Drawing Nations Toward God
בפסוק וישלח משה מלאכים כו' אל מלך אדום כו'
On the verse "And Moshe Rabbeinu sent messengers... to the king of Edom..." (Bamidbar 20:14).
The piece opens by citing the verse in which Moshe Rabbeinu sends emissaries to the king of Edom to request safe passage through his land, which serves as the springboard for the entire teaching.
כי כאשר תיקנו בנ"י את שלהם כמ"ש כל העדה עדה מוכנת רצו בנ"י לתקן גם את האומות כמו שהי' מוכן בשעת קבלת התורה לולי רשעתו של עמלק ימ"ש ועל ידי אותו הרשע באו אל החטא עד שנפלו ממדריגתם ועתה שחזרו ותיקנו הכל רצו להמשיך את כל הברואים אליו ית'
For when Bnei Yisrael had set right their own portion, as it is written "the entire congregation" (Bamidbar 20:1) — a congregation that was now prepared and complete — Bnei Yisrael wished to set right the nations of the world as well, just as they had been prepared at the time of the receiving of the Torah, were it not for the wickedness of Amalek, may his name be blotted out. For it was through that wicked one that the nations came to sin, until they fell from their level; and now that Bnei Yisrael had returned and set everything right once more, they wished to draw all the creatures to Him, may He be blessed.
After Bnei Yisrael had repaired their own spiritual standing — becoming a prepared and complete congregation — they sought to extend that tikkun (rectification) to the nations of the world as well, restoring the universal readiness that had existed at Matan Torah before the wickedness of Amalek dragged the nations into sin and a spiritual descent. Having now risen again, they wished to draw all of creation close to Hashem.
לכן בקשו נעברה נא כו' לא נעבור בשדה ובכרם כו' דרך המלך נלך כו'
Therefore they requested, "Let us pass, please... we will not pass through field or vineyard... we will go along the king's road..." (Bamidbar 20:17).
It was with this purpose that they asked Edom for safe passage, promising not to take from the fields and vineyards but only to travel along the king's road. The choice of the king's road is not merely a logistical detail but carries the deeper meaning the Sfas Emes is about to unfold.
פי' כי בנ"י יש להם מעלות רבות שנק' בנים למקום וכמ"ש חלק ה' עמו
The explanation is that Bnei Yisrael possess many lofty levels, for they are called children to the Omnipresent, as it is written "for the portion of Hashem is His people" (Devarim 32:9).
Bnei Yisrael are distinguished by many exalted levels, chief among them that they are called Hashem's children, for they are His treasured portion. This describes the unique, intimate bond between Bnei Yisrael and Hashem.
אבל הבורא ית' מלכותו בכל משלה
But the Creator, may He be blessed — His kingship rules over all, as it is written "His kingship rules over everything" (Tehillim 103:19).
Yet Hashem's sovereignty is not limited to His children alone; as King, His rule extends over absolutely everything in creation. This introduces a second dimension of the Divine relationship — that of universal kingship.
ובחי' מלך הוא על כל הברואים כמ"ש מלך אלקים על גוים
And in the aspect of King He reigns over all the creatures, as it is written "Hashem reigns over the nations" (Tehillim 47:9).
In His aspect as Melech (King), Hashem reigns over all the created beings, including the nations of the world. This is the channel through which even the gentile nations are bound to Him.
ולכן אמרו כי בדרך המלך נלך כו' הכל כדי להמשיך גם אותם להבורא ית' והרשע ם מיאנו בזה ויט ישראל מעליו:
And therefore they said, "We will go along the king's road..." — all of this in order to draw them too to the Creator, may He be blessed; but the wicked one refused this, as it is written "and Yisrael turned away from him" (Bamidbar 20:21).
Thus by insisting they would travel along the king's road, Bnei Yisrael meant to draw even Edom and the nations close to Hashem through His aspect of kingship; but the wicked Edom refused this overture, so Yisrael turned away from him and went on their way.
Summary: In this piece the Sfas Emes reframes the seemingly diplomatic episode of Bnei Yisrael's request to pass through Edom as a mission of universal tikkun. Having repaired their own spiritual standing and become a prepared, complete congregation, Bnei Yisrael sought to restore the world-encompassing readiness that had reigned at Matan Torah before the wickedness of Amalek dragged the nations into sin and a spiritual descent, and so they wished to draw all of creation close to Hashem. The Sfas Emes distinguishes two dimensions of Hashem's bond with the world: Bnei Yisrael are uniquely His children and His treasured portion, while as King His sovereignty rules over all the creatures, including the nations. By requesting to travel specifically along the king's road, Bnei Yisrael intended to connect even Edom and the nations to the Creator through that universal aspect of His kingship. But the wicked Edom refused, and so Yisrael turned away from him, and the opportunity to elevate the nations was lost.