Shalom, the inner face, and Hashem lifting His face

במדרש משבח השלום כלי מחזיק ברכה שלום.

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.

בשבת כתיב ויברך כי נק' שלום שהוא חיות פנימיות שבכל דבר ונקודה הנותנת חיים לכל חי נק' שלום שהיא שלימות הכל.

Regarding Shabbos it is written, "and He blessed (vayevarech)" — for it is called shalom, which is the inner life-force within every thing; and the point that gives life to all living things is called shalom, for it is the completeness (shleimus) of everything.

Shabbos is "blessed" because it is shalom — the inner vitality that animates all things; this life-giving point is called shalom because it makes everything whole and complete.

וז"ש יאר ה' פניו ישא פניו וישם שלום.

This is the meaning of "May Hashem shine His face… may He lift His face… and grant you shalom" (Bamidbar 6:25–26).

Birkas Kohanim culminates in shalom, the all-encompassing wholeness that the blessing is meant to instill.

פניו הוא הפנימיות כמ"ש פנים בפנים כו'.

"His face (panav)" is the penimiyus (inner dimension), as it is written, "face to face [Hashem spoke with you]" (Devarim 5:4).

The "face" of Hashem signifies the innermost dimension, the intimate inner connection alluded to by "panim b'panim."

להיות האדם דבוק בשורש החיות.

That a person be bound to the root of the life-force.

The blessing of the "face" is to be bound to the very root of vitality, the inner divine point.

ובמד' דכתיב לא ישא פנים רק הם נושאים פנים ומדקדקין לברך על כזית כביצה כו'.

And in the Midrash: it is written, "He does not lift the face (lo yisa panim)" (Devarim 10:17), yet [Bnei Yisrael] "lift the face" — being meticulous to recite a berachah over a k'zayis or a k'beitzah (an olive's or egg's measure).

The Midrash poses a paradox: Hashem shows no favoritism, yet He "lifts His face" to Bnei Yisrael — because they are scrupulous to bless even over a minimal measure of food.

פי' אא"ז מו"ר ז"ל בשם הרה"ק מפרשיסחא ז"ל כי זה נשיאת פנים שמברכין על מעט ע"י שחשוב בעיניהם מצד שמקבלים מהשי"ת ומזה שבעים ומברכים והמדה לישא פניו לזה שנושא פנים.

My grandfather and teacher explained, in the name of the holy Rebbe of Peshischa, that this is the [reciprocal] "lifting of the face": that they make a berachah over even a little, because it is significant in their eyes by virtue of their receiving it from Hashem, and from this [little] they are satisfied and bless — and the measure [Hashem uses] is to "lift His face" to the one who [first] "lifts the face."

Bnei Yisrael "lift Hashem's face" by treating even a small amount of food as precious, since it comes from Him — they are satisfied and bless over it; measure for measure, Hashem then "lifts His face" to them.

וכיון שהוא עפ"י שכרו לא נק' נשיאת פנים כו'.

And since it is according to his due reward, it is [seemingly] not called "lifting of the face"…

One might object that this is simply deserved reward, not favoritism — so why call it "lifting the face"?

ונראה הפי' כנ"ל שבנ"י דבקין תמיד בפנימיות ושורש החיות.

And it appears the explanation is as above: that Bnei Yisrael are always bound to the penimiyus and the root of the life-force.

The deeper answer is that Bnei Yisrael are constantly attached to the inner divine vitality.

ולכך מצד שיודעין ששורש המזון מהשי"ת חשוב בעיניהם מצד הפנימיות.

Therefore, because they know that the root of their sustenance is from Hashem, it is precious in their eyes from the standpoint of its penimiyus.

Knowing that the source of their food is Hashem, they value it for its inner divine essence rather than its physical quantity.

וז"פ שהשי"ת נושא להם פנים שאף שחוטאים במקרה אינו נחשב להם חטא ע"י שהשי"ת יודע שפנימיותם רק לדבוק בו והחטא במקרה.

And this is the meaning of Hashem "lifting the face" to them: that even when they sin incidentally (b'mikreh), it is not counted to them as a sin — because Hashem knows that their penimiyus is only to cleave to Him, and the sin was incidental.

Hashem "lifts His face" by overlooking accidental sins, knowing that their inner essence desires only deveikus to Him and that the lapse was incidental, not their true self.

ודרך נשיאת פנים ע"י שמביט בחשיבות האדם אף שבעת הזאת נתחייב בדין נושא פנים כנ"ל.

And the manner of "lifting the face" is by [Hashem's] regarding the [inner] worth of the person — that even though at this moment he has become liable in judgment, He "lifts the face," as above.

This favor flows from Hashem's looking at a person's intrinsic inner worth, so that even when strict justice would condemn him, the inner essence prevails.

וזה רק למי שמבטל תמיד רצונו וחשקו שמבחוץ להיות דבוק תמיד בפנימיות החיות כנ"ל. [בס' קול שמחה כ' בא"א]:

And this is only for one who always nullifies his [external] will and outer desire, in order to be constantly bound to the penimiyus of the life-force, as above. [In the sefer Kol Simchah it is written in a different way.]

This privilege belongs only to one who continually nullifies his external desires to remain bound to the inner divine vitality — for him alone the inner essence outweighs incidental failings.

Summary: Shalom is the inner life-force that makes everything whole — the vessel that holds all blessing — and "His face" in Birkas Kohanim is the penimiyus to which a person must cling. Because Bnei Yisrael are always bound to that inner root, treating even a small amount of food as precious for its divine source, they "lift Hashem's face"; and measure for measure He "lifts His face" to them, overlooking incidental sins, since their true inner essence longs only to cleave to Him — a privilege reserved for those who continually nullify their outer desires to stay bound to the inner vitality.