Difference between revisions of "Revelation to the Elders at Sinai/2"
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<p>The elders were deserving of death either because they lacked the proper respect when granted the privilege of seeing Hashem, or for the very act of seeing itself.</p> | <p>The elders were deserving of death either because they lacked the proper respect when granted the privilege of seeing Hashem, or for the very act of seeing itself.</p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="VayikraRabbah20-10" data-aht="source">Vayikra Rabbah</a><a href="VayikraRabbah20-10" data-aht="source">20:10</a><a href="Vayikra Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Vayikra Rabbah</a></multilink>,<multilink><a href="PesiktaDeRavKahana26-9" data-aht="source"> Pesikta DeRav Kahana</a><a href="PesiktaDeRavKahana26-9" data-aht="source">26:9</a><a href="Pesikta DeRav Kahana" data-aht="parshan">About Pesikta DeRav Kahana</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TanchumaBehaalotekha16" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaBehaalotekha16" data-aht="source">Behaalotekha 16</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanShemot24-9-11" data-aht="source">Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanShemot24-9-11" data-aht="source">Shemot 24:9-11</a><a href="Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot24-10-11" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiShemot24-1" data-aht="source">Shemot 24:1</a><a href="RashiShemot24-10-11" data-aht="source">Shemot 24:10-11</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink></mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="VayikraRabbah20-10" data-aht="source">Vayikra Rabbah</a><a href="VayikraRabbah20-10" data-aht="source">20:10</a><a href="Vayikra Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Vayikra Rabbah</a></multilink>,<multilink><a href="PesiktaDeRavKahana26-9" data-aht="source"> Pesikta DeRav Kahana</a><a href="PesiktaDeRavKahana26-9" data-aht="source">26:9</a><a href="Pesikta DeRav Kahana" data-aht="parshan">About Pesikta DeRav Kahana</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TanchumaBehaalotekha16" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaBehaalotekha16" data-aht="source">Behaalotekha 16</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanShemot24-9-11" data-aht="source">Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a><a href="TargumYerushalmiYonatanShemot24-9-11" data-aht="source">Shemot 24:9-11</a><a href="Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot24-10-11" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiShemot24-1" data-aht="source">Shemot 24:1</a><a href="RashiShemot24-10-11" data-aht="source">Shemot 24:10-11</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
− | <point><b>"לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ"</b> – These sources understand the phrase to mean that Hashem did not send forth His hand to punish the elders,<fn> | + | <point><b>"לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ"</b> – These sources understand the phrase to mean that Hashem did not send forth His hand to punish the elders,<fn>See the note in the introduction that the phrase "שלח יד" often connotes sending forth one's hand specifically with intent to harm.</fn> learning from this that they must have been deserving of death. They were granted a stay of execution only because Hashem did not want to ruin the happiness of the Giving of the Torah with the tragedy of their deaths.</point> |
<point><b>"וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ"</b> – These sources divide regarding whether the eating and drinking of this verse is literal<fn>This is how Rashi appears to understand the verse.</fn> or metaphoric,<fn>See Vayikra Rabbah, Pesikta DeRav Kahana, and Tanchuma.</fn> but all agree that it signified that the people did not have proper respect for the encounter with God. They either approached the revelation from literal food and drink, or as if from food and drink, belittling the gravity of the experience and treating Hashem as a friend before whom you are comfortable eating rather than a king before whom you are not.</point> | <point><b>"וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ"</b> – These sources divide regarding whether the eating and drinking of this verse is literal<fn>This is how Rashi appears to understand the verse.</fn> or metaphoric,<fn>See Vayikra Rabbah, Pesikta DeRav Kahana, and Tanchuma.</fn> but all agree that it signified that the people did not have proper respect for the encounter with God. They either approached the revelation from literal food and drink, or as if from food and drink, belittling the gravity of the experience and treating Hashem as a friend before whom you are comfortable eating rather than a king before whom you are not.</point> | ||
<point><b>Seeing Hashem</b> – Rashi suggests that the elders saw Hashem directly.  As such, this alone, regardless of their accompanying behavior, made them liable for death, as Hashem says, "לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי". One might question why Hashem would have invited the elders to approach if this was to result in their deaths.<fn>See R. Hirsch who rejects this approach's evaluation of the elders for this reason.</fn>  Rashi might respond that Hashem had invited them only to "bow from a distance", yet they took the liberty to also look.</point> | <point><b>Seeing Hashem</b> – Rashi suggests that the elders saw Hashem directly.  As such, this alone, regardless of their accompanying behavior, made them liable for death, as Hashem says, "לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי". One might question why Hashem would have invited the elders to approach if this was to result in their deaths.<fn>See R. Hirsch who rejects this approach's evaluation of the elders for this reason.</fn>  Rashi might respond that Hashem had invited them only to "bow from a distance", yet they took the liberty to also look.</point> |
Version as of 02:33, 21 February 2020
The Elders at Sinai
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Commentators differ in their evaluation of the elders' encounter with Hashem at Sinai, with some finding them blameworthy and others viewing them as meritorious. Many Midrashim maintain that the elders did not treat the encounter with the proper respect, deserving them punishment. Rambam, instead, asserts that the elders did not sufficiently prepare themselves, leading them to perceive Hashem improperly. In contrast, Rashbam and others assume that there was nothing at all problematic about the elders actions. The encounter was an honor in which they were privileged to see Hashem on a higher level than most of the nation. A final approach takes a middle position, assuming that the verses speak of two different groups of people. Some merited to prophesy and gained a fairly high level of cognition of Hashem's essence, while others did not prophesy at all.
Blameworthy
Though they were granted a stay of punishment, the elders at Sinai were deserving of death. This position differs regarding why:
Inappropriate Seeing
The elders were deserving of death either because they lacked the proper respect when granted the privilege of seeing Hashem, or for the very act of seeing itself.
Flawed Perception
Due to insufficient preparation, the elders attained a flawed perception of God, deserving them death.
Meritorious
The elders' encounter with Hashem at Sinai was a privilege that they deserved, in line with their merit and standing.
- Direct revelation – According to Rashbam and Daat Zekeinim, the elders merited a direct revelation of Hashem, being given permission to physically see Hashem Himself.8
- Non-physical sight – Ibn Ezra, in contrast, asserts that the verses are speaking of only a prophetic vision, while R. Avraham b. HaRambam9 and Ralbag maintain that they speak of a cognitive experience, the elders' partial apprehension of Hashem's essence.
- Viewed Hashem's glory – Finally, many of the other commentators10 speak of the elders viewing the brilliant light of Hashem's glory.
- Were not harmed – Most of these sources assume that the verse is stating that, in contrast to what one might have expected given Hashem's statement, "לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי",11 the elders' were not harmed by their encounter with Hashem as they were worthy of seeing what they did.
- Vision was not blocked – Daat Zekeinim, Seforno, and Or HaChayyim claim that the verse points to the high level of the elders' encounter; Hashem did not send forth His hand to limit their vision, but allowed them to see more than expected.12
- Were not embraced – Ibn Kaspi, in contrast, asserts that the term comes to limit the extent of the elders' encounter.13 Though they were honored with seeing Hashem's glory, Hashem did not extend them His hand to either invite them forward, strengthen, or "embrace" them in any manner.
- Honor – Most of these sources imply that the purpose of the vision was to honor the elders. Shadal suggests that just like a king might show his face only to a select few, so too Hashem allowed just these chosen few to see a prophetic image of Him, while the masses saw no picture at all at Sinai.
- Covenantal ceremony – Rashbam suggests that the elite's seeing of Hashem was part of the covenantal ceremony. Though normally no mortal can see Hashem directly, Hashem makes exceptions during covenantal ceremonies, honoring the second party by allowing them to see Him as He passes by.14
- Covenant – According to Rashbam, the eating refers to partaking of the sacrifices mentioned earlier in the chapter and is a normal part of a covenantal ceremony.15
- Metaphoric – Several of these commentators16 maintain that this is a metaphoric way of saying that the elders basked in and enjoyed Hashem's glory and their insight into His essence.
- Celebration – Ramban, Ibn Kaspi and Seforno explain that this was a meal of celebration for either the elders' personal achievement or the receiving of the Torah.
- Necessity – Ibn Ezra,17 R"Y Bekhor Shor and R. Avraham b. HaRambam assert that this verse comes to contrast the elite and Moshe. While Moshe's seeing of Hashem enabled him to fast for forty days, these individuals still needed to eat.
Differing Levels
The verses differentiate between two groups, one of which attained prophecy and merited to comprehend the Divine at a fairly high level, while the other received only a very low level of cognition or no prophecy at all.