Eretz Yisrael, unity, and the root above

עוד ענין בהר סיני.

A further matter regarding "B'Har Sinai" (on Mount Sinai).

The Sefas Emes introduces another insight on the opening of the parshah, which links the laws of Shemittah ("on Mount Sinai") to the deeper purpose of the Land.

דכ' ושבתה הארץ שבת לה'.

For it is written, "and the land shall rest, a Shabbos unto Hashem" (Vayikra 25:2).

The mitzvah of Shemittah grants the Land itself a Shabbos — a rest dedicated to Hashem, paralleling the weekly Shabbos given to a person.

דכ' והארץ היתה תהו אח"כ ויהי אור.

For it is written, "and the earth was tohu (chaos/void)," and afterward "and there was light (vayehi ohr)" (Bereishis 1:2-3).

Creation began in tohu, formless chaos, and only afterward came light. This pattern — from void to illumination — is the model for all spiritual development.

וכן הי' בסדר הדורות ב' אלפים תהו ואח"כ בכח קבלת התורה תיקנו בנ"י הארץ שע"ז נברא האדם לעשות ישוב בעולם כמ"ש לא תהו בראה לשבת יצרה.

And so it was in the order of the generations: two thousand years of tohu (chaos), and afterward, through the power of receiving the Torah, Bnei Yisrael rectified the earth — for this is why man was created, to make a "yishuv" (settled habitation) in the world, as it is written, "He did not create it (the world) for tohu; He formed it to be inhabited (la'sheves)" (Yeshayahu 45:18).

History mirrors creation: two millennia of "tohu" preceded the Torah, after which Bnei Yisrael, empowered by Matan Torah, began rectifying the world. Man's very purpose is to transform chaos into settled, sanctified habitation — for Hashem made the world "to be inhabited," not to remain in formlessness.

וכ"כ וכבשוה שהאדם נברא לכבוש הארץ לתקנה לצאת מתוהו ובהו לבא לידי ישוב.

And so it is written, "and conquer it (v'chivshuha)" — for man was created to conquer the earth, to rectify it, to emerge from tohu va'vohu (chaos and void) and come to settled habitation.

The command to "conquer the earth" is not mere dominion but a spiritual mission: to take the world out of chaos and bring it to a state of rectified, settled order.

והנה ארץ ישראל הוא יסוד כל הארץ.

Now, Eretz Yisrael is the foundation (yesod) of the entire earth.

Eretz Yisrael is not just one land among many but the spiritual bedrock from which the whole world draws its rectification.

ובה נמצא התיקון להעלות הארץ להתחבר לשמים.

And in it is found the tikkun (rectification) to elevate the earth, to connect it to the heavens.

It is specifically through Eretz Yisrael that the earth can be raised up and bound to the spiritual realm above — heaven and earth are joined there.

ולא על חנם התאוו האבות לנחול את הארץ וכתי' לך אתן א"כ חבל נחלתכם.

And not for nothing did the Avos yearn to inherit the Land, and it is written, "To you I will give it... the portion (chevel) of your inheritance" (Tehillim 105:11).

The Avos' deep longing for the Land was no accident; they sensed its role as the foundation of all rectification. The verse calls it "chevel" — a portion, literally a "cord," a word the Sefas Emes will now unpack.

רש"י פי' חבל יש בו ג' פתילים.

Rashi explained that a "chevel" (cord/rope) contains three strands (pesilim).

Rashi notes that a chevel is a rope woven of three threads. The Sefas Emes will read this as alluding to a threefold cord of connection between Yisrael, the Land, and their root above.

וכתי' בארץ חבל נחלתכם.

And it is written regarding the Land, "the portion (chevel) of your inheritance."

The Land is described as a "chevel," a cord — a binding that ties Bnei Yisrael to it and, through it, to their source.

וכמו כן כתי' יעקב חבל נחלתו.

And likewise it is written, "Yaakov is the portion (chevel) of His inheritance" (Devarim 32:9).

Yaakov too is called a "chevel" — a cord of Hashem's inheritance. The same word binds the nation (Yaakov), the Land, and the bond between them.

כי יש התקשרות לשורש בבחי' עולם שנה נפש וכולם יש בהם פנימיות כמ"ש ז"ל קוב"ה ואורייתא סתים וגלי' וכמו כן בנ"י סתים וגלי' וכמו כן א"י סתים וגלי'.

For there is a binding to the root in the aspect of "olam, shanah, nefesh" (world/space, year/time, soul/person), and all of them have within them a penimiyus (inner dimension), as Chazal said: the Holy One blessed is He and the Torah are "setim u'galya" (concealed and revealed); and likewise Bnei Yisrael are "concealed and revealed"; and likewise Eretz Yisrael is "concealed and revealed."

The "three strands" correspond to the three dimensions of creation — space (olam), time (shanah), and soul (nefesh) — each bound to its root. Each has both a revealed surface and a hidden inner essence: just as Hashem and the Torah have a concealed and a revealed dimension, so do Bnei Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. The inner point (penimiyus) is the cord that ties everything to its source.

וכ"כ אל הארץ אשר אראך א"כ יש בו דבר סתר.

And so it is written, "to the land that I will show you (asher arekka)" — implying there is in it a hidden matter (davar seser).

Hashem told Avraham He would "show" him the Land, indicating that its true nature is hidden and must be revealed — the Land has a concealed inner dimension that only Hashem can disclose.

כי בחכמה יסד ארץ.

For "with wisdom (b'chochmah) He founded the earth" (Mishlei 3:19).

The earth was established through Divine chochmah, and that hidden wisdom is its concealed inner essence — most fully present in Eretz Yisrael.

וארץ ישראל מקום מיוחד להתקשר בשורש העליון.

And Eretz Yisrael is a place uniquely suited to bind oneself to the supernal root.

Among all places, Eretz Yisrael is the unique location where a person can attach himself to the highest source — its hidden wisdom makes it the gateway to the root above.

ובנ"י מתאחדים בארץ כמ"ש אתה אחד ושמך א' ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד בארץ.

And Bnei Yisrael become unified (mis'achdim) in the Land, as it is written, "You are One and Your Name is One, and who is like Your people Yisrael, one nation in the land (goy echad ba'aretz)."

It is specifically in Eretz Yisrael that Bnei Yisrael achieve true oneness, mirroring Hashem's oneness. Their unity as "one nation" is realized in the Land, where they bind to the supernal root.

כי פי' אחד הוא כשהחלק שלמטה דבוק בחלק שלמעלה.

For the meaning of "one (echad)" is when the lower portion is attached (davuk) to the upper portion.

"Oneness" here means integration: the lower, revealed dimension cleaving to its higher, hidden root. Only when below is joined to above is something truly "one."

כי החצי אינו נק' אחד.

For a half is not called "one."

A fragment cut off from its root is merely a "half," incomplete; true oneness requires the lower part to be reunited with its upper source.

וכשבנ"י נתיישבו בארץ קיבלו כח הנשמה שלמעלה.

And when Bnei Yisrael settled in the Land, they received the power of the neshamah from above.

Settling in Eretz Yisrael drew down to Bnei Yisrael the higher soul-force — the upper portion that completes them and makes them truly "one."

וכ"כ נותן נשמה לעם עלי'.

And so it is written, "He who gives a neshamah to the people upon it (the land)" (Yeshayahu 42:5).

The verse confirms it: Hashem grants a neshamah specifically to the people dwelling upon the Land — the Land is the conduit for this higher soul-life.

ולכן נזכר בפרשה זו ענין האחדות ולא תונו איש את עמיתו כי עיקר האחדות בא"י ואז השכינה שורה עליהם.

Therefore in this parshah the matter of unity (achdus) is mentioned — "and you shall not wrong one another (al tonu ish es amiso)" — for the essence of unity is in Eretz Yisrael, and then the Shechinah rests upon them.

It is no coincidence that the parshah of the Land also commands not to wrong one another. Since the core of achdus is realized in Eretz Yisrael, harmony among Jews belongs there — and when they are unified, the Shechinah dwells in their midst.

ולכן אחז"ל הדר בא"י יש לו אלקי ולמדו ממה שאמר דהע"ה גרשוני כו' מהסתפח בנחלת ה' ע"ש.

Therefore Chazal said, "one who dwells in Eretz Yisrael has a God," and they derived this from what David HaMelech, peace be upon him, said: "they have driven me out... from attaching myself to the inheritance of Hashem (mei'histapeach b'nachalas Hashem)" (Shmuel I 26:19) — see there.

Chazal's striking statement that dwelling in the Land is itself a bond with Hashem is learned from David, who lamented that being driven from the Land cut him off from "attaching to Hashem's inheritance." The Land is the place of attachment to Hashem.

שבנ"י גוי א' בארץ.

For Bnei Yisrael are "one nation in the land (goy echad ba'aretz)."

The thread returns: Bnei Yisrael's identity as "one nation" is fulfilled specifically "in the land," where their unity and their bond to Hashem are complete.

וכמו כן בזמנים שבתות ויו"ט נק' נחלה כמ"ש ושבת קדשו הנחילנו.

And likewise regarding the "times" (zmanim) — Shabbosos and Yamim Tovim are called an "inheritance (nachalah)," as it is written, "and His holy Shabbos He gave us as an inheritance (hinchilanu)."

What Eretz Yisrael is in the dimension of space, Shabbos and Yom Tov are in the dimension of time: they too are a "nachalah," an inheritance binding Bnei Yisrael to their root through holiness in time.

ויש בו ג"כ נשמה יתירה.

And in it (Shabbos) too there is a "neshamah yeseirah" (an additional soul).

Just as the Land draws down a higher soul-force, Shabbos brings the neshamah yeseirah — the extra soul that connects the lower portion to its upper root in the realm of time.

וכמו כן בשמיטין ויובלות.

And likewise regarding the Shemittin (Sabbatical years) and Yovlos (Jubilees).

The Shemittah and Yovel cycles extend this holiness-in-time across the years, granting the Land its own "Shabbos" and binding even the long span of time to its root.

וכ"ז ניתקן בהר סיני שנעשו בנ"י גוי א' ולכן כתי' אנכי ה"א לשון יחיד כי כפי האחדות שיש ביניהם חל אלקותו ית' על בנ"י:

And all of this was rectified at Har Sinai, where Bnei Yisrael became "one nation (goy echad)." And therefore it is written "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" in the singular form (lashon yachid) — for in accordance with the unity (achdus) that exists among them, His Godliness, may He be blessed, rests upon Bnei Yisrael.

All of this rectification — of space (the Land), time (Shabbos, Shemittah, Yovel), and soul — was accomplished at Sinai, where Bnei Yisrael became truly "one nation." This is why "Anochi" is in the singular: the measure of Hashem's Presence resting upon Bnei Yisrael corresponds exactly to the measure of unity among them.

Summary: Reading "B'Har Sinai" together with the Land's Shabbos (Shemittah), the Sefas Emes maps creation's pattern — from tohu to light — onto history: two thousand years of chaos preceded the Torah, after which Bnei Yisrael's mission is to "conquer" and rectify the world, transforming chaos into settled, holy habitation. Eretz Yisrael is the foundation of this tikkun, the place where earth is bound to heaven. The "chevel" (cord of three strands) of inheritance alludes to the three dimensions — olam (space), shanah (time), nefesh (soul) — each having a concealed inner essence (penimiyus) that ties it to its root, just as Hashem, Torah, Yisrael, and the Land are each "concealed and revealed." True "oneness" means the lower portion cleaving to its upper root; settling in the Land draws down the higher neshamah, the essence of achdus, which is why the parshah commands "do not wrong one another" and why the Shechinah rests there. The same holds in time (Shabbos, Yom Tov, Shemittah, Yovel as a nachalah with a neshamah yeseirah). All of this was rectified at Sinai, where Bnei Yisrael became "one nation" — hence "Anochi" is singular, for Hashem's Presence rests upon them in proportion to their unity.