The power of holy speech and song

במדרש כמה נימין היו בכנור ז' כו' שבע ביום הללתיך היו הלוים עומדין ומזמרין על הדוכן לפני מי שאמר והי' העולם כו' דאיתא כהנים בעבודתן ולוים בדוכנם וישראל במעמדם.

In the Midrash: how many strings were on the harp? Seven, etc. — "Seven times a day I praise You" (Tehillim 119:164). The Leviim would stand and sing on the duchan (platform) before the One who spoke and the world came into being, etc. As it is taught: the Kohanim at their avodah (service), the Leviim on their platform, and Yisrael at their post.

The Sefas Emes opens with the three groups in the Bais Hamikdash, each with its own role: the Kohanim performing the service, the Leviim singing, and the ordinary Yisrael standing in attendance.

ואלה הג' הם בחי' מעשה דיבור ומחשבה שהם כלל כל העולם.

These three correspond to the aspects of deed, speech, and thought, which together encompass the entire world.

The Kohen embodies action, the Levi embodies speech, and Yisrael embodies thought and inner will — and these three faculties contain all of reality.

והגם כי בחי' המחשבה היא למעלה.

And although the aspect of thought is the highest of them.

One might assume thought is loftiest, since it is the most inner and spiritual faculty.

אך היא הנותנת כי הרצון והמחשבה נמצא בכל איש ישראל.

Yet that very fact teaches the opposite: ratzon (will) and thought are found in every Yisrael.

Precisely because inner desire is something every Yid already possesses, it is not the unique accomplishment — the real challenge lies in drawing it outward.

אבל להיות כלי מוכן להוציא דיבורים לפני הקב"ה.

But to be a fitting vessel that brings forth speech before HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

The harder avodah is to become a refined instrument that can actually express that inner will in words before Hashem.

ובפרט מלה דקיימא בעובדא.

And especially "a word that stands in action" (a matter realized in deed).

Hardest of all is bringing the inner thought all the way down into concrete action — the Kohen's service.

דהיא יתירה מכולא כדאיתא בזוה"ק תרומה.

For it is greater than all of them, as the Zohar HaKadosh teaches in Parshas Terumah.

The Zohar establishes that bringing a matter into actual deed is loftier than thought or speech that remain unrealized.

זה הי' עבודת הכהן.

This was the avodah of the Kohen.

The Kohen's service represents this highest level of bringing holiness into actual deed.

והלוי בדיבור.

And the Levi's was in speech.

The Levi's role was the level of speech — the song and praise on the duchan.

וישראל ברצון ורעותא דלבא.

And Yisrael's was in will and the yearning of the heart.

The ordinary Yisrael standing at their post contributed the inner desire and longing of the heart.

ובודאי באלה העבודות בביהמ"ק היו מתקנים כל הבריאה דכתיב עם זו יצרתי לי תהלתי יספרו.

And surely through these services in the Bais Hamikdash they would rectify all of creation, as it is written: "This people I formed for Myself, that they may declare My praise" (Yeshayahu 43:21).

The combined avodah of deed, speech, and will in the Mikdash accomplished the tikkun (rectification) of the whole world — for this is the very purpose for which Bnei Yisrael were created.

ועיקר כחן של ישראל בפה.

And the primary strength of Yisrael is in the mouth.

The unique power of Bnei Yisrael lies in speech — in Torah and tefillah voiced aloud.

וזה נשאר בלוים דכ' רוממות אל בגרונם ועי"ז וחרב פיפיות בידם כו' ע"ש בפרש"י וכל מלחמתן של בנ"י הי' בזה הכח.

And this remained with the Leviim, as it is written: "The exaltation of God is in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand" (Tehillim 149:6), etc. — see Rashi there — and all of Bnei Yisrael's warfare was through this power.

The "sword" of Bnei Yisrael is really the power of their mouth — praise of Hashem in the throat — and that spiritual force, embodied by the Leviim's song, is how Yisrael truly wages its battles.

ולכן כתיב למנצח.

This is why it is written "Lamnatze'ach" (For the Conductor / the Victor).

The word that heads so many of the songs of Tehillim hints at "victory" — for through these songs Yisrael conquers.

כי באלה השירים היו מנצחין לכל האומות ובע"כ היו מעוררין כל האומות להביא מורך בלבבם מפני הדר גאונו ית'.

For through these songs they would prevail over all the nations, and they would inevitably stir all the nations to bring fear into their hearts before the splendor of His exaltation, may He be blessed.

The sacred song of the Leviim radiated outward and subdued the nations, planting in them awe of Hashem's glory.

ואיתא מיריחו היו שומעין קול השיר ע"ש והרמז כי הקולות הלכו עד למרחוק כי יריחו היו תוקף כל הז' אומות כמ"ש:

And it is taught that from Yericho they could hear the sound of the song — see there — and the hint is that these sounds traveled to a great distance, for Yericho was the stronghold of all seven nations, as has been explained.

The Mishnah relates that the Levitical song carried as far as Yericho; the Sefas Emes reads this as a sign that this holy "sound" reaches even the mightiest stronghold of the seven Canaanite nations, subduing them through its spiritual power.

Summary: The Kohanim, Leviim, and Yisrael in the Bais Hamikdash correspond to deed, speech, and will — the three faculties that encompass all of creation. While inner will exists in every Yid, the harder and loftier avodah is to bring it outward into speech and deed. The special strength of Bnei Yisrael lies in the holy "sword" of the mouth, the Levitical song, through which they subdue the nations and rectify the entire world.