תַּעֲנִית, סְלִיחוֹת, אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ.

A fast day. The Selichos prayers1 and Avinu Malkeinu2 are recited [in the Morning Service].

חִלּוּק לוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְלוּחוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת: בַּלּוּחוֹת עַצְמָן — הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹקִים, הַשְּׁנִיּוֹת פְּסָל לְךָ. הַמִּכְתָּב — חָרוּת עַל הַלּוּחוֹת שֶׁכִּדְרָשַׁת רַזַ"ל, עֵרוּבִין (נד. א), הוּא רַק בַּלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת. בְּמַעֲלַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל — בַּלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת צַדִּיקִים, כְּשֶׁעָמְדוּ עַל הַר סִינַי פָּסְקָה זוּהֲמָתָן, בַּשְּׁנִיוֹת בַּעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. בְּמַעֲלַת מֹשֶׁה — בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה נִתַּן לְמֹשֶׁה אֶלֶף אוֹרוֹת בְּמַתָּנָה, וּבְחֵטְא הָעֵגֶל נִטְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא חָזְרוּ בְּלוּחוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת (רַק בְּשַׁבָּת נוֹתְנִים לוֹ כִּדְאִיתָא בִּפְרִי עֵץ חַיִּים). מַעֲלַת לוּחוֹת הַשְּׁנִיּוֹת שֶׁנִּתַּן גַם כֵּן הֲלָכוֹת מִדְרָשׁ אֲגָדוֹת כו', כִּפְלַיִם לְתוּשִׁיָּה כִּדְאִיתָא בִּנְדָרִים (כב. ב), וְקִרוּן עוֹר פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה.

The difference between the First Tablets3 and the Second Tablets4 can be outlined as follows:

With regard to the Tablets themselves: The First Tablets were fashioned by G‑d; the Second Tablets were hewn by Moshe.

With regard to the writing on the Tablets:The writing was engraved (charus) on the Tablets. Our Sages comment:5 [“Do not read the word as charus (‘engraved’), but rather as cheirus (‘freedom’) — freedom from alien subjugation was inscribed on the Tablets”]. This quality applied only to the First Tablets.

With regard to the spiritual level of the Jewish people:When they were given the First Tablets, they were tzaddikim, for when they stood at Mount Sinai, “their impurity ceased.”6 [At the giving of] the Second Tablets, they were baalei teshuvah.7

With regard to the spiritual level of Moshe:At the Giving of the Torah, Moshe received a gift of a thousand spiritual lights.8 They were taken from him at the Sin of the Golden Calf, and were not returned to him when the Second Tablets were given. (He receives them only on Shabbos, as stated in Pri Etz Chayim.9 )

The Second Tablets were superior in that (a) they were given together with laws, Midrash, and Aggados — “a double measure [of the secrets of Divine wisdom],”10 [as stated in Shmos Rabbah 46:1], and (b) Moshe’s face became radiant.11

To Fill In the Background

The Rebbe identifies a unifying motifunderlying all the above concepts.12

G‑d manifests Himself in the world in two modes: (a) by revelation from above, and (b) by the refinement of the material plane, whereby Divinity is revealed from within.

A revelation that descends from above is overt and powerful. A revelation that depends on the refinement of the physical world is less powerful, but it is superior in two ways: (a) it relates to all the dimensions of the mortal recipients — and hence the Second Tablets contain a manifold expression of Divine wisdom; and (b) it becomes part of the mortal recipients — and hence Moshe’s face became radiant.

Furthermore, this kind of revelation, growing from within and resulting from human effort, is more lasting, whereas a purely supernal revelation is not. This is reflected in the fact that the First Tablets were broken shortly after being given, while the Second Tablets continue to exist until today, ensconced deep in the vaults within the Temple Mount, where they were hidden before the destruction of the First Beis HaMikdash.13