, so too is Shabbos viewed in the eyes of the Jewish People. It is a sign of our deep belief in Hashem’s absolute Oneness—He created the world and all that is in it, He is the One and Only, the source of everything, the One Who rewards good and punishes evil. Ein od milvado.
Many years ago, Menachem Begin spoke in the Knesset in an attempt to pass legislation that would forbid El Al from flying on Shabbos. These were his words to the members of the Knesset in parliament at that time (not the most observant or traditional of Jews):
“Forty years ago, I returned from exile to Eretz Yisrael. Engraved in my memory still are the lives of millions of Jews, simple, ordinary folk, eking out a livelihood in that forlorn Diaspora where the storms of anti-Semitism raged. They were not permitted to work on the Christian day of rest, and they refused to work on their day of rest.
“For they lived by the commandment, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ So each week they forswore two whole days of hard-won bread. This meant destitution for many.
“But they would not desecrate the Sabbath day.
“Shabbat is one of the loftiest values in all of humanity; it originated with us. It is all ours. No other civilization in history knew of a day of rest. Ancient Egypt had a great culture whose treasures are on view to this day, yet the Egypt of antiquity did not know of a day of rest. The Greeks of old excelled in philosophy and the arts, yet they did not know of a day of rest. Rome established mighty empires and instituted a system of law still relevant to this day, yet they did not know of a day of rest. Neither did the civilizations of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, India, China—none of them knew of a day of rest.
“One nation alone sanctified the Shabbat, a small nation, the nation that heard the voice at Sinai: ‘so that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you.’ Ours was the nation that enthroned Shabbat as sovereign Queen.
“So, are we in our own reborn Jewish state to allow our blue-and-white El Al planes to fly to and fro as if broadcasting to the world that there is no Shabbat in Israel? Should we, who by faith and tradition heard the commandment at Sinai, now deliver a message to all and sundry through our blue-and-white El Al planes: ‘No, don’t remember the Sabbath day. Forget the Sabbath day! Desecrate the Sabbath day.’ I shudder at the thought.”
These words were very eloquent, but do they trump the idea of risking Jewish continuity?
The Source Of Blessing
In the mid-1500s, Rav Shlomo Alkabetz, zt’l, lived in one of the other four of the holiest Jewish cities—Tsfas. He wrote the following words describing Shabbos: “Ki hi mekor ha’berachah—Shabbos is the source of all blessing.”
The Chofetz Chaim understood these words in the most literal sense and would often advise people who were struggling with various issues to look at where in their lives they could enhance their Shabbos observance.
Rav Chaim’s Answer
Rav Chaim answered the rosh kollel’s question by telling him that Nachal should be told to keep Shabbos. What was his rationale? It was not expressed.
The end result was that Nachal did commit to Shabbos observance, and he began studying even more. Now, all three brothers study vigorously twice each week with the avreich.
Eventually, Nachal himself realized the importance of Shabbos and his Torah heritage and broke up with his non-Jewish girlfriend. Perhaps this was the cheshbon of Rav Chaim, shlita.
The author can be reached at Yairhoffman2@gmail.com. Read more of Rabbi Hoffman’s articles at 5TJT.com.
The following link shows the activities of Kollel M’Tzur Dvash: YouTube.com/watch?v=CSIrWYfyepo.
