Living Name revealed in the days of teshuvah

כתיב דרשו ה' בהמצאו ואמרו חז"ל אלו עשי"ת שהוא נמצא וקרוב לכל קוראיו.

It is written, "Seek Hashem when He is found" (Yeshayahu 55:6), and Chazal said: these are the Ten Days of Teshuvah, when He is found and near to all who call upon Him.

The Sefas Emes opens on the special nearness of Hashem during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, when He is "found" and accessible to all.

דאיתא במד' פ' אמור אמרות ה' אמרות טהורות דלא כאמרות בו"ד היום כאן ולמחר בקבר.

For it is taught in the Midrash, Parshas Emor: "The words of Hashem are pure words" (Tehillim 12:7) — unlike the words of flesh and blood, who is here today and tomorrow in the grave.

Human words are as fleeting as their speaker, but Hashem's words are pure and enduring because their Source is eternal.

אבל אמרות ה' טהורות לפי שהוא אלקים חיים ומלך עולם ע"ש כל המאמר דתחתונים צריכים ב' מאמרות.

But the words of Hashem are pure, because He is the "living G-d and King of the universe" — see the whole passage, that the lower beings require two "utterances."

Because Hashem is the living G-d, His word carries enduring life; yet the lower world needs a twofold expression to receive it, as the Sefas Emes will now explain.

והענין הוא דבבריאות העולם כתיב אלקים שהי' ע"י צמצום בטבע.

The matter is that at the creation of the world the Name "Elokim" is written, for it came about through tzimtzum (contraction) into nature.

The Name Elokim signifies the contracted, concealed presence of Hashem within the fixed order of nature.

ואיתא במשנה במאמר אחד הי' יכול להבראות כו' והוא בראשית דהוא מאמר אחד.

And it is taught in the Mishnah: with a single utterance [the world] could have been created, etc. — and that is "Bereishis," which is a single utterance.

At its root, creation flows from one undivided utterance, "Bereishis," expressing pure unity before it fragments into multiplicity.

אבל נתלבש בעשרה מאמרות להיות שכר ועונש.

But it was clothed in ten utterances, so that there could be reward and punishment.

The single utterance garbed itself in ten so the world could have free choice, with reward and consequence.

אבל מ"מ דבריו חיים וקיימים.

But nevertheless, His words are living and enduring.

Even within the concealment of nature, the Divine word never loses its living, abiding force.

ולכן ע"י תשובה יכולין לחזור ולתקן לפי שהוא אלקים חיים.

And therefore, through teshuvah one can return and repair, because He is the "living G-d."

Because the Divine word remains alive within creation, teshuvah is possible — one can reconnect to that living source and mend what was broken.

פי' חיים המקור כמו מים חיים.

The meaning of "living" is the source, as in "living waters" (mayim chayim).

"Living" here means a flowing wellspring — Hashem is the ever-fresh source of all vitality, like running spring water.

ולכן שם הוי' לא נאמר במעשה בראשית דכתיב אני ה' לא שניתי.

And therefore the Name Havayah (the four-letter Name) is not stated in the account of Creation, as it is written, "I am Hashem, I have not changed" (Malachi 3:6).

The Name Havayah denotes Hashem's unchanging essence, above nature; it is withheld from the Creation narrative, which speaks in terms of the changeable natural order under "Elokim."

ורק לבנ"י יש דביקות בשם הוי' בכח התורה שהוא עץ חיים.

And only Bnei Yisrael have devekus (attachment) to the Name Havayah, through the power of the Torah, which is "a tree of life."

Through the Torah, the Eitz Chaim, Bnei Yisrael can cleave to the transcendent Name Havayah that lies beyond nature.

ולכן בקבלת התורה כ' אנכי ה' אלקיך יחוד שם הוי' באלקים.

And therefore at the giving of the Torah it is written, "I am Hashem (Havayah) your G-d (Elokecha)" — the unification of the Name Havayah with Elokim.

The first commandment joins the two Names, revealing the transcendent Havayah within the natural Elokim — the unity that Torah makes accessible.

והוא בחי' אלקים חיים ומאמר אחד.

And this is the dimension of the "living G-d" and the "single utterance."

This fusion of Names is the "Elokim Chaim" and the single utterance — the living unity underlying all of creation's multiplicity.

וע"ז אמרו חז"ל לא יחדתי אלקותי רק עליך.

And concerning this Chazal said: "I have unified My G-dliness only upon you."

Hashem declares that this revealed unity of His Names rests uniquely upon Bnei Yisrael.

ועל זה כתיב ה' האמירך.

And concerning this it is written, "Hashem has caused you to declare (he'emircha)" (Devarim 26:18).

Bnei Yisrael are bound to Hashem's "saying" — His unique utterance — in a singular relationship.

וע"ז כ' שש אנכי על אמרתך אמירה יחידית.

And concerning this it is written, "I rejoice over Your word (imrasecha)" (Tehillim 119:162) — a singular saying.

Bnei Yisrael rejoice in this one special "saying" of Hashem, the unified utterance that is theirs alone.

על אמרתך שיש לבנ"י דביקות למעלה מעשרה מאמרות.

"Over Your word" — for Bnei Yisrael have devekus above the ten utterances.

Their bond reaches past the ten utterances of nature to the single, transcendent utterance above them.

שהדיברות למעלה מעשרה מאמרות.

For the [Ten] Commandments (Dibros) are above the ten utterances.

The Aseres HaDibros, rooted in the Name Havayah, transcend the ten utterances of creation that operate through Elokim.

ובעשי"ת מתגלה בחי' אלקים חיים ושם הוי' לכן דרשו ה' בהמצאו.

And during the Ten Days of Teshuvah the dimension of "living G-d" and the Name Havayah is revealed; therefore they expounded "Seek Hashem when He is found."

In the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah the transcendent, living Name shines through into the natural world, so Hashem is "found" and teshuvah becomes especially attainable.

וכן בשבת מתגלה שם הוי'.

And likewise on Shabbos the Name Havayah is revealed.

Shabbos shares this quality: it too lifts the veil of nature to reveal the transcendent Name.

וכ"כ בזו"ח כי אחר פרשת ויכולו כתיב ביום עשות ה' אלקים כו' ומקודם לא כתיב רק אלקים ע"ש:

And so it is written in the Zohar Chadash, that after the passage of "Vayechulu" it is written "on the day that Hashem (Havayah) G-d (Elokim) made…" — whereas before, only "Elokim" is written. See there.

Only once Shabbos arrives does the Torah first pair Havayah with Elokim, signaling that Shabbos reveals the transcendent Name that was concealed throughout the workweek of creation.

Summary: Creation was effected through the Name Elokim — Hashem contracted (tzimtzum) into the fixed order of nature, the "ten utterances" of multiplicity that allow reward and punishment — while the unchanging Name Havayah, the single utterance and living source above nature, remained concealed. Because His word is "living," teshuvah can always repair and reconnect. Through the Torah, Bnei Yisrael cleave to Havayah, and "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" unites the two Names. During the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, and likewise on Shabbos, this transcendent living Name shines through into the world — which is why "Seek Hashem when He is found."