SO THE LORD SAID TO HIM, "GO DOWN, AND COME BACK UP WITH AARON; BUT LET NOT THE PRIESTS OR THE PEOPLE BREAK THROUGH TO COME UP TO THE LORD, LEST HE BREAK OUT AGAINST THEM. AND MOSES WENT DOWN TO THE PEOPLE AND SPOKE TO THEM.

(Shemot 19:24-25)

 

The two terms yerida and aliyah have been given in the Hebrew language the respective meanings of "descent" and "ascent." Accordingly when a body moves from a certain place to a lower place, it is said to descend; and when it moves from a certain place to a higher place than the one in which it was, it is said to ascend. Subsequently these two terms were used figuratively to denote sublimity and greatness; so that when an individual's rank was lowered, he was said to have descended; when, on the other hand, his rank became higher in respect of sublimity, he was said to have ascended. Thus God, may He be exalted, says: The stranger that is in your midst shall ascend above you higher and higher, and you shall descend, and so on (Devarim 28:43)...

Similarly the term [to descend] is also used to denote a lower state of speculation; when a man directs his thought toward a very mean object, he is said to have descended; and similarly when he directs his thought toward an exalted and sublime object, he is said to have ascended. Now we, the community of men, are, in regard to place as well as degree of existence, in a most lowly position if we are compared to the all-encompassing heavenly sphere; whereas He, may He be exalted, is in respect of true existence, sublimity, and greatness in the very highest position - an elevation that is not a spatial one. And as He, may He be exalted, wished - as He did - to let some of us have knowledge deriving from Him and an overflow of prophetic inspiration, the alighting of prophetic inspiration upon the prophet or the coming-down of the Indwelling to a certain place was termed descent; whereas the removal of this prophetic state from a particular individual or the cessation of the Indwelling in a place was termed ascent. In every case in which you find the terms descent and ascent applied to the Creator, may He be exalted, this last meaning is intended... When, on the other hand, Scripture says, And Moses ascended to God (Shemot 19:3), the third meaning of the term [to ascend] is meant; this, in addition to the fact that [Moses] ascended to the top of the mountain upon which the created light had descended. The verse does not mean that God, may He be exalted, has a place up to which one may ascend or from which one may descend;

He is exalted very high above the imaginings of the ignorant.

(RaMBaM, Guide of the Perplexed 1:10, Pines translation)

 

 

They encamped - And they stood at a distance: Between Unity and Jealousy

Shlomo Fox

The conclusion of parashat BeShalah: It means, "Hand upon the throne of the Lord!" The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation (Shemot 17:16) and the opening of parashat Yitro: Jethro priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel ought from Egypt (Shemot 18:1) together teach us that there is a tribe like Amalek but also individuals like Jethro. Therefore, we should not say, "The whole world is against us"!

Rabbi Haim ben Atar writes:

I decided to contemplate [the question of] how Jethro merited authoring this passage. Indeed it is true that he had honored Moses, the servant of the Lord, for which he himself was rewarded by being honored by God. However, God could have honored him in a different way, not in this way that makes it appear, God forbid, that the Lord's nation lacked knowledge until the priest of Midian arrived and enlightened them. (Or HaHaim Shemot 18:21)

That is to say: Why is the parasha in which the Theophany at Sinai is described is named after Jethro rather than Moses? Isn't it possible to honor the "other" in a way less hurtful to Moses? R. Haim ben Atar's answer is no less surprising:

It seems that the point of the matter is for God to show the Israelites of that generation and of every generation that amongst the nations there are people of great understanding and knowledge. Go and learn from how knowledgeable Jethro showed himself to be in his advice and in his chosen manner of organizing people. For there are those among the nations who recognize the happy things, and the point of it is that Israel was not chosen because they were more knowledgeable and educated than all the other nations - Jethro's knowledge is a proof of this. You should learn from this that the Lord did not choose them because of Israel's great wisdom and knowledge. Rather it was because of grace from on high and love of the Patriarchs [that the Israelites were chosen]. This explanation is more fitting to what it says (in Yalkut Shimoni 268) about how, "Jethro came before the Torah was given." God knew that He had to do this before giving the Torah in order to say that there are more wise people among the nations than in Israel, yet He still drew us near Him and chose us, and that we should praise Him who chose us in particular, since He chose us out of kindness. And also in regard to the opinion that he [Jethro] appeared after the Torah was given, it makes sense that He arranged for his arrival earlier in order to demonstrate the intention mentioned above, for without it the intention under discussion would not have been revealed. Understand this.

R. Haim ben Atar, who lived in Morocco and made aliyah to the Land of Israel in the year 1700 was aware of the nations' wisdom and requires of us that we query why the Israelites were chosen. The choice was not made because the Jewish People were intelligent, but rather because of "grace from on high and love of the Patriarchs." What is the nature of this grace and why did we merit the love of the Patriarchs? We must clarify these questions every day.

Another question regarding Jethro - could Moses have thought of having the Theophany at Sinai take place and taking part in it himself without his own wife being present? Jethro understood this, most certainly if we assume - in accordance with the order of the verses - that Jethro arrived before the Theophany at Sinai. Even if we assume that Jethro arrived only afterwards, Scripture defends Moses, teaching us how important the family unit is when we reconstruct the making of the covenant.

After learning about the view of the "other-Jethro," let us take an internal and critical look at the Theophany at Sinai.

On the third new moon after Israel had gone forth from the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai. Having journeyed from Refidim, they entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the wilderness. Israel encamped there in front of the Mountain... On the third day, as morning dawned, there was thunder, and lightening, and a dense cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the shofar; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses led the people out of the camp toward God, and they took their places at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for the Lord had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently... All the people witnessed the thunder and lightening, the blare of the shofar and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance. (Shemot 19-20, with breaks)

Really? Is the Theophany at Sinai to be viewed as an ideal situation, one of perfect solidarity, involving the people's universal acceptance of the Torah and assimilation of its values?

Consider the continuation of the passage: All the people witnessed the thunder... and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance. Notice how Scripture returns to describing the Israelites in the plural, and how the people fell back and stood at a distance. What made the people take their distance?

This appears after the description of how Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for the Lord had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently. How was it that this "holy fire" produced smoke? If there really had been smoke as thick as the smoke of a kiln, Moses would not have been able to remain on the mountain! Furthermore, we must ask what happened at the climax of the Theophany that caused the people to say to Moses, You speak to us, and we shall listen, and let not the Lord speak with us lest we die.

These questions brought R. Meir Simkha HaKohen MiDvinsk in his Meshekh Hokhmah to explain the smoke mentioned in our parasha in terms of the dictum of R. Hanina according to which anyone who is envious of Torah scholars in this world, who is jealous of their status (he is not referring to the creative competitiveness between scholars) - "his eyes shall fill with smoke in the next world." That is to say, there is a different kind of "smoke," not smoke that arises from a burning fire, but rather the "smoke of jealousy." Borrowing from R. Hanina, one can explain that when then the Israelites saw the mountain all in smoke, they understood that their hearts were not pure of jealousy and that they were unworthy of seeing the divine glory in clear light, but rather only through smoke, and so they fell back and stood at a distance. The smoke which the Israelites saw on the mountain did not arise from a natural fire, and "divine fire" could not produce smoke. The Israelites should have seen something like Moses' bush [that] burned but was not consumed. This all leads to the conclusion that the smoke existed in their eyes alone, it was the "smoke of jealousy." The Israelites were jealous of each other; each looked at his fellow and asked: "Is he as worthy as I am to participate in this event?" Thus, we should understand the verse they fell back and stood at a distance as expressing the people's inner realization that they were indeed, distant. This is not a description of physical position, but rather of their understanding that the statement all that the Lord says we shall do did not spring from the unity expressed in the phrase Israel [singular] encamped. Instead of unity, there was division, the divisiveness of jealousy between man and his fellow: "smoke."

The people understood that they were distant from perfection, that they were far from constituting that single person who could receive the commandments from God. As a result, they told Moses, "You, Moses, speak to us in God's stead for we are unworthy to hear God's speech."

We have seen, then, that while there indeed was a moment of unity - Israel encamped - there was also an element of envy that brought with it the vision of smoke and the understanding that they were "standing at a distance" and were not yet worthy of hearing God.

The Lord spoke those words to your whole congregation at the mountain, with a mighty voice out of the fire and the dense clouds. He inscribed them on two tablets of stone, which He gave to me. When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, you came up to me, all your tribal heads and elders. (Devarim 5:19-20)

This description of the Theophany at Sinai, "united yet alone," is amplified in the Gemara's description of the event:"

They stood beneath the mountain (Shemot 19). Rav Avdimi bar Hama bar Hasa said: This teaches us that he held the mountain over them like a basin, and told them, "If you accept the Torah - that is good; and if you do not - there will be your graves."

Rav Aha bar Yaakov said: This implies a powerful excuse regarding the [validity of Israel's acceptance of the] Torah.

Rava said: Even so, it was accepted by the generation of Ahasuerus' era. For it is written: The Jews established and received (Esther 8) - they established that which they had already received. (Shabbat 88a)

What motivates the midrash to say that the Theophany at Sinai was forced, leaving everyone the excuse "I agreed under duress"? And what does the Gemara gain by mentioning that only later in the Persian period, in the days of Esther and Mordechai, did they really accept the Torah - that the observance of the Torah was coercive during the entire First Temple period?

Megilah 7a teaches us about Esther's special way of thinking:

Rav Shemuel bar Yehudah said: Esther sent [a message] to the Sages: Establish me [my commemoration] for the generations!

They sent her [and answer]: You create jealousy between us and the nations.

She sent them [her reply]: I am already written about in the Chronicles of the Kings of Persia and Medea.

Rav and Rav Hanina and Rabbi Yohanan and Rav Haviva learned (Everywhere in Seder Moed where these pairs are mentioned together, Rabbi Yonatan is mentioned instead of Rabbi Yohanan) [that]: Esther sent [a message] to the Sages: Write of me for the generations!

They sent her [a reply]: Indeed, I wrote down for you threefold (Proverbs 22), threefold and not fourfold [i.e., Amalek is to be mentioned three times in Scripture, and Esther wants to add a fourth, as her story is also about Amalek]. Eventually they a found a supporting verse written in the Torah: Write this as a memorial in the book (Shemot 17): Write this - what is written here [in Shemot] and in the Mishneh Torah; a memorial - that which is written in the Prophets; in the book - that which is written in the Meggilah.

This is like the disagreement between the Tana'im: Write this - what is written here; a memorial - that which is written in the Mishneh Torah; in the book - that which is written in the Prophets - so says R. Yehoshua.

R. Eliezer HaModa'i says: Write this - what is written here and in the Mishneh Torah [i.e., in Devarim]; a memorial - that which is written in the Prophets; in the book - that which is written in the Meggilah.

Esther teaches that the story of the Meggilah must be established or written for the generations; it seems that what is special about the Meggilah is the acceptance of responsibility and the performance of a deed. That is to say, not the story as a story, but rather the story as a guide to desirable behavior. Esther could have waited in the king's palace for relief and deliverance[that] will come to the Jews from another quarter, instead she decided to answer Mordechai's request and risk her life. That is how we should practice and understand The Jews established and accepted it for themselves and their offspring. A willed acceptance of the Theophany at Sinai means "acceptance of the covenant requires personal involvement." Only commitment bordering on self-sacrifice can revoke the jealousy within the people and the jealousy of the nations, so that we can return to the condition of Israel encamped, as one body, without judgment of the other.

Shlomo Fox teaches at Hebrew Union College, at Beit Shemuel and at Kolot. He is the educational director of the I.D.F. project at Beit Morasha.

 

 

And enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow.

(Shemot 18:20)

 

And enjoin– as in and ignored the warning (Ezekiel 33:5), and it means "observe."

(Ibn Ezra, ad loc)

 

And enjoin [ve'hizharta] upon them - As in And the knowledgeable will be radiant [yazhiru], that he will clarify and elucidate the laws and teaching for them until they are pure and bright like the very heavens. In this he also restates what he had said elsewhere: and I made known God's laws and His teachings.

(R. Yitzhak Shemuel Reggio ad loc)

 

You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image: which means: Do not make of sculpture of yourself.

(Or Ha'Hayyim Shemot 20:4)

 

Please do not bury me in Egypt - why?... Lest they make me an object of idolatry.

(Yalkut Shimoni, Bereishit, 47, 156)

 

Let us now discuss anger. There is the short-tempered person of whom it is written "One who is quick to anger is like one who worships idolatrously". This is the person who becomes furious whenever his will is contradicted, becoming filled with rage, to the point where he loses good judgment. Such a person would destroy the world if only he could, because his intelligence has no control over him; like all animals of prey, he is unreasonable, and of him it is written (Job 8): You who tear yourself to pieces in anger - will earth's order be disrupted for your sake? It is easy for him to transgress all sorts of sins in the world if his fury carries him there, for he has no motivation other than his anger - wherever it leads him, he follows.

(Mesillat Yesharim, Chapter 11)

 

Included in the widespread idolatry in today's world is a powerful reality: the concentration of all thought and activity towards the accumulation of wealth and the success of possessions. They are the mighty gods upon whom they lean, they are supported by their faith; by sanctification of their names, they deny the existence of God above.

(Quoted from the "Baal HaAkedah" by Prof. Nechama Leibowitz z"l, in New Studies in the Book of Shemot , p. 234)

 

The names change, the multiplicity remains. Culture and civilization, nation and state, nationality and race, economy and class - here you see a partial list of the pantheon of contemporary gods. Who can deny the existence of these gods? Never had an 'idol worshipper' bowed to his god with greater sacrifice, greater faith, than does modern man... therefore, even until this day, in man's heart a war is waged - between the worship of the One and worship of the many, and the outcome of this battle is uncertain.

(From "Franz Rosenzweig: Jehuda Halevi - Anmerkungen", translated and quoted by Prof. Nechama Leibowitz z"l)

 

 

 

 

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