Musar על דברים 5:4

There is an additional important allusion in this verse which is seized upon by the Zohar in a different context. Accordingly, the performance of a מצוה enhances the "image" of G–d, whereas when one sins one damages G–d's "image" both in the Celestial Regions and on earth. Man's sins leave noticeable imprints on his face; this is the reason that Isaiah 3,9 speaks of: הכרת פנים ענתה בם, "Their faces reflect their sins. Rabbi Moshe Alshich, commenting on Genesis 45,28: אלכה ואראנו בטרם אמות, "I will go and see him (Joseph) before I die," writes that Jacob wanted to determine if Joseph had remained loyal to the Abrahamitic tradition by looking at his face. As soon as Jacob looked at Joseph's face (Genesis 46,29) he expressed willingness to die. The Torah phrases this peculiarly when it writes: "After I have seen that you are alive." At first glance the words "that you are alive" seem superfluous. Jacob indicated by his words that being "alive" in itself was quite meaningless unless Joseph had remained loyal to his father's teachings. Joseph's face reflected G–d's approval, i.e. G–d made Joseph's face light up. One of the ways which result in man's face being illuminated is by means of repentance. When the Jewish people are reminded (Deut. 5,4) that G–d spoke to them פנים אל פנים, "face to face," this is a compliment telling us that their facial features had undergone a change for the better, and that the ugly lines on their faces reflecting their sinful behavior had been erased. Psalms 42,12 speaks of the hope of the sons of Korach. There is no point in being downcast when repentance can cause us to reflect G–d's salvation on our own face; not only this, but we will simultaneously remove the tarnish caused to G–d's "image" by our own sins. The commandment to appear in the Temple three times a year (16,16), caused our sages in Chagigah 2a to say that the word יראה can be read both passively or actively, i.e. "to be seen" or "to see." Their message is that if one comes to the Temple with a positive attitude, i.e. in order to "see" G–d, then one will also be positively "seen" by G–d. This also enables us to understand another verse which is generally held to be almost beyond comprehension.

This is the secret dimension of Deut. 5,5: ואנכי עומד בין ה' וביניכם "I stand between G–d and you." It is well known to students of the Kabbalah that the root of אנכי stems from the emanation בינה. We have explained that בינה=יובל=דרור=50, freedom, i.e. גאולה = redemption. When Moses was in Heaven, i.e. had attained the 50th level of בינה, he had a "clear vision." This means that he viewed things through the original light which G–d had withdrawn from earth after Adam's sin. This is another way of explaining that G–d spoke to both Moses and the people of Israel פנים בפנים דבר ה' עמכם, "G–d spoke to you face to face" (Deut 5,4). If the Jewish people were on such a level it suggests that there were no מחיצות, no barriers between them and G–d. How do we explain that Moses is supposed to have provided a barrier between them, i.e. "I was standing between G–d and you?" We must conclude that there was indeed no barrier, that once Moses utilized the original light this removed his presence as a barrier. By receiving the Torah and attaining the above described level of בינה, Moses had fulfilled his mission as the re-incarnation of הבל. He added the letter ה from הבל to his name. He ascended the Mountain which was burning with fire until the very heart of Heaven, i.e. עד ל"ב השמים (Deut 4,11). The word לב is a reference to the total of 32 paths that lead to these insights, the basis of the whole Sefer Yetzirah (chapter 1, section 1) The letter ה which was added to Moses' name further symbolized that he had received and assimilated all the five books of the Torah. I have found the following in the writings of the Arizal: When the Torah quotes Moses saying: בבעלותי ההרה לקחת לוחות האבנים "When I ascended Mountain in order to receive the stone tablets, etc." (Deut 9,9), you can take the first letters of the first three words and construct the acronym הבל. This supports our contention that Moses completed the task of הבל by attaining the fiftieth level of בינה.

The sages also consider the words: על פני as alluding to the fact that חלק ה' עמו, יעקב חלק נחלתו. Other deities are part of אלוקים, peripherally connected to G–d, whereas the Jewish people who are described as "cleaving to G–d" are as closely attached to G–d as one's face, i.e. פנים. "Face to Face did the Lord speak with you" פנים אל פנים דבר ה' עמכם, (Deut.5.4). There is another reverse aspect to this "face to face" relationship, a relationship that could be called a "back to back" relationship, אחוריים לאחוריים. When G–d "expanded" into this physical world, He allowed for both kinds of attachment to man, i.e. "face to face," and "back to back." The Hebrew word אחרים symbolises this relationship, hence the term אלוהים אחרים describes the way the pagans relate to their god, which is itself an outgrowth of the סיטרא דשמאלא, the "left side" of the diagram depicting the emanations. The philosophers of the Gentiles as well as their rulers are all well aware of the existence of G–d as the Ineffable Name, and when they refer to Him they describe him as אלוקי האלוקים, "the G–d of G–ds." Their attachment to G–d does not extend beyond the level of אלוקים אחרים, i.e. what we described as אחוריים. The commandment לא יהיה לך warns us not to slide backwards into a peripheral relationship with G–d when we have been chosen to have a much more intimate relationship --a personal one-- with Him. Perhaps we can define the meaning of על פני as G–d saying that someone who has been granted access to what to others is the most hidden aspect of G–d, the אין סוף, must not squander such a close relationship by addressing himself to subordinate instruments of G–d. [Here I have paraphrased the author's remarks. Ed.]

We have learned in Kidushin 41: The commandment to be מקדש את האשה devolves first and foremost on the actual groom, though it may be performed by anyone he designates. When the Jewish people left Egypt, G–d (the groom) personally performed the act of קדושין: The Torah says of G–d: ועברתי בארץ מצרים (Exodus 12,12). The ceremony was, however, also performed by a messenger whom G–d had designated, viz: וישלח מלאך ויוציאני, "He sent an angel (messenger) and took me out" (Numbers 20,16). The actual wedding ceremony, the נישואין, must be carried out by the groom personally, not a stand-in. The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai symbolised this wedding ceremony between G–d and the Jewish people. This wedding took place on the Sabbath, an occasion when G–d spoke to Israel פנים בפנים דבר ה' עמכם, "Face to face did G–d speak with you" (Deut. 5,4). The usual time for man and his wife to join conjugally is on the Sabbath. This is part of the mystical aspect of marriage.