Lead Tidbit When the six-day week ends and Shabbat enters, and when the Shabbat ends and the new week is commenced, we feel the greatness of Shabbat, we see it as a weekly reminder that G-d created the world and everything in it and that He maintains His Mastery of every one and every thing. But when Shabbat coincides with or stands next to a special day of the calendar, then we really see the majesty and specialness of Shabbat. When Rosh HaShana falls on Shabbat, we are banned from performing the very mitzva that epitomizes the Holy day. Commanded to take the Four Species during Sukkot, we are banned from touching them on Shabbat. This year when Jerusalem's Purim fell on Shabbat, we did somersaults in the air to accommodate the ban on reading Megilat Esther on Shabbat. Even when Shabbat does not stop us from doing a mitzva - case in point: Korban Pesach on the 14th of Nisan in the afternoon, Shabbat still stands firm, maybe more so. Sure, we bring Korban Pesach on Shabbat, but we cannot even take it home to continue its preparation until after Shabbat. And roasting the KP is held until Motza'ei Shabbat, as are other procedures. Even while fasting on Yom Kippur, we are well aware of Shabbat's presence throughout the day. Why is Shabbat so "tough"? Why always mention Shabbat while we are saying the special davening for Chag? Why is its presence always felt, even while we are totally engaged in celebrating Yom Tov? Part of the answer is the all-encompassing nature of Shabbat's message. Its message takes second place to none other. G-d created the world and is its continuous master. During Yetzi'at Mitzrayim he repeatedly turned nature on its head, performing miracle after miracle, miracle within miracle. That hail contained fire within ice once is a wonder. That hail and rain and snow fall every day - that is a greater wonder - we just don't always see it that way. Shabbat is first among the holy days. [The Parshat
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