Today the Shikkerdovid (and the rest of the daf yomi world) began the third perek of Pesachim. The mishna begins with laws that on erev pesach in the places that don’t engage in work past noon- dont do work. If you go to a place where it is the custom not to work on erev pesach past noon, dont work. The mishna states one must always take the stringent position.

The Talmud explains that this time period corresponds to the afternoon in the Temple when the paschal offering was sacrificed and prepared. The talmud always gives an exhortation not to work on past noon or after shabbat as there is no bracha.

The Shikkerdovid can understand why on erev shabbat in the afternoon one should curtail work, but why Saturday nite? There is a simple answer. We should not rush in to shabbat, nor rush out. We should try to savour the spiritual experience. But really, why no bracha?

The Shikkerdovid would like to weigh in on this. There is a time for everything and the SD really believes Gd wants us to make time for everything. He wants us to work, play ball, jog, socialize, spend time with children. The work we do will only yield bracha if done in its proper time and balanced with other proper pursuits.