Unconditional Love Through Mesirus Nefesh
אמרו חז"ל בקשו לקבוע פ' בלק בק"ש משום דכ' הן עם כלביא יקום כו'
Chazal said that they sought to fix the parsha of Balak as part of Krias Shema, because it is written, "Behold, a people that rises up like a lion (and lifts itself up like a lion's whelp)" (Bamidbar 23:24).
Chazal considered including the parsha of Balak in Krias Shema because of the verse comparing Bnei Yisrael to a lion that rises eagerly each morning. This hints at their readiness to serve Hashem.
פי' אמו"ז ז"ל כי עיקר שבחן של בנ"י שהם מיוחדים רק לעבודת הבורא ית' לכן בקומו מיד חוטף המצוה וקורא ק"ש ורצו חז"ל לקבוע זאת בישראל שיהי' עיקר תהליכתם בעולם רק לעבודת הבורא שעל זה נבראו כמ"ש עם זו יצרתי כו'
My grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, of blessed memory, explained that the essential praise of Bnei Yisrael is that they are wholly devoted to the avodah of the Creator, may He be blessed. Therefore, the moment a person rises he seizes the mitzvah and recites Krias Shema. Chazal wanted to fix this in Yisrael, that the essence of their movement through this world should be solely for the avodah of the Creator, for which they were created, as it is written, "This people I have fashioned (for Myself, that they should relate My praise)" (Yeshayahu 43:21).
The Chiddushei HaRim explains that the greatness of Bnei Yisrael is their total devotion to Hashem's avodah, expressed by grabbing the mitzvah of Krias Shema the moment they wake. Chazal wished to embed this single-minded purpose in the nation, since serving the Creator is the very reason they were created.
ובאמת זה ענין אמרם זריזין מקדימין למצות והוא מצפרא ונלמד מאברהם אע"ה והכל ענין אחד
In truth, this is the meaning of what Chazal said, "The zealous hasten to perform mitzvos," which refers to the early morning, and is learned from Avraham Avinu, and it is all one matter.
The teaching that the zealous hasten to do mitzvos early in the morning, learned from Avraham, is really the same idea as rising like a lion for avodah.
כי אברהם אע"ה הי' הראשון שמסר נפשו לשמו ית' ובאמת במסירת נפש זוכין אל זה הזריזות להיות כל רצונו תמיד רק לעשות רצון הבורא ואין לו דבר אחר בעולם זה מקרי מסירת נפש כי נפש הוא רצון וע"י מס"נ בפועל זוכין לזה הרצון
For Avraham Avinu was the first to give over his soul for the sake of His Name, may He be blessed. And in truth, through mesirus nefesh one merits this zeal, that one's entire will should always be solely to do the will of the Creator, with nothing else in the world for him. This is what is called mesirus nefesh, for the nefesh is the will, and through actual mesirus nefesh one merits this will.
Avraham was the first to give over his life for Hashem, and through such mesirus nefesh one acquires a will focused entirely on Hashem's will. Since the nefesh is essentially one's will, surrendering the soul shapes the will toward Hashem alone.
וזה נשאר בבנ"י מכח האבות וע"ז אמרו מי שיש בו ג' דברים הללו עין טובה רוח נמוכה נפש שפלה מתלמידיו של אברהם
And this remained within Bnei Yisrael through the power of the Avos. Regarding this Chazal said that whoever possesses these three traits, a good eye, a humble spirit, and a lowly soul, is among the talmidim of Avraham Avinu.
This trait passed down to Bnei Yisrael from the Avos. Chazal taught that whoever has a good eye, a humble spirit, and a lowly soul is a talmid of Avraham.
פי' שע"י ג' מדות הללו יכולין לבוא למסירת הנפש שהוא עיקר שהנח אאע"ה ירושה לבנ"י כמ"ש אשר יצוה כו' ביתו אחריו
The explanation is that through these three traits one is able to come to mesirus nefesh, which is the essence that Avraham Avinu left as an inheritance to Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "For I have known him, so that he will command (his children and) his household after him (to keep the way of Hashem)" (Bereishis 18:19).
These three traits are the path to mesirus nefesh, which is the inheritance Avraham left to his descendants, as the Torah testifies that he would direct his household in Hashem's way.
והוא בחי' ואהבת בכל לבבך נפשך מאודך
And this is the aspect of "And you shall love (Hashem your God) with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5).
Mesirus nefesh corresponds to the command to love Hashem with all your heart, soul, and might.
ובאמת יש הרבה מדריגות בג' דברים אלו
And in truth, there are many levels within these three things.
There are many gradations within these three traits, so people can possess them on different levels.
ומי שמתחיל בג' מדות אלו זוכה להיות מתלמידיו ובא לבחי' מס"נ ולאהוב ה' בכל לבבך נפשך מאודך
And whoever begins with these three traits merits to be among his talmidim, and comes to the aspect of mesirus nefesh and to love Hashem with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.
One who starts cultivating these three traits merits to become Avraham's talmid, reaching mesirus nefesh and the complete love of Hashem.
ואז נשרשים בו הג' מדות באמת בשלימות
And then these three traits become truly rooted in him in completeness.
Once a person attains that love, the three traits become genuinely and fully rooted within him.
ולכן מי שיש בו ג' מדות הנ"ל עדות שהוא מתלמידיו
Therefore, whoever possesses the three traits mentioned above, this is testimony that he is among his talmidim.
Therefore, possessing these three traits is a sign and proof that a person belongs to the talmidim of Avraham.
והנה אותו רשע בלעם הניח לימוד האיך למצוא בעולם תאוה וכבוד כדאיתא כל מה דעבדין לגרמייהו עבדין
Now, that wicked one, Bilaam, established a teaching of how to find desire and honor in this world, as it is brought, "Whatever they do, they do for their own sake."
Bilaam, by contrast, taught a path of pursuing physical desire and honor, where everything done is done only for one's own selfish benefit.
וכל היראה והכנעות שמכניעין עצמן תלמידי בלעם כמ"ש אם יתן לי בלק מלא ביתו כו' הכל הי' כדי למלאות תאותם כמ"ש בחי' <b>מור"ז ז"ל</b> פ' תולדות
And all the fear and submissiveness with which the talmidim of Bilaam subjugate themselves, as it is written, "Even if Balak were to give me his house full (of silver and gold)" (Bamidbar 22:18), was all in order to fill their desires, as my grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, of blessed memory, explained in parshas Toldos.
Even the apparent fear and submissiveness of Bilaam's followers, like his pious-sounding words about Balak's house full of silver, was only a means to satisfy their cravings, as the Chiddushei HaRim explained in parshas Toldos.
אכן תלמידי אברהם אע"ה להיות עובד ה' שלא ע"מ לקבל פרס רק לשמו ית' בלבד
However, the talmidim of Avraham Avinu are those who serve Hashem not in order to receive reward, but solely for the sake of His Name, may He be blessed.
Avraham's talmidim, in contrast, serve Hashem with no expectation of reward, purely for the sake of His Name.
ומס"נ הוא עדות ע"ז שהיא שלא ע"מ לקבל פרס כי מי שמוסר נפשו ומאודו לשמים היא אהבה שאינה תלי' בדבר ולכן אינה בטילה לעולם
And mesirus nefesh is testimony to this, that it is not in order to receive reward, for one who gives over his soul and his might to Heaven, this is a love that is not dependent on anything, and therefore it never ceases.
Mesirus nefesh proves this selflessness, for one who surrenders his soul and might to Heaven has a love not dependent on any benefit, which therefore endures forever.
ולכן תלמידי אברהם אבינו עושין תורתן קבע בעולם
Therefore, the talmidim of Avraham Avinu make their Torah a fixed matter in the world.
Because of this enduring connection, Avraham's talmidim establish their Torah as a permanent fixture in the world.
ולכן אוכלין בעוה"ז ונוחלין לעוה"ב
And therefore they eat in this world and inherit Olam Haba.
As a result, they benefit even in this world while inheriting their portion in Olam Haba.
והנה כמו שבנ"י עובדין שלא ע"מ לקבל פרס והוא אהבה שאינה תלוי' בדבר כמו כן אהבת השי"ת אל בנ"י אינה תלוי' בדבר כי מדתו של הקב"ה מדה במדה
Now, just as Bnei Yisrael serve not in order to receive reward, which is a love that is not dependent on anything, so too the love of Hashem, may He be blessed, for Bnei Yisrael is not dependent on anything, for the measure of the Holy One, Blessed is He, is measure for measure.
Just as Bnei Yisrael serve Hashem with an unconditional love, so too Hashem's love for them is unconditional, since He acts measure for measure.
וז"ש אהבתי אתכם אמר ה' ואמרתם במה כו' הלא אח עשו ליעקב כו' ואוהב את יעקב כו'
And this is what is written, "I have loved you, says Hashem, yet you say, 'In what (have You loved us)?' Was not Eisav a brother to Yaakov, (says Hashem,) yet I loved Yaakov" (Malachi 1:2).
This is the verse in Malachi where Hashem declares His love for Yaakov over Eisav, and Bnei Yisrael question how that love is shown.
וקשה מה רבותא וכי ח"ו יאהב לרשע ולא לצדיק
And it is difficult: what is the great novelty here? Would Hashem, chas v'shalom, love the wicked one and not the tzaddik?
The difficulty is obvious: of course Hashem would love the tzaddik Yaakov rather than the wicked Eisav, so what is the novelty?
אך הפי' כנ"ל שאוהב את יעקב בעצם לא מטעם עשיות הטוב הגם כי האהבה בא ע"י המעשה הטוב אך כנ"ל כיון שאוהבים ה' בעצם ואינה תלוי' בדבר שכל מבוקשו בעולם רק לעשות רצונו ית"ש כמ"ש ושמרו דרך ה' כו' שכך השריש א"א בזרעו להיות האדם שומר ומצפה כל היום לעשות רצונו ית"ש שע"ז נברא
Rather, the explanation is as above, that He loves Yaakov in his very essence, not because of the doing of good, even though the love comes through the good deed. But as above, since they love Hashem in essence, and it is not dependent on anything, for their entire request in the world is only to do His will, may His Name be blessed, as it is written, "And they will keep the way of Hashem (to do righteousness and justice)" (Bereishis 18:19). For so did Avraham Avinu root within his offspring, that a person should be one who keeps and awaits all day to do His will, may His Name be blessed, for which he was created.
The answer is that Hashem loves Yaakov in his very essence, not merely as a reward for good deeds. Because Bnei Yisrael love Hashem unconditionally, devoting their whole desire to doing His will as Avraham implanted within them, the relationship rests on essence rather than performance.
ממילא גם אהבת ה' עליהם אינה תלוי' בדבר ואינה בטילה עולמות
Consequently, the love of Hashem upon them is also not dependent on anything, and never ceases.
Therefore Hashem's love for them is likewise unconditional and never ceases.
לכן אפילו כשחטאנו לפניו לא הוסר האהבה
Therefore, even when we have sinned before Him, the love is not removed.
Even when Bnei Yisrael sin, this essential love is not withdrawn.
זה שראה אותו רשע לא הביט און כו' ותרועת מלך בו שהוא ית' רוצה בבנ"י כמ"ש ורצה בנו ורצון הוא בלי טעם ואינה תלוי' בדבר לכן אפילו כשרצה בלעם להזכיר עון לא פעל כלום כי תרועת מלך בו הוא גזירת המלך כנ"ל:
This is what that wicked one saw, "He has not beheld iniquity (in Yaakov) (and has not seen wrongdoing in Yisrael; Hashem his God is with him,) and the trumpet-blast of the King is in him" (Bamidbar 23:21), meaning that He, may He be blessed, desires Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "And He desired us as His son." And ratzon, desire, is without reason and is not dependent on anything. Therefore, even when Bilaam wished to recall sin, he accomplished nothing, for "the trumpet-blast of the King is in him" is the decree of the King, as above.
Bilaam himself perceived this: he could find no iniquity to exploit because "the trumpet-blast of the King is in him" reflects Hashem's unconditional desire for Bnei Yisrael. Since this desire is a royal decree without reason, Bilaam's attempt to invoke their sins accomplished nothing.
Summary: The Sfas Emes explains that the essential praise of Bnei Yisrael, hinted at by the lion rising eagerly in the verse Chazal wished to include in Krias Shema, is their total devotion to serving Hashem the moment they wake. This devotion stems from mesirus nefesh, the inheritance of Avraham Avinu, who was the first to surrender his soul for Hashem's Name, and which is acquired through the three traits of a good eye, a humble spirit, and a lowly soul. The talmidim of Avraham serve Hashem with a love that is not dependent on any reward, in contrast to the talmidim of Bilaam, whose seeming piety only serves their own desires. Because this love is unconditional, Hashem reciprocates measure for measure with an unconditional love that never ceases, even when Bnei Yisrael sin. This is why Bilaam could find no iniquity to exploit, for "the trumpet-blast of the King is in him" expresses Hashem's essential, reasonless desire for His people.