Bnei Yisrael as Hashem's servants and children in galus

בפסוק כי לי ב"י עבדים עבדי הם כו'.

On the pasuk: "For unto Me are Bnei Yisrael servants; they are My servants..." (Vayikra 25:55).

The Sefas Emes opens with the verse declaring Bnei Yisrael to be Hashem's servants, and will distinguish between the status of "servant" and the status of "son."

כבר כתבתי במ"א כי בחי' העבדות לעולם נשאר בבנ"י כמ"ש לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד והמדרגה שניתן לבנ"י שנק' בנים.

I have already written elsewhere that the aspect of avdus (servitude) always remains within Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "they shall not be sold as a slave is sold" (Vayikra 25:42); and [there is also] the level given to Bnei Yisrael by which they are called "banim" (children).

Bnei Yisrael have two statuses before Hashem: an enduring "servant" status that can never be transferred to another master, and the loftier status of "children."

לזה יש זמנים.

To this [status of "children"] there are [specific] times.

The elevated status of "children" is not constant; it shines at particular times of closeness.

אבל בחי' עבדי הם היא אפי' בגלות.

But the aspect of "they are My servants" applies even in galus.

The "servant" relationship, by contrast, endures even during exile, when the closeness of "children" is hidden.

וזה ניתן לבנ"י ביצ"מ.

And this was given to Bnei Yisrael at Yetzias Mitzrayim.

This permanent servant-status was conferred upon Bnei Yisrael at the Exodus, when they became Hashem's servants.

שהוציאם הש"י להיות לעולם עבדי ה' אפי' בעת שנמסרין ת"י מלכים ב"ו.

For Hashem took them out to be forever the servants of Hashem, even at a time when they are handed over into the power of flesh-and-blood kings.

The purpose of the Exodus was to make Bnei Yisrael Hashem's eternal servants, a bond that persists even when they are subjugated to human rulers.

אבל בנ"י מקבלין העבדות לשם שמים.

But Bnei Yisrael accept the servitude for the sake of Heaven (l'shem Shomayim).

Even when serving human masters, Bnei Yisrael inwardly direct that service toward Hashem, transforming it into avodas Hashem.

ז"ש לי בנ"י עבדים לי לשמי.

This is the meaning of "unto Me are Bnei Yisrael servants" — "unto Me," for My Name.

The emphatic "unto Me" teaches that Bnei Yisrael's servitude is ultimately and exclusively for Hashem's sake, no matter who their apparent master is.

והאומות סוברין שעובדין להם והפסוק מעיד עבדי הם.

And the nations think that [Bnei Yisrael] serve them, but the pasuk testifies, "they are My servants."

While the nations imagine that the Jews under their dominion are serving them, the Torah testifies that in truth they remain Hashem's servants alone.

וז"ש ואשבור מוטות עולכם שלא יוכלו הרשעים בעבודה שלהם להטות עול מלכותו ית' מעלינו כמ"ש ז"ל שטרי קודם.

And this is the meaning of "and I broke the bars of your yoke" (Vayikra 26:13) — that the wicked are not able, through their subjugation, to bend away the yoke of His kingship from upon us, as Chazal said, "My document precedes" (shtari kodem).

Hashem's "yoke" upon Bnei Yisrael can never be displaced by any oppressor, for as Chazal taught, Hashem's "claim" on His servants takes precedence over any later claim of a human master.

ואין הפי' קודם בזמן דוקא.

And the meaning of "precedes" is not specifically in time.

The "precedence" of Hashem's claim is not merely chronological.

רק שהעבדות להש"י קודם בלב איש ישראל.

Rather, the servitude to Hashem takes precedence in the heart of the Jew.

It means that in the heart of every Jew, his devotion to Hashem is primary and comes first, above any external bondage.

וא"י להנתק ע"י עבדות ב"ו.

And it cannot be severed by the servitude to flesh-and-blood.

No human subjugation can sever the Jew's primary inner bond of service to Hashem.

וכל הבטחה זו עבדי הם היא הכנה לימי הגלות כמ"ש.

And this entire assurance of "they are My servants" is a preparation for the days of galus, as has been said.

The promise that Bnei Yisrael remain Hashem's servants was given precisely to sustain them through the long days of exile.

אבל עצם בנ"י הם נק' בנים.

But the essence of Bnei Yisrael is that they are called "banim" (children).

The servant-status is protective armor for galus, but the true essence of Bnei Yisrael is that of beloved children.

ונראה עוד כי מוכן הי' להיות בנ"י בנים בלבד והאומות עבדים.

And it further appears that it was originally meant for Bnei Yisrael to be only "children," and the nations to be servants.

The original design was for Bnei Yisrael to occupy solely the exalted role of "children," with the nations serving as the "servants."

אבל כאשר פרקו הרשעים העבדות ניתן הכל לבנ"י כמ"ש וימנע מרשעים אורם.

But when the wicked cast off the servitude, everything was given to Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "and their light is withheld from the wicked" (Iyov 38:15).

When the nations threw off the yoke of serving Hashem, the role of "servant" too was transferred to Bnei Yisrael — the light the wicked forfeited is given over to Klal Yisrael.

וכל מה שאנחנו בגלות ומעבידים אותנו נוטלין אנו מהם כל הנ"ק וכל העבדות ונמסר הכל בידינו.

And in all that we are in galus and they enslave us, we take from them all the holy sparks (nitzotzos kedoshim) and all the servitude, and everything is handed over into our hands.

Even our exile and subjugation are a means of gathering up the holy sparks from the nations; through enduring their oppression, the full role of "servant of Hashem" is transferred to Bnei Yisrael.

וז"ש עבדי הם דייקא ולא האומות שפרקו מעליהם עול מלכותו ית' ונמסר לנו.

And this is the meaning of "they [Bnei Yisrael] are My servants" — precisely they, and not the nations, who cast off the yoke of His kingship from upon themselves, so that it was handed over to us.

The Torah's stress on "they are My servants" excludes the nations, who forfeited that role; the privilege of being Hashem's servants now belongs to Bnei Yisrael alone.

[וזה כעין שכ' ז"ל כח מעשיו הגיד כו' לתת להם נחלת גוים הוא בחי' עבדי כו' וזה צריך אריכות דברים.

[And this is similar to what Chazal wrote: "He told the power of His deeds... to give them the inheritance of nations" (Tehillim 111:6) — this is the aspect of "My servants," etc.; and this requires a lengthy treatment.

The Sefas Emes adds, in a bracketed aside, that "giving them the inheritance of the nations" corresponds to this very transfer of the servant-role to Bnei Yisrael — a theme that would require fuller elaboration.

וכבר נתבאר במ"א מזה]:

And this has already been explained elsewhere.]

He notes that he has developed this idea more fully in another place.

Summary: Bnei Yisrael relate to Hashem in two ways — as "children" (banim), an exalted status revealed only at special times, and as "servants" (avadim), an enduring bond conferred at Yetzias Mitzrayim that persists even in galus. Even when subjugated to human kings, Bnei Yisrael remain Hashem's servants, directing their service l'shem Shomayim, and no oppressor can displace Hashem's prior claim, which is primary in the heart of every Jew. Originally Bnei Yisrael were to be only "children" and the nations the "servants," but when the nations cast off Hashem's yoke, the role of servant too was transferred to Bnei Yisrael — so that through enduring exile they gather the holy sparks and the full privilege of serving Hashem belongs to them alone.