Receiving Shefa Through Nature

במדרש קודם שנכנסו לארץ הי' ברכת הזן משנכנסו על הארן ועל המזון כו'

In the Midrash it is taught that before Bnei Yisrael entered the Land, the blessing was simply that of "He who sustains" (Birkas HaZan); but once they entered, the blessing was "for the Land and for the food," and so forth.

The Midrash notes that entering Eretz Yisrael added a new dimension to bentching: thanking Hashem not only for sustenance in general, but specifically for the Land that produces it.

כי הנה כמו שבעת הבריאה הזמין השי"ת לכל ברי' מזון מיוחד כמ"ש הנה נתתי כו'

For behold, just as at the time of Creation Hashem prepared for each and every creature its own particular food, as it is written, "Behold, I have given you [every herb yielding seed...]" (Bereishis 1:29),

Just as Hashem assigned a fitting food to every creature at Creation, He arranged a particular form of sustenance suited to its recipients.

כמו כן לבנ"י הכין ארץ ישראל שנשתנה בהיות בנ"י שמה

so too for Bnei Yisrael did Hashem prepare Eretz Yisrael, which was transformed by the very presence of Bnei Yisrael dwelling there.

Eretz Yisrael itself was elevated and changed precisely because Bnei Yisrael were destined to live in it; it is the food prepared specifically for them.

והגם כי דור המדבר היו נזונים ממן שהוא למעלה מזה היינו חוץ מדרך הטבע

And although the generation of the wilderness was sustained by the man (manna), which is loftier than this — that is, it lay outside the natural order —

The man that fed the wilderness generation was a miraculous, supernatural sustenance, higher in one sense because it bypassed nature entirely.

אבל מעלת א"י הי' שקבלו השפע בדרך הטבע בדביקות אל השורש המיוחד להם

nevertheless the superior quality of Eretz Yisrael was that they received the Divine flow (shefa) through the natural order itself, while remaining bound in dveikus to the unique root designated for them.

Yet the greater madreigah of the Land is that Bnei Yisrael draw the Divine flow through natural means while staying connected in dveikus to their spiritual root, sanctifying nature itself.

וזה שבח הארץ בברכת המזון

And this is the praise of the Land that we express in Birkas HaMazon.

This is why we praise the Land specifically in Birkas HaMazon, recognizing this elevated way of receiving from Hashem.

וב' אלו הענינים הם ענין השבת והחודש דכתיב ביום השבת יפתח וביום החודש יפתח

These two matters correspond to the concept of Shabbos and of Rosh Chodesh, as it is written, "On the day of Shabbos it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened" (Yechezkel 46:1).

These two modes — the supernatural and the sanctified-natural — parallel Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, both described by the navi as days when the inner gate is opened.

דאיתא מחדש בטובו בכל יום מ"ב

For it is taught in the tefillah that Hashem "in His goodness renews each day, continually, the work of Creation."

We declare daily in davening that Hashem constantly renews Creation, hinting that this renewing flow is always present.

והם בחי' שבת וחודש

And these correspond to the aspects of Shabbos and Chodesh.

These two days, Shabbos and Chodesh, embody the two aspects the Sfas Emes is describing.

כי השבת הוא מקור הברכה ונקרא טוב ובחי' הי"ב חדשים הם י"ב שערים שהשפע יורד על ידיהם להתחתונים לכן נקרא חודש שמשתנה כל חודש להתחדשות דרך אחר

For Shabbos is the source of all blessing and is called "good," while the aspect of the twelve months are the twelve gates through which the shefa descends to those below; therefore it is called "chodesh" (renewal), for each month is transformed and renewed along a different path.

Shabbos is the root and wellspring of blessing, called "good," while the twelve months are twelve gates, each channeling the shefa down a fresh path — hence "chodesh," renewal.

והשבת הוא כלל כל השערים

And Shabbos is the all-encompassing principle that includes every one of these gates.

Shabbos stands above and contains all twelve monthly gates as their unifying source.

וע"י ב' הבחי' הולך השפע בכל יום רק שבכל יום נכסה ומוסגר

Through these two aspects the shefa flows down every single day, except that on each ordinary day it is covered over and sealed shut.

Through Shabbos and Chodesh the Divine flow actually reaches us every day, but on weekdays it is hidden and locked away from open view.

ובבוא יום השבת והחודש נפתח ונגלה לבנ"י פתיחת השערים כנ"ל:

But when the day of Shabbos or of Rosh Chodesh arrives, the opening of the gates is unsealed and revealed to Bnei Yisrael, as explained above.

On Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh those gates swing open, and Bnei Yisrael can perceive the shefa that is otherwise concealed.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains why bentching gained the praise of "the Land" once Bnei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael: just as Hashem prepared a fitting food for every creature at Creation, He prepared the Land itself as the sustenance suited to Bnei Yisrael. While the man of the wilderness was a supernatural gift above nature, the higher madreigah of the Land is that Bnei Yisrael receive Hashem's shefa through nature while clinging in dveikus to their unique root, thereby sanctifying the natural order. These two modes correspond to Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, the days the navi describes as having their gates opened. Shabbos is the all-encompassing source of blessing, called "good," while the twelve months are twelve gates that each renew the flow along a different path. Though the shefa truly descends every day, it lies hidden and sealed on weekdays and becomes revealed to Bnei Yisrael only when the gates of Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh are opened.