Midrasch zu Schemot 19:1

Rabbi Aḥa ben Rabbi Ze’eira said another: Just as this apple tree produces its blossom before its leaves, so too, Israel put performance before hearing, as it is stated: “We will perform and we will heed [nishma]” (Exodus 24:7).³⁵Although translated here as “heed,” the term nishma can be translated “hear.” The point here is that Israel committed to following God’s commands even before hearing what they were.
Rabbi Azarya said two [statements]: Just as the apple tree produces is ripened fruit only in Sivan, so too, Israel emitted a good fragrance only in Sivan.³⁶Sivan is the month in which Israel received the Torah. Rabbi Azarya said another: Just as this apple tree, from the time it produces its blossom until it produces ripened fruit is fifty days, so too, from the time that Israel departed from Egypt until they received the Torah it was fifty days. When did they receive it? It was “in the third month from the departure of the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:1).
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said two [statements]: Just as this apple, you give an isar for it³⁷An isar is a coin of relatively little value. and you can smell its fragrances numerous times, so too, Moses said to Israel: ‘If you wish to be redeemed, you can be redeemed with a simple matter.’ [This is analogous] to one who was injured in his legs and he circulated among all the doctors to be cured, but he was not cured. One came and said to him: ‘If you seek to be cured, you can be cured with a simple matter, attach animal dung to it.’ So too, Moses said to Israel: ‘If you wish to be redeemed, you can be redeemed with a simple matter: “You shall take a bundle of hyssop and dip”’ (Exodus 12:22). They said to him: ‘Moses our master, this bundle of hyssop, how much it its value, four ma’a or five ma’a?’³⁸It is of little monetary value. He said to them: ‘Even if it is one [ma’a], and it will cause you to acquire the plunder of Egypt, the plunder at the sea, the plunder of Siḥon and Og, and the plunder of the thirty-one kings. Regarding a palm branch,³⁹The reference is to the four species taken on Sukkot. on which a person is required to expend much money and it is associated with many mitzvot, all the more so.’ Therefore, Moses cautions Israel: “You shall take for you on the first day” (Leviticus 23:40).

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When the Israelites departed from Egypt, to what were they comparable? To the son of a king who recovered from his illness. His caretaker said to him: ‘Let your son go to the academy.’ The king said to him: ‘My son has not yet regained his radiance, which changed due to his illness. Rather, let my son be pampered and enjoy himself for three months with food and drink, and then he will go to the academy.’ So too, when the Israelites departed from Egypt, there were those among them who were marred from subjugation with mortar and bricks. The ministering angels said to Him: ‘This is the time, give them the Torah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘My children have not yet regained their radiance as a result of mortar and bricks. Let them be pampered up to three months with spring water, manna, and quail, and thereafter I will give them the Torah.’ When? “In the third month” (Exodus 19:1).

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD (ShLYShY) NEW MOON.²²PRK 12:12. This text is related (to Prov. 22:20): DID I NOT WRITE DOWN FOR YOU A THREEFOLD LORE (ShLYShY)²³Although the meaning of this word in the biblical context is uncertain, in the context of this midrash the word alludes to the threefold division of Scripture. ON COUNSELS < AND KNOWLEDGE>? If you want to get counsel, get it from the Torah. David said: When I wanted to get counsel, I got it from the Torah, as stated (in Ps. 119:15): I WILL MEDITATE ON YOUR STATUTES…. Ben Zoma says: What is written (in Exod. 19:1)? ON THE THIRD NEW MOON <AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD LEFT THE LAND OF EGYPT, ON THIS DAY THEY CAME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI. > "On that day" [is not written here, but ON THIS DAY,] as though ON THIS DAY (i.e., today) THEY CAME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI, < namely, > on every day that you are busy at Torah. Ergo, < Scripture > speaks as though on this day I received it from Sinai. Thus it says (in Deut. 26:16): THIS DAY THE LORD YOUR GOD IS COMMANDING YOU TO PERFORM THESE STATUTES….

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. The Torah is threefold, its letters are threefold, the fathers are threefold, the tribe into whose hand it was given is threefold,²⁴“Levi” has three letters in Hebrew. Moses was {threefold from between them} [a third person between them], the letters of his <name> are threefold, <he was one of> three siblings, he was hidden for three moons, (according to Exod. 19:11) <it was> ON THE THIRD DAY <that the Holy One came down on Sinai >, and (here in Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON <Israel arrived at Sinai>.²⁵Tanh., Exod. 5:10; PRK 12:13. The Torah (in the sense of Scripture) is threefold: Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Its letters are threefold: ABC. The fathers are threefold: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses (MShH) was a third person <as a mediator> between them (in Deut. 5:5): I STOOD BETWEEN THE LORD AND YOU.²⁶Cf. Galatians 3:19–20. The letters <of his name> are threefold: M, Sh, <and> H. <He comes> from the third tribe: Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. <He was one of> three siblings: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. He was hidden for three <moons> (according to Exod. 2:2): AND SHE HID HIM FOR THREE MOONS. (Exod. 19:11:) FOR ON THE THIRD DAY THE LORD WILL COME DOWN … <UPON MOUNT SINAI>, [even on the third new moon, as stated (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON.]

In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity (Prov. 2:7). R. Levi stated in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: The Holy One, blessed be He, allowed nine hundred and eighty generations to pass by before giving the rite of circumcision to Abraham. (This was discussed previously in the portion Get thee out of the land.)¹³See Tanhuma, Lech Lecha 11. R. Jonathan stated in the name of R. Yosé the Galilean: The Holy One, blessed be He, had permitted nine hundred and seventy-four generations to pass by before giving the law to the generation of the wilderness. The law was given to the generation of the wilderness because it was upright. Three months after they had departed from Egypt He gave them the Torah, as it is said: In the third month. Therefore, He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright (Prov. 2:7).

[(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON.] This text is related (to Prov. 3:17): <WISDOM'S> WAYS ARE WAYS OF PLEASANTNESS, <AND ALL HER PATHS ARE PEACE.>²⁷PRK 12:14. The Holy One wanted to give Torah to Israel at the time that Israel came forth from Egypt, but they were disagreeing with each other and were always saying (in Numb. 14:4): LET US APPOINT A LEADER AND RETURN TO EGYPT. What is written (in Exod. 13:20)? THEY JOURNEYED FROM SUCCOTH AND ENCAMPED AT ETHAM, because they were journeying in dissension and camping in dissension. When they came to Rephidim, they all became harmonious and formed a single group. And where is it shown that they all formed a single group? Where it is stated (in Exod. 19:2): AND ISRAEL ENCAMPED THERE BEFORE THE MOUNTAIN. The plural form of "encamped" is not written here but "encamped" in the singular.²⁸In Exod. 13:20 Israel was treated as a plural noun and placed with a plural verb because it represented a nation of individuals, but here a united Israel is seen as a noun in the singular. The Holy One said: All of the Torah is peace. So to whom shall I give it? To a people that loves peace. Ergo (in Prov. 3:17): <WISDOM'S WAYS ARE WAYS OF PLEASANTNESS, > AND ALL HER PATHS ARE PEACE.

(Fol. 86a) R. Ada b. Ahaba said: "Moses ascended [Mt. Sinai] early in the morning and descended early the [next] morning. He ascended early in the morning, as it is written (Ex. 34, 4.) And Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mt. Sinai; he descended early in the morning, as it is written (Ib. 19, 24.) Go, get thee down, and then shall thou come up, thou, and Aaron with thee. We compare the Yerida (descent) to the Aliya (ascent); just as the ascent was made early in the morning, so also was the descent made early in the morning." (Ib. b) Our Rabbis taught: "On the sixth day of the month [Sivan] the ten commandments were given to Israel. R. Jose said: 'On the seventh day of the month.'" "All agree," said Raba, "that on the first day of the month the Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Sinai, for it is written (Ex. 19, 1.) On this day they came into the wilderness of Sinai; and it is written there (Ib. 12, 2.) This month (Nisan) shall he unto you the chief of the months. [We draw an analogy from the word Haze (this) used in both places]; just as in the latter instance the word Haze (this) refers to the first of the month [as it plainly says], so does it also in the former instance refer to the first of the month; and furthermore all agree that the Torah was given to Israel on the Sabbath, for it is written here (Ex. 20, 8.) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. and it is written there (Ib. 13, 3.) And Moses said unto the people remember this day, etc. [We derive by drawing an analogy from the words zachor (remember) used in both places]; just as in the latter case, zachor (remember) alludes to the very day of their coming out of Egypt, so also does it allude in the former case to the very day of Sabbath. The Rabbis and R. Jose differ though as to what day was the first of that month. R. Jose is of the opinion that the first of that month was set on the first day of the week, and that on this day no commandments were given because the Israelites were tired from their long journey. On the second day of the week the Lord said to them (Ib. 19, 6.) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests. (Fol. 87a) On the third day [of the week] He warned them to keep away from the mount; on the fourth, to keep apart from the wives [three days, until the Sabbath]. But the Rabbis are of the opinion that the first of that month was set on the second day of the week; that on this day no commandments were given them because the Israelites were tired from their journey. On the third day [of the week] the Lord said unto them (Ib. ib. ib.) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests. On the fourth, He warned them to keep away from the mount. On the fifth, to keep apart from their wives [two days, until the Sabbath]." The following objection was raised: And sanctify them to-day and to-morrow (Ib. ib.). This contradicts the opinion of R. Jose [who says that three days were set aside for sanctification]. R. Jose might explain it that Moses added one day upon his own recognizance, as it is taught: "Three things did Moses do upon his own authority, and the Holy One, praised be He! sanctioned them: Moses added one day [of separation] upon his own authority; he separated himself from his wife, and he broke the Tablets." He added one day upon his own authority; what verse did he interpret [to induce him to add one day]? Today and to-morrow, were in the Lord's commandment. To-day must be equal (in duration) to to-morrow; just as to-morrow includes day and night, so also must to-day include the day and night; the night, however, having already passed, so another day (a third) must be added in order to make up for the lost night. Whence do we learn that the Holy One, praised be He! agreed with him? Because the Shechina did not appear [on Mt. Sinai] until the Sabbath morning. And he separated himself from his wife, what verse did he interpret [to guide him in his action]? He applied the order given to Israel [to separate themselves from their wives] to himself, through the measure of the rule drawn from minor to major, thus saying: "If Israel with whom the Shechina did not converse but once at a certain time, is commanded by the Torah to separate themselves from their wives, I, with whom the Shechina converses constantly without having an appointed hour, should most certainly then separate myself from my wife." And whence do we learn that the Holy One, praised he He! agreed with him? It is written (Deu. 5, 27.) Go, say to them, return ye unto your tents, and immediately following, it is written: But as for thee, remain thou here with me. According to others, the sanction of God is derived from (Num. 12, 8.) Mouth to mouth do I speak with him. He broke the Tablets. What verse did he interpret [to guide him in his action]? He said to himself: "If concerning the Passover sacrifice, which is only one of the six hundred and thirteen commandments, it is said in the Torah (Ex. 12, 43.) No stranger shall eat thereof, how much more then should this be applied to the entire Torah considering that all Israel were apostates?"' Whence do we learn that the Holy One, praised be He! sanctioned this act? It is said (Ib. 34. 1.) Which thou didst break, whereupon Resh Lakish said: "It means 'Thanks for having broken it.'" Come and learn! And they shall he ready for the third day (Ib. 19, 11). Is this not in contradiction to R. Jose's interpretation? [According to him, it should have been on the second day.] We have already explained that Moses added one day upon his own recognizance. Come and learn! We are taught: "The third (day) of the third month and on the third day of the week." Does this not contradict the opinion of the Rabbis? The Rabbis might say this Baraitha is in accordance with the opinion of R. Jose.

In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Have I not written unto thee excellent things (shilshom) of counsels and knowledge (Prov. 22:20). R. Joshua the son of R. Nehemiah said: This verse refers to the Torah, the letters of which are in groups of three (shaloshim): alef, bet, gimel, etc. In fact, everything is in groups of three. The Scripture is made up of three sections: Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings); the Talmud is in three parts: Mishnah, Halakhah, and Aggadah, (God’s) agents were three: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses; prayers are recited three times; evening, morning, and noon; the sanctification is three-fold; “holy, holy, holy”; Israel is composed of three groups, the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites; the letters of Moses’ name are three, and the letters in the name of the tribe of Levi are three; the progenitors of Israel were three; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the months are arranged in groups of three, Nisan, Iyar, and Sivan, etc.; the letters in the word Sinai are three, as it is said: And were come to the wilderness of Sinai (Exod. 19:2); and in three days they made themselves holy, as it is said: And be ready against the third day (ibid., v. 11).

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON…. This text is related (to Eccl. 10:18): THROUGH SLOTH THE ROOF SAGS, <AND THROUGH LAZY HANDS THE HOUSE LEAKS.>²⁹PRK 12:15; yNid. 2:1 (49d); Nid. 6b; Lev. R. 19:4. What causes a woman to discharge excessive blood (in her menstrual flow)? <It happens> because she is slothful in examining herself as to whether she is ritually unclean or not. <This opinion> is in accordance with what our masters taught (in Nid. 2:1): EVERY HAND THAT FREQUENTLY EXAMINES (for menstrual symptoms), behold, IN THE CASE OF WOMEN this <hand> IS PRAISEWORTHY, BUT IN THE CASE OF MEN, LET IT BE CUT OFF. There is a story about a female slave who belonged to Rabban Gamaliel. While she was moving <ritually clean> cups³⁰Gk. chalides (“sheer wine”). Cf. chalidophoros (“cupbearer”). and wine jugs from house to house, she examined herself at each and every jug. At the last one she examined herself and was found to be unclean. Rabban Gamaliel was afraid, saying: Perhaps the clean ones have been become unclean! He said to her: Did you not examine yourself? She said to him: By your life, My Lord, I examined myself between each and every jug, but at the last one I examined myself and was found to be unclean. Rabban Gamaliel said: If this woman had been slothful, all the clean ones would already have been unclean. (Eccl. 10:18:) THROUGH SLOTH THE ROOF SAGS. Note that because a woman is slothful, she discharges excessive blood. Now THE ROOF (MQRH) can only be excessive blood, since it is stated (in Lev. 20:18): THUS HE HAS UNCOVERED HER FOUNTAIN (MQRH) <AND SHE HAS BARED THE FOUNTAIN (MQRH) OF HER BLOOD>.³¹Cf. Eccl. R. 10:18:1. (Eccl. 10:18, cont.:) AND THROUGH LAZY HANDS <THE HOUSE> (of her body) LEAKS. (Lev. 15:25): AND WHEN A WOMAN HAS HAD A DISCHARGE OF BLOOD <FOR MANY DAYS>….

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. What is written above on the matter? The parashah about Jethro, in which he taught Moses (in Exod. 18:21): YOU SHALL ALSO SEEK OUT <ABLE MEN> FROM AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE.³²PRK 12:16. And after that (in vs. 27): THEN MOSES SENT HIS < FATHER-IN-LAW > AWAY. And after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Solomon said (in Prov. 14:10): THE HEART KNOWS ITS OWN BITTERNESS…, and therefore (according to the rest of the verse) NO OUTSIDER SHALL INTERVENE IN ITS JOY. The Holy One said: My children were enslaved with clay and bricks while Jethro was dwelling quietly within his house. So shall he come to behold the joy of the Torah along with my children? Then after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Why so? Moses interpreted <the matter on the principle of > qal wahomer (i.e., a fortiori): If in the case of a single precept, when the Holy One was going to give the precept on Passover, Torah said (in Exod. 12:43): NO FOREIGNER SHALL EAT OF IT; in the case of six hundred and thirteen commandments which he wanted to give to Israel, should Jethro be there to behold them? Therefore (in Exod. 18:27): MOSES SENT HIS <FATHER-IN-LAW> AWAY; and after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Why ON THE THIRD NEW MOON, and not on the second new moon, or the seventh new moon, or on another new moon?³³PRK 12:17. Our masters have said: R. Osha'ya said: R. Hiyya the elder taught me: A female proselyte, a female captive, or an emancipated female slave may neither marry nor be betrothed for three new moons.³⁴Yev. 35a (bar); Ket. 37a (bar). So <it was with> Israel. They were called proselytes (gerim), as stated (in Lev. 19:34): FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS (gerim) IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. <They were called> captives, as stated (in Is. 14:2): THEY SHALL TAKE THEIR CAPTORS CAPTIVE. <They were called> emancipated slaves, as stated (in Lev. 26:13): I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT TO BE THEIR SLAVES NO MORE…. The Holy One said: I will wait three new moons for them and after that I will give them the Torah.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 19:1:) ON THE NEW MOON (bahodesh), <THE THIRD ONE >. Ba hodesh (understood as two words) < means > THE NEW MOON HAS COME.³⁵PRK 12:18. R. Abbin said: When the Holy One appeared to Moses on Sinai, he said to him (in Exod. 3:12): WHEN YOU HAVE BROUGHT {THIS} [THE] PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT, YOU SHALL SERVE <GOD ON THIS MOUNTAIN>. Now Moses was eagerly waiting and saying: When is this designated time coming? However, when [the designated time] did arrive, the Holy One said, THE NEW MOON HAS COME, <namely the one> that you have been eagerly awaiting. It does not say (in Exod. 19:1): "In the third moon," even as it says (in I Kings 6:37): THE MOON OF ZIV, (in vs. 38:) THE MOON OF BUL, <or> (as in 8:2) THE MOON OF ETHANIM. Rather it says (here in Exod. 19:1): ON THE [THIRD] NEW MOON (rt.: HDSh).³⁶PRK 12:19; cf. Matthew 22:1–14 // Luke 14:15–24. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: The Holy One said to them: I am making a renewal (rt.: HDSh) of things and renewing (rt.: HDSh) you. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a son. When he reached his maturity, his father wanted to have him marry; but he did not have a new argentaria³⁷The word may be Latin (argentaria) or Greek (argentarion) and denotes a chest of silver or silver table service, but in this context the word seems to denote table appointments generally. {i.e., court}. The king said: This is not the honor due my son, to have him marry {in an old court} [it should read: with an old argentaria]; yet if I wait until I provide him with a new one, I shall delay my son's happiness. What did the king do? He brought smiths and artisans to polish vessels of copper. He brought skilled workers to carve designs on vessels of wood. [<Thus> the king was able to have his son marry with an old argentaria which appeared to be new (rt.: HDSh).] So too, when Israel went forth out of Egypt, the blind, the deaf, and the lame were among them. The Holy One said: [The Torah, all of it, is complete, as stated (in Ps. 19:8 [7]): THE TORAH OF THE LORD IS PERFECT.] Shall I give it to this generation when there are deformities among them? Shall I wait until their children arise? Shall I delay the joy of Torah? What did the Holy One do? He healed them. Then he gave them the Torah. But where is it shown [that he healed them]? Whoever was blind saw, as stated (in Exod. 20:15 [18]): NOW ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS…. Whoever was deaf was made to hear, as stated (in Exod. 24:7): ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL CARRY OUT AND OBEY (literally: HEAR). Whoever was lame was made whole, as stated (in Exod. 19:17): AND THEY STOOD AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN. Ergo: I will establish (rt.: HDSh) a renewal of things (rt.: HDSh) for you.

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Why in the month of Gemini?³⁸PRK 12:20. So that the nations of the world would have no pretext for saying: If he had given us the Torah, we should have fulfilled it. The Holy One said to them: Observe in what month I gave the Torah! <It was> under the sign of Gemini (i.e., of the Twins). Thus if <Jacob's twin> Esau the Wicked would come to be a proselyte, he also would learn Torah. For that reason Torah was given under Gemini.

(Exod. 19:1:) <ON THE THIRD NEW MOON AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD LEFT THE LAND OF EGYPT, > ON THIS DAY THEY CAME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI. Did they come on this very day?³⁹PRK 12:21. <NO! > But rather, when you study <the words of Torah> let them not be obsolete in your eyes. <Let them be> instead like these < words > given this day. "That day" is not written, but THIS DAY. The Holy One said to them: On this day I have given them the Torah (collectively), but <only> individuals have labored in it. In the world to come, however, I will teach it to all Israel; and none of them shall forget it. Thus it is stated (in Jer. 31:33): FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT WHICH I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: [I WILL PUT MY TORAH IN THEIR INNERMOST PARTS, AND UPON THEIR HEART WILL I WRITE IT.] And not only that, but I will increase peace among them. Isaiah has said (in Is. 54:13): AND ALL YOUR CHILDREN SHALL BE TAUGHT BY THE LORD, AND GREAT SHALL BE YOUR CHILDREN'S PROSPERITY.

Hew these two tablets of stone (Exod. 34:1). When did Moses descend from the mountain? R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Moses remained on the mountain with the Holy One, blessed be He, for one hundred and twenty days. How did he arrive at this conclusion? From the verse In the third month after the children of Israel were gone out of the land of Egypt (Exod. 19:1). On the sixth day of that month He gave him the Ten Commandments, as it is written concerning him: And Moses went up into the mountain of God (ibid. 24:13). He remained there for forty days, that is, the twenty-four days of the month of Sivan and the sixteen days of the month of Tammuz—totaling forty days in all. He descended from the mountain on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, and on the eighteenth day and nineteenth day he saw the calf, broke the tablets, and halted their revelry. On the twentieth day he turned and ascended once again, as is said: And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people: “Ye have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord” (ibid. 32:30). And it is written: And Moses returned unto the Lord and said: “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin” (ibid, v. 31). He remained there the ten days of the month of Tammuz and the entire month of Av, totaling another forty days. He went up on the first day of the month of Elul when He told him: Hew thee these two tablets … and be ready by the morning (ibid. 34:1–2). And he hewed … and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai (ibid., v. 4). He stayed there throughout the month of Elul and until the tenth day of Tishri (another ten days). On the tenth day of Tishri he descended while the Israelites were praying and fasting. On that day He said to him: I have pardoned according to thy word (Num. 14:20). Then the Holy One, blessed be He, established that day as the day of forgiveness and pardon for the future generations (Yom Kippur), as it is said: For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you (Lev. 16:30). Thereupon He commanded Moses: Let them make Me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8).

THE REVELATION ON SINAI
THE sixth descent was when He came down on Sinai, as it is said, "And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai" (Ex. 19:20). On the sixth of Sivan the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed unto Israel on Sinai, and from His place was He revealed (on) Mount Sinai, and the heavens were opened, || and the summit of the mountain entered into the heavens. Thick darkness covered the mountain, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sat upon His throne, and His feet stood on the thick darkness, as it is said, "He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under his feet" (2 Sam. 22:10).

And the children of Israel journeyed from Rephidim and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai, ‎in the third month after their going out of Egypt. At that time Reuel, the father-in-law of ‎Moses, came with Zipporah his daughter and her two sons, for he had heard of the wonders ‎which the Lord had done in behalf of Israel, that he delivered them from the hand of Egypt; ‎and Reuel came to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped on the mountain of ‎God; and Moses went to meet his father-in-law with great honors, and all Israel went with ‎him, and Reuel with his children remained for many days in the midst of the children of Israel, ‎and he knew the Lord from that day on. And in the third month after the children of Israel ‎went forth from Egypt, in the sixth day of the month, the Lord gave the commandments unto ‎Israel on Mount Sinai, and all Israel heard these commandments, and they all rejoiced greatly ‎in the Lord on that day. And the glory of the Lord was resting upon Mount Sinai, and he called ‎unto Moses from the midst of the cloud, and Moses came in the midst of the fire and went up ‎the mount. And Moses was upon the mount forty days and forty nights, he ate no bread, ‎neither did he drink water, and the Lord gave him statutes and judgments to teach the ‎children of Israel. And the Lord wrote the ten commandments, which he had commanded ‎unto the children of Israel, upon two tables of stone, to give them unto Moses, in order to ‎command them unto the children of Israel. And at the end of forty days and forty nights, when ‎the Lord had ceased speaking unto Moses on Mount Sinai, the Lord gave unto Moses the ‎tables of stone, written with the finger of God. And when the children of Israel saw that ‎Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together ‎unto Aaron and said: As for this man Moses we wot not what is become of him, now ‎therefore, up, make us gods which shall go before us, lest thou shalt die. And Aaron was ‎greatly afraid of the people, and he commanded, and they brought unto him gold, and he ‎made a molten calf unto the people. And the Lord said unto Moses before he had gone down ‎from the mountain: Go, get thee down, for the people which thou broughtest out of the land ‎of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have made a molten calf and have bowed down to ‎it. Now therefore, let me alone, that I may consume them from the earth, for they are a stiff ‎necked people. And Moses entreated the Lord, and he prayed to the Lord in behalf of the ‎people, concerning the calf which they had made, and after wards he went down from the ‎mount with the two tables which God had given unto him to command unto the Israelites. And ‎when Moses approached the camp and beheld the calf which the people had made, Moses’ ‎anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands and broke them beneath the mount. ‎And Moses entered the camp, and he took the calf and burnt it in fire and ground it to ‎powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.‎

And to teach that we count (the years) from the exodus from Egypt, it being written "in the second year after their going out from the land of Egypt." When they came to the land, they began to count (shemitah, etc.) from their coming, as it is written (Vayikra 25:2) "When you come to the land, etc." When the Temple was built, they began to count from its building, viz. (I Kings 9:10) "And it was at the end of twenty years from Solomon's building, etc." When the Temple was destroyed, they began to count from its destruction, viz. (Ezekiel 40:1) "… in the fourteenth year of the city's being smitten." When the captivity intensified, they began to count from the captivity, viz. (Daniel 2:1) "And in the second year of the reign of Nevuchadnezzar, etc.", and (Chaggai 1:1) "And in the second year of King Darius, etc." And just as they counted for years, so they counted for months (e.g., [Shemot 19:1]) "In the third month of the exodus of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt."