A well-known story is told of a Jewish man who approached Rav Shalom Belzer, requesting a blessing. The Rebbe inquired, “What is your profession?” “I am a farmer,” the man replied. “A farmer?” the Rebbe asked. “Tell me, do you observe Shabbos? Do you refrain from performing labor on the holy day?”
The farmer hesitated. “Rebbe, it’s impossible to leave the field unattended for an entire day. If I neglect my work, the field will be ruined.”
The Rebbe patiently began to advise him, offering practical guidance on how he could maintain his farm while fully observing Shabbos. Their conversation continued for an hour until, finally, the farmer conceded. He resolved to commit himself to keeping Shabbos.
However, he added a condition: “Rebbe, I will begin after the harvest season. Right now, it’s the busiest time of the year. Once things settle down, I will observe Shabbos properly, following all the laws you have explained.”
At this, the Rebbe smiled and said, “Let me share a story with you.
"A group of wealthy Polish landowners once gathered for a celebration. As they drank and laughed together, each one boasted about the Jewish manager who oversaw his business. “My Moshe is the best,” one declared. “He runs my tavern flawlessly.” “Well, my Moshe is even better,” another countered. “He manages my lumber business and is completely trustworthy.” The host of the gathering, eager to prove his point, announced, “I don’t know about your Jewish managers, but my Moshe is more loyal than any of yours. He would do anything for me.” “Let’s put him to the test,” suggested one of the landowners. “Tell him he must convert to Christianity.” The host agreed and summoned Moshe immediately.
“Moshe,” he said, “I want you to convert and become a Catholic.” Moshe gasped. “Oh, my master! I never make such decisions without consulting my wife. Give me a few minutes, and I will return with an answer.” He rushed home, spoke with his wife, and within minutes, returned. “I have spoken with my wife, and we agree—I will convert.”
The landowners erupted in laughter and raised their glasses in triumph. Moshe had proven his complete devotion to his master.
Months passed, and the Poritz (landowner) who had forced Moshe to convert decided he preferred him as a Jew. He summoned Moshe, now known as Ivan, and declared, “Enough of this. I liked you better as a Jew. You will return to your old ways.”
Again, Ivan responded, “My master, as you know, I do nothing without consulting my wife. Allow me to speak with her first.”
Upon returning home, his wife advised him, “Tell the Poritz that we are willing to revert to Judaism, but not now. Pesach is in a few days, and we have a freezer full of pork and barrels of whiskey, and we can’t let them go to waste. We’ll finish everything over Passover, and then we will return to being Jews.”
Hearing this, the farmer who had sought the Rebbe’s blessing burst into laughter.
The Rebbe looked at him and said, “You think I control Shabbos? Do I have the authority to grant you permission to delay its observance? We must do what Hashem commands, regardless of the difficulty. The opportunity to fulfill His will is a gift, and we must embrace it fully.”
The Zohar states that all the blessings of the week emanate from Shabbos.
A striking example of this occurred with two brothers who owned a jewelry store. Late one Friday night, someone rushed to their home, shouting, “Your store alarm is blaring! Someone must have broken in!” The brothers debated what to do. “Should we go check?” But they ultimately resolved, “Shabbos is more valuable than all our jewelry.” On Motzei Shabbos, they rushed to the store, where the police were waiting. “You’re the owners?” an officer asked. “Yes,” they replied.
“Then you are incredibly lucky,” the officer said. “The robbers who broke into your store were armed with guns. Their plan was to lure you here, force you to open the safe at gunpoint, and steal everything. But since you didn’t come, they got nervous and fled before we arrived. Your Shabbos observance saved you.”
Keep Shabbos and love Shabbos and Shabbos will guard you and love you back.
