Commentaire de citation sur Néhémie 9:13

Whereas all of the Israelites heard the tetragrammaton, no one, including the אצילי בני ישראל, who are described in Exodus 24,11 as having “seen” האלו-הים, “saw” G’d as it is impossible to “see” G’d as we know from Exodus 33,20 that no living human being can have a visual experience of G’d. If you were to counter that G’d Himself had told the people that on the third day ”G’d will descend in full view of all the people” (19,11), the meaning is that when the people would observe this great glory, “like a fire consuming the top of the mountain,” they would understand that within that spectacle the name Hashem would be concealed, i.e. the attribute which cannot be perceived by human eyes. The “glory” of G’d on the other hand, is subject to being seen by human eyes, the attribute called Elohim. It is this attribute which is described as being seen both by the expression ויחזו, and by the expression ויראו in Exodus 24,10 and Exodus 24,11 respectively. Once we have established this you will appreciate that when G’d described Himself as “descending” on the third day in full view of the people” (19,11) what is meant is a “descent” to that level of His glory which could be seen by the people. The area to which G’d had “descended,” was the area from which the word communicated itself to that attribute of glory which in turn became audible to our physical ears. This is what Moses meant when he said in Deut. 4,36 מן השמים השמיעך את קולו “out of the heaven He made you hear His voice.” We find a very similar verse in Nechemyah 9,13 (the Levites addressing G’d in the presence of the people) ועל הר סיני ירדת ודבר עמהם משמים, “and You descended on Mount Sinai to speak to them from the heaven.” You must realise that this is the G’d who is referred to also as שם (“there”, vowel kametz under the letter ש).

from all the foreigners and from their wives of the heathen nations, as is stated above (Ezra 10).

YE YOURSELVES HAVE SEEN THAT I HAVE TALKED WITH YOU FROM HEAVEN. He commanded that Moses tell them: “Since you yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven and that I am Master in heaven and upon the earth, do not combine gods of silver or gods of gold⁵⁶⁵Verse 20. with Me, for you have no need of another aid with Me.” The purport of the verse is: Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, and ye shall not make unto you gods of gold. In my opinion, the explanation of the verse is as follows: “Do not make gods of silver or gods of gold to be to you for gods with Him; and ye shall not make them altogether.” Thus He warned against believing in them, and again warned against merely making them, similar to the verse, Neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar.⁵⁶⁶Leviticus 26:1. There too He first admonished against believing in the idols — Ye shall make you no idols, i.e., to believe in them — and then He warned against the mere making of them. By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], the meaning of the word iti (with Me) is like the Expression al panai (before My face),⁵⁶⁷Above, Verse 3. and I have already alluded to its explanation.⁵⁶⁷Above, Verse 3.
Rashi wrote: “That I have talked with you from heaven. But another verse states, And the Eternal came down upon Sinai!⁵⁶⁸Ibid., 19:20. There comes a third verse to harmonize them: Out of heaven He made thee to hear His Voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon earth He made thee to see His great fire.⁵⁶⁹Deuteronomy 4:36. His Glory was in heaven, and His might was [manifest] upon the earth.” Thus Rashi’s language. But it is not precise.⁵⁷⁰Ramban’s intent, as is evident from the text which follows, is to this effect: The harmonizing of the verses is correct, for so it is stated in the Mechilta, but that which Rashi added: “His Glory was in heaven, etc.,” is not precise, as will be explained that the Glory was upon Mount Sinai. The harmonizing of the verses is indeed a Midrash of the Sages,⁵⁷¹Mechilta on the verse here. and it is true that G-d was in heaven, and His Glory was upon Mount Sinai,⁵⁷²This is unlike Rashi, who wrote that “His Glory was in heaven.” for G-d was in the fire, and it is written, Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai, and spokest with them from heaven.⁵⁷³Nehemiah 9:13. Thus, it is stated that He was in heaven and His Glory was upon Mount Sinai. All the verses in their various expressions are thus clear to all who know [the mystic teachings of the Cabala]. I have already explained it all above.⁵⁶⁸Ibid., 19:20. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that he who has a discerning heart will understand the meaning thereof in the section of Ki Thisa.⁵⁷⁴Further, 33:21. In harmonizing the above-mentioned conflicting verses, Ibn Ezra also suggests that His Glory came down upon Mount Sinai and the Voice was heard from heaven. This is identical with Ramban’s explanation, and Ramban praises him for it. The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious.⁵⁷⁵Ecclesiastes 10:12.

אני ה׳ אלהיכם I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD — Why is this stated again? In order that the Israelites should not say, “Why has the Omnipresent said it ('אני ה)? Is it not in order that we should perform the commandments and receive reward (cf. Rashi on previous verse)!? We will not perform them and we shall not receive (we shall not expect) any reward!” Therefore it states again in general terms and without reference to the Exodus from Egypt, “I will be the Lord your God: in spite of yourselves I will be your King (I will exercise My sovereignty upon you). — In a similar sense it states, (Ezekiel 20:23) “Surely with a strong hand … will I reign over you” (Sifrei Bamidbar 115:1). — Another explanation: Why is the exodus from Egypt mentioned in connection with the fringes? In order to intimate: It was I who distinguished in Egypt between one who was a firstborn and one who was not (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 19:36); I shall also find out and exact punishment from him who attaches indigo-dyed wool (which resembles תכלת in colour) on his garments and pretends that it is תכלת (Bava Metzia 61b). From the work of Rabbi Moses the Preacher I copy the following: Why is the section speaking of the stick-gatherer placed in juxtaposition with the section (vv. 22—31) dealing with idolatry? In order to tell you that whoever desecrates the Sabbath is regarded as having worshipped idols, for it (the law of the Sabbath) also is alone of equal importance with the entire sum of the commandments (just as is the law of idolatry; cf. Rashi on v. 22). And so, too, it is said in the Book of Ezra, (Nehemia 9:13—14) “And Thou camest down upon Mount Sinai and gavest to Thy people … the Torah and commandments and Thou madest known unto them Thy holy Sabbath”. And the section dealing with the “Zizith” is also for the same reason placed in juxtaposition with these two sections, because it, too, is of equal importance with the sum total of the commandments, as it is said, (v. 40) “[That ye may remember] and do all My commandments".