Open gates of praise on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh

במדרש צא מן התיבה.

In the Midrash on "Go out from the teivah (ark)."

The Sefas Emes opens with Hashem's command to Noach to leave the ark.

הה"ד הוציאה ממסגר נפשי להודות את שמך כו' דכ' ששת ימי המעשה יהי' סגור.

This is what is written: "Bring my soul out of confinement, to give thanks to Your Name" etc.; for it is written [regarding the gate] "the six days of labor it shall be closed."

The Midrash links Noach's exit to Dovid's plea to be freed from "confinement" so as to praise Hashem — and to the navi's gate that stays shut during the six workdays.

כי הגוף ומלבוש העשיי' מכסה אור הנשמה והפנימיות.

For the body and the garment of asiyah (the world of action) conceal the light of the neshamah and the penimiyus (inner dimension).

The physical body and the material world act as a covering that hides the soul's light and a person's inner point.

אך יש זמנים שנפתחים השערים בשמים ואז גם למטה נפתח לבות בני אדם העוסקים בעבודת הבורא ית' מכלל שנאמר הוציאה להודות.

But there are times when the gates open in Heaven, and then below as well the hearts of people engaged in the avodah of the Creator are opened — as is implied by what is said "bring [me] out, to give thanks."

At certain appointed times the heavenly gates open, and correspondingly the hearts of those serving Hashem open below, enabling true praise — as implied by Dovid's request.

משמע שא"י להודות ולהלל בכל עת.

This implies that one cannot give thanks and praise at all times.

The verse hints that genuine praise is not possible at every moment, but only when the "gates" are open.

רק כמ"ש פתחו לי שערי צדק א"ב אודה כו' וכתיב ביום השבת יפתח וביום החודש יפתח לכן בשבת כ' טוב להודות.

Only as it is written "open for me the gates of righteousness, I will enter them, I will give thanks" etc.; and it is written "on the day of Shabbos it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened" — therefore of Shabbos it is written "it is good to give thanks."

Praise requires the gates to open, which happens on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh; hence Shabbos's psalm begins "it is good to give thanks to Hashem."

וכן בר"ח יש הלל דכ' לא המתים יהללו כו' ולא כל יורדי דומה משמע דכל מי שיש בו מיתה אינו יכול להלל כראוי דכתיב מי ימלל גבורות ה' ישמיע כל תהלתו.

And likewise on Rosh Chodesh there is Hallel, as it is written "the dead do not praise [Kah]" etc., "nor any who go down into silence" — implying that anyone in whom there is death cannot praise properly, as it is written "Who can express the mighty acts of Hashem, make heard all His praise?"

Hallel is said on Rosh Chodesh too. But mortality limits praise: one subject to death cannot fully laud Hashem, for no finite being can voice all His greatness.

כי אין סוף לרוממות אל ומי יוכל להלל לפניו ית'.

For there is no end to the exaltedness of Hashem, and who can offer praise before Him?

Hashem's greatness is infinite, so no limited, mortal creature can adequately praise Him.

רק בשבתות וימים טובים שיורד נשמה יתירה והיא אין בה מיתה.

Only on Shabbasos and Yamim Tovim, when a neshamah yeseirah (additional soul) descends, and it has no death within it.

On Shabbos and festivals an extra soul descends, and that soul is deathless, untouched by mortality.

והיא ג"כ אין לה סוף שהיא חלק אלקי ממעל ולכן בשבת שהוא יומא דנשמתין ולאו דגופא הוא הזמן שמעידין בנ"י על הבורא ית'

And it too has no end, for it is a portion of the Divine from Above; therefore Shabbos, which is "the day of souls and not of the body," is the time when Bnei Yisrael bear witness about the Creator.

Being a piece of the infinite Divine, the neshamah yeseirah can reach toward the infinite; thus Shabbos — a day of soul rather than body — is when Yisrael testify to Hashem through praise.

ואיתא במדרש אברהם שלא כתיב בו שמירת שבת ירש הארץ במדה יעקב שכתיב בו שמירת שבת ירש נחלה בלי מצרים כו'.

And it is brought in the Midrash: Avraham, of whom Shabbos-observance is not written, inherited the land "with measure"; Yaakov, of whom Shabbos-observance is written, inherited "an inheritance without boundaries" etc.

The Midrash contrasts Avraham, whose inheritance was measured, with Yaakov, linked to Shabbos, who received a boundless inheritance — Shabbos being the key to the limitless.

והוא כנ"ל שבימי המעשה וכמו כן בגוף האדם החיות במדה ובצמצום ובש"ק ונשמה יתירה היא בלי גבול ומדה ולכן כ' ויברך את יום השביעי.

And this is as above: that on the weekdays — and likewise in a person's body — the life-force is with measure and in tzimtzum (constriction), but on Shabbos Kodesh, with the additional soul, it is without limit or measure; therefore it is written "and He blessed the seventh day."

Weekday vitality, like the body's, is constricted and measured; Shabbos with its extra soul is limitless, which is why the seventh day was uniquely blessed.

דמקודם כ' ויכלו כו' במדה כמ"ש שם במדרש לכל יש סקוסים כו' ובש"ק הוא בלי מדה לכן נק' נשמה יתירה שהיא אינה לפי גבול האדם בעוה"ז שהיא מעין עוה"ב.

For beforehand it is written "and they were completed (vayechulu)" etc. — with measure, as the Midrash says there, "everything has its fixed limits" etc. — but on Shabbos Kodesh it is without measure; therefore it is called neshamah yeseirah, for it is not according to the limit of a person in this world, since it is a foretaste of Olam HaBa.

Creation of the six days was "completed," i.e. bounded and measured, but Shabbos is unbounded; the extra soul is "additional" precisely because it exceeds this-worldly limits, being a taste of the World to Come.

גם נק' יתירה שאינה לפי מעשה האדם רק מתת אלקים היא כמ"ש לעיל בפסוק ונח מצא חן.

It is also called "additional (yeseirah)" because it is not according to a person's deeds, but is rather a gift of Hashem, as discussed above on the pasuk "and Noach found favor."

The extra soul is "additional" in that it is unearned — a free divine gift, like the "favor" (chein) Noach found, which goes beyond what one's actions warrant.

וכתיב והי' מדי חדש בחדשו ומדי שבת בשבתו יבא כל בשר להשתחוות כו' דרשו חז"ל שלעתיד נעלה לראות פני ה' בכל חודש ושבת.

And it is written "and it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Shabbos to Shabbos, all flesh shall come to bow down" etc.; Chazal expounded that in the future we will ascend to see the Presence of Hashem (penei Hashem) every Rosh Chodesh and Shabbos.

The navi foretells, and Chazal explain, that in the future people will ascend to behold the Shechinah on every Rosh Chodesh and Shabbos.

ולהבין לשון מדי חודש מדי שבת דכתיב ביום השבת וחודש יפתח א"כ נפתחו השערים.

And to understand the expression "from New Moon… from Shabbos" — since it is written "on the day of Shabbos and the New Moon it shall be opened," then the gates are opened.

The phrasing fits the earlier theme: on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh the gates open, which is precisely when this future ascent to "see Hashem's face" occurs.

וברגלים נתקיים בפועל ממש אבוא בם אודה.

And on the Regalim (pilgrimage festivals) it was literally fulfilled in actuality: "I will enter them, I will give thanks."

During the times of the Bais Hamikdash, this was actually realized on the three festivals, when Yisrael came to give thanks at the Mikdash.

שראו פני ה' במקדש ג"פ בשנה.

For they saw the Presence of Hashem in the Mikdash three times a year.

On the three Regalim, Bnei Yisrael came to the Bais Hamikdash and "saw" the Shechinah, fulfilling the verse in deed.

ואיתא כי הי' ראוי כל החדשים להיות יו"ט שהמועדות הם בזכות ג' אבות.

And it is brought that all the months were fit to be Yamim Tovim, for the festivals are in the merit of the three Avos.

It is taught that ideally every month would have been a festival; the existing festivals correspond to the merit of the three Avos.

ויב"ח בזכות י"ב שבטים.

And the twelve months [would correspond] to the merit of the twelve Shevatim (tribes).

The twelve months parallel the twelve tribes, so each month could have carried festival sanctity.

רק שגרם החטא כמ"ש בטור או"ח ה' ר"ח.

Only that the sin caused [otherwise], as it is written in the Tur, Orach Chaim, the laws of Rosh Chodesh.

Due to sin (the Cheit ha-Egel), this potential was not realized, as the Tur explains in the laws of Rosh Chodesh.

והענין הוא כי במועדים יש פתחים גדולים.

And the matter is that on the festivals there are great openings.

The Yamim Tovim are times when wide spiritual "gates" open.

ובר"ח פתחים קטנים ואם הנפשות היו מתוקנים היו מרגישין הארה באלה הפתחים.

And on Rosh Chodesh there are small openings; and if the souls were rectified, they would feel the illumination through these openings.

Rosh Chodesh has smaller gates; were people spiritually refined, they would sense the divine light streaming through even these lesser openings.

אך כתיב עונותיכם היו מבדילין ואין מרגישין באלה הפתחים.

But it is written "your iniquities have separated [between you and your God]," and so we do not feel [the illumination] in these openings.

Our sins form a barrier that blocks us from perceiving the light coming through these gates.

כמו שאנו בעוה"ר אין זוכין אפילו ברגלים לראות פני ה' במקדש.

Just as we, due to our many sins, do not merit even on the Regalim to see the Presence of Hashem in the Mikdash.

This same blockage is why, in our state of galus, we cannot even fulfill the festival mitzvah of seeing the Shechinah at the (destroyed) Mikdash.

ולעתיד כשנהי' מתוקנים יהי' די פתיחת השערים בחודש ושבת לראות פני ה'.

And in the future, when we will be rectified, the opening of the gates on New Moon and Shabbos will suffice to see the Presence of Hashem.

Once we are spiritually perfected in the future, even the regular gates of Rosh Chodesh and Shabbos will be enough to behold the Shechinah.

וז"ש מדי חודש בחדשו כו'.

And this is the meaning of "from New Moon to New Moon" etc.

This explains the navi's promise that the monthly and weekly openings will themselves grant the vision of Hashem's face.

וגם זה אמת כי לפי עבודת בני ישראל בכל השנה זכו לראות פני ה' ג"פ.

And this too is true: that according to the avodah of Bnei Yisrael throughout the year, they merited to see the Presence of Hashem three times [a year].

The whole year's avodah earned Yisrael the privilege of "seeing Hashem" on the three Regalim.

ולעתיד עבודת כל חודש ושבת יהי' בו זכות לראות פני ה' בכל חודש ושבת

And in the future, the avodah of each month and Shabbos will itself contain the merit to see the Presence of Hashem every month and Shabbos.

In the future, the heightened avodah of each individual month and Shabbos will suffice to earn that vision on every one of them.

[ואפשר כי זה ענין הלל בר"ח שהוא מנהג כדאיתא בגמרא.

[And it is possible that this is the matter of Hallel on Rosh Chodesh, which is a custom (minhag), as is brought in the Gemara.

The Sefas Emes suggests this explains why Hallel on Rosh Chodesh is only a custom, not a full obligation.

וי"ל הענין כי באמת בזמן המקדש הי' עיקר ההלל ברגלים על הראות פני ה' במקדש כמ"ש אבוא בם כו'.

And one may explain the matter: that in truth, in the time of the Mikdash, the essential Hallel was on the Regalim, over the seeing of Hashem's Presence in the Mikdash, as it is written "I will enter them" etc.

While the Mikdash stood, the primary Hallel was on the festivals, celebrating the actual sight of the Shechinah there.

ועתה שאין לנו בפועל זכי' זו.

And now, when we do not have this merit in actuality.

In our times, lacking the Mikdash, we no longer have the actual experience of seeing the Shechinah.

וההלל הוא רק זכר.

And the Hallel is only a remembrance (zecher).

Our festival Hallel today is merely a commemoration of what once was.

א"כ גם בר"ח יש לומר הלל שגם בו השערים נפתחים וכמו שיהי' עוד לעתיד כמ"ש במ"א כי עתה כל הקיום בזכות הזמן שהי' המקדש קיים וגם בכח הזמנים העתידין להיות כי הקדושה נותנת ברכה לפני' ולאחרי'.

If so, on Rosh Chodesh too one may recite Hallel, since on it as well the gates open, and as it will yet be in the future — as discussed elsewhere, that now all existence is in the merit of the time when the Mikdash stood, and also through the power of the times destined to be, for kedushah grants blessing before it and after it.

Since Rosh Chodesh's gates open and will fully open in the future, Hallel fits it too; our present draws sanctity both backward from the Mikdash era and forward from the future redemption, for holiness radiates in both directions.

וכן הוא בכל מנהגי בנ"י כמ"ש אם אינם נביאים בני נביאים הם ומכוונים למה שעתיד להיות]

And so it is with all the customs of Bnei Yisrael, as it is said "if they are not prophets, they are the children of prophets," and they aim at what is destined to be.]

Jewish minhagim are not arbitrary; even when instituted by ordinary people, they intuitively align with the future spiritual reality.

ומ"מ גם עתה למעלה בשמים נפתחים השערים בכל ר"ח וע"ז מבקשים יעלה ויבא זכרונינו כו' ביום ר"ח הזה היינו בהארה ושער שנפתח בר"ח הזה דכ' ויקרא לאור יום.

And nevertheless, even now, above in Heaven the gates open on every Rosh Chodesh; and for this we request "Ya'aleh ve-Yavo… may our remembrance [ascend]… on this day of Rosh Chodesh" — that is, in the illumination and gate that opens on this Rosh Chodesh, as it is written "and He called the light 'day.'"

Even today the heavenly gates open each Rosh Chodesh; this is what we ask for in Ya'aleh ve-Yavo — that our remembrance rise through the light and gate of that very day, the "light" Hashem named.

ומבקשין ג"כ זכרון משיח בן דוד והוא ממה שעתיד להיות כנ"ל:

And we also request the remembrance of Mashiach ben Dovid, which is from what is destined to be, as above.

In the same tefillah we invoke Mashiach ben Dovid — drawing on the power of the future redemption, just as kedushah radiates forward from what is yet to come.

Summary: The body and material world conceal the soul's light, so genuine praise of Hashem is possible only when the heavenly gates open — on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, when the deathless, limitless neshamah yeseirah (an unearned gift, a foretaste of Olam HaBa) descends. In Mikdash times Yisrael actually "saw Hashem's face" on the Regalim; our sins now block even that, but in the future, when we are rectified, even the lesser openings of every month and Shabbos will suffice to behold the Shechinah. This explains Hallel and Ya'aleh ve-Yavo on Rosh Chodesh, for our times draw sanctity both from the Mikdash that was and from the redemption that will be, since kedushah radiates blessing before and after it.