Though generally vague about which labors are prohibited on Shabbos, the Torah is explicit that one is not to ignite a fire on Shabbos. The interpretation of this verse served as a litmus test in some of the most vehement and funeral sectarian battles in Jewish history. The Karaites, who rejected the oral tradition and read the Torah literally, mandated that Shabbos was to be an austere, dark experience, devoid of hot food and warm light bathing the Shabbos home in its serene glow. A Rabbanite home – that is to say, in our homes today – accepted the authority of the Rabbis to interpret the Torah to allow well-lit rooms and, if done properly, hot food as well.
The Kotzker Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Morgenstern, interprets this emphasis homiletically as an important lesson in the way we conduct ourselves on Shabbos: Don’t allow the fire of anger to burn within you, wherever you are, on Shabbos. Anger is one of the most difficult character traits to resist and improve, yet it’s one of the most important.
Shabbos has the potential to be a time of tranquility and positive memories, when we connect with the people we love without the intrusion of social media, relentless text messages, WhatsApp groups and anxiety-provoking bad news. The Torah singled out igniting fire as the paradigm for Shabbos observance, because our attitude toward one another on Shabbos is what will ensure its observance in future generations. If Shabbos is a joyous experience that is associated with happiness, it will be remembered always as a repository of magical memories. If it is associated with burning anger, the damage can be immense and generational.
