Serving Hashem within nature to rise above it

במדרש שמעי בת כו'.

In the Midrash: "Listen, daughter, and see, and incline your ear" (Tehillim 45:11), etc.

The Sefas Emes opens with this pasuk that Chazal apply to Avraham, who was called upon to leave behind his land and his father's house in order to hear the call of Hashem.

כי הנה שורש האבות ובנ"י הוא למעלה מעוה"ז ולכן עוה"ז היא כבירה דולקת בעיניהם אך כי הי' רצונו ית' שבהליכת הצדיקים בעוה"ז הטבעי ואעפ"כ יניחו הכל ויתדבקו בשרש העליון בזה יתעלה כל הבריאה.

For behold, the root of the Avos and of Bnei Yisrael is above this world, and therefore this world is like a burning house in their eyes; yet it was the ratzon Hashem (will of Hashem) that the tzaddikim should walk within this natural world, and nevertheless leave everything behind and cling to the supernal root — and through this all of creation is elevated.

The neshamos of the Avos and Bnei Yisrael originate above the physical world, so they feel the world is no permanent home — like a house on fire. Yet Hashem's plan is precisely that they live within nature while still attaching themselves (bittul) to their higher source, and by doing so they raise up the entire creation.

ויוציא אותו החוצה דרשו חז"ל למעלה מכיפת הרקיע ומהמזל.

"And He took him outside" (Bereishis 15:5) — Chazal expounded that He brought Avraham above the dome of the heavens and above the mazal (astral fate).

Hashem lifted Avraham beyond the natural order governed by the stars, teaching that his destiny was not bound by the ordinary forces of nature.

ולמה הי' מקודם תוך הטבע והמזל רק שכן הי' רצונו ית' שע"י העבודה תוך הטבע יזכו הצדיקים לעלות למעלה מן המזל.

And why was he first placed within nature and within the mazal? Only because such was the ratzon Hashem, that through their avodah within nature the tzaddikim should merit to rise above the mazal.

The whole purpose of being subject to nature at first is so that, through serving Hashem from within those limitations, a tzaddik earns the elevation above them.

וכן הוא מדת כל הצדיקים וכללות בנ"י שנאמר עליהם אין מזל לישראל ואעפ"כ צריכין לזכות לזה ע"י הקדמת העבודה בתוך הטבע והמזל.

And so it is the way of all the tzaddikim and of Bnei Yisrael as a whole, of whom it is said "ein mazal l'Yisrael — Yisrael is not under the rule of the stars" (Shabbos 156a); and nevertheless they must earn this by first doing their avodah within nature and within the mazal.

Although Bnei Yisrael are essentially above astral fate, that freedom is not handed to them automatically — it must be won through avodah carried out inside the natural world.

אח"כ ויוציא אותו החוצה.

Afterward, "And He took him outside."

Only after the avodah within nature does the elevation "outside," above nature, come.

וכן הוא הענין בתחלת השנה בימי הדין והמשפט ובנ"י זוכין אח"כ לעלות למעלה מהטבע וזה חג הסוכות לומר איך שנעשה המשפט עפ"י הטבע והמזל אח"כ ויוציא החוצה שהוא הסוכה רמז לדבר ספור הכוכבים ובסוכה המצוה להיות כוכבים נראין מתוכה ורמז הענין הוא כמשחז"ל שנמשלו לכוכבים שנראים קטנים בעוה"ז ולמעלה כל כוכב גדול מכל העולם.

And so it is at the start of the year, in the days of judgment (din u'mishpat); and afterward Bnei Yisrael merit to rise above nature — and this is Chag HaSukkos, to declare how the judgment is carried out according to nature and mazal, and then "He took him outside," which is the sukkah. A hint to this is the counting of the stars; and in the sukkah the mitzvah is that the stars be visible from within it. The matter alludes to that which Chazal said, that Bnei Yisrael are compared to the stars, which appear small in this world, yet above, each star is larger than the entire world.

The Yamim Noraim parallel Avraham's first stage — judgment carried out within the framework of nature. Sukkos is the "taking outside," rising above nature; that is why the sukkah's roof must let the stars be seen, recalling that Bnei Yisrael, like stars, look small down here but are immense in their true source above.

וכמו כן ההארה שיכולין להרגיש בעוה"ז כ"א משורש נשמתו שלמעלה. מעט הוא. אבל למעלה הוא רב מאוד.

So too the illumination that each person is able to feel in this world from the root of his neshamah above is little; but above it is very great.

Whatever spiritual light a person senses here is only a faint glimmer of his neshamah's true brilliance, which is vast at its source.

וכל המשפט שנעשה בר"ה לחדש העולם וכן בכל יום שהקב"ה מחדש בטובו מעשי בראשית הוא כדי לברר בחירת בנ"י וכן הוא סדר הברכות יוצר אור אח"כ אהבה רבה שנתברר בכל יום למעלה חיבת בנ"י.

And all the judgment carried out on Rosh Hashanah to renew the world — and likewise each day, when the Holy One in His goodness renews the act of creation — is in order to make clear the choosing of Bnei Yisrael. And so is the order of the berachos: "Yotzer Or" (who forms light), and afterward "Ahavah Rabbah" (great love) — for each day Hashem's love for Bnei Yisrael is made clear above.

The daily and yearly renewal of creation exists to reveal that Hashem chose Bnei Yisrael. This is mirrored in the morning berachos: first He forms the natural world ("Yotzer Or"), and then "Ahavah Rabbah" reveals His love for His people, which is the inner purpose of that creation.

וכמו שבנ"י מעידין בכל יום על הבורא י"ת ומיחדים שמו הקדוש בעוה"ז כי למעלה אין צריך עדות שהכל יודעין שהקב"ה השליט בעולמות כולם רק בזה העלמא דשיקרא צריכין להעיד עליו וע"ז נשתלחו בנ"י לעוה"ז.

And just as Bnei Yisrael bear witness each day to the Creator and proclaim the unity of His holy Name in this world — for above there is no need for testimony, since all there already know that the Holy One rules over all worlds; only in this "alma d'shikra" (world of falsehood) is there a need to testify about Him, and for this Bnei Yisrael were sent into this world —

In the upper worlds Hashem's sovereignty is self-evident, so no testimony is needed. The whole mission (shlichus) of Bnei Yisrael in this world of concealment is to declare His oneness and bear witness to Him precisely where it is hidden.

וכמו כן הקב"ה למעלה מעיד כביכול על בנ"י כי למטה א"צ עדות ומי זוכר להקב"ה בעוה"ז לבד בנ"י שמברכין מאה ברכות בכל יום ומיחדים שמו ערב ובוקר.

So too the Holy One, as it were, bears witness above on behalf of Bnei Yisrael; for below there is no need for testimony — and who remembers the Holy One in this world other than Bnei Yisrael, who recite a hundred berachos each day and proclaim His unity evening and morning?

The relationship is mutual: down here it is obvious who keeps Hashem in mind — only Bnei Yisrael, through their hundred daily berachos and the twice-daily Shema. So in the upper world Hashem Himself testifies to their devotion.

רק למעלה שכולם עובדי ה' שם מעיד הבורא ית' כי חביב לפניו עבודת בני ישראל בעוה"ז יותר מעבודת צבא מרום ועל זה כתיב שמועה טובה מארץ מרחק.

Only above, where all are servants of Hashem, there the Creator testifies that the avodah of Bnei Yisrael in this world is more precious before Him than the avodah of the heavenly hosts; and concerning this it is written, "good tidings from a far land" (Mishlei 25:25).

Among the angels, where serving Hashem is effortless, the service of Bnei Yisrael — earned in a world of concealment — is dearer to Him. Their avodah is the "good tidings from a far land," coming from the distant, hidden place that is this world.

וזהו שבנ"י יודעין שהקב"ה בחר בהם באהבה בכח זה יכולים להעיד עליו וז"ש ויתאו המלך יפיך כו' והשתחוי לו:

And this is why Bnei Yisrael know that the Holy One chose them with love; with the strength of this they are able to bear witness to Him. And this is the meaning of "And the King will desire your beauty… and bow to Him" (Tehillim 45:12).

The mutual love between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael is what empowers them to testify to Him in the world. Returning to the opening pasuk, the King's desire for the "daughter's" beauty expresses Hashem's cherishing of His people's avodah, which in turn moves them to submit themselves to Him in bittul.

Summary: The root of the Avos and Bnei Yisrael lies above the natural world, yet Hashem's plan is that they serve Him from within nature and only then rise above it — the pattern of Avraham being "taken outside," of the judgment of the Yamim Noraim leading to Sukkos, and of the stars that look small here but are vast above. Their unique avodah is to bear witness to Hashem in a world of concealment, an avodah more precious to Him than that of the angels, and Hashem in turn testifies to His love for them.