Daily Tanya Chapter 36 Part 2: The revelation of G-d in this world was already experienced in the times of the giving of the Torah (Wednesday 22nd Adar)

22^nd Adar

1. The above revelation of G-d in this world was already experienced in the times of the giving of the Torah:

• Seeing G-d: A similar revelation of G-d in this world was already experienced in the times of the giving of the Torah, as Scripture explicitly states that we were shown G-d with an actual physical sight. We were shown that there is no other existence other than G-d.
• Seeing the sounds: Hence it states regarding the giving of the Torah that we saw the sounds, meaning that we saw that which is usually only heard.
• Hearing the commands from all directions: The sages teach us that by the giving of the 10 Commandments, the Jewish people heard the voice of G-d and His command of that “I am G-d” from every direction they looked at, from all four directions and up and down. This is emphasized in the words of the Zohar which states that there was no area from which the word of G-d did not come from. [This emphasizes that G-d was revealed everywhere at the time of the giving of the Torah.]
• The Torah does not conceal G-dliness: The reason that by the giving of the 10 Commandments G-d was revealed everywhere is because the 10 Commandments include the entire Torah within them, and the Torah is the inner wisdom and will of G-d which does not conceal Him at all, as the verse states that “with the light of Your face You gave us the living Torah.”
• The reason we lost our existence: Accordingly, it is understood why we also lost our existence by the giving of the Torah, as our sages teach us that our souls left our bodies during the event. [This is due to the fact that G-d was truly revealed at this time, and the Jewish people who are creations were not capable of handling this revelation.]
• The Torah is the dew of resurrection: The Torah gives the Jewish people the power necessary to nonetheless withstand the revelation of G-d and not experience an expiry of existence, and hence the sages teach us that it was the Dew of Torah that resurrected us during the event after our souls left our bodies. This dew is what will also resurrect us in the future, and comes as a result of our Torah learning as the Sages state that whoever studies Torah the dew of Torah resurrects him.

2. What happened after the giving of the Torah that we lost this revelation:

• The sin of the golden calf: [After the Torah was given, we could have retained this power and capability to withstand the revelation of G-d Himself, although] the sin [of the golden calf] caused the Jewish people and the world to once again become gross and concealing of G-d.
• This concealment is around until the final redemption: This concealment that was caused due to the sin will remain within the world until the future era when the body and world will once again be refined enough to withstand the revelation of the light of G-d, which will shine to the Jewish people through the Torah which is called “Oz/power,” [as the Torah gives the soul the power to handle the revelation].

3. The Gentiles will also experience revelation in the future:

• [Gentiles will be able to exist in the future despite the fact that they do not learn Torah and technically cannot withstand the revelation of G-d without becoming nullified in existence] as from the great abundance of Divine light that will be revealed to the Jewish people, a glimmer of this light will also shine the darkness of the Gentile nations, and hence, the revelation of G-d will affect all of the inhabitants of the world.
• This concept is reiterated in many verses of Scripture and the prayer liturgy, that the Gentile nations will also receive revelation of G-dliness, and that this revelation will be from the light of the Jewish people.
• The Gentile nations will need to hide from this revelation: [Nonetheless, the experience of this revelation will not be the same between Jew and Gentile, as] the Gentiles will need to hide within caves and rocks due to the trepidation they will have in face of the majestic glory of G-d that will be revealed. [This is in contrast to the Jewish people, who will be able to receive from the Divine light directly.]