Daf Yomi - Beitzah 16 - Shabbos and Fear of Heaven in HaShem's Treasure House

From Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Bereishis 5765. For more inspirational thoughts on Shabbos and other topics, please visit www.torahthoughts.com

The word בראשית contains the words ירא שבת, one who fears Shabbos. The first thing that every Jew must know is ראשית חכמה יראת ה, the beginning of wisdom is fear of Hashem. The Targum Yerushalmi renders the word בראשית as בחוכמא, with wisdom. Hashem created the world with wisdom, and that wisdom, explains Rabbeinu Bachye, is alluded to in the verse ראשית חכמה יראת ה, the beginning of wisdom is fear of Hashem. How is this fear of Hashem reflected on Shabbos? The Maggid of Mezritch said that one could tell if he observed Shabbos properly. If a Jew demonstrated יראת שמים, fear of heaven, on Shabbos, this is a sign that he observed Shabbos faithfully. The Maggid explained that this idea is alluded to in the verse that states: יראת ה' היא אוצרו, fear of Hashem-that is [man’s] treasure. The Gemara states that Shabbos is a מתנה טובה יש לי בבית גנזי, a precious gift in Hashem’s treasure house. Both fear of heaven and Shabbos are located in Hashem’s treasure house, so it follows that if a person fears Hashem on Shabbos, it is a sign that he has properly observed the Shabbos.