I) Introduction- The Ultimate Goal
Although the Sinaitic revelation was employed as the venue for the transmittal of the Torah, G-d's first words to Moshe delineate a distinctly different goal-
"Atem Re'item asher asiti l'Mitzraim.Va'esa etchem al kanfei n'sharim va'avi etchem eilay.V'ata im shamo'a t'shmau b'koli ush'martem et briti vih'yitem li s'gula mikol ha'amim ki li kol ha'aretz.V'atem t'hiyu li mamlechet Kohanim v'goi kadosh…(19:4-6)"[1]
On the heels of the exodus' climax at Yam Suf, G-d looked to consecrate at Har Sinai the eternal "brit" (bond/ relationship) between He and the B'nei Yisrael.
Despite this first heavenly declaration, the actual brit takes place a full five chapters later- in Chapter 24- at the conclusion of the Sinai experience.Rashi[2], indeed, claims that the brit depicted in Chapter 24 actually occurred earlier- in Chapter 19.The Ramban and Ibn Ezra, though, associate the order of the events with that of the chapters.Notwithstanding which approach one takes regarding the historical issue, one wonders why the brit was not depicted/ did not occur right away?
This article will try to show how the experience of Sinaitic revelation was a necessary pre-requisite to the brit.
II) The Goals of the Ma'amad
Two similar verses, strategically situated before and after the ma'amad, define its goals.Moshe responds to B'nei Yisrael's fearful retreat from Har Sinai- "al tira'u, ki l'va'avur nasot etchem ba ha'Elokim, u'va'avur tih'ye yirato al p'neichem l'viltti secheta'u (20:17)."The Ramban links the term "nisayon" which appears in the first part of the verse to the yirat ha'Elokim described afterwards.G-d orchestrated the intimidating presentation at Har Sinai to fortify B'nei Yisrael's faith in Him.Moshe challenges B'nei Yisrael to preserve the fear so palpable then as a safeguard against future sin.[3]
Before His descent, G-d presents an additional goal- "hinei anochi ba eilecha b'av he'ananba'avur[4] y'shma ha'am b'dabri imach v'gam b'cha ya'aminu l'olam (19:9)."Ma'amad Har Sinai transformed the relationship, not only between the people and G-d, but also between them and Moshe.
The reference to Jewish faith in Moshe reminds us of the Torah's assertion after Yam Suf that "vaya'aminu ba'Hashem u'v'Moshe avdo (14:31)."Ibn Ezra and Ramban differ as to how Har Sinai supplemented the faith that had been established already at Yam Suf. Ibn Ezra understands Har Sinai to have had a quantitative effect- the faith that after Yam Suf had characterized only a fraction of the nation, after Sinai spread to its entirety.The Ramban, though, asserts that Har Sinai had a qualitative effect- it added a new dimension to the people's faith.In Mizraim and then at Yam Suf the people saw the fulfillment of Moshe's prophecies; at Sinai they personally observed and experienced the actual prophecy[5].
This second goal accounts for the redundancy at the end of Chapter 19.Verse 19 seemingly completes the preparations for the commandments- Moshe tells B'nei Yisrael what must be executed in anticipation of G-d's descent (10-15), G-d descends (16), and B'nei Yisrael draw near to His presence.Although the conclusion of verse 19- "Moshe yidabeir v'haElokim ya'anenu v'kol-" could have served as the introduction to the commandments, verses 20-24 separate between the two[6].
In addition to having been inappropriately placed, the verses themselves, in which G-d commands Moshe to inform the B'nei Yisrael of the prohibition against ascending the mount, seem to be redundant.Although Moshe's reply questions this redundancy, G-d does not explain; instead He repeats the command and dismisses Moshe. Although numerous exegetes attempt to identify some novel nuance within G-d's second warning[7], most see it as intentionally repetitive[8].
Based on the Ramban's understanding of verse 19, we can offer an explanation for the redundancy and placement of these verses.As opposed to the Mechilta, which sees the verse as an introduction to the ten commandments, the Ramban links it to the ensuing verses[9].The discussion described by these verses aimed to exhibit Moshe's prophetic status with all B'nei Yisrael as witnesses.
Those who might have doubted Moshe's prophecy prohibiting ascent to the mountain, heard his words reconfirmed by G-d.At Sinai B'nei Yisrael were personally exposed to the basis of Moshe's prophecy- G-d's direct command- in order to fortify their faith in him as G-d's prophet.
III) The Goals as Pre-Requisites to The Brit
Both objectives of the ma'amad prepared B'nei Yisrael for the brit with G-d.The first objective- the fortification of the peoples faith- is the absolutely essential base of a proper man- G-d relationship. The experience of G-d's ascent and "face to face" commandments gave the people the feeling of cautious closeness G-d wanted the brit to confirm.
Examination of the brit ceremony justifies the significance of Sinai's second objective- completing the people's faith in Moshe:
"Vayikach Moshe chatzi hadam vayasem ba'aganot vachatzi hadam zarak al ham'zbei'ach.
Vayikach sefer hab'rit vayikra b'aznei ha'am. Vayom'ru 'kol asher diber Hashem na'aseh v'nishma.'
Vayikach Moshe et hadham vayizrok al ham'zbei'ach vayomer hinei dam hab'rit asher karat Hashem i'machem al kol ad'varim ha'eile (24:6-8)."
The reading of the sefer hab'rit in between the preparation and sprinkling of the symbolic ceremonial blood signified the centrality of G-d's commandments as the brit's basis.The brit consecrated, not a mere general commitment, but rather, one that accepted actual mitzvot.
The placement of the brit at the end of Parshat Mishpatim implies that the sefer hab'rit included the mitzvot mentioned in the parsha[10].Did the B'nei Yisrael wholly believe that these mitzvot, that were told to them by Moshe in G-d's name, were, indeed, of such origin?In order to allow the b'rit to be rooted in commandments of an assured godly origin, Ma'amad Har Sinai preceded Moshe's ascent of the mount to receive these commandments.
IV) The Eternal Significance
Forty years after Har Sinai, Moshe warns a new generation to commemorate the Sinaitic revelation:
"Rak hishamer licha u'sh'mor nafsh'cha m'odpen tishkach et had'varim asher ra'u einecha u'fen yasuru mil'vavecha kol y'mei chayecha v'hodatam l'vanecha v'livnei vanecha yom asher amadta lifnei Hashem elokecha b'Choreiv be'emor Hashem eilay 'hakhel li et ha'am v'ashmi'em et d'varay asher yilm'dun l'yir'a oti kol hayamim asher heim chayim al ha'adama v'et b'neihem y'lameidun' (D'varim 4:9-10)."
The Sinatic revelation serves as the base for the yir'at shamayim of all future generations.Both general service of G-d and particularly the study of Torah, received at Sinai, need to be infused by and reflect the atmosphere within which the Torah was given[11].
In Chapter 5 Moshe relates to the revelation's second aim- fortification of the people's faith in him as prophet.Although the chapter introduces the mitzva speech, which follows the historical summation of the first four chapters, it first focuses on the Sinaitic revelation.Moshe uses the revelation as an introduction to his mitzva speech because, before mentioning the mitzvot, he needs to remind B'nei Yisrael of the basis of their faith in him as a faithful transmitter of G-d's commandants.
Moshe reminds the people that his presentation of the mitzvot merely completes a process they themselves initiated.B'nei Yisrael, intimidated by the overwhelming Sinaitic revelation and impressed by Moshe's comfortable access to the mount and G-d's word, begged Moshe to spare them the continued face to face contact by acting as G-d's intermediary.
After forty years Moshe applied the precedent of him having acted as intermediary set at Sinai to the rest of G-d's commandments. This precedent applies to Torah study of future generations as well.Future generations learn like the one that actually received the Torah; they too learn of G-d's commandments through the medium of a rebbe.The importance and reliability of the mesorah were established as part of the revelation.
[1] Linguistically this verse parallels the forth "promise" made to B'nei Yisrael (6:5-6)- "V'heiveiti etchem el ha'aretz asher nasati et yadi."
[2] 24:1 based on Chazal (Shabbat 78a).
[3] The parallel between "al tira'u" and "yir'ato" signifies Moshe's redirection of B'nei Yisrael's fear from what caused them to distance themselves from G-d's presence to what should cause them to distance themselves from sin.
[4] The two verses which describe the revelation's goals both use the term "ba'avur" in doing so.
[5] Se D'varim 5:4 which describes B'nei Yisrael's having met G-d "panim b'fanim."
[6] These verses are cordoned off as an independent unit by their similar opening and conclusion- "Vayered Hashem"= "Vayered Moshe."
[7] See Ibn Ezra, S'forno, and Chizkuni.
[8] See S'hmot Rabbah (28:3) and Rashbam as primary examples.
[9] See also Rambam (Yesodei HaTorah 8:1) whose assertion might be based on this verse. (See alternatively Chapter 21).
[10] So explain Ibn Ezra and Ramban.The parallel between the first verse of the "mishpatim" unit (20:19) and the key verse that the depicts the ultimate goal (19:4) reinforces their position.Alternatively, see Mechilta (Chodesh 3) which quotes other possibilities.Clearly, though, the sefer hab'rit included mitzvot.
[11] This idea is expressed best by the gemara in B'rachot- "Just as the Sinaitic revelation caused fear and trembling, so should future generations' study (22b)."This point is already implied within the Torah itself.See D'varim 5:25.
שיעורים נוספים ניתן למצוא בקטגוריות הבאות: חגים| תאריך העלאה: | ט׳ בטבת ה׳תשע״ג |
| 22/12/12 |
