Once the Alter Rebbe was sitting with a large group of rabbis. He asked, “What took place on the first day of the month of Shvat?” No one could answer. The Alter Rebbe responded, “The Torah [Devorim 1:5] states, ‘On the first day of the eleventh month [Rosh Chodesh Shvat], Moshe explained this Torah.’” Rashi comments that then Moshe began explaining the Torah in all seventy languages.
Before the sin of the generation of the Tower of Bavel, every one spoke the same language— the holy tongue [Hebrew]. When the generation sinned by rebelling against Hashem, they could no longer live together as one people because they no longer spoke the same language. This indicates the opposite of holiness and unity, “Hashem is One.”
Translating the Torah into 70 languages draws down the unity of the Holy Tongue into a world of separation [70 nations] so that even in that multiplicity, the One G-d [Havaye Ehchod] is realized through the One Torah.
Moshe Rabbeinu, had the ability to bring down the Holy Tongue [Torah] into the 70 languages for two reasons:
- At the Giving of the Torah, the supernal and earthly, upper and lower, were no longer completely separated. Since Moshe represents the highest level of human wisdom and intellect, he could bring Torah down into the 70 languages.
2-Furthermore, only Moshe could accomplish it because only the very highest level can bring things down to the lowest level. As is known, it takes a very wise teacher to explain a deep wisdom to a little kid.
Rosh Chodesh Shvat includes all the days of Shvat including the Tenth of Shvat, the yahrzeit of the Previous Rebbe. Throughout his life, the Previous Rebbe toiled, in depth, in the revealed and hidden parts of Torah. Additionally, Just like Moshe Rabbeinu, the Previous Rebbe worked to translate the Torah into many languages, thereby spreading Torah and its unity to the whole world.
He also instructed his Chassidim to do the same. Even though they also were deeply involved in learning and contemplating both the revealed Torah and Chassidus, he urged them not to remain in their comfort zone but to go out from their place and spread Torah to the world.
[Lekuti Sichos vol. 3 pg 862 Va’era 5722]
