Rashi contends that the “Aron Bris Hashem” — which was taken out with Bnei Yisrael when they went to battle — contained the broken Luchos. The “Shivrei Luchos” retained a unique power which served as a protective armor when Bnei Yisrael were in a difficult predicament. We must endeavor to understand why the Aron that contained the broken Luchos accompanied Bnei Yisrael in time of war. What was the significance of the Shivrei Luchos? What influence did they maintain over the people?
We suggest that the broken Luchos represent the integrity of Torah and each Jew’s mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, to preserve that integrity. The Almighty fashioned the Luchos and gave them to Moshe Rabbeinu. They represented the epitome of Torah. Chazal tell us that had they not been broken, the level of Torah-learning accessible to the individual would have been incredible. Indeed, Torah would never be forgotten. When Moshe broke the Luchos, Klal Yisrael’s bond to Torah was weakened. Torah was no longer an integral part of them. In the future, they would be required to toil to understand and to review and to remember its profundities. Yet, Moshe broke them, and he was commended for his grave action. Why? What was accomplished by breaking the Luchos that would compensate for the irreparable loss produced by his act?
When Moshe descended the mountain and witnessed Klal Yisrael’s appalling behavior, their idol worship and reveling, he was shocked. He saw a nation that felt prepared to receive the Torah, but was not ready to give up its desires for material excess. He saw a nation that behaved in a manner unbecoming a people who had received the Torah. The revelry and debauchery that reigned was not what one would expect from decent people, let alone Am Yisrael. By breaking the Luchos, he sent a clear message; Torah is different. It is uncompromising; it does not yield to one’s desires or bend to one’s passions. You cannot have both. If you choose to live like a hedon, then you shatter the Luchos.
Moshe believed in the Torah. He understood its depth, appreciating the beauty and serenity of a Torah way of life. He knew that Torah is unequivocal. Torah remains intact. Man cannot change or append it. Moshe was willing to break the Luchos in order to teach Klal Yisrael that no false gods, no alien values, no strange desires can coexist with the Torah.
This integrity of Torah is preserved in the shattered shards that remained of the Luchos. They attested to Moshe’s heroism, his devotion to Torah, and his love of the Torah and the people who received it. They represent Torah in its pristine form, unembellished, pure and unpolluted by alien interpretations and self-serving renderings of the text. This force, the power of truth, preceded the people into battle.
Horav Chaim Pardes, Shlita, cites the Talmud Kesubos 104A, which relates the last moments of Rabbi Yehudah Ha’Nasi’s life. Chazal describe the “struggle” between the spiritual forces that sought to return the holy neshamah to its source and the tzadikim of this world who prayed fervently that he be spared. The text of Talmud Bavli reads, “And the Aron Hakodesh was captured,” which is a reference to Rabbi Yehudah Ha’Nasi who was the embodiment of Torah as represented by the Aron Hakodesh. In the Talmud Yerushalmi the text reads, “The Luchos were grabbed.” Both texts obviously refer to the lofty ideal to which Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi was compared. The Bavli focuses on the external Aron Hakodesh, whereas the Yerushalmi emphasizes the essence of the Aron – the Luchos.
If the Luchos represent – by their very nature – the greatness of Torah and the esteem of its scholars, then the breaking of the Luchos implies their loss.. They are the banner, the pride of Klal Yisrael. They maintain an inexorable bond between Klal Yisrael , Torah and Hashem Yisborach. It would follow logically that a talmid chacham who, either through age or illness, forgets part of his Torah learning is like the Shivrei Luchos, maintaining the original kedushah, holiness, that permeated the intact Luchos. Furthermore, those talmidei chachamim who have been abused and humiliated at the hands of our enemies throughout history, are also to be included as Shivrei Luchos. Even in their moments of pain and sorrow, during weakness and debilitation, amidst humiliation and chagrin, these people maintain their zchus haTorah, the merit of Torah. They reflect the Torah study for which they sacrificed themselves. Their pain precludes Klal Yisrael serving as a vehicle for success and victory.
