Joy in recognizing Hashem the Savior

במדרש נרננה בישועתך כו'.

In the Midrash: "We will rejoice in Your salvation …" (Tehillim 20:6).

The Midrash opens with the verse of rejoicing in Hashem's salvation, the springboard for this piece.

במה שעשית לנו בשמך כו'.

"… in what You have done for us, in Your Name …"

The continuation stresses that our joy is bound up with Hashem's Name — that is, with coming to know Him.

עיקר שמחת בנ"י במה שהם נושעים בה' ובזה שמחים יותר מעיקר הישועה.

The essence of Bnei Yisrael's joy is in the very fact that they are saved by Hashem — and in this they rejoice more than in the salvation itself.

The deepest joy is not the rescue itself but the relationship it reveals: that it is Hashem who saves us. That closeness to Hashem brings more joy than the deliverance.

כי הקב"ה א"א להשיגו שהוא רחוק מכל רחוק בעצמותו.

For Hashem cannot be grasped, since in His essence He is more distant than all that is distant.

Hashem's essence is utterly beyond comprehension — infinitely removed from any created mind.

רק מתוך מעשיו יכולין להכירו.

Only through His deeds can one come to recognize Him.

The one way we can know Hashem at all is through His actions in the world.

וע"ז נברא העולם לכבודו כדי להכירו מתוך מעשיו.

For this the world was created for His honor — in order to recognize Him through His deeds.

The very purpose of creation is to provide a stage of "deeds" through which Hashem becomes knowable to us.

וכאשר עשה לנו נסים ונפלאות יש לנו דביקות והכרה ביותר.

And when He performed for us miracles and wonders, we gain even greater deveikus (cleaving) and recognition.

Open miracles surpass ordinary nature in revealing Hashem, so they grant a deeper recognition of Him and a closer bond with Him.

וע"ז כתיב אנכי ה' אלקיך ביחוד אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים כמו שאמרו על הים זה אלי שהכירו מתוך הנסים בהשגה למעלה מהכרת כל הברואים ע"י מעשה בראשית שהוא בטבע.

And of this it is written, "I am Hashem your G-d" — specifically "who took you out of the land of Egypt" — as they said at the Sea, "This is my G-d" (Shemos 15:2), for they recognized Him through the miracles, with a perception higher than the recognition of all creatures attained through the work of Creation, which is by way of nature.

At the Splitting of the Sea, Bnei Yisrael could point and say "This is my G-d" — a recognition far surpassing what nature alone can reveal. That is why the Aseres HaDibros begin with "who took you out of Egypt" rather than "who created heaven and earth": the Exodus gave a higher, direct perception of Hashem.

וכאשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים יש לך הכרה ודביקות יותר באלקותי כמ"ש אתם ראיתם אשר עשיתי למצרים כו'.

And since "I took you out of the land of Egypt," you have a greater recognition and cleaving to My G-dliness, as it says, "You have seen what I did to Egypt …" (Shemos 19:4).

Having witnessed the wonders of the Exodus firsthand, Bnei Yisrael possess a uniquely intimate recognition of and attachment to Hashem.

ובכל הנהגה שמנהיג הקב"ה אותנו בין בטובה בין בזמן הגלות ופורעניות.

And in every way that Hashem guides us — whether in good times, or in times of galus and affliction.

This recognition is not limited to overt salvation; it extends to all of Hashem's guidance, including hard times of exile and suffering.

מ"מ בזה אנו שמחים שמנהיג אותנו שלא בדרך הטבע.

Nevertheless, in this we rejoice — that He guides us in a way that is above nature.

Even amid affliction we can rejoice, recognizing that Hashem's supernatural providence is steering us, never abandoning us to mere nature.

כמ"ש בה' אהלל דבר באלקים אהלל דבר.

As it is written, "In Hashem I praise the word [matter]; in G-d I praise the word" (Tehillim 56:11).

The verse doubles its praise — using both the Name of mercy and the Name of judgment — to teach that we praise Hashem both in good and in seeming harshness, recognizing His hand in each.

וזה שבחן של ישראל לכתך אחרי במדבר שנמשכו אחר הנהגת השי"ת שלא בדרך הטבע.

And this is the praise of Yisrael: "your following after Me in the wilderness" (Yirmiyahu 2:2) — that they were drawn after Hashem's guidance that is above nature.

Israel's praised greatness was following Hashem into the trackless desert, allowing themselves to be led entirely by His supernatural providence rather than the rules of nature.

וכל חומש הפקודים ספר במדבר הוא שבחן של ישראל שנדברו אחר השי"ת.

And the entire Chumash of the Census — Sefer Bamidbar — is the praise of Yisrael, that they were "led after" (nidberu) Hashem.

The Sefas Emes reads "Bamidbar" as related to being led/drawn (nidbar): the whole book recounts Israel's praise in following Hashem through the wilderness.

דבני ישראל יש להם חלק בתורה כמ"ש בזוה"ק קוב"ה ואורייתא וישראל כולהו חד.

For Bnei Yisrael have a portion in the Torah, as the Zohar HaKadosh says: "The Holy One, blessed be He, the Torah, and Yisrael are all one."

Bnei Yisrael are intrinsically bound up with the Torah; the Zohar teaches that Hashem, the Torah, and Israel form a single unity.

ובראשית שמות בחי' הקב"ה במעשת בראשית וביציאת מצרים.

And Bereishis and Shemos are the aspect of Hashem — in the work of Creation and in the Exodus from Egypt.

The Sefas Emes maps the five Chumashim: Bereishis and Shemos reveal Hashem Himself, through Creation and through the Exodus.

ויקרא עיקר מצות התורה.

Vayikra is the essence of the mitzvos of the Torah.

Vayikra, full of the laws of korbanos and holiness, represents the core of the Torah's mitzvos.

במדבר שבחן של ישראל ודברים בחי' משה רבינו ע"ה:

Bamidbar is the praise of Yisrael, and Devarim is the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu.

Bamidbar tells Israel's praise in following Hashem; Devarim, spoken by Moshe, represents his unique aspect. Together with the Zohar's teaching, the five books reflect Hashem, the Torah, and Yisrael as one.

Summary: Bnei Yisrael's deepest joy is not in being saved but in recognizing that it is Hashem who saves them. Since Hashem's essence is unknowable, He is recognized only through His deeds — and miracles, especially the Exodus, grant a higher recognition than nature does. This is why "I am Hashem" is tied to the Exodus rather than Creation. Israel's praise is to follow Hashem's supernatural guidance even into the wilderness and through galus; Sefer Bamidbar records this praise. The Sefas Emes then maps the five Chumashim onto the Zohar's triad — Hashem, Torah, and Yisrael as one.