Torah enduring through Moshe not miracle

בענין אמירת בני ישראל פן נמות.

Concerning Bnei Yisrael's statement, "lest we die" (Shemos 20:16).

At Sinai the people said they could not bear to keep hearing Hashem's voice directly, "lest we die." The Sefas Emes examines why they said this.

אף שמסרו נפשם לקדושת שמו ית'.

This is surprising, since they had already given over their very souls for the sanctity of His Name.

The people had shown complete mesirus nefesh, willingly surrendering their lives for kavod Shomayim. Why, then, would they now shrink back out of fear of death?

ופי' מו"ז ז"ל כי חששו שלא יתקיימו הדברות בידם כיון שיהי' עפ"י נס ונס הוא רק לשעה.

My grandfather z"l explained that they were concerned the commandments would not endure in their hands, since [hearing directly] would be by way of a miracle, and a miracle lasts only for the moment.

The Chiddushei HaRim explained their motive: hearing Hashem's voice while remaining alive required a constant nes. Their souls departed with each utterance and were restored by a miracle. But a miracle is temporary; they feared that Torah received in such a fleeting, miraculous state would not take permanent root within them.

ובזה פי' הכ' תורה צוה לנו משה עי"ז מורשה כו' לעולם ודפח"ח.

With this he explained the verse, "The Torah that Moshe commanded us" — through this [receiving it via Moshe] it became "an inheritance (morashah)… forever" — and these are words that are pleasant to hear.

Precisely because the Torah was then received through Moshe in a natural, enduring way rather than through a momentary miracle, it could become a permanent "inheritance forever" for all generations. The Sefas Emes praises this insight of his grandfather.

ועפ"י פשוטו נראה כי היו דברות של חיים ואין מהראוי שיבואו על ידי הדברות למיתה כדכתיב וחי בהם ולא שימות.

And according to the plain sense it seems that these were utterances of life, and it would not be fitting that through these utterances they should come to death — as it is written, "and live by them" (Vayikra 18:5), and not that one should die by them.

On a simpler level: the Dibros are words of life. The whole purpose of Torah and mitzvos is "and you shall live by them," not die by them. It would be incongruous for the very giving of these life-giving commandments to bring about death.

א"כ נראה מדיצאה נשמתן הוא ראי' שאין הדיבור מיוחד להם רק ע"י מרע"ה.

If so, the fact that their souls departed is itself a proof that the [direct] speech was not suited to them, but only [could come] through Moshe Rabbeinu.

Since the Torah is meant to give life, the very fact that their neshamos left them at each utterance demonstrated that direct revelation was not the proper channel for them. The fitting vessel was Moshe, through whom the Torah could be received without endangering their lives.

כמו שכן הי' האמת דכ' הטיבו כו' אשר דברו

And indeed this was the truth, as it is written [that Hashem said], "they have done well… in all that they have spoken" (Devarim 5:25).

Hashem Himself confirmed that the people spoke correctly in asking to receive the rest through Moshe — proof that their request was right and that direct revelation was not meant to continue for them.

[ואפשר גם מרע"ה א"ל אל תיראו כו'.

[And perhaps Moshe Rabbeinu also told them, "Do not fear" (Shemos 20:17).

Moshe reassured the people not to be afraid, since the awe Hashem revealed was for their benefit.

אבל כשהרגישו יראה בנפשותם באמת טוב עשו באמרם קרב אתה כו']:

But once they genuinely felt fear in their souls, they did well in saying, "You [Moshe], draw near…"]

Even though Moshe told them not to fear, once they authentically sensed that they could not survive the direct encounter, they acted rightly in asking Moshe to draw near and receive on their behalf — and Hashem affirmed that they had spoken well.

Summary: Though Bnei Yisrael had full mesirus nefesh, they said "lest we die" because Torah received through a fleeting miracle would not endure (the Chiddushei HaRim) — so receiving it through Moshe made it a lasting inheritance forever. On the plain level, the Torah is "to live by," not to die by; their souls departing proved that direct revelation was unsuited to them, and Hashem Himself confirmed they spoke well in asking Moshe to draw near.