Testimony Through the Neshamah

במדרש מהיכן זכו ישראל לק"ש במתן תורה אנכי ה"א כו'

The Midrash asks: From where did Bnei Yisrael merit Krias Shema? From the giving of the Torah, with the words "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" ("I am Hashem your God") and so forth.

The Midrash teaches that Bnei Yisrael earned the merit of declaring Hashem's Oneness in Krias Shema specifically through Matan Torah, when they heard "Anochi Hashem Elokecha."

דאיתא עליך ייחד שמו ביותר

For it is taught: "upon you" Hashem singled out His Name in a unique way.

It is taught that Hashem singled out His Name upon Bnei Yisrael in a special, exclusive way.

והחוקרים מקשים איך בא הריבוי מאחד המיוחד

And the philosophers raise a difficulty: how does multiplicity come forth from the One Who is utterly singular and unified?

Philosophers ask how plurality and multiplicity can emerge from a Creator who is perfectly One and indivisible.

אבל באמת בכל הבריאה יש חלק הדבוק באחדות כמ"ש ימים יוצרו ולו א' בהם

But in truth, within all of creation there is a portion that is bound to the Oneness, as it is written, "the days were fashioned, and to Him belongs one of them" (Tehillim 139:16).

The Sfas Emes answers that every part of creation contains a hidden portion that remains attached to Hashem's Oneness, as the verse hints that one of the days belongs to Him.

ובנפשות חלק ה' עמו ונק' גוי אחד שהם דביקים באחדות

And among souls, "the portion of Hashem is His people" (Devarim 32:9), and they are called "one nation" ("goy echad"), for they are cleaving to the Oneness.

Among all souls, Bnei Yisrael are uniquely "Hashem's portion" and are called "one nation" because they cling to His Oneness.

וזה האחדות קבלו בנ"י בהר סיני וע"ז הי' יצ"מ כמ"ש הוצאתי א' מא"מ להיות לכם בפרט לאלקים

This unity Bnei Yisrael received at Har Sinai, and for this purpose was Yetzias Mitzrayim, as it is written, "I brought you out from the land of Egypt to be for you in particular a God."

Bnei Yisrael received this attachment to the Oneness at Har Sinai, and this was the very purpose of leaving Mitzrayim — to become Hashem's people in a special way.

ולכן כ' בשבת וזכרת כי עבד היית כו' ע"כ צוך כו' לעשות כו' השבת

Therefore it is written regarding Shabbos, "and you shall remember that you were a slave... therefore Hashem commanded you... to keep the Shabbos" (Devarim 5:15).

This is why the Torah ties keeping Shabbos to remembering that we were slaves and were redeemed.

כי גם השבת חלק ה' בזמן שבו נתגלה הנהגה עליונה הדבוקה באחדות ולכן שבת סהדותא איקרי בבחי' שנה

For Shabbos too is the portion of Hashem in time, the day on which is revealed the supernal conduct that is bound to the Oneness; and therefore Shabbos is called a "testimony" ("sahaduta") in the dimension of "year" (time).

Shabbos is Hashem's portion within time, when the supernal conduct bound to the Oneness is revealed, so Shabbos itself serves as a testimony in the dimension of time.

ובנ"י עדים בבחי' נפש

And Bnei Yisrael are the witnesses in the dimension of "soul" (nefesh).

Bnei Yisrael serve as the witnesses in the dimension of the soul.

וכמו כן בעולם א"י ובהמ"ק חלק ה' ועדות כמ"ש במ"א

And likewise in the dimension of "world" (place), Eretz Yisrael and the Beis HaMikdash are the portion of Hashem and a testimony, as explained elsewhere.

Similarly, in the dimension of place, Eretz Yisrael and the Beis HaMikdash are Hashem's portion and serve as testimony.

ולכן עדות בנ"י על הש"י בכח הנשמה שקיבלו בהר סיני כמ"ש במד' שיש ה' בחי' בנפש עד יחידה

Therefore the testimony of Bnei Yisrael concerning Hashem Yisbarach is through the power of the neshamah that they received at Har Sinai, as the Midrash says that there are five levels in the soul, up until "yechidah."

Bnei Yisrael can testify about Hashem through the power of the neshamah received at Sinai, which the Midrash describes as having five ascending levels up to "yechidah."

יחידה היא חלק הנשמה עליונה הדבוקה באחדות שזכו בנ"י במתן תורה

Yechidah is the portion of the supernal neshamah that is bound to the Oneness, which Bnei Yisrael merited at the giving of the Torah.

The highest level, yechidah, is the part of the supernal soul bound to Hashem's Oneness, which Bnei Yisrael acquired at Matan Torah.

כמ"ש אנכי ה' אלקיך ולכן כ' אתם עדי נאם ה' בכח דבר ה' אשר שם בנו

As it is written, "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" ("I am Hashem your God"); and therefore it is written, "You are My witnesses, says Hashem" (Yeshayahu 43:10), through the power of the word of Hashem that He placed within us.

Because Hashem placed His word within us at "Anochi," Bnei Yisrael are called His witnesses.

כמ"ש ויפח באפיו כו' ויהי כו' לנפש חי' לרוח ממללא

As it is written, "and He blew into his nostrils... and man became a living soul" (Bereishis 2:7) — which Targum renders as a "speaking spirit."

This testifying power comes from the divine breath of life Hashem blew into man, which Targum calls a "speaking spirit."

פי' להעיד על הבורא

The meaning is: to bear testimony about the Creator.

That speaking spirit exists precisely so that a person can bear testimony about his Creator.

ובקבלת התורה היו מוכנים להיות תמיד דבוק בנשמה העליונה כמ"ש אמרתי אלקים אתם כו'

And at the receiving of the Torah they were prepared to be forever cleaving to the supernal neshamah, as it is written, "I said, you are godly beings" (Tehillim 82:6).

At Matan Torah, Bnei Yisrael were on a level to remain permanently attached to the supernal neshamah, as if they were godly beings.

אבל אחר החטא צריכין לעורר כח הנשמה הנ"ל

But after the sin, we must arouse the power of that aforementioned neshamah.

After the sin, however, that attachment is no longer automatic, and the power of the neshamah must be actively awakened.

ולכן ע"י מצות התפילין שהם ב' בחי' הנ"ל זכר ליצ"מ בחי' תש"י וקשרתם לשעבד הגוף כדאיתא בזוה"ק דסט"א קשור ברצועה דתפילין ואח"כ והיו לטוטפות רמז לבחי' הנשמה יתירה בחי' מתן תורה תורת ה' בפיך ולכן יכולין להעיד על אחדות השי"ת

And therefore, through the mitzvah of tefillin, which are the two aforementioned dimensions: a remembrance of Yetzias Mitzrayim, the dimension of tefillin shel yad — "and you shall bind them," to subjugate the body, as is brought in the Zohar HaKadosh that the sitra achra (the side of impurity) is bound by the strap of the tefillin; and afterward "and they shall be totafos," a hint to the dimension of the extra neshamah (neshamah yeseirah), the dimension of the giving of the Torah, "the Torah of Hashem in your mouth" (Shemos 13:9); and therefore one is able to bear testimony about the Oneness of Hashem Yisbarach.

Tefillin accomplish this awakening through their two parts: the shel yad recalls Yetzias Mitzrayim and subjugates the body and the sitra achra, while the shel rosh hints to the supernal extra neshamah of Matan Torah, together empowering a person to testify to Hashem's Oneness.

ולכן אמרו הקורא ק"ש בלא תפילין כמעיד עדות שקר בעצמו לפי שאחדותו ית' שיחד עלינו ביותר הוא כשיש הארה מהנשמה בכח יצ"מ וקבלת התורה וב' אלו הם ג"כ בחי' זכור ושמור בש"ק

And therefore Chazal said that one who recites Krias Shema without tefillin is as though he bears false testimony against himself, because His Oneness, Yisbarach, which He singled out upon us in a unique way, exists when there is an illumination from the neshamah through the power of Yetzias Mitzrayim and the receiving of the Torah; and these two are also the dimensions of "zachor" (remember) and "shamor" (guard) on the holy Shabbos.

One who says Shema without tefillin testifies falsely against himself, because affirming Hashem's special Oneness requires the neshamah's illumination drawn from both Yetzias Mitzrayim and Matan Torah, which parallel "shamor" and "zachor" of Shabbos.

שמור נזכר בו יצ"מ וזכור הוא בחי' נשמה יתירה וזכירת מתן תורה כמ"ש זכור בעצומו של יום מתן תורה

"Shamor" — in it is mentioned Yetzias Mitzrayim, and "zachor" is the dimension of the extra neshamah and the remembrance of the giving of the Torah, as it is written, "zachor" on the very day itself of the giving of the Torah.

"Shamor" corresponds to remembering Yetzias Mitzrayim, while "zachor" corresponds to the extra neshamah and the remembrance of Matan Torah, which occurred on that very day.

לכן בשבת א"צ תפילין שהם עצמם אות על ב' אלו יצימ וסט"א ערקת בשבת

Therefore on Shabbos tefillin are not needed, for they themselves are a sign upon these two — Yetzias Mitzrayim and the sitra achra, which flees on the holy Shabbos.

On Shabbos no tefillin are needed because Shabbos itself is the sign of these two matters, and the sitra achra already flees on the holy day.

ונשמה יתירה שורה על בנ"י לכן הוא עדות אמת

And the extra neshamah rests upon Bnei Yisrael; therefore it is a true testimony.

Since the extra neshamah rests upon Bnei Yisrael on Shabbos, their testimony is automatically a true one.

וב' בחי' אלו נרמזין בפסוק השמע עם קול אלקים כו' או הנסה אלקים כו'

And these two dimensions are alluded to in the verse, "Did a people ever hear the voice of God... or has God ever attempted..." (Devarim 4:33-34).

These two dimensions are alluded to in the verses asking whether any people ever heard Hashem's voice or whether Hashem ever took a nation out from within another.

וכתי' אתה הראת לדעת פרש"י שפתח להם שבעה רקיעים וכשם שפתח עליונים כן תחתונים כו' וכ' במ"א שהם ב' הבחי' עומק טוב ורע

And it is written, "You have been shown to know" (Devarim 4:35); Rashi explains that He opened for them the seven firmaments, and just as He opened the upper ones, so too the lower ones; and it is explained elsewhere that these are the two dimensions: the depth of good and the depth of evil.

The verse "You have been shown to know" refers to Hashem opening the upper and lower firmaments, which the Sfas Emes elsewhere identifies as the two depths of good and evil.

עומק רום ותחת

The depth of height and of below.

These correspond to the depth of height and the depth of below.

כי בשעת קבלת התורה נתברר מ"ש וכל הטבע נתבטלה כמ"ש חז"ל שכל הבריאה כששמעו אנכי ה"א זה אמר אלי דיבר כו' עד ששמעו אשר הוצאתיך כו'

For at the time of the receiving of the Torah it became clarified what is written, that all of nature was nullified, as Chazal said that all of creation, when they heard "Anochi Hashem Elokecha," each one said, "to me He spoke"... until they heard "asher hotzeisicha" ("that I brought you out").

At Matan Torah all of nature was nullified, as Chazal describe how all creation heard "Anochi" as a personal address until they heard "that I brought you out."

פי' הענין שהקב"ה גילה מלכותו בשעה אחת להיות עדות על הבורא וביטל הסתרת הטבע והגשמיות כדי להיות עדות על הבורא ולכן נזדעזע העולם כאילו יחרב העולם

The explanation of the matter is that the Holy One, Blessed is He, revealed His kingship in a single moment so as to be a testimony about the Creator, and He nullified the concealment of nature and physicality in order to be a testimony about the Creator; and therefore the world trembled as though the world would be destroyed.

Hashem revealed His kingship in one instant to serve as testimony to the Creator, nullifying the concealment of nature, which caused the world to tremble as though it would be destroyed.

וכשאמר אשר הוצאתיך הבינו כי ביטול הטבע רק לבנ"י בכח יצ"מ

And when He said "asher hotzeisicha" ("that I brought you out"), they understood that the nullification of nature was only for Bnei Yisrael, through the power of Yetzias Mitzrayim.

When Hashem said "that I brought you out," it became clear that this nullification of nature applied specifically to Bnei Yisrael through the power of Yetzias Mitzrayim.

וזה עדות כי בכח איש ישראל לצאת מן הטבע וז"ש אפי' מחיצה של ברזל אין מפסקת בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים בכח יצ"מ שהוציאנו מכור הברזל

And this is the testimony, that it is within the power of a Jew to go forth from nature; and this is what Chazal said, that even an iron partition does not separate between Bnei Yisrael and their Father in Heaven, through the power of Yetzias Mitzrayim, which brought us forth from the iron crucible.

This is the testimony: a Jew has the power to rise above nature, so that not even an iron partition can separate Bnei Yisrael from their Father in Heaven, by the power of the redemption from the iron crucible.

וב' בחי' אלו בפסוק מי כו' גדול א' לו חוקים כו' הוא מתן תורה התגלות שערים עליונים

And these two dimensions are in the verse, "For who is a great nation that has a God... statutes..." — this is the giving of the Torah, the revelation of the supernal gates.

The first dimension, Matan Torah and the revelation of the supernal gates, is hinted in the verse "who is a great nation that has a God" with His statutes.

ומי ג"ג אשר כו' אלקים קרובים כו' בכל קראינו הוא בחי' יצ"מ אפי' מחיצה של ברזל אין מפסקת:

"And who is a great nation that has a God so close... in all our calling out to Him" (Devarim 4:7) — this is the dimension of Yetzias Mitzrayim, that even an iron partition does not separate.

The second dimension, Yetzias Mitzrayim and Hashem's nearness in all our calling, is hinted in the verse about Hashem being close, paralleling that no iron partition can separate.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains how Bnei Yisrael merited the declaration of Hashem's Oneness in Krias Shema through Matan Torah. He answers the philosophical question of how multiplicity emerges from the One by teaching that every realm of creation contains a hidden portion bound to Hashem's Oneness, and that this portion is testified to across the three dimensions of time (Shabbos), soul (Bnei Yisrael), and place (Eretz Yisrael and the Beis HaMikdash). Bnei Yisrael bear this testimony through the supernal neshamah, the level of yechidah, received at Sinai, and after the sin this power must be aroused through tefillin, whose two parts correspond to Yetzias Mitzrayim and Matan Torah and parallel shamor and zachor of Shabbos. He shows that at Matan Torah all of nature was nullified, revealing Hashem's kingship, yet through "asher hotzeisicha" it became clear that the ability to transcend nature belongs specifically to Bnei Yisrael by the power of the redemption. Thus a Jew has the power to rise above nature such that no iron partition separates him from his Father in Heaven, and these two dimensions of Matan Torah and Yetzias Mitzrayim are embedded in the verses of Parshas Vaeschanan.