Humility at Sinai cherished over breaking through

בפסוק אף חובב עמים כו' דכ' כמה פעמים פן יהרסו לעלות כו'.

On the pasuk "Indeed, He loves the peoples [holy ones]…" — for it is written several times, "lest they break through to ascend…"

The Sefas Emes begins from the verse in Vezos HaBrachah praising Hashem's love for His holy ones, contrasting it with the repeated warnings at Har Sinai that the people not "break through" to ascend the mountain.

וראינו כי באמת בנ"י עמדו בהכנעה רבה ואדרבא אמרו דבר אתה עמנו כו'.

And we see that in truth Bnei Yisrael stood in great submission, and on the contrary they said, "You speak with us…"

Far from rushing to break through, Bnei Yisrael at Sinai showed deep humility and bittul, asking that Moshe speak with them rather than them hearing directly, out of awe.

וזה הי' חביב לפניו ית' כמ"ש הטיבו אשר דברו.

And this was precious before Him, as it says, "They did well in what they spoke."

This very humility was beloved to Hashem, who affirmed, "They have done well in saying this."

ואם כי מרע"ה הוכיחן מקודם על זה.

And although Moshe Rabbeinu first rebuked them concerning this…

At first Moshe seemed to reproach them for drawing back instead of wanting to hear directly from Hashem.

מ"מ הודה וראה כי הטיבו אשר דברו.

Nevertheless he [ultimately] conceded and saw that "they did well in what they spoke."

In the end Moshe acknowledged that their humble request was indeed proper and praiseworthy.

וז"ש וזאת הברכה מוסיף על ענין ראשון.

And this is the meaning of "And this is the blessing" — it adds to a previous matter.

The word "And" (v'zos) at the start of the brachah connects it to something earlier; the Sefas Emes reads it as building upon the episode of the rebuke.

פי' על התוכחות שהוכיחן מול זאת בירכן אח"כ.

That is, corresponding to the rebukes with which he had rebuked them, he afterward blessed them.

The brachos of "Vezos HaBrachah" are the counterpart to Moshe's earlier rebukes — he closes by blessing the very people he had earlier reproved, now affirming their merit.

כל קדושיו בידך כמ"ש ועלית אתה ואהרן כו'.

"All His holy ones are in Your hand" — as it says, "and you shall ascend, you and Aharon…"

"All His holy ones in Your hand" refers to the select few, like Moshe and Aharon, who were permitted to ascend and draw near — held, as it were, in Hashem's hand.

והם תכו לרגליך שהיו שפלים לפניו גם בשעת שחיבבן.

"And they are gathered at Your feet" — that they were humble before Him even at the moment He cherished them.

Even as Hashem showed them special love, Bnei Yisrael remained lowly and submissive "at His feet" — their greatness lay precisely in this enduring humility.

[וי"ל עוד כל קדושיו בידך רמז על נדב ואביהוא שנתקרבו וימותו לפני ה' כמ"ש מסיני נטלו עונשם]:

[And one may further say that "all His holy ones are in Your hand" alludes to Nadav and Avihu, who drew near and died before Hashem, as it is said that "from Sinai they incurred their punishment."]

As an added thought, "His holy ones in Your hand" hints at Nadav and Avihu, holy ones who pressed too close in their yearning and died "before Hashem" — Chazal teach their fate was already sealed at Sinai, the very danger of "breaking through to ascend."

Summary: Despite the repeated warnings at Sinai not to "break through and ascend," Bnei Yisrael responded with great humility — asking that Moshe speak for them — which Hashem cherished ("they did well"). "Vezos HaBrachah" answers Moshe's earlier rebukes with blessing: "all His holy ones are in Your hand" (the few, like Moshe and Aharon, permitted to ascend, and hinting also at Nadav and Avihu), while "gathered at Your feet" praises Yisrael's remaining humble even when most beloved.