Servants of Hashem who rise to sons

וכתיב כי לי בנ"י עבדים עבדי הם.

And it is written: "For unto Me Bnei Yisrael are servants; they are My servants."

The pasuk declares that Bnei Yisrael belong to Hashem as His servants — and the Sefas Emes will probe the doubled phrasing.

דאיתא בזוה"ק מאן דכפית באחרא א"י לקבל עליו עול מ"ש.

For it is stated in the Zohar HaKadosh: one who is bound to another cannot accept upon himself the yoke of the Kingship of Heaven (ol malchus Shomayim).

The Zohar teaches that a person enslaved or bound to another master cannot take on the yoke of Heaven — one cannot serve two masters.

אכן בנ"י הם לעולם עבדי ה'.

However, Bnei Yisrael are forever the servants of Hashem.

Bnei Yisrael are the exception: their bond as servants of Hashem is permanent and can never be transferred to another.

וזה שמצווים לזכור תמיד יצ"מ כי ביצ"מ יצאנו מבית עבדים היינו שלעולם לא נתבטל מבנ"י בחי' עבדי ה'.

And this is why we are commanded to always remember Yetzias Mitzrayim — for in the Exodus we went out from "the house of slaves," meaning that the aspect of being "servants of Hashem" can never be removed from Bnei Yisrael.

We constantly recall the Exodus because leaving "the house of bondage" established permanently that we are Hashem's servants — a status that can never be undone.

ואיתא במד' כ"מ דכ' לי הוא בלי הפסק והכא כ' לי בנ"י עבדים.

And it is stated in the Midrash that wherever "li" (unto Me) is written, it denotes something without interruption — and here it is written "unto Me Bnei Yisrael are servants."

The Midrash teaches that the word "li" always signifies something eternal and uninterrupted; here it tells us that Bnei Yisrael's servitude to Hashem is unbroken forever.

והגלות והירידות לבנ"י הם רק בבחי' בנים.

And the galus and the descents of Bnei Yisrael are only in the aspect of "sons."

The exiles and spiritual descents affect only Bnei Yisrael's standing as "children" of Hashem — a relationship that can be temporarily strained.

אבל העבדות א"א להסיר מאתנו כמ"ש לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד.

But the servitude is impossible to remove from us, as it is written: "they shall not be sold as a slave is sold."

Our status as Hashem's servants, however, can never be stripped away — as the pasuk says, we cannot be "sold" into the ownership of any other master.

וכתי' ג"פ בפרשה זו עבדי.

And "My servants" is written three times in this parshah.

The Sefas Emes notes that the term avadai ("My servants") appears three times in the parshah, and seeks the significance of the number.

כי לי בנ"י עבדים.

"For unto Me Bnei Yisrael are servants."

This is the first of the three occurrences.

עבדי הם.

"They are My servants."

These are the second and third occurrences of "My servants."

על ג' הגליות שאחר יצ"מ שבכלם לא הוסר מאתנו בחי' עבדי ה' כנ"ל.

This corresponds to the three exiles after the Exodus, in all of which the aspect of being "servants of Hashem" was not removed from us, as above.

The threefold repetition alludes to the exiles that followed the Exodus, in each of which we remained Hashem's servants despite our descent.

ואיתא במשנה המקבל עליו עול תורה מעבירין ממנו עול מלכות כו'.

And it is stated in the Mishnah: "Whoever accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah, the yoke of (worldly) kingship is removed from him," etc.

The Mishnah in Avos teaches that accepting the yoke of Torah brings the removal of the yoke of worldly government and burdens.

א"כ נראה שבכח איש ישראל לקבל עול תורה בעודנו ת"י עול מלכות מטעם הנ"ל.

If so, it appears that a Jew has the power to accept the yoke of Torah even while he is still under the yoke of (worldly) kingship, for the reason stated above.

This shows that — unlike an ordinary bound servant who cannot take on the yoke of Heaven — a Jew can accept the yoke of Torah even while subject to worldly rule, because his bond to Hashem is permanent.

וזה הכח ניתן לנו ביצ"מ.

And this power was given to us at Yetzias Mitzrayim.

This unique ability was granted to Bnei Yisrael at the Exodus, when we became Hashem's servants forever.

והיא ההתחלה שע"י שמקבלין העול זוכין אח"כ להיות בן חורין שמעבירין ממנו עול מלכות.

And it is the beginning: that through accepting the yoke, one then merits to become a free man, for the yoke of (worldly) kingship is removed from him.

Accepting the yoke of servitude to Hashem is only the starting point; through it one ultimately attains true freedom, as the worldly yoke falls away.

היינו כשבאין לבחי' בנים כנ"ל.

That is, when one reaches the aspect of "sons," as above.

This freedom comes when one rises to the higher relationship of being Hashem's "child," beyond mere servitude.

לשמוע בקול דברו.

"To hearken to the voice of His word."

This higher level is to truly listen to and absorb the word of Hashem, like a beloved son.

ועל ב' ענינים אלו ניתן לנו ב' אותות ברית מילה והתפילין.

And for these two matters we were given two signs (osos): the bris of milah and the tefillin.

The two relationships — son and servant — are marked by two signs upon the body: circumcision and tefillin.

ובשבת מילה ושבת.

And on Shabbos — milah and Shabbos.

On Shabbos, the "sign" is milah together with Shabbos itself (since tefillin are not worn on Shabbos, Shabbos serves as the sign).

מילה בחי' בן.

Milah is the aspect of "son."

Circumcision, sealed in our very flesh, corresponds to the relationship of a son.

בריתך שחתמת בבשרנו שאין עושין כזאת לעבד רק לבן.

"Your covenant which You sealed in our flesh" — for one does not do such a thing for a servant, only for a son.

The covenant engraved in our flesh is fitting only for a son, not a mere slave — confirming that milah expresses our standing as children of Hashem.

ותפילין ושבת בחי' עבדי ה'.

And tefillin and Shabbos are the aspect of "servants of Hashem."

Tefillin (and the cessation of melachah on Shabbos) express the relationship of servitude — accepting the yoke of Heaven.

אכן יש גם בתפילין בחי' בן ג"כ.

However, there is in tefillin the aspect of "son" as well.

Yet the two relationships are not wholly separate — tefillin too contain an element of sonship.

וכן בש"ק זכור ושמור.

And likewise on the holy Shabbos: "Remember" and "Guard."

This duality appears in Shabbos's two commands — "Zachor" (remember) and "Shamor" (guard) — paralleling son (positive love) and servant (cautious guarding).

ויש לדייק בפסוק כפל הלשון לי בנ"י עבדים עבדי הם.

And one should note carefully the doubled expression in the pasuk: "unto Me Bnei Yisrael are servants; they are My servants."

The verse repeats "servants," which demands explanation of what the second phrase adds.

וי"ל ע"פ המשנה א"ת כעבדים המשמשים ע"מ לקבל פרס.

And it may be explained according to the Mishnah: "Do not be like servants who serve the master in order to receive a reward."

The Mishnah in Avos warns against serving Hashem like servants who work only for the sake of reward.

וז"ש עבדי הם לשם שמים לא ע"מ לקבל פרס.

And this is what is meant by "they are My servants" — for the sake of Heaven, not in order to receive a reward.

The second phrase, "they are My servants," specifies that Bnei Yisrael serve Hashem purely lishmah, for His sake alone, not for any payment.

ולכן זוכין אח"כ ליכנוס לבחי' בנים כמ"ש במד' על פסוק עבד משכיל ימשול בבן מביש.

And therefore they then merit to enter the aspect of "sons," as is stated in the Midrash on the pasuk: "A wise servant will rule over a shameful son."

Because they serve selflessly, they then rise to the level of "sons" — as the Midrash expounds the verse "a wise servant will rule over a shameful son," showing that the faithful servant ascends to sonship.

ובגלות שאין זוכין לבחי' בנים תמיד.

And in galus, when one does not always merit the aspect of "sons."

During exile, Bnei Yisrael cannot always sustain the elevated standing of "sons."

מ"מ נק' עבד משכיל כי כל העולם ומלואו הם עבדים לה'.

Nevertheless, one is called a "wise servant" — for all the world and its fullness are servants to Hashem.

Even then we retain the title "wise servant." All of creation serves Hashem in some sense, but Bnei Yisrael serve with understanding and willingly.

אבל בנ"י מיוחדים להיות נק' עבדי אתה כנ"ל:

But Bnei Yisrael are uniquely designated to be called "you are My servant," as above.

What distinguishes Bnei Yisrael is being singularly called by Hashem "you are My servant" — a chosen, permanent, devoted servitude unlike that of the rest of creation.

Summary: Unlike an ordinary bound servant who cannot accept the yoke of Heaven, Bnei Yisrael became Hashem's eternal servants at Yetzias Mitzrayim — a bond that can never be removed, even in galus, when only the higher status of "sons" is temporarily diminished. These two relationships, son and servant, are marked by milah and tefillin (and by Zachor and Shamor of Shabbos). Serving Hashem selflessly, lishmah and not for reward, is precisely what elevates the faithful "servant" to the cherished level of "son."