Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 19

7Moses came and summoned the elders of the people, and presented before them all these words that God had commanded him.   זוַיָּבֹ֣א משֶׁ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א לְזִקְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ יְהוָֹֽה:
8All the people responded together and said, “All that God has spoken, we will do.” Moses conveyed the people’s words back to God.   חוַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֤ם יַחְדָּו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה נַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה וַיָּ֧שֶׁב משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם אֶל־יְהוָֹֽה:
וַיָּשֶׁב משֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם וגו' - Moses conveyed the people’s words back [to God] - on the next day, which was the third day of the month, for whenever he ascended the mountain to speak to God, it was first thing in the morning. But was it necessary for Moses to convey Israel’s reply, as God is omniscient? Rather, Scripture comes to teach you proper behavior from Moses’ example, that he did not say, “Since He who sent me knows the reply anyway, I need not convey it,” but he fulfilled his mission with due propriety.   וַיָּשֶׁב משֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם 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):
9God said to Moses, “I am about to come to you in the thickness of the cloud, so that all the people will hear when I speak to you, and also believe in you forever.” Moses reported the people’s response to God.   טוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֘יךָ֘ בְּעַ֣ב הֶֽעָנָן֒ בַּֽעֲב֞וּר יִשְׁמַ֤ע הָעָם֙ בְּדַבְּרִ֣י עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם־בְּךָ֖ יַֽאֲמִ֣ינוּ לְעוֹלָ֑ם וַיַּגֵּ֥ד משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם אֶל־יְהוָֹֽה:
בְּעַב הֶֽעָנָן - means “in the thickness of the cloud,” and this is the “thick cloud” (עֲרָפֶל) mentioned later. 1   בְּעַב הֶֽעָנָן.  בְּמַעֲבֵה הֶעָנָן וְזֶהוּ עֲרָפֶל:
וְגַם־בְּךָ - And…also in you. The word גַּם “also” implies belief also in the prophets that succeed you.   וְגַם־בְּךָ.  גַּם בַּנְּבִיאִים הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֶיךָ (מכילתא):
וַיַּגֵּד משֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי וגו' - Moses reported…. on the next day, which was the fourth of the month.   וַיַּגֵּד משֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי וגו'.  בְּיוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת, שֶׁהוּא רְבִיעִי לַחֹדֶשׁ:
אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם וגו' - The people’s response… Moses said to God: “I have heard from them a reply to this message that You will speak to them through me, that they wish to hear directly from You, for one who hears something from a messenger cannot be compared to one who hears it from the King Himself. They said, ‘We want to see our King!’”   אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם וגו'.  תְּשׁוּבָה עַל דָּבָר זֶה; שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵהֶם שֶׁרְצוֹנָם לִשְׁמֹעַ מִמְּךָ, אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִפִּי שָׁלִיחַ לַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִפִּי הַמֶּלֶךְ, רְצוֹנֵנוּ לִרְאוֹת אֶת מַלְכֵּנוּ (מכילתא):
10God then said to Moses, “Go to the people and prepare them today and tomorrow: They must wash their clothes.   יוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָֹ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ לֵ֣ךְ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ם הַיּ֖וֹם וּמָחָ֑ר וְכִבְּס֖וּ שִׂמְלֹתָֽם:
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָֹה אֶל־משֶׁה - God then said to Moses - “If so – that they require that I speak with them – go to the people.”   וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה.  אִם כֵּן, שֶׁמַזְקִיקִין לְדַבֵּר עִמָם, לֵךְ אֶל הָעָם:
וְקִדַּשְׁתָּם - means “and make them ready,” i.e., tell them that they should prepare themselves today and tomorrow.   וְקִדַּשְׁתָּם.  וְזִמַּנְתָּם, שֶׁיָּכִינוּ עַצְמָם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר:
11Let them be prepared for the third day, for on the third day God will descend on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.   יאוְהָי֥וּ נְכֹנִ֖ים לַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י כִּ֣י | בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֗י יֵרֵ֧ד יְהוָֹ֛ה לְעֵינֵ֥י כָל־הָעָ֖ם עַל־הַ֥ר סִינָֽי:
וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים - Let them be prepared - by being separated from their wives.   וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים.  מֻבְדָּלִים מֵאִשָּׁה (שבת פ"ז):
לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי - For the third day - which is the sixth of the month. And on the fifth of the month, Moses built the altar at the foot of the mountain and 12 monuments – the entire narrative recounted at the end of parashat Ve’eleh HaMishpatim, 2 for the Torah is not necessarily written in chronological order.   לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי.  שֶׁהוּא שִׁשָּׁה בַחֹדֶשׁ, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי בָּנָה מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תַּחַת הָהָר וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַצֵּבָה – כָּל הָעִנְיָן הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – וְאֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה:
לְעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָם - In the sight of all the people. This teaches us that there was no blind person among them, for they were all healed.   לְעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָם.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָהֶם סוּמָא, שֶׁנִּתְרַפְּאוּ כֻלָּם (מכילתא):
12You must make a boundary for the people all around that will proclaim, ‘Beware of ascending the mountain or touching its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death.   יבוְהִגְבַּלְתָּ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ סָבִ֣יב לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּֽׁמְר֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם עֲל֥וֹת בָּהָ֖ר וּנְגֹ֣עַ בְּקָצֵ֑הוּ כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּהָ֖ר מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת:
וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ - You must make a boundary - i.e., set for them boundary marks to indicate that they must not come closer beyond the boundary.   וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ.  קְבַע לָהֶם תְּחוּמִין לְסִימָן, שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרְבוּ מִן הַגְּבוּל וָהָלְאָה:
לֵאמֹר - (lit.) Saying - i.e., the boundary itself “says” to them: “Be careful not to ascend beyond this point,” and you, too, warn them about this.   לֵאמֹר.  הַגְּבוּל אוֹמֵר לָהֶם הִשָּׁמְרוּ מֵעֲלוֹת מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, וְאַתָּה הַזְהִירֵם עַל כָּךְ:
וּנְגֹעַ בְּקָצֵהוּ - Or touching its edge - i.e., even its edge.   וּנְגֹעַ בְּקָצֵהוּ.  אֲפִלּוּ בְקָצֵהוּ:
13No hand may touch it, for whoever does will be stoned, having first been cast down from an elevation twice his height. Whether animal or man, if he crosses the boundary around the mountain he will not be allowed to live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may ascend the mountain.”   יגלֹֽא־תִגַּ֨ע בּ֜וֹ יָ֗ד כִּֽי־סָק֤וֹל יִסָּקֵל֙ אֽוֹ־יָרֹ֣ה יִיָּרֶ֔ה אִם־בְּהֵמָ֥ה אִם־אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א יִֽחְיֶ֑ה בִּמְשֹׁךְ֙ הַיֹּבֵ֔ל הֵ֖מָּה יַֽעֲל֥וּ בָהָֽר:
יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה - Will be…cast down. From here we derive the procedure for those executed by stoning, that they are first to be pushed down from the place of stoning, which was twice a person’s height.   יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה.  מִכָּאן לַנִּסְקָלִין שֶׁהֵם נִדְחִין לְמַטָּה מִבֵּית הַסְּקִילָה שֶׁהָיָה גָּבוֹהַּ שְׁתֵּי קוֹמוֹת (סנהדרין מ"ה):
יִיָּרֶה - means: he will be thrown down to the ground, this word being related to יָרָה בַיָּם “He hurled into the sea.” 3   יִיָּרֶה.  יֻשְׁלַךְ לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ "יָרָה בַיָּם":
בִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל - (lit.) When the ram’s horn extends - i.e., when the ram’s horn sounds a long note, it signifies the departure of the Divine Presence and the cessation of the Divine voice; and once I, God, depart from the mountain, they are allowed to ascend it.   בִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל.  כְּשֶׁיִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיּוֹבֵל קוֹל אָרֹךְ, הוּא סִימָן סִלּוּק שְׁכִינָה וְהַפְסָקַת הַקּוֹל, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁאֶסְתַּלֵּק, הֵם רַשָּׁאִין לַעֲלוֹת:
הַיֹּבֵל - This is a ram’s horn, for in Arabia a ram is called יוֹבְלָא. It was in fact the horn of the ram sacrificed instead of Isaac.   הַיֹּבֵל.  הוּא שׁוֹפָר שֶׁל אַיִל, שֶׁכֵּן בַּעֲרַבְיָא קוֹרִין לְדִכְרָא יוּבְלָא, וְשׁוֹפָר שֶׁל אַיִל שֶׁל יִצְחָק הָיָה (פרקי דרבי אליעזר ל"א):
14Moses came down from the mountain and went to the people. He prepared the people by having them first wash their clothes.   ידוַיֵּ֧רֶד משֶׁ֛ה מִן־הָהָ֖ר אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וַיְקַדֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וַיְכַבְּס֖וּ שִׂמְלֹתָֽם:
מִן־הָהָר אֶל־הָעָם - From the mountain to the people. This teaches us that Moses did not stop to attend to his personal affairs, but went from the mountain straight to the people.   מִן־הָהָר אֶל־הָעָם.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מֹשֶׁה פוֹנֶה לַעֲסָקָיו, אֶלָּא מִן הָהָר – אֶל הָעָם (מכילתא):
15He said to the people, “Keep yourselves in readiness for a three-day period; do not approach a woman, i.e., engage in marital relations.”   טווַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם הֱי֥וּ נְכֹנִ֖ים לִשְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים אַל־תִּגְּשׁ֖וּ אֶל־אִשָּֽׁה:
הֱיוּ נְכֹנִים לִשְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים - Keep yourselves in readiness (lit.) for three days - i.e., for the end of three days, which is the fourth day, for Moses, by his own reasoning, added a day to the time that God had stated to prepare. This is according to the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, who is of the opinion that the Torah was given on 7 Sivan. And according to the opinion that the Ten Commandments were given on the sixth of the month, Moses did not add anything, and the meaning of לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים is the same as לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי “for the third day.”   הֱיוּ נְכֹנִים לִשְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים.  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:
אַל־תִּגְּשׁוּ אֶל־אִשָּֽׁה - Do not approach a woman - all these three days, so that the women will be able to ritually immerse themselves on the third day and thus be ritually pure to receive the Torah – for if they would have marital relations during these three days, the woman might discharge semen after her ritual immersion and again become ritually impure; but after she has waited three days, the semen is already putrid and cannot germinate, so it does not confer ritual impurity upon the one discharging it.   אַל־תִּגְּשׁוּ אֶל־אִשָּֽׁה.  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):
16On the third day, as morning dawned, there was thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud on the mountain. There was an extremely loud blast of a shofar, and all the people in the camp trembled.   טזוַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְהִי֩ קֹלֹ֨ת וּבְרָקִ֜ים וְעָנָ֤ן כָּבֵד֙ עַל־הָהָ֔ר וְקֹ֥ל שֹׁפָ֖ר חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד וַיֶּֽחֱרַ֥ד כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
בִּֽהְיֹת הַבֹּקֶר - As morning dawned. This teaches us that the Divine revelation preceded their arrival; this practice is unlike that of human beings – that a teacher should await the student. And so we find in Ezekiel: 4 “God said to me, ‘Arise and go out to the valley and there I will speak with you.’ So I arose and went out to the valley, and behold, the glory of God was already standing there.”   בִּֽהְיֹת הַבֹּקֶר.  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'):
17Moses led the people out of the camp toward the Divine Presence, and they took their places at the foot of the mountain.   יזוַיּוֹצֵ֨א משֶׁ֧ה אֶת־הָעָ֛ם לִקְרַ֥את הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה וַיִּתְיַצְּב֖וּ בְּתַחְתִּ֥ית הָהָֽר:
לִקְרַאת הָֽאֱלֹהִים - (lit.) To meet God. This tells us that the Divine Presence came out to greet them like a bridegroom going to greet his bride; and this, too, is what is meant when it says: “God came from Sinai,” 5 and it does not say “came to Sinai.”   לִקְרַאת הָֽאֱלֹהִים.  מַגִּיד שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה יָצְאָה לִקְרָאתָם כְּחָתָן הַיּוֹצֵא לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר "ה' מִסִּינַי בָּא" (דברים ל"ג), וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר "לְסִינַי בָּא" (מכילתא):
בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָֽר - (lit.) Underneath the mountain. According to its straightforward meaning it means “at the foot of the mountain.” But its Midrashic explanation is that the mountain was pulled from its place and held over the people like an overturned barrel.   בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָֽר.  לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ בְּרַגְלֵי הָהָר; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁנִּתְלַשׁ הָהָר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְנִכְפָּה עֲלֵיהֶם כְּגִיגִית (שבת פ"ח):
18The whole of Mount Sinai was smoking because God had descended upon it in fire. Its smoke rose up like the smoke of a limekiln, and the entire mountain quaked violently.   יחוְהַ֤ר סִינַי֙ עָשַׁ֣ן כֻּלּ֔וֹ מִ֠פְּנֵ֠י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרַ֥ד עָלָ֛יו יְהוָֹ֖ה בָּאֵ֑שׁ וַיַּ֤עַל עֲשָׁנוֹ֙ כְּעֶ֣שֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁ֔ן וַיֶּֽחֱרַ֥ד כָּל־הָהָ֖ר מְאֹֽד:
עָשַׁן כֻּלּוֹ - This word עָשַׁן is not a noun, for the ש is vocalized with a patach, but a verb form, similar to אָמַר “he said,” שָׁמַר “he kept,” and שָׁמַע “he heard.” Therefore Onkelos translated it as תָּנַן כֻּלֵּהּ “was entirely smoking” (a verb) and he did not translate it as תְּנָנָא כֻּלֵּהּ “was entirely smoke” (a noun). But all other cases of עָשָׁן in Scripture are vocalized with a kamatz, because they are nouns.   עָשַׁן כֻּלּוֹ.  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:
הַכִּבְשָׁן - Limekiln - i.e., of lime. I might have thought that the smoke was similar to that of such a kiln but no greater. Scripture therefore states elsewhere: “the mountain burned with fire that rose up to the midst of heaven.” 6 If so, why does Scripture mention a mere kiln? To explain in a comprehensible manner, it gives people a metaphor relatable to them. Similarly we find: “God roars like a lion.” 7 Now, who gave the lion strength if not He? Yet Scripture compares Him to a lion! However, the reason for this is that we describe Him as similar to His creatures in order to use easily comprehensible language. Similarly we find: “and His sound was like the sound of much water.” 8 Now, who gave the water sound if not He? However, you describe Him by comparing Him to His creatures because this way is easily comprehensible.   הַכִּבְשָׁן.  שֶׁל סִיד; יָכוֹל כְּכִבְשָׁן זֶה וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "בּוֹעֵר בָּאֵשׁ עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם" (דברים ד'), וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר 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):
19The sound of the shofar grew increasingly louder. When Moses spoke, God responded to the weakness of his mortal voice by amplifying his voice.   יטוַֽיְהִי֙ ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר הוֹלֵ֖ךְ וְחָזֵ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד משֶׁ֣ה יְדַבֵּ֔ר וְהָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים יַֽעֲנֶ֥נּוּ בְקֽוֹל:
הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד - Grew increasingly louder. The manner of ordinary people is that the longer one continues to blow a horn, its sound weakens and fades, but here it became increasingly loud. And why was it quieter at first? In order to make their ears increasingly receptive to what they would hear.   הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד.  מִנְהַג הֶדְיוֹט כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהוּא מַאֲרִיךְ לִתְקֹעַ קוֹלוֹ מַחֲלִישׁ וְכוֹהֶה, אֲבָל כָּאן הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד, וְלָמָּה כָּךְ מִתְּחִלָּה? לְשַׂבֵּר אָזְנֵיהֶם מַה שֶּׁיְּכוֹלִין לִשְׁמֹעַ:
משֶׁה יְדַבֵּר - Moses spoke. When Moses was speaking and proclaiming the remaining commandments to Israel – for they heard from the Almighty directly only the first two: “I am God…” and “You must not possess any deities…” – the Holy One, blessed be He, assisted him by giving him the strength that his voice reverberate and be heard.   משֶׁה יְדַבֵּר.  כְּשֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה מְדַבֵּר וּמַשְׁמִיעַ הַדִּבְּרוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל – שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא שָׁמְעוּ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה אֶלָּא "אָנֹכִי" וְ"לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ" – וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַיְּעוֹ לָתֵת בּוֹ כֹחַ לִהְיוֹת קוֹלוֹ מַגְבִּיר וְנִשְׁמָע (שם):
יַֽעֲנֶנּוּ בְקֽוֹל - means: “God responded to him regarding the voice.” This is similar to אֲשֶׁר יַעֲנֶה בָאֵשׁ, 9 which means “who will answer regarding the fire,” i.e., by making it descend from heaven.   יַֽעֲנֶנּוּ בְקֽוֹל.  יַעֲנֶנּוּ עַל דְּבַר הַקּוֹל, כְּמוֹ "אֲשֶׁר יַעֲנֶה בָאֵשׁ" (מלכים א י"ח) – עַל דְּבַר הָאֵשׁ, לְהוֹרִידוֹ: