מאוצרות חג השבועות SHAVUOS SELECTIONS FROM LIKKUTEI SICHOS INSIGHTS INTO THE HOLIDAYS BY THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE 2 לקוטי שיחות | חג השבועות תועובשה גח ב | II LIKKUTEI SICHOS, VOLUME 6, P. 119FF. Adapted from sichos delivered on Shavuos and Shabbos Parshas Naso, 5726 [1966] Introduction he Giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai is not only a historical event. Every day, we relive that experience. This is reflected in our praise of G‑d as “the Giver of the Torah,” using the Tpre sent tense,1 and highlighted by the mandate of our Sages2 to always view the Torah as “something new which we received today.” In that context, the differences of opinion between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael men‑ tioned in the sichah that follows take on a different light. When discussing the Jews’ experience at the Giving of the Torah or the way they responded to G‑d’s commandments, the Sages were not merely speaking about what happened at Mount Sinai; priarily, they were describing what the Giving of the Torah meant to them – how they approached the Torah on an ongoing basis. The Rebbe shows the interrelation between the two differences of opinion mentioned and il‑ lustrates how they relate to the general themes in these Sages’ patterns of thinking and approach to Divine service. In doing so, he provides us with lessons to apply in our own approach to Torah study and practice. 1. The text of the third of the bless‑ the blessings recited before and after 2. Sifri; Rashi on Devarim 11:13. ings recited before Torah study and the communal Torah reading. 3 SHAVUOS | What HAPPENED at SINAI What Happened at Sinai Two Different Responses to G-d’s Words א. ַפ ְארן ָאְנ ּהוֹיב ּפון ִדי ֲע ֶשֶׂרת ַהִּדְּברוֹת, ‑The Torah introduces the Ten Com .1 שׁ ְ ֵטייט ִאין פָּ ּסוקא: ַ"וְיַדֵּבר ֱא ִלֹקים ֵאת mandments by stating,1 “G‑d spoke all these ָכּל ַהְּדָבִרים ָהֵאֶּלה ֵלאמֹר". ֶדער ָוו ְארט words, laimor....” Generally, the word laimor ֵ"לאמֹר" ֶוו ְערט ִּב ְכ ַלל ֶג ַעטייטשׁ ְ ט: ּ]אום[ ּצו ”,is interpreted2 to mean “to tell someone else ִ]א ֶּיב ָער[ז ְאגן*א ּ)ו ְל ּדוְג ָמא: ַוְי ַד ֵּבר ה' ֶאל מֹשׁ ֶ ה as in the many verses that state, “G‑d spoke ֵּלאמֹר – ֵמיינטב, ַאז מֹשׁ ֶ ה ָזאל ִא ֶּיב ָערז ְאגן ּצו to Moshe laimor,” i.e.,3 G‑d spoke to Moshe ִדי ִא ְידן ָוואס ֶדער ֶּאוֹיב ְערשׁ ְ ֶטער ָהאט ִאים with the intent that Moshe relate His words ֶג ָעז ְאגט(. ִאין ּאוְנֶזער פָּ ּסוק ָא ֶּבער ֶקען ֶמען ‑to the Jewish people. In this instance, how ַאזוֹ י ִניט ַט ְייטשׁ ְ ן, ָוו ּארום ַּביי ַמ ַּתן ּתוֹ ָרה ָהאט ever, laimor must be interpreted differently ֶדער אוֹ ֶּיב ְערשׁ ְ ֶטער ֶג ֶערעדט ּצו ַא ֶלע ִא ְידן ‑because G‑d spoke to the entire Jewish peo ּ)וִבְפַרט ַאז ִמיט ַ"אֶלע ִא ְידן" ָדא – ֶוו ְערט ,ple at the Giving of the Torah. (Indeed, here ֶג ֵעמ ְיינט ַא ֶלע ִנשְׁמוֹת ִיְשָׂרֵאל ּפון ַא ֶלע the entire Jewish people,” refers to all the“ דוֹרוֹת, ָוואס ֵזיי ַא ֶלע ַזְי ֶינען ֶג ֶעווען ָא ְנ ֶוו ְעז ְנד Jewish souls, including those yet to be born ַּביי ַק ָּב ַלת ַה ּת ָוֹרה ּאון ֶג ֶעה ְערט ִדי ִ ּד ְּברוֹת ּפון in all future generations. All were present to א ֹ ו י ֶ ּב ע ְר שׁ ְ ְ ט ן ַא ֵ ל י י ן*ב(. ַהְי ְינט ּצו ֶוו ֶעמען ָה ְּאבן ‑receive the Torah and all heard the Ten Com 4 ִדי ִא ְידן ָ)א ֶדער מֹשׁ ֶ ה( ֶג ָעז ְאלט ִא ֶּיב ְער ָז ְאגן ִדי ,mandments from G‑d Himself. To whom ֲע ֶשׂ ֶרת ַה ִ ּד ְ ּברוֹ תג? then, were the Jews – or Moshe – intended to convey the Ten Commandments?5 ֶד ִער ֶּיבער ִאיז ִדי ְמִכ ְילָּתא ְמָפֵרשׁ ַאז ָדא For this reason, the Mechilta6 explains ִאיז ֶדער ַטייטשׁ ּפון ֵ"לאמֹר": ּצוִר ְיקָז ְאגן, ”.that here the word laimor means “to reply ֶעְנְטֶפ ְערן, ַאז אוֹיף ֶי ֶעדער ִּדּיבּור ָה ְּאבן In response to every commandment, the Jews ִדי ִא ְידן ּצוִר ֶיק־ג ֶעעְנְטֶפ ְערט ַאז ֵזיי ֶוו ְעלן ‑replied that they would carry out what it re אוֹ ְיס ָפ ְאל ְגן ָוואס ֶדער ִ ּד ּיב ּור ָפ ֶאד ְערט ּפון ֵזיי. .quired of them ּאון ַּב ֵנּוֹגַע ֶדעם ֶאוֹפן, ִווי ַאזוֹי ִדי ִא ְידן ‑The Mechilta relates a difference of opin ָה ְּאבן ַא ְרוֹיסֶג ָעז ְאגט ֵז ֶייער ַקָּבָלה, ֶוו ְערט ion regarding the way the Jews expressed their ֶג ְּעב ַר ְאכט ִאין ֶדער ְמ ִכ ְיל ָּתא ְצ ֵוויי ֵדיעוֹ ת: ַר ִּב י acceptance of the commandments. Rabbi 1. Shmos 20:1. Shmos Rabbah 28:6, Midrash those instances, the mitzvos were con‑ Tanchuma, Parshas Yisro, sec. 11; veyed to Moshe laimor, i.e., to com‑ 2. See Rashi, Shmos 19:12; Vayikra Zohar, Vol. I, p. 91a. municate them to the Jewish people. 1:1, Bamidbar 12:13, et al.; Malbim, By contrast, in other instances where Vayikra 1:1, 6; Erchei HaKinnuyim 5. A similar question is raised in the word laimor is used, e.g., Bereishis by R. Yechiel Halperin, maareches Torah Or, p. 67b. Likkutei Torah, Shir 5:29, 15:1, et al., that word does not Amirah. HaShirim, p. 40b, clarifies that the necessarily imply that the intent is to question is being raised regarding the 3. Sotah 5:4, and Rashi, Sotah 27b. convey a message to others. use of the word laimor in relation to 4. Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 41; “the other mitzvos of the Torah.” In 6. Mechilta on this verse. 4 לקוטי שיחות | חג השבועות ִישְׁ ָמֵעאל ָז ְאגט "שֶׁ ָה ּיו ְאוֹמִרים ַעל ֵהן Yishmael states that they answered “yes” to the ֵהן ְו ַעל ַלאו ַלאו" – ַאז אוֹיף ִדי ִּדְּברוֹת ‑positive commandments and “no” to the nega ָוואס ַזְי ֶינען ִאין ּסוג ּפון ּ"קום ַוֲע ֵשׂה" tive ones. By saying “yes” to the commandments ֵ)הן( ָה ְּאבן ִדי ִא ְידן ֶג ֶעע ְנ ְט ֶפ ְערט ֵ"הן", ַאז that involved their taking action, they implied ֵזיי ֶוו ְעלן ָטאן; ּאון אוֹיף ִדי ִּדְּברוֹת ָוואס that they would do what was asked of them. And ָה ְּאבן ָא ְנ ֶג ָעז ְאגט ִניט ּצו ָטאן ַ)לאו(, ָה ְּאבן by responding “no” to the commandments that ִדי ִא ְידן ֶג ֶעע ְנ ְט ֶפ ְערט ַ"לאו", ַאז ֵזיי ֶוו ְעלן ‑involved their refraining from action, they prom ִניט ָטאן ָוואס ֶדער ֶּאוֹיב ְערשׁ ְ ֶטער ָהאט .ised they would not do what G‑d prohibited ַפ ְארָּב ְאטן. ַרִּבי ֲעִק ָיבא ָאֶּבער ָז ְאגט, ַאז Rabbi Akiva, by contrast, maintains that they ִדי ִא ְידן ָה ְּאבן ֶג ֶעעְנְטֶפ ְערט ַ"על ֵהן ֵהן ‑answered “yes” to all the commandments, say ְוַעל ַלאו ֵהן", ַאז אוֹיף ַאֶלע ִּדְּברוֹת – ing “ ‘yes,’ to the positive commandments and ַסיי אוֹיף ִדי ִּד ְּברוֹת ּפון "הן" ֲ)ע ֵשׂה( ַסיי yes’ to the negative commandments.” This reply‘ אוֹיף ִדי ִּד ְּברוֹת ּפון ַ"לאו" )לֹא ַת ֲע ֶשׂה( – signified their willingness to fulfill each of G‑d’s ָה ְּאבן ֵזיי ֶג ֶעעְנ ְט ֶפ ְערט ֶדעם ֶז ְעלְּבן ָלשׁ וֹן commands as required, doing that which was ֵ"הן", ֵמ ֶיינ ְענִדיק ֶד ְערִמיט ַאז ֵזיי ֶוו ְעלן mandated, and refraining from that which was אוֹ ְיס ִפ ְירן ֶדעם ִצ ּיו ּוי ה' – ֶי ְעדן ְל ִפי ִע ְנָינוֹ. .forbidden ִאיז ִניט ּמו ָבן, ָוואס ִאיז ֶדער ִא ְינ ַה ְאלט The reason for the difference of opinion ּפון ֵז ֶייער פְּ ּלוְג ָּתא: ָוואס ַפאר ַאן ּאו ְנ ֶט־ ‑between the Sages calls for explanation: What dif ְערשֵׁייד ֶקען ָדא ַזְיין ִצי ֶדער ֶעְנְט ֶפער ference does it make whether the Jews answered ִאיז ִּב ְלשׁ וֹן שׁ ְ ִל ָילה: ַ"לאו" ַ)אז ֵזיי ֶוו ְעלן in the negative – that they would not violate the ִניט ֵעוֹבר ַזְיין ְאוֹיפן ִא ּיסּור ָ)אֶדער ִּב ְל־ prohibition – or in the positive – affirming that שׁ וֹן ִח ּי ּוב: ֵ"הן" ַ)אז ֵזיי ֶוו ְעלן ְמ ַקֵּים ַזְיין they would carry out G‑d’s command and not do ֶדעם ִצ ּיו ּוי, ּו ְב ֵכן: ִניט ָטאן ֵקיין ִא ּיס ּור( – what is prohibited? Seemingly, the intent of both ֶדער ְמ ֻכָּון ּפון ֵּב ֶיידע ִמ ֵיני ֶע ְנ ְט ֶפ ְערס ִאיז ‑answers is the same; they expressed their readi ְ ָדאך, ִל ְכ ָאוֹרה, ֶדער ֶז ְעל ֶּבער? ness to obey all of G‑d’s commandments, both positive and negative. When Reality Changed ב. ָנ ְאך ַא פְּ ּלוְג ָּתא ִאיז ָדא ְצ ִווישׁ ְ ן ִדי ‑There is another difference of opinion be .2 ֶז ְעלֶּבע ַּתָנּ ִאים ַ)רִּבי ִישְׁ ָמֵעאל ּאון ַרִּבי tween these two Sages – Rabbi Yishmael and ֲע ִק ָיבא( – ּאון ְאוֹיך ְּבשׁ ַ ְי ּיכות ֶדעם ִעְנָין .Rabbi Akiva – regarding the Giving of the Torah ּפון ַמ ַּתן ּת ָוֹרה: On the verse,7 “All the people saw the sounds and 8 ְאוֹיפן פָּ ּסוק ְ"וָכל ָהָעם ִרוֹאים ֶאת ‑the flames,” Rabbi Yishmael states that the peo ַה ּקוֹ לוֹ ת"ד ָז ְאגט ַרִּבי ִישְׁ ָמֵעאל ִ"רוֹאין ple “saw what is [usually] seen and heard what ַהִנְּרֶאה ְו ְשׁוֹמִעין ַהִנּשְׁ ָמע" – ַאז ֶדער ”is [usually] heard.” In his reading, the verb “saw ָוו ְארט "רוֹ ִאים" ַּב ִאציט ִז ְיך ִניט ּצום ‑does not apply to the object, “sounds,” which im ָוו ְארט "קוֹ לוֹ ת", ָנאר ּצו ַ"לפִּ ִידים" ָוואס mediately follows it, but only to “the flames,” the שׁ ְ ֵטייט ַווְי ֶיטער ִאין פָּ ּסוק; ַד ֶאק ְעגן ִדי second object of the verb in the verse.