(2004/5764)

In this week’s Parsha, the Torah discusses the prohibition of kindling a fire, otherwise known as Hav’arah.  The Torah says “Lo Tevaaru Esh,” “Do not light a fire.”  Since the Torah does not say, “Lo Tihiyeh,” “Do not have a fire,” the Halacha is that it is permissible to have a pre-existing fire on Shabbat.  However, the Heretical Karaites disagreed with the Chachamim.  They believed that it was forbidden to have any fires on Shabbat.  Therefore, the Heretical Karaites did not have any hot food or light or heat on Shabbat.  To counteract the Sadducees’ incorrect Drash, the Chachamim instituted that people should eat hot food every Shabbat.  Eating Cholent or any other hot food on Shabbat is a great way to fulfill this precept.  Therefore this week everybody should make a special effort to eat Cholent or another hot food this Shabbat.