This Shabbos we read the first Torah portion of the Torah, Bereishis. The Shabbos is called “Shabbos Bereishis” and there is a saying of the Chabad Rebbes that the way we set ourselves up on Shabbos Bereishis, that’s how the whole year goes. Shabbos Bereishis marks the transition from the month of inspiring holidays to the regular weekdays of the year. It’s still part of the holiday month of Tishrei, but on this Shabbos we bless the month of MarCheshvan, a month of regular weekdays (besides for the Shabboses). Shabbos Bereishis combines both, showing that we can bring the inspiration from the holidays of Tishrei into our work throughout the year. That’s why the way we act on Shabbos Bereishis influences the entire year.
(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, Bereishis 5752 (1991))
