Attaining Wholeness Through Torah

בפסוק תמים תהי' עם ה"א

Regarding the verse, "Be wholehearted with Hashem your God" (Devarim 18:13).

The Sfas Emes opens with the mitzvah to be wholehearted, tamim, with Hashem, and will explore what this completeness means.

דכ' הצור תמים פעלו

For it is written, "The Rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4).

He links this to the praise of Hashem as the Rock whose work is perfect, with no flaw.

שלא הי' שום מום ופסולת בעולם

That there was no blemish or imperfection at all in the world.

Originally the world was created in a state of perfection, with no defect or waste anywhere.

רק ע"י חטא הראשון נתערב פסולת ובקבלת התורה הי' מוכן להיות תיקון השלם וע"י חטא העגל שוב נעשה פסולת וע"ז כ' שחת לו כו' בניו מומם שנעשו בעלי מומין

It was only through the sin of Adam HaRishon that imperfection became mixed in, and through the receiving of the Torah it was poised to be a complete rectification; but through the sin of the Golden Calf imperfection was once again produced, and concerning this it is written, "He brought corruption upon Himself; His children, their blemish" (Devarim 32:5) — that they became blemished ones.

Adam's sin introduced imperfection; Matan Torah was set to repair it completely, but the Golden Calf reintroduced the flaw, leaving Bnei Yisrael as "blemished ones."

אבל בכח התורה שנקראת תמימה יכול איש ישראל להיות תמים

But through the power of the Torah, which is called "perfect" (Tehillim 19:8), a Jew of Bnei Yisrael is able to become wholehearted.

Despite this, the Torah is itself "perfect," and through its power a Jew can still attain wholeness.

וכל הקוסמים ומעוננים הכל בא מזה הקילקול של חטא הראשון

And all the sorcerers and soothsayers — all of it comes from this corruption of the sin of Adam HaRishon.

The whole realm of sorcery and divination traces back to the corruption introduced by Adam's sin.

ובנ"י יצאו מן הכלל בקבלת התורה ז"ש כי הגוים האלה כו' ואתה לא כן כו'

And Bnei Yisrael departed from this general condition through the receiving of the Torah, and this is what is meant by, "For these nations... but as for you, not so..." (Devarim 18:14).

At Matan Torah, Bnei Yisrael were lifted out of that fallen condition, which is why the Torah contrasts them with the nations who rely on diviners.

ואע"פ שלא נשארו ישראל בזו המדרגה כמ"ש אמרתי אלקים אתם כו' אכן כאדם תמותון אעפ"כ נביא מקרבך כו' כאשר שאלת כו' בחורב

And even though Bnei Yisrael did not remain on this level, as it is written, "I said: you are angelic beings... yet you shall die like a man" (Tehillim 82:6-7), nevertheless, "A prophet from your midst... shall Hashem raise up for you... according to all that you asked... at Chorev" (Devarim 18:15-16).

Even though Bnei Yisrael forfeited that lofty angelic level and became mortal again, Hashem provided prophets, as the people requested at Chorev, to maintain their connection.

ונשאר התיקון ע"י הנביאים

And so the rectification remained through the prophets.

Thus the ongoing path of rectification flowed through the prophets.

וגם עתה שאין לנו נביאים כח הנביאים הוא בכתב בנביאים וכתובים

And even now, when we have no prophets, the power of the prophets is in the written word, in Nevi'im and Kesuvim.

Even without living prophets today, the prophetic power endures within the written texts of Nevi'im and Kesuvim.

וההוגה בדבריהם יכול לבא אל התמימות

And one who immerses himself in their words is able to arrive at wholeheartedness.

One who toils and meditates in these sacred words can himself reach the state of tamim, wholeness.

ובנ"י יש להם חלק בזו הצורה דכ' הצור תמים פעלו דיש ב' יצירות ובבנ"י כ' עם זו יצרתי לי שהם זוכין לצורה הפנימיות שהיא בחי' הצור תמים וע"ז כתי' כלך יפה כו' ומום אין בך

And Bnei Yisrael have a portion in this form, for it is written, "The Rock (Tzur), His work is perfect" — that there are two formations (yetziros), and concerning Bnei Yisrael it is written, "This people I formed for Myself" (Yeshayah 43:21), that they merit the inner form, which is the aspect of "the Rock is perfect"; and concerning this it is written, "You are entirely beautiful... and there is no blemish in you" (Shir HaShirim 4:7).

Bnei Yisrael share in the "inner form" of creation, alluded to by Tzur (Rock) hinting at two formations; they were formed for Hashem and merit the inner, perfect form that has no blemish.

וז"ש תמים תהי' עם ה"א להיות לו חלק בזו הצורה הפנימיות וצורה זו מתגלה בש"ק לכן נק' שבת שלום שהיא בחי' הצור תמים:

And this is the meaning of "Be wholehearted with Hashem your God" — to have a portion in this inner form; and this form is revealed on the holy Shabbos, which is why it is called "Shabbos Shalom," for it is the aspect of "the Rock is perfect."

The mitzvah of tamim means securing a portion in this inner form, which becomes revealed specifically on Shabbos — hence "Shabbos Shalom," reflecting the perfect Rock.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains the mitzvah of being tamim, wholehearted, with Hashem in light of the praise that "the Rock, His work is perfect." The world was originally created without any blemish; Adam's sin introduced imperfection, Matan Torah was poised to fully repair it, but the sin of the Golden Calf reintroduced the flaw and left Bnei Yisrael as "blemished ones" — the very source of sorcery and divination that the nations rely upon. Nevertheless, through the power of the Torah, which is itself "perfect," and through the rectification carried first by the prophets and now by their words preserved in Nevi'im and Kesuvim, a Jew can still attain wholeness. Bnei Yisrael have a unique portion in the "inner form" of creation, the aspect of "the Rock is perfect" in which there is no blemish. This inner, flawless form is revealed especially on the holy Shabbos, which is why it is called Shabbos Shalom.