Is There a Mitzvah to Speak Lashon Hakodesh on Shabbos?

Moving to Israel this past year has been an incredible adventure, to say the least. Living in the Holy Land opens up many new opportunities, not the least of which include special Mitzvos that are uniquely suited for Eretz Yisrael. 

Besides for the general Mitzvah to speak Lashon Hakodesh as a spoken language, which really only happens here, there is a specific idea to speak the Holy Language on the Holy Day of Shabbos. 

Just in case you hadn’t heard much about the general mitzvah to speak Lashon Hakodesh, I encourage you to take a look at the fascinating article HERE. I want to specifically dive into the Halachic and Hashkafic aspects of speaking Lashon Hakodesh on Shabbos itself. 

This topic begins with the Rama’s comment to the Shulchan Aruch OC 307:16. The Shulchan Aruch cautions us from reading secular material on Shabbos, but the Rama adds a fascinating qualification of this:

It is noteworthy that it is only prohibited to read secular writings and war books when they are written in foreign languages, but when written in Lashon Hakodesh it is permitted. 

The question is why? Why would normally mundane reading material become allowed to read on the Holy Day, just because it’s written in Hebrew?

The Elya Raba, quoting the Magen Avraham brings the following idea:

“For the language itself contains holiness, and from it one learns words of Torah. Accordingly, even a written letter in Lashon HaKodesh may be read, for one must learn from its language, and it even contains several verses of Torah.

This is an amazing idea, that the language, even if describing secular subjects, has a certain amount of holiness to it and one can gain from that specifically on Shabbos. 

On the other hand of the debate, the Taz brings the opposite viewpoint:

But the language itself does not contain holiness, for we find in the beginning of the Tractate Shabbat that even during washing one may tell mundane matters in Lashon HaKodesh, and no more than this — we do not leave our seat for frivolity even though it is written in Lashon HaKodesh, which Tosafot mentioned regarding the wars that in jest there is no distinction in language. And the Maharshal has already disagreed with this, and so is the main view. And it seems simple and clear: whatever is forbidden to be read is forbidden to be carried on Shabbat.

But interestingly, the Mishnah Berurah clearly poskins like the Magen Avraham, that Lashon Hakodesh has its innate kedusha, even when describing secular subjects.

In fact, the Mishnah Berurah expands this idea on his comment on 307:5

And men of deeds are especially careful about this, not to speak on Shabbos even necessary matters except in the Holy Tongue [and it seems that their reason is as a protective measure, so that they should not come to engage in idle talk.

Lashon Hakodesh is more prone to discuss words of holiness in general and therefore its speech has a special protective measure on Shabbos. There are those who argue that in the modern State of Israel where Hebrew has become the language of both holy and secular purposes, this protection might no longer exist, but as we’re going to see soon, the idea of speaking Lashon Hadodesh goes much deeper and indeed would apply even today. 

In Shaar Hakavanos, Friday Night 1:5:17, Rav Chaim Vital describes the speech of his holy teacher, the Arizal in the following words:

Regarding speech, it was said that one should be very careful not to speak in a foreign language on Shabbat—not at night, and not during the day either—except when one would give a sermon and had to say it in a foreign language so that the listening people would understand. He was also careful not to engage in idle conversation or mundane talk, even in Lashon HaKodesh. 

This idea can be explained in Rav Chaim Vital’s comment in Pri Etz Chaim, the Gate of Shabbos 21:19

..The reason is that Kabbalah in the world of Atzilut—which bestows blessing to the lower worlds on Shabbat—is a world of complete holiness in which there is no kelipah (spiritual husk) at all… My teacher, of blessed memory, was careful to speak on Shabbat only in Lashon HaKodesh, and when he would tell a sermon to friends, he would explain it in a foreign language so they would understand well. He was also careful not to speak mundane words even in Lashon HaKodesh.

During the week, we live in the existence of layers removed from the spiritual core of the universe, and therefore speaking foreign languages, which themselves are layers or shells away from the core language of Lashon Hakodesh is appropriate. But on Shabbos, when all of those outer layers are removed, and we enter the sublime, pure space of Aztilus, Lashon Hakodesh becomes appropriate. 

Lastly, Rav Nosson of Breslov in Likutei Halachos, Fragrances, 2:5:1 describes a Chassdic perspective to the idea of speaking Lashon Hakodesh on Shabbos:

For the essential vitality and existence is through the rest of Shabbat, which is the inner point, the inner vitality that revives all. In the aspect of the ‘Word of the Lord,’ in the aspect of ‘And you shall speak a word that your speech of Shabbat not be as your speech of the weekday.’ For the speech of Shabbat-kodesh is in the aspect of the Word of the Lord, in the aspect of Lashon HaKodesh through which the world was created…

Hashem created the universe using the holy letters of Lashon Hakodesh, and as we tap into that source on Shabbos, we have the ability to peel back the layers to creation itself through the Divine speech that Lashon Hakodesh offers. 

Whether it’s through the halachic ideas and safeguards or the deeper mythical sources that describe the inner link between Shabbos and Lashon Hakodesh, this beautiful idea can be practiced by Jews, especially in the Land of Israel.