The Gift of Shabbos: Insights from the Sfas Emes on the Sabbath and its observances

For nearly a century, Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Alter of Ger' s classic "Sfas Emes has been the challenging and provocative fare of outstanding scholars. But the concise and complex language and thought process of this classic were daunting to all but a select few. But "Rabbi Yosef Stern has distilled these profound; scintillating , pithy, incredibly rich discourses into enlightening and inspiring English essays.

"The Gift of Shabbos is a clear and brilliant work. Among the topics it explores are: – Melachah (creative work) – Menuchah (rest) – Shabbos as a Divine gift – the three meals – Lechem Mishneh (the two loaves of bread) – Oneg (delight) Shabbos –Shabbos as a microcosm of the World to Come – a commentary on the Kabbalas Shabbos service.

In addition , it features an introduction to the Sfas Emes' mode of thought, which includes a treatment of the sage' s approach to such concepts as Nekudah Hapenimis and Hashgachah Pratis.