English translation — ערב חג השבועות

A.

The Gemara

(in the sugya of the Giving of the Torah<sup>1</sup>)

says: On the second

(of Sivan)

Moshe ascended and descended,

on the third he ascended and descended..

on the fourth he ascended and descended, on the fifth he built an altar

(as it is written<sup>2</sup>

And he built an altar at the foot of the mountain.

Rashi)

And he offered upon it a sacrifice.

One must understand: After "And he built an altar etc." the Torah relates<sup>3</sup>

how Moshe made a covenant with the Jews — the Jews accepted upon themselves the "Book of the Covenant" with the saying "We will do and we will hear," and Moshe took from the blood

(of the sacrifices)

"And he sprinkled upon the people and said, Behold the blood of the covenant etc."

Is not smooth: why do Chazal say only that "he built an altar and offered a sacrifice on it,"

and not the continuation — how Moshe included Jews in the covenant<sup>4</sup>?

And on the contrary: when Chazal want to express the exertion of Moshe Rabbeinu<sup>5</sup>

on the fifth of Sivan because of which Moshe Rabbeinu did not ascend the mountain

(as in the previous days)

— they should seemingly first and foremost have said the matter of the entry of Bnei Yisrael into the covenant,

because this is the most essential matter in the preparations for receiving the Torah,

and one can understand how

This is pushing off the ascent of Moshe to the mountain — in addition that this requires a great amount of time<sup>6</sup>

But "build an altar and offer upon it a sacrifice" is not a lengthy time,

and certainly not a novel thing that is specifically related to the giving of the Torah — we find the matter of building an altar and offering sacrifices by Adam the first,

Noach,

the Patriarchs etc. — why should this be so important as to push off the ascent of Moshe to the mountain?

Also it is not smooth: from the plain sense of the language of the Gemara⁷

"And he shall offer upon it a sacrifice" implies,

that Moses our teacher himself offered a sacrifice on the altar that he built — but in the verse⁸

it says "And he sent the youths of the children of Israel and they offered burnt offerings, etc.",

so the offering was

(not through Moses himself — like the building of the altar where the Torah says "And he built an altar" — but)

through "the youths of the children of Israel"⁹.

So from this is implied a novel thing

(great),

that with "And he shall offer upon it a sacrifice" the Gemara means¹⁰

(not the sacrifices which

as they stand explicitly in the verse,

but)

that Moshe himself offered a special sacrifice

(which does not stand in the verse)¹¹.

(singular form)

— not "sacrifices" plural form

(as in the verse "burnt offerings ..

peace offerings ..

bulls")].

It turns out,

that not only does the Gemara not bring the continuation of the story

(from Thursday)

that is stated in the verse — but moreover: the Gemara introduces a new matter that is not stated in the verse!

From this itself it is implied,

that the action of the fifth of Sivan

(in connection with the preparations for the Giving of the Torah and in particular — the preparations of Moses)

expresses itself primarily in the matter of "build an altar etc."

2.

This is also the explanation in that which Moshe himself undertook the building of the altar.

At first glance:

It is understandable that Moshe "offered upon it a sacrifice" — and did not content himself with the sacrifices that the "young men of the children of Israel" brought.

Because,

as is known¹²,

the thought and intention at the time of the offering is not an essential matter in sacrifices,

therefore there is an importance and special distinction in a sacrifice that Moshe himself offered relative to the sacrifices that the "young men of the children of Israel" offered.

But the building of the altar,

and especially not in the Mishkan and Temple, and certainly not as a part

of them — is seemingly no more than a preparation,

which could have been done by others

(and especially — by the servants of Moses,

the elders of Israel and the like)

— why did Moses our teacher need to occupy himself personally with the building of the altar?

And according to the above, it is understood:

Since in the building of this altar there was a special importance in connection to the giving of the Torah

(as will be explained),

therefore it had to be specifically through Moses our teacher

(just as all matters in connection to the receiving of the Torah were carried out specifically through Moses).

And this is also the explanation in that which the Gemara adds "and he offered upon it a sacrifice" — that Moshe Rabbeinu himself offered a sacrifice upon the altar —

(In addition to that which the offering by Moshe has in general a special importance

(as above),

is in our case that this was also because of the "build an altar",

because)

— The completeness of an altar is when one offers sacrifices upon it

— that one does not leave the altar "idle" from sacrifices — since the completeness of an altar is when one offers sacrifices upon it],

And therefore,

In order that the "build an altar" should be in its completeness,

is this connected with that which "he offered upon it

(Moshe Rabbeinu himself)

a sacrifice".

3.

The above-mentioned matter,

that the altar that Moshe built had an importance

unique in connection to the giving of the Torah — one also finds regarding the sacrifices which were offered on the altar:

On the verse¹⁴

"the continual burnt-offering which was made at Mount Sinai" the Gemara brings¹⁵

the exposition of Rabbi Akiva "it was offered and never ceased" — that the continual burnt-offering was already offered "at Mount Sinai",

because "the burnt-offering¹⁶

which Israel offered in the wilderness

(on the altar which Moses built)

was the continual burnt-offering"

(and from then — "it never ceased").

And as Tosafos¹⁷

brings the exposition of the Sifri¹⁸

"that it was made at Mount Sinai before the Torah,

and that was on the fifth when he built an altar".

Which at first glance is not understood*¹⁸

: It is known¹⁹,

that also the commandments of "before the speaking"²⁰,

we fulfill

(not from the aspect of the speaking and command of before the Giving of the Torah,

but)

"Because¹⁹

that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us through Moshe our teacher

(at Sinai²¹)

" — then how does it come,

that

the Torah

(and the Written Torah itself)

should attribute the daily offering that one offers for generations to the continual burnt-offering made at Mount Sinai — "that was made at Mount Sinai before the Torah"²²?

And it can be said and it is logical to say thus,

that even though this was "before the Torah",

nevertheless,

being on the day of the fifth of Sivan,

which is a preparation

(immediately)

to the giving of the Torah,

it already had a status like

(the daily continual burnt-offering of)

only M"T²³.

Until that one says regarding the daily continual burnt-offering for generations,

that it is

(the same burnt-offering)

"which was made on Mount Sinai"²⁴.

And this itself is the reason that the Torah emphasizes "which was made on Mount Sinai" — with this the Torah teaches this itself,

that the

The burnt-offering that they offered on the fifth of Sivan had the definition of "Mount Sinai",

the giving of the Torah.

4.

That the daily burnt-offering of the fifth of Sivan had the definition of "Mount Sinai"

(the giving of the Torah)

also pertains to halachah:

Regarding the "burnt-offering that Israel brought in the wilderness" there is a dispute²⁵

whether it "requires flaying and cutting into pieces" or not,

and the Gemara²⁶

says that it depends on the dispute of R. Yishmael and R. Akiva: according to R. Yishmael that "general principles were said at Sinai and particulars in the Tent of Meeting" then the laws

("particulars")

of flaying and cutting into pieces had not yet been said; but according to R. Akiva that "general principles and particulars were said at Sinai" — it "requires flaying and cutting into pieces",

because also "particulars"

(including the laws of flaying and cutting into pieces)

were already said at Sinai.

It is seemingly perplexing²⁷

: the burnt-offering was brought, after all, according to both opinions on the fifth of Sivan,

before the Giving of the Torah — so what difference does it make whether "particulars were said at Sinai" regarding the manner of the offering of the burnt-offering from before the Giving of the Torah?

One must say,

that this is because the burnt-offering of the fifth of Sivan already had the status of "Mount Sinai"

(giving of the Torah)²⁸?

And therefore,

according to Rebbi Akiva

that "generalities and particulars were said at Sinai",

they were together with the command²⁹

(and a special instruction)

to bring a continual burnt-offering on the fifth of Sivan were also said "particulars"

(including the blood of the flaying and dissection)³⁰.

Because the commands of the fifth of Sivan enter into "generalities and particulars were said at Sinai".

5.

And if the words are correct — one must say the reasoning in this,

And with an introduction:

Regarding the matter of Erev Shabbos and Erev Yom Tov

(that on the day before Shabbos and Yom Tov the preparations for Shabbos and Yom Tov begin)

— one finds,

that this is a matter not only from the aspect of the person

— In order that a person should be able to observe Shabbos and Yom Tov properly,

requires preparation on his part,

that he should be ready to receive the matters of Shabbos and Yom Tov,

And in the manner of our Sages, may their memory be blessed^,3

: He who toiled on Shabbos eve will eat on Shabbos; he who did not toil, etc. —

But this is also an aspect from the side of the object,

from the side of Shabbos and Yom Tov themselves.

That on Shabbos eve and Yom Tov eve there is already a "flying

(and consequently — a boundary)

of the holiness of Shabbos and the holiness of Yom Tov.

Only in this itself

(in the holiness of Shabbat and Yom Tov which begins on Erev Shabbat and Yom Tov)

there are several levels.

For example:

In the time closest to Shabbat there is the concept of adding "from the profane onto the holy",

And in the language of Chazal³²,

that Shabbat is

(like a "wolf" that is)

"tearing from before it and from after it".

And as discussed once at length³³

it means,

that the concept of Tosafot Shabbat is not

a law in the person — that he must add from the profane onto the holy

(accept upon himself Tosafot Shabbat)³⁴

— but that this comes from Shabbat and becomes an addition in Shabbat itself: Shabbat "tears" from before it and from after it,

because the holiness of Shabbat becomes extended into the time closest to it³⁵.

And earlier — the time of Erev Shabbos

(and Yom Tov)

after midday,

when one may not say Tachanun — which is opened

(not from the aspect of the preparation of the person,

(only)

but)

because the holiness of Shabbos and Yom Tov already shines in that time in a manner that it negates the matter of saying Tachanun.

And similarly regarding the entirety of the day of Erev Shabbos and Yom Tov — that which it

is called in Torah language with the title "Erev Shabbat",

is this because on this day the matters of Shabbat and Yom Tov already begin³⁶.

a "passing over" from them,

on Erev Shabbat and Yom Tov].

6.

From this is also understandable regarding every Yom Tov and also as it was the first time — that every Yom Tov has its "Moed"

(fixed time in the year)³⁷

— that the matters of the Yom Tov already began in its "Erev".

And in the manner that one finds by Chag HaPesach,

that the time of the offering of the Pesach

(that "And you shall say³⁸

a Pesach sacrifice is this to Hashem, Who passed over etc.")

is on the 14th of Nissan,

although that the "And Hashem passed over"³⁹

was only on the night of the 15th of Nissan

(when then begins Chag HaPesach⁴⁰).

And likewise it is regarding the giving of the Torah⁴¹,

On the sixth of Sivan⁴²

— then already on the fifth of Sivan,

the eve of the giving of the Torah,

the matters of the giving of the Torah began*⁴².

And this is the explanation in that the offerings of the fifth of Sivan could have had the category of offerings after the giving of the Torah — from the aspect of that then had already begun the category and revelation and the effect of the giving of the Torah.

Based on this is also answered that which the Gemara says "On the fifth he built an altar, on the sixth" and does not mention that Moshe had included the Jews in the covenant of circumcision:

The actions that Moshe and the Jews did to enter into the covenant

(like the saying of Naaseh veNishma,

the sprinkling of the blood, etc.)

— are only the preparation on the part of the Jews,

which makes them fit for receiving the Torah,

but this is not a "part" of the giving of the Torah itself;

The giving of the Torah comes from above,

in the manner of a gift,

from the side of the Giver.

But not so in the altar that Moses built

(and the sacrifice that he offered upon it⁴³)

was already visible the

(likeness)

action of the Giving of the Torah itself; and therefore it is not a primary novelty of the fifth of Sivan,

the eve of the Giving of the Torah⁴⁴.

7.

But it requires explanation: why did the matter of the Giving of the Torah

(which already was on the eve of the Giving of the Torah)

express itself specifically in the matter of "built an altar and offered upon it a sacrifice",

and not in another matter?

It is understood from this,

that in this is expressed the essential point of the Giving of the Torah.

And the explanation of this is: The purpose of the Giving of the Torah is,

that to David was given the power to make from objects

(object)

of the world — a holy object⁴⁵.

And as is known — to carry out the intention of creation, to make for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling place in the lower realms⁴⁶,

that one should refine the "physicality of the body and the world" until one can receive the "revelation of the light of G-d that will shine upon Israel through the Torah"⁴⁷.

explains⁴⁸

the reason that one does not fulfill the mitzvah of Talmud Torah with thought alone,

rather it must be the matter of speech in Torah — because the purpose of the mitzvah of Torah study is to draw down the “light of G-d” upon the body and the animal soul,

and this is accomplished specifically through the movement of his lips,

i.e., action].

And this is the matter

(of refining the physicality of the world)

is revealed in the matter of altar and sacrifices — that one takes physical stones and makes them an altar to Hashem,

and likewise sacrifices — that one takes a physical animal and through its offering upon the altar it becomes drawn near and elevated from the profane until it becomes holiness revealed⁴⁹.

And therefore the revelation of the Giving of the Torah on the eve of the Giving of the Torah expressed itself in the matter of "build an altar and offer upon it a sacrifice".

8.

With this one will also understand what the matter of "built an altar and offered upon it a sacrifice" is a reason why for this Moses "did not ascend"

(the mountain)

and repels the ascent.

For ostensibly:

Moses had to build an altar

("twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel"⁵⁰)

with all the details⁵¹

in connection with the entry of the children of Israel into the covenant — but nevertheless he could have found time in that

Today to ascend the mountain

(at least for a short time)

before this⁵²?

that Moshe had

(after descending from the mountain)

had time to

(a)

tell the Jews "all the words of the Lord and all the judgments"⁵³

(the commandments of separation and restriction,

and the seven Noachide commandments and Shabbat etc. that were given to them in Marah⁵⁴),

and

(b)

write "from Genesis until the giving of the Torah" and "the commandments that were commanded in Marah"⁵⁵

— and all this⁵⁵

on that same day!].

So the matter in this: the "Erev"

(and preparation)

for the giving of the Torah is its novelty and it consists

(not in actions of "ascending" upward to the mountain,

but the opposite)

specifically in the "descent" and action in the object of the world,

as above,

in the service in "lower ones"⁵⁷

— building an altar

(from physical stones)

and offering a physical animal upon the altar

— in the manner that the entire matter of the giving of the Torah was in a way that "Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai and gave the Torah ..

specifically upon the earth" — although that "He could have raised Israel up to the heavens to give them the Torah in the heavens" — because the "intent in the giving of the Torah is that there should be the service of clarifications below"⁵⁸.

9.

It is known the principle⁵⁹

that "

(always)

they read

(the portion of)

Bamidbar Sinai before Atzeret".

And the connection of "Bamidbar" to "Atzeret"⁶⁰

is a revealed connection⁶¹

— as Chazal⁶²

say

(on the verse⁶³

"And from the desert a gift")

several reasons why the "gift" of the Torah is connected specifically with "desert".

And in this there is a special connection of the portion of Bamidbar to Erev Shavuot

(the fifth of Sivan)

— and to note that in this year

(5745)

is Shabbat Parshat Bamidbar occurring on the fifth of Sivan:

One of the matters in "midbar" - which brings

the "gift" of Torah,

is in the language of Chazal: "If a person makes himself like this desert that everyone tramples upon

Torah is given to him as a gift" — self-nullification.

Where one finds this matter openly and emphasized at the giving of the Torah — is this the matter of the precedence of naaseh to nishma,

which shows a self-nullification in the mission to the

Supernal One⁶⁷

(makes himself as a desert⁶⁸)

— that the saying of "We will do and we will hear" was

(as above)

on the fifth of Sivan.

But according to what is explained above that the main novelty of the fifth of Sivan

(in relation to the Giving of the Torah)

is in that which "he built an altar and offered upon it a sacrifice,"

one must say,

that this matter is connected with "desert."

Is the explanation in this:

The reason that the Torah was given in a desert specifically,

is as our Sages, of blessed memory, [said]

("Makes himself like this desert, etc.,

and the like⁶⁹),

air]

In the object of the Torah,

It is ownerless to all like a desert⁷⁰.

— And further in the service of man in the likeness of the place of the desert:

The intention of Matan Torah is

(as above)

— that in the Torah was given the power to make from an object of the world — an object of holiness,

to make a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms,

which "lower realms" means

(as the Alter Rebbe explains⁷¹)

— "the lowest in level, that there is no lower beneath it in terms of concealment of His light, blessed be He..

until it is full of klipot and sitra achra, which are opposite to G‑d, literally".

And therefore the Torah was gi-

For in a desert⁷²,

Which a desert — that no person dwells

(the upper one)

there⁷³

— is a place of the husks and the sitra achra⁷⁴.

And this is the matter of Torah,

to transform the "desert" of this world into a dwelling for Him, blessed be He.

And this is the accomplishment of the fifth of Sivan,

that already on the eve of the giving of the Torah the service of "clarifying" the desert of this world began,

by taking from the stones therein and making from them an altar⁷⁵

to the L-rd⁷⁶.

Yud.

And this is also the lesson for each individual:

When the day of the fifth of Sivan comes in each and every year — then the days

These are remembered and done⁷⁷

; one must know,

that the preparation for the giving of the Torah must consist

(not a movement of wanting to distance oneself from the world,

but on the contrary)

in making of the physical world a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

And the power for this one takes from Moses our teacher

(that he built the altar and offered upon it a sacrifice)

— the aspect of Moses our teacher that exists in "every soul of the house of Israel"⁷⁸

— that he gives the power,

that even when one stands in the fifth [level] of the descent,

still before the giving of the Torah

— in the level of the Giving of the Torah in this year,

a renewed giving and in a manner of "they shall be as new in your eyes"⁷⁹,

a giving which is indeed in the level of ascending in holiness relative to previous years —

should be the "build an altar and offer upon it a sacrifice",

through which one carries out the purpose of creation,

to make the world a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar

(Erev Chag HaShavuos)

5731,

Night of Erev Chag HaShavuos 5743)