출애굽기 20:16의 주석

BUT LET NOT G-D SPEAK WITH US. The Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] noted in the Moreh Nebuchim⁵²⁵Guide of the Perplexed, II, 33. that Onkelos translated but let not G-d speak with us as, “Let not aught be spoken to us from before G-d.” However, he did not paraphrase in [a similar manner] in other such places, for he translated literally, And G-d spoke all these words,⁵²⁶Above, Verse 1. and so also in all places where it says, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses!⁵²⁷Ibid., 6:10, etc. Now the reason for Onkelos’ paraphrasing it here, [according to Maimonides], was that even though all Israel heard the first commandment,⁵²⁸Reference is to the first two commandments, for we heard both of them from the Almighty Himself, as explained above. See also above, Note 392. their capacity for comprehending it was unlike that of Moses our teacher.⁵²⁹Therefore, with reference to Moses, Onkelos translated literally, And G-d spoke, for Moses achieved the highest comprehension humanly possible in prophecy, and therefore he received the word of G-d directly. But where the people were concerned, since their comprehension was of a far lesser degree, Onkelos translated, “from before G-d.” But if [Maimonides’ opinion is correct], why did Onkelos translate literally, For I have talked with you from heaven,⁵³⁰Further, Verse 19. Now here it refers to G-d speaking to the people, and yet Onkelos did not paraphrase it! when he should have rendered it, “It was spoken to you from before Me!” Similarly in the Book of Deuteronomy, he translated literally: These words the Eternal spoke unto all your assembly,⁵³¹Deuteronomy 5:19. [and he did not paraphrase it]! So also he translated literally their words, and we have heard His Voice,⁵³²Ibid., Verse 21. which he rendered as follows: “we have heard the voice of His word; this day we have seen that G-d speaks with man!” Likewise he translated literally, The Eternal spoke with you face to face.⁵³³Ibid., Verse 5. Moreover, [with reference to Moses] he translated, And G-d answered him by a voice⁵¹⁵Above 19:19. as “and from before G-d he was answered by a voice!” [Here Onkelos paraphrased it with regard to Moses himself, which according to Maimonides he should have translated literally!] In fact, such usage already occurs in the Torah with reference to Moses himself! Thus: And he heard the Voice speaking⁵³⁴The Hebrew is midabeir, not m’dabeir (speaking), and Rashi markedly comments that it means “uttering itself” and Moses heard it of himself. It is out of reverence for G-d that this expression is used. unto him,⁵³⁵Numbers 7:89. which Onkelos translated as “being spoken.” So also in the verse, The pillar of the cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent, and He spoke with Moses,⁵³⁶Further, 33:9. which Onkelos translated, “and it was spoken!”
But the reason for Onkelos’ translating here, [“Let not aught be spoken to us from before G-d”], is clear. In the entire Revelation, we find Israel hearing G-d’s word only out of the midst of the fire,⁵³²Ibid., Verse 21. and this is what they comprehended. Similarly, that I have talked with you from heaven⁵³⁰Further, Verse 19. Now here it refers to G-d speaking to the people, and yet Onkelos did not paraphrase it! means, by way of the Truth, “from out of the midst of heaven,” and it is identical with out of the midst of the fire.⁵³²Ibid., Verse 21. The purport thereof has already been explained.⁵³⁷Above, 19:20. Now when Onkelos saw here the expression, but let not G-d speak with us, [which indicates direct revelation], and no “partition” is mentioned, he did not deem it fit to translate literally. [That would have implied that in their comprehension of the Revelation, they were equal to Moses], and since in his language [i.e., Aramaic] there is no epithet for the word Elokim,⁵³⁸Throughout his translation, Onkelos does not distinguish between Elokim and the Tetragrammaton. He translates both alike: Ado-noy. he therefore negated here any direct communication to them, [and translated, “Let not aught be spoken to us from before G-d”].
Now the amazing thing in Onkelos’ wisdom is that in the Revelation on Mount Sinai, he did not mention “the Glory of G-d,” or “the word of G-d,” but instead translated: “Behold, I will reveal Myself to you;”⁵³⁹Above, 19:9. The verse reads: Behold, I come unto thee. “G-d will reveal Himself in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai;”⁵⁴⁰Ibid., Verse 11. the verse reads: the Eternal will come down. “because He revealed Himself upon it;”⁵⁴¹Ibid., Verse 18. The verse reads: because the Eternal descended upon it. “And G-d revealed Himself upon Mount Sinai.”⁵⁴²Ibid., Verse 20. The verse reads: And the Eternal came down. He did not translate, “and the Glory of G-d revealed itself,” as he translated the expression, the mountain of G-d,⁵⁴³Above, 3:1. at the beginning [of this book] as “the mountain upon which the Glory of G-d revealed itself.” Likewise, Onkelos did so regarding this descent [upon Mount Sinai]; wherever the Proper Name of G-d [i.e., the Tetragrammaton] is mentioned, [he did not translate “the Glory of G-d”]. But when Scripture mentioned Elokim, such as towards ‘ha’Elokim,’⁵⁴⁴Ibid., 19:17. he translated “towards the word of G-d.” Similarly, he translated ‘ha’Elokim’ is come⁵⁴⁵Verse 17. as “the Glory of G-d has revealed itself to you,” and he did not render it “G-d has revealed Himself to you.” Likewise, [he translated where ‘ha’Elokim’ was⁵⁴⁶Further, Verse 18. as] “where the Glory of G-d was.” And so also he translated [‘v’ha’Elokim’ answered him by a voice⁵⁴⁷Above, 19:19. as] “and from before G-d, he was answered with a voice.” All this is clear and lucid to him who comprehends our words explained above.⁵⁴⁸Ibid., Verse 20. Also in Vol. I, pp. 550-552. Similarly, I have seen in carefully-edited texts of Onkelos that he translated literally the verse, And Moses went up into ‘har’ha’Elokim’ (the mount of G-d).⁵⁴⁹Further, 24:13. Since it was after the Giving of the Torah, [he translated even the name Elokim literally, and he did not render it, “and Moses went up into the mountain upon which the Glory of G-d revealed itself”], and so it is written, And they set forward from the mount of the Eternal.⁵⁵⁰Numbers 10:33.

דבר אתה עמנו, "Speak you with us, etc." The people meant that if acceptance of G'd's commandments was dependent on our listening to Him speak to us directly, this was no longer necessary. They said: "it is good enough for us to listen to His commandments as they come out of your mouth; we will consider this binding upon us. We do not wish to endanger our lives by being exposed to G'd's voice any longer." They said to Moses: "if you speak to us ונשמעה, we will be able to hear it (without dying). If G'd were to continue to speak to us we could not hear because we would die."

ויאמרו אל משה, after they had heard the Ten Commandments.

V. 16. ואל ידבר עמנו אלקי׳ ,דבר אתה עמנו . In diesem Ausspruch konstatierten sie, dass Gott ebenso mit ihnen gesprochen, wie ein Mensch mit Menschen spricht. Das Selbsterfahren dieser Tatsache war der wesentliche Zweck dieses ganzen von Gott veranstalteten Ereignisses. Damit war das Tatsächliche, das Reden Gottes zu den Menschen durch die Erfahrung des ganzen Volkes festgestellt und damit die "Offenbarung" das וידבר ד׳ אל משה לאמר, welches das Gesetz in allen seinen Teilen an der Stirne trägt, gegen jede Eskamotage sicher gestellt, mit welcher man die Offenbarung an den Menschen zu einer Offenbarung aus dem Menschen, die Offenbarung an Mosche zu einer Offenbarung aus Mosche, somit die Offenbarung in eine Nichtoffenbarung zu verwandeln täuschend sich bemüht.

דבר אתה עמנו ונשמעה, “you speak with us and we will listen (obey)” They said this as they were afraid of the thunder and lightning.

דבר אתה עמנו, if the Torah had not reported this we would have thought that the people had heard all of the commandments directly from G’d’s mouth.