Commentaire sur L’Exode 33:10

והשתחוו AND THEY PROSTRATED THEMSELVES to the Shechinah.

והשתחוו איש פתח אהלו, “and they would prostrate themselves, each one at the entrance to his tent.” They did not bow down and prostrate themselves on account of the presence of the pillar of fire or the pillar of cloud, but as a sign of respect for the attribute of כבוד which was present in Moses’ tent. The matter is similar to the respect we show to the Torah scroll. When we bow down before it we do not mean to honour the scroll but what the scroll represents, i.e. the word of G’d which is written on the parchment.

To the Shechinah. I.e., not to the entrance of Moshe’s tent, as איש פתח אהלו seemingly implies. The only reason it says איש פתח אהלו is because the Pillar of Cloud was there [i.e., at the entrance of Moshe’s tent].

וקם כל העם וישתחוו, “and the entire nation would rise and prostrated themselves;” this describes what has been written in verse 8; seeing that these two verses were very long, the Torah decided to make sure the reader would not lose track of the subject. We find that the Torah used a similar method in Genesis 15,2, when it quotes Avraham asking G-d what possible enduring gift he could give him seeing that he had no biological heir. Avraham comes back to that subject in Genesis 15,3, “reminding” Him that he has no issue. We also find such a “reminder” when Yaakov and Lavan discuss his remuneration for looking after Lavan’s flocks in Genesis 30,27. There are numerous more examples of this type in the Bible.