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<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>*************************************************************<BR>
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]<BR>
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag<BR> Shiurim in
Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag<BR>*************************************************************</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> PARSHAT YITRO - Ma'amad
Har Sinai</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> A wedding ceremony?
Well, not exactly; but many sources<BR>in Chazal compare the events at Ma'amad
Har Sinai to a<BR>marriage between God (the groom) and Am Yisrael (the
bride).<BR> [See for example the last Mishnah in Mesechet
Taanit!]<BR> In this week's shiur, as we study the
numerous<BR>ambiguities in Shmot chapter 19, we attempt to explain the<BR>deeper
meaning of this analogy, as well as the underlying<BR>reason for those
ambiguities.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>INTRODUCTION<BR> Thus far,
Sefer Shmot has discussed the story of Yetziat<BR>Mitzraim, and hence - how God
had fulfilled His covenant with<BR>the Avot. However, that covenant
included not only a promise<BR>of redemption, but also the promise that Bnei
Yisrael would<BR>become God's special nation in Eretz Canaan. As Bnei
Yisrael<BR>now travel to establish that nation in that 'Promised Land',<BR>God
brings them to Har Sinai in order to teach them the<BR>specific laws [mitzvot]
that will help make them His special<BR>nation.<BR>
Therefore, the primary purpose of Bnei Yisrael's arrival<BR>at Har Sinai was to
receive God's LAWS. Nevertheless, the<BR>Torah describes in no less detail
the 'experience' of how<BR>those laws were given. In the following shiur,
we undertake a<BR>careful reading of Shmot chapter 19 (i.e. the events
that<BR>precede the Ten Commandments), highlighting its complexities,<BR>in an
attempt to better appreciate Chazal's understanding of<BR>Ma'amad Har
Sinai.<BR> [Before you continue, it is highly recommended that
you<BR> quickly review chapters 19 and 20 to refresh your
memory,<BR> noting its flow of topic. (While doing so, try to notice
how<BR> many psukim are difficult to translate.) For a
more<BR> comprehensive preparation, see the Questions for
self-study<BR> (sent earlier this week).]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THE 'PROPOSAL'<BR> Shmot
chapter 19 opens as Bnei Yisrael arrive at Har<BR>Sinai - presumably, to receive
the Torah. However, before the<BR>Torah is given, God first summons Moshe
to the mountain,<BR>instructing him to relay a certain message to the
people. As<BR>you review these psukim (19:3-6), note how they form
a<BR>'proposal':<BR> "Thus shall you say to Beit Yaakov and tell Bnei
Yisrael:<BR> You have seen what I have done to Egypt... so
NOW:<BR> IF - you will OBEY Me faithfully and keep My
COVENANT...and<BR> be my treasured nation, for all the Land is
Mine.<BR> THEN: You shall be for Me a 'mamlechet Kohanim
v'goy<BR> kadosh' [a kingdom of priests and a holy nation]..."
(19:4-<BR> 6)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> The 'if / then' clause proves that these
instructions<BR>constitute a proposal (and not just a decree) - to which
Bnei<BR>Yisrael must answer either 'yes' or 'no'. And that's
exactly<BR>what we find:<BR> "And the people answered together and said,
'Everything that<BR> God has spoken we shall keep,' and Moshe brought
the<BR> people's answer back to God." (see 19:7-8)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Clearly, Moshe Rabeinu acts as the
'middle-man' - who must<BR>relay the people's answer to this 'proposal' back to
God.<BR> [In regard to what would have happened had Bnei Yisrael<BR>
answered 'no', see the Further Iyun section.]<BR>
<BR> Let's take a minute to discuss the meaning of the
two<BR>sides of this 'proposition'.<BR> The first part of the 'IF' clause
- "if you will OBEY Me" -<BR>makes sense, as God must first clarify if Bnei
Yisrael are<BR>indeed now ready to follow His laws; in contrast to
their<BR>previous 'refusals' (see Yechezkel 20:5-9, Shmot 6:9 &
15:26).<BR>However, the precise meaning of the second clause - "and if<BR>you
will keep My COVENANT" is uncertain, for it is not clear<BR>if this 'covenant'
refers to something old - i.e. 'brit Avot';<BR>or something new - i.e. 'brit
Sinai.<BR> <BR>SOMETHING 'OLD' or SOMETHING 'NEW'<BR> It would be
difficult to explain that the word 'covenant' in<BR>this pasuk refers to 'brit
Avot', for brit Avot doesn't seem<BR>to include any specific action that Bnei
Yisrael must keep.<BR>More likely, it refers to 'brit Sinai' - whose details
will<BR>soon be revealed, should Bnei Yisrael accept this proposal.<BR>
However, this ambiguity may be intentional, for this<BR>forthcoming "brit Sinai"
could be understood as an 'upgrade'<BR>of "brit Avot". In other words,
'brit Avot' discusses the<BR>very basic framework of a relationship (see
Breishit 17:7-8),<BR>while 'brit Sinai' will contain the detailed laws which
will<BR>make that original covenant more meaningful.<BR> If so, then the
proposition could be understood as follows:<BR>Should Bnei Yisrael agree to obey
whatever God may command,<BR>and to remain faithful to this covenant, and act as
His<BR>treasured nation (see 19:5) - THEN, the result will be that<BR>Bnei
Yisrael will serve as God's 'model' nation, representing<BR>Him before all other
nations [a "mamlechet kohanim v'goy<BR>kadosh"/ see
19:6].<BR> As a prerequisite for Matan Torah, Bnei
Yisrael must both<BR>confirm their readiness to obey God's commandments
while<BR>recognizing that these mitzvot will facilitate their<BR>achievement of
the very purpose of God's covenant with them.<BR>
Whereas a covenant requires the willful consent of both<BR>sides, this section
concludes with Bnei Yisrael's collective<BR>acceptance of these terms (see again
19:7-8).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>MAKING PLANS (and changing
them)<BR> Now that Bnei Yisrael had accepted God's
proposal, the<BR>next step should be for them to receive the specific
MITZVOT<BR>(i.e. the laws that they just agreed to observe).
However,<BR>before those laws can be given, there are some technical<BR>details
that must be ironed out, concerning HOW Bnei Yisrael<BR>will receive these laws.
Note how the next pasuk describes<BR>God's 'plans' for how He intends to convey
these mitzvot<BR> "And God said to Moshe, 'I will come to you in the
thickness<BR> of a CLOUD, in order that the people HEAR when I SPEAK
WITH<BR> YOU, and in order that they believe in you [i.e. that
you<BR> are My spokesman] forever..." (19:9)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> It appears from this pasuk
that God plans to use Moshe<BR>Rabeinu as an intermediary to convey His laws to
Bnei Yisrael,<BR>consistent with Moshe's role as His liaison
heretofore.<BR>Nonetheless, God insists that the people will 'overhear'
His<BR>communication with Moshe, so that they believe that these laws<BR>truly
originate from God, and not from Moshe.<BR> At this
point, in the middle of pasuk 9, we encounter our<BR>first major difficulty in
following the flow of events. Note<BR>that God has just informed Moshe of
HOW He plans to convey His<BR>laws. Hence, we would expect Moshe to convey this
message to<BR>Bnei Yisrael (just as he did in 19:7). However, when
we<BR>continue our reading of 19:9, something very strange
takes<BR>place:<BR> "...Then Moshe reported the PEOPLE'S words to God."
(19:9)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> What's going on? The
second half of this pasuk seems to<BR>omit an entire clause - for it never tells
us what the people<BR>responded. Instead, it just says that Moshe relayed
the<BR>people's response back to God, without telling us WHAT the<BR>people
said!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>BE PREPARED!<BR> This
question is so glaring (and obvious) that Rashi,<BR>taking for granted that the
reader realized this problem,<BR>provides an answer based on the Midrash that
fills in the<BR>'missing details'.<BR> "Et divrei ha'am" [the words of the
people]... The people<BR> responded: 'We want to hear from YOU [God]
directly, for one<BR> cannot compare hearing from a "shaliach" (a
messenger) to<BR> hearing from the King himself, [or they said,]: We want
to<BR> SEE our King!" (see Rashi on
19:9)<BR> <BR> Note
how Rashi adds an entire line to this narrative.<BR>According to his
interpretation, Bnei Yisrael don't accept<BR>God's original plan that they would
hear the MITZVOT via<BR>Moshe. Instead, they demand to hear them directly - from
God<BR>Himself!<BR> What allows Rashi to offer such a
bold interpretation?<BR> Rashi's interpretation is based
on an apparent<BR>contradiction between God's original plan in 19:9 and
what<BR>appears to be His new plan, as described in the next
two<BR>psukim:<BR> "And God told Moshe, 'Go to the people and get them
ready...<BR> for on the third day God will reveal Himself IN VIEW OF
ALL<BR> THE PEOPLE on Har Sinai." (see 19:10-11)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Note how God commands Bnei
Yisrael to ready themselves,<BR>for in three days time they will actually SEE
God. This<BR>declaration that He plans to reveal himself before the
'eyes<BR>of the entire nation' suggests that God now plans to convey<BR>His
mitzvot DIRECTLY to the people. These instructions appear<BR>to describe a
NEW PLAN for Matan Torah (in contrast to His<BR>original plan that Moshe will
act as an intermediary - as<BR>described in 19:9).<BR>
For the sake of clarity, from now on, we refer to the<BR>God's original plan
(Dibrot via Moshe) as PLAN 'A' (based on<BR>19:9), and to the new plan (Dibrot
Direct) as PLAN 'B (based<BR>on 19:11)'.<BR> Rashi
claims that God's suggestion of Plan 'B' stems from<BR>the people's
unwillingness to accept Plan 'A' - for Bnei<BR>Yisrael want to hear the
Commandments DIRECTLY.<BR> This 'change of plan' can
explain why the people now<BR>require THREE days of preparation. In order to
prepare for<BR>this DIRECT encounter, Bnei Yisrael must first attain a
higher<BR>level of spiritual readiness, as reflected in the
three-day<BR>preparation period. Note how the details of this
'preparation'<BR>continue until 19:15.<BR> In 19:12-13,
Moshe is commanded to cordon off the entire<BR>area surrounding the mountain. In
19:14-15, Moshe relays these<BR>commands to the people. Hence, from now on, we
refer to this<BR>section (i.e. 19:9-15) as 'PREPARATION'.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Are Bnei Yisrael capable
of reaching this level? Are they<BR>truly ready to receive the DIBROT directly
from God?<BR> If so, why did God not suggest this direct
encounter in<BR>the first place? If not, why does God now agree to
their<BR>request?<BR> [As you may have guessed, we have encountered
a<BR>'dialectic'.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> To answer these questions,
we must analyze the psukim<BR>that follow to determine which of these two divine
plans<BR>actually unfolds.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>RUNAWAY BRIDE<BR> According
to the new plan, on 'day three' God should<BR>reveal Himself on Mount Sinai and
speak the DIBROT directly to<BR>the entire nation. Let's continue now in
chapter 19 and see<BR>what happens:<BR> "And it came to pass on the third
day in the morning, and<BR> there were loud sounds and lightening, and a
THICK CLOUD on<BR> the mountain, and the SHOFAR sounded very strong, and
the<BR> people in the CAMP all became frightened." (19:16)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> If you read this pasuk
carefully, you will most probably<BR>be startled by the fact that Bnei Yisrael
never came to Har<BR>Sinai that morning! Instead, they were so frightened
of God's<BR>"hitgalut" [revelation] that they remained in the CAMP.<BR>
[Our minhag to stay up (and learn Torah) the entire night of<BR> Shavuot
is based on the Midrash that Bnei Yisrael 'slept in'<BR> on that morning.
Note how that Midrash is based on this<BR> pasuk.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> This background explains
the next pasuk, where Moshe goes<BR>back to the camp, and brings everyone back
to the foot of the<BR>mountain (see 19:17). Now it's time to 'try it
again'. Let's<BR>see what happens:<BR> "And Har Sinai was full of smoke,
for God had DESCENDED upon<BR> it in FIRE, and its smoke was like a
furnace, and the entire<BR> mountain shook violently..." (see
19:18)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> This pasuk certainly
describes God's "hitgalut", and it<BR>appears to follow according to PLAN
'B'. Note how God's<BR>descends onto the mountain (note the word
"va'yered" in both<BR>19:11 and 19:18). Nevertheless, one could also
understand the<BR>intense smoke as reflective of the protective
'cloud'<BR>described in 19:9 (Plan 'A').<BR> The stage
has now been set for Matan Torah. The people<BR>are standing at the foot of Har
Sinai and God has revealed<BR>Himself - He has descended upon Har Sinai.
Therefore, the next<BR>pasuk should describe God's proclamation of the
Ten<BR>Commandments.<BR> Let's examine that pasuk
(19:19) carefully:<BR> "The sound of the shofar grew louder and louder; as
Moshe<BR> would speak, God would answer him with a KOL."
(19:19)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> This pasuk is quite
ambiguous, for it does not give us<BR>even a clue as to WHAT Moshe was saying or
what God was<BR>answering. It is not even clear as to WHOM Moshe is
speaking,<BR>to God or to the people!<BR> If Moshe is
speaking to the people, then this pasuk would<BR>be describing how he conveyed
the DIBROT. If so, then Moshe<BR>speaking and God responding with a "kol"
- implies that the<BR>DIBROT were given according to PLAN 'A', as Moshe serves
as<BR>the intermediary. [Compare with 19:9!]<BR>
However, if "Moshe y'daber" (in 19:19) refers to Moshe<BR>speaking to God, then
it not at all clear what their<BR>conversation is about; nor can we make any
deduction in regard<BR>to how the Dibrot were given! [Note the range of
opinion<BR>among the commentators on this pasuk!]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>PLAN 'B' - MYSTERIOUSLY
MISSING!<BR> Rashi's commentary on this pasuk is simply
amazing.<BR>Again quoting the Midrash, Rashi claims that Moshe is speaking<BR>to
the people, telling them the Dibrot! However, what's<BR>amazing is
Rashi's explanation that the clause "Moshe<BR>y'daber..." describes the
transmission of the LAST EIGHT<BR>Commandments, but not the first TWO.
This is because Rashi<BR>understands that the first two DIBROT were given
DIRECTLY from<BR>God - in accordance with PLAN 'B' - while the last eight
were<BR>given via Moshe - in accordance with PLAN 'A'. As this
pasuk<BR>(19:19) describes PLAN 'A' it could only be referring to
the<BR>transmission of the last eight DIBROT!<BR> [See also Rambam
in Moreh N'vuchim II, chapter 33.]<BR> <BR>
Note that according to Rashi, chapter 19 intentionally<BR>OMITS two key events
relating to Plan B:<BR> 1) Bnei Yisrael's original
request for Plan B (in 19:9),<BR>&<BR> 2) The story
of the two DIBROT given at the level of Plan<BR>'B'.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> For some thematic reason
that remains unclear, chapter 19<BR>prefers to omit these two important details,
leaving us with<BR>the impression that Plan 'B' may have never taken
place!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Ramban rejects Rashi's
interpretation of 19:19 (as do<BR>many other commentators), arguing that 19:19
does NOT describe<BR>how the Dibrot were given. Instead, Ramban explains
that<BR>"Moshe y'daber..." describes the conversation between God and<BR>Moshe
that immediately follows in 19:20-25.<BR> [As usual, Ramban prefers to keep
the sequence of events<BR> according to the order of the psukim, while
Rashi is willing<BR> to 'change' the order for thematic
considerations.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>LIMITATION/ A FINAL
WARNING<BR> To better appreciate this "machloket"
between Rashi and<BR>Ramban, we must examine the last set of psukim in chapter
19<BR>(i.e. 19:20-25).<BR> "God descended upon Mount Sinai to the TOP of
the Mountain<BR> and summoned Moshe to the TOP of the Mountain, and
Moshe<BR> ascended... Then God told Moshe: Go down and WARN the
people<BR> lest they break through toward God to SEE, and many of
them<BR> will perish. And even the KOHANIM who are permitted to
come<BR> closer must prepare themselves..."
(19:20-22)<BR> [Btw, note that 20:25 refers to Moshe's
conveying this<BR> warning to the people, NOT to his conveying
the "DIBROT,"<BR> as is commonly misunderstood. See
Rashi!]<BR> <BR> According to Ramban,
this additional 'warning' is given<BR>BEFORE Matan Torah, and serves as the
final preparation before<BR>the DIBROT are given. However, according to
Rashi's<BR>interpretation, it remains unclear when, where, and why
this<BR>conversation (in 19:20-25) takes place.<BR> [Even though Rashi
explains 19:19 as depicting the<BR> presentation of the DIBROT, he
maintains that 19:20-25 takes<BR> place beforehand - for it relates to the
ceremony described<BR> in 24:3-11, which Rashi himself claims to have
occurred<BR> BEFORE the DIBROT. This "sugya" lies beyond the scope
of<BR> our shiur.]<BR> <BR> In any case, this
final 'warning' clearly reflects the<BR>mode of transmission of the Dibrot that
we have referred to as<BR>PLAN 'A' - God will appear only to Moshe (at the top
of the<BR>mountain), while everyone else must keep their distance down<BR>below.
Only Moshe will be privy to witness the descent of the<BR>"shechina" onto the
TOP of the mountain, while Bnei Yisrael<BR>are prohibited from ascending to see,
"lest they die."<BR> As this section describes how God
is now limiting His<BR>revelation to the top of the Mountain, we refer from now
on to<BR>this section (19:20-25) as 'LIMITATION'.<BR>
Note how chapter 19 now divides into four
distinct<BR>sections:<BR> I.
PROPOSITION (19:1-8)<BR> II. PREPARATION
(19:9-15)<BR> III. REVELATION
(19:16-19)<BR> IV. LIMITATION (19:20-25)
]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> So what happened? Has God
reverted to Plan 'A' (that<BR>Moshe is to act as an intermediary)? If so, why?
On the other<BR>hand, if Plan 'B' remains in operation, why does God
restrict<BR>His revelation to the TOP of the mountain? Could this
be<BR>considered some sort of 'compromise'?<BR> There
appears to have been a change in plans, but why?<BR>
Even though chapter 19 does not seem to provide any<BR>explanation for what
motivated this change, a story found<BR>later in chapter 20 seems to provide us
with all the 'missing<BR>details'.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>TREPIDATION [ or 'FEAR' STORY
ONE']<BR> Towards the end of chapter 20, immediately
after the<BR>Torah records the DIBROT, we find yet another story
concerning<BR>what transpired at Har Sinai:<BR> "And the people all saw the
KOLOT, the torches, the sound of<BR> the SHOFAR and the mountain smoking;
the people saw and<BR> MOVED BACK and stood at a distance. And they told
Moshe:<BR> 'Why don't YOU SPEAK to us, and we will listen to you,
but<BR> God should NOT SPEAK to us, lest we
die.'<BR> "Moshe responded
saying: 'DO NOT BE FEARFUL, for God<BR> is coming to 'test'
you and instill fear within you so<BR> that you will not
sin.'<BR> "But the people STOOD AT A DISTANCE, and Moshe
[alone]<BR> entered the CLOUD where God was." (see 20:15-18)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> This short narrative
provides us with a perfect<BR>explanation for WHY God chooses to revert from
PLAN 'B' back<BR>to PLAN 'A'. Here, the reason is stated explicitly:
the<BR>people changed their mind because they were frightened and<BR>overwhelmed
by this intense experience of "hitgalut."<BR> But why is
this story recorded in chapter 20? Should it<BR>not have been recorded in
chapter 19?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Indeed, Ramban does place
this story in the middle of<BR>chapter 19. Despite his general reluctance
towards<BR>rearranging the chronology in Chumash, Ramban (on
20:14-15)<BR>explains that this entire parshia (20:15-18) took place<BR>earlier,
BEFORE Matan Torah. Based on a textual and thematic<BR>similarities between
20:15-18 and 19:16-19 (and a problematic<BR>parallel in Devarim 5:20-28), Ramban
concludes that the events<BR>described in 20:15-18 took place before Matan
Torah, and<BR>should be read together with 19:16-18!<BR>
Thus, according to Ramban, the people's request to hear<BR>from Moshe (and not
from God) that took place within 19:16-18,<BR>explains the need for the
'limitation' section that follows<BR>immediately afterward in 20:19-25. [See
Ramban on 20:15.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Rashi and Chizkuni offer a
different interpretation. They<BR>agree with Ramban that 20:15-18 - the Fear
Story - is 'out of<BR>place,' but they disagree concerning WHERE to put it.
While<BR>Ramban places this story BEFORE Matan Torah, Rashi (based on<BR>his
pirush to 19:19) & Chizkuni (on 20:15) claim that it took<BR>place DURING
Matan Torah, BETWEEN the first two and last eight<BR>commandments.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - FIRST OR THIRD
PERSON<BR> In fact, this creative solution solves yet
another<BR>problem. It explains WHY the text of the Ten Commandments<BR>shifts
from first to third person after the second<BR>commandment. Whereas the first
two commandments (20:2-5) are<BR>written in FIRST person, indicating that God
conveyed them<BR>DIRECTLY to the people [reflective of Plan 'B'], the
last<BR>eight commandments (20:6-14) are written in third person,<BR>suggesting
a less direct form of communication [reflective of<BR>Plan 'A']. This
reflects Chazal's explanation that: "Anochi<BR>v'Lo Yihiyeh Lachem, m'pi
ha'gvurah shma'um" - the first two<BR>commandments were heard directly from God
(Makkot 24a); see<BR>also Chizkuni 20:2 and 20:15.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Rashi and Chizkuni's
explanation has a clear advantage<BR>over Ramban's, as it justifies the
'transplantation' of the<BR>Fear story (20:15-18) from its proper chronological
location<BR>to after the Dibrot. Since this story took place DURING
the<BR>Ten Commandments, the Torah could not record it beforehand. On<BR>the
other hand, it could not have been recorded where it<BR>belongs (i.e. in between
the second and third DIBROT), for the<BR>Torah does not want to 'break up' the
DIBROT (whereas they<BR>form a single unit). Therefore, the Torah records
this 'fear<BR>story' as a type of 'appendix' to the Ten
Commandments,<BR>explaining afterward what happened while they were
given.<BR> To summarize, in chapter 19, it was unclear
whether or<BR>not Bnei Yisrael would hear the DIBROT according to PLAN
'A'<BR>(as God originally had planned) or at the higher level of PLAN<BR>'B' (as
Bnei Yisrael requested). Later, in chapter 20, the<BR>Torah describes how
Bnei Yisrael were frightened and requested<BR>to revert back to PLAN
'A'. Ramban claims that this 'fear<BR>story' took place BEFORE Matan
Torah, and hence the people<BR>heard ALL Ten Commandments through Moshe (Plan
'A'). Rashi<BR>maintains that this story took place DURING the DIBROT;
hence<BR>the first TWO DIBROT were transmitted according to PLAN 'B',<BR>while
the remainder were heard according to PLAN 'A'.<BR> [Ibn Ezra (see 20:15)
takes an opposite approach,<BR> maintaining that the fear story is recorded
right where it<BR> belongs; it took place only AFTER Matan Torah.
Therefore,<BR> the people heard all Ten Commandments directly from God,
as<BR> mandated by Plan 'B'.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A PROOF FROM SEFER
DEVARIM<BR> Based on our discussion, we can resolve two
adjacent yet<BR>seemingly contradictory psukim in the description of
Matan<BR>Torah in Sefer Devarim:<BR> "Face to face God spoke to you on the
mountain out of the<BR> fire [PLAN 'B']. I stood BETWEEN God and you at
that time to<BR> convey God's words to you [PLAN 'A'], for you were afraid
of<BR> the fire and did not go up the mountain..." (see Devarim
5:4-<BR> 5)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Once again, the Torah incorporates BOTH PLANS
in its<BR>description of Matan Torah. Evidently, both plans were in
fact<BR>carried out, as we explained.<BR> Although we have suggested
several solutions to problems<BR>raised by chapters 19-20, a much more basic
question arises:<BR>why can't the Torah be more precise? Why does the Torah
appear<BR>to intentionally obscure the details of such an important<BR>event in
our history?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>AHAVA and YIRAH<BR> One
could suggest that this ambiguity is intentional, as<BR>it reflects the
dialectic nature of man's encounter with God.<BR> Man,
in search of God, constantly faces a certain<BR>tension. On the one hand, he
must constantly strive to come as<BR>close to God as possible ("ahava" - the
love of God). On the<BR>other hand, he must constantly retain an awareness of
God's<BR>greatness and recognize his own shortcomings and
unworthiness<BR>("yirah" the fear of God). Awed by God's infinity and
humbled<BR>by his own imperfection, man must keep his distance (see<BR>Devarim
5:25-26!).<BR> God's original plan for Matan Torah was
'realistic.'<BR>Recognizing man's inability to directly confront
the<BR>"shechina," God intends to use Moshe as an intermediary
(Plan<BR>'A'). Bnei Yisrael, eager to become active
covenantal<BR>partners, express their desire to come as close as possible
to<BR>God. They want to encounter the "Shechina" directly, without<BR>any
mediating agent (Plan 'B').<BR> Could God say NO to this
sincere expression of "ahavat<BR>Hashem"? Of course not! Yet, on the other hand,
answering YES<BR>could place the people in tremendous danger, as they must
rise<BR>to the highest levels of spirituality to deserve such a<BR>direct,
unmediated manifestation of God.<BR> While Plan 'B' may
reflect a more 'ideal' encounter, Plan<BR>'A' reflects a more realistic one. One
could suggest that by<BR>presenting the details with such ambiguity, the
Torah<BR>emphasizes the need to find the proper balance between this<BR>realism
as well as idealism when serving God.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>GOD KNOWS BEST<BR> Although
God knows full well that Bnei Yisrael cannot<BR>possibly sustain a direct
encounter, He nonetheless concedes<BR>to their request to hear the Commandments
directly. Why?<BR> One could compare this Divine
encounter to a parent-child<BR>relationship. As a child grows up, there are
times when he<BR>wishes to do things on his own. Despite his clear
incapability<BR>to perform the given task, his desire to accomplish is the
key<BR>to his growth. A wise parent will allow his child to try, even<BR>though
he knows that the child may fail - for it is better<BR>that one recognize his
shortcomings on his own, rather than be<BR>told by others that he cannot
accomplish.<BR> On the other hand, although a child's
desire to grow<BR>should not be inhibited by an overprotective parent,
a<BR>responsible parent must also know when to tell his child
STOP.<BR> Similarly, God is well aware of Bnei
Yisrael's<BR>unworthiness to encounter the Divine at the highest
level.<BR>Nevertheless, He encourages them to aspire to their
highest<BR>potential. As Bnei Yisrael struggle to maintain the
proper<BR>balance between "ahava" and "yirah," God must guide and they<BR>must
strive.<BR> Our study of Parshat Yitro has shown us that
what<BR>actually happened at Ma'amad Har Sinai remains unclear.<BR>However, what
'could have happened' remains man's eternal<BR>challenge.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>
shabbat
shalom,<BR>
menachem</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>=================<BR>FOR FURTHER IYUN<BR>A. What
would have happened had Bnei Yisrael said NO to God's<BR>proposition? The
Midrash posits that had Bnei Yisrael rejected<BR>the offer, the world would have
returned to "tohu va'vahu"<BR>(void) - the phrase used in Breishit 1:2 to
describe the state<BR>prior to Creation! [See Shabbat 88a & Rashi 19:17.]
>From this<BR>Midrash, it appears that Bnei Yisrael had no choice but
to<BR>accept. Why is the covenant binding, if Am Yisrael had
no<BR>choice?<BR> Any covenant, by its very nature,
requires the willful<BR>acceptance of both parties. Therefore, according to
"pshat,"<BR>Bnei Yisrael have "bechira chofshit" to either accept or<BR>reject
God's proposition. Their willful acceptance makes the<BR>covenant at Har Sinai
binding for all generations. Thus, had<BR>Bnei Yisrael said NO (chas v'shalom),
Matan Torah would not<BR>have taken place! However, such a possibility is
unthinkable,<BR>for without Matan Torah there would have been no purpose
for<BR>Creation. Therefore, because the psukim indicate that Bnei<BR>Yisrael had
free choice, the Midrash must emphasize that from<BR>the perspective of the
purpose behind God's Creation, the<BR>people had no choice other than accept the
Torah.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>B. Most m'forshim explain that "b'mshoch ha'yovel
hay'mah<BR>ya'alu b'Har" (19:13) refers to the long shofar blast
that<BR>signaled the COMPLETION of the "hitgalut" - an 'all
clear'<BR>signal.<BR> One could suggest exactly the
opposite interpretation,<BR>that the long shofar blast indicated the BEGINNING
of Matan<BR>Torah.<BR> Explain why this interpretation fits nicely into
the pshat<BR>of 19:11-15, that limiting access to the Mountain is part of<BR>the
preparation for Matan Torah. [What does an 'all clear'<BR>signal have to do with
preparation?] Explain as well why<BR>this would imply that during
Matan Torah, Bnei Yisrael should<BR>have actually ascended Har
Sinai!<BR> Relate this to concept of PLAN 'B' and Bnei
Yisrael's<BR>request to SEE the "Shchina." Relate to Devarim 5:5 in
support<BR>of this interpretation. Why would "kol ha'shofar holaych<BR>v'chazak
m'od" (19:19) be precisely what God meant by<BR>"b'mshoch
ha'yovel."<BR> Relate to "tachtit ha'har" in
19:17! Use this to explain<BR>why the psukim immediately following 19:19
describe God's<BR>decision to LIMIT his "hitgalut" to the TOP of the
mountain.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>C. Compare the details of 19:20-24 to the Mishkan:
i.e. Rosh<BR>ha'har = kodesh kdoshim; Har = Mishkan; Tachtit Ha'har =<BR>azara,
etc. Where can Moshe and Aharon enter? What about the<BR>Kohanim and the
Am? Explain how this may reflect a bit of a<BR>'compromise' between plans
A & B.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>D. You are probably familiar with Kabbalat Shabbat.
Based on<BR>the above shiur, explain why our weekly preparation for<BR>Shabbat
could be compared to Bnei Yisrael's original<BR>preparation for Matan
Torah.<BR> Relate this to the verses of "l'cho dodi" and its
'wedding<BR>like' imagery!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ADDITIONAL NOTES AND SOURCES<BR>A. WHAT WERE
"DIVREI HA'AM" in 19:9:<BR> In the shiur we mentioned
Rashi's interpretation (based<BR>on the Mechilta), that though the Torah does
not state this<BR>explicitly, Bnei Yisrael insisted on hearing Hashem's
word<BR>directly, rather than through a mediator. Moshe then
reports<BR>this request to Hashem. This is also the implication of
the<BR>Midrash in Shir Hashirim Rabba 1:2. We will briefly review<BR>some
of the other interpretations offered to resolve the<BR>difficulty in this
pasuk:<BR>1. The Abarbanel takes the same general approach as
Rashi,<BR>that Moshe here tells Hashem of the nation's desire to hear<BR>His
word directly. However, he claims that this request<BR>actually appears in
the psukim (whereas according to Rashi the<BR>Torah never records the people
making this request).The<BR>Abarbanel claims that their acceptance of the
"proposition" -<BR>"everything that Hashem said - we will do" - included
their<BR>wish to hear Hashem directly. (He appears to interpret
the<BR>clause, "im shamo'a tishm'u b'koli… ," which we generally<BR>explain to
mean, "if you obey Me faithfully," as, "if you will<BR>hear My voice."
Thus, when they accepted this proposition,<BR>they expressed the desire to hear
Hashem's voice as well.<BR> This approach appears more explicitly in the
Netziv's<BR>He'amek Davar (19:8.) Hashem here tells Moshe that as
not<BR>everyone is worthy of prophecy, He will speak to Moshe "b'av<BR>he'anan,"
which the Abarbanel explains as a physical voice, as<BR>opposed to the usual
medium of prophecy, which involves none<BR>of the physical senses. (This
understanding of "av he'anan"<BR>appears as well in the Or Hachayim and
Malbim.) The nation<BR>will thus hear Hashem's voice without experiencing
actual<BR>prophecy. Moshe then informs Hashem that the people want
to<BR>hear Hashem speaking to them, rather than to Moshe. This<BR>general
approach of the Abarbanel appears to be the intent of<BR>the Midrash Lekach Tov
on our pasuk.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2. The Ibn Ezra, like Rashi, understands the
"divrei ha'am"<BR>in this pasuk as referring to something not
explicitly<BR>mentioned in the psukim. Whereas according to Rashi
that<BR>something was the nation's desire to hear Hashem directly, the<BR>Ibn
Ezra points to the skepticism on the part of segments of<BR>Bnei Yisrael.
He claims that "vayaged Moshe et divrei ha'am"<BR>means that Moshe had
previously made this comment to Hashem,<BR>prior to the beginning of this
pasuk. It thus turns out that<BR>Hashem speaks to Moshe here in response
to his report of the<BR>"divrei ha'am." Moshe had reported that some among
Bnei<BR>Yisrael do not believe that a human being can survive a<BR>revelation of
Hashem; they therefore doubted the fact that<BR>Moshe had been appointed God's
messenger. Hashem therefore<BR>tells Moshe that Ma'amad Har Sinai will
result in "v'gam b'cha<BR>ya'aminu l'olam" - Bnei Yisrael's complete trust and
faith in<BR>Moshe's prophecy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3. Other Rishonim suggest that when Moshe
"returns the<BR>nation's words to Hashem" (see 19:8) -he does not
actually<BR>tell Hashem what the nation said; he merely returned to God<BR>with
the intention of telling Him. It is only in 19:9 that<BR>Moshe actually
told this to God (see Ibn Ezra in Shmot 19:23<BR>citing Rav Sa'adya Gaon's claim
that just as in his day people<BR>could not initiate conversation with a
monarch, but must<BR>rather wait for the king to begin speaking with them, so
did<BR>Moshe abstain from addressing God until after God spoke
with<BR>him.)<BR> This explanation is also suggested by Rav Sa'adya Gaon
(as<BR>explained by Rabbenu Avraham Ben ha'Rambam, and Rabbi Yaakov<BR>of Vienna
in "Imrei Noam"), the Ba'alei HaTosfot (as quoted in<BR>both Hadar Zekeinim and
Da'at Zekeinim), Rabbenu Yosef Bechor<BR>Shor, and the Ramban. The
Rashbam, too, appears to take this<BR>position.<BR> [Two Midrashic
interpretations of this pasuk appear in<BR> Masechet Shabbat 87a and in
the Mechilta on our pasuk.]<BR>This discussion surrounding 19:9 directly impacts
another<BR>issue, one of the central points of our shiur: does
Hashem<BR>introduce a "new plan" in psukim 10-11, after Moshe "reports<BR>the
people's words" to Him? According to Rashi, as discussed<BR>at length in
the shiur, He clearly did. The same is true<BR>according to the
Abarbanel's approach. However, according to<BR>the second and third
explanations quoted here, it would seem<BR>that Hashem is not describing here an
alternate procedure.<BR>Indeed, the Ramban (on this pasuk) explains Hashem's
original<BR>"plan" as having Bnei Yisrael watch as Hashem appears
to<BR>Moshe. Thus, pasuk 11, in which Hashem says that He will<BR>descend
"in the view of the nation," does not mark a change of<BR>plans.
Similarly, in the introduction to his commentary to<BR>Shir Hashirim, as well as
in his peirush to Shmot 3:12, the<BR>Ramban writes that Hashem's promise to
Moshe at the burning<BR>bush, that Bnei Yisrael will "serve God on this
mountain,"<BR>involved their "beholding His glory face-to-face." This
was<BR>God's intention all along.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>B. PLAN A & PLAN B<BR> In the shiur
we worked with Rashi's view - i.e. God<BR>originally had planned to speak only
to Moshe, as Bnei Yisrael<BR>listened in. In response to the nation's
request, however,<BR>God switches to "plan B," by which He will address the
nation<BR>directly.<BR> An interesting variation on this theme is
suggested by the<BR>Malbim. According to his explanation, plan B, which
the<BR>people requested, involved their hearing directly from Hashem<BR>the
entire Torah, not only the Ten Commandments. (The Ramban<BR>- 20:14 -
writes that Bnei Yisrael feared that this was God's<BR>plan, though in actuality
He had never intended to transmit<BR>the entire Torah to them directly.)
Hashem initially agrees,<BR>but their sense of terror upon hearing the thunder
and<BR>lightening signaling God's descent onto the mountain (19:16),<BR>and
their consequent hesitation to go to the mountain<BR>("vayotzei Moshe" - 19:17),
reflected their unworthiness for<BR>this lengthy exposure to divine
revelation. Hashem therefore<BR>presented them directly either the Ten
Commandments or the<BR>first two. Only Moshe received the rest of the
mitzvot<BR>directly from Hashem.<BR> We should note that
in contradistinction to our<BR>understanding of Rashi, the Maharal of Prague (in
his Gur<BR>Aryeh to 19:9) explains Rashi to mean that Moshe simply<BR>confirms
Hashem's plan. God tells him that He plans on<BR>revealing Himself to
Moshe as the nation hears, and Moshe<BR>replies, "Indeed, this is what the
people want." Apparently,<BR>the Maharal understands "hinei Anochi ba
eilecha b'av he'anan…<BR>" to refer to the same level of "giluy Shechina" that
actually<BR>occurs, such that there was never any change of plans.<BR>(According
to the Maharal's approach, it turns out that there<BR>is no difference between
the approaches of Rashi and the<BR>Ramban.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>C. "Moshe Yedaber Veha'Elokim Ya'anenu B'kol"
(19:19)<BR> As we saw, Rashi, following the Mechilta, understands
this<BR>pasuk as referring to the procedure of the transmission of
the<BR>Asseret Hadibrot. We also noted that the Ramban
disagrees,<BR>claiming that it describes the manner in which the laws in
the<BR>following psukim - concerning the "limitation" - were<BR>presented.
This is the general approach of the Abarbanel and<BR>Rabbenu Yosef Bechor Shor,
as well. The Ibn Ezra claims that<BR>the pasuk does not reveal what it is
that Moshe says here, but<BR>it definitely does not refer to the Asseret
Hadibrot. The<BR>point of the pasuk is to stress that despite the
overpowering<BR>sound of the shofar, it did not interfere with
Moshe's<BR>conversation with Hashem. The Or Hachayim writes that
Moshe<BR>here spoke words of praise to Hashem, and He would then<BR>respond.
According to all these views, this pasuk does not<BR>refer to Asseret Hadibrot,
as Rashi claims.<BR> A particularly interesting interpretation is
suggested by<BR>the Malbim, Netziv and "Hadrash Veha'iyun" (though with
some<BR>variation). They claim that the sound of the shofar<BR>proclaimed,
"Moshe yedaber veha'Elokim ya'anenu b'kol." In<BR>other words, they place
a colon after the word "me'od" in this<BR>pasuk. The shofar blast thus
informed the people that Moshe<BR>will serve as the intermediary in between
Hashem and Bnei<BR>Yisrael in transmitting the Torah.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>D. What Did Bnei Yisrael
Hear?<BR> The issue of whether or not Bnei Yisrael heard
Hashem<BR>speak at Ma'amad Har Sinai involves both parshanut
and<BR>machshava. In terms of parshanut, as we discussed in the<BR>shiur,
we must accommodate several psukim: in our parasha -<BR>19:9, which, as
discussed, implies that Hashem (at least<BR>originally) planned to speak to
Moshe as the nation listened;<BR>19:19 - "Moshe yedaber veha'Elokim ya'anenu
be'kol," which, if<BR>it refers to the Asseret Hadibrot (a point debated by
Rashi<BR>and the Ramban, as discussed in the shiur), points to
the<BR>involvement of both Hashem and Moshe in the transmission of<BR>the
Commandments to Bnei Yisrael; 20:15-18, where Bnei Yisrael<BR>retreat from fear;
and the transition from second to third<BR>person after the second
Commandment. We must also resolve the<BR>contradiction noted in the shiur
between Devarim 4:4 and 4:5.<BR>Devarim 5:19-28 strongly implies that Hashem
said all the<BR>dibrot to the people and then they asked Moshe to serve as
an<BR>intermediary.<BR> The philosophical issue involves
the question as to<BR>whether an entire nation can experience prophecy, or is
this<BR>reserved only for the spiritual elite who have adequately<BR>prepared
themselves.<BR> We briefly present here the basic
positions that have<BR>been taken regarding this issue:<BR> Ibn Ezra
(20:1) and Abarbanel (here and in Devarim 5:4)<BR>maintain that Bnei Yisrael
heard all Ten Commandments. This<BR>is also the majority view cited in
Pesikta Rabbati 22, and the<BR>implication of the Yalkut Shimoni - Shir Hashirim
981.<BR>Although in Parshat Vaetchanan Moshe describes himself as<BR>having
stood in between Hashem and the people serving as an<BR>intermediary, the Ibn
Ezra there explains that this refers to<BR>the situation after the Dibrot, when
Moshe conveyed the rest<BR>of the Torah to Bnei Yisrael.<BR> It emerges
from Rashi's comments to 19:19 and 20:1 that<BR>Hashem first uttered, as it
were, all Ten Commandments in a<BR>single moment and then began repeating them
one by one. After<BR>the second Dibra, however, Bnei Yisrael became too
frightened<BR>and asked Moshe to serve as their intermediary. This is
the<BR>position of the Chzikuni, and is found in an earlier source,<BR>as well -
Midrash Asseret Hadibrot l'Rabbi Moshe Hadarshan, as<BR>cited by Rav Menachem
Kasher (Torah Shleima, vol. 16, miluim #<BR>4). In his commentary to
Masechet Brachot 12a, however, Rashi<BR>seems to imply that Bnei Yisrael in fact
heard all Ten<BR>Commandments from Hashem.<BR> The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim
2:33) maintains that all Bnei<BR>Yisrael heard and understood the first two
commandments<BR>(without any need for Hashem to repeat them). They then
asked<BR>Moshe to hear the other commandments on their behalf; he<BR>therefore
heard the last eight Dibrot and conveyed them to<BR>Bnei Yisrael. Though
the Rambam claims that this is the view<BR>of Chazal, many later writers could
not find any sources in<BR>Chazal corroborating this view. Rav Kasher,
however, notes<BR>that this is the implication of the Mechilta as quoted by
the<BR>Da'at Zekeinim mi'Ba'alei ha'Tosfot (20:1; the Mechilta is<BR>cited
differently in other sources). The Rambam claims that<BR>since one can
arrive at the first two Dibrot (the existence<BR>and singularity of God) through
intellectual engagement, even<BR>without divine revelation, Bnei Yisrael
understood these<BR>Dibrot as clearly as Moshe did. This philosophical
point<BR>sparked considerable controversy and drew strong criticism<BR>from
later rishonim and acharonim. See Sefer Ha'ikarim 17,<BR>the Abarbanel
here and in Vaetchanan, Shut ha'Rashba 4:234,<BR>and Shnei Luchot Habrit -
Masechet Shavuot.<BR> The Ramban (on 20:6), explaining the Mechilta,
claims that<BR>Bnei Yisrael heard all Ten Commandments but understood
only<BR>the first two. Moshe then explained to them the final
eight.<BR>The Sefer Ha'ikarim (ibid.) concurs with this view.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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