Drawing Hashem Through Concealment

כולכם

"All of you" (Devarim 29:9).

The pasuk addresses "all of you," indicating that every individual is included.

כל אחד מכם בכל עצמותו לבד כל הפרטים: הנסתרות לה'

Each one of you in his entire essence, apart from all the particular details: "The hidden things belong to Hashem" (Devarim 29:28).

It speaks to each person in his very essence, beyond the listed particulars, and links this to the verse that the hidden things belong to Hashem.

שלא למשוך חשק ורצון פנימי רק להש"י אף שבנגלות האברים מוכרחין לעשות גם עניני עוה"ז מ"מ הפנימיות יהי' לשם ה'

This means not to draw one's inner desire and yearning toward anything but Hashem Yisborach. Even though, in the revealed dimension, the limbs are compelled to engage also in matters of this world, nevertheless the inner core shall be for the sake of Hashem.

A person's deepest inner will must be directed solely toward Hashem, and even when the body must deal with worldly matters, the inner intent stays for Hashem's sake.

ועי"ז אינו נפרד גם במעשה גשמי וזה לעשות את כל ד' התורה כו'

And through this a person is not separated from Hashem even in a physical act, and this is the meaning of "to perform all the words of this Torah, etc." (Devarim 29:28).

Because of this inner devotion, one remains connected to Hashem even while doing a physical act, which is how the Torah's words are truly fulfilled.

להיות כל מעשה רק ללמוד ממנו דרך לעבודת הש"י וזה נקרא המשכות התורה במעשים: הסתר אסתיר

That every deed should serve only as a means to learn from it a path toward the avodah of Hashem Yisborach. This is what is called drawing the Torah down into one's actions: "I will surely hide" (Devarim 31:18).

The goal is to treat every action as a lesson in serving Hashem, thereby drawing the Torah into one's deeds; the piece now turns to the verse of Hashem hiding His face.

כשאדם יודע באמת שהכל רק מהש"י ורק שנסתר ממנו יוכל להתחזק בהשי"ת

When a person truly knows that everything is only from Hashem Yisborach, and it is merely that it is concealed from him, he is able to strengthen himself in Hashem Yisborach.

When a person genuinely recognizes that all comes from Hashem and is only concealed from view, that very awareness lets him draw strength from Hashem.

וז"ש אתם נצבים לזרז אותם להתחזק בחיות הש"י אף שנסתר

This is the meaning of "You are standing" (Devarim 29:9) — to spur them on to strengthen themselves in the life-force of Hashem Yisborach even though it is hidden.

"You are standing" is a call to Bnei Yisrael to hold firm in the awareness of Hashem's life-force even when it is hidden.

כי כל הקללות רק הסתר כמ"ש אא"ז ז"ל בשם הרב מפרשיסחא ז"ל שזה שיאמרו על כי אין אלוקי בקרבי נחשב לעון

For all the curses are only a concealment, as my grandfather, of blessed memory, said in the name of the Rav of Pshischa, of blessed memory: that this — that they will say "It is because my God is not in my midst" (Devarim 31:17) — is itself reckoned as a sin.

The curses are only Hashem hiding Himself; the Rav of Pshischa taught that claiming "Hashem is not in my midst" is itself counted as a sin.

כי צריך האדם להאמין שה' בקרב ישראל אף שנראה נסתר כו'

For a person is required to believe that Hashem is in the midst of Bnei Yisrael, even though He appears to be hidden, etc.

One must believe Hashem remains present within Bnei Yisrael even when He seems absent.

וזה נצבים כו' לפני ה"א אף אחר הקללות כו'

And this is "You are standing, etc." — "before Hashem your God" (Devarim 29:9), even after the curses, etc.

"You are standing before Hashem your God" applies even after the curses, since His presence endures.

אך הסתר אסתיר הפי' שגם זה נסתר שלא יוכל האדם להבין שהוא רק בדרך הסתרה כנ"ל:

However, "I will surely hide" (Devarim 31:18) means that even this is concealed, so that a person should not be able to grasp that it is only by way of concealment, as explained above.

The phrase "I will surely hide" teaches a double concealment — the hiddenness itself is hidden, so a person may not even realize that what he experiences is merely Hashem concealing Himself.

Summary: The Sfas Emes teaches that the address "all of you, you are standing" speaks to the essence of every individual, calling each person to anchor his innermost will solely in Hashem Yisborach. Even when the limbs must engage in the affairs of this world, the inner core remains for Hashem's sake, so that one stays connected to Him even in a physical act and every deed becomes a path of avodah — this is how the Torah is drawn down into one's actions. He then explains the verse "I will surely hide": all the curses are nothing more than concealment, and a person must believe that Hashem remains in the midst of Bnei Yisrael even when He appears hidden, drawing strength precisely from that recognition. Citing the Rav of Pshischa in his grandfather's name, he notes that to claim "Hashem is not in my midst" is itself reckoned a sin. The double language of hiding warns that the concealment can itself be concealed, leaving a person unaware that his hardships are only Hashem's hidden presence.