At the conclusion of the Torah portion of Devarim, Moshe relates how he told the tribes of Reuven and Gad that their warriors were to "go forth ahead of their Jewish brethren"
[1] and lead them in battle. Rashi explains:
[2] "Since they were mighty, they would go forth ahead of the Jewish people in battle and the enemies would succumb to them, as is written:
[3] 'he tears as prey the arm and head.' "
The tribes of Reuven and Gad went "ahead" of the Jewish people in two ways: a) they forged ahead of the other Jews as a separate and distinct entity; b) they also placed themselves at the head of the Jewish army.
In terms of man's spiritual service, these two methods of doing battle represent two ways of vanquishing the enemy - the evil inclination:[4]
By "going forth ahead of their Jewish brethren" the warriors of Reuven and Gad placed themselves at much greater risk than the rest of the nation - evidence of mesirus nefesh, total self-sacrifice. In spiritual terms, this translates into divine service that transcends intellect - a manner of service that emanates from the soul's core.
The other tribes, however, did not place themselves at particular risk. In spiritual terms this relates to a lesser degree of divine service - service limited to one's comprehension, and which reflects the soul's more extrinsic levels.
This explains why the children of Gad would "tear as prey the arm and head," i.e., with one blow they would sever the enemy's arm and head. When logic is one's only weapon in the battle against evil, it is impossible to nullify all the forces of darkness with one blow, for a particular manner of service is required in order to defeat each evil power.
But when one calls upon the all-encompassing spiritual power of self-sacrifice, a power so great that it obliterates every aspect of evil, then it is possible to vanquish all the evil - the "arm and head" - at one blow.
Ultimately, even mesirus nefesh alone does not suffice; it is necessary for mesirus nefesh (i.e. the tribes of Gad and Reuven) to influence the intellect, emotion, speech and action (i.e. the other tribes) as well. This is accomplished in two ways:
- Mesirus nefesh clothes itself in intellect, emotion, etc., so that one's performance of Torah and mitzvos is fueled by it.[5] The main aspect of an individual's spiritual service remains the day-to-day study of Torah and performance of mitzvos; mesirus nefesh is invoked merely as a means to enhance this service, and not as an end in itself.[6]
- Mesirus nefesh becomes an end unto itself: be it in a situation that requires actual self-sacrifice, or one that requires mesirus nefesh in potentia, such as during the Ne'ilah prayer of Yom Kippur.
This aspect of mesirus nefesh too, although not clothed in intellect and emotion, has the ability to affect them. For, as explained in Tanya,
[7] when the power of mesirus nefesh is aroused, it automatically affects one's intellect, emotions, speech and action.
These, then, are the two manners in which the tribes of Gad and Reuven went to war: At the outset of spiritual service they placed themselves at the head of the Jewish army, i.e., mesirus nefesh merely served as the "head" and conductor of the intellect and emotions, etc.
Thereafter came the higher degree of mesirus nefesh, wherein these two tribes would forge ahead on their own. That is, mesirus nefesh was aroused as an entity unto itself.
Based on Likkutei Sichos Vol. IX, pp. 1-13.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Devarim 3:18.
- (Back to text) Ibid.
- (Back to text) Ibid. 33:20.
- (Back to text) Bereishis Rabbah 54:1.
- (Back to text) See Tanya conclusion of ch. 25.
- (Back to text) Cf. Likkutei Sichos IV p. 1022ff.
- (Back to text) Ch. 19.
At the beginning of the Book Devarim the verse states: "In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moshe spoke to the Children of Israel regarding all that G-d had commanded him for them."
[1]
What, exactly, did Moshe say?
The Seforno explains[2] that Moshe repeated all the Torah given up to that time. Indeed, this is one of the reasons why the Book of Devarim is also known as "Mishneh Torah," the "Repetition of the Torah."[3]
Our Sages note[4] that the Book of Devarim differs from the first four Books of the Torah in that the latter are "from G-d's mouth," while Devarim is "from Moshe's mouth."
This does not - Heaven forfend - imply that the words in Mishneh Torah are not G-d's. Rather, as Rashi explains:[5] "Moshe did not say Mishneh Torah to the Jews on his own, but as he would receive it from G-d he would repeat it to them."
Since the words of Mishneh Torah too are not Moshe's words but G-d's, why are the first four Books of the Torah considered to be from "G-d's mouth" while the Book of Devarim is considered to be from "Moshe's mouth"; what difference is there between the first four Books and the fifth?
The inherent sanctity of Torah is such that it completely transcends this physical world;[6] in order for it to descend within this world an intermediary is necessary - one who is both higher than this world yet within it. This intermediary bridges the gap between the sacred Torah and this corporeal world.
Moshe served as the intermediary, inasmuch as he combined aspects of this world with higher levels. His humility was truly otherworldly; concurrently, he attained the highest degree of completeness possible for an earthly being.[7]
Information flows through an intermediary in one of two ways:[8]
- The information passes through but does not become united with the intermediary; all he does is bring about its descent.
- The communication becomes so wholly unified with the intermediary that it is refashioned - personalized - by its passage through him. This, in turn, enables the recipients to receive the information according to their own personal levels of intellect.
An example: When intellect is transmitted through one's fingers, e.g., when one jots down an idea or paints a picture, the fingers do not refashion the thought. However, when a thought is drawn down with emotion, the emotion will color and change the intellect accordingly.
[9]
Herein lies the difference between the first four Books of the Torah and Mishneh Torah: In the first four, Moshe served as a go-between in the first manner, and Torah remained a communication "from G-d's mouth," while in Mishneh Torah His words were clothed within Moshe's intellect, and are therefore considered to be "from Moshe's mouth."[10]
What is the advantage of having Torah clothed in Moshe's intellect? Seemingly, this involves a descent in sanctity.
When a flow of divine knowledge is not clothed in the intellect of a human intermediary, it eludes comprehension, for such knowledge is by definition beyond the grasp of the receiver, and the intermediary did nothing to make it more accessible.
Thus, were Torah to have been transmitted only in the manner of the first four Books (i.e. "from G-d's mouth"), it would have been impossible for the Jews to truly comprehend it. When Moshe, however, repeated the Torah to them in his own words (i.e. "from Moshe's mouth"), it became comprehensible.
Based on Likkutei Sichos Vol. XIX, pp. 9-12.
Notes:
- (Back to text) Devarim 1:3.
- (Back to text) Ibid.
- (Back to text) See Chagigah 6b; Commentary of Rashi beginning of Torah Portion Behar.
- (Back to text) See Zohar III, 261a. See also Megillah 31b; Shach and Or HaChayim beginning of Devarim.
- (Back to text) Sanhedrin 56b.
- (Back to text) See Midrash Tehillim 90:3; Bereishis Rabbah 8:2; Zohar II, 49a.
- (Back to text) See Devarim Rabbah 11:4; Commentary of the Rambam to Cheilik - Seventh Fundament.
- (Back to text) See Or HaTorah, Shemini, Ma'amar titled Yayin v'Sheichar ch. 6, Panim b'Panim 5659 (pp. 194-195); Oteh Or 5700.
- (Back to text) See Ma'amar titled Yayin v'Sheichar mentioned above; Hemshech 5666, p. 425.
- (Back to text) See also Tiferes Yisrael of the MaHaral, ch. 43.
Matos-Masei