Once again, tears welled up in my eyes as I lit my Shabbos
candles just minutes before sunset. No matter how hard I
tried to finish my preparations early, something always came
in the way to disrupt my good intentions. I humbly called a
few friends to get some advice and chizuk, and was
sadly surprised to hear them admit that they, too, slide in
at the last minute.
It's been many months that I've been struggling with this
inadequacy, and praying to Hashem to please help me get out
of this terrible rut. And yet, the same pattern of failure
met me again, lighting my candles with the last sunbeams
waving to me. I had really tried my utmost. I shopped on
Wednesday, cooked up a storm on Thursday, didn't dare to step
out of the house on Friday, and did all my cleaning. At this
point I literally gave up and resigned myself to failure in
this important mitzvah. There was just no more hope
for me. Only Hashem Himself could help me.
Three weeks ago, Rafael and Henny Wallace, my old neighbors,
came knocking on my door. They were into an important project
concerning Shabbos, and enlisted my help to write it up for
them in English. What you are about to read is the
article:
TZOFER SHABBOS — The Shabbos Music-Siren
Every Friday as the clock struck noon, Mrs. Yehudis Cheshin,
ob'm (Henny's mother), would sit down at her dining room
table dressed in her Shabbos finest, completely prepared for
Shabbos, blech and all, and begin chanting from her
Tehillim, Shir Hashirim and parshah. She
lovingly sat and waited to welcome the Shabbos Queen in all
her royalty.
Being ready early runs deep in the blood of the Wallaces.
Years ago, their zaida used to walk around town and
actually blow the horn, urging everyone to be aware that
Shabbos was about to arrive. The actual horn is still in
possession of a man to whom their grandfather gave it and who
still blows on it every erev Shabbos in memory of
Yehudis bas R' Meir Yechiel Michel. Her children
continued in her ways to welcome Shabbos early, and their new
project is to institute an additional, novel Tzofer
Shabbos — a Shabbos siren. Fifteen minutes before
the blowing of the usual horn, beautiful Shabbos
zemiros and melodies are played, so as to create a
joyous soothing welcome.
It didn't take too long before other nearby neighborhoods
begged for it to be extended to theirs as well. Rafael and
Henny went ahead and ordered a powerful, streamlined public
address system, and within two weeks the music flowed
throughout.
Many great segulahs accompany this mitvah of
welcoming Shabbos early, and getting others to do so as well.
One family who had no children agreed to have the microphone
installed on their rooftop. A year later a child was born to
them. The Chofetz Chaim says in Mishnah Berurah,
chapter 256, "All those who take part in the mitzvah
of zerizus l'Shabbos will be zocheh to have
great children in Yisroel."
The Eida Hachareidis of Yerushalaim has approved this
venture, including :
Hagoen Harav Yaakov Mendel Yurowitz, shlita
Hagoen Harav Meir Sirota, shlita
Hagoen Harav Dovid Schvimmer, shlita
The purchase and installation of the new P.A. system was in
the range of twelve thousand dollars. Your participation in
this great mitzvah would be most appreciated. KINDLY
SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO:
TZOFER SHABBOS
C/O RAFAEL AND HENNY WALLACE P.O. 57453 Jerusalem, E.
Israel
For further info call: 057-310-6070
Last Friday came again as usual. The music started playing,
and guess what? Much to my surprise, I found myself dressed
and ready to bentch licht! I couldn't believe it! What
happened? What had I done differently? Remember, I had given
up!
With tears of joy and gratitude, I lit my candles. By writing
this letter, I helped encourage others to finish early, and
then I became the "others"! Hashem sure has His ways of
helping me. I am most grateful.
T.T.
