ר' מֹשֶׁה, בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן בְּלָמְדוֹ — וְהוּא אָז כְּבֶן ח'-י"א שָׁנָה

The Alter Rebbe’s son, R. Moshe, who was between eight and eleven years old at the time,

הַסּוּגְיָא בְּשִׁבְחָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים בְּגִטִּין (ס"ז א)

was studying the passage in Tractate Gittin (p. 67a) that praises our Sages,

נִסְתַּפֵּק בְּמַאֲמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי שָׁם: שְׁנוּ מִדּוֹתַי

and was uncertain about the meaning of R. Shimon bar Yochai’s statement: “Study midosai.” 

שֶׁיֵשׁ בָּזֶה שְׁנֵי פֵּרוּשִׁים: לִמְדוּ תוֹרָתִי (רַשִׁ"י) אוֹ מִדּוֹתַי כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ

There are two interpretations of this: “Learn my teachings” (as Rashi comments), or “Learn my character traits,” according to the simple meaning of the term middos.

בְּתוֹךְ כַּךְ נִכְנַס רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן וְאָמַר — בְּנִגּוּן, כְּדַרְכּוֹ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ

As he was deliberating, the Alter Rebbe entered the room and said the following words melodically, as was his holy practice:

תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָנוּ כּוּלָּהּ מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת

“The Torah that was given to us consists entirely of exemplary character traits.

אֲפִלּוּ הָעוֹנָשִׁין שֶׁבָּהּ הֵם בֶּאֱמֶת חֶסֶד וָטוֹב

Even its punishments are really kindness and goodness.

וּשְׁנֵי הַפֵּרוּשִׁים אֶחָד הֵם וְהָא בְּהָא תַּלְיָא

Thus the two interpretations are in fact one and interdependent.

אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת בְּלִי תּוֹרָה, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַתּוֹרָה בְּלִי מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת

It is impossible to have exemplary character traits without Torah knowledge and it is impossible to have Torah knowledge without exemplary character traits.”

כְּכָל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל קָרָה גַּם לְהַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּגִיל ח'-י"א שָׁנָה

The Tzemach Tzedek had an identical experience when he was the same age.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English