Moshe Rabbeinu (משה רבינו) — the faithful shepherd

Core definition

Moshe Rabbeinu is "the ra'aya mehemna (faithful shepherd)" — "who shepherds and sustains the neshamas Yisroel in emunah: that there be the multiplication and spreading, in strengthening of power more" [31682/maamar_020 :: §151]. His root is beyond the hishtalshelus: "Moshe is the da'as's level — Moshe is Abba's Yesod, which is Z'A's supernal da'as... above Tohu and Tikkun... his root is in the A"K's Yesod" — hence "it was in his power to rule Pharaoh," and "it was also in his power to draw the light and the revelation below" [19801/maamar_022 :: Overview].

How the Rebbeim develop it

"Moshe Moshe" — undivided. From the day he was born he was complete ("va'teireh oso ki tov hu" — the whole house was filled with light; "Moshe Moshe, lo pasik ta'ama b'gavaihu") [31682/maamar_020 :: סיכום ביניים]. The Idra's distinction is explained: "'Yackov Yackov, pasik ta'ama'"; "Moshe Moshe, lo pasik ta'ama" — "the Yackov in Beriah and in Atzilus are not of one kind," but "Moshe in Atzilus and in BY"A are equal: he draws the shefa of pnimiyus to the neshamas Yisroel" [31682/maamar_020 :: §570]. His descent was not for refinement of his own but only "for the zulas": "Moshe's descent: to receive the Torah and teach it to Yisroel" [31682/maamar_020 :: §570].

The shepherd of daas. "Moshe Rabbeinu's power is great: for he draws and influences the level of daas in the neshamas Yisroel — even in the neshamas of Beriah-Yetzirah-Asiyah called by the name 'zera behemah' — that there be in them the level of daas: recognition and feeling in Divinity" [31682/maamar_020 :: §514]. Daas is "michla d'meheimanusa" — the food that sustains emunah — and Moshe is the "ra'aya mehemna — one, unique among the seven shepherds — who shepherds and sustains the neshamas Yisroel with his influence to them: the moach of daas. This is the meaning of ra'aya mehemna — who sustains the emunah" [31682/maamar_020 :: סיכום הסימן].

First redeemer and last redeemer. "Therefore he is the first redeemer and the last redeemer: 'go'el' — he influences daas: at the start he said 'vi'da'tem ki ani Havayah'; before this — 'va'ya'amein ha'am' — emunah alone. So the last redeemer: 'u'mal'ah ha'aretz dei'ah es Havayah'... The daas of the Egyptian redemption was only memale kol almin; daas in sovev kol almin — with Mashiach Tzidkeinu" [31682/maamar_020 :: סיכום הסימן].

"Moshe kibel Torah mi'Sinai." In his shlichus, Moshe transmitted with total mesirus nefesh, receiving and carrying without addition — "Moshe kibel Torah mi'Sinai" is cited as the paradigm of discharging a shlichus faithfully [31667/sicha_005 :: §632]. His mission to Pharaoh carried the sender's very authority: "'see, I made you an Elokim to Pharaoh'" — the shaliach as the sender's power [19801/maamar_022 :: Overview; 15966/maamar_022 :: Overview].

His lowness before temimus. The temimus discourse teaches that "before temimus-like mesiras-nefesh to Torah and Yiddishkeit even Moshe Rabbeinu was low in his own eyes" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview] — a mark of his true anavah.

Key distinctions

Related concepts

Sources