It was explained in the previous section that a “shepherd of faith” strengthens faith itself by connecting the essence of the soul with a person’s conscious powers, sparking the potential for mesirus nefesh, self-sacrifice. Since the essence of the soul exists within every member of the Jewish people, a true shepherd’s uniqueness is his ability to affect the conduct of every member of his people.
As is well-known, the ultimate prototype of actual self-sacrifice for the sake of the Torah and its mitzvos on the part of the entire Jewish peopleוְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ שֶׁהַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּפֹעַל עַל תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת שֶׁל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל
took place during the time of Purim (at the time of Haman’s decree).הָיְתָה בְּפוּרִים (בִּזְמַן גְּזֵרַת הָמָן).
In contrast, during the events of Chanukah, mesirus nefesh (in the face of the decrees of the Greeks)שֶׁהַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ דַּחֲנֻכָּה (בִּזְמַן גְּזֵרַת יָוָן)
was displayed (primarily) by Matisyahu and his sons.הָיְתָה (בְּעִקָּר) בְּמַתִּתְיָהוּ וּבָנָיו,
At the time of Chanukah, Matisyahu and his sons were able to motivate many individuals to rise up against the Greeks with mesirus nefesh. Nevertheless, the effect of their inspiration was not universal, and many Jews continued to follow a Hellenist way of life and, indeed, supported the Greeks in the struggle. By contrast,
at the time of Haman’s decree, the entire Jewish people displayed mesirus nefesh.וְהַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בִּזְמַן גְּזֵרַת הָמָן הָיְתָה בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
This was the product of the influence of Mordechai, the “shepherd of faith.”
Based on the above, it is possible to explain the statement of the Midrash1 cited in the maamar VeKibeil HaYehudim:2וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר מַה שֶׁמּוּבָא בְּהַמַּאֲמָר מִמִּדְרָשׁ
“Mordechai, in his generation, was equivalent to Moshe in his generation.”שֶׁמָּרְדְּכַי הָיָה שָׁקוּל בְּדוֹרוֹ כְּמֹשֶׁה בְּדוֹרוֹ,
Although there is an extension of Moshe in every generation,דַּהֲגַם שֶׁאִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָא דְּמֹשֶׁה הוּא בְּכָל דּוֹר,
the Midrash states in regard to Mordechai (only)מִכָּל מָקוֹם אִיתָא בְּמִדְרָשׁ שֶׁמָּרְדְּכַי (דַּוְקָא)
that “in his generation, he was equivalent to Moshe in his generation.”הָיָה שָׁקוּל בְּדוֹרוֹ כְּמֹשֶׁה בְּדוֹרוֹ.
The distinction of Mordechai can be explained as follows:וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר,
Among the unique qualities of Mordechai was that he served as a shepherd of faith (in an apparent and revealed manner) for all the Jews of his generation,שֶׁמֵּהַמַּעֲלוֹת דְּמָרְדְּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי הוּא שֶׁהוּא הָיָה הָרַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא (בְּגִלּוּי) שֶׁל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ.
just as Moshe served as a shepherd of faith,בְּדֻגְמַת מֹשֶׁה רַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא
drawing down knowledge to all the Jews of his generation.שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ דַּעַת לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ,
In every generation, there are shepherds of faith who are able to inspire the entire people. By and large, however, the effect of their influence is not universally apparent. The uniqueness of Mordechai – and of Moshe – is that their influence affected the entire people in a revealed manner.
Moshe’s contribution to his generation as a whole is reflected in the fact that (all the members of the generation)כַּמּוּבָן גַּם מִזֶּה שֶׁדּוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה (כָּל אַנְשֵׁי דּוֹרוֹ)
are referred to as “a generation of knowledge.”3נִקְרָא דּוֹר דֵּעָה,
[Moshe served in this capacity[אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּמֹשֶׁה הָיָה גִּלּוּי עִנְיָן זֶה
(as the shepherd of faith for the entire Jewish people)(שֶׁהוּא רַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל)
by infusing every member of his generation with knowledge.עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ דַּעַת לְכָל אַנְשֵׁי דּוֹרוֹ,
Mordechai served in this capacity, i.e., as a source of influence for every member of the Jewish people,וּבְמָרְדְּכַי הָיָה גִּלּוּי עִנְיָן זֶה
by revealing the quality of mesirus nefesh in every member of his generation.]עַל יְדֵי שֶׁגִּלָּה כֹּחַ הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁבְּכָל אַנְשֵׁי דּוֹרוֹ].
Both Moshe and Mordechai served as models for the function of a shepherd of faith, for they both drew down the influence of the essence of the soul and revealed its effects within their generation as a whole. In Moshe’s instance, the effect involved drawing the power of faith into intellect, while in Mordechai’s case, it involved sparking the people to mesirus nefesh.
It is possible to say that by citing the quote, “Mordechai in his generation was equivalent to Moshe in his generation,” in the maamar,וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּעַל יְדֵי שֶׁמֵּבִיא בְּהַמַּאֲמָר מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁמָּרְדְּכַי בְּדוֹרוֹ הָיָה שָׁקוּל כְּמֹשֶׁה בְּדוֹרוֹ,
the Rebbe Rayatz was defining his own function,עַל יְדֵי זֶה פָּסַק בַּעַל הַמַּאֲמָר אֶת הַדִּין עַל עַצְמוֹ,
This concept can be understood through the interpretation of the wording chosen by our Sages in the Mishnah (Avos 3:1) “judgment and accounting” (with “judgment” being stated before “accounting”). It is explained that first a person passes “judgment” (i.e., on a colleague) and then an “accounting” is made with him, i.e., a person makes a value judgment regarding a colleague’s conduct without thinking that he himself possesses the same fault – or in the case cited in the maamar – the same virtue. Afterwards, an “accounting” is made and the judgment he delivered is applied to him, himself.
This explanation also enables us to understand the wording of Avos 3:16, “the collectors... exact payment from man with or without his knowledge.” On one hand, the “payment” exacted from a person is “with his knowledge,” for the judgment is one which he himself rendered. Conversely, however, it is “without his knowledge,” for he rendered the judgment about a colleague without thinking that it would be applied to himself.4
To apply this concept in the context of the maamar: The statements the Rebbe Rayatz made about Mordechai apply to the Rebbe Rayatz himself. For in his generation, he served in the same role as Mordechai, inspiring the Jews to manifest self-sacrifice in the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos in the face of mortal danger.
i.e., that (in an overt and revealed manner), he served as the shepherd of faith for all the members of his generation.שֶׁהוּא הָרַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא (בְּגִלּוּי) שֶׁל כָּל אַנְשֵׁי הַדּוֹר.

Summary

At the time of the Chanukah miracle, mesirus nefesh was exhibited by only a portion of the Jewish people. In the time of Purim, by contrast, the entire nation exhibited mesirus nefesh.
On this basis, we can appreciate the equivalence of Moshe and Mordechai mentioned by our Sages. Both Moshe and Mordechai affected the people of their generation in their entirety. Moshe served as “a shepherd of faith” by infusing every member of his generation with knowledge. Mordechai served in this capacity by revealing the quality of mesirus nefesh in every member of his generation.