Posted on 07/28/23
Baltimore, MD - July 28, 2023 - We lost someone very special in Baltimore recently. Rabbi Sholom Weingot, a renowned talmid chacham, rosh kollel of Dirshu, expert mechanech, baal menagen, baal middos tovos, and man of good cheer was niftar just a few weeks before his 70th birthday.
One of the maspidim mentioned that Rabbi Weingot would write niggunim and share them with his family and some friends. One of them was called, “Good Shabbos, Ribono Shel Olam. . .Mah Rabu Maasecha Hashem,” such a unique expression. One of Rabbi Weingot’s sons commented in his hesped that it seems awkward to say good Shabbos to Hashem Yisborach but my father was literally in love with the Ribbono Shel Olam and would constantly speak of His kindness and greatness. It was so natural for him to give Hashem a good Shabbos greeting.
This practice actually has a very good precedent. There is a mesorah that upon waking every day, after saying Modeh Ani and washing his hands, the Baal Shem Tov would look up to Hashem and say, “Good morning Ribbono Shel Olam!” Some say that Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev had a similar practice. [Avraham Fried released a song with this theme recently.]
But there is an even older precedent. The gemara (Shabbos 89a) states (paraphrased), “Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moshe ascended on High, he found Hakadosh Baruch Hu tying crowns to letters. Moshe just watched but said nothing. Hashem said to him: Moshe, “Llum yesh shlolom b’irecha, is there no greeting in your city? Moshe replied, “Does a servant greet his master?” Hashem said to him: At least you should have assisted Me and wished Me success in My work. Immediately Moshe said to Him: “And now, may the power of the Lord be great as you have spoken” (Bamidbar 14:17).
Indeed, Moshe felt it was a lack of reverence to greet Hashem, perhaps based on the idea that a servant needs to be addressed first before addressing his master. But Hashem told Moshe that when one comes with ahavah, love, and not merely yirah, awe and fear, then it is very appropriate to greet Hashem and especially to wish Him success. We find another gemara (Berachos 7a) which says Hashem asked for a bracha from Rebbe Yishmael ben Elisha when he was doing his service as kohen gadol on Yom Kippur in the Kodesh Kodashim. Rebbe Yishmael ‘blessed’ Hashem that He should be able to act mercifully with the world so that His creations can serve Him properly thus bringing the world to the purpose which Hashem desires.
So, Rabbi Weingot’s niggun and greeting Hashem with a “Good Shabbos” is very appropriate especially for someone who feels great love for Him.
The next line of his niggun is also very appropriate for Shabbos.
I was once walking with Rav Aharon Feldman and his Rebbetzin and this walk would change the way I look at walking on Shabbos. As they were walking home after shul on Shabbos day, Rebbetzin Leah Feldman stopped suddenly and began to admire a beautiful tree. ‘Mah Rabu Ma’asecha Hashem- How wonderful are Your Creations, Hashem!’ Rav Aharon turned to me and said that the Rabbeinu Avraham ben Harambam writes that there’s a special mitzvah to reflect and admire Hashem’s creations specifically on Shabbos. Being that Shabbos is a testimony that Hashem created the world, ‘zeicher l’maaseh bereishis,’ it is only befitting that we take opportunities on Shabbos to gaze at and discuss His complex and awesome creations. It seemed to me that the Rosh Hayeshiva and Rebbetzin often engage in this kind of ‘Mah Rabu Ma’asecha Hashem’ conversation whenever they take walks on Shabbos. Even a walk on Shabbos can be full of holiness and sanctity.
We are back into the wedding season in full force and we have to begin thinking of them in a similar vein as saying Good Shabbos, “Ribbono Shel Olam.”
How do we usually think of our attendance at weddings? Should we only go to simchos so as not to insult the baalei simcha if we don’t attend? Do we go only because ‘they came to ours’? Do we not have to go if ‘they didn’t come to ours’? Sometimes people look forward to simchos solely in order to enjoy a grand feast, especially a simcha with one of our many caterers providing a deluxe ‘shmorg.’
But when someone makes a simcha, what is really happening? Why is it a true simcha? Is it only because the family making the bris, the bar mitzvah boy, bas mitzvah girl, chasan, kallah, parents, relatives, and friends, etc. are happy that the happy event is taking place? This is true but it is also the case for a non-Jewish wedding or event.
Rather, regarding a Jewish simcha, there is a much more important and vital element that we often fail to remember. The Ribbono Shel Olam is making the simcha! The event is a simcha, a joyous occasion for HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself! When a Jewish wedding takes place, Hashem, our Father, is the true Baal Simcha! Says Rav Avrohom Kluger, we should be wishing Him a Mazel Tov! It is a simcha for Him as the world’s purpose is being fulfilled, as a bayis ne’eman b’Yisrael is being established.
When we attend simchos and weddings, we rejoice with the baalei simcha, sharing in their elation with them but we must never ignore the fact that we are celebrating with Hashem Yisbarach and saying with much meaning, “Mazel Tov, Ribbono Shel Olam!”
This article appeared in this week's issue of The Yated - Contact the author at: sbleff@gmail.com