Tikunim Chadashim - Tikun 2

"And for all the mighty hand and for all the great awe..." [Devarim 34:12]

Theme: Torah She-be'al Peh and Torah She-bichtav — the Oral Torah and the Written Torah

I. The Sefer Torah of Moshe

In this Tikun: "the mighty hand" — this is Torah She-be'al Peh [the Oral Torah]. "The great awe" — this is Torah She-bichtav [the Written Torah]. "Which Moshe did before the eyes of all Israel" — when? — at the time he wrote the Torah Scroll [Sefer Torah] for them, as it is written: "And Moshe wrote this Torah" [Devarim 31:9]. For in that Sefer Torah all the supernal secrets were visible, adhering to those letters as is fitting — Written Torah and Oral Torah, and all their hidden mysteries.

When Israel stood at Mount Sinai, they were given the Ten Utterances [Aseres HaDibros], in which all the Torah is included. For at that moment, the Torah was transmitted to Israel to fulfill it and to establish its rectifications as is fitting. Therefore there were ten utterances — for all the Torah hangs on those ten levels. Then each [Sefira] brought forth its own and was revealed to be given over into the hands of Israel, to establish its rectifications as befitting. From there onward they also merited to gaze into the mysteries of the Torah and to have the knowledge of it transmitted to their hands — for the Torah was not fitting to be shown to any human being except in order to be transmitted for action.

Even to the supernal angels the Torah was not shown, except for the supernal rectifications that needed to be established through them. As it is written: "Mighty in strength, who do His word, to hear the voice of His word" [Tehillim 103:20]. For all the supernal lights and lamps are not revealed to any being in the world except to one who is given to establish rectifications — and for the service done before Him, it is revealed and made known.

II. Na'aseh veNishma — We Shall Do and We Shall Hear

Israel — like those supernal angels — first needed to transmit the Torah to action in their hands, and only then to gaze into it. Those who knew this said: "We shall do and we shall hear" [Shemos 24:7] — just as those supernal angels.

The Ten Utterances were given for the rectification of action; thereafter the Sefer Torah was written by Moshe, and through it [the Torah] was transmitted for gazing and knowing it. In that Sefer Torah all the secrets of the world are included and intertwined, and it was placed in the Ark together with the Tablets. Therefore: "the mighty hand" — this is Torah She-be'al Peh; "the great awe" — this is Torah She-bichtav. What is "awe"? — To distance the impure nations of the world from Her.

III. Each Tribe and the Reading of the Torah

This scroll was written by Moshe, and afterward each tribe wrote its own scroll from it, to take from it what befits each one according to his level. And Israel reads from the Sefer Torah in public assembly — and through this, light illuminates for them from that scroll of Moshe. Therefore they say: "And this is the Torah which Moshe placed before the children of Israel" [Devarim 4:44] — to awaken that scroll which truly stands to be the knowledge of Torah for Israel, each one as befits.

Of that scroll it is said: "the letters give wisdom" — for the light of the supernal levels shines in them, and all the mysteries appear there as stated. And yet all the other holy letters [of other sacred books] — the same applies to them, for they inherit from this scroll.

IV. The Haftarah on Shabbos and the Wisdom of Moshe

On Shabbos they read from the Prophets [Haftarah] — to draw the flow of wisdom from Moshe, the great scroll. For there is no sage who became wise in Torah except through him, and there is no prophet who prophesied in Israel except through his power. Through this power, the faithful prophets stood and made their books. Through this, wisdom spread further in Israel. Therefore, to awaken the Tikun as fitting, these rectifications must be awakened — to illuminate from them all of Israel.