Revealing the Hidden Point

ובמדרש נר מצוה כו' נרך בידי נרי בידך כו'

In the Midrash it is taught: "A mitzvah is a lamp" (Mishlei 6:23), and continues, "Your lamp is in My hand and My lamp is in your hand," and so forth.

The Midrash on the verse "a mitzvah is a lamp" pictures a mutual giving of light between Hashem and the Yid, each holding the other's lamp.

כי בכל דבר יש נקודה חיות מחי החיים

For in every thing there is a point of vitality that flows from the Source of all life, the One who gives life to the living.

Every single thing in creation contains a hidden spark of life drawn directly from Hashem, the Source of all life.

רק שבעוה"ז נסתר הפנימיות

It is only that in this world the inner dimension is hidden.

The catch is that in our physical world this inner spark is concealed and not openly visible.

וזה המבוקש מאיש ישראל לעורר ולגלות הפנימיות שיש בכל דבר ע"י המצות

And this is what is asked of a Yid: to awaken and reveal the inner dimension that lies within every thing by means of the mitzvos.

Our task as Bnei Yisrael is to wake up and uncover that hidden inner spark in everything, and the tool for doing so is the mitzvos.

שבכל מעשה נמצא ממצות הש"י עשה או ל"ת

For in every action there is to be found one of the commandments of Hashem Yisbarach, whether a positive mitzvah or a prohibition.

Every action a person does is connected to some mitzvah of Hashem, either something to do or something to refrain from.

וע"י המצוה מקרב כל המעשים אליו ית'

And by means of the mitzvah a person draws all his actions close to Him, may He be blessed.

Through performing the mitzvah, a person brings all of his deeds close to Hashem.

וזה נרי בידך כי צריך כל אדם להאיר הנקודה הטמונה וכאלו היא במאסר עד שיגבור האדם להאיר מהחשיכה

And this is the meaning of "My lamp is in your hand," for every person must illuminate that hidden point, which is, as it were, held in captivity, until the person prevails to bring forth light out of the darkness.

"My lamp is in your hand" means the job of lighting up the hidden spark falls to us; it is like a prisoner waiting to be freed until we push through the darkness and let it shine.

ונקודה זו היא הברכה בעצמה אשר תשמעו כשמדבק עצמו בנקודה הנ"ל שבכל דבר אז רואה שזה הברכה

And this very point is the blessing itself, as the pasuk says, "that you shall heed" (Devarim 11:27), for when a person attaches himself to that aforementioned point that resides in every thing, then he perceives that this is the blessing.

That spark itself is the berachah the Torah promises: once a person clings to the inner point within things, he sees that this connection is itself the blessing.

וזה ראה כו' ע"י הביטול לנקודה הנ"ל

And this is the meaning of "See" (Devarim 11:26), which comes about through bittul, nullifying oneself to that aforementioned point.

The word "See" hints that this revelation is reached through bittul, making oneself nothing before that inner point.

וכן בשבת כ' ויברך כי זה היא בחי' שבת להיבטל ולהיכלל לנקודה הנ"ל ושם שורה ברכה

And likewise regarding Shabbos it is written "And He blessed" (Bereishis 2:3), for this is the very aspect of Shabbos: to nullify oneself and become included within that aforementioned point, and there blessing rests.

Shabbos is described with the word "He blessed" because Shabbos is precisely about nullifying oneself into that inner point, and that is where blessing comes to rest.

אחז"ל כלי מחזיק ברכה שלום

Chazal said that the only vessel that holds blessing is shalom, peace.

Chazal teach that the only container able to hold blessing is shalom, peace.

והיא הנקודה מהש"י שמהוה כל ונק' שלום שהיא שלימות כל הנבראים והיא הברכה:

And it is the point that comes from Hashem Yisbarach, who brings all into being, and it is called shalom, which is the wholeness and completeness of all created beings, and this is the blessing.

That inner point flowing from Hashem, who creates everything, is what is called shalom, the wholeness of all creation, and that wholeness is itself the blessing.

Summary: The Sfas Emes builds on the Midrash that a mitzvah is a lamp, with Hashem and the Yid each holding the other's light. He explains that every thing in creation carries a hidden point of vitality drawn from Hashem, the Source of all life, but in this world that inner dimension is concealed. The avodah of a Yid is to awaken and reveal this point through the mitzvos, since every action ties into some positive mitzvah or prohibition, thereby drawing all one's deeds close to Hashem. This hidden point, freed from its captivity through bittul, is itself the berachah, which is why both the parsha of "See" and Shabbos are linked to blessing. Ultimately the vessel that holds blessing is shalom, the wholeness of all created beings rooted in the One who brings everything into existence.