English translation — חה"ש ג

Sicha 3<pg>34</pg>

A.

In the Rambam at the end of the Laws of a Torah Scroll<sup>1</sup>

: Every<sup>2</sup>

person who sits before a Torah scroll should sit<sup>3</sup>

with gravity, in awe and fear,<sup>4</sup>

for it is the faithful witness for all<sup>5</sup>

the inhabitants of the world, as it is said,<sup>6</sup>

"And it shall be there with you as a witness,"

and one should honor it, etc.<sup>7</sup>.

The content of the law of "awe and fear" before a Torah scroll we find in the Yerushalmi⁸

— that R' Shimon bar Yochai said

(when he saw one standing and translating the Torah and he was leaning on the pillar)

"Just as it was given with awe and dread⁹

so we must conduct ourselves with it with awe and dread⁹

".

But the Rambam did not write this reason "just as it was given etc.",

and simply one can say — because this law in the Rambam is not the law in the Yerushalmi:

What is said in the Yerushalmi "One must conduct oneself with it in awe and fear" refers to the time of the reading of the Torah<sup>10</sup>

And its translation

[And in the manner of what is learned in the Bavli<sup>11</sup>

That the study of Torah must be with awe — "Just as there with awe

(For it is written<sup>12</sup>

And the people saw and they moved etc.

Rashi)

And with fear and trembling<sup>13</sup>

And with quaking, so too here with awe and fear and trembling and quaking"],

And this law indeed is brought in the Rambam above

(In the laws of prayer<sup>14</sup>)

"And the translator does not lean on a tree nor on a beam, but stands with awe and fear."

But not so in the Rambam here, it discusses the obligation of gravity and awe and fear not

(Only)

At the time when one reads or learns from a Torah scroll, but regarding "Anyone who sits before a Torah scroll",

Meaning that even sitting before a Torah scroll must be with gravity etc.,

And therefore he did not write "Just as it was given etc., so must one sit with awe etc.",

But he brought a different reason.

But still the matter is not settled:

The content of this chapter in the Rambam is about the laws of honor of a Sefer Torah,

and the extra caution not to conduct<pg>35</pg>

with it a disgraceful practice, G-d forbid,

and if so, what is the unique novelty in this law

(that sitting before a Sefer Torah must be "with a heavy head, with awe and fear"),

that the Rambam needed to bring for this a new and unique reason — "that it is the faithful witness etc."?

Furthermore: In the law before us¹⁵

Says the Rambam "It is a mitzvah to designate for a Sefer Torah a place and to honor it and to glorify it more than enough,

the matters that are in the tablets of the covenant they themselves are in every Sefer and Sefer,

a person shall not spit opposite a Sefer Torah etc. and shall not turn his back to a Sefer Torah etc." — behold that already wrote the Rambam that the reason for the honor of a Sefer Torah

("to honor it and to glorify it more than enough")

belongs to "the matters that are in the tablets of the covenant..

that are in every Sefer",

and what is the addition in this that a Sefer Torah "is the faithful witness for all who come into the world",

that specifically because of this one must sit before a Sefer Torah "with gravity, with awe and fear"¹⁶.

2.

Also it is puzzling apparently in what he said that a Sefer Torah "is the faithful witness for all who come into the world":

The matter of testimony we also find in the commandment of tefillin, as it is stated regarding it¹⁷

"And it shall be for you a sign upon your hand"¹⁸

(and the Rambam brought it above in the laws of tefillin¹⁹),

that the sign its matter is testimony²⁰

[And some say²¹

that tefillin is "a term of argument..

because they are testimony and proof that the Name is called upon him and they fear from him, as we say later²²

And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you etc.²³

these are the tefillin of the head"],

But nevertheless the Rambam did not write that the "sign" and the testimony cause special laws regarding sitting before the tefillin.

However, we find in the Rambam²⁴

lengthiness in the laws of the sanctity of tefillin

(in addition to the laws of being careful not to disgrace them),

and he wrote there²⁵

"The sanctity of tefillin, their sanctity is great etc.'",

But this is only at the time of fulfillment of the commandment

(when the tefillin are placed upon him)

— "that as long as the tefillin are on the head of a person and on his arm, he is humble and G-d-fearing and is not drawn after laughter and idle conversation and does not think evil thoughts etc.,

therefore a person must strive to have them upon him all day"; but he did not write a)

that there is a special law regarding being careful with their honor

(also)

when they are not upon him,

b)

that this law is because they are a sign and testimony.

And requires explanation greatly,

What is different about a Sefer Torah,

that for it to be "a faithful witness etc." it obligates conduct of "he shall sit with heavy head etc." even when he is not engaged with it?

3.

And one can say the explanation of all this based on the precise language of the Rambam "Anyone who sits before a Sefer Torah shall sit with heavy head etc." — for seemingly it should have said in brief language<sup>26</sup>

"And he shall sit before a Sefer Torah with heavy head etc.",

And what is the lengthy language "Anyone who sits before a Sefer Torah shall sit etc."?

<pg>36</pg>

And it appears to say,

that in this the Rambam emphasizes the novelty that is in this law²⁷

regarding the laws of honor of a Sefer Torah that precede this

(in this chapter)

:

The concept of honor of a Sefer Torah

(in simple terms)

is the obligation that applies to

(the conduct of)

a person in relation to the Sefer Torah: since a Sefer Torah has holiness etc.,

this obligates him to conduct himself in a manner of honor,

to honor it and to glorify it,

and not to spit in front of a Sefer Torah etc.

And this is the content of the laws that precede this — the details of the laws of honor and the manners of conduct towards a Sefer Torah.

But not so here: it is not speaking of "gravity and the like" that are "drawn" from the obligations of man in his conduct and approach to the Torah scroll,

but rather — of "gravity and the like" that the Torah scroll arouses and effects in the person.

For even when it is speaking of a time

(when he is not about to occupy himself in any manner whatsoever with something related to the Torah scroll,

but)

he

(simply)

"sits before a Torah scroll",

this alone should affect him that he "sit with gravity, in awe and fear".

And therefore the Rambam is precise: "Whoever sits before a Torah scroll should sit with gravity, in awe and fear",

and he did not write concisely "and they must sit before a Torah scroll with gravity etc."

(and in the manner of the language of the Yerushalmi cited above "we must conduct ourselves with it in awe and reverence")

— for his intention here is not regarding the obligation of man's conduct to honor the Torah,

but regarding the effect of the Torah upon the man

("Whoever sits before a Torah scroll").

[And based on this, the continuation of the Rambam's words is also understood,

that after this law he continues "and he shall honor it according to his ability etc. whoever honors the Torah, his body is honored by the creations etc." — which also refers to the action of the Torah upon the person,

that through the Torah "his body is honored by the creations",

as below section 8].

4.

And therefore the Rambam was compelled to bring a new and unique reason — "for he is a faithful witness etc.":

Also regarding tefillin, the Rambam brought

(as above)

about the manner of the action of tefillin upon the person who dons them — that through this "he is humble and G-d-fearing and is not drawn after laughter etc.",

but there there is no need to bring a special reason for this,

since the discussion is at the time that the tefillin are upon the person,

that when a person fulfills the commandment of tefillin and places them on his body,

it is understood of itself that the great and awesome holiness of tefillin acts upon the person who dons tefillin.

But not so regarding a Sefer Torah, where the Rambam is precise to say "all who sit before a Sefer Torah" — even though he is not engaged in Torah — behold, he must sit with gravity etc.,

that is,

that the presence of the Sefer Torah before a person must effect in him that he sit "with gravity, with awe and fear" — and in what is the power of this unique effect of the Sefer Torah?

On this the Rambam explains that a Sefer Torah "is the faithful witness to all who come into the world, as it is said, 'And it shall be there with you as a witness.'"

And the explanation of this is:

The Rambam specifies here that a Sefer Torah "is the faithful witness to all who come into the world"^*27

— and at first glance,

from the plain sense of the continuation of the verses it seems,

that what is written "and it shall be there with you as a witness",

the intention is that the Sefer Torah is a testimony in Israel,

testimony and warning to Bnei Yisrael regarding the observance of the Torah and the commandments²⁸.

<pg>37</pg>

And from this it is understood,

that the intention of the Rambam regarding the matter of the "witness" that is in the Sefer Torah is

(not as it appears at first glance from the plain sense of the verse "and it shall be there with you as a witness",

testimony and warning to Bnei Yisrael regarding the observance of the Torah and the commandments — but rather)

testimony about this that "He chose us from all the nations and gave us His Torah".

That is: the existence of a Sefer Torah is a "witness" regarding the choice of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the people of Israel²⁹.

Therefore,

when a Jewish person sits before a Sefer Torah,

this knowledge that the Torah scroll is a "witness" should affect him with gravity and awe and fear before the Holy One, blessed be He, who "chose us from all the nations" to be for Him a treasured people etc.

And this is also the innovation in the testimony of a Sefer Torah regarding the letter of tefillin:

Regarding the letter of tefillin, Rashi writes³⁰

"that Israel needs to place a sign upon themselves to recognize that they hold fast to the Torah of the Holy One, blessed be He,"

and therefore this is specifically connected with the action of laying tefillin,

which is specifically by day and not by night,

and not on Shabbat and Yom Tov³¹,

and it does not pertain to women and minors³².

And therefore the law of sitting with heavy-headedness in awe and fear does not apply to this, from the perspective of the body of the tefillin.

But the testimony of a Sefer Torah is not from the action of man,

his reading in the Torah and the like,

but rather the physical object of the Sefer Torah itself "is the faithful witness to all who come into the world",

that Bnei Yisrael are separated from the other nations in that they are the people whom Hashem chose; and therefore this is at every time and in every season and for every single one of Israel,

and as the precise language of the Rambam "Anyone who sits etc."

For this separation of "You have chosen us from all the nations..

and elevated us from all the tongues" includes each and every one of Bnei Yisrael without any distinction at all.

5.

Based on this is also understood the difference between the words of the Rambam here "that it is the faithful witness etc." and what he wrote in the previous law "It is a mitzvah to designate for a Sefer Torah a place and to honor it and to beautify it exceedingly; the matters of the tablets of the covenant, they are they that are in every book and book"

(That is,

this law is because the book

(and every book within this book)

contains "matters of the tablets of the covenant")

:

The difference between "covenant" and "testimony" simply is: "covenant" is the name of the thing that creates a connection and bond between the two parties of the covenant,

and testimony its matter is only proof and evidence about a matter

(the covenant that was already cut between the two parties of the covenant).

And this is the distinction between "tablets of the covenant" and a Torah scroll that "it is the faithful witness etc."³³

:

(main point)

The significance of the tablets is that they are "tablets of the covenant"³⁴,

which are so called because they are the covenant between the Holy One, blessed be He, and the children of Israel,

as it is said³⁵

"the tablets of the covenant which the L-rd made with you",

that is, the covenant regarding the observance of the Torah and the commandments,

through which a connection and covenant is made between the Holy One, blessed be He, and the children of Israel³⁶.

And therefore "it is a commandment to designate a place for a Torah scroll<pg>38</pg>

etc.'",

that it is

(one)

of the obligations of man towards the Torah,

that man must honor the Torah.

Because since the Torah is what connects man with the Holy One, blessed be He,

one must honor it.

And the novelty in this halacha

("It is a mitzvah to designate for a Torah scroll a place etc.'")

— that here the Rambam adds a special reason

("the matters that are in the tablets of the covenant etc.'")

: until this halacha the Rambam detailed the obligations of honor of a Torah scroll from the aspect of the action of the holiness of the Torah

(and as his language at the beginning of the chapter

(halacha 2 and onward)

"A valid Torah scroll, one conducts with it extra holiness and great honor" — and he continues with all the obligations of honor of a Torah scroll)

; and here he adds that there is a law of honor from the aspect of the object itself of the Torah,

that this obligates and adds in the mitzvah of honor of a Torah scroll the law of "place"³⁷

— "It is a mitzvah to designate for a Torah scroll a place and to honor it and to glorify it etc.'" — and about this he brings the reason because "the matters that are in the tablets of the covenant, they are what are in every single scroll",

that since a Torah scroll contains the "matters that are in the tablets of the covenant",

this obligates that it have a special place.

But nevertheless,

even though this law is from the aspect of the object of the Sefer Torah — nevertheless it is from the obligations of the person toward the Torah,

that he is obligated to honor the Sefer Torah by designating a place for it,

and the object of the Sefer Torah,

since the matters in it are "matters of the tablets of the covenant",

demands that also the "place" of the Torah be honored by the person;

But not so in the law that follows, the Rambam does not deal at all with the obligations of the person to honor the Torah,

but rather with the action of the Torah upon the person,

and therefore he writes the reason — that "it is the faithful witness etc.",

that is,

that since the object of the Sefer Torah is a "witness"³⁸

to the Holy One, blessed be He's choice of the Children of Israel,

therefore when a person sits before a Sefer Torah he must sit "with gravity, with awe and fear".

6.

Explanation of the concept in the style of the teachings of Chassidus:

These three matters in a Sefer Torah — its holiness,

the Tablets of the Covenant,

the faithful witness — indicate three modes and levels in the connection of Bnei Yisrael with the Holy One, blessed be He,

which were made and came to their perfection at the Giving of the Torah: a)

the holiness of Yisrael,

b)

connection in a manner of covenant,

c)

essential connection.

And the explanation in this:

The holiness of Israel that was made at the Giving of the Torah, its matter is the holiness of the soul that is in each and every one of Israel.

For even though from this side that the Patriarchs are themselves the chariot³⁹

bequeathed to each and every one of their children after them until the end of all generations a holy soul

(which is not among the nations of the world)⁴⁰

Nevertheless, the completion and perfection of the holiness of the soul was made at the Giving of the Torah.

And as it is in each one of Israel,

that immediately from when he is born there is in him a holy soul,

and

(afterwards)

the beginning of the entry of this soul of holiness is in the commandment of circumcision⁴¹,

Nevertheless, "the completion and main entry of the holy soul into a person is at thirteen years and one day for a male and twelve for a female, therefore they become obligated then in commandments from the Torah and become subject to punishments"⁴².

The covenant of the giving of the Torah, its essence is the connection to the Holy One, blessed be He, which is through the observance of the Torah and &lt;pg&gt;39&lt;/pg&gt;

His commandments&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;.

The Torah is the covenant that connects Israel with the Holy One, blessed be He,

and as the saying of the Zohar&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;

that Israel are connected in the Torah and the Torah in the Holy One, blessed be He,

that through the Torah Israel are connected to the Holy One, blessed be He.

Self-connection that is in the giving of the Torah is⁴³

that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose us from all the nations⁴⁵,

that the matter of the choice is not from the side of holiness or virtue,

but its root is in His essential and transcendent Self, which is above all definitions and virtues⁴⁶.

And the difference between these three levels is: even though all three modes of connection exist always in Israel,

nevertheless there are differences in the manner of their activity in Israel:

Regarding the holiness that is in Israel — there are among Israel those whose holiness of their soul shines for them in revelation,

and those for whom it does not shine so much,

and among those for whom it shines in revelation there are different levels and manners in the revelation of holiness in the times of the year — on weekdays,

on Shabbos,

Days of Awe,

festivals of the year.

And so it is regarding the matter of the covenant that is in the Torah,

the connection with the Holy One blessed be He through the observance of the Torah and the commandments,

that even though this exists always in every one of Israel,

regardless of his standing and his situation,

as is also hinted in the word "Israel⁴⁷

— acronym: there are six hundred thousand letters in the Torah"⁴⁸,

and this means that in every Jewish man,

in whatever state he is,

there is the connection to the Torah

(and through it to the Holy One blessed be He)

and it is drawn through the letter in the Torah that belongs to him,

nevertheless there are differences between letter and letter and consequently between the children of Israel and also in the revelation of this matter,

and likewise in each one himself,

from time to time

(in accordance with his standing and his situation in the study of the Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments).

However the essential connection of Bnei Yisrael with Hakadosh Baruch Hu,

there is in it no division and levels,

for it is the connection of the essence of Yisrael with His Essence.

7.

And this is the content of the matter that the sefer Torah "is the faithful witness for all who come into the world":

It is known what is written

(the Alter Rebbe⁴⁹

etc.)

that testimony is about a thing hidden and concealed,

but about a thing revealed there is no need for the matter of testimony,

and moreover even about "a matter that is destined to be revealed" the Torah did not require testimony⁵⁰,

testimony is specifically about a thing hidden

(as explained at length

(also)

in the matter of "You are My witnesses"⁵¹).

And according to this it is also understood regarding this testimony of the Torah that it is the faithful witness about Bnei Yisrael,

that this testimony is not about a thing revealed,

namely about this connection of Bnei Yisrael through Torah and mitzvos,

which is a thing recognizable and seen that Bnei Yisrael are distinguished in this from the nations of the world;

And likewise the testimony is not about the holiness of Israel — the holy soul that is in each one of Israel,

for even though the holiness is not always apparent in a revealed manner&lt;pg&gt;40&lt;/pg&gt;

and felt,

nevertheless it is in the category of a thing that is destined to be revealed,

that each one of Israel from time to time this holy soul shines within him,

it is aroused in him and shines at favorable times of the year

(or through an awakening from above as is known&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;),

Rather, the testimony of a Sefer Torah is about the essential connection of Israel with His Essence, which is a hidden thing,

but it exists in every Jew in whatever state he is.

And based on this, also the precise wording of the Rambam "He is the faithful witness" is understood: In the covenant between the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel regarding the observance of the Torah and commandments, when, heaven forbid, there is a lack in the fulfillment of Torah and commandments, it damages the covenant⁵³

; but not so the essential connection between Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, is an eternal thing forever⁵⁴

and in whatever state the Children of Israel are,

therefore "He is the faithful witness."

8.

Based on this, we can also explain

(in the inwardness of the matter)

the words of the Rambam in the continuation of the halachah,

that after this law he concludes

(Laws of a Sefer Torah)

"And honor it according to his ability, the early Sages said&lt;sup&gt;55&lt;/sup&gt;

Whoever desecrates the Torah, his body is desecrated before the creatures, and whoever honors the Torah, his body is honored before the creatures."

For at first glance, one must be precise in the details of the expressions:

a)

This matter that a person honors the Torah for the sake of reward

(that his "body will be honored by the creatures")

is not a lofty level in the service of G-d — for this is service not for its own sake⁵⁶.

And it is perplexing: How is it possible that after a lengthy explanation about the virtue and greatness of a Sefer Torah,

which contains "the words that were on the tablets of the covenant",

"it is the faithful witness etc.'",

the Rambam concludes with the matter of the benefit and reward that will come to a person through this and from this that he honors the Torah?

b)

And the perplexity is great — that in the reward itself,

the Rambam chose the reward of "his body will be honored by the creatures",

meaning that the discussion here is not about spiritual honor

(which pertains to a person's soul),

but that

(also)

his body

(the physical)

will be honored by the creatures

[And it can be said that this is also the precise wording "his body will be honored by the creatures",

meaning the discussion here is about honor that mere creatures will honor him⁵⁷

(and not people of Torah and virtue),

that the honor that comes from "creatures",

who have no concept of spiritual matters,

pertains to a person's body]

— and how is it fitting to conclude all the laws of a Sefer Torah with this reward?

!

And according to the above it can be said,

that his intention is not to inform of the reward that is due to the person through his honoring the Torah,

but rather this comes in continuation to what the Rambam said before this, that the object of Torah acts upon the subject,

because "He is the faithful witness to all who come into the world."

And the explanation:

Testimony is about something hidden — in order to reveal this hidden thing; and so in our matter,

the Sefer Torah reveals the essential connection of Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He,

until through this the importance of Israel is recognized openly "to all the inhabitants of the world".

And continuing from this, the Rambam writes

(and concludes the laws of Sefer Torah)

in this "testimony" of the Sefer Torah,

&lt;pg&gt;41&lt;/pg&gt;

That reveals the virtue of Israel to the nations of the world⁵⁸

— "Whoever honors the Torah, his body is honored by the creatures",

That by the person honoring the Torah,

This causes that also "creatures" will recognize his virtue,

Which is expressed in that they honor his body⁵⁹.

9.

And behold it is understood and simple,

That the effect of the testimony of the Sefer Torah — to reveal the essential connection with the Holy One, blessed be He — is first and foremost in the person himself,

That it causes in the person that in all his actions this matter will be revealed and felt,

Until it will be noticeable in his physical body,

And from this this testimony extends also to all the nations of the world.

And this is the empowerment that "they take" from the time of the giving of our Torah on the holiday of Shavuot,

that in addition to the awakening in the revelation of the holiness of Israel,

the holy soul within him,

and in addition to the strengthening in the "

(tablets)

covenant" — through the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments,

behold yet and mainly — that then there is added in the revelation of the essential connection of Israel with the Holy One, blessed be He,

that this influences his service with all his inner powers,

and in thought, speech and action throughout all the days of the year,

until it will be noticeable and revealed to "all the inhabitants of the world",

that this will influence and affect them that they will fulfill their seven commandments,

that this too was given at the Giving of the Torah, as the Rambam said⁶⁰

"And so Moses our teacher commanded from the mouth of the Almighty to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the commandments that the children of Noah were commanded..

Anyone who accepts the seven commandments and is careful to perform them, behold he is of the pious of the nations of the world and has a portion in the World to Come, provided that he accepts them and performs them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses our teacher that the children of Noah were previously commanded in them",

And through this also hasten the coming of Mashiach our righteous one who will rectify⁶¹

the entire world to serve Hashem together

(one⁶²)

as it is said⁶³

For then I will turn to the peoples a clear language to call all of them in the name of Hashem and to serve Him with one accord",

speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talks of Shabbat Parshat Shemini 5746; 25 Iyar 5744)