Redemption Through Crying and Praise

עוד למאמר הנ"ל.

Further on the previously mentioned teaching.

The Sefat Emet continues elaborating on the earlier idea.

דאיתא במדרש במדבר ע"פ מוציא אסירים בכושרות במצרים בכות ועל הים שירות ע"ש.

It is stated in the Midrash on the verse “He brings out prisoners in prosperity”: in Egypt they cried, and at the sea they sang.

The Midrash contrasts the weeping in Egypt with the songs at the sea, showing two modes of Israel’s redemption.

והענין הוא כי הקב"ה הוציא אותנו ממצרים בב' הזכותים הללו בזכות הצעקה כמ"ש ויזעקו כו'.

The matter is that the Holy One took us out of Egypt through these two merits: the merit of crying out, as it is written, “And they cried out…”

The first merit of redemption was Israel’s anguished outcry, which opened the gates of deliverance.

ובזכות השירים ותשבחות שהי' גלוי וידוע לפניו שיספרו תהלותיו בכל שנה כמ"ש בעבור זה עשה.

And through the merit of the songs and praises, for it was revealed and known before Him that they would recount His praises every year, as it is written, “For this He acted.”

The second merit was foreknowledge that Israel would annually celebrate and praise God for the Exodus.

ובאמת ב' אלו הם אחת כמ"ש לב יודע מרת נפשו ובשמחתו לא יתערב זר.

In truth, these two are one, as it is said: “The heart knows its own bitterness, and in its joy no stranger will share.”

The Sefat Emet teaches that authentic crying out and authentic joy are expressions of the same inner relationship with God.

ואלו החבירים המספרים ביצ"מ ושמחים בתהלות השי"ת בוודאי אם היו שם במצרים היו בוכים וצועקים להשי"ת.

Those companions who recount the Exodus and rejoice in God’s praises—certainly, had they been in Egypt, they would have cried and called out to God.

The joy of those who celebrate the Exodus today proves they share the same inner faith as those who cried out then.

והרשע אשר אומר מה העבודה לכם כו'. אם הי' שם לא הי' ג"כ בכלל הצועקים והי' באותן המתים בימי האפילה.

But the wicked one, who says, “What is this service to you?”—had he been there, he too would not have been among the ones who cried out, and he would have been among those who died during the plague of darkness.

The Sefat Emet echoes the Haggadah: the one who excludes himself from the community of service reveals he would have lacked the merit of crying out in Egypt.

ועמ"ש לקמן בפ' מן המצר קראתי:

And see what is written later on the verse, “From the narrow place I called out.”

He refers the reader to his later teaching about calling out to God from constriction.

Summary: The Sefat Emet explains that Israel’s redemption came from two intertwined merits—crying out in anguish and singing in gratitude—rooted in the same inner bond with God. Those who celebrate the Exodus today show they would have cried out then, while one who separates himself from the service would not have merited redemption.