Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9 – Ki Savo 2
1. In the verses "You have declared today that the L‑rd is your G‑d, etc., and the L‑rd has declared today that you are His treasured people, etc.," Rashi comments on the words "ha'amarta" and "he'emircha": He explains that there is no clear proof for these terms in the scripture. However, it seems to me that it is a language of separation and distinction. You have separated Him for yourself from foreign gods to be your G‑d, and He has separated you from the nations of the earth to be His treasured people.
Rashi's interpretation of both terms together, even though they appear in two separate verses (and seemingly he should have first explained only "ha'amarta" and then "he'emircha" — that He separated you to be a treasured people), is because, in addition to the main reason that both words share the same root and meaning, this emphasizes that even though the same expression is used twice — "ha'amarta" and "he'emircha" — there is still no clear proof from one for the other (since in each of them there is no proof for the interpretation of the word).
The separation and distinction of G‑d (from foreign gods) and Israel (from the nations of the earth) occur when G‑d is actually your G‑d and Israel is actually His treasured people, not merely through the declaration of Israel that G‑d will be their G‑d and the speech and decision of the Holy One, blessed be He, that Israel will be His treasured people. Therefore, Rashi emphasizes "you have separated Him (not just a declaration) for yourself... He has separated you (not just 'spoke') to Him."
Based on this, it is also understood what is new (when "and the L‑rd has declared") today, for it has already been stated "He spoke to you."
1. We need to understand:
(a) The words "to be for you a G‑d" and "to be for Him a treasured people" are already stated in the verse. Seemingly, it would suffice for Rashi to say "you have separated Him from foreign gods for yourself, and He has separated you from the nations of the earth," as from this we already know that "you have separated Him from foreign gods for yourself" corresponds to "to be for you a G‑d," and "He has separated you from the nations of the earth" corresponds to "to be for Him a treasured people." Why does Rashi need to quote the words that are already in the verse?
(b) Regarding the matter of "You have declared the L‑rd," where the Jews have chosen the L‑rd over foreign gods, Rashi says "you have separated, etc."; but regarding "and the L‑rd has declared you," where the L‑rd has chosen the Jews, he says "and He has separated you." Why does Rashi use the term "separation" concerning the L‑rd and "distinction" concerning the Jews?
2. Rashi then continues in his explanation: "And I have found a proof for them, and it is an expression of glory, as in 'all workers of iniquity will boast.'
We need to understand: Why does Rashi earlier say "there is no proof, etc." and explain "that it is an expression of separation and distinction," while he himself concludes "and I have found a proof and it is an expression of glory, etc."? One might have thought (with great difficulty) that Rashi found the "proof" from the verse "all workers of iniquity will boast" only later, as he uses the phrase "and I have found," and initially — during the first edition — he held that "there is no proof, etc."
However, it is very difficult to learn this way, because:
(a) Before Rashi wrote with certainty "there is no clear proof in Scripture," he surely reviewed or reconsidered the entire Tanach. How could he not have mentioned the "proof" from "all workers of iniquity will boast"?
(b) After Rashi "found a proof for them," he should have — in the later edition — removed what he wrote earlier "there is no proof, etc. and it seems to me, etc."?
3. Therefore, we must say that when Rashi states earlier "there is no proof for them" and interprets "that it is an expression of separation and distinction," he does not use the term "glory" because he believes that in our verse, it does not fit (based on the content of the matter) to interpret it as "an expression of glory." Therefore, he interprets it as "an expression of separation and distinction."
Thus, he emphasizes "there is no clear proof in Scripture" — not "there is no proof" at all (as he continues with "and I have found a proof for them") — meaning that if there were a "clear proof" for the interpretation of "ha'amarta" and "ha'amircha," we would have to interpret it that way in our verse as well, even though based on the content of the matter, it is difficult to interpret it that way. However, since "there is no clear proof in Scripture" (because "ha'amarta" and "ha'amircha" are not exactly similar to "yit'ameru"), it is better to interpret it as "an expression of separation and distinction," as it aligns with the content of the matter.
But since we do not find anywhere that "ha'amarta" and "ha'amircha" mean separation and distinction — not only is there no clear proof for this, but there is no "proof" at all — Rashi continues and brings a second interpretation: "and I have found a proof for them, and it is an expression of glory, etc.," indicating that it can also be interpreted as "an expression of glory." However, based on the content of the matter, it is more plausible to interpret it as "an expression of separation and distinction," which is why Rashi presents this as the primary interpretation.
We need to understand: What is difficult about the interpretation "an expression of glory," that due to this difficulty, Rashi interprets in his first (primary) explanation "an expression of separation and distinction," even though "I have not found a companion for it"?
4. The Ibn Ezra, who also interprets according to the plain meaning of the text, explains that "ha'amarta" is "an expression of greatness," similar to "at the top of the branch." He then brings another interpretation from Rabbi Yehuda Halevi (and comments "and he explained well") that the words "ha'amarta" and "ha'amircha" are derived from "vayomer." The interpretation of "You have declared the L‑rd today to be your G‑d, and the L‑rd has declared you today to be His treasured people" is that the Jews have made the L‑rd declare that He will be their G‑d, and the L‑rd has made the Jews declare that they will be His treasured people.
It is understandable why Rashi does not want to interpret (even as an additional explanation) that "ha'amarta and ha'amircha" is "an expression of greatness": because the source for interpreting "ha'amarta" as an expression of greatness comes from the verse "at the top of the branch," and in that verse, Rashi interprets "amir" not as "the upper body," but simply as "branch."
However, it is not clear why Rashi does not want to interpret "ha'amarta" as an expression of speech (and not even as an additional explanation — contrary to Ibn Ezra, who specifically says about this interpretation "and he explained well").
Rashi's primary explanation, that "amar" is an expression of separation and distinction, has no example. Also, "amar" as an expression of glory is first found in Psalms ("all workers of iniquity will boast"), and Rashi uses the phrase "and I have found." But "amar" derived from "vayomer" is one of the most frequently used words in the Chumash, starting from the third verse of Genesis. So why does Rashi not interpret "ha'amarta and ha'amircha" as an expression of speech?
5. The question becomes even greater: "ha'amarta" and "ha'amircha" (with a "hei") are in the causative form. According to the interpretation that "ha'amarta and ha'amircha" are expressions of speech, it is straightforward why it says "ha'amarta and ha'amircha" (with a "hei"), because "You have declared the L‑rd" means, as mentioned, that the Jews have made the L‑rd declare (that He will be your G‑d), "and the L‑rd has declared you" — that the L‑rd has made the Jews declare (that they will be His people). However, according to the interpretation of "an expression of glory" (that the Jews glorify and praise the L‑rd, and the L‑rd glorifies and praises the Jews), it should seemingly have said "amarta" (like "you praised") and "amircha" (like "He praised you") — without a "hei."
It is indeed true that this is not a question, because one could say that "ha'amarta" in the causative form comes from the fact that through the Jews...
5. glorify the Almighty, it is as if the Almighty is glorified; and the same applies, of course, regarding the Almighty praising the Jews. However, it is obviously much smoother to interpret "ha'amarta and ha'amircha" as an expression of speech, which then makes it clear why it says "ha'amarta" (with a "hei"), as mentioned above. So why does Rashi interpret — at least as his second explanation — "an expression of glory" and not "an expression of speech"?
6. The explanation of all this is as follows:
The verses "You have declared the L‑rd today, etc., and the L‑rd has declared you today, etc." follow the previous verse, "This day the L‑rd your G‑d commands you, etc."
From this, it is understood that the "today" mentioned in these two verses — "You have declared the L‑rd today" and "the L‑rd has declared you today" — is the same day as in the previous verse, which means every day, as Rashi explains there on "this day" — "every day, etc."
Therefore, Rashi cannot interpret "ha'amarta" as an expression of speech — that you have made Him say — because the idea that the Jews make the Almighty say "to be your G‑d" only fits when they conduct themselves in a manner that influences, so to speak, the Almighty to want to be your G‑d.
However, it cannot be said that every day the Jews do things that would "cause" the Almighty to say that He will be your G‑d. It is indeed true that every day He is our G‑d, regardless of how the Jews conduct themselves — but it is not appropriate to say that when the Jews do not conduct themselves as they should, G‑d forbid, they cause the Almighty to declare that He will be your G‑d on that day.
The same applies to "and the L‑rd has declared you today to be His treasured people": when the Almighty shows miracles, etc., it is appropriate to say that the Almighty makes the Jews declare and want "to be His treasured people." However, at a time when the Almighty, G‑d forbid, conducts Himself with the Jews in a manner opposite to "I will give your rains in their season, etc.," it cannot be said that on that day He makes the Jews declare that they are and want to be His treasured people.
Therefore, Rashi interprets it as "an expression of separation and distinction," because the idea that...
6. Jews distinguish the Almighty from foreign gods, and the Almighty distinguishes Jews from all other nations every day. Regardless of the situation Jews may find themselves in, they always possess the recognition that the Almighty is their G‑d. Similarly, from the Almighty's perspective, Jews are always set apart from all other nations; they are His treasured people.
7. For this reason, Rashi does not interpret (in his first explanation) the terms "ha'amarta" and "he'emircha" as "an expression of praise." This is because the praise and glory of the Almighty are primarily when "to be your G‑d" is expressed openly in "to walk in His ways, etc." Similarly, the praise and glory of the Jews are primarily when they are not only a treasured people — a beloved treasure to the Almighty — but when there is the action of "and to keep all His commandments, etc." This is not always evident. Therefore, Rashi interprets it as "an expression of separation and distinction," which is always apparent.
And with this, it will also be understood why in his explanation of "an expression of separation and distinction," Rashi does not suffice with saying "He separated you from foreign gods and He separated you to Himself from the nations of the earth." Instead, he explains that "He separated you from foreign gods" means "to be your G‑d," and "He separated you to Himself from the nations of the earth" means "to be His treasured people." In both cases, he does not write "etc.," because the simple meaning of the verse implies that "ha'amarta" is not only to be your G‑d but also to walk in all His ways, etc., and similarly, "he'emircha" is not only to be His treasured people but also to keep all His commandments and to set you high, etc. Since this matter is not evident every day, Rashi says that the main aspect of "ha'amarta" and "he'emircha," about which the verse says "today" (meaning every day), is to be your G‑d and to be His treasured people.
8. The difference between the expression "separation" ["He separated you to Himself, etc."] that Rashi uses concerning the Almighty, and the expression "distinction" ["He distinguished you, etc."] that he uses concerning the Jews — when distinguishing between these two expressions — consists of several aspects, among them:
1. Regarding the manner in which these two actions of separation and distinction occur:
The term "havdalah" (separation) primarily applies when previously they were only adjacent to each other, but not mixed together. For example, "and he shall not separate it with its wings" — the two parts of the bird are not mixed together; they are merely close and connected to each other. The meaning of "shall not separate" is "shall not detach" — he should not separate one from the other.
In contrast, the term "hafrashah" (distinction) is primarily used when the item being distinguished was previously mixed with other items. For example, the separation of terumah and ma'aser, where before the distinction, the wheat, etc., of the terumah and ma'aser were mixed within the tevel.
2. Concerning the items (which are separated or distinguished) as they are after the separation and distinction:
The term "hafrashah" is generally used when the item from which something is distinguished remains after the distinction. For example, terumah and challah, which are also referred to in the verse as "terumah," even though they do not have a fixed measure (like ma'aser and terumat ma'aser) and one can increase them. "One who declares all his grain as terumah or all his dough as challah has said nothing, until he leaves some over," because the definition of "terumah," which means "distinction," is "to raise a part and leave a part."
In contrast, with "havdalah," only the item being separated is relevant; it does not matter whether the item from which it is separated will remain or not.
3. Regarding the strength of the action: "Havdalah" is a stronger, more distant separation from the item being separated.
Due to these differences between the terms "havdalah" and "hafrashah," Rashi says "He separated you to Himself... He distinguished you to Him":
4. Regarding the Almighty, the term "He distinguished you to Himself from foreign gods" is more fitting, because:
a) Even before "He distinguished you," it is not applicable to say that He is mixed, G‑d forbid, with "foreign gods," because even the nations of the world know that the Almighty is greater and separate from the stars and constellations, etc. — they call Him the "G‑d of gods." They only say that He is somewhat comparable (in proximity) to the ministers, etc. (which is why they hold that the ministers, etc., are also "gods"). However, the Jews distinguish the Almighty from foreign gods, asserting that He is not comparable to them at all.
b) The manner of "He distinguished you" is not that foreign gods are also something, G‑d forbid, but rather that the foreign gods are nothing at all. Therefore, one cannot use the term "He separated you from foreign gods" (which implies that the thing from which one is separated is a reality), and thus Rashi says "He distinguished you, etc."
In contrast, regarding the Jews, Rashi says "And He separated you to Himself from the peoples of the earth," because:
a) Before the separation, the Jews were mixed among other nations, as the verse states, "to take for Himself a nation from within a nation."
b) Even after the Almighty chose the Jews to be a treasured nation from all the peoples, it is not only that the other nations were not nullified, but on the contrary — the love of the Almighty for the Jews, whom He chose as a treasured nation, is demonstrated precisely through the fact that "the whole earth is Mine," and yet "you shall be to Me a treasured nation from all the peoples."
9. However, Rashi does not suffice with the explanation that "the amarta and the amircha" are expressions of separation and distinction — because "I did not find a companion for it."
Therefore, he continues (as a second explanation), "and I found for them a witness, and it is an expression of glory," that one can also interpret amarta and amircha as expressions of glory — because the fact that the Almighty is "for you as a G‑d" and the Jews are "for Him a treasured nation" is a glory and a praise. And since this matter is "every day" (as mentioned above in section 6), it is fitting to say "You have declared the L‑rd today, and the L‑rd has declared you today" — also according to the interpretation of "an expression of glory."
10. From the aspects of "the wine of Torah" in our Rashi:
It is stated in the Maharsha that "You have declared the L‑rd, etc., and the L‑rd has declared you, etc." is similar to the concept of "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine."
Based on this, the special connection of these verses particularly to the month of Elul is understood, even though they are "today" "every day," as mentioned above — because the concept of Elul is according to the order in the verses "You have declared" followed by "He has declared" (first) "I am my beloved's (and then) and my beloved is mine" (the initials of Elul).
11. With the two explanations of "ha'amarta and ha'amircha" — as expressions of separation and distinction, and as expressions of glory — Rashi hints at the order of service for the month of Elul: that first there must be the service of "separation and distinction," and afterwards the service of "glory," as will be explained.
To understand this, we must first note that the connection of these two verses to the month of Elul is not only due to the order of the verses — that "You have declared the L‑rd" comes before "and the L‑rd has declared you," similar to Elul where "I am my beloved's" comes before "and my beloved is mine" [unlike Nissan, where the order is "He revealed Himself to them and redeemed them," "my beloved is mine (and then) I am his"] — but also because the specific details in the verses correspond to the themes of the month of Elul.
The month of Elul is distinct from all other months (even from the month of Tishrei) also in that every day of the month, we recite (twice) the Psalm "L'David Hashem Ori."
It is known what is stated in Chassidus — based on the saying of our Sages, "At first you say 'One thing I ask, to dwell in the house of the L‑rd,' and afterwards you ask several things, 'to behold the pleasantness of the L‑rd and to visit His sanctuary, etc.'" — that "to dwell in the house of the L‑rd" is the general principle of all the subsequent matters, and therefore (it can be said that) "you say 'One thing I ask.'"
Nevertheless, although "to dwell in the house of the L‑rd" is the general principle (and "one thing") of all the matters mentioned later — it is understood that even this general principle is a detail in relation to the matters mentioned in the earlier verses, especially regarding "Hashem is my light and my salvation, etc., Hashem is the stronghold of my life, etc.," which are at the beginning and head of the Psalm.
That is, the very first principle is the knowledge and recognition that "Hashem is my light and my salvation, etc., Hashem is the stronghold of my life, etc.," from which follows the "One thing I ask, etc., to dwell in the house of the L‑rd, etc.," and afterwards come the details "to behold the pleasantness of the L‑rd and to visit His sanctuary, etc."
12. These three elements express the order and manner of service for the month of Elul — the time of repentance:
13. Due to the numerous concealments and obscurities in the world, one can sometimes find themselves (at least regarding certain matters) in a state of "forgetting the truth," where a Jew might, G‑d forbid, forget the "truth of Hashem," their connection with the Almighty, to the point where they might (in some matters) behave in a way that does not reflect the distinction of "and we shall be distinguished," the separation between Israel and the nations.
Thus, when the month of Elul arrives, the first thing is "Hashem is my light and my salvation, etc." — the knowledge and recognition that one is connected with the Almighty.
However, this alone is not sufficient, because sometimes a person might indeed think that they are a Jew and are connected with the Almighty, but the evil inclination convinces them to pursue the desires of this world, even though they know that by doing so, they are, G‑d forbid, separating themselves from their connection to G‑dliness.
For this, there comes the "One thing I ask, etc., to dwell in the house of the L‑rd all the days of my life," to awaken a strong desire (until this desire becomes their sole request — "One thing I ask") to find themselves in the house of the L‑rd in a manner of permanence and stability ("to dwell" all the days of their life).
Yet, it is possible that one might remain with a general awakening and a general desire, and in specifics, they might fail — for this, the specific requests immediately follow: "to behold the pleasantness of the L‑rd and to visit His sanctuary, etc."
These same three elements are present in "You have declared the L‑rd this day, etc., and the L‑rd has declared you, etc.," and in each of them — both in "You have declared" (I am my Beloved's) and in "the L‑rd has declared" (and my Beloved is mine):
The first general principle is "You have declared the L‑rd and the L‑rd has declared you" — the general connection between Jews and the Almighty and from the Almighty to Jews, in a manner that does not yet have a precise interpretation — "they have no witness" — similar to the general knowledge and recognition that "Hashem is my light and my salvation" and "Hashem is the stronghold of my life."
Then comes the expression of "You have declared and the L‑rd has declared" in "to be a G‑d to you" and "to be a treasured people to Him": the connection with the Almighty already comes with a certain interpretation — they know that "we are Your people and You are our G‑d, etc." — similar to "One thing I ask, etc., to dwell in the house of the L‑rd, etc."
And then it comes out in specific matters: "to walk in His ways, etc." and "to keep all His commandments, etc." — similar to "to behold the pleasantness of the L‑rd, etc."
14. Although the first verse and concept of "The L‑rd is my light" is merely a general knowledge and recognition of the bond between a Jew and the Almighty, within this recognition itself there are two aspects: "The L‑rd is my light and my salvation" and "The L‑rd is the stronghold of my life."
It can be explained that the two mentions of the name of the L‑rd — "The L‑rd is my light and my salvation" and "The L‑rd is the stronghold of my life" — are similar to what Rashi says regarding the two names of the L‑rd in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: one is before a person sins, and the other is after he sins and repents.
A sin can occur due to two reasons: a) the evil inclination convinces a person that a transgression is not a transgression, or even that it is a mitzvah; b) he knows it is a transgression, but he cannot overcome his evil inclination.
And this is the meaning of "The L‑rd is my light and my salvation": a) the Almighty illuminates a Jew so that he can see the truth of what is good and what is evil, and b) He helps him overcome his evil inclination. The first mention of the L‑rd is "before he sins" — He prevents it from reaching the point of "he sins," even though his inclination is strong against him.
Then there is the higher level of the L‑rd, which is "the stronghold of my life": even after he has failed, he has the strength from the L‑rd (from above) to repent, which brings him not only to life — the "and live by them" of Torah and mitzvos — but also to "the stronghold of my life," which comes through repentance that is higher than Torah and mitzvos.
15. And this also explains the connection of the first verse "The L‑rd is my light" to the month of Elul:
When the month of Elul arrives and a Jew remembers (as mentioned above in section 12) his bond with the Almighty, the evil inclination begins to argue with him: "It is true that you are indeed connected with the Almighty — but you find yourself in a world that is 'full of shells,' and you have an evil inclination that is 'an expert in its craft,' so you will not be able to maintain your connection with the Almighty in daily life!"
— To this, it is said (just as one remembers that one is connected with the Almighty, even before delving into details), that "The L‑rd is my light and my salvation," and consequently, "whom shall I fear?"
16. The evil inclination continues its argument: "The L‑rd is my light and my salvation" will only help you so that from now on you will not sin. But you have already sinned, and you are already a lost cause (G‑d forbid).
To this, it is said, "The L‑rd is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" This means that not only is there no fear of "distant" threats, ensuring that one will not fail in the future, but there is also no fear of "close" threats, from the sins that are already present within him — because "The L‑rd is the stronghold of my life" and gives him the strength to repent.
Rashi hints at these two aspects of the first verse of "The L‑rd is my light" in his two interpretations of "You have declared and He has declared you" — which is (as mentioned above in section 13) similar to the general recognition in the first verse of "The L‑rd is my light":
The interpretation "a language of separation and distinction" — that a Jew has no connection to "foreign gods" and "the people of the land" — is similar to "The L‑rd is my light and my salvation," which ensures that the Jew has nothing to do with matters of evil;
And the interpretation "a language of glory, as in 'all workers of iniquity will boast'" — that from the "boasting" of the "workers of iniquity," a testimony is made (in the manner of "I have found"), he opens up this interpretation (and concept) that not only is there separation and distinction, but it becomes a glory and praise, because through repentance, one achieves that even the deliberate sins (boasting) are transformed into merits — is similar to "The L‑rd is the stronghold of my life," the power for repentance.
And this is also the concept of "a language of glory," because the glory and praise that comes through subduing the sitra achra (through repentance) is "greater than any other praise... greater than all."
17. The concept of repentance is related to the yechidah, which is above reason and understanding. Therefore, repentance is the preparation for the redemption, as Moshiach also comes "unexpectedly" — as the Alter Rebbe explains that the level that will be at the coming of Moshiach is "beyond human comprehension, etc."
And this too is hinted at by Rashi in "And I have found for them a witness," that the service of "all workers of iniquity will boast," the service of repentance, is above reason and understanding — similar to a discovery that comes unexpectedly.
And this leads to "I have found David My servant, etc."
And as it is also said in the psalm "The L‑rd is my light," "And now my head will be lifted above my enemies, etc., and I will offer in His tent sacrifices of joy, etc.," that through the fact that although there are "enemies," nevertheless one achieves "my head will be lifted above my enemies" (the service of repentance), one comes to "and I will offer in His tent sacrifices of joy" — to the service of sacrifices as it will be in ultimate perfection ("as per Your will") in the Third Temple, which will be built by the "king from the house of David" — our righteous Moshiach.
In the true and complete redemption, very soon.
(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Tavo, 5730)