Doing Before Hearing

במדרש ה' עוזי ומעוזי כו'.

In the Midrash: “The Lord is my strength and my stronghold…”

The Sefat Emet opens by citing the Midrashic phrase that frames divine power in two modes: essential strength and derived fortification.

כי באמת שורש של נשמות בנ"י הם דבקים בשורש התורה.

For in truth, the root of the souls of Israel is bound to the root of the Torah.

The deepest identity of Israel is ontologically attached to Torah, sharing a single spiritual source.

כדאיתא אורייתא וישראל כולהו חד וזהו ה' עוזי ממש.

As it is taught: “Torah and Israel are entirely one,” and this is the meaning of “the Lord is my strength” literally.

The unity of Israel with Torah is itself the “strength” granted directly from God, without intermediaries.

ובחי' ומעוזי הוא העוז שיש לאדם מהקב"ה ע"י סיבות ועצות.

And the aspect of “my stronghold” refers to the fortitude a person receives from God through means and strategies.

This is a lower form of divine strength that comes clothed in worldly processes.

והיא מדרגה פחותה מהנ"ל.

And it is a lesser level than the former.

The mediated strength cannot compare to the direct divine attachment.

וכמו ההפרש בין השגה שלעתיד בין היגיעה בעוה"ז שהוא ע"י מחיצות והפסקות.

Like the difference between the comprehension of the future and the toil of this world, which is through partitions and separations.

Worldly effort is obstructed by limitations, unlike the seamless revelation of the future.

וזה ג"כ ענין הקדמת נעשה לנשמע.

And this too is the matter of placing “we will do” before “we will hear.”

Action represents the higher, angelic level of pure mission.

כי נעשה הוא בחי' ראשונה כמלאכי השרת שהשליחות הוא עצם החיות שלהם.

For “we will do” is the primary level, like ministering angels, whose mission is their very life-force.

Their obedience flows naturally, without need for preparation.

וא"צ להיות ע"י הכנות.

And it does not require preparation.

The first level is innate and immediate.

אכן מדרגה של נשמע הוצרכו בנ"י בעודם בעוה"ז שנשתלחו נשמתן של ישראל לעוה"ז.

But the level of “we will hear” was needed by Israel while still in this world, to which their souls were sent.

The hearing corresponds to human existence within physical constraints.

ונתלבשו בגופות כדי לקיים כל הברואים.

And they were clothed in bodies in order to sustain all creatures.

Embodiment enables Israel to uplift the world.

וז"ש מעוזי ומנוסי כו' אליך גוים יבואו.

And this is the meaning of “my stronghold and my refuge… unto You nations will come.”

The mediated strength enables Israel to influence the nations.

שכל מה שהיו צריכין לירד למצרים וכל אלה המקומות.

For all their descent to Egypt and to all such places.

Exile served a refining purpose.

הכל בעבור אליך גוים יבואו.

All was so that the nations would ultimately come to You.

Israel’s journey radiates sanctity outward.

וב' בחי' הנ"ל הם ימי המעשה והשבת.

And these two aspects correspond to the weekdays and Shabbat.

Weekdays reflect mediated strength; Shabbat reflects direct divine connection.

כי מעוזי בחול ובש"ק עוזי ממש.

For “my stronghold” applies during the week, but on Shabbat it is “my strength” literally.

The shift of divine relationship mirrors sacred time.

דכ' ששת ימים תעבוד כו' ויום השביעי כו' לה'.

As it is written: “Six days you shall labor… and the seventh day is for the Lord.”

Creative work belongs to the weekdays; divine rest to Shabbat.

והלא כל הארץ ומלואה לה'.

Yet does not the whole earth and its fullness belong to God?

If all is God’s, what does “the seventh day is for God” add?

רק שהקב"ה וב"ש בחר לו חלק מיוחד בכל הענינים.

Only that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose for Himself a special portion in every realm.

In each dimension God set aside a part as His own.

ובנפשות בחר בנ"י לחלקו.

Among souls, He chose Israel as His portion.

In the realm of people, Israel.

ובזמן יום הז' לה'.

In time, “the seventh day is for God.”

In the realm of time, Shabbat.

וכן כל המועדות. וכמ"ש ימים יוצרו ולו אחד זה יום השבת כו'.

So too all the festivals. As it is written, “Days were formed, and one of them is His”: this is the day of Shabbat, and so on.

The Midrash reads this psalm verse as referring to Shabbat.

ובעולם בחר לו א"י ירושלים ובהמ"ק.

In the world, He chose for Himself the Land of Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple.

In the realm of place, the Holy Land and the Temple.

וזה חסר לנו עתה.

And this is what we lack now.

The third of these is missing in exile.

ולכן איתא השבת ובנ"י מעידין זה ע"ז.

Therefore it is taught that Shabbat and Israel testify to each other.

Two of the three remain, and they bear witness together.

כדכ' זכור כו' יום הז' לקדשו.

As it is written, “Remember... the seventh day to sanctify it.”

Israel sanctifies Shabbat by remembering it.

שבנ"י המיוחדים לשמו ית'.

For Israel, who are set apart for His name,

Israel belongs to God,

ולהם האלקות שנמצא בנפשות.

and to whom belongs the Godliness found in souls,

and carries the divine element within the soul,

מצאו להם מנוח ביום השבת.

found their rest on the day of Shabbat.

so they find their rest on Shabbat.

דאיתא יומא דנשמתין הוא ולאו דגופין.

For it is taught that it is a day of souls and not of bodies.

Shabbat belongs to the soul.

שמתעלה מבחי' זמן וטבע להיות למעלה מהטבע.

It rises above the dimension of time and nature, to be above nature.

Shabbat lifts us beyond the natural order.

לכן לא ירד בו מן גשמיי.

Therefore no physical manna came down on it.

The manna did not fall on Shabbat.

כדאיתא בזוה"ק. וכ' ששת ימים עשה ה' כו' השמים כו'.

As the holy Zohar says. And it is written, “For in six days God made the heavens,” and so on.

He turns to the verse in the Ten Commandments.

פי' בכל הבריאה יש השתתפות החיות אלקיות וחיות היסודות משמים וארץ.

Meaning, in all creation there is a partnership between Godly life and the life of the elements of heaven and earth.

Everything in the week is a blend of divine life and natural forces.

וזה עשה ה' את השמים.

This is “God made the heavens.”

The verse names heaven and earth as partners.

פי' בשיתוף כמ"ש בכל הברואים תוצא הארץ.

Meaning, in partnership, as is said of all creatures, “Let the earth bring forth,”

Creation used the earth as a partner,

ישרצו כו'. אבל ביום השבת יומא דנשמתין בלבד ואין בו השתתפות הגוף.

“Let the waters swarm,” and so on. But the day of Shabbat is a day of souls alone, and there is no partnership with the body.

but Shabbat has no such partner; it is purely spiritual.

ולכן הנחילנו יום השבת שאין בו מגע נכרי שהיא בחי' המיוחדת לבנ"י בלבד.

Therefore He gave us as an inheritance the day of Shabbat, in which no foreigner has a share. It is the aspect that belongs to Israel alone,

Shabbat is Israel’s private portion,

בחי' ה' עוזי כמ"ש לעיל.

the aspect of “God is my strength,” as said above.

the higher level of strength the essay began with.

ובחול כ' ועשית כל מלאכתך.

On weekdays it is written, “and you shall do all your work.”

The week is for work.

היינו ע"י היגיעה בעוה"ז כדי להחיות כל הברואים שהוא בהשתתפות נשמה וגוף.

That is, through toil in this world, to give life to all creatures, which is through the partnership of soul and body.

Weekday labor sustains the world, using body and soul together.

ועשית הוא לשון כפי' שיש מלחמה בימי המעשה.

“And you shall do” (ve’asita) is a word of forcing, for there is war in the working days.

Weekday work involves struggle.

אבל ש"ק נק' מנוחה.

But the holy Shabbat is called rest.

Shabbat is peace.

וכן בגוף הישראלי יש כח לנשמתו לגבור על הגוף יותר בש"ק.

So too in the Jewish body, the soul has more power to overcome the body on the holy Shabbat.

On Shabbat the soul is stronger.

ולכן נק' נשמה יתירה בתוספת כח.

Therefore it is called the additional soul, an added strength.

The extra soul of Shabbat is extra strength.

דבחול כח שניהם שוה.

For on weekdays the strength of both is equal,

During the week body and soul are evenly matched,

ונלחמת הנשמה עם הגוף.

and the soul fights with the body.

and they struggle.

ובשבת הגוף נכנע. וזה הרמז ע"ה אימת שבת עליו.

On Shabbat the body submits. This is the hint of “the ignorant person, the awe of Shabbat is upon him.”

Even the unlearned feel Shabbat’s awe, because the body yields.

ובכל ג' בחי' הנ"ל חל שמו ית' על חלק שלו.

In all three aspects mentioned above, His name rests on His portion,

In people, time and place, God’s name rests on His chosen part,

ושורה בו ברכה לכל השאר.

and blessing rests on it for all the rest.

and through it blessing reaches everything else.

ובנ"י הם הכלי מחזיק ברכה בעבור כל הנפשות.

Israel is the vessel that holds blessing for all souls.

Israel carries blessing for humanity.

וכמו כן בש"ק כ' ויברך שהוא כלי מחזיק ברכה לכל שיתא יומין.

So too of the holy Shabbat it is written, “and He blessed,” for it is a vessel that holds blessing for all six days.

Shabbat blesses the week.

וכמו כן בירושלים דכ' בכ"מ אשר אזכיר א"ש א"א וברכתיך.

So too in Jerusalem, as it is written, “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.”

The Temple was the place of blessing.

ומשם יוצא הברכה לכל העולם.

And from there blessing goes out to the whole world.

From Jerusalem blessing went everywhere.

לכן אמרו חז"ל אחר שחרב בהמ"ק כל יום קללתו מרובה.

Therefore our Sages said that since the Temple was destroyed, every day’s curse is greater than the last.

Without the Temple, the world lost its main channel of blessing.

כי עיקר הברכה הי' מבהמ"ק:

For the main blessing came from the Temple.

That is why its loss is felt every day.

Summary: “God is my strength” describes Israel’s direct bond with God through the Torah, higher than the strength we gain through effort and means. These two levels are Shabbat and the weekdays. God chose a portion in every realm: Israel among souls, Shabbat in time, and Jerusalem and the Temple in place. Shabbat is a day of the soul alone, when the soul overcomes the body and no outsider shares in it. Each chosen portion holds blessing for all the rest, and since the Temple is gone, Shabbat and Israel together bear the witness.