Ma'amad Har Sinai in Shemot and Devarim/0

Ma'amad Har Sinai in Shemot and Devarim

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Introduction

Hashem's revelation at Sinai is described at length in Shemot 19-20 and then recounted by Moshe to the nation in Devarim 4-5.¹ Moshe's speech is comprised of two parts. In Chapter 4, he speaks of the overall experience in a general fashion, interspersing exhortatory messages throughout, while in Chapter 5 he focuses on the giving of the Decalogue and the people's reaction to it.² On the whole, Moshe's account is consistent with the original, though he omits certain details and adds or emphasizes others. These slight variations (together with Moshe's explicit commentary) shed light on the specific messages Moshe wished to impart to the nation before he died.

Points of Contrast

The differences between the accounts are summarized below:

• Emphasis on not seeing Hashem – In Devarim there is a repeated emphasis on the fact that the nation only heard Hashem's voice at Sinai,³  but never saw a Divine form.   This point is not highlighted in Shemot. 
• Uniqueness of the episode – Only in Moshe's retelling is there mention of the uniqueness of the experience,⁴ and how no other nation but Israel merited Hashem to reveal Himself to them.
• Moshe as lawgiver – Throughout the discussion in Sefer Devarim, Moshe reiterates how Hashem appointed him as teacher of Hashem's laws. Though Moshe plays this role in Shemot as well, it is not mentioned in the middle of the description of Ma'mad Har Sinai.
• Role of Moshe vs. Hashem – Shemot emphasizes Moshe's role in revelation, while Devarim paints a more balanced picture, with verses in Chapter 4 highlighting Hashem's direct revelation, and verses in Chapter 5 focusing on Moshe's role. Thus, for example:
• Goal of revelation – In Shemot, Hashem tells Moshe that through the episode the nation will come to believe in Moshe ("וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם"), while in Devarim, Moshe says that the people will learn to fear Hashem ("אֲשֶׁר יִלְמְדוּן לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי").
• Personal or mediated encounter – Various verses in Shemot 19 imply that Moshe played some type of mediating role during Hashem's revelation. See Shemot 19:9: "בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ" and 19:19, "מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל."‎⁵  In contrast, verses throughout Devarim 4 highlight how the people heard Hashem's voice itself,⁶ suggesting that revelation was a direct, "face to face" encounter.⁷ Devarim 5:5, however, appears to corroborate the verses in Shemot, implying that the people only heard Hashem's word via Moshe ("אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין י"י וּבֵינֵיכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לְהַגִּיד לָכֶם אֶת דְּבַר י"י").⁸
• Moshe's location – In Shemot, there is a clear distinction between the physical location of Moshe and the rest of the nation. While Moshe is told to ascend the mountain, they are told to stay put, highlighting his unique status.⁹ Devarim says nothing regarding the positioning of each group.

• Natural phenomena – Both accounts describe how Hashem's revelation was accompanied by various natural phenomena, but while Shemot highlights the thunder, lightening, shofar blasts and smoke, Devarim emphasizes the fiery mountainside.¹⁰
• The nation's fear – Though both books mention the people's fear, they differ regarding several aspects of the episode.  While Sefer Shemot presents the "nation" approaching Moshe, Devarim refers to the "heads of the tribes and elders". Shemot mentions the episode only after the giving of the Decalogue, while in Devarim Moshe alludes to it also beforehand. Finally, only in Devarim do the people express a fear of being devoured specifically by the fire engulfing Mt. Sinai.
• Preparation and Warnings – Only in Shemot are there warnings about not approaching the mountain and directives regarding the proper preparation for Hashem's revelation.

Analysis

On the eve of the people's entry into the land, Moshe had two fundamental concerns regarding the nation. He feared that with foreign influences, they would stop believing in Hashem and turn to other gods, and additionally, that even if they retained belief, they would question the authority of the laws transmitted via Moshe and be lax in their observance.  To address these issues, Moshe prefaced his legal speech by recounting the events at Sinai, presenting them as the basis for both belief and observance. This objective can explain some of the unique features of Moshe's retelling of the episode in Devarim 4-5:

• Emphasis on hearing but not seeing Hashem – As Moshe is concerned that the nation will turn to idolatry, in his recounting of the episode he emphasizes not only how the people heard Hashem (giving them a reason to believe) but also that they saw no Divine form (lest they mistakenly create images, even for the purpose of serving God.)¹¹
• Uniqueness of the encounter – Moshe highlights how no other nation heard the voice of God, so that the people should recognize that He is the only true God, as Moshe says:  "אַתָּה הׇרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי י"י הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים".
• Moshe's role as lawgiver – In Devarim, Moshe repeatedly mentions that he was given the role of teaching Hashem's laws to ensure that the people recognize that all of the commandments, even those relayed by Moshe, are Divinely given and need be obeyed.
• Goal of the encounter – Though Moshe's overall presentation in Devarim suggests that revelation served the dual goal of instilling belief in Hashem and also in himself as Hashem's messenger, since he i sthe one speaking in Devarim, he highlights only the former out of modesty.¹²
• Moshe vs. Hashem – Shemot and Devarim's differing portrayal of the roles played by Moshe and Hashem can be explained in several ways:
• Change in plan – Rashbam suggests that initially Hashem had wanted to deliver all 613 commandments directly to the people, without Moshe as a mediator.  As there was supposed to be ongoing revelation, the event was not aimed at instilling belief in God, but rather at having the people recognize Moshe's distinct status as leader, as highlighted in Shemot.¹³ However, when the people were overcome with fear and requested that Moshe act as mediator, Hashem acquiesced, changing the way Ma'amad Har Sinai was viewed from then on. Revelation became a one-time event, necessitating both proof of the existence of Hashem and the authorization of Moshe as law-giver (and not only national leader). In retrospect, the experience at Mt. Sinai provided evidence of both and is presented as such by Moshe in the fortieth year.
• Differences overstated - Alternatively, one might minimize the differences between the accounts by rereading several of the verses. Thus, for example, Shadal suggests that both Shemot 19:9 and 19 refer to the nation hearing Hashem speak to Moshe before the giving of the Decalogue, and that Devarim 5:5 ("אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם") refers to Moshe's mediating role when giving over the rest of the laws afterward. If so, both accounts minimize Moshe's role during revelation, suggesting that it was an unmediated encounter, and that it was only afterwards that Moshe took on the role of lawgiver. 
• .Fear – According to Ramban, the two descriptions refer to distinct episodes. Shemot is speaking of the nation's fear before revelation, while Devarim is speaking of their reaction after the fact.

Comparison Table

The following table highlights the similarities and differences between the accounts:

EN/HEע/E

	שמות יט-כ	דברים ד-ה
מטרת ההתגלות	(ט) וַיֹּאמֶר י"י אֶל מֹשֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל י"י.	(ט) רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ. (י) יוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתָּ לִפְנֵי י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּחֹרֵב בֶּאֱמֹר י"י אֵלַי הַקְהֶל לִי אֶת הָעָם וְאַשְׁמִעֵם אֶת דְּבָרָי אֲשֶׁר יִלְמְדוּן לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי כׇּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם חַיִּים עַל הָאֲדָמָה וְאֶת בְּנֵיהֶם יְלַמֵּדוּן.
הכנות (שלושת ימי הגבלה)	(י) וַיֹּאמֶר י"י אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵךְ אֶל הָעָם וְקִדַּשְׁתָּם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר וְכִבְּסוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם. (יא) וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי...
תיאור המעמד	(טז) וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיֹת הַבֹּקֶר וַיְהִי קֹלֹת וּבְרָקִים וְעָנָן כָּבֵד עַל הָהָר וְקֹל שֹׁפָר חָזָק מְאֹד וַיֶּחֱרַד כׇּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּחֲנֶה. (יז) וַיּוֹצֵא מֹשֶׁה אֶת הָעָם לִקְרַאת הָאֱלֹהִים מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר. (יח) וְהַר סִינַי עָשַׁן כֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו י"י בָּאֵשׁ וַיַּעַל עֲשָׁנוֹ כְּעֶשֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁן וַיֶּחֱרַד כׇּל הָהָר מְאֹד. (יט) וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל.	(יא) וַתִּקְרְבוּן וַתַּעַמְדוּן תַּחַת הָהָר וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם חֹשֶׁךְ עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל. (יב) וַיְדַבֵּר י"י אֲלֵיכֶם מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים וּתְמוּנָה אֵינְכֶם רֹאִים זוּלָתִי קוֹל.
אזהרות על הגבלת ההר	(כא) וַיֹּאמֶר י"י אֶל מֹשֶׁה רֵד הָעֵד בָּעָם פֶּן יֶהֶרְסוּ אֶל י"י לִרְאוֹת וְנָפַל מִמֶּנּוּ רָב....
מיקום משה	(כד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו י"י לֶךְ רֵד וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן עִמָּךְ וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם אַל יֶהֶרְסוּ לַעֲלֹת אֶל י"י פֶּן יִפְרׇץ בָּם.
עשרת הדברות	[ראה שמות כ:א-יג]	(יג) וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים וַיִּכְתְּבֵם עַל שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים.
משה מלמד חוקים		(יד) וְאֹתִי צִוָּה י"י בָּעֵת הַהִוא לְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים לַעֲשֹׂתְכֶם אֹתָם בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.
מסר מן מעמד הר סיני: לא לעבוד ע"ז	[שמות כ:יח-יט] [(יח) וַיֹּאמֶר י"י אֶל מֹשֶׁה כֹּה תֹאמַר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם כִּי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּבַּרְתִּי עִמָּכֶם. (יט) לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן אִתִּי אֱלֹהֵי כֶסֶף וֵאלֹהֵי זָהָב לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם.]	(טו) וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל תְּמוּנָה בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר י"י אֲלֵיכֶם בְּחֹרֵב מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ. (טז) פֶּן תַּשְׁחִתוּן וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כׇּל סָמֶל תַּבְנִית זָכָר אוֹ נְקֵבָה... (כב) כִּי אָנֹכִי מֵת בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֵינֶנִּי עֹבֵר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן...  (כג) הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן תִּשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת בְּרִית י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת עִמָּכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כֹּל אֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ...
מעמד הר סיני כראייה לאמונה בה'		(לב) כִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשֹׁנִים... הֲנִהְיָה כַּדָּבָר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה אוֹ הֲנִשְׁמַע כָּמֹהוּ. (לג) הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלֹהִים מְדַבֵּר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתָּ אַתָּה וַיֶּחִי...  (לה) אַתָּה הׇרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי י"י הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים אֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדּוֹ...  (מ) וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת חֻקָּיו וְאֶת מִצְוֺתָיו אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם...
תפקיד משה במעמד	[שמות יט:יג] [(יג) לֹא תִגַּע בּוֹ יָד... בִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל הֵמָּה יַעֲלוּ בָהָר.]	(ה:א) וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה אֶל כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דֹּבֵר בְּאׇזְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם וּלְמַדְתֶּם אֹתָם וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם לַעֲשֹׂתָם. (ב) י"י אֱלֹהֵינוּ כָּרַת עִמָּנוּ בְּרִית בְּחֹרֵב. (ג) לֹא אֶת אֲבֹתֵינוּ כָּרַת י"י אֶת הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת כִּי אִתָּנוּ אֲנַחְנוּ אֵלֶּה פֹה הַיּוֹם כֻּלָּנוּ חַיִּים. (ד) פָּנִים בְּפָנִים דִּבֶּר י"י עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ. (ה) אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין י"י וּבֵינֵיכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לְהַגִּיד לָכֶם אֶת דְּבַר י"י כִּי יְרֵאתֶם מִפְּנֵי הָאֵשׁ וְלֹא עֲלִיתֶם בָּהָר לֵאמֹר.
עשרת הדברות	שמות כ:ב-יג / דברים ה:ו-יז See: Decalogue Differences Between Shemot and Devarim
פחד העם	(כ:יד) וְכׇל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִם וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר וְאֶת הָהָר עָשֵׁן וַיַּרְא הָעָם וַיָּנֻעוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ מֵרָחֹק. (טו) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה וְאַל יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ אֱלֹהִים פֶּן נָמוּת.	(יט) וַיְהִי כְּשׇׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת הַקּוֹל מִתּוֹךְ הַחֹשֶׁךְ וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כׇּל רָאשֵׁי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם וְזִקְנֵיכֶם. (כ) וַתֹּאמְרוּ הֵן הֶרְאָנוּ י"י אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶת כְּבֹדוֹ וְאֶת גׇּדְלוֹ וְאֶת קֹלוֹ שָׁמַעְנוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה רָאִינוּ כִּי יְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם וָחָי. (כא) וְעַתָּה לָמָּה נָמוּת כִּי תֹאכְלֵנוּ הָאֵשׁ הַגְּדֹלָה הַזֹּאת אִם יֹסְפִים אֲנַחְנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת קוֹל י"י אֱלֹהֵינוּ עוֹד וָמָתְנוּ. (כב) כִּי מִי כׇל בָּשָׂר אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע קוֹל אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים מְדַבֵּר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ כָּמֹנוּ וַיֶּחִי. (כג) קְרַב אַתָּה וּשְׁמָע אֵת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר י"י אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאַתְּ תְּדַבֵּר אֵלֵינוּ אֵת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר י"י אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְשָׁמַעְנוּ וְעָשִׂינוּ.
תגובת ה'	(טז) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַל תִּירָאוּ כִּי לְבַעֲבוּר נַסּוֹת אֶתְכֶם בָּא הָאֱלֹהִים וּבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם לְבִלְתִּי תֶחֱטָאוּ. (יז) וַיַּעֲמֹד הָעָם מֵרָחֹק וּמֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים.... [(כא:א) וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם.]	(כד) וַיִּשְׁמַע י"י אֶת קוֹל דִּבְרֵיכֶם בְּדַבֶּרְכֶם אֵלָי וַיֹּאמֶר י"י אֵלַי שָׁמַעְתִּי אֶת קוֹל דִּבְרֵי הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר דִּבְּרוּ אֵלֶיךָ הֵיטִיבוּ כׇּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּרוּ. (כה) מִי יִתֵּן וְהָיָה לְבָבָם זֶה לָהֶם לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי וְלִשְׁמֹר אֶת כׇּל מִצְוֺתַי כׇּל הַיָּמִים לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָהֶם וְלִבְנֵיהֶם לְעֹלָם. (כו) לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָהֶם שׁוּבוּ לָכֶם לְאׇהֳלֵיכֶם. (כז) וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹד עִמָּדִי וַאֲדַבְּרָה אֵלֶיךָ אֵת כׇּל הַמִּצְוָה וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תְּלַמְּדֵם וְעָשׂוּ בָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לָהֶם לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.

¹ This topic will compare the different accounts of the experience of revelation as a whole rather than the differences between the two versions of the Decalogue.  The latter issue is discussed at length in Decalogue Differences Between Shemot and Devarim.

² This section is a more straightforward historical review, without added personal commentary.

³ See 4:12, 15, 33 and 5:20-22.

⁴ See Devarim 4:32-33.

⁵ However, it is not clear from the chapter if these verses refer to the giving over of the Decalogue, or to other conversations between Hashem and Moshe on the mountain.

⁶ See 4:12, 15, 33 and 5:20-22

⁷ See Devarim 5:4 which says this explicitly, "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים דִּבֶּר י"י עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר".

⁸ For a comprehensive discussion of this apparent contradiction within Devarim itself, and the relative roles of Moshe and Hashem in relaying the Decalogue, see The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe?.

⁹ The positioning might also reflect his role as mediator.

¹⁰ The word fire is repeated 14 times in the unit (4:11, 4:12, 4:15, 4:24, 4:33, 4:36 (x2), 5:4, 5:5, 5:18, 5:19, 5:20, 5:21, and 5:22).

¹¹ The point is highlighted by the fact that the word "תְּמוּנָה" appears six times in this unit and no where else in Devarim. Two of the appearances refer to the nation not having seen Hashem's picture, while the other verses warn lest the nation make a picture or form.

¹² When Hashem speaks in Shemot, he does the opposite.

¹³ This explains the verses in Shemot which present Hashem as speaking to or through Moshe rather than directly to the nation, Shemot's mention of Moshe's unique position on the mountain, and Hashem's explicit statement: "וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם".