"And Israel camped there opposite the mountain" (Exodus 19:2)

What is the secret of the unity of the people of Israel? Why is it that specifically at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai it is said "And Israel camped" in the singular form? Rashi reveals to us the depth of the meaning – "as one person with one heart." However, when it comes to the enemies of Israel, the order is reversed: "with one heart as one person." What is the essential difference between the unity of Israel and the unity of the nations of the world? The following article by our teacher, the esteemed Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, delves into the depth of the matter and presents a unique perspective on the power of the love of Israel, the importance of mutual responsibility, and the inseparable connection between the people of Israel and their Torah.

These are the holy words of shlit"a:

The essential difference between the unity of Israel and the unity of the nations of the world

""And Israel camped there" (in the singular), Rashi says "as one person with one heart" whereas in Parshat Beshalach Rashi interprets the verse "and behold, Egypt was pursuing after them" (in the singular), with one heart as one person. Why does Rashi precede the heart to the body "with one heart as one person" for the Egyptians? And for the Jews, Rashi precedes the body to the heart "as one person with one heart"? Are we people of the body? Is the people of Israel materialistic? And they, the nations, are people of the heart, people of spirit?! It is exactly the opposite! We are people of the heart and they are people of the body! However, it is brought in the "Maayanah Shel Torah" that what is meant by "one heart" for the Egyptians is not a spiritual heart but the special desire of the Egyptians, the desire that unites all the nations of the world, all the wicked, the special desire to kill, destroy, and annihilate all of Israel, this is what unites them, makes them united! This is the "one heart" for the Egyptians! Not that they have a heart, they have no heart! They are heartless! But they have one desire, one heart, one goal, one singular intention that they all share without any disagreements or divisions, all the nations, all the nations of the world all want to destroy the people of Israel, all want there to be "Auschwitz", all are already waiting for when they will slaughter this people? This is the one heart of all the nations of the world without exception."

The unity of Israel – One body with one neshamah (soul)

"But for the people of Israel it is said "And Israel camped there" the people of Israel is one person! It is one body! All the Jews are one body! This is the reality! We are all one! The people of Israel is one person with 248 limbs and 365 sinews! And each one is a part of the body, a limb in the body, this is a head, this is a hand, this is a leg, this is a finger, this is this sinew, this is this skin, it is all one person, one body. The people of Israel is complete unity, all of Israel is one neshamah, one body! A person is not willing to give up any part of his body, on no finger will he give up! He will not give up even on a nail! On nothing will he give up! Even if they tell him what will happen if we cut off a finger? Not terrible, a third of a finger less, what will happen? You are a strong person, a hero, what will this third of a finger help you? Certainly, he will say- I will not give up even on a third of a finger! Not even on a point of the finger! Likewise, it is impossible to give up on any Jew, one must love every Jew with heart and soul."

The secret of grace and mutual nullification in Israel

""And Israel camped there" says Rabbi Yitzchak of Vorki that each one found grace in the eyes of the other, each one saw the grace of the other, each one was nullified to the other, each one saw the beauty of the other, the virtue of the other, the greatness of the other, each one saw how the other is better than him, how he is more of a tzaddik than him, how he is holier than him, "And Israel camped there" as one person! Each one wanted the joy of the other, the success of the other, the good of the other and through this they received the Torah."

"The entire work of a person is the love of Israel, it is the love of friends to be one person! To be nullified in reality! Each one must feel the pain of the other, what hurts the other, not to do anything that could cause him pain, not to cause any pain to any person in the world, one must love every Jew with heart and soul, not to speak about any Jew! Even if this Jew causes you all the sufferings in the world, all the troubles in the world, all the blows in the world, you will not fail! You will not open your mouth! You will not utter a sound from your mouth!"

The love of friends – the key to understanding the Torah and connecting to the Rebbe

"The people of Israel is one thing, it is one body! If you injure yourself God forbid, will you hate the limb that injured your other limb? Certainly not! You must know that this Jew is a diamond in the crown of Hashem! For he puts on tefillin every morning, he keeps Shabbat, he learns Torah, he rises at midnight, you must know that all the words he speaks about you are only to sweeten judgments over you! It comes to atone for all your transgressions! On the contrary, it comes to prepare you to be a vessel for the Torah."

"When there is no love of friends, it is impossible to reach any level in the world, when there is no love of friends, the Torah itself burns the person because the vessel to receive the Torah is only the love of friends, unconditional love."

"One must know that whoever is truly connected to the Rebbe, the first thing for him is the love of friends, he loves every Jew with heart and soul and precisely he will merit to understand the Rebbe! He will merit to continue the Rebbe's matter in the world. A person has the strength to go and work 24 hours to bring sustenance to his home and this is the proof that a person has the strength to dedicate his life for the sake of the other."

True completeness – integration in the collective of Israel

"A person becomes a reality, to exist only when he is included in others! Because the concept of "I" does not exist at all! The concept of "I" only exists when I can be included in the other, everyone is one unit, one neshamah, there is no alone! There is no one! If a person becomes one! Then he has cut himself off from everyone, he is nullified in reality, he does not exist. When does a person become I? It is only when he can dedicate his life for the sake of the other because reality is only the collective and Hashem, there is no individual! Each individual by itself is null and void, it does not exist, it is an illusion."

The true reality – giving to the collective and not to oneself

"All our work, all the Torah and mitzvot is only to give to the collective! To give to everyone! When a person separates himself from the collective and worries only for himself, in this he becomes non-existent, he erases himself from the world! A person becomes a reality, to exist only as he integrates into the collective and with Hashem, because the only reality is the collective and Hashem is the only reality! Each one must know that when he thinks only of himself and worries only for himself, then he is not, and he does not exist! On the contrary, when he forgets himself and worries for others and loves everyone and does not speak about anyone and thinks about the collective and Hashem, then he exists!"