With Awe And Trembling
Sichos in English

Shabbos Parshas Yisro; 20th Day
of Shvat, 5752

The Ten Commandments are recorded twice in the Torah: once in Parshas Yisro and once in Parshas VaEschanan. Since the Ten Commandments are the foundation for the entire Torah and include the entire Torah, it is obvious that their repetition communicates central lessons relevant to the Torah as a whole, i.e., they each represent an approach that is vital to our observance of the Torah in its entirety.

The fundamental difference between the narrative of the Ten Commandments in Parshas Yisro and that of the Ten Commandments in Parshas VaEschanan is that Parshas Yisro relates how the Ten Commandments were given by G-d. Parshas VaEschanan, by contrast, presents Moshe Rabbeinu’s description of the giving of the Ten Commandments. They are the words of Moshe, not the direct word of G-d, as it were.

This difference reflects two fundamental dimensions of the Torah: On the one hand, the Torah is "G-d’s will and G-d’s wisdom," "The Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are one." From this perspective, the Torah is a "hidden treasure," beyond the grasp of man.

Conversely, however, "the Torah has journeyed and descended through hidden stages, stage after stage through the entire set of the spiritual cosmos until it became invested in material entities and matters of this world." This process reached its fullest expression at the giving of the Torah, when the Torah was given to the Jewish people in this material world. From that time onward, "the Torah is not in the heavens," but rather it is the possession of the Jewish people. After the giving of the Torah, the Torah must be studied by the Jewish people as "souls within bodies," and it is on the basis of their understanding that Torah law will be decided. Similarly, through their observance of the mitzvos, they transform the world into a dwelling for G-d.

These two dimensions should be reflected in the way in which every Jew studies Torah: The awareness that the Torah transcends human knowledge leads to bittul (self-nullification). This bittul is reflected in the verse, "My tongue will repeat Your sayings," which is interpreted as follows: "The Torah is ‘Your sayings,’ and my tongue is merely repeating what You have said." In this context, we can also interpret the verse "G-d, open my lips and my mouth will recite Your praise," i.e., although it is a man who is speaking, what he is saying is "Your praise," G-d’s words, not his own. "The Divine presence speaks from his throat."

On this basis, we can understand our Sages’ statement that we should study the Torah with the same awe, fear, and trembling experienced by the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. For, although we are lacking all the open miracles of Sinai, the essence of the experience that a limited human being is perceiving the word of G-d is the same.

Conversely, we must also appreciate that the Torah was given to man as he exists within our material world, a soul within a physical body. Accordingly, a person must endeavor to understand the Torah with his own mind and faculties. And when he achieves this, the Torah he studies is considered as his own; he receives a measure of authority over the Torah which he has studied.

These two points are also reflected in the ultimate purpose of our Torah study, which is to fashion a dwelling for G-d in these lower worlds. Here, too, we see two dimensions. One is that the world is a dwelling for G-d, a place where He reveals Himself totally, as a person reveals himself without restraint in his own home. This relates to the transcendent dimension of the Torah. Since "the Torah and G-d are one," the Torah can reveal His presence in the world.

Simultaneously, the Torah has undergone a process of descent, investing itself in matters of our material world. This enables the dwelling to be part and parcel of the lower world, causing its own framework of reference to serve as a medium to reveal G-d’s dwelling.

In this context, we can apply our Sages’ expression, "One who enters a country should follow its customs," to the Torah’s descent into worldly existence. Since the Torah adapts to the modes of existence of our material environment, it therefore has the potential to make them into a dwelling for G-d.

Based on these concepts, we can appreciate the significance of the two narratives of the Ten Commandments in the Torah. The description of the Ten Commandments in Parshas Yisro reflects G-d’s speech, granting the Jewish people the potential for their Torah study to reflect G-d’s speech.

This concept is reflected in the introductory verse to the Ten Commandments, literally translated as, "And G-d related all the following to say…" The commentaries note that the word "leimor" (to say) appears frequently in the Torah with the intent that the message communicated should be conveyed to others. This meaning, however, is not appropriate in this instance, for the entire Jewish people were present at the giving of the Torah. Nor can the intent be to communicate the message to the Jewish people of future generations, for all the souls of the Jewish people, even those yet to be born, were in attendance at Mount Sinai. Therefore, the intent of the term in this instance is that G-d gave the Jewish people the power to say the words of Torah as He said them that the words of the Torah studied by a Jew should be "G-d’s word."

The Ten Commandments as they are described in Parshas VaEschanan, by contrast, were spoken by Moshe Rabbeinu. This grants a Jew the potential to comprehend the Torah with his limited human intellect, and in a larger sense, to make a dwelling for G-d within the context of our material world.

Thus, each account of the Ten Commandments possesses an advantage lacking in the other. The account in Parshas Yisro reflects the advantage of direct revelation from G-d, without intermediaries. All the Jewish people heard the commandments from G-d Himself.

In contrast, the description of the Ten Commandments in Parshas VaEschanan reflects how they are related by Moshe. Although Moshe was "a medium who connects," and "the Divine presence spoke from his throat," this still represents a descent. And therefore, the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai represents the pinnacle of man’s connection with G-d.

Nevertheless, receiving G-d’s word in this manner negates our individual existence. (And thus our Sages relate that after each of the commandments were spoken, the souls of the Jewish people expired.) Conversely, the second description of the giving of the Ten Commandments reflects the ultimate expression of a person’s individual existence that a Jew, like Moshe, can be a medium for the expression of G-d’s speech.

These advantages can be explained within the context of the expression, "a dwelling for G-d in the lower worlds." The description of the Ten Commandments in Parshas VaEschanan reflects how even the lower worlds become a dwelling for G-d. There is, however, a limitation. Although they serve as a dwelling for G-d, there is a difference between G-d and His dwelling. To refer to the analogy mentioned above, in a person’s own home, he expresses himself most freely. Although this is true, his home is merely the place where he expresses himself. There is a clear difference between the person and his home.

Similarly, in the analogue, although the description of the Ten Commandments in Parshas VaEschanan reflect how the Jewish people – within the framework of worldly existence – become a dwelling for G-d, there remains a difference between G-d and His dwelling. The description of the Ten Commandments in Parshas Yisro, by contrast, reflect how nothing exists aside from G-d Himself.

The ultimate level of fulfillment is when there is a fusion of both approaches. Then G-d’s essence is revealed within our material world with no limitation whatsoever and this revelation is internalized within the Jewish people (as opposed to causing their self-nullification). In this manner, a Jew repeats "G-d’s word" and becomes a channel for the revelation of G-dliness in the world at large.

In this context, the two narratives of the giving of the Ten Commandments can be seen as two stages in a single process. The narrative in Parshas Yisro reflects the potential for the revelation of essential G-dliness. And the narrative in Parshas VaEschanan reveals how this essential G-dliness becomes internalized within Moshe, within the Jewish people, and within the world at large. In this manner, the revelation at Mount Sinai, becomes relevant to our divine service at all places and in all places.

2. There is a connection between the above concepts and the date on which Parshas Yisro is read this year, the 20th of Shvat, ten days after the hilula of the Rebbe Rayatz, and two days before the hilula of the Rebbe Rayatz’s daughter, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka.

Shvat is the eleventh month in the year. As mentioned on previous occasions, all existence is structured in a framework of reference of ten. Eleven refers to a level of transcendence above that framework. These two levels are also reflected in the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments themselves reflect a set of ten. The first commandment, "Anochi," reflects a level of transcendence: "You are One and not in a numerical sense."

The Rebbe Rayatz’s hilula falls on the tenth day of the eleventh month, referring to the transcendent quality associated with eleven being drawn down into the limited framework of ten. And this is the ultimate goal of the giving of the Torah – that G-d’s essence be drawn down every day by the Jewish people in their Torah study.

Surely, the above is relevant to our generation, the last generation of the exile and the first generation of the Redemption, for it is in the Era of the Redemption when we will witness the completion of the above process, seeing how G-d’s essence permeates every dimension of existence.

And the Redemption can come immediately. Indeed, "miyad," the Hebrew for "immediately," is intrinsically connected with the Redemption, for its letters serve as an acronym for the names Moshe, Yisroel, David, the three Jewish leaders associated with the Redemption. Moshe redeemed the Jewish people from Egypt, and our Sages declare, "He was the first redeemer and he will be the ultimate redeemer." It is the spreading outward of the wellsprings of the teachings of Yisroel, the Baal Shem Tov, which will bring the Redemption. Similarly, Moshiach will be a descendant of David, the first anointed king.

Similarly, miyad can reflect the continuity between generations as reflected in the acronym Moshe, Yehoshua, doram: "Moshe, Yehoshua, and their generations." This emphasizes how the concepts symbolized by the three letters are not distant from each other, but rather in direct connection.

Each one of us – man, woman, and child – must take a lesson from the above concepts. Since the Ten Commandments were associated with the unity of the Jewish people (at Mount Sinai they camped "as one man, with one heart"), our application of the lessons they teach should also involve a community, i.e., ten other people. Every individual should seek to convey the totality of the Torah and its mitzvos (for they are all reflected within the Ten Commandments) to at least ten other Jews.

Although the above directive applies to every member of our generation, it is particularly relevant to those present in this "sanctuary in microcosm," the house of prayer, house of study, and house of good deeds of the Rebbe Rayatz. Since the Nasi represents the entire generation, this building is Beis Chayeinu, "the source of our life," for every person in this generation.

When all the Jewish people here will serve as a living example of how the Rebbe Rayatz’s directives should be fulfilled, the influence from this house will reach Jews throughout the world. And this will hasten the coming of the time when the synagogues and houses of study in the Diaspora will all be taken to Eretz Yisroel together with the entire Jewish people. May this take place in the immediate future.

The eve of the 22nd of Shvat, 5752
The Yahrtzeit of the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, o.b.m.

1. Tonight is the eve of the twenty-second of Shvat. Twenty-two is numerically equivalent to "becha" in the verse, "Through you (becha), Israel will be blessed." This verse indicates that "through you," blessing will be drawn down to each and every Jew, generating positive activities, which in turn, will lead to further activities of blessing in a pattern that will continue endlessly.

Ultimately, these activities will lead to the fulfillment of the prophecy, "And G-d will wipe tears away from every face..." Tears, (dim’a) in Hebrew, is numerically equivalent to 119. G-d’s act, as it were, of wiping away tears represents an increase, causing the sum to reach 120, the number of years that represent a complete human life. Thus, when Moshe reached 120 years, he stated, "today my days and my years are completed."

The above relates to every Jew, for every Jew possesses a spark of Moshe Rabbeinu within him. This spark of Moshe generates positive activity, which, as explained above, initiates a pattern that continues to generate further positive activity forever.

The Hebrew word for "forever," olam, also means world," and also relates to the Hebrew word "helem," which means concealment. Indeed, our world is characterized by concealment, the concealment of
G-dliness, allowing for a soul, "an actual part of G-d," to be concealed, i.e., to depart from this world after its "days and years are completed," i.e., after they have been endowed with fullness and completion through good deeds. And in this context as well, the pattern mentioned above applies. Each good deed leads to more good deeds, in a never-ending sequence.

The above also shares a connection to the Torah reading of the previous Shabbos which describes the giving of the Torah. Our Sages relate that after each of the Ten Commandments, "the souls of the Jewish people departed," a phenomenon parallel to death, and G-d revived them with the dew which He will use to resurrect the dead in the Era of the Redemption.

Similarly, in the present context, four years ago today, an "actual part of G-d," a Jewish soul ascended from this world. Each year, on the day of the yahrtzeit, that soul ascends to a higher level, indeed, a level immeasurably higher than the heights the soul had reached previously. This is reflected in the recitation of Kaddish on that day.

May the soul reach the ultimate level of ascent, the level to be reached at the time of the Resurrection. And may this take place in the immediate future. For ours is the last generation of the exile and the first generation of the Redemption. And the potential for the Redemption is particularly emphasized this year, "a year imbued with wonders" and "a year of wonders in all things."

"Ba’kol," the final word of the latter phrase, relates to the threefold expression of blessing associated with our Patriarchs, "ba’kol mi’kol kol." That expression, in turn, is numerically equivalent to the Hebrew word "kabetz" (192), meaning gather, and alludes to the ultimate ingathering of our exiles. Together with all the Jewish people of the present generation who will proceed to Eretz Yisroel amidst health and joy, they will be joined by "those who lie in the dust," the souls of the previous generations, who "will arise and sing."

In particular, this applies to a soul who has merited that many Jewish girls be named after her and educated in the spirit in which she lived, which came as a result of the education she was given by the Rebbe Rayatz.

This will be hastened by the distribution of money to be given – with each person making an addition from their own funds – to tzedaka. This will speed the coming of the Redemption, when "the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a dance for the righteous," a dance that will be joined by each member of the Jewish people – man, woman and child. And they will point to G-d and say, "Behold this is the G-d in Whom we put our trust."

This will take place in the immediate future "With our youth and our elders... with our sons and our daughters," we will proceed to Eretz Yisroel "on the clouds of heaven." And "those that lie in the dust will arise and sing."