“The Lord said to Moses: Write for yourself these matters, as according to these matters I established a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27). “Write for yourself these matters,” that is what is written: “I write for him the many teachings of My Torah, but they are regarded as foreign” (Hosea 8:12). When the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself at Sinai to give the Torah to Israel, He said it to Moses in order: Bible, Mishna, Talmud, and aggada, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke all these matters” (Exodus 20:1); even what a student asks his teacher, the Holy One blessed be He said to him at that time. After [Moses] learned it from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He, He said to him: ‘Teach it to Israel.’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will write it for them.’ He said to him: ‘I do not wish to give it to them in writing, because it is revealed before Me that idolaters are destined to rule over them, and take it from them, and they will be despised among the idolaters.1The idolators will force the Jews to translate the Written Torah for them. Later, they will claim that they are the true Israelites, as they also have the Torah (Midrash HaMevoar; see Pesikta Rabbati 5:1). Rather, I will give them the Bible in writing, and I will give them the Mishna, Talmud, and agadda orally, so if the idolaters come to them and subjugate them, they will be distinct from them.’ He said to the prophet: If I write for them the many teachings of My Torah, they will be regarded as foreign.2The verse in Hosea is understood to mean: If I write down the entire Torah, Israel will be regarded as foreigners. What will I do for them? I will give them the Bible in writing, and the Mishna, Talmud, and agadda orally [al peh]. “Write,” this is the Bible; “as according to [al pi] these matters” (Exodus 34:27), these are the Mishna and the Talmud, which distinguish Israel from the idolaters.
Another matter, “write for yourself,” the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I wrote the first tablets, as it is written: “Written with the finger of God” (Deuteronomy 9:10). But the second [tablets], you write and hopefully I will give a hand.’3God would assist Moses in inscribing the tablets. This is analogous to a king who married a woman and wrote her a marriage document of his own.4On his paper in his handwriting. Sometime later she sinned and he expelled her from his house. Her attendant came and reconciled her with the king. The king said to the attendant: ‘I have reconciled with her. Prepare a marriage document for her and hopefully I will give a hand.’ That is what is written: “I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets” (Deuteronomy 10:2).5In this verse, God tells Moses that after Moses carves the tablets, God will inscribe them with the words that were on the first tablets.
Another matter, “write for yourself,” on the basis of your merit I am giving them the Torah. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: That it what Moses said to Israel: “He inscribed on the tablets, like the first inscription…and the Lord gave them to me” (Deuteronomy 10:4). He gave them to me, and I conducted myself generously with you and gave it to you. That is why it is stated: “Write for yourself” – it was on the basis of your merit. “As according to these matters [hadevarim],” everywhere that davar, devarim, hadevarim is written, they are curses and rebukes.6The first tablets were given with the assumption that the Israelites would be free of the evil inclination, and therefore there was no need to warn them that they would be cursed if they would transgress. The second tablets, given after the sin of the Golden Calf, were given along with warnings and curses that would be imposed if the Israelites would transgress (Rabbi David Luria). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Write for yourself these matters, as according to [al pi] these matters” – the written Torah and the Oral Torah – “I established a covenant with you.” If you exchange it and you render what is oral written and what is written oral, you will not receive reward. Why? Because that is the way I gave it, as a written Torah and an oral Torah. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shimon says: “Write for yourself…as according to…” the written Torah and the oral Torah, “I established a covenant with you,” so that you read them so,7That you study the Written Torah in writing and the Oral Torah orally. but if you exchange them, know that you are voiding the covenant. That is why it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters.” Likewise, Moses says to Israel: “Only beware, and protect yourself greatly, lest you forget the matters [that your eyes saw]” (Deuteronomy 4:9). What are “the matters”? These are the matters that you see, as they are in writing. “Lest they move from your heart” (Deuteronomy 4:9), these are the matters that I gave you orally. That is why it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters, as according to these matters,” as, were it not for the Torah that you received, I would not have distinguished you and I would not have looked upon you more than other nations. That is why “I established a covenant with you and with Israel.” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘In the past, you were called like the rest of the nations, like: “Savta, Rama, and Savtekha” (I Chronicles 1:9).8These nations were named after their forebears, and so too the name Israel signified only that they were descendants of Israel (Etz Yosef). But when you received My Torah, I established a covenant with you and elevated you. Not only Israel, but you, too, their king, I elevated you in the world only due to the merit of the Torah.’ How did the Holy One blessed be He elevate him? Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak: All the honor that Moses experienced in this world was only the profits, but the principal endures for him for the World to Come.
Another matter, “As according to [al pi] these matters,” that you must toil in them with your mouth [befikha]. Likewise it says: “In your mouth and in your heart to perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:14). What is “I established a covenant with you and with Israel”? Had you not accepted My Torah, I would have restored the world to emptiness and disorder, as it is stated: “If not for My covenant day and night, [I would not have set the statutes of heaven and earth]” (Jeremiah 33:25). Why? Because it was with the Torah that I created heaven and earth, as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19), “with His knowledge the depths were breached” (Proverbs 3:20). If you void the covenant, you cause Me to restore the upper and lower worlds to emptiness and disorder. Therefore, “as according to these matters.”
“He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten precepts” (Exodus 34:28). “He was there with the Lord.” Is it possible for a person to be forty days without food and without drink? Rabbi Tanḥuma says in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Meir: The proverb says: You went to the city, follow its conventions. Above, where there is no eating and drinking, Moses ascended and was like them. Below, where there is eating and drinking, the ministering angels descended and ate and drank, as it is stated: “He stood over them beneath the tree and they ate” (Genesis 18:8).9Abraham served his three guests food thinking they were men, but in fact they were angels. Nonetheless, they ate the food. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They appeared as though they were eating, and each morsel disappeared. Another matter, “he was there with the Lord,” there was an incident involving Rabbi Yoḥanan who was ascending from Tiberias to Tzippori. His student, Rabbi Ḥiya, was with him. Rabbi Yoḥanan saw a vineyard. He said to Rabbi Ḥiya: ‘Do you not see that vineyard that was mine and I sold it for such and such a sum?’ At that moment Rabbi Ḥiya bar Abba wept and said to him: ‘Did you not leave anything for your old age?’ He said to him: ‘Is it insignificant in your eyes that I sold an item that was created in six days and I acquired an item that was given in forty days? The world and all that it holds was created in six days, but the Torah was given in forty days.’ “He did not eat bread,” but he partook of the bread of Torah. “He did not drink water,” but he drank the water of Torah. He would study Torah by day and would interpret it himself at night. Why did he do so? It was to teach Israel that they should toil in Torah by day and by night. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish would say to his students: ‘Come and study Torah in the daytime and it will become clear at night.’10Reish Lakish holds that the ideal time for intensive study is at night. Therefore he urged his students to memorize the material by day, and then to analyze it at night, when they would achieve full clarity in understanding it (Etz Yosef). However, see Maharzu and Rabbi David Luria, who offer other interpretations of this statement. Rabbi Yoḥanan would say to his students: Come and study Torah for it is daytime. Nevertheless, Rabbi Yoḥanan would concede that the song of Torah is only at night, as it is stated: “Arise, sing at night” (Lamentations 2:19), and likewise it says: “She arises while it is still night” (Proverbs 31:15).11This passage in Proverbs is interpreted as referring to one who seeks Torah. The Rabbis say: During the day and at night, as it is stated: “He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights.” That is why the Sages instituted that the teachers of Mishna would have sessions in the morning and in the evening, to realize what is stated: “This book of the Torah shall not depart [from your mouth, and you shall ponder it day and night]” (Joshua 1:8). Another matter, “he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water” in this world, but in the world to come he will partake of the bread of Torah and drink its water. That is why “He did not eat bread.” What, then, did he eat? He was sustained by the aura of the Divine Presence. Do not wonder, as the heavenly beasts that bear the Throne are sustained by the aura of the Divine Presence.
“It was, upon Moses’ descent from Mount Sinai, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in the hand of Moses upon his descent from the mountain and Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant upon His speaking with him” (Exodus 34:29). “He wrote upon the tablets” – it teaches that the first and the second were identical, Ten Commandments. How were they configured? There were five on this tablet and five on that tablet, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Ten on this tablet and ten on that tablet, as it is stated: “It was, upon Moses’s descent from Mount Sinai, [and the two tablets of the Testimony].”12This is expounded to mean that on each of the two tablets, the entire Testimony consisting of the Ten Commandments was inscribed. The writing was bearing them,13The engraved letters miraculously held up the stone tablets. but they appeared as though they were in Moses’s hand, as it is stated: “And the two tablets of the Testimony were in the hand of Moses.” “Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant.” From where did Moses receive the rays of splendor? The Rabbis say: From the cave, as it is stated: “It will be with the passage of My glory” (Exodus 33:22). Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: The length of the tablets was six handbreadths and their width six handbreadths. Moses was grasping two handbreadths, the Divine Presence two handbreadths, and there were two handbreadths in the middle. It was from there that Moses received the rays of splendor.14From his closeness to God at that time. Rabbi Yehuda bar Naḥman says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: While he was writing with a quill, a bit [of ink] remained. He passed [the quill] over his head and from it the rays of splendor were formed for him, as it is stated: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant [upon His speaking with him].”15As God spoke to Moses and Moses wrote what God said, the rays of splendor were formed.
Another matter, “the Lord said to Moses: Write for yourself these matters” (Exodus 34:27) – that is what is written: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, so I might learn Your statutes” (Psalms 119:71). It was for Moses’s benefit that he fasted the one hundred and twenty days that he received the Torah.16This includes the forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai before he descended with the first tablets; the forty days he spent on Mount Sinai pleading for forgiveness for Israel after the sin of the Golden Calf; and the forty days he spent there before descending with the second tablets. He studied Torah on all those days (Etz Yosef). From what would Moses eat? It was from the aura of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “And You sustain them all” (Nehemiah 9:6). Another matter, from what did he eat? It was from the Torah, as it is stated: “Son of man, eat what you find, [eat this scroll]…I ate it” (Ezekiel 3:1, 3). Why? It is because the Torah is sweet, as it is stated: “And sweeter than honey and the nectar of ripe fruit” (Psalms 19:11). Another matter, it was from the bread of Torah, as it is written: “Come, partake of my bread” (Proverbs 9:5). From where is it derived that he did not sleep and did not doze? This is analogous to a king who was fond of his treasurer. He said to him: ‘Weigh gold dinars for yourself.’17He gave him a certain time in which he could collect gold dinars for himself from the royal treasury. In his joy, he sought neither to eat nor to drink. He sought to sleep.18In his eagerness to collect treasure, he did not eat or drink but just collected gold dinars. Eventually, though, he became tired. He said: ‘If I sleep, I will lose these.’19Even when he was tired he did not sleep so that he would not lose out on the unique opportunity to collect golden dinars. So too, Moses was assessing the Torah, and he forgot and neither ate nor drank. He sought to sleep. He said: ‘If I sleep, I will lose, as He told me only forty days.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You afflicted yourself; by your life, you will not lose. On the first tablets there were only the Ten Commandments. Now that you afflicted yourself, I will give you halakhot, midrashim, and aggadot,’ as it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters” (Exodus 34:27). Why did the Holy One blessed be He say: “Write for yourself”? Is it not written: “The script was the script of God” (Exodus 32:16) and it is written: “He inscribed on the tablets, like the first inscription” (Deuteronomy 10:4)? Rather, this is what the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Write the Torah, Prophets, and Writings, as they shall be in writing, but the halakhot, midrashim, aggadot, and Talmud, will be oral.’ When Moses knew this, he began saying: “It is good for me that I was afflicted” (Psalms 119:71); “The Torah of Your mouth is better for me [than thousands of gold and silver pieces]” (Psalms 119:72).
Another matter, how did Moses know how many days he had spent? It is written: “He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights.” From where is it derived that there is no night On High? As it is stated: “Even darkness does not darken for You. The night, as day, illuminates. Darkness and light are the same” (Psalms 139:12). How did he know? As it is stated: “I stood on the mountain like the first days” (Deuteronomy 10:10), and it is written: “I sat on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 9:9). Say, now, when He was speaking with him he was standing, and when He would depart from him, he would sit and review what he had learned. You thus uphold [both verses:] “I stood on the mountain” and “I sat on the mountain.” When He spoke with him, he would know it was day, and when He said to him: ‘Study your Torah,’ he would know it was night. Likewise, David said: “Day to day gives utterance; night to night renders understanding” (Psalms 19:3).
Another matter, “write for yourself” – all the righteous came to the Holy One blessed be He with craftiness.20They began with a minor request and gradually moved to a major request. Regarding Abraham, it is written: “How fair are your steps in sandals…the handiwork of a craftsman” (Song of Songs 7:2). He came with craft: “Abraham approached, [and he said: Will You destroy even the righteous with the wicked?]” (Genesis 18:23). Likewise, David says: “I acknowledged my sin to You; [I did not hide my iniquity]” (Psalms 32:5). Initially he presented it as one sin and one iniquity, but ultimately he said: “[I said: I will confess my transgressions to the Lord] and You forgave the iniquity of my sin, Selah” (Psalms 32:5).21After he was forgiven for one sin and one iniquity, he admitted to multiple transgressions. Likewise, Moses maligned Israel, as it is stated: “Please; this people has sinned a great sin” (Exodus 32:31). When the angels of destruction saw that he was maligning them, they said: ‘We will not need to be involved in maligning. As long as this one is maligning they will fall by his hand, and their patriarchs will not confront us [saying]: Why are you maligning our children.’ The angels of destruction departed. When Moses saw that they had departed, he said to the Holy One blessed be He: “Now, if You will bear their sin…” (Exodus 32:32). He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The entire Torah that You gave is [addressed] to me: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,”; “speak to the children of Israel”; “command the children of Israel”; “say to the children of Israel.” If they are eradicated, what will I do with Your Torah?’22How will I fulfill these commands to communicate the Torah to Israel? That is why he said: “And if not, please erase me from Your book that You have written” (Exodus 32:32). Another matter, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why are You angry at them? Not that they engaged in idol worship, for You did not command them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Did I not say in the second commandment: “You shall not have [other gods before Me]”?’ (Exodus 20:3). He said before Him: ‘You did not command them, You commanded me.23The term “you” in the verse “you [lekha] shall not have other gods” is written in the singular. Did You perhaps say to them: You [lakhem]24Plural. shall not have? You commanded me. If I engage in idol worship, “please erase me from Your book.”’ When the Holy One blessed be He saw that he was giving his life on their behalf, He said: ‘For your sake I am giving them the Torah,’ as it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters.” Another matter, “write for yourself” – the ministering angels began saying before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Are You giving Moses license to write whatever he wishes, such that he will say to Israel: I gave you the Torah; it is I who wrote and gave it to you?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Heaven forfend that Moses would do such a thing. And even if he were to do so, he is trustworthy,’25Even if he were to write something that God did not tell him to write, he would write only something that would accord with the will of God (Rabbi David Luria). as it is stated: “Not so My servant Moses, in all My house he is trustworthy” (Numbers 12:7).
כְּתָב לְךָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (הושע ח, יב): אֶכְתָּב לוֹ רֻבֵּי תּוֹרָתִי כְּמוֹ זָר נֶחְשָׁבוּ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּגְלָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּסִינַי לִתֵּן תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲמָרָהּ לְמשֶׁה עַל הַסֵּדֶר מִקְרָא וּמִשְׁנָה תַּלְמוּד וְאַגָּדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, א): וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶּׁהַתַּלְמִיד שׁוֹאֵל לָרַב אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה. מֵאַחַר שֶׁלְּמָדָהּ מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמַר לוֹ לַמְּדָהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֶכְתֹּב אוֹתָהּ לָהֶם, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לִתְּנָהּ לָהֶם בִּכְתָב, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגָּלוּי לְפָנַי שֶׁעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים עֲתִידִים לִשְׁלֹט בָּהֶם וְלִטֹּל אוֹתָהּ מֵהֶם וְיִהְיוּ בְּזוּיִים בְּעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, אֶלָּא הַמִּקְרָא אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָהֶם בְּמִכְתָּב, וְהַמִּשְׁנָה וְהַתַּלְמוּד וְהָאַגָּדָה אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָהֶם עַל פֶּה, שֶׁאִם יָבוֹאוּ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְיִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בָּהֶם יִהְיוּ מֻבְדָּלִים מֵהֶם. אָמַר לַנָּבִיא אִם אֶכְתָּב לוֹ רֻבֵּי תּוֹרָתִי כְּמוֹ זָר נֶחְשָׁבוּ, וּמָה אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה לָהֶם, נוֹתֵן אֶת הַמִּקְרָא בִּכְתָב, וְהַמִּשְׁנָה וְהַתַּלְמוּד וְהָאַגָּדָה בְּעַל פֶּה. כְּתָב זֶה הַמִּקְרָא, (שמות לד, כז): כִּי עַל פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה זוֹ הַמִּשְׁנָה וְהַתַּלְמוּד, שֶׁהֵם מַבְדִּילִים בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבֵין הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים.
“The Lord said to Moses: Write for yourself these matters, as according to these matters I established a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27).
“Write for yourself these matters,” that is what is written: “I write for him the many teachings of My Torah, but they are regarded as foreign” (Hosea 8:12). When the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself at Sinai to give the Torah to Israel, He said it to Moses in order: Bible, Mishna, Talmud, and aggada, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke all these matters” (Exodus 20:1); even what a student asks his teacher, the Holy One blessed be He said to him at that time. After [Moses] learned it from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He, He said to him: ‘Teach it to Israel.’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will write it for them.’ He said to him: ‘I do not wish to give it to them in writing, because it is revealed before Me that idolaters are destined to rule over them, and take it from them, and they will be despised among the idolaters.1The idolators will force the Jews to translate the Written Torah for them. Later, they will claim that they are the true Israelites, as they also have the Torah (Midrash HaMevoar; see Pesikta Rabbati 5:1). Rather, I will give them the Bible in writing, and I will give them the Mishna, Talmud, and agadda orally, so if the idolaters come to them and subjugate them, they will be distinct from them.’ He said to the prophet: If I write for them the many teachings of My Torah, they will be regarded as foreign.2The verse in Hosea is understood to mean: If I write down the entire Torah, Israel will be regarded as foreigners. What will I do for them? I will give them the Bible in writing, and the Mishna, Talmud, and agadda orally [al peh]. “Write,” this is the Bible; “as according to [al pi] these matters” (Exodus 34:27), these are the Mishna and the Talmud, which distinguish Israel from the idolaters.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּתָב לְךָ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה הַלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת אֲנִי כָּתַבְתִּי אוֹתָם, כְּדִכְתִיב (דברים ט, י): כְּתֻבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים, אֲבָל הַשְּׁנִיִּים כְּתֹב אַתָּה, וּלְוַאי אֶתֵּן בּוֹ יָדִי. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנָּשָׂא אֶת הָאִשָּׁה וְכָתַב לָהּ גָּמִיסְקוֹס מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, לְאַחַר יָּמִים קִלְקְלָה וּטְרָדָהּ מִבֵּיתוֹ, בָּא שׁוֹשְׁבִינָהּ וְרִצָּה אוֹתָהּ לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לַשּׁוֹשְׁבִין, הֲרֵי נִתְרַצֵּיתִי לָהּ, אֶלָּא עֲשֵׂה לָהּ גָּמִיסְקוֹס וּלְוַאי אֶתֵּן בּוֹ יָדִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים י, ב): וְאֶכְתֹּב עַל הַלֻּחֹת.
Another matter, “write for yourself,” the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I wrote the first tablets, as it is written: “Written with the finger of God” (Deuteronomy 9:10). But the second [tablets], you write and hopefully I will give a hand.’3God would assist Moses in inscribing the tablets. This is analogous to a king who married a woman and wrote her a marriage document of his own.4On his paper in his handwriting. Sometime later she sinned and he expelled her from his house. Her attendant came and reconciled her with the king. The king said to the attendant: ‘I have reconciled with her. Prepare a marriage document for her and hopefully I will give a hand.’ That is what is written: “I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets” (Deuteronomy 10:2).5In this verse, God tells Moses that after Moses carves the tablets, God will inscribe them with the words that were on the first tablets.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּתָב לְךָ, בִּזְכוּתְךָ אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא הוּא שֶׁמּשֶׁה אוֹמֵר לָהֶן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (דברים ב, ד): וַיִּכְתֹּב עַל הַלֻּחֹת כַּמִכְתָּב הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיִּתְּנֵם ה' אֵלָי, לִי נְתָנָם וַאֲנִי נָהַגְתִּי עִמָּכֶם עַיִן טוֹבָה וְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָהּ לָכֶם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: כְּתָב לְךָ, בִּזְכוּתְךָ. אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב דָּבָר, דְּבָרִים, הַדְּבָרִים, אָלוֹת וְתוֹכָחוֹת הֵם. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: כְּתָב לְךָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי עַל פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְתוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, כָּרַתִּי אִתְּךָ בְּרִית, וְאִם הֵמַּרְתָּ אוֹתָהּ וְעָשִׂיתָ אוֹתָהּ מַה שֶּׁבְּעַל פֶּה בִּכְתָב וּמַה שֶּׁבִּכְתָב בְּעַל פֶּה, אֵינְךָ מְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, לָמָּה, שֶׁכָּךְ נְתַתִּיהָ תּוֹרָה בִּכְתָב וְתוֹרָה בְּעַל פֶּה. וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: כְּתָב לְךָ וגו' כִּי עַל פִּי וגו', תּוֹרָה בִּכְתָב וְתוֹרָה בְּעַל פֶּה. כָּרַתִּי אִתְּךָ בְּרִית, עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּהֵא קוֹרֵא בָהֶם כָּךְ, אֲבָל אִם הֵמַּרְתָּ אוֹתָם הֱוֵי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאַתָּה מְבַטֵּל הַבְּרִית, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: כְּתָב לְךָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וְכֵן משֶׁה אוֹמֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (דברים ד, ט): רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַדְּבָרִים, מַהוּ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים, אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן שֶׁהֵם כְּתוּבִים בִּכְתָב, (דברים ד, ט): וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ, אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ עַל פֶּה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: כְּתָב לְךָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי עַל פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי תּוֹרָתִי שֶׁקִּבַּלְתֶּם לֹא הָיִיתִי מַכִּיר אֶתְכֶם וְלֹא הָיִיתִי מַבִּיט בָּכֶם מִשְּׁאָר עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, לְפִיכָךְ כָּרַתִּי אִתְּךָ בְּרִית וְאֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְשֶׁעָבַר הֱיִיתֶם נִקְרָאִים כִּשְׁאָר אֻמּוֹת, כְּמוֹ (דברי הימים א א, ט): סַבְתָּא וְרַעְמָא וְסַבְתְּכָא, וּמִשֶׁקִּבַּלְתֶּם תּוֹרָתִי כָּרַתִּי בְּרִית עִמָּכֶם וְעִלִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם. וְלֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְבָד, אֶלָּא אַף אַתָּה מַלְכָּם, לֹא גִּדַּלְתִּיךָ בָּעוֹלָם אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה, וּמַה גִּדְּלוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק כָּל הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִן הַפֵּרוֹת, אֲבָל הַקֶּרֶן, קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Another matter, “write for yourself,” on the basis of your merit I am giving them the Torah. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: That it what Moses said to Israel: “He inscribed on the tablets, like the first inscription…and the Lord gave them to me” (Deuteronomy 10:4). He gave them to me, and I conducted myself generously with you and gave it to you. That is why it is stated: “Write for yourself” – it was on the basis of your merit. “As according to these matters [hadevarim],” everywhere that davar, devarim, hadevarim is written, they are curses and rebukes.6The first tablets were given with the assumption that the Israelites would be free of the evil inclination, and therefore there was no need to warn them that they would be cursed if they would transgress. The second tablets, given after the sin of the Golden Calf, were given along with warnings and curses that would be imposed if the Israelites would transgress (Rabbi David Luria).
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Write for yourself these matters, as according to [al pi] these matters” – the written Torah and the Oral Torah – “I established a covenant with you.” If you exchange it and you render what is oral written and what is written oral, you will not receive reward. Why? Because that is the way I gave it, as a written Torah and an oral Torah. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shimon says: “Write for yourself…as according to…” the written Torah and the oral Torah, “I established a covenant with you,” so that you read them so,7That you study the Written Torah in writing and the Oral Torah orally. but if you exchange them, know that you are voiding the covenant. That is why it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters.” Likewise, Moses says to Israel: “Only beware, and protect yourself greatly, lest you forget the matters [that your eyes saw]” (Deuteronomy 4:9). What are “the matters”? These are the matters that you see, as they are in writing. “Lest they move from your heart” (Deuteronomy 4:9), these are the matters that I gave you orally. That is why it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters, as according to these matters,” as, were it not for the Torah that you received, I would not have distinguished you and I would not have looked upon you more than other nations. That is why “I established a covenant with you and with Israel.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘In the past, you were called like the rest of the nations, like: “Savta, Rama, and Savtekha” (I Chronicles 1:9).8These nations were named after their forebears, and so too the name Israel signified only that they were descendants of Israel (Etz Yosef). But when you received My Torah, I established a covenant with you and elevated you. Not only Israel, but you, too, their king, I elevated you in the world only due to the merit of the Torah.’ How did the Holy One blessed be He elevate him? Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak: All the honor that Moses experienced in this world was only the profits, but the principal endures for him for the World to Come.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי עַל פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, שֶׁתְּהֵא יָגֵעַ בָּהֶם בְּפִיךָ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים ל, יד): בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשׂתוֹ, וּמַהוּ כָּרַתִּי אִתְּךָ בְּרִית וְאֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי שֶׁקִּבַּלְתֶּם תּוֹרָתִי הָיִיתִי מַחֲזִיר הָעוֹלָם לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה לג, כה): אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה וגו', לָמָּה, שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה בָּרָאתִי שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יט): ה' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ, (משלי ג, כ): בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ, אִם בִּטַּלְתָּ הַבְּרִית אַתְּ גּוֹרֵם לִי לְהַחֲזִיר אֶת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, לְפִיכָךְ כִּי עַל פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה.
Another matter, “As according to [al pi] these matters,” that you must toil in them with your mouth [befikha]. Likewise it says: “In your mouth and in your heart to perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:14). What is “I established a covenant with you and with Israel”? Had you not accepted My Torah, I would have restored the world to emptiness and disorder, as it is stated: “If not for My covenant day and night, [I would not have set the statutes of heaven and earth]” (Jeremiah 33:25). Why? Because it was with the Torah that I created heaven and earth, as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19), “with His knowledge the depths were breached” (Proverbs 3:20). If you void the covenant, you cause Me to restore the upper and lower worlds to emptiness and disorder. Therefore, “as according to these matters.”
וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה', וְכִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְאָדָם לִהְיוֹת אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם בְּלֹא מַאֲכָל וּבְלֹא מִשְׁתֶּה, רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן רַבִּי אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, הַמָּשָׁל אוֹמֵר אֲזַלְתְּ לְקַרְתָּא הַלֵּךְ בְּנִימוּסֶיהָ, לְמַעְלָה שֶׁאֵין אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה עָלָה משֶׁה וְנִדְמָה לָהֶם, לְמַטָּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה יָרְדוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח, ח): וְהוּא עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם תַּחַת הָעֵץ וַיֹּאכֵלוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן נִרְאִין כְּאוֹכְלִין, רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן מִסְתַּלֵּק. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה', מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן שֶׁהָיָה עוֹלֶה מִטְבֶרְיָא לְצִפּוֹרִי, הָיָה רַבִּי חִיָּא תַּלְמִידוֹ אֶצְלוֹ, וְהָיָה רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן רוֹאֶה כֶּרֶם, אָמַר לְרַבִּי חִיָּא, אֵין אַתָּה רוֹאֶה כֶּרֶם זֶה שֶׁהָיָה שֶׁלִּי וּמָכַרְתִּי אוֹתוֹ בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה בָּכָה רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא וְאָמַר לוֹ, לֹא הִנַּחְתָּ לְעֵת זִקְנוּתְךָ כְּלוּם, אָמַר לוֹ וְכִי קַלָּה הִיא בְּעֵינֶיךָ שֶׁמָּכַרְתִּי דָּבָר שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְּשִׁשָּׁה יָמִים, וְקָנִיתִי דָּבָר שֶׁנִּתַּן לְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, עוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ וּמְלוֹאוֹ נִבְרָא בְּשִׁשָּׁה יָמִים, אֲבָל הַתּוֹרָה נִתְּנָה לְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל, אֲבָל מִלַּחְמָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה אָכַל, וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתָה, אֲבָל מֵימֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה שָׁתָה, וְהָיָה לָמֵד תּוֹרָה בַּיּוֹם, וּפוֹשֵׁט אוֹתָהּ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה, וְלָמָּה הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה כָּךְ, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְהוּ יְגֵעִים בַּתּוֹרָה בַּיּוֹם וּבַלָּיְלָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ הָיָה אוֹמֵר לְתַלְמִידָיו בּוֹאוּ וְלִמְּדוּ תוֹרָה דְּשָׁחֲרִין וּדְקָרִין בַּלַּיְלָה. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הָיָה אוֹמֵר לְתַלְמִידָיו בּוֹאוּ וְלִמְדוּ תוֹרָה דְּאִימְטִין. אֶלָּא אַף עַל פִּי כֵן מוֹדֶה הָיָה רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן שֶׁאֵין רִנָּה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איכה ב, יט): קוּמִי רֹנִי בַלַּיְלָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי לא, טו): וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה. רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה, לְכָךְ הִתְקִינוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁיְהוּ הַמַּשְׁנִין יוֹשְׁבִין בַּבֹּקֶר וּבָעֶרֶב, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע א, ח): לֹא יָמוּשׁ סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה', לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אֲבָל לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא הוּא אוֹכֵל מִלַּחְמָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וְהוּא שׁוֹתֶה מֵימֶיהָ, לְפִיכָךְ לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל, אֶלָּא מֵאַיִן הָיָה אוֹכֵל, מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה הָיָה נִזּוֹן, וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ הַחַיּוֹת שֶׁנּוֹשְׂאוֹת אֶת הַכִּסֵּא מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה הֵן נִזּוֹנוֹת.
“He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten precepts” (Exodus 34:28).
“He was there with the Lord.” Is it possible for a person to be forty days without food and without drink? Rabbi Tanḥuma says in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Meir: The proverb says: You went to the city, follow its conventions. Above, where there is no eating and drinking, Moses ascended and was like them. Below, where there is eating and drinking, the ministering angels descended and ate and drank, as it is stated: “He stood over them beneath the tree and they ate” (Genesis 18:8).9Abraham served his three guests food thinking they were men, but in fact they were angels. Nonetheless, they ate the food. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They appeared as though they were eating, and each morsel disappeared.
Another matter, “he was there with the Lord,” there was an incident involving Rabbi Yoḥanan who was ascending from Tiberias to Tzippori. His student, Rabbi Ḥiya, was with him. Rabbi Yoḥanan saw a vineyard. He said to Rabbi Ḥiya: ‘Do you not see that vineyard that was mine and I sold it for such and such a sum?’ At that moment Rabbi Ḥiya bar Abba wept and said to him: ‘Did you not leave anything for your old age?’ He said to him: ‘Is it insignificant in your eyes that I sold an item that was created in six days and I acquired an item that was given in forty days? The world and all that it holds was created in six days, but the Torah was given in forty days.’
“He did not eat bread,” but he partook of the bread of Torah. “He did not drink water,” but he drank the water of Torah. He would study Torah by day and would interpret it himself at night. Why did he do so? It was to teach Israel that they should toil in Torah by day and by night.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish would say to his students: ‘Come and study Torah in the daytime and it will become clear at night.’10Reish Lakish holds that the ideal time for intensive study is at night. Therefore he urged his students to memorize the material by day, and then to analyze it at night, when they would achieve full clarity in understanding it (Etz Yosef). However, see Maharzu and Rabbi David Luria, who offer other interpretations of this statement. Rabbi Yoḥanan would say to his students: Come and study Torah for it is daytime. Nevertheless, Rabbi Yoḥanan would concede that the song of Torah is only at night, as it is stated: “Arise, sing at night” (Lamentations 2:19), and likewise it says: “She arises while it is still night” (Proverbs 31:15).11This passage in Proverbs is interpreted as referring to one who seeks Torah. The Rabbis say: During the day and at night, as it is stated: “He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights.” That is why the Sages instituted that the teachers of Mishna would have sessions in the morning and in the evening, to realize what is stated: “This book of the Torah shall not depart [from your mouth, and you shall ponder it day and night]” (Joshua 1:8).
Another matter, “he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water” in this world, but in the world to come he will partake of the bread of Torah and drink its water. That is why “He did not eat bread.” What, then, did he eat? He was sustained by the aura of the Divine Presence. Do not wonder, as the heavenly beasts that bear the Throne are sustained by the aura of the Divine Presence.
וַיִּכְתֹּב עַל הַלֻּחֹת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים הָיוּ שָׁוִים, עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִבְּרוֹת, כֵּיצַד הָיוּ עֲשׂוּיִין, חָמֵשׁ עַל לוּחַ זֶה, וְחָמֵשׁ עַל לוּחַ זֶה, כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר עֶשֶׂר עַל לוּחַ זֶה וְעֶשֶׂר עַל לוּחַ זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וַיְהִי בְּרֶדֶת משֶׁה מֵהַר סִינַי, וְהַכְּתוּבִים הֵם טוֹעֲנִים אוֹתָן, וְהָיוּ נִרְאִין כְּאִלּוּ הֵם בְּיַד משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וּשְׁנֵי לֻחֹת הָעֵדֻת בְּיַד משֶׁה. וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו, וּמֵהֵיכָן נָטַל משֶׁה קַרְנֵי הַהוֹד, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מִן הַמְּעָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לג, כב): וְהָיָה בַּעֲבֹר כְּבוֹדִי. רַבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה הַכֹּהֵן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר הַלּוּחוֹת הָיָה אָרְכָּן שִׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים וְרָחְבָּן שִׁשָּׁה וְהָיָה משֶׁה אוֹחֵז בְּטִפְחַיִם, וְהַשְּׁכִינָה בְּטִפְחַיִם, וְטִפְחַיִם בָּאֶמְצַע, וּמִשָּׁם נָטַל משֶׁה קַרְנֵי הַהוֹד. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אוֹמֵר עַד שֶׁהָיָה כּוֹתֵב בַּקּוּלְמוֹס נִשְׁתַּיֵּיר קִמְעָא, וְהֶעֱבִירוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וּמִמֶּנּוּ נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ קַרְנֵי הַהוֹד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו.
“It was, upon Moses’ descent from Mount Sinai, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in the hand of Moses upon his descent from the mountain and Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant upon His speaking with him” (Exodus 34:29).
“He wrote upon the tablets” – it teaches that the first and the second were identical, Ten Commandments. How were they configured? There were five on this tablet and five on that tablet, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Ten on this tablet and ten on that tablet, as it is stated: “It was, upon Moses’s descent from Mount Sinai, [and the two tablets of the Testimony].”12This is expounded to mean that on each of the two tablets, the entire Testimony consisting of the Ten Commandments was inscribed. The writing was bearing them,13The engraved letters miraculously held up the stone tablets. but they appeared as though they were in Moses’s hand, as it is stated: “And the two tablets of the Testimony were in the hand of Moses.”
“Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant.” From where did Moses receive the rays of splendor? The Rabbis say: From the cave, as it is stated: “It will be with the passage of My glory” (Exodus 33:22). Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: The length of the tablets was six handbreadths and their width six handbreadths. Moses was grasping two handbreadths, the Divine Presence two handbreadths, and there were two handbreadths in the middle. It was from there that Moses received the rays of splendor.14From his closeness to God at that time. Rabbi Yehuda bar Naḥman says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: While he was writing with a quill, a bit [of ink] remained. He passed [the quill] over his head and from it the rays of splendor were formed for him, as it is stated: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant [upon His speaking with him].”15As God spoke to Moses and Moses wrote what God said, the rays of splendor were formed.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה כְּתָב לְךָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קיט, עא): טוֹב לִי כִי עֻנֵּיתִי לְמַעַן אֶלְמַד חֻקֶּיךָ, לְטוֹבָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה נִתְעַנָּה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם שֶׁקִּבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וּמֵאַיִן הָיָה משֶׁה אוֹכֵל, מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחמיה ט, ו): וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מֵאַיִן הָיָה אוֹכֵל, מִן הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל ג, א ג): בֶּן אָדָם אֵת אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה תִּמְצָא אֱכוֹל, וָאֹכְלָה, לָמָּה, שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה מְתוּקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יט, יא): וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִלַּחְמָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, כְּדִכְתִיב (משלי ט, ה): לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְלַחֲמִי. מִנַיִן שֶׁלֹא יָשַׁן וְלֹא נִתְנַמְנֵם, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה אוֹהֵב לְתִיסוֹמָן, אָמַר לוֹ מְדֹד לְךָ דִּינָרֵי זָהָב. מִשִֹּׂמְחָתוֹ לֹא בִקֵּשׁ לֹא לֶאֱכֹל וְלֹא לִשְׁתּוֹת, בִּקֵּשׁ לִישֹׁן, אָמַר אִם אִישַׁן אֲנִי מַפְסִיד אֵלּוּ. כָּךְ משֶׁה מוֹדֵד הַתּוֹרָה, שָׁכַח וְלֹא אָכַל וְלֹא שָׁתָה, בִּקֵּשׁ לִישֹׁן, אָמַר אִם אִישַׁן אֲנִי מַפְסִיד, שֶׁלֹא אָמַר לִי אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם בִּלְבָד. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִצְטַעַרְתָּ, חַיֶּיךָ אֵין אַתָּה מַפְסִיד, בַּלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת לֹא הָיוּ אֶלָּא עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת בִּלְבָד, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁנִּצְטַעַרְתָּ, אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ הֲלָכוֹת מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְאַגָּדוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כז): כְּתָב לְךָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, לָמָּה אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּתָב לְךָ, וְהָכְתִיב (שמות לב, טז): וְהַמִּכְתָּב מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת, וּכְתִיב (דברים י, ד): וַיִּכְתֹּב עַל הַלֻּחֹת כַּמִּכְתָּב הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּתָב לְךָ תּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בִּכְתָב, אֲבָל הֲלָכוֹת וּמִדְרָשׁ וְאַגָּדוֹת וְהַתַּלְמוּד יִהְיוּ עַל פֶּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע משֶׁה, הִתְחִיל אוֹמֵר: טוֹב לִי כִי עֻנֵּיתִי, (תהלים קיט, עב): טוֹב לִי תוֹרַת פִּיךָ.
Another matter, “the Lord said to Moses: Write for yourself these matters” (Exodus 34:27) – that is what is written: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, so I might learn Your statutes” (Psalms 119:71). It was for Moses’s benefit that he fasted the one hundred and twenty days that he received the Torah.16This includes the forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai before he descended with the first tablets; the forty days he spent on Mount Sinai pleading for forgiveness for Israel after the sin of the Golden Calf; and the forty days he spent there before descending with the second tablets. He studied Torah on all those days (Etz Yosef). From what would Moses eat? It was from the aura of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “And You sustain them all” (Nehemiah 9:6).
Another matter, from what did he eat? It was from the Torah, as it is stated: “Son of man, eat what you find, [eat this scroll]…I ate it” (Ezekiel 3:1, 3). Why? It is because the Torah is sweet, as it is stated: “And sweeter than honey and the nectar of ripe fruit” (Psalms 19:11).
Another matter, it was from the bread of Torah, as it is written: “Come, partake of my bread” (Proverbs 9:5). From where is it derived that he did not sleep and did not doze? This is analogous to a king who was fond of his treasurer. He said to him: ‘Weigh gold dinars for yourself.’17He gave him a certain time in which he could collect gold dinars for himself from the royal treasury. In his joy, he sought neither to eat nor to drink. He sought to sleep.18In his eagerness to collect treasure, he did not eat or drink but just collected gold dinars. Eventually, though, he became tired. He said: ‘If I sleep, I will lose these.’19Even when he was tired he did not sleep so that he would not lose out on the unique opportunity to collect golden dinars. So too, Moses was assessing the Torah, and he forgot and neither ate nor drank. He sought to sleep. He said: ‘If I sleep, I will lose, as He told me only forty days.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You afflicted yourself; by your life, you will not lose. On the first tablets there were only the Ten Commandments. Now that you afflicted yourself, I will give you halakhot, midrashim, and aggadot,’ as it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters” (Exodus 34:27).
Why did the Holy One blessed be He say: “Write for yourself”? Is it not written: “The script was the script of God” (Exodus 32:16) and it is written: “He inscribed on the tablets, like the first inscription” (Deuteronomy 10:4)? Rather, this is what the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Write the Torah, Prophets, and Writings, as they shall be in writing, but the halakhot, midrashim, aggadot, and Talmud, will be oral.’ When Moses knew this, he began saying: “It is good for me that I was afflicted” (Psalms 119:71); “The Torah of Your mouth is better for me [than thousands of gold and silver pieces]” (Psalms 119:72).
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִנַּיִן הָיָה משֶׁה יוֹדֵעַ כַּמָּה יָמִים עָשָׂה, כְּתִיב (שמות לד, כח): וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין לְמַעְלָה לַיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, יב): גַּם חשֶׁךְ לֹא יַחְשִׁיךְ מִמֶּךָֹּ וְלַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר כַּחֲשֵׁיכָה כָּאוֹרָה, וּמִנַּיִן הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י, י): וְאָנֹכִי עָמַדְתִּי בָהָר כַּיָּמִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים, וּכְתִיב (שמות ט, ט): וָאֵשֵׁב בָּהָר, אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ הָיָה עוֹמֵד, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁמִּסְתַּלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְשׁוֹנֶה מַה שֶּׁלָּמַד, נִמְצֵאתָ מְקַיֵּם וְאָנֹכִי עָמַדְתִּי בָהָר, וָאֵשֵׁב בָּהָר, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא יוֹם, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר לוֹ לְמֹד תּוֹרָתְךָ, הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא לַיְלָה, וְכֵן דָּוִד אוֹמֵר (תהלים יט, ג): יוֹם לְיוֹם יַבִּיעַ אֹמֶר.
Another matter, how did Moses know how many days he had spent? It is written: “He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights.” From where is it derived that there is no night On High? As it is stated: “Even darkness does not darken for You. The night, as day, illuminates. Darkness and light are the same” (Psalms 139:12). How did he know? As it is stated: “I stood on the mountain like the first days” (Deuteronomy 10:10), and it is written: “I sat on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 9:9). Say, now, when He was speaking with him he was standing, and when He would depart from him, he would sit and review what he had learned. You thus uphold [both verses:] “I stood on the mountain” and “I sat on the mountain.” When He spoke with him, he would know it was day, and when He said to him: ‘Study your Torah,’ he would know it was night. Likewise, David said: “Day to day gives utterance; night to night renders understanding” (Psalms 19:3).
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּתָב לְךָ, כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים בָּאוּ בְּאֻמָּנִיּוּת עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בְּאַבְרָהָם כְּתִיב (שיר השירים ז, ב): מַה יָּפוּ פְעָמַיִךְ בַּנְּעָלִים מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָמָּן בָּא בְּאֻמָּנִיּוֹת (בראשית יח, כג): וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם. וְכֵן דָוִד אוֹמֵר (תהלים לב, ה): חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ, בַּתְּחִלָּה עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ חֵטְא אֶחָד וְעָוֹן אֶחָד, וּלְבַסּוֹף אָמַר (תהלים לב, ה): וְאַתָּה נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן חַטָּאתִי סֶלָּה. וְכֵן משֶׁה קִטְרֵג עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, לא): אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה, כְּשֶׁרָאוּ מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה שֶׁהוּא מְקַטְרֵג אוֹתָן, אָמְרוּ לֹא יִהְיֶה לָנוּ עֵסֶק לְקַטְרֵג, כָּל יָמִים שֶׁזֶּה מְקַטְרֵג יִפְּלוּ בְּיַד זֶה, שֶׁלֹא יַעַמְדוּ אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם עָלֵינוּ לָמָּה קִטְרַגְתֶּם אֶת בָּנֵינוּ, נִסְתַּלְּקוּ מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה. כְּשֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקוּ, אָמַר לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (שמות לב, לב): וְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָֹּׂא חַטָּאתָם, אָמַר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ, לִי הִיא, וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה, דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֱמֹר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִם הֵם כָּלִים מָה אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, לְכָךְ אָמַר (שמות לב, לב): אִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָמָּה אַתָּה כּוֹעֵס עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא שֶׁעָשׂוּ עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, לֹא צִוִּיתָם. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּדִבּוּר שֵׁנִי לֹא אָמַרְתִּי (שמות כ, ג): לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ, אָמַר לְפָנָיו, לֹא צִוִּיתָ אוֹתָם, לִי צִוִּיתָ, שֶׁמָּא אָמַרְתָּ לָהֶם לֹא יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, לִי צִוִּיתָ, אִם עָשִׂיתִי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ. כְּשֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנָּתַן נַפְשׁוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר בִּשְׁבִילְךָ אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כְּתָב לְךָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּתָב לְךָ, הִתְחִילוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה נוֹתֵן רְשׁוּת לְמשֶׁה שֶׁיִּכְתֹּב מַה שֶּׁהוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ, שֶׁיֹּאמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם. אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שֶׁמּשֶׁה עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, וַאֲפִלּוּ עוֹשֶׂה נֶאֱמָן הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יב, ז): לֹא כֵן עַבְדִּי משֶׁה בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא.
Another matter, “write for yourself” – all the righteous came to the Holy One blessed be He with craftiness.20They began with a minor request and gradually moved to a major request. Regarding Abraham, it is written: “How fair are your steps in sandals…the handiwork of a craftsman” (Song of Songs 7:2). He came with craft: “Abraham approached, [and he said: Will You destroy even the righteous with the wicked?]” (Genesis 18:23). Likewise, David says: “I acknowledged my sin to You; [I did not hide my iniquity]” (Psalms 32:5). Initially he presented it as one sin and one iniquity, but ultimately he said: “[I said: I will confess my transgressions to the Lord] and You forgave the iniquity of my sin, Selah” (Psalms 32:5).21After he was forgiven for one sin and one iniquity, he admitted to multiple transgressions. Likewise, Moses maligned Israel, as it is stated: “Please; this people has sinned a great sin” (Exodus 32:31). When the angels of destruction saw that he was maligning them, they said: ‘We will not need to be involved in maligning. As long as this one is maligning they will fall by his hand, and their patriarchs will not confront us [saying]: Why are you maligning our children.’ The angels of destruction departed. When Moses saw that they had departed, he said to the Holy One blessed be He: “Now, if You will bear their sin…” (Exodus 32:32). He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The entire Torah that You gave is [addressed] to me: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,”; “speak to the children of Israel”; “command the children of Israel”; “say to the children of Israel.” If they are eradicated, what will I do with Your Torah?’22How will I fulfill these commands to communicate the Torah to Israel? That is why he said: “And if not, please erase me from Your book that You have written” (Exodus 32:32).
Another matter, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why are You angry at them? Not that they engaged in idol worship, for You did not command them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Did I not say in the second commandment: “You shall not have [other gods before Me]”?’ (Exodus 20:3). He said before Him: ‘You did not command them, You commanded me.23The term “you” in the verse “you [lekha] shall not have other gods” is written in the singular. Did You perhaps say to them: You [lakhem]24Plural. shall not have? You commanded me. If I engage in idol worship, “please erase me from Your book.”’ When the Holy One blessed be He saw that he was giving his life on their behalf, He said: ‘For your sake I am giving them the Torah,’ as it is stated: “Write for yourself these matters.”
Another matter, “write for yourself” – the ministering angels began saying before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Are You giving Moses license to write whatever he wishes, such that he will say to Israel: I gave you the Torah; it is I who wrote and gave it to you?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Heaven forfend that Moses would do such a thing. And even if he were to do so, he is trustworthy,’25Even if he were to write something that God did not tell him to write, he would write only something that would accord with the will of God (Rabbi David Luria). as it is stated: “Not so My servant Moses, in all My house he is trustworthy” (Numbers 12:7).