Comentário sobre Êxodo 33:1

לך עלה מזה GO, GO UP HENCE — The land of Israel is situated higher than all the other neighbouring lands, therefore it said “go up” (Zevachim 54b). Another explanation is: As a compensation for what He had said to him (Moses) in a time of anger, (Exodus 32:7) “Go, go down”, He now said to him, at a time of good-will, “Go, go up”.

לך עלה מזה, "go and ascend from this place, etc." The mention of an "ascent" is significant. Perhaps the Torah alludes to Shabbat 88 where we are told that Moses appropriated for himself the jewelry the Israelites stripped off themselves. [That "jewelry" was always perceived as being spiritual, such as the phylacteries. Ed.] This is alluded to here by the use of the word עלה in addition to לך. The apparently superfluous word אתה, "you," further supports the idea that the Torah speaks about an ascent by Moses which signified a spiritual dimension. The spiritual ascent was limited to Moses, i.e. אתה, as distinct from the people. As far as the people were concerned, G'd's instruction was only: לך, "go on."

עלה מזה אתה והעם, “move forward from this place, you and the people!” G’d now indicated that although He had forgiven partially, the people were not on a spiritual level which enabled Him to make His presence manifest among them again, and therefore He would content himself by assigning an angel as their escort representing His Shechinah, instead. G’d made mention at this point of

Kap. 33. V. 1. Das oben (V. 34) als Entgegnung auf Mosche Bitte Angedeutete wird hier nun in besonderem Ausspruch näher ausgeführt. — העם אשר העלית, noch immer im Sinne der Volksverirrung, und hier noch umsomehr, da fortan die unmittelbare Führung Gottes hinter die durch seinen "Boten" vermittelte zurücktreten soll.

לך עלה מזה, “go and set out from this place!” the reference in the word זה is the place where the sin of the golden calf had been committed. G-d is implying that at a different place He may be in a better position to exercise His right of forgiveness. The choice of the expression: עלה, “ascend,” indicated that anyone proceeding from the south in a northerly direction is automatically ascending.

אתה והעם THOU AND THE PEOPLE [WHICH THOU HAST BROUGHT UP] — Here — (in contrast to Exodus 32:7) it does not say “and thy people” (the mixed multitude which thou, of thine own accord, hast brought up from Egypt) (Midrash Tanchuma 3:9:26).

הארץ אשר נשבעתי, “the land which I had promised on oath” (to the patriarchs’ descendants) G’d hinted that on account of the people who had died by the plague, and their having thus been partially rehabilitated, it was possible for Him to once more mention the merit of their ancestors. He added:

לאמור, "to say, etc." When the Torah reported communications from G'd to the Patriarchs, such communications did not usually involve לאמור, i.e. that they were to be passed on to others. The Torah wishes to remind us that whenever G'd had spoken to the Patriarchs promising to give the Holy Land to their descendants, such promises were לאמור, i.e. they were meant to be relayed by the Patriarchs to their children, etc.