Just like our Fathers…
What is the point of being a Jew? What does G-d want us to learn in the school of life? Jews are called maminim, bnei maminim. Believers, the children of believers. Avraham, the first Jew, looked at the world, and realized that it must have a Creator. Our belief in G-d is the essence of being a Jew. The essence of Shabbos is that on it we declare our trust in G-d. We affirm our belief that it is He who provides for us. We are like our forefathers, who followed G-d into the desert. Just as they prepared for Shabbos by collecting a double portion of manna on Friday, we also make all of our preparations beforehand. Just as they, refrained from work on Shabbos, so do we. Just as they had a special relationship with G-d, so can we.