The Possuk in this week’s Parsha tells us that: וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת הַלַפִידִם וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹפָר וְאֶת הָהָר עָשֵן וַיַרְא הָעָם וַיָנֻעוּ וַיַעַמְדוּ מֵרָחֹק “All the people saw the voices and the fire torches, and the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain, and the people saw and trembled; so they stood from afar”.
There is a known inference from this Possuk which is pointed out in several Maamorim of various Chabad Lubavitch Rebbeim, including a Maamor with the same Dibur Hamaschil as this very Maamor which was delivered one hundred years before our Maamor (in the year 5644 - 1884) where they ask: “What are these voices to which the above-mentioned Possuk refers”?
But all the things that were commanded at ‘Matan Torah‘ are simple uncomplicated instructions such as: ‘Do not murder’ or ‘Do not bear false witness’, etc. which are so obvious that even if we had not been commanded them we would know them anyway. This is consistent with the statement of our sages of blessed memory (Tractate Eiruvin) “If we were not given the Torah, we would have learnt the trait of modesty from a cat ...”.
Commentary and Explanations
People: The B’nei Yisroel, although our Rabbis tell us that all future souls of all Jews who were ever to be born were also present at Mount Sinai for ‘Matan Torah’.
Saw: Even the blind people saw, as our sages tell us that all ailments were cured at Mount Sinai.
Voices: Emanating from the mouth of the Almighty. Many voices, voices coming from every direction, and from the heavens, and from the earth, interestingly there was no echo as the voice of Hashem permeated everything and did not rebound.
Sound of the Shofar: The B’nei Yisroel were even able to see the voices, the noise and the sound of the Shofar.
Trembled: The B’nei Yisroel were trembling from the awesome noise and from the lightning, this subdued them to the point of withdrawal.
Stood from afar: They withdrew backwards twelve Mil, (one Mil is 2000 Amohs. One Amoh is 48 cm according to R’ Chaim Noeh which means that 12 Mil is 11.5 kilometres) as far as the length of their camp. The ministering angels came and assisted them in order to bring them back.
Maamorim and Chabad Philosophy
Several Maamorim: Particularly Likkutei Torah (Bamidbor 12.3) from the Alter Rebbe where he writes: “Also to understand this concept that HaShem descended upon mount Sinai with voices and with thunder at the Ten Commandments and with each word the souls of the B’nei Yisroel departed and what is written therein ‘do not murder’ ‘do not covet’ which are simple things which human intellect even prohibits”. And also from Sefer HaMaamorim 5644 (Page 224) from the Rebbe RaShaB who writes: “And all the people saw the voices and the torches, the sound of the shofar. We need clarification, what are these voices about since all the things that were instructed at Matan Torah are simple things like don’t murder and don’t covet which are simple things that even if they were not instructed they would have anyway been appropriate to keep even without instruction and as our Sages of blessed memory say in the Talmud Eiruvin (100B) “If the Torah would not have been given we would have learnt modesty from a cat and we would have learnt about theft from an ant and about promiscuity from a dove. So it seems that even the animal kingdom are careful in these things even though they were not commanded these Mitzvos, besides the word לְמִינֵהֶם - to their types, which it does say, and if you want to say that that word is the commandment for them not to be promiscuous with other species they definitely were not warned about modesty or theft but they are nevertheless particular. And even if we are to say that HaShem instructed us about these things (That we could have learnt from the animals) because greater is one who performs after being commanded to perform than one who performs without being instructed and because HaShem loves the B’nei Yisroel so very much He instructed them these things in order to be able to give them more reward. However, this still does not explain what is with the voices and big awesome noise that was present at the giving of the Torah. Particularly since they were only commanded simple commandments which would have been appropriate even without the commandment. Furthermore, another thing we need to understand is that in the Yalkut our Sages say in Parshas Ki Tisah at Remez 246 (286) that at the time the words Onochi came out of Hakodosh Boruch Hu every one of the B’nei Yisroel said: “HaShem spoke directly to me”. And this is why the Possuk says: אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ “I am HaShem your G-d” i.e G-d of the individual as opposed to אֱלֹקֵיכֶם which means G-d of many. So, we need to understand what this means that HaShem spoke to everyone of Yisroel.
Maamorim and the Role of the Rebbe
Maamorim: Plural of Maamor. A Maamor means something said, from the word Omar, which means “to say.” This title is given in Chabad philosophy to a Chassidic discourse of Torah content usually woven between the base understanding and esoteric interpretations of the Torah, Prophets and scriptures together with all Jewish commentary through Talmud, Mishnah, Kabbalah and commentary. In Chabad, the saying of a Maamor carries unique significance. The role of a Rebbe is most essentially epitomized in delivering an original Maamor to his Chassidim who would be upstanding because they understand that he is drawing a new light into the world, a new vision for each of them as individuals and for the world as a whole. For generations to come they will study the Maamor carefully, striving to comprehend it as much as possible, to repeat it and explain it in their own words, to integrate it into their worldview and into the way they live, and to illuminate all reality with its vision.
