Torah Like Floating Oil

במדרש אם שמוע תשמע

The Midrash expounds on the verse "If you will surely listen" (Devarim 28:1).

The piece opens by citing the Midrash on the verse from the beginning of the parsha that promises blessing for those who heed Hashem.

ונתנך ה"א עליון כו'

"Then Hashem your God will set you supreme," and so forth (Devarim 28:1).

It quotes the continuation of the verse, which promises that Bnei Yisrael will be set on high above all the nations.

התורה נמשלה לשמן תורק מה שמן אינו מתערב בשאר משקין כך אין ישראל מתערבין עם האומות ד"א מה השמן אפי' אתה מערבו במשקין צף למעלה כך בנ"י ונתנך עליון כו'

The Torah is compared to flowing oil: just as oil does not blend with other liquids, so too Bnei Yisrael do not become intermingled with the nations of the world. An alternative explanation: just as oil, even if you mix it into other liquids, floats up to the top, so too Bnei Yisrael, as it says, "Then He will set you supreme," and so forth.

The Midrash brings two images of oil to describe Bnei Yisrael's relationship to Torah: oil does not mix with other liquids, and oil always rises to the top even when mixed in. Both describe how Bnei Yisrael remain set apart and elevated.

נראה שהם בחי' צדיקים ובעלי תשובות

It appears that these two interpretations correspond to two categories: the tzaddikim and the baalei teshuvah.

The Sfas Emes explains that these two images of oil are not redundant; each one points to a different type of Jew — the tzaddik and the baal teshuvah.

כי הצדיקים שד"ת נבלעים בדמם א"י כלל להתערב והם בחי' שמן זית זך

For the tzaddikim, whose words of Torah are absorbed into their very blood, are utterly incapable of becoming intermingled, and they are likened to the pure, clear olive oil.

The tzaddik corresponds to the first image: his Torah is so deeply absorbed within him that he simply cannot mix with the nations at all, like pure olive oil that never blends.

אך גם ע"י החטא שפשעו בד"ת נתערבו בין האומות אעפ"כ כשחוזרין לעסוק בתורה התורה מעלה אותם מטומאה לטהרה וצפין למעלה

However, even those who, through the sin of having been lax in their words of Torah, became intermingled among the nations, nevertheless, when they return to engage in Torah, the Torah raises them up from tumah to taharah, and they float to the top.

The baal teshuvah corresponds to the second image: through sin he did become intermingled, yet when he returns to Torah it lifts him out of tumah and floats him back to the top.

וע"ז כ' קחו עמכם דברים עי"ז ושובו אל ה' כי כשנדבקים בתורה מתבררין ועולין מכל טומאה

Regarding this it is written, "Take words with you," for through this, "and return to Hashem" (Hoshea 14:3), since when one cleaves to the Torah he is refined and rises above all tumah.

This is the deeper meaning of "Take words with you and return to Hashem" — clinging to words of Torah is itself what refines a person and raises him above all impurity.

וז"ש שמוע תשמע בישן ובחדש

And this is the meaning of "If you will surely listen" (Devarim 28:1) — "listening" repeated, referring to the old and to the new.

The doubled language of "shamoa tishma," listening upon listening, hints at two modes — the "old" listening of the tzaddik and the "new" listening of one who returns.

לרמוז למדרגת צדיקים ובעלי תשובות:

This alludes to the level of the tzaddikim and to the level of the baalei teshuvah.

Thus the doubled verb of the opening verse alludes to both spiritual levels: the steadfast tzaddik and the returning baal teshuvah.

Summary: The Sfas Emes builds on the Midrash that compares Bnei Yisrael to oil in two ways: oil that refuses to blend with other liquids, and oil that always rises to the top even when mixed in. He explains that these two images are not redundant but correspond to two distinct types of Jew. The tzaddik, whose Torah is absorbed into his very being, is like pure olive oil that can never intermingle with the nations. The baal teshuvah, who through sin did become intermingled, is like the oil that nonetheless floats back to the surface — for when he returns to engage in Torah, it raises him from tumah to taharah. The doubled language of "shamoa tishma" in the opening verse, listening upon listening, alludes to both of these levels, the steadfast tzaddik and the one who returns.