| 26No woman in your land will miscarry or be barren. I will grant you the full count of your days. |
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כולֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶ֛ה מְשַׁכֵּלָ֥ה וַֽעֲקָרָ֖ה בְּאַרְצֶ֑ךָ אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר יָמֶ֖יךָ אֲמַלֵּֽא: |
| לֹא תִֽהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה - No woman will miscarry - if you carry out My will, i.e., obey all My commandments. |
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לֹא תִֽהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה.
אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה רְצוֹנִי:
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| מְשַׁכֵּלָה - A woman who miscarries or buries her children during her lifetime is called מְשַׁכֵּלָה. |
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מְשַׁכֵּלָה.
מַפֶּלֶת נְפָלִים אוֹ קוֹבֶרֶת אֶת בָּנֶיהָ קְרוּיָה מְשַׁכֵּלָה:
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| 27I will send forth a dread of Me before you, I will throw into confusion all the people into whose midst you are coming, and I will make all your enemies flee from you. |
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כזאֶת־אֵֽימָתִי֙ אֲשַׁלַּ֣ח לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהַמֹּתִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּבֹ֖א בָּהֶ֑ם וְנָֽתַתִּ֧י אֶת־כָּל־אֹֽיְבֶ֛יךָ אֵלֶ֖יךָ עֹֽרֶף: |
| וְהַמֹּתִי -
is the equivalent of וְהָמַמְתִּי – “And I will sow confusion,” and its Aramaic translation is וַאֲשַׁגֵּשׁ. Similarly, any word whose verb form’s last root letter is repeated, when in the form פָּעַלְתִּי (first person singular past tense), there are cases where the repeated letter is dropped and the remaining letter takes a dagesh and is vocalized with a melopum (cholam), such as וְהַמֹּתִי “and I will sow confusion,” from the same root as in וְהָמַם גִּלְגַּל עֶגְלָתוֹ “and his wagon wheel will roar”; וְסַבּוֹתִי “and I turned,” from the same root as in וְסָבַב בֵּית אֵל “and he would make his rounds to Bethel”; דַּלֹּתִי “I was poor,” from the same root as in דָּלְלוּ וְחָרְבוּ “diminished and dried up”; עַל כַּפַּיִם חַקֹּתִיךְ “I have engraved you on My hands,” from the same root as in חִקְקֵי לֵב “(lit.) engravings of the heart”; אֶת מִי רַצּוֹתִי “whom did I oppress,” from the same root as in רִצַּץ עָזַב דַּלִּים “he oppressed and abandoned the poor.”
But one who translates וְהַמֹּתִי as וְאֶקְטַל “and I will kill” is mistaken, for if it were of the same root as מִיתָה “death,” its ה would not be vocalized with a patach, nor would its מ take a dagesh and be vocalized with a melopum (cholam). Rather it would be written וְהֵמַתִּי, as in וְהֵמַתָּה אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה “if You kill this nation,” with the ת taking a dagesh because it is instead of two ת’s – one is a root letter, because no form of the root מות appears without a ת, and the other is part of the suffix along with the י, as in אָמַרְתִּי, חָטָאתִי, and עָשִׂיתִי. Similarly in וְנָתַתִּי, the second ת takes a dagesh because it is instead of two ת’s, for the word ought to have been written with three ת’s – two as part of the root, as in בְּיוֹם תֵּת ה׳ “on the day that God gave over,” and מַתַּת אֱלֹהִים הִיא “it is a gift of God,” and the third as part of the suffix.
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וְהַמֹּתִי.
כְּמוֹ וְהָמַמְתִּי, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וֶאֱשַׁגֵּשׁ. וְכֵן כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁפֹּעַל שֶׁלָּהּ בְּכֶפֶל אוֹת אַחֲרוֹנָה, כְּשֶׁתֵּהָפֵךְ לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן פָּעַלְתִּי, יֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁנּוֹטֵל אוֹת הַכְּפוּלָה וּמַדְגִּישׁ אֶת הָאוֹת וְנוֹקְדוֹ בִּמְלָאפוּם כְּגוֹן וְהַמֹּתִי מִגִּזְרַת וְהָמַם גִּלְגַּל עֶגְלָתוֹ (ישעיהו כ"ח), וְסַבּוֹתִי (קהלת ב'), מִגִּזְרַת וְסָבַב בֵּית אֵל (שמואל א ז׳:ט״ז), דַּלֹּתִי (תהילים קט"ז), מִגִּזְרַת דָּלְלוּ וְחָרְבוּ (ישעיהו י"ט), עַל כַּפַּיִם חַקֹּתִיךְ (ישעיהו מ״ט:ט״ז), מִגִּזְרַת חִקְקֵי לֵב (שופטים ה'), אֶת מִי רַצּוֹתִי (שמואל א י״ב:ג׳), מִגִּזְרַת רִצַּץ עָזַב דַּלִּים (איוב כ'). וְהַמְתַרְגֵּם וְהַמֹּתִי וְאֶקְטַל, טוֹעֶה הוּא, שֶׁאִלּוּ מִגִּזְרַת מִיתָה הָיָה, אֵין הֵ"א שֶׁלָּהּ בְּפַתָּח וְלֹא מֵ"ם שֶׁלָּהּ מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת וְלֹא נְקוּדָה מְלָאפוּם, אֶלָּא וְהֵמַתִּי כְּגוֹן וְהֵמַתָּה אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה (במדבר י״ד:ט״ו), וְהַתָּי"ו מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת לְפִי שֶׁתָּבֹא בִּמְקוֹם שְׁתֵּי תָוִי"ן, הָאַחַת נִשְׁרֶשֶׁת – לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מִיתָה בְּלֹא תָי"ו – וְהָאַחֶרֶת מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת, כְּמוֹ אָמַרְתִּי, חָטָאתִי, עָשִׂיתִי, וְכֵן וְנָתַתִּי הַתָּי"ו מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת, שֶׁהִיא בָאָה בִּמְקוֹם שְׁתַּיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ שָׁלֹשׁ תָּוִי"ן – שְׁתַּיִם לִיסוֹד, כְּמוֹ בְּיוֹם תֵּת ה' (יהושע י'), מַתַּת אֱלֹהִים הִיא (קהלת ג'), וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית לְשִׁמּוּשׁ:
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| עֹֽרֶף - (lit.) The back of the head - means here that your enemies will flee from before you and turn the back of their heads towards you. |
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עֹֽרֶף.
שֶׁיָּנוּסוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ וְיַהַפְכוּ לְךָ עָרְפָּם:
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| 28I will send wasps ahead of you; they will drive out before you the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites. |
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כחוְשָׁלַֽחְתִּ֥י אֶת־הַצִּרְעָ֖ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וְגֵֽרְשָׁ֗ה אֶת־הַֽחִוִּ֧י אֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֛י וְאֶת־הַֽחִתִּ֖י מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ: |
| הַצִּרְעָה - is a type of flying insect, which would wound the enemy’s eyes and inject them with poison so that they died. The hornet did not in fact cross the Jordan River westward, and the Hittite and Canaanite mentioned here are the nations of the land of Sichon and Og east of the Jordan. Therefore, of all the seven Canaanite nations, only these are mentioned here. And the Hivites, who are also mentioned here although they were on the other, western side of the Jordan – about them our rabbis taught in Tractate Sotah: The hornet stood on the east bank of the Jordan and fired poison at them. |
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הַצִּרְעָה.
מִין שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף, וְהָיְתָה מַכָּה אוֹתָם בְּעֵינֵיהֶם וּמַטִּילָה בָהֶם אֶרֶס וְהֵם מֵתִים. וְהַצִּרְעָה לֹא עָבְרָה אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן, וְהַחִתִּי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי הֵם אֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג, לְפִיכָךְ מִכָּל שֶׁבַע אֻמּוֹת לֹא מָנָה כָאן אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ, וְחִוִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מֵעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וָהָלְאָה, שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה (דף ל"ו), עַל שְׂפַת הַיַּרְדֵּן עָמְדָה וְזָרְקָה בָהֶם מָרָה:
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| 29I will not drive them out from before you in a single year, lest the land become desolate and the wild animals outnumber you. |
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כטלֹ֧א אֲגָֽרְשֶׁ֛נּוּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בְּשָׁנָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת פֶּן־תִּֽהְיֶ֤ה הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְרַבָּ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה: |
| שְׁמָמָה - Desolate - i.e., empty of people, as you are few in number and there are not enough of you to fill it. |
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שְׁמָמָה.
רֵקָנִית מִבְּנֵי אָדָם, לְפִי שֶׁאַתֶּם מְעַט וְאֵין בָּכֶם כְּדֵי לְמַלֹּאות אוֹתָהּ:
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| וְרַבָּה עָלֶיךָ - means “they would outnumber you.” |
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וְרַבָּה עָלֶיךָ.
וְתִרְבֶּה עָלֶיךָ:
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| 30I will drive them out before you little by little, until you increase and occupy the land. |
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למְעַ֥ט מְעַ֛ט אֲגָֽרְשֶׁ֖נּוּ מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּפְרֶ֔ה וְנָֽחַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| עַד אֲשֶׁר תִּפְרֶה - means “until you increase,” תִּפְרֶה being derived from פְּרִי “fruit,” similar to פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ “Be fruitful and prolific.” |
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עַד אֲשֶׁר תִּפְרֶה.
תִּרְבֶּה, לְשׁוֹן פְּרִי, כְּמוֹ פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ (בראשית א'):
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| 31I will set your borders from the Sea of Reeds to the Philistine Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hands, and you will drive them out from before you. |
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לאוְשַׁתִּ֣י אֶת־גְּבֻֽלְךָ֗ מִיַּם־סוּף֙ וְעַד־יָ֣ם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וּמִמִּדְבָּ֖ר עַד־הַנָּהָ֑ר כִּ֣י | אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּיֶדְכֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת יֽשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וְגֵֽרַשְׁתָּ֖מוֹ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ: |
| וְשַׁתִּי - is related to הֲשָׁתָה “setting,” and the ת takes a dagesh because it is in place of two ת’s, for no form of the root שות appears without a ת, and the other ת is part of the suffix. |
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וְשַׁתִּי.
לְשׁוֹן הֲשָׁתָה, וְהַתָּי"ו מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבָּאָה תַּחַת שְׁתַּיִם, שֶׁאֵין שִׁיתָה בְּלֹא תָי"ו, וְהָאַחַת לְשִׁמּוּשׁ:
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| עַד־הַנָּהָר - The river - Euphrates. |
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עַד־הַנָּהָר.
פְּרָת:
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| וְגֵֽרַשְׁתָּמוֹ - means “and you will drive them out.” |
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וְגֵֽרַשְׁתָּמוֹ.
וּתְגָרְשֵׁם:
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| 32You must not make a covenant with them nor with their deities. |
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לבלֹֽא־תִכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם וְלֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם בְּרִֽית: |
| 33They must not dwell in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me by serving their deities, which would prove to be a snare to you.” |
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לגלֹ֤א יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְךָ֔ פֶּן־יַֽחֲטִ֥יאוּ אֹֽתְךָ֖ לִ֑י כִּ֤י תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ: |
| כִּי תַֽעֲבֹד וגו' - Both these instances of כִּי are used in the sense of אֲשֶׁר “that,” and so it is used in a number of places. This is a form of the sense אִי “if,” which is one of the four senses with which the word כִּי is used, just as we find in many places that אִם is used in the sense of אֲשֶׁר “when,” as in: וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים “When you bring the grain-offering of first grains,” where this offering is obligatory. |
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כִּי תַֽעֲבֹד וגו'.
הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ כִּי מְשַׁמְּשִׁין בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר, וְכֵן בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת, וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן אִי שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מֵאַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁהַכִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ, וְגַם מָצִינוּ בְּהַרְבֵּה מְקוֹמוֹת אִם מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, כְּמוֹ וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים (ויקרא ב'), שֶׁהִיא חוֹבָה:
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| 1God had said to Moses, “Go up Mount Sinai to God—you and Aaron, Nadav, and Avihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel—and prostrate yourselves from afar. |
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אוְאֶל־משֶׁ֨ה אָמַ֜ר עֲלֵ֣ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֗ה אַתָּה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹן֙ נָדָ֣ב וַֽאֲבִיה֔וּא וְשִׁבְעִ֖ים מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִיתֶ֖ם מֵֽרָחֹֽק: |
| וְאֶל־משֶׁה אָמַר - [God] had said to Moses, “Go up.”. This section was stated before the Ten Commandments, and it was on 4 Sivan that he was told: “Go up.” |
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וְאֶל־משֶׁה אָמַר.
פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה קֹדֶם עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, בְּד' בְּסִיוָן נֶאֱמְרָה לוֹ עֲלֵה (שבת פ"ח):
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| 2Moses alone must approach God. The others may not approach, nor may the people ascend the mountaintop with him.” |
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בוְנִגַּ֨שׁ משֶׁ֤ה לְבַדּוֹ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהֵ֖ם לֹ֣א יִגָּ֑שׁוּ וְהָעָ֕ם לֹ֥א יַֽעֲל֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ: |
| וְנִגַּשׁ משֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ - Moses alone must approach - i.e., into the thick cloud. |
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וְנִגַּשׁ משֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ.
אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל:
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| 3Moses came and told the people all of God’s words and all the laws. The entire people responded with one voice and said, “All the words that God has spoken we will do.” |
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גוַיָּבֹ֣א משֶׁ֗ה וַיְסַפֵּ֤ר לָעָם֙ אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים וַיַּ֨עַן כָּל־הָעָ֜ם ק֤וֹל אֶחָד֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה נַֽעֲשֶֽׂה: |
| וַיָּבֹא משֶׁה וַיְסַפֵּר לָעָם - Moses came and told the people - on that same day. |
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וַיָּבֹא משֶׁה וַיְסַפֵּר לָעָם.
בּוֹ בַיּוֹם:
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| אֵת כָּל־דִּבְרֵי ה' - All of God’s words - i.e., the instruction to separate from their wives and make a boundary around Mount Sinai. |
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אֵת כָּל־דִּבְרֵי ה'.
מִצְוַת פְּרִישָׁה וְהַגְבָּלָה:
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| וְאֵת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים - And all the laws - i.e., the seven commandments given to the descendants of Noah, and the laws of the Sabbath, honoring one’s father and mother, “the red cow,” and civil justice, which were given to them at Marah. |
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וְאֵת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים.
שֶׁבַע מִצְווֹת שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בְנֵי נֹחַ, וְשַׁבָּת וְכִבּוּד אָב וָאֵם וּפָרָה אֲדֻמָּה וְדִינִין שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם בְּמָרָה (סנהדרין נ"ו):
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| 4Moses wrote down all the words of God, rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and 12 monuments for the 12 tribes of Israel. |
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דוַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב משֶׁ֗ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבֵּ֖חַ תַּ֣חַת הָהָ֑ר וּשְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה לִשְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה - Moses wrote down - the text of the Torah containing the events from the beginning of Genesis up to but not including the Giving of the Torah, and he wrote down the details of the commandments they were given at Marah. |
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וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה.
מִבְּרֵאשִׁית וְעַד מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, וְכָתַב מִצְווֹת שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בְמָרָה:
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| וַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר - He rose early in the morning - i.e., on 5 Sivan. |
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וַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר.
בַּחֲמִשָּׁה בְּסִיוָן:
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| 5He dispatched the firstborn young men of the Israelites and they offered up ascent-offerings and slaughtered bulls as peace-promoting feast-offerings to God. |
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הוַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֶת־נַֽעֲרֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּֽעֲל֖וּ עֹלֹ֑ת וַיִּזְבְּח֞וּ זְבָחִ֧ים שְׁלָמִ֛ים לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה פָּרִֽים: |
| אֶת־נַֽעֲרֵי - The young men - i.e., the firstborn. |
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אֶת־נַֽעֲרֵי.
הַבְּכוֹרוֹת:
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| 6Moses took half the blood and put it into two large bowls. Half of the blood he dashed onto the altar. |
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ווַיִּקַּ֤ח משֶׁה֙ חֲצִ֣י הַדָּ֔ם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם בָּֽאַגָּנֹ֑ת וַֽחֲצִ֣י הַדָּ֔ם זָרַ֖ק עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ: |
| וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה את חֲצִי הַדָּם - Moses took half the blood. Who divided it? An angel came and divided it. |
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וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה את חֲצִי הַדָּם.
מִי חִלְּקוֹ? מַלְאָךְ בָּא וְחִלְּקוֹ (ויקרא רבה ו'):
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| בָּֽאַגָּנֹת - Into large bowls - i.e., two bowls, one for half the blood of the ascent-offering and the other for half the blood of the peace-offering, in order to dash both types upon the people, symbolizing their passing between the two halves of the animals, as is the usual way of making a covenant. It is from here that our rabbis derived that our forefathers entered the covenant with God through circumcision, ritual immersion, and dashing blood upon them, for no dashing of blood is valid without prior immersion of the person upon whom the blood is being dashed. |
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בָּֽאַגָּנֹת.
שְׁתֵּי אַגָּנוֹת, אֶחָד לַחֲצִי דַּם עוֹלָה וְאֶחָד לַחֲצִי דָּם שְׁלָמִים לְהַזּוֹת אוֹתָם עַל הָעָם. וּמִכָּאן לָמְדוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לַבְּרִית בְּמִילָה וּטְבִילָה וְהַזָּאַת דָּמִים, שֶׁאֵין הַזָּאָה בְּלֹא טְבִילָה (כריתות ט'):
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| 7He took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. They responded, “We will do and we will learn everything that God has spoken.” |
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זוַיִּקַּח֙ סֵ֣פֶר הַבְּרִ֔ית וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה וְנִשְׁמָֽע: |
| סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית - The Book of the Covenant - which contained the two entities stated earlier, i.e., the account of the events from Genesis up to but not including the Giving of the Torah, and the commandments that they were given at Marah. |
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סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית.
מִבְּרֵאשִׁית וְעַד מַתַּן תּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בְמָרָה:
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| 8Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has made with you regarding all these words.” |
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חוַיִּקַּ֤ח משֶׁה֙ אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם וַיִּזְרֹ֖ק עַל־הָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֤ה דַם־הַבְּרִית֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם עַ֥ל כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה: |
| וַיִּזְרֹק - (lit.) And threw it. This means dashing. But Onkelos translates וַיִּזְרֹק עַל הָעָם as וּזְרַק עַל מַדְבְּחָא לְכַפָּרָא עַל עַמָּא “and he dashed it on the altar to atone for the people.” |
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וַיִּזְרֹק.
עִנְיַן הַזָּאָה, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּזְרַק עַל מַדְבְּחָא לְכַפָּרָא עַל עַמָּא:
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| 9Moses went up the mountain, as did Aaron, Nadav, and Avihu, and 70 of Israel’s elders. |
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טוַיַּ֥עַל משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֑ן נָדָב֙ וַֽאֲבִיה֔וּא וְשִׁבְעִ֖ים מִזִּקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| 10They had a vision of the God of Israel. In this vision, beneath God’s feet there was the likeness of a brick of sapphire, while around Him was an appearance like the clearness of the cloudless heavens. |
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יוַיִּרְא֕וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְתַ֣חַת רַגְלָ֗יו כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙ לִבְנַ֣ת הַסַּפִּ֔יר וּכְעֶ֥צֶם הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָטֹֽהַר: |
| וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - They had a vision of the God of Israel. They gazed and peered into the cloud, thereby becoming liable to the death penalty. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not wish to mar the rejoicing of the Giving of the Torah, so he waited for Nadav and Avihu until the day of the dedication of the Tabernacle, and for the elders until: “The people sought a pretext…a fire from God broke out among them, consuming those at the extreme of (בִּקְצֵה) the camp,” i.e., the leaders (קְצִינִים) among the camp. |
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וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
נִסְתַּכְּלוּ וְהֵצִיצוּ וְנִתְחַיְּבוּ מִיתָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְעַרְבֵּב שִׂמְחַת הַתּוֹרָה וְהִמְתִּין לְנָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא עַד יוֹם חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְלַזְּקֵנִים עַד וַיְהִי הָעָם כְּמִתְאוֹנְנִים, וַתִּבְעַר בָּם אֵשׁ ה' וַתֹּאכַל בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה (במדבר י"א) – בַּקְּצִינִים שֶׁבַּמַּחֲנֶה (תנחומא):
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| כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר - The likeness of a brick of sapphire. This had been in front of Him during the people’s subjugation in Egypt, signifying His awareness of Israel’s suffering by being enslaved to make bricks (לְבֵנִים). |
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כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר.
הִיא הָיְתָה לְפָנָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, לִזְכֹּר צָרָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂה לְבֵנִים (ויקרא רבה):
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| וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹֽהַר - An appearance like the clearness of the heavens. This symbolized that once they were redeemed from Egypt, there was light and joy before Him. |
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וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹֽהַר.
מִשֶּׁנִּגְאֲלוּ הָיָה אוֹר וְחֶדְוָה לְפָנָיו:
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| וּכְעֶצֶם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּכְמֶחֱזֵי, meaning “appearance.” |
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וּכְעֶצֶם.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן מַרְאֶה:
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| לָטֹֽהַר - an expression of clarity and lucidity. |
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לָטֹֽהַר.
לְשׁוֹן בָּרוּר וְצָלוּל:
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| 11Yet God did not raise His hand against the nobles of the Israelites to punish them, even though they gazed upon the Divine vision as if they were doing so while they ate and drank. |
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יאוְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֖ח יָד֑וֹ וַיֶּֽחֱזוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיֹּֽאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ: |
| וְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי - The nobles. They were Nadav, Avihu, and the seventy elders. |
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וְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי.
הֵם נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְהַזְּקֵנִים:
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| לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ - [God] did not raise His hand - implied is that they deserved to be harmed. |
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לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ.
מִכְּלָל שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִים לְהִשְׁתַּלֵּחַ בָּהֶם יָד (תנחומא, ויקרא רבה כ'):
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| וַיֶּֽחֱזוּ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים - They gazed upon the Divine vision - i.e., they looked at Him with familiarity, as though they were engaged in eating and drinking. So it is explained in Midrash Tanchuma, but Onkelos did not translate it so. אֲצִילֵי is a term for great people, as in וּמֵאֲצִילֶיהָ קְרָאתִיךָ “and I called you from among its noblest peoples,” and וַיָּאצֶל מִן הָרוּחַ “and He elevated them through the spirit”; and שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת אַצִּילָה “six large-size cubits.” |
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וַיֶּֽחֱזוּ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים.
הָיוּ מִסְתַּכְּלִין בּוֹ בְּלֵב גַּס מִתּוֹךְ אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, כָּךְ מִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא, וְאֻנְקְלוֹס לֹא תִרְגֵּם כֵּן, אֲצִילֵי לְשׁוֹן גְּדוֹלִים, כְּמוֹ וּמֵאֲצִילֶיהָ קְרָאתִיךָ (ישעיהו מ"א), וַיָּאצֶל מִן הָרוּחַ (במדבר י"א), שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת אַצִּילָה (יחזקאל מ"א):
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| 12God said to Moses, “Come up to Me, on the mountain, and remain there. I will give you the tablets of stone, the Torah, and its commandments, which I have written down for the people’s instruction.” |
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יבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה עֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֛י הָהָ֖רָה וֶֽהְיֵה־שָׁ֑ם וְאֶתְּנָ֨ה לְךָ֜ אֶת־לֻחֹ֣ת הָאֶ֗בֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה֙ וְהַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתַ֖בְתִּי לְהֽוֹרֹתָֽם: |
| וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה - God said to Moses - after the Giving of the Torah. |
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וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה.
לְאַחַר מַתַּן תּוֹרָה:
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| עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וֶֽהְיֵה־שָׁם - Come up to Me, on the mountain, and remain there - for 40 days. |
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עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וֶֽהְיֵה־שָׁם.
אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם:
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| אֶת־לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהֽוֹרֹתָֽם - The tablets of stone, the Torah, and its commandments, which I have written down for their instruction. All 613 commandments are implicitly included in the Ten Commandments, and Rabbenu Saadia Gaon, in the Azharot that he composed, specified for each of the Ten Commandments the commandments associated with it. |
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אֶת־לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהֽוֹרֹתָֽם.
כָּל שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִצְווֹת בִּכְלַל עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת הֵן, וְרַבֵּנוּ סְעַדְיָה פֵּרֵשׁ בָּאַזְהָרוֹת שֶׁיָּסַד לְכָל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר מִצְווֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בּוֹ:
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| 13Moses arose, along with Joshua, his attendant. Moses ascended the Mountain of God. |
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יגוַיָּ֣קָם משֶׁ֔ה וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ מְשָֽׁרְת֑וֹ וַיַּ֥עַל משֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הַ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים: |
| וַיָּקָם משֶׁה וִֽיהוֹשֻׁעַ מְשָֽׁרְתוֹ - Moses arose, along with Joshua, his attendant. I do not know with certainty what purpose Joshua served here, but I say that the disciple Joshua accompanied his master Moses as far as the limit set by the boundary around the mountain, from which point he had no permission to go further, and from there “Moses ascended the Mountain of God” alone, while Joshua pitched his tent there and stayed there for the entire 40 days that Moses was on the mountain, for so we find that when Moses descended, “Joshua heard the sound of the people jubilating,” from which we learn that Joshua was not with them in the camp. |
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וַיָּקָם משֶׁה וִֽיהוֹשֻׁעַ מְשָֽׁרְתוֹ.
לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מַה טִּיבוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כָּאן, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי, שֶׁהָיָה הַתַּלְמִיד מְלַוֶּה לָרַב עַד מְקוֹם הַגְבָּלַת תְּחוּמֵי הָהָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לֵילֵךְ מִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה, וּמִשָּׁם וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל הַר הָאֱלֹהִים, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ נָטָה שָׁם אָהֳלוֹ וְנִתְעַכֵּב שָׁם כָּל אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ כְּשֶׁיָּרַד מֹשֶׁה וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת קוֹל הָעָם בְּרֵעֹה (שמות ל״ב:י״ז), לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עִמָּהֶם:
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| 14He said to the elders, “Wait for us here until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you; whoever has a lawsuit should approach them.” |
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ידוְאֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֤ים אָמַר֙ שְׁבוּ־לָ֣נוּ בָזֶ֔ה עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־נָשׁ֖וּב אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֨ה אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן וְחוּר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם מִי־בַ֥עַל דְּבָרִ֖ים יִגַּ֥שׁ אֲלֵהֶֽם: |
| וְאֶל־הַזְּקֵנִים אָמַר - He said to the elders - when he left the camp. |
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וְאֶל־הַזְּקֵנִים אָמַר.
בְּצֵאתוֹ מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה:
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| שְׁבוּ־לָנוּ בָזֶה - Wait for us here - and remain here with the rest of the people in the camp, to be ready to adjudicate any man’s dispute. |
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שְׁבוּ־לָנוּ בָזֶה.
וְהִתְעַכְּבוּ כָּאן עִם שְׁאָר הָעָם בַּמַּחֲנֶה, לִהְיוֹת נְכוֹנִים לִשְׁפֹּט לְכָל אִישׁ רִיבוֹ:
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| חור - Hur - He was the son of Miriam and his father was Caleb son of Yefuneh, as it says: “and Caleb married Efrat, and she bore him Hur,” and Efrat is Miriam, as stated in Sotah. |
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חור.
בְּנָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם הָיָה וְאָבִיו כָּלֵב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּקַּח לוֹ כָלֵב אֶת אֶפְרָת וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת חוּר (דהי"א ב'), אֶפְרָת זוֹ מִרְיָם כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסוֹטָה:
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| מִי־בַעַל דְּבָרִים - (lit. “who is the owner of words”). means “whoever has a lawsuit.” |
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מִי־בַעַל דְּבָרִים.
מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ דִּין:
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| 15Moses ascended the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. |
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טווַיַּ֥עַל משֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הָהָ֑ר וַיְכַ֥ס הֶֽעָנָ֖ן אֶת־הָהָֽר: |
| 16The glory of God rested on Mount Sinai, which the cloud covered for six days, and on the seventh day He called out to Moses from the midst of the cloud. |
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טזוַיִּשְׁכֹּ֤ן כְּבֽוֹד־יְהֹוָה֙ עַל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וַיְכַסֵּ֥הוּ הֶֽעָנָ֖ן שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֶל־משֶׁ֛ה בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י מִתּ֥וֹךְ הֶֽעָנָֽן: |
| וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶֽעָנָן - (lit.) And the cloud covered it. Our rabbis differ as to what this means. Some of them say: These are the six days from the first of the month of Sivan until Atzeret, the day of the Giving of the Torah. |
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וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶֽעָנָן.
רַבּוֹתֵינוּ חוֹלְקִים בַּדָּבָר, יֵשׁ מֶהֵם אוֹ' אֵלּוּ שִׁשָּׁה יָמִים שֶׁמֵּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶש (עַד עֲצֶרֶת יוֹם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה):
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| וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶֽעָנָן - And the cloud covered it - means: it covered the mountain. |
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וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶֽעָנָן.
לָהָר:
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| וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־משֶׁה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי - On the seventh day He called out to Moses - i.e., in order to pronounce the Ten Commandments; and although not only Moses but all the Israelites were standing there, Scripture nevertheless accorded Moses special honor by mentioning him by name. But some say וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶעָנָן means “And the cloud covered him,” i.e., Moses, for six days after the utterance of the Ten Commandments, which coincided with the beginning of the 40 days that Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the two Tablets; and this teaches you that whoever enters the area of the Divine Presence requires prior separation for six days. |
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וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־משֶׁה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.
לוֹמַר עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, וּמֹשֶׁה וְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמְדִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁחָלַק הַכָּתוּב כָּבוֹד לְמֹשֶׁה; וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים ויכסהו הענן לְמֹשֶׁה ששת ימים לְאַחַר עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, וְהֵם הָיוּ בִּתְחִלַּת אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם שֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה לְקַבֵּל לוּחוֹת, וְלִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל הַנִּכְנָס לְמַחֲנֵה שְׁכִינָה טָעוּן פְּרִישָׁה שִׁשָּׁה יָמִים (יומא ג'):
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| 17In the eyes of the Israelites, the appearance of the glory of God was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop. |
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יזוּמַרְאֵה֙ כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה כְּאֵ֥שׁ אֹכֶ֖לֶת בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| 18Moses entered the cloud and ascended the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. |
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יחוַיָּבֹ֥א משֶׁ֛ה בְּת֥וֹךְ הֶֽעָנָ֖ן וַיַּ֣עַל אֶל־הָהָ֑ר וַיְהִ֤י משֶׁה֙ בָּהָ֔ר אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָֽיְלָה: |
| בְּתוֹךְ הֶֽעָנָן - (lit.) In the midst of the cloud. This cloud was somewhat similar to smoke and was formed by consuming the rocks and dirt on the mountain, in addition to the regular cloud of water vapor mentioned earlier, and the Holy One, blessed be He, made a path for Moses within it so his face and clothing would not become soiled. End of Parashat Mishpatim |
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בְּתוֹךְ הֶֽעָנָן.
עָנָן זֶה כְּמִין עָשָׁן הוּא, וְעָשָׂה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה שְׁבִיל בְּתוֹכוֹ (שם ד'):
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