The Son Revealed in a Dream: "You Don't Know How Much Shabbat is Valued in the World to Come"

Moshe Sigdon, founder of 'Simchat Moshe Rabbeinu,' has a deep and personal connection to Shabbat.

He recalls one Friday, he saw a police officer and a social worker walking up the path to his home. Sigdon's heart told him they were bringing bad news about his 24-year-old son, Yosef. As Shabbat approached, he tried to remain aware of the time even amidst his emotional turmoil.

"I went down to meet them and asked the officer: 'Are you here about Yosef?' He said yes. I told him: Look, Shabbat is in two hours. Tell me if I need to go to the hospital or arrange a funeral."

The officer replied with a single sentence: "Blessed is the True Judge."

Moshe Sigdon, devoted to Shabbat, organized his son's funeral with the two hours remaining before candle lighting. By sunset, the family was back home, having buried their beloved son and brother.

"I gathered the children and said: 'If you want to cry – it's your right, he was your brother. But if you want to do something good for his soul's elevation, as I promised by the grave, come with me to the Shabbat table with songs and Shabbat foods," says Sigdon. The family responded, and the Shabbat table was set as usual. "People thought I took medication or got a shot. But no, it was the power of Shabbat that helped me cope."

Moshe Sigdon

Sigdon didn't stop at his own Shabbat observance despite his mourning, but decided to promote proper Shabbat observance across the country. "I received a disk from Rabbi Zamir Cohen about the laws of Shabbat – 18 hours of teachings! I traveled across the country listening, and it continues, and continues... How can we observe Shabbat as Hashem wants if we don’t know the laws properly? The people of Israel need to take care of this matter."

To advance knowledge of Shabbat laws, Sigdon founded 'Simchat Moshe Rabbeinu,' an organization to teach Shabbat laws in schools. "We have about 270 religious schools participating in the program. The program is for fifth and sixth-grade students who receive our Shabbat laws booklet and take exams on it. The top students participate in a national public exam at Binyanei Hauma. Many esteemed rabbis attend these exams. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef of blessed memory attended even in the last two years of his life when he was already very frail."

For Sigdon, the 270 schools taking exams on Shabbat laws are just the tip of the iceberg. He makes tremendous efforts to recruit volunteers to include more schools in the activity. "All a volunteer needs to do is meet with a school principal and convince them to integrate the Shabbat laws program into their school. Thus, they achieve direct influence on Shabbat observance in hundreds of Israeli households. Anyone who truly wishes to act 'for His Name in love' – I very much want to see them among our volunteers."

"Our sages taught us that observing Shabbat brings redemption closer. It is clear then that every rabbi in Israel must strengthen Shabbat observance in his community and convince the institutions under his influence to teach Shabbat laws to people of all ages. Parents also have a duty to ensure their children learn Shabbat laws and to ask their school's administration to have a systematic Shabbat laws study program."

Sigdon was a child in the transit camps, and even then, the sanctity of Shabbat left a great impression on him. "Shabbat always meant so much to me. Hashem tested my Shabbat observance when he took my child on Erev Shabbat. But the power of Shabbat – people do not know how immense it is. My young daughter had a dream where she saw Yosef of blessed memory, glowing. She asked him if our efforts for Shabbat really helped him, and he told her: 'In your world, you don't know how much Shabbat is valued in the world to come. All the celestial halls are open to me because of what you've done...'"

"Shabbat is a treasure that we must know how to guard. But without knowledge of Shabbat laws, it is impossible to observe Shabbat properly. Jews prepare by carrying meat, fish, and watermelon for Shabbat, yet too often forget Shabbat laws. Isn't it a shame? Let's learn these laws and make the Creator of the Universe rejoice."

If you are interested in volunteering with 'Simchat Moshe Rabbeinu,' please send a fax to: 04-6708082