Midrash for Exodus 34:30

Our teachers maintained that in reward for three things Moses was granted three things. As a reward for And Moses hid his face (Exod. 3:6), he was granted The skin of his face sent forth beams (ibid. 34:30); as a reward for For He feared (ibid. 3:6), he was granted They were afraid to come nigh unto him (ibid. 34:30); and as a reward for He was afraid to look (ibid. 3:6), he was granted The similitude of the Lord doth he behold (Num. 12:18).

He said I am the God of your father. This is as it is written, "A fool will believe anything...". "Peti" is the language of seduction (pituy) as it says, "when a man seduces" (yifteh). R. Yehoshua the Kohen b. Nehemiah said, When the Holy Blessed One revealed Himself to Moshe he was a prophetic novice. The Holy Blessed One said, If I reveal Myself to him in a great voice I will frighten him, with a small voice I will sour him on prophecy. What did He do? He revealed Himself to him with the voice of his father. Moshe said, "Here I am! What does father ask?" The Holy Blessed One said, "I am not your father, rather I am the God of your father. I came to you with seduction so that you would not be afraid."

(Lev. 16:1:) “After the death of Aaron's two sons.” It was taught in a baraita in the name of R. Eliezer:³⁷In y‘Eruv. 6:1 (31c); yGit. 1:2 (39c); ‘Eruv. 63b. Nadab and Abihu died only because they had taught halakhah in the presence of their master, Moses.³⁸Lev. R. 20:7; PRK 26(27):6/7; yShevi. 6:1 (36c); yGit. 1:2 (43c). There is a story about a disciple that taught halakhah before his master. So his colleague said to his wife, Mamma Shalom, “This man will not live out the year.” And indeed he did not live out the year. His disciples said to him, “O our master, are you a prophet?” He said to them (in the words of Amos 7:14), “’I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet.’ Rather this was handed down to me from my masters, ‘Whoever teaches halakhah in the presence of his master is under sentence of death.’” According to a baraita a disciple is forbidden to teach halakhah in the presence of his master until he is twelve mil³⁹Lat.: mille, i.e., a “thousand” paces. away from him, [a distance] corresponding to the [extent of] the camp of Israel.⁴⁰Lev. R. 20:7. This is what is written (in Numb. 33:49), “They encamped by the Jordan from Beth-Jeshimoth as far as Abel-Shittim.” R. Nahum bar Jeremiah was in [Hefer]. They would ask him, and he would teach. They said to him, “Rabbi, have we not learned thus: A student is forbidden to teach halakhah in the presence of his master until he is twelve mil away from him, [a distance] corresponding to the camp of Israel? And your master, R. Mani, dwells in Sepphoris.” He said to them, “Surely if I had known [of his presence], I would not have taught.” From that time on he did not teach [there]. In four places [Scripture] mentions the death of Aaron's sons,⁴¹In Lev. 10:2-3; 16:1; Numb. 3:4; 26:61. and it also mentions their transgression. And why all this?⁴²PRK 26(27):8; Lev. R. 20:8; Numb. R. 2:24. To inform you that they had only this sin on their hands. R. Eleazar of Modim said, “Go out and see how grievous the death of Aaron's sons was for the Holy One, blessed be He; for in every place that [Scripture] mentions their death, it mentions their transgression. And why all this? So as not to give those who come into the world a pretext for saying, ‘Disgraceful acts were secretly done by them, because of which they died.’” Bar Qappara said in the name of R. Jeremiah bar Eleazar, “Aaron's sons died because of four things: For the drawing near, for the sacrificing, for alien fire, and for not taking advice from each other.⁴³Numb. R. 2:23. For drawing near, in that they entered the innermost sanctuary. For the sacrificing, in that they offered a sacrifice, which they had not been commanded [to offer]. For alien fire, in that they had brought fire from a cookhouse (instead of from off the altar). And for not taking advice from each other.” R. Mani of Sha'av and R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “Aaron's sons died because of four things, and [a sentence of] death is recorded in connection with all of them.⁴⁴PRK 26 (27):9; Lev. R. 20:9. Because they entered without washing hands and feet, and it says (in Exod. 30:20), ‘When they come unto the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water lest they die.’ Because they entered while lacking [the proper priestly] clothes, and it says (in Exod. 28:43), ‘And they shall be upon Aaron and his sons in their coming to the tent of meeting….’” And what did they lack? R. Levi said, “They were lacking a robe, and [a sentence of] death is recorded in connection with [that lack], where it is stated (in Exod. 28:35), ‘And it (the robe with golden bells and pomegranates) shall be upon Aaron for officiating, so that the sound of it shall be heard, [when he comes into the sanctuary]… [lest he die].’” “And because they had no children, and [a sentence of] death is recorded in connection with [that lack], where it is stated (in Numb. 3:4), ‘But Nadab and Abihu died…; and they had no children.’ Because they entered and had drunk wine, and it says (in Lev. 10:9), ‘Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor… lest you die.’” Abba Hanin says, “Because they had no wives, and it is recorded (in Lev. 16:6), ‘and he shall make atonement for himself and for his household.’” R. Levi said, “They had a lot of arrogance and were saying, ‘Which woman is worthy of us?’⁴⁵Lev. R. 20:10; below, Lev. 6:13. A lot of women were remaining unmarried and waiting for them. But they were saying, ‘Our father’s brother is king, our father is high priest, our mother's brother is prince, [and] we are deputy high priests. Which woman is worthy of us?’” R. Menahama [said] in the name of R. Joshua bar Hanina, “[It is] about them [that] it says (in Ps. 78:63), ‘Fire devoured their young men, and their maidens had no nuptial song.’ Why had fire devoured their young men? Because of their maidens, who had no nuptial song.” And moreover, [their arrogance may be inferred] from this (i.e., from Exod. 24:1), “Then He said unto Moses, ‘Go up unto the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu.’” This teaches that Moses and Aaron walked first, while Nadab and Abihu came after them; but still they were saying, “When will these two old men die, and we shall assume authority over the community in their place?”⁴⁶See below, Lev. 6:13. R. Judan said in the name of R. Ayyevu, “They said it to each other with their mouths, they said it in front of [Moshe and Aharon].” R. Pinhas said, “They pondered it in their hearts.” R. Berekhyah said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them (in Prov. 27:1), ‘Do not boast of tomorrow, since you do not know what will be born today’; a lot of colts have died, and their skins have been made into coverings for their mothers’ backs.” And in addition [their transgression may be inferred] from this (i.e., from Exod. 24:11), “But He (i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He,) still did not raise His hand against the nobles of the Children of Israel.” From here [it follows] that they deserved to have a hand raised [against them]. R. Hosha'ya said, “Did cellaria⁴⁷The word is Latin. (i.e., provisions) go up with them to Sinai, since it says (ibid., cont.), ‘they beheld God, [and they ate and drank]?’ It is simply that they feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence. [Hence they were] like someone who beholds his colleague in the midst of eating and drinking.” R. Johanan said, “[There was] actual eating [and drinking], since it is written (in Prov. 16:15), ‘In the light of the king's face there is life; His favor is like a rain cloud in spring.’” R. Tanhuma said, “[Exod. 24:11] teaches that they became bold in their hearts and stood on their feet, [while] they feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence.” R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “Moses did not feast his eyes on the Divine Presence, as stated (in Exod. 3:6), ‘Moses hid his face….’ In reward for (Exodus 3:6, cont.) ‘and he feared,’ he merited (Exod. 34:30), ‘and they feared to approach him’; in reward for (Exodus 3:6, cont.) ‘from gazing,’ he merited (Numbers 12:8) ‘and he gazed [at] the picture of the Lord’; in reward for ‘Moses hid his face,’ he merited (Exod. 34:30), ‘and behold, his skin of his face shone.‘ But Nadav and Avihu feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence, but did not benefit from the Divine Presence.” And in addition, [the boldness of Aaron's sons may be inferred] from this (i.e., from Numb. 3:4), “But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord […].” R. Johanan, said, “Was it before the Lord that they died? [The verse] simply teaches that it is grievous for the Omnipresent when children of righteous people pass away during their [parents'] lifetime.” R. Nahman asked in front of R. Pinhas bar Hama beRabbi Simon, “Here (Numb. 3:40), ‘before the Lord’ [occurs] two times. But later (I Chronicles 24:2), ‘in the presence of their father’ [occurs only] one time.” It is simply that it teaches that it was twice as grievous for the Holy One, blessed be He, as for their father. (Numb. 4:3:) “In the Sinai Desert.” R. Meir said, “Did they die in the Sinai Desert? It is simply that from Mount Sinai they received their sentence of death.⁴⁸Their death actually took place at the Tent of Meeting. [The situation is comparable] to a king who was marrying off his daughter, when there was found something obscene in his bridal agent.⁴⁹Gk.: syskenos (“comrade”). The king said, ‘If I kill him now, I shall impede my daughter's joy. Tomorrow my joy is coming, and I will kill him. It is better [to kill him] during my own joyous celebration, and not during my daughter's joyous celebration.’ Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘If I kill Nadab and Abihu now, I shall impede the joyous celebration of the Torah. Tomorrow My own joyous celebration is coming. It is better [to kill them] during My own joyous celebration, and not during the joyous celebration of the Torah.’ This is what is written (in Cant. 3:11), ‘on his wedding day,’ i.e., the day of the giving of Torah; ‘in the day of his joyful heart,’ i.e., in the tent of meeting.”

It is taught: Until a person sins, he is given terror and fear and creatures are afraid of him. Once he sins, terror and fear are imposed upon him and he is afraid of others. Know that it is so, as Rabbi said: Until Adam the first man sinned, he would hear the voice of divine speech while standing on his feet and was not afraid. Once he sinned, when he heard the voice of divine speech, he was afraid and hid, as it is stated: “I heard your voice…” (Genesis 3:10); “the man hid” (Genesis 3:8). Rabbi Aivu said: At that moment the height of Adam’s stature diminished and it became only one hundred cubits. Rabbi Levi said: Until Adam the first man sinned, he would hear a soothing divine voice. Once he sinned, he would hear a thundering voice.
Until Israel sinned, they would see⁹⁰They would see the glory of God. through the consecutive partitions and they were not afraid, shocked, and frightened. Once they sinned, they could not have even looked at an intermediary. That is what is written: “They saw the skin of Moses’s face, that it was radiant” (Exodus 34:35), and it is written: “They feared to approach him” (Exodus 34:30).
Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Avun said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin: Even the intermediary was affected with them in that transgression. Until Israel sinned, what is written? “The kings of armies flee again and again” (Psalms 68:13). Rabbi Aivu said: “Angels [malakhei] of armies” is not written, but rather “kings [malkhei] of armies”—the kings of the angels. Which is they? They are Mikhael and Gavriel. They were unable to look at Moses’s face. Once [the Israelites] sinned, [Moses] was unable to look even at the most ordinary among [the angels]. That is what is written: “For I was in dread of the wrath and the fury” (Deuteronomy 9:19).
Until that incident befell David,⁹¹The reference is to David’s sin with Batsheva. See II Samuel chap. 11. it is written: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalms 27:1). Once it befell him, it is written: “I will come upon him, and he will be weary and discouraged” (II Samuel 17:2). Until Solomon sinned, he would subjugate sharim and sharot.⁹²The meaning of these words is unclear. Perhaps it may be read sarim and sarot, in which case it means princes and princesses. Alternatively, some suggest that the text should read shedim veshedot, male and female demons. That is the text found in a parallel midrash in Yalkut Shimoni Tehillim 795. That is what is written: “I acquired for myself male and female singers [sharim vesharot]” (Ecclesiastes 2:8), male singers [meshorerim] and female singers [meshorerot];⁹³In this phrase, the midrash has merely translated the terms used in the verse to more familiar forms of the words. “and the pleasures of people” (Ecclesiastes 2:8), bathhouses; “chests [shida] and wagons [shidot]” (Ecclesiastes 2:8), male and female demons [sheda veshedta] who would heat them. Once he sinned, he appointed for him “sixty valiant men…from the valiant of Israel” and positioned them to protect his bed. That is what is written: “Behold the bed…each armed with a sword,” because he was afraid of the spirits.

You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah, it was entirely of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2). Our sages stated: The law was of fire, the parchment was of fire, its writings were of fire, the thread was of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law. The face of the agent (Moses) became fiery, as is said: And they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30). The angels who descended with it were of fire, as it is said: Who makes winds Thy messengers (Ps. 104:4). The mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11), and it was given within a fire consuming fire, as it is said: For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire (ibid. 4:24). And upon the earth He made thee to see His great fire (ibid., v. 36). The Divine Word also came forth from the midst of fire. When they beheld the lightning and the burning letters, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Do not imagine that they have much power, and He began to recite the words I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods (Exod. 20:2).¹⁸The Ten Commandments. Cf. above, “In the Beginning,” n. Why were they described as gods? R. Yosé said: He did so in order not to give the people of the world the opportunity to say that they were not called by His name because if He had done so, it would have acknowledged that they had power. But they were called by His name, and yet have no power. When were they first called by His name? In the days of Enoch the son of Seth, as it is said: Then began man to call in the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:25). It was then that the Mediterranean Sea rose and inundated a third of the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Ye have done a new thing in calling yourself by My name, and so I will do something new and call Myself by My name. Therefore Scripture says: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord is His name (Amos 5:8).

(Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) A PERSON'S WISDOM LIGHTS UP HIS FACE. (Exod. 34:30:) AND LO, THE SKIN ('or) OF HIS FACE WAS SHINING. (Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) AND THE RADIANCE ('oz) OF HIS FACE IS CHANGED (for the better), [in that he changes the principle of judgment into a principle of mercy with respect to Israel.]

(Exod. 3:6:) HE ALSO SAID: I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. He revealed himself to him in the voice of his father Amram so that he would not be afraid.⁷²Exod.R. 3:1. At that time Moses rejoiced and said: My father Amram is [alive]. The Holy One said to him: You have said that I am your father, but I am actually THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. At that time (ibid., cont.): MOSES HID HIS FACE, <FOR HE WAS AFRAID TO LOOK AT GOD>. The Holy One said to him: By your life, you have paid me an honor; I am paying you an honor, as stated (in Exod. 34:35): THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WOULD SEE MOSES' FACE, <THAT THE SKIN OF MOSES' FACE WAS RADIANT WITH LIGHT>. You were afraid, <as stated> (in Exod. 3:6, cont.): FOR HE WAS AFRAID TO LOOK <AT GOD>. By your life, I am doing <for you> as it says <you did for me>. <Thus> (in Exod. 34:30): AND THEY WERE AFRAID OF APPROACHING HIM. By virtue (in Exod. 3:6) of <his being AFRAID> TO LOOK (HBYT), (in Numb. 12:8) HE BEHOLDS (from HBYT) THE LIKENESS OF THE LORD.⁷³PRK 26:9; Lev. R. 20:12.

And he said: “Moses, Moses.” and he said: “Here am I” (Exod. 3:4). What is the meaning of Here am I? R. Joshua the son of Karha held: Here am I implies: “I am ready for priesthood and for kingship.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You stand in the place of one of the pillars of the world, (for) Abraham has said Here am I, and now you are saying Here am I. Draw not nigh hither (ibid., v. 5). The word hither alludes to kingship, as it is said: Whom am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hither? (II Sam. 7:18). Similarly it states: Is there yet a man come hither? (I Sam. 10:22). With reference to Joshua it is written: Put off thy shoe from off thy foot (Josh. 5:15), and it is also written concerning Moses: Put off thy shoes from off thy feet (Exod. 3:5). And He said: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham (ibid., v. 6). He appeared to him through the voice of his father, Amram, lest he become frightened. Thereupon Moses rejoiced, exclaiming: “My father, Amram, still lives.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, I came to you enticingly so that you would not be terrified. Forthwith, Moses hid his face. Be assured, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, because you honored Me, I will cause you to be honored by all Israel. Hence, they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30), for it is written of him: For he was afraid (ibid. 3:6). Because you did not wish to look—therefore the similitude of the Lord doth he behold (Num. 12:8). Because you hid your face, the children of Israel were afraid to look upon the face of Moses, for The skin of his face sent forth beams, and they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30). And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come (ibid. 3:9). This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He witnessed their labors and their afflictions.