English translation — ר"ח סיון

1.

"In the third month etc. on this day they came to the desert of Sinai..

And Israel encamped there opposite the mountain"¹

— say Chazal²,

that "on this day" means the day of Rosh Chodesh,

that on this day of Rosh Chodesh Sivan

(the third month)

the Jews arrived at the mountain ³

Sinai.

This itself that the Jews arrived at Mount Sinai,

before the Torah was given to them there,

is already a most wondrous virtue,

as it is said in the Haggadah "If He had brought us before Mount Sinai and not given us the Torah, it would have been sufficient for us."

Because⁴

the very being "opposite the mountain" brought about in the Jews a wondrous elevation,

as Chazal⁵

say on the verse "And Israel encamped there" — "as one man with one heart"⁶

Through this that Jews were encamped "opposite the mountain",

they became in complete unity,

"as one person with one heart".

One finds a wondrous thing,

at first glance,

regarding Rosh Chodesh Sivan:

The Gemara<sup>7</sup>

lists in detail how Moshe Rabbeinu prepared the Jews for Kabbalas HaTorah<sup>8</sup>

during the days from their arrival at Har Sinai until the day of Matan Torah: 2 Sivan "He said to them, And you<sup>9</sup>

shall be to Me a kingdom of priests"<sup>10</sup>,

3 Sivan — the commandment of setting boundaries,

4 Sivan — the command regarding separation,

5 Sivan was<sup>11</sup>

"Build an altar and offer upon it a sacrifice" and up to the saying of Naaseh veNishma by all of Israel; not so on Rosh Chodesh Sivan — the day when they arrived at Har Sinai — the Gemara says<sup>12</sup>

"He did not say anything to them because of the weakness of the road": since the Jews were in a state of weakness due to the burden<sup>13</sup>

of the road,

Moshe<sup>14</sup>

waited with the preparations for Kabbalas HaTorah until the day after

(2 Sivan).

In no way is this at all understandable: it is known what Chazal<sup>15</sup>

say,

that upon leaving Egypt there was among Jews a tremendous desire for Kabbalas HaTorah,

so much so that they counted the remaining days until Mattan Torah.

And it is understood simply,

that the closer the day of Kabbalas HaTorah became,

the greater this yearning became among them; all the more so upon arriving at Har Sinai,

the place where Torah would be given — this certainly and certainly aroused among Jews the strongest feelings of desire and anticipation for Kabbalas HaTorah<sup>16</sup>.

And we see in human nature,

that when a person has strong longings for something,

then the weariness of his body does not take up place in him,

that it should deter him in his effort to obtain the thing; and especially when he already holds close to receiving that which he desires

— he certainly does not feel then the weariness of the body.

It is puzzling,

that being "against the mountain",

after all those weeks and days of longing for the receiving of the Torah¹⁶,

should Moshe Rabbeinu¹⁴

refrain from <b>preparing</b> the Jews for the receiving of the Torah because of "weariness of the way"?

! And even more

(as Chazal are precise)

— "he did not say to them <b>anything at all</b>,"

he did not say to them <b>a single word</b>¹⁷

in all this

(preparation for the receiving of the Torah)

! Also on the part of the Jews: how is it that they agreed to "distance themselves" and did not demand of Moshe,

that he should let them hear something that

(at least)

about the receiving of the Torah!

And in particular,

that there was not here any great "trouble of the road" that would cause a great uprooting — because:

(a)

From Rephidim to Mount Sinai is not a great distance¹⁸.

(b)

The actual walking was not connected with any excessive trouble,

because the cloud of glory went ahead and "all the low [places] were raised

and all the high [places] were lowered"¹⁹,

so that it was a walking on a level path.

(c)

Rosh Chodesh Sivan was on Sunday

(or on Monday²⁰)

in proximity to the complete rest²¹

of Shabbos²².

Is then even more perplexing: why was there among Jews such a great weakness,

that because of this they should not be capable of being able to hear even one word

("and not a thing")

about the receiving of the Torah?

B.

And one must say the explanation in this:

With "travel weakness" Chazal do not mean

(so)

the uprooting of the body from the physical travel on the road,

but

(mainly)

the spiritual weakness from the spiritual travel on the "road" that the Jews then experienced.

Just as there is physical travel on a road from place to place physical,

so there is the concept of spiritual travel on the "road" of the spiritual²³

— the person goes from one state

(place²⁴)

in spirituality to a second state

(place)

in spirituality — ascent or descent,

or in change to a different matter — and this can be in the emotions

(in the heart — love, fear, etc.),

in the intellect

(that in the brain — his understanding in intellect etc.),

or manners and levels in the service of G-d,

All this is "walking in the way" in spirituality.

And in our matter: the journeys that Jews went from Egypt until Mount Sinai were not only a physical journey,

but also and primarily a spiritual journey,

a change in the spiritual state of a Jew and an ascent in the service of G-d — and becoming ever closer and more worthy of the receiving of the Torah.

As it stands in the books²⁵

that being in Egypt, Jews were sunk in the forty-nine gates of impurity,

and each day was a

(counting and)

ascent from the gates — until after forty-nine ascents they were elevated completely — to be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" at the giving of the Torah.

All these "journeys" — ascents in the service of G-d — were in an orderly manner,

an ascent from level to level; but the ascent at <b>the</b><b> </b>journey from Rephidim to Mount Sinai was in a manner of a <b>fundamental</b><b>²⁶</b> change

— they underwent a great "distance"

(in spirituality)

and were elevated incomparably to the journeys and ascents of the days before that — it is understood that this is connected with great "toil" and effort

(in the service of G-d).

3.

The distribution of <b>the</b><b> </b>journey is expressed by Chazal in their aforementioned statement

(on the verse "And Israel encamped there")

"as one man with one heart, but all the other encampments were with complaints and dispute"²⁷

: By <b>"</b><b>all the other encampments</b><b>" </b>there were complaints and dispute,

and specifically at the encampment opposite the mountain the Jews stood in complete unity,

"as one man with one heart".

And it can be said: The explanation of "all the other encampments were with complaints and dispute" is not, heaven forbid, in the simple sense,

that in all the encampments there was among them dispute in physical matters and the like,

rather it is a — dispute <b>for the sake of Heaven</b><b>²⁸.</b>

Because from the nature that <b>the Holy One, blessed be He</b><b> </b>imbued in human beings is "their opinions are not equal"²⁹

; and moreover — in <b>the Torah itself</b><b> </b>there are differing opinions

(and moreover: <b>"</b><b>Not</b><b>³⁰</b>

<b>were given</b><b> </b>the words of Torah cut and dried, but every thing etc. forty-nine faces impure and forty-nine faces pure")

— these and those are the words of the living God³¹.

Thus, based on this it is understood that from the nature of holiness and the order of matters <b>in spirituality</b><b> </b>"all the other encampments" were with dispute for the sake of Heaven.

But standing "opposite the mountain",

there was revealed among the Jews a <b>novelty</b><b>.</b>

<b>Essential</b><b> </b>

(contrary to nature),

that among them were nullified all differences of opinion and they were unified "as one man

(and moreover)

<b>with</b><b> </b>one heart": not only as one man with a unity that eyes of flesh see them all "as one man" regarding action etc.

(that all Jews agree and decide

In one decision regarding action etc. in practice³²),

But also “with one <b>heart</b>” — a complete unity,

Also the <b>heart</b>

(feeling)

of man.

And it is understood,

that such a great trouble,

effort and spiritual exertion to attain this unity

(which is a very “distant path” in spirituality,

to nullify every movement of dispute,

also dispute for the sake of heaven,

and even in his heart alone)

must have effected upon the Jews a great exhaustion — and therefore “he said nothing to them.”

4.

A deeper explanation is given in this:

"Travel weakness" is not only a matter of deficiency

(that due to the weakness of the Jews they could not engage in the preparations for receiving the Torah)

— but in this matter, on the contrary: this "travel weakness" is an advantage and elevation in the state of Israel,

and it can be said, possibly,

that it is <b>higher</b><b> </b>also than the later matters of preparation of the days after this.

And with an introduction: There is in the gate the distance of value between Moshe Rabbeinu and the simplest of the simple among Israel — and here it is said "and he camped there Israel",

that <b>all</b> <b> </b>Jews

(from Moshe Rabbeinu until the simplest of the simple),

became united with a unity <b>complete</b><b> </b>

(<b>with a heart</b><b> </b>one),

and certainly not in a manner of commandments of men learned by rote, G-d forbid³³

but with a unity <b>true</b><b>.</b>

So from this it is understood,

that among Jews there exists a point in the heart in which they become equal

("as one man with one heart")

The greatest of the great with the simplest of the simple.

And in this consisted the accomplishment of "and Israel encamped there opposite the mountain": standing "opposite <b>the mountain</b>" in order to be "receivers of the Torah from Sinai"³⁴

Was revealed among them the point in the heart that equalizes them all as one,

In <b>this</b><b>³⁵</b>

Consists the <b>essential</b> preparation for receiving the Torah.

5.

The explanation of this:

It has already been spoken several times about the novelty at

(and — from)

the Giving of the Torah

— at first glance: the study of Torah was indeed also in the earlier generations before the Giving of the Torah,

for example — the yeshiva of Shem and Ever,

the Patriarchs who studied the entire Torah before it was given,

and likewise their children after them

(before the Giving of the Torah)

until that <b>did not cease</b><b> </b>yeshiva³⁶

from our forefathers in Egypt³⁷

; in what does the novelty at the Giving of the Torah consist?

And it was explained that the main point consists in that which then was &lt;b&gt;the giving&lt;/b&gt; of the Torah,

&lt;b&gt;"&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;He gave&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;us His Torah",

it was &lt;b&gt;given&lt;/b&gt; from the Giver of the Torah; before the Giving of the Torah one "took" Torah,

with and according to one's own power

(intellect and self-nullification).

At the time of the Giving of the Torah the &lt;b&gt;Almighty gave&lt;/b&gt; Torah according to the manner and power of His giving.

At the Giving of the Torah there was&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt;"&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;And God spoke&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;all these words &lt;b&gt;saying&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;",&lt;/b&gt;

&lt;b&gt;saying&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;the "And God spoke"&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;

(and likewise afterwards,

Moshe Rabbeinu on the mountain learned the entire Torah &lt;b&gt;from the mouth of the Almighty and gave it&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;etc.).

And this was not a one-time thing,

rather at the &lt;b&gt;giving&lt;/b&gt; of the Torah the Almighty,

as it were,

"gave Himself" into the Torah

(according to the well-known explanation in the statement of our Sages&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;

"I wrote My very self and gave it"),

so that when a Jew learns Torah at any and every time — it must be with the preface of the saying &lt;b&gt;and the blessing&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;"He gave us His Torah",

"Me&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;

you are taking".

And this is the novelty of <b>Atah Nigleita</b> etc. of Matan Torah — it is not merely that an addition and elevation came relative to before Matan Torah,

but a <b>novelty</b> opened up that is <b>utterly incomparable</b>: before Matan Torah,

when the study of Torah was from the side of one's own power,

the power of intellect etc.,

it is understood,

that one took from Torah only as much as the learner is capable of comprehending of the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He; but after Matan Torah,

the study of Torah is in a manner,

that one connects oneself through it with the <b>Giver</b> of the Torah Himself,

Who gave Himself into His Torah.

6.

And this is connected with "Vayichan sham Yisrael — like one person with one heart":

The differences in the study of Torah between one Jew and another Jew

(up to the greatest difference between Moshe Rabbeinu and the simplest of the simple)

are regarding <b>the comprehension of </b>the Torah,

that one Jew has, from the powers of his soul, a greater and a higher understanding and comprehension in Torah,

as does a second Jew; up to a difference beyond comparison.

But that which a Jew connects himself through the study of Torah,

he is entirely one with the Giver of the Torah — this is the same by the greatest of the great and the smallest of the small.

The <b>"Me⁴²</b>

you are taking" is by a simple person who studies "Mikra"⁴³

(even when he does <b>not </b>understand what he studies — he must preface that "and He gave us His Torah"⁴⁴

as above)

this is the

same "Osi"⁴⁵

that by this great lamdan who has a very deep understanding and comprehension in Torah and is in this a mechadesh true chiddushim.

The superiority of "Osi Atem Lokchim"

(is not attained through one's own powers,

but)

comes from above,

because &lt;b&gt;"Nasan &lt;/b&gt;lanu es Toraso".

And the matter is connected with the <b>heart</b> of Jews,

because in

(the innerness and point of <b>the)</b>

heart of a Jew shines the yechidah of the soul⁴⁶,

completely above his comprehension and reason and intellect

(for in that point is every Jew's <b>faith</b> in the Most High,

above reason and intellect⁴⁷).

______

And this means "and he encamped there Israel — as one man with one heart": coming "opposite the mountain",

where there was to be the Giving of the Torah at Sinai,

<b>the Giving</b> of the Torah,

this evoked among Jews the revelation of their innerness and point of the heart,

which is in all Jews equally — and the revelation of the point in the heart made them into a vessel for the <b>G‑dliness</b> of the Torah,

for the <b>"and G‑d spoke</b>

(until it becomes)

saying".

7.

But the preparation of "and Israel encamped there ..

with one heart" is only the first level in the preparation for the Giving of the Torah.

Through the

wondrous quality of self-nullification and unity one becomes a vessel for Torah.

But the purpose of Torah is,

that one should <b>study</b> it,

with understanding and comprehension — and therefore there was accordingly demanded a whole <b>order</b> of preparations for the Giving of the Torah.

The intention of the giving of the Torah is,

that the person should unite himself with Torah,

until that it should become his life and existence.

And therefore Torah must be taken

(also)

through study,

comprehension and understanding of the intellect.

At the time one understands a matter in intellect, the concept is grasped in the intellect of the person until it becomes

(a part of)

his existence

(in the manner of the nourishment of bread which becomes blood and flesh like his flesh),

and in the language of the Tanya⁴⁸

— it becomes a

"wondrous union" between and of the "intellect" with the "concept".

It follows,

that through comprehension of the Torah a Jew brings in and becomes united and unified with the "word of G‑d"

(which is above the world entirely)⁴⁹.

And these were the two types of preparation of Jews for receiving the Torah:

The <b>first </b>preparation for M.T. is⁵⁰

as above — "And he encamped there Israel,

as one man with one heart": the ultimate <b>nullification⁵¹,</b>

which effects that

All Jews should be "as one man with one heart" — the general preparation of the entire Jewish people as one.

But from the second of Sivan is "Moshe began to occupy himself with them regarding the matter of the receiving of the Torah"⁵²,

and with this are meant the matters of preparation which effect that the reality of the person

(not only from the aspect of the yechidah within the innerness of the heart)

should be suited and fitting and a vessel of reception for the receiving of the Torah: "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests",

the commandment of setting bounds and separation etc.,

and that they made Jews holy etc. — and in these preparations there are differences among Jews⁵³,

each one according to his level in the service of G-d

a partition for himself etc. — but for all of them⁵⁵

there was "their souls flew away"⁵⁶

And "on every utterance"⁵⁷].

And this says the Gemara "he said nothing to them because of the weakness of the road": the "road" — spiritual journey,

then all

Jews

(from Moshe Rabbeinu until the simplest of the simple among Israel)

should become united,

is connected with &lt;b&gt;"weakness" &lt;/b&gt;

(in a superior sense),

a faintness and nullification in Jews.

And correspondingly — "He did not say to them &lt;b&gt;anything at all": the &lt;/b&gt;preparation is not connected with speech,

but this is a matter of "he did not say" — silence and nullification.

And after one has attained the nullification

(by virtue of which all Jews are "as one person with one heart")

— it is required that Jews &lt;b&gt;descend &lt;/b&gt;from that great nullification and occupy themselves with the other matters of preparation,

because specifically through this is carried out the purpose of the Torah — the "wondrous unification" together with — &lt;b&gt;Me,&lt;/b&gt;

Me you take.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar 5743)