Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 34

1God said to Moses, “Hew yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will inscribe upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets that you shattered.   אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה פְּסָל־לְךָ֛ שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְכָֽתַבְתִּי֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶת־הַ֨דְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ:
פְּסָל־לְךָ - Hew yourself. God showed Moses a sapphire quarry inside his tent and said to him, “The surplus (פְּסֹלֶת) of the sapphire will be yours,” and from this Moses became extremely wealthy.   פְּסָל־לְךָ.  הֶרְאָהוּ מַחְצַב סַנְפִּירִינוֹן מִתּוֹךְ אָהֳלוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ הַפְּסֹלֶת יִהְיֶה שֶׁלְּךָ; מִשָּׁם נִתְעַשֵּׁר מֹשֶׁה הַרְבֵּה (תנחומא):
פְּסָל־לְךָ - Hew yourself. It is as if God were saying: “You shattered the first set of tablets, so you carve out for yourself others.” This may be compared to the case of a king who went to a faraway land, leaving his new wife together with her maidservants. As a result of the immorality of the maidservants, she became implicated in their wrongdoing, so her good friend arose and tore up her wedding contract, saying, “If the king wishes to kill her I will tell him: ‘She is not yet your wife.’” The king investigated and found that the immorality was only among the maidservants, so he became reconciled with his wife. Her friend then said to the king, “Write for her another wedding contract, for the first one was torn up.” The king answered him, “You were the one who tore it up, so you be the one to buy for her another paper and I will write it for her in my handwriting.” So, too, here the king refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, the maidservants are the mixed multitude, the friend is Moses, and the wife of the Holy One, blessed be He, is Israel. The verse therefore says: “Hew yourself.”   פְּסָל־לְךָ.  אַתָּה שִׁבַּרְתָּ הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, אַתָּה פְּסָל לְךָ אֲחֵרוֹת, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָלַךְ לִמְדִינַת הַיָּם וְהִנִּיחַ אֲרוּסָתוֹ עִם הַשְּׁפָחוֹת, מִתּוֹךְ קִלְקוּל הַשְּׁפָחוֹת יָצָא עָלֶיהָ שֵׁם רָע, עָמַד שׁוֹשְׁבִינָהּ וְקָרַע כְּתֻבָּתָהּ, אָמַר אִם יֹאמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָרְגָהּ, אֹמַר לוֹ עֲדַיִן אֵינָהּ אִשְׁתְּךָ; בָּדַק הַמֶּלֶךְ וּמָצָא שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה הַקִּלְקוּל אֶלָּא מִן הַשְּׁפָחוֹת, נִתְרַצָּה לָהּ, אָמַר לוֹ שׁוֹשְׁבִינָהּ כְּתֹב לָהּ כְּתֻבָּה אַחֶרֶת, שֶׁנִּקְרְעָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ אַתָּה קָרַעְתָּ אוֹתָהּ אַתָּה קְנֵה לָהּ נְיָר אַחֵר וַאֲנִי אֶכְתֹּב לָהּ בִּכְתָב יָדִי; כֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הַשְּׁפָחוֹת אֵלּוּ עֵרֶב רַב, וְהַשּׁוֹשְׁבִין זֶה מֹשֶׁה, אֲרוּסָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר פְּסָל לְךָ (שם):
2Prepare yourself for the morning, and in the morning you must ascend Mount Sinai for the third time and stand before Me there, on the mountaintop.   בוֶֽהְיֵ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן לַבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָלִ֤יתָ בַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִ֛י שָׁ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָֽר:
נָכוֹן - means here “prepared.”   נָכוֹן.  מְזֻמָּן:
3No man may go up with you, and no man may be seen on the entire mountain; not even the flocks or the herds may graze before that mountain.”   גוְאִישׁ֙ לֹא־יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם־אִ֥ישׁ אַל־יֵרָ֖א בְּכָל־הָהָ֑ר גַּם־הַצֹּ֤אן וְהַבָּקָר֙ אַל־יִרְע֔וּ אֶל־מ֖וּל הָהָ֥ר הַהֽוּא:
וְאִישׁ לֹא־יַֽעֲלֶה עִמָּךְ - No man may ascend with you. The first tablets, because they were given amid fanfare, great sounds, and crowds, were subject to the “evil eye.” There is no better trait than modesty.   וְאִישׁ לֹא־יַֽעֲלֶה עִמָּךְ.  הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ בִתְשׁוּאוֹת וְקוֹלוֹת וּקְהִלּוֹת, שָׁלְטָה בָהֶן עַיִן רָעָה – אֵין לְךָ יָפֶה מִן הַצְּנִיעוּת (שם):
4He hewed two tablets of stone like the first ones. Moses rose early in the morning and ascended Mount Sinai as God had commanded him, and he took the two stone tablets in his hand.   דוַיִּפְסֹ֡ל שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֨ת אֲבָנִ֜ים כָּרִֽאשֹׁנִ֗ים וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם משֶׁ֤ה בַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ וַיַּ֨עַל֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹת֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָד֔וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִֽים:
5God descended in a cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Divine Name.   הוַיֵּ֤רֶד יְהֹוָה֙ בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב עִמּ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְשֵׁ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם ה' - is translated by Onkelos as: וּקְרָא בִּשְׁמָא דַה׳ – and He called out God’s name.   וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם ה'.  מְתַּרְגְּמִינַן וּקְרָא בִשְׁמָא דַה':
6God passed by before him and proclaimed: “God, God, is a benevolent God, compassionate, gracious; slow to anger, abounding in kindness and truth,   ווַיַּֽעֲבֹ֨ר יְהֹוָ֥ה | עַל־פָּנָיו֘ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יְהֹוָ֣ה | יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶֽאֱמֶֽת:
ה' ה' - God, God. This Name of God signifies His attribute of mercy, the double mention meaning: one before the person sins and one after he sins and repents.   ה' ה'.  מִדַּת רַחֲמִים הִיא, אַחַת קֹדֶם שֶׁיֶּחֱטָא, וְאַחַת אַחַר שֶׁיֶּחֱטָא וְיָשׁוּב (ראש השנה י"ז):
אֵל - (lit.) God. This, too, signifies God’s attribute of mercy, for so we find that it says: אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי “My God! My God! Why have You forsaken me?” 1 and it would not be appropriate to say to God’s attribute of justice: “Why have You forsaken me?” So I found in the Mechilta. 2   אֵל.  אַף זוֹ מִדַּת רַחֲמִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי (תהילים כ"ב) – וְאֵין לוֹמַר לְמִדַּת הַדִּין לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי, כָּךְ מָצָאתִי בִּמְכִילְתָּא:
אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם - Slow to anger - i.e., He draws out His anger and does not rush to punish, for perhaps the sinner will repent.   אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם.  מַאֲרִיךְ אַפּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מְמַהֵר לִפָּרַע, שֶׁמָּא יַעֲשֶׂה תְשׁוּבָה:
וְרַב־חֶסֶד - Abounding in kindness - toward those in need of His kindness because they do not have that many merits.   וְרַב־חֶסֶד.  לַצְּרִיכִים חֶסֶד – שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם זְכֻיּוֹת כָּל כָּךְ:
וֶֽאֱמֶֽת - And truth - to pay benevolent reward to those who carry out His will.   וֶֽאֱמֶֽת.  לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר טוֹב לְעוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנוֹ:
7He preserves the merit of acts of kindness for 2000 generations; He forgives premeditated sins, rebellious sins, and unintentional sins; He acquits sinners but does not acquit them altogether. He remembers the premeditated sins of the fathers, adding their demerits to those of the children and the children’s children up to the third and the fourth generation.”   זנֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֨סֶד֙ לָֽאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֹ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד | עֲוֹ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים:
נֹצֵר חֶסֶד - He preserves acts of kindness - that a person does before Him.   נֹצֵר חֶסֶד.  שֶׁהָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה לְפָנָיו:
לָֽאֲלָפִים - For (lit.) thousands - i.e., 2000 generations.   לָֽאֲלָפִים.  לִשְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים דּוֹרוֹת:
עָוֹן וָפֶשַׁע - עֲוֹנוֹת are intentional sins; פְּשָׁעִים are rebellious acts that a person does to anger God.   עָוֹן וָפֶשַׁע.  עֲוֹנוֹת — אֵלּוּ הַזְּדוֹנוֹת, פְּשָׁעִים — אֵלּוּ הַמְּרָדִים שֶׁאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה לְהַכְעִיס:
וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה - (lit.) He does not completely acquit - According to the straightforward explanation, it means that God does not forgo the sin altogether, but exacts punishment for it little by little. Our rabbis, 3 however, expounded these words as follows: He acquits (נַקֵּה) those who repent but does not acquit (לֹא יְנַקֶּה) those who do not repent.   וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה.  לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ מַשְׁמָע שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְוַתֵּר עַל הֶעָוֹן לְגַמְרֵי, אֶלָּא נִפְרָע מִמֶּנּוּ מְעַט מְעַט, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ מְנַקֶּה הוּא לַשָּׁבִים וְלֹא יְנַקֶּה לְשֶׁאֵינָן שָׁבִים (יומא פ"ו):
פֹּקֵד עָוֹן אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים - He remembers the premeditated sins of the fathers (lit.) for the children. when they persist in their fathers’ evil practice, for elsewhere it defines this explicitly: לְשֹׂנְאָי “for those who hate Me.” 4   פֹּקֵד עָוֹן אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים.  כְּשֶׁאוֹחֲזִים מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם, שֶׁכְּבָר פֵּרֵשׁ בְּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה לְשֹׂנְאָי (שמות כ'):
וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים - means “up to the fourth generation.” Thus, it follows that God’s attribute of goodness is 500 times as great as His attribute of retribution, for with regard to God’s good measure it says: “He preserves the merit of acts of kindness for 2000 generations.”   וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים.  דּוֹר רְבִיעִי; נִמְצֵאת מִדָּה טוֹבָה מְרֻבָּה עַל מִדַּת פֻּרְעָנוּת אַחַת לַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת, שֶׁבְּמִדָּה טוֹבָה הוּא אוֹמֵר נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים (תוספתא סוטה ד'):
8Moses hastened to bow down toward the ground and prostrate himself.   חוַיְמַהֵ֖ר משֶׁ֑ה וַיִּקֹּ֥ד אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ:
וַיְמַהֵר משֶׁה - Moses hastened - i.e., when Moses saw the Divine Presence about to pass by and heard the sound of God’s declaration, immediately “He prostrated himself.”   וַיְמַהֵר משֶׁה.  כְּשֶׁרָאָה מֹשֶׁה שְׁכִינָה עוֹבֶרֶת, וְשָׁמַע קוֹל הַקְּרִיאָה, מִיָּד וישתחו:
9He said, “If I have found favor in Your eyes, God, may God go in our midst. Even though this is a stiff-necked people, You will pardon our premeditated sins and our unintentional sins, and take us as Your own possession.”   טוַיֹּ֡אמֶר אִם־נָא֩ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֨יךָ֙ אֲדֹנָ֔י יֵֽלֶךְ־נָ֥א אֲדֹנָ֖י בְּקִרְבֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֤י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֨רֶף֙ ה֔וּא וְסָֽלַחְתָּ֛ לַֽעֲו‍ֹנֵ֥נוּ וּלְחַטָּאתֵ֖נוּ וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ:
יֵֽלֶךְ־נָא אֲדֹנָי בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ - May God go in our midst - as You have promised, since You forgive sin. And even if “this is a stiff-necked people” and they may rebel against You, and out of concern for this You said: “lest I utterly destroy you on the way,” 5 this is now not a concern, for You will forgive our sins. There are instances where כִּי is used in place of אִם “if.”   יֵֽלֶךְ־נָא אֲדֹנָי בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִבְטַחְתָּ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן; וְאִם עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא וְיַמְרוּ בְךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ עַל זֹאת פֶּן אֲכֶלְךָ בַּדָּרֶךְ, אַתָּה תִסְלַח לַעֲוֹנֵינוּ וְגוֹמֵר; יֵשׁ כִּי בִּמְקוֹם אִם:
וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ  - means: And make us Your unique possession. This is the same request as: “And let Your people and me be distinct,” 6 i.e., that You will not manifest Your Presence among the other nations.   וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ.  וְתִתְּנֵנוּ לְךָ לְנַחֲלָה מְיֻחֶדֶת, זוֹ הִיא בַקָּשַׁת וְנִפְלִינוּ אֲנִי וְעַמְּךָ – שֶׁלֹּא תִשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתְךָ עַל הָאֻמּוֹת: