The Rebbeim, including a Maamor with the same Dibur Hamaschil as this very Maamor delivered one hundred years before our Maamor (in the year 5644 - 1884), 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 ...”.
In the above-mentioned Maamor the Rebbe Rashab continues: “If we were to say that the reason why we were commanded these instructions (even though we would have known them anyway) is because of (the Talmudic rule) ‘Greater is the one who is commanded to do a Mitzvah and performs it than one who is not commanded to do a Mitzvah yet performs it just the same’. However, that would still not explain: What are these voices, and great fearsome noise that was heard at the time of ‘Matan Torah’? Especially when we take into consideration that these are simple obvious concepts that we would have known anyway.”
The Personal Address at Sinai
Also in that Maamor, he points out that which our sages of blessed memory have mentioned in the Yalkut that: “When Hashem said ‘Onochi’ of the Aseres Hadibros each and every Jew said that Hashem was talking directly to him personally, which is why the Possuk uses the singular tense in the words: “I am Hashem your G-d” (and as the Possuk does with all the other commandments). So, we need to understand: Why did every individual Jew feel this personal approach of the Aseres Hadibros?”
Commentary and Explanations
Statement from our Sages: Talmud Eiruvin (100b): Rabbi Yocḥanan said: Even if the Torah had not been given, we would nonetheless have learned modesty from the cat, which covers its excrement, and that stealing is objectionable from the ant, which does not take grain from another ant, and forbidden relations from the dove, which is faithful to its partner, and proper relations from the rooster, which first appeases the hen and then mates with it.
Talmudic Rule: As brought down in Talmud Kiddushin (31a): Rabbi Chanina says: If this is related about one who is not commanded by the Torah to honour his father, as Dama was a gentile, and nevertheless when he performs the Mitzvah he is given this great reward, all the more so is one rewarded who is commanded to fulfil a Mitzvah and performs it. As Rabbi Chaninah says: Greater is one who is commanded to do a Mitzvah and performs it than one who is not commanded to do a Mitzvah and performs it.
There are several reasons for this, in Chassidus it is explained that the word Mitzvah can also mean to connect implying that through doing a Mitzvah one connects with the one who commanded that Mitzvah which is Hashem, because of Hashem’s love for the B’nei Yisroel, He empowers us with His commandments. So when someone who was not instructed to do a Mitzvah does it, he is not connecting through the Mitzvah he is merely doing something similar to the physical act of that which Hashem commanded someone else to do. Hashem commands us to perform simple things in the Aseres Hadibros because when someone performs even a simple commanded Mitzvah with Mesiras Nefesh – ‘Self-sacrifice’ he draws on his hidden abilities which are beyond his natural faculties, so he merits that his hidden abilities open up to him on a much greater scale than someone who is performing without being asked.
There is an interesting story which brings out this point, where the Rebbe tells someone to check his Tefillin and he responds that he did already check his Tefillin to which the Rebbe responded that he had not yet told him to at that time, signifying that there was a unique blessing in the fact that he was carrying out an instruction from the Rebbe.
