Difference between revisions of "The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe/2/en"
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<point><b>"אנכי ולא יהיה לך מפי הגבורה שמענום"</b> – Rambam explains this statement of Chazal to mean only that the nation was able to on their own arrive at an understanding of the first two commandments, without any need for Moshe to provide an explanation.</point> | <point><b>"אנכי ולא יהיה לך מפי הגבורה שמענום"</b> – Rambam explains this statement of Chazal to mean only that the nation was able to on their own arrive at an understanding of the first two commandments, without any need for Moshe to provide an explanation.</point> | ||
<point><b>Purpose of Sinaitic revelation</b> – Rambam states that the main purpose of the revelation was, not to instill belief in Hashem, but to teach the nation to believe in Moshe's prophecy.  This was best achieved by having the nation watch as Hashem spoke to their leader. This is supported by Hashem's words, "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם".</point> | <point><b>Purpose of Sinaitic revelation</b> – Rambam states that the main purpose of the revelation was, not to instill belief in Hashem, but to teach the nation to believe in Moshe's prophecy.  This was best achieved by having the nation watch as Hashem spoke to their leader. This is supported by Hashem's words, "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם".</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Prophecy for the masses</b> – Rambam's position is | + | <point><b>Prophecy for the masses</b> – Rambam's position is motivated by his belief that indiscriminate prophecy is impossible, and his understanding that the nation was not prepared or qualified to understand Hashem. However, Rambam allows for the possibility that specific people, like Aharon and his sons, could potentially have understood more, depending on their spiritual level.</point> |
</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
<opinion>Heard Voice Directly | <opinion>Heard Voice Directly | ||
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<multilink><a href="RDZHoffmannShemot20-1" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann</a><a href="RDZHoffmannShemot19-7-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 19:7-9</a><a href="RDZHoffmannShemot20-1" data-aht="source">Shemot 20:1</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannDevarim5-5" data-aht="source">Devarim 5:5</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink> | <multilink><a href="RDZHoffmannShemot20-1" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann</a><a href="RDZHoffmannShemot19-7-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 19:7-9</a><a href="RDZHoffmannShemot20-1" data-aht="source">Shemot 20:1</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannDevarim5-5" data-aht="source">Devarim 5:5</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink> | ||
</mekorot> | </mekorot> | ||
− | <point><b>Moshe's role</b> – Since the people were not sanctified enough to come very close to Hashem they stood further away than Moshe.  Thus, although Hashem addressed His words to all, Moshe needed to act as a translator to relay and explain what the nation could not hear or comprehend.<fn>Moshe's role was somewhat akin to that of a teaching assistant in a large lecture hall.  It is unclear, though, why Hashem would not have simply spoken loudly and clearly enough for all to hear.  It therefore seems likely that the positioning | + | <point><b>Moshe's role</b> – Since the people were not sanctified enough to come very close to Hashem they stood further away than Moshe.  Thus, although Hashem addressed His words to all, Moshe needed to act as a translator to relay and explain what the nation could not hear or comprehend.<fn>Moshe's role was somewhat akin to that of a teaching assistant in a large lecture hall.  It is unclear, though, why Hashem would not have simply spoken loudly and clearly enough for all to hear.  It therefore seems likely that the positioning was intentional. Hashem purposefully wanted to set up Moshe in the role of translator while still addressing the nation as a whole, thereby leading the nation to belief in both Hashem and Moshe.<br/>It is possible, though, that R. D"Z Hoffmann is motivated more by textual concerns and the desire to make sense of the seemingly contradictory verses, than by conceptual issues.  His reading manages to harmonize between the verses which sound as if Hashem is speaking to the nation, those that present Moshe as mediator, and those that insinuate that only a voice was heard.</fn></point> |
− | <point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann would assert that the encounter was considered face to face since Hashem was addressing Himself to the nation as a whole and not just to Moshe.</point> | + | <point><b>"פָּנִים בְּפָנִים"</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann would assert that the encounter was considered "face to face" since Hashem was addressing Himself to the nation as a whole and not just to Moshe.</point> |
<point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood simply to refer to Moshe's role as a middleman, both in terms of his physical positioning on the mountain in between Hashem and the nation, as well as his duties as translator during the delivering of the Decalogue.</point> | <point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood simply to refer to Moshe's role as a middleman, both in terms of his physical positioning on the mountain in between Hashem and the nation, as well as his duties as translator during the delivering of the Decalogue.</point> | ||
<point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b> – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, Hashem is telling Moshe that He will appear to him in the presence of the entire nation so that they will no longer doubt his prophecy.  This, though, does not insinuate that Hashem did not also direct His words at the rest of the people, but more simply that Moshe's positioning boosted the nation's faith in him.</point> | <point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b> – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, Hashem is telling Moshe that He will appear to him in the presence of the entire nation so that they will no longer doubt his prophecy.  This, though, does not insinuate that Hashem did not also direct His words at the rest of the people, but more simply that Moshe's positioning boosted the nation's faith in him.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים"</b> – 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 <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>R. D"Z Hoffmann would explain the other verses which suggest that Hashem actually spoke to the nation (and did not | + | <point><b>"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים"</b> – 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 <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>R. D"Z Hoffmann would explain the other verses which suggest that Hashem actually spoke to the nation (and did not merely emit a voice) to refer to the fact that Hashem did in fact address them, even if they did not comprehend what He said.</fn></point> |
− | <point><b>"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"</b> – According to R. Hoffmann, this verse refers to Moshe's dialogue with Hashem in <a href="Shemot19-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 19:19-25</a> and not to the Decalogue.  Only when relaying the warnings is there a conversation in which Hashem responds to Moshe.  During the revelation itself, Moshe simply repeated Hashem's words to the people, but Hashem's words were not a response to Moshe and would not be aptly described as "יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל‏‎".<fn>Thus, though R. D"Z Hoffmann agrees with Rambam above that Moshe played a mediating role, due to textual reasons, he prefers not to | + | <point><b>"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"</b> – According to R. Hoffmann, this verse refers to Moshe's dialogue with Hashem in <a href="Shemot19-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 19:19-25</a> and not to the Decalogue.  Only when relaying the warnings is there a conversation in which Hashem responds to Moshe.  During the revelation itself, Moshe simply repeated Hashem's words to the people, but Hashem's words were not a response to Moshe and would not be aptly described as "יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל‏‎".<fn>Thus, though R. D"Z Hoffmann agrees with Rambam above that Moshe played a mediating role, due to textual reasons, he prefers not to adduce this verse as evidence.</fn></point> |
<point><b>"וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם"</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann asserts that this verse refers to transmitting Hashem's warnings to the nation, and not to the Decalogue.</point> | <point><b>"וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם"</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann asserts that this verse refers to transmitting Hashem's warnings to the nation, and not to the Decalogue.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים"</b> – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, Hashem did communicate the entire Decalogue to the nation.  | + | <point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים"</b> – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, Hashem did communicate the entire Decalogue to the nation.  A go-between was necessary, though, to fully understand what He said.</point> |
− | <point><b>Singular form</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann would likely attribute no special significance to the singular rather than plural formulation, as there are many instances in Torah where Hashem addresses the nation and refers to them as a singular unit.<fn>See, for instance, | + | <point><b>Singular form</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann would likely attribute no special significance to the singular rather than plural formulation, as there are many instances in Torah where Hashem addresses the nation and refers to them as a singular unit.<fn>See, for instance, the commandments in Vayikra 19:13-19.</fn> Thus, this is not sufficient evidence that Hashem directed His words at Moshe alone.</point> |
− | <point><b>The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה"</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann assumes that this event occurred after the giving of the Decalogue and suggests that had the nation not | + | <point><b>The nation's fear – "דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה"</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann assumes that this event occurred after the giving of the Decalogue and suggests that had the nation not been fearful, Hashem would have relayed the rest of the commandments to them as well.  He even raises the possibility that the original plan was that, after the Decalogue, the nation would approach and perhaps even ascend the mountain to partake in the establishing of the covenant over the commandments.</point> |
<point><b>Switch from 1st to 3rd person</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann agrees with Ibn Ezra's view that the first person to third person switch is insignificant, as "משפט אנשי לשון הקודש לדבר ככה".</point> | <point><b>Switch from 1st to 3rd person</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann agrees with Ibn Ezra's view that the first person to third person switch is insignificant, as "משפט אנשי לשון הקודש לדבר ככה".</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Purpose of Sinaitic revelation</b> – As Hashem could have created a scenario in which all the people could understand Him despite their distance, R. D"Z Hoffmann's approach is only logical if one posits that Hashem intentionally positioned Moshe closer, requiring him to act as translator, while still addressing His words to all. This | + | <point><b>Purpose of Sinaitic revelation</b> – As Hashem could have created a scenario in which all the people could understand Him despite their distance, R. D"Z Hoffmann's approach is only logical if one posits that Hashem intentionally positioned Moshe closer, requiring him to act as translator, while still addressing His words to all. This ensured that the people would recognize Moshe's stature as prophet, but simultaneously connected them to Hashem and bolstered their belief in Him.</point> |
− | <point><b>Prophecy for the masses</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann suggests that the people were at a lower level of sanctity | + | <point><b>Prophecy for the masses</b> – R. D"Z Hoffmann suggests that the people were at a lower level of sanctity than Moshe.  This necessitated a greater distance from Hashem and resulted in reduced prophetic capabilities.</point> |
</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
</category> | </category> |
Version as of 04:28, 7 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 utterances 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.25
- 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.27
- Before the Decalogue – According to Ibn Ezra, Abarbanel, and Shadal,28 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.29
- Before and during – Ralbag maintains that the verse refers to Hashem's words both before and during the Decalogue.30 The mention of Moshe speaking refers only to the earlier conversation, but the fact that Hashem spoke "בְקוֹל" can refer to both.31
- 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.32
- 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".34
- 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.