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 העבדים  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
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:
ועושה חסד - 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)   ועושה חסד  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: