Bnei Yisrael as Hashem's witnesses through Torah

בפסוק זכור את יום השבת לקדשו.

On the verse "Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it" (Shemos 20:8).

The Sefas Emes asks what the act of "remembering" adds to the holiness of Shabbos.

משמע שע"י הזכירה ניתוסף קדושה לשבת וכמ"ש בשם מו"ז ז"ל ע"פ לעשות את השבת שנק' מעשה כמ"ש בגמרא בדיבורא איתעביד מעשה.

This implies that through the remembering, additional kedushah is added to Shabbos, as was said in the name of my grandfather, of blessed memory, on the verse "to make the Shabbos" (Shemos 31:16) — that it is called an act of "making," as the Gemara says: "through speech an action is accomplished" (cf. Sanhedrin 65b).

Citing the Chiddushei HaRim, the Sefas Emes notes that our verbal remembrance of Shabbos is itself a "making" of Shabbos — words can accomplish a real deed, drawing extra holiness into the day.

כמו כן ע"י עדות בנ"י בשבת מתגלה הקדושה בשבת כו'.

So too, through the testimony (eidus) of Bnei Yisrael on Shabbos, the kedushah of Shabbos is revealed.

By bearing witness to Shabbos — that Hashem created the world and rested — Bnei Yisrael reveal and activate its inherent holiness.

דכ' אתם עדי נאום ה' ואני אל.

For it is written: "You are My witnesses, says Hashem, and I am God" (Yeshayahu 43:12).

Bnei Yisrael are designated as Hashem's witnesses, testifying to His sovereignty in the world.

שכפי עדות בנ"י עליו.

That according to the testimony of Bnei Yisrael concerning Him —

The revelation of Hashem in the world is measured by the testimony Bnei Yisrael give.

כך מתגלה אלקותו בעולם.

— so is His Godliness (Elokus) revealed in the world.

Their witnessing is the very means by which Hashem's presence becomes manifest in creation.

ושבת סהדותא איקרי.

And Shabbos is called "testimony" (sahadusa).

Shabbos itself bears the name of testimony, for keeping it testifies that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.

ובוודאי כאשר הש"י ייחד אותנו לעדים יש לנו כח להעיד ולברר כבוד מלכותו ית' בעולם.

And certainly, since Hashem singled us out as witnesses, we have the power to testify and to make clear the glory of His blessed kingship in the world.

Being chosen as witnesses is not merely a title but an empowerment: Bnei Yisrael are given the actual ability to reveal Hashem's malchus in the world.

ובאמת הכל בכח התורה דכ' וידבר כו' לאמר אנכי ה'.

And in truth all of this is through the power of the Torah, as it is written: "And He spoke... saying: I am Hashem" (Shemos 20:1-2).

This power to testify derives entirely from the Torah, given at Sinai with the words "I am Hashem."

פי' שניתן כח לבנ"י לומר זאת.

The meaning is that the power was given to Bnei Yisrael to say this.

"Leimor" (saying) indicates that Bnei Yisrael themselves were empowered to declare and affirm "I am Hashem."

ולברר כי הוא ית' אלהינו.

And to make clear that He, blessed is He, is our God.

Through Torah, Bnei Yisrael are able to clarify and proclaim Hashem's lordship.

וז"ש אתם עדי נאום ה'.

And this is the meaning of "You are My witnesses, says Hashem."

The Sefas Emes now parses the structure of the verse itself.

דהל"ל ואני אל נאום ה'.

For it should have said: "and I am God, says Hashem."

The phrase "says Hashem" seems oddly placed; logically it belongs after "and I am God."

רק הפסיק באמצע הפסוק לומר כי העדות שאנו מעידין הוא בכחו ית' כמ"ש ואשים דברי בפיך.

Rather, it interrupted in the middle of the verse to teach that the testimony we bear is through His power, as it is written: "and I have placed My words in your mouth" (Yeshayahu 51:16).

The verse deliberately inserts "says Hashem" mid-sentence to show that our very testimony is empowered by Hashem — He places His words in our mouths.

הוא ע"י התורה.

This is through the Torah.

The words Hashem places in our mouths are the words of Torah, the source of our power to testify.

ובצל ידי כסיתיך הוא המצות רמ"ח ושס"ה.

"And in the shadow of My hand I have covered you" (Yeshayahu 51:16) — this refers to the mitzvos, the 248 (positive) and 365 (negative).

The continuation of the verse alludes to the 613 mitzvos, which clothe and protect a person like a "shadow" of Hashem's hand.

שהוא צלם האדם בפנימיות.

For this is the inner "tzelem" (form/image) of a person.

The 248 limbs and 365 sinews correspond to the 613 mitzvos, which are the spiritual inner form of the human being.

שיש עדות בפה.

That there is testimony with the mouth.

One form of testimony is verbal — declaring Hashem's kingship through speech and Torah.

ויש עדות במעשה.

And there is testimony with action.

The other form of testimony is through deeds — fulfilling the mitzvos.

לנטוע שמים וליסוד ארץ בב' עדיות אלו.

"To plant the heavens and to found the earth" (Yeshayahu 51:16) — through these two testimonies.

The two forms of testimony, word and deed, are what sustain and renew the very heavens and earth.

וז"ש אתם עדי נאום ה'.

And this is the meaning of "You are My witnesses, says Hashem."

Bnei Yisrael bear this dual testimony — of speech and of action — empowered by Hashem.

והבן.

And understand this.

The Sefas Emes invites the reader to contemplate the depth of this idea.

וכזה שמעתי מפי מו"ז ז"ל במ"ש רש"י בסנהדרין במשנה האומר אין תחה"מ מן התורה שאפי' מאמין בתה"מ רק שאינו בכח התורה מה לנו ולאמונתו ע"ש:

And something like this I heard from the mouth of my grandfather, of blessed memory, regarding what Rashi writes in Sanhedrin on the Mishnah concerning "one who says there is no Techiyas HaMeisim (resurrection of the dead) from the Torah" — that even if he believes in Techiyas HaMeisim, but his belief is not grounded in the power of the Torah, "what use to us is his belief?" See there.

The Chiddushei HaRim taught that emunah which does not flow from the Torah is worthless; only belief rooted in the power of Torah counts — paralleling our theme that all true testimony and recognition of Hashem derives from Torah.

Summary: "Remember Shabbos" teaches that our verbal remembrance actually "makes" Shabbos and draws additional kedushah into it, since "through speech an action is accomplished." So too Bnei Yisrael, designated as Hashem's witnesses, reveal His Godliness in the world to the very degree they testify — and Shabbos itself is called "testimony." This power comes entirely from the Torah: Hashem places His words in our mouths (testimony of speech/Torah) and covers us in the shadow of His hand (testimony of action/the 613 mitzvos). Both testimonies together "plant the heavens and found the earth." As the Chiddushei HaRim taught, even emunah is only of value when it is grounded in the power of the Torah.