To explain the above:וּלְבָאֵר זֶה,
In the maamar entitled VeKibeil HaYehudim,1 the Rebbe Rayatz prefaces the above concept with an explanation of our Sages’ description2 of Moshe Rabbeinu as a raaya mehemna.מַקְדִּים בְּהַמַּאֲמָר שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ נִקְרָא רַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא,
There are two interpretations of this term:דִּשְׁנֵי פֵּרוּשִׁים בָּזֶה,
a) “a faithful shepherd of the Jewish people”; i.e., he faithfully tends to the needs of the Jewish people;שֶׁהוּא רוֹעֶה נֶאֱמָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל,
and b) “a shepherd of faith,” i.e., that he sustains and nurtures the faith of the Jewish people, as the maamar proceeds to explain.וְשֶׁהוּא זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעִנְיַן הָאֱמוּנָה.
The Jewish people have inherent resources of faith,דְּהָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָהּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִצַּד עַצְמָם,
for the Jews are inherently “believers and the descendants of believers.”3שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֵם מַאֲמִינִים בְּנֵי מַאֲמִינִים,
It is, however, possible for this belief to serve merely as an encompassing force, without being internalized within a person’s conscious thought processes.אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בִּבְחִינַת מַקִּיף,
To explain: Emunah, faith, is an inherent element of a Jew’s makeup4 and can powerfully influence his life. Nevertheless, even though one may be inspired by his emunah, his intellect, emotions, and everyday conduct may not change and, indeed, may function in direct contradiction to his faith.
To cite an example from our Sages’ words: As explained in the maamar VeKibeil HaYehudim,5 our Sages teach:6 “A thief calls out to G‑d [to help him] before breaking in [to a house].” Now, the thief believes in G‑d – for that reason, he prays to Him. What is it, however, that he is asking G‑d to grant him? Success in stealing! This inconsistency is possible because faith is far removed from our ordinary conscious thinking and has not been internalized within it. If the faith radiating in a person were to be integrated within him, he would find it impossible to defy G‑d’s will while praying to Him.
Moshe Rabbeinu fosters and nurtures the faith of the Jewish people,וְזֶה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רוֹעֶה וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעִנְיַן הָאֱמוּנָה
enabling them to internalize this potential,הוּא שֶׁהָאֱמוּנָה תִּהְיֶה בִּפְנִימִיּוּת.
thus empowering them to grow intellectually and emotionally as well.
Similar concepts are echoed by the Zohar, which states,7 “This supernal faith will be sustained and nurtured by you (Moshe).”וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר "הַהִיא אֱמוּנָה דִּלְעֵילָא יִתְּזַן וְיִתְפַּרְנֵס מִנֵּיהּ עַל יָדְךָ" (עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה),
This process of nurturing faith, inspired by Moshe, involves internalizing it, making it part of one’s conscious functioning.דְּזֶה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה הוּא שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיךְ אוֹתָהּ בִּפְנִימִיּוּת.
The maamar entitled VeKibeil HaYehudim continues,וּמַמְשִׁיךְ בְּהַמַּאֲמָר,
by emphasizing that the designation of Moshe as “a shepherd of faith” applies not only to Moshe Rabbeinu himself, but also toדְּזֶה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה הוּא רַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא,
“the extension of Moshe in every generation,”8הַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה הִיא גַּם לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָא דְּמֹשֶׁה שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר,
In every generation, there are spiritual leaders who perform the same function as Moshe did in his generation.
the heads of the thousands of the Jewish people in every generation who strengthen the faith of the Jews (of their generation),דְּרָאשֵׁי אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר הֵם מְחַזְּקִים אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל (שֶׁבְּדוֹרָם),
enabling them to internalize their faith.שֶׁהָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁלָּהֶם תִּהְיֶה בִּפְנִימִיּוּת.
All Jews possess inner resources of faith. Moshe, and the extensions of Moshe in every generation, strengthen that faith and bring it to the people’s conscious foreground.
For example, Mordechai9 served as “the extension of Moshe” in his generation,וּכְמוֹ מָרְדְּכַי, שֶׁהָיָה הָאִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָא דְּמֹשֶׁה שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ,
as reflected in our Sages’ statement10 that Mordechai in his generation was like Moshe in his generation.כְּמַאֲמַר רַזַַ"ל שֶׁמָּרְדְּכַי בְּדוֹרוֹ כְּמֹשֶׁה בְּדוֹרוֹ,
Even in the time of Haman’s decree,שֶׁגַּם בִּזְמַן גְּזֵרַת הָמָן,
when the study of the Torah and the observance of its mitzvos involved mesirus nefesh, self-sacrifice,שֶׁלִּמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה וְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְווֹת אָז הָיָה קָשׁוּר עִם מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ,
Mordechai gathered congregations of people who studied Torah communallyהִקְהִיל קְהִלּוֹת בָּרַבִּים
to strengthen the Jews’ faith in G‑dלְחַזֵּק אֶת אֱמוּנָתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּהֲוָיָ'
and to motivate them to stand strong in the study of the Torah and the observance of its mitzvos.וְלַעֲמֹד חָזָק בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה וְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְווֹת.
After the maamar explains at length that Moshe – and the extension of Moshe in every generation – strengthens the faith of the Jewish people,וּלְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁמְּבָאֵר בָּאֲרֻכָּה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה וְאִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ שֶׁבְּכָל דָּרָא מְחַזְּקִים אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל,
it proceeds to explain11 the verse’s choice of wording – “oil, crushed for the luminary” –מְבָאֵר דִּיּוּק לְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב "שֶׁמֶן גוֹ' כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר"
(i.e., “for the luminary” and not “to illumine”).(לַמָּאוֹר וְלֹא לְהָאִיר),
It explains that in the era of exile, when everyone is broken and pressed (i.e., “crushed”),שֶׁבִּזְמַן הַגָּלוּת, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד הוּא נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכָּא, כָּתִית,
we are able to approach the luminary (the essence), the essence of the soul which is bonded to G‑d’s Essence,עַל יְדֵי זֶה מַגִּיעִים לַמָּאוֹר (הָעֶצֶם)
the source from which the light emanates.שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ נִמְצָא הָאוֹר.
It is, however, necessary to understand the connection between the interpretation of the phrase “crushed for the luminary,” in the maamar entitled VeKibeil HaYehudim,וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין הַשַּׁיָּכוּת דְּהַפֵּרוּשׁ בְּכָתִית לַמָּאוֹר
and the explanation found previously (in that maamar) of the function of Mosheלְהַמְּבֹאָר (בְּהַמַּאֲמָר) לִפְנֵי זֶה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה
[and the extension of Moshe in every generation][וְאִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ שֶׁבְּכָל דָּרָא]
in sustaining and nurturing our people’s faith,זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה
enabling it to be internalized.שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בִּפְנִימִיּוּת.

Summary

Moshe functions as “a shepherd of faith,” sustaining and nurturing the faith of the Jewish people. Although the Jewish people have inherent resources of faith, it is possible for this belief to serve merely as an encompassing force and not be internalized within a person’s conscious thought processes. By fostering and nurturing the faith of the Jewish people, Moshe enables them to internalize this potential.
The designation of Moshe as “a shepherd of faith” applies not only to Moshe Rabbeinu himself, but also to “the extensions of Moshe in every generation.” In every generation, there are spiritual leaders who perform the same function as Moshe, strengthening the faith of the Jewish people. For example, our Sages equate Mordechai with Moshe, for he performed a parallel function.
The phrase “crushed for the luminary” implies that in the era of exile, when everyone is broken and “crushed,” we are able to reveal the luminary, the essence of our souls which is bonded to G‑d’s Essence.
It is necessary to understand the connection between the interpretation of the phrase “crushed for the luminary” and the explanation found previously in the maamar entitled VeKibeil HaYehudim: that the function of Moshe and the extensions of Moshe in every generation is to sustain and nurture our people’s faith, enabling it to be internalized.