Difference between revisions of "The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe/2/en"
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<point><b>Moshe's role</b> – Since the nation was not on a high enough prophetic level to understand Hashem, Hashem spoke only to Moshe, who then relayed Hashem's messages to the people.</point> | <point><b>Moshe's role</b> – Since the nation was not on a high enough prophetic level to understand Hashem, Hashem spoke only to Moshe, who then relayed Hashem's messages to the people.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – This phrase is difficult for this position, since according to these exegetes, there was no "face to face" encounter, as Hashem | + | <point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – This phrase is difficult for this position, since according to these exegetes, there was no "face to face" encounter, as the people were only listening in as Hashem spoke to Moshe and were not even able to understand His words.<fn><multilink><a href="AbarbanelShemot19" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelShemot19" data-aht="source">Shemot 19:23</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink> notes this difficulty.</fn>  This approach might attempt to explain that the words "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" refer to a vivid sensory experience of apprehending the Divine while awake, rather than in a dream.<fn>Cf. Seforno Devarim 5:4.</fn></point> |
− | <point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood, | + | <point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood, as per its literal sense, to refer to Moshe's mediating role during the giving of the Decalogue itself.</point> |
<point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b> – This position finds support from this verse, as it makes no mention of Hashem intending to speak to the nation, only of them listening as Hashem speaks to Moshe.</point> | <point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b> – This position finds support from this verse, as it makes no mention of Hashem intending to speak to the nation, only of them listening as Hashem speaks to Moshe.</point> | ||
<point><b>"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים"</b> – To support their position, these commentators point to the many verses in the description of the event in Devarim which consistently refer to the voice that the nation heard, rather than the words. See <a href="Devarim4-10" data-aht="source">Devarim 4:12</a>, <a href="Devarim4-33" data-aht="source">4:33-36</a>, and <a href="Devarim5-19-28" data-aht="source">5:19-22</a>.<fn>These include: "<b>קוֹל</b> דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים", "הֲשָׁמַע עָם <b>קוֹל</b> אֱלֹהִים", "מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת <b>קֹלוֹ</b>", "כְּשׇׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת <b>הַקּוֹל</b>", "וְאֶת <b>קֹלוֹ</b> שָׁמַעְנוּ". It should be noted, though, that Shadal points to other parts of many of these same verses to prove that Hashem spoke directly to the nation. Thus, for instance, despite the fact that the nation speaks of hearing Hashem's voice, Hashem himself prefaces His remarks by saying, "וְאַשְׁמִעֵם אֶת <b>דְּבָרָי</b>", I will have them listen to my<b> words</b>.</fn></point> | <point><b>"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים"</b> – To support their position, these commentators point to the many verses in the description of the event in Devarim which consistently refer to the voice that the nation heard, rather than the words. See <a href="Devarim4-10" data-aht="source">Devarim 4:12</a>, <a href="Devarim4-33" data-aht="source">4:33-36</a>, and <a href="Devarim5-19-28" data-aht="source">5:19-22</a>.<fn>These include: "<b>קוֹל</b> דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים", "הֲשָׁמַע עָם <b>קוֹל</b> אֱלֹהִים", "מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת <b>קֹלוֹ</b>", "כְּשׇׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת <b>הַקּוֹל</b>", "וְאֶת <b>קֹלוֹ</b> שָׁמַעְנוּ". It should be noted, though, that Shadal points to other parts of many of these same verses to prove that Hashem spoke directly to the nation. Thus, for instance, despite the fact that the nation speaks of hearing Hashem's voice, Hashem himself prefaces His remarks by saying, "וְאַשְׁמִעֵם אֶת <b>דְּבָרָי</b>", I will have them listen to my<b> words</b>.</fn></point> |
Version as of 07:46, 6 June 2019
The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe?
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
The Torah's contrasting portraits of Hashem's revelation to the nation lead commentators to varying understandings of what the nation grasped directly from Hashem and what they understood only via Moshe. On one end of the spectrum, Rambam and R. D"Z Hoffmann focus on the verses which present Moshe as an intermediary, asserting that the people heard only the voice of Hashem, but could not distinguish His words. Moshe, thus, acted as a mediator or translator for all ten.
On the other end of the spectrum, many commentators look at the depiction of the episode as a "face to face" encounter. They, thus, maintain that the nation understood all ten commandments directly from Hashem. While Ibn Ezra and others assume that Hashem conversed directly with the people, R. Saadia, in contrast, suggests that the nation only overheard Hashem's conversation with Moshe.
A middle ground is charted by Rashi, Ramban, and others, who attempt to harmonize the various verses by positing that there was a split in the commandments. The nation understood only the first two from Hashem, but needed Moshe to explain the final eight.
Understood None
The nation heard only the voice of Hashem, but understood none of His words, and Moshe's mediation between the people and Hashem was thus needed throughout the entire Decalogue. Commentators disagree whether the voice was directed at the nation or if they merely overheard the sounds of the Divine conversation with Moshe.
Overheard Voice
The people listened as Hashem communicated the Decalogue to Moshe, but they only heard the Divine voice and could not decipher His words.
Heard Voice Directly
Hashem spoke to the people directly, but due to their distance, they could make out only a voice and not distinct words.
Understood All Ten
The nation understood the entire Decalogue from Hashem. This position subdivides regarding whether Hashem's words were aimed at the people or Moshe.
Overheard Words
Hashem's spoke to Moshe only, but He intended that the nation would listen in on this conversation.
Heard Words Directly
Hashem spoke directly to the people themselves, and they, not Moshe, were His target audience for the entire Decalogue.
- Spoke to all – According to Ibn Ezra, this verse does not insinuate that Hashem was to speak to Moshe alone, but only that when Hashem did speak to him (along with everyone else), his prophetic stature would be verified. The nation had doubted Moshe's prophecy, believing that if Hashem speaks to a person, he cannot live afterwards. Thus, Hashem tells Moshe that when the nation sees Him speaking to Moshe during the giving of the Decalogue, they will finally recognize that their preconception was false.
- Change of plan - According to Ralbag and Abarbanel, Hashem originally told Moshe that He would speak to him alone and the nation would overhear, leading them to believe in Moshe's prophecy. Moshe then clarified to Hashem that the nation preferred to not have a mediator, but rather desired a direct face to face encounter. As a result, Hashem acquiesced and changed the original plan.24
- Before the Decalogue – Shadal asserts that this refers to the nation hearing Hashem's conversation with Moshe before the Decalogue.
- According to Ibn Ezra, Moshe is saying that the nation feared from the fire, despite the fact that they did not go up the mountain.
- This position could also maintain that the original plan (had the nation not been overcome by fear) was to ascend the mountain after the giving of the Decalogue and to hear the rest of the 613 commandments from perhaps an even closer vantage point and at a higher spiritual level.26
- Before the Decalogue – According to Ibn Ezra, Abarbanel, and Shadal,27 this refers to the conversation between Moshe and Hashem before the giving of the Decalogue and, as such, provides no information regarding how Hashem delivered the commandments.28
- Before and during – Ralbag maintains that the verse refers to Hashem's words both before and during the Decalogue.29 The mention of Moshe speaking refers only to the earlier conversation, but the fact that Hashem spoke "בְקוֹל" can refer to both.30
- During the Decalogue – R. Eliezer suggests that that the verse refers to the Decalogue but is simply saying that before Hashem spoke to the nation, He waited for Moshe to tell Him that they were ready.31
- This position highlights the goal of teaching the nation to believe in Hashem. As Moshe says in Sefer Devarim, after hearing Hashem directly, "אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים".33
- According to Shadal, there may have been a dual purpose of instilling belief in both Moshe and Hashem. By hearing Hashem speak to Moshe before the actual revelation, the nation recognized his prophetic stature, and by hearing Hashem on their own during revelation, they came to believe in God.
Understood Only Two
The nation understood only two commandments directly from Hashem. The commentators disagree as to how the nation received the other eight:
Eight From Moshe
Due to the nation's fear, Hashem stopped speaking to them and instead spoke only to Moshe, who then relayed the final eight commandments to the nation.
Voice but No Words
Hashem communicated also the other eight commandments to the nation, but in these they discerned only His voice and needed Moshe to serve as an interpreter.