Humility Strengthens Inner Vitality

במדרש שמור תשמרון נרך בידי ונרי בידך כו'

In the Midrash on the words "Surely keep [My commandments]" (Devarim 4:9, also Shemos 23:13), it is taught: "Guard My lamp in your hand, and your lamp will be in My hand," and so forth.

The Sfas Emes opens with a Midrash on the command to "keep," which uses the image of mutual guarding: Bnei Yisrael guard Hashem's lamp, and Hashem guards theirs.

דכתיב שמור כו' יום השבת

For it is written, "Keep," and so forth, regarding the day of Shabbos ("Keep the day of Shabbos" — Devarim 5:12).

He links this language of "keeping" to the mitzvah of Shabbos, which the Torah likewise commands us to "keep."

וקשה מה צריך שבת שמירה

And it is difficult: why does Shabbos require guarding?

He raises his question: Shabbos is sacred and elevated, so why would it need our guarding or protection?

רק כי שבת ניתן לישראל כמ"ש כנס"י יהי' בן זוגך

Rather, it is because Shabbos was given to Bnei Yisrael, as Chazal expounded that Knesses Yisrael shall be Shabbos's mate (Bereishis Rabbah 11:8).

His answer begins: Shabbos was given specifically to Bnei Yisrael, who are described by Chazal as the very partner and mate of Shabbos.

ואין השבת מתרחק מבנ"י בכל מקומות מושבותיהם

And Shabbos does not distance itself from Bnei Yisrael in all the places of their dwellings.

Because of this bond, Shabbos remains close to Bnei Yisrael wherever they dwell, never separating from them.

ושבת נותן חיות לכל העולמות כמ"ש ויכלו השמים כו' ויכל כו' פי' שנעשה כלי

And Shabbos gives vitality to all the worlds, as it is written, "And the heavens and the earth were completed... and He completed" (Bereishis 2:1-2) — the meaning being that a vessel was formed.

Shabbos channels life into all the worlds, for the completion described at Creation means that a vessel was formed to hold the Divine flow.

כמ"ש ז"ל כלי מחזיק ברכה

As Chazal said: a vessel holds blessing (Uktzin 3:12).

He brings the teaching of Chazal that a vessel is precisely what is able to hold and contain blessing.

ועיקר הברכה שנתמלאו כל צבא שמים וארץ בחיות פנימיות

And the essence of the blessing is that the entire host of heaven and earth was filled with an inner vitality.

The blessing itself is that all of creation, the hosts of heaven and earth, became filled with an inner, animating vitality.

כי כל הוא מדה כמ"ש וכל בשליש עפר הארץ

For "all" denotes a measure, as it is written, "and measured [the dust of the earth] with a third-measure" (Yeshayah 40:12, where the word for "all" / "measured" shares this sense).

The word "all" hints at a fixed measure, which he supports from a verse where the same root carries the sense of measuring.

בת יכיל

"A bas (a measure) can it contain."

He cites a brief phrase indicating that each thing holds its measure.

והיינו שבש"ק מתמלאים כל הנבראים מחיות השי"ת שיורד שפע חיות לכל הנבראים כ"א כפי מדתו

And this is the meaning: that on the holy Shabbos all created beings are filled with the vitality of Hashem Yisbarach, for an abundance of vitality descends to every created being, each one according to its measure.

He draws the conclusion: on Shabbos every creation is filled with Hashem's vitality, as an abundance of life descends to each being according to the measure it can hold.

והשבת ניתן לב"י

And Shabbos was given to Bnei Yisrael.

He restates that this gift of Shabbos was entrusted to Bnei Yisrael.

וצריכין להיות נקי לקבל הארת שבת כראוי להיות בטל גוף ונפש האדם אל חיות הפנמיות כנ"ל

And one must be clean in order to receive the illumination of Shabbos as is fitting — to be utterly nullified in body and soul to the inner vitality, as explained above.

To receive the light of Shabbos properly, a person must be clean and pure, nullifying his body and soul completely before that inner Divine vitality.

ורש"י פי' [*ישעי' ז'] השמר והשקט הוי נח כיין על שמריו ע"ש

And Rashi explained (on Yeshayah 7) the words "take heed and be still" (Yeshayah 7:4): be at rest like wine settled upon its lees; see there.

He brings Rashi's explanation that being "still" is like wine resting upon its sediment, undisturbed.

כמו היין שאם השמרים במקומם עוד מוסיפין כח להיין

Just like wine, where, if the lees remain in their place, they add further strength to the wine,

Just as wine left upon its lees gains added strength rather than losing it, the sediment serving the wine,

כמו כן גוף האדם בהיותו נכנע ונשפל עד למטה

so too the body of a person: when he is subdued and lowered down to the very bottom,

so too a person's body, when he humbles and lowers himself to the very bottom,

נותן עוז לחיות אלקי אשר בקרבו

he gives strength to the Divine vitality that is within him.

actually empowers and strengthens the Divine vitality dwelling within him.

[סיום המאמר חסר והמשכיל יבין כ"ד לאשורו]:

[The conclusion of the maamar is missing, and the discerning one will understand it properly of his own accord.]

The Sfas Emes notes that the end of the piece is missing, leaving the thoughtful reader to complete it on his own.

Summary: The Sfas Emes asks why the Torah commands us to "keep" Shabbos, as if such a holy day needed our guarding. He answers that Shabbos was given as the mate of Bnei Yisrael and never distances itself from them wherever they dwell. Shabbos functions as the vessel of Creation, and a vessel is what holds blessing; thus on Shabbos every creation is filled with the inner vitality of Hashem Yisbarach, each according to its measure. To receive this illumination properly, a person must make himself clean and nullify body and soul before that inner Divine life. Drawing on Rashi's image of wine resting upon its lees, he teaches that just as the sediment, kept in its place, strengthens the wine, so a person who humbles and lowers his body gives added strength to the Divine vitality within him.