Insight Three Stages

This week’s Torah portion speaks about things that seem to be extremely different from each other: the greatness of the first tablets, which were made by G-d...the sin of the golden calf and the breaking of the tablets...the giving of the second set of tablets, when Moshe’s face shone.

Actually, these are a sequence of three stages that represent the three stages of everything in the world.

1. The first tablets, made by G-d, represent G-d’s initial intention in creating the world, and the Torah, which is the “blueprint” and the source of the world.
2. The sin represents the creation of the world, where there is a possibility for sin. But the purpose of this is only to reach a higher level through Teshuvah (repentance; returning to G-d).
3. The second tablets, made by Moshe, represent the perfection that we accomplish through our work in this world. That’s why Moshe’s face shone with the second tablets. They represent the ultimate Redemption, when we will see the greatness of our Teshuvah and our work.

(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, Ki Sisa 5752 (1992))