“From above the Ark cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony” – why is it stated? It is because it says elsewhere: “The Lord spoke with him from the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 1:1); is it perhaps from the entire structure? The verse states: “From above the Ark cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony.” If it is from above the Ark cover, is it, perhaps, from over the entire Ark cover?
The verse states: “From between the two cherubs” – this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Shimon ben Azai said: I am not as one who is rebutting the statement of my teacher, but rather, as one adding to his statement. The Glory, in whose regard it is stated: “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth, the utterance of the Lord?” (Jeremiah 23:24), see the love of Israel, what [honor] it caused them: this extensive Glory constricted itself to speak from upon the Ark cover between the two cherubs.
Rabbi Dosa says: The verse says: “For man cannot see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20) – during their lifetimes they do not see, but they see at the time of their death. Likewise it says: “All who descend to the dust will kneel before Him, those to whose soul He has not given life” (Psalms 22:30). Rabbi Akiva says: “For man cannot see Me and live” – even the beasts that bear His throne have not seen the Glory.
Rabbi Shimon ben Azai said: I am not as one who is rebutting the statement of my teacher, but rather, as one adding to his statement. “For man cannot see Me and live” – even the ministering angels, whose life is eternal life, do not see the Glory. “And He spoke to him” – but not to the ministering angels who were there. The verse tells us that the Voice would emerge from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He like a stream into Moses’ ear.
The angels were between them but did not hear it. Likewise it says: “God thunders wondrously with His voice” (Job 37:5). That is, “and He spoke to him.”