Chumashחומש

וישב משה את דברי העם וגו'. בְּיוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת, שֶׁהוּא שְׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה עָלָה; וְכִי צָרִיךְ הָיָה מֹשֶׁה לְהָשִׁיב? אֶלָּא בָּא הַכָּתוּב לְלַמֶּדְךָ דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ מִמֹּשֶׁה, שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר הוֹאִיל וְיוֹדֵעַ מִי שֶׁשְּׁלָחַנִי אֵינִי צָרִיךְ לְהָשִׁיב (שבת פ"ז):

וישב משה את דברי העם וגו׳ AND MOSES RETURNED THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE [UNTO THE LORD] on the next day, which was the third of the month, for he never ascended the mountain to God except early in the morning (Shabbat 86a). But was it really necessary for Moses to deliver the reply to God; God is Omniscient! — But the explanation is that Scripture intends to teach you good manners from the example of Moses: for he did not say, “Since He who sent me knows the reply there is no need for me to report it” (Mekhilta).

בעב הענן. בְּמַעֲבֵה הֶעָנָן וְזֶהוּ עֲרָפֶל:

בעב הענן signifies in the thickness of the cloud, and this is the ערפל, the thick darkness mentioned in Exodus 20:18 “And Moses stepped near unto the thick darkness where God was” (Mekhilta).

וגם בך. גַּם בַּנְּבִיאִים הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֶיךָ (מכילתא):

וגם בך AND IN THEE ALSO [WILL THEY BELIEVE] — The word “also” implies that they will believe also in the prophets who will come after thee (Mekhilta).

ויגד משה את דברי וגו'. בְּיוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת, שֶׁהוּא רְבִיעִי לַחֹדֶשׁ:

ויגד משה את דברי וגו׳ AND MOSES TOLD THE WORDS OF [THE PEOPLE UNTO THE LORD] on the following day which was the fourth of the month.

את דברי העם וגו'. תְּשׁוּבָה עַל דָּבָר זֶה; שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵהֶם שֶׁרְצוֹנָם לִשְׁמֹעַ מִמְּךָ, אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִפִּי שָׁלִיחַ לַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִפִּי הַמֶּלֶךְ, רְצוֹנֵנוּ לִרְאוֹת אֶת מַלְכֵּנוּ (מכילתא):

את דברי העם וגו׳ THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE etc. — He said to God: “I have heard from them a reply to this statement — that their desire is to hear the commandments from You and not from me. One who hears from the mouth of a messenger is not the same (in the same position) as one who hears directly from the mouth of the King himself. It is our wish to see our King (cf. Mekhilta).

ויאמר ה' אל משה. אם כן שמזקיקין לְדַבֵּר עמם, לך אל העם:

Adonoy said to Moshe. If that be so — that they make it necessary to speak to them [directly] — go to the people —

וקדשתם. וְזִמַּנְתָּם, שֶׁיָּכִינוּ עַצְמָם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר:

וקדשתם means AND THOU SHALT PREPARE THEM; i. e. tell them that they shall prepare themselves to-day and to-morrow (Mekhilta; cf. Onkelos).

והיו נכנים. מֻבְדָּלִים מֵאִשָּׁה (שבת פ"ז):

והיו נכנים AND LET THEM BE PREPARED — separated from their wives (Mekhilta; cf. Rashi on Shabbat 87a).

ליום השלישי. שֶׁהוּא שִׁשָּׁה בַחֹדֶשׁ, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי בָּנָה מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תַּחַת הָהָר וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַצֵּבָה – כָּל הָעִנְיָן הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – וְאֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה:

ליום השלישי AGAINST THE THIRD DAY, which is the sixth of the month. On the fifth Moses built the altar under the mountain and the twelve monuments — the whole narrative as is stated later on in the Sidra ואלה המשפטים (Exodus 24:4), for there is neither “earlier” nor “later” (there is no chronological order) in the Torah (Mekhilta-2).

לעיני כל העם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָהֶם סוּמָא, שֶׁנִּתְרַפְּאוּ כֻלָּם (מכילתא):

לעיני כל העם BEFORE THE EYES (in the sight) OF ALL THE PEOPLE — This tells us that there was not a blind person amongst them — that they had all been healed of their blindness (Mekhilta).

והגבלת. קְבַע לָהֶם תְּחוּמִין לְסִימָן, שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרְבוּ מִן הַגְּבוּל וָהָלְאָה:

והגבלת AND THOU SHALT SET BOUNDS — set boundary marks for them as a sign that they should not approach the mountain from the boundary and beyond.

לאמר. הַגְּבוּל אוֹמֵר לָהֶם הִשָּׁמְרוּ מֵעֲלוֹת מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, וְאַתָּה הַזְהִירֵם עַל כָּךְ:

לאמר SAYING — The boundary says to them, “Take care not to ascend from here and further on” and you, too, admonish them regarding this.

ונגע בקצהו. אֲפִלּוּ בְקָצֵהוּ:

ונגע בקצהו OR TOUCH THE EXTREMITY THEREOF — i. e. even the extremity thereof.

ירה יירה. מִכָּאן לַנִּסְקָלִין שֶׁהֵם נִדְחִין לְמַטָּה מִבֵּית הַסְּקִילָה שֶׁהָיָה גָּבוֹהַּ שְׁתֵּי קוֹמוֹת (סנהדרין מ"ה):

ירה יירה HE SHALL SURELY BE CAST DOWN — From this we derive the law regarding those who are sentenced to be stoned that they have to be thrown down from the place of stoning, which was a spot of the height of twice a man’s stature (Sanhedrin 45a).

יירה. יֻשְׁלַךְ לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ "יָרָה בַיָּם":

יירה means HE SHALL BE THROWN BELOW to the ground, the word being similar to, (Exodus 15:4) “He hath cast down (ירה) into the sea”.

במשך היבל. כְּשֶׁיִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיּוֹבֵל קוֹל אָרֹךְ, הוּא סִימָן סִלּוּק שְׁכִינָה וְהַפְסָקַת הַקּוֹל, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁאֶסְתַּלֵּק, הֵם רַשָּׁאִין לַעֲלוֹת:

במשך היבל WHEN THE RAM’S HORN SOUNDETH LONG — when the ram’s horn draws out a long sound that is a sign of the departure of the Shechina and that the Divine voice is about to cease, and as soon as “I” shall depart they shall be permitted to ascend [i. e. המה יעלו בהר is not obligatory, signifying, “they shall go up”, but it is permissive] (Mekhilta).

היבל. הוּא שׁוֹפָר שֶׁל אַיִל, שֶׁכֵּן בַּעֲרַבְיָא קוֹרִין לְדִכְרָא יוּבְלָא, וְשׁוֹפָר שֶׁל אַיִל שֶׁל יִצְחָק הָיָה (פרקי דרבי אליעזר ל"א):

היבל — This denotes a ram’s horn, for so do they term, a ram in Arabia — יובלא (corresponding to the Hebrew יובל) (Rosh Hashanah 26a). The horn used here was that of Isaac’s ram (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31).

מן ההר אל העם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מֹשֶׁה פוֹנֶה לַעֲסָקָיו, אֶלָּא מִן הָהָר – אֶל הָעָם (מכילתא):

מן ההר אל העם [AND MOSES WENT DOWN] FROM THE MOUNTAIN UNTO THE PEOPLE —This tells us that Moses did not betake himself first to his personal concerns but went direct from the mountain to the people (Mekhilta).

היו נכנים לשלשת ימים. לְסוֹף ג' יָמִים, הוּא יוֹם רְבִיעִי, שֶׁהוֹסִיף מֹשֶׁה יוֹם אֶחָד מִדַּעְתּוֹ כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וּלְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר בְּשִׁשָּׁה בַחֹדֶשׁ נִתְּנוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, לֹא הוֹסִיף מֹשֶׁה כְלוּם, וְלִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים כְּמוֹ לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי:

היו נכנים לשלשת ימים means be ready by the end of three days, that is, by the fourth day — for Moses added a day of his own accord to the time appointed by God. This is the opinion of Rabbi José. But according to the opinion of him who says that the Ten Commandments were given on the sixth of the month Moses did not add anything, and the words לשלשת ימים do not signify after three days but mean the same as ליום השלישי (v. 11), i. e. by three days (cf. Shabbat 86b-87a).

אל תגשו אל אשה. כָּל ג' יָמִים הַלָּלוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַנָּשִׁים טוֹבְלוֹת לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְתִהְיֶינָה טְהוֹרוֹת לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאִם יְשַׁמְּשׁוּ תּוֹךְ ג' יָמִים שֶׁמָּא תִפְלֹט הָאִשָּׁה שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע לְאַחַר טְבִילָתָהּ וְתַחֲזֹר וְתִטַּמֵּא, אֲבָל מִשֶּׁשָּׁהֲתָה ג' יָמִים, כְּבָר הַזֶּרַע מַסְרִיחַ וְאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהַזְרִיעַ, וְטָהוֹר מִלְּטַמֵּא אֶת הַפּוֹלֶטֶת (שבת פ"ו):

אל תגשו אל אשה DO NOT GO NEAR A WOMAN during the whole of these three days, this was in order that the women may immerse themselves on the third day and be pure to receive the Torah. If they have relations within the three days, the woman could [involuntarily] expel semen after her immersion and become unclean again. After three days have elapsed, however, the semen has already become putrid and is no longer capable of fertilization, so it is pure from contaminating the woman who expels it. (cf. Shabbat 86a)

בהית הבקר. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִקְדִּים עַל יָדָם, מַה שֶּׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן – שֶיְּהֵא הָרַב מַמְתִּין לַתַּלְמִיד; וְכֵן מָצִינוּ "קוּם צֵא אֶל הַבִּקְעָה, וָאָקוּם וָאֵצֵא אֶל הַבִּקְעָה וְהִנֵּה שָׁם כְּבוֹד ה' עֹמֵד" (יחזקאל ג'):

בהיות הבקר lit., WHEN IT WAS BEING MORNING — This phrase tells us that He was there before them at the place of the Divine Revelation, something which it is not customary for human beings to do — that the teacher should await the arrival of his disciple. A similar instance we find in Scripture (Ezekiel 3:22, 23): “[God said unto me]. Arise, go forth into the plain, [and I will there speak with thee]. Then I arose, and went forth into the plain; and, behold the glory of the Lord stood there already” (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 15; cf. Nedarim 8a).

לקראת האלהים. מַגִּיד שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה יָצְאָה לִקְרָאתָם כְּחָתָן הַיּוֹצֵא לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ה' מִסִּינַי בָּא (דברים ל"ג), וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר לְסִינַי בָּא (מכילתא):

לקראת האלהים [AND MOSES BROUGHT FORTH THE PEOPLE …] TO MEET GOD — This (the word לקראת, “to meet”, which is used when two persons are approaching one another) tells us that the Shechina was going forth to meet them, as a bridegroom who goes forth to meet his bride. This is what Scripture means when it says, (Deuteronomy 33:2) “The Lord came from Sinai”, and it is not said, “[The Lord came to Sinai” (Mekhilta).

בתחתית ההר. לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ בְּרַגְלֵי הָהָר; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁנִּתְלַשׁ הָהָר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְנִכְפָּה עֲלֵיהֶם כְּגִיגִית (שבת פ"ח):

בתחתית ההר AT THE NETHER PART OF THE MOUNTAIN — According to its literal meaning this signifies “at the foot of the mountain”. But a Midrashic explanation is, that the mountain was plucked up from its place and was arched over them as a cask, so that they were standing בתחתית beneath (under) the mountain itself (Mekhilta; Shabbat 88a).

עשן כלו. אֵין עָשַׁן זֶה שֵׁם דָּבָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי נָקוּד הַשִּׁי"ן פַּתָּח, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן פָּעַל כְּמוֹ אָמַר, שָׁמַר, שָׁמַע, לְכָךְ תַּרְגּוּמוֹ תְּנַן כֻּלֵּהּ, וְלֹא תִרְגֵּם תְּנָנָא, וְכָל עָשָׁן שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא נְקוּדִים קָמָץ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם שֵׁם דָּבָר:

עשן כלו WAS ALTOGETHER ON A SMOKE — This word עָשַׁן is not a noun, because the ש is punctuated with Patach, but it has the meaning of “it was doing something”, similar to and אָמַר and שָׁמַר and שָׁמַע. On this account, its translation in the Targum is תָּנֵן כֻּלֵּהּ “it was altogether giving forth smoke” (תָּנֵן is a verb corresponding with the Hebrew עָשַׁן). and it does not translate it by תְּנָנָא (a noun denoting smoke, corresponding to Hebrew עָשָׁן). But wherever else the word עשן occurs in Scripture it is punctuated with Kametz because it is a noun.

הכבשן. שֶׁל סִיד; יָכוֹל כְּכִבְשָׁן זֶה וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, תַּ"לֹ בּוֹעֵר בָּאֵשׁ עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם (דברים ד'), וּמַה תַּ"לֹ כִּבְשָׁן? לְשַׂבֵּר אֶת הָאֹזֶן מַה שֶּׁהִיא יְכוֹלָה לִשְׁמֹעַ – נוֹתֵן לַבְּרִיּוֹת סִימָן הַנִּכָּר לָהֶם; כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ כְּאַרְיֵה יִשְׁאָג (הושע י"א), וְכִי מִי נָתַן כֹּחַ בָּאֲרִי אֶלָּא הוּא? וְהַכָּתוּב מוֹשְׁלוֹ כְּאַרְיֵה, אֶלָּא אָנוּ מְכַנִּין וּמְדַמִּין אוֹתוֹ לִבְרִיּוֹתָיו כְּדֵי לְשַׂבֵּר אֶת הָאֹזֶן מַה שֶּׁיְּכוֹלָה לִשְׁמֹעַ; כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ וְקוֹלוֹ כְּקוֹל מַיִם רַבִּים (יחזקאל מ"ג), וְכִי מִי נָתַן קוֹל לַמַּיִם אֶלָּא הוּא? וְאַתָּה מְכַנֶּה אוֹתוֹ, לְדַמּוֹתוֹ לִבְרִיּוֹתָיו – כְּדֵי לְשַׂבֵּר אֶת הָאֹזֶן (מכילתא):

הכבשן A FURNACE of lime (i. e. in which lime is burnt and which emits vast quantities of smoke). One might think that the mountain emitted smoke only like such a furnace and not to a greater degree! Scripture therefore states in another passage, (Deuteronomy 4:11) “[And the mountain] burned with fire unto the very midst of the heavens”. Then what reason is there for stating that it smoked only like a furnace? This is said in order to make intelligible to the human ear as much as it can understand: Scripture gives human beings an example (a comparison) which is well-known to them. A similar case is, (Hosea 11:10) “As a lion does He (God) roar”. But who gave the lion power if not He, and yet Scripture compares him only to a lion! But the reason is that we describe Him by comparing Him to His creatures in order to make intelligible to the human ear as much as it can understand. A similar example is: (Ezekiel 43:2) “And His voice was like the sound of many waters”. But who gave the waters a thunderous sound except He, and yet you describe Him by comparing Him to His handiwork — it is to make it intelligible to the human ear (Mekhilta).

הולך וחזק מאד. מִנְהַג הֶדְיוֹט כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהוּא מַאֲרִיךְ לִתְקֹעַ קוֹלוֹ מַחֲלִישׁ וְכוֹהֶה, אֲבָל כָּאן הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד, וְלָמָּה כָּךְ מִתְּחִלָּה? לְשַׂבֵּר אָזְנֵיהֶם מַה שֶּׁיְּכוֹלִין לִשְׁמֹעַ:

הולך וחזק מאד WAXED LOUDER AND LOUDER — The manner of an ordinary person is that the longer he continues to blow a trumpet the sound he produces becomes weaker and fainter; but in this instance it went on getting stronger. And why was it thus (i. e. not so loud) at first? To make their ears receptive to as much as they were able to hear (Mekhilta).

משה ידבר. כְּשֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה מְדַבֵּר וּמַשְׁמִיעַ הַדִּבְּרוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל – שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא שָׁמְעוּ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה אֶלָּא אָנֹכִי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ – וְהַקָּבָּ"ה מְסַיְּעוֹ לָתֵת בּוֹ כֹחַ לִהְיוֹת קוֹלוֹ מַגְבִּיר וְנִשְׁמָע (שם):

משה ידבר MOSES SPAKE — When Moses was speaking and proclaiming the Commandments to Israel — for they heard from the Almighty’s mouth only the Commandments אנכי and לא יהיה לך, whilst the others were promulgated by Moses — then the Holy One, blessed be He, assisted him by giving him strength so that his voice might be powerful and so become audible (Mekhilta).

יעננו בקול. יַעֲנֶנּוּ עַל דְּבַר הַקּוֹל, כְּמוֹ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲנֶה בָאֵשׁ (מלכים א י"ח) – עַל דְּבַר הָאֵשׁ, לְהוֹרִידוֹ:

יעננו בקול signifies He answered him in respect to (ב) the voice, just as (1 Kings 18:24) “He that answereth באש” — “in respect to the fire” — i. e. by causing fire to descend. (So here: God answered Moses’ petition that his voice might become audible to the vast concourse of people).