Shabbos Rest Dwelling Alone

בפסוק הן עם לבדד ישכון ובגוים לא יתחשב

On the pasuk, "Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and is not reckoned among the nations" (Bamidbar 23:9).

The Sfas Emes opens with Bilaam's words describing Bnei Yisrael as a people that dwells in solitude, set apart from the other nations.

פרש"י כשהם שמחין אין אומה שמחה עמהם כו'

Rashi explains: when they are joyous, no nation rejoices together with them, etc.

Rashi understands the "dwelling alone" to mean that Bnei Yisrael's joy is uniquely their own, with no nation sharing in it.

כי באמת עיקר כחן של בנ"י הוא למעלה מעוה"ז ונשתלחו לעולם רק לתקן הכל כמ"ש לא הי' צריך להתחיל רק מהחודש כו' משום כח מעשיו הגיד כו'

For in truth the essential strength of Bnei Yisrael is above this world, and they were sent into the world only to set everything right, as Chazal said that the Torah needed to begin only from "This month is for you" (Shemos 12:2), and it began with Bereishis only "because the strength of His deeds He told to His people" (Tehillim 111:6).

The true root of Bnei Yisrael lies above this world; they entered it only to repair and elevate it, which is why the Torah's narrative of Creation serves to demonstrate Hashem's claim over the world for His people.

וכך הוא בלבות בנ"י שכל מגמתם לעסוק תמיד בתורת ה' שלא להיות משותף בהבלי עולם

And so it is within the hearts of Bnei Yisrael, that their entire striving is to occupy themselves constantly with the Torah of Hashem, so as not to be bound up in the vanities of this world.

This same orientation lives in their hearts: their deepest desire is constant immersion in Torah, refusing to become entangled in worldly vanities.

וזה עדות השבת שניתן לבנ"י יום מכוחה שזה המנוחה שלהם כשבטלים מכל מלאכה וכיון שזה עיקר אצלם ממילא אוכלין גם בעוה"ז שהוא באמת טפל ועיקר נחלתם בעוה"ב

And this is the testimony of Shabbos, which was given to Bnei Yisrael as a day drawn from that very power, for this is their rest when they cease from all melachah; and since this is the essential thing for them, then automatically they also eat in this world, which is in truth secondary, while the essence of their inheritance is in Olam Haba.

Shabbos bears witness to this, for it is a day of rest drawn from that higher power; since the spiritual is primary for them, their physical sustenance in this world remains merely secondary, their true inheritance being Olam Haba.

לא כמו הרשעים שעושין מטפל עיקר כי הקב"ה משלם מדה במדה

This is unlike the resha'im, who make the secondary into the essential, for the Holy One, Blessed is He, repays measure for measure.

Resha'im invert this order, treating the secondary physical world as the main goal, and Hashem responds to each measure for measure.

וז"ש לבדד ישכון שזה עיקר המנוחה והתכלית שלהם וכתיב וירא כו' ישראל שוכן לשבטיו

And this is the meaning of "it dwells alone," for this is the essential rest and the ultimate purpose for them; and it is written, "And he saw Yisrael dwelling according to their tribes" (Bamidbar 24:2).

"Dwelling alone" therefore expresses Bnei Yisrael's true rest and purpose, tied to the verse describing Yisrael encamped according to their tribes.

כי כשמתאספין שבטי בנ"י שורה בהם כח יעקב אע"ה שהוא מענין נשמה יתירה היורדת בש"ק לבנ"י שהוא החלק שיש לכל איש ישראל בנשמת יעקב צורה החקוקה תחת כסה"כ

For when the tribes of Bnei Yisrael gather together, the power of Yaakov Avinu rests upon them, which is of the nature of the neshamah yeseirah that descends upon Bnei Yisrael on the holy Shabbos, which is the portion that every Jew has in the neshamah of Yaakov, the form engraved beneath the Throne of Glory.

When the tribes unite, the power of Yaakov Avinu rests upon them, akin to the extra soul of Shabbos, since every Jew holds a portion in Yaakov's neshamah, whose form is engraved beneath the Throne of Glory.

וכ' בזוה"ק ותהי עליו רוח אלקים על בנ"י להגן מעינא בישא דבלעם

And it is written in the Zohar HaKadosh, "And the spirit of Elokim was upon him" (Bamidbar 24:2) upon Bnei Yisrael, to shield them from the evil eye of Bilaam.

The Zohar reads the "spirit of Elokim" upon them as a protective shield guarding Bnei Yisrael from Bilaam's evil eye.

והיינו פריסת סוכת שלום שהקב"ה פורס עלינו בש"ק כשיורדת הנשמה יתירה מיד יש הגנה כנ"ל

And this is the spreading of the sukkah of peace that the Holy One, Blessed is He, spreads over us on the holy Shabbos, for when the neshamah yeseirah descends there is immediately protection, as above.

This protection is the canopy of peace Hashem spreads over us on Shabbos; the descent of the neshamah yeseirah brings immediate shelter.

וב' בחי' יש בישראל

And there are two aspects within Yisrael.

The Sfas Emes now distinguishes two aspects within Yisrael.

והם ב' שמות יעקב וישראל

And these are the two names Yaakov and Yisrael.

These correspond to the two names borne by the patriarch, Yaakov and Yisrael.

שבעוד שהי' נלחם עם עשו ולבן נק' יעקב כמו עבודת ימי המעשה

For while he was still battling with Esav and Lavan he was called Yaakov, corresponding to the avodah of the weekdays.

The name Yaakov belonged to him during his struggles with Esav and Lavan, paralleling the labor and avodah of the ordinary weekdays.

ואח"כ נק' ישראל שהוא ע"ש החירות שרית עם אלקים כו'

And afterward he was called Yisrael, which is a name denoting freedom, "for you have striven with Elokim," etc. (Bereishis 32:29).

The name Yisrael, denoting freedom and prevailing with Elokim, marks a higher station.

והוא בחי' הש"ק

And this is the aspect of the holy Shabbos.

This elevated name corresponds to the aspect of the holy Shabbos.

ועל ב' אלו כתיב טובו אהליך יעקב

And concerning these two it is written, "How goodly are your tents, Yaakov," (Bamidbar 24:5).

The verse "How goodly are your tents, Yaakov, your dwelling places, Yisrael" encompasses both of these aspects, weekday and Shabbos.

משכנותיך הוא השבת מנוחה ושם לא יש מגע נכרי וזהו לבדד ישכון כדכ' ה' בדד ינחנו כו' כי בש"ק יורד השפע לבנ"י בלי אמצעיות כמ"ש במ"א וזהו ואין עמו אל נכר:

"Your dwelling places" refers to Shabbos, the rest, and there no foreigner has any contact; and this is "it dwells alone," as it is written, "Hashem alone led him" (Devarim 32:12), for on the holy Shabbos the shefa descends to Bnei Yisrael without any intermediary, as is explained elsewhere, and this is "and there was no strange god with Him" (Devarim 32:12).

"Dwelling places" points to the rest of Shabbos, untouched by any foreign contact, which is the meaning of "dwelling alone"; on Shabbos the Divine flow reaches Bnei Yisrael directly, with no intermediary and no strange god involved.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains Bilaam's praise that Bnei Yisrael "dwell alone" as pointing to their root above this world. They were sent here only to elevate and repair creation, and their true striving is constant immersion in Torah rather than entanglement in worldly vanities. Shabbos testifies to this, for its rest draws from that higher power, making the physical world secondary and Olam Haba their true inheritance, in contrast to the resha'im who invert the order. When the tribes gather, the power of Yaakov Avinu rests upon them as the neshamah yeseirah of Shabbos, a protective canopy of peace shielding them from Bilaam's evil eye. The two names Yaakov and Yisrael mirror weekday avodah and the freedom of Shabbos, when the Divine flow descends to Bnei Yisrael directly, without any intermediary.