מדרש על שמות 33:22

One verse states (Bamidbar 7:89): "And when Moses came to the tent of meeting to speak with him, etc." and another, (Shemoth 40:35): "And Moses could not come to the tent of meeting!" This is resolved by (Shemoth 40:35): "for the cloud rested upon it." Say: Whenever the cloud was there, Moses did not enter. When the cloud departed, he entered and spoke with Him. R. Yossi Haglili says: It is written (I Kings 8:11): "And the Cohanim were not able to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the L–rd filled the house of the L–rd" — whence it is seen that the angels were given license to destroy (all who would approach). And, similarly, (Shemoth 33:22): "And I shall cover you with My 'palm' until I have passed" — whence it is seen that the angels were given license to destroy. And, similarly, (Psalms 95:11): "So I swore in My wrath that they would not enter My rest" — When My wrath abates, they will enter My rest."

(Exod. 34:29:) AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT, WHEN MOSES CAME DOWN… FROM THE MOUNTAIN, [MOSES DID NOT KNOW THAT THE SKIN OF HIS FACE WAS SHINING]. From where did Moses receive the rays of glory?⁹¹Tanh., Exod. 9:37. Our masters say: From the cave. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 33:22): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHEN MY GLORY PASSES BY, [I WILL PUT YOU IN A CLEFT OF THE ROCK]. R. Berekhyah said: From the tablets.⁹²Cf. Deut. R. 3:12, which attributes this view to R. Samuel bar Nahman. R. <Berekhyah>⁹³The name is supplied from Yalqut Shim’oni, Exod. 406. Cf. Tanh., Exod. 9:37, which attributes what follows to R. Samuel bar Nahman. said: Their length was six handbreadths, and their width was three handbreadths.⁹⁴See ySheq. 6:1 (49d); BB 14a. Then Moses grasped two handbreadths, the Holy One grasped two handbreadths, and there was a space of two handbreadths in the middle. It was from there that Moses received the rays of glory. R. Judah bar Nehemiah says: While Moses was writing the Torah, a little <ink> remained on the pen.⁹⁵Lat.: calamus (“reed,” “reed pen”). So he passed it over his head (to dry it on his hair), and it was from there that the rays of glory were produced for him. (Exod. 34:29:) MOSES DID NOT KNOW THAT <THE SKIN OF HIS FACE> WAS SHINING (QRN). All the glory that he received <came> as an < extra > reward, but the principal (QRN) remained in tact, as stated (in Hab. 3:4): {AND} RAYS <COMING> FROM HIS HAND. So when the righteous receive their reward in the world to come, he will <also> receive his reward. Where is it shown? Where the prophet has so declared, when he said (in Is. 40:10): BEHOLD, THE LORD GOD COMES IN MIGHT, AND HIS MIGHTY ARM RULES FOR HIM. BEHOLD, HIS REWARD IS WITH HIM, AND HIS RECOMPENSE BEFORE HIM.

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai … Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (Exod. 34:29). Why did Moses merit the beams of glory? Our sages of blessed memory said: Because of the incident at the rock, as it is said: And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by (Exod. 33:22). The Holy One placed His Hand upon him, and because of that he merited the beams of glory. For so it says: Rays hath He at his side; and there is the hiding of His power (Hab. 3:4).

Moses said: On the Day of Atonement I will behold the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, and I will make atonement for the iniquities of Israel. Moses spake before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of all the universe! "Shew me, I pray thee, thy glory" (Ex. 33:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses! Thou art not able to see My glory lest thou die, as it is said, "For men shall not see me and live" (Ex. 33:20); but for the sake of the oath which I have sworn unto thee I will do thy will. Stand at the entrance of || the cave, and I will make all the angels who move before Me pass before thy face. Stand in thy might, and do not fear, as it is said, "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee" (Ex. 33:19). When thou dost hear the Name which I have spoken to thee, there am I before thee, as it is said, "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee" (ibid.).

The Holy One, blessed be He, protected him with the hollow of His hand that he should not die, as it is said, "And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover thee with my hand" (Ex. 33:22). When the Holy One, blessed be He, had passed by, He removed the hollow of His hand from him, and he saw the traces of the Shekhinah, as it is said, "And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back" (Ex. 33:28). Moses began to cry with a loud voice, and he said: "O Lord, O Lord, a God full of compassion and gracious …" (Ex. 34:6).

And He wrote on the tablets (Ex. 34:28) - teaches us that the first [tablets] and the last were the same. Ten sayings, how were they done? Five on this tablet and five on this tablets, as the words of Rabbi Yehudah. And Rabbi Nechemia says: ten on this tablet and ten on this tablet, as it says "and as Moshe was descending from Har Sinai", and the writings they require them [two copies]. And they looked like they were in Moshe's hand, as it is written "two tablets of witnessing in the hand of Moshe" (Ex. 34:29). "And Moshe did not know that rays illuminated the skin of his face" - and from where did Moshe get rays of splendor? The rabbis say: from the cave, as it says (Ex. 33:22) "and it will be, when My honor passes". Rabbi Berachiah Hakohen says, in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: the tablets were six handbreadths in height and six handbreadths in length, and Moshe was holding them on two handbradths, and the Shechinah by two handbreadths, and there was one handbreath in the middle, and from there Moshe got the rays of splendor. Rabbi Yehudah Bar Nachman says, in the name of Rabbi Shimeon Ben Lakish: [Moshe] was writing with a reed that had a bit left over, and he passed it on his head, and from that reed the rays of splendor were made, as it is written "And Moshe did not know that rays illuminated the skin of his face."