The previous sections explained that the revelation of G‑d’s Essence, as alluded to by the phrase bayom hazeh, made it possible for a person’s individual identity to be characterized by bittul and for that approach to motivate his involvement in the world, pursuing the motif of shov. This section begins by emphasizing that such involvement should only find expression in the realm of holiness, for the revelation of G‑d’s Essence precludes any connection with the forces of unholiness.
On the basis of the above concepts, it is possible to also explain the connection between bayom hazeh and the Sinai (desert):וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, שֶׁזֶּהוּ גַּם הַקֶּשֶׁר דְּבַיּוֹם הַזֶּה עִם (מִדְבַּר) סִינַי,
Our Sages interpret1 the word Sinai as alluding to the fact that at the Giving of the Torah, “enmity2 descended to the nations of the world” because “they did not accept the Torah”3 on that mountain.שֶׁיָּרְדָה שִׂנְאָה לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא קִבְּלוּ בוֹ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה.
Implied is that the non-Jews’ refusal to accept the Torah came about from a process of causation initiated from Above, beyond their conscious thought pro­cesses.4 Just as the Jews accepted the Torah because the Holy One, blessed be He, “held the mountain over them like a tub,”5דִּכְמוֹ שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל קִבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם הַר כְּגִיגִית
interpreted in Chassidus 6 as referring to an overpowering revelation of His love for the Jewish people,הִתְגַּלּוּת הָאַהֲבָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל –
A mountain is often used as a metaphor for love.7 A tub surrounds and encompasses. At the Giving of the Torah, the Jews were surrounded and encompassed by Divine love to the point that they had no choice but to wholeheartedly accept the Torah. The intense revelation of G‑d’s love for them left them no alternative.
as it is written,8 “I have loved Yaakov,”וָאֹהַב אֶת יַעֲקֹב,
so too with regard to the non-Jews’ refusal to accept the Torah,כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא בְּנוֹגֵעַ לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא קִבְּלוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה
their conscious decision to refuse it was influenced from forces from Above, coming about because “enmity descended to the nations of the world,”שֶׁזֶּהוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּרְדָה שִׂנְאָה לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם –
as it is written, “and Esav I hated.”וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי.
The reason that G‑d loves Yaakov, the Jewish people, and hates Esav, the enemies of the Jews,וְזֶה שֶׁוָאוֹהַב אֶת יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי הוּא
is not because of any superior quality that the Jews possess and which the non-Jews lack.לֹא מִפְּנֵי הַמַּעֲלָה דְיִשְׂרָאֵל,
For the very fact that “the Holy One, blessed be He, first offered (the Torah) to every nation and tongue”9כִּי זֶה גוּפָא שֶׁהֶחְזִירָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (לַתּוֹרָה) עַל כָּל אֻמָּה וְלָשׁוֹן
indicates that the Torah was given from such a lofty sourceמוֹכִיחַ שֶׁנְּתִינַת הַתּוֹרָה הִיא מִמָּקוֹם נַעֲלֶה בְּיוֹתֵר,
that all the superior qualities possessed by the Jewish people, including the distinction of “You are children unto G‑d, your L-rd,”10שֶׁכָּל הַמַּעֲלוֹת, כּוֹלֵל גַּם הַמַּעֲלָה דְּבָנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם,
are of no importance to it.אֵינָם תּוֹפְסִים מָקוֹם שָׁם,
The Jews possess many virtues, but they all pale in importance when compared to G‑d’s Essence, which transcends the entire gestalt of creation. Since He utterly transcends the realm of creation, none of the positive qualities that are considered as virtues within that frame of reference carry any intrinsic importance for Him.11
Both of them (the Jews and the non-Jews) are equal in G‑d’s eyes,וּשְׁנֵיהֶם (יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם) שָׁוִים –
as the verse states,“Is not Esav Yaakov’s brother?”הֲלֹא אָח עֵשָׂו לְיַעֲקֹב,
But G‑d chose, with absolutely free choice, to love Yaakov and to hate Esav.אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּבְחִירָתוֹ הַחָפְשִׁית בָּחַר לִהְיוֹת וָאֹהַב אֶת יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי.
When a person’s mind determines that a given object is worthy of being chosen, he is being compelled to select it; it is not free choice.
When a person’s mind controls his behavior and he makes his decisions based on logic and thought, there is nothing more powerful for him than the recognition of the truth; it cannot be said that he is “choosing” how to act. Once he understands that a particular course of action is the correct one, that recognition is a more powerful motivator than any physical compulsion.
Similarly, with regard to one’s inherent desires, a father cannot help but desire his son’s welfare. He feels a natural affinity towards his son and therefore desires to help him. In both instances, the object – either on account of its worth or because it evokes a natural response – is what compels the person to take action. He is not choosing freely.
The true concept of free choice is that one chooses, not out of intellectual recognition of the object’s worth nor out of an inner desire for it, but because he chooses to act in this manner, entirely out of his own free choice; the chosen object exerts no influence whatsoever on him. Truly choosing freely means acting in a given manner when there is nothing pulling one toward, or repelling him from it; his actions depend solely on his own initiative.
This is the connection between the terms bayom hazeh (explained above as referring to the revelation of G‑d’s Essence) and midbar Sinai (“the Sinai desert”):וְזֶהוּ הַקֶּשֶׁר דְּבַיּוֹם הַזֶּה עִם מִדְבַּר סִינַי,
The fact that “enmity descended to the nations of the world” (expressed by Sinai) isדְּזֶה שֶׁיָּרְדָה שִׂנְאָה לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם הוּא
because G‑d made that choice, choosing absolutely freely (as explained above),לְפִי שֶׁכָּךְ בָּחַר בִּבְחִירָתוֹ הַחָפְשִׁית (כַּנַּ"ל),
and the possibility for truly free choice exists only in G‑d’s Essence, which alludes to the word zeh.וַאֲמִתִּית עִנְיַן הַבְּחִירָה הוּא רַק בְּהָעַצְמוּת, זֶה.
So, too, with regard to the concept that Sinai implies that enmity descended to the yetzer hara (within a Jew’s being), the aspect opposed to Jewishness that exists in each of us:12וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה הוּא גַּם בַּנּוֹגֵעַ לְהָעִנְיָן דְּסִינַי שֶׁיָּרְדָה שִׂנְאָה לַיֵּצֶר הָרָע (שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל),
The ability that is granted us from Above to refine the emotional attributes of the animal soul, the spiritual service of Sefiras HaOmer that is fundamentally concluded on Rosh Chodesh Sivan (sec. 3 above)שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִתָּן הַכֹּחַ לְבָרֵר הַמִּדּוֹת דְּנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
derives from the revelation of the power of G‑d’s Essence.שֶׁהוּא עַל יְדֵי גִּלּוּי כֹּחַ הָעַצְמוּת.
The fact that a Jew’s G‑dly soul is batel to G‑dliness דְּזֶה שֶׁנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית בְּטֵלָה לֶאֱלֹקוּת,
– including the fact that even its self-expression (love for G‑d) is characterized by bittul –כּוֹלֵל שֶׁגַּם הַהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת שֶׁלָּהּ (הָאַהֲבָה) הִיא בְּבִטּוּל,
is not that great of a novelty. After all, the G‑dly soul is an actual part of G‑d, and as such, bittul is an inherent aspect of its makeup.אֵינוֹ חִדּוּשׁ כָּל כָּךְ,
The fundamental aspect of the revelation of the power of G‑d’s Essence,וְעִקַּר הָעִנְיָן דְּגִלּוּי כֹּחַ הָעַצְמוּת,
as alluded to by the term bayom hazeh (see the end of sec. 10),יוֹם הַזֶּה,
is reflected in the Jews’ arriving at the Sinai desert,הוּא בָּזֶה שֶׁבָּאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינָי,
i.e., their refinement of the body and the animal soul. בֵּרוּר וְזִכּוּךְ הַגּוּף וְנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית.
Since refining the body and the animal soul was a novel development, beyond their natural tendencies, in order to achieve it in a consummate manner it was necessary to draw down influence transcending the natural patterns that prevail in this world. The ultimate source of such influence is G‑d’s Essence.
Despite the explanations offered above in regard to the superior qualities of the Divine service implied in bayom hazeh, the explanation in the maamar in Torah Or regarding the positive dimension of Rosh Chodesh Sivan focuses (at length and in detail)אֶלָּא שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי כֵן עִקַּר הַבֵּאוּר (בַּאֲרִיכוּת וּבִפְרָטִיּוּת) בְּהַדְּרוּשׁ שֶׁבְּתוֹרָה אוֹר בְּהַמַּעֲלָה דְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ סִיוָן
on the absolute bittul alluded to in the word midbar.הוּא בְּעִנְיַן הַבִּטּוּל דִּבְחִינַת מִדְבָּר,
The reason for this is that the positive virtue that a) even an entity with an individual identity is batelכִּי הַמַּעֲלָה בָּזֶה שֶׁגַּם הַמְּצִיאוּת הוּא בָּטֵל
[as is reflected in the refinement of the emotional attributes of the animal soul,[בֵּרוּר הַמִּדּוֹת דְּנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
and b) similarly, that the self-expression (love) of the G‑dly soul be characterized by bittul],וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה שֶׁהַמְּצִיאוּת (אַהֲבָה) דְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית הִיא בְּבִטּוּל]
which results from the revelation of G‑d’s essential power (as mentioned above) are not the focus of the maamar.הִיא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִתְגַּלֶּה כֹּחַ הָעַצְמוּת (כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל),
Instead, the maamar in Torah Or emphasizes the service necessary to arouse and draw down the Giving of the Torah (which draws down G‑d’s Essence).אֲבָל בִּכְדֵי לְעוֹרֵר וּלְהַמְשִׁיךְ הָעִנְיָן דְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה (הַמְשָׁכַת הָעַצְמוּת)
This comes about through the manifestation of the bittul that comes from the very essence of the soul,הוּא עַל יְדֵי הַבִּטּוּל הַבָּא מֵעֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה,
for this level of bittul affects G‑d’s Essence.דְּבִטּוּל זֶה מַגִּיעַ בְּהָעַצְמוּת.
Hence, since the maamar in Torah Or focuses on the preparations for the Giving of the Torah, it highlights the bittul of midbar.
The above concepts can be connected with the idea that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the entire Jewish people bonded in complete unity, “as one man, with one heart.”13וְיֵשׁ לְקַשֵּׁר זֶה עִם שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ סִיוָן הָיוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד בְּלֵב אֶחָד,
As a result, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: “The time has come to give them My Torah.”14וְאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵי הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁאֶתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת תּוֹרָתִי,
The fact that the Jewish people united “as one man, with one heart” came aboutכִּי זֶה שֶׁהָיוּ כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד בְּלֵב אֶחָד
because of the revelation of the source of the Jews’ souls, which transcends that dimension of the soul enclothed in the body.הוּא עַל יְדֵי הַגִּלּוּי דְּשֹׁרֶשׁ הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַנְּשָׁמָה הַמְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בַּגּוּף,
As explained in Tanya,15 the oneness that makes the entire Jewish people actual brothers stems (specifically) from the source of their souls.וְכַמְּבֹאָר בַּתַּנְיָא שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם אַחִים מַמָּשׁ הוּא (דַּוְקָא) מִצַּד שֹׁרֶשׁ נַפְשָׁם,
The revealed powers of the soul are the source of each person’s individual identity; hence, the differences between one person and another. It is the source of the soul that is above being enclothed in the body that transcends these differences and unites our people as one.16
Therefore, the fact that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan the entire Jewish people united together “as one man”17 aroused G‑d’s Essenceוְלָכֵן זֶה שֶׁהָיוּ כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד הִגִּיעַ בְּהָעַצְמוּת
and the desire to give the Jews His Torah was awakened within Him, as it were.וְנִתְעוֹרֵר אֶצְלוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל הָרָצוֹן לִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ.

Summary

This section begins by explaining the connection between bayom hazeh, the revelation of G‑d’s Essence, and the word Sinai, which our Sages interpret as alluding to the fact that at the Giving of the Torah, “enmity descended to the nations of the world.”
The non-Jews’ refusal to accept the Torah came about from a process of causation initiated from Above. Just as the Jews accepted the Torah because the Holy One, blessed be He, “held the mountain over them like a tub,” interpreted in Chassidus as referring to an overpowering revelation of Divine love for the Jewish people, so too did the non-Jews’ refusal to accept the Torah come about because “enmity descended to the nations of the world.”
Both G‑d’s love for the Jews and His utter rejection of the non-Jews came about as a result of His free choice – and the possibility for truly free choice exists only in G‑d’s Essence. So, too, with regard to the concept that Sinai implies that enmity descended to the yetzer hara, the aspect opposed to Jewishness that exists in each of us. The ability granted us to refine the emotional attributes of the animal soul derives from the revelation of G‑d’s Essential power.
The maamar in Torah Or focuses on the absolute bittul alluded to by the word midbar and not on the outcome of the revelation of G‑d’s Essence (as implied by bayom hazeh) because that maamar emphasizes the service necessary to arouse and draw down the Giving of the Torah. In order to arouse and draw down the Giving of the Torah, which involves drawing down G‑d’s Essence, the bittul that comes from the essence of the soul must be manifest, for this bittul affects G‑d’s Essence.
The above concepts can be connected with the idea that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the entire Jewish people bonded in complete unity, “as one man, with one heart,” for such unity stems from the essence of the Jews’ souls.