Truth Bonds Yaakov To Hashem

ובפסוק לא איש אל ויכזב

And concerning the pasuk, "Hashem is not a man that He should lie" (Bamidbar 23:19).

The Sfas Emes opens with the pasuk that Hashem does not lie, setting up the theme that truth is the defining attribute of Hashem.

דכתיב ה' אלקים אמת ואין אלקותו ית"ש חל רק על איש אמת וכ' תתן אמת ליעקב לכן קרא הקב"ה ליעקב אל

For it is written, "Hashem, Elokim, is truth" (Yirmiyahu 10:10), and Hashem's Divinity rests only upon a man of truth, and it is written, "Grant truth to Yaakov" (Michah 7:20); therefore the Holy One, Blessed is He, called Yaakov by the name "E-l."

Since Hashem is truth and His Divinity rests only on one who embodies truth, and Yaakov is the man of truth, Hashem attached His Name "E-l" to Yaakov.

ואפילו כל ישראל שיתף בהם הקב"ה שם אל

And even into all of Bnei Yisrael the Holy One, Blessed is He, joined the Name "E-l."

This bond of the Divine Name extends not only to Yaakov but to all of Bnei Yisrael, who carry the Name "E-l" within them.

רק יעקב הי' מתוקן לגמרי

Yet Yaakov alone was wholly perfected.

Still, Yaakov stood apart in that he was completely refined and perfected, more so than the rest.

איש תם

"A wholesome man" (Bereishis 25:27).

This is hinted in the Torah's description of Yaakov as "a wholesome man."

שלים

Complete.

He was whole and complete in his service of Hashem.

וקראו אל

And He called him "E-l."

Because of this completeness, Hashem honored him with the Name "E-l."

וכל איש ישראל יש בו נקודה של אמת כמ"ש כולה זרע אמת בכח התורה שניתן לנו תורת אמת

And every man of Bnei Yisrael has within him a point of truth, as it is written, "all of it the seed of truth" (Yirmiyahu 2:21), through the power of the Torah, for the Torah of truth was given to us.

Every individual Jew carries a spark of truth from this same root, since we received the Torah of truth, which implants that inner point in each of us.

ונק' ישראל שיר אל לומר כי הכח שבפיהם של ישראל חל עליהם שם אל

And Yisrael is called "the song of E-l," to teach that the power within the mouths of Bnei Yisrael draws upon them the Name "E-l."

Bnei Yisrael are called "the song of E-l" because the truth in their speech and praise draws the Divine Name "E-l" upon them.

וע"ז כתיב שפת אמת תכון

And concerning this it is written, "The lip of truth shall be established forever" (Mishlei 12:19).

This is why the pasuk teaches that truthful speech endures forever, for it is rooted in the eternal Name of Hashem.

וז"ש בלעם כיון שבחר הקב"ה בבנ"י הוא בחירה עולמית ותכון לעד

And this is what Bilaam said: since the Holy One, Blessed is He, chose Bnei Yisrael, it is an eternal choice, and it shall be established forever.

Bilaam's own words testify that Hashem's choice of Bnei Yisrael is permanent and unshakable, established for all time.

וי"ל לעד מלשון עדות לפי שבנ"י הם שפת אמת לכן הם עדים על הבורא כמ"ש אתם עדי כמ"ש לעיל:

And one may explain "forever" (la'ad) in the sense of "testimony" (eidus), for since Bnei Yisrael are the lip of truth, therefore they are witnesses upon the Creator, as it is written, "You are My witnesses" (Yeshayahu 43:10), as was explained above.

The word for "forever" can also be read as "testimony," since Bnei Yisrael, being the people of truthful speech, serve as Hashem's witnesses in the world.

Summary: The Sfas Emes builds on the pasuk that Hashem does not lie to teach that truth is Hashem's essence, and His Divinity rests only upon one who embodies truth. Because Yaakov was the perfected "man of truth," Hashem attached His Name "E-l" to him, and this bond extends to all of Bnei Yisrael, each of whom carries an inner point of truth through the Torah of truth given to us. The truth within the mouths of Bnei Yisrael draws the Name "E-l" upon them, which is why truthful speech endures forever. Finally, the very word for "forever" hints at "testimony," for since Bnei Yisrael are the lip of truth, they stand as Hashem's eternal witnesses in the world.