ר' מֹשֶׁה, בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן

The Alter Rebbe’s son, R. Moshe,

בְּלָמְדוֹ — וְהוּא אָז כְּבֶן ח'-י"א שָׁנָה

who was between eight and eleven years old at the time, was studying

הַסּוּגְיָא בְּשִׁבְחָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים בְּגִטִּין (ס"ז א)

the passage in Tractate Gittin (p. 67a) that praises our Sages,

נִסְתַּפֵּק בְּמַאֲמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי שָׁם

and was uncertain about the meaning of R. Shimon bar Yochai’s statement:

שְׁנוּ מִדּוֹתַי

“Study midosai.”

שֶׁיֵשׁ בָּזֶה שְׁנֵי פֵּרוּשִׁים

There are two interpretations of this:

לִמְדוּ תוֹרָתִי (רַשִׁ"י)

“Learn my teachings” (as Rashi comments),

אוֹ מִדּוֹתַי כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ

or “Learn my character traits,” according to the simple meaning of the term middos.

בְּתוֹךְ כַּךְ נִכְנַס רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן

As he was deliberating, the Alter Rebbe entered the room

וְאָמַר — בְּנִגּוּן, כְּדַרְכּוֹ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ

and said the following words melodically, as was his holy practice:

תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָנוּ כּוּלָּהּ מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת

“The Torah that was given to us consists entirely of exemplary character traits.

אֲפִלּוּ הָעוֹנָשִׁין שֶׁבָּהּ הֵם בֶּאֱמֶת חֶסֶד וָטוֹב

Even its punishments are really kindness and goodness.

וּשְׁנֵי הַפֵּרוּשִׁים אֶחָד הֵם

Thus the two interpretations are in fact one

וְהָא בְּהָא תַּלְיָא

and interdependent.

אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת בְּלִי תּוֹרָה

It is impossible to have exemplary character traits without Torah knowledge

וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַתּוֹרָה בְּלִי מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת

and it is impossible to have Torah knowledge without exemplary character traits.”

כְּכָל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל קָרָה גַּם לְהַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּגִיל ח'-י"א שָׁנָה

The Tzemach Tzedek had an identical experience when he was the same age.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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