1The first 38 lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in the translation as explained in the Translator’s note on page 90b.The Ten Words contain the essence of all the commandments, the essence of all celestial and terrestrial mysteries, the essence of the Ten Words of Creation. They were engraved on tables of stone, and all the hidden things were seen by the eyes and perceived by the minds of all Israel, everything being made clear to them.
At that hour all the mysteries of the Torah, all the hidden things of heaven and earth, were unfolded before them and revealed to their eyes, for they saw eye to eye the splendour of the glory of their Lord. Never before, since the Holy One created the world, had such a revelation of the Divine Glory taken place.
Never before, since the Holy One created the world, had such a revelation of the Divine Glory taken place. Even the crossing of the Red Sea, where, as has been said, even a simple maid-servant saw more of the Divine than the prophet Ezekiel, was not so wonderful as this. For on this day all the earthly dross was removed from them and purged away, and their bodies became as lucent as the angels above when they are clothed in radiant garments for the accomplishment of their Master’s errands;
in which garments they penetrate fire without fear, as we read concerning the angel who appeared to Manoah (Jud. 13, 20). And when all the fleshly impurity was removed from the Israelites their bodies became, as we have said, lucent as stars and their souls were as resplendent as the firmament, to receive the light.
Such was the state of the Israelites when they beheld the glory of their Lord. It was not thus at the Red Sea, when the filth had not as yet been removed from them. There, at Mount Sinai, even the embryos in their mothers’ wombs had some perception of their Lord’s glory, and everyone received according to his grade of perception.
On that day the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoiced more than on any previous day since He had created the world, for Creation had no proper basis before Israel received the Torah, as is implied in the words: “But for my covenant with day and night, I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer. 33, 25).
But when once Israel had received the Torah on Mount Sinai the world was duly and completely established, and heaven and earth received a proper foundation, and the glory of the Holy One was made known both above and below, and He was exalted over all. Concerning that day it is written: “The Lord is King, he hath put on glorious apparel; he hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength’ (Ps. 93, 1). “Strength” signifies the Torah, as it is written: “The Lord giveth strength to his people; he blesseth his people with peace” (Ibid.XIX, 11). Blessed be the Lord for ever. Amen and Amen.
(שמות כ) לא תִּרְצַח. לֹא תִּנְאַף. לא תִּגְנֹב. לא. פָּסְקָא טַעֲמָא בְּכָל הָנִי תְּלָת. וְאִי לָא דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, לָא הֲוֵי תִּקּוּנָא לְעָלְמִין, וִיְהֵא אָסִיר לָן לְקָטְלָא נַפְשָׁא בְּעָלְמָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּיַעֲבוֹר עַל אוֹרַיְיתָא. אֲבָל בְּמָה דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר, וְשָׁרֵי.
לֹא תִּנְאַף. אִי לָאו דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר אֲפִילּוּ לְאוֹלָדָא, אוֹ לְמֶחדֵי בְּאִתְּתֵיהּ חֶדְוָה דְּמִצְוָה. וּבַמֶּה דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר וְשָׁרֵי. לֹא תִּגְנֹב. אִי לָאו דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, הֲוָה אָסִיר אֲפִילּוּ לְמִגְנַב דַּעְתָּא דְּרַבֵּיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. אוֹ דַּעְתָּא דְּחָכָם, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ. אוֹ דַּיָּינָא דְּדָאִין דִּינָא לְפוּם טַעֲנָה, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְמִגְנַב דַּעְתָּא דְּרַמָּאָה, וּלְמִגְנַב דַּעְתָּא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ, לְאַפָּקָא דִּינָא לִנְהוֹרָא. וּבַמֶּה דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר וְשָׁרֵי.
(שמות כ׳:י״ג) לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר. הָכָא לָא פָּסְקָא טַעֲמָא, בְּגִין דְּאָסִיר הוּא כְּלָל כְּלָל. וּבְכָל מִילֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁוִי רָזִין עִלָּאִין, וְאוֹלִיף לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא אָרְחָא, לְאִתְתַּקְנָא בָּהּ, וּלְמֵהַךְ בָּהּ. כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו מ״ח:י״ז) אֲנִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְלַמֶּדְךָ לְהוֹעִיל מַדְרִיכְךָ בְּדֶרֶך תֵּלֵךְ.
אוּף הָכִי, (שמות כ) לֹא תַחְמֹד, לָא פָּסִיק טַעֲמָא כְּלָל. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אֲפִילּוּ חִמּוּדָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אָסִיר, כֵּיוָן דְּלָא פָּסְקָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכֻלְּהוּ עַבְדַת אוֹרַיְיתָא כְּלָל, וּבְהַאי עַבְדַת פְּרָט. בֵּית רֵעֶךָ שָׂדֵהוּ וְעָבְדוֹ וְגוֹ', בְּכָל מִילֵי דְּעָלְמָא. אֲבָל אוֹרַיְיתָא, אִיהִי חָמוּדַת תָּדִיר, שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים, גִּנְזֵי דְּחַיֵּי, אַרְכָּא דְּיוֹמִין, בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
הָנֵי עֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִינּוּן כְּלָלָא דְּכָל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּלָלָא דְּעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, כְּלָלָא דְּכָל עֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן דִּבְרֵאשִׁית. אִלֵּין אִתְחְקָקוּ עַל לוּחֵי אֲבָנִין, וְכָל גִּנְזִין דַּהֲווֹ בְּהוּ, אִתְחָזוּן לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא, לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּרָזָא דְּתרי"ג פִּקּוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דִּכְלִילָן בְּהוּ, כֹּלָּא אִתְחָזֵי לְעַיְינִין, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בְּסָכְלְתָנוּ, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּלִבָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ, וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה נָהִיר לְעֵינַיְיהוּ.
1The first 38 lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in the translation as explained in the Translator’s note on page 90b.The Ten Words contain the essence of all the commandments, the essence of all celestial and terrestrial mysteries, the essence of the Ten Words of Creation. They were engraved on tables of stone, and all the hidden things were seen by the eyes and perceived by the minds of all Israel, everything being made clear to them.
בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא, כָּל רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכָל רָזִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, לָא אַעְדֵּי מִינַיְיהוּ. בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ חָמָאן עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא, זִיו יְקָרָא דְמָרִיהוֹן, מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה כְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְגְּלֵי בִּיקָרֵיהּ עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי.
At that hour all the mysteries of the Torah, all the hidden things of heaven and earth, were unfolded before them and revealed to their eyes, for they saw eye to eye the splendour of the glory of their Lord. Never before, since the Holy One created the world, had such a revelation of the Divine Glory taken place.
וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא תָּנֵינָן דְּחָמָאת שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם, מַה דְּלָא חָמָא יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה, יָכוֹל כְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּקָאִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי. לָאו הָכִי. בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּקַיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, אַעְבַּר זוּהֲמָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְכָל גּוּפִין הֲווֹ מְצַחְצְחָן, כְּצַחְצְחָא דְּמַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין, כַּד מִתְלַבְּשָׁן בִּלְבוּשֵׁי מְצַחְצְחָן, לְמֶעְבַּד שְׁלִיחוּתָא דְמָרֵיהוֹן.
Never before, since the Holy One created the world, had such a revelation of the Divine Glory taken place. Even the crossing of the Red Sea, where, as has been said, even a simple maid-servant saw more of the Divine than the prophet Ezekiel, was not so wonderful as this. For on this day all the earthly dross was removed from them and purged away, and their bodies became as lucent as the angels above when they are clothed in radiant garments for the accomplishment of their Master’s errands;
וּבְהַהוּא מַלְבּוּשָׁא מְצַחְצְחָא, עָאלִין לְאֶשָּׁא, וְלָא דַּחֲלִין. כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא מַלְאָכָא דְּמָנוֹחַ, כַּד אִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ, וְעָאל בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא, וְסָלִיק לִשְׁמַיָּא, דִּכְתִּיב, (שופטים י״ג:כ׳) וַיַּעַל מַלְאַךְ יְיָ' בְּלַהַב הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וְכַד אַעְבָּר מִינַיְיהוּ הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא, אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוּפִין מְצוּחְצָחִין בְּלֹא טִנּוּפָא כְּלָל, וְנִשְׁמָתִין לְגוֹ כְּזוֹהֲרָא דִּרְקִיעָא, לְקַבְּלָא נְהוֹרָא.
in which garments they penetrate fire without fear, as we read concerning the angel who appeared to Manoah (Jud. 13, 20). And when all the fleshly impurity was removed from the Israelites their bodies became, as we have said, lucent as stars and their souls were as resplendent as the firmament, to receive the light.
הָכִי הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דַּהֲווֹ חָמָאן וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן גּוֹ יְקָרָא דְמָרִיהוֹן, מַה דְּלָא הֲוִי הָכִי עַל יַמָּא, דְּלָא אִתְעֲבָר זוּהֲמָא מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא. וְהָכָא בְּסִינַי דְּפָסְקָא זוּהֲמָא מִגּוּפָא, אֲפִילּוּ עוּבָּרִין דְּבִמְעֵי אִמָן, הֲווֹ חָמָאן וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן בִּיקָרֵא דְמָרֵיהוֹן. וְכֻלְּהוּ קַבִּילוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד, כַּדְקָא חֲזִי לֵיהּ.
Such was the state of the Israelites when they beheld the glory of their Lord. It was not thus at the Red Sea, when the filth had not as yet been removed from them. There, at Mount Sinai, even the embryos in their mothers’ wombs had some perception of their Lord’s glory, and everyone received according to his grade of perception.
וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא, הֲוָה חֶדְוָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יַתִּיר מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, בְּגִין דְּיוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, לָא הֲוָה בְּקִיּוּמָא, עַד דְּקַבִּילוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹרַיְיתָא, דִּכְתִּיב (ירמיהו ל״ג:כ״ה) אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וְלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לא שַׂמְתִּי.
On that day the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoiced more than on any previous day since He had created the world, for Creation had no proper basis before Israel received the Torah, as is implied in the words: “But for my covenant with day and night, I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer. 33, 25).
כֵּיון דְּקַבִּילוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹרַיְיתָא עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, כְּדֵין אִתְבַּסַּם עָלְמָא, וְאִתְקְיָימוּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, וְאִסְתַּלָּק בִּיקָרֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא. וְעַל הַהוּא יוֹמָא כְּתִיב (תהילים צ״ג:א׳) יְיָ' מָלַךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ יְיָ' עֹז הִתְאַזָּר. וְאֵין עֹז, אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים כ״ט:י״א) יְיָ' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן יְיָ' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם.
But when once Israel had received the Torah on Mount Sinai the world was duly and completely established, and heaven and earth received a proper foundation, and the glory of the Holy One was made known both above and below, and He was exalted over all. Concerning that day it is written: “The Lord is King, he hath put on glorious apparel; he hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength’ (Ps. 93, 1). “Strength” signifies the Torah, as it is written: “The Lord giveth strength to his people; he blesseth his people with peace” (Ibid.XIX, 11). Blessed be the Lord for ever. Amen and Amen.