In an outpouring of care and concern, Am Yisrael has stepped up to the plate with Torah, tefillah, and chesed 

It All Began on Shabbos

This year began with a Rosh Hashanah she’chal lihiyos b’Shabbos — a Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos, when we do not blow the shofar. The sefer Minchas Ani, in parshas Ha’azinu, points to a fascinating dichotomy. He calculates that the years in which the Churban of both Batei Mikdash occurred were years in which Rosh Hashanah fell out on Shabbos. This would suggest that the absence of the protection offered by the shofar presents a year of danger and precariousness.

On the other hand, he calculates that the year in which we received atonement for the Cheit Ha’eigel, the year in which the Mishkan was built, and the year in which we entered Eretz Yisrael were all years which began on Shabbos.

How do we make sense of this contradiction? Does a Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos spell blessing or danger?

Minchas Ani explains that it depends. Each Rosh Hashanah, we look toward the shofar as our merit for a blessed and protected year. But when Rosh Hashanah falls out on Shabbos, then Shabbos becomes the source of that blessing. How much of that blessing will be realized depends on one thing: our level of meticulousness in observing Shabbos. Should our shemiras Shabbos be lacking, the absence of the shofar blowing leaves us in a terribly compromised position.

Just over a month ago, we stood in fervent prayer, requesting a year of life and prosperity. We had no way of knowing was in store. But while we had no shofar, we do have Shabbos, the mekor habrachah, the source of all blessing.

Throughout the world, programs and initiatives have been set into fervent motion, leading to shemiras Shabbos that is likely on the highest level that has been seen in centuries.

Ribbono shel Olam, this year we heard no shofar. But the year just started — there’s still time for one tekias shofar. Not ours, but Yours.

Teka b’shofar gadol, blow Your great shofar.

We’re all listening, Ribbono shel Olam, we’re all listening.

Special Day, Special People

One of the many initiatives is Shabbat Barzel, a program conceived by a family in Ramat Eshkol, encouraging all Jews to keep Shabbos as a zechus for Am Yisrael and the soldiers. Upon advice from Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein shlita, the program emphasizes three focal elements of Shabbos observance: lighting a candle before Shabbos, not driving on Shabbos, and not cooking on Shabbos.

In the week since its inception, 1,868 people signed on from all over the world. Jews from Argentina, Spain, New York, Germany, London, and even Australia all committed to adhere to the shemiras Shabbos guidelines delineated on the website. On Shabbos Parshas Bereishis, Eretz Yisrael, and the world at large, likely saw an unparalleled level of shemiras Shabbos.

As we, united as a nation, keep the Shabbos, Shabbos will surely keep us.