Chapter Three Introduction In this chapter the Rebbe continues with the Previous Rebbe’s mamor, how the Previous Rebbe is explaining: (a) The concept of, “And you shall connect the Children of Israel”, that this is connected with the concept that Moses is called the “Faithful Shepherd” which also means that Moses shepherds --feeds-- his flock with Faith, that the inherent Faith of the children of Israel should be internalized by them. (b) That this concept of Moses being the “Faithful Shepherd” applies also to the “Moses of Each Generation”. That they each strengthen the faith of the Children of Israel.
Such as Mordechai, who was the “Moses of His Generation”, who strengthened the faith of the Children of Israel that also in the dark times of the decree of Haman, that they stand with self-sacrifice in their observance of Torah and Mitzvos. (c) Then, after this, the Previous Rebbe explains the concept --answering the question-- of, “crushed for luminary”, and not “for illumination”. It is in the times of exile, when the Children of Israel are broken and crushed, that they reach the “Luminary”, the Essence, from which all illumination emanate from.
And here the Rebbe asks his question, which drives the journey of the Rebbe’s mamor: What is the correlation between the explanation of the “crushed for luminary” with the concept explained just prior to this, that Moses (and the Moses of Each Generation) feeds and sustains the faith, that it be internalized? Simply speaking, the Previous Rebbe explained that the “crushed for luminary” is connected to the Children of Israel --observing Torah and Mitzvos with self-sacrifice-- in the brokenness and the being crushed in the dark times of exile.
So, what is the correlation with this and the concept of Moses and the Moses of Each Generation being the “Faithful Shepherd”, as the mamor explains what this title entails? “ 3) And to explain this, the mamor11 prefaces that Moses, our teacher, is called ‘Raya Mehemna - Faithful Shepherd’ of which there are two interpretations. That he is a faithful shepherd to Israel (faithful, as an adjective), and that he feeds and sustains (shepherds, as a verb) Israel with the concept of faith (faithful, as a noun; thing).
” The mamor, in understanding what the “And you shall connect the Children of Israel with the Infinite Light” is, begins to explain a title that was given to Moses: Faithful Shepherd. In its simple meaning, the title is one of describing how Moses did his job. Moses did it par excellence, he was a Faithful Shepherd to Israel. However, there is a deeper meaning to this title, in that it describes what Moses did as the shepherd of Israel. Moses shepherded, meaning that he fed and sustained the Children of Israel with Faith.
Now the mamor goes on to explain what exactly this means: “For the faith that Israel has of their own, which Israel are ‘Believers the children of believers12’, it is possible that it (their faith) should remain in an encompassing dimension, and this which Moses shepherds and sustains Israel in the concept of faith is that the faith should be internalized.” The Talmud rules and teaches us that each and every Jew is inherently, “Believers the children of believers”. For this the Children of Israel do not need to be shepherded. However, faith is in its own an encompassing power.
Note: In some teachings this is explained as the difference between Faith and Trust. As one student once shared with me: Faith is calmly watching the high-wire walker walking with his wheelbarrow, ‘believing’ that he will make it. Trust is getting into the wheelbarrow…. Faith of its own is an abstract dimension. Meaning, that it can exist without effecting one’s behavior. For example, the Talmud (-Brochos 63a in Ayin Yakov) states, “A thief, at the mouth of the tunnel, calls out to G-d.” The thief is about to commit a sin that G-d forbade him to do, and nevertheless, he calls out to G-d to protect him.
His faith is real, however, it is abstract. That is what we mean that the inherent faith of a Jew can remain in an encompassing dimension. With this we understand what it means that Moses shepherds, he feeds and sustains that the faith of the Jew should be digested and internalized, and not to remain abstract and encompassing. “And this is what is written in the Zohar13, ‘This faith above, it is fed and sustained by you (through Moses)’, that this which Moses feeds and sustains the faith (of the Children of Israel) is that he draws it into the internal (dimensions of the Children of Israel).
” The Rebbe is quoting and explain the statement of the Zohar that states, “This faith above, it is fed and sustained by you ”. The faith of its own is above, and it needs to be fed and sustained, meaning internalized, by Moses. Note: Later we will see that the Rebbe explains that Moses is feeding the Faith itself (that the Jew inherently has). Because the faith that the Jew inherently has comes from the dimension of Mazal of his soul, which is an encompassing dimension. Moses is feeding this faith that it should not be from the Mazal, but from the Essence of the soul.
The Essence of the Soul is not “stuck” in the encompassing dimension, but rather, it can be internalized. Thus, by Moses feeding the faith, it becomes internalized. “And it continues in the mamor, that this which Moses is a ‘Faithful Shepherd’, the intention with this is that it is also concerning the ‘The extension (or manifestation) of Moses in every generation’. that the heads of the thousands of Israel of each generation, they are the ones that strengthen the faith of Israel (of their generation), that the faith be internalized.
” The Rebbe is pointing out that after the Previous Rebbe, in his mamor, explains the concept of Moses being the “Faithful Shepherds” who shepherds the Faith of Israel, that it be not only encompassing, but internalized, the Previous Rebbe then explains that this is not so only concerning the original Moses, but that it is also so concerning the Moses of Each Generation, that they are the ones who strengthen the faith of Israel of their generation,. that their faith be internalized.
The Previous Rebbe then focuses on Mordechai, who had to strengthen the faith of Israel in his generation, in a time of tyranny and Haman’s decree of annihilation, that Israel should observe Torah and Mitzvos with absolute self-sacrifice: “And as Mordechai15, who was the ‘The extension (or manifestation) of Moses’ of his generation, as the teaching of the Sages, of blessed memory16, that, ‘Mordechai in his generation is a Moses in his generation’ that also in the times of the decree of Haman, in which learning Torah and observing Mitzvos were bound with self-sacrifice, (and nevertheless, Mordechai) gathered congregations publicly to strengthen the faith of Israel in G-d, and to stand strong in Torah-study, and in Mitzvah-observance.
” The Rebbe continues with the listing the order of the concepts that the Previous Rebbe is explaining, which will soon culminate with the Rebbe’s question: “And after he (the Previous Rebbe) explains in great length that Moses and his extensions in each generation strengthen the faith of Israel, he explains17 the emphasis of the wording of the verse, ‘Oil,,, crushed for luminary’ (for luminary, and not, for illumination), that in the times of exile, when everyone is broken and depressed, ‘crushed’, it is through this that we reach the ‘luminary’ (the Essence), which from it all light emanates.
” The Previous Rebbe, after explaining the concept of Moses and the extensions of Moses of each generation being the “Faithful Shepherd” as he explains the meaning of this, now the Previous Rebbe explains the concept of “crushed for luminary”, as to why the verse doesn’t say, “for illumination”. It is precisely in the times of exile, when the Children of Israel are “crushed”, broken and depressed --and yet they serve G-d with self-sacrifice-- that they reach the Luminary - Essence, from which all illumination comes from.
With this the Previous Rebbe answers yet another one of his questions on the verse, concerning the wording of “crushed for luminary” and not “for illumination”.
The Rebbe’s question is, the Previous Rebbe’s explanation of the reason for the verse’s wording of “crushed for luminary” being because of when Israel is crushed in exile, they reach the luminary - Essence, seemingly, is not connected at all with the lengthy explanation of Moses and the extensions of Moses in each generation being the “Faithful Shepherd” who feeds, sustains, and strengthens the faith of Israel, each in their generation. Thus, why is the Previous Rebbe explaining the prior in connection to the latter? What is the connection between these two concepts?
: “And we need to understand the connection between the explanation of ‘crushed for luminary’ to that which is explained (in the mamor) before this that Moses [and his extension in every generation] feeds and sustains the faith (of Israel of their generation) that it be internalized.” And with this question the Rebbe concludes this chapter, and sets the journey for the next few chapters. Footnotes 11. Chapter Four. 12. Shabbos 97a. 13. Vol III, 225b. 14. Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 69 ((pages) 111a. 114a). 15. See in (the mamor of the) Opening Words mentioned above 5687, Chapter 3 and Chapter 15. 16. Esther Rabba, Portion 6:2. 17.
In (the mamor of the) Opening Words mentioned above 5687, end of Chapter 15.