Surrendering Free Will

בספרי האזינו השמים כו' שנבראו לשמשכם ואין להם שכר ועונש כו' ק"ו אתם

In the Sifrei on the verse "Give ear, O heavens" (Devarim 32:1), it is taught that the heavens and earth were created to serve you, and they receive neither reward nor punishment; how much more so, then, do you receive reward and punishment.

The Sifrei learns a kal vachomer from the heavens and earth: they were created only to serve Bnei Yisrael and earn no reward, yet a person, who serves with free choice, surely earns reward and punishment.

אף כי אין להם בחירה אך כי גם זה בכלל הבחירה שניתן לאדם שיוכל לבחור להיות ברשות הבורא ית' ושיקח ממנו הבחירה

And even though they have no power of choice, this too is included in the bechirah that was granted to a person, that he is able to choose to place himself under the dominion of the Creator, may He be blessed, and that He should take the power of choice from him.

Although the heavens lack free will entirely, the very purpose of the bechirah given to man is that he should use his free choice to surrender it back to Hashem, choosing to come under His dominion.

ואמת כי אין יכולין לתקן עצמו כראוי רק ע"י ביטול הבחירה ולא בחכמת אדם בלבד

And it is true that a person cannot rectify himself properly except through the nullification of his own bechirah, and not by the wisdom of man alone.

A person cannot truly fix himself through his own intellect and effort; genuine rectification comes only by nullifying his independent will before Hashem.

וז"ש וישמן ישורון אין הכוונה בבשר ויין רק אף השמן במצות ומעשים טובים רק ששוכח שהוא בכח עליון כמ"ש אלוה עשהו כו' עי"ז נופל ח"ו ממדריגתו רק לבטל עצמו לעזרת השי"ת:

And this is the meaning of "Yeshurun grew fat" (Devarim 32:15) — the intent is not with meat and wine, but rather that he grows fat even through mitzvos and good deeds, only that he forgets that this comes through a higher power, as it is written, "the Eloka Who made him" (Devarim 32:15), and through this he falls, chas v'shalom, from his level; the remedy is only to nullify himself to the aid of Hashem Yisbarach.

When the Torah says Yeshurun "grew fat," it is warning even about spiritual fatness — taking personal credit for one's mitzvos and forgetting they come from a higher power; the only safeguard is bittul, nullifying oneself to lean on Hashem's help.

Summary: The Sfas Emes opens with the kal vachomer of the Sifrei: the heavens and earth, created merely to serve Bnei Yisrael, receive no reward or punishment, all the more so does a person who serves with free will. He explains that the entire purpose of the bechirah granted to man is paradoxical — a person should use his free choice precisely to surrender that choice back to Hashem and place himself under the Creator's dominion. True rectification of oneself cannot be achieved through human wisdom alone, but only through the nullification of one's own will. This is the warning hidden in "Yeshurun grew fat": even one's mitzvos and good deeds can become a snare when a person forgets they flow from a higher power and takes the credit for himself, causing him to fall from his level. The only remedy is bittul — nullifying oneself entirely to depend on the aid of Hashem Yisbarach.