Ki Tisa
כי תשאThe Golden Calf
34 translated essays · 61 total
תרל"א(1870)
Shabbos reveals the hidden inner point· Essay 1
In Rashi: "Yet [keep My Shabbosos]…" — to exclude Shabbos from the work of the Mishkan. The Torah places the command "you shall keep My Shabbosos" right alongside the building of the Mishkan, and Rashi explains the word "yet" (אך) as coming…
The extra soul of Shabbos awakens teshuvah· Essay 2
And Chazal wrote that Shabbos was given in private (be-tzin'ah), as it is written "between Me and Bnei Yisrael" (Shemos 31:17); [the Gemara asks] if so, [the nations] should not be punished [for not keeping it] — if so, etc.; "the extra sou…
Ki Tisa תרל"א
תרל”א ברש”י אך כו’ שבתותי תשמורו כו’ למעט שבת ממלאכת המשכן. ורמב”ן ז”ל תמה. Rashi (Shemos 31:13); The word “אך (only or nevertheless) Keep my Shabbos” teaches us that there is something minimised. Namely …
תרל"ב(1871)
Guarding Shabbos by drawing its holiness into the week· Essay 1
"Only My Shabbosos you shall guard, etc." (Shemos 31:13), and likewise "And Bnei Yisrael shall guard the Shabbos" (Shemos 31:16). The Sefas Emes notes that the Torah speaks of Bnei Yisrael "guarding" the Shabbos, a phrasing he will examine …
Shabbos untouched by sin· Essay 2
"And Bnei Yisrael shall guard [the Shabbos]..." (Shemos 31:16) — this is also a promise (havtachah) that Bnei Yisrael will keep the Shabbos. The Sefas Emes reads "v'shamru" not only as a command but as an assurance: Hashem promises that Bne…
Bnei Yisrael as the partner of Shabbos· Essay 3
In the Midrash: Shabbos said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Everyone has a partner, but I have no partner," and He answered, "Knesses Yisrael (the Community of Israel) shall be your partner" (Bereishis Rabbah 11:8). The Sefas Emes ope…
Ki Tisa תרל"ב
תרל”ב אך את שבתותי תשמורו כו’ וכן ושמרו בנ”י את השבת. ומה שמירה זו שאדם שומר השבת. הלא האדם נשמר בשבת. The Pasuk (Shemos 31:16) tells us “Guard the Shabbos”, and (Shemos 31:16) “Bnei Yisrael shall guard the Shabbos”. Howev…
תרל"ג(1872)
תרל"ה(1874)
Shabbos consciousness in every act· Essay 1
"Only you shall guard My Shabbosos… it is a sign between Me and you… to know that I am Hashem who sanctifies you." The Sefas Emes opens with the pasuk in which Shabbos is called an "os" (sign) between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael, a sign through…
Shabbos as the goal of weekday labor· Essay 2
In Rashi: "a Shabbos of complete rest" — a rest of settled repose, and not a temporary rest. The Sefas Emes cites Rashi, who distinguishes the rest of Shabbos as a true, settled menuchah rather than a mere incidental pause. We have explaine…
Making Shabbos: deeds that anchor heavenly roots· Essay 3
My grandfather, my teacher and master, of blessed memory, explained "to make the Shabbos" (Shemos 31:16) according to the words of the Ramban concerning the Avos, who requested a sign — "how shall I know?" (Bereishis 15:8). The Sefas Emes b…
Shabbos and Yisrael as soul of Creation· Essay 4
In the Gemara: Shabbos was given in private (b'tzin'a). The Gemara (Beitzah 16a) teaches that the special gift of Shabbos was given to Bnei Yisrael discreetly, not openly to the nations. "It is a sign between Me and the Bnei Yisrael" (Shemo…
Ki Tisa תרל"ה
תרל”ה אך את שבתותי תשמורו כו’ אות הוא ביני וביניכם כו’ לדעת כי אני ה’ מקדישכם. (Shemos 31:13) Speak to the Bnei Yisrael and say: Nevertheless, you must keep My Shabbos’s, for this is a sign between Me and you through…
תרל"ו(1875)
Guarding the imprint of Shabbos in the heart· Essay 1
"However, My Shabbosos you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you..." (Shemos 31:13). The Sefas Emes opens with the pasuk commanding the keeping of Shabbos, which Hashem calls a "sign" between Himself and Bnei Yisrael. It begins wi…
Completion unlocks the Torah's gift· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "And He gave to Moshe when He finished (ke-kaloso)" — at the end of forty days. It said: I do not know — did the Holy One, blessed is He, perhaps give it to him as a gift, etc. The Midrash (on Shemos 31:18) notices the word …
Ki Tisa תרל"ו
אך את שבתותי תשמורו כי אות הוא ביני וביניכם כו’. “However you shall guard my Shabbos’s for it is a sign between Me and you” התחיל שבתותי ומסיים אות הוא. The pasuk begins with the plural word Shabbos’s yet continues in the singul…
תרל"ז(1876)
Shabbos: the gift untouched by sin· Essay 1
On the pasuk: "And you, speak to Bnei Yisrael… but My Shabbosos you shall guard…" (Shemos 31:13). The Sefas Emes begins with the command of Shabbos given at the Mishkan, focusing on the limiting word "but" (ach). What does "but" (ach) come …
Moshe binds himself to Klal Yisrael· Essay 2
In the Midrash on "and he shattered them..." The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash on Moshe Rabbeinu's breaking of the Luchos when he descended and saw the eigel. Since Moshe Rabbeinu saw that Yisrael had no standing, he joined himself toge…
Ki Tisa תרל"ז
בפסוק ואתה דבר אל בני ישראל כו’ אך את שבתותי תשמורו כו’. מאי אך. כתב רש”י למעט שבת ממלאכת המשכן. (Shemos 31:13) “And you shall speak to Bnei Yisrael… אך – only guard my Shabbos’s”. rashi explains that the word …
תרל"ח(1877)
Shabbos, the untouched eternal sign· Essay 1
On the verse: "Ach (only/but) My Shabbosos you shall guard ... it is a sign (os) between Me and you" (Shemos 31:13). The Sefas Emes takes up the verse that commands the keeping of Shabbos and calls it a "sign" between Hashem and Bnei Yisrae…
Luchos engrave Torah into action· Essay 2
On the pasuk "And the Luchos were the work of God," etc. The Sefas Emes examines the verse describing the Tablets as "the work of God," with the writing being "the writing of God, engraved upon the Luchos." For one must understand what such…
Ki Tisa תרל"ח
בפסוק אך את שבתותי תשמורו כו’ אות הוא ביני וביניכם. וקשה מאי אך. ורש”י כתב למעט שבת ממלאכת המשכן. The pasuk (Shemos 31:13) “Only – אך guard the Shabbos, for it is a sign between Me and Bnei Yisrael”. The word אך – on…
תרל"ט(1878)
Torah as gift after total toil· Essay 2
"And He gave to Moshe, when He had finished [speaking with him]" (Shmos 31:18) — in the Midrash: all forty days he learned and forgot… The verse describes Hashem giving Moshe the Luchos "when He finished." The Midrash relates that throughou…
Fervor first, then the beauty of concealment· Essay 3
In Rashi: "There is nothing more beautiful than tzni'us (modesty/concealment)." The Sefas Emes begins from Rashi's teaching that the second Luchos were given quietly, in concealment, because "there is nothing more beautiful than modesty." A…
Ki Tisa תרל"ט
תשא ופ’ פרה. ערבובי דברים. Parshat Ki Tisa together with Parshat Para. ויתן אל משה ככלותו במד’ כל מ’ יום למד ושכח כו’. להודיע כי הכל הולך אחר החיתום. ובסוף היגיעה בא הישועה. “And He gave Moshe (the Torah) after forty…
תר"מ(1879)
Shabbos as the root-gift received directly· Essay 1
In the Gemara: "I have a goodly gift in My treasure-house, and Shabbos is its name." Hashem describes Shabbos as a precious gift kept in His own "treasury," hinting that Shabbos is rooted in the most inner place. "Go and make it known to th…
The Luchos bind physical to spiritual· Essay 2
And on the verse, "And the Tablets were the work of Hashem... engraved..." (Shemos 32:16). The Sefas Emes takes up the description of the Luchos (Tablets) as the very "work of Hashem," with the word charus (engraved) written upon them. And …
תרמ"א(1880)
Shabbos as root of refined deeds· Essay 1
On the pasuk: "Only, you shall keep My Shabbosos" (Shemos 31:13). The Sefas Emes opens with the command to keep Shabbos, which appears right alongside the work of the Mishkan. The juxtaposition of Shabbos to the work of the Mishkan. He note…
The tzaddik who descends to uplift· Essay 2
In the Midrash on the verse, "Go, descend" (Shemos 32:7). The Sefas Emes begins from the Midrash on Hashem's command to Moshe Rabbeinu to descend from the mountain after the sin of the Egel. "Angels of God ascending and descending upon it" …
תרמ"ב(1881)
תרמ"ג(1882)
Shabbos elevates the physical to soul· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "For Hashem grants wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Mishlei 2:6) — see there. The Midrash distinguishes between wisdom that Hashem "grants" and the daas and tevunah that come "from His mouth," a dist…
Holiness and Shabbos as Hashem's gift· Essay 2
And my grandfather, of blessed memory, explained "to know that I am Hashem who sanctifies you." The Sefas Emes cites his grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim) on the verse describing Shabbos as a sign, "to know that I am Hashem who sanctifies …
Mishkan as remedy for separation· Essay 3
According to the approach of Rashi, that they were commanded to build the Mishkan only after the sin [of the Golden Calf] — The Sefas Emes builds on Rashi's view that the command to construct the Mishkan came after the cheit ha'egel, not be…
Amalek's contamination penetrates the camp· Essay 4
"And Yehoshua heard… the sound of war in the camp" (Shemos 32:17). As Moshe Rabbeinu descended from Har Sinai, Yehoshua heard a tumult and took it to be the noise of battle within the Israelite camp. We have explained that Yehoshua, who was…
27 more essays from this section await translation.