Weekly Dvar Torah: The Essence of G-d, the Torah and the Jewish Connection

Matan Torah, the process of receiving the Torah, is a cornerstone event in Jewish history. At its core lies a narrative of liberation, transformation, and Divine revelation.

The journey towards Matan Torah begins with the Jewish people in Egypt enduring centuries of slavery and oppression. This period served as a crucible for the refinement of their spiritual essence. Through their suffering, the Jews were purified, their materiality stripped away to reveal the essence of their souls. This preparation of slavery was essential, enabling them to receive the Torah with open hearts and minds.

When he had the G-dly revelation at the burning bush, G-d instructed Moshe that upon their exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people would serve Him at Mount Sinai. This Divine communication marked a pivotal moment in history, signaling the transition from physical bondage to spiritual freedom.

As the Jewish people stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, G-d imposed the mountain over the Jews, this served as an infusion of super love and empowerment. This act was a manifestation of G-d’s boundless affection for His chosen people, showering them with Divine love to empower them for the task ahead.

While the angels in heaven were pleading with G-d for the Torah to be entrusted to them, G-d rejected their appeals, choosing instead to entrust the Torah to the physical Jewish people. This decision highlighted the unique role that humans play in upholding and observing the Divine commandments in this physical world in a physical manner.

G-d’s creation of the world was with the explicit intention that Jews would follow the Torah, infusing the universe with purpose and meaning. Thus, the world is intrinsically tied to the observance of the Torah by the Jewish people, establishing a profound symbiotic relationship between Creator and creation.

The descent of the soul from lofty spiritual realms to the physical world is a journey fraught with purpose and significance. While the soul may have existed in a state akin to that of an angel, its descent into the physical realm serves a higher purpose—to worship G-d by observing the Torah in a physical form. This act of Divine service enables the soul to achieve a greater ascent than was possible in its original state, culminating in a profound revelation of G-d’s essence and the soul’s essence.

Keeping the Torah in a physical manner is not merely an act of obedience; it is a pathway to more than just spiritual elevation and enlightenment. Through the observance of Divine commandments in the physical world, the essence of the G-dly soul is revealed, connecting with the essence of Torah and G-d Himself.

In essence, Matan Torah represents the ultimate union between G-d and His chosen people. It is a testament to the enduring bond between Creator and creation, a bond that transcends time and space. As the Jewish people continue to uphold the Divine teachings of the Torah, they affirm their role as custodians of G-d’s wisdom, guiding lights in a world thirsting for spiritual enlightenment.

Analogously, the difference between a teacher and a father elucidates the depth of the relationship between the Jewish people and the Torah. While a teacher imparts knowledge to their students, a father imparts his essence to his child. Similarly, the Torah imparts Divine wisdom to the Jewish people, but it is through the physical observance of its teachings that the essence of the Jewish soul is revealed, connecting with the essence of G-d Himself. This can be understood by explaining the difference between a teacher teaching a student and a father begetting a child. A teacher, no matter how skilled, can only share their wisdom with students who possess a relative level of understanding. However, a father, in giving birth to a child, imparts not just knowledge but also essence. This essence contains hidden powers and talents that may not even be overtly possessed by the father but reside within the child, waiting to be revealed. In this way, the Torah, like a father, imparts not just wisdom, but when keeping it, it reveals the essence of the Jewish people, allowing them to surpass mere understanding and connect with the deepest truths of existence.

In the end, both the Torah and the Jewish soul need each other. Through studying and implementing the Torah’s teachings in the physical world, both connect with the essence of G-d. This revelation will be fully realized when Moshiach comes and everything is revealed.

Now on a personal note. One of the most effective people to successfully implement this vision of turning the physical world into a place of G-dliness, and a place where the Jewish soul reveals its essence, was Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky who was appointed by the Rebbe to be instrumental in arranging for thousands of Shluchim to find Jewish souls in every corner in the world. Sadly, his soul left us this week, and together with tens of thousands of Chabad Chassidim and Jews the world over, I mourn his loss, he will be sorely missed by me and many thousands all over the world.

May we merit the immediate revelation of Moshiach when those who departed us will wake up and return with joy speedily, and Reb Moishe will continue serving the Rebbe in his holy work as in the past.

Have an Essential connection of a Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos, Gut Yomtov

Rabbi Yosef Katzman