Sicha, 2nd day of Shavuos 5714
A. Amen Yehei Shmei Rabba…
Elijah the Prophet appeared to the Baal Shem Tov and told him that a simple Jew saying “Amen, yehei shmei rabba” accomplishes more in Heaven than the profound meditations of the holiest scholars. From then on, the Baal Shem Tov made an effort to encourage Jews to say words of praise to G-d (Source 1).
The Baal Shem Tov also taught regarding the verse, “Praiseworthy is the one whom You choose and bring near, to dwell in Your courtyards… the holiness of Your sanctuary”: There are simple Jews—”Your courtyards,” and there are Torah scholars—”the holiness of Your sanctuary.” But through saying “Amen yehei shmei rabba,” the acronym of which forms the word “Ashrei” (praiseworthy), they all become equal.
B. What Was New for Moses at the Giving of the Torah?
The Previous Rebbe (Rebbe Rayatz) asks: The Giving of the Torah gave the Jewish people the power to connect with the Essence of G-d, but what was new for Moses? He was already on the highest spiritual level to begin with! The Rebbe Rayatz answers: what the Giving of the Torah added for Moses was a recognition and feeling of the virtue of the simple Jews (Source 2).
This can be understood based on the Midrash, which states that at the Giving of the Torah, there had to be six hundred thousand Jews present—all the Jewish souls. If even one soul had been missing, the Torah would not have been given (Source 3), similar to how the Divine Presence rests only when a minyan of ten Jews is present.
From this, Moses learned the virtue of the simple Jews.
The Rebbe explains that the innovation of the Giving of the Torah is that specifically through physical mitzvot that appear simple, we can reach G-d’s Essence. Based on this,we can say that at the Giving of the Torah, Moses understood the virtue of simplicity within himself—that precisely by performing a ‘simple’ physical mitzvah, he connects to G-d on a level higher than all the spiritual heights he had achieved.
C. Simple Service is the Highest Service
The message for us is that even Torah scholars must actively help and assist other Jews, both materially and spiritually. After all, even Moses discovered at the Giving of the Torah the unique virtue of simple service—the ability to perform a mitzvah and connect to G-d through it, just like every Jew.
On the holiday of Shavuot in 5704 (1944), the Rebbe Rayatz chose three people and sent them to draw yeshiva students closer to the teachings of Chassidus (Source 5). He explained the verse “If you have become a guarantor for your fellow”—the way to bring sweetness (arevut) and pleasure to G-d is by “you have struck your hands for a stranger”—reaching out a hand to another Jew and drawing them close.
Of the three emissaries, two were Torah scholars, and the third was a simple man. The two scholars completed their mission and returned to their own affairs, while it was precisely the simple Jew who continued with the mission, and his success was practically evident. Thus, the virtue of the simple Jew was tangibly revealed.
