Naso
נשאThe Priestly Blessing
28 translated essays · 62 total
תרל"א(1870)
Finding the inner life-force in the physical world· Essay 2
"A man who shall set himself apart..." (Bamidbar 6:2) — the parsha of the nazir. The Sefas Emes opens with the word "yafli" (sets apart, wondrous), which he reads as the key to the entire idea: the nazir separates himself toward something h…
Every sin is theft from Hashem· Essay 3
My grandfather, my teacher and master of blessed memory, said regarding the mitzvah of teshuvah (repentance), that the Torah expresses viduy (confession) specifically in the context of theft. The Sefas Emes cites his grandfather (the Chiddu…
Shalom, the inner face, and Hashem lifting His face· Essay 4
In the Midrash, [Chazal] praise shalom (peace): "The [only] vessel that holds blessing is shalom" (Uktzin 3:12; Bamidbar Rabbah 11). The Midrash exalts peace as the unique vessel capable of containing and sustaining blessing. Regarding Shab…
Naso תרל"א
תרל”א ב”ה נשא איש כי יפליא כו’. פי’ נזיר להיות נבדל מעניני עוה”ז (Bamidbar 6:2) “When a man or woman explicitly (yafli) utters a nazarite vow”. The idea of a nazarite, is to separate oneself from matters of thi…
תרל"ד(1873)
Weekdays as pillars joining will to deed· Essay 1
In the Midrash on "His legs are pillars of marble (shesh)" (Shir HaShirim 5:15) — this refers to the world, which HaKadosh Baruch Hu longed (hishtokek) to create; "and they were completed (vayechulu)…", "my soul yearns (kalsah)…", and "shes…
Hashem lifts the inner point· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "May Hashem lift His countenance to you" (Bamidbar 6:26) — yet it is written, "Who does not show favor (lift the face)" (Devarim 10:17). Here — when they do the will of the Omnipresent… (Berachos 20b) The Midrash confronts a…
Naso תרל"ד
תרל”ד במדרש שוקיו עמודי שש זה העולם שהשתוקק הקב”ה לבוראו ויכלו כו’ כלתה נפשי כו’ שש ששת ימי בראשית כו’. The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 10:1) explains that we learn from the word ויכולו HaShem longed to create the…
תרל"ה(1874)
Weekday yearning draws down Shabbos· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "His legs are pillars of marble (sheish)" — [a hint to] the six (sheishes) days [in which] He made [heaven and earth]; "set upon sockets of fine gold (adnei paz)" — wisdom, understanding, and knowledge (chochmah, tevunah, da…
Inner joy makes small deeds great· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "May Hashem lift His countenance to you" (Bamidbar 6:26), yet it is written, "He does not lift up countenances (show favor)" (Devarim 10:17) — this is when they do the will of the Omnipresent (Makom). The Midrash resolves th…
Naso תרל"ה
במדרש שוקיו עמודי שש ששת ימים עשה כו’ אדני פז חכמה תבונה דעת כו’. The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 10:1) explains that we learn from the word ויכולו HaShem longed to create the world. כי בימות החול העיקר להיות המעשים לשם שמים שלא לה…
תרל"ו(1875)
Refining the soul's yearning for Hashem· Essay 1
In the Midrash, on the verse "Let them send out... everyone with tzaraas...": "Remove the dross from the silver, and there comes forth a vessel for the smith" (Mishlei 25:4) — as long as the dross is in the silver, it does not show its beau…
Torah elevates the outer and the lowly· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "She is more precious than pearls (peninim)" — more precious than the Kohen Gadol who enters the innermost chamber (lifnai velifnim), and than the firstborn who is called "first (reishis)," as it is said "in former times in …
Torah rooted through deed· Essay 3
In Avos, Shammai says: "Make your Torah fixed (keva); say little and do much." The Sefas Emes opens with Shammai's teaching in Pirkei Avos, which he will expound through the lens of placing deed above mere words and study. The explanation i…
Naso תרל"ו
במדרש ע”פ וישלחו כו’ כל צרוע כו’ הגו סיגים מכסף ויצא לצורף כלי כ”ז שהפסולת בכסף אינו מראה יפיו כו’. The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 7:1) explains the pasuk “And they shall send out the camp, any lepors or zav” (Ba…
תרל"ז(1876)
Mutual longing in Creation· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "His thighs (shokav)" — this refers to the world that the Holy One, blessed is He, desired (nishtokeik) to create, as it is said, "And they were completed (vayechulu)…" — an expression of longing. The Midrash plays on the si…
Hashem's favor kindles the inner spark· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "May Hashem lift His countenance toward you…" — but it is also written, "He does not lift the countenance (show favoritism)." Here — when Yisrael do the will of HaMakom (the Omnipresent). The Midrash resolves an apparent con…
Torah as inheritance and as toil· Essay 3
In Pirkei Avos: "Moshe received the Torah [from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua]..." The Sefas Emes opens from the famous opening Mishnah of Avos, which traces the chain of Torah transmission beginning with Moshe Rabbeinu. Even though …
Naso תרל"ז
במדרש שוקיו זה העולם שנשתוקק הקב”ה לבראתו שכן נאמר ויכלו כו’ לשון תאוה. The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 10:1) explains that we learn from the word ויכולו HaShem longed to create the world. אעפ”י שזה קאי על מעשה בראשית והמד…
Naso Essay on Avot תרל"ז
תרל”ז במדרש שוקיו זה העולם שנשתוקק הקב”ה לבראתו שכן נאמר ויכלו כו’ לשון תאוה. אעפ”י שזה קאי על מעשה בראשית והמד’ אמר על תשוקת הבורא ית’ כמ”ש ועלי תשוקתו. אכן ביאור הדברים שביד התחתונים לעורר רצון הב…
תרל"ח(1877)
Revealing inner light within the physical· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "She is more precious than peninim" (Mishlei 3:15) — more than the Kohen Gadol who enters lifnei velifnim (the innermost chamber). Another interpretation: "more than peninim" — more than the firstborn (bechor); for "peninim"…
Removing dross unites the souls of Bnei Yisrael· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "And they shall send out from the camp etc." (Bamidbar 5:2) The Sefas Emes opens with the command to send the impure out of the camp, which the Midrash links to the purification of metal. "Remove the dross from the silver et…
תר"מ(1879)
Refining the silver of ratzon through the fire of Torah· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "Let them send out from the camp" (Bamidbar 5:2) — "Remove the dross from the silver" (Mishlei 25:4); at the time of Matan Torah there were no blemishes in them; "but they enticed/coaxed Him with their mouths" (Tehillim 78:3…
The Mishkan stirring the tribes who uphold the world· Essay 3
On the verse: "On the day that Moshe finished setting up [the Mishkan]," etc. The Sefas Emes opens on the verse describing the completion and erecting of the Mishkan. And in the Midrash: "Who raised up... the ends of the earth," etc. — "the…
תרמ"א(1880)
Earned Torah versus bestowed priesthood· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "She is more precious than pearls (peninim)" — than one who enters the innermost chamber (lifnai velifnim), and than the firstborn (bechor). The Midrash reads "peninim" as a hint to those of highest rank — the Kohen Gadol wh…
Avodah awakens song from within· Essay 2
In the Midrash, on the verse "On the shoulder they shall carry…" The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash on the avodah of the Leviim, who carried the holy vessels of the Mishkan upon their shoulders. It expounds this concerning the song, as i…
תרמ"ב(1881)
Torah gives life by illuminating worldly action· Essay 1
In the Midrash on "She is more precious than pearls (peninim)" (Mishlei 3:15). The Sefas Emes begins with the verse praising the Torah as more precious than pearls, and will explain in what its preciousness consists. For the essential prais…
Hashem's Favor Inspires Teshuvah· Essay 2
In the Midrash: it is written "May Hashem lift His countenance toward you" (Bamidbar 6:26), yet elsewhere it is written "Who does not lift the countenance" (i.e., shows no favoritism, Devarim 10:17); and it resolves this — [Hashem shows fav…
תרמ"ג(1882)
34 more essays from this section await translation.