Standing at Sinai and the rest of Shabbos

בענין מעמד הר סיני דכ' יום אשר עמדת לפני ה' אלהיך בחורב.

Concerning the standing at Har Sinai, as it is written, "the day that you stood (amadta) before Hashem your God at Chorev" (Devarim 4:10).

The Sefas Emes notes the Torah's word "stood" in describing Mattan Torah, and will explain the significance of "standing" as opposed to "walking."

כי בהר סיני באו בנ"י לתכלית השלימות.

For at Har Sinai, Bnei Yisrael reached the ultimate completeness (tachlis hashleimus).

At Sinai the nation arrived at a state of perfection, the goal of all spiritual growth.

והיו כמלאכים.

And they were like angels (malachim).

In that perfected state they resembled angels, who are "standers" rather than "walkers."

דהאדם נק' מהלך.

For man is called a "walker" (mehalech).

By nature, a human being is one who is always in motion — never static, always progressing or capable of progressing.

ע"י שבכל עת צריך לילך ממדרגה למדרגה לבוא אל השלימות.

Because at every moment he must go (walk) from one level to another in order to come to completeness.

Man's task is constant ascent, climbing from madreigah to madreigah toward perfection — hence he is a "walker."

ואז נק' עומד.

And then [upon reaching completeness] he is called a "stander" (omed).

When a person actually attains the goal of completeness, he transcends the state of "walking" and is called a "stander," like the angels — and this is what happened at Sinai.

ומעין זה השלימות יש הארה בכל שבת לכן יש בו שביתה.

And a semblance of this completeness shines in every Shabbos; therefore there is in it shevisah (cessation/rest).

Each Shabbos carries an echo of that Sinai-completeness, which is why Shabbos is marked by resting and ceasing from labor — a taste of the "standing" state.

וכ' אם תשיב משבת רגלך כו'.

And it is written, "If you restrain your foot because of the Shabbos, etc." (Yeshayahu 58:13).

The posuk speaks of "restraining the foot" on Shabbos — halting the constant "walking," since on Shabbos one has reached a momentary completeness.

אל יצא איש ממקומו.

"Let no man go out from his place" (Shemos 16:29).

On Shabbos a person remains in his "place" — at rest, secure in the completeness Shabbos grants, no longer needing to journey from level to level.

וע"ז אומרין פורס סוכת שלום עלינו:

And concerning this we say, "He spreads a sukkah of peace over us."

The Shabbos blessing of a "sukkah of peace" expresses this state of rest and wholeness, in which Bnei Yisrael are sheltered in completeness, like the standing at Sinai.

Summary: The Torah says Bnei Yisrael "stood" at Sinai because there they reached ultimate completeness and became like angels — "standers." Man is normally a "walker," obligated to climb from level to level toward perfection; only upon attaining the goal is he a "stander." Every Shabbos shines with a measure of that Sinai-completeness, expressed in its shevisah — "restrain your foot," "let no man go out from his place" — and in the "sukkah of peace" spread over Bnei Yisrael.