Difference between revisions of "The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe/2/en"
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<point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – This phrase describes the first part of the encounter, when the nation heard and understood the first two commandments directly from Hashem.</point> | <point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – This phrase describes the first part of the encounter, when the nation heard and understood the first two commandments directly from Hashem.</point> | ||
<point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This clause refers to the second part of the experience when Moshe served as an intermediary to deliver the final eight commandments.</point> | <point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This clause refers to the second part of the experience when Moshe served as an intermediary to deliver the final eight commandments.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה"</b> – According to these sources this episode took place in the middle of the Decalogue, between the second and third commandments  It is written out of order so as not to interrupt the flow of the storyline and to keep the | + | <point><b>The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה"</b> – According to these sources, this episode took place in the middle of the Decalogue, between the second and third commandments  It is only written out of order so as not to interrupt the flow of the storyline and to keep the Decalogue in one continuous list.  R. Yosef Bekhor Shor adds that had it not been for their fear, the nation might have heard all the commandments in this manner.   Alternatively,  Hashem had never planned on relaying more than the ten commandments regardless of their fears.</point> |
− | <point><b>"כִּי יְרֵאתֶם מִפְּנֵי הָאֵשׁ וְלֹא עֲלִיתֶם בָּהָר"</b> – This verse | + | <point><b>"כִּי יְרֵאתֶם מִפְּנֵי הָאֵשׁ וְלֹא עֲלִיתֶם בָּהָר"</b> – This verse seems to imply that, were it not for their fears, the people could have ascended the mountain.  This poses a difficulty for this approach which maintains that the people expressed their fears midway through the Decalogue, as at that point it was prohibited from ascending the mountain regardless of whether they were afraid.  Thus, this approach might need to explain, as Ibn Ezra above, that Moshe is saying that despite the fact that they did not ascend the mountain, they were still in fear.<fn>As above, R"Y Bekhor Shor, in contrast, posits that Moshe is referring to a future ascent of the mountain, to hear the rest of the commandments.</fn></point> |
− | <point><b>Switch from 1st to 3rd person</b> – R. Yosef Kara adduces support for this approach from the fact that the Decalogue switches from first person to third person | + | <point><b>Switch from 1st to 3rd person</b> – R. Yosef Kara adduces support for this approach from the fact that the Decalogue switches from first person to third person immediately after the second commandment.  If this is when Moshe began to speak, the third person references to Hashem make sense.</point> |
− | <point><b>"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"</b> – Rashi explains that when Moshe relayed the eight commandments, Hashem | + | <point><b>"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"</b> – Rashi explains that when Moshe relayed the eight commandments, Hashem gave Moshe's voice extra strength so that he could be heard.<fn>The phrase "יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"" does not mean that Hashem responded to Moshe (which He did not do) but that he amplified the volume of his words. </fn></point> |
<point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים"</b> – Ibn Ezra argues against this position from the word "כָּל" which suggests that there was no differentiation between the commandments.  Rashi explains that the verse comes to teach that originally Hashem said all ten commandments simultaneously and only afterwards distinguished each one.</point> | <point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים"</b> – Ibn Ezra argues against this position from the word "כָּל" which suggests that there was no differentiation between the commandments.  Rashi explains that the verse comes to teach that originally Hashem said all ten commandments simultaneously and only afterwards distinguished each one.</point> | ||
<point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים... לֵאמֹר"</b> – Rashi might suggest that the audience of Hashem's words is left ambiguous, because there were two different, consecutive audiences.  Hashem first spoke to the nation and then to Moshe.</point> | <point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים... לֵאמֹר"</b> – Rashi might suggest that the audience of Hashem's words is left ambiguous, because there were two different, consecutive audiences.  Hashem first spoke to the nation and then to Moshe.</point> |
Version as of 04:41, 22 May 2015
The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe?
Exegetical Approaches
Understood None
The nation heard only the voice of Hashem, but understood none of His words, thus requiring Moshe's mediation between the people and Hashem throughout the entire Decalogue. Commentators disagree whether the sound was directed at the nation or 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.
R. D"Z Hoffmann brings support for the idea that the nation did not comprehend Hashem's words from the repeated emphasis on having heard His voice rather than His words. See Devarim 4:12, 4:33-36, and 5:19-22.9
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.23
- 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 explain them.