ELUL
“What does Hashem your G-d require of you but to fear Hashem your G-d” (10:12)
The Gemoro (Brochos 33b) expresses surprise that the Torah designates the attainment of
fear of Heaven as a small matter, and replies that for Moshe it was indeed a small matter. The
meforshim ask the obvious question that this posuk is addressed to the whole nation and not only to
Moshe.
The Dubna Maggid explains in the name of the Vilna Gaon that someone who is privileged to
cleave to talmidei chachomim and spends much time in their presence will easily emulate their deeds
and have no difficulty acquiring their fear of Heaven. A tzaddik suffuses his environment with his
yiras Shomayim like a vessel bursting at the seams. Moshe Rabbeinu, too, as the leader of the nation,
recognized the greatness of its members and realized that, due to their lofty levels, he was able to
convey his own superior level of yiras Shomayim to them. Thus, he told them that they did not have
to toil much, because they were close to him, and therefore in a position to attain the required level of
yiras Shomayim.
R Moshe Sternbuch