[Avodah] Saying vaYechulu alone

[Shlomo Pick]

Prof. Frimer was kind to comment on my post and i certainly appreciate his remarks. In one sense it is symbolic, and yet there seem to formulations of eidus here. the taz in 268:5 certainly thinks so.
i would add that it may more than just a minhag. see radbaz, responsa from a manuscript, orach chayim, yoreh de'ah (part 8), no. 61, in his last paragraph employs the term "tiknu" meaning it's a regulation which places it a bit higher than a minhag. granted he understands the eidus like we are mei'id to yichud haborei in the shma, and you rightfully call that symbolic testimony, but in the case of shabbat, radbaz certainly understood that to say it standing was formulated as a takanah following standard choshen mishpat proceedures of testimony.
bebirchot hatorah
shlomo pick

  I think that Rav Pick is being a bit too literal in his reading of the Rishonim in this regard.  What the Hazon Ish is saying is that these Rishonim maintain that reciting vaYekhulu is LIKE giving eidut. Our observing Shabbat, our saying vaYekhulu is like bearing witness that Hashem is the creator.  It is symbolic - not literal.   If it were real testimony, it could not be given at night, together with relatives and other Pesulim, women would be exempt, we would need a bona fide Bet Din listening etc.  Since it is not REAL testimony the Hazon Ish maintains that as a Hovat haYahid it can be said by individuals.  But nevertheless the minhag of standing raffirms the testimony symbolism of vaYekhulu - but it is only a minhag, not din and certainly not me'akev.  

  The Sefer haManhig in Hilkhot Shabbat says that saying Kiddush is also Eidut.  [That is the source of those who stand.]   Does that mean one can't say it sitting? that women are exempt {they are explicitly obligated}, that one can't say it in the presence of family.  Of course not!  It is symbolic - not literal.
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