Earning Shabbos Rest Through Emunah

מנוחת אהבה ונדבה כו' אמת ואמונה כו'

"A rest of love and willing offering... a rest of truth and faith..." (from the Shabbos Minchah tefillah).

The Sfas Emes opens by citing the words of the Shabbos Minchah tefillah, which describe the Shabbos rest with the phrases "love and willing offering" and "truth and faith."

כי לכל איש ישראל יש מנוחה בשבת וחירות משיעבוד היצה"ר כל ימות השבוע וזה זכר ליצ"מ בשבת

For every Jew has a rest on Shabbos and freedom from the subjugation of the yetzer hara that holds sway throughout all the days of the week, and this is the remembrance of Yetzias Mitzrayim that we have on Shabbos.

He explains that every Jew is granted genuine menuchah on Shabbos and freedom from the yetzer hara that enslaves him during the week, paralleling the liberation of Yetzias Mitzrayim.

והוא חלק מעוה"ב כמ"ש ז"ל

And this rest is a portion of Olam Haba, as Chazal have taught.

This menuchah is not merely physical respite but a literal foretaste of Olam Haba, as Chazal teach.

אך מי שאינו זוכה להרגיש המנוחה צריך להיות בדרך נדבה שיתנדב כמו מלאכתו עשוי' בעבור רצון הקב"ה וז"ש וכבדתו כו'

However, one who does not merit to actually feel this rest must approach it by way of "willing offering" (nedavah) — that he should donate it freely, as though his weekday labor were already completed for the sake of fulfilling the will of the Holy One, Blessed is He; and this is the meaning of "and you shall honor it" (Yeshayahu 58:13).

A person who cannot yet feel this rest within himself should instead offer it as a free-willed gift, conducting himself as though his work were already finished so that he can devote the day entirely to Hashem's will — this is the avodah of "and you shall honor it."

ועי"ז זוכה להיות מנוחת אמת ואמונה שיוכל להאמין באמת שיש לו ג"כ מנוחה בש"ק

And through this he merits to attain the "rest of truth and faith," that he is able to truly believe that he too possesses a rest on the holy Shabbos.

By giving Shabbos over in this way, he comes to the level of "rest of truth and faith," sincerely believing that this rest belongs to him as well even when he does not yet sense it.

וע"י האמונה יזכה להיות נגלה אליו כמ"ש מנוחת שלום כו' שלימה שאתה רוצה:

And through this emunah he will merit that the rest be revealed to him, as it says, "a rest of peace... a complete rest that You desire" (from the tefillah).

Through that very emunah the hidden rest is ultimately revealed to him, fulfilling the tefillah's plea for the complete and peaceful rest that Hashem desires for us.

Summary: The Sfas Emes builds on the words of the Shabbos Minchah tefillah, which call Shabbos a rest of "love and willing offering" and of "truth and faith." He teaches that every Jew is granted a true menuchah on Shabbos — freedom from the yetzer hara that subjugates him all week long, a remembrance of Yetzias Mitzrayim and a portion of Olam Haba. One who does not actually feel this rest should give it over as a willing offering, living as though his labor were already done so that the day belongs entirely to the will of the Holy One, Blessed is He, in the spirit of "and you shall honor it." Through this he reaches the "rest of truth and faith," able to believe with emunah that the menuchah is truly his even when unfelt. And it is precisely through that emunah that the hidden rest is finally revealed to him, the complete and peaceful rest that Hashem desires.