Comentario sobre Exodo 20:18

נגש אל הערפל [AND MOSES] STEPPED NEAR TO THE THICK CLOUD — within the three divisions — darkness, cloud and thick cloud (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:18:2), as it is said, (Deuteronomy 4:11) “And the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of the heaven, with darkness, clouds and dark clouds”. The ערפל is the עב הענן of which God spoke to him when He said, (19:9) “Behold I come unto thee in a thick cloud (עב הענן)” (cf. Rashi on that verse).

Moshe drew near. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer notes that the word nigash (“drew near”) is actually in the passive voice (“he was drawn near”). The Midrash explains that the angels Michael and Gavriel grabbed Moshe by his two hands and brought him before the Shechinah against his will.

ויעמוד העם מרחוק, “The people stood at a distance.” Even though we have read this statement before (19,15), the Torah repeats it to tell us that due to the overwhelming impact of the spectacle they had seen and heard, they had retreated even further from their original position and taken up a new position still further away from the base of the Mountain. Moses meanwhile performed what they had initially been supposed to do themselves.

To the dense cloud (ha’arafel). The numerical value of arafel (385) is equal to that of the word Shechinah.