Midrash sobre Êxodo 34:27

Rabbi Menaḥem bar Avin interpreted the verse as referring to Moses. “And Yokim” (I Chronicles 4:22) – on the basis of: “Rise [kuma] Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered” (Numbers 10:35). “And the people of Kozeva” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as he rendered the word of the Holy One blessed be He like falsehoods [kazav], as it is stated: “Why, Lord, is Your wrath enflamed at Your people?” (Exodus 32:11).⁷⁵God had said that He would consume the Israelites (Exodus 32:10), but after Moses’ prayer, He relented and did not destroy them. “Yoash” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as he despaired [nitya’ash] of living,” as it is stated: “And if not, please expunge me” (Exodus 32:32). “And Saraf” (I Chronicles 4:22) - as he mentioned the act of those who were burned [serufim], “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants” (Exodus 32:13).⁷⁶See footnote 18. “Who had dominion [ba’alu] over Moav” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as his pleasant actions ascended [alu] and came before his Father [aviv] in Heaven. “And Yashuvi Laḥem” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as he ascended on high and captured the Torah, on the basis of what is stated: “You ascended on high and you took a captive [shevi]” (Psalms 68:19).
“And the matters are ancient [atikim]” (I Chronicles 4:22) – Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Simon, Rabbi Aivu said: Even items that were taken [nitatku] from them, [Moses] returned, as it is stated: “Hew for yourself [two tablets of stone like the first]” (Exodus 34:1). These matters⁷⁷On the tablets. were stated by He who will [ultimately] remove [ma’atik] the world, as it is said: “He removed from there” (Genesis 12:8).⁷⁸Thus, the term atikim in the verse in I Chronicles is interpreted to refer to the tablets broken by Moses and then replaced, which contained the word of God. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: These matters are vague here, but explicit elsewhere. He restored [the tablets] to them, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: ‘Write these matters for yourself, as on the basis of these matters [I have established a covenant with you and with Israel]’” (Exodus 34:27). “They are the yotzerim” (I Chronicles 4:23) – on the basis of: “The Lord God formed [vayitzer]” (Genesis 2:19).⁷⁹The midrash interprets the word yotzerim in the sense of yetzurim, creations. The subject is the words of Torah, because God’s intent in creating the world was in order to give the Torah (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, “they are the yotzerim” (I Chronicles 4:23) – these are the souls of the righteous with whom the Holy One blessed be He consulted when creating the world. “And the dwellers among the plants” (I Chronicles 4:23) – on the basis of: “And the Lord God planted” (Genesis 2:8). “And a fence” (I Chronicles 4:23) – on the basis of what is stated: “Who placed the sand for the bound of the sea” (Jeremiah 5:22). “With the king in his service” (I Chronicles 4:23) – the souls of the righteous sat there with the King who is the king of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, and He consulted them and created His world.

It says elsewhere in Scripture in reference to the Oral Law: Neither is it found in the land of the living (ibid. 28:13). What is the meaning of the verse Neither is it found in the land of the living? Does it mean that the Oral Law is found only among the deceased? Indeed not. It means that the Oral Law is not found among those who pursue the pleasures of this world—its passions, its glory, or its greatness, but only among those who deprive themselves for its sake, as it is said: This is the law; when a man dieth in a tent (Num. 19:40). The following is the path that leads to an understanding of the law: “A morsel of bread with salt shall you eat; a measure of water shall you drink; upon the earth shall you sleep; a life of hardship shall you lead; and in the law shall you labor.”⁵Pirkei Avot 6:4. The Holy One, blessed be He, established His covenant with Israel through the Oral Law, as it is said: According to the tenor of these words have I made a covenant with thee and with Israel (Exod. 34:27).

We are taught Rabbi says: "Circumcision is so important that although there is no one greater in meritorious deeds than Abraham our patriarch, nevertheless he was not called perfect but through the act of circumcision, as it is said (Ex. 17, 1) Walk before Me, and be thou perfect, and again it is written. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee. Another reason may be given why circumicision is so important, because it equals in importance all commandments of the Torah. as it is said (Ex. 34, 27) For after the tenor of these words have I made with thee a covenant and with Israel. Another reason may be given why circumcision is so important, because if not for circumcision heaven and earth would not have been in existence, as it is said (Jer. 33, 25) Had My Covenant not been by day and night, I should not have appointed the heaven and earth." This differs with the opinion of R. Elazar, for R. Elazar said: "Torah is so important that if not for the Torah, heaven and earth would not have been in existence, as it is said, Had My covenant not been by day and night," etc. R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "At the time when the Holy One, praised be He! said: Walk before Me and be thou perfect, Abraham began to tremble and said, 'Perhaps there is something disgraceful within me.' But as soon as God said to him (Ib., ib., 2) And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, he immediately calmed himself (Ib., ib., 15, 5) And he brought me forth abroad. Abraham said before him: "Sovereign of the Universe, 'I have consulted my horoscope and have found that I am incapable of having a son except the one Ishmael." Whereupon the Holy One, praised be He! said unto him: "Cease thy esterylogical speculation, for Israel stands not under planatory influence."

(Gen. 18:17:) THEN THE LORD SAID: SHALL I HIDE FROM ABRAHAM < WHAT I AM DOING >? Let our master instruct us: When someone is translating for one reading the Torah, is it correct for him to look at a written text?²⁷Tanh. Gen. 4:5; PR 5:1; cf. yMeg. 4:1 (74d); Meg. 32a (bar.) Thus have our masters taught: The translator is forbidden to look at a written text, and the reader is forbidden to take his eyes away from the Torah since the Torah was given only in a written text, as stated (in Exod. 34:1): AND I WILL WRITE UPON THE TABLETS. But it is forbidden for the translator to look at the Torah. R. Judah ben Pazzi said: There is a text (Exod. 34:27) which explicitly proves < this injunction >: WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS. Thus, the Scripture was given in writing. (Ibid., cont.:) FOR THESE WORDS ARE BY MOUTH. Here is < a reference to > the translation, which is given by word of mouth.²⁸See Pe‘ah 2:6 (17a); Exod. R. 47:3.

(Exod. 34:27:) AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS. This text is related (to Hos. 8:12): SHOULD I WRITE THE FULL ABUNDANCE OF MY TORAH (i.e., including the Oral Torah) FOR HIM? When the Holy One came to give the Torah, he spoke it to Moses in <this> order: the Scripture, the Mishnah, the Aggadah, and the Talmud.⁷⁵Exod. R. 47:1; cf. above Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:6; Tanh., Gen. 4:5; Exod. 9:34; PR 5:1; yPe’ah 2:6 17a. It is so stated (in Exod. 20:1): THEN GOD SPOKE ALL THESE WORDS. At that time the Holy One told Moses even what an advanced student <one day> would ask his teacher, as stated (ibid.): THEN GOD SPOKE ALL <THESE> WORDS. After Moses had learned it, the Holy One said to him: Go and teach it to my children. Moses said to him: Sovereign of the World, write it down for your children. He said to him: I want to give it to them in writing, because it has been revealed to me that the peoples of the world are going to have dominion over them and take it away from them, so that my children would be like the peoples of the world. Then give them the Scripture in writing but the Mishnah, the Aggadah, and the Talmud orally. (Exod. 34:27): AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: WRITE DOWN < THESE WORDS >. This is Scripture. (Ibid., cont.:) FOR ORALLY IN⁷⁶Al pi, literally; ON THE MOUTH OF. English translations would normally render al pi IN ACCORDANCE WITH, or something similar. <THESE WORDS…, i.e.> in the Mishnah and the Talmud, since they separate Israel from the peoples of the world.

{Thus it is stated:} (Exod. 34:27:) WRITE DOWN <THESE WORDS> FOR YOURSELF.⁷⁷FOR YOURSELF would not normally appear in a translation, but here the midrash is emphasizing that Moses had to inscribe the second tablets himself. With regard to the first tablets, I wrote them, as stated (in Exod. 31:18): WRITTEN WITH THE FINGER OF GOD; but with regard to the second ones (in Exod. 34:27): You WRITE DOWN <THESE WORDS> FOR YOURSELF.⁷⁸Exod. R. 47:2; Deut. R. 3:17. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and wrote her a gamitos⁷⁹The Greek word should be spelled gamikon. {i.e., a marriage contract} at his own <expense>.⁸⁰On the bridegroom paying for betrothal and marriage documents, see BB 10:4; Deut. R. 3:12. She brought nothing but disgrace, so he drove her out. Her bridal sponsor came and reconciled her to the king. The king said to her: See, I have been reconciled. Simply go and make another gamitos.

(Exod. 34:27:) WRITE DOWN <THESE WORDS > FOR YOURSELF. Through your merit I am giving them the Torah.⁸¹Exod. R. 47:3. R. Simeon ben Halafta said: That is what Moses said to them (in Deut. 10:1–2): <AT THAT TIME THE LORD SAID UNTO ME: CARVE OUT TWO TABLETS OF STONE LIKE THE FIRST ONES….> THEN I WILL WRITE UPON THE TABLETS.⁸²The midrash is wrestling with the apparent contradiction over who wrote the words on the second set of tablets. The answer may be that the Holy One wrote (or traced) them with Moses carving them in. Cf. the parallel in Exod. R. 47:2, according to which Moses wrote down the commandments and the Holy One signed them.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 34:27): WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS devarim. In every place where "word of" (devar), "words of" (divre), <and> "words" (devarim) are used, they signify rebukes.⁸³This indication of rebuke only appears in reference to the second tablets, which were written after the incident of the golden calf. It is written (in Hos. 1:1): THE WORD OF (devar) THE LORD WHICH CAME UNTO HOSEA. What <else> is written there (in vs. 9)? FOR YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE. It is written (in Jer. 1:1): THE WORDS OF (divre) JEREMIAH. What <else> is written there (in Jer. 15:2): THOSE WHO ARE DESTINED FOR DEATH < SHALL GO FORTH > TO DEATH. It is written there (in Deut. 1:1): THESE ARE THE WORDS (devarim).⁸⁴Sifre to Deut. 1:1 (1). What <else> is written there (in Deut. 32:24): WASTING HUNGER… <I WILL SEND AGAINST THEM>.

(Exod. 34:27:) <AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES:> WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS, [FOR ORALLY IN THESE WORDS…. ]⁸⁵On the translation of this verse, see above, note 76. R. Johanan, R. Joshua, and R. Simeon say: "{I gave you} [With] <these> words" is not written here, but ORALLY IN <THESE> WORDS. I gave you Written Torah and Oral Torah. If you make what is in writing oral and what is oral into writing so as to reverse them, you will not receive a reward. Why? Because I gave you Written Torah and Oral Torah. I also made a covenant with you with the stipulation that you recite them in this way; but if you change it, know that you will invalidate the covenant. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 4:9): LEST YOU FORGET THE THINGS THAT YOUR EYES HAVE SEEN, <things> which are written down in writing. (Ibid. cont.:) AND LEST THEY DEPART FROM YOUR HEART. These are < words > that are oral.

(Exod. 34:27, cont.:) <I HAVE MADE> A COVENANT WITH YOU [AND WITH ISRAEL]. Because of the Torah I love Israel; and not Israel alone, but also Moses, [<since> he magnified him] by virtue of the Law. FOR ORALLY IN THESE WORDS I HAVE MADE A COVENANT WITH YOU. And how did he magnify Moses? R. Samuel said in the name of R. Jeremiah bar Isaac: When he saw all the glory in this world, he took nothing from the principal (QRN).⁸⁶This concept of the principal remaining intact comes from Exod. 34:29: MOSES DID NOT KNOW THAT <THE SKIN OF HIS FACE> WAS SHINING (QRN). Rather the principal (i.e., the shining) remains in tact for him in the age to come.

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write thou these words” (Exod. 34:27). May our masters teach us: Is one who writes two letters on the Sabbath (while unmindful of the prohibition or of the Sabbath) obligated (to bring a sin-offering)? Thus do our masters teach us: One who writes two letters thoughtlessly on the Sabbath is obligated (to bring a sin-offering) because he has made a mark and profaned the Sabbath. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be zealous of the glory of the Sabbath, for on that day I rested from the work of creation, as it is said: And He rested on the seventh day (ibid. 20:9).

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel” (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are accounted as stranger’s (Hos. 8:12). R. Judah the son of Shalum was of the opinion that when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses Write thou, Moses wanted to write the Mishnah as well. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that ultimately the nations of the world would translate the Torah into the Greek language and would claim: “We are the Israelites.”

Another comment on write thee (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere: Let them be thine only, and not a stranger’s with thee (Prov. 5:17). What does this verse refer to? When they made the golden calf, Moses prayed until the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them. Moses cried out: My Master, restore the law to them just as David proclaimed: Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation (Ps. 51:14). However, the Holy One, blessed be He, responded: How can I return it to them, when only yesterday they said at Sinai: All that the Lord hath spoken we will do (Exod. 24:17), and now, in the very place in which they committed themselves (to observe the law), they debased themselves, as it is said: They made a calf in Horeb (Ps. 106:19)? Despite all the miracles and wonders that I performed in their behalf in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and even though they beheld My Glory at Sinai, where myriads of angels descended and crowned them, as it is said: A beautiful crown upon thy head (Exod. 16:12), they erected a calf at Horeb. Indeed, within the blinking of an eye they forgot Me.

What is more, I preceded them into the desert as a quartermaster would: And the Lord went before them by day (ibid. 13:21). I lowered the high places for them and raised the valleys, I caused bread to rain down from the heavens and the sea to send up quail, as it is said: And brought across quails from the sea (Num. 11:31). Though they lacked nothing at all, they built the golden calf. I cannot restore the tablets to those idolaters. When he continued to plead, He said: Write thou, that is, I shall give the law to you, as it is said: Let them be thine own, and not a stranger’s with thee (Prov. 5:17); that is, not to the idolaters with you. Because He held Moses in the highest esteem, it is said: Remember ye the law of Moses My servant (Mal. 3:22).

'Inscribe those words for yourself [for according to those words I have formed a covenant with you and with Israel'] As it is stated: 'I write for them the great things of My law like strange things they are considered.' When God revealed Himself at Sinai to give the Torah to Israel, He said [taught] to Moses the following order: Bible, Mishnah, Talmud, and Aggadah, as it says : "God spoke all these words, saying", even what a student will ask his teacher. God then said to Moses, after he had learnt it from the mouth of G-d, "Teach it to Israel". He said to him, "G-d! Should I write it down?" He replied "I am not asking you to give it to them in writing because it is known to Me that in the future the nations will rule over them, and take it [the Torah] from them, and it will be degraded by the nations. So the Scriptures I will give them in writing but the Mishna, Talmud and Aggada I will give orally. If the nations will enslave them, the Jews will be different [unique] to the nations. He said to the prophet 'If I write for them the great things of My law, they will be considered like strangers.' And what am I [G-d] going to do? I will give them the Bible written, the Mishna, Talmud and Aggada orally. 'Inscribe those words for yourself ' 'Inscribe' refers to the Bible, 'for according to those words' refer to the Mishna and Talmud, for those are what separates the Jews from the nations.

When the Holy One came to give the Torah to Moshe, he said over the order of the Readings, the Mishna, the aggadah and the Talmud as it says "And God spoke all these words..." (Shemot 20:1) - even what an experienced student would ask his teacher. The Holy One said to him go and "teach it to the Children of Israel..." (Devarim 31:19) Moshe replied 'Master of the world, you write it down for your children!' Gd said to him, 'I want to give it to them in writing, but it is revealed before me that in the future the nations of the world will rule over them and take it away from them. Then my children will be like the nations!' So Moshe said 'give them the Readings in written form and the aggadah, Mishna and Talmud orally.' "And the LORD said to Moses: Write down these..." (Shemot 34:27) this refers to the Readings, "...for in accordance with these..." (ibid.) refers to the Mishna and Talmud which make the distinction between Israel and the nations of the world.