Raising the Root: Moshe's Eyes and Heart
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Shemos 2:11
וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל־אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ־עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו
And it came to pass in those days, when Moshe had grown up, that he went out to his brothers and looked upon their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man, one of his brothers.
Rashi: “And looked upon their burdens”: he set his eyes and his heart to be distressed over them.
1“And it came to pass in those days, when Moshe had grown up, that he went out to his brothers and looked upon their burdens.”1 Rashi explains: “He set his eyes and his heart to be distressed over them.” But why does Rashi speak of “his eyes and his heart”?
וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלוֹתָם (ב, יא), פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י, נָתַן עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ לִהְיוֹת מֵיצֵר עֲלֵיהֶם. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַהוּ הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ׳.
- Shemos 2:11. ↩
In shortWhy does Rashi say that Moshe set both “his eyes and his heart” on his brothers' burdens?
2Further on, the Torah says, “And an angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the thornbush.”2 The Midrash comments: “Why from within the thornbush? To teach you that there is no place empty of the Shechinah, not even a thornbush.”3 The same Midrash offers another explanation: “Just as the thornbush produces thorns and also produces roses, so among Israel there are tzaddikim and wicked people.” These are “words of the wise and their riddles,”4 and we must understand them. Why did Moshe need to learn this just then?
וּלְקַמָּן כְּתִיב ״וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ ה׳ בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה״ (ג, יב), וְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (שמות רבה ב, ה), לָמָּה מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין מָקוֹם פָּנוּי בְּלֹא שְׁכִינָה אֲפִילּוּ סְנֶה. עוֹד אִיתָא שָׁם, דָּבָר אַחֵר, מָה הַסְּנֶה עוֹשֶׂה קוֹצִין וְעוֹשֶׂה וְורָדִין, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ בָּהֶן צַדִּיקִים וּרְשָׁעִים. וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים וְחִידוֹתָם, לָמָּה הָיָה צָרִיךְ עַתָּה לֵידַע זֹאת.
In shortThe thornbush teaches that no place lacks the Shechinah and that Israel holds both tzaddikim and wicked people; why did Moshe need this lesson then?
3We can explain this by first citing the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l, on the verse said of Dovid HaMelech, “and good to look at.”5 Chazal said that whoever saw Dovid was reminded of his own learning.6 My holy father explained that Dovid HaMelech carried within him the soul of King Moshiach. All the souls of Israel were included in him at their root, since every soul has a share in the soul of Moshiach. When King Moshiach is perfected in Torah and mitzvos, the light of Torah flows from him to all Israel, because they are included in his soul. That is why Chazal said that whoever saw Dovid returned to his learning: the light of Torah was awakened in the one who saw him. Those are his holy words.
וְיֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ בְּהֶקְדֵּם אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה עַל מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ ע״ה (שמואל א טז, יב) ״וְטוֹב רוֹאִי״, וְאָמְרוּ חז״ל (ויקרא רבה כ, א) שֶׁכָּל הָרוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ נִזְכָּר בְּתַלְמוּדוֹ. וּבֵיאֵר, כִּי דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ ע״ה הָיָה בּוֹ נִשְׁמַת מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְכָל נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ כְּלוּלִים בּוֹ בְּשָׁרְשָׁם, שֶׁכֵּן כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת יֵשׁ לָהֶם חֵלֶק בְּנִשְׁמַת מָשִׁיחַ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ מְתוּקָּן בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹות, נִשְׁפָּע בְּכָךְ עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה מֵחֲמַת הֱיוֹתָם כְּלוּלִים בְּנִשְׁמָתוֹ, וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ שֶׁכָּל הָרוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ חוֹזֵר לְתַלְמוּדוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר בּוֹ אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה, עכד״ק.
In shortDovid carried Moshiach's soul, in which every Jewish soul is rooted, so seeing him stirred people back to their learning, the Rebbe's father taught.
4Let us also cite what my holy ancestor, zy"a, wrote in his sefer Toldos Adam7 on Moshe's words to Hashem: “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil to this people, and You have not rescued Your people.”8 A tzaddik who wants to “turn many back from sin,”9 he explains, has not finished his work when he tells people their faults and rebukes them to their faces. The main thing is to lift up their souls and bind them to their root on high. That is what Moshe Rabbeinu was saying: “I have shown them how bad their state is. But that is not the main thing. What good will it do them to know that they are bad, when I am not yet able to lift up their souls and bind them to their root, so that they may be in deveikus, cleaving to Hashem?” So he went on, “and You have not rescued Your people”: You have not rescued them from their evil, so that they could serve Hashem, blessed be He, with wholehearted service. Those are his holy words. What emerges from them is that the foundation of leading Israel is raising the souls of Israel up to their root.
וְנַקְדִּים עוֹד מַה שֶׁכָּתַב זְקֵנִי זי״ע בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם (פרשת שמות) עַל הַכָּתוּב (ה, כג) ״וּמֵאָז בָּאתִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה לְדַבֵּר בִּשְׁמֶךָ הֵרַע לָעָם הַזֶּה וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ אֶת עַמֶּךָ״, כִּי הַצַּדִּיק אֲשֶׁר רוֹצֶה לְהָשִׁיב רַבִּים מֵעָוֹון, לֹא יוּשְׁלַם פְּעוּלָּתוֹ בַּמֶּה שֶׁיּוֹדִיעַ לָהֶם רָעָתָם וְיוֹכִיחֵם עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא הָעִיקָּר שֶׁיִּרְאֶה לְרוֹמֵם אֶת נִשְׁמָתָם, וּלְקָשְׁרָם לְשָׁרְשָׁם הָעֶלְיוֹן. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה, שֶׁהוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם הַאֵיךְ הֵם בָּרָעָה, אַךְ זֶה לֹא הָעִיקָּר, כִּי אֵיזֶה תַּכְלִית יִהְיֶה מִזֶּה שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים שֶׁהֵמָּה רָעִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין בִּיכָולְתִּי עֲדַיִין לְרוֹמֵם נִשְׁמָתָם וּלְקָשְׁרָם לְשָׁרְשָׁם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בִּדְבֵיקוּת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶׁאָמַר ׳וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ אֶת עַמֶּךָ׳, לְהַצִּילָם מֵרָעָתָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בַּעֲבוֹדָה תַּמָּה, עכד״ק. הַמּוּרָם מִדְּבָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, שֶׁהַיְּסוֹד שֶׁל מַנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא לְרוֹמֵם אֶת נִשְׁמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשָׁרְשָׁם.
- Toldos Adam, Shemos. R' Yehoshua of Ostrova, author of Toldos Adam, father-in-law of the first Biala Rebbe. ↩
- Shemos 5:23. ↩
- Malachi 2:6. ↩
In shortRebuke alone is not enough, the Toldos Adam teaches: “You have not rescued” meant Moshe could not yet raise the people's souls to their root.
5Following his words, we can explain the verse “Let Hashem, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out before them and who will come in before them.”10 A leader of Israel needs two powers: to separate the souls of Israel from evil, and to lift their souls up. The words “Let Hashem, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint” correspond to the first of these. The leader must bring even those on a very low level, who are called “flesh,” to “turn from evil.”11 This hints at the tzaddik's first task: to rebuke the people and separate them from evil, so that they do not follow the path of evil. The next words, “a man over the congregation,” hint at his second task. “Congregation” is the level of people of stature, so these words point to a leader's second power: to lift the souls of Israel until they stand among people of stature. The verse goes on, “who will take them out”:12 he must take them out of evil and separate them from it. And beyond this, “who will bring them in”: he must lift them up and bring them to the root of their good and lofty standing, raising their souls to join them and bind them to their root on high.
וְעַל פִּי דְּבָרָיו יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב (במדבר כז, טז) ״יִפְקוֹד ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי הָרוּחוֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יָבוֹא לִפְנֵיהֶם״, שֶׁמַּנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בּוֹ שְׁנֵי כּוֹחוֹת, לְהַפְרִישׁ נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָרָע, וְכֵן לְרוֹמֵם נִשְׁמָתָם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ׳יִפְקוֹד ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחוֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר׳ זֶהוּ כְּנֶגֶד הַדַּרְגָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, דְּהַיְינוּ לִפְעוֹל שֶׁאַף אוֹתָם אֲשֶׁר הֵם בְּדַרְגָּה נְמוּכָה מְאֹד וּקְרוּיִים ׳בָּשָׂר׳, יִהְיוּ בִּכְלַל סוּר מֵרָע, וּמְרוּמָּז בָּזֶה הַתַּפְקִיד הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק לְהוֹכִיחַ אֶת הָעָם וּלְהַפְרִישָׁם שֶׁלֹּא יֵלְכוּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הָרָע. וְהֶמְשֵׁךְ הַכָּתוּב ׳אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה׳ הוּא רוֹמֵז לַתַּפְקִיד הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק, שֶׁכֵּן מַדְרֵגַת ׳עֵדָה׳ הִיא הַמַּדְרֵגָה שֶׁל אַנְשֵׁי הַמַּעֲלָה, וּבָזֶה מְרוּמָּז הַכּוֹחַ הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל מַנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַעֲלוֹת נִשְׁמָתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְהַגְבִּיהָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּמַדְרֵגַת אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲלָה. וּמַמְשִׁיךְ הַכָּתוּב שָׁם ׳אֲשֶׁר יוֹצִיאֵם׳ שֶׁיּוֹצִיאֵם וְיַפְרִישֵׁם מִן הָרָע, וּמִלְּבַד זֹאת ׳וַאֲשֶׁר יְבִיאֵם׳, שֶׁיְּרוֹמְמֵם וִיבִיאֵם לְשׁוֹרֶשׁ מַעֲלָתָם הַטּוֹבָה, בְּהַעֲלוֹתוֹ אֶת נִשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם לְחַבְּרָם וּלְקָשְׁרָם בְּשָׁרְשָׁם הָעֶלְיוֹן.
In shortMoshe's prayer for a successor names a leader's two powers: separating even the lowest people from evil, and raising souls to their lofty root.
6This lets us explain our verse, “He went out to his brothers and looked upon their burdens.” “He went out to his brothers” hints that Moshe used his influence to bring them out of evil. But that was not enough for him; he also needed to raise their souls in Torah and in the service of Hashem. That is “and looked upon their burdens”: he considered how to set their service right. Rashi's words, “He set his eyes and his heart upon them,” hint at the same thing. They recall Chazal's teaching: “One who prays must set his eyes downward and his heart upward.”13 In other words, Moshe set out to repair their prayer and their souls as well. The Targum, the Aramaic translation of the Torah, hints at this too. It renders “and looked upon their burdens” as vachaza befulchanhon, and pulchan means avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem, as in the verse “your God, Whom you serve continually …”14 So Moshe Rabbeinu raised their souls in Torah and avodas Hashem, and he looked closely at them in order to repair their prayer and lift it up.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ מַה שֶׁאָמַר כָּאן הַכָּתוּב ״וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלוֹתָם״, ׳וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו׳ מְרַמֵּז שֶׁהִשְׁפִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵהָרָע, אַךְ לֹא הָיָה לוֹ דַּי בָּזֶה אֶלָּא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲלוֹת נִשְׁמָתָם בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, וְזֶהוּ ׳וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלוֹתָם׳ שֶׁהִתְבּוֹנֵן אֵיךְ לְתַקֵּן אֶת עֲבוֹדָתָם. וְזֶהוּ הָרֶמֶז בְּדִבְרֵי רש״י ׳נָתַן עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם׳, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (יבמות קה, ב) הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתֵּן עֵינָיו לְמַטָּה וְלִבּוֹ לְמַעְלָה, וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה עָמַד לְתַקֵּן גַּם תְּפִילָּתָם וְנִשְׁמָתָם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁרָמַז הַתַּרְגּוּם ׳וַחֲזָא בְּפוּלְחָנְהוֹן׳, כִּי פּוּלְחָן הַכַּוָּונָה לַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, כְּמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (דניאל ו, כא) ״אֱלָהָךְ דִּי אַנְתְּ פָּלַח לֵיהּ בִּתְדִירָא״ וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה מַעֲלֶה נִשְׁמָתָם בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְהָיָה מִתְבּוֹנֵן בָּהֶם לְתַקֵּן וּלְהַעֲלוֹת תְּפִילָּתָם.
- Yevamos 105b. ↩
- Daniel 6:21. The Aramaic word there for “serve” is palach, from the same root as pulchan. ↩
In shortMoshe drew his brothers out of evil, and by setting eyes and heart on them, as in prayer, he raised their prayer and service too.
7In this light, we may say that the same thing was hinted when the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to Moshe in the thornbush. We cited the Midrash that just as the thornbush produces thorns and also flowers and roses, so among Israel there are tzaddikim and wicked people. Through this, Hashem hinted to Moshe that a leader of Israel must have both these powers: to lift their souls up until they reach the level of tzaddikim, and to take their wickedness out of them. [That is also why Moshe had to be taught that even in the thornbush nothing is empty of Him. Even in simple people, who are like a thornbush, one must make the light of their souls shine, by bringing them the light of pure faith that there is no place empty of Him.]
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּזֶהוּ הָרֶמֶז שֶׁנִּרְאָה הקב״ה אֵלָיו בַּסְּנֶה, וְהֵבֵאנוּ מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ ׳מָה הַסְּנֶה עוֹשֶׂה קוֹצִין וְעוֹשֶׂה פְּרָחִים וְורָדִין כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ בָּהֶן צַדִּיקִים וּרְשָׁעִים׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁבָּזֶה רָמַז לוֹ הקב״ה, שֶׁמַּנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ שְׁנֵי כּוֹחוֹת אֵלּוּ, הֵן לְהַעֲלוֹת נִשְׁמָתָם לְמַעְלָה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בִּבְחִינַת צַדִּיקִים, וְהֵן לְהוֹצִיא מֵהֶם רִשְׁעָתָם. [וְעַל כֵּן גַּם הוּצְרַךְ לְלַמְּדוֹ שֶׁגַּם בַּסְּנֶה אֵין דָּבָר פָּנוּי מִמֶּנּוּ, הַיְינוּ שֶׁגַּם בִּבְנֵי אָדָם הַפְּשׁוּטִים בִּבְחִינַת סְנֶה צָרִיךְ לְהָאִיר בָּהֶם אֶת אוֹר נִשְׁמָתָם עַל יְדֵי הֶאָרַת הָאֱמוּנָה הַטְּהוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין מָקוֹם פָּנוּי מִלְּבַדּוֹ].
In shortThe thornbush taught Moshe both powers of leadership, and that even simple Jews hold a light, kindled by faith that no place lacks Him.
8In the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu, Bnei Yisrael were privileged to rise high when they left Egypt, and to see “the great hand that Hashem had wielded.”15 This fits what the holy sefarim, the Toldos Yaakov Yosef and the Maor VaShemesh, wrote on the verse “What does Hashem your God ask of you, but to fear.”16 Chazal asked, “Is yiras Shamayim, the fear of Heaven, a small thing?” and answered, “Yes, for Moshe it is a small thing.”17 But this is hard to understand. Moshe was speaking to all Israel, so what difference does it make that for Moshe it was a small thing? These sefarim explain that at the time Moshe Rabbeinu spoke, this fear was easy for all Israel to reach as well. For Moshe Rabbeinu was then the leader of Israel, and he had the power to bring Torah and mitzvos down to them and to repair the root of their souls. [Something similar applies to the tzaddik of each generation, who carries within him a spark of Moshe's light, as we saw in the words of the Toldos Adam.]
וּבִזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ זָכוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בִּזְמַן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה׳, וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (תולדות יעקב יוסף צו, מאור ושמש כי תשא) עַל הַפָּסוּק ״מָה ה׳ אֱלוֹקֶיךָ שׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם לְיִרְאָה״, וְהִקְשׁוּ חז״ל (ברכות לג, ב) אַטּוּ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם מִילְּתָא זוּטַרְתָּא הִיא, וְתֵירְצוּ אִין לְגַבֵּי מֹשֶׁה מִילְּתָא זוּטַרְתָּא הִיא. וְקָשֶׁה, הֲרֵי מֹשֶׁה דִּיבֵּר לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמָה בְּכָךְ שֶׁלְּגַבֵּי מֹשֶׁה הִיא מִילְּתָא זוּטַרְתָּא. וּבֵיאֲרוּ בָּזֶה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר זֹאת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ הָיָה עִנְיַן הַיִּרְאָה דָּבָר קַל לְהַשָּׂגָה גַּם לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָז הָיָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ מַנְהִיגָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָיָה בְּכוֹחוֹ לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת וּלְתַקֵּן אֶת שׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתָם, [וּמֵעֵין זֶה הוּא לְגַבֵּי הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ נִיצוֹץ מֵהֶאָרַת מֹשֶׁה וְכַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל מִדִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם].
In shortWhile Moshe led Israel, yiras Shamayim was “a small thing” for everyone, since he could repair their souls' root; each generation's tzaddik holds his spark.
9This, too, is what my holy father meant in his teaching about Dovid: because King Moshiach repairs the root of the souls of Israel, he has the power to bring Torah and mitzvos down to them.
וְזֶה גַּם כַּוָּונַת כ״ק אאמו״ר זצ״ל בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמַר דְּעַל יְדֵי שֶׁמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ מְתַקֵּן אֶת שׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, יֵשׁ בְּכוֹחוֹ לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ בָּהֶם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת.
In shortMoshiach, by repairing the root of Jewish souls, can bring Torah and mitzvos down to all, as the Rebbe's father meant.
10Truly, we are now standing in the days of Moshiach. May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us receive from King Moshiach an outpouring of Torah and mitzvos, and through this may we soon be privileged to greet him with joy. Amen, may it be His will.
וְהִנֵּה בֶּאֱמֶת אָנוּ עוֹמְדִים בִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, יַעֲזוֹר הקב״ה שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל הַשְׁפָּעָה מִמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ בַּתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹות, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִזְכֶּה בִּמְהֵרָה לְקַבֵּל פָּנָיו מִתּוֹךְ שִׂמְחָה, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
In shortThe Rebbe prays that, standing in the days of Moshiach, we receive Torah and mitzvos from him and soon greet him with joy.
Takeaway
Pointing out what is wrong, in ourselves or in others, is only the first half of the work; the main thing is to raise the soul back up to its root. Moshe “set his eyes and his heart” on his brothers: he saw how low they had fallen and still worked to lift their prayer and their service, for even a soul that seems like a thornbush holds a light, since no place is empty of Hashem. And the tzaddik of each generation, who carries a spark of Moshe, can make yiras Shamayim easier for us to reach as well.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.