Creating extra time with God TB Rosh Hashana 9

Having a personal relationship with God is one of our raison d’être as a religious Jew. No wonder we want to extend the opportunities we meet with Holy One Blessed be He! Today’s daf TB Rosh Hashana 9 finds scriptural proof that we should add time from the profane to the holy (מוֹסִיפִין מֵחוֹל עַל קֹדֶשׁ) both in the beginning and at the conclusion of the holiday. That way we can enjoy the holiday and the presence of God in our midst just a little bit longer.

“The Gemara asks: If so, from where does Rabbi Yishmael derive this principle that one extends a sacred time period by adding from the profane to the sacred both before and after? The Gemara answers: He derives it from that which is taught in a baraita: The verse states, in reference to Yom Kippur: “And you shall afflict your souls on the ninth of the month in the evening” (Leviticus 23:32). One might have thought that one must begin to fast the entire day on the ninth of the month. Therefore, the verse states: “In the evening.” But if it is so that Yom Kippur begins in the evening, one might have thought that one need only begin to fast from when it is dark, after nightfall, when the tenth day of the month begins. Therefore, the verse states: “On the ninth.” How so; how is this to be accomplished? One begins to fast on the ninth of the month while it is still day. This teaches that one extends a sacred time period by adding at the beginning from the profane to the sacred.

“From here I have derived only that this addition is made at the beginning of Yom Kippur. But from where do I derive that a similar addition is made at the end of Yom Kippur? The verse states: “From evening to evening shall you rest on your Shabbat” (Leviticus 23:32), which teaches that just as Yom Kippur is extended at the beginning, so too, it is extended at the end.

“From here I have derived only that an extension is added to Yom Kippur. From where is it derived that one must also extend Shabbat? The verse states: “You shall rest [tishbetu],” which is referring to Yom Kippur but alludes to Shabbat. From where do I know that the same applies to Festivals? The verse states: “Your Shabbat [shabbatkhem],” your day of rest. How so? Wherever there is a mitzva of resting, be it Shabbat or a Festival, one adds from the profane to the sacred, extending the sacred time at both ends.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Most commentators believe adding time from the profane to the holy on Shabbat and holidays is a positive mitzvah from the Torah. One should add a small amount of time before the setting of the sun. There are those who say that the amount required is only four minutes; however, we have the custom that we light Shabbat candles 18 minutes before sunset and in Jerusalem because of her special sanctity 40 mins before the setting of the sun. Nevertheless, this additional time is considered our way to enhance the mitzvah of Shabbat and show how much we love Shabbat. Similarly we add a little bit of time to Shabbat and linger a bit until three middle size stars are visible in the night sky before we make havdalah.