Revelation to the Elders at Sinai/2

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The Elders at Sinai

Exegetical Approaches

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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.

"לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ" – These sources understand the phrase to mean that Hashem did not send forth His hand to punish the elders,1 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.
"וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ" – These sources divide regarding whether the eating and drinking of this verse is literal2 or metaphoric,3 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.
Seeing Hashem – 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.4  Rashi might respond that Hashem had invited them only to "bow from a distance, " yet they took the liberty to also look.
Who are "אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"? Rashi identifies this group with Nadav and Avihu and the 70 elders of verse 10, suggesting that both verses speak of but one group of people.
"וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" vs. "וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים" – This approach does not differentiate between the terms, assuming that both verses 10 and 11 speak of the same vision. It might suggest that the fact is repeated only so as to explain where the elders erred and what was problematic about their action, that they did not only see, but did so with food and drink.
Purpose of the episode – These sources do not explain what was the goal of the episode, but might suggest that Hashem was simply extending to these distinguished individuals the honor of coming closer to God than the rest of the nation.

Flawed Perception

Due to insufficient preparation, the elders attained a flawed perception of God, deserving them death.

"לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ" – Rambam understand the phrase to mean that Hashem did not send forth His hand to punish the elders, learning from this that they must have been deserving of death. They were granted a stay of execution only because Moshe intervened on their behalf to delay their punishment.
Seeing Hashem – Rambam asserts that the roots "ראה" and "חזה" have more than one meaning and can refer not only to physical vision, but also to mental insight. The verses do not imply that the elders physically saw Hashem but rather that thy attained some level of intellectual perception and comprehension of Hashem's essence.
וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹהַר״" – Rambam suggests that this description of the elder's understanding, filled as it is with corporeal imagery,  teaches that their perception was flawed, for they comprehended Hashem as a material being.
"וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ" – Ralbag suggests that this points to the elders' improper preparation. Rather than engaging in solitude, they ate and drank. Rambam might similarly suggest that immersing in physicality is what led the elders to perceive Hashem, too, in physical terms.  When it comes to comprehending the Divine, insufficient preparation and reaching for what is beyond you can be fatal.6
"וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" vs. "וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים" – As these sources identify the elders with "אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" and do not differentiate between the terms "וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" and "וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים", they must explain the repetition. They might suggest, as above, that the second verse comes only to explain why the nobles deserved death.
Moshe and Aharon – Akeidat Yitzchak questions this approach, noting that the verses do not differentiate between the cognition achieved by Moshe and Aharon and that achieved by the rest of the elders, ascribing the same vision to all.  As it is evident that Moshe and Aharon were not deserving of punishment for their vision and perception, it is difficult to say that the others were.

Meritorious

The elders' encounter with Hashem at Sinai was a privilege that they deserved, in line with their merit and standing.

Seeing Hashem – These sources vary regarding the nature of the vision received by the elders,7 though all agree that it was not only appropriate but should even be considered an honor.
  • 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.
"לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ" – These sources differ in their specific understanding of this phrase, but agree that it does not imply that the elders were deserving of punishment:
  • 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.
Purpose of the episode
  • 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
"וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ" – All these sources agree that there was nothing problematic about the noble's eating and drinking, but differ in their understanding of the act:
  • 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.
Who are "אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"? Most of these sources identify the אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל with Nadav, Avihu, and the elders.18  Ibn Ezra suggests that they are given a unique title in this verse to exclude Moshe; while the nobility ate and drank, Moshe did not.19
"וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" vs. "וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים" – This approach does not distinguish between the terms.

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.

Who are "אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"? These sources differentiate between Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and the elders of verse 9 and the nobility of verse 11, suggesting that the latter were a totally different group of people, either the firstborns,20 princes, or other distinguished people from the nation.21
Seeing Hashem: "וַיִּרְאוּ" vs. "וַיֶּחֱזוּ" – This approach distinguishes between the terms "וַיִּרְאוּ" and "וַיֶּחֱזוּ", claiming that a "מחזה" represents a much lower level of prophecy or cognition than a "מראה".  Thus, while the elders received a prophetic vision, apprehending Hashem's essence on a somewhat high level, the nobility only comprehended Hashem in their hearts, in a very general and partial manner.22
"לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ" – Drawing off the phrase, " וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד י״י", these commentators assert that "לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ" means that Hashem did not send forth his hand to give prophecy to the nobility.
"וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ" – The eating and drinking is mentioned to highlight the low level of cognition received by the nobility.  They did not lose function over their senses as happens when prophesying, allowing them to immediately resume normal physical activities such as eating.  In addition, in contrast to the elders, they were not privy to enough of Hashem's glory to allow them to be nourished by  it and subsist on it alone, necessitating them to eat.