Bechukotai
בחוקותיToiling in Torah
23 translated essays · 45 total
תרל"ב(1871)
Toil in Torah as bittul· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "I considered my ways" (Tehillim 119:59). The Sefas Emes opens with this pasuk from Tehillim, which the Midrash expounds, as the gateway to his theme: that a person must first reflect before he acts. "Every day I would calcu…
Bittul to Klal Yisrael· Essay 3
My grandfather, my teacher and master, of blessed memory, explained the aforementioned Midrash in light of the Mishnah: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me…" (Avos 1:14). The Sefas Emes opens by citing his grandfather's teaching, wh…
Tzaddikim validate creation's hidden source· Essay 4
"With ten utterances the world was created," etc. (Avos 5:1). The Sefas Emes begins with the Mishnah that the world was created through ten divine utterances, and the Mishnah's question of why — when it could have been created with a single…
Bechukotai תרל"ב (test)
תרל”ב ב”ה מפ’ בחקותי במד’ חשבתי דרכי. בכל יום הייתי מחשב למקום פלוני לדירה פלו’ אני הולך והיו רגלי מביאות כו’. The Medrash (Rabbah Vayikra 35) David Hamelech said everyday I would plan I need to go to a c…
Bechukotai תרל"ב
תרל”ב ב”ה מפ’ בחקותי במד’ חשבתי דרכי. בכל יום הייתי מחשב למקום פלוני לדירה פלו’ אני הולך והיו רגלי מביאות כו’. The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 35:1) David Hamelch said “I have considered my ways, and have ret…
תרל"ה(1874)
Yoke of Heaven reveals the mitzvos' inner taste· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "I considered my ways [and turned my feet to Your testimonies]" (Tehillim 119:59). The Sefas Emes opens with the verse in which David says he reckoned and reflected upon his ways before acting — the Midrash connects this to …
This-worldly reward as Divine gift· Essay 2
And in the Midrash: three things were given as a gift (matanah) — the Torah, and the rains, etc. The Sefas Emes cites the Midrash that lists several things — among them the Torah and rain — that Hashem grants as outright gifts rather than a…
Refinement as endless cycle of light· Essay 3
"And the threshing shall reach for you... and the vintage... and the sowing" (Vayikra 26:5). The Sefas Emes cites the blessing in Bechukosai that the threshing will reach until the vintage, and the vintage until the sowing — an unbroken cha…
Dispute for the sake of Heaven· Essay 4
"And [five of you] shall pursue [a hundred]… and five hundred…" (Vayikra 26:8). The Torah promises that a small number of Bnei Yisrael will rout a far greater enemy — five chasing a hundred, and a hundred chasing ten thousand. Rashi explain…
Bechukotai תרל"ה
במד’ חשבתי דרכי כו’. The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 35:1) David Hamelch said “I have considered my ways, and have returned back to your decrees” (Tehillim 119:59). David was saying, tht every day he had certain plans to go to certa…
תרל"ו(1875)
Toiling in Torah elevates the physical world· Essay 2
In the Midrash on "Bechukosai (in My statutes)": "I considered my ways…" The Midrash links the parsha of the chukim to the verse from Tehillim "I considered my ways and turned my feet to Your testimonies," setting up the theme of human reas…
Upright stature with yiras Shomayim· Essay 3
"And I led you upright (komemiyus)" — Rashi explains, from the Toras Kohanim, "with erect stature." The Sefas Emes begins with the verse promising that Hashem will lead Bnei Yisrael "upright," which Rashi, citing the Toras Kohanim, understa…
Two statures: body and inner soul· Essay 4
"And I led you upright (komemiyus)" (Vayikra 26:13) — [the word komemiyus hints at] two statures (komos). Chazal read "komemiyus" as alluding to two "komos," two full statures, which the Sefas Emes will now explain. Meaning: the form of a p…
Bechukotai תרל"ו
ב”ה מפ’ בהר בחקותי במד’ בחקותי. חשבתי דרכי כו’. The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 35:1) David Hamelch said “I have considered my ways, and have returned back to your decrees” (Tehillim 119:59). David was saying, tht every …
תרל"ז(1876)
תרל"ח(1877)
Reasoning as a path to bittul beyond reason· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "I considered my ways…" (Tehillim 119:59). The Sefas Emes opens with David HaMelech's words about reflecting on his ways, which the Midrash expounds. "Each day I would plan, 'I am going to such-and-such a place,' and my feet…
Refining the body into a vessel for reward· Essay 2
"And you shall eat that which is old, well-aged etc." (Vayikra 26:10) The Sefas Emes opens with the bracha that Bnei Yisrael will eat old, aged produce — which he will read as a spiritual principle about renewing the old. For it is taught: …
תר"מ(1879)
Each Jew's unique tikkun must enter Klal Yisrael· Essay 2
In the Midrash on Bechukosai: "I considered my ways... and my feet would bring me..." (Tehillim 119:59). The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash that links our parsha to David HaMelech's words: he reflected on his ways, yet found that his fee…
Sons who become servants through accepting the yoke· Essay 3
On the verse: "For unto Me are Bnei Yisrael servants; they are My servants." The Sefas Emes opens on the verse declaring that Bnei Yisrael belong to Hashem as His servants. Even though Bnei Yisrael are sons. By their essence Bnei Yisrael ar…
תרמ"א(1880)
Torah refines the physical world· Essay 1
In the Midrash on the pasuk: "I considered my ways, and I returned my feet to Your testimonies" (Tehillim 119:59). The Sefas Emes opens with the verse describing a person who reflects on his own path and then turns himself back toward the e…
Gradual buildup toward complete rectification· Essay 2
On the verse, "And five of you shall pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you shall pursue ten thousand (revavah)…" (Vayikra 26:8). The Sefas Emes takes up the blessing that promises a small number of Bnei Yisrael will rout a vastly larger en…
תרמ"ב(1881)
תרמ"ג(1882)
22 more essays from this section await translation.