The interpretation of the verse “And you shall command...” in the maamar VeKibeil HaYehudim comes as a continuation of the concepts explained at the beginning of that maamar,וְהִנֵּה הַבֵּאוּר בַּפָּסוּק "וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה" בָּא (בְּהַמַּאֲמָר) בְּהֶמְשֵׁךְ לְהַמְּבֹאָר בִּתְחִלַּת הַמַּאֲמָר,
which interprets the verse,1 “The Jews accepted what they had begun to do,” to mean that at the time of the Purim miracle,דְּפֵרוּשׁ "וְקִבֵּל הַיְּהוּדִים אֵת אֲשֶׁר הֵחֵלּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת"
the Jews accepted what they had begun at the time of the Giving of the Torah.2הוּא שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ מַה שֶּׁהֵחֵלּוּ בְּהַזְּמַן דְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה.
The Giving of the Torah represented merely a beginningדִּבְמַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיְתָה הַהַתְחָלָה
(i.e., “what they had already begun to do,”)(הֵחֵלּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת),
and the Jews’ commitment at the time of Achashverosh (at the time of Haman’s decree) represented the consummate acceptance of the Torah,וּבִימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ (בִּזְמַן גְּזֵרַת הָמָן) הָיְתָה הַקַּבָּלָה,
i.e., “And the Jews accepted.”וְקִבֵּל הַיְּהוּדִים.
[We find a parallel concept in our Sages’ explanation3 of the verse,4 “The Jews established and accepted.”[וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ מַאֲמַר רַזַ"ל עַל הַפָּסוּק "קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים",
Our Sages understand this to mean “they now established what they previously accepted.”קִיְּמוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר,
The Jews’ statement “We will do and we will listen,”5 and, in particular, the fact that they declared “We will do” before “we will listen,”דְּזֶה שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ נַעֲשֶׂה לְנִשְׁמַע בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה,
represented a blanket commitment that transcended the limits of knowledge. “We will do” refers to the desire to carry out G‑d’s will, and “we will listen” to the effort to understand G‑d’s commandments intellectually. By proclaiming “We will do” before “we will listen,” our ancestors implied that they would fulfill G‑d’s will without hesitation or doubt, whether they understood it or not. Nevertheless, this
represented merely the acceptance of the Torah,הָיְתָה רַק הַקַּבָּלָה,
and in the days of Achashverosh,6 they established what they had accepted,7 i.e., they showed that the Torah was rooted in the very core of their beings.]וּבִימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ קִיְּמוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ].
As the maamar VeKibeil HaYehudim explains,וּמְדַיֵּק בְּהַמַּאֲמָר,
on the surface, this is an inconceivable statement.8שֶׁלִּכְאוֹרָה הוּא דְּבַר פֶּלֶא,
At the Giving of the Torah, the Jews were on the loftiest spiritual peaksדִּבְמַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַכְלִית הָעִלּוּי,
and received revelations of G‑dliness of the most sublime levels.וְהָיָה אָז אֶצְלָם גִּלּוּי אֱלֹקוּת בְּדַרְגָּא הֲכִי נַעֲלֵית
[In addition to the extremely great revelations the Jews were granted before the Giving of the Torah, [דְּנוֹסָף לָזֶה שֶׁגַּם קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיוּ גִּלּוּיִים נַעֲלִים בְּיוֹתֵר,
the revelations associated with the Exodus, and particularly, those of the splitting of the Red Sea,הַגִּלּוּי שֶׁהָיָה בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם וּבִפְרָט בִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף,
the revelations that accompanied the Giving of the Torah reflected an even more sublime level.]הִנֵּה הַגִּלּוּי שֶׁהָיָה בִּשְׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיָה גִּלּוּי נַעֲלֶה עוֹד יוֹתֵר],
In the times of Achashverosh, by contrast, the Jews experienced the ultimate of descents.וּבִימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַכְלִית הַיְרִידָה,
To explain: Every exile is associated with a veiling and concealment of G‑dliness.דְּנוֹסָף לְהַהֶעְלֵם וְהַהֶסְתֵּר שֶׁבְּכָל גָּלוּת
[For all exiles follow the paradigm of the Egyptian exile,[דְּכָל גָּלוּת הוּא בְּדֻגְמַת גָּלוּת מִצְרַיִם,
As our Sages state:9 “All the ruling kingdoms can be referred to as Mitzrayim, Egypt, because they cause anguish (metziros) to the Jews.”
of which it is written,10 “They did not listen to Moshe because of their dwindled spirits and hard toil,”וּכְמוֹ שֶׁבְּגָלוּת מִצְרַיִם כְּתִיב "וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה",
i.e., the difficulties of exile made the Jews incapable of responding to G‑d’s will.
In like manner, all subsequent exilesעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה הוּא בְּכָל גָּלוּת,
have presented numerous challenges with regard to the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos.]שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם כַּמָּה נִסְיוֹנוֹת בְּקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְווֹת],
In particular, then (in the time of Haman’s decree), there was an even greater veiling and concealment, for the very lives of the entire Jewish people were endangered.הִנֵּה אָז (בִּזְמַן גְּזֵרַת הָמָן) הָיָה הַהֶעְלֵם וְהַהֶסְתֵּר עוֹד יוֹתֵר,
Nevertheless, our Sages are implying that the time of the Giving of the Torah, when the Jews were on the sublime peaks,וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, בִּזְמַן מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַכְלִית הָעִלּוּי,
was merely a beginningהָיְתָה רַק הַהַתְחָלָה
(of “what they had begun to do”).(הֵחֵלּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת),
Conversely, in the time of Haman’s decree, seemingly, the Jews were at their lowest depths.וּבִזְמַן גְּזֵרַת הָמָן, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּתַכְלִית הַשִּׁפְלוּת,
It was specifically then that they “accepted” what they had begun at the Giving of the Torah.אָז דַּוְקָא קִבְּלוּ מַה שֶּׁהֵחֵלּוּ בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה.
Seemingly, this is paradoxical: How was it possible for the Jews to reach a higher rung of service when they were on such a low spiritual level and subject to the anguish of persecution?
The maamar continues, explaining that at the time of Haman’s decree, the Jews’ observance of the Torah and its mitzvos was inspired by mesirus nefesh, “self-sacrifice.”וּמְבָאֵר בָּזֶה, דְּבִזְמַן הַגְּזֵרָה, הָיָה קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ.
This represents the higher quality of the service of Mordechai’s generation over that of the Jews who accepted the Torah. By saying naaseh venishma, “We will do and we will listen,” at the Giving of the Torah, the Jews made a total commitment to observe G‑d’s will. However, their commitment was only on the level of potential. At the time of Haman’s decree, their commitment was expressed in actual fact – and this came about even though mesirus nefesh, self-sacrifice, was required.
{In Mordechai’s time, the Jews exhibited self-sacrifice by not denying G‑d and the Torah, Heaven forbid.[דְּנוֹסָף לָזֶה שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁלֹּא לִכְפֹּר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם
[For, as explained in Torah Or,11 had the Jews forsaken their faith, nothing would have been done to them.[כַּמְּבֹאָר בְּ"תוֹרָה אוֹר", שֶׁבְּאִם הָיוּ מְמִירִים דָּתָם לֹא הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים לָהֶם כְּלוּם,
For the decree was issued merely against the Jews,כִּי הַגְּזֵרָה הָיְתָה רַק עַל הַיְּהוּדִים,
i.e., those who held firm to their faith. Generally, it is explained that while the persecutions against the Jews at the time of the Chanukah miracle were directed against the Jews’ faith, Haman’s decrees were against their very lives. Even so, even in Haman’s times, had the Jews forsaken their faith, they would have been spared.
Nevertheless, the thought of acting in a manner outside their faith, Heaven forbid, did not occur to them.]וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתָּם מַחְשֶׁבֶת חוּץ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם],
Moreover, not only did they not deny their faith,
they exhibited self-sacrifice in the observance of the Torah and its mitzvosהָיָה לָהֶם מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ גַּם עַל קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת.
The adherence to the Torah and its mitzvos in the face of challenge reflects a greater level of service than the refusal to deny one’s faith. For belief in G‑d is an essential part of a Jew’s being, to the extent that even the most unworthy member of our people is willing to sacrifice his life rather than forsake his faith.12
to the extent that they congregated to study Torah communally.}וְעַד שֶׁהִקְהִילוּ קְהִלּוֹת בָּרַבִּים לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ].
As can be understood simply, this communal study reflects an even greater expression of service.
It was Mordechai, the Moshe of his generation, who inspired this self-sacrifice.וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁלָּהֶם הָיְתָה עַל יְדֵי מָרְדְּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי, מֹשֶׁה שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ.
This reflects the function of Mordechai, the Moshe of his generation, as a shepherd of faith. He was able to motivate the Jews to this all-encompassing service of self-sacrifice.
On this basis, we can understand the verse, “The Jews accepted what they had already begun,”וְזֶהוּ "וְקִבֵּל הַיְּהוּדִים אֵת אֲשֶׁר הֵחֵלּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת",
that the Giving of the Torah was merely a beginningדִּבְמַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיְתָה רַק הַהַתְחָלָה
and their acceptance came at the time of Haman’s decree.וּבִזְמַן גְּזֵרַת הָמָן הָיְתָה הַקַּבָּלָה,
For their actual expression of self-sacrifice in the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos elevated themכִּי עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם אָז מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּפֹעַל עַל תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת נִתְעַלּוּ
(in this regard)(בְּעִנְיָן זֶה)
to a level above that experienced at the Giving of the Torah.לְמַדְרֵגָה נַעֲלֵית יוֹתֵר מִכְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ בִּזְמַן מַתַּן תּוֹרָה,
Therefore, this specifically was the time when the consummate acceptance of the Torah took place,וְלָכֵן אָז דַּוְקָא הָיְתָה הַקַּבָּלָה,
i.e., when “the Jews accepted.”וְקִבֵּל הַיְּהוּדִים.
The above appears to provide us with an explanation of the phrase “crushed for the luminary,”וְלִכְאוֹרָה יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, שֶׁהַפֵּרוּשׁ בְּכָתִית לַמָּאוֹר,
i.e., that through being “crushed” (broken and pressed), one approaches the luminary, the very essence and root of the soul.שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כָּתִית (נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכָּא) מַגִּיעִים לְהַמָּאוֹר,
As our Sages state,13 when an olive is crushed, it gives forth its oil. Similarly, when the Jewish people are crushed by persecution, their essential spiritual power rises to the surface.
This explains why, in the time of Haman’s decree, the Jews were able to attain these peaks of self-sacrifice.הוּא בֵּאוּר עַל זֶה שֶׁבִּזְמַן הַגְּזֵרָה דַּוְקָא בָּאוּ לִמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּאֹפֶן נַעֲלֶה בְּיוֹתֵר.
These high levels of self-sacrifice stem from the essence of the soul, a level which transcends revelation;כִּי מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ הִיא מִצַּד עֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִגִּלּוּי,
it is “the luminary” (from which light emanates).מָאוֹר (שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ נִמְצָא הָאוֹר),
Thus, because the Jews were crushed (broken and pressed),וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ אָז בְּמַצָּב דְּכָתִית (נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכָּא),
the essence of their souls, “the luminary,” was revealed.נִתְגַּלָּה עֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה, מָאוֹר.
The above explanation is frequently found in chassidic texts.
Nevertheless, from the context and structure of the Rebbe Rayatz’s maamar which explains the phrase “crushed for the luminary” following the explanation of Moshe’s contribution as a “shepherd of faith,”אֲבָל מֵהֶמְשֵׁךְ וְסֵדֶר הָעִנְיָנִים בְּהַמַּאֲמָר שֶׁהַפֵּרוּשׁ בְּכָתִית לַמָּאוֹר בָּא לְאַחֲרֵי הָעִנְיָן דְּרַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא,
it would appear that the two concepts are interrelated:מַשְׁמָע,
The concept of “crushed for the luminary” shares a connection with the concept that Moshe sustains and nurtures the faith of the Jewish people, enabling it to be internalized.דְּעִנְיַן כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר שַׁיָּךְ גַּם לָזֶה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בִּפְנִימִיּוּת.

Summary

The verse, “The Jews accepted what they had begun to do,” is interpreted as meaning that at the time of the Purim miracle, the Jews consummated their acceptance of the Torah that began at Sinai, by accepting it with mesirus nefesh. It was Mordechai, “the extension of Moshe,” who inspired this self-sacrifice.
Thus, their mesirus nefesh reflects the motif of being “crushed for the luminary,” that through being “crushed” from the oppression of exile, one reveals the luminary, the very essence and root of the soul.
It is necessary to understand the connection between the concept of “crushed for the luminary” and the concept that Moshe (and his extensions in every generation) sustain and nurture the faith of the Jewish people, enabling it to be internalized.