Revelation to the Elders at Sinai/1

Revelation to the Elders at Sinai

Introduction

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Praiseworthy or Blameworthy?

Shemot 24 describes the covenant at Sinai. After detailing the bringing of sacrifices, reading of the covenant, and sprinkling of blood on the nation, the verses share how a select few were privileged to see Hashem:

EN/HEע/E

(ט) וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. (י) וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹהַר. (יא) וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ.

(9) Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up. (10) They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness. (11) He didn’t lay his hand on the nobles of the children of Israel. They saw God, and ate and drank.

At first glance this appears to be a positive event, indicative of the worthiness of the elders.  Verse 11, though, might make one question this assumption.  We are told "וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ". What does this mean? Often when the text employs the phrase "שליחות יד", it refers to harming another.¹  Does this imply that the nobles were deserving of punishment, but for some reason were spared?  What, though, did the elders do wrong?  How else might the term "לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ" be understood?

Additional Questions

The verses raise several other textual and theological questions as well:

• Seeing Hashem – What does it mean to see Hashem?  If Hashem is not a corporeal being, how can He physically be seen?²
• "וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר" – What does this phrase suggest that the elders saw? What is "מַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר", and how does it describe Hashem?
• "אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" – Verse 9 speaks of Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and the 70 elders, while verse 11 speaks of "אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל".  What is the relationship between the two groups? Are they identical or two distinct sets of individuals? If the former, why are they referred to in different ways in the two verses?
• "וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" vs. "וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים" – Is there a difference in meaning between the roots "ראה" and "חזה"? Why is the vision described in one way in verse 10 and in another in verse 11? Moreover, why is the fact repeated twice?
• "וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ" – Why does the story conclude with the fact that the nobility "ate and drank"?  How is this connected to their seeing of the Divine; was a meal part of the encounter? Is eating an appropriate response to seeing God?

¹ The phrase "שלח יד" often connotes sending forth one's hand specifically with intent to harm. See, for instance, Bereshit 22:12, Shemot 3:20, Shemot 9:15, Shemuel I 22:17, and Shemuel I 24:6.

² For a full discussion of this issue, see Seeing Hashem.