Tanach
Shemot 24 שמות כ״ד
Part of: MishpatimMishpatim, Aliyah 7Petuchah, Exodus 24:1Setumah, Exodus 24:12
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וְאֶל־מֹשֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל־יְהֹוָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם מֵרָחֹֽק׃
He [God] had said to Moshe, ‘Go up to [the Presence of] Adonoy, you, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and seventy of the elders of [the B’nei] Yisrael, and prostrate yourselves at a distance.
He [God] had said to Moshe, ‘Go up to [the Presence of] Adonoy, you, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and seventy of the elders of [the B’nei] Yisrael, and prostrate yourselves at a distance.
Rashi
וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל־יְהֹוָה וְהֵם לֹא יִגָּשׁוּ וְהָעָם לֹא יַעֲלוּ עִמּֽוֹ׃
Moshe alone shall approach [the Presence of] Adonoy, but they must not approach, and the people must not go up with him.”
Moshe alone shall approach [the Presence of] Adonoy, but they must not approach, and the people must not go up with him.”
Rashi
ונגש משה לבדו. אל הערפל:
Moshe alone shall approach — to the dense cloud (above, 20, 18).
וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וַיְסַפֵּר לָעָם אֵת כׇּל־דִּבְרֵי יְהֹוָה וְאֵת כׇּל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וַיַּעַן כׇּל־הָעָם קוֹל אֶחָד וַיֹּאמְרוּ כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
Moshe came and told the people all the words of Adonoy, and all the laws. The people responded with one voice and said, “All the words that Adonoy has spoken, we will do.”
Moshe came and told the people all the words of Adonoy, and all the laws. The people responded with one voice and said, “All the words that Adonoy has spoken, we will do.”
Rashi
ויבא משה ויספר לעם. בו ביום:
Moshe came and told the people — on that same day.
את כל דברי ה'. מצות, פרישה, והגבלה:
All the words of Adonoy. [I.e.] the command to separate [from their wives] and the setting up of boundaries [at Mount Sinai].
ואת כל המשפטים. ז' מצות שנצטוו בני נח, ושבת, וכבוד אב ואם, ופרה אדומה, ודינין, שניתנו להם במרה (מכילתא בחדש פ"ג):
And all the laws. [I.e.] the seven mitzvos given to the descendants of Noach [as well as the mitzvos of:] Shabbos, honoring one’s parents, the red heifer, and administering justice which were given to them in Marah.
וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֵת כׇּל־דִּבְרֵי יְהֹוָה וַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ תַּחַת הָהָר וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַצֵּבָה לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Moshe wrote down all the words of Adonoy. He arose early in the morning, and built an altar beneath the mountain, and [also] twelve monuments [pillars] for the twelve tribes of [the B’nei] Yisrael.
Moshe wrote down all the words of Adonoy. He arose early in the morning, and built an altar beneath the mountain, and [also] twelve monuments [pillars] for the twelve tribes of [the B’nei] Yisrael.
Rashi
ויכתוב משה. מבראשית ועד מתן תורה, וכתב מצות שנצטוו במרה (שם):
Moshe wrote down — [everything] from Bereishis until the giving of the Torah and he also wrote down the mitzvos that they were commanded at Marah.
וישכם בבקר. בחמשה בסיון:
He arose early in the morning — on the fifth of Sivan.
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶֽת־נַעֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַֽיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת וַֽיִּזְבְּחוּ זְבָחִים שְׁלָמִים לַיהֹוָה פָּרִֽים׃
He sent the youths [first-born] of B’nei Yisrael and they offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed oxen as peace-offerings to Adonoy.
He sent the youths [first-born] of B’nei Yisrael and they offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed oxen as peace-offerings to Adonoy.
Rashi
את נערי. הבכורות:
The young men. [I.e.] the first-born.
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה חֲצִי הַדָּם וַיָּשֶׂם בָּאַגָּנֹת וַחֲצִי הַדָּם זָרַק עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
Moshe took half the blood and put it in the basins, and [the other] half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Moshe took half the blood and put it in the basins, and [the other] half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Rashi
ויקח משה חצי הדם. מי חלקו, מלאך בא וחלקו:
Moshe took half the blood. Who divided it?! An angel came and divided it.
באגנות. שתי אגנות, אחד לחצי דם עולה, ואחד לחצי דם שלמים, להזות אותם על העם. ומכאן למדו רבותינו, שנכנסו אבותינו לברית במילה וטבילה והזאת דמים, שאין הזאה בלא טבילה:
In the basins. There were two basins — one for half the blood of the burnt-offering, and one for half the blood of the peace-offerings so as to sprinkle them both on the people. It is from here that our Sages concluded that our forefathers entered the Covenant through circumcision, immersion and the sprinkling of sacrificial blood. [Immersion is indicated by the fact that] there is no sprinkling [that is valid] which is not preceded by immersion.
וַיִּקַּח סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית וַיִּקְרָא בְּאׇזְנֵי הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָֽע׃
He then took the Book of the Covenant, and read it in the ears of the people. They said, “All that Adonoy has spoken, we will do and we will listen.”
He then took the Book of the Covenant, and read it in the ears of the people. They said, “All that Adonoy has spoken, we will do and we will listen.”
Rashi
ספר הברית. מבראשית ועד מתן תורה, ומצות שנצטוו במרה:
The Book of the Covenant — from Bereishis till the Giving of the Torah and the mitzvos they were commanded in Marah.
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַדָּם וַיִּזְרֹק עַל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה דַֽם־הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת יְהֹוָה עִמָּכֶם עַל כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
Moshe then took the blood and cast it on the people, and he said, “Behold, this is the blood of the covenant which Adonoy has made with you regarding all these words.”
Moshe then took the blood and cast it on the people, and he said, “Behold, this is the blood of the covenant which Adonoy has made with you regarding all these words.”
Rashi
ויזרוק. ענין הזאה, ותרגומו וזרק על מדבחא לכפרא על עמא:
He cast. [וַיִּזְרֹק has] the meaning of sprinkling. However, Onkelos translates it [literally]: “He cast it on the altar to atone for the people.”
וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Moshe and Aharon then went up along with Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of [the B’nei] Yisrael.
Moshe and Aharon then went up along with Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of [the B’nei] Yisrael.
וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹֽהַר׃
They saw [a vision of] the God of Yisrael, and under His feet [there was something] like a brickwork of sapphire, and it was like the essence of heaven in purity.
They saw [a vision of] the God of Yisrael, and under His feet [there was something] like a brickwork of sapphire, and it was like the essence of heaven in purity.
Rashi
ויראו את אלהי ישראל. נסתכלו והציצו ונתחייבו מיתה, אלא שלא רצה הקב"ה לערבב שמחת התורה, והמתין לנדב ואביהוא עד יום חנוכת המשכן, ולזקנים עד וַיְהִי הָעָם כְּמִתְאֹנֲנִים וגו' וַתִּבְעַר בָּם אֵש ה' וַתֹּאכַל בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה, בקצינים שבמחנה:
They saw [a vision of] the God of Yisrael. They intentionally looked and intently gazed and thereby became liable to death. But God did not want to disturb the joy [of the receiving] of the Torah and therefore waited to punish Nadav and Avihu until the day that the Mishkon was dedicated. As for the elders [He waited] until: “The people were as complainers, etc. and a fire from God burnt among them and consumed בִּקְצֵה of the camp,” [בִּקְצֵה meaning] the leaders of the camp.
כמעשה לבנת הספיר. היא היתה לפניו בשעת השעבוד, לזכור צרתן של ישראל שהיו משועבדים במעשה לבנים:
Like a brickwork of sapphire. This was before Him at the time of their enslavement, as a reminder of the oppression of Israel, for they were subjugated to do brick-work.
וכעצם השמים לטהר. משנגאלו היה אור וחדוה לפניו:
And like the essence of heaven in purity. [This symbolizes that] when they were redeemed there was light and joy before Him.
וכעצם. כתרגומו לשון מראה:
And like the essence. וּכְעֶצֶם should be translated as Onkelos does — a term meaning appearance.
לטהר. לשון ברור וצלול:
In purity. לָטֹהַר has the meaning of bright and clear.
וְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיֶּֽחֱזוּ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃ {ס}
But against the nobility of the B’nei Yisrael, He [God] did not send His hand. They envisioned God, and they ate and drank.
But against the nobility of the B’nei Yisrael, He [God] did not send His hand. They envisioned God, and they ate and drank.
Rashi
ואל אצילי. הם נדב ואביהוא והזקנים:
But against the nobility. These were Nadav, Avihu and the elders.
לא שלח ידו. מכלל שהיו ראויים להשתלח בהם יד:
He did not send His hand (i.e., punish). Suggesting thereby that they actually deserved that a hand be sent against them.
ויחזו את האלהים. היו מסתכלין בו בלב גס, מתוך אכילה ושתייה, כך מדרש תנחומא (בהעלותך ט"ו). ואונקלוס לא תרגם כן, אצילי, לשון גדולים, כמו וּמֵאֲצִילֶיהָ קְרָאתִיךָ (ישעיה מא, ט), וַיָּאצֶל מִן הָרוּחַ (במדבר יא, כה), שֵׁשׁ אַמֹּות אַצִּילָה (יחזקאל מא, ח):
They envisioned God. They gazed at Him insolently [as someone who converses with a king] while engaged in eating and drinking. This is how Midrash Tanchuma explains it. But Onkelos does not translate it so. אֲצִילֵי means “the great ones,” as in: “I called you (מֵאֲצִילֶיהָ) from its great ones,” [or:] “(וַיָּאצֶּל) He made great some of the spirit,” “six ammos (cubits) in its great size.”
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וֶהְיֵה־שָׁם וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת־לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָֽם׃
Adonoy then said to Moshe, “Come up to Me to the mountain and remain there. I will give you the tablets of stone, the Torah and the commandment, which I have written [in order] to teach them.”
Adonoy then said to Moshe, “Come up to Me to the mountain and remain there. I will give you the tablets of stone, the Torah and the commandment, which I have written [in order] to teach them.”
Rashi
ויאמר ה' אל משה. לאחר מתן תורה:
Adonoy then said to Moshe — after the giving of the Torah.
עלה אלי ההרה והיה שם. מ' יום:
Come up to Me to the mountain and remain there — for forty days.
את לחת האבן והתורה והמצוה אשר כתבתי להורותם. כל שש מאות ושלש עשרה מצות בכלל עשרת הדברות הן. ורבינו סעדיה פירש באזהרות שיסד, לכל דבור ודבור מצות התלויות בו:
The tablets of stone, the Torah and the Commandments which I have written [in order] to teach them. All 613 commandments are implicitly contained in the Ten Commandments. Rabbeinu Saadiah specifically shows, in the אַזְהָרוֹת which he composed, for each and every one of the Commandments, the mitzvos which are associated with it.
וַיָּקׇם מֹשֶׁה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ מְשָׁרְתוֹ וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הַר הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
Moshe and Yehoshua, his attendant, set out, but [only] Moshe went up to the mountain of God.
Moshe and Yehoshua, his attendant, set out, but [only] Moshe went up to the mountain of God.
Rashi
ויקם משה ויהושע משרתו. לא ידעתי מה טיבו של יהושע כאן, ואומר אני שהיה התלמיד מלוה לרב עד מקום הגבלת תחומי ההר, שאינו רשאי לילך משם והלאה, ומשם ויעל משה לבדו אל הר האלהים, ויהושע נטה שם אהלו ונתעכב שם כל מ' יום, שכן מצינו כשירד משה, וישמע יהושע את קול העם ברעה, למדנו שלא היה יהושע עמהם:
Moshe and Yehoshua, his attendant, set out. I do not know what Yehoshua’s purpose was here. But I think that the disciple was accompanying the master until the place where the bounds of the mountain indicated that he was not permitted to go from there and on. And from there “Moshe went up” himself “to the mountain of God.” There Yehoshua pitched his tent and remained there the entire forty days for we find that when Moshe came down: “Yehoshua heard the voice of the people yelling,” indicating to us that Yehoshua was not with them.
וְאֶל־הַזְּקֵנִים אָמַר שְׁבוּ־לָנוּ בָזֶה עַד אֲשֶׁר־נָשׁוּב אֲלֵיכֶם וְהִנֵּה אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר עִמָּכֶם מִי־בַעַל דְּבָרִים יִגַּשׁ אֲלֵהֶֽם׃
He [Moshe] said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you, and Aharon and Chur will be with you. Whoever has a claim can approach them.”
He [Moshe] said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you, and Aharon and Chur will be with you. Whoever has a claim can approach them.”
Rashi
ואל הזקנים אמר. בצאתו מן המחנה:
He said to the elders — when he left the camp.
שבו לנו בזה. והתעכבו כאן עם שאר העם במחנה, להיות נכונים לשפוט לכל איש ריבו:
“Wait here for us — and remain here with the rest of the people in the camp so as to be prepared to render decisions for each person’s dispute.
חור. בנה של מרים היה, ואביו כלב בן יפנה, שנאמר וַיִּקַּח לֹו כָלֵב אֶת אֶפְרָת וַתֵּלֶד לֹו אֶת חוּר (דברי הימים־א ב, יט), אפרת זו מרים, כדאיתא בסוטה (יא:):
Chur. He was Miriam’s son, and his father was Koleiv ben Yefuneh, as it is said: “Koleiv took Efras [for a wife] and she bore him Chur.” Efras is Miriam, as is cited in Sotah.
מי בעל דברים. מי שיש לו דין:
Whoever has a claim. [Meaning:] whoever has a lawsuit.
וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הָהָר וַיְכַס הֶעָנָן אֶת־הָהָֽר׃
Moshe went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
Moshe went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
וַיִּשְׁכֹּן כְּבוֹד־יְהֹוָה עַל־הַר סִינַי וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶעָנָן שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־מֹשֶׁה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָֽן׃
The glory of Adonoy rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day, He called to Moshe from the midst of the cloud.
The glory of Adonoy rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day, He called to Moshe from the midst of the cloud.
Rashi
ויכסהו הענן. רבותינו חולקים בדבר (יומא ד.:), יש מהם אומרים אלו ששה ימים שמראש חדש (עד עצרת יום מתן תורה. רש"י ישן):
And the cloud covered it (or Him). There is a dispute among our Sages regarding this: There are some who say [that these six days] were from Rosh Chodesh — the first day [of Sivan] [until the Festival of Shavuos — the day that the Torah was given — from an old Rashi manuscript].
ויכסהו הענן. להר:
[and] the cloud covered it [refers —] to the mountain — [whereupon]
ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי. לומר עשרת הדברות, ומשה וכל בני ישראל עומדים, אלא שחלק הכתוב כבוד למשה. ויש אומרים, ויכסהו הענן למשה ו' ימים, לאחר עשרת הדברות, והם היו בתחלת מ' יום שעלה משה לקבל הלוחות, ולמדך שכל הנכנס למחנה שכינה טעון פרישה ששה ימים (שם):
He called to Moshe on the seventh day — to proclaim the Ten Commandments. Really, Moshe and all the B’nei Yisroel were standing there, [yet the verse states only, “He called to Moshe”]. But [in this way] Scripture gives honor to Moshe. But there are others who say that... The cloud covered Him — refers to Moshe [and this occurred] six days after the [giving of] the Ten Commandments. And they (these six days) were at the beginning of the forty days when Moshe went up to receive the Tablets. This teaches you that whoever intends to enter the camp of the Shechinah requires seclusion for six days.
וּמַרְאֵה כְּבוֹד יְהֹוָה כְּאֵשׁ אֹכֶלֶת בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
The appearance of Adonoy’s glory was like a consuming flame at the top of the mountain; before the eyes of the B’nei Yisrael.
The appearance of Adonoy’s glory was like a consuming flame at the top of the mountain; before the eyes of the B’nei Yisrael.
וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן וַיַּעַל אֶל־הָהָר וַיְהִי מֹשֶׁה בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָֽיְלָה׃ {פ}
And Moshe came into the midst of the cloud. and went up into the mountain. Moshe remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
And Moshe came into the midst of the cloud. and went up into the mountain. Moshe remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Rashi
בתוך הענן. ענן זה כמין עשן הוא, ועשה לו הקב"ה למשה שביל (נ"א חופה) בתוכו:
Into the midst of the cloud. This cloud was like thick smoke, but God made a path for Moshe in the midst of it.
ואל משה אמר. פרשה זו נאמרה קודם עשרת הדברות, ובד' בסיון נאמרה לו עלה:
He (God) had said to Moshe, “Go up.. .” This section was said before [the giving] of the Ten Commandments and it was on the 4th of Sivan that, “Go up!” was said to him.