Concealing The Sacred Light

הנה כסה כו' עין הארץ פרשנו במ"א ובתוספות ביאור עפ"י מ"ש ביחאור המאמר אמרה שבת לכל נתת בן זוג כי לכל ימי המעשה יש התלבשות בימי חול אף ששורש הימים מאוד נעלה ויום השבת אין לו התלבשות אבל בנ"י צריכין לכסות הארת היום כמ"ש ביני ובין בני ישראל שניתן בצינעא כו' וז"ש כסה כו' עין הארץ שלא ישלטו עיני רשעים בה כמ"ש וירא בלק כו' נוח לרשעים שיהיו סומין כו' ע"ש במדרש:

The verse states, "Behold, [the nation] has covered the eye of the land" (Bamidbar 22:5). We have explained it elsewhere, and we will add a further elaboration based on what we wrote in explaining the Midrashic statement (cited in connection with the teaching) that "Shabbos said before the Holy One, Blessed is He: To every day You have given a partner." For all the weekday days have a garment, a clothing within the days of the week — even though the root of these days is exceedingly lofty. But the day of Shabbos has no such garment. Bnei Yisrael, however, must conceal the illumination of the day, as it is written, "between Me and Bnei Yisrael" (Shemos 31:17) — that it was given in concealment. And this is the meaning of "it has covered the eye of the land": that the eyes of the wicked should not have dominion over it, as it is written, "And Balak saw" (Bamidbar 22:2), and as Chazal taught, "It would be fitting for the wicked to be blind," and see further there in the Midrash.

The Sfas Emes reads Balak's complaint that Bnei Yisrael "covered the eye of the land" as pointing to a deeper truth: just as the weekdays each receive their spiritual light through a protective garment while Shabbos and Bnei Yisrael carry an unclothed, hidden illumination, so too the kedushah of Bnei Yisrael must be concealed so that the gaze of wicked men like Balak cannot take hold of it.

Summary: The Sfas Emes expounds Balak's words that Bnei Yisrael "covered the eye of the land." Drawing on the Midrash that every weekday was given a partner while Shabbos stood alone, he explains that the weekdays receive their lofty root through a garment that clothes their light, whereas Shabbos has no such garment. So too Bnei Yisrael carry an exalted illumination that must remain hidden, as the sign of Shabbos was given "between Me and Bnei Yisrael" in concealment. This concealment is precisely the "covering" Balak perceived: the kedushah of Bnei Yisrael is shielded so that the eyes of the wicked cannot dominate it, in keeping with Chazal's teaching that it would be fitting for the wicked to be blind.