Standing for Aseres HaDibros: Torah Reading as Nevuah vs. Talmud Torah

Full Summary

This shiur examines a fundamental dispute about the custom of standing during the reading of the Aseres HaDibros (Ten Commandments) and Shirat HaYam (Song at the Sea). The Rambam (רמב"ם) strongly opposes this practice, viewing it as bordering on heresy (minus) because it suggests these portions have special merit over the rest of the Torah (תורה). He argues that this resembles the beliefs of non-believers who distinguish between different parts of Torah, and that such customs should be completely eradicated. The analysis then explores why Minhag Yisrael (Jewish custom) nevertheless maintains the practice of standing. The key lies in understanding a fundamental distinction in the nature of Torah reading itself. The Gemara (גמרא) in Menachos discusses who wrote the last eight verses of the Torah, distinguishing between the entire Torah where 'Moshe omer v'kosav' (Moshe spoke and wrote) versus the final eight verses where only 'Moshe kosav' (Moshe wrote). The Rambam interprets this to mean that for the entire Torah, Moshe had two separate functions: as a navi (prophet) who received and transmitted nevuah (prophecy), and as a sofer (scribe) who wrote down the text. The last eight verses, describing Moshe's death, could only be written but not spoken as nevuah. This creates two distinct categories within Torah reading. The shiur argues that according to the Rambam, there are two different types of Torah reading: one is shemias haTorah (hearing the Torah) as nevuah, instituted by Moshe Rabbeinu for Shabbos (שבת), Monday, and Thursday readings; the other is Talmud (תלמוד) Torah (Torah study), instituted by Moshe for holiday readings. The Rambam's language supports this distinction - he uses 'Moshe Rabbeinu' (emphasizing his prophetic role) for the weekday institution and simply 'Moshe' for the holiday institution. This explains several customs: the last eight verses are read by an individual without a minyan because they lack the nevuah component requiring public proclamation. According to the Raavad, only the oleh (one called up) reads these verses, not the ba'al korei, because there's no prophetic transmission to represent. Regarding the Aseres HaDibros, the shiur explains the difference between ta'am elyon and ta'am tachton - different systems of cantillation that reflect whether we're reading it as it appears in the written Torah or as it was heard as nevuah at Sinai. When we use ta'am elyon, we're recreating the original prophetic experience, which justifies standing. According to other Rishonim like Tosafos (תוספות) and the Rif, who view all Torah reading as Talmud Torah, standing for the Aseres HaDibros makes sense because specifically those verses are read as nevuah (with ta'am elyon), distinguishing them from regular Torah study. However, according to the Rambam's view that all regular Torah reading is already nevuah, standing only for the Aseres HaDibros would indeed suggest an inappropriate distinction. The shiur concludes by explaining why Torah reading was instituted specifically on Monday and Thursday, connecting this to the Midrash about the 'pairing' of days in creation and the metaphor of water representing the thirst for hearing God's word (lishmoa devar Hashem (ה׳)), as referenced in the verse about not thirsting for water but for hearing God's word.