Covenant and Redemption Through Speech

בענין העומר במדרש אל יהי עומר קל בעיניך שבזכותו ירש אברהם אבינו את הארץ כו' בריתי תשמור כו'.

“Regarding the Omer: in the Midrash, ‘Let the Omer not be light in your eyes, for by its merit our father Abraham inherited the land… “You shall keep My covenant,” etc.’”

The Sefat Emet opens by citing the Midrash that connects the Omer offering to Abraham’s merit in inheriting the Land, linking it to covenant‑keeping.

דהנה כ' והארץ נתן לבני אדם.

“For it is written: ‘And the earth He has given to humankind.’”

This verse establishes that the earth is granted to human beings.

ובגמ' רמי דכתיב לה' הארץ ומלואה.

“And in the Gemara they raise the contradiction: it is written, ‘To the Lord is the earth and all its fullness.’”

The Sefat Emet recalls the Talmud’s question: if the earth belongs to God, how can it be given to humans?

ומתרץ כאן לאחר ברכה.

“And it answers: here it refers to after a blessing.”

The resolution is that through blessing, human beings gain rightful access to the world.

כי יתרון האדם שיודע ומכיר את בוראו ולו ניתן הארץ ואין אדם אלא ישראל אתם קרוין אדם.

“For the advantage of the human being is that he knows and recognizes his Creator, and to him the earth is given; and ‘human’ refers only to Israel, for you are called ‘human.’”

The gift of the earth is tied to spiritual awareness; Israel is called ‘adam,’ the true bearer of this consciousness.

והראשון הי' אברהם שנק' אדם הגדול בענקים שהקנה להקב"ה שמים וארץ.

“And the first was Abraham, called ‘the great man among the giants,’ who acquired for the Holy One the heavens and the earth.”

Abraham is the archetypal ‘adam,’ bringing the world under divine recognition.

לכן מסיים הכתוב לא המתים יהללו ה' היינו הרשעים שבחייהם קרוים מתים.

“Therefore the verse concludes, ‘The dead do not praise the Lord’—meaning the wicked, who in their lifetime are considered dead.”

The absence of praise signifies spiritual deadness, not physical death.

ואנחנו נברך כי לנו ניתן כח המדבר.

“But we will bless, for to us is given the power of speech.”

Israel’s unique gift is sacred speech, the medium of blessing.

ולזה זכו בנ"י ביצ"מ שנפתח פיהן.

“And this the children of Israel merited at the Exodus, when their mouths were opened.”

Redemption awakens the capacity for speech and praise.

לכן בפסח על התבואה הואיל ונעשין בו אדם להלל את ה'.

“Therefore, on Passover with the grain, for on it we become ‘adam’ to praise God.”

Passover renews human identity as praisers of God, linked to the season of grain.

וכתיב חי חי הוא יודך.

“And it is written: ‘The living, the living, he shall praise You.’”

The doubling of ‘living’ hints at two forms of vitality.

חי ב"פ. חי בברית הלשון וחי בברית המעור.

“‘Living’ twice: living in the covenant of the tongue and living in the covenant of the flesh.”

True life depends on both covenants—speech and circumcision.

שהחיות תלוי בב' בריתות הללו.

“For vitality depends on these two covenants.”

Spiritual life flows from fidelity to both bodily and verbal sanctity.

וכן כתיב ב"פ בדמיך חיי דם פסח ודם מילה.

“And likewise it is written twice, ‘By your blood you shall live’—the blood of Passover and the blood of circumcision.”

Both rituals generate spiritual life and protection.

ואאע"ה זכה לשניהם כמ"ש כרת לו ברית בין עשר אצבעות ידיו הפה. וברגליו המילה.

“And our father Abraham merited both, as it is said: He made a covenant with him—between the ten fingers of his hands, the mouth; and in his feet, circumcision.”

Abraham embodies the dual covenant of speech and bodily sanctity.

לכן נק' אדם וירש את הארץ.

“Therefore he was called ‘adam’ and inherited the land.”

His status as true ‘human’ grants him—and his descendants—the Land.

ולכן בפסח שנפתח פיהן של ישראל יכולין להרים כל הבריאה אל הקב"ה.

“And therefore on Passover, when the mouths of Israel are opened, they can elevate all creation to God.”

Passover empowers Israel’s speech to uplift the world.

כמ"ש והניף את העומר ובזה מקבלין השפע על כל השנה.

“As it is written, ‘And he shall lift the Omer,’ and by this they receive the flow of blessing for the entire year.”

The elevation of the Omer opens the channel of divine abundance.

וכ' ויפרקנו מצרינו וסמוך לי' נותן לחם לכל בשר.

“And it is written: ‘He will free us from our oppressors,’ and adjacent to it, ‘He gives bread to all flesh.’”

Redemption makes one ready to receive sustenance from God.

שע"י הגאולה נעשין כלים לקבל הברכה לכן בפסח על התבואה.

“For through redemption we become vessels to receive blessing; therefore on Passover, concerning the grain.”

The season of redemption aligns with the season of sustenance, enabling divine blessing to flow.

Summary: The Sefat Emet links the Omer, Passover, and Abraham to the dual covenants of speech and circumcision. Through redemption, Israel becomes ‘adam,’ capable of praising God and elevating creation, thereby opening channels of blessing for the year.