Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 10

1At that time, God said to me, ‘Hew yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones, and come up to Me onto the mountain. Make yourself a wooden ark.   אבָּעֵ֨ת הַהִ֜וא אָמַ֧ר יְהֹוָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י פְּסָל־לְךָ֞ שְׁנֵֽי־לוּחֹ֤ת אֲבָנִים֙ כָּרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וַֽעֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֖י הָהָ֑רָה וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ אֲ֥רוֹן עֵֽץ:
בָּעֵת הַהִוא - At that time - i.e., at the end of 40 days, He consented to my request and said to me: “Hew yourself two tablets” and afterwards: “make yourself an ark.” However, I made the ark first, for otherwise, when I would come with the tablets in hand, where would I put them? This is not the Ark made by Betzalel, for they did not work on the Tabernacle until after Yom Kippur, for only when Moses descended from the mountain did he instruct them regarding the construction of the Tabernacle, and Betzalel made the Tabernacle first, followed by the Ark and the other furnishings. Thus, this ark must have been a different one, and it was the one that would accompany them to war; however, the one made by Betzalel did not go out to war, except once, in Eli’s time, for which they were punished, in that it was captured by the enemy.   בָּעֵת הַהִוא.  לְסוֹף אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם נִתְרַצָּה לִי וְאָמַר לִי פסל לך, וְאַחַר כָּךְ ועשית לך ארון, וַאֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי אָרוֹן תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁכְּשֶׁאָבֹא וְהַלּוּחוֹת בְּיָדִי הֵיכָן אֶתְּנֵם? וְלֹא זֶה הוּא הָאָרוֹן שֶׁעָשָׂה בְצַלְאֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי מִשְׁכָּן לֹא נִתְעַסְּקוּ בוֹ עַד לְאַחַר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, כִּי בְּרִדְתּוֹ מִן הָהָר צִוָּה לָהֶם עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וּבְצַלְאֵל עָשָׂה מִשְׁכָּן תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָרוֹן וְכֵלִים, נִמְצָא זֶה אָרוֹן אַחֵר הָיָה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹצֵא עִמָּהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה, וְאוֹתוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה בְצַלְאֵל לֹא יָצָא לַמִּלְחָמָה, אֶלָּא בִּימֵי עֵלִי, וְנֶעֶנְשׁוּ עָלָיו וְנִשְׁבָּה (תלמוד ירושלמי שקלים ו):
2I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you shattered, and you must place them into the ark.’   בוְאֶכְתֹּב֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁבַּ֑רְתָּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֖ם בָּֽאָרֽוֹן:
3I made an ark of acacia wood, and I hewed two stone tablets like the first ones. I ascended the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.   גוָאַ֤עַשׂ אֲרוֹן֙ עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֔ים וָֽאֶפְסֹ֛ל שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים וָאַ֣עַל הָהָ֔רָה וּשְׁנֵ֥י הַלֻּחֹ֖ת בְּיָדִֽי:
4He inscribed on the tablets—according to the original text—the Ten Commandments that God spoke to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. God gave them to me.   דוַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֜ת כַּמִּכְתָּ֣ב הָֽרִאשׁ֗וֹן אֵ֚ת עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֲלֵיכֶ֥ם בָּהָ֛ר מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵ֖שׁ בְּי֣וֹם הַקָּהָ֑ל וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלָֽי:
5I turned, came down from the mountain, and placed the tablets in the ark that I had made, and they remained there, as God had commanded me.   הוָאֵ֗פֶן וָֽאֵרֵד֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וָֽאָשִׂם֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת בָּֽאָר֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑יתִי וַיִּ֣הְיוּ שָׁ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוַּ֖נִי יְהֹוָֽה:
6The Israelites journeyed from the wells of Benei Ya’akan to Moserah. There, you mourned Aaron as if he had died and had been buried there, and his son Eleazar had been installed to serve as high priest in his stead.   ווּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נָֽסְע֛וּ מִבְּאֵרֹ֥ת בְּנֵי־יַֽעֲקָ֖ן מֽוֹסֵרָ֑ה שָׁ֣ם מֵ֤ת אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וַיִּקָּבֵ֣ר שָׁ֔ם וַיְכַהֵ֛ן אֶלְעָזָ֥ר בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו:
וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נָֽסְעוּ מִבְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַֽעֲקָן מֽוֹסֵרָה - The Israelites journeyed from the wells of Benei Ya’akan to Moserah. What does this matter have to do with what is being recounted here? Furthermore, did they indeed journey from the wells of Benei Ya’akan to Moserah? Surely it was from Moserah that they came to Benei Ya’akan, as it says: “they journeyed from Moserot and camped at Benei Ya’akan”? 1 Another difficulty: “There, Aaron died” – but did he not die on Mount Hor? Go and count, and you will find that there are eight stations from Moserah to Mount Hor. Rather, we must say that this, too, is part of Moses’ rebuke. This, too, you did: When Aaron died at Mount Hor at the end of the 40 years and the Clouds of Glory departed, you were afraid because of the war with the king of Arad and you appointed a new leader to return to Egypt, and you backtracked eight stations until Benei Ya’akan and from there to Moserah. There the Levites fought with you and killed some of you while you killed some of them, until they had you return along your route of retreat. From there you returned to HaGudgod, which is identical to Chor HaGidgad, 2 “and from HaGudgod to Yotvatah.” While at Moserah, you conducted a heavy mourning over Aaron’s death that caused you all this loss, and it seemed to you as if he had died there.Moses juxtaposed this rebuke to the mention of the breaking of the tablets, indicating that the death of the righteous is as grievous for the Holy One, blessed be He, as the day that the tablets were broken, and to inform you that that which they said: “let us appoint a leader” in order to separate themselves from Him was as severe for Him as the day that they made the Golden Calf.   וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נָֽסְעוּ מִבְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַֽעֲקָן מֽוֹסֵרָה.  מָה עִנְיָן זֶה לְכָאן? וְעוֹד, וְכִי מִבְּאֵרוֹת בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן נָסְעוּ לְמוֹסֵרָה, וַהֲלֹא מִמּוֹסֵרָה בָּאוּ לִבְנֵי יַעֲקָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּסְעוּ מִמֹּסֵרוֹת וְגוֹ'" (במדבר ל"ג), וְעוֹד, שָׁם מֵת אַהֲרֹן, וַהֲלֹא בְּהֹר הָהָר מֵת, צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב וְתִמְצָא שְׁמוֹנָה מַסָּעוֹת מִמּוֹסֵרוֹת לְהֹר הָהָר? אֶלָּא אַף זוֹ מִן הַתּוֹכֵחָה, וְעוֹד זֹאת עֲשִׂיתֶם, כְּשֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן בְּהֹר הָהָר לְסוֹף אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וְנִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד, יְרֵאתֶם לָכֶם מִמִּלְחֶמֶת מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד, וּנְתַתֶּם רֹאשׁ לַחֲזֹר לְמִצְרַיִם וַחֲזַרְתֶּם לַאֲחוֹרֵיכֶם שְׁמוֹנָה מַסָּעוֹת עַד בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן, וּמִשָּׁם לְמוֹסֵרָה, שָׁם נִלְחֲמוּ בָּכֶם בְּנֵי לֵוִי וְהָרְגוּ מִכֶּם וְאַתֶּם מֵהֶם, עַד שֶׁהֶחֱזִירוּ אֶתְכֶם בְּדֶרֶךְ חֲזָרַתְכֶם, וּמִשָּׁם חֲזַרְתֶּם הַגֻּדְגֹּדָה הוּא חֹר הַגִּדְגָּד.
7From there, you journeyed to HaGudgod, and from HaGudgod to Yotvatah, a land with streams of water.   זמִשָּׁ֥ם נָֽסְע֖וּ הַגֻּדְגֹּ֑דָה וּמִן־הַגֻּדְגֹּ֣דָה יָטְבָ֔תָה אֶ֖רֶץ נַֽחֲלֵי־מָֽיִם:
וּמִן־הַגֻּדְגֹּדָה וגו' - And from Gudgodah [to Yotvath…]. And at Moserah, you made a great mourning for the death of Aaron, which was the cause of this [your retreat], and it seemed to you as though he had died there (Yerushalmi Sotah 1:10, Tanchuma, Chukath 18). Moses juxtaposed this reproof with the breaking of the tablets to indicate that the death of the righteous is as grievous to the Holy One, blessed is He, as the day the tablets were broken (Lev. Rabbah 2)], and to inform you that when they said, “Let us appoint a leader [and return to Egypt]” (Num. 14:4)-and divorce ourselves from him [Moses], was as grievous for him as was the day on which they made the golden calf.   וּמִן־הַגֻּדְגֹּדָה וגו'.  וּבְמוֹסֵרָה עֲשִׂיתֶם אֵבֶל כָּבֵד עַל מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁגָּרְמָה לָכֶם זֹאת, וְנִדְמָה לָכֶם כְּאִלּוּ מֵת שָׁם (תלמוד ירושלמי סוטה א'; מכילתא שמות ט"ו; תנחומא חקת); וְסָמַךְ מֹשֶׁה תּוֹכֵחָה זוֹ לְשִׁבּוּר הַלּוּחוֹת לוֹמַר שֶׁקָּשָׁה מִיתָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּבְּרוּ בוֹ הַלּוּחוֹת, וּלְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁהֻקְשָׁה לוֹ מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ "נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ" (במדבר י"ד) לִפְרֹשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ – כַּיּוֹם שֶׁעָשׂוּ בוֹ אֶת הָעֵגֶל (ויקרא רבה כ'):
8God separated the tribe of Levi at that time to bear the Ark of the Covenant of God, to stand before God to minister to Him as priests, and to bless the people in His Name, as they do to this day.   חבָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗וא הִבְדִּ֤יל יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣בֶט הַלֵּוִ֔י לָשֵׂ֖את אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָ֑ה לַֽעֲמֹד֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֤ה לְשָֽׁרְתוֹ֙ וּלְבָרֵ֣ךְ בִּשְׁמ֔וֹ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
בָּעֵת הַהִוא הִבְדִּיל ה' וגו' - At that time God separated… This refers back to the original subject.   בָּעֵת הַהִוא הִבְדִּיל ה' וגו'.  מוּסָב לָעִנְיָן הָרִאשׁוֹן:
בָּעֵת הַהִוא - At that time - in the first year after you left Egypt, when you erred with the Golden Calf but the Levites did not err, the Omnipresent separated them from you. This verse is juxtaposed to the account of the return from Benei Ya’akan, indicating that there, too, the Levites did not err, but remained faithful.   בָּעֵת הַהִוא.  , בַּשָּׁנָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לְצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם, וּטְעִיתֶם בָּעֵגֶל וּבְנֵי לֵוִי לֹא טָעוּ, הִבְדִּילָם הַמָּקוֹם מִכֶּם; וְסָמַךְ מִקְרָא זֶה לַחֲזָרַת בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן לוֹמַר שֶׁאַף בְּזוֹ לֹא טָעוּ בָהּ בְּנֵי לֵוִי אֶלָּא עָמְדוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָתָם:
לָשֵׂאת אֶת־אֲרוֹן - To bear the Ark - i.e., the Levites.   לָשֵׂאת אֶת־אֲרוֹן.  הַלְוִיִם:
לַֽעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי ה' לְשָֽׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּשְׁמוֹ - To stand before God to minister to Him and to bless in His Name - i.e., the priests, referring to when they raise their hands to recite the priestly blessing.   לַֽעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי ה' לְשָֽׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּשְׁמוֹ.  הַכֹּהֲנִים, וְהוּא נְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם (ערכין י"א):
9Therefore, the tribe of Levi has no portion in the spoils of war nor any land-inheritance with its brothers. God is their inheritance, as God, your God, spoke regarding them.   טעַל־כֵּ֞ן לֹֽא־הָיָ֧ה לְלֵוִ֛י חֵ֥לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה עִם־אֶחָ֑יו יְהֹוָה֙ ה֣וּא נַֽחֲלָת֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לֽוֹ:
עַל־כֵּן לֹֽא־הָיָה לְלֵוִי חֵלֶק - Therefore, Levi has no portion - for they were separated for the Altar service and are thus not available to plow and sow.   עַל־כֵּן לֹֽא־הָיָה לְלֵוִי חֵלֶק.  לְפִי שֶׁהֻבְדְּלוּ לַעֲבוֹדַת מִזְבֵּחַ וְאֵינָן פְּנוּיִין לַחֲרֹשׁ וְלִזְרֹעַ:
ה' הוּא נַֽחֲלָתוֹ - God is their inheritance - i.e., they receive a ready-prepared portion from the King’s house.   ה' הוּא נַֽחֲלָתוֹ.  נוֹטֵל פְּרָס מְזֻמָּן מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ:
10I remained on the mountain like the first days, for 40 days and 40 nights, and God hearkened to me also at that time; God did not seek to destroy you.   יוְאָֽנֹכִ֞י עָמַ֣דְתִּי בָהָ֗ר כַּיָּמִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י גַּ֚ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַהִ֔וא לֹֽא־אָבָ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה הַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ:
וְאָֽנֹכִי עָמַדְתִּי בָהָר - I remained on the mountain - to receive the latter set of tablets. Since Moses had not specified above how much time he spent on the mountain on this last ascent, he began speaking of it again.   וְאָֽנֹכִי עָמַדְתִּי בָהָר.  לְקַבֵּל הַלּוּחוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת, וּלְפִי שֶׁלֹּא פֵּרֵשׁ לְמַעְלָה כַּמָּה עָמַד בָּהָר בַּעֲלִיָּה אַחֲרוֹנָה זוֹ, חָזַר וְהִתְחִיל בָּהּ:
כַּיָּמִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים - Like the first days - i.e., the 40 days of the first tablets. Just as they were spent in God’s favor, so were these last 40 days in His favor. But the middle 40 days, when I stood there to pray for you, were when God was angry.   כַּיָּמִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים.  שֶׁל לוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, מַה הֵם בְּרָצוֹן אַף אֵלּוּ בְּרָצוֹן, אֲבָל הָאֶמְצָעִיִּים שֶׁעָמַדְתִּי שָׁם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיכֶם הָיוּ בְכַעַס:
11God said to me, ‘Arise, go before the people to lead them on their journey, so that they may come and take possession of the land I promised their forefathers that I would give them.’   יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י ק֛וּם לֵ֥ךְ לְמַסַּ֖ע לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיָבֹ֨אוּ֙ וְיִֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי לַֽאֲבֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם:
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי וגו' - God said to me… Even though you turned away from following Him and erred with the Golden Calf, He said to me: “Go, lead the people….” 3   וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי וגו'.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁסַּרְתֶּם מֵאַחֲרָיו וּטְעִיתֶם בָּעֵגֶל, אָמַר לִי לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת הָעָם (שמות ל"ב):