Bnei Yisrael Bearing Witness

בפרשת ק"ש שמע ישראל ובמד' מהיכן זכו בנ"י לק"ש מהר סיני אנכי ה"א כו'

In the parsha of Krias Shema, 'Shema Yisrael,' the Midrash asks: from where did Bnei Yisrael merit Krias Shema? From Har Sinai, where it says 'Anochi Hashem Elokecha (I am Hashem your God).'

The Midrash links the source of Krias Shema to the revelation at Har Sinai, where Hashem declared 'I am Hashem your God.'

תו במד' מיעקב שאמר הקבצו ושמעו כו'

Furthermore, the Midrash says they merited it from Yaakov, who said 'Gather and listen.'

A second Midrashic source traces Krias Shema to Yaakov Avinu, who gathered his sons and told them to listen.

הענין היא דאיתא בזוה"ק

The matter is as the holy Zohar teaches.

The Sfas Emes now turns to the Zohar to explain the deeper meaning.

ע' משמע וד' מאחד עד

The letter ayin (in 'Shema') is enlarged, and the daled (in 'Echad') is enlarged, to spell 'eid' (witness).

In the Torah scroll the ayin of 'Shema' and the daled of 'Echad' are written large; together they form the word 'eid,' witness.

ורזא דמלה עד ה' בכם פי' עיקר העד הוא השי"ת בעצמו כדאיתא הוא עד הוא דיין כו'

And the secret of the matter is 'Hashem is a witness among you' — meaning that the essential witness is the Holy One, Blessed is He, Himself, as it is taught: 'He is the witness, He is the judge.'

The primary witness in the universe is Hashem Himself, for He alone sees and judges all.

אבל העדות בא ע"י בנ"י כדכ' עד ה' בכם

But the testimony comes through Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, 'Hashem is a witness among you.'

Yet Hashem arranges that His testimony be borne through Bnei Yisrael, who declare His Oneness.

וכ"כ אתם עדי ואני אל

And so too, 'You are My witnesses, and I am Hashem.'

The verse 'You are My witnesses, and I am Hashem' shows that Bnei Yisrael serve as the witnesses to Hashem.

רמז ואני ג"כ עד ע"י עדות שלכם

This alludes that 'I am Hashem' too is a witness — through your testimony.

There is a hint that Hashem's own self-declaration becomes manifest precisely through the testimony Bnei Yisrael give.

כדכתי' את ה' האמרת שבנ"י הוציאו מכח אל הפועל זה המאמר אנכי ה"א כמ"ש שמעה עמי ואדברה

As it is written, 'You have made Hashem to declare,' that Bnei Yisrael brought forth from potential into actuality this utterance, 'Anochi Hashem Elokecha (I am Hashem your God),' as it says, 'Listen, My people, and I will speak.'

By accepting and proclaiming 'I am Hashem your God,' Bnei Yisrael actualize that declaration in the world, as if drawing the divine word into reality.

וכמו כן בכל יום מתעורר זה הקול אנכי ה"א כמ"ש אנכי מצוך היום

And likewise, each and every day this voice awakens — 'Anochi Hashem Elokecha (I am Hashem your God)' — as it says, 'which I command you this day.'

This declaration is not a one-time event; it stirs anew every single day, which is why the Torah speaks of the command 'this day.'

אנכי דעשרת הדיברות

This is the 'Anochi' of the Aseres HaDibros (Ten Commandments).

He identifies this daily 'Anochi' with the opening word of the Ten Commandments.

והנה כל שמותיו וכנויו של הקב"ה מעידין עליו ית"ש

And behold, all the Names and titles of the Holy One, Blessed is He, bear witness to Him, may His Name be blessed.

Every Name and description we use for the Holy One, Blessed is He, functions as testimony to His existence and Oneness.

ועיקר העדות שם הוי' המיוחד

And the essential testimony is the unique Name, the Name Havayah (the four-letter Name).

Above all the Names, the four-letter Name Havayah is the central testimony to Hashem.

וזה עד ה' בכם

And this is 'Hashem is a witness among you.'

This is the inner meaning of 'Hashem is a witness among you.'

ואיתא שמע בכל לשון שאתה שומע

And it is taught: 'Shema' — in any language that you hear.

Chazal teach that Shema may be recited in any language a person understands.

הרמז כי בכל השמיעות שנשמעין אל האדם צריך לשמוע בהם ה' אלקינו ה' אחד

The allusion is that in all the things a person hears, he must hear within them 'Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad (Hashem is our God, Hashem is One).'

The deeper point is that whatever a person hears, he should perceive within it the truth that Hashem is our God and Hashem is One.

כי כל פעל ה' למענהו

For 'Hashem has made everything for His sake' —

Everything Hashem made exists for His sake and purpose.

לעדותו

for His testimony.

Specifically, all creation exists to testify to Him.

והכל מעידין עליו

And everything bears witness to Him.

Thus every created thing bears witness to its Creator.

ולעתיד יתגלה זה בכל העולם כמ"ש סוף דבר הכל נשמע כו' הא' ירא כו' מצותיו שמור שסוף ותכלית כל פרט להיות נשמע ממנו דבר זה

And in the future this will be revealed throughout the entire world, as it says, 'The sum of the matter, when all is heard: fear Hashem and keep His mitzvos' — for the end and purpose of every detail is that this matter be heard from it.

In the future this universal testimony will become openly revealed, as Koheles concludes that fearing Hashem and keeping His mitzvos is the ultimate point everything is meant to express.

וזה ע' רברבא דשמע שרומז לע' לשונות כמ"ש רש"י שלעתיד אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה להיות נשמע בכל הע' לשונות כי ה' אלקינו ה' אחד

And this is the enlarged ayin of 'Shema,' which alludes to the seventy languages, as Rashi writes that in the future 'I will transform the nations to a clear tongue,' so that it will be heard in all seventy languages that 'Hashem is our God, Hashem is One.'

The enlarged ayin (numerically seventy) hints at the seventy languages, for ultimately all the nations will proclaim Hashem's Oneness in a purified tongue.

והנה במתן תורה זכו בנ"י להיות נשמע זה הקול אנכי ה"א כו'

And behold, at Mattan Torah Bnei Yisrael merited that this voice should be heard — 'Anochi Hashem Elokecha (I am Hashem your God).'

At Mattan Torah Bnei Yisrael were granted the ability to hear and internalize this divine voice declaring 'I am Hashem your God.'

וזה ה' האמרת היום שמתחדש בכל יום ובכח הכנת יעקב אבינו זכו בנ"י להיות נכונים לשמוע זה הקול וע"ז כ' ה' האמירך היום שגם זה נתחדש בכל יום כמו שכתוב קודם קריאת שמע הבוחר בעמו ישראל באהבה שמע ישראל כו':

And this is 'You have made Hashem declare this day,' that it is renewed each and every day; and through the preparation of Yaakov Avinu, Bnei Yisrael merited to be ready to hear this voice — and concerning this it is written, 'Hashem has made you declare this day,' that this too is renewed each and every day, as we say before Krias Shema, 'Who chooses His people Yisrael with love: Shema Yisrael.'

This declaration renews itself daily; through Yaakov Avinu's preparation Bnei Yisrael are made ready each day to hear it anew, which is why we precede Shema with the blessing thanking Hashem for choosing His people with love.

Summary: The Sfas Emes builds on the Midrash that Krias Shema was earned at Har Sinai and from Yaakov Avinu, and on the Zohar's teaching that the enlarged ayin of 'Shema' and daled of 'Echad' spell 'eid,' witness. The essential Witness is Hashem Himself, yet He arranges that His testimony be borne through Bnei Yisrael, who actualize the declaration 'Anochi Hashem Elokecha' by proclaiming His Oneness. This declaration is not confined to Sinai but awakens anew every single day, and all of creation, every Name, and everything a person hears exists to testify to Hashem being One. In the future this testimony will be revealed throughout the world, as the enlarged ayin (seventy) hints that all seventy nations will proclaim His Oneness in a clear tongue. Through the daily renewal rooted in Yaakov Avinu's preparation, Bnei Yisrael are made ready each day to hear and bear this living testimony of Shema Yisrael.