Lang: he;
Title: שמות פרק כד;
Content:
(א) וְאֶל מֹשֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל י״י אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם מֵרָחֹק.
(ב) וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל י״י וְהֵם לֹא יִגָּשׁוּ וְהָעָם לֹא יַעֲלוּ עִמּוֹ.
(ג) וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וַיְסַפֵּר לָעָם אֵת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי י״י וְאֵת כׇּל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וַיַּעַן כׇּל הָעָם קוֹל אֶחָד וַיֹּאמְרוּ כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר י״י נַעֲשֶׂה.
(ד) וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֵת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי י״י וַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ תַּחַת הָהָר וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַצֵּבָה לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(ה) וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת נַעֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת וַיִּזְבְּחוּ זְבָחִים שְׁלָמִים לַי״י פָּרִים.
(ו) וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה חֲצִי הַדָּם וַיָּשֶׂם בָּאַגָּנֹת וַחֲצִי הַדָּם זָרַק עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
(ז) וַיִּקַּח סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית וַיִּקְרָא בְּאׇזְנֵי הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר י״י נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע.
(ח) וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַדָּם וַיִּזְרֹק עַל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה דַם הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת י״י עִמָּכֶם עַל כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה.
(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.
(יב) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וֶהְיֵה שָׁם וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָם.
(יג) וַיָּקׇם מֹשֶׁה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ מְשָׁרְתוֹ וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה אֶל הַר הָאֱלֹהִים.
(יד) וְאֶל הַזְּקֵנִים אָמַר שְׁבוּ לָנוּ בָזֶה עַד אֲשֶׁר נָשׁוּב אֲלֵיכֶם וְהִנֵּה אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר עִמָּכֶם מִי בַעַל דְּבָרִים יִגַּשׁ אֲלֵהֶם.
(טו) וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָהָר וַיְכַס הֶעָנָן אֶת הָהָר.
(טז) וַיִּשְׁכֹּן כְּבוֹד י״י עַל הַר סִינַי וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶעָנָן שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן.
(יז) וּמַרְאֵה כְּבוֹד י״י כְּאֵשׁ אֹכֶלֶת בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(יח) וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן וַיַּעַל אֶל הָהָר וַיְהִי מֹשֶׁה בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה.
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Lang: en;
Title: Shemot 24;
Content:
(1) And to Moshe, He said,He said | אָמַר – This form of the verb, a regular perfect, as opposed to the expected "ויאמר", is often used either to highlight a contrast, or to express the past perfect tense (he had said). See Rashbam that here the verse might be highlighting that these words are addressed to Moshe alone, as opposed to the earlier chapters which were addressed also to the nation as a whole. Cf. Rashi and R"Y Bekhor Shor who translate: "He had said", assuming that these verses are achronological and were said earlier, before the revelation at Sinai. "Go up to Hashem, you, and Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall bow down at a distance.
(2) Moshe aloneMoshe alone shall approach | וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ – Though verse 1 is written in second person, this verse switches to third person. See Ibn Ezra that such changes in person are simply the way of the text. For other examples, see Change in Person. Cf. Ramban that Hashem's words were really addressed to Aharon as well, so He had to specify "Moshe" by name, rather than say: "you". shall approach Hashem, and they shall not approach. And the people shall not go up with him."
(3) Moshe came and recounted to the people all of Hashem's words and all the ordinances,all of Hashem's words… ordinances | אֵת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי י"י וְאֵת כׇּל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – See Ibn Ezra that "Hashem's words" refer to the warnings mentioned at the end of both Shemot 20 and 23 (mainly laws between man and God) while the "ordinances" refer to the laws of the rest of Parashat Mishpatim (mainly laws between man and his fellow). One might alternatively posit that the "words" refer to the Decalogue, and the ordinances to all the laws that follow. Cf. Rashi (who assumes that the verses are achronological and took place before revelation) that "Hashem's words" refer to the commands prior to revelation regarding setting boundaries, and "the ordinances" to the laws that were given at Marah. and the entire people answered with one voice and said, "All the words that Hashem has spoken we will do."
(4) Moshe wrote all of Hashem's words,all of Hashem's words | אֵת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי י"י – See Ibn Ezra that this includes all that Moshe relayed to the people in verse 3, in his opinion, Shemot 20:18-23:33. See Shadal that Moshe also recorded the Decalogue. One could have alternatively suggested that this verse includes less than the previous one, and Moshe recorded only "Hashem's words" (perhaps the end of Chapters 20 and 23, or perhaps just the Decalogue) but not the ordinances. Cf. Rashi (who maintains that the events of the chapter occurred before revelation) that the verse refers to Moshe's writing everything from Sefer Bereshit until the revelation at Sinai. [According to him, the phrase "Hashem's words" in verses 3 and 4 refers to distinct things.] and he rose early in the morning and built an altar at the bottom of the mountain and twelve monuments for the twelve tribes of Israel.
(5) He sent young menyoung men | נַעֲרֵי – See Targum Onkelos, Rashi, and others that the word refers to the firstborns who, at this point, were in charge of offerings sacrifices. They might be referred to as "young men" in contrast to the "elders" mentioned earlier (Ramban). Alternatively, the verse refers to young men who had not yet had relations (Ramban), or to representatives of all the youths, symbolic of the fact that the nation as a whole is a "kingdom of priests" (R. D"Z Hoffmann). of the Children of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cowsof cows | פָּרִים – It is unclear if this modifies both sets of offerings or only the peace offerings. to Hashem.
(6) Moshe took half the blood and put it in basins,basins | בָּאַגָּנֹת – The word appears only once in Torah and twice more in Tanakh, in all cases describing some type of vessel. In cognate languages such as Arabic, Arabaic, and Akkadian it also refers to a bowl or basin (BDB, "אגן"). and half the blood he threw on the altar.
(7) He took the book of the covenantthe book of the covenant | סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית – This would appear to refer to whatever was written in verse 4. See the note there. and read it in the hearingIn the hearing of | בְּאׇזְנֵי הָעָם – Literally: "in the ears of". of the people, and they said, "All that Hashem has spoken, we will do and we will listen."
(8) Moshe took the blood and threw it onon | עַל – Alternatively: "on behalf of" (Targum Onkelos and Ibn Ezra, understanding that the blood was sprinkled on the altar to atone for the nation). the people. He said, "Here is the blood of the covenant that Hashem made with you over all these words."
(9) Moshe, Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up.
(10) They saw the God of Israel, and under his feet was like a brickworkbrickwork of… | כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת – See Ibn Ezra that the word "לִבְנַת" relates to the noun "לְבֵנָה", a brick. Similarly: "pavement" or "tile". Alternatively: "something like the whiteness of…", relating "לִבְנַת" to the adjective "לָבָן" (white), perhaps referring to radiance (R. Saadia, Rashbam). of lapis lazuli,lapis lazuli | הַסַּפִּיר – The identity of the gem "סַפִּיר" is debated. As the verse compares it to the sky, many assume it must be blue, and often identify it with the similar-sounding "sapphire". However, since sapphires were not known in the Mediterranean region until Roman times, others prefer lapis lazuli, a blue stone speckled with gold. It is also possible that the comparison to the sky refers to the stone's radiance and clarity rather than color, allowing for other options for the stone as well. For further discussion, see Stones. like the very heavens for purity.for purity | לָטֹהַר – The word "טֹהַר" here might refer to being clear and bright (Rashi and Rashbam), so that the clause might more loosely be translated as: "as clear as the heavens themselves".
(11) And to the nobles of Israel He did not send forth His hand;did not send forth His hand | לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ – As the phrase "שלח יד" often refers to harming another (see Bereshit 22:12, Shemot 3:20 and Shemot 9:15), many suggest that here, too, this is the intent. Though one might have thought that seeing God would bring harm, it did not (Rashi, Ibn Ezra, R"Y Bekhor Shor). Alternatively, though the nobles did something deserving of punishment, Hashem did not send forth His hand to punish them (Vayikra Rabbah 20:10, Ralbag). Cf. Daat Zekenim who suggests that the phrase refers to God's not lifting his hand to block the elder's vision, instead allowing them to see more than expected. For discussion and other readings of the verse, see Revelation to the Elders. they saw God and they ate and they drank.ate and drank | וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ – This should be understood on the backdrop of the Ancient Near Eastern custom to seal treaties with a sacrificial meal. For discussion, see Treaties.
(12) Hashem said to Moshe, "Come up to Me, to the mountain, and be there, and I shall give you the tablets of stone and the teaching and the commandmentsshall give…to instruct | וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ... לְהוֹרֹתָם – See R. Saadia and Ramban that the connotation is: "I shall give you the tablets of stone that I have written and the teaching and the commandments to instruct them", suggesting that Hashem taught Moshe all 613 commandments while on the mountain, and pointing to Devarim 5:27 as support. Alternatively: "I shall give you the tablets… with the teaching and commandment", with the verse speaking only about the Decalogue (see Ibn Ezra). that I have written to instruct them.
(13) Moshe and his servant Yehoshua rose, and Moshe went up to the mountain of God.
(14) And to the leaders he said, "Wait here for us until we return to you, and, behold, Aharon and Chur are with you. Whoever has a matterWhoever has a matter | מִי בַעַל דְּבָרִים – In other words: "whoever has a dispute". should approach them."
(15) Moshe went up to the mountain and the cloud covered the mountain.
(16) The glory of Hashem dwelled over Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered itcovered it | וַיְכַסֵּהוּ – See Rashi that the unstated object is the mountain. Alternatively: "covered him", referring to Moshe (Ibn Ezra) or "covered Him", referring to the glory of God. for six days; and He called to Moshe on the seventh day from within the cloud.
(17) And the appearance of Hashem's glory was like a devouring fire at the top of the mountain in the eyes of the Children of Israel.
(18) Moshe came into the cloud and he went up to the mountain, and Moshe was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.