We all know that wine is a symbol of our joy. But, it is also a sign of longevity. When wine ages it increases in value and quality. This is the way of those who invest their time in Torah Study. We actually have an opportunity to “taste” the spiritual when we drink a certain amount of wine as we enter Shabbat and Festivals. The joy of Shabbat and Festivals does not need to remain in the realm of the spiritual dimension. We actually can keep the Sabbatical experience through the initial part of the week. During the first days of the week Shabbat remains vivid in our mind. As the week wears on we tend to look forward to Shabbat (not just the “weekend”) and the spiritual dimension we experienced on the prior Shabbat. Or, even the possibility of having a better Shabbat.
Our thought at present are focused on Habdalah and the closing of the Sabbath. We often experience a wonderful Shabbat and when it is finished think “well that’s the end of that” per se. We often fail to realize that Shabbat and the Festivals are designed to enrich our lives. This happens when we learn to hang on to the essence of Shabbat when we re-enter the mundane week.