Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 19

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: 1 “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,” 2 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.” 3 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.” 4 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.” 5 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, 6 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: