Free Will as Creation's Wonder
במדרש כובד אבן כו' ואינו יגיעה.
“In the Midrash: ‘The weight of a stone… and it is not labor.’”
The Sefat Emet opens with the Midrash that contrasts true labor with something that only appears heavy but involves no real exertion.
במה אני ייגע במי שמכעיס לפני בד"ב כו'.
“In what shall I toil? In those who provoke Me continuously.”
God says that His ‘effort’ is directed toward human beings who oppose Him, not in sustaining creation itself.
הענין כי באמת בריאת יש מאין הוא פלא גדול להבורא ית'.
“The matter is that truly creation ex nihilo is a great wonder for the Blessed Creator.”
The Sefat Emet emphasizes that creation from nothing is an unfathomable divine act.
שנבדל מן הגשם.
“Who is separate from physicality.”
Since God is utterly beyond materiality, creation appears even more wondrous.
ואין בשכל אדם להשיג איך במאמרו וברוח פיו אשר הוא אין סוף בלי כח בגשם ואיך יבא מזה הגשמיות.
“And the human mind cannot grasp how through His word and breath—being infinite and without physical force—materiality emerges.”
The human intellect cannot comprehend how the immaterial divine speech produces a physical universe.
אמנם יותר פלא מזה הוא בחירה זו שנתן לנבראים אשר יוכלו עוד לעשות נגד רצונו ית'.
“But even more wondrous than this is the free choice given to creatures, enabling them to act against His will.”
The Sefat Emet holds that free will surpasses creation itself in mystery.
אף כי הוא מחי' את כולם בכל עת וכל מקום.
“Even though He sustains all at every moment and place.”
Humans act against the very Source who gives them life in real time.
אך כי הוא כל יכול.
“But since He is omnipotent.”
This paradox is possible only because God’s power is limitless.
וב' אלו הענינים הם עיקר האמונה והוא אמונת החידוש ויצ"מ.
“And these two matters are the foundations of faith: belief in creation and belief in the Exodus.”
Creation expresses divine power; the Exodus expresses divine control over human will.
שביצ"מ הראה הבורא ית' כי הבחירה ברשותו כמ"ש אני הכבדתי.
“For in the Exodus the Creator showed that free will is His domain, as it is written: ‘I have hardened [his heart].’”
God demonstrates that human choice can be overridden when it serves His purpose.
ובשבת שהוא יום מנוחה היפוך היגיעה מתקיים ג"כ בב' בחי' הנ"ל.
“And on Shabbat—the day of rest, opposite of toil—these two aspects are also fulfilled.”
Shabbat mirrors both creation and the divine governance revealed in the Exodus.
דכ' בו שבת וינפש.
“As it is written: ‘He rested and was refreshed.’”
‘Rest’ corresponds to cessation of creative activity.
שביתות המעשה דבששת ימים ברא ונח בשביעי.
“The cessation of work, for He created in six days and rested on the seventh.”
This references the creative aspect of Shabbat.
וינפש הוא הנייחא שהי' לפניו מקבלת מלכותו שקיבלו הברואים.
“‘And was refreshed’ refers to the satisfaction He had from the acceptance of His kingship by the creatures.”
The deeper delight of Shabbat comes from creatures willingly submitting to God.
היינו אדם הראשון שאמר לכל הברואים לכו נרננה כו'.
“Meaning Adam, who said to all creatures: ‘Come, let us sing…’”
Adam served as the archetype of creation praising God.
וכן עתה מתקיים בישראל שומרי שבת.
“And so now it is fulfilled in Israel, the observers of Shabbat.”
Israel reenacts Adam’s acceptance of divine kingship.
דכיון דכעס אויל הוא יגיעה.
“For since anger and folly are toil.”
Negative emotions represent spiritual exertion and discord.
ממילא עבודת בנ"י וקבלת עול מלכותו עליהם הוא הנייחא.
“Therefore the service of Israel and their acceptance of His kingship is His rest.”
True divine ‘rest’ is found when humans harmonize with God willingly.
[וי"ל פי' רעוא דרעוין שיש נייחא מגמר הבריאה. ויש נייחא משובתי שבת. שזה עיקר הרצון. שבת במעשה. וינפש ברצון ומחשבה].
“It may be said: ‘Rava de‑ravin’ refers to rest from the completion of creation, and rest from the Shabbat observers—this being the essential will: Shabbat in deed, ‘and was refreshed’ in will and thought.”
The Sefat Emet distinguishes two forms of divine rest: creative completion and human spiritual alignment.
וצריך כל אדם לידע זאת שגם כח היצ"ר וסט"א הוא רק מה שניתן לו כח בגזירת המלך.
“And every person must know that even the power of the evil inclination and the Other Side is only what the King has decreed.”
Even forces of opposition are granted only limited, divine‑assigned power.
כמ"ש וייצר ב' יצרים.
“As it is written: ‘He formed two inclinations.’”
The dual impulses are part of God’s deliberate design.
פי' שהקב"ה יצר אדם באופן זה שיהי' נמצא דמיון שקר וכזב בעולם.
“Meaning: God formed man in such a way that false and deceptive imagination exists in the world.”
The evil inclination creates illusions, not genuine substance.
כי יצר הוא צורה ודמיון שאינו דברים של אמת רק דמיון כזב.
“For ‘yetzer’ is form and imagination—not truth, but false image.”
The Sefat Emet defines the inclination as distortive imagination.
וכשיודע האדם זאת מתחזק נגדו בנקל יותר.
“And when a person knows this, he strengthens himself against it more easily.”
Awareness of the illusion weakens its hold.
ואף שרואין בעלי עבודה כמה מיני נפילות כענין שבע יפול צדיק וקם.
“And even though those who labor in service experience many falls, as in ‘A righteous one falls seven times and rises.’”
Failure is inherent to spiritual growth.
ידע נאמנה כי הכל לטובה.
“He should know with certainty that all is for the good.”
Every fall is purposeful.
כמ"ש בפרעה ויחזק ה' כו'.
“As it says regarding Pharaoh: ‘And the Lord strengthened [his heart].’”
Even resistance is divinely orchestrated.
והכל כדי שיהי' הגאולה אח"כ בשלימות יותר.
“And all this is so that the redemption afterward will be more complete.”
Struggle enriches the eventual deliverance.
וכמו כן כל הנפילות שיש לאדם הכל צורך עלי' שנעשה אח"כ בירור יותר.
“So too, all a person’s falls are for elevation, producing a deeper clarification afterward.”
Each setback refines the soul.
וז"ש כי אני הכבדתי כו' ולמען תספר כו' וידעתם כו' שיהי' דבר של קיימא לעד.
“Thus it says: ‘For I have hardened… so that you may recount… and you shall know…’ so that it be something enduring forever.”
God’s orchestration of resistance ensures an eternal lesson.
Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that creation and free will are the foundations of faith, revealed in Shabbat and the Exodus. Human opposition, like Pharaoh’s resistance and personal spiritual falls, is divinely allowed to produce deeper clarity and a more perfect redemption.