Voice of Yaakov, Hands of Esav

בענין הברכות שהוצרך יעקב ליקח אותם בערמה.

Concerning the brachos that Yaakov had to take through cunning.

The Sefas Emes asks why the brachos could be obtained by Yaakov only through subterfuge, dressed as Esav.

דכתיב הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו.

As it is written, "The voice is the voice of Yaakov, but the hands are the hands of Esav" (Bereishis 27:22).

This verse encodes the whole division of labor: the "voice" belongs to Yaakov, the "hands" to Esav.

וזה נוהג בכלל שהפנימיות נמסר ליעקב.

This is the general rule: the penimiyus (the inner dimension) was given over to Yaakov.

Yaakov's portion is the inner, spiritual core of reality — not the outer surface.

אבל לקבל בעוה"ז בבחי' גוף נקרא ידים כמו ידות הכלים הם משועבדים תחת ממשלת הסט"א.

But to receive in this world on the physical plane is called "hands" — like the handles of vessels — and these are subjugated under the dominion of the sitra achra (the "other side").

The outer, bodily means of grasping worldly things are like a vessel's handle: a graspable surface. On their own, that surface belongs to the forces of impurity.

אכן בנ"י בכחם להעלות הידים אל השורש.

Yet Bnei Yisrael have the power to elevate even the "hands" back to their root.

Bnei Yisrael can take the outer, physical mode of action and raise it to its holy source.

כמ"ש במ"א דיש יד גדולה וחזקה ויד רמה השולטת על ב' הידים וזה נמסר ליעקב.

As explained elsewhere, there is a "great and mighty hand" and an "exalted hand" (yad ramah) that rules over the two hands — and this was given to Yaakov.

Above the ordinary "hands" of physical engagement stands a higher, "exalted hand" that masters them. This commanding power is Yaakov's inheritance.

ועל זה כתיב רוממות אל בגרונם ועי"ז חרב פיפיות בידם.

Concerning this it is written, "The exaltations of Hashem are in their throat, and a double-edged sword is in their hand" (Tehillim 149:6).

The exaltation of Hashem voiced "in the throat" — through Torah and tefillah — is what places the powerful "sword" of mastery into Bnei Yisrael's hand.

ע"י תורה ותפלה שעל זה כתיב הקול קול.

This comes through Torah and tefillah, concerning which it is written "the voice is the voice [of Yaakov]."

Yaakov's "voice" is his avodah of Torah and tefillah — the channel of his inner power.

וגם חרב פיפיות ב' פיות.

And the "double-edged sword" (cherev pifiyos) means two mouths.

The word pifiyos hints at "two mouths" — the dual force of the spoken word of Torah and tefillah, which cuts in both directions.

ובכח זה שולט על הידים כמ"ש ואתה מרום כו' רוממות אתה נוהג בעולמך.

By this power one rules over the "hands," as it is written, "And You are exalted [forever, Hashem]" — You conduct Your world with exaltation.

The same exaltation that Hashem brings to His world is drawn down by Bnei Yisrael through their elevated "voice," giving them mastery over the physical "hands."

ומאחר שעוה"ז אינו ליעקב א"כ אינו יכול לזכות בעוה"ז רק על ידי הגבהת הדברים אל השורש.

Since this world is not Yaakov's portion, he can only acquire things in this world by raising them up to their root.

Yaakov has no claim on the world's outer surface as such. His only path to it is to elevate worldly things to their spiritual source — and there they become his.

וזה ההפרש דכתיב ביעקב ויתן לך ובמדרש יתן ויחזור ויתן וכ' עוד האלקים יתן אלקותו כו'.

This is the difference: regarding Yaakov it is written "May [Hashem] give you" (Bereishis 27:28), and the Midrash says "He gives, and gives again," and it further says that Hashem gives His very Divinity (Elokus).

Yaakov's blessing is open-ended — a giving that renews itself again and again — because it flows from the root, where Hashem gives not merely things but a share in His own G-dliness.

והוא ע"י התורה דכתיב לקח טוב נתתי כו' ובמדרש תרומה יש לך מקח כו' שהמוכר נמכר עמו כו'.

This comes through the Torah, as it is written, "For I have given you a good acquisition [do not forsake My Torah]" (Mishlei 4:2), and as the Midrash on Terumah says: "There is a purchase in which the seller is sold along with it."

The Torah is the unique "purchase" in which the Giver gives Himself together with the gift. Through Torah, one acquires not just a present but a bond with Hashem Himself.

ומצד זה יכול לזכות בכל המתנות שבעוה"ז ג"כ בדביקות בשורש.

From this vantage point one can merit even all the gifts of this world, likewise through deveikus (cleaving) to the root.

Because Yaakov's connection runs through Torah back to the source, even material gifts come to him bound up with that deveikus to Hashem.

יתן ויחזור הוא כמ"ש ברוך ה' יום יום.

"He gives and gives again" is like the verse "Blessed is Hashem day by day" (Tehillim 68:20).

The renewing, ever-fresh giving mirrors the daily renewal of Hashem's blessing.

מחדש בטובו בכל יום מעשה בראשית.

"[Who] in His goodness renews each day the act of creation."

Creation itself is continually renewed; so too the blessing flowing to Yaakov is a constant, daily renewal from the root.

ולכן איתא במענג השבת והאכלתיך נחלת יעקב שהוא ע"י ביטול המעשים אל השורש זוכה בברכת שבת דלא נחית בי' מנא ומ"מ כולהו ברכתא בשביעאה תליא כמ"ש במ"א.

Therefore it is taught that one who delights in Shabbos merits "and I will feed you the heritage of Yaakov" (Yeshayah 58:14) — this comes through the bittul (nullification) of one's deeds to their root, whereby one merits the blessing of Shabbos, on which "no manna descended," yet all blessings hang upon the seventh day, as explained elsewhere.

Shabbos is precisely Yaakov's "heritage," attained by nullifying one's deeds to their source. Although no manna fell on Shabbos, all the week's sustenance is blessed from Shabbos — for Shabbos is the root from which everything flows.

והכלל כי בנ"י צריכין לבקש כל משאלותם גם בעוה"ז הכל בכח התורה בלבד.

The principle is that Bnei Yisrael must seek all their requests, even those of this world, solely through the power of the Torah.

Every need, even a worldly one, should be pursued only through the channel of Torah, never as a bare grasping at the world.

ועל זה מבקשין ותן חלקנו בתורתך.

For this we ask, "Grant our portion in Your Torah."

We pray that our very share in the world come to us as a portion within the Torah.

פי' שכל צרכינו יהי' ע"י התורה.

That is, that all our needs should come about through the Torah.

The request is that Torah be the conduit for everything we require.

וכמו כן אל תצריכנו לידי מתנת בשר ודם אפילו שלא לקבל בכח יד עצמינו.

Likewise, "do not make us dependent on the gifts of flesh and blood" — and even not to receive by the power of our own "hand."

We ask not only to avoid depending on other people's handouts, but even not to seize what we need through our own raw, physical effort divorced from the root.

להיות משוקע בדרך ארץ ופעולות גשמיות.

So as not to be sunk in worldly occupation and physical activity.

The danger is becoming submerged in materiality, where one's engagement with the world loses its connection to the source.

רק שיהי' הקבלה בכח יד רמה הנ"ל.

Rather, that the receiving should be by the power of the "exalted hand" mentioned above.

Sustenance should be drawn down only through the elevated "hand" that masters the physical and keeps it bound to Hashem.

ולכן תקנו נט"י קודם אכילה שאו ידיכם קודש להיות קבלת שפע פרנסה משורש העליון.

Therefore Chazal instituted netilas yadayim (washing the hands) before eating — "lift up your hands in holiness" (Tehillim 134:2) — so that the receiving of the flow of parnasah (sustenance) should be from the supernal root.

Washing the hands before a meal sanctifies the "hands" so that one's physical sustenance is received as a holy flow from above, not a mere worldly grasping.

לכן ארז"ל בשעה שתיקן שלמה נט"י יצאתה בת קול חכם בני כו'.

Therefore Chazal taught that when Shlomo instituted netilas yadayim, a Heavenly voice (bas kol) went forth: "Be wise, my son [and gladden My heart]" (Mishlei 27:11).

The Heavenly response of "be wise, my son" links the institution of hand-washing to chochmah — wisdom — hinting at its deeper meaning.

פי' שתיקן להיות התדבקות השפע בחכמה.

That is, he established that the flow [of sustenance] should be bound up with chochmah (wisdom).

Shlomo's enactment ties our physical nourishment to wisdom, so that even eating is rooted in the spiritual source.

וע"ז מבקשין הרחמן יפרנסנו בכבוד ואין כבוד אלא תורה.

Concerning this we ask, "May the Merciful One sustain us with honor" — and "honor" (kavod) refers to nothing other than Torah.

The plea in Bircas Hamazon to be sustained "with honor" is a plea to be sustained specifically through Torah, since Chazal teach that kavod means Torah.

כי מזון הגשמי הוא חרפה וקלון.

For physical food, in itself, is a matter of disgrace and degradation.

Bare material sustenance, grasped on its own terms, is something lowly and shameful.

אבל כשזוכין בנ"י ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם בכח התורה בחוקותי תלכו אז הפרנסה בכבוד:

But when Bnei Yisrael merit "and I will give your rains in their season" (Vayikra 26:4) through the power of the Torah — "if you walk in My statutes" — then the sustenance comes with honor.

When parnasah is earned through walking in Hashem's Torah, the very same material provision is no longer degrading but dignified — sustenance "with kavod."

Summary: "The voice is Yaakov's, the hands are Esav's" — Yaakov's portion is the inner dimension, while the outer, physical means of grasping the world belong on their own to the sitra achra. Bnei Yisrael, however, possess an "exalted hand" empowered through the "voice" of Torah and tefillah, by which they elevate even physical things and sustenance back to their root. This is why all our needs should be sought through the Torah alone — symbolized by washing the hands before eating and by the prayer to be sustained "with honor," meaning with Torah — so that even material parnasah becomes holy and dignified.