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<DIV><FONT face="Palatino Linotype" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT face="Palatino Linotype"><FONT size=4>The<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>word “<I>Bereshis</I> — In the
beginning” (in addition to having both aleph and tav, the first and
last letter of the Hebrew alphabet), can be rearranged to comprise the
letters ‘yarei Shabbos,’ “awe of Shabbos”. Thus in the very first word of
the Torah is already planted the seed of Shabbos which is a commemoration of
creation (zikaron l'ma'aseh v'reishis). One of the most significant and
major themes of Shabbos is recognizing God as Creator:
<STRONG><EM>B'reishis</EM></STRONG>—"In the beginning God
<STRONG><U><EM>created</EM></U></STRONG> the heaven and the
earth".<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT face="Palatino Linotype"
size=4> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT face="Palatino Linotype" size=4>Shabbos has
also been closely related to the idea of <I><STRONG>teshuva</STRONG>
</I>(repentance, the <I>mitzva</I> of correcting past mistakes). The same
three letters of ‘Shabbos’ are also those of ‘tashev’, the root of
<I>teshuva</I>. Shabbos is the celebration of the remembrance of Creation, a
return to the perfect state, a return to the Source. <I>Teshuva</I> is a return
to the pure state, the state which existed before sin caused its damage. And
through <EM>Teshuva </EM>(repentance—cleaning up our act), one can make
<EM>Shabbos </EM>and a new "beginning."</FONT></SPAN></P>
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size=4></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Palatino Linotype"
size=4>Another very interesting observation: All the days of Creation are
referred to as "<STRONG><U>A</U></STRONG> second day," (Yom
Sheni); <STRONG><U>A</U></STRONG> third day, (Yom Shelishi) and so on,
except for the sixth day, which is called "Yom <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U>HA</U></B>'Shishi" — <STRONG><U>THE</U></STRONG>
sixth day." Rashi comments that this alludes to the fact that the Torah would be
given on <STRONG><U>the</U></STRONG> <I>sixth day</I> (of the month of Sivan)
many centuries later. </FONT></P>
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face="Palatino Linotype" size=4> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Palatino Linotype"
size=4>I would say that <STRONG><U>HA</U></STRONG>shishi,
<STRONG><U>THE</U></STRONG> sixth day is used to distinguish the most important
creation of all – <U>THE</U> man.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Palatino Linotype"
size=4></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Palatino Linotype"
size=4>May our Bereishis always contain 'yarei Shabbos,’ “awe of
Shabbos” and "teshuva", a return to the pure state that we had at
the <EM>Beginning</EM>.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
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