Comentários de Citação sobre Êxodo 19:2

IN THE THIRD MONTH. Scripture should have said, “And they journeyed from Rephidim and they encamped in the wilderness of Sinai, in the third month after their going forth from the land of Egypt,” just as it said above concerning the wilderness of Sin.¹³¹Above, 17:1: And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin… and encamped in Rephidim. But [Scripture’s manner of expression here is] due to the fact that their coming into the wilderness of Sinai was an occasion for joy and a festival to them, and that since they left Egypt they had been yearning for it. They knew that they would receive the Torah there, for Moses had told them what was said to him, Ye shall serve G-d upon the mountain.¹³²Above, 3:12. And to Pharaoh also he said, Let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey, into the wilderness and sacrifice unto the Eternal our G-d.¹³³Ibid., 5:3. For this reason, Scripture begins the section with the statement that in the third month… the same day that the month began,¹³⁴Mechilta on the verse here, and mentioned in Rashi. they came there [as they had eagerly anticipated]. Following this opening, Scripture reverts [to the usual style] as in the other journeys: And they journeyed from Rephidim.¹³⁵Verse 2.
Now here too Scripture should have said “and they journeyed from Rephidim and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.” Instead it writes, and they came to the wilderness of Sinai. This is because Scripture’s intent is to state that as soon as they came to the wilderness of Sinai and saw the mountain in front of them, they encamped in the wilderness and did not wait until they would enter a spot better for encampment. Instead, they camped in the wilderness or in Horeb,¹³⁶Deuteronomy 4:10. which was a waste land before the mountain. This is the purport of the verse; and they encamped in the wilderness, and there Israel encamped before the mount.¹³⁵Verse 2.
It is possible that they separated from their midst all the mixed multitude that was among them,¹³⁷Numbers 11:4. See also above, 12:38. and the children of Israel alone camped before the mountain while the mixed multitude was behind them. For the Torah was given to Israel, as He said, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel,¹³⁸Verse 3. and this is the meaning of the expression, and there Israel encamped.¹³⁵Verse 2. It may be that [the name “Israel”] is mentioned as a mark of honor at the time of their acceptance of the Torah.
Now Rashi wrote: “And they journeyed from Rephidim. What need was there for Scripture to state again expressly from where they set forth on the journey? Is it not already stated that they were encamped in Rephidim¹³¹Above, 17:1: And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin… and encamped in Rephidim. and it is thus evident that they journeyed from there? It [i.e., the intent of the verse] is to declare that their departure from Rephidim was like their encampment¹³⁹“Encampment.” In our Rashi: “coming.” in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as their encampment¹³⁹“Encampment.” In our Rashi: “coming.” [in the wilderness of Sinai] was with repentance,¹⁴⁰The repentance is indicated by the word vayichan, which is in the singular, thus indicating that Israel encamped before the mountain as one man and with one mind, “while all other encampments were with murmerings and with dissension” (Rashi, quoting Mechilta). so also was their departure [from Rephidim] with repentance.”¹⁴¹See above, 17:7, for their sin in Rephidim. The present analogy between their coming into the wilderness of Sinai, which was surely in a spirit of repentance, as explained above, and their departure from Rephidim, thus teaches us that their departure was also with repentance. Thus Rashi’s language. But I have not understood this. It says in connection with all journeys: and they pitched [camp] in Elim;¹⁴²See Numbers 33:9. And they took their journey from Elim… and they came unto the wilderness of Sin;¹⁴³Above, 16:1. And they journeyed from the wilderness of Sin… and encamped in Rephidim;¹⁴⁴Ibid., 17:1. and so the entire section of Mas’ei¹⁴⁵Numbers 33:1-49. is written [with the name of the place whence they set forth on the journey repeated after it had already been mentioned that they had encamped there]. The intent of the repetition by Scripture is that there were no other encampments between them.
In the Mechilta, we find the following text¹⁴⁶Mechilta on the verse here. [on the same theme that Rashi mentioned, but presented in such a form that the above difficulties are eliminated]: “And they departed from Rephidim and came to the desert of Sinai.¹³⁵Verse 2. Has it not already been stated in the section of the Torah dealing with all stages of the journey [from Egypt to the Jordan]: And they journeyed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai?¹⁴⁷Numbers 33:15. And what need is there for Scripture to state here, and they came to the desert of Sinai? It [i.e., the intent of the verse] is to declare that their departure from Rephidim [was like their encampment in the wilderness of Sinai], etc.” The purport of this text of the Mechilta is to explain why, on account of certain new details mentioned there,¹⁴⁸Ibid., Verses 9 and 14. Scripture repeated in the section of Eileh Mas’ei¹⁴⁵Numbers 33:1-49. all stages of the journey from Elim and Rephidim mentioned here, although this journey [from Rephidim to the wilderness of Sinai] is mentioned in identical language both here and there. It was for this reason that [the Mechilta] was compelled to interpret that [the Scriptural restatement] was on account of the above analogy: [Just as their encampment at Sinai was with repentance, so also etc.].

And by way of allusion, we may say that this gathering was to mediate peace among them, for a person cannot dwell with a snake in one basket. And after he wanted to inform them about the construction of the Tabernacle, in which they would all be partners, it was as if he seated them all in one dwelling. Therefore, he needed to gather them first so that they would be united as one group. That is why Rashi explained that this occurred on the day after Yom Kippur, because all their encampments were filled with disputes and complaints, except for the encampment before the giving of the Torah, as it is said: And Israel encamped there (Exodus 19:2), etc. So how could he gather them at a time when they were divided, their opinions differed, and the time was not appropriate? For this reason, Moses found it suitable to gather them as he wished on the day after Yom Kippur, because on Yom Kippur peace is mediated between them, and on that very day they are all united as one group. Therefore, it was easy to gather them the following day while yesterday’s peace still existed. But if a day or two had passed, peace would not have been maintained, for the bond would have already been broken, and each person would have turned to his own way. And in order that their monetary disputes between individuals not interfere with the peace of Yom Kippur [since Yom Kippur peace does not address these matters], Moses also sat to judge on that very day so that there would be peace among them in every respect. Then they would be worthy to dwell in one abode, namely the shared Tabernacle. And after they were united through the Tabernacle that bound them together, from then on we find many instances where Moses gathered them, even though it was not the day after Yom Kippur. This is especially true according to what is written in the Akeidah as a play on words of the verse You shall not kindle fire, etc. — that they should not ignite the fire of discord on the Sabbath when they are idle from work, and there is greater concern then for the fire of discord to ignite amidst idle talk. If so, he appropriately said Vayakhel [and he gathered] — that he gathered them to be as one group through the commandment you shall not kindle fire, for through his word they were assembled.

3) The virtue of modesty, humility. Our sages in Erchin phrased this as follows: "Man should always view himself as if במדבר, in a wilderness." I have explained this concept in my comments on Exodus 19,2: ויסעו מרפידים." Here Moses alludes to this idea by saying במדבר.

may His resting place be with me Heb. שירה. May His resting place be in our midst. שּׁירה is an expression of camping, as we translate (II Sam. 17:26): “And Israel encamped,” וּשְּׁרָא. I learned this from the Great Masorah, which associates this [word] with (I Kings 5:12): “And his songs (שירו) were a thousand and five,” in the “aleph-beth” of two words with different meanings (homonyms). This taught [me] that this is not an expression of song, but the Midrash Aggadah does interpret it as an expression of song, interpreting in this manner: Israel says to the Holy One, blessed be He: “We remember what You did for us in Egypt. You commanded us one commandment by day on the eve of the Passover, and we observed it, and at night, You redeemed us and we sang Hallel before You. But now we keep many commandments, yet You do not redeem us. Because of this, I will say to God, my Rock, ‘Why have You forgotten me?’ “

and that the word ויכסהו in the phrase ויכסהו הענן “the cloud covered him” or covered “it” means that it covered the mountain.