| 1The people saw that Moses had delayed in coming down from the mountain. The people gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Arise, make us substitute leaders, who will lead us, because this man Moses, who led us up out of Egypt—we do not know what has become of him.” |
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אוַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי בשֵׁ֥שׁ משֶׁ֖ה לָרֶ֣דֶת מִן־הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל הָעָ֜ם עַל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּֽאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ ק֣וּם | עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵֽלְכוּ֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה | משֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֨נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ: |
| כִּֽי בשֵׁשׁ משֶׁה - The meaning of בֹשֵׁשׁ is as Onkelos translates it: אוֹחַר, denoting delay, and similarly we find: בֹשֵׁשׁ רִכְבּוֹ “Why is his chariot late…?” and וַיָּחִילוּ עַד בּוֹשׁ “They waited to the point of delay.” For when Moses went up onto the mountain, he said to the people, “At the end of 40 days I will come down within the first six hours of the day.” They thought that the day he went up was included in the 40 days, but his statement to them meant full days, i.e., 40 days each with its preceding night, but the day he ascended was not with its preceding night, for he went up on 7 Sivan in the morning. The 40th day came out to be on 17 Tammuz. On 16 Tammuz Satan came and caused confusion in the world, making it appear dark, gloomy, and overcast, intimating that Moses had certainly died and therefore confusion has come to the world. Satan then said to them, “Moses is dead, for six hours have passed and he has not yet come…,” as is related in Tractate Shabbat. It is impossible, however, to say that they erred only due to it being a cloudy day, erring between before and after midday, for Moses in fact did not descend the mountain until the next day, as it says: “They rose early the next day and sacrificed ascent-offerings.” |
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כִּֽי בשֵׁשׁ משֶׁה.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן אִחוּר, וְכֵן בֹּשֵׁשׁ רִכְבּוֹ (שופטים ה'), וַיָּחִילוּ עַד בּוֹשׁ (שם ג'); כִּי כְּשֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה לָהָר אָמַר לָהֶם לְסוֹף אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם אֲנִי בָא בְּתוֹךְ שֵׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת, כִּסְבוּרִים הֵם שֶׁאוֹתוֹ יוֹם שֶׁעָלָה מִן הַמִּנְיָן הוּא, וְהוּא אָמַר לָהֶם שְׁלֵמִים – אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְלֵילוֹ עִמּוֹ – וְיוֹם עֲלִיָּתוֹ אֵין לֵילוֹ עִמּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְז' בְּסִיוָן עָלָה, נִמְצָא יוֹם אַרְבָּעִים בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז. בְּי"ו בָּא שָׂטָן וְעִרְבֵּב אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וְהֶרְאָה דְּמוּת חֹשֶׁךְ וַאֲפֵלָה וְעִרְבּוּבְיָה, לוֹמַר וַדַּאי מֵת מֹשֶׁה לְכָךְ בָּא עִרְבּוּבְיָא לָעוֹלָם, אָמַר לָהֶם מֵת מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁכְּבָר בָּאוּ שֵׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת וְלֹא בָּא וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (דף פ"ט); וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹא טָעוּ אֶלָּא בְּיוֹם הַמְעֻנָּן בֵּין קֹדֶם חֲצוֹת בֵּין לְאַחַר חֲצוֹת, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא יָרַד מֹשֶׁה עַד יוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ מִמָּחֳרָת וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת:
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| אֲשֶׁר יֵֽלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ - Who will lead us. The plural form here indicates that they had a desire for many leaders. |
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אֲשֶׁר יֵֽלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ.
אֱלוֹהוֹת הַרְבֵּה אִוּוּ לָהֶם (סנהדרין ס"ג):
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| כִּֽי זֶה משֶׁה הָאִישׁ - Because this man Moses. Satan showed them an image of Moses being carried into heaven on a bier. |
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כִּֽי זֶה משֶׁה הָאִישׁ.
כְּמִין דְּמוּת מֹשֶׁה הֶרְאָה לָהֶם הַשָּׂטָן, שֶׁנּוֹשְׂאִים אוֹתוֹ בַּאֲוִיר רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם (שבת פ"ט):
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| אֲשֶׁר הֶֽעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - Who led us up out of Egypt - and was showing us the way by which to go up – “we do not know what has become of him.” Thus we now require leaders who will lead us. |
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אֲשֶׁר הֶֽעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.
וְהָיָה מוֹרֶה לָנוּ דֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר נַעֲלֶה בָּהּ, עַתָּה צְרִיכִין אָנוּ לֶאֱלוֹהוֹת אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ:
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| 2Aaron said to them, “Remove the gold rings from the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” |
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בוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי: |
| בְּאָזְנֵי נְשֵׁיכֶם - The ears of your wives. Aaron said to himself: “The women and children value their jewelry and will not release them. Maybe the matter will thus be delayed and within that time Moses will come.” The men, however, did not wait and divested themselves of their own jewelry. |
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בְּאָזְנֵי נְשֵׁיכֶם.
אָמַר אַהֲרֹן בְּלִבּוֹ: הַנָּשִׁים וְהַיְלָדִים חָסִים עַל תַּכְשִׁיטֵיהֶן, שֶׁמָּא יִתְעַכֵּב הַדָּבָר וּבְתוֹךְ כָּךְ יָבֹא מֹשֶׁה, וְהֵם לֹא הִמְתִּינוּ וּפָרְקוּ מֵעַל עַצְמָן:
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| פָּֽרְקוּ - Remove. This is a plural imperative form corresponding to the singular form פָּרֵק, just as בָּרְכוּ is the plural imperative corresponding to the singular form בָּרֵךְ. |
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פָּֽרְקוּ.
לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, מִגִּזְרַת פָּרֵק לְיָחִיד, כְּמוֹ בָּרְכוּ מִגִּזְרַת בָּרֵךְ:
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| 3All the people stripped themselves of the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. |
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גוַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֶת־נִזְמֵ֥י הַזָּהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹֽן: |
| וַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ - The root פרק expresses “unloading a burden.” Here, however, the reflexive form is used, for when they removed them from their ears the result was that they were stripped of their earrings; “descharyer” in Old French (“to unload”). |
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וַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ.
לְשׁוֹן פְּרִיקַת מַשָּׂא, כְּשֶׁנְטָלוּם מֵאָזְנֵיהֶם נִמְצְאוּ הֵם מְפֹרָקִים מִנִּזְמֵיהֶם, דישקריי"ר בְּלַעַז:
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| אֶת־נִזְמֵי - is equivalent to מִנִּזְמֵי – “of the rings,” similar to: כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר, which is the same as מִן הָעִיר “When I go out of the city.” |
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אֶת־נִזְמֵי.
כְּמוֹ מִנִּזְמֵי, כְּמוֹ כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר (שמות ט') – מִן הָעִיר:
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| 4He took it from their hands, bound it in a cloth, and made it into a molten calf. They said, “This, Israel, is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt.” |
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דוַיִּקַּ֣ח מִיָּדָ֗ם וַיָּ֤צַר אֹתוֹ֙ בַּחֶ֔רֶט וַיַּֽעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ עֵ֣גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| וַיָּצַר אֹתוֹ בַּחֶרֶט - This may be translated in two ways. One way: וַיָּצַר denotes “tying” and בַּחֶרֶט means “in a cloth,” as we find: וְהַמִּטְפָּחוֹת וְהָחֲרִיטִים “and the scarves and the pouches,” and וַיָּצַר כִּכְּרַיִם כֶּסֶף בִּשְׁנֵי חֲרִטִים “and he tied two talents of silver in two pouches.” The second way: וַיָּצַר means “forming” and בַּחֶרֶט is a goldsmiths’ crafting tool with which they cut and engrave (חוֹרְטִין) shapes onto gold, like the pen of a scribe that engraves letters onto tablets and ledgers, as we find: וּכְתֹב עָלָיו בְּחֶרֶט אֱנוֹשׁ “and write upon it in a common man’s script.” This is also the sense of how Onkelos translated it: וְצַר יָתֵהּ בְּזִיפָא “and he engraved it with a זִיפָא,” a term related to “forging”; i.e., it is a crafting tool with which one engraves letters or designs onto gold, which is called in Old French “neyel” (“niello engraving”), and by means of which one forges seals. |
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וַיָּצַר אֹתוֹ בַּחֶרֶט.
יֵשׁ לְתַרְגְּמוֹ בִשְׁנֵי פָנִים, הָאֶחָד וַיָּצַר – לְשׁוֹן קְשִׁירָה, בַּחֶרֶט – לְשׁוֹן סוּדָר, כְּמוֹ וְהַמִּטְפָּחוֹת וְהָחֲרִיטִים (ישעיהו ג'), וַיָּצַר כִּכְּרַיִם כֶּסֶף בִּשְׁנֵי חֲרִטִים (מלכים ב ה'), וְהַשֵּׁנִי וַיָּצַר – לְשׁוֹן צוּרָה, בַּחֶרֶט – כְּלֵי אֻמָּנוּת הַצּוֹרְפִין שֶׁחוֹרְצִין וְחוֹרְתִין בּוֹ צוּרוֹת בְּזָהָב, כְּעֵט סוֹפֵר הַחוֹרֵת אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּלוּחוֹת וּפִנְקָסִין, כְּמוֹ וּכְתֹב עָלָיו בְּחֶרֶט אֱנוֹשׁ (ישעיהו ח'), וְזֶהוּ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס וְצַר יָתֵיהּ בְּזִיפָא, לְשׁוֹן זִיּוּף, הוּא כְּלִי אֻמָּנוּת שֶׁחוֹרְצִין בּוֹ בְּזָהָב אוֹתִיּוֹת וּשְׁקֵדִים, שֶׁקּוֹרִין בְּלַעַז ניי"ל, וּמְזַיְּפִין עַל יָדוֹ חוֹתָמוֹת:
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| עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה - A molten calf. As soon as Aaron cast the gold into the fire of the furnace, the magicians among the mixed multitude of peoples who had come up with them from Egypt came and made it into a calf through magic. Others say: Micah was there, who had been rescued from within the walls of the building where he had been immured in Egypt. He possessed the inscription of the Divine Name and the metal plate on which Moses had written: “Ascend, bull; ascend, bull” to retrieve Joseph’s coffin from the Nile. He now threw it into the furnace and the image of a calf came out. |
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עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכוֹ לָאוּר בְּכוּר, בָּאוּ מְכַשְּׁפֵי עֵרֶב רַב שֶׁעָלוּ עִמָּהֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם וַעֲשָׂאוּהוּ בִכְשָׁפִים; וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים מִיכָה הָיָה שָׁם, שֶׁיָּצָא מִתּוֹךְ דִּמּוֹסֵי בִּנְיָן שֶׁנִּתְמַעֵךְ בּוֹ בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְהָיָה בְיָדוֹ שֵׁם וְטַס שֶׁכָּתַב בּוֹ מֹשֶׁה "עֲלֵה שׁוֹר" "עֲלֵה שׁוֹר" לְהַעֲלוֹת אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מִתּוֹךְ נִילוּס – וְהִשְׁלִיכוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַכּוּר וְיָצָא הָעֵגֶל (תנחומא):
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| מַסֵּכָה - is a term related to מַתֶּכֶת “metal.” Another explanation: There were 125 centenaria of gold in it, like the numerical value of מַסֵּכָה. |
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מַסֵּכָה.
לְשׁוֹן מַתֶּכֶת; דָּבָר אַחֵר קכ"ה קַנְטְרִין זָהָב הָיוּ בוֹ כְּגִימַטְרִיָּא שֶׁל מַסֵּכָה (שם):
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| אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - (lit.) These are your gods - but it does not say “These are our gods.” From here we may infer that it was the mixed multitude of peoples who came up with them from Egypt who congregated against Aaron, and it was they who made the Golden Calf and afterwards caused the Israelites to err after it. |
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אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מִכָּאן שֶׁעֵרֶב רַב שֶׁעָלוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם הֵם שֶׁנִּקְהֲלוּ עַל אַהֲרֹן וְהֵם שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּהוּ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִטְעוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרָיו (שם):
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| 5Aaron saw, so he built an altar before it. Aaron announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to God!” |
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הוַיַּ֣רְא אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לְפָנָ֑יו וַיִּקְרָ֤א אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר חַ֥ג לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה מָחָֽר: |
| וַיַּרְא אַֽהֲרֹן - (lit.) Aaron saw - that the calf had in it the breath of life, as it says: “with the form of a bull eating grass,” and he saw that Satan’s scheme had succeeded and that he would not be able to dissuade them entirely. |
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וַיַּרְא אַֽהֲרֹן.
שֶׁהָיָה בוֹ רוּחַ חַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר אֹכֵל עֵשֶׂב (תהלים ק"ו), וְרָאָה שֶׁהִצְלִיחַ מַעֲשֵׂה שָׂטָן וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ פֶּה לִדְחוֹתָם לְגַמְרֵי:
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| וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ - So he built an altar - in order to delay them. |
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וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ.
לִדְחוֹתָם:
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| וַיִּקְרָא חַג לה' מָחָֽר - [Aaron] announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to God” - but not today, for he hoped that maybe Moses would come back before they served it. This is its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic explanation is stated in Vayikra Rabbah: Aaron saw many things. He saw that Hur, his nephew, had admonished them and because of that they killed him, and this is what is meant by וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו, i.e., he understood (וַיָּבֶן) from the one slaughtered (מִזָּבוּחַ) in front of him (לְפָנָיו) what would happen if he resisted. He also observed and said: “It is better that the blame be laid on me and not on them.” He also observed and said: “If they build the altar, one will bring a pebble and another a stone and their work will be accomplished momentarily, but when I build it and tarry in my work, in the meantime Moses will come.” |
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וַיִּקְרָא חַג לה' מָחָֽר.
וְלֹא הַיּוֹם, שֶׁמָּא יָבֹא מֹשֶׁה קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעַבְדוּהוּ, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ, בְּוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה, דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה רָאָה אַהֲרֹן – רָאָה חוּר בֶּן אֲחוֹתוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מוֹכִיחָם וַהֲרָגוּהוּ, וְזֶהוּ וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו – וַיָּבֶן מִזָּבוּחַ לְפָנָיו – וְעוֹד רָאָה וְאָמַר מוּטָב שֶׁיִּתָּלֶה בִי הַסֵּרָחוֹן וְלֹא בָהֶם, וְעוֹד רָאָה וְאָמַר אִם הֵם בּוֹנִים אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, זֶה מֵבִיא צְרוֹר וְזֶה מֵבִיא אֶבֶן וְנִמְצֵאת מְלַאכְתָּן עָשׂוּי בְּבַת אַחַת, מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁאֲנִי בוֹנֶה אוֹתוֹ וַאֲנִי מִתְעַצֵּל בִּמְלַאכְתִּי, בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ מֹשֶׁה בָא:
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| חַג לה' - A festival to God. This shows that Aaron’s real intention was for the sake of God in Heaven, for he was confident that Moses would come and they would actually serve the Omnipresent. |
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חַג לה'.
בְּלִבּוֹ הָיָה לַשָּׁמַיִם, בָּטוּחַ הָיָה שֶׁיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְיַעַבְדוּ אֶת הַמָּקוֹם:
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| 6They rose early the next day and sacrificed ascent-offerings and brought peace-offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, and then got up to revel. |
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ווַיַּשְׁכִּ֨ימוּ֙ מִמָּֽחֳרָ֔ת וַיַּֽעֲל֣וּ עֹלֹ֔ת וַיַּגִּ֖שׁוּ שְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב הָעָם֙ לֶֽאֱכֹ֣ל וְשָׁת֔וֹ וַיָּקֻ֖מוּ לְצַחֵֽק: |
| וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ - They rose early. Satan precipitated their rising so that they would sin. |
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וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ.
הַשָּׂטָן זֵרְזָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֶּחֶטְאוּ:
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| לְצַחֵֽק - To revel. This term denotes immorality, as it says in Potiphar’s wife’s accusation of Joseph: “to mock (לְצַחֶק) me,” and murder, as in: “Let the young men get up and play (וִישַׂחֲקוּ) before us,” and here, too, this was the case, for Hur was killed by them. |
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לְצַחֵֽק.
יֵשׁ בְּמַשְׁמַע הַזֶּה גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּ' לְצַחֶק בִּי (בראשית ל"ט), וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּ' יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ (שמואל ב ב'), אַף כָּאן נֶהֱרַג חוּר (שמות רבה):
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| 7God spoke to Moses, “Go, descend, for your people whom you brought up out of Egypt have become corrupt. |
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זוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה לֶךְ־רֵ֕ד כִּ֚י שִׁחֵ֣ת עַמְּךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱלֵ֖יתָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| וַיְדַבֵּר - [God] spoke. This term denotes harsh speech, as we find: וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת “and he spoke to them harshly.” |
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וַיְדַבֵּר.
לְשׁוֹן קֹשִׁי הוּא, כְּמוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת (בראשית מ"ב):
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| לֶךְ־רֵד - Go, descend - from your exalted spiritual position, for I gave you greatness only for their sake. At that moment Moses was excommunicated by decree of the heavenly court. |
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לֶךְ־רֵד.
מִגְּדֻלָּתְךָ – לֹא נָתַתִּי לְךָ גְּדֻלָּה אֶלָּא בִשְׁבִילָם (ברכות ל"ב), בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִתְנַדָּה מֹשֶׁה מִפִּי בֵית דִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה (תנחומא):
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| שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ - Your people…have become corrupt. It does not say שִׁחֵת הָעָם “the people have become corrupt,” but עַמְּךָ “your people”; i.e., the mixed multitude whom you accepted on your own initiative, converting them to Judaism without consulting Me, but you said: “It is a good thing that converts be attached to the Divine Presence” – it is they who have become corrupt and have corrupted others. |
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שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ.
שִׁחֵת הָעָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא עַמְּךָ – עֵרֶב רַב שֶׁקִּבַּלְתָּ מֵעַצְמְךָ וְגִיַּרְתָּם וְלֹא נִמְלַכְתָּ בִּי, וְאָמַרְתָּ טוֹב שֶׁיִּדְבְּקוּ גֵרִים בַּשְּׁכִינָה – הֵם שִׁחֲתוּ וְהִשְׁחִיתוּ (שמות רבה):
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| 8They have been quick to turn away from the path that I commanded them to follow; they have made themselves a molten calf. They have prostrated themselves before it and have offered up sacrifices to it, saying, ‘This, Israel, is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt.’” |
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חסָ֣רוּ מַהֵ֗ר מִן־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ם עָשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם עֵ֖גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ֙ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ל֔וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| 9God further said to Moses, “I have observed this people, and it is indeed a stiff-necked people. |
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טוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף הֽוּא: |
| קְשֵׁה־עֹרֶף - Stiff-necked - i.e., they turn a stiff neck toward those who rebuke them, refusing to listen. |
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קְשֵׁה־עֹרֶף.
מַחֲזְרִין קְשִׁי עָרְפָּם לְנֶגֶד מוֹכִיחֵיהֶם וּמְמָאֲנִים לִשְׁמֹעַ:
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| 10Now, let Me be; I will display indignation against them and will destroy them entirely. I will make you into a great nation.” |
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יוְעַתָּה֙ הַנִּ֣יחָה לִּ֔י וְיִֽחַר־אַפִּ֥י בָהֶ֖ם וַֽאֲכַלֵּ֑ם וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה אֽוֹתְךָ֖ לְג֥וֹי גָּדֽוֹל: |
| הַנִּיחָה לִּי - Let Me be. We have not yet heard that Moses prayed for them, yet God says, “Let Me be”! This can only mean that here He gave Moses an opening, intimating to him that the matter was dependent on him, i.e., that if he would pray for them, He would not destroy them. |
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הַנִּיחָה לִּי.
עֲדַיִן לֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵיהֶם וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הַנִּיחָה לִּי? אֶלָּא כָּאן פָּתַח לוֹ פֶּתַח וְהוֹדִיעוֹ שֶׁהַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בּוֹ – שֶׁאִם יִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא יְכַלֵּם (ברכות ל"ב):
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| 11So Moses then pleaded with God, his God, and said, “God, why should You display indignation against Your people, whom You brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? |
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יאוַיְחַ֣ל משֶׁ֔ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָמָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ יֶֽחֱרֶ֤ה אַפְּךָ֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵ֨אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥חַ גָּד֖וֹל וּבְיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה: |
| לָמָה ה' יֶֽחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ - God, why should You display indignation - for can anyone become jealous except of one with comparable ability, such as one wise man of another or one mighty man of another? |
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לָמָה ה' יֶֽחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ.
כְּלוּם מִתְקַנֵּא אֶלָּא חָכָם בְּחָכָם, גִּבּוֹר בְּגִבּוֹר:
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| 12Why should the Egyptians say: ‘He took them out with evil intent: to kill them in the mountains and to utterly eradicate them from the face of the earth’? Withdraw from Your display of indignation, and renounce the thought of bringing evil upon Your people. |
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יבלָ֩מָּה֩ יֹֽאמְר֨וּ מִצְרַ֜יִם לֵאמֹ֗ר בְּרָעָ֤ה הֽוֹצִיאָם֙ לַֽהֲרֹ֤ג אֹתָם֙ בֶּֽהָרִ֔ים וּלְכַ֨לֹּתָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה שׁ֚וּב מֵֽחֲר֣וֹן אַפֶּ֔ךָ וְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־הָֽרָעָ֖ה לְעַמֶּֽךָ: |
| וְהִנָּחֵם - means: consider for them a different thought to now do good to them. |
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וְהִנָּחֵם.
הִתְעַשֵּׁת מַחֲשָׁבָה אַחֶרֶת – לְהֵיטִיב לָהֶם
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| עַל־הָֽרָעָה - (lit.) Of the evil - that You had intended to do to them. |
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עַל־הָֽרָעָה.
אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁבְתָּ לָהֶם:
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| 13Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your Self, telling them, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give to your descendants this entire land that I promised, and they will inherit it forever.’” |
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יגזְכֹ֡ר לְאַבְרָהָם֩ לְיִצְחָ֨ק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתָּ לָהֶם֘ בָּךְ֒ וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אַרְבֶּה֙ אֶת־זַרְעֲכֶ֔ם כְּכֽוֹכְבֵ֖י הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ הַזֹּ֜את אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶתֵּן֙ לְזַרְעֲכֶ֔ם וְנָֽחֲל֖וּ לְעֹלָֽם: |
| זְכֹר לְאַבְרָהָם - Remember Abraham - i.e., if Israel has transgressed the Ten Commandments, Abraham their father, was tested with ten trials, passing them all, but has not yet received his reward. Give it to him now and let the ten transgressions be counterbalanced by the ten trials. |
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זְכֹר לְאַבְרָהָם.
אִם עָבְרוּ עַל עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיהֶם נִתְנַסָּה בַעֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת וַעֲדַיִן לֹא קִבֵּל שְׂכָרוֹ, תְּנֵהוּ לוֹ וְיֵצְאוּ עֲשָׂרָה בַעֲשָׂרָה (תנחומא):
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| לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל - Abraham, Isaac, and Israel - i.e., if they are liable for punishment by burning, remember the merit of Abraham, who submitted himself to be burned for Your sake at Ur of the Chaldeans; if they are liable to be killed by the sword, remember the merit of Isaac, who offered his neck when bound on the altar; and if they are liable for exile, remember the merit of Jacob, who was exiled to Charan. And if they cannot be saved by their patriarchs’ merit, why do You say to me: “I will make you into a great nation” – if even a chair of three legs cannot stand before You at the time of Your anger, how much more so would this be true for a chair of only one leg! |
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לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
אִם לִשְׂרֵפָה הֵם, זְכֹר לְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁמָּסַר עַצְמוֹ לִשָּׂרֵף עָלֶיךָ בְּאוּר כַּשְׂדִים, אִם לַהֲרִיגָה, זְכֹר לְיִצְחָק שֶׁפָּשַׁט צַוָּארוֹ לַעֲקֵדָה, אִם לְגָלוּת, זְכֹר לְיַעֲקֹב שֶׁגָּלָה לְחָרָן, וְאִם אֵינָן נִצּוֹלִין בִּזְכוּתָן, מָה אַתָּה אוֹמֵר לִי וְאֶעֱשֶה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל? וְאִם כִּסֵּא שֶׁל ג' רַגְלַיִם אֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ בִשְׁעַת כַּעַסְךָ, קַל וָחֹמֶר לְכִסֵּא שֶׁל רֶגֶל אַחַת (ברכות ל"ב):
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| אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם בָּךְ - To whom You swore by Your Self. You did not swear to them by something temporary – neither by heaven nor earth, neither by mountains nor hills – but by Your Self, for You endure and Your oath endures forever, as it says regarding Abraham: “By Myself I swear”; and to Isaac was said: “and I will fulfill the oath that I made to your father Abraham”; and to Jacob was said: “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase,” that He swore to him by His Divine Name אֵל שַׁדַּי “God Almighty.” |
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אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם בָּךְ.
לֹא נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם בְּדָבָר שֶׁהוּא כָּלֶה – לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא בָאָרֶץ וְלֹא בֶהָרִים וְלֹא בַּגְּבָעוֹת – אֶלָּא בְךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה קַיָּם וּשְׁבוּעָתְךָ קַיֶּמֶת לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּ' בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי נְאֻם ה' (בראשית כ"ב), וּלְיִצְחָק נֶאֱמַר וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ (שם), וּלְיַעֲקֹב נֶאֱמַר אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי פְּרֵה וּרְבֵה (שם ל"ה) – נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי:
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| 14God renounced the thought of the evil that He had said He would do to His people. |
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ידוַיִּנָּ֖חֶם יְהֹוָ֑ה עַל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת לְעַמּֽוֹ: |
| 15Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two Tablets of Testimony in his hand—tablets inscribed on both sides, inscribed on one side and on the other. |
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טווַיִּ֜פֶן וַיֵּ֤רֶד משֶׁה֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וּשְׁנֵ֛י לֻחֹ֥ת הָֽעֵדֻ֖ת בְּיָד֑וֹ לֻחֹ֗ת כְּתֻבִים֙ מִשְּׁנֵ֣י עֶבְרֵיהֶ֔ם מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה הֵ֥ם כְּתֻבִֽים: |
| מִשְּׁנֵי עֶבְרֵיהֶם - On both sides - the letters could be read, and it was a miraculous handiwork. |
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מִשְּׁנֵי עֶבְרֵיהֶם.
הָיוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת נִקְרָאוֹת, וּמַעֲשֵׂה נִסִּים הוּא (שבת ק"ד):
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| 16The tablets were God’s handiwork and the script was God’s script, engraved on the tablets. |
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טזוְהַ֨לֻּחֹ֔ת מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים הֵ֑מָּה וְהַמִּכְתָּ֗ב מִכְתַּ֤ב אֱלֹהִים֙ ה֔וּא חָר֖וּת עַל־הַלֻּחֹֽת: |
| מַֽעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה - Were God’s handiwork. Its meaning is as literally implied: He, God, in His glory made them. Another explanation: Just as one says to his fellow, “So-and-so’s entire involvement is with a particular vocation,” so, too, all the delight of the Holy One, blessed be He, is with the Torah. |
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מַֽעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה.
כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ – הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ עֲשָׂאָן; דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ כָּל עֲסָקָיו שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי בִּמְלָאכָה פְּלוֹנִית, כָּךְ כָּל שַׁעֲשׁוּעָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּתּוֹרָה:
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| חָרוּת - Engraved. The roots חָרֹת and חָרֹט are one and the same, both of them denoting engraving; “entalyer” in Old French. |
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חָרוּת.
לְשׁוֹן חרת וחרט אֶחָד הוּא, שְׁנֵיהֶם לְשׁוֹן חִקּוּק, אנטלי"יר בְּלַעַז:
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| 17Joshua heard the sound of the people jubilating, and he said to Moses, “There is a sound of battle in the camp!” |
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יזוַיִּשְׁמַ֧ע יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־ק֥וֹל הָעָ֖ם בְּרֵעֹ֑ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה ק֥וֹל מִלְחָמָ֖ה בַּמַּֽחֲנֶֽה: |
| בְּרֵעֹה - means literally: in its cheering, i.e., when they were cheering, rejoicing, and reveling. |
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בְּרֵעֹה.
בַּהֲרִיעוֹ, שֶׁהָיוּ מְרִיעִים וּשְׂמֵחִים וְצוֹחֲקִים:
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| 18He replied, “It is neither the sound of the shout of overpowering nor the sound of the shout of being overpowered. A painful sound is what I hear.” |
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יחוַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֵ֥ין קוֹל֙ עֲנ֣וֹת גְּבוּרָ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין ק֖וֹל עֲנ֣וֹת חֲלוּשָׁ֑ה ק֣וֹל עַנּ֔וֹת אָֽנֹכִ֖י שֹׁמֵֽעַ: |
| אֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת גְּבוּרָה - (lit.) It is not the sound of a call of strength - i.e., this sound does not seem to be the sound of the call of mighty ones shouting in victory, nor the sound of weak ones crying out: “Woe!” or: “To flight!” |
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אֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת גְּבוּרָה.
אֵין קוֹל הַזֶּה נִרְאֶה קוֹל עֲנִיַּת גִּבּוֹרִים הַצּוֹעֲקִים "נִצָּחוֹן" וְלֹא קוֹל חַלָּשִׁים שֶׁצּוֹעֲקִים "וַי אָנוּסָה":
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| קוֹל עֲנוֹת - means: the sound of blasphemy and cursing that pain (הַמְעַנִּין) the soul of one who hears them being repeated to him. |
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קוֹל עֲנוֹת.
קוֹל חֵרוּפִין וְגִדּוּפִין, הַמְעַנִּין אֶת נֶפֶשׁ שׁוֹמְעָן כְּשֶׁנֶּאֱמָרִין לוֹ:
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| 19As soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became indignant. He hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain. |
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יטוַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרַב֙ אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הָעֵ֖גֶל וּמְחֹלֹ֑ת וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף משֶׁ֗ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְ מִיָּדָו֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר אֹתָ֖ם תַּ֥חַת הָהָֽר: |
| וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ מִיָּדָו וגו' - He hurled [the tablets] from his hands… Moses said: “If regarding the Passover sacrifice, which is just one of the commandments, the Torah said: ‘No stranger may eat of it,’ now that the entire Torah is here – alluded to in the Ten Commandments – and all Israel are acting as apostates, should I give it to them?!” |
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וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ מִיָּדָו וגו'.
אָמַר: מַה פֶּסַח שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מִן הַמִּצְווֹת, אָמְרָה תוֹרָה כָּל בֶּן נֵכָר לֹא יֹאכַל בּוֹ (שמות י"ב), הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ כָּאן וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשֻׁמָּדִים וְאֶתְּנֶנָּה לָהֶם? (שבת פ"ז):
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| תַּחַת הָהָֽר - means here: at the foot of the mountain. |
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תַּחַת הָהָֽר.
לְרַגְלֵי הָהָר:
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| 20He took the calf that they had made and burned it in fire, ground it into fine powder and scattered it over the water, and made the Israelites drink it. |
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כוַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־הָעֵ֨גֶל אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ וַיִּשְׂרֹ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ וַיִּטְחַ֖ן עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־דָּ֑ק וַיִּ֨זֶר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וַיַּ֖שְׁק אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| וַיִּזֶר - This verb denotes scattering, and similarly we find: “Sulfur will be scattered (יְזֹרֶה) over his dwelling,” and also: “For the net is scattered (מְזֹרָה) for nothing,” where this term is used because grain and legumes are usually scattered in these nets. |
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וַיִּזֶר.
לְשׁוֹן נִפּוּץ, וְכֵן יְזֹרֶה עַל נָוֵהוּ גָפְרִית (איוב י"ח), וְכֵן כִּי חִנָּם מְזֹרָה הָרָשֶׁת (משלי א'), שֶׁזּוֹרִין בָּהּ דָּגָן וְקִטְנִיּוֹת:
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| וַיַּשְׁק אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - And made the Israelites drink it. He intended thereby to administer to them the same test as that administered to a suspected adulteress. They were sentenced there to three kinds of death penalty: If there were witnesses to the act of idolatry and legal warning had been given to the offenders, they were executed by the sword, as is the law regarding the people of a city led astray, who are many; where there were witnesses to the act but no legal warning had been given, those offenders died by plague, as it says: “God struck the people with a plague”; and where there had been neither witnesses nor warning, those offenders died by the internal disease hidrokan, that the water tested them and their abdomens exploded. |
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וַיַּשְׁק אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל.
נִתְכַּוֵּן לְבָדְקָן כְּסוֹטוֹת; שָׁלֹשׁ מִיתוֹת נִדּוֹנוּ שָׁם, אִם יֵשׁ עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה בְּסַיִף – כְּמִשְׁפַּט אַנְשֵׁי עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת שֶׁהֵן מְרֻבִּין – עֵדִים בְּלֹא הַתְרָאָה בְּמַגֵּפָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּגֹּף ה' אֶת הָעָם, לֹא עֵדִים וְלֹא הַתְרָאָה בְּהִדְרוֹקָן, שֶׁבְּדָקוּם הַמַּיִם וְצָבוּ בִטְנֵיהֶם (יומא ס"ו):
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| 21Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you brought such a grave sin upon them?” |
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כאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן מֶֽה־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־הֵבֵ֥אתָ עָלָ֖יו חֲטָאָ֥ה גְדֹלָֽה: |
| מֶֽה־עָשָׂה לְךָ הָעָם - What did this people do to you? - i.e., how much pressure did you bear, that they pressured you so much that you were forced to accede to them, thereby bringing this sin upon them? |
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מֶֽה־עָשָׂה לְךָ הָעָם.
כַּמָּה יִסּוּרִים סָבַלְתָּ שֶׁיִּסְּרוּךָ עַד שֶׁלֹּא תָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם חֵטְא זֶה:
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| 22Aaron replied, “Let not my master be indignant; you know that the people are bent on doing evil. |
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כבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אַל־יִ֥חַר אַ֖ף אֲדֹנִ֑י אַתָּה֙ יָדַ֣עְתָּ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י בְרָ֖ע הֽוּא: |
| כִּי בְרָע הֽוּא - (lit.) For it is in evil - means: “they are constantly following evil ways and challenging the Omnipresent’s ability.” |
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כִּי בְרָע הֽוּא.
בְּדֶרֶךְ רַע הֵם הוֹלְכִין תָּמִיד, וּבְנִסְיוֹנוֹת לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם:
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| 23They said to me, ‘Make us a leader who will lead us, because this man Moses, who brought us up out of Egypt—we do not know what has become of him.’ |
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כגוַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לִ֔י עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֵֽלְכ֖וּ לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה | משֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֨נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ: |
| 24I said to them, ‘Who has gold?’ and they stripped themselves of it and gave it to me. I cast it into the fire and this calf emerged.” |
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כדוָֽאֹמַ֤ר לָהֶם֙ לְמִ֣י זָהָ֔ב הִתְפָּרָ֖קוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ־לִ֑י וָֽאַשְׁלִכֵ֣הוּ בָאֵ֔שׁ וַיֵּצֵ֖א הָעֵ֥גֶל הַזֶּֽה: |
| וָֽאֹמַר לָהֶם - I said to them - one thing alone: “Who has gold?” and they quickly “stripped themselves of their gold and gave it to me.” |
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וָֽאֹמַר לָהֶם.
דָּבָר אֶחָד – "לְמִי זָהָב" לְבַד – וְהֵם מִהֲרוּ וְהִתְפָּרְקוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ לִי:
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| וָֽאַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ - I cast it into the fire - but I did not know that this calf would appear – “and it emerged.” |
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וָֽאַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ.
וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי שֶׁיֵּצֵא הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה, וְיָצָא:
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| 25Moses saw that the people were now exposed, for Aaron had exposed them, making them an object of disgrace among their adversaries. |
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כהוַיַּ֤רְא משֶׁה֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י פָרֻ֖עַ ה֑וּא כִּֽי־פְרָעֹ֣ה אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן לְשִׁמְצָ֖ה בְּקָֽמֵיהֶֽם: |
| פָרֻעַ - means “exposed,” i.e., the people’s shame and disgrace were exposed. We find this term used similarly in: “The priest must expose (וּפָרַע) the hair on the head of the woman.” |
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פָרֻעַ.
מְגֻלֶּה; נִתְגַּלָּה שִׁמְצוֹ וּקְלוֹנוֹ, כְּמוֹ וּפָרַע אֶת רֹאשׁ הָאִשָּׁה (במדבר ה'):
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| לְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָֽמֵיהֶֽם - means: “that this matter would cause them to be an object of disgrace for all their adversaries to ridicule.” |
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לְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָֽמֵיהֶֽם.
לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לִגְנוּת בְּפִי כָּל הַקָּמִים עֲלֵיהֶם:
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| 26Moses stood up at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for God, join me!” And all the Levites rallied around him. |
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כווַיַּֽעֲמֹ֤ד משֶׁה֙ בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֥י לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וַיֵּאָֽסְפ֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י לֵוִֽי: |
| מִי לה' אֵלָי - Whoever is for God, (lit.) to me - means: “let him come to me.” |
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מִי לה' אֵלָי.
יָבֹא אֵלַי:
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| כָּל־בְּנֵי לֵוִֽי - All the Levites. From here we see that the entire tribe was virtuous. |
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כָּל־בְּנֵי לֵוִֽי.
מִכָּאן שֶׁכָּל הַשֵּׁבֶט כָּשֵׁר (יומא ס"ו):
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| 27He said to them, “This is what God, the God of Israel, has said: Let each man place his sword by his thigh. Go back and forth from one entrance to the camp to the other throughout the camp, and let each man slay his brother, his friend, or his relative.” |
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כזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׂ֥ימוּ אִֽישׁ־חַרְבּ֖וֹ עַל־יְרֵכ֑וֹ עִבְר֨וּ וָשׁ֜וּבוּ מִשַּׁ֤עַר לָשַׁ֨עַר֙ בַּמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְהִרְג֧וּ אִֽישׁ־אֶת־אָחִ֛יו וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־קְרֹבֽוֹ: |
| כֹּֽה־אָמַר וגו' - This is what [God] has said… And where did He say this? “Whoever sacrifices to idols must be put to death.” So is stated in the Mechilta. |
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כֹּֽה־אָמַר וגו'.
וְהֵיכָן אָמַר? זֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם (שמות כ"ב) – כָּךְ שְׁנוּיָה בִּמְכִילְתָּא:
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| אָחִיו - His brother - i.e., from his mother and not his father, and is thus from one of the other tribes of Israel and not a Levite. |
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אָחִיו.
מֵאִמּוֹ וְהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל (יומא ס"ו):
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| 28The Levites did as Moses had ordered, and some 3000 of the people fell that day. |
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כחוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־לֵוִ֖י כִּדְבַ֣ר משֶׁ֑ה וַיִּפֹּ֤ל מִן־הָעָם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא כִּשְׁל֥שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֖י אִֽישׁ: |
| 29Moses said, “Be inaugurated today for the service of God—for each of you has contended against his son and brother, to bring blessing upon you today.” |
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כטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה מִלְא֨וּ יֶדְכֶ֤ם הַיּוֹם֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ בִּבְנ֖וֹ וּבְאָחִ֑יו וְלָתֵ֧ת עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם בְּרָכָֽה: |
| מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם - Be inaugurated - i.e., you, who are killing the idolators – through this action you will be inaugurated to be priests to the Omnipresent. |
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מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם.
אַתֶּם הַהוֹרְגִים אוֹתָם – בְּדָבָר זֶה תִּתְחַנְּכוּ לִהְיוֹת כֹּהֲנִים לַמָּקוֹם:
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| כִּי אִישׁ - For each - among you will be inaugurated “by having executed his son or his brother.” |
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כִּי אִישׁ.
מִכֶּם יְמַלֵּא יָדוֹ בבנו ובאחיו:
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| 30On the next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a grave sin. I will now ascend to God: perhaps I will be able to secure atonement for your sin.” |
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לוַֽיְהִי֙ מִמָּֽחֳרָ֔ת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם אַתֶּ֥ם חֲטָאתֶ֖ם חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה וְעַתָּה֙ אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה אוּלַ֥י אֲכַפְּרָ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד חַטַּאתְכֶֽם: |
| אֲכַפְּרָה בְּעַד חַטַּאתְכֶֽם - means: I will be able to effect a removal and wiping away, and a barrier in front of your sin that will separate between you and the sin. |
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אֲכַפְּרָה בְּעַד חַטַּאתְכֶֽם.
אָשִׂים כֹּפֶר וְקִנּוּחַ וּסְתִימָה לְנֶגֶד חַטַּאתְכֶם, לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּינֵיכֶם וּבֵין הַחֵטְא:
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| 31So Moses returned to God and said, “I implore You! This people has committed a terrible sin; they made themselves a god of gold. |
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לאוַיָּ֧שָׁב משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אָ֣נָּ֗א חָטָ֞א הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י זָהָֽב: |
| אֱלֹהֵי זָהָֽב - A god of gold. Moses thus implied: It was You who caused them to sin, for You lavished them with gold and all that they desired. What could they have done to avoid sinning?! This may be compared to a king who gives his son food and drink, adorns him with fine clothing, hangs a purse around his neck and places him at the entrance of a brothel. What can the son do to avoid sinning?! |
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אֱלֹהֵי זָהָֽב.
אַתָּה הוּא שֶׁגָּרַמְתָּ לָהֶם, שֶׁהִשְׁפַּעְתָּ לָהֶם זָהָב וְכָל חֶפְצָם, מַה יַּעֲשׂוּ שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֶטְאוּ? מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה מַאֲכִיל וּמַשְׁקֶה אֶת בְּנוֹ וּמְקַשְּׁטוֹ וְתוֹלֶה לוֹ כִּיס בְּצַוָּארוֹ וּמַעֲמִידוֹ בְּפֶתַח בֵּית זוֹנוֹת, מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה הַבֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֱטָא:
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| 32So now, if You will forgive their sin, well and good. But if not, erase me from Your book that You wrote.” |
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לבוְעַתָּ֖ה אִם־תִּשָּׂ֣א חַטָּאתָ֑ם וְאִם־אַ֕יִן מְחֵ֣נִי נָ֔א מִסִּפְרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתָֽבְתָּ: |
| וְעַתָּה אִם־תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם - (lit.) So now, if You will forgive their sin - it is well and I do not say to You: “Erase me from Your book” – “but if not, erase me.” It is thus an abbreviated verse, and there are many such verses in Scripture. |
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וְעַתָּה אִם־תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם.
הֲרֵי טוֹב – אֵינִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ מְחֵנִי, וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי; וְזֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר, וְכֵן הַרְבֵּה:
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| מִסִּפְרְךָ - From Your book - i.e., from the entire Torah, so that people will not say about me that I was not worthy enough to effectively plead mercy for them. |
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מִסִּפְרְךָ.
מִכָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ עָלַי שֶׁלֹּא הָיִיתִי כְדַאי לְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים:
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| 33God replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, him will I erase from My book. |
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לגוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה מִ֚י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָֽטָא־לִ֔י אֶמְחֶ֖נּוּ מִסִּפְרִֽי: |
| 34Now go, and lead the people to where I have told you. My angel will go before you, and on the day of My reckoning, I will bring them to account for their sin.” |
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לדוְעַתָּ֞ה לֵ֣ךְ | נְחֵ֣ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם אֶ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי֙ לָ֔ךְ הִנֵּ֥ה מַלְאָכִ֖י יֵלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וּבְי֣וֹם פָּקְדִ֔י וּפָֽקַדְתִּ֥י עֲלֵהֶ֖ם חַטָּאתָֽם: |
| אֶל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ - To where I have told you. Here is a case where לָךְ is written following the verb דבר in place of אֵלֶיךָ, and similarly we find: לְדַבֶּר לוֹ עַל אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ “to speak to him about Adoniyahu.” |
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אֶל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ.
יֵשׁ כָּאן לָךְ אֵצֶל דִּבּוּר בִּמְקוֹם אֵלֶיךָ, וְכֵן לְדַבֶּר לוֹ עַל אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ (מלכים א ב׳:י״ט):
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| הִנֵּה מַלְאָכִי - (lit.) Look, My angel - but not I. |
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הִנֵּה מַלְאָכִי.
וְלֹא אֲנִי:
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| וּבְיוֹם פָּקְדִי וגו' - And on the day of My reckoning…. i.e., now I have listened to you not to destroy them all at once, but every time throughout history that I punish them for their sins, I will bring upon them a little of the punishment for this sin together with their other sins. Thus there is no punishment that comes upon Israel that does not include part of the punishment for the sin of the Golden Calf. |
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וּבְיוֹם פָּקְדִי וגו'.
עַתָּה שָׁמַעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ מִלְּכַלּוֹתָם יַחַד, וְתָמִיד תָּמִיד כְּשֶׁאֶפְקֹד עֲלֵיהֶם עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם וּפָקַדְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם מְעַט מִן הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה עִם שְׁאָר הָעֲוֹנוֹת; וְאֵין פֻּרְעָנוּת בָּאָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ קְצָת מִפִּרְעוֹן עֲוֹן הָעֵגֶל (סנהדרין ק"ב):
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| 35God struck the people with a plague, because they had made the calf that Aaron had made. |
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להוַיִּגֹּ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הָעָ֑ם עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הָעֵ֔גֶל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה אַֽהֲרֹֽן: |
| וַיִּגֹּף ה' אֶת־הָעָם - God struck the people with a plague - i.e., death penalty by direct Divine act, for those whose sin was witnessed but had not been legally warned. |
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וַיִּגֹּף ה' אֶת־הָעָם.
מִיתָה בִידֵי שָׁמַיִם לְעֵדִים בְּלֹא הַתְרָאָה:
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| 1God said to Moses, “Go up from here, you and the people whom you brought up out of Egypt, to the land regarding which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ לֵ֣ךְ עֲלֵ֣ה מִזֶּ֔ה אַתָּ֣ה וְהָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱלִ֖יתָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֠שְׁבַּ֠עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה: |
| לֵךְ עֲלֵה מִזֶּה - (lit.) Go up from here. The Land of Israel is higher than all other lands, and therefore it says: עֲלֵה “go up.” Another explanation: In respect to that which God had said to him at the time of anger: לֶךְ רֵד “Go, descend,” He said to him now at the time of appeasement: לֵךְ עֲלֵה “go up.” |
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לֵךְ עֲלֵה מִזֶּה.
אֶֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּבוֹהָה מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר עֲלֵה; דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּלַפֵּי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ בִּשְׁעַת הַכַּעַס "לֶךְ רֵד" אָמַר לוֹ בִּשְׁעַת רָצוֹן "לֵךְ עֲלֵה" (תנחומא):
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| אַתָּה וְהָעָם - You and the people. Here it does not say וְעַמְּךָ “and your people” as it says above, although the following words “whom you brought up out of Egypt” indicate that the reference is to the mixed multitude, thus demonstrating the extent of God’s appeasement. |
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אַתָּה וְהָעָם.
כָּאן לֹא נֶאֱמַר וְעַמְּךָ:
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| 2I will send an angel ahead of you and will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, |
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בוְשָֽׁלַחְתִּ֥י לְפָנֶ֖יךָ מַלְאָ֑ךְ וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּ֗י אֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י וְהַֽחִתִּי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי: |
| וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּי אֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי וגו' - And will drive out the Canaanites… These are only six nations out of the seven that inhabited the land of Canaan, whereas the seventh, the Girgashites, arose and left the land of their own accord because of Israel. |
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וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּי אֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי וגו'.
ו' אֻמּוֹת הֵם וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁי עָמַד וּפָנָה מִפְּנֵיהֶם מֵאֵלָיו (תלמוד ירושלמי שביעית ו'):
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| 3to a land flowing with goats’ milk and date- and fig-honey, for I will not go up among you, lest I utterly destroy you on the way, since you are a stiff-necked people.” |
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גאֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֶֽעֱלֶ֜ה בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ כִּ֤י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֨רֶף֙ אַ֔תָּה פֶּן־אֲכֶלְךָ֖ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ: |
| אֶל־אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ - (lit.) To a land flowing with milk and honey - I am telling you to bring them up. |
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אֶל־אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ.
אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ לְהַעֲלוֹתָם:
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| כִּי לֹא אֶֽעֱלֶה בְּקִרְבְּךָ - For I will not go up among you - For this reason I am saying to you: “I will send an angel ahead of you.” |
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כִּי לֹא אֶֽעֱלֶה בְּקִרְבְּךָ.
לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ וְשָׁלַחְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מַלְאָךְ:
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| כִּי עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹרֶף אַתָּה - Since you are a stiff-necked people - and thus, when My Divine Presence is in your midst and you rebel against Me, I will display too much rage against you. |
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כִּי עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹרֶף אַתָּה.
וּכְשֶׁשְּׁכִינָתִי בְקִרְבְּכֶם וְאַתֶּם מַמְרִים בִּי, מַרְבֶּה אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם זַעַם:
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| אֲכֶלְךָ - is related to כִּלָּיוֹן “destruction.” |
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אֲכֶלְךָ.
לְשׁוֹן כִּלָּיוֹן:
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| 4When the people heard this ominous declaration, they mourned, and no one put on his “jewelry.” |
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דוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הָעָ֗ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הָרָ֛ע הַזֶּ֖ה וַיִּתְאַבָּ֑לוּ וְלֹא־שָׁ֛תוּ אִ֥ישׁ עֶדְי֖וֹ עָלָֽיו: |
| הַדָּבָר הָרָע - This ominous declaration - that the Divine Presence would not itself rest or go with them. |
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הַדָּבָר הָרָע.
שֶׁאֵין הַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה וּמְהַלֶּכֶת עִמָּם:
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| אִישׁ עֶדְיוֹ - (lit.) Each man his jewelry - i.e., the crowns that had been given to them at Horeb when they said: “We will do and we will learn everything that God has spoken.” |
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אִישׁ עֶדְיוֹ.
כְּתָרִים שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם בְּחוֹרֵב כְּשֶׁאָמְרוּ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע (שבת פ"ח):
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| 5God said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go among you, I would consume you instantly. Remove your “jewelry” from yourselves, and I will know what to do with you.’” |
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הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אַתֶּ֣ם עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֔רֶף רֶ֧גַע אֶחָ֛ד אֶֽעֱלֶ֥ה בְקִרְבְּךָ֖ וְכִלִּיתִ֑יךָ וְעַתָּ֗ה הוֹרֵ֤ד עֶדְיְךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְאֵֽדְעָ֖ה מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ: |
| רֶגַע אֶחָד אֶֽעֱלֶה בְקִרְבְּךָ וְכִלִּיתִיךָ - (lit.) For one moment I will go up among you and I will consume you - means: “If I were to go up among you and you would rebel against Me in your stubbornness, I would be enraged with you for just one moment – which is the duration of My rage, as it says: ‘Hide for a small moment until God’s rage passes’ – and I would consume you. It is therefore better for you that I send an angel to lead you.” |
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רֶגַע אֶחָד אֶֽעֱלֶה בְקִרְבְּךָ וְכִלִּיתִיךָ.
אִם אֶעֱלֶה בְקִרְבְּךָ וְאַתֶּם מַמְרִים בִּי בְּקַשְׁיוּת עָרְפְּכֶם אֶזְעֹם עֲלֵיכֶם רֶגַע אֶחָד – שֶׁהוּא שִׁעוּר זַעְמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּ' חֲבִי כִמְעַט רֶגַע עַד יַעֲבָר זָעַם (ישעיהו כ"ו) – וַאֲכַלֶּה אֶתְכֶם, לְפִיכָךְ טוֹב לָכֶם שֶׁאֶשְׁלַח מַלְאָךְ:
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| וְעַתָּה - (lit.) And now - this punishment you will suffer immediately, i.e., of removing your jewelry from yourselves. |
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וְעַתָּה.
פֻּרְעָנוּת זוֹ תִּלְקוּ מִיָּד – שֶׁתּוֹרִידוּ עֶדְיְכֶם מֵעֲלֵיכֶם:
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| וְאֵֽדְעָה מָה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ - And I will know what to do to you - i.e., as for retribution for the remaining effects of the sin, I know what I intend to do to you. |
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וְאֵֽדְעָה מָה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ.
בִּפְקֻדַּת שְׁאָר הֶעָוֹן אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה שֶּׁבְּלִבִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת לְךָ:
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| 6The Israelites thus divested themselves of their “jewelry” from Mount Horeb. |
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ווַיִּתְנַצְּל֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־עֶדְיָ֖ם מֵהַ֥ר חוֹרֵֽב: |
| אֶת־עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵֽב - Their jewelry from Mount Horeb - i.e., the jewelry that they possessed since the revelation at Mount Horeb. |
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אֶת־עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵֽב.
אֶת הָעֲדִי שֶׁהָיָה בְיָדָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵב:
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| 7Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting. Whoever sought God would go out to theTent of Meeting, which stood outside the camp. |
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זוּמשֶׁה֩ יִקַּ֨ח אֶת־הָאֹ֜הֶל וְנָֽטָה־ל֣וֹ | מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֗ה הַרְחֵק֙ מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְקָ֥רָא ל֖וֹ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה יֵצֵא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה: |
| וּמשֶׁה - (lit.) And Moses - from the time of that sin onwards. |
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וּמשֶׁה.
מֵאוֹתוֹ עָוֹן וָהָלְאָה,
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| יִקַּח אֶת־הָאֹהֶל - (lit.) Will take [his] tent. יִקַּח here denotes continuous action, i.e., he would take his tent and set it up outside the camp. He said: “One excommunicated by the teacher, God, should also be excommunicated by me, His student.” |
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יִקַּח אֶת־הָאֹהֶל.
לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה הוּא – לוֹקֵחַ אָהֳלוֹ וְנוֹטֵהוּ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה; אָמַר מְנֻדֶּה לָרַב מְנֻדֶּה לַתַּלְמִיד (תנחומא):
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| הַרְחֵק - Far - i.e., at a distance of 2000 cubits, similar to that which it says: “However, there must remain a distance between you and it of about 2000 cubits.” |
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הַרְחֵק.
אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּ' אַךְ רָחוֹק יִהְיֶה בֵּינֵיכֶם וּבֵנָיו כְּאַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה בַּמִּדָּה (יהושע ג'):
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| וְקָרָא לוֹ - He called it - means: “he would call it the meeting tent,” i.e., it was a place for those seeking instruction in the Torah to assemble. |
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וְקָרָא לוֹ.
וְהָיָה קוֹרֵא לוֹ אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, הוּא בֵּית וַעַד לִמְבַקְּשֵׁי תוֹרָה:
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| כָּל־מְבַקֵּשׁ ה' - Whoever sought God. From here we learn that one who seeks out the company of an elder, i.e., a Torah sage, is considered as if he is experiencing the Divine Presence. |
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כָּל־מְבַקֵּשׁ ה'.
מִכָּאן לִמְבַקֵּשׁ פְּנֵי זָקֵן כִּמְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי שְׁכִינָה (תנחומא):
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| יֵצֵא אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - (lit.) Will go out to the Tent of Meeting. The term יֵצֵא here is to be understood as though it were written יוֹצֵא “he would go out.” Another explanation of “Whoever sought God”: Even when the ministering angels would inquire regarding the place of the Divine Presence, their fellow-angels would answer them: “He is in Moses’ tent.” |
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יֵצֵא אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
כְּמוֹ יוֹצֵא. דָּבָר אַחֵר וְהָיָה כָּל מְבַקֵּשׁ ה' – אֲפִלּוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת כְּשֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹאֲלִים מְקוֹם שְׁכִינָה, חַבְרֵיהֶם אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם הֲרֵי הוּא בְאָהֳלוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה:
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| 8Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise, each man standing at the entrance to his own tent, and their gaze would follow Moses until he entered the tent. |
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חוְהָיָ֗ה כְּצֵ֤את משֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָאֹ֔הֶל יָק֨וּמוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם וְנִ֨צְּב֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֣תַח אָֽהֳל֑וֹ וְהִבִּ֨יטוּ֙ אַֽחֲרֵ֣י משֶׁ֔ה עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ הָאֹֽהֱלָה: |
| וְהָיָה - (lit.) And it was - here denotes continuous action. |
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וְהָיָה.
לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה:
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| כְּצֵאת - Whenever Moses went out - from the camp to go “to the tent.” |
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כְּצֵאת.
מֹשֶׁה מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה לָלֶכֶת אל האהל:
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| יָקוּמוּ כָּל־הָעָם - All the people would rise - i.e., they would stand up before him and would not sit down until he had disappeared from their sight. |
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יָקוּמוּ כָּל־הָעָם.
עוֹמְדִים מִפָּנָיו, וְאֵין יוֹשְׁבִין עַד שֶׁנִּתְכַּסָּה מֵהֶם:
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| וְהִבִּיטוּ אַֽחֲרֵי משֶׁה - And their gaze would follow Moses - in admiration, saying: “Fortunate is the human being who is assured that the Divine Presence will follow him through the entrance of his tent!” |
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וְהִבִּיטוּ אַֽחֲרֵי משֶׁה.
לְשֶׁבַח – אַשְׁרֵי יְלוּד אִשָּׁה שֶׁכָּךְ מֻבְטָח שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה תִכָּנֵס אַחֲרָיו לְפֶתַח אָהֳלוֹ:
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| 9When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and remain at the entrance to the tent, and God would speak with Moses. |
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טוְהָיָ֗ה כְּבֹ֤א משֶׁה֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה יֵרֵד֙ עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן וְעָמַ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְדִבֶּ֖ר עִם־משֶֽׁה: |
| וְדִבֶּר עִם־משֶׁה - (lit.) And He spoke with Moses - has the same meaning here as וּמְדַבֵּר עִם מֹשֶׁה “and He would speak with Moses.” Onkelos translates this as וּמִתְמַלֵּל עִם מֹשֶׁה “and He would speak to Himself, with Moses hearing,” this form being used out of respect for the Divine Presence, similar to: וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו “he would hear the voice speaking to itself with him,” which does not read מְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו “speaking to him.” When vocalized מִדַּבֵּר, the meaning is that the voice was speaking to itself and a commoner would hear in passing, but when vocalized מְדַבֵּר, it implies that the King speaks directly with the commoner. |
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וְדִבֶּר עִם־משֶׁה.
כְּמוֹ וּמְדַבֵּר עִם מֹשֶׁה; תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וּמִתְמַלֵּל עִם מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהוּא כְּבוֹד שְׁכִינָה, כְּמוֹ וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו (במדבר ז'), וְאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא מְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו; כְּשֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא מִדַּבֵּר, פִּתְרוֹנוֹ הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ, וְהַהֶדְיוֹט שׁוֹמֵעַ מֵאֵלָיו, וּכְשֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא מְדַבֵּר מַשְׁמַע שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ מְדַבֵּר עִם הַהֶדְיוֹט:
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| 10Whenever all the people saw the pillar of cloud stationed at the entrance to the tent, all the people would rise, and each person would prostrate himself from the entrance to his tent. |
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יוְרָאָ֤ה כָל־הָעָם֙ אֶת־עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן עֹמֵ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְקָ֤ם כָּל־הָעָם֙ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֥תַח אָֽהֳלֽוֹ: |
| וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ - (lit.) They would prostrate themselves - to the Divine Presence. |
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וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ.
לַשְּׁכִינָה:
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| 11God would speak to Moses face to face, just as one man speaks to another. Moses would then return to the camp. His attendant, the young man, Joshua son of Nun, never left the tent. |
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יאוְדִבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ נַ֔עַר לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֹֽהֶל: |
| וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים - (lit.) God spoke to Moses face to face. The meaning of וְדִבֶּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה is as Onkelos translates it: וּמִתְמַלֵּל עִם מֹשֶׁה “and He would speak to Himself, with Moses hearing.” |
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וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים.
וּמִתְמַלֵּל עִם מֹשֶׁה:
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| וְשָׁב אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה - [Moses] would then return to the camp-
i.e., after God had spoken with him, Moses would return to the camp and teach the elders what he had learned from God.
Moses followed this procedure only from Yom Kippur until the Tabernacle was erected on 1 Nisan and no longer – for on 17 Tammuz, the Tablets of the Testimony were broken; and on 18 Tammuz, Moses burned the Golden Calf and judged those who had sinned by worshiping it; on 19 Tammuz, he again ascended Mount Sinai, as it says: “On the next day Moses said to the people…”; he spent 40 days there and pleaded for mercy for Israel, as it says: “I threw myself down before God as before for 40 days and 40 nights…”; at the beginning of the month of Elul he was told: “and in the morning, you must ascend Mount Sinai” in order to receive the second set of tablets, and he spent there another 40 days, about which it says: “I remained on the mountain like the first days, for 40 days and 40 nights” – just as the first 40 days were spent in God’s good favor, so too the last 40 days were spent in His good favor, from which one may infer that during the middle 40 days He was angry; on 10 Tishrei, the Holy One, blessed be He, became joyfully and wholeheartedly reconciled with Israel and said to Moses: “I have forgiven them in accordance with your word,” and He gave him the second set of tablets; Moses then descended the mountain and began instructing the Israelites regarding the work of the construction of the Tabernacle, and they constructed it until 1 Nisan. After it was erected, God spoke with him only from there, the Tent of Meeting.
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וְשָׁב אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה.
לְאַחַר שֶׁנִּדְבַּר עִמּוֹ הָיָה מֹשֶׁה שָׁב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וּמְלַמֵּד לַזְּקֵנִים מַה שֶּׁלָּמַד; וְהַדָּבָר הַזֶּה נָהַג מֹשֶׁה מִיּוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עַד שֶׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת, וּבְי"ח שָׂרַף אֶת הָעֵגֶל וְדָן אֶת הַחוֹטְאִים, וּבְי"ט עָלָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וְגוֹ' (שמות ל"ב), וְעָשָׂה שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וּבִקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים, שֶׁנֶּ' וָאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי ה' וְגוֹ' (דברים ט'), וּבְרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל נֶאֱמַר לוֹ וְעָלִיתָ בַבֹּקֶר אֶל הַר סִינַי (שמות ל"ד), לְקַבֵּל לוּחוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת – וְעָשָׂה שָׁם מ' יוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם וְאָנֹכִי עָמַדְתִּי בָהָר כַּיָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְגוֹ' – מָה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים בְּרָצוֹן אַף הָאַחֲרוֹנִים בְּרָצוֹן, אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה אֶמְצָעִיִּים הָיוּ בְכַעַס – בְּעֲשָׂרָה בְּתִשְׁרֵי נִתְרַצָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם, וְאָמַר לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה סָלַחְתִּי, וּמָסַר לוֹ לוּחוֹת אַחֲרוֹנוֹת, וְיָרַד וְהִתְחִיל לְצַוּוֹתָם עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וַעֲשָׂאוּהוּ עַד אֶחָד בְּנִיסָן, וּמִשֶּׁהוּקַם לֹא נִדְבַּר עִמּוֹ עוֹד אֶלָּא מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד (תנחומא):
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| וְשָׁב אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה - (lit.) And [Moses] returned to the camp. Onkelos translates this as וְתָב לְמַשְׁרִיתָא “and he would return to the camp,” because it denotes continuous action. Similarly he translates the entire section in a continuous present tense: וְרָאָה כָּל הָעָם – וְחָזָן “and they would see”; וְנִצְּבוּ – וְקָיְמִין “and they would stand”; וְהִבִּיטוּ – וּמִסְתַּכְּלִין “and they would look”; וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ – וְסָגְדִין “and they would prostrate themselves.” But its Midrashic explanation is: “God spoke to Moses” that he should return to the camp – i.e., God said to him: “I am angry and you are angry. If so, who will bring them close to Me again?” |
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וְשָׁב אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה.
תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וְתָב לְמַשְׁרִיתָא, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה, וְכֵן כָּל הָעִנְיָן, וראה כל העם – וַחֲזָן, ונצבו – וְקַיְמִין, והביטו – וּמִסְתַּכְּלִין, והשתחוו – וְסָגְדִין. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה – שֶׁיָּשׁוּב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה, אָמַר לוֹ אֲנִי בְכַעַס וְאַתָּה בְכַעַס, אִם כֵּן מִי יְקָרְבֵם? (תנחומא):
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