What is peace? Is it just the absence of conflict? Or is it the result of active rapprochement between two otherwise incompatible parties, bringing them to a sense of unity and synthesis?
In other words, does a couple find peace when they’ve stopped quibbling, or when they’ve learned to work together toward a joint goal?
From a Torah perspective, it’s the latter.
And from that same perspective, our entire lives are about creating peace. An isolationist existence isn’t a genuinely peaceful existence. True peace is living an engaged existence, one in which I’m interacting with others – many of whom have personalities/approaches that don’t easily sync with mine – and creating quality, productive associations.
And it’s not just about human interactions; it’s about engagement with the world at large. Every day, we encounter situations and objects which need to be reconciled with our Higher Purpose. Our mission is to create peace.
Imagine the box top of a huge jigsaw puzzle. The picture gives you a projection of how the finished product should look, and that helps you discern how to properly place of the seemingly – and sometimes annoyingly - random piece in your hand.
The Torah is our box top; it gives us an image of how life should look. We’re dealt little puzzle pieces all day – good news and sad news, pleasant conversations and irritating ones, food that’s suitable for your intake and that which you should avoid, etc - and your job is to pause and consider the box top’s guidance. Consider where this object or opportunity fits into life, put it into its proper place, and keep building that puzzle.
This process is the way we bring peace to our world. We bring oneness and synchronicity to a seemingly random, disconnected universe. We find wholeness. We find peace.
Every Friday night, we reflect on our week’s puzzle-building. And every Friday night, G-d takes pleasure in our progress.
Before we recite the Kiddush, sanctifying this Holy day of Divine Satisfaction, we turn to the angels and sing Shalom Aleichem’, ‘Welcome Angels of Peace’ .
Angels are Divine functionaries which G-d creates to interface with humanity. Friday night’s angels represent the peace we’ve created all week. They, in turn, convey G-d’s blessing for the strength to create peace in the week ahead.
Tomorrow night, put your life on pause. Attend Shabbat services; take the opportunity to welcome YOUR angels.
Welcome peace.
Leon wrote...
I am somewhat puzzled Talmud explanation of the fourth stanza. I was under impression that the hymn represents an exchange (consistent with Jacob's dream, where angels are going back and forth), where angels of "piece" (creative energy) are analogous to a zip file, transmitting a "software" (wisdom / thought) from Hashem to the souls and then transmitting souls' kavannah to Hashem: 1st stanza - angels receive the "piece" from the Holy One, blessed be He; in second stanza they arrive carrying it on them; in third stanza they transfer this "piece" to the soul; and in the fourth stanza they return having completed their task in "piece" (meaning that now they picked up our kavannah to deliver to Hashem). I sincerely hope my question does not come across as hutzpa (who am I after all to ask question of the Sages of the Talmud!) Since we are, Hashem willing, in sync with Shabbos spirit and do not "need" the angels per se during Shabbbos, why are we asking for piece for next week at the beginning of Shabbos? Would we not be better off stating this hymn at the end of Shabbos, and then not asking the angels to depart?
Thank you for your consideration.
Leon