Simple Obedience Brings Us Before Hashem
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Vayikra 9:5
וַיִּקְחוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה אֶל־פְּנֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיִּקְרְבוּ כׇּל־הָעֵדָה וַיַּעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה
They took what Moshe had commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before Hashem.
1“They took what Moshe had commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before Hashem.”1 Notice the wording. Why does the verse say they stood “before Hashem,” and not “before the Tent of Meeting,” when that is where they were standing?
וַיִּקְחוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה אֶל פְּנֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיִּקְרְבוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה וַיַּעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי ה׳ (ט, ה). יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר ׳לִפְנֵי ה׳׳ וְלֹא ׳לִפְנֵי אוֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׳ שֶׁהֲרֵי שָׁם עָמְדוּ.
- Vayikra 9:5. ↩
In shortThe people stood in front of the Tent of Meeting; why does the verse say they stood “before Hashem”?
2The next verse says: “Moshe said, ‘This is the thing that Hashem commanded you to do, and the glory of Hashem will appear to you.’”2 The holy Ohr HaChaim writes that we need to know what “the thing” is.3 Rashi explains that it refers to Aharon's offering, but, the Ohr HaChaim objects, that is not the plain meaning of the verse, for it says “commanded you to do,” in the plural, speaking to all the people.
וּלְהַלָּן כְּתִיב ״וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ תַּעֲשׂוּ וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה׳״ (ט, ו), וְכָתַב בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ, צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה הוּא הַדָּבָר, ורש״י פֵּירֵשׁ עַל הַקְרָבַת אַהֲרֹן, אַךְ אֵין זֶה פְּשַׁט מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאָמַר ׳תַּעֲשׂוּ׳.
In shortWhat is “the thing” the whole people was told to do, if Rashi's reading, Aharon's offering, does not fit the plural “you”?
3The Midrash says: “What is ‘this is the thing’? It refers to circumcision, as it says, ‘This is the thing for which Yehoshua circumcised.’”4 The Ohr HaChaim writes that the Midrash's words are “closed and sealed,” beyond our understanding.5 Did Moshe circumcise them that day? Did he command them about circumcision that day?
וּבַמִּדְרָשׁ (במדבר רבה יב, ח) אִיתָא מַהוּ ׳זֶה הַדָּבָר׳, עַל הַמִּילָה, כַּמָּה דְּתֵימָא (יהושע ה, ד) ״זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר מָל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ״. וּכְבָר כָּתַב בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים כִּי דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ סְתוּמִים וַחֲתוּמִים, וְכִי בְּאוֹתוֹ יוֹם מָל אוֹתָם מֹשֶׁה, אוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹ יוֹם צִוָּה עַל הַמִּילָה.
In shortThe Midrash ties “this is the thing” to circumcision, though no one was circumcised or commanded about it that day.
4My holy father and teacher, zt"l, said in the name of the holy Rebbe of Kotzk, zt"l, that Bnei Yisrael stood ready to receive spiritual attainments, a deeper grasp of Hashem. Moshe Rabbeinu told them that the main thing is to fulfill Hashem's mitzvos, and the levels will come of themselves. That is “This is the thing that Hashem commanded you to do”: fulfill Hashem's commandment, and in the end the words “the glory of Hashem will appear to you” will come true. Those are his holy words. Accordingly, my holy father explained why Hashem held the mountain over them like an upturned barrel at the giving of the Torah.6 There are times when a person finds no taste in avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem. Then he must serve as if under compulsion, without kavanos, the inner intentions of the mitzvos, and without any taste, and afterward he is privileged to reach those attainments.
וכ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה אָמַר בְּשֵׁם הרה״ק מקאצק זצללה״ה, כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל עָמְדוּ הָכֵן לְקַבֵּל הַשָּׂגוֹת, וְאָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה כִּי הָעִיקָּר הוּא לְקַיֵּים מִצְוֹות ה׳, וְהַמַּדְרִיגוֹת מִמֵּילָא יָבוֹאוּ. וְזֶהוּ ׳זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ תַּעֲשׂוּ׳ לְקַיֵּים מִצְוַת ה׳, וּלְבַסּוֹף יְקוּיַּים כְּבָר ׳וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה׳׳, עכד״ק. וּלְפִי זֶה בֵּיאֵר דְּזֶהוּ הַטַּעַם שֶׁכָּפָה עֲלֵיהֶם הַר כְּגִיגִית בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא מַרְגִּישִׁים טַעַם בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ וְאָז צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת הָעֲבוֹדָה בִּבְחִינַת כְּפִיָּה בְּלִי כַּוָּונוֹת וּבְלִי טַעַם, וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן זוֹכִים לְהַשָּׂגוֹת.
- Shabbos 88a. The Gemara says that He held Mount Sinai over their heads like an upside-down barrel and told them that if they did not accept the Torah, that would be their burial place. ↩
In shortThe main thing is to keep Hashem's mitzvos, even without taste and as if compelled; the attainments and His glory come afterward.
5We may explain this more fully. As is well known, there are two paths in avodas Hashem and in keeping the Torah and mitzvos. The first follows the verse “Know the God of your father and serve Him”:7 to search out and know the reasons for the mitzvos. The second follows the verse “You shall be wholehearted with Hashem your God”:8 to keep the whole Torah with temimus, simple wholeheartedness.
וּבְיֶתֶר בֵּיאוּר אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ, כִּי נוֹדַע שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם שְׁנֵי דְּרָכִים בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ וּבְקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹות, הָאַחַת כְּמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברי הימים א, כח, ט) ״דַּע אֶת אֱלֹקֵי אָבִיךָ וְעָבְדֵהוּ״ לַחְקוֹר וְלָדַעַת טַעֲמֵי הַמִּצְוֹות, וְהַשֵּׁנִית עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים יח, יג) ״תָּמִים תִּהְיֶה עִם ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ״ לְקַיֵּים אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה בִּתְמִימוּת.
In shortThere are two paths in serving Hashem: seeking the reasons for the mitzvos, and keeping them with simple wholeheartedness.
6When a person keeps the mitzvos wholeheartedly, Hashem grants him a special closeness, “to behold the pleasantness of Hashem.”9 A parable: to what may this be compared? To a king who commanded his servants to do something difficult, closed and sealed, so that no one could see what benefit the king would gain from it. The servants who loved the king asked no questions and did it at once, as he had commanded. But those who had no love for the king in their hearts first asked questions and probed, and only afterward did as the king said. When the king saw all this, he gave a special reward to the servants who had carried out his command at once: they were allowed to see the king's face several times a week. The rest of the people could see the king's face only as the fixed rule there allowed, once a week. [The lesson of the parable is clear. Of Shabbos the verse says, “[From Shabbos to Shabbos] all flesh will come to bow down before Me, says Hashem.”10 But the tzaddikim, who do each mitzvah with joy and fervor and without questions, are privileged to have His face revealed to them even on the six weekdays.]
וְהִנֵּה כַּאֲשֶׁר מְקַיְּימִים אֶת הַמִּצְוֹות בִּתְמִימוּת, זוֹכִים מֵאֵת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ לְהִתְקָרְבוּת יְתֵירָה לַחֲזוֹת בְּנוֹעַם ה׳. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִיוָּה עַל עֲבָדָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר קָשֶׁה סָתוּם וְחָתוּם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיָה מוּבָן מָה הַתּוֹעֶלֶת לַמֶּלֶךְ בָּזֶה, וְהִנֵּה אוֹתָם עֲבָדִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ אוֹהֲבָיו שֶׁל הַמֶּלֶךְ לֹא חָקְרוּ וְעָשׂוּ מִיָּד כַּאֲשֶׁר צִיוָּה הַמֶּלֶךְ, אַךְ אוֹתָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיְתָה אַהֲבַת הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבָבָם פָּתְחוּ בִּשְׁאֵלוֹת וַחֲקִירוֹת וְרַק לְאַחַר מִכֵּן עָשׂוּ כִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּרְאוֹתוֹ כָּל זֹאת, נָתַן שָׂכָר מְיוּחָד לְאוֹתָם מֵעֲבָדָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ מִיָּד כְּמִצְוָותוֹ, וּשְׂכָרָם הָיָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם רְשׁוּת לִרְאוֹת פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים בְּשָׁבוּעַ, לְעוּמַּת שְׁאָר הָעָם שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֶת הַזְּכוּת לִרְאוֹת אֶת פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶלָּא כְּפִי שֶׁהָיָה הַחֹק קָבוּעַ שָׁם לִרְאוֹתוֹ פַּעַם אַחַת בְּשָׁבוּעַ. [וְהַנִּמְשָׁל מוּבָן, כִּי עַל יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת נֶאֱמַר (ישעיהו סו, כג) ״יָבוֹא כָל בָּשָׂר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְפָנַי אָמַר ה׳״, אַךְ הַצַּדִּיקִים הָעוֹשִׂים הַמִּצְוָה בְּחֶדְוָה וּבְהִתְלַהֲבוּת בְּלֹא שְׁאֵלוֹת, הֵם זוֹכִים לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת פָּנָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ אֲפִילּוּ בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה].
In shortLike loving servants granted the king's presence all week, those who obey without questions see Hashem's face even on weekdays, not only on Shabbos.
7Now we can explain the holy verses we began with. When the Mishkan was set up, Bnei Yisrael were privileged to reach lofty attainments in avodas Hashem, and so it occurred to them to serve Hashem only when they could understand His mitzvos and reach exalted attainments through them. Moshe therefore told them, “This is the thing that Hashem commanded you to do,” meaning: serve only because Hashem commanded, without searching for reasons, but wholeheartedly, simply because He said so and we do His will. Through this you will be privileged to see the end of the verse come true, “and the glory of Hashem will appear to you”: you will see the light of His face openly, with nothing hidden.
וּמֵעַתָּה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ זוֹ מִקְרָאֵי קוֹדֶשׁ הַנִּזְכָּרִים, כִּי בְּעֵת הֲקָמַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַשָּׂגוֹת רָמוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְלָכֵן עָלָה בְּדַעְתָּם לַעֲבוֹד ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ רַק כַּאֲשֶׁר יְכוֹלִים לְהָבִין מִצְוֹותָיו וּלְהַשִּׂיג בָּהֶם הַשָּׂגוֹת נַעֲלוֹת, לָכֵן אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה ׳זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ תַּעֲשׂוּ׳, דַּעֲלֵיכֶם לַעֲבוֹד מִפְּנֵי צִיוּוּי ה׳ בִּלְבַד בְּלֹא לַחְקוֹר אַחַר טְעָמִים, אֶלָּא בִּתְמִימוּת רַק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַר וְנַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹנוֹ, וּבָזֶה תִּזְכּוּ לְסִיּוּם הַכָּתוּב ׳וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה׳׳ לִרְאוֹת בְּאוֹר פָּנָיו בְּגִילּוּי בְּלִי הַסֵּתֶר.
In shortHaving tasted lofty attainments, Israel wanted to serve only through understanding; Moshe told them to serve simply because Hashem commanded.
8Now it is clear why the verse says “and they stood before Hashem.” They did “the thing that Hashem commanded,” serving Hashem wholeheartedly, and through this they were privileged to draw especially close to Him, with no screen between them. As the Torah says further on, the Shechinah came to rest among them.11 That is why it says “before Hashem” and not “before the Tent of Meeting”: through standing in this way they were privileged to receive [the Shechinah] and to stand before Him.
וּלְפִי זֶה מְבוֹאָר לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר וַיַּעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי ה׳, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִיוָּה ה׳ לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ בִּתְמִימוּת, עַל יְדֵי זֶה זָכוּ לְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּיוֹתֵר בְּלֹא שׁוּם מָסָךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן שֶׁזָּכוּ לְהַשְׁרָאַת הַשְּׁכִינָה, לָכֵן נֶאֱמַר לִפְנֵי ה׳ וְלֹא לִפְנֵי אוֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, כִּי עַל יְדֵי עֲמִידָה זוֹ זָכוּ לְקַבֵּל וְלַעֲמוֹד לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ.
- Vayikra 9:23–24. ↩
In shortServing with simple wholeheartedness brought Bnei Yisrael so close, with no screen between, that they stood “before Hashem” Himself.
9This explains the words of the Midrash Rabbah, “‘This is the thing’ refers to circumcision.” The mitzvah of circumcision is a chok, a decree without a reason, as we say in the blessing at a bris, “and He placed a chok in his flesh.”12 It is hard to understand, after all, how the Torah could command us to cause pain to an eight-day-old infant and put him in danger, Heaven forbid. As Chazal said, “‘For Your sake we are killed all the day’: this is circumcision.”13 It was about this that Moshe said, “This is the thing that Hashem commanded you to do”: they should keep all Hashem's mitzvos in the manner of a chok, just as one keeps the mitzvah of circumcision.
וּבָזֶה יְבוֹאֲרוּ דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ רַבָּה ׳זֶה הַדָּבָר עַל הַמִּילָה׳, כִּי מִצְוַת מִילָה הִיא חוֹק לְלֹא טַעַם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים בְּבִרְכַּת הַמִּילָה ׳וְחוֹק בִּשְׁאֵרוֹ שָׂם׳ (שבת קלז, ב), שֶׁכֵּן קָשֶׁה לְהָבִין כֵּיצַד צִוְּותָה תּוֹרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת יִסּוּרִים לְתִינוֹק בֶּן ח׳ יָמִים, וּלְהַכְנִיסוֹ לִכְלַל סַכָּנָה ח״ו, כְּמַאֲמָרָם ז״ל ״כִּי עָלֶיךָ הוֹרַגְנוּ כָל הַיּוֹם״ זוֹ מִילָה (גיטין נז, ב), וְעַל עִנְיָן זֶה הָיָה הַדִּיבּוּר ׳זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ תַּעֲשׂוּ׳, שֶׁיְּקַיְּימוּ כָּל מִצְוֹות ה׳ בְּדֶרֶךְ חוֹק כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּקַיְּימִים מִצְוַת מִילָה.
In shortCircumcision is a chok, kept without understanding; Moshe told Israel to keep every mitzvah in the same way.
10On this basis we can explain what Toras Kohanim, Chazal's early Midrash on Vayikra, says: “Moshe said to Israel: Remove that yetzer hara from your hearts, and let all of you be of one fear and one counsel in serving the Omnipresent. Just as He is singular in the world, so let your service be singular before Him, as it says, ‘You shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart …’ If you have done so, ‘the glory of Hashem will appear to you.’”14 What does “one fear and one counsel” mean? It means that every person must serve Hashem with simple wholeheartedness, without asking questions. That is why the Midrash cites “You shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart.” The circumcision of the heart must be wholehearted, just as circumcision of the flesh points to doing a mitzvah wholeheartedly, without understanding, for it is a chok, as we saw. And this is the meaning of “one fear and one counsel”: there are not many reasons and many counsels for fearing Hashem and keeping His mitzvos, but only one: “This is the thing that Hashem commanded.” Their service is to be singular, devoted solely to doing His will.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ מַה דְּאִיתָא בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (שמיני ו), אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹתוֹ יֵצֶר הָרָע הֶעֱבִירוּ מִלִּבְּכֶם וְתִהְיוּ כּוּלְּכֶם בְּיִרְאָה אַחַת וּבְעֵצָה אַחַת לְשָׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהוּא יְחִידִי בָּעוֹלָם כָּךְ תְּהֵא עֲבוֹדַתְכֶם מְיוּחֶדֶת לְפָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י, טז) ״וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם״, וְכוּ׳, עֲשִׂיתֶם כֵּן, ״וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה׳״, ע״כ. דְּצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַהוּ עִנְיַן ׳יִרְאָה אַחַת וְעֵצָה אַחַת׳. אֶלָּא הַכַּוָּונָה הִיא לוֹמַר שֶׁמּוּטָּל עַל כָּל אֶחָד לַעֲבוֹד הַשֵּׁם מִתּוֹךְ תְּמִימוּת בְּלִי חֲקִירוֹת, וְלָזֶה אָמְרוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם״, הַיְינוּ שֶׁמִּילַת הַלֵּב צְרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת מִתּוֹךְ תְּמִימוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמִּילַת הַבָּשָׂר מְרַמֶּזֶת עַל עֲשִׂיַּית הַמִּצְוָה בִּתְמִימוּת בְּלֹא הֲבָנָה כַּנִּזְכָּר, וְזֶה הַכַּוָּונָה ׳יִרְאָה אַחַת וְעֵצָה אַחַת׳, שֶׁאֵין כַּמָּה טְעָמִים וְכַמָּה עֵצוֹת לָמָּה לִירֹא וּלְקַיֵּים מִצְוֹת ה׳, רַק דָּבָר אֶחָד וְהוּא ״זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִיוָּה ה׳״, שֶׁעֲבוֹדָתָם תִּהְיֶה מְיוּחֶדֶת רַק עַל מְנָת לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ.
- Toras Kohanim (Sifra), Shemini 6; Devarim 10:16. ↩
In short“One fear and one counsel” means a single motive, Hashem's command, as with circumcision of the flesh and of the heart.
11May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us to serve Hashem wholeheartedly, and through this may we see fulfilled what my holy ancestor, zy"a, wrote in his sefer Toldos Adam.15 He explained the verses “‘… and the glory of Hashem will appear to you.’ Moshe said to Aharon, ‘Approach the altar and perform your sin offering …’”16 Through his service, Aharon the Kohen had the special power to bring revealed kindness down to Knesses Yisrael, the community of Israel. With his offering he repaired the sin of the Golden Calf and brought down kindness that was revealed, open and visible to all. That is why Moshe said, “This is the thing that Hashem commanded you to do, and the glory of Hashem will appear to you”: the kindness would come down in full view of everyone, and so the Name of Heaven would be sanctified even in the eyes of the wicked and of the nations of the world.
הקב״ה יַעֲזוֹר שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ מִתּוֹךְ תְּמִימוּת, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְמַה שֶׁכָּתַב זְקֵינִי זי״ע בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם, עַל מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב ״וְיֵרָא עֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה׳ וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל אַהֲרֹן קְרַב אֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַעֲשֵׂה אֶת חַטָּאתְךָ״ וְגוֹ׳ (ט, ז), כִּי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן הָיָה מִידָּתוֹ לְהַמְשִׁיךְ חֲסָדִים מְגוּלִּים לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וְעַל יְדֵי קָרְבָּנוֹ תִּיקֵּן חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל, וְהִמְשִׁיךְ חֲסָדִים מְגוּלִּים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַחֶסֶד נִגְלֶה וְנִרְאֶה לְעֵין כֹּל, וְלָזֶה אָמַר ׳זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִיוָּה ה׳ תַּעֲשׂוּ וְיֵרָא עֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה׳׳, שֶׁיִּמָּשֵׁךְ הַחֶסֶד לְעֵין כֹּל, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִתְקַדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם אַף בְּעֵינֵי הָרְשָׁעִים וְאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם.
- R' Yehoshua of Ostrova, author of Toldos Adam, father-in-law of the first Biala Rebbe. Toldos Adam, Shemini. ↩
- Vayikra 9:6–7 (the sefer has 9:7). ↩
In shortAharon's offering, the Toldos Adam taught, brought down revealed kindness, sanctifying Hashem's Name even before the wicked and the nations.
12May Hashem grant that we be privileged to see revealed kindness, and that the glory of Heaven increase upon us. Amen, may it be His will.
כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַחֲסָדִים מְגוּלִּים וְיִתְרַבֶּה כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם עָלֵינוּ, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we see revealed kindness and an increase of Heaven's glory upon us.
Takeaway
We often want to feel and understand before we act, yet there are times when we find no taste at all in our service. Moshe's message at the Mishkan was the reverse: do what Hashem commanded simply because He commanded it, as we keep the mitzvah of circumcision without asking why, and His glory will come of itself. Those who serve this way, like the king's loving servants, stand “before Hashem” with no screen between.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.