READING: between after midnight and sunrise of Sunday

Moses The Loyal Shepherd

Moses The Loyal Shepherd – Selected Excerpts from the sources

1. RABASH, Article No. 13 (1988), “What Is ‘the People’s Shepherd Is the Whole People’ in the Work?”

It is known that The Zohar calls Moses “the loyal shepherd.” Baal HaSulam interpreted that he was nourishing the people of Israel with faith. He said that man does not lack any power in order to be able to observe Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] in full, but only faith. To the extent that he has faith, to that extent he can exert in the work.

2. RABASH. Article No. 4 (1989), “What Is a Flood of Water in the Work?”

There is the matter of above reason. This is regarded as wanting to walk with his eyes shut, meaning that although reason and the senses do not understand what our sages tell us, they assume upon them faith in the sages and say that we must take upon ourselves faith in the sages, as it is written, “And they believed in the Lord and in His servant, Moses.” Without faith, nothing can be achieved in spirituality.

3. RABASH. Article No. 199, “Oral Torah”

“Moses His servant” is called “faith in the sages.” Everything that the sages say is called “And they believed in the Lord and in His servant, Moses,” meaning that they believed that Moses received the Torah from the Creator and that the expansion of Moses is in every generation. Hence, faith in the sages extends over the continuation of “His servant Moses.” This is called “oral Torah,” and every teacher gives to the public what he had received from his teacher.

4. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article 105, “A Bastard Wise Disciple Precedes a Commoner High Priest”

Through adhering to wise disciples, it is possible to receive some support.

In other words, only a wise disciple can help him, and nothing else. Even if he is great in the Torah, he will still be called “a commoner,” if he has not been rewarded with learning from the Creator’s mouth.Hence, one must surrender before a wise disciple and accept what the wise disciple places on him without any arguments, but by way of above reason.

5. Rabbi Shmuel Di Ozida, Midrash Shmuel, Avot 1, 16

It is written “Make for yourself a Rav,” meaning accept him as your Rav. In order to benefit from the Rav, the student must believe in him and trust his words, as was said, “Depart from doubt,” namely do not doubt your Rav’s words, but rather trust him, for without it, he will not help you.

6. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 40, “What Is the Measure of Faith in the Rav?”

One must trust the opinion of his rav and believe what his rav tells him. It means that one should go as his rav told him to do.And although he sees many arguments and many teachings that do not go hand in hand with the opinion of his rav, he should nevertheless trust the opinion of his rav

7. Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 45

A student should be in true annulment before the teacher, in the full sense of the word, for then he unites with him and he can perform salvations in his favor.

8. RABASH, Article No. 16 (1990), “What Is ‘For Lack of Spirit and for Hard Work,’ in the Work?”

When Moses came and announced the annunciation of the redemption, they could not believe such a thing—that they would be delivered from the exile in Egypt, as it is written, “And I will bring you out from under the afflictions of Egypt, and I will save you from their work.” That is, they will not only have no hard work, but they will not have any work at all. This, they could not believe, that such a thing could be.

Had they believed it, then by the power of faith they would have come out from the exile.

9. RABASH, Article No. 13 (1988), “What Is ‘the People’s Shepherd Is the Whole People’ in the Work?”

If the people’s shepherd is not rewarded, meaning that his faith, which should be cleansed, meaning complete faith, yet he has only partial faith, as it is written […], “the whole people are not rewarded.” This means that all his organs do things that are suitable for those without complete faith. “They are punished because of him,” meaning that it is not their fault that they have thoughts and desires unfit for one who has faith.

That is, if their shepherd had complete faith, the organs would listen to him and would have thoughts and desires of a righteous. This is why they suffer because of him, since he does not have complete faith.

10. RABASH, Article No. 17, “Concerning the Shechina [Divinity]”

Our sages said, “Moses is tantamount to 600,000” (Song of Songs 1), meaning that Moses was rewarded with the revelation of Godliness that was ready to be revealed to the whole of Israel. This is the meaning of the words, “The Shechina speaks from Moses’ throat,” meaning that Moses was rewarded with the general revelation called Shechina.