Tzaddikim elevate time, nature, and souls

במדרש יודע ה' ימי תמימים כשם שהם תמימים כך שנותיהם תמימים כו'.

In the Midrash: "Hashem knows the days of the wholehearted" (Tehillim 37:18) — just as they are tamim (wholehearted), so their years are tamim (whole/complete).

The Midrash links the temimus of the tzaddikim themselves to a corresponding wholeness in their very years and days.

כי הצדיקים מעלים הזמן והטבע.

For the tzaddikim elevate time and nature.

A tzaddik's influence is not confined to himself; he raises up the dimensions of time and the natural world around him.

כענין שאמרו כשהצדיק בעיר הוא הודה זיוה כן הוא בזמן.

As they said: when the tzaddik is in the city, he is its splendor, its radiance — so too it is with time.

Just as a tzaddik lends glory to the place he inhabits, so he lends glory and radiance to the period of time in which he lives.

כי הנה הקב"ה מחדש בטובו בכל יום מעשה בראשית.

For behold, the Holy One in His goodness renews each day the work of creation.

Creation is not a past event but a continual renewal; each day Hashem brings forth maaseh bereishis anew.

והתחדשות הימים הוא כפי אנשי הדור כמ"ש אל תאמר שהימים הראשונים היו טובים כו' ופרש"י כי הימים טובים לפי זכות הדור ע"ש.

And the renewal of the days is according to the people of the generation, as it is written: "Do not say that the former days were better…" (Koheles 7:10), and Rashi explains that the days are good according to the merit of the generation, see there.

The quality of each renewed day depends on the people living it; "good days" are not inherent to the calendar but flow from the zechus of the generation.

וז"ש כשם שהם תמימים כו' כי עיקר התמימות הוא התדבקות בשורש שלמעלה מהטבע כמ"ש תמים תהי' עם ה' אלקיך כו' כי הגוים האלה כו' אל מעוננים כו' עונה זו יפה כו' כי התחכמות שלהם הוא בזמן ובטבע.

And this is "just as they are tamim…" — for the essence of temimus is cleaving to the root that is above nature, as it is written: "Be tamim (wholehearted) with Hashem your God… for these nations… heed soothsayers" (Devarim 18:13-14) — "this hour is auspicious," etc. — for their wisdom is bound up in time and nature.

True temimus means attaching oneself to the Source that transcends nature. The nations, by contrast, seek their "wisdom" within time and nature themselves — reading omens and lucky hours — which is the opposite of wholehearted cleaving to Hashem.

ובודאי נמצא חכמה בהבריאה.

And certainly there is wisdom to be found within creation.

The Sefas Emes concedes that nature does contain real chochmah — the world is built with divine wisdom.

אבל לא כן נתן לך ה' אלקיך נביא מקרבך כו' כי בני ישראל נבראו להעלות כל הטבע ולברר ולהעיד כי הקב"ה הוא המנהיג את העולם והטבע והזמן דכתיב אתם עדי ואני אל ואמרו חז"ל כשאתם עדי אני אל.

"But not so has Hashem your God given to you — a prophet from your midst" (Devarim 18:14-15) — for Bnei Yisrael were created to elevate all of nature, to clarify and to testify that the Holy One is the One who guides the world, nature, and time, as it is written: "You are My witnesses, and I am God" (Yeshayahu 43:12), and Chazal said: "When you are My witnesses, I am God."

Unlike the nations who look to omens within nature, Bnei Yisrael have a navi and a higher path: their role is to elevate nature and bear witness that Hashem alone governs world, nature, and time. This testimony is so essential that, as Chazal put it, Hashem's revealed kingship in the world depends on it.

פי' הקב"ה ברא העולם להיות בחירה לאדם וכפי מה שבנ"י מעידין ומבררין כח הנהגתו יתברך כן מתגלה כח הנהגתו ית' בעולם.

The explanation: the Holy One created the world to allow free choice for man, and to the extent that Bnei Yisrael testify and make clear the power of His guidance, so His guidance is revealed in the world.

Because the world is built for free choice, Hashem's hashgachah is hidden; the more Bnei Yisrael actively recognize and proclaim that hashgachah, the more it becomes openly revealed.

ולכן השבת שנקרא סהדותא.

And therefore Shabbos, which is called "sahaduta" (testimony) —

Shabbos itself is a form of testimony, attesting that Hashem created and governs the world.

בו מתעלה כל הטבע ומתגלה הארת הנשמה יתירה בעולם.

on it all of nature is elevated, and the illumination of the neshamah yeseirah is revealed in the world.

On Shabbos, the day of testimony, nature is raised toward its root and the light of the "extra soul" shines into the world.

ולכן נשתנו למעליותא שנות הצדיקים ונקראו שני חיי שרה שבצדקתה נתחדשו הימים ונקראו על שמה.

And therefore the years of the tzaddikim are changed for the better, and they are called "the years of the life of Sarah" — for through her righteousness the days were renewed and were called by her name.

Because a tzaddik elevates time, Sarah's righteousness so transformed her years that the days themselves were renewed through her and bear her name — "the years of the life of Sarah."

והאבות שכל מעשיהם ותמימותם הי' לדורות לכן נקראו אבות ואמהות.

And the Avos, whose every deed and whose temimus was for [all] the generations — therefore they are called fathers and mothers.

The Avos and Imahos are titled "parents" because their deeds and wholeness were not for themselves alone but established a legacy for every generation to follow.

לכן גם הימים שלהם הם הכנה לדורות ומאירים לכל הדורות כדאיתא במדרש שבזמן אסתר נגלה הארת שנות שרה אמנו ע"ה.

Therefore their days too are a preparation for the generations and illuminate all the generations, as is taught in the Midrash that in the time of Esther the illumination of the years of Sarah Imeinu, peace be upon her, was revealed.

The very days of the Avos and Imahos radiate forward through history; the Midrash teaches that the light of Sarah's 127 years shone forth again in Esther's reign over 127 provinces.

וזהו ענין ואברהם זקן בא בימים וכמ"ש זקן זה קנה ב' עולמות וכן אמרו בגמ' זקן זה שקנה חכמה.

And this is the matter of "And Avraham was old (zaken), come into days" (Bereishis 24:1), as it is said: "zaken" — this is one who has acquired (kanah) two worlds, and likewise they said in the Gemara: "zaken" — this is one who has acquired chochmah.

"Zaken" is read as "zeh kanah" (this one acquired) — Avraham had acquired both worlds and acquired wisdom, having entered fully into his "days" by elevating his time.

ביאור הענין דכתיב מה רבו מעשיך ה' כולם בחכמה עשית מלאה הארץ קניניך.

The explanation of the matter: as it is written, "How manifold are Your works, Hashem; You made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions (kinyanecha)" (Tehillim 104:24).

The pasuk teaches that all of creation was made with chochmah, and that the whole earth is filled with Hashem's "possessions" — His presence latent within everything.

פי' שזה נפלאות הבורא ית' שנמצא אלקותו ית' בכל.

The explanation is that this is the wonder of the Creator — that His Divinity is found within everything.

The marvel of creation is that Hashem's Elokus is present in every single thing, however physical.

לכן נק' וקונה הכל פי' שהגם שעוה"ז גשמי. מ"מ הוא קן ומקום לאלקותו ית'.

Therefore He is called "Koneh hakol" (Possessor/Maker of all) — meaning that although this world is physical, nevertheless it is a "ken" (nest) and a place for His Divinity.

The word "koneh" hints at "ken" (nest): even gross physical reality serves as a dwelling-nest for Hashem's presence.

אם שאין הקדושה מתגלה בקביעות. היא מקננת בעולם.

Although the holiness is not revealed permanently, it nests within the world.

The kedushah within creation is usually hidden and not fixed in the open, yet it always "nests" there, concealed within everything.

[וע"ז נבראו הצדיקים לברר זאת כדאיתא ה' קנינים קנה הקב"ה בעולמו ושמעתי ממו"ז ז"ל כי אלו הקנינים צריכים אלה לאלה.

[And for this the tzaddikim were created — to clarify this, as is taught: "Five kinyanim (possessions) the Holy One acquired in His world," and I heard from my grandfather, of blessed memory, that these kinyanim need one another.

The tzaddikim's task is to reveal the hidden holiness. The Mishnah lists five "acquisitions" of Hashem (Torah, heaven and earth, Avraham, Yisrael, the Mikdash), and the Sefas Emes's grandfather taught that these are interdependent.

וע"י שישראל מעידין עליו ית' נעשה שמים וארץ קנינו ית' כו'.

And through Yisrael testifying about Him, heaven and earth become His possession.

When Bnei Yisrael bear witness to Hashem's governance, they make heaven and earth into His acknowledged "kinyan" — revealing that all belongs to Him.

וכ"כ באברהם שהקנה להקב"ה שמים וארץ וכן אמרו בשומרי שבת האומר ויכלו נעשה שותף כו' והכל ענין אחד כמ"ש].

And so it is written of Avraham, that he made over heaven and earth to the Holy One; and likewise they said of those who keep Shabbos, that one who recites "Vayechulu" becomes a partner [in creation], etc. — and it is all one matter, as explained.]

Avraham, by proclaiming Hashem as "Koneh shomayim va'aretz," made heaven and earth Hashem's possession; and one who recites Vayechulu on Shabbos likewise becomes a "partner" in creation. All of these are the same idea: bearing witness reveals Hashem as Owner of all.

ולכן הזוכה לחכמת האמת יודע ומעלה ומחבר עוה"ז לעולם העליון.

And therefore one who merits the wisdom of truth (chochmas ha'emes) knows, and elevates, and joins this world to the upper world.

One who attains true wisdom recognizes the hidden holiness in everything and is thereby able to raise the lower world and bind it to the higher.

[ונקרא זקן שמכל הז' ימי הבנין נעשה קן להנקודה פנימיות שנאמר עליה כולם בחכמה עשית].

[And he is called "zaken," for from all the seven days of building, a "ken" (nest) is made for the inner point, concerning which it is said, "You made them all with wisdom."]

The "zaken" (sage) transforms the whole structure of creation — the seven days — into a nest for the inner penimiyus point, the divine wisdom underlying everything.

ואמרו איזהו חכם המכיר את מקומו.

And they said: who is wise? One who recognizes his place.

The Sefas Emes now reads the three maxims about the wise man as corresponding to three domains of creation.

איזהו חכם הרואה את הנולד.

Who is wise? One who sees what is born [the future consequence].

The second maxim concerns foreseeing outcomes — perceiving what will come to be in time.

איזהו חכם הלומד מכל אדם.

Who is wise? One who learns from every person.

The third maxim concerns learning from all people — the domain of souls.

והיינו כי כלל הבריאה עולם שנה נפש.

And this is because the whole of creation is "olam, shanah, nefesh" (world/space, year/time, and soul).

All of creation is comprised of three dimensions: space (olam), time (shanah), and soul (nefesh).

והחכם מעלה הטבע והזמן והנפשות. והם ג' חכמות הנ"ל.

And the wise man elevates nature, and time, and souls — and these are the three [forms of] wisdom mentioned above.

The three maxims map onto these three dimensions: "recognizing his place" (space/nature), "seeing what is born" (time), and "learning from every person" (souls). The chacham elevates all three.

בחי' מעשה דיבור ומחשבה דו"ק ותשכח.

The aspects of deed, speech, and thought — examine it and you will find [it fits].

These three dimensions also correspond to action, speech, and thought; the careful student will see the parallel holds throughout.

ולכן זה שקנה חכמה הוא מתקן כל הבריאה דכתיב בי' בחכמה עשית כו'

And therefore one who has acquired chochmah rectifies all of creation, as it is written concerning it: "You made them all with wisdom."

Because creation itself was made "with wisdom," the one who attains that very wisdom is able to repair and elevate the entire creation across all three dimensions.

ולכן וה' ברך את אברהם בכל כדאיתא במד':

And therefore "Hashem blessed Avraham with everything (bakol)" (Bereishis 24:1), as is taught in the Midrash.

Avraham, the "zaken" who acquired wisdom and thereby elevated all of creation — space, time, and soul — was fittingly blessed "with everything," for he had united the whole of creation with its divine root.

Summary: Tzaddikim elevate not only places but also time and nature, so that "just as they are tamim, their years are tamim" — temimus being the cleaving to the root above nature, unlike the nations who seek wisdom within time and nature through omens. Bnei Yisrael were created to testify that Hashem governs world, nature, and time, and Hashem's revealed kingship depends on that testimony (as on Shabbos, called "sahaduta"). Through her righteousness Sarah renewed her days, which bear her name and shone again in Esther's time. Avraham is "zaken" — one who acquired both worlds and chochmah — because the wise man recognizes that Hashem's hidden Divinity nests within all physical creation (olam, shanah, nefesh), and by joining this world to the upper world he rectifies all of creation; hence "Hashem blessed Avraham bakol."