Midrash sobre Exodo 19:18

"And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Wilderness" (Numbers 1:1). Why the Sinai Wilderness? From here the sages taught that the Torah was given through three things: fire, water, and wilderness. How do we know it was given through fire? From Exodus 19:18: "And Mount Sinai was all in smoke as God had come down upon it in fire." How do we know it was given through water? As it says in Judges 5:4, "The heavens dripped and the clouds dripped water [at Sinai]." How do we know it was given through wilderness? [As it says above,] "And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Wilderness." And why was the Torah given through these three things? Just as [fire, water, and wilderness] are free to all the inhabitants of the world, so too are the words of Torah free to them, as it says in Isaiah 55:1, "Oh, all who are thirsty, come for water... even if you have no money." Another explanation: "And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Wilderness" — Anyone who does not make themselves ownerless like the wilderness cannot acquire the wisdom and the Torah. Therefore it says, "the Sinai Wilderness."

(Numb. 1:1:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses.” Fortunate are you, Moses!²⁵Numb. R. 1:6; cf. Lev. R. 1:1. Six hundred thousand were present with the priests, the Levites, and the elders. They were all present there; yet out of them all, He only spoke there with Moses, as stated (ibid.), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses.” (Ibid., cont.) “In the Sinai desert.” Why in the Sinai desert?²⁶Numb. R. 1:7. From here our masters have taught, “The Torah was given through three things: through fire, through water, and through the desert.²⁷Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Bashodesh 5. Through fire, as stated (in Exod. 19:18), ‘Now all of Mount Sinai was emitting smoke because the Lord had descended upon it in fire, and the smoke from it arose like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.’ Through water, as stated (in Jud. 5:4), ‘Lord, when You went forth from Seir, when You marched [from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, even the heavens dripped, even the clouds dropped water].’ Through (i.e., in)²⁸In Hebrew the prefix b used here can be translated either “through” or “in.” the desert, as stated (in Numb. 1:1), ‘Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert.’” And why was it given through these three things? It is that, just as these are free for all who come into the world, so too are the words of the Torah free for all who come to the world. Thus it is stated (in Is. 55:1), “Ho, all who are thirsty, come to the waters (of Torah); even if you have no money, come, buy food, and eat. So come, buy food, wine, and milk without money and without cost.” “In the Sinai Desert.” Why in the Sinai desert? It is that whoever does not make himself ownerless like the desert cannot acquire²⁹The Hebrew verb also means “buy.” the Torah.³⁰See ‘Eruv. 54a; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Bashodesh 1. It is therefore stated, “in the Sinai desert.”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 1:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES. <How> blessed was Moses!³⁸Tanh., Numb. 1:6; Numb. R. 1:6; cf. Lev. R. 1:1. Six hundred thousand were present with the priests, the Levites, and the elders. They were were all present there; yet out of them all, he only spoke there with Moses, as stated (ibid.:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES. (Ibid., cont.:) IN THE SINAI DESERT. Why IN THE SINAI DESERT?³⁹Numb. R. 1:7. From here our masters have taught: The Torah was given through three things: through fire, through water, and through the desert.⁴⁰Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Bashodesh 5. Where is it shown <that it was given> through fire? Where it is stated (in Exod. 19:18): NOW ALL OF MOUNT SINAI WAS EMITTING SMOKE BECAUSE THE LORD HAD DESCENDED UPON IT IN FIRE. AND THE SMOKE FROM IT AROSE LIKE SMOKE FROM A FURNACE, AND THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN TREMBLED GREATLY. Where is it shown <that it was given> through water? Where it is stated (in Jud. 5:4): LORD, WHEN YOU WENT FORTH FROM SEIR, WHEN YOU MARCHED FROM THE FIELD OF EDOM, THE EARTH TREMBLED, EVEN THE HEAVENS DRIPPED, EVEN THE CLOUDS DROPPED WATER. Where is it shown <that it was given> through (i.e., in)⁴¹In Hebrew the prefix b used here can be translated either “through” or “in.” the desert? Where it is stated (in Numb. 1:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT. And why was it given through these three things. It is simply that, as these are free for all who come into the world, so the words of the Torah are free. Thus it is stated (in Is. 55:1): HO, ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY, COME TO THE WATERS (of Torah); EVEN IF YOU HAVE NO MONEY, COME, BUY FOOD, AND EAT. SO COME, BUY FOOD, WINE, AND MILK WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT COST.

Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: “While the king was at his feast,” while the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, was at His feast, in the firmament—He arrived early,²⁷⁸He arrived early for the giving of the Torah. as it is stated: “It was on the third day when it was morning” (Exodus 19:16). [This is analogous] to a king who decreed: On such and such day I will enter the province. The residents of the province slept through the night and when the king arrived, he found them asleep. He positioned trumpets, horns, and a shofar, the governor of that province awakened them and brought them out to meet the king, and the king walked before them until he reached his palace. So too, the Holy One blessed be He arrived early, as it is stated: “It was on the third day when it was morning,” and it is written: “For on the third day, the Lord will descend before the eyes of the entire people” (Exodus 19:11). Israel slept through that entire night because sleep during [the season of] Shavuot is pleasant and the night is short. Rabbi Yudan said: Not even a flea stung them. The Holy One blessed be He came and found them asleep. He began positioning trumpets; that is what is written: “It was on the third day when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning” (Exodus 19:16), and Moses was awakening them and taking them out to meet the King of kings the Holy One blessed be He. That is what is written: “Moses took the people out of the camp toward God” (Exodus 19:17). The Holy One blessed be He was walking before them until He reached Mount Sinai, as it is written: “The entire Mount Sinai was smoking [because the Lord had descended]” (Exodus 19:18). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is why He taunted them through Isaiah, as it is stated: “Why have I come and there is no man, I called and there is no one to answer? Is My hand insufficient for redemption?” (Isaiah 50:2).

What is written prior to this verse? Now Mount Sinai was altogether on smoke (Exod. 19:18). Altogether is stated, for otherwise one might believe that only the place where the Glory rested is meant here. Scripture says: Because the Lord descended upon it in fire (ibid.). This informs us that the entire Torah was of fire. It emanated from fire and it is compared to fire. As in the case of fire, if a man draws close to it he is warmed, and if he withdraws from it he becomes cold. Thus a man can warm himself at the fires of the wise.

And the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace (Exod. 19:18). What furnace? Perhaps it is comparable to this furnace? Therefore Scripture says: And the mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11). Why then does Scripture say Of a furnace? It does so only in order to transmit to the ear that which it can comprehend. Similarly it says: The lion hath roared, who will not fear (Amos 3:8), yet who instilled strength and power in the lion, if not He? We describe Him by the qualities given to His creations, so that the ear may hear what it is able to comprehend. Likewise, Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east; and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth did shine with His glory (Ezek. 43:2). Who instilled strength and force into the waters? Was it not He? Here again we describe Him merely by the qualities possessed by His creations, so that the ear may comprehend (what it hears).