The eved ivri (Jewish slave) was a rare occurrence during the Temple era and is certainly not relevant today. Why then is it discussed first in this parsha?    

 
Chassidut teaches that space consists of six sides, namely: up, down, left, right, front, and back. There is an epicenter within this three dimensional cube, which is the seventh point. This parallels the human experience. Most of our life encounters touch us externally. However there are certain experiences that are so profound that they affect our inner core. This, the Avnei Nezer explains, is why the eved ivri works six years and goes free in the seventh year. The eved ivri is a common criminal or at best a social outcast, sold into slavery to repay his debts. He is bound to serve his master six years, signifying the six external points of his life that have experienced a terrible breakdown. Yet his inner seventh point remains pure and indestructible. This is why he is set free in the seventh year.

What is the secret of this indomitable inner core? At Har Sinai, Hashem said, "Anochi Hashem Elokecha." I am Hashem who redeemed you from Egypt. This seems strange. The redemption was certainly incredible, but the creation of the world was even more so. Why does Hashem specifically introduce himself as our redeemer rather than our Creator?

The Shem MiShmuel notes that in halacha something that is hekdesh (sanctified) is not subject to human claim. When the Jews became a nation, they reached the level of hekdesh, and therefore the Egyptians could no longer have a hold on them. Our special relationship with Hashem over and beyond the other nations is the kedushat yisrael, the seventh inner indestructible point which connects us as a people to Hashem.

At Matan Torah, when the Jews said naaseh v'nishma they became entirely sanctified. All seven levels were freed and no nation could dominate them. After cheit haegel, the six external sides were contaminated again, but the seventh inner core remained pure. This state has stayed with us until today. The vagaries of life cannot affect us because inwardly we are eternally free. Even the eved ivri retains his pure core. Externally, he may have been broken, but his inner seventh point remained untouched, and that is why he is eventually set free.   

Similarly, the Rambam notes that the world will exist for six thousand years. In the seventh year, we will be redeemed. Mashiach will come and the world will finally recognize the unique bond between us and Hashem that has kept us strong and indestructible throughout our long exile.

Chazal forbade putting fully cooked food on the fire on Shabbat because one could come to stoke the coals. Additionally it is mechzi k'mevashel, it appears as if one is cooking. However, if one satisfies five requirements, then bishul becomes chazara and is permitted l'chatchila.

The five conditions are,

1.      the flame must be covered,

2.      the food must be fully cooked,

3.      it must still be warm,

4.      one may not release one's hold on the pot, and

5.      one must have intention to return the pot to the fire.

Two issues arise with reheating food on Shabbat. The food is no longer warm and it is no longer in hand. The Magen Avraham explains that chazara is permitted because it is a continuation of the original act of putting the food on the fire, rather than an initial placement on the flame. The first three conditions create this distinction. Therefore, the Mishna Berura rules that bdi'eved if one does not have one of the last two conditions one may still do chazara.

The Biur Hagra notes a disagreement between Rashi and the Rosh whether the rule of ein bishul achar bishul (cooked foods cannot be recooked) applies only to solid foods or also to liquids. The Rambam holds that it applies equally to both. The Rama takes a middle position and rules that a dry food with liquid gravy may be placed near the fire, but a liquid is prohibited. The Shulchan Aruch rules like Rashi who holds that yesh bishul achar bishul b'davar lach (cooked liquids can be recooked - and therefore, it is asur to do so on Shabat).  The Rama notes that the custom is to be lenient and one may return liquid to the fire as long it did not cool down completely. It seems like the requirement of it not cooling down does not belong to the trilogy distinction between chazara and mechzi k'mevashel. The Gra and the Rama maintain that putting cold cooked liquid back on the fire may be a prohibition of bishul d'oraita. Rashi and the Shulchan Aruch hold that this requirement pertains to chazara. According to the Magen Avraham, the condition of lo nitzanzen (not having cooled down) applies equally to liquids and dry foods. The Gra maintains that it only pertains to liquids.  

According to the Ran as quoted by the Rama, all five requirements of chazara only apply if one took the food off the fire before Shabbat. Therefore, if the pot was on the flame when Shabbat began and you served from it on Friday night and then put it down, you could still return it to the stove if it did not fully cool down.

The Mishna Berura says there is a basis for this leniency but it is better to be stringent as many poskim disagree. The Shulchan Aruch writes that it is permitted to rewarm dry food on top of a pot filled with food, since it is not a normal way of cooking.

A "kediera" blech is a wide pot filled with water. Some maintain that you can put food on top of this and some say since it does not contain food, it is has the din of a regular blech and has not solved the problem.

The Shulchan Aruch notes that warming food near a fire is permissible because it is not actually putting the pot on the flame. If the food will not reach yad soledet (boiling point) it is permitted.

Can one do chazara by putting food back in an oven on Shabbat? Rav Moshe Feinstein held that to satisfy all five requirements of chazara one would need to use an oven insert to conceal the heating source. Rav Aharon Kotler ruled leniently as long as the knobs are covered.

Does a hotplate have the same din as a stove? Rav Moshe maintained that if one cannot cook on it and it only has one setting one may do chazara. Rav Elyashiv rules stringently against this. One can place an oven rack to make a hefsek kedeirah on a hotplate and then put food on it to rewarm. Differing circumstances and situations may vary. Therefore, all questions should be addressed to a competent Rav for a final decision.

Shacharit begins with the morning blessings that relate primarily to the world as we know it. Psukei D'zimra, a selection from Psalms, follows. These poems are meant to express who we are in a greater context. Next comes Shema and its blessings, which move us a step higher. Shema tells us that Hashem is one in the world and that the world has no existence without Him. We are totally dependent on His will for our present and continued existence. We are now ready for the pearl of prayer, the Shemoneh Esrei. Everything that is recited prior to this is only a preparation for this.

The Shemoneh Esrei consists of praise, request, and thanks. We begin with praise. On a human level, blessing is about letting the person know who they are.  Praising Hashem means letting ourselves know in whose presence we are.  The first blessing is called Avot because we attempt to see Hashem through the eyes of our forefathers. The Avot lived spiritual lives that were so vast that Hashem promised them that their spiritual message would endure with their descendants.

Each forefather had a different glimpse of Hashem, just as a circle of dancers see the same center from different angles. We describe Hashem as hagodol hagibor v'hanora, great, powerful and awesome. "Great" means that everything in the world has one source, Hashem. Avraham was the first to recognize this. Yitzchak continued where Avraham left off. He saw Hashem as powerful, as one who constrained himself within time, nature, and the possibility of distance. Yitzchak developed this strength within himself through self-control and overcoming his ego.  Yaakov experienced Hashem as awesome. This does not mean scary, where one anticipates something bad, but rather overpowering. 

The second blessing is Gevurat Hashem. It describes how Hashem conceals Himself within nature. He created death, which conceals His presence, and rainfall, which allows us to see life as seemingly continuing on its own.

 

The third blessing is Ata Kadosh, which depicts Hashem's holiness. Holiness means above everything and not limited to the mundane. Hashem is transcendent. A person who recognizes Hashem and is grateful for all His goodnes will be happy all his life. This is because one naturally rejoices more in a gift received from a loved one rather than something received from someone he does not know. Likewise, if we recognize Hashem as the author of all our challenges, our responses change. If we learn to perceive Hashem as holy, we can see holiness in other people and ourselves. Our lives then become very different.

The blessings of requests are divided in four groups, spiritual, material, requests for meaning in our lives, and requests for the sake of the Jewish people. We first ask for consciousness and insight because without that, nothing Hashem gives us has value. Daat is the ability to know what to do practically. One should concentrate on asking Hashem for the intellect to make the right decisions.

In the next blessing we ask for redemption. The only way to change is by changing and many times we try but do not succeed. We ask Hashem for physical and emotional energy to effect change. Whether it is by meeting inspiring people or dealing with life altering situations, we need to take the first step. The rest is up to Hashem.

The third blessing deals with forgiveness. True forgiveness means that the damage was completely rectified and ultimately only Hashem can grant that.

In the next group of blessings we ask Hashem for material things. We ask Hashem to see our pain and redeem us. This is not about our collective exile but about our own personal pain and exile. Some of us are entrapped in difficult relationships, bad financial decisions, or corruptive desires and ego. We ask Hashem to release us from our individual prisons and help us confront our struggles.

We then pray for healing. We need to recognize that some effort must be invested to heal ourselves, but ultimately the results are up to Hashem. The Rambam teaches us that a person can relate to illness in three ways. He can say he is a victim and the illness just happened to strike. A different response is to think whether or not he recovers is up to the skill of the doctor. Alternatively a person could respond by realizing that if this happened to me it has something to do with me. Some people handle grave illnesses by becoming more humble and appreciative. Others become embittered, angry, or suicidal. A person must acknowledge that challenges are tailor made for us and the one thing one should not do is remain the same.

Question:  
Can you explain the proper boundaries of being a vatran (giving in)?

Answer: 
Vatranut begins by seeing the other person as an extension of yourself. Parents instinctively do this with their children. You have to learn to bring more people into your picture. Being a shmatta means resentfully giving in when there are other possibilities. I would call this intentional martyrdom, which is what people choose because they enjoy making others feel guilty and beholden. People with low self-esteem tend to give in, because they can't bring themselves to suffer even momentary disapproval from another person.

There is a huge difference when there are other alternatives and when you are giving in because of unhealthy reason. Martyrdom isn't good for anyone. The boundaries of vatranut have to do with halachic priorities. A mitzva comes before other obligations. Something only you can do comes before something other people can do. For example, only you as your children's mother can put your kids to bed in a way that will make them feel loved and cared for. If someone consistently asks you to drive them somewhere at that hour, you have to learn to say no.

A definable mitzva cannot be forfeited at the risk of doing an aveira. For instance, if right before Shabbat a friend requests a favor that might cause you to violate Shabbat, you are obligated to decline. Obviously, real emergencies and saving lives take precedence over almost everything else.

Learn to use your good judgment and common sense. Giving in is laudable, but never at the expense of neglecting your priorities.