Theft of Stolen Vitality
במד' החמס קם כו' לא נח בהם כו'.
In the Midrash: “The violence arose… there was no rest among them…”
The Sefat Emet begins by citing the Midrash that describes how corruption stirred within the generation, leaving no inner rest.
פי' חמס ע"י שא"י שהכח מהש"י נמצא הכל חמס.
The explanation: violence results from not knowing that all power comes from God; thus everything becomes theft.
When people do not recognize God as the source of all vitality, every taking becomes an act of robbery.
וכן שמעתי מאא"ז מו"ר ז"ל על פ' תשובה והתודה שכ' אצל גזל ואמר כי כל עבירה הוא גזל כנ"ל.
I also heard from my grandfather and teacher that every sin is a form of theft.
He taught that all transgression misappropriates divine energy.
ופי' זה במ"ש חז"ל נהנה מעוה"ז בלי ברכה גוזל אביו ואמו כו'.
This explains the teaching: one who benefits from this world without a blessing steals from his Father and Mother.
Because the life-force of creation belongs to God, using it without acknowledgment is theft.
כי חיות הכל מהשי"ת וכשאין אדם יודע זאת הכל גזל.
Since all vitality comes from God, ignorance of this turns everything into theft.
The fundamental failure is the lack of awareness of divine source.
ומלאה ארץ חמס הוא היפוך מלא כל הארץ כבודו.
“The earth was filled with violence” is the opposite of “the whole earth is filled with His glory.”
Violence represents the negation of divine presence.
וכפי רצון העולם כן האמת.
As the world desires, so is its truth.
People shape their reality through their spiritual orientation.
ועי"ז קץ כל בשר בא כי אין להם באמת כלל חיות.
Thus the end of all flesh came, for they had no true vitality.
Cut off from divine source, they lost the basis for existence.
כמ"ש ותרם התיבה. עי' זוה"ק.
As written: “And the ark was lifted.” See the Zohar.
The ark symbolizes elevation above a corrupt world.
וזהו לא נח בהם כי בחי' שבת שהוא נייחא להשי"ת והוא בחי' הדביקות מנבראים להבורא חסר להם.
“There was no rest among them” means they lacked the Sabbath aspect, the rest and cleaving to God.
Shabbat represents the soul’s alignment with its Source, which they were missing.
ומ"ש אף נח שנשתייר אינו כדאי אף כי התורה מעידה שהי' איש צדיק.
And the saying that even Noah, who remained, was not worthy, though the Torah calls him righteous.
This reflects a relative judgment, comparing him to his generation.
פי' כי הוא הי' אז הצדיק שבדור ומהם לא הי' לו להעלות נ"ר להש"י.
He was the righteous one of his generation but could not elevate divine satisfaction through them.
The people around him offered no spiritual support.
אבל מצד עצמו הי' איש צדיק.
But in himself he was a righteous man.
Noah’s intrinsic righteousness remained genuine.
ודור הפלגה ידעו שהכל מהשי"ת ונק' יודעים רבונם וכו' רק שרצו שיתנהג השי"ת אתם כרצונם עפ"י כחות נפרדים.
The generation of the Dispersion knew everything came from God but wanted Him to act according to their will through separate powers.
They acknowledged God but sought to manipulate divine governance.
וניטל מהם בחי' האחדות כמ"ש עם אחד.
Thus the aspect of unity was taken from them, as it is written “one people.”
The unity they possessed was removed because it was misused.
שמעתי מא"ז אדומו"ר ז"ל כי זה על בנ"י. ותמוה.
I heard from my grandfather that this refers to Israel, which is puzzling.
The unity described seems Israel-like, raising the question.
והפי' נראה כי מה שהי' מתיחדין כאחד וזה שייך רק לישראל.
The explanation: their unification as one reflects a quality that truly belongs only to Israel.
Their unity resembled, but did not equal, Israel’s spiritual unity.
ואמרו חז"ל כל השומר שבת אפילו עע"ז כו' אך נקודת שבת שהוא אחדות הנ"ל.
The sages said: one who keeps Shabbat, even if idolatrous… because Shabbat is the point of unity.
Shabbat connects creation back to oneness.
ניטל ממי שעובד ע"ז בוודאי ולכך זה הבירור שאינו עובד ע"ז באמת.
This unity is removed from an idolater; thus its presence proves he is not truly idolatrous.
Shabbat-observance demonstrates inner monotheism.
וכ' לא יבצר כו'.
As it is written: “Nothing will be withheld…”
Their power of unity gave them great capability.
וכן הי' האמת שנפרדו מהשי"ת רק רצונם הי' להיות נשאר באחדות לרעה וניטל מהם.
They were indeed separated from God, yet wished to maintain unity for evil, and it was taken from them.
Unity without divine orientation cannot endure.
[וז"ש בזוה"ק ענין האחדות ע"פ מסע שלימה נבנה אך ברזל כו' לא נשמע וכשנשמע ניטל האחדות ע"ש והבן כ"ז].
The Zohar explains that unity was present until their voice was heard; then it was removed.
The moment their intention was revealed, their unity dissolved.
Summary: Violence stems from failing to recognize God as the source of life. True unity flows from divine awareness—its absence brought destruction in the generation of the Flood and the Dispersion. Shabbat symbolizes restored unity and divine connection.