Midrash su Esodo 20:18

(Deut. 1:1:) “These are the words (elleh hadevarim).” May the name [of the Holy One, blessed be He,] be blessed and may His memory be exalted. All the miracles that he did for Israel in the wilderness, He is likewise going to do in Zion. It is written concerning the wilderness (ibid.), “These are the words;” and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 42:16), “I will turn darkness before them into light and rough places into level ground. These things (elleh hadevarim) I will do, and I will not forsake them.” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 20:15), “Now all the people saw the thunderings (qol in the plural)”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Jer. 33:11), “The sound (qol) of joy and the sound (qol) of gladness, [the voice (qol) of the bridegroom and the voice (qol) of the bride].” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Ps. 68:9), “The earth quaked”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Hag. 2:6), “I will cause the heavens and the earth to quake.” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 13:21), “And the Lord went before them by day”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 52:12), “for the Lord shall go before you.” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Deut. 30:9), “for the Lord shall be glad over you again”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 65:19), “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people.” [Also (according to Is. 35:1),] “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” What did Isaiah see to say this? It is simply that, when Israel transgressed the Torah, Hosea arose and said (in Hos. 2:5), “I will make her like a wilderness and render her like an arid land.” For that reason Isaiah has said (in Is. 35:1), “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” Now all the consolations of which Isaiah spoke are double, because (according to Is. 40:2) “she (i.e., Jerusalem) has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.”¹Lam. R. 1:22. So for that reason the consolations are double (in vs. 1) “Comfort, O comfort My people.” [Similarly (in Is. 51:12),] “I, I am the one who comforts you.” [Also (in Is. 51:9),] “Awake, awake.” [Also (in Is. 51:17),] “Rouse yourself, rouse yourself!” [Also] (in Is. 61:10),] “I will be glad with rejoicing.” [Also] (in Is. 35:2),] “It shall blossom with blossoms.” Another interpretation (of Is. 35:1), “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” For what reason was this written? To teach you that when the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals His Divine Presence over Israel, He does not reveal it all to them on one occasion, because they would not have been able to persevere in this bounty all at once; for if He had revealed His bounty to them at one time, they would all have died. See what is written (in Is. 64:3), “From time immemorial they have not heard, nor has an ear perceived, nor has an eye seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.” Go and learn from Joseph; for when he made himself known to his brothers after so many years, [when] Joseph said to them (in Gen. 45:3), “I am Joseph,” they all died, “and they could not answer him; [for they were dismayed because of him].” How much the more [would Israel be dismayed] at [a sudden revelation of] the Holy One, blessed be He! So what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do for them instead? He reveals himself to them little by little. At the beginning, He makes the mountains glad, as stated (in Is. 35:1), “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” Then after that (ibid.), “the steppes shall rejoice […].” Then after that (in vs. 2), “It shall bloom abundantly.” Then after that (ibid.), “the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it.” Then after that (ibid.), “they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” For that reason David said (in Ps. 102:17), “For the Lord has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory.” It also says (in Is. 52:8), “for eye to eye they will see the return of the Lord to Zion.” And it also says (in Is. 25:9), “In that day they shall say, ‘See, this is our God; we waited for Him, and He delivered us; [this is the Lord; we waited for Him, let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’”

(Deut. 1:1:) THESE ARE THE WORDS (elleh hadevarim). May the name <of the Holy One> be blessed and may his memory be exalted.¹Tanh., Deut. 1:1. All the miracles that he did for Israel in the wilderness, he is likewise going to do in Zion. It is written concerning the wilderness (ibid.): THESE ARE THE WORDS; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 42:16): I WILL TURN DARKNESS BEFORE THEM INTO LIGHT AND ROUGH PLACES INTO LEVEL GROUND. THESE THINGS (elleh hadevarim) [I WILL DO, AND I WILL NOT FORSAKE THEM]. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 20:15 [18]): NOW ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS (qol in the plural); and it is written concerning Zion (in Jer. 7:34): <AND I WILL PUT AN END … > TO THE SOUND (qol) OF JOY AND THE SOUND (qol) OF GLADNESS, THE VOICE (qol) OF THE BRIDEGROOM <AND THE VOICE (qol) OF THE BRIDE>. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Ps. 68:9 [8]): THE EARTH QUAKED; and it is written concerning Zion (in Hag. 2:6): I WILL CAUSE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH TO QUAKE. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 13:21): AND THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM BY DAY; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 52:12): FOR THE LORD SHALL GO BEFORE YOU. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Deut. 30:9): FOR THE LORD SHALL BE GLAD OVER YOU AGAIN; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 65:19): I WILL ALSO REJOICE IN JERUSALEM AND BE GLAD IN MY PEOPLE. [<Also> (according to Is. 35:1): THE WILDERNESS AND THE ARID LAND SHALL BE GLAD.] What did Isaiah see to say this? It is simply that, when Israel transgressed the Torah, Hosea arose and said (in Hos. 2:5 [3]): I WILL MAKE HER LIKE A WILDERNESS [AND RENDER HER LIKE AN ARID LAND]. For that reason Isaiah has said (in Is. 35:1): THE WILDERNESS <AND THE ARID LAND> SHALL BE GLAD. Now all the consolations of which Isaiah spoke are double, because (according to Is. 40:2:) SHE (i.e., Jerusalem) HAS RECEIVED FROM THE HAND OF THE LORD DOUBLE FOR ALL HER SINS.²Lam. R. 1:22 (57). So for that reason Isaiah has comforted her doubly (in vs. 1) COMFORT, O COMFORT <MY PEOPLE, SAYS YOUR GOD>. <Similarly> (in Is. 51:12): I, I <AM THE ONE WHO COMFORTS YOU>. <Also> (in Is. 51:9): AWAKE, AWAKE, <PUT ON STRENGTH, O ARM OF THE LORD>! <Also> (in Is. 51:17): ROUSE YOURSELF, ROUSE YOURSELF! <ARISE, O JERUSALEM … !> <Also> (in Is. 61:10): I WILL BE GLAD WITH REJOICING <IN THE LORD>. <Also> (in Is. 35:1–2) <THE WILDERNESS AND THE ARID LAND SHALL BE GLAD …;> IT SHALL BLOSSOM WITH BLOSSOMS.

(Gen. 42:1, cont.:) THEN JACOB SAID TO HIS CHILDREN: WHY ARE YOU MAKING YOURSELVES CONSPICUOUS? Jacob said to them: Will you please hide yourselves, for there is nothing more harmful than the evil eye?²²Gen. R. 91:2, 6; Tanh., Gen. 10:8. And so you find in the case of the former tables (of the Torah), because they had been given in grandeur (before all eyes), they had been shattered. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 20:15 [18]): NOW ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS. But when the second tables were given, no one saw them but Moses, since it is stated (in Exod. 34:3): BUT LET NO ONE COME UP WITH YOU…. So also Jerusalem would not have been destroyed except for the evil eye. Thus it is stated (in Lam. 2:15-16): IS THIS THE CITY WHICH THEY CALLED A PERFECTION OF BEAUTY, A JOY TO THE WHOLE EARTH? < ALL YOUR ENEMIES JEER OVER YOU; THEY HISS AND GNASH THEIR TEETH; THEY SAY: WE HAVE DESTROYED HER! INDEED, THIS IS THE DAY WE HAD HOPED FOR. WE HAVE FOUND IT; WE HAVE SEEN IT >. It also says (in Lam. 3:51): MY EYE DOES EVIL TO MY SOUL BECAUSE OF ALL THE DAUGHTERS OF MY CITY. Jacob therefore said: Do not look at yourselves. It is so stated (in Gen. 42:1): THEN JACOB SAID TO HIS CHILDREN: WHY ARE YOU MAKING YOURSELVES CONSPICUOUS? Rather walk privately (rt.: TsN'), as stated (in Micah 6:8): HE HAS TOLD YOU, O HUMAN, WHAT IS GOOD…. AND TO WALK HUMBLY (rt.: TsN') WITH YOUR GOD.

The lifeless brought before Me depart alive, yet you fear that the wood in the altar erected in My honor will burn! Who commanded the fire to burn? Learn from your own experience! When you entered into the midst of the wall of fire and walked among the bands (of angels in heaven), you should have been consumed, yet you came unto Me, as it is said: But Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was (Exod. 20:18). I am a consuming fire, as is said: For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire (Deut. 4:24), and it would have been normal for you to have been consumed. Why were you not (consumed)? Because you ascended for My glory. Likewise, in the case of the altar of the burnt offering, concerning which it is written: Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually, neither the brass will be affected, nor will the wood be burned.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 19:1:) ON THE NEW MOON (bahodesh), <THE THIRD ONE >. Ba hodesh (understood as two words) < means > THE NEW MOON HAS COME.³⁵PRK 12:18. R. Abbin said: When the Holy One appeared to Moses on Sinai, he said to him (in Exod. 3:12): WHEN YOU HAVE BROUGHT {THIS} [THE] PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT, YOU SHALL SERVE <GOD ON THIS MOUNTAIN>. Now Moses was eagerly waiting and saying: When is this designated time coming? However, when [the designated time] did arrive, the Holy One said, THE NEW MOON HAS COME, <namely the one> that you have been eagerly awaiting. It does not say (in Exod. 19:1): "In the third moon," even as it says (in I Kings 6:37): THE MOON OF ZIV, (in vs. 38:) THE MOON OF BUL, <or> (as in 8:2) THE MOON OF ETHANIM. Rather it says (here in Exod. 19:1): ON THE [THIRD] NEW MOON (rt.: HDSh).³⁶PRK 12:19; cf. Matthew 22:1–14 // Luke 14:15–24. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: The Holy One said to them: I am making a renewal (rt.: HDSh) of things and renewing (rt.: HDSh) you. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a son. When he reached his maturity, his father wanted to have him marry; but he did not have a new argentaria³⁷The word may be Latin (argentaria) or Greek (argentarion) and denotes a chest of silver or silver table service, but in this context the word seems to denote table appointments generally. {i.e., court}. The king said: This is not the honor due my son, to have him marry {in an old court} [it should read: with an old argentaria]; yet if I wait until I provide him with a new one, I shall delay my son's happiness. What did the king do? He brought smiths and artisans to polish vessels of copper. He brought skilled workers to carve designs on vessels of wood. [<Thus> the king was able to have his son marry with an old argentaria which appeared to be new (rt.: HDSh).] So too, when Israel went forth out of Egypt, the blind, the deaf, and the lame were among them. The Holy One said: [The Torah, all of it, is complete, as stated (in Ps. 19:8 [7]): THE TORAH OF THE LORD IS PERFECT.] Shall I give it to this generation when there are deformities among them? Shall I wait until their children arise? Shall I delay the joy of Torah? What did the Holy One do? He healed them. Then he gave them the Torah. But where is it shown [that he healed them]? Whoever was blind saw, as stated (in Exod. 20:15 [18]): NOW ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS…. Whoever was deaf was made to hear, as stated (in Exod. 24:7): ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL CARRY OUT AND OBEY (literally: HEAR). Whoever was lame was made whole, as stated (in Exod. 19:17): AND THEY STOOD AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN. Ergo: I will establish (rt.: HDSh) a renewal of things (rt.: HDSh) for you.

"And it was on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1). What is written above the matter? "May the Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sakhnin said, "[There is a relevant] parable about a king who had his daughter betrothed and [prepared] the wedding for her, when the evil eye overpowered her. [But] the king stood [in his decision] to marry off his daughter. What did he do? He gave her a charm and said to her, 'This charm should be upon you, so that the evil eye not overpower you.' So [too], when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Israel the Torah, He made for them a public [ceremony], as it is stated (Exodus 20:15), 'And all the people saw the sounds.' And this was nothing but marriage (kiddushin), as it is stated (Exodus 19:10), 'And the Lord said to Moshe, "Go to the people and sanctify them (kiddishtam)...."' And [so] the evil eye overpowered them and the tablets were broken, as it is stated (Exodus 32:19), 'As soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moshe became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.' Once they came and made the tabernacle for themselves, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them the blessings first, so that the evil eye not overpower them. Hence it is written, 'May the Lord bless you and keep you,' first; and afterwards, 'And it was on the day that Moses had finished.'" Rabbi Abahu said, "The trait of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the trait of flesh and blood. When a king of flesh and blood enters a province, it is after the people of the province praise him and honor him that he gives them satisfaction in the province. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like this. Before Israel [completed] the tabernacle, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them the blessings. As it is stated, [first] 'May the Lord bless you and keep you'; and afterwards, 'And it was on the day that Moses had finished erecting the tabernacle.' Therefore David said (Psalms 85:9), 'Let me hear what God, the Lord, will speak; for He will speak peace to His people, His faithful ones.'"

33 Another interpretation of (Numb. 21:17), "Then Israel sang": This is one of the three things that Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He, and He said [back] to him, "You have taught me." He said in front of Him, "Master of the Universe, from where does Israel know what they did (was wrong)? Did they not grow up in Egypt? And all of Egypt are idolaters. And when You gave the Torah, You did not give it to them, and they were also not standing there, as it is stated (Exod. 20:18), 'And the people stood from afar.' And You only gave it to me, as it is stated (Exod. 24:1), 'And He said to Moses, "Ascend to the Lord.'" And when You gave the statements (Ten Commandments), You did not give [them] to them. You did not say, 'I am the Lord, your (plural) God'; but rather I am the Lord, your (singular) God. [Hence] You said it to me. Did I sin?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "By your life, you have spoken well. You have taught Me! From now on, I will say the expression, 'I am the Lord, your (plural) God.'" The second one is when the Holy One, blessed be He, said ( in Numb. 34:7), "visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children": Moses said, "Master of the Universe, how many evildoers begat righteous ones; should they be removed by the iniquities of their parents? Terach was an idol-maker, but his son, Abraham, was righteous; so too Hezekiah was righteous, but Ahaz, his father was an evildoer; Josiah was righteous, but Amon, his father, was an evildoer. Is this proper, that the righteous be struck for the iniquities of their parents?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Behold, you have taught Me! By your life, I will nullify My words and preserve your words, as it is stated (Deut. 24:15), ‘The parents shall not die for the children, and the children shall not die for the parents'; and it is by your life that I shall write [these things] in your name, as it is stated (II Kings 14:6), 'as it is written in the Torah of Moses, which God commanded ....'" The third one is when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Make war on Sichon; even if he does not want to engage with you, wage war with him, as stated (Deut. 2:24), 'Get up, go and cross the Arnon .'" But Moses did not do like this. Rather what is written above? "And I sent messengers" (Deut. 2:26). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "By your life, I will nullify My words and preserve your words, as it is stated (Deut. 20:11), 'When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace.'" Once Sichon did not accept, the Holy One, blessed be He, felled him in front of them, as it is stated (Deut. 20:33), "and we smote him." And not only that, but even [with] those that were hiding themselves in the caves to kill [the Israelites], the Holy One, blessed be He, signaled to the mountain and it crushed them, as it is stated (Ps. 74:13-14), "who smashed the heads of the monsters in the waters. It was You who crushed the heads of Leviathan." A common proverb says [that] if you gave bread to an infant, let his mother know. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "From where will Israel know the favor I did for them?" What did He do? He distanced the mountains from each other and the streams swept down [the corpses], as it is stated (Numb 21:17), "And the streams poured." And the Israelites passed by and sang song - "then Israel sang" (Numb. 21:17). Israel said, "It is for You to do miracles for us, but it is for us to bless and laud Your name" - "Salvation is to the Lord; upon Your people is Your blessing, Selah" (Ps. 3:9). Upon the waters was it decreed against Moses, so he was not mentioned in the song. Moses said, "Master of the Universe, "I am dying because of them. You gave them the Torah from the wilderness, as it is stated, (Numb. 21:18), 'and from the wilderness, Matanah (which is also the word for gift).' And they possessed (nachalu) it from my hands, as it is stated (Numb. 21:19), 'And from Matanah, Nachliel.'" And from when they possessed it, You decreed death upon me, as it is stated (Numb. 21:19), "and from Nachliel, Bamot" - and from possession comes death (menachal, ba mot). "And from Bamot, Haggai in the field of Moav" (Numb. 21:20), as it is stated (Deut. 34:6), "And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moav." Job said, "He is not partial to princes; the noble are not preferred to the wretched; for all of them are the work of His hands" (Job 34:19).

(Exod. 20:15 [18]:) NOW ALL THE PEOPLE PERCEIVED THE THUNDERINGS (literally: VOICES). What is the meaning of THE VOICES (in the plural)? It was simply that the <one divine > voice was transformed into seven voices and <then> from seven into seventy tongues.¹⁰⁴Exod. R. 5:9; 28:6; M. Pss. 92:3; cf. Shab. 88b. And why into seventy tongues? So that all the nations would hear. But, when the voice went forth, each and every nation heard the voice of the Holy One, and each one's soul departed; but Israel was not harmed. How [did the voice go forth. R. Tanhuma said:] The voice went forth and killed nations {so that they would accept} [because they did not accept] the Torah, but <the voice > gave life to Israel {so that they would accept} [because they accepted] the Torah. That is what Moses said to them at the end of forty years (in Deut. 5:23 [26]): FOR WHO IS THERE OF ALL FLESH THAT HAS HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LIVING GOD SPEAKING FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE, AS WE HAVE, AND LIVED? He also says (in Deut. 4:33): HAS ANY PEOPLE HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD <SPEAKING FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE, AS YOU HAVE HEARD, AND LIVED >? You have heard it and < still > live, but the nations heard it and died. Come and see how the voice went forth to Israel. Each and every person heard according to his ability (koah): the old ones according to their ability, the youths according to their ability, the lads, the small ones, the babies, the infants according to their ability, and even Moses according to his ability. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:19): MOSES SPOKE, AND GOD ANSWERED HIM OUT LOUD. What is the meaning of OUT LOUD (literally: IN A VOICE)? Merely IN A VOICE which Moses was able to endure. And so it says (in Ps. 29:4): THE VOICE OF THE LORD IS IN POWER (koah), <i.e.,> within the ability (koah) of each and everyone, the pregnant women according to their ability and all < others > according to their ability. R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: If you are surprised about it, learn from the manna.¹⁰⁵Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 5:17; PRK 12:25.

Rabbi Jehudah said: When a man speaks with his companion, he || hears the sound of his voice, but he does not see any light with it; the Israelites heard the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, on Mount Sinai, and saw the voice going forth from the mouth of the Almighty in the lightning and the thunder, as it is said, "And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings" (Ex. 20:18). All the precepts which are in the Torah number 611, and two, which the Holy One, blessed be He, spake, as it is said, "God has spoken once, two have I heard thus" (Ps. 62:11).