Rising Daily For Hashem

בשם <b>מו"ז ז"ל</b> בענין שרצו חכמים לקבוע פ' בלק בק"ש דכתיב בי' הן עם כלביא יקים כו'

In the name of my grandfather and teacher, of blessed memory, regarding the matter that the Chachamim wished to fix the parsha of Balak as part of Krias Shema, since it is written within it, "Behold, a nation that rises up like a lioness" (Bamidbar 23:24).

The Chachamim considered including parshas Balak in Krias Shema because of the verse comparing Bnei Yisrael to a lioness and lion that rise eagerly. This verse captures something essential about their avodah.

שזה עיקר שבחן של ישראל כמ"ש במד' טוב פת חריבה כו' מבית מלא זבחי ריב

For this is the essential praise of Bnei Yisrael, as the Midrash states, "Better a dry piece of bread [with tranquility in it] than a house full of feast-offerings with strife" (Mishlei 17:1).

The Midrash teaches that a simple, dry piece of bread eaten in tranquility is better than a lavish feast accompanied by strife. This expresses the core praise of Bnei Yisrael.

ופי' החילוק שבין חסידי אוה"ע שכל כוונתם לעבוד הבורא לפי שעה לגרמייהו

And the explanation of the distinction between the pious ones of the nations of the world, whose entire intent in serving the Creator is only for the moment and for their own sake,

The pious among the nations serve the Creator only intermittently and ultimately for their own benefit.

אבל איש ישראל אין לו בעולמו רק עבודת הבורא ית' ולכן מיד בקומו חוזר לעבודתו

but a Jew has nothing in his world other than the avodah of the Creator, may He be blessed, and therefore the moment he arises he returns to his avodah.

A Jew, by contrast, has no other purpose in his world than serving Hashem, so the instant he wakes he immediately resumes that avodah.

וזה הזריזות הוא סימן שכל תהלוכתו בשכבו ובקומו ולכתו רק לעשות שליחות אביו שבשמים כו' עכ"ד ז"ל

And this zealousness is a sign that his entire course of conduct—in his lying down, in his rising, and in his going—is solely to carry out the mission of his Father in Heaven, etc.; these are the words of my grandfather, of blessed memory.

This eagerness to begin serving is proof that everything a Jew does—lying down, rising, and walking about—is only to fulfill the mission of his Father in Heaven.

ולכן בנ"י מקבלין בכל יום חיות חדש

And therefore Bnei Yisrael receive a fresh life-force each and every day.

Because Bnei Yisrael orient their whole being to Hashem, they are granted a renewed life-force every single day.

וז"ש כלביא יקום עי"ז כארי יתנשא ולכן לא ישכב עד יאכל טרף כי כפי הקימה בבוקר כן נמשך כל היום

And this is the meaning of "it rises up like a lioness"—through this "it lifts itself like a lion," and therefore "it shall not lie down until it eats its prey" (Bamidbar 23:24); for according to the manner of one's rising in the morning, so does the whole day flow forth.

The verse's image of rising like a lioness leads to lifting up like a lion and not resting until eating its prey; the way a person begins his morning determines how his entire day unfolds.

וגם זה הרמז אמת כפי התחלת בני ישראל בראשיתן שקבלו התורה במס"נ ממילא טוב אחרית דבר מראשיתו ולא ישכב עד יאכל טרף באחרית הימים

And this hint is also true with respect to the beginning of Bnei Yisrael at their very outset, that they accepted the Torah with mesirus nefesh, and consequently "the end of a matter is better than its beginning" (Koheles 7:8)—and "it shall not lie down until it eats its prey" at the end of days.

This same hint applies to the history of Bnei Yisrael: they began by accepting the Torah with self-sacrifice, so their end will be even greater than their beginning, culminating in the geulah at the end of days.

ואיש ישראל שמח תמיד בקבלת מלכותו ית' בין באור בין בחושך

And a Jew is always joyful in accepting His malchus, may He be blessed, whether in light or in darkness.

A Jew rejoices constantly in accepting Hashem's kingship, in good times (light) and in hard times (darkness) alike.

וזה עצמו רמז טוב פת חריבה אפילו אנחנו השרוין בגלות

And this itself is the hint of "Better a dry piece of bread"—that even we who dwell in galus,

The 'dry bread' of the Midrash hints at our state in galus, which is materially poor and difficult.

אעפ"כ ושלוה בה לשמוח במה שזכינו להיות עבדי ה'

nevertheless there is "tranquility in it," to rejoice in that we have merited to be servants of Hashem.

Even so, there is tranquility within it—the joy of having merited to be Hashem's servants.

וזה לא נמצא באומות וכל צדקתם לטובתן ולא לשם שמים כמ"ש במ"א כי עכו"ם אדעתי' דנפשי' עביד

And this is not found among the nations, for all their righteousness is for their own benefit and not for the sake of Heaven, as is stated elsewhere, "for an idolater acts according to his own self-interest."

The nations lack this, because even their good deeds are done for their own advantage rather than for the sake of Heaven, as Chazal say that an idolater acts out of self-interest.

ובנ"י הם כלים להיות עובדי השי"ת לשמו כמ"ש עם זו יצרתי לי לשמי:

But Bnei Yisrael are vessels to be servants of Hashem, may He be blessed, for His Name, as it is written, "this nation I fashioned for Myself, that they may declare My praise" (Yeshayahu 43:21).

Bnei Yisrael, however, were created precisely to be vessels that serve Hashem for His Name's sake, as the navi states that Hashem fashioned this nation for Himself.

Summary: The Sfas Emes, citing his grandfather, explains why the Chachamim considered fixing parshas Balak within Krias Shema: the verse comparing Bnei Yisrael to a lioness and lion expresses their essential praise—that a Jew has no purpose in his world other than the avodah of Hashem, and so the moment he rises he eagerly returns to that service. This zealousness shows that all of a Jew's activities, lying down, rising, and going about, are nothing but carrying out the mission of his Father in Heaven, and because of this orientation Bnei Yisrael receive a fresh life-force each day. The way one begins the morning shapes the entire day, and likewise the way Bnei Yisrael began—accepting the Torah with mesirus nefesh—guarantees that their end will be even greater, leading to the geulah of the end of days. This is the meaning of the Midrash that a dry piece of bread eaten in tranquility surpasses a feast of strife: even in galus a Jew rejoices in the tranquility of having merited to be a servant of Hashem. The nations cannot share in this, for their good deeds serve their own self-interest, whereas Bnei Yisrael were fashioned to be vessels who serve Hashem for His Name's sake.