This week’s פרשה is the מקור for kugel and cholent. The third פסוק in פרשת ויקהל says “לא תבערו אש בכל מושבותיכם ביום השבת”, that we may not kindle fires on the שבת. The רשב"ם writes that the reason why this particular מלאכה of הבערה is chosen to represent all 39 (which are not listed anywhere specifically in תורה שבכתב) is to show how שבת differs from יום טוב. On יום טוב, the use of fire for the purposes of cooking and baking is permitted, whereas on שבת it is not. By specifying fire as the prototype of a מלאכה that is אסור, the תורה shows that since cooking food and preparing it on שבת is אסור, unlike יום טוב, everything that is אסור on יום must be אסור on שבת as well. (i.e. the other 39 מלאכות)

This איסור shows us the power and the importance of תורה שבעל פה. The גמרא is clear that only creating fire on שבת and using it to cook or bake is אסור, but to just use it to enjoy its heat or light is completely permitted. There used to be sects of Judaism that disregarded the תורה שבעל פה and would therefore sit in the dark throughout שבת, and specifically not eat anything hot during their meals, which we know is ridiculous. It is for this reason that we have cholent and kugel, two traditionally hot foods, or really anything that is eaten heated, to show that we believe in the truth and validity of the תורה שבעל פה, and disassociate ourselves from such people who do not.

May we be זוכה to observe all of the הלכות of proper שמירת שבת, which will bring the גאולה במהירה בימינו אמן! (We are about to enter חודש ניסן, and it says בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין להגאל.)

Have a wonderful שבת קודש!

מרדכי שמחה טיפנברון