Angels and Human Spiritual Elevation Vayishlach תרל”ה 1
מלאכים לפניו.
“Angels before him.”
The Sefat Emet opens by explaining Jacob’s act of sending angels ahead of him.
מלאכיו יצוה לך כו’ דכתיב גבורי כח עושי דברו לשמוע בקול דברו.
“He will command His angels for you… as it is written: ‘Mighty in strength, doers of His word, to listen to the voice of His word.’”
The verse describes angels as empowered agents who act in full responsiveness to the divine command.
דאיתא מי גדול השומר או הנשמר כו’.
It is taught: Who is greater, the guardian or the one being guarded?
The Midrashic question highlights the relationship between angels (guardians) and human beings (those guarded).
ואנו רואין כי המלאכים מעלתן גבוה מבני אדם.
And we see that the angels have a level higher than human beings.
At first glance, angels appear superior in spiritual stature.
והכל אמת כי בנ”י במעשיהם מעוררין כח המלאכים כדאיתא שאין המלאכים מתחילין בקדושה עד שבנ”י פותחין כו’.
And all this is true, for Israel through their actions awaken the power of the angels, as it is taught that angels do not begin sanctification until Israel initiates it.
Human deeds activate and elevate the angels, revealing the deeper primacy of human spiritual work.
ואח”כ ע”י כח המלאכים נתוסף כח לבנ”י.
And afterward, through the power of the angels, additional strength comes to Israel.
A spiritual cycle forms: humans elevate angels, and angels then amplify divine flow back to humans.
וז”ש עושי דברו הוא הנהגתו ית’ את הנבראים כי עיקר המלאכים הם ממונים על הנבראים כמ”ש רז”ל אין דבר שאין לו מזל למעלה.
Thus “doers of His word” refers to God’s governance of creation, for the essence of angels is their appointment over created beings, as the sages say: nothing exists without a spiritual force above.
Angels function as the spiritual channels assigned to sustain each created thing.
ולכן מתחדשין המלאכים בכל יום כמ”ש חדשים לבקרים כו’.
Therefore angels are renewed every day, as it is written: “New every morning.”
New divine vitality in creation necessitates new angelic forces.
כי כשהקב”ה מחדש בכל יום מעשה בראשית ממילא מתחדשין המלאכים שהם החיות של הנבראים.
For when God renews creation daily, the angels—being the life-force of created beings—are likewise renewed.
Angels arise from divine renewal and serve as the inner vitality of existence.
וכן ענין המצות שאמרו חז”ל שמכל מצוה נברא מלאך הוא ג”כ כנ”ל כי בכל דבר יש מצוה והוא לעורר כח החיות של אותו דבר והוא עצמו המלאך כנ”ל.
And so too with the matter of commandments: the sages said that each mitzvah creates an angel. This follows the same principle, for every thing contains a command, which is to awaken its vital force, and that awakened force itself is the angel.
Mitzvot draw out hidden divine vitality, which manifests as an “angel” created from the deed.
ותיקון המעשה בימות החול הוא ע”י המלאכים כמ”ש בזוה”ק כי בחול מנהיג השי”ת את העולם ע”י מלאך והוא ענין המלאכות של ימי המעשה.
The refinement of action on weekdays is through the angels, as the Zohar states: on weekdays God governs the world through an angel, and this corresponds to the labors of the days of work.
Weekday spirituality operates through mediated forces—angels—because weekday work belongs to the realm of “action.”
כי א”י להתדבק בבחי’ עשי’ אם לא ע”י המלאך.
For one cannot attach oneself to the realm of action except through the angel.
Angels provide the necessary bridge between physical action and divine intention.
אבל בש”ק מעין עוה”ב כמ”ש חז”ל כעת יאמר ליעקב מה פעל אל כו’.
But on Shabbat, a foretaste of the World to Come, as the sages said: “Now it shall be told to Jacob what God has wrought.”
On Shabbat the divine becomes directly accessible without intermediaries.
וכן בש”ק שעיקר הרצון של בנ”י בלי מעשה ומלאכה.
And so on Shabbat, the essence of Israel’s service is pure desire, without deed or labor.
Shabbat elevates intention above action.
והרצון יכול לבוא להשי”ת בלי אמצעי כנ”ל.
And the desire can reach God without any intermediary.
Direct communion replaces mediated connection.
והכלל כי מעלת בנ”י גדולה ממלאכים רק שבא ע”י תיקון המעשה באמצעות המלאכים ואח”כ מתעלין ביותר.
The principle is that Israel’s level is higher than that of angels, but it becomes manifest through the refinement of action via the angels, after which Israel rises even higher.
Angels assist human ascent, but humans ultimately surpass them.
וז”ש עושי דברו שהוא שבנ”י מבררין מלכותו ית’ שמנהיג כל הבריאה.
Thus “doers of His word” means that Israel clarifies God’s kingship, through which He governs all creation.
Human spiritual labor reveals divine sovereignty.
וע”י מתקנים בחי’ מלאך כדי לשמוע בקול דברו וזה למעלה מבחי’ המלאכים כנ”ל.
And through this they perfect the level of the angel so that it may “listen to the voice of His word,” and this is above the level of the angels themselves.
Humans elevate angels beyond their innate state.
וז”ש וישלח מלאכים לפניו כנ”ל:
And this is the meaning of “He sent angels before him,” as explained above.
Jacob’s act mirrors the cosmic dynamic of human beings initiating and elevating angelic forces.
Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that while angels appear spiritually higher, human actions awaken and elevate them. Angels mediate weekday action, whereas Shabbat allows direct divine connection. Ultimately, Israel’s service surpasses the angels, refining them and revealing God’s kingship.
