A Foundation of Love

Kabbalas HaTorah — the most pivotal event in human history — conjures up images of thunder and lightning, the mountain hanging over our heads, and feelings of awe as Hashem gives us His precious Torah. The neshamos of the people left them every time they heard the voice of Hashem, and the whole world trembled with His revelation at Har Sinai. Though we all associate this encounter with fear and trembling, I believe that a careful analysis of the Torah’s depiction of this event will help us approach the Yom Tov with a different focus, and will allow us to relive Matan Torah with a more nuanced — and the intended — frame of mind.

Hashem commands Moshe (Shemos 19:3–6) to speak to the Jewish People and prepare them for the giving of the Torah. While Hashem speaks to Moshe Rabbeinu numerous times in the Torah, here we have a unique warning given to Moshe — both before as well as after Hashem’s message. Hashem introduced his short command with the words “Ko somar,” which Rashi tells us means that Moshe should relay Hashem’s message “with these words and in this order,” seemingly warning Moshe not to alter the message in any way. The admonition is repeated at the end of these four verses, which end with Hashem telling Moshe “eileh hadevarim,” which Rashi explains to mean “not less and not more.”

These warnings seem perplexing. Why would Hashem need to caution Moshe to convey His message to the Jewish People accurately? Didn’t Moshe always relay Hashem’s mitzvos exactly as he had been commanded? What was it that Hashem was concerned Moshe would add to his instructions?

It seems that in the next three pesukim, Hashem tells Moshe to give the Jewish People a message that he may not have expected, and that Moshe might consider lacking in some way. I believe that a careful reading of these pesukim with the explanation of Rashi will answer these questions, and open a new window into understanding the import of Matan Torah.