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Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Shemot - Exodus Yitro Texts & Summaries

Torah Reading for Yitro

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First Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 18

1Jethro, the former ruler of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, that God had brought Israel out of Egypt.		אוַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְמשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא יְהוָֹ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ - Jethro…heard. What news did he hear that motivated him to come? That of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the war with Amalek.		וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ. מַה שְּׁמוּעָה שָׁמַע וּבָא? קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק:
יִתְרוֹ - Jethro. He was called by seven different names: Re’u’el, Jether, Jethro, Chovav, Chever, Keini, and Puti’el. Jether (יֶתֶר) – because he added (יִתֵּר) a section to the Torah: “You must discern…”; 1 Jethro (יִתְרוֹ) – for when he became a convert and observed the commandments, a letter ו was added to his previous name; Chovav (חוֹבָב) – because he held the Torah dear (חִבֵּב), and Chovav is Jethro, for it says: “from the descendants of Chovav, father-in-law of Moses.” 2 But some say that Re’u’el was really the father of Jethro, and that which it says: “They came to Re’u’el, their father” 3 is to be understood in terms of the fact that small children also call their grandfather “father.” So is it stated in Sifrei. 4		יִתְרוֹ. שֶׁבַע שֵׁמוֹת נִקְרְאוּ לוֹ: רְעוּאֵל, יֶתֶר, יִתְרוֹ, חוֹבָב, חֶבֶר, קֵינִי, פּוּטִיאֵל; יֶתֶר, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁיִּתֵּר פָּרָשָׁה אַחַת בַּתּוֹרָה "וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה"; יִתְרוֹ, לִכְשֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר וְקִיֵּם הַמִּצְווֹת, הוֹסִיפוֹ לוֹ אוֹת אַחַת עַל שְׁמוֹ; חוֹבָב, שֶׁחִבֵּב אֶת הַתּוֹרָה; חוֹבָב הוּא יִתְרוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִבְּנֵי חוֹבָב חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה" (שופטים ד'), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים רְעוּאֵל אָבִיו שֶׁל יִתְרוֹ, וּמַהוּ אוֹמֵר "וַתָּבֹאנָה אֶל רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן"? שֶׁהַתִּינוֹקוֹת קוֹרִין לַאֲבִי אֲבִיהֶן אַבָּא. בְּסִפְרֵי:
חֹתֵן משֶׁה - Moses’ father-in-law. This expression indicates that Jethro took pride in Moses, saying: “I am the father-in-law of the king,” whereas previously Moses had ascribed his greatness to his father-in-law, as it says: “he returned to Jether his father-in-law.” 5		חֹתֵן משֶׁה. כָּאן הָיָה יִתְרוֹ מִתְכַּבֵּד בְּמֹשֶׁה – אֲנִי חוֹתֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּלְשֶׁעָבַר הָיָה מֹשֶׁה תוֹלֶה הַגְּדֻלָּה בְּחָמִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּשָׁב אֶל יֶתֶר חוֹתְנוֹ" (שמות ד'):
לְמשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל - For Moses and for Israel. Moses is thus considered of equal stature to all Israel combined.		לְמשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל. שָׁקוּל מֹשֶׁה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל (מכילתא):
אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה - All that [God] had done - for them by having the manna fall, by providing water through the well, and by repulsing Amalek.		אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. לָהֶם בִּירִידַת הַמָּן וּבַבְּאֵר וּבַעֲמָלֵק:
כִּֽי־הוֹצִיא ה' וגו' - That God had brought [Israel] out [of Egypt]. This was greater than all the other favors.		כִּֽי־הוֹצִיא ה' וגו'. זוֹ גְּדוֹלָה עַל כֻּלָּם (שם):
2So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife, Zipporah, after she had been sent away,		בוַיִּקַּ֗ח יִתְרוֹ֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֖ה אֵ֣שֶׁת משֶׁ֑ה אַחַ֖ר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ:
אַחַר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ - After she had been sent away. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him in Midian: “Go back to Egypt,” 6 “Moses took his wife and sons…,” 7 and Aaron came out to meet him “and met him at the mountain of God.” 8 Aaron then asked him, “Who are these people?” Moses replied, “This is my wife whom I married in Midian, and these are my sons.” Aaron then asked him, “And where are you bringing them?” Moses replied, “To Egypt.” Aaron said to him, “We are already so aggrieved over the first ones, those of our people already in Egypt, and now you want to add to their number?” So Moses said to his wife, “Go back to your father’s house,” and she took her two sons and departed.		אַחַר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ. כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמִדְיָן לֵךְ שֻׁב מִצְרָיִם וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו וְגוֹ' וְיָצָא אַהֲרֹן לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ בְּהַר הָאֱלֹהִים (שמות ד'), אָמַר לוֹ מִי הֵם הַלָּלוּ? אָמַר לוֹ זוֹ הִיא אִשְׁתִּי שֶׁנָּשָׂאתִי בְּמִדְיָן וְאֵלּוּ בָנַי, אָמַר לוֹ וְהֵיכָן אַתָּה מוֹלִיכָן? אָמַר לוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם, אָמַר לוֹ עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אָנוּ מִצְטַעֲרִים וְאַתָּה בָא לְהוֹסִיף עֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר לָהּ לְכִי לְבֵית אָבִיךְ, נָטְלָה שְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ וְהָלְכָה לָהּ (מכילתא):
3and her two sons. The name of the older one was Gershom [“a stranger there”], because Moses had said, “I have been a stranger in an alien land.”		גוְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֣י בָנֶ֑יהָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה:
4The name of the younger one was Eliezer [“my God is an aid”], because Moses had said, “the God of my father came to my aid, and He rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.”		דוְשֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר כִּֽי־אֱלֹהֵ֤י אָבִי֙ בְּעֶזְרִ֔י וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי מֵחֶ֥רֶב פַּרְעֹֽה:
וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹֽה - And He rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword. When Dathan and Aviram informed on Moses regarding the Egyptian he killed and Pharaoh sought to kill Moses, Moses’ neck miraculously became as hard as a pillar of marble.		וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹֽה. כְּשֶׁגִּלּוּ דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם עַל דְּבַר הַמִּצְרִי וּבִקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת מֹשֶׁה נַעֲשָׂה צַוָּארוֹ כְּעַמּוּד שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ (שם):
5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came to Moses, together with his sons and wife, into the desert where Moses was encamped, to the Mountain of God.		הוַיָּבֹ֞א יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֛ה וּבָנָ֥יו וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֕ר אֲשֶׁר־ה֛וּא חֹנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם הַ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר - Into the desert. We already know that they were in the desert, so why is it mentioned here? The answer is that Scripture wishes to state Jethro’s praise: he had been enjoying abundant worldly honor, yet he was inspired to abandon it and go out into the desert, a desolate place, in order to hear the words of the Torah.		אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר. אַף אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁבַּמִּדְבָּר הָיוּ אֶלָּא בְּשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל יִתְרוֹ דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בִּכְבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם וּנְדָבוֹ לִבּוֹ לָצֵאת אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר, מְקוֹם תֹּהוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה (שם):
6He sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am on my way to you, together with your wife, with her two sons.”		ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה אֲנִ֛י חֹֽתֶנְךָ֥ יִתְר֖וֹ בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְאִ֨שְׁתְּךָ֔ וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנֶ֖יהָ עִמָּֽהּ:
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־משֶׁה - (lit.) He said to Moses - through a messenger.		וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־משֶׁה. עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ (שם):
אֲנִי חֹֽתֶנְךָ יִתְרוֹ וגו' - I, your father-in-law Jethro…. i.e., if you will not go out to greet me for my sake, then go out for your wife’s sake, and if you will not go out for your wife’s sake, go out for the sake of her two sons.		אֲנִי חֹֽתֶנְךָ יִתְרוֹ וגו'. אִם אֵין אַתָּה יוֹצֵא בְגִינִי, צֵא בְגִין אִשְׁתְּךָ, וְאִם אֵין אַתָּה יוֹצֵא בְגִין אִשְׁתְּךָ, צֵא בְגִין שְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ (שם):
7Moses went out to greet his father-in-law. He prostrated himself and kissed him, they inquired after each other’s welfare, and they entered the tent.		זוַיֵּצֵ֨א משֶׁ֜ה לִקְרַ֣את חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙ וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֥וּ אִֽישׁ־לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ לְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ הָאֹֽהֱלָה:
וַיֵּצֵא משֶׁה - Moses went out. Jethro was accorded great honor at that moment, for once Moses went out to greet him, Aaron, Nadav, and Avihu also went out; and who could see these people going out and not himself go out?		וַיֵּצֵא משֶׁה. כָּבוֹד גָּדוֹל נִתְכַּבֵּד יִתְרוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא מֹשֶׁה, יָצָא אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא, וּמִי הוּא שֶׁרָאָה אֶת אֵלּוּ יוֹצְאִין וְלֹא יֵצֵא? (תנחומא):
וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ וַיִּשַּׁק־לוֹ - He prostrated himself and kissed him. From these words alone, I do not know who prostrated himself to whom, but it is clear once the verse says אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ (lit.) “one man to his fellow”: Who elsewhere is called אִישׁ “a man”? This is Moses, as it says וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה “Now, this man Moses.” 9		וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ וַיִּשַּׁק־לוֹ. אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה לְמִי, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ, מִי הַקָּרוּי "אִישׁ" – מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה" (במדבר י"ב):
8Moses told his father-in-law everything that God had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, as well as all the travail that had befallen them on the way, and how God had rescued them.		חוַיְסַפֵּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ לְחֹ֣תְנ֔וֹ אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָֹה֙ לְפַרְעֹ֣ה וּלְמִצְרַ֔יִם עַ֖ל אוֹדֹ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מְצָאָ֣תַם בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַיַּצִּלֵ֖ם יְהוָֹֽה:
וַיְסַפֵּר משֶׁה לְחֹתְנוֹ - Moses told his father-in-law - in order to draw his heart to bring him close to the way of the Torah.		וַיְסַפֵּר משֶׁה לְחֹתְנוֹ. לִמְשֹׁךְ אֶת לִבּוֹ לְקָרְבוֹ לַתּוֹרָה (מכילתא):
אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה - All the travail - that they had experienced at the Sea of Reeds and at the attack of Amalek.		אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה. שֶׁעַל הַיָּם וְשֶׁל עֲמָלֵק:
הַתְּלָאָה - The travail. The ל and א belong to the root of the word, but the ת is an auxiliary letter, an integral part of the noun form that is sometimes absent. Nouns of a similar form are תְּרוּמָה, תְּנוּפָה, תְּקוּמָה, and תְּנוּאָה.		הַתְּלָאָה. לָמֶ"ד אָלֶ"ף מִן הַיְסוֹד שֶׁל תֵּבָה, וְהַתָּי"ו הוּא תִּקּוּן וִיסוֹד הַנּוֹפֵל מִמֶּנּוּ לִפְרָקִים; וְכֵן תְּרוּמָה, תְּנוּפָה, תְּקוּמָה, תְּנוּאָה:
9Jethro rejoiced over all the good that God had done for Israel, that God had saved them from the hands of the Egyptians.		טוַיִּ֣חַדְּ יִתְר֔וֹ עַ֚ל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִצִּיל֖וֹ מִיַּ֥ד מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַיִּחַדְּ יִתְרוֹ - means “Jethro rejoiced”; this is its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic explanation is: His flesh became full of goose pimples (חִדּוּדִין חִדּוּדִין) because he was distressed over the downfall of the Egyptians. This is an example of the proverb that people say: Regarding a descendant of a convert – up to ten generations – do not shame a non-Jew in his presence.		וַיִּחַדְּ יִתְרוֹ. וַיִּשְׂמַח יִתְרוֹ, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה נַעֲשָׂה בְשָׂרוֹ חִדּוּדִין חִדּוּדִין, מֵצֵר עַל אִבּוּד מִצְרַיִם, הַינוּ דְּאָמְרֵי אִינָשֵׁי "גִּיּוֹרָא עַד עֲשָׂרָה דָּרֵי לָא תְבַזֵּי אֲרַמָּאָה בְּאַפֵּיהּ":
עַל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָה - Over all the good - i.e., the favor of providing the manna and the well, and giving (parts of) the Torah; but most of all – “that He had saved them from the hands of the Egyptians,” for that land was so securely shut that no slave had ever been able to escape from Egypt until now, but here 600,000 successfully left.		עַל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָה. טוֹבַת הַמָּן וְהַבְּאֵר וְהַתּוֹרָה, וְעַל כֻּלָּן אשר הצילו מיד מצרים; עַד עַכְשָׁו לֹא הָיָה עֶבֶד יָכוֹל לִבְרֹחַ מִמִּצְרַיִם, שֶׁהָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ מְסֻגֶּרֶת, וְאֵלּוּ יָצְאוּ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא (מכילתא):
10Jethro said, “Praised be God who rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who liberated the people from the authority of the Egyptians.		יוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ יִתְרוֹ֒ בָּר֣וּךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד מִצְרַ֖יִם וּמִיַּ֣ד פַּרְעֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִצִּיל֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־מִצְרָֽיִם:
אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם - Who rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians - a difficult people		אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם. אֻמָּה קָשָׁה:
וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה - And from the hand of Pharaoh. a difficult king.		וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה. מֶלֶךְ קָשֶׁה:
מִתַּחַת יַד־מִצְרַיִם - The meaning of יַד is as Onkelos translates it: מַרְוַת, denoting subjugation and authority, i.e., “the hand” the Egyptians imposed heavily upon them, i.e., the servitude.		מִתַּחַת יַד־מִצְרַיִם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּמָרוּת; הַיָּד שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְבִּידִים עֲלֵיהֶם הִיא הָעֲבוֹדָה:
11Now I know that God is greater than all the deities, for He foiled a nation’s intent by turning the very scheme that they plotted against others, against themselves!”		יאעַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל יְהוָֹ֖ה מִכָּל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י בַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר זָד֖וּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם:
עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי - Now I know - i.e., I already recognized Him previously, but now I recognize Him even more.		עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי. מַכִּירוֹ הָיִיתִי לְשֶׁעָבַר וְעַכְשָׁו בְּיוֹתֵר:
מִכָּל־הָֽאֱלֹהִים - Than all the deities. This teaches us that Jethro was acquainted with all forms of idolatry in the world, for there was no deity he had not worshiped.		מִכָּל־הָֽאֱלֹהִים. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה מַכִּיר בְּכָל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחַ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלֹּא עֲבָדָהּ (מכילתא):
כִּֽי־בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “For the very thing the Egyptians plotted to use against Israel He used against them”; they had planned to destroy Israel by water, so they were destroyed by water.		כִּֽי־בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – בַּמַּיִם דִּמּוּ לְאַבְּדָם וְהֵם נֶאֶבְדוּ בַּמַּיִם:
אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ - means literally “that they acted wickedly.” But our rabbis 10 expounded this phrase as an expression similar to וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב נָזִיד “Jacob was cooking a stew” 11 – i.e., in the pot in which they had cooked they were themselves cooked.		אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ. אֲשֶׁר הִרְשִׁיעוּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ לְשׁוֹן וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב נָזִיד, בַּקְּדֵרָה אֲשֶׁר בִּשְּׁלוּ בָּהּ נִתְבַּשְּׁלוּ (סוטה י"א):
12Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, offered up an ascent-offering and peace-offerings to God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.		יבוַיִּקַּ֞ח יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֛ה עֹלָ֥ה וּזְבָחִ֖ים לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֨א אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן וְכֹ֣ל \| זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֶֽאֱכָל־לֶ֛חֶם עִם־חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
עֹלָה - Ascent-offering – Translate this literally, that it completely ascends in flames		עֹלָה. כְּמַשְׁמָעָהּ, שֶׁהִיא כֻּלָּהּ כָּלִיל:
וּזְבָחִים - (lit.) And sacrifices. These were peace-offerings.		וּזְבָחִים. שְׁלָמִים:
וַיָּבֹא אַֽהֲרֹן וגו' - And Aaron…came…. But where had Moses gone? Was it not he who had gone out to greet Jethro and had caused that all this honor be given to him? The answer is that he was standing and serving them.		וַיָּבֹא אַֽהֲרֹן וגו'. וּמֹשֶׁה הֵיכָן הָלַךְ? וַהֲלֹא הוּא שֶׁיָּצָא לִקְרָאתוֹ וְגָרַם לוֹ אֶת כָּל הַכָּבוֹד? אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ לִפְנֵיהֶם (מכילתא):
לִפְנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים - In the presence of God. From here we learn that when one partakes of a meal where scholars are present, it is as if he enjoys the radiance of the Divine Presence.		לִפְנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים. מִכָּאן שֶׁהַנֶּהֱנֶה מִסְּעוּדָה שֶׁתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מְסֻבִּין בָּהּ, כְּאִלּוּ נֶהֱנֶה מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה (ברכות ס"ד):

Footnotes

Exodus 18:21.

Judges 4:11.

Exodus 2:18.

Sifrei Beha’alotecha 10:29.

Sotah 11a.

Second Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 18

13It was on the following day that Moses sat to judge the people. The people stood around Moses from morning to nightfall.		יגוַֽיְהִי֙ מִמָּ֣חֳרָ֔ת וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב משֶׁ֖ה לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֤ד הָעָם֙ עַל־משֶׁ֔ה מִן־הַבֹּ֖קֶר עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וַֽיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת - It was on the following day. It was the day after Yom Kippur; so is stated in Sifrei. What, then, is meant by “the following day”? It refers to the day after Moses descended Mount Sinai. Now, you must admit that it is impossible to say that it was some other day prior to the day after Yom Kippur, for before the giving of the Torah, it would have been impossible for Moses to say: “and I make known God’s rules and teachings”; 1 and from when the Torah was given on 6 Sivan until the Yom Kippur, Moses never sat to judge the people – for on 17 Tammuz, he first descended the mountain, after being there for the 40 days following 6 Sivan, and broke the tablets; and on the next day, he ascended the mountain early in the morning, stayed there for 80 days, and descended on Yom Kippur. This section, then, is written here not in chronological order, for this section of וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת was not said until the second year. Even according to the one who says that Jethro came before the giving of the Torah, his being sent off to his own land was not until the second year; for here it says: “Moses sent off his father-in-law…,” 2 and we find in the account of Israel’s journeying under their banners that Moses said to Jethro: “We are traveling to the place…. Please do not leave us,” 3 and if this return of Jethro to his land mentioned here was before the giving of the Torah, then from when Moses let him go and he departed, where do we find that he came back? And if you say that the account there does not speak of Jethro but of Chovav, and he was Jethro’s son, I answer that Chovav and Jethro are one and the same person, for it is written: “from the descendants of Chovav, father-in-law of Moses.” 4		וַֽיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת. מוֹצָאֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הָיָה, כָּךְ שָׁנִינוּ בְּסִפְרֵי וּמַהוּ מִמָּחֳרָת? לְמָחֳרַת רִדְתּוֹ מִן הָהָר; וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר אֶלָּא מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר "וְהוֹדַעְתִּי אֶת חֻקֵּי וְגוֹ'", וּמִשֶּׁנִּתְּנָה תּוֹרָה עַד יֹהַ"כִּ לֹא יָשַׁב מֹשֶׁה לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הָעָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְי"ז בְּתַמּוּז יָרַד וְשָׁבַר אֶת הַלֻּחוֹת וּלְמָחָר עָלָה בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה וְשָׁהָה שְׁמוֹנִים יוֹם וְיָרַד בְּיוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים; וְאֵין פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ כְתוּבָה כַּסֵּדֶר, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת עַד שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה – אַף לְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר יִתְרוֹ קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה בָּא, שִׁלּוּחוֹ אֶל אַרְצוֹ לֹא הָיָה אֶלָּא עַד שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה – שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר כָּאן וַיְשַׁלַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת חֹתְנוֹ, וּמָצִינוּ בְמַסַּע הַדְּגָלִים שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה "נֹסְעִים אֲנַחְנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם וְגוֹ'"(במדבר י כט), אַל נָא תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָנוּ" (שם לא), וְאִם זוֹ קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, מִשֶּׁשִּׁלְּחוֹ וְהָלַךְ הֵיכָן מָצִינוּ שֶׁחָזַר? וְאִם תֹּאמַר, שָׁם לֹא נֶאֱמַר יִתְרוֹ אֶלָּא חוֹבָב, וּבְנוֹ שֶׁל יִתְרוֹ הָיָה, הוּא חוֹבָב הוּא יִתְרוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָתוּב "מִבְּנֵי חֹבָב חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה" (שופטים ד'):
וַיֵּשֶׁב משֶׁה וגו' וַיַּֽעֲמֹד הָעָם - That Moses sat…. The people stood… i.e., he was sitting like a king and all the people were standing. Jethro found this conduct displeasing, for it indicated a lack of respect for the Israelites, so he reproved him for it, as it says: “Why are you alone seated while everyone else stands?”		וַיֵּשֶׁב משֶׁה וגו' וַיַּֽעֲמֹד הָעָם. יוֹשֵׁב כְּמֶלֶךְ וְכֻלָּן עוֹמְדִים, וְהֻקְשָׁה הַדָּבָר לְיִתְרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מְזַלְזֵל בִּכְבוֹדָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹכִיחוֹ עַל כָּךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (פסוק יד) מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב לְבַדֶּךָ וְכֻלָּם נִצָּבִים:
מִן־הַבֹּקֶר עַד־ערב - From morning to nightfall. Is it possible to say this, that he was deciding disputes the entire day? Rather, it is to be understood in the sense that regarding any judge who judges a case honestly and correctly, even for one hour, Scripture considers him as if he were engaged in the study of the Torah all day, and as if he became a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the act of Creation, of which it says: “There was nightfall and then morning.” 5		מִן־הַבֹּקֶר עַד־ערב. אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר כֵּן? אֶלָּא כָּל דַּיָּן שֶׁדָּן דִּין אֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה כָּל הַיּוֹם וּכְאִלּוּ נַעֲשֶׂה שֻׁתָּף לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וְגוֹ' (שבת י'):
14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why are you alone seated, while all the people stand around you from morning until nightfall?”		ידוַיַּרְא֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹשֶׂה֙ לָעָ֔ם מַדּ֗וּעַ אַתָּ֤ה יוֹשֵׁב֙ לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ וְכָל־הָעָ֛ם נִצָּ֥ב עָלֶ֖יךָ מִן־בֹּ֥קֶר עַד־עָֽרֶב:
15Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to seek instruction from God.		טווַיֹּ֥אמֶר משֶׁ֖ה לְחֹֽתְנ֑וֹ כִּֽי־יָבֹ֥א אֵלַ֛י הָעָ֖ם לִדְר֥שׁ אֱלֹהִֽים:
כִּֽי־יָבֹא - means here the same as כִּי בָא – “because the people come” - a present tense.		כִּֽי־יָבֹא. כְּמוֹ כִּי בָא, לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה:
לִדְרשׁ אֱלֹהִֽים - (lit.) To seek God. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לְמִתְבַּע אֻלְפַן – to inquire regarding the teaching from the mouth of the Almighty.		לִדְרשׁ אֱלֹהִֽים. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "לְמִתְבַּע אֻלְפַּן" – לִשְׁאֹל תַּלְמוּד מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה:
16Whenever one of them has a legal matter, he comes to me, and I judge between a man and his fellow, and I make known God’s rules and teachings.”		טזכִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לָהֶ֤ם דָּבָר֙ בָּ֣א אֵלַ֔י וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ וּבֵ֣ין רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְהֽוֹדַעְתִּ֛י אֶת־חֻקֵּ֥י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאֶת־תּֽוֹרֹתָֽיו:
כִּי־יִֽהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר בָּא - (lit.) When they have a [legal] matter, he comes to me - i.e., he who has the matter comes to me.		כִּי־יִֽהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר בָּא. מִי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ הַדָּבָר – בָּא אֵלַי:
17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.		יזוַיֹּ֛אמֶר חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֖ה אֵלָ֑יו לֹא־טוֹב֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה:
וַיֹּאמֶר חֹתֵן משֶׁה - Moses’ father-in-law said. Scripture refers to him in an honorable way, “the father-in-law of the king.”		וַיֹּאמֶר חֹתֵן משֶׁה. דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד קוֹרְאוֹ הַכָּתוּב חוֹתְנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ:
18You will surely wear yourself out, you yourself as well as this entire people that is with you, for this matter is too weighty for you; you will not be able to do it alone.		יחנָבֹ֣ל תִּבֹּ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֕ה גַּם־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֤ד מִמְּךָ֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר לֹֽא־תוּכַ֥ל עֲשׂ֖הוּ לְבַדֶּֽךָ:
נָבֹל תִּבֹּל - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: מִלְאָה תִלְאֶה – “You will surely become weary.” The literal meaning of the words denotes withering – “flestre” in Old French – as in וְהֶעָלֶה נָבֵל “and the leaves will wither”; 6 and כִּנְבֹל עָלֶה מִגֶּפֶן “as a leaf withers from the vine,” 7 i.e., that it is shriveled by the heat of the sun and by frost, and thus its strength is weakened so that it wears out and falls off the vine.		נָבֹל תִּבֹּל. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ לְשׁוֹן כְּמִישָׁה, פלייש"טרא בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ "וְהֶעָלֶה נָבֵל" (ירמיהו ח'), "כִּנְבֹל עָלֶה מִגֶּפֶן" (ישעיהו ל"ד), שֶׁהוּא כָמוּשׁ עַל יְדֵי חַמָּה וְעַל יְדֵי קֶרַח וְכֹחוֹ תָּשׁ וְנִלְאֶה:
גַּם־אַתָּה - (lit.) Also you. The word גַּם “also” is added here to include Aaron, Hur, and the 70 elders.		גַּם־אַתָּה. לְרַבּוֹת אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים:
כִּֽי־כָבֵד מִמְּךָ - means: its weight is great, above what your strength can bear.		כִּֽי־כָבֵד מִמְּךָ. כָּבְדּוֹ רַב יוֹתֵר מִכֹּחֲךָ:
19Therefore, listen to me. I will give you advice, and if God agrees with you, you be the people’s representative before God, and you convey the cases to God.		יטעַתָּ֞ה שְׁמַ֤ע בְּקֹלִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ וִיהִ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּ֑ךְ הֱיֵ֧ה אַתָּ֣ה לָעָ֗ם מ֚וּל הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵֽבֵאתָ֥ אַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
אִיעָצְךָ וִיהִי אֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ - (lit.) I will give you advice, and God will be with you - in agreeing to my advice; i.e., he said to him, “Go and consult the Almighty.”		אִיעָצְךָ וִיהִי אֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ. בָּעֵצָה; אָמַר לוֹ צֵא הִמָּלֵךְ בַּגְּבוּרָה (מכילתא):
הֱיֵה אַתָּה לָעָם מוּל הָֽאֱלֹהִים - (lit.) You be for the people opposite God - means: be a messenger and intermediary between them and the Omnipresent, asking Him for verdicts for them.		הֱיֵה אַתָּה לָעָם מוּל הָֽאֱלֹהִים. שָׁלִיחַ וּמֵלִיץ בֵּינוֹתָם לַמָּקוֹם וְשׁוֹאֵל מִשְׁפָּטִים מֵאִתּוֹ:
אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים - (lit.) The matters - i.e., their matters of dispute.		אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים. דִּבְרֵי רִיבוֹתָם:
20You will caution the people regarding the rules and the teachings, and inform them of the path they should follow and the deeds they should do.		כוְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹ֑ת וְהֽוֹדַעְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔הּ וְאֶת־הַמַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַֽעֲשֽׂוּן:
21You must discern, from among all the people, men who are well-established, God-fearing, men of integrity, who ‘hate’ money. Appoint these individuals over the people as leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens.		כאוְאַתָּ֣ה תֶֽחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־הָ֠עָ֠ם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת:
וְאַתָּה תֶֽחֱזֶה - (lit.) You must perceive - with the prophetic Holy Spirit that is upon you.		וְאַתָּה תֶֽחֱזֶה. בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁעָלֶיךָ:
אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל - (lit.) Men of ability - i.e., rich men, who therefore do not need to flatter or show favoritism to anyone.		אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל. עֲשִׁירִים, שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִין לְהַחֲנִיף וּלְהַכִּיר פָּנִים (שם):
אַנְשֵׁי־אֱמֶת - (lit.) Men of truth. These are trustworthy men, who have sufficient integrity that their promises can be relied on, as a result of which their words will be respected.		אַנְשֵׁי־אֱמֶת. אֵלּוּ בַּעֲלֵי הַבְטָחָה, שֶׁהֵם כְּדַאי לִסְמֹךְ עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כֵן יִהְיוּ דִבְרֵיהֶם נִשְׁמָעִין:
שׂנְאֵי בָצַע - Who hate money - i.e., who hate even their own money when it involves a lawsuit, similar to that which we learn: “Any judge from whom money must be taken through a lawsuit is not a judge.” 8		שׂנְאֵי בָצַע. שֶׁשּׂוֹנְאִין אֶת מָמוֹנָם בַּדִּין, כְּהַהִיא דְּאָמְרִינָן: כָּל דַיָּנָא דְּמַפְּקִין מָמוֹנָא מִינֵּיהּ בְּדִינָא לָאו דַּיָּנָא הוּא (בבא בתרא נ"ח):
שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים - Leaders of thousands. These amounted to 600 leaders for the 600,000 adult male Israelites.		שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים. הֵם הָיוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׂרִים לְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף:
שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת - Leaders of hundreds. These were 6,000.		שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת. שֵׁשׁ אֲלָפִים הָיוּ:
שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים - Leaders of fifties. These were 12,000.		שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים. י"ב אֶלֶף:
שָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרֹֽת - Leaders of tens. These were 60,000.		שָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרֹֽת. שִׁשִּׁים אֶלֶף:
22They will judge the people at all times: they will bring every major case to you, and they will judge every minor case themselves—to ease your burden by sharing it with you.		כבוְשָֽׁפְט֣וּ אֶת־הָעָם֘ בְּכָל־עֵת֒ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַגָּדֹל֙ יָבִ֣יאוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵ֑ם וְהָקֵל֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְנָֽשְׂא֖וּ אִתָּֽךְ:
וְשָֽׁפְטוּ - Onkelos translates this as וִידוּנוּן – “they will judge,” an expression of command (future tense).		וְשָֽׁפְטוּ. וִידוּנוּן, לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי:
וְהָקֵל מֵֽעָלֶיךָ - means: this thing is to make it easier for you. The form וְהָקֵל is similar to וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ “(lit.) to make his heart heavy” 9 and וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב “and smiting Moab”; 10 i.e., it is an infinitive expressing a continuous present tense.		וְהָקֵל מֵֽעָלֶיךָ. דָּבָר זֶה לְהָקֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ, וְהָקֵל כְּמוֹ "וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ" (שמות ח'), "וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב" (מלכים ב ג'), לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה:
23If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to bear up, and all the people as well will come home unwearied.”		כגאִ֣ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְצִוְּךָ֣ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְיָֽכָלְתָּ֖ עֲמֹ֑ד וְגַם֙ כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־מְקֹמ֖וֹ יָבֹ֥א בְשָׁלֽוֹם:
וְצִוְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וְיָֽכָלְתָּ עֲמֹד - (lit.) And God will command you and you will be able to stand - i.e., consult the Almighty. If He commands you to do this, you will be able to endure, but if He opposes your doing so, you will not be able to endure.		וְצִוְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וְיָֽכָלְתָּ עֲמֹד. הִמָּלֵךְ בַּגְּבוּרָה, אִם מְצַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, תּוּכַל עֲמֹד, וְאִם יְעַכֵּב עַל יָדְךָ לֹא תוּכַל לַעֲמֹד (מכילתא):
וְגַם כָּל־הָעָם הַזֶּה - (lit.) And all this people as well - i.e., Aaron, Nadav, Avihu, and the 70 elders, who are presently helping you.		וְגַם כָּל־הָעָם הַזֶּה. אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים הַנִּלְוִים עַתָּה עִמְּךָ (שם):

Footnotes

Numbers 10:29, 31.

Bava Batra 58b.

2 Kings 3:24.

Third Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 18

24Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.		כדוַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע משֶׁ֖ה לְק֣וֹל חֹֽתְנ֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָמָֽר:
25Moses chose well-established men from among all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people: leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens.		כהוַיִּבְחַ֨ר משֶׁ֤ה אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֨יִל֙ מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם רָאשִׁ֖ים עַל־הָעָ֑ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת:
26They judged the people at all times: every difficult case they would bring to Moses, and every minor case they would judge themselves.		כווְשָֽׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַקָּשֶׁה֙ יְבִיא֣וּן אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפּוּט֥וּ הֵֽם:
וְשָֽׁפְטוּ - Onkelos translates this here as וְדָיְנִין יָת עַמָּא – “and they would judge the people.”		וְשָֽׁפְטוּ. וְדָיְנִין יָת עַמָּא:
יְבִיאוּן - Onkelos translates this as מַיְתִין “they would bring.”		יְבִיאוּן. מָיְתִין:
יִשְׁפּוּטוּ הֵֽם - They would judge themselves. The word יִשְׁפּוּטוּ is the same as יִשְׁפְּטוּ; and similarly לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי “do not pass by” 1 is the same as לֹא תַעַבְרִי. Onkelos’ translation of יִשְׁפּוּטוּ הֵם is דָּיְנִין אִנּוּן “they were judging.” The phrases in the verse above express a command (future tense), and they are therefore translated by Onkelos respectively as וִידוּנוּן “and they will judge,” יַיְתוּן “they will bring,” and יְדוּנוּן “they will judge,” whereas the phrases here refer to the performance of that instruction.		יִשְׁפּוּטוּ הֵֽם. כְּמוֹ יִשְׁפְּטוּ, וְכֵן "לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי" (רות ב'), כְּמוֹ לֹא תַעַבְרִי, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ דָּיְנִין אִינּוּן; מִקְרָאוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הֵם לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, לְכָךְ מְתֻרְגָּמִין וִידוּנוּן, יַיְתוּן, יְדוּנוּן, וּמִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ לְשׁוֹן עֲשִׂיָּה:
27Moses sent off his father-in-law, and he set out on his way to his homeland.		כזוַיְשַׁלַּ֥ח משֶׁ֖ה אֶת־חֹֽתְנ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ ל֖וֹ אֶל־אַרְצֽוֹ:
וַיֵּלֶךְ לוֹ אֶל־אַרְצֽוֹ - And he set out on his way to his homeland - to convert the members of his family to Judaism.		וַיֵּלֶךְ לוֹ אֶל־אַרְצֽוֹ. לְגַיֵּר בְּנֵי מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ (מכילתא):

Footnotes

Ruth 2:8.

Fourth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 19

1In the third month after the Israelites had left Egypt, they came to the Sinai Desert, on this day.		אבַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י לְצֵ֥את בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה בָּ֖אוּ מִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי:
בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה - On this day - i.e., on the first day of the month. According to the context, Scripture ought to have written בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא “on that day.” What is the meaning of the term “on this day”? To indicate that the words of Torah should always be to you like a new experience, as if God gave them to you for the first time today.		בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה. בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ; לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לִכְתֹּב אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, מַהוּ בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה? שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה חֲדָשִׁים עָלֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ הַיּוֹם נְתָנָם (ברכות ס"ג):
2They left Refidim and arrived in the Sinai Desert, camping in the wilderness. Israel camped there facing the mountain.		בוַיִּסְע֣וּ מֵֽרְפִידִ֗ים וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר סִינַ֔י וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיִּֽחַן־שָׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נֶ֥גֶד הָהָֽר:
וַיִּסְעוּ מֵֽרְפִידִים - They left Refidim. Why does Scripture need to specify again from where they had journeyed? Did it not already state that they were encamped at Refidim, so obviously they had journeyed from there? Rather, the intent is to compare their journeying from Refidim to their arrival in the Sinai Desert: just as their arrival in the Sinai Desert was in a state of repentance, so, too, their journeying from Refidim was in a state of repentance.		וַיִּסְעוּ מֵֽרְפִידִים. מַה תָּ"לֹ לַחֲזֹר וּלְפָרֵשׁ מֵהֵיכָן נָסְעוּ, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר כָּתַב שֶׁבִּרְפִידִים הָיוּ חוֹנִים, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נָסְעוּ? אֶלָּא לְהַקִּישׁ נְסִיעָתָן מֵרְפִידִים לְבִיאָתָן לְמִדְבַּר סִינַי, מַה בִּיאָתָן לְמִדְבַּר סִינַי בִּתְשׁוּבָה, אַף נְסִיעָתָן מֵרְפִידִים בִּתְשׁוּבָה (מכילתא):
וַיִּֽחַן־שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל - Israel camped there - as one man, unanimously aware of their impending unification into one nation under God, preparing for it with one heart. But all their other stops involved complaint against God or dissent among themselves.		וַיִּֽחַן־שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד בְּלֵב אֶחָד, אֲבָל שְׁאָר כָּל הַחֲנִיּוֹת בְּתַרְעוֹמוֹת וּבְמַחֲלֹקֶת:
נֶגֶד הָהָֽר - Facing the mountain - i.e., at its eastern side. Similarly, any place where you find the term נֶגֶד used, its meaning is “toward the face side,” to the east.		נֶגֶד הָהָֽר. לְמִזְרָחוֹ, וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא נֶגֶד, פָּנִים לַמִּזְרָח (שם):
3Moses ascended Mount Sinai to God. God called out to him from the mountain and said, “You must say as follows to the House of Jacob and relate to the Israelites:		גוּמשֶׁ֥ה עָלָ֖ה אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו יְהוָֹה֙ מִן־הָהָ֣ר לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לְבֵ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתַגֵּ֖יד לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וּמשֶׁה עָלָה - Moses ascended - on the second day of the month, for all his ascents to the mountain were made early in the morning, as it says: “Moses rose early in the morning.” 1		וּמשֶׁה עָלָה. בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי; וְכָל עֲלִיּוֹתָיו בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם מֹשֶׁה בַבֹּקֶר" (שמות ל"ד):
כֹּה תֹאמַר - You must say as follows - i.e., whenever teaching the Torah, do so in this style (gently to the women and bluntly to the men) and in this order (to the women before the men).		כֹּה תֹאמַר. בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה וְכַסֵּדֶר הַזֶּה:
לְבֵית יַֽעֲקֹב - To the House of Jacob. These are the women; say the lesson to them in a gentle form of speech, i.e., tell them the outlines of the commandments and the rewards for their observance.		לְבֵית יַֽעֲקֹב. אֵלּוּ הַנָּשִׁים, תֹּאמַר לָהֶן בְּלָשׁוֹן רַכָּה (מכילתא):
וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - And relate to (lit.) the sons of Israel - i.e., specify to the men the punishments and details of the commandments, things that are as harsh as the bitter herb named giddin (גִּידִין).		וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל. עֳנָשִׁין וְדִקְדּוּקִים פָּרֵשׁ לַזְּכָרִים, דְּבָרִים הַקָּשִׁין כְּגִידִין (שבת פ"ז):
4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. I carried you on the wings of griffon vultures, and brought you to Me.		דאַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְמִצְרָ֑יִם וָֽאֶשָּׂ֤א אֶתְכֶם֙ עַל־כַּנְפֵ֣י נְשָׁרִ֔ים וָֽאָבִ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי:
אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם - You have seen. It is not some tradition that you possess, nor is it something that I am sending to you in written words, or attesting to you through witnesses, but “you have seen what I did to the Egyptians”; they were already guilty of many sins before Me before they conspired against you, but I punished them only on your account.		אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם. לֹא מַסֹּרֶת הִיא בְיֶדְכֶם, לֹא בִדְבָרִים אֲנִי מְשַׁגֵּר לָכֶם, לֹא בְעֵדִים אֲנִי מֵעִיד עֲלֵיכֶם, אֶלָּא אתם ראיתם אשר עשיתי למצרים, עַל כַּמָּה עֲבֵרוֹת הָיוּ חַיָּבִין לִי קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּזְדַּוְּגוּ לָכֶם וְלֹא נִפְרַעְתִּי מֵהֶם אֶלָּא עַל יֶדְכֶם (מכילתא):
וָֽאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם - I carried you. This was on the day that Israel came to Rameses; for Israel were dispersed over the entire land of Goshen, but when they had to travel and leave Egypt, in a miraculously short while they were all assembled together at Rameses. Onkelos translated וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם as וְאַטֵּלִית יַתְכוֹן, as if it were written וָאַסִּיעַ אֶתְכֶם “I made you travel.” He thus adapted the literal meaning of the text in order to express it in a more respectful way regarding God above.		וָֽאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם. זֶה הַיּוֹם שֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְרַעְמְסֵס, שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְפֻזָּרִין בְּכָל אֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן, וּלְשָׁעָה קַלָּה כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ לִסַּע וְלָצֵאת, נִקְבְּצוּ כֻּלָּם לְרַעְמְסֵס, וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם וָאֶשָּׂא כְּמוֹ וָאַסִּיעַ אֶתְכֶם – "וְאַטֵּלִית יָתְכוֹן", תִּקֵּן אֶת הַדִבּוּר דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד לְמַעְלָה:
עַל־כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים - On the wings of griffon vultures - i.e., like a griffon vulture who carries its young upon its wings. For all other birds place their young between their feet, because they are afraid of another bird that might fly above them, but the griffon vulture is afraid only that man may perhaps aim an arrow at it, but not of any other bird, because no other bird flies above it. It therefore places its young upon its wings, saying, “Better that the arrow enter me than my young.” God said: I, too, did so – “The angel of God…moved…and it came between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp…,” 2 and the Egyptians were firing arrows and stone missiles but the cloud absorbed them.		עַל־כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים. כַּנֶּשֶׁר הַנּוֹשֵׂא גּוֹזָלָיו עַל כְּנָפָיו, שֶׁכָּל שְׁאָר הָעוֹפוֹת נוֹתְנִים אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם בֵּין רַגְלֵיהֶם, לְפִי שֶׁמִּתְיָרְאִין מֵעוֹף אַחֵר שֶׁפּוֹרֵחַ עַל גַּבֵּיהֶם, אֲבָל הַנֶּשֶׁר הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ מִתְיָרֵא אֶלָּא מִן הָאָדָם שֶׁמָּא יִזְרֹק בּוֹ חֵץ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין עוֹף פּוֹרֵחַ עַל גַּבָּיו, לְכָךְ נוֹתְנוֹ עַל כְּנָפָיו, אוֹמֵר מוּטָב יִכָּנֵס הַחֵץ בִּי וְלֹא בִּבְנִי, אַף אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי כֵן: "וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ', וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם וְגוֹ'" (שמות י"ד), וְהָיוּ מִצְרַיִם זוֹרְקִים חִצִּים וְאַבְנֵי בָּלִיסְטְרָאוֹת וְהֶעָנָן מְקַבְּלָם:
וָֽאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָֽי - And brought you to Me. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וְקָרֵבִית יַתְכוֹן לְפֻלְחָנִי “and I brought you near to My service.”		וָֽאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָֽי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
5So now, provided you vigilantly heed My voice and keep My covenant, you will be for Me a treasure cherished above all nations, for the entire world is Mine.		הוְעַתָּ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹלִ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֑י וִֽהְיִ֨יתֶם לִ֤י סְגֻלָּה֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כִּי־לִ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
וְעַתָּה - So now - i.e., if you accept upon yourselves now to perform the commandments, it will become more pleasant for you from this point on, for the first step is always the hardest.		וְעַתָּה. אִם עַתָּה תְקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיכֶם, יֶעֱרַב לָכֶם מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ, שֶׁכָּל הַתְחָלוֹת קָשׁוֹת (מכילתא):
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־בְּרִיתִי - And keep My covenant - that I will make with you regarding the keeping of the Torah.		וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־בְּרִיתִי. שֶׁאֶכְרֹת עִמָּכֶם עַל שְׁמִירַת הַתּוֹרָה:
סְגֻלָּה - means “a precious treasure,” as in וּסְגֻלַּת מְלָכִים “and royal treasures,” 3 which are expensive objects and gemstones that kings store away. Similarly, you will be for Me a treasure singled out from other nations. Do not say, however, that you alone are Mine and I have no others besides you, and therefore who else do I have besides you, that your preciousness be thereby demonstrated,		סְגֻלָּה. אוֹצָר חָבִיב, כְּמוֹ "וּסְגֻלַּת מְלָכִים" (קהלת ב') – כְּלֵי יְקָר וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת שֶׁהַמְּלָכִים גּוֹנְזִים אוֹתָם, כָּךְ אַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי סְגֻלָּה מִשְּׁאָר אֻמּוֹת; וְלֹא תֹאמְרוּ אַתֶּם לְבַדְּכֶם שֶׁלִּי וְאֵין לִי אֲחֵרִים עִמָּכֶם וּמַה יֵּשׁ לִי עוֹד שֶׁתְּהֵא חִבַּתְכֶם נִכֶּרֶת:
כִּי־לִי כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ - “for the entire world is Mine”. yet in My eyes and before Me all others are like nothing.		כִּי־לִי כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ. וְהֵם בְּעֵינַי וּלְפָנַי לִכְלוּם:
6You will be unto Me a kingdom of nobles and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you must say to the Israelites.”		ווְאַתֶּ֧ם תִּֽהְיוּ־לִ֛י מַמְלֶ֥כֶת כֹּֽהֲנִ֖ים וְג֣וֹי קָד֑וֹשׁ אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְאַתֶּם תִּֽהְיוּ־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּֽהֲנִים - You will be unto Me a kingdom of (lit.) priests - as a result of serving God by obeying the Torah, the Israelites would be considered nobles, just as it says: וּבְנֵי דָוִד כֹּהֲנִים הָיוּ “and the sons of David were nobles.” 4		וְאַתֶּם תִּֽהְיוּ־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּֽהֲנִים. שָׂרִים, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר "וּבְנֵי דָּוִד כֹּהֲנִים" (שמואל ב ח'):
אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים - These are the words - in contrast to other instances where Moses explained the laws of the Torah, here he was enjoined to repeat precisely these words, no less and no more.		אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים. לֹא פָּחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר (מכילתא):

Footnotes

Exodus 34:4.

Exodus 14:19-20.

Ecclesiastes 2:8.

2 Samuel 8:18.

Fifth Portion

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. אם כן, שמזקיקין לדבר עמם, לך אל העם:
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:

Footnotes

Exodus 24:4ff.

Ezekiel 3:22-23.

1 Kings 18:24.

Sixth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 19

20God descended upon Mount Sinai, onto the peak of the mountain. God then summoned Moses to the mountain peak, and Moses ascended.		כוַיֵּ֧רֶד יְהוָֹ֛ה עַל־הַ֥ר סִינַ֖י אֶל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקְרָ֨א יְהוָֹ֧ה לְמשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָ֖ר וַיַּ֥עַל משֶֽׁה:
וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל־הַר סִינַי - God descended upon Mount Sinai. Is it possible that He actually descended upon it? Scripture therefore states elsewhere: “that I spoke with you from heaven.” 1 However, the intent here is to teach us that God lowered the upper and lower heavens and spread them out above the mountain, like a blanket over a bed, and the Throne of Glory descended upon them.		וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל־הַר סִינַי. יָכוֹל יָרַד עָלָיו מַמָּשׁ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי עִמָּכֶם (שמות כ'), מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִרְכִּין שָׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְהִצִּיעָן עַל גַּבֵּי הָהָר כְּמַצָּע עַל הַמִּטָּה וְיָרַד כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד עֲלֵיהֶם (מכילתא):
21God said to Moses, “Go down; warn the people not to break ranks and move toward God to gaze better upon Me, lest many of them perish.		כאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָֹה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה רֵ֖ד הָעֵ֣ד בָּעָ֑ם פֶּן־יֶֽהֶרְס֤וּ אֶל־יְהוָֹה֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְנָפַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ רָֽב:
הָעֵד בָּעָם - means: warn the people not to ascend the mountain.		הָעֵד בָּעָם. הַתְרֵה בָהֶם שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲלוֹת בָּהָר:
פֶּן־יֶֽהֶרְסוּ וגו' - means: that they do not break their position because of their desire “for God to see Him” and move closer to the mountain.		פֶּן־יֶֽהֶרְסוּ וגו'. שֶׁלֹּא יֶהֶרְסוּ אֶת מַצָּבָם, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁתַּאֲוָתָם אֶל ה', לִרְאוֹת, וְיִקְרְבוּ לְצַד הָהָר:
וְנָפַל מִמֶּנּוּ רָֽב - Lest many of them perish. If any of them are lost, even a single one, for Me it is as significant as if many were.		וְנָפַל מִמֶּנּוּ רָֽב. כָּל מַה שֶּׁיִּפֹּל מֵהֶם, וַאֲפִלּוּ הוּא יְחִידִי, חָשׁוּב לְפָנַי רָב (שם):
פֶּן־יֶֽהֶרְסוּ - (lit.) They destroy. Every destruction entails the separation of an assembled structure. Similarly, those who break apart from the position of a group of people thereby “destroy” that position.		פֶּן־יֶֽהֶרְסוּ. כָּל הֲרִיסָה מַפְרֶדֶת אֲסִיפַת הַבִּנְיָן, אַף הַנִּפְרָדִין מִמַּצַּב אֲנָשִׁים הוֹרְסִים אֶת הַמַּצָּב:
22The priests who come near to God must also ready themselves, lest God cause a breach among them by killing those who venture too close.”		כבוְגַ֧ם הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֛ים הַנִּגָּשִׁ֥ים אֶל־יְהוָֹ֖ה יִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּ פֶּן־יִפְרֹ֥ץ בָּהֶ֖ם יְהוָֹֽה:
וְגַם הַכֹּֽהֲנִים - The priests also - i.e., even the firstborn, although they had the distinction of being chosen for Divine service during this period.		וְגַם הַכֹּֽהֲנִים. אַף הַבְּכוֹרוֹת שֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה בָהֶם (זבחים קט"ו):
הַנִּגָּשִׁים אֶל־ה' - Who come near to God - to offer sacrifices; they, too, should not rely on their position of importance and ascend the mountain.		הַנִּגָּשִׁים אֶל־ה'. לְהַקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹת, אַף הֵם לֹא יִסְמְכוּ עַל חֲשִׁיבוּתָם לַעֲלוֹת:
יִתְקַדָּשׁוּ - means “they must be prepared” to remain in their position.		יִתְקַדָּשׁוּ. יִהְיוּ מְזֻמָּנִים לְהִתְיַצֵּב עַל עָמְדָּן:
פֶּן־יִפְרֹץ - This is related to פִּרְצָה “breach”; i.e., it means “lest God kill some of them, thus causing a breach among them.”		פֶּן־יִפְרֹץ. לְשׁוֹן פִּרְצָה; יַהֲרֹג בָּהֶם וְיַעֲשֶׂה בָהֶם פִּרְצָה:
23Moses replied to God, “The people cannot ascend Mount Sinai, for You have warned us, saying, ‘Make a boundary around the mountain and sanctify it.’”		כגוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל הָעָ֔ם לַֽעֲלֹ֖ת אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינָ֑י כִּֽי־אַתָּ֞ה הַֽעֵדֹ֤תָה בָּ֨נוּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַגְבֵּ֥ל אֶת־הָהָ֖ר וְקִדַּשְׁתּֽוֹ:
לֹֽא־יוּכַל הָעָם - The people cannot [ascend Mount Sinai]. I do not need to warn them, for they have already been warned and remain so now for three days, so they cannot ascend the mountain, for they are not permitted to do so.		לֹֽא־יוּכַל הָעָם. אֵינִי צָרִיךְ לְהָעִיד בָּהֶם, שֶׁהֲרֵי מֻתְרִים וְעוֹמְדִין הֵם הַיּוֹם שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, וְלֹא יוּכְלוּ לַעֲלוֹת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם רְשׁוּת:
24God said to him, “Go, descend. Then you must ascend, Aaron with you. The priests and the people must not break their ranks at all to ascend to God, lest He cause a breach among them.”		כדוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֤יו יְהוָֹה֙ לֶךְ־רֵ֔ד וְעָלִ֥יתָ אַתָּ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִ֣ים וְהָעָ֗ם אַל־יֶֽהֶרְס֛וּ לַֽעֲלֹ֥ת אֶל־יְהוָֹ֖ה פֶּן־יִפְרָץ־בָּֽם:
לֶךְ־רֵד - Go, descend - and warn them a second time, for typically one instructs a person in advance of an action and does so again when the time for the action arrives.		לֶךְ־רֵד. וְהָעֵד בָּהֶם שֵׁנִית, שֶׁמְּזָרְזִין אֶת הָאָדָם קֹדֶם מַעֲשֶׂה וְחוֹזְרִין וּמְזָרְזִין אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁעַת מַעֲשֶׂה (מכילתא):
וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה וְאַֽהֲרֹן עִמָּךְ וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִים - Then you must ascend, Aaron with you (lit.) and the priests. From these words I might have thought that also the priests will be with you. Scripture therefore states: וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה. “Then you must ascend.” From here we can infer that the intent is: “You will have your own station, Aaron will have his own station, and the priests will have their own station”; i.e., Moses approached further than Aaron, and Aaron approached further than the priests – “but the people must not break” their position at all “to ascend to God.”		וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה וְאַֽהֲרֹן עִמָּךְ וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִים. יָכוֹל אַף הֵם עִמְּךָ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה, אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה, אַתָּה מְחִצָּה לְעַצְמְךָ, וְאַהֲרֹן מְחִצָּה לְעַצְמוֹ, וְהַכֹּהֲנִים מְחִצָּה לְעַצְמָם – מֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ יוֹתֵר מֵאַהֲרֹן, וְאַהֲרֹן יוֹתֵר מִן הַכֹּהֲנִים, וְהָעָם כָּל עִקָּר אַל יֶהֶרְסוּ אֶת מַצָּבָם לַעֲלוֹת אֶל ה' (שם):
פֶּן־יִפְרָץ־בָּֽם - Lest He cause a breach among them. Even though יִפְרָץ is vocalized with a chataf-kamatz (kamatz katan) and not a cholam, its meaning does not change from its usual form יִפְרֹץ, for so it is regarding the form of any word vocalized with a melopum (cholam): when it is connected to the next word by a makaf (hyphen), the vocalization of that letter is changed from a cholam to a chataf-kamatz.		פֶּן־יִפְרָץ־בָּֽם. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא נָקוּד חֲטַף קָמָץ אֵינוֹ זָז מִגְּזֵרָתוֹ, כָּךְ דֶּרֶךְ כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁנְּקֻדָּתָהּ מְלָאפוּם, כְּשֶׁהִיא סְמוּכָה בָאָה בְּמַקָּף, מִשְׁתַּנֶּה הַנִּקּוּד לַחֲטַף קָמָץ:
25Moses went down to the people and conveyed this instruction to them.		כהוַיֵּ֥רֶד משֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲלֵהֶֽם:
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶֽם - (lit.) And he said to them - this warning.		וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶֽם. הַתְרָאָה זוֹ:

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 20

1God then spoke all these words saying,		אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹֽר:
וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים - God then spoke. The name אֱלֹהִים always refers to God as a judge, and similarly it says: “You must not curse אֱלֹהִים,” 2 where Onkelos translates אֱלֹהִים as דַּיָּנָא “a judge.” Because there are passages in the Torah containing precepts for which a person receives a reward through fulfilling them but incurs no punishment for not fulfilling them, I might have thought that the Ten Commandments are also like this. Scripture therefore states וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים, indicating that God is a judge who exacts punishment for not fulfilling them.		וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים. אֵין אֱלֹהִים אֶלָּא דַּיָּן; לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁאִם עֲשָׂאָן אָדָם מְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, וְאִם לָאו אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם פֻּרְעָנוּת, יָכוֹל אַף עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת כֵּן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים – דַּיָּן לִפָּרַע (מכילתא):
אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה - All these words. This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, said all Ten Commandments in one utterance, – something that a person cannot speak likewise. If so, what is the meaning of Scripture saying further: “I am God…” and “You must not possess any deities…”? It is telling us that God repeated and articulated each commandment separately.		אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד, מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָדָם לוֹמַר כֵּן, אִם כֵּן מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר עוֹד אָנֹכִי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ? שֶׁחָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ עַל כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ (שם):
לֵאמֹֽר - Saying. This teaches us that the Israelites responded “yes” to the positive commandments and “no” to the passive (prohibitory) commandments.		לֵאמֹֽר. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹנִין עַל הֵן הֵן וְעַל לָאו לָאו (שם):
2“I am God, your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slaves.		באָֽנֹכִ֨י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֽוֹצֵאתִ֩יךָ֩ מֵאֶ֨רֶץ מִצְרַ֜יִם מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֗ים:
אֲשֶׁר הֽוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - Who brought you out of Egypt - This phrase means that the taking you out of Egypt is sufficient reason that you be subject to Me. Another explanation: Because God appeared at the Sea of Reeds as a mighty warrior, and here He appeared as a venerable old man filled with compassion, as it says: 3 “They had a vision of the God of Israel, and beneath His feet was the likeness of a brick of sapphire” – this was before Him during the period of Israel’s servitude – “and an appearance like the clearness of the heavens” – after they were redeemed, He therefore said: “Since I manifest in varying likenesses, do not think there are two deities, but I am the same One who brought you out of Egypt and appeared to you at the Sea of Reeds.” Another explanation: Because they were hearing many voices, as it says: “the voices,” 4 because sounds were coming from all four directions and from the heavens and the earth, God therefore said to them: “Do not think there are many deities.” And why did God use the singular form אֱלֹהֶיךָ “your God”? To give Moses the opportunity to plead the defense of Israel at the incident of the Golden Calf; and this is indeed what he said: “God, why should You display indignation against Your people,” 5 for it could be said that not to them did You give the commandment: “You must not possess any other deities,” but to me alone.		אֲשֶׁר הֽוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. כְּדַאי הִיא הַהוֹצָאָה שֶׁתִּהְיוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לִי; דָּבָר אַחֵר, לְפִי שֶׁנִּגְלָה בַיָּם כְּגִבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה וְנִגְלָה כָּאן כְּזָקֵן מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר (שמות כ"ד), זוֹ הָיְתָה לְפָנָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשֶּׁנִּגְאֲלוּ – הוֹאִיל וַאֲנִי מִשְׁתַּנֶּה בְמַרְאוֹת, אַל תֹּאמְרוּ שְׁתֵּי רָשׁוּיוֹת הֵן, אָנֹכִי הוּא אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַל הַיָּם. דָּבָר אַחֵר לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ שוֹמְעִין קוֹלוֹת הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת – קוֹלוֹת בָּאִין מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת וּמִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִן הָאָרֶץ – אַל תֹּאמְרוּ רָשׁוּיוֹת הַרְבֵּה הֵן; וְלָמָה אָמַר לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד אֱלֹהֶיךָ? לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְמֹשֶׁה לְלַמֵּד סָנֵגוֹרְיָא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר לָמָה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ – לֹא לָהֶם צִוִּיתָ לֹא יִהְיֶה לָכֶם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים אֶלָּא לִי לְבַדִּי (שמות רבה):
מִבֵּית העבדים - Out of the house of slaves - means: out of the house of Pharaoh, where you were slaves to him. Or perhaps “out of the house of slaves” is telling us that the Israelites were slaves to other Egyptian slaves? Scripture therefore states elsewhere: “and He redeemed you from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,” 6 from which we infer that they were slaves to the king and not slaves to slaves.		מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים. מִבֵּית פַּרְעֹה שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם עֲבָדִים לוֹ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים שֶׁהָיוּ עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַיִּפְדְּךָ מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים מִיַּד פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם (דברים ז'), אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה עֲבָדִים לַמֶּלֶךְ הָיוּ וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים (מכילתא):
3You must not possess any idols of other peoples’ deities as long as I exist.		גלֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶ֣ה־לְךָ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים אֲחֵרִ֜ים עַל־פָּנַ֗י:
לֹא יִֽהְיֶה־לְךָ - You must not possess. Why is this said? The answer is: Since it says: “You must not make yourself a sculpted image,” 7 I can only derive that one must not make an idol. From where do I know that one must not retain an idol that is already made? Scripture therefore states: “You must not possess…”.		לֹא יִֽהְיֶה־לְךָ. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּ' לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה, הֶעָשׂוּי כְּבָר מִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא יְקַיֵּם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ (שם):
אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים - (lit.) Gods of others - i.e., which are not really gods, but others made them into gods over themselves. But these words cannot be properly explained as meaning “other gods besides Me,” for it is an insult to the One Above to call them “gods” along with Him. Another explanation of אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים: They are strangers (אֲחֵרִים) to those who worship them, for these call upon them but they do not answer them, and it is as if the idol is a stranger to the worshiper and has never known him.		אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים. שֶׁאֵינָן אֱלוֹהוּת אֶלָּא אֲחֵרִים עֲשָׂאוּם אֱלֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים זוּלָתִי, שֶׁגְּנַאי כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה לִקְרֹאותָם אֱלוֹהוּת אֶצְלוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁהֵם אֲחֵרִים לְעוֹבְדֵיהֶם – צוֹעֲקִים אֲלֵיהֶם וְאֵינָן עוֹנִין אוֹתָם, וְדוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא אַחֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכִּירוֹ מֵעוֹלָם:
עַל־פָּנַי - (lit. “upon My face”) means “as long as I exist.” These words are added here so that you do not think that the commandment against idolatry only applied to that generation standing at Mount Sinai.		עַל־פָּנַי. כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֲנִי קַיָּם, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר לֹא נִצְטַוּוּ עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר (מכילתא):
4You must not make yourself a sculpted image or any other type of likeness of anything that is in heaven above, on earth below, or in the water lower than the earth.		דלֹ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֣ פֶ֣סֶל \| וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם \| מִמַּ֡עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁר֩ בָּאָ֨רֶץ מִתַּ֜חַת וַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמַּ֣יִם \| מִתַּ֣חַת לָאָ֗רֶץ:
פֶסֶל - (lit.) A sculpture. It is so called because it is carved out.		פֶסֶל. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנִּפְסָל:
וְכָל־תְּמוּנָה - (lit.) Or any image - i.e., an image of anything “that is in heaven.”		וְכָל־תְּמוּנָה. תְּמוּנַת דָּבָר אשר בשמים:
5You must neither prostrate yourself before them nor worship them, for I, God, your God, am a zealous God in this regard. For those who hate Me and worship idols, I am a God who remembers the premeditated sins of the fathers, adding their demerits to those of their descendants, up to the third and fourth generation.		הלֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֣ה לָהֶם֘ וְלֹ֣א תָֽעָבְדֵם֒ כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵ֠ד עֲוֹ֨ן אָבֹ֧ת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֽׂנְאָ֑י:
אֵל קַנָּא - A zealous God - i.e., He is zealous to exact punishment and does not pass over His principles and forgive the sin of idolatry. Every instance of the word קַנָּא means “enprenemant” in Old French (“zealous anger”); i.e., He sets His heart on exacting punishment.		אֵל קַנָּא. מְקַנֵּא לִפָּרַע וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר עַל מִדָּתוֹ לִמְחֹל עַל עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים; כָּל לְשׁוֹן קַנָּא אנפרי"מנט בְּלַעַז – נוֹתֵן לֵב לִפָּרַע:
לְשֽׂנְאָי - For those who hate Me. This is to be explained as Onkelos translates it: כַּד מַשְׁלִימִין בְּנַיָּא לְמֶחֶטֵי בָּתַר אֲבָהַתְהוֹן, i.e., when subsequent generations persist in their fathers’ evil practice. But God preserves the kindness a person does by providing reward for it for up to 2000 generations. Thus it follows that God’s attribute of goodness is 500 times greater than His attribute of retribution, for He preserves demerit only for four generations but merit for 2000.		לְשֽׂנְאָי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כְּשֶׁאוֹחֲזִין מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם: (ונוצר חסד שאדם עושה, לשלם שכר עד לאלפים דור. נמצאת מדה טובה יתרה על מדת פורענות אחת על חמש מאות שזו לארבעה דורות וזו לאלפים:)
6But, in contrast, I am a God who shows kindness for at least 2000 generations to the descendants of those who love Me and of those who observe My commandments.		ווְעֹ֤שֶׂה חֶ֨סֶד֙ לַֽאֲלָפִ֔ים לְאֹֽהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָֽי:
וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד - perform loving-kindness. And He keeps (stores up) the mercy which a person does to give a reward for it to the thousand generations of that person’s descendants. It follows, therefore, that the measure of good (reward) is greater than the measure of punishment in the proportion of one to five hundred, for the former is threatened only to four generations whilst the latter is bestowed upon thousands (two thousands at least). (Tosefta Sotah 4:1; see Rashi on Exodus 34:7)		וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד. וְנוֹצֵר חֶסֶד שֶׁאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה, לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר עַד לְאַלְפַּיִם דוֹר; נִמְצֵאת מִדָּה טוֹבָה יְתֵרָה עַל מִדַּת פֻּרְעָנוּת אַחַת עַל חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת, שֶׁזּוֹ לְאַרְבָּעָה דּוֹרוֹת וְזוֹ לַאֲלָפִים (תוספתא סוטה ד'):
7You must not swear by the Name of God, your God, in vain, for God will not absolve anyone who swears by His Name in vain.		זלֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ לַשָּֽׁוְא:
לַשָּׁוְא - means: for nothing, worthless. And what is a vain oath? One who swears contradicting an obvious fact, e.g., that a stone pillar is made of gold.		לַשָּׁוְא. חִנָּם, לַהֶבֶל, וְאֵיזֶהוּ שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא? נִשְׁבַּע לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת הַיָּדוּעַ – עַל עַמּוּד שֶׁל אֶבֶן שֶׁהוּא שֶׁל זָהָב (שבועות כ"ט):
8Remember the Sabbath day, keeping it holy.		חזָכוֹר֩ אֶת־י֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת לְקַדְּשׁ֗וֹ:
זָכוֹר - Remember. The word זָכוֹר, with which this commandment begins here, and שָׁמוֹר “observe,” with which it begins in Deuteronomy, 8 were both said in one utterance. And similarly: “Those who desecrate it must be put to death,” 9 and: “And on the Sabbath day you must offer…two lambs.” 10 And similarly: “You must not wear a mixture of wool and linen,” 11 and: “You must make for yourself twisted threads.” 12 And similarly: “You must not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife,” 13 and: “her husband’s brother must marry her.” 14 This is what is meant when it says: “One thing did God speak, but I heard it as two.” 15 זָכוֹר – This is an infinitive (פָּעוֹל) form, similar to אָכוֹל וְשָׁתוֹ “eating and drinking” 16 and הָלוֹךְ וּבָכֹה “walking and weeping”; 17 and this is its meaning: Pay attention to constantly remember the Sabbath day, that if you come across a fine item of food during the week, designate it for the Sabbath.		זָכוֹר. זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד נֶאֶמְרוּ, וְכֵן מְחַלְלֶיהָ מוֹת יוּמָת (שמות ל"א), וּבְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת שְׁנֵי כְבָשִׂים (במדבר כ"ח); וְכֵן לֹא תִלְבַּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז, גְּדִלִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ (דברים כ"ב); וְכֵן עֶרְוַת אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ (ויקרא י"ח), יְבָמָהּ יָבֹא עָלֶיהָ (דברים כ"ה); הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַחַת דִּבֶּר אֱלֹהִים שְׁתַּיִם זוּ שָׁמָעְתִּי (תהילים ס"ב) זָכוֹר לְשׁוֹן פָּעוֹל הוּא, כְּמוֹ אָכוֹל וְשָׁתוֹ (ישעיהו כ"ב), הָלוֹךְ וּבָכֹה (שמואל ב ג'), וְכֵן פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: תְּנוּ לֵב לִזְכֹּר תָּמִיד אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, שֶׁאִם נִזְדַּמֵּן לְךָ חֵפֶץ יָפֶה תְּהֵא מַזְמִינוֹ לְשַׁבָּת (מכילתא):
9Six days must you labor and do all your work.		טשֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים תַּֽעֲבֹד֘ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ כָל־מְלַאכְתֶּךָ֒:
וְעָשִׂיתָ כָל־מְלַאכְתֶּךָ - And do all your work - i.e., when the Sabbath arrives, you should regard all your work as if it were completed, so that you not be occupied with thoughts of work.		וְעָשִׂיתָ כָל־מְלַאכְתֶּךָ. כְּשֶׁתָּבֹא שַׁבָּת יְהֵא בְעֵינֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ כָּל מְלַאכְתְּךָ עֲשׂוּיָה, שֶׁלֹּא תְהַרְהֵר אַחַר מְלָאכָה (שם):
10The seventh day is a sabbath dedicated to God, your God. You must not do any work—neither you nor your son, your daughter, your bondman, your bondwoman, your animal, or the resident alien, who is permitted to live within your gates—		יוְי֨וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י שַׁבָּ֣ת \| לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֡ה אַתָּ֣ה \| וּבִנְךָ֣־וּ֠בִתֶּךָ עַבְדְּךָ֨ וַֽאֲמָֽתְךָ֜ וּבְהֶמְתֶּ֗ךָ וְגֵֽרְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ:
אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ־וּבִתֶּךָ - Neither you nor your son or your daughter. This son and daughter mentioned here are minors. Or perhaps it means only adult children? This cannot be, for you must say that they are already included in the prohibition, but Scripture comes here only to instruct adults so that they have their minor children refrain from work on the Sabbath, and so we have learned: 18 A minor who attempts to extinguish a fire, we do not listen to him and allow him, because responsibility for his refraining from work is incumbent upon you.		אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ־וּבִתֶּךָ. אֵלּוּ קְטַנִּים; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא גְּדוֹלִים? אָמַרְתָּ, הֲרֵי כְּבָר מֻזְהָרִים הֵם, אֶלָּא לֹא בָא אֶלָּא לְהַזְהִיר גְּדוֹלִים עַל שְׁבִיתַת הַקְּטַנִּים; וְזֶהוּ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ (שבת קכ"א), קָטָן שֶׁבָּא לְכַבּוֹת אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשְּׁבִיתָתוֹ עָלֶיךָ:
11for in six days God made heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is within them, and He rested on the seventh day. God therefore blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.		יאכִּ֣י שֵֽׁשֶׁת־יָמִים֩ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶת־הַיָּם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֔ם וַיָּ֖נַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י עַל־כֵּ֗ן בֵּרַ֧ךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ:
וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי - And He rested on the seventh day. God dictated that rest be ascribed to Him as if that were possible, so that we infer from this by an a fortiori argument that man, whose work is done with toil and effort, should certainly rest on the Sabbath.		וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי. כִּבְיָכוֹל הִכְתִּיב בְּעַצְמוֹ מְנוּחָה, לְלַמֵּד הֵימֶנּוּ קַל וָחֹמֶר לָאָדָם שֶׁמְּלַאכְתּוֹ בְעָמָל וִיגִיעָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נָח בְּשַׁבָּת (מכילתא):
בֵּרַךְ וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ - [God] blessed [the Sabbath day] and sanctified it - i.e., He blessed it with the manna, by having a double portion of food fall on the sixth day of the week, and He sanctified it through the manna, by it not falling on the Sabbath.		בֵּרַךְ וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ. בֵּרְכוֹ בַמָּן – לְכָפְלוֹ בַּשִּׁשִּׁי לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה, וְקִדְּשׁוֹ בַמָּן – שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יוֹרֵד בּוֹ (מכילתא):
12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days be lengthened in the land that God, your God, is giving you.		יבכַּבֵּ֥ד אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּ֑ךָ לְמַ֨עַן֙ יַֽאֲרִכ֣וּן יָמֶ֔יךָ עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ:
לְמַעַן יַֽאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ - So that your days be lengthened - i.e., if you honor your parents, your days will be lengthened, but if not, they will be shortened, for the words of the Torah may be explained as being abbreviated – from the positive may be inferred the negative, and from the negative may be inferred the positive.		לְמַעַן יַֽאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ. אִם תְּכַבֵּד יַאֲרִיכוּן וְאִם לָאו יִקְצְרוּן, שֶׁדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה נוֹטָרִיקוֹן הֵם נִדְרָשִׁים – מִכְּלַל הֵן לָאו וּמִכְּלַל לָאו הֵן (מכילתא):
13You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal people, i.e., kidnap. You must not bear false witness against your fellow.		יגלֹ֖א תִּרְצָֽח: ס לֹ֖א תִּנְאָֽף: ס לֹ֖א תִּגְנֹֽב: ס לֹֽא־תַֽעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר:
לֹא תנאף - You must not commit adultery. The term נִאוּף is used only regarding adultery with a married woman, as it says: “the adulterer and the adulteress (הַנֹּאֵף וְהַנֹּאָפֶת) must be put to death,” 19 and it also says: “The adulterous (הַמְנָאֶפֶת) woman takes strange men other than her husband.” 20		לֹא תנאף. אֵין נִאוּף אֶלָּא בְאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מוֹת יוּמַת הַנּוֹאֵף וְהַנּוֹאָפֶת (ויקרא כ'), וְאוֹמֵר הָאִשָּׁה הַמְנָאֶפֶת תַּחַת אִישָׁהּ תִּקַּח אֶת זָרִים (יחזקאל ט"ז):
לֹא תגנב - You must not steal. The verse here is referring to kidnapping people, while the verse לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ “You must not steal” 21 is referring to stealing money. Or perhaps this verse refers to stealing money, and the later one to kidnapping people? You must say that a matter may be deduced from its context: Just as “You must not murder” and “You must not commit adultery,” written above, both refer to a matter incurring the penalty of death by sentence of the court, so, too, “You must not steal” refers to a matter incurring the penalty of death by sentence of the court.		לֹא תגנב. בְּגוֹנֵב נְפָשׁוֹת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ (ויקרא י"ט), בְּגוֹנֵב מָמוֹן; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא זֶה בְגוֹנֵב מָמוֹן וּלְהַלָּן בְּגוֹנֵב נְפָשׁוֹת? אָמַרְתָּ דָּבָר לָמֵד מֵעִנְיָנוֹ – מַה לֹא תִרְצָח, לֹא תִנְאָף, מְדַבֵּר בְּדָבָר שֶׁחַיָּבִין עָלָיו מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין, אַף לֹא תִגְנֹב דָּבָר שֶׁחַיָּב עָלָיו מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין (סנהדרין פ"ו):
14You must not desire your fellow’s house. You must not desire your fellow’s wife, bondman, bondwoman, work-bull, donkey, or anything else belonging to your fellow.”		ידלֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ ס לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֗ךָ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַֽאֲמָתוֹ֙ וְשׁוֹר֣וֹ וַֽחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ:

Footnotes

2 Samuel 3:16.

Shabbat 121a.

Seventh Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 20

15All the people witnessed God’s voices and the flames, the blast of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. The people saw God’s voices and shuddered, and stood at a distance.		טווְכָל־הָעָם֩ רֹאִ֨ים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹ֜ת וְאֶת־הַלַּפִּידִ֗ם וְאֵת֙ ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר וְאֶת־הָהָ֖ר עָשֵׁ֑ן וַיַּ֤רְא הָעָם֙ וַיָּנֻ֔עוּ וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ מֵֽרָחֹֽק:
וְכָל־הָעָם רֹאִים - All the people witnessed. This teaches us that there was not even one blind person among them. And how do I know that there was no dumb person among them? The Torah teaches us this by saying: “All the people responded.” 1 And how do I know that there was no deaf person among them? The Torah teaches us this by saying: נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע (lit.) “We will do and we will hear.” 2		וְכָל־הָעָם רֹאִים. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָהֶם אֶחָד סוּמָא, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָהֶם אִלֵּם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַיַּעֲנוּ כָל הָעָם, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָהֶם חֵרֵשׁ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע (מכילתא):
רֹאִים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹת - Witnessed the voices - i.e., they miraculously could see sounds, which are usually only heard – something that is impossible to observe anywhere else.		רֹאִים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹת. רוֹאִין אֶת הַנִּשְׁמָע, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִרְאוֹת בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר:
אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹת - The voices - that were emanating from the mouth of the Almighty.		אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹת. הַיּוֹצְאִין מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה:
וַיָּנֻעוּ - And shuddered. The root נוֹעַ means here only “trembling.”		וַיָּנֻעוּ. אֵין נוּעַ אֶלָּא זִיעַ:
וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ מֵֽרָחֹֽק - And stood at a distance - i.e., they retreated backward a distance of 12 mil, the length of their camp, and ministering angels came, helped them, and transporting them back, as it says: “Hosts of angels progressively led them.” 3		וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ מֵֽרָחֹֽק. הָיוּ נִרְתָּעִין לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל, כְּאֹרֶךְ מַחֲנֵיהֶם, וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת בָּאִין וּמְסַיְּעִין אוֹתָן לְהַחֲזִירָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים ס"ח) מַלְאֲכֵי צְבָאוֹת יִדֹּדוּן יִדֹּדוּן (שבת פ"ח):
16They said to Moses, “From now on, you speak to us, and we will hear God’s words from you, but let God not speak with us directly, lest we die.”		טזוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה דַּבֶּר־אַתָּ֥ה עִמָּ֖נוּ וְנִשְׁמָ֑עָה וְאַל־יְדַבֵּ֥ר עִמָּ֛נוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים פֶּן־נָמֽוּת:
17Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, for God has come in order to raise you up in the esteem of all other nations, and in order that you be imbued with the awe of Him, so that you not sin.”		יזוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֣ה אֶל־הָעָם֘ אַל־תִּירָ֒אוּ֒ כִּ֗י לְבַֽעֲבוּר֙ נַסּ֣וֹת אֶתְכֶ֔ם בָּ֖א הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וּבַֽעֲב֗וּר תִּֽהְיֶ֧ה יִרְאָת֛וֹ עַל־פְּנֵיכֶ֖ם לְבִלְתִּ֥י תֶֽחֱטָֽאוּ:
לְבַֽעֲבוּר נַסּוֹת אֶתְכֶם - In order to raise you up - i.e., to make you great in the world, that you gain renown among the nations in that He appeared to you in His glory.		לְבַֽעֲבוּר נַסּוֹת אֶתְכֶם. לְגַדֵּל אֶתְכֶם בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁיֵּצֵא לָכֶם שֵׁם בָּאֻמּוֹת שֶׁהוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ נִגְלָה עֲלֵיכֶם:
נַסּוֹת - Connotes elevation and greatness, as in: הָרִימוּ נֵס “Lift up a banner,” 4 אָרִים נִסִּי “I will raise My standard,” 5 and וְכַנֵּס עַל הַגִּבְעָה “and like a banner upon a hill”; 6 a banner is called נֵס because it is raised erect.		נַסּוֹת. לְשׁוֹן הֲרָמָה וּגְדֻלָּה, כְּמוֹ הָרִימוּ נֵס (ישעיהו ס"ב), אָרִים נִסִּי (שם מ"ט), כַנֵּס עַל הַגִּבְעָה (שם ל') – שֶׁהוּא זָקוּף:
וּבַֽעֲבוּר תִּֽהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ - And in order that [you] be [imbued with] the awe of Him - i.e., through your having seen how awesome and fearful He is, you will become aware that there is none other beside Him and you will thus be in awe of Him and not sin.		וּבַֽעֲבוּר תִּֽהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ יָראוּי וּמְאֻיָּם, תֵּדְעוּ כִּי אֵין זוּלָתוֹ וְתִירְאוּ מִפָּנָיו:
18The people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick cloud where God was present.		יחוַיַּֽעֲמֹ֥ד הָעָ֖ם מֵֽרָחֹ֑ק וּמשֶׁה֙ נִגַּ֣שׁ אֶל־הָֽעֲרָפֶ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
נִגַּשׁ אֶל־הָֽעֲרָפֶל - [Moses] drew near to the thick cloud - i.e., within three areas: darkness, cloud, and thick cloud, as it says: “the mountain burned with fire that rose up to the midst of heaven, enveloped by darkness, a cloud, and a thick cloud.” 7 עֲרָפֶל “thick cloud” is the same as עַב הֶעָנָן “the thickness of the cloud” about which was said to Moses earlier: “I am about to come to you in the thickness of the cloud.” 8		נִגַּשׁ אֶל־הָֽעֲרָפֶל. לִפְנִים מִשָּׁלֹשׁ מְחִצּוֹת: חֹשֶׁךְ, עָנָן, וַעֲרָפֶל; שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם חֹשֶׁךְ עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל (דברים ד'); עֲרָפֶל הוּא עַב הֶעָנָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן (שמות י"ט):
19God said to Moses, “This is what you must tell the Israelites: ‘You have seen that I spoke with you from heaven.		יטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָֹה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמַ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם כִּ֚י מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עִמָּכֶֽם:
כֹּה תֹאמַר - This is what you must tell - i.e., in this language.		כֹּה תֹאמַר. בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה:
אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם - You have seen. There is a difference between something a person himself sees and what others relate to him, for regarding something others relate to him, his heart may sometimes waver, preventing him from believing it.		אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם. יֵשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין מַה שֶּׁאָדָם רוֹאֶה לְמַה שֶּׁאֲחֵרִים מְשִׂיחִין לוֹ, שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁאֲחֵרִים מְשִׂיחִין לוֹ פְּעָמִים שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חָלוּק מִלְּהַאֲמִין (מכילתא):
כִּי מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי - That I spoke with you from heaven - yet another verse says: “God descended upon Mount Sinai”! 9 Comes the third verse and resolves the apparent contradiction between them: “From heaven He made you hear His voice to discipline you, and upon earth He showed you His great fire” 10 – His glory was in heaven, but His fire and power were manifest on earth. Another explanation: He lowered all the heavens, including the highest heavens, and spread them out above the mountain, and so it says: וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד “He bent down the heavens and descended.” 11		כִּי מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי. וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי (שמות י"ט), בָּא הַכָּתוּב הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְהִכְרִיעַ בֵּינֵיהֶם – מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת קוֹלוֹ לְיַסְּרֶךָּ וְעַל הָאָרֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ אֶת אִשּׁוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה (דברים ד'), כְּבוֹדוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְאִשּׁוֹ וּגְבוּרָתוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ; דָּבָר אַחֵר: הִרְכִּין שָׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהִצִּיעָן עַל הָהָר, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד (תהילים י"ח):
20You must not make a physical representation of any of the angels that you saw with Me in heaven. If you make the two gold cherubs of the Tabernacle out of silver, I will consider them idols of silver. If you make more than two, I will consider the additional ones idols of gold. You must not make for yourselves cherub-figurines for your houses of prayer or study.		כלֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּן אִתִּ֑י אֱלֹ֤הֵי כֶ֨סֶף֙ וֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶֽם:
לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּן אִתִּי - (lit.) You must not make with Me - means: you must not make anything resembling My attendants who minister before Me on high.		לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּן אִתִּי. לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן דְּמוּת שַׁמָּשַׁי הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁים לְפָנַי בַּמָּרוֹם (מכילתא):
אֱלֹהֵי כֶסֶף - Idols of silver. This comes to warn us about the gold cherubim that you make to stand “with Me” in the Tabernacle, that they not be made of silver, for if you change them and make them out of silver, I will consider them as idols.		אֱלֹהֵי כֶסֶף. בָּא לְהַזְהִיר עַל הַכְּרוּבִים שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לַעֲמֹד אִתִּי, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ שֶׁל כֶּסֶף, שֶׁאִם שִׁנִּיתֶם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם שֶׁל כֶּסֶף הֲרֵי הֵן לְפָנַי כֶּאֱלוֹהוּת:
וֵֽאלֹהֵי זָהָב - Idols of gold. This comes to warn us that one should not add to the two cherubim prescribed by the Torah, for if you make four, I consider the extra ones as idols of gold.		וֵֽאלֹהֵי זָהָב. בָּא לְהַזְהִיר שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף עַל שְׁנַיִם, שֶׁאִם עָשִׂיתָ אַרְבָּעָה הֲרֵי הֵן לְפָנַי כֵּאלֹהֵי זָהָב (מכילתא):
לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶֽם - You must not make for yourselves. So that you not say: “I will make cherubim in synagogues and houses of study just as I make them in the permanent Temple,” it therefore says: “you must not make for yourselves.”		לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶֽם. לֹא תֹאמַר הֲרֵינִי עוֹשֶׂה כְרוּבִים בְּבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בְּבֵית עוֹלָמִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם (שם):
21You must make an Altar for Me upon the earth. Next to it, you must sacrifice your ascent-offerings and your peace-offerings from your flocks and your cattle. Wherever I allow My Name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.		כאמִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֘ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֒ וְזָֽבַחְתָּ֣ עָלָ֗יו אֶת־עֹֽלֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶ֔יךָ אֶת־צֹֽאנְךָ֖ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶ֑ךָ בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵֽרַכְתִּֽיךָ:
מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה - (lit.) An altar of earth - i.e., directly over the ground, that the artisan not build it over columns or over arches. Another explanation: that he would fill the hollow of the copper altar with earth whenever they encamped.		מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה. מְחֻבָּר בַּאֲדָמָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִבְנֶנּוּ עַל גַּבֵּי עַמּוּדִים אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי בָּסִיס; דָּבָר אַחֵר שֶׁהָיָה מְמַלֵּא אֶת חֲלַל מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲדָמָה בִּשְׁעַת חֲנִיָּתָן (שם):
תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי - You must make for Me - i.e., that the initial intention when making it be for My sake.		תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי. שֶׁתְּהֵא תְּחִלַּת עֲשִׂיָּתוֹ לִשְׁמִי:
וְזָֽבַחְתָּ עָלָיו - עָלָיו here means “next to it,” similar to וְעָלָיו מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה “Next to it will be the tribe of Manasseh.” 12 Or perhaps the intent is literally upon the Altar? Scripture therefore states: “You must offer up your ascent-offerings, the meat and the blood, upon the Altar of God, your God” 13 – but the slaughtering was not on top of the Altar.		וְזָֽבַחְתָּ עָלָיו. אֶצְלוֹ, כְּמוֹ וְעָלָיו מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה (במדבר ב'), אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עָלָיו מַמָּשׁ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הַבָּשָׂר וְהַדָּם עַל מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ (דברים י"ב), וְאֵין שְׁחִיטָה בְּרֹאשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:
אֶת־עֹֽלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶיךָ - Your ascent-offerings and your peace-offerings - which are from “your sheep and your cattle.”(lit.) Your sheep and your cattle: These words are a clarification of “your ascent-offerings and your peace-offerings.”		אֶת־עֹֽלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶיךָ. אֲשֶׁר מִצֹּאנְךָ וּמִבְּקָרֶךָ: (את צאנך ואת בקרך. פֵּרוּשׁ לְאֶת עוֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלָמֶיךָ:)
בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת־שְׁמִי - Wherever I will (lit.) mention My Name – i.e., where I give you permission to pronounce My explicit Name, there “I will come to you and bless you”. i.e., I will rest My Divine Presence on you. From here you learn that one is not allowed to pronounce the explicit Name of God except in the place where the Divine Presence would come, i.e., the Chosen House – only there are the priests allowed to pronounce the explicit Name of God, when they raise their hands to bless the people.		בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת־שְׁמִי. אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן לְךָ רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁלִּי, שָׁם אבוא אליך וברכתיך – אַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתִי עָלֶיךָ; מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ אֶלָּא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה בָאָה שָׁם, וְזֶהוּ בֵית הַבְּחִירָה, שָׁם נָתַן רְשׁוּת לַכֹּהֲנִים לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ בִּנְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם (סוטה ל"ח):
22When you make Me an altar of stones, you must not build it with hewn stones, for if you lift your sword over a stone intended for the altar to cut it, you will profane it.		כבוְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלֲלֶֽהָ:
וְאִם־מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים - When [you make Me] an altar of stones. Rabbi Yishmael says: Every אִם or וְאִם written in the Torah regarding a commandment means “if” and signifies that the commandment is optional, except for three: וְאִם מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי – this אִם is used in the sense of כַּאֲשֶׁר, i.e., “when you make Me an altar of stones, you must not build it with hewn stones”; it cannot be conditional since there is an obligation stated later for you to build an altar of stones, as it says: “You must build the altar of God, your God, out of whole boulders.” 14 And similarly: אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה “When you lend money” 15 is not optional but an obligation, as it says: “you must lend him,” 16 and thus this אִם, too, is used in the sense of כַּאֲשֶׁר “when.” And similarly: וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים “When you bring the grain-offering of first grains,” 17 which is referring to the omer grain-offering, which is obligatory. It must then be that these cases of אִם do not indicate a condition but are absolute, and are used in the sense of כַּאֲשֶׁר “when.”		וְאִם־מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר כָּל אִם וְאִם שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה רְשׁוּת חוּץ מִג', וְאִם מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי, הֲרֵי אִם זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר – וְכַאֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה לִי מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים לא תבנה אתהן גזית, שֶׁהֲרֵי חוֹבָה עָלֶיךָ לִבְנוֹת מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת תִּבְנֶה (דברים כ"ז) – וְכֵן אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה (שמות כ"ב), חוֹבָה הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ (דברים ט"ו) – וְאַף זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר – וְכֵן וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים (ויקרא ב'), זוֹ מִנְחַת הָעֹמֶר שֶׁהִיא חוֹבָה, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אֵין אִם הַלָּלוּ תְּלוּיִין אֶלָּא וַדָּאִין, וּבִלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵם מְשַׁמְּשִׁים:
גָּזִית - This is related to גְּזִיזָה “cutting,” and it is used to describe the stones because one hews them and chisels them with an iron tool.		גָּזִית. לְשׁוֹן גְּזִיזָה, שֶׁפּוֹסְלָן וּמְכַתְּתָן בְּבַרְזֶל:
כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ - This word כִּי here is used in the sense of פֶּן, which is “perhaps”; i.e., lest you lift your sword over it and thus…		כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ. הֲרֵי כִּי זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן פֶּן, שֶׁהוּא דִּילְמָא – פֶּן תָּנִיף חַרְבְּךָ עָלֶיהָ:
וַתְּחַֽלֲלֶֽהָ - You will profane it. From this you may learn that once you indeed lift an iron tool over it, you have profaned it; for the altar was created to lengthen a person’s life, and iron was created to shorten a person’s life, and it is not proper that the one that shortens a person’s life be lifted over the one that lengthens it. Furthermore, the altar makes peace between Israel and their Father in heaven, and therefore something that cuts and destroys should not come upon it. The reason is given so that we infer from it a fortiori the following conclusion: If even stones that do not see, hear, or speak, simply because they promote peace the Torah said about them: “you must not wield any iron tool upon them” 18 – he who reconciles a man and his wife, one family and another, or a man and his fellow, all the more is it certain that no misfortune will befall him.		וַתְּחַֽלֲלֶֽהָ. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאִם הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ בַּרְזֶל חִלַּלְתָּ, שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ נִבְרָא לְהַאֲרִיךְ יָמָיו שֶׁל אָדָם וְהַבַּרְזֶל נִבְרָא לְקַצֵּר יָמָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, אֵין זֶה בַּדִּין שֶׁיּוּנַף הַמְקַצֵּר עַל הַמַּאֲרִיךְ (מכילתא). וְעוֹד שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ מֵטִיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא יָבֹא עָלָיו כּוֹרֵת וּמְחַבֵּל; וַהֲרֵי דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אֲבָנִים שֶׁאֵינָן רוֹאוֹת וְלֹא שׁוֹמְעוֹת וְלֹא מְדַבְּרוֹת, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּטִילוֹת שָׁלוֹם אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה וְלֹא תָנִיף עֲלֵיהֶם בַּרְזֶל, הַמֵּטִיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, בֵּין מִשְׁפָּחָה לְמִשְׁפָּחָה, בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁלֹּא תְבוֹאֵהוּ פֻּרְעָנוּת (שם):
23You must not ascend My Altar on steps, so that your nakedness not be exposed over it.’”		כגוְלֹא־תַֽעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַֽעֲלֹ֖ת עַל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו:
וְלֹא־תַֽעֲלֶה בְמַֽעֲלֹת - You must not ascend [My Altar] on steps - i.e., when you build a ramp for the Altar, do not make it out of steps – “eschalons” in Old French – but it must be a smooth and sloping surface.		וְלֹא־תַֽעֲלֶה בְמַֽעֲלֹת. כְּשֶׁאַתָּה בוֹנֶה כֶבֶשׁ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תַעֲשֵׂהוּ מַעֲלוֹת מַעֲלוֹת, אשקלו"נש בְּלַעַז, אֶלָּא חָלָק יְהֵא וּמְשֻׁפָּע:
אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָֽתְךָ - So that your nakedness not be exposed - for by climbing steps you are required to take large steps and spread your legs; and although there would be no actual exposure of nakedness, for it is written: “And make them linen trousers,” 19 nevertheless taking large steps resembles exposure of nakedness enough to give that impression, and you are thus treating the stones disrespectfully. The reason is given so that we infer from it a fortiori the following conclusion: If regarding even these stones, which do not have feelings to be sensitive to disrespect, the Torah said: “Since they are of use in facilitating the priests’ service, you must not treat them disrespectfully” – your fellowman, who resembles your Creator and is sensitive about being treated disrespectfully, all the more must you avoid giving the impression of disrespecting him.		אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָֽתְךָ. שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַמַּעֲלוֹת אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיב פְּסִיעוֹתֶיךָ; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ גִּלּוּי עֶרְוָה מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב וַעֲשֵׂה לָהֶם מִכְנְסֵי בָד, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הַרְחָבַת הַפְּסִיעוֹת קָרוֹב לְגִלּוּי עֶרְוָה הוּא, וְאַתָּה נוֹהֵג בָּם מִנְהַג בִּזָּיוֹן; וַהֲרֵי דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אֲבָנִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם דַּעַת לְהַקְפִּיד עַל בִּזְיוֹנָן, אָמְרָה תוֹרָה הוֹאִיל וְיֵשׁ בָּהֶם צֹרֶךְ לֹא תִנְהַג בָּהֶם מִנְהַג בִּזָּיוֹן, חֲבֵרְךָ שֶׁהוּא בִדְמוּת יוֹצֶרְךָ, וּמַקְפִּיד עַל בִּזְיוֹנוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה:

Footnotes

Maftir Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 20

19God said to Moses, “This is what you must tell the Israelites: ‘You have seen that I spoke with you from heaven.		יטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָֹה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמַ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם כִּ֚י מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עִמָּכֶֽם:
כֹּה תֹאמַר - This is what you must tell - i.e., in this language.		כֹּה תֹאמַר. בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה:
אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם - You have seen. There is a difference between something a person himself sees and what others relate to him, for regarding something others relate to him, his heart may sometimes waver, preventing him from believing it.		אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם. יֵשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין מַה שֶּׁאָדָם רוֹאֶה לְמַה שֶּׁאֲחֵרִים מְשִׂיחִין לוֹ, שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁאֲחֵרִים מְשִׂיחִין לוֹ פְּעָמִים שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חָלוּק מִלְּהַאֲמִין (מכילתא):
כִּי מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי - That I spoke with you from heaven - yet another verse says: “God descended upon Mount Sinai”! 1 Comes the third verse and resolves the apparent contradiction between them: “From heaven He made you hear His voice to discipline you, and upon earth He showed you His great fire” 2 – His glory was in heaven, but His fire and power were manifest on earth. Another explanation: He lowered all the heavens, including the highest heavens, and spread them out above the mountain, and so it says: וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד “He bent down the heavens and descended.” 3		כִּי מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי. וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי (שמות י"ט), בָּא הַכָּתוּב הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְהִכְרִיעַ בֵּינֵיהֶם – מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת קוֹלוֹ לְיַסְּרֶךָּ וְעַל הָאָרֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ אֶת אִשּׁוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה (דברים ד'), כְּבוֹדוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְאִשּׁוֹ וּגְבוּרָתוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ; דָּבָר אַחֵר: הִרְכִּין שָׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהִצִּיעָן עַל הָהָר, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד (תהילים י"ח):
20You must not make a physical representation of any of the angels that you saw with Me in heaven. If you make the two gold cherubs of the Tabernacle out of silver, I will consider them idols of silver. If you make more than two, I will consider the additional ones idols of gold. You must not make for yourselves cherub-figurines for your houses of prayer or study.		כלֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּן אִתִּ֑י אֱלֹ֤הֵי כֶ֨סֶף֙ וֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶֽם:
לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּן אִתִּי - (lit.) You must not make with Me - means: you must not make anything resembling My attendants who minister before Me on high.		לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּן אִתִּי. לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן דְּמוּת שַׁמָּשַׁי הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁים לְפָנַי בַּמָּרוֹם (מכילתא):
אֱלֹהֵי כֶסֶף - Idols of silver. This comes to warn us about the gold cherubim that you make to stand “with Me” in the Tabernacle, that they not be made of silver, for if you change them and make them out of silver, I will consider them as idols.		אֱלֹהֵי כֶסֶף. בָּא לְהַזְהִיר עַל הַכְּרוּבִים שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לַעֲמֹד אִתִּי, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ שֶׁל כֶּסֶף, שֶׁאִם שִׁנִּיתֶם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם שֶׁל כֶּסֶף הֲרֵי הֵן לְפָנַי כֶּאֱלוֹהוּת:
וֵֽאלֹהֵי זָהָב - Idols of gold. This comes to warn us that one should not add to the two cherubim prescribed by the Torah, for if you make four, I consider the extra ones as idols of gold.		וֵֽאלֹהֵי זָהָב. בָּא לְהַזְהִיר שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף עַל שְׁנַיִם, שֶׁאִם עָשִׂיתָ אַרְבָּעָה הֲרֵי הֵן לְפָנַי כֵּאלֹהֵי זָהָב (מכילתא):
לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶֽם - You must not make for yourselves. So that you not say: “I will make cherubim in synagogues and houses of study just as I make them in the permanent Temple,” it therefore says: “you must not make for yourselves.”		לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶֽם. לֹא תֹאמַר הֲרֵינִי עוֹשֶׂה כְרוּבִים בְּבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בְּבֵית עוֹלָמִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם (שם):
21You must make an Altar for Me upon the earth. Next to it, you must sacrifice your ascent-offerings and your peace-offerings from your flocks and your cattle. Wherever I allow My Name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.		כאמִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֘ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֒ וְזָֽבַחְתָּ֣ עָלָ֗יו אֶת־עֹֽלֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶ֔יךָ אֶת־צֹֽאנְךָ֖ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶ֑ךָ בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵֽרַכְתִּֽיךָ:
מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה - (lit.) An altar of earth - i.e., directly over the ground, that the artisan not build it over columns or over arches. Another explanation: that he would fill the hollow of the copper altar with earth whenever they encamped.		מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה. מְחֻבָּר בַּאֲדָמָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִבְנֶנּוּ עַל גַּבֵּי עַמּוּדִים אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי בָּסִיס; דָּבָר אַחֵר שֶׁהָיָה מְמַלֵּא אֶת חֲלַל מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲדָמָה בִּשְׁעַת חֲנִיָּתָן (שם):
תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי - You must make for Me - i.e., that the initial intention when making it be for My sake.		תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי. שֶׁתְּהֵא תְּחִלַּת עֲשִׂיָּתוֹ לִשְׁמִי:
וְזָֽבַחְתָּ עָלָיו - עָלָיו here means “next to it,” similar to וְעָלָיו מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה “Next to it will be the tribe of Manasseh.” 4 Or perhaps the intent is literally upon the Altar? Scripture therefore states: “You must offer up your ascent-offerings, the meat and the blood, upon the Altar of God, your God” 5 – but the slaughtering was not on top of the Altar.		וְזָֽבַחְתָּ עָלָיו. אֶצְלוֹ, כְּמוֹ וְעָלָיו מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה (במדבר ב'), אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עָלָיו מַמָּשׁ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הַבָּשָׂר וְהַדָּם עַל מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ (דברים י"ב), וְאֵין שְׁחִיטָה בְּרֹאשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:
אֶת־עֹֽלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶיךָ - Your ascent-offerings and your peace-offerings - which are from “your sheep and your cattle.”(lit.) Your sheep and your cattle: These words are a clarification of “your ascent-offerings and your peace-offerings.”		אֶת־עֹֽלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶיךָ. אֲשֶׁר מִצֹּאנְךָ וּמִבְּקָרֶךָ: (את צאנך ואת בקרך. פֵּרוּשׁ לְאֶת עוֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלָמֶיךָ:)
בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת־שְׁמִי - Wherever I will (lit.) mention My Name – i.e., where I give you permission to pronounce My explicit Name, there “I will come to you and bless you”. i.e., I will rest My Divine Presence on you. From here you learn that one is not allowed to pronounce the explicit Name of God except in the place where the Divine Presence would come, i.e., the Chosen House – only there are the priests allowed to pronounce the explicit Name of God, when they raise their hands to bless the people.		בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת־שְׁמִי. אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן לְךָ רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁלִּי, שָׁם אבוא אליך וברכתיך – אַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתִי עָלֶיךָ; מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ אֶלָּא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה בָאָה שָׁם, וְזֶהוּ בֵית הַבְּחִירָה, שָׁם נָתַן רְשׁוּת לַכֹּהֲנִים לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ בִּנְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם (סוטה ל"ח):
22When you make Me an altar of stones, you must not build it with hewn stones, for if you lift your sword over a stone intended for the altar to cut it, you will profane it.		כבוְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלֲלֶֽהָ:
וְאִם־מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים - When [you make Me] an altar of stones. Rabbi Yishmael says: Every אִם or וְאִם written in the Torah regarding a commandment means “if” and signifies that the commandment is optional, except for three: וְאִם מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי – this אִם is used in the sense of כַּאֲשֶׁר, i.e., “when you make Me an altar of stones, you must not build it with hewn stones”; it cannot be conditional since there is an obligation stated later for you to build an altar of stones, as it says: “You must build the altar of God, your God, out of whole boulders.” 6 And similarly: אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה “When you lend money” 7 is not optional but an obligation, as it says: “you must lend him,” 8 and thus this אִם, too, is used in the sense of כַּאֲשֶׁר “when.” And similarly: וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים “When you bring the grain-offering of first grains,” 9 which is referring to the omer grain-offering, which is obligatory. It must then be that these cases of אִם do not indicate a condition but are absolute, and are used in the sense of כַּאֲשֶׁר “when.”		וְאִם־מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר כָּל אִם וְאִם שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה רְשׁוּת חוּץ מִג', וְאִם מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי, הֲרֵי אִם זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר – וְכַאֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה לִי מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים לא תבנה אתהן גזית, שֶׁהֲרֵי חוֹבָה עָלֶיךָ לִבְנוֹת מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת תִּבְנֶה (דברים כ"ז) – וְכֵן אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה (שמות כ"ב), חוֹבָה הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ (דברים ט"ו) – וְאַף זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר – וְכֵן וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים (ויקרא ב'), זוֹ מִנְחַת הָעֹמֶר שֶׁהִיא חוֹבָה, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אֵין אִם הַלָּלוּ תְּלוּיִין אֶלָּא וַדָּאִין, וּבִלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵם מְשַׁמְּשִׁים:
גָּזִית - This is related to גְּזִיזָה “cutting,” and it is used to describe the stones because one hews them and chisels them with an iron tool.		גָּזִית. לְשׁוֹן גְּזִיזָה, שֶׁפּוֹסְלָן וּמְכַתְּתָן בְּבַרְזֶל:
כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ - This word כִּי here is used in the sense of פֶּן, which is “perhaps”; i.e., lest you lift your sword over it and thus…		כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ. הֲרֵי כִּי זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן פֶּן, שֶׁהוּא דִּילְמָא – פֶּן תָּנִיף חַרְבְּךָ עָלֶיהָ:
וַתְּחַֽלֲלֶֽהָ - You will profane it. From this you may learn that once you indeed lift an iron tool over it, you have profaned it; for the altar was created to lengthen a person’s life, and iron was created to shorten a person’s life, and it is not proper that the one that shortens a person’s life be lifted over the one that lengthens it. Furthermore, the altar makes peace between Israel and their Father in heaven, and therefore something that cuts and destroys should not come upon it. The reason is given so that we infer from it a fortiori the following conclusion: If even stones that do not see, hear, or speak, simply because they promote peace the Torah said about them: “you must not wield any iron tool upon them” 10 – he who reconciles a man and his wife, one family and another, or a man and his fellow, all the more is it certain that no misfortune will befall him.		וַתְּחַֽלֲלֶֽהָ. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאִם הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ בַּרְזֶל חִלַּלְתָּ, שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ נִבְרָא לְהַאֲרִיךְ יָמָיו שֶׁל אָדָם וְהַבַּרְזֶל נִבְרָא לְקַצֵּר יָמָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, אֵין זֶה בַּדִּין שֶׁיּוּנַף הַמְקַצֵּר עַל הַמַּאֲרִיךְ (מכילתא). וְעוֹד שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ מֵטִיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא יָבֹא עָלָיו כּוֹרֵת וּמְחַבֵּל; וַהֲרֵי דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אֲבָנִים שֶׁאֵינָן רוֹאוֹת וְלֹא שׁוֹמְעוֹת וְלֹא מְדַבְּרוֹת, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּטִילוֹת שָׁלוֹם אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה וְלֹא תָנִיף עֲלֵיהֶם בַּרְזֶל, הַמֵּטִיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, בֵּין מִשְׁפָּחָה לְמִשְׁפָּחָה, בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁלֹּא תְבוֹאֵהוּ פֻּרְעָנוּת (שם):
23You must not ascend My Altar on steps, so that your nakedness not be exposed over it.’”		כגוְלֹא־תַֽעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַֽעֲלֹ֖ת עַל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו:
וְלֹא־תַֽעֲלֶה בְמַֽעֲלֹת - You must not ascend [My Altar] on steps - i.e., when you build a ramp for the Altar, do not make it out of steps – “eschalons” in Old French – but it must be a smooth and sloping surface.		וְלֹא־תַֽעֲלֶה בְמַֽעֲלֹת. כְּשֶׁאַתָּה בוֹנֶה כֶבֶשׁ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תַעֲשֵׂהוּ מַעֲלוֹת מַעֲלוֹת, אשקלו"נש בְּלַעַז, אֶלָּא חָלָק יְהֵא וּמְשֻׁפָּע:
אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָֽתְךָ - So that your nakedness not be exposed - for by climbing steps you are required to take large steps and spread your legs; and although there would be no actual exposure of nakedness, for it is written: “And make them linen trousers,” 11 nevertheless taking large steps resembles exposure of nakedness enough to give that impression, and you are thus treating the stones disrespectfully. The reason is given so that we infer from it a fortiori the following conclusion: If regarding even these stones, which do not have feelings to be sensitive to disrespect, the Torah said: “Since they are of use in facilitating the priests’ service, you must not treat them disrespectfully” – your fellowman, who resembles your Creator and is sensitive about being treated disrespectfully, all the more must you avoid giving the impression of disrespecting him.		אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָֽתְךָ. שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַמַּעֲלוֹת אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיב פְּסִיעוֹתֶיךָ; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ גִּלּוּי עֶרְוָה מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב וַעֲשֵׂה לָהֶם מִכְנְסֵי בָד, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הַרְחָבַת הַפְּסִיעוֹת קָרוֹב לְגִלּוּי עֶרְוָה הוּא, וְאַתָּה נוֹהֵג בָּם מִנְהַג בִּזָּיוֹן; וַהֲרֵי דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אֲבָנִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם דַּעַת לְהַקְפִּיד עַל בִּזְיוֹנָן, אָמְרָה תוֹרָה הוֹאִיל וְיֵשׁ בָּהֶם צֹרֶךְ לֹא תִנְהַג בָּהֶם מִנְהַג בִּזָּיוֹן, חֲבֵרְךָ שֶׁהוּא בִדְמוּת יוֹצֶרְךָ, וּמַקְפִּיד עַל בִּזְיוֹנוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה:

Footnotes

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 6

1In the year of the death of King Uzziah, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and His lower extremity filled the Temple.		אבִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ וָֽאֶרְאֶ֧ה אֶת־אֲדֹנָ֛י ישֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֖א רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֑א וְשׁוּלָ֖יו מְלֵאִ֥ים אֶת־הַהֵיכָֽל:
In the year of the death. i.e., when he was smitten with zaraath.		בשנת מות. כשנצטרע:
and His lower extremity. Heb. וְשׁוּלָיו, comp. (Exodus 28:34) “On the hem (שׁוּלֵי) of the robe,” meaning its lower extremity. I saw Him sitting on His throne in heaven with His feet in the Temple, His footstool in the Sanctuary, to pass judgment on Uzziah, who came to usurp the crown of the priesthood.		ושוליו. כמו שולי המעיל (שמות כ״ח:ל״ד) תחתיתו ראיתיו יושב על כסא בשמים ורגליו בהיכל הדום מרגלותיו בבית המקדש לדון על עוזיה שבא ליטול כתר כהונה:
2Seraphim stood above for Him, six wings, six wings to each one; with two he would cover his face, and with two he would cover his feet, and with two he would fly.		בשְׂרָפִ֨ים עֹֽמְדִ֚ים מִמַּ֙עַל֙ ל֔וֹ שֵׁ֧שׁ כְּנָפַ֛יִם שֵׁ֥שׁ כְּנָפַ֖יִם לְאֶחָ֑ד בִּשְׁתַּ֣יִם \| יְכַסֶּ֣ה פָנָ֗יו וּבִשְׁתַּ֛יִם יְכַסֶּ֥ה רַגְלָ֖יו וּבִשְׁתַּ֥יִם יְעוֹפֵֽף:
Seraphim stood above. in heaven.		שרפים עומדים ממעל. בשמים:
for Him. i.e., to serve him, and so does Jonathan render: Holy servants are on high before Him.		לו. לשמשו כן תירגם יונתן שמשין קדישין ברומא קדמוהי:
with two he would cover his face. so as not to look toward the Shechinah.		בשתים יכסה פניו. שלא יביט לצד השכינה:
and with two he would cover his feet. for modesty, so as not to bare his entire body before his Creator. And in Tanhuma (Emor 8), I saw that the feet were covered because they are like the sole of the foot of a calf, in order not to remind Israel of the sin of the golden calf.		ובשתים יכסה רגליו. לצניעות שלא יראה כל גופו לפני בוראו ובתנחומא ראיתי כסוי הרגלים לפי שהם ככף רגל עגל שלא להזכיר לישראל עון העגל:
and with two he would fly. And with two he would serve [from Targum Jonathan].		ובשתים יעופף. ובתרין משמש:
3And one called to the other and said, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory."		גוְקָרָא֨ זֶ֚ה אֶל־זֶה֙ וְאָמַ֔ר קָד֧וֹשׁ \| קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת מְלֹ֥א כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ:
And one called to the other. They would take permission from one another so that one would not commence before [his fellows] and be guilty of [a sin punishable by] burning, unless they all commenced simultaneously. This is what was established in [the blessing commencing:] “… Who formed light”, “the declaration of holiness, they all respond as one…” This is a Midrash Aggadah of the account of the Merkavah. And so did Jonathan render this.		וקרא זה אל זה. נוטלין רשות זה מזה שלא יקדים האחד ויתחיל ויתחייב שריפה אלא אם כן פתחו כולם כאחד וזהו שיסד ביוצר אור קדושה כולם כאחד עונים כו' ומדרש אגדה מעשה מרכבה הוא וכן תירגם יונתן:
Holy, holy, holy. Three times, as the Targum renders.		קדוש קדוש קדוש. ג' פעמים כתרגומו:
4And the doorposts quaked from the voice of him who called, and the House became filled with smoke.		דוַיָּנֻ֙עוּ֙ אַמּ֣וֹת הַסִּפִּ֔ים מִקּ֖וֹל הַקּוֹרֵ֑א וְהַבַּ֖יִת יִמָּלֵ֥א עָשָֽׁן:
And the doorposts quaked. [Jonathan renders:] אֵילְוַתסִפֵּי, they are the doorposts of the entrance, which are measured with the measurements of cubits in the height and in the width, and they are the doorposts of the Temple.		וינועו אמות הספים. אילות סיפי הם מזוזות הפתח שנמדדין במדות אמות לגובה ולרוחב והן מזוזת ההיכל:
from the voice of him who called. [i.e.,] from the voice of the angels calling. This took place on the day of the earthquake, about which it is stated (Zechariah 14:5): “And you shall flee as you fled on the day of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah.” On the day that Uzziah stood, ready to burn incense in the Temple, the heavens quaked, [attempting] to burn him, as if to say that his punishment should be by burning, as it is said (Num. 16:35): “And it consumed the two hundred and fifty men.” For this reason, Scripture calls them seraphim, for they attempted to burn him. The earth quaked, attempting to swallow him up, thinking that his punishment should be that he be swallowed up like Korah, who contested the priesthood. Thereupon, a heavenly voice emanated and said (ibid. 17:5), “And there shall not be” another man contesting the priesthood “like Korah” to be swallowed up, “and like his assembly” to be burnt, but, “as the Lord spoke by the hand of Moses,” in the thornbush (Exodus 4:6), “Now bring your hand into your bosom,” and he took it out, stricken with zaraath like snow, here too, the zaraath shone on his forehead."		מקול הקורא. מקול המלאכים הקוראים והוא היה יום הרעש שנאמר בו ונסתם כאשר נסתם מפני הרעש בימי עוזיה (זכריה י״ד:ה׳) בו ביום עמד עזיה להקטיר בהיכל רעשו שמים לשורפו לומר דינו בשריפה כמו שנאמר ותאכל את החמשים ומאתים איש (במדבר ט״ז:ל״ה) וזהו שקראם שרפים שבאו לשורפו רעשה הארץ לבולעו כסבורה דינו לבלע כקרח שערער על הכהונה יצתה בת קול ואמרה זכרון לבני ישראל וגו' (שם) ולא יהיה עוד אדם המעורר על הכהונה כקרח בבליעה וכעדתו בשריפה אלא כאשר דבר ה' ביד משה בסנה הבא נא ידך בחיקך (שמות ד׳:ו׳) והוציאה מצורעת כשלג אף כאן צרעת פרחה במצחו:
and the House became filled with smoke. Was filled with smoke [i.e., even though the future tense is used, the past is meant].		והבית ימלא עשן. היה נמלא עשן:
5And I said, "Woe is me for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and amidst a people of unclean lips I dwell, for the King, the Lord of Hosts have my eyes seen.		הוָֽאֹמַ֞ר אֽוֹי־לִ֣י כִֽי־נִדְמֵ֗יתִי כִּ֣י אִ֚ישׁ טְמֵֽא־שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וּבְתוֹךְ֙ עַם־טְמֵ֣א שְׂפָתַ֔יִם אָנֹכִ֖י יֹשֵׁ֑ב כִּ֗י אֶת־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת רָא֥וּ עֵינָֽי:
for I am lost. I will die, for I was not worthy of seeing the Countenance of the Shechinah. We find a similar statement made by Manoah (Judges 13:22): “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”		כי נדמיתי. הריני מת שלא הייתי כדאי שאראה פני השכינה ודוגמתו מצינו במנוח מות נמות כי אלהים ראינו (שופטים י״ג:כ״ב):
I am lost. Heb. נִדְמֵיתִי, comp. (Zephaniah 1:11): “The entire people of Canaan is broken (נִדְמֶה).”		נדמתי. כמו כי נדמה כל עם כנען:
people of unclean lips. that are defiled with sins [from Jonathan].		טמא שפתים. דמגעל בחובין:
6And one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal; with tongs he had taken it from upon the altar.		ווַיָּ֣עָף אֵלַ֗י אֶחָד֙ מִן־הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וּבְיָד֖וֹ רִצְפָּ֑ה בְּמֶ֨לְקָחַ֔יִם לָקַ֖ח מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ:
a glowing coal. Heb. רִצְפָּה, a coal, and similarly, (I Kings 19:6) “a cake baked on hot coals (עֻגַּתרְצָפִים),” like עֻגַּתרְשָׁפִים. In regards to Isaiah and Elijah, however, it is written with a ‘zadi,’ רִצְפָּה, because they spoke ill of Israel. This one [Isaiah] called them a people of unclean lips, and this one [Elijah] said, (ibid. 10) “For… have forsaken Your covenant.” Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to the angel, “Break the mouth (רְצוֹץפֶּה) that spoke ill of My children.”		רצפה. גחלת וכן עוגת רצפים (מלכים א י״ט:ו׳) כמו עוגת רשפים ונאמר בישעיהו ובאליהו בצד"י רצפה מפני שאמרו דילטוריא על ישראל זה קראם עם טמא שפתי' וזה אמר כי עזבו בריתך (שם) אמר הקב"ה למלאך רצוץ פה שאמר דלטוריא על בני:
with tongs. Heb. (בְּמֶלְקֳחַיִם) with tongs.		במלקחים. בצבת:
he had taken it from upon the altar. that was in the forecourt.		לקח מעל המזבח. שבעזרה:
7And he caused it to touch my mouth, and he said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity shall be removed, and your sin shall be atoned for."		זוַיַּגַּ֣ע עַל־פִּ֔י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֛ה נָגַ֥ע זֶ֖ה עַל־שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ וְסָ֣ר עֲו‍ֹנֶ֔ךָ וְחַטָּֽאתְךָ֖ תְּכֻפָּֽר:
And he caused it to touch my mouth… “… and your iniquity shall be removed”. This is to cause pain, to atone for your iniquity that you degraded Israel. And his strength was great, for the angel was afraid to take it without tongs, yet he caused it to touch the prophet’s lip, and he [the prophet] was not injured. [This is found] in Tanhuma (ibid.) This is [the meaning] of what Scripture states (Joel 2:11): “For His camp is very great,” these are the angels; “and stronger” than they “are those who fulfill His word” these are the prophets (Tanhuma ibid.). Jonathan renders: “And in his hand was a glowing coal,” to mean, “And in his mouth was speech.” The expression רִצְפָּה : [means a thing refined in the mouth and with the tongue] (רָצוּף בְּפֶּה).“From upon the altar,” he received the speech from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be he, from His throne in Heaven, which was directed opposite the altar that was in the Temple.		ויגע על פי וגו'. וסר עונך מזה ליסרך לכפר עונך שחירפת את ישראל וגדול כחו שהמלאך ירא לקחתה כ"א במלקחים והגיעה על שפתי הנביא ולא הוזק בתנחומא וזהו שנאמר כי רב מאד מחנהו (יואל ב׳:י״א) אלו מלאכים ועצומים מהם עושי דברו (שם) הם הנביאים ויונתן תירגם ובידו רצפה ובפומיה ממלל לשון רצפה דבר הרצוף בפה ובלשון, קבל הדבור מפי הקב"ה מכסאו בשמים שהיה מכוון כנגד המזבח שבהיכל:
8And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here I am; send me."		חוָֽאֶשְׁמַ֞ע אֶת־ק֚וֹל אֲדֹנָי֙ אֹמֵ֔ר אֶת־מִֽי־אֶשְׁלַ֖ח וּמִ֣י יֵֽלֶךְ־לָ֑נוּ וָֽאֹמַ֖ר הִֽנְנִ֥י שְׁלָחֵֽנִי:
Whom shall I send. to admonish Israel? I sent Amos, and they called him, ‘Pesilus,’ because he was tongue tied, [’Pesilus’ being the Greek word for tongue-tied.] He prophesied two years before the earthquake, and the Israelites would say, The Holy One, blessed be He, left over the whole world and caused His Shechinah to rest on this tongue-tied one, as is stated in Pesikta.		את מי אשלח. להוכיח את ישראל שלחתי את עמוס והיו קורין אותו פסילוס לפי שהיה כבד לשון והוא נתנב' שנתים לפני הרעש והיו ישראל אומרים הניח הקב"ה את העולם והשרה שכינתו על הדין קטיע לישנא כו' כדאיתא בפסיקתא:
9And He said, "Go and say to this people, 'Indeed you hear, but you do not understand; indeed you see, but you do not know.'		טוַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֵ֥ךְ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה שִׁמְע֚וּ שָׁמ֙וֹעַ֙ וְאַל־תָּבִ֔ינוּ וּרְא֥וּ רָא֖וֹ וְאַל־תֵּדָֽעוּ:
Indeed you hear. I say to you, Indeed you hear, but you do not strive to understand, and indeed you see miracles that I have performed for you, yet you do not strive to know Me.		שמעו שמוע. אני אומר לכם שמעו שמוע ואתם אין אתם נותנים לב להבין וראו ניסים שעשיתי לכם ואינכם נותנים לב לדעת אותי:
10This people's heart is becoming fat, and his ears are becoming heavy, and his eyes are becoming sealed, lest he see with his eyes, and hear with his ears, and his heart understand, and he repent and be healed."		יהַשְׁמֵן֙ לֵֽב־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאָזְנָ֥יו הַכְבֵּ֖ד וְעֵינָ֣יו הָשַׁ֑ע פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֨ה בְעֵינָ֜יו וּבְאָזְנָ֣יו יִשְׁמָ֗ע וּלְבָב֥וֹ יָבִ֛ין וָשָׁ֖ב וְרָ֥פָא לֽוֹ:
This people’s heart is becoming fat. [This structure] הַשְׁמֵן resembles (Exodus 8:11), “And making his heart heavy (הַכְבֵּד) ,” an expression of a continuous action. Their heart continuously becomes fatter, angrajjsant in O.F., and his ears are becoming heavier and heavier, [i.e., harder and harder] of hearing.		השמן לב העם הזה. כמו הכבד את לבו (שמות ח׳:י״א) לשון הלוך (לשון) פעול לבם הולך הלוך והשמן (אנגריישנ"ט בלעז) ואזניו הולכים הלוך והכבד משמוע:
and his eyes are becoming sealed. Plastered, comp. (infra 44:18) “For their eyes are plastered from seeing.” הִטּוֹחַ (Leviticus 14:43) is translated into Aramaic as דְאִתְשַׁע. We, thereby, equate the two words הָשַׁע and טָח.		ועיניו השע. טחים כענין שנאמר (לקמן מד) כי טח מראות עיניהם, הטוח מתרגמינן דאיתשע:
lest he see with his eyes. They intended not to hearken to the words of the prophets, for they fear lest His words please them, and they will understand with their heart, and return to Me, and this will be their cure.		פן יראה בעיניו. נתנו לבם שלא ישמעו דברי נביאים שהם יראים שמא יוטבו בעיניהם דבריו ויבינו בלבם וישובו אלי והיא רפואתם:
11And I said, "Until when, O Lord?" And He said, "Until cities be desolate without inhabitant and houses without people, and the ground lies waste and desolate.		יאוָֽאֹמַ֕ר עַד־מָתַ֖י אֲדֹנָ֑י וַיֹּ֡אמֶר עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר֩ אִם־שָׁא֨וּ עָרִ֜ים מֵאֵ֣ין יוֹשֵׁ֗ב וּבָתִּים֙ מֵאֵ֣ין אָדָ֔ם וְהָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה תִּשָּׁאֶ֥ה שְׁמָמָֽה:
Until when. will they make their heart heavy and not listen?		עד מתי. יכבידו את לבם ולא ישמעו:
And He said. I know that they will not repent until retribution comes upon them and they go into exile, and the cities will be desolate without inhabitants.		ויאמר. ידעתי כי לא ישיבו עד תבא פורענות עליהם וילכו בגולה ושאו עריהם מאין יושב:
lies waste and desolate. an expression of solitude, without an inhabitant.		שאו. תשאה לשון גלמוד מאין יושב:
12And the Lord removes the people far away, and the deserted places be many in the midst of the land.		יבוְרִחַ֥ק יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וְרַבָּ֥ה הָֽעֲזוּבָ֖ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ:
and the deserted places be many. For the land will be abandoned by them, and this is the explanation of the language: Deserted places will increase in the midst of the land.		ורבה העזובה. שהארץ תעזב מהם וכך הלשון ירבו מקומות עזובים בקרב הארץ:
13And when there is yet a tenth of it, it will again be purged, like the terebinth and like the oak, which in the fall have but a trunk, the holy seed is its trunk."		יגוְע֥וֹד בָּהּ֙ עֲשִׂ֣ירִיָּ֔ה וְשָׁ֖בָה וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה לְבָעֵ֑ר כָּֽאֵלָ֣ה וְכָֽאַלּ֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֚ר בְּשַׁלֶּ֙כֶת֙ מַצֶּ֣בֶת בָּ֔ם זֶ֥רַע קֹ֖דֶשׁ מַצַּבְתָּֽהּ:
And when there is yet a tenth. And when they are diminished to one out of ten (Rashi ms.)] even upon this remnant will I return My hand as a purge after a purge, and it will be purged until only completely righteous men will remain, who will repent wholeheartedly.		ועוד בה עשיריה. גם אותה השארית אשיב ידי עליה בצרוף אחר צרוף והיתה לבער עד שלא ישארו אלא צדיקים גמורים שישובו אלי בכל לבם:
like the terebinth and like the oak. which, at the time of their casting, when they cast off their leaves during the fall, one casting after another casting, until nothing is left in it except the trunk, they too, the holy seed found in its midst, adhering to their holiness, they will be to Me as the trunk; another explanation of מַצַּבְתָּהּ is: its planting. Therefore, I will not destroy them, for I planted them as holy seed. Some explain that there was a Shallecheth Gate in Jerusalem, as it is stated in Ezra (I Chron. 26: 16, written by Ezra), and there, terebinths and oaks were planted.		כאלה וכאלון. אשר בעת זמן שלכת שלהן משליכין עלין שלהן בימי הסתיו שילוך אחר שילוך עד שאין נותר בה זולתי המצבה אף הם זרע הקדש הנמצאין בה עומדין בקדושתו הם יהיו לה למצבת, ד"א מצבתה נטיעתה לכך איני מכלה אותם נטעתים זרע קודש, ויש פותרים שער שלכת היתה בירושלים כמו שאמר בעזרא והיו שם אלה ואלון נטועים:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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