DEVARIM - PARSHAS VA'ESCHANAN 5:19-6:3 - ספר דברים - פרשת ואתחנן - ה:יט-ו:ג - חמישי

"All these words, Hashem spoke to your entire assembly on the mountain, from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick cloud." These are different levels of clouds, as Rashi explained earlier. The verse continues, "A great voice that did not stop." The meaning of this phrase is discussed in Rashi, and the teacher explains that it means the voice was strong and exists forever. That voice from Mount Sinai is a continuous voice that never stops. The verse continues, "He wrote them down on two stone tablets and gave them to me."

The teacher elaborates that according to Rashi, "a great voice that did not stop" means the voice is strong and eternal. Another interpretation is that Hashem never showed that voice again in such a public way. The Rebbe, in Likkutei Sichos, brings three interpretations: (1) The voice is continuous, and all the innovations of the sages and prophets are a continuation of the Sinai revelation. Hashem speaks to each of us individually, and His essence is placed into the Torah, making the voice continue through all generations. (2) The voice was heard in all languages, meaning Hashem's voice extends even when we study Torah in other languages or engage in other activities. The Rebbe explains at length how we transform the seventy languages so they also become a vehicle for Hashem's great voice. (3) The voice had no echo because it penetrated everything; it did not bounce off the walls. The Rebbe connects this to the words of Torah and mitzvos we do—they become part of the very walls where we study and perform mitzvos. There were people who wanted their coffins made from the wood of their study table or lectern, symbolizing the penetration of Hashem's voice. The voice is so strong that nothing can stand in its way. The teacher notes that the Tziget explains this beautifully.

Rashi explains the phrase "V'lo Yosof" as follows: The Targum translates it as "it did not stop," meaning the voice was strong and eternal. The voice from Sinai is a continuous voice that never ceases. Another interpretation is that "V'lo Yosof" means Hashem did not show that voice again in such a public way. The teacher quotes Rashi: "Dover acher, V'lo Yosof, lo hosif leharos b'oso pumbi"—He never showed it again in that kind of public way. The teacher also brings from the Rebbe in Likkutei Sichos that these interpretations reflect the ongoing impact of the Sinai revelation, and that Hashem's voice continues through the Torah and mitzvos in every generation, in every language, and in every context, penetrating all barriers.

The verse says, "And it was when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, and the mountain was burning in fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders." The teacher explains that the darkness was due to the Arafel, the thick cloud, and there was also the Onan, the regular cloud. There was fire as well. Hashem had said earlier, "He spoke from the fire, the cloud, and the thick cloud." So there was both fire and darkness present. As Rashi said earlier, there were various partitions that Moshe Rabbeinu entered when he went up the mountain.

The verse describes how all the heads of the tribes and the elders came close to Moshe. The teacher notes that we need to look at the commentaries to understand how they were able to approach the mountain, since Hashem had said to set a boundary around it. Later, it says Moshe separated himself, so how did they come close to Moshe? That's a separate discussion, but the main point is that they did approach Moshe. The "heads of your tribes" refers to the Nesim, the leaders, and "your elders" refers to the seventy elders, as mentioned many times.

The verse says, "And you said, Behold, Hashem our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. Today we have seen that God speaks to man and he lives." The teacher explains that the people acknowledged that Hashem had revealed His glory and greatness to them, and they heard His voice from the fire. They realized that it is possible for God to speak to a human being and for the person to survive the experience. This was a unique revelation, and the people were amazed that they could hear Hashem's voice and still be alive.

The verse continues, "And now, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we continue to hear the voice of Hashem our God any further, we will die." The teacher explains that the people were worried for their lives. They felt that if they kept hearing Hashem's voice directly, the intensity of the experience would be too much for them to survive. They expressed concern that the great fire would consume them if they continued to hear Hashem's voice.

The verse says, "For who is any flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we did, and has lived?" The teacher explains that the people were saying that no other human being had ever experienced hearing the voice of the living God from the fire and survived. They recognized that their experience was unique, but they were also worried that if this continued, they might not survive further exposure to Hashem's direct voice.

This verse describes what the people said to Moshe: "You come close and you listen to everything that Hashem our God will say, and you speak to us everything that Hashem our God will speak to you, and we will hear it and we will do it." The teacher explains that the people were asking Moshe to be the intermediary. They wanted Moshe to approach and hear from Hashem, and then relay the message to them. They promised that whatever Moshe would tell them, they would listen and do. The teacher emphasizes that this was their suggestion after experiencing the direct revelation and feeling overwhelmed by it. They felt it would be better for Moshe to receive the message and then teach it to them, and they committed to obeying whatever he would say.

On the phrase "Ve'at te'daber eleinu"—"and you speak to us"—Rashi comments that the people weakened Moshe's strength like a female. The teacher explains that Rashi says, "Hitashtem es koychi k'nekeiva," meaning, "you made my power weak as a female," who is considered the weaker of the two, male and female. Moshe says, "I was in pain over you, and you weakened my hands, because I saw that you were not scrupulous to come close to Hashem out of love." The teacher elaborates that if the people had loved Hashem, they would not have been so worried about continuing to hear directly from Him. Instead, their approach was more out of fear than love. Moshe asks rhetorically, "Would it not have been more beautiful for you to study directly from the mouth of Gavura—from Hashem Himself—and not to learn from me?" Because they chose to hear from Moshe instead of directly from Hashem, Moshe felt weakened, and that's why the verse hints to this by using the word "Ve'at"—"and you"—indicating that he became weak like a female.

This verse says, "And Hashem heard the voice of your words as you spoke to me, and Hashem said to me, 'I have heard the voice of the words of this nation that they spoke to you; they did well in all that they said.'" The teacher explains that Hashem listened to what the people said to Moshe, and Hashem agreed with their request. Hashem said that everything the people said was good; they did well by asking for Moshe to be the intermediary. The teacher notes that this is a positive response from Hashem to the people's request, affirming that their approach was appropriate.

This verse contains the phrase, "Mi yitein v'haya levavam zeh lahem le'yira osi..."—"Who would give that they would have this heart to fear Me and to keep all My mitzvos all the days, so that it would be good for them and for their children forever." The teacher explains that this is the word 'yira'—fear or awe of Hashem—here. Hashem is expressing a wish: "Halavai"—if only they would always have this heart, this level of fear and awe of Hashem, so that it would be good for them and their children forever. The teacher emphasizes that even yira—fear of Hashem—is something that Hashem wishes for them to have, so that they will merit goodness for themselves and their descendants.

This verse says, "Lech emor lahem, shuvu lachem le'aholeichem"—"Go say to them: return to your tents." The teacher explains that Hashem tells Moshe to instruct the people to go back to their tents, meaning to return to their regular lives after the revelation at Sinai. There is no further elaboration on this verse in the transcript.

This verse says, "Ve'ata po amod imadi..."—"But you, stand here with Me, and I will speak to you all the mitzvos, the statutes, and the laws that you will teach them, and they will do them in the land that I am giving them as an inheritance." The teacher explains that Hashem tells Moshe to remain with Him, and that Hashem will teach Moshe all the mitzvos, chukim, and mishpatim, which Moshe will then teach to the people. The teacher adds that Rashi (mentioned as being earlier) explains that because Hashem told Moshe to stay with Him, Moshe separated from Tziporah, his wife, since he needed to be constantly ready to receive Hashem's word. The people, meanwhile, are told to return to their tents, but Moshe is to remain with Hashem to receive the Torah and teach it to the people, who will then fulfill these mitzvos in the land they are to inherit.

This verse says, "Ushmartem la'asos ka'asher tziva Hashem Elokeichem eschem, lo tasuru yamin u'smol"—"And you shall guard to do as Hashem your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left." The teacher explains that the people are commanded to guard and do exactly as Hashem has instructed, without deviating either to the right or the left. This means to follow the mitzvos precisely, not adding or subtracting from them, and not straying from the path that Hashem has set.

This verse says, "Bechol ha'derech asher tziva Hashem Elokeichem eschem teileichu, lemaan tichyun v'tov lachem v'harachtem yamim ba'aretz asher tirashun"—"In all the way that Hashem your God has commanded you, you shall go, so that you will live, it will be good for you, and you will prolong your days in the land that you are going to inherit." The teacher explains that the people are to follow the entire path that Hashem has commanded, and by doing so, they will merit life, goodness, and a long life in the land that they are to inherit. The verse is a promise that following Hashem's mitzvos leads to goodness and longevity in Eretz Yisroel.

This verse says, "And this is the mitzvah, the statutes, and the laws that Hashem your God has commanded to teach you, to do in the land that you are passing over there to inherit it." The teacher explains that this is the beginning of the next chapter, and Moshe is telling the Jewish people that these are the mitzvos, the chukim, and the mishpatim that Hashem has commanded to be taught to you. The purpose is so that you will do them in the land that you are about to enter and inherit. The teacher does not elaborate further on this verse, but simply translates and clarifies that this is the introduction to the mitzvos that will be discussed as the people prepare to enter Eretz Yisroel.

This verse says, "So that you will fear Hashem your God, to guard all of His statutes and His mitzvos that I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and so that your days will be lengthened." The teacher translates and explains that the purpose of these mitzvos is so that you will have yiras Hashem, fear of Hashem your God, and that you will keep all of His chukim and mitzvos. This is not just for you, but also for your children and grandchildren, for all the days of your life, and so that your days will be long. The teacher does not elaborate further on this verse, but gives a straightforward translation and explanation of its meaning.

This verse says, "And you shall listen, Yisroel, and you shall guard to do, so that it will be good for you and so that you will increase very much, as Hashem the God of your fathers spoke to you, a land flowing with milk and honey." The teacher translates and explains that the verse is telling the Jewish people that if they listen and guard to do the mitzvos, it will be good for them and they will multiply greatly, just as Hashem promised their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. The teacher then raises a question about the phrase, "Hashem spoke to you, a land of milk and honey." He wonders whether this phrase goes on the previous verse or on this one, and notes that he should look this up further. He does not elaborate further, but points out this textual question regarding the placement of the phrase about the land flowing with milk and honey.