Revealing the inner point within every deed

בתורת כהנים בפסוק זה הדבר אשר צוה ה' תעשו וירא אליכם כבוד ה'.

In the Toras Kohanim, on the pasuk "This is the thing that Hashem commanded you shall do, and the glory of Hashem will appear to you" (Vayikra 9:6).

The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash Halacha's reading of the verse, which connects "doing what Hashem commanded" with the revelation of Hashem's glory.

אותו היצה"ר העבירו מלבכם ותהיו בעצה אחת לשרת לפני המקום כשם שהוא יחידי בעולם כך תהי' עבודתכם מיוחדת לפניו עשיתם כן וירא אליכם כבוד ה' כו'.

"Remove that yetzer hara from your hearts, and be of one counsel to serve before the Omnipresent; just as He is unique (yachid) in the world, so shall your avodah be singularly devoted to Him; if you do so, the glory of Hashem will appear to you, etc."

The Midrash explains that revealing Hashem's glory depends on uprooting the yetzer hara and unifying our service so that it mirrors His own oneness — our avodah must be singular and undivided, just as He is One.

ואא"ז מו"ר זצלה"ה הי' רגיל להראות מאמר זה.

My grandfather, my teacher and master (the Chiddushei HaRim), of blessed memory, was accustomed to point to this Midrash.

The Sefas Emes notes that his grandfather often cited this passage, signaling its central importance to the idea he is about to develop.

והנה מפרש הפסוק שכל עשיות שלהם יהי' רק אשר צוה ה'.

Now, he explains the pasuk to mean that all of their deeds should be solely "that which Hashem commanded."

Every action of Bnei Yisrael should be done purely as the fulfillment of Hashem's ratzon, not for any self-serving end.

כי בכל דבר שבעולם יש רצון ומבוקש השי"ת כמ"ש הכל לכבודו ברא.

For in every thing in the world there is a ratzon (will) and a sought-after purpose of Hashem, as it is said, "He created everything for His glory."

Nothing in creation is purposeless; embedded in every object and act is a divine intention, since all was created to reveal Hashem's kavod.

אך שנסתר זה וצריכין עבודה למצוא אותה הנקודה פנימיות שיש בכל דבר.

But this is hidden, and avodah is required to find that inner point (nekudah penimiyus) that exists within every thing.

The divine purpose is concealed beneath the surface of the physical world; uncovering the hidden inner point of holiness in each thing demands real spiritual effort.

ולמי שמבורר נק' זה הדבר.

And to one for whom this is made clear (mevorar), it is called "this thing" (zeh ha-davar).

When a person succeeds in clarifying that inner point, he reaches the level of "zeh" — the clear, pointed recognition associated with prophetic clarity.

והוא בחי' משה אספקלריא דנהרא.

And this is the aspect of Moshe, the "shining glass" (aspaklaria de-nahara).

Moshe Rabbeinu's prophecy was through a clear, luminous lens — the level of "zeh," seeing the inner divine reality directly without distortion.

ועבודת בנ"י הוא להביא הארה זה תוך העשי' ממש.

And the avodah of Bnei Yisrael is to bring this illumination into the very deed itself.

Our task is not to escape the physical act but to draw the hidden inner light down into the concrete deed, infusing action with that clarity.

וז"ש זה הדבר כו' תעשו שיבררו במעשיהם בחי' זה וירא אליכם כבוד ה'.

And this is the meaning of "this thing… you shall do" — that through their deeds they should clarify the aspect of "zeh," and then "the glory of Hashem will appear to you."

By performing the mitzvah purely as Hashem's command, one reveals the inner point within the act, and that revelation is itself the appearance of Hashem's glory.

הוא הנקודה הפנימיות שיש באותו מעשה עצמו כמ"ש מלא כ"ה כבודו.

This is the inner point that exists within that very deed itself, as it is said, "the whole earth is full of His glory" (Yeshayahu 6:3).

The "glory of Hashem" that appears is not external — it is the inner point of holiness already present within the deed, for Hashem's glory fills everything.

וע"י עבודת ביהמ"ק נתברר זה כי מכל הדברים נתעלה להשי"ת ע"י הקרבנות ושאר עבודת המשכן והמקדש שעל ידיהם נתברר השראת השכינה בתחתונים.

And through the avodah of the Bais Hamikdash this was clarified, for from all things elevation was made to Hashem through the korbanos and the rest of the avodah of the Mishkan and Mikdash, by means of which the resting of the Shechinah in the lower worlds was made manifest.

The Temple service was the great vehicle for this clarification: korbanos drew the inner holiness out of physical things and revealed the Shechinah dwelling within the material world.

ובמד' ויהי ביום השמיני קרא כו' חכמות בנתה ביתה כו' חצבה עמודי' שבעה ז' ימי בראשית כו' שלחה נערותי' תקרא האדם כו' ע"ש.

And in the Midrash on "And it was on the eighth day He called…": "Wisdom has built her house… she has hewn her seven pillars" — these are the seven days of Creation… "she has sent forth her maidens, she calls upon man…" (Mishlei 9:1-3); see there.

The Midrash links the eighth day of the Mishkan's inauguration to the verses about Wisdom's house with seven pillars, identifying those pillars with the seven days of Creation and "calling man" to his avodah.

כי הז' מדות שבאדם הם העמודים אשר על ידיהם נמשך הארת הקדושה כשכל המדות נמשכים אחר הפנימיות שהוא אור שבעת הימים והוא בחי' שבת שבנ"י מעידים שהשי"ת ברא ומחי' הכל.

For the seven middos within a person are the pillars through which the illumination of holiness is drawn, when all the middos follow after the inner point, which is the light of the seven days — and this is the aspect of Shabbos, on which Bnei Yisrael bear witness that Hashem created and gives life to everything.

The "seven pillars" are a person's seven emotional traits; when they are all subordinated to the inner point, holy light flows through them. This is the essence of Shabbos, our testimony that Hashem both created and continuously sustains all existence.

וזהו לעשות את השבת כו'.

And this is the meaning of "to make the Shabbos," etc. (Shemos 31:16).

"Making" Shabbos means actively clarifying and revealing this testimony — that all life flows from Hashem.

לברר כי חיות המעשה ג"כ מהשי"ת.

To clarify that the life-force of the deed, too, is from Hashem.

Even the vitality animating our physical actions derives from Hashem — Shabbos is the day we make this truth clear.

אך זה צריך להיות ע"י עבודת בנ"י להיות כל מעשה בישוב הדעת בלי פירוד מלהיות דבוק בפנימיות חיות הדבר כנ"ל.

But this must come about through the avodah of Bnei Yisrael — that every deed be done with settled mindfulness (yishuv ha-da'as), without separation, remaining attached to the inner life-force of the thing, as above.

Drawing out this inner vitality requires that each action be performed with composed awareness, never severing one's bond with the inner divine life animating it.

וז"ש וספרתם לכם ממחרת השבת כו' שהספירה לברר המדות כנ"ל.

And this is the meaning of "And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Shabbos…" (Vayikra 23:15) — that the Sefiras Ha'Omer counting is to clarify the middos, as above.

The counting of the Omer is the avodah of refining and clarifying the seven middos, one week of seven for each trait, aligning them all with the inner point.

כי מה שנקרא מדה.

For consider what is called a "middah" (a measure).

The Sefas Emes now explains the very meaning of the word middah, which connotes a defined "measure" or limit.

כי השי"ת א"ס והי' עד שלא נברא העולם כמו עתה.

For Hashem is without limit (Ein Sof), and He was, before the world was created, just as He is now.

Hashem Himself is utterly infinite and unchanging, identical before and after Creation — He is beyond all measure.

אך ע"י הבריאה ניתן אור והארה מיוחדת לכל נברא במדה וקצבה.

But through Creation, a particular light and illumination was given to each created being in measure and allotment.

Creation works by Hashem assigning each being a finite, measured portion of light — and that limitation is what defines a middah.

ובנ"י צריכין לברר זה כי חיות פנימיות של המדות הוא ההארה שלמעלה מעוה"ז.

And Bnei Yisrael must clarify this — that the inner life-force of the middos is the illumination that transcends this world.

Our task is to reveal that the inner vitality within these finite measures actually stems from the infinite light that is above and beyond this world.

וז"ש ביום השמיני קרא כו'.

And this is the meaning of "on the eighth day He called," etc.

The "eighth" day — beyond the natural seven — represents this transcendent illumination, which "calls" man to draw it into the measured world.

ואמר זה הדבר כו' תעשו כו' שלהתגלות הפנימיות צריך להיות ע"י עבודתינו כנ"ל.

And it says "this is the thing… you shall do," etc. — that the revelation of the inner point must come about through our avodah, as above.

The transcendent inner light does not reveal itself on its own; it requires human effort and deeds to bring it into the open.

וז"ש נערותי' תקרא.

And this is the meaning of "she calls upon her maidens (na'arosehah)."

The Sefas Emes now turns to explain the word na'arosehah ("her maidens"), connecting it to the root na'ar.

שמעתי מאא"ז מו"ר זצלה"ה פ' נער ע"ש שבנער יש התעוררות תמיד כו'.

I heard from my grandfather, my teacher and master, of blessed memory, the explanation of "na'ar" (youth) — that in a na'ar there is constant awakening (hisorerus), etc.

The word na'ar denotes youthful energy and perpetual stirring; the inner point continually "awakens" a person toward avodah.

וכ"כ בזוה"ק תרומה כי יצה"ר חל בלי הכנה רק כשיושב בטל וז"ש מי פתי יסור כו' ורוחא דקודשא לאו הכי ובעי למיקניא באגר שלים לעורר הפנימיות שנסתר ומכוסה כנ"ל.

And so it is written in the holy Zohar (Terumah): that the yetzer hara takes hold without any preparation, only when one sits idle — and this is the meaning of "Whoever is naive, let him turn in here…" (Mishlei 9:4); but the spirit of holiness (rucha de-kudsha) is not so, and must be acquired with full payment (agar shalim) — to awaken the inner point that is hidden and covered, as above.

The Zohar contrasts the yetzer hara, which preys effortlessly on idleness, with holiness, which must be earned through full effort and "payment." Real spiritual awakening requires labor to uncover the concealed inner point.

ולזה נברא האדם לברר מכוון הבריאה שהכל לכבוד השי"ת.

And for this man was created — to clarify the purpose of Creation, that everything is for the glory of Hashem.

The whole purpose of human existence is to reveal that all of creation exists to manifest Hashem's kavod.

ולכך עתה שנגמר המשכן ובנ"י ראו שאין השכינה שורה ויעמדו לפני ה' כו'.

And therefore now, when the Mishkan was completed and Bnei Yisrael saw that the Shechinah was not resting [upon it], "and they stood before Hashem," etc.

At the inauguration the people were dismayed that the Shechinah had not yet descended despite all their work, and so they stood expectantly before Hashem.

והשיב להם מרע"ה כי הם צריכין לעורר התגלות כבודו ית' במעשיהם כנ"ל.

And Moshe Rabbeinu answered them that they themselves must awaken the revelation of His glory through their deeds, as above.

Moshe taught them that the Shechinah's revelation would not come automatically — it depended on their own avodah of drawing the inner holiness into their actions.

וגם פי' ימי מילואים ג"כ למלאות המדות בהתגלות הפנימיות כנ"ל כמ"ש בזוה"ק על פסוק שבעת ימים ימלא כו' ידכם ע"ש:

And the meaning of the "days of milu'im (consecration/filling)" is likewise to fill the middos with the revelation of the inner point, as above, as it is written in the holy Zohar on the pasuk "for seven days he shall fill (yemalei)… your hands" (Vayikra 8:33); see there.

The seven days of inauguration are called "filling" days because their purpose is to fill the seven middos with revealed inner light — completing the very work the whole piece describes.

Summary: True avodah is to uncover the hidden inner point of holiness within every physical deed, doing each act purely as Hashem's command. The seven middos are like seven pillars; when subordinated to that inner point (the light of Shabbos and the transcendent "eighth"), they channel holy light into the world. This is the work of the korbanos, of Sefiras Ha'Omer's refinement of the middos, and of the Mishkan's consecration — and it does not happen on its own but requires our laboring effort to "fill" and reveal Hashem's glory within creation.