Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai Reader

"And they shall judge the people at all times" (Exodus 18:22). Rabbi Yehoshua says: people who are free from their own work, that they may judge Israel at all times. Rabbi Elazar of Modiin says: people who are free from their own work and occupy themselves with Torah, they shall judge Israel at all times. And so it says, "You that ride on white donkeys" (Judges 5:10) - these are the disciples of the sages who travel from city to city and from province to province and occupy themselves with Torah and make it as bright as noon. "You that sit on rich carpets" - who sit and judge a judgment of truth according to its truth. "You that walk by the way" - these are the masters of Scripture. "By the way" - these are the masters of Mishnah. "Tell of it" - for all their conversation is in Torah. Another interpretation: "And they shall judge the people at all times" - Scripture speaks of monetary cases, that they judge them every day by Torah law, even on the eve of the Sabbath; but by the words of the scribes one does not judge on the eve of the Sabbath. Another interpretation: "And they shall judge the people at all times" - monetary cases one judges by day and concludes by night. "And it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves" (Exodus 18:22). You say great matters they shall bring to you and small matters they shall judge themselves; or is it rather matters concerning great people they shall bring to you and matters concerning small people they shall judge themselves? When it says, "The hard matter they shall bring to Moses" (Exodus 18:26), behold, no "great matter" is meant except great matters. Great matters they shall bring to you, and small matters they shall judge themselves. "If you do this thing, and God commands you, then you will be able to endure" (Exodus 18:23). He said to him: go out and consult the Almighty; if He agrees with you, you can endure, and if not, you cannot endure. "And also all this people shall come to their place in peace" - Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and all the elders of Israel shall come to their place in peace. Rabbi Simai says: one who judges a judgment of truth according to its truth appears as though he casts envy among people, but in fact he only sets peace among them, as it says, "These are the things you shall do: speak truth to one another; render in your gates judgment that is true and makes for peace" (Zechariah 8:16). I know only that the one who takes the money he is owed has peace; how do I know that even the one obligated to pay money, that his end too is peace? As it says, "And also all this people shall come to their place in peace." I know only this for the litigants; how do I know it also for all Israel? Scripture teaches, "May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice" (Psalm 72:2) - and what is written after it? "May the mountains bear peace to the people." I know only this for human beings; how do I know that justice is peace even for beasts and wild animals and all living creatures? Scripture teaches, "With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth... and righteousness shall be the belt of his loins" (Isaiah 11:4-5) - and what is written after it? "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid... they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:6-9). This knowledge is justice, as it says, "Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know Me? says the LORD" (Jeremiah 22:15-16). Great is justice, for whoever hates it, there is no cure for his wound, as it says, "Shall one who hates justice govern?" (Job 34:17) - and binding is nothing but healing, as it says, "He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).

"And Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law" (Exodus 18:24) - certainly. "And he did all that he said" - what his father-in-law said to him; these are the words of Rabbi Yehoshua. Rabbi Elazar of Modiin says: "And Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law" - certainly; "and he did all that he said" - what the Omnipresent said.

"And Moses chose able men out of all Israel" (Exodus 18:25). He appointed judges over them, and he commanded the judges that they should bear the burden of the community, as the matter is stated, "And I commanded your judges at that time" (Deuteronomy 1:16). And he commanded the people that they should treat the judges with honor, as the matter is stated, "And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do" (Deuteronomy 1:18).

"And they judged the people at all times; the hard matter they brought to Moses" (Exodus 18:26). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, you judge the hard questions? Behold, the daughters of Zelophehad are coming to ask about a law that even schoolchildren could answer, and you will not know what to answer; rather, "And Moses brought their case before the LORD" (Numbers 27:5).

"And Moses sent his father-in-law on his way" (Exodus 18:27). Rabbi Yehoshua says: he sent him off with the honor of the world. Rabbi Elazar of Modiin says: he gave him many gifts. He said to him: I am going to lead and convert the people of my province. As you can learn from the answer he gave them, know what they said to him, "Do not, please, leave us" (Numbers 10:31). They said to him: you gave us good and beautiful counsel, and the Omnipresent agreed with your words; do not leave us. He said to them: of what use is a lamp except in a place of darkness? What use is a lamp between the sun and the moon? You are the sun and Aaron is the moon; rather, I will go and convert the people of my province, that I may bring them under the wings of Heaven. One might think he went and did not return; Scripture teaches, "And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up from the city of palms with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people" (Judges 1:16). "People" is nothing but Torah, as it says, "Truly you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you" (Job 12:2). From here they said: as long as a sage lives, his wisdom lives; when he dies, his wisdom is lost with him. And so we find that when Rabbi Nathan died, his wisdom was lost with him. They went and dwelt beside Jabez, as it says, "And the families of the scribes who dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab" (1 Chronicles 2:55). Just as he loved the Torah, so his sons loved the Torah after him. So the Omnipresent says to Jeremiah, "Go to the house of the Rechabites... and give them wine to drink" (Jeremiah 35:2). And he set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine and cups, and said to them, Drink wine. He said to them: the Omnipresent told me that you should drink wine. They said to him: our father commanded us not to drink wine all the days that this house lies in ruins, though it was not yet ruined. Rather he said to us: mourn for it, for in the end it will be destroyed; and he said to us, do not anoint yourselves, do not cut your hair, and do not dwell in houses; and we heard and did according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. Therefore they were called Shimeathites, Tirathites, Sucathites. Tirathites, because they did not wish to cut their hair; Sucathites, because they did not wish to anoint themselves; Shimeathites, because they heeded the voice of their father. Another interpretation: Tirathites, because they heard the blast at Sinai; another, because they would sound an alarm in their prayer and be answered. Shimeathites, because they heeded the voice of the words of Torah; another, because their prayer was heard. Sucathites, because they dwelt in booths, as it is written, "And we dwelt in tents"; another, because they sheltered over Israel and protected them. There was an incident: one declared, "the offering of a household of water-drinkers today." A heavenly voice went out from the Holy of Holies and said to them: He who accepted the offering of your fathers in the wilderness, He will accept your offering at this hour. And who are these? "The Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab." The prophet who foresaw that the Temple would in the future be destroyed arose and decreed three decrees upon his sons: that they not drink wine, that they not build houses, and that they not plant vineyards, as it says, "And they said, We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, You shall drink no wine, neither you nor your sons forever; neither shall you build a house, nor sow seed, nor plant a vineyard, nor have any; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn" (Jeremiah 35:6-7). And from where did he learn that abstaining from wine lengthens days? For four men were eager after the soil and were not found as they should be: Cain, Noah, Lot, and Uzziah. Cain - "And Cain was a tiller of the ground" (Genesis 4:2). Noah - "And Noah, the man of the soil, began" (Genesis 9:20). Lot - "And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the plain of the Jordan" (Genesis 13:10). Uzziah - "for he loved the soil" (2 Chronicles 26:10). Rabbi Nathan says: greater is the covenant the Holy One, blessed be He, made with the children of Jethro than the covenant He made with the children of David. For the covenant made with David is a covenant only on condition: "If your children keep My covenant and My testimony that I shall teach them, their children also forever shall sit upon your throne" (Psalm 132:12). But the covenant made with Jonadab the son of Rechab was not made on condition, as it says, "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever" (Jeremiah 35:19). Some say he married off his daughters to priests, and high priests arose from him, and the Omnipresent gave him a covenant that high priests should never cease from him. Rabban Shimon said: but has not the high priesthood already ceased? How then do I uphold "shall not lack a man to Jonadab"? Rather, that those who sit in the Sanhedrin never ceased from him. If one who came from the nations of the lands and from the families of the soil, because he acted out of love, the Omnipresent gave to him out of love, how much more so to these who were of Israel! Concerning them Scripture says, "These were the potters, and those who dwelt among plantations and hedges; they dwelt there with the king for his work" (1 Chronicles 4:23) - these are the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab, who knew the power of the forming of the world. Another interpretation: that their sustenance came without distress. Another: that they guarded the oath of their father's command. Rabbi Abbahu said: Jethro merited that from his descendants there went forth those who raised up great ones of Torah in Israel. And who was this? Jabez, as it says, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me. And God granted him what he asked" (1 Chronicles 4:10). "That You would bless me indeed" - in the study of Torah; "and enlarge my border" - with disciples; "and that Your hand might be with me" - that I not forget my learning; "that You would keep me from evil" - that the evil inclination not prevent me from studying; "that it may not grieve me" - that the evil inclination not grieve me from learning; "and God granted him what he asked" - this teaches that He gave him what he asked. This is the teaching of Rabbi Nathan.

"In the third month after the children of Israel went out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 19:1) - that they would count the months from their going out of Egypt. I know only the months; how do I know the years? Scripture teaches, "And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai... in the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt" (Numbers 1:1). I know only during that period; outside that period, how do I know? Scripture teaches, "And Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the LORD and died there... in the fortieth year after the children of Israel went out" (Numbers 33:38). I know only before they entered the land of Israel; after they entered the land of Israel, how do I know? Scripture teaches, "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel came out" (1 Kings 6:1). Once the Temple was built they began to count by the years of kings and by the building of houses, as it says, "And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses" (1 Kings 9:10), and it says, "In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah" (Isaiah 36:1). They did not merit to count by its building, so they counted by its destruction, as it says, "In the twenty-fifth year of our exile" (Ezekiel 40:1). They did not merit to count by their own reckoning, so they counted by other kingdoms, as it says, "In the second year of Darius" (Haggai 1:1); "In the third year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar" (Daniel 8:1, cf. 1:1), and so by the era of documents. And so it says, "If you do not know, O fairest among women, go your way by the footsteps of the flock" (Song of Songs 1:8). And it says, "Because, even because" (Leviticus 26:43) - "because, even because" is nothing but eye for eye, measure for measure. "On this day" (Exodus 19:1) - this teaches that it was the new moon. It says here "on this day," and it says elsewhere, "This month shall be to you the beginning of months" (Exodus 12:2); just as there it is the new moon, so here it is the new moon. "They came to the wilderness of Sinai" (Exodus 19:1) - the place from which hatred came down upon all who come into the world who do not keep the Torah. And so Rabbi Yose would say: "I have not spoken in secret, in a place of a land of darkness" (Isaiah 45:19) - when I gave the Torah to Israel, I did not give it in secret nor in a land of darkness. "I did not say to the seed of Jacob" that it is yours alone. "Seek Me in vain" - I did not make it a mere deposit, but I set the reward for it beside it. "I the LORD speak righteousness" - I speak the righteousness of Israel. "Declaring things that are right" - I declare what they did before Me out of love. "He has not dealt so with any nation" (Psalm 147:20) - what shall the nations of the world do, seeing they did not learn Torah? "And as for His ordinances, they have not known them" (Psalm 147:20) - seven commandments I gave them, and they could not stand by them.

"And they journeyed from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai" (Exodus 19:2). Why do I need this? Is it not already explained among the journeys that they journeyed from Rephidim and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai? Why then does Scripture say, "And they journeyed from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai"? Rather, it compares their journeying from Rephidim to their encamping in the wilderness of Sinai: just as their journeying from Rephidim was in a state of "children of testing and quarreling" - "Is the LORD among us or not?" (Exodus 17:7) - so too their encamping in the wilderness of Sinai was in a state of "children of testing and quarreling," "Is the LORD among us or not?" This is to make known how great is the power of repentance, for in the brief moment that Israel repented, they were immediately accepted. "And they encamped in the wilderness" - in the ownerless space of the world the Torah was given to Israel. For had it been given in the land of Israel, the people of the land of Israel would say, "It is ours"; and had it been given in some other place, the people of that place would say, "It is ours." Therefore it was given to them in the ownerless space of the world, so that whoever wishes to take it may come and take it. Another interpretation: just as the wilderness is empty of all delights, so words of Torah endure only in one who keeps himself from all delights. And so it says, "And from the wilderness to Mattanah" (Numbers 21:18) - Torah endures only in one who makes himself like the wilderness. "And there Israel encamped before the mountain" (Exodus 19:2). Elsewhere it says, "And the children of Israel journeyed... and the children of Israel encamped" - journeying in dispute and encamping in dispute. But here it says, "And there encamped" - one encampment; one heart was given them, that they might love one another and receive the Torah. Another interpretation: "And there encamped" - He said to them, you will dwell here a long while. And so we find at the last, that they dwelt twelve months less ten days.

"And Moses went up to God" (Exodus 19:3) - this was the second day. One might think he went up not at the command of the Almighty; Scripture teaches, "And to Moses He said, Come up to the LORD" (Exodus 24:1), and it says, "And the LORD said to Moses, Come up to Me to the mountain" (Exodus 24:12); this teaches that he went up only at the command of the Almighty. Another interpretation: "And Moses went up to God" - he goes up in a cloud and comes down in a cloud; the covenant of the fathers and the merit of the children go up with him and come down with him. And from where do we know that even after the calling? Scripture teaches, "And the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying." And from where do we know it was with "Moses, Moses"? It says "calling" here and it says "calling" at the bush (Exodus 3:4); just as there it was "Moses, Moses," so here it was "Moses, Moses"; just as there Moses says "Here I am," so here Moses says "Here I am." "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob" - these are the Sanhedrin. And so it says, "O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD" (Isaiah 2:5). "And tell the children of Israel" - these are the rest of the people. Another interpretation: "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob" - these are the women; say to them the main points, such as they can hear. "And tell the children of Israel" - these are the men; say to them the fine details of the words, such as they can hear. And why did He put the charge of the women before the charge of the men? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: when I created My world, I commanded Adam the first man and did not command Eve his wife, and she came and misled him and he transgressed the command. It is fitting that the women be addressed first, since the men follow after them. Therefore it says, "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob" - these are the women; "and tell the children of Israel" - these are the men. "Thus" - in the holy tongue; "thus" - in this matter; "thus" - in this order; "thus" - in these phrasings; "thus" - in these sections; "thus" - neither less nor more. "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob" - all in the merit of Jacob; "and tell Israel" - all in the merit of Israel. Another interpretation: "Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob" - Jacob was his name at first; now he merited to take the great name, Israel, "for you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:29).

"You yourselves have seen" (Exodus 19:4): not from the mouth of witnesses, not from a written record, and not from received tradition do I tell you, but "what I did to Egypt." Although the Egyptians were idolaters, committers of forbidden unions, and shedders of blood, I did not exact punishment from them except on your account and for your sake. "And I bore you on eagles' wings." Rabbi Eliezer says: this refers to the day of Mount Sinai. "And brought you to Myself" (Exodus 19:4): this refers to the eternal House [the Temple]. Another interpretation of "on eagles' wings": they let the ear hear what it is able to hear. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: behold, Scripture states (Deuteronomy 32:11), "As an eagle stirs up its nest." It is the way of the eagle to come down upon its young while flying, with its wings, so that they will not be terrified. So too, when the Omnipresent revealed Himself to give the Torah to Israel, He did not reveal Himself to them from one direction but from four directions, as it is said (Deuteronomy 33:2), "The LORD came from Sinai and shone forth from Seir to them; He appeared from Mount Paran." And which is the fourth direction? (Habakkuk 3:3), "God comes from Teman." Another interpretation of "on eagles' wings": it is the way of a bird to set its young between its legs, because it is afraid of one stronger than itself [flying above]. But the eagle, which is not afraid of any creature stronger than itself, sets them upon its shoulders; for were it to set them between its legs, it would [still] fear the slingstones and the arrows that people shoot at it. Therefore it made itself a barrier between its young and the people. So the Omnipresent made the ministering angels a barrier between Israel and the Egyptians, as it is said (Exodus 14:19), "And the angel of God moved." Just as the eagle spreads its wings and draws them in from moment to moment, so Israel would go twelve mil and return twelve mil at each and every commandment [uttered at Sinai]. And so it says (Ezekiel 16:13), "And you grew exceedingly beautiful and rose to royalty." Just as the eagle ascends from below to above in a brief moment, so Israel ascended from below to above in a brief moment. And just as their ascent was not in the way of the world, so too their descent was not in the way of the world. And so it says (Hosea 7:11), "When they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like the birds of the sky; I will chastise them according to the report to their assembly."

"And now, if you will indeed obey My voice" (Exodus 19:5): [the reward for] all these things [will be] in proportion. And is this not an argument from minor to major? If at the time when they had not yet received the Torah and had not performed the commandments, I did all these miracles for them, then when they receive the Torah and perform all the commandments, how much more so [will I do for them]. Another interpretation of "if you will indeed obey My voice": this teaches that all beginnings are hard. Once a person begins to listen, all of it becomes easy for him. If a person listens a little, they cause him to hear much. If a person listens to words of Torah, they cause him to hear the words of the scribes. "And keep My covenant": Rabbi Eliezer says, this is the covenant of circumcision. Rabbi Akiva says, this is the covenant of the Sabbath. And the sages say, this is the covenant [against] idolatry. "Then you shall be Mine": set apart for Me, occupied with My Torah, occupied with My commandments. And so it says (Leviticus 20:26), "And I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine": when you are set apart from the peoples, you are Mine; and if not, behold, you belong to Nebuchadnezzar and his companions. "A treasured possession from among all the peoples": just as a person's treasure is precious to him, so Israel is precious to Me; just as a person's treasure is dear to him, so Israel is dear to Me. They tell a parable. To what is the matter comparable? To one who inherited many fields and then went and bought one field of his own, and that one he loved more than all of them. Why? Because he acquired it with his own [resources]. So too, although the entire world belongs to the One who spoke and the world came into being, He loves none but Israel. And why? Because He took them from Egypt and redeemed them from the house of bondage. Therefore it is said, "Then you shall be Mine, a treasured possession from among all the peoples." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korhah says: "a treasured possession" [means] that I will not let your ear be deprived [of My favor]. And just as a wife is set apart [for distinction] after [marrying] her husband, and a son is set apart after his father, so Israel will be set apart from the nations of the world. The verse therefore teaches (Exodus 19:5), "For all the earth is Mine."

"And you shall be Mine" (Exodus 19:6): set apart for Me, busy with My Torah and busy with My commandments. "A kingdom" (mamlakhah). Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: In the time to come there will not be a single one of you who will not have children like those who came out of Egypt, as it is said, "In place of your fathers shall be your sons" (Psalms 45:17). One might think they will be poor people; therefore Scripture says, "You shall make them princes in all the land" (ibid.). One might think princes who are merchants; therefore Scripture says "a kingdom." One might think kings who wage war; therefore Scripture says "priests." If priests [then perhaps idle men], as it is said, "And David's sons were priests" (2 Samuel 8:18); therefore Scripture says "a holy nation." From here they said: Israel was fit to eat of the holy offerings before they made the calf; once they made the calf, it was taken from them and given to the priests. "And a nation" (goy): this teaches that they are like one body and one soul, and so it says, "And who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land" (1 Chronicles 17:21). When one of them sins, all are punished, as it is said, "Did not Achan son of Zerah commit a trespass concerning the devoted thing, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he was but one man—he did not perish alone in his iniquity" (compare Joshua 22:20). When one of them is struck, all feel it, and so it says, "Israel is a scattered sheep" (Jeremiah 50:17): just as with a ewe, when one of its limbs is struck all feel it, so with Israel, when one of them is struck all feel it; but the nations all rejoice over one another's downfall. "Holy." What does Scripture teach? From what is said, "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 14:2)—how is this? This is the holiness of the commandments, for whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, adds a commandment to Israel, He adds holiness to them. "These" (eleh): in the holy tongue; "these"—in this manner; "these"—in this order; "these"—with these stops; "these"—with these sections; "these"—neither less nor more. "These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel." What are the words? These are the three crowns with which they were crowned: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship. Torah, as it is written, "And you shall keep My covenant." Priesthood and kingship, as it is written, "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests." Rabbi Natan says: And the crown of a good name is above them all.

"And Moses came" (Exodus 19:7): this teaches that he did not go to his house and did not turn aside to other occupations. "And he called for the elders of the people": this teaches that Moses showed honor to the elders; this teaches that the elders take precedence over all Israel; this teaches that Moses made use of the elders of his generation. "And he set before them": he arranged them in order before them. "And he set before them"—he made their eyes shine with them [made the matters clear to them]. Another interpretation: "And he set before them"—he stated first things first and last things last. "All these words that the LORD had commanded him": even the women.

"And all the people answered together" (Exodus 19:8): they did not answer with flattery, and they did not take counsel one from another. "And they said, All that the LORD has spoken we will do": we take it upon ourselves. "And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD": this was the third day. Another interpretation: "And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD"—the verse comes to teach you proper conduct, that even though the one who sent a man has heard the message, the messenger must still report back his errand.

"And the LORD said to Moses, Behold, I come to you in the thickness of the cloud" (Exodus 19:9): "cloud" here means dense darkness, for the cloud in which the Torah was given resembled the cloud upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud upon Mount Sinai was a dense darkness, as it is said, "and a heavy cloud upon the mountain" (verse 16). Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: Moses was sanctified in the cloud for seven days, as it is said, "and the cloud covered him six days, and He called to Moses on the seventh day from the midst of the cloud" (Exodus 24:16); this was after the Ten Commandments and was the beginning of the forty days. Rabbi Akiva says: "and the cloud covered him six days"—for Moses, to purify him; "and He called to Moses on the seventh day"—this was after the Ten Commandments and was the beginning of the forty days. "So that the people may hear when I speak with you." Rabbi Yehudah says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, Behold, I will speak a matter to you, and you will answer Me back, and I will return and concede to your words. Rabbi says: It was not for the honor of Moses that the Omnipresent conceded to his words, but He said to him thus: The commandments that I gave you at Marah, behold, I will go back and repeat them to you here. It does not say "that the LORD commanded" but "that the LORD had commanded him" (verse 7). This teaches that they listen to your mouth as they listen to the mouth of the Holy One, and not only your mouth but the mouths of the elders destined to come after you and the mouths of the prophets; therefore it is said, "and they will also trust in you forever." "And Moses told." And what did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Moses that he should tell Israel, and what did Israel say to Moses that he should report before the Omnipresent? Behold it says, "And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying" and so on (verse 12)—the words of Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi says: Because he told them the reward if they obeyed. And from where do we know that he told them all the punishments if they did not obey? Scripture says, "And Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice" (Exodus 24:3): this teaches that the voice of the great and the voice of the small are equal before the Omnipresent.

"And the LORD said to Moses, Go to the people and sanctify them today" (Exodus 19:10): this was the fourth day. "And tomorrow, and let them wash their garments" [that they immerse. One might think] that they should immerse on the fifth day; but if they immerse on the fifth day, they are still within the evening reckoning for the sixth. What does Scripture teach by "and sanctify them today"? That they immerse on the fourth day. And what were they doing on the fifth? Moses was writing down the words, like a man who writes them on scrolls. On the sixth, what does it say? "And Moses rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel" (compare Exodus 24:4). For whom were these pillars? Rabbi Yehudah says: for the twelve tribes of Israel. And the Sages say: for all Israel. And so it says, "And he sent young men of the children of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings" (ibid. 5)—he offered them on behalf of all Israel. From here they said: With three things Israel entered the covenant—with circumcision, immersion, and offering—and afterward the Torah was given to them. Circumcision, as it is written, "and no uncircumcised person shall eat of it" (Exodus 12:48); Moses our teacher circumcised them in Egypt so that they could eat the Passover. And so it says, "And I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, In your blood live, and I said to you, In your blood live" (Ezekiel 16:6)—these two bloods are the blood of circumcision and the blood of the Passover. And offering, as it is written, "And he sent the young men of the children of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings" (Exodus 24:5). And immersion, as it is written, "and let them wash their garments." I know only that they were required to launder their garments; from where do I know that they were required to immerse? It is a logical inference: if at a time when they are not required to launder garments they are required to immerse, then at a time when they are required to launder garments, all the more so should they be required to immerse.

"And be ready for the third day" (Exodus 19:11): this teaches that they fixed for themselves a meeting place. "For on the third day the LORD will come down before the eyes of all the people": this teaches that there were no blind ones among them. Rabbi Shimon ben Yehudah, a man of the village of Ikkos, says: From where do you say that if those who came out of Egypt had lacked even one, the Torah would not have been given to them? Scripture says, "For on the third day the LORD will come down before the eyes of all the people." From here we learn that no generation has arisen, and no generation is destined to arise, as fit to receive the Torah as this one. And of them it says, "He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity" (Proverbs 2:7).

"And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying" (Exodus 19:12): this teaches that they fixed limits for them. Because it says, "neither let the flocks nor the herds graze before that mountain" (Exodus 34:3), I would know only its east; from where its north, south, and west? Scripture says "round about"—from every direction. "Take heed to yourselves not to go up into the mountain." This is a prohibition. One might think he may not go up but is permitted to touch; Scripture says, "or touch its edge." One might think he may go up by means of a ladder; Scripture says "go up into the mountain"—from any means whatsoever. "Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death." This is the penalty.

"No hand shall touch it" (Exodus 19:13): there is no everlasting house [the Temple is not made unfit] by mere touch [in the same way]. "No hand shall touch it"—nor he who was touched by it through another object. "For he shall surely be stoned." I know only stoning; from where do I learn even being cast down? Scripture says, "or he shall surely be thrown down." And from where do I learn that if he is stoned he is also cast down? Scripture says, "he shall surely be stoned or thrown down"—all who are liable to stoning are cast down. And from where do I learn that if he died from a single throwing-down it suffices? Scripture says, "or he shall surely be thrown down." "Whether beast." I know only a domestic beast; from where a wild animal? Scripture says "if a beast"—the same law applies to every animal, wild beast or fowl, whether unclean or clean. "Or man." I know only a man; from where a woman? Scripture says "if a man." "It shall not live." This is the penalty. "When the ram's horn sounds long, they may go up into the mountain": when the shofar ceases. And so it says, "And it shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the shofar" (Joshua 6:5); and in the Arabic tongue a ram's horn [is called] yovela. Rabbi Yose says: It is not the place that honors the man, but the man who honors his place. For as long as the Divine Presence was upon Mount Sinai, whoever went up to its top was liable to death; once the Divine Presence departed, the unclean and the blemished were permitted to go up there. And as long as the Tent of Meeting was pitched, whoever entered it was liable to death; once the Tent of Meeting was taken down, the unclean and the blemished were permitted to enter.

"And Moses went down from the mountain to the people" (Exodus 19:14). This teaches that he did not go into his house and turn to other matters. And how do we know that whenever he was delivering a mission he would deliver it only in the morning? Scripture says, "And he carved two tablets of stone like the first ones, and Moses rose early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai" (Exodus 34:4). This is the rule for everything he was commanded. Why then does Scripture say "as the LORD commanded him" (there)? Rather, this is a governing principle: whenever Moses was delivering a mission, he delivered it only in the morning. "And he sanctified the people." He separated them from women, because the Torah is called holy, as it says, "and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). Therefore a person must sanctify himself for it, so that it may cleave to him. And is this not an argument from the lesser to the greater? If for bread and water, without which the body cannot exist, Moses our teacher sanctified himself for forty days until the Torah was given to him, how much more must a person purify himself for it from all bodily defilement. And so it says, "the fear of the LORD is pure" (Psalms 19:10). When is it pure? When a person purifies himself from defilements. Therefore the Torah was likened to oil, to tell you: just as with oil a person can mix in deceit with every other liquid except oil, so too with words of Torah a person cannot mix in deceit. And how do we know the words of Torah were likened to oil? As it says, "therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows" (Psalms 45:8). Another interpretation: "his wife" is pure when a person purifies himself from making use of her. He should not say, "Since I am a sage, people are obligated to serve me, people are obligated to support me." Hillel used to say, "And one who makes use of the crown shall perish." Thus everyone who takes worldly benefit from words of Torah has removed his portion from the world. And if Belshazzar, who made use of the vessels of the Temple, was uprooted from the world, then one who makes use of the vessel by which the world was created, how much more so. Another interpretation: When is it pure? When a person purifies himself from arrogance. Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Yehudah says: Why do disciples of the wise die young? Not because they commit adultery and not because they rob, but because they are arrogant in themselves. Another interpretation: "the fear of the LORD is pure." When is it pure? When a person purifies himself from the love of silver and gold. For so the prophet says, "If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you" (1 Kings 13:8). And so Elisha says, "As the LORD lives, before whom I have stood, I will take nothing" (2 Kings 5:16). And so Daniel says, "Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another" (Daniel 5:17). Said Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Halafta: Once I was walking on the road, and a man met me and greeted me. He said to me, "Where do you come from?" I said to him, "I come from a great city of sages and scribes." He said to me, "Is it your wish to settle with me, and I will give you a livelihood and silver and gold?" I said to him, "Even if you give me all the money in the world, I will not settle." He said to me, "And you will not accept it upon yourself?" I said to him, "Behold, all the spirits and souls you see in the world all return to dust, and nothing stands by a person at the hour of his death except words of Torah alone. And Jerusalem too was destroyed only because of transgression of the Torah, as it says, 'For the transgression of Jacob is all this' (Micah 1:5)." He said to me, "Blessed is the Omnipresent who set it in your hearts to occupy yourselves with words of Torah, and to trust, and to abandon all the vanities of the world." I said to him, "May it be His will that our envy not rise into the heart of others, and the envy of others not rise into our heart." And I parted from him. Another interpretation: When is it pure? When a person purifies himself from transgressions. Thus, because words of Torah require purity and holiness, it says, "and he sanctified the people." "And they washed their garments." From this I know only the washing of their clothing. How do we know they also required immersion? It is a logical inference: if at a time when they did not require the washing of garments they nonetheless required immersion, here, where they were required to wash their garments, all the more so that they should require immersion.

"And he said to the people, 'Be ready for three days'" (Exodus 19:15). One might think Moses said this thing on his own authority. Scripture says, "And let them be ready for the third day" (verse 11), and here "Be ready for three days." "Be ready" and "be ready" form a verbal analogy [gezeira shava]: just as the "and let them be ready" stated there is something holy that the LORD told Moses, so too the "be ready" stated here is something holy that the LORD told Moses. Rabbi says: Its place is decided on its own [it needs no inference]. "And sanctify them today" so that they should immerse on the fourth day. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: How do we know that a woman who emits semen on the third day is impure? As it says, "Be ready for three days; do not draw near to a woman." Rabbi Ishmael says: Sometimes these are four periods, sometimes they are five, sometimes they are six. Rabbi Akiva says: They are always five.

"And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning" (Exodus 19:16), at the time He had told him. This teaches that the time and the deed together support the hour in which life is given to all who come into the world. One might think it was given at night; Scripture says "in the morning," in the morning and not at night. One might think it was given in silence; Scripture says "there were thunderings and lightnings," thunderings and thunderings of thunderings, lightnings and lightnings of lightnings, thunders differing one from another and lightnings differing one from another. And so it says, "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters, the God of glory thunders, the LORD upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is in power, the voice of the LORD is in majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars... the voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire, the voice of the LORD makes the wilderness tremble... the voice of the LORD makes the hinds calve and strips the forests bare, and in His temple all say Glory" (Psalms 29:3-9). Scripture tells that on the day of the giving of the Torah there were clouds and lightnings and falling rain. And so it says, "LORD, when You went forth from Seir, when You marched from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, the clouds also dropped water" (Judges 5:4). And it says, "The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind, the lightnings lit up the world" (Psalms 77:19). And like the sound of a shofar heard in the air, as it says, "and the sound of the shofar was exceedingly strong," until the whole world trembled, and all the nations of the world gathered to Balaam son of Beor. They said to him, "It seems the Omnipresent is destroying His world with water," as it says, "The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood" (Psalms 29:10). He said to them, "Fools of the world! He already swore that He would not bring a flood upon the world, as it says, 'For this is to Me like the waters of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should no more pass over the earth' (Isaiah 54:9)." They said to him, "Surely He brings no flood of water, but perhaps He brings a flood of fire." He said to them, "He brings neither a flood of water nor a flood of fire." They said to him, "Then what is this sound?" He said to them, "He is giving Torah to His people, as it says, 'The LORD will give strength to His people' (Psalms 29:11), and 'strength' means nothing but Torah, as it says, 'with Him are strength and sound wisdom' (Job 12:16)." They said to him, "If so, may the LORD bless His people with peace." "And all the people in the camp trembled." They shuddered. And is this not an argument from the lesser to the greater? If Israel, who were destined and prepared to stand before Mount Sinai, shuddered, how much more the nations of the world. And so it says, "From heaven You made judgment heard; the earth feared and was still" (Psalms 76:9).

"And Moses brought the people out to meet God" (Exodus 19:17). Rabbi Yose ben Yudan used to say: It says, "The LORD came from Sinai" (Deuteronomy 33:2). Upon Sinai He was revealed. But I say: From Sinai He came to receive His children with joy. They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a bridegroom who goes out to meet the bride. From the honor of the one who goes out you learn the honor of the one who comes in. Therefore it says, "And Moses brought the people out to meet God." "And they stood at the foot of the mountain." They pressed close together. Concerning them it is explained in the Writings, "My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret place of the cliff" (Song of Songs 2:14). Rabbi Elazar says: This thing is said only concerning the Sea. "Show me your appearance" (there), as it says, "Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14:13). "Let me hear your voice" (there), as it says, "and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD" (Exodus 14:10). "For your voice is sweet" (there), "and their cry went up to God" (Exodus 2:23). "And your appearance is comely" (there), "and the people believed" (Exodus 4:31). Rabbi Akiva says: This thing is said only before Mount Sinai. "Show me your appearance," as it says, "And Moses rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain" (Exodus 24:4). "Let me hear your voice," as it says, "And all the people answered together and said, all that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will obey" (Exodus 24:7). "For your voice is sweet," "they have well said all that they have spoken" (Deuteronomy 5:25). "And your appearance is comely," in the Tent of Meeting, "and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD" (Leviticus 9:5). Others say: This thing is said only concerning the generations to come. "My dove in the clefts of the rock," as it says, "upon the circle of the earth" (Isaiah 40:22). "In the secret place of the cliff"—these are Israel, who dwell beside the distress of the kingdoms until their time comes. "Show me your appearance"—this is deed. "Let me hear your voice"—this is study. "For your voice is sweet and your appearance is comely"—to make known to you how many levels lie between study and deed. And they were already counted in the upper chamber of the house of Aris: which is greater, study or deed? Rabbi Tarfon said: deed is greater. Rabbi Akiva said: study is greater. They all answered and said: study is greater, for study leads to deed, but deed does not lead to study. Another interpretation: "And they stood at the foot of the mountain." This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, held the mountain over them like a tub and said, "If you accept the Torah upon yourselves, good; and if not, here shall be your burial." At that hour they all cried out in weeping and poured out their hearts like water in repentance, and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will obey" (Exodus 24:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I require guarantors." "Behold, let heaven and earth guarantee us." He said to them, "They are occupied." They said, "Our children shall guarantee us." He said, "These indeed are good guarantors." And so it says, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have founded strength" (Psalms 8:3). And it says, "And you have forgotten the Torah of your God; I also will forget your children" (Hosea 4:6).

"And Mount Sinai was wholly in smoke" (Exodus 19:18). One might think only the holy place; Scripture says "wholly," not only the holy place. Because of what? "Because the LORD descended upon it in fire." Scripture tells that the fire licked the firmament and came down upon Mount Sinai and became like a heart of fire, to give a sign by it. And so it says, "as when fire kindles the brushwood, the fire makes water boil, to make Your name known to Your adversaries" (Isaiah 64:1). "In fire." This tells that words of Torah were likened to fire. Just as fire is life to the world, so words of Torah are life to the world. Just as with fire, if a person draws too near he is burned, and if he keeps far from it he is chilled, so too with a word of Torah: if a person draws too near he is burned, and if he keeps far from it he is chilled. This is what we learned: "Be warmed by the light of the sages, but be careful of their coals lest you be burned." Just as fire, the small kindles the great and the great kindles the small, so too a word of Torah: the small learns from the great and the great learns from the small. Everyone who handles fire in this world merits and handles it in the world to come. Another interpretation: Everyone who accepts upon himself words of Torah, which were likened to fire, the yoke of the kingdoms, which were likened to fire, is removed from him. And everyone who casts off from himself the yoke of Torah, which was likened to fire, is given the yoke of the kingdom, which was likened to fire. And so it says, "And I will set My face against them; from the fire they came out, and the fire shall consume them" (Ezekiel 15:7). Just as with fire, the people who labor at it are recognized among the creatures, so too disciples of the wise are recognized by their speech and their walk and their garb in the marketplace. "And its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace." Just as this furnace tests the jars, some come out fit for wine, some come out fit for oil, and some come out cracked, so too words of Torah test people. And so it says, "The word of the LORD is refined" (Psalms 18:31). Thus the commandments were given only to refine through them the minds of the creatures. "Like the smoke of a furnace." One might think actually like the smoke of a furnace; Scripture says, "and the mountain burned with fire" (Deuteronomy 4:11). Why then does it say "like a furnace"? To let the ear hear what it is able to hear. Similarly you say, "and behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters" (Ezekiel 43:2). Is it possible that His creatures are like Him? Rather, to let the ear hear what it is able to hear. Similarly, "the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle" (Psalms 24:8). Similarly, "a lion has roared, who will not fear?" (Amos 3:8). Similarly, "My teaching shall drop as the rain" (Deuteronomy 32:2). Is it possible the rains are greater than the Torah, that He compares it to them? Rather, to let the ear hear what it is able to hear. "And the whole mountain trembled greatly." It shuddered. And so it says, "Why do you look askance, you mountains of peaks?" (Psalms 68:17). "The mountain which God desired for His dwelling"—this is Sinai. "Indeed the LORD will dwell there forever"—this is the eternal house [the Temple].

"And the sound of the shofar grew louder and exceedingly strong" (Exodus 19:19). In the way of the world, the longer a sound continues, the weaker it becomes. But the One who spoke and the world came into being is not so. Rather, the longer the sound continues, the stronger it grows. So too, the longer the masters of Torah go on, the more settled their understanding becomes. And so it says, "With aged men is wisdom" (Job 12:12). "Moses would speak, and God would answer him with a voice." Rabbi Eliezer says: Great honor did the Omnipresent allot to Moses, for the Omnipresent would not speak until Moses said to Him, "Speak, for Your children have already accepted Your words upon them with joy." Rabbi Akiva says: How do we know that with the voice and the power and the sweetness with which Moses heard, he made Israel hear? Scripture says, "Moses would speak, and God would answer him"—certainly. Why then does it say "with a voice"? This teaches that with the voice and the power and the sweetness with which Moses heard, he made Israel hear.

"And the LORD descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain" (Exodus 19:20). One might think He actually descended; Scripture says, "for from heaven I spoke with you" (Exodus 20:22). Why then does it say, "And the LORD descended upon Mount Sinai"? Say from now on: the heavens of the upper heavens were split, and permission was given to fire to scorch the waters, as it says, "as when fire kindles the brushwood, the fire makes water boil" (Isaiah 64:1). The lower tier descended and stood upon Mount Sinai, and He spoke with them from the heavens—these are the heavens that are above Mount Sinai. "And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up." When Moses ascended to the firmament, the ministering angels joined against him and said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the universe, what is one born of woman doing here?" He said to them, "He has come to receive the Torah." They said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the universe, be content with the upper beings, as it says, 'LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have set Your glory above the heavens' (Psalms 8:2). It is fitting; what have You to do with dwellers in the dust?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Son of Amram, return them an answer." He said before Him, "Master of the universe, can I answer Your angels?" He said to him, "Take hold of the throne and return them an answer." This is what is written, "He grasps the face of the throne and spreads His cloud over him" (Job 26:9). This teaches that He took hold of the throne and spread over him from the radiance of His cloud and shielded him, so the angels would not scorch him with their fire. And so it says, "and I will cover you with My palm until I have passed by" (Exodus 33:22). When he took hold of the throne, he said to them, "You say, be content with the upper beings. And what need have you of it?" They said to him, "What is written in it?" He said to them, "It is written in it, 'You shall have no other gods before Me' (Exodus 20:3). Are there idolaters among you? It is written in it, 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain' (Exodus 20:7). Is there commerce among you where one swears? It is written in it, 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal' (Exodus 20:13). Are there any of these traits among you? It is written in it, 'Honor your father and your mother' (Exodus 20:12). Do you have a father and a mother?" When they heard this, they said, "Master of the universe, give it to him, so that the lower beings may be content with it, for the upper beings have no need of it." This is what is written, "LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth" (Psalms 8:10). And when the ministering angels saw that the Holy One, blessed be He, had given him the Torah, they too crowned him and revealed to him their secrets. This is what is written, "You ascended on high, You led captivity captive, You received gifts among men" (Psalms 68:19). And even the angel of death, when he saw that all the angels revealed their secrets to him, he too revealed his secret to him. He said to him, "At the time the plague comes, offer incense and it is held back." When the plague began, what does it say? "And Moses said to Aaron, 'Take the firepan and put fire on it from the altar and place incense'" (Numbers 17:11). And it says, "and he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was held back." And so it says, "they shall put incense before You" (Deuteronomy 33:10).

"And the LORD said to Moses, 'Go down, warn the people'" and so forth (Exodus 19:21). The one who had gone up—urge him not to look; and the one who had not gone up—urge him not to go up. "Lest they break through to the LORD to see"—that they should not break down the boundaries. "And many of them fall." "Many" means nothing but a multitude. This tells that if one of them fell to the ground, He accounts it to him as though a multitude had fallen before Him. Another interpretation: "And many of them fall"—of Him whose smaller part holds back His larger part [i.e., even the loss of a few is reckoned as the loss of the whole].

"And also the priests who approach the LORD shall sanctify themselves" (Exodus 19:22). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah says: these are the firstborn. Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] says: this is Nadab and Abihu. In two places "priests" is said and Nadab and Abihu are not said, and in two places Nadab and Abihu are said and "priests" is not said. "Lest the LORD break out against them" (Exodus 19:22) [literally, make a breach in them] meaning that no breach be made in them. Another interpretation: "Lest the LORD break out against them" meaning that they themselves should not break through.

"And Moses said to the LORD, 'The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai'" (Exodus 19:23). This is what Rabbi Yehudah means when he says: the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Behold, I tell you a thing, and you answer Me, and behold I in turn concede to your words." "For You warned us, saying, 'Set bounds about the mountain and sanctify it'" (Exodus 19:23). He said to Him: they have already made boundaries for themselves and have prepared themselves.

"And the LORD said to him, 'Go down, and you shall come up'" (Exodus 19:24). You might think all could go up with him; therefore Scripture teaches, "but let not the people break through to come up" (Exodus 19:24). You might think the priests could go up with him; therefore Scripture teaches, "and you shall come up, you and Aaron with you" (Exodus 19:24) and the priests are not with you. You might think Aaron was within the same partition [as Moses]; therefore Scripture teaches, "and Moses alone shall approach the LORD" (Exodus 24:2). Say from now on: Moses had a partition to himself and Aaron had a partition to himself.

"And Moses went down to the people and said to them" (Exodus 19:25). This teaches that he did not go into his house and did not turn aside to any other matters. I have only the words spoken at Mount Sinai, that he did not go into his house and did not turn to other matters; from where do I learn the same of the words of the Tent of Meeting, that he did not go into his house and did not turn to other matters? Scripture teaches, "and he went out and spoke to the children of Israel what he was commanded" (Exodus 34:34). When Moses went down to call Aaron, the Holy One, blessed be He, sounded forth His voice, so that Israel should not say that the voice came from the firmament. The first voice went out, and the heavens and the earth quaked, and the mountains and hills tottered, and the seas and rivers fled, and all the trees bowed down. The dead among Israel came to life and stood upon their feet, and Israel recoiled and drew back twelve mil, and their souls flew out. In that voice they heard "I am" and "You shall not have," and so it says, "God has spoken once; twice have I heard this" (Psalms 62:12). At that moment they said to Moses, "Draw near, you, and hear all that the LORD our God will say, and you shall speak to us" (Deuteronomy 5:24). And the Holy One, blessed be He, heard their voice and it was pleasing before Him. He sent for Michael and for Gabriel, and they seized the two hands of Moses against his will and brought him near to the thick darkness, as it says, "and Moses drew near to the thick darkness" (Exodus 20:21). It is not written here "he approached" but "he was brought near," against his will. And He caused the rest of the commandments to be heard by Israel. Of him it is said, "Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he restores the soul of his masters" (Proverbs 25:13).

"And God spoke all these words, saying" (Exodus 20:1). He said to them: I conduct judgment between you, and with all the words, for had you not accepted them upon yourselves I would not have exacted punishment from you. One who accepts is not like one who does not accept. Rabbi Yehudah the Patriarch offers a parable. To what is the matter like? To one who married a woman; they say to her [text uncertain: terms of the marriage agreement]. So too you, Israel: you were drawn to Me, you let yourselves be drawn to Me, so that you would do My will. Another interpretation: "And God spoke" teaches that the words spoken here are the very words spoken there; both are to one matter, that which the mouth is unable to speak and the ear is unable to hear. Here it says, "And God spoke all these words," and there it says, "God has spoken once; twice have I heard this" (Psalms 62:12), and it says, "Is not My word like fire, declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 23:29). Just as this fire divides into many sparks, so one utterance goes out into many verses. Another interpretation: "And God spoke": I am the one who exacts punishment by this, and I am the one who pays reward by this, and so it says, "Face to face the LORD spoke with you" (Deuteronomy 5:4). Another interpretation: "And God spoke" teaches that He would tell them the first thing first and the last thing last. Another interpretation: "And God spoke all the words." You might think that at the end they said to Him, "We have accepted upon ourselves"; therefore Scripture teaches, "I am the LORD your God." "I am" was within the general statement, and it went out from the general statement; what departs from the general teaches about the general: just as "I am" had an utterance of its own and an acceptance of its own, [so too every one of the commandments had an utterance of its own and an acceptance of its own]. What does "saying" teach? It teaches that He would say to them concerning each and every commandment, upon a "no" a "no," and upon a "yes" a "yes."

"I am the LORD your God" (Exodus 20:2): I am the one; let whoever has authority come and protest. Rabbi Shimon says: regarding the destruction of the world it is said, "And I will blot out every living thing" (Genesis 7:4) - I am the one; let whoever has authority come and protest. Likewise you say, "Not in secret have I spoken, in a place of a land of darkness; I, the one who speaks righteousness" (Isaiah 45:19) - I am the one; let whoever has authority come and protest. Another interpretation: "I am the LORD your God" - I am God over all who come into the world. You might think you are like them; therefore Scripture teaches, "your God." You might think I am God over you alone; therefore Scripture teaches, "I am the LORD" - I am God over all who come into the world. How then? I am God over all who come into the world, yet My name rests especially upon you. Likewise you say, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel" (Jeremiah 32:14) - and "Behold I am the God of all flesh" (Jeremiah 32:27). Another interpretation: "I am the LORD your God" - what does "your God" teach? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: if you do My will, behold I am the LORD, and it is said of Me, "the LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious" (Exodus 34:6); but if not, "your God" - I exact punishment from those who hate you, for "your God" teaches nothing but the language of a judge. Another interpretation: "I am the LORD your God" teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought His Torah around to all the nations of the world and they would not accept it from Him; He returned to Israel and said, "I am the LORD your God." "Who brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 20:2): even if I had nothing over you except that I brought you out of the land of Egypt, it is enough. "From the house of slaves" (Exodus 20:2): even if I had nothing over you except that I redeemed you from the house of slaves, it is enough.

"You shall have no" (Exodus 20:3). You might think one may not keep [an idol] for oneself but may keep it for others; therefore Scripture teaches, "there shall not be." What does "you shall have no" teach? It teaches that anyone who keeps idolatry for himself transgresses on two counts: on account of "there shall not be" and on account of "to you." "Gods": you might think, since they are called gods, that there is need of them before Me; therefore Scripture teaches, "other." Another interpretation: what does "other gods" teach? That one should not make a god of silver or of gold and say, "It is not an abomination but a god, not a foul thing but a god"; therefore Scripture teaches "other gods" - even though you do not hold it to be a god, you are not permitted to keep it. Another interpretation: "other" - they were made last; so it says, "new ones lately come, whom your fathers did not dread" (Deuteronomy 32:17); they did not profit you, nor did they profit your fathers, nor did they profit anyone in their days. Another interpretation: "other" - they delay the good from coming into the world. Another interpretation: "other" - they make their worshippers into strangers. "Before Me" (Exodus 20:3): not in My likeness and not in the likeness of My servants. Another interpretation: "before Me" teaches that they bring wrath [text uncertain] into the world.

"You shall not make for yourself" (Exodus 20:4). This teaches that anyone who makes idolatry for himself transgresses on two counts: on account of "you shall not make" and on account of "for yourself." "A carved image": I have only a carved image; when it says "any likeness," this is to include the sun and the moon, the stars and the constellations. "That is in the heavens": to include the heavens themselves. "Above": to include the ministering angels. "And that is in the earth": to include the mountains and hills, the snakes and the scorpions. "Beneath": to include the deeps. "And that is in the waters": to include the beasts of the sea and the dolphins. "Beneath": to include the worms. "The earth": to include the earth itself. When it says "any likeness": not in their likeness, and not in the likeness of their reflection, and not [in the likeness of] the wild beasts, and not in the likeness of the beasts that are above. If in the end we are to include them all, what does "a carved image" teach? Rather, if you do this, you are found to be disqualifying the world from Me, and behold I in turn disqualify the world from you.

"You shall not bow down to them" (Exodus 20:5). You do bow down to a human being. One might think that even if it is venerated like Haman, the verse therefore teaches: "You shall not bow down to them and you shall not serve them" — you shall not bow down by way of worship. "You shall not bow down to them": bowing was included in the general rule, so why was it singled out? To compare other acts to it. Just as bowing is distinct in that it is a single act and one is liable for it on its own — whether one regularly worships the idol or not — so too any service that is reserved for the Divine Name: if one performs it for idolatry, one is liable, whether one regularly worships the idol or not. And what are the services reserved for the Name? Slaughtering, burning incense, bowing, and pouring libations. If one performed any of these for an idol, even though that is not the ordinary manner of worshiping it, one is liable. "And you shall not serve them": that one should not worship an idol in its ordinary manner — such as throwing a stone at Mercurius, or exposing oneself before Peor, or offering one's hair to Chemosh, or passing one's child through fire to Molech, and the like. And so it says, "How did these nations serve their gods, that I too may do likewise?" (Deuteronomy 12:30). This teaches that one is not liable until one worships it in its ordinary manner. Thus there are three liabilities to extirpation in idolatry: one who worships it in its ordinary manner; one who worships it through one of the four services reserved for the Name even though that is not its ordinary manner; and one who accepts it upon himself as a god even though he has not worshiped it. Another interpretation of "and you shall not serve them": that one should not wash for, anoint, scour, sweep, sprinkle, kiss, or embrace any kind of idol. "For I the LORD your God": this teaches that they beheld the Presence that will one day grant reward to the righteous in the time to come. And since the prophets proclaim Him in many descriptions — one verse says, "His garment was white as snow" (Daniel 7:9), and another says, "Why is Your apparel red?" (Isaiah 63:2) — could you imagine that what they see lasts only a moment? Therefore it says of Ezekiel, "and I saw visions of God" (Ezekiel 1:1). He said to them: many visions did I see until I was worthy to receive the face of the Presence. "A jealous God": this teaches that they beheld the Presence destined to exact punishment from the wicked in the time to come. "A jealous God" — a God who judges, a God who is severe, a God who is unsparing. Another interpretation of "a jealous God": is there jealousy before Him, and does He exact punishment by way of jealousy? Rather, He exacts no punishment by stone, by arrow, or by spear, yet everyone who goes after idolatry has, as it were, supplanted Me. Agrippas the Elder asked Rabban Gamliel: a man is not jealous except of one smaller than himself, not of one greater or equal to him. And so it says, "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters" (Jeremiah 17:13) — if those who forsook Me, the fountain of living waters, were despised, how much more those who hewed for themselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water. "Visiting" — "visiting" means nothing other than recalling, and so it says, "And the LORD remembered Sarah" (Genesis 21:1), and it says, "I have surely remembered you" (Exodus 3:16). Rabbi Yehudah says: I gather up their iniquities into My hand and suspend the reckoning until the fourth generation, as with Jehu son of Nimshi, and so it says, "Your sons of the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel" (II Kings 15:12), and so it was for him. One verse says, "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children," and another verse says, "the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son, nor the son the iniquity of the father" (Ezekiel 18:20). If the fathers were righteous, He suspends the reckoning for the children; if not, He does not suspend it. They told a parable: to what is this like? To one who borrowed a hundred maneh from the king and denied the debt; then his grandson borrowed a hundred maneh from the king and denied it. To the fourth they will not lend, because of his fathers who were deniers. And so it says, "Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we have borne their iniquities" (Lamentations 5:7). Do not read "we have borne their iniquities" but "we have borne our own iniquities" — who caused us to bear iniquities of our own souls? Our fathers, who were deniers. "Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children": one might think upon their own offspring alone; therefore it says, "and upon the children's children." Were this verse to say only that, I would say He suspends the reckoning only for the second generation; from where do we learn three and four generations? Therefore it says, "upon the third and upon the fourth generation of those who hate Me." "Of those who hate Me": at the time when they cling to the deeds of their fathers.

"And showing kindness to thousands" (Exodus 20:6): one might think only to one's own offspring; therefore it says, "to the thousandth generation" (Deuteronomy 7:9). Were this verse to say only that, I would say He shows kindness only for a thousand generations; and from where do we learn thousands and thousands of thousands? Therefore it says, "and showing kindness to thousands." "To those who love Me": to one who acts before Me out of love. "And to those who keep My commandments": to one who acts before Me out of fear. This is to make known how many levels there are between one who acts out of love and one who acts out of fear; and to teach you that the measure of goodness is greater than the measure of punishment by five hundred to one. Another interpretation: four negative commands are stated in this verse — why? Corresponding to the four kingdoms. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: take heed that they not lead you astray; do not do this, do not do that. Why? Because I am destined to exact punishment from them in the end, as it is written, "For I the LORD your God am a jealous God." "Visiting the iniquity of the fathers" — the iniquity of Nebuchadnezzar, who is the father of the kingdoms — "upon the children," this is his son Belshazzar. "Upon the third" — this is the kingdom of Media, for so it says, "and it had three ribs in its mouth" (Daniel 7:5). "Upon the fourth" — this is the kingdom of Greece, of which it is written, "and the beast had four heads" (Daniel 7:6). "Of those who hate Me" — this is the wicked kingdom of Edom, of which it is written, "and Esau I hated" (Malachi 1:3). And afterward, "showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me." From here you learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not cause His Presence to rest upon Zion until He has exacted punishment from the nations, and so it says, "and I will hold their blood guiltless that I have not held guiltless, for the LORD dwells in Zion" (Joel 4:21).

"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7): "vain" means nothing other than a thing that was not, and is not, and will never be. "For the LORD will not hold guiltless": since it was said at Horeb, "return, and I will hold guiltless," one might think that repentance atones; therefore it says, "for the LORD will not hold guiltless." Is this now a reasoning from the lighter to the heavier, such that repentance does not atone — only for a matter punishable by death at the hands of Heaven, or for every negative commandment in the Torah? Repentance does not atone; therefore it says, "for the LORD will not hold guiltless him who takes His name in vain" — for this, repentance does not atone, but it does atone for every other negative commandment in the Torah. This is now a reasoning from the lighter to the heavier: that repentance should atone for a positive commandment and for a negative commandment that contains the fulfillment of a positive one. Say from now on: whatever is from "you shall not take" and below are lighter transgressions, and repentance atones for them; and whatever is from "you shall not" and above are graver transgressions, and repentance does not atone for them. One might think that the Day of Atonement does not atone; therefore it says, "for on this day He shall atone for you" (Leviticus 16:30).

"Remember" and "keep" (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12): both were spoken as one matter — what the mouth cannot speak and the ear cannot hear. So it says, "And God spoke all these words" (Exodus 20:1), and it says, "God has spoken once; twice have I heard this" (Psalms 62:12). Shammai the Elder says: remember it before it comes and keep it once it comes. And they said of Shammai the Elder that the memory of the Sabbath never departed from his mouth: he would buy a good article and say, "this is for the Sabbath"; a new vessel, and say, "this is for the Sabbath." And they said of Shammai the Elder that all his days he ate in honor of the Sabbath: if he found a fine animal he would say, "this is for the honor of the Sabbath"; if he found another finer than it, he would set aside the second and eat the first. But Hillel the Elder had a different way, for all his deeds were for the sake of Heaven, as it is written, "Blessed be the LORD day by day" (Psalms 68:20). Another interpretation of "remember": recall it over the cup. From here we learn that one sanctifies the Sabbath only over a cup of wine. Another interpretation of "remember" and "keep": recall it before it enters and keep it once it has entered. From here we learn that one adds from the ordinary onto the holy at its entrance and at its departure. Rabbi Eliezer said... Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira says: from where do we learn that when you count the days you should count "one toward the Sabbath, second toward the Sabbath, third toward the Sabbath, fourth toward the Sabbath, fifth toward the Sabbath, and the eve of the Sabbath"? Therefore it says, "remember." "The day": I have only the day; from where do I include the night? Therefore it says, "to keep it holy." Why then does it say "day"? The honor of the day precedes the honor of the night. "To keep it holy": sanctify it at night. And from where do we learn that if one did not sanctify it at night, one may continue to sanctify it all through the day? Therefore it says, "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." If one has only a single cup, the sanctification of the day takes precedence over the honor of the day and the honor of the night. Another interpretation of "to keep it holy": with what do you sanctify it? With food and drink and clean clothing — that your Sabbath meal should not be like a weekday meal, and your Sabbath garb not like your weekday garb. And from where do we learn that even a poor man should not let his Sabbath food be like his weekday food? Therefore it says, "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."

"Six days you shall labor" (Exodus 20:9): Rabbi says this is a separate decree — just as Israel was commanded regarding the positive precept of the Sabbath, so they were commanded regarding work. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: great is work, for the Presence did not rest upon Israel until they performed work, as it says, "And let them make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: great is work, for the Omnipresent decreed death upon a man only out of idleness, as it says, "and he expired and died and was gathered to his people" (Genesis 25:17). Rabbi Akiva says: great is work, for one who derives the value of a perutah from consecrated property brings a guilt-offering for misappropriation plus a fifth and an additional guilt-offering worth two selas, yet the laborers who worked on the sanctuary received their wages from the chamber's terumah. Rabbi Shimon says: great is work, for even a High Priest who enters on the Day of Atonement at a time not appointed for service is liable to death, yet at the time of labor the impure and the blemished are permitted to enter. "Six days you shall labor and do all your work": this is the matter in which the House of Shammai say one may not soak ink, dyes, or vetch unless there is time for them to be soaked while it is still day; and one may not spread nets for beasts or fowl unless there is time for them to be trapped while it is still day; and one may not load the beams of the olive press or the round masses of the winepress unless there is time for the liquid to flow out while it is still day; and one may not open water channels into a garden unless there is time for it to fill while it is still day; and one may not place meat, onion, or egg upon the fire, nor a dish into the oven, unless there is time for them to be cooked while it is still day. But the House of Hillel permit all of these. For the House of Shammai say, "six days you shall labor and do all your work" — that your work be entirely finished before the eve of the Sabbath. And the House of Hillel say, "six days you shall labor" — you do work all six, and the rest of your work gets done by itself on the Sabbath. "And do all your work": that on the Sabbath you should be as one who has no work at all.

"But the seventh day is a Sabbath" (Exodus 20:10): I have only a positive commandment; from where do I learn a negative commandment? Therefore it says, "you shall not do any work." I have only a positive and a negative commandment; from where the death penalty? Therefore it says, "whoever does work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death" (Exodus 31:15). We have heard the punishment, but we have not heard the warning; therefore it says, "and the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath" (Exodus 31:16). I have only punishment and warning for daytime labor; from where punishment and warning for nighttime labor? Therefore it says, "from evening to evening" (Leviticus 23:32) — if it is not needed for the matter of the eve of the Day of Atonement, apply it to the matter of the eves of the Sabbaths. From where the death penalty for the positive and negative commandment? Therefore it says, "those who profane it shall surely be put to death" (Exodus 31:14). "A Sabbath to the LORD your God": rest even from thought. From here they said: a person should not stroll in his field on the Sabbath to see what it requires, nor to the bathhouse to bathe in it after dark; and all the calculations he needs, whether of the past or of what is to come, he should not reckon on the Sabbath. "You shall not do any work": one might think one may not trim vegetables, rinse dishes, or make the beds; therefore it says "work." Here "work" is stated, and "work" is stated regarding the Tabernacle. Just as the work stated regarding the Tabernacle is work accompanied by purposeful intent, so too the work stated regarding the Sabbath is work accompanied by purposeful intent. "You, your son and your daughter": one might think one's grown son and daughter; when it says "you," the grown son and daughter are already accounted for. Why then does it say "your son and your daughter"? These are one's minor son and daughter — that one should not say to one's minor son, "bring me this vessel from the market," "bring me this basket from the market." Minors who come to extinguish a fire — one does not listen to them, for they too are commanded regarding rest. One might think one must chase after them so they do not break shards or scatter pebbles; therefore it says "you" — just as you act of your own knowledge upon your own work, so they act of their own knowledge upon their own work. If it says "son," why say "daughter"? Because there is in the son what is not in the daughter, and in the daughter what is not in the son. Regarding a son, his father is obligated in commandments concerning him: to circumcise him, to redeem him, to teach him Torah, to teach him a craft, to make him swim upon the water, and to marry him to a wife — which is not so with a daughter. Regarding a daughter, her father is entitled to what she finds, to the work of her hands, and to the annulment of her vows — which is not so with a son. Thus, because there is in the son what is not in the daughter and in the daughter what is not in the son, it must say "son" and must say "daughter." "Your manservant and your maidservant": one might think the Hebrew manservant and maidservant — but these are like you. Which then are these? The resident manservant and maidservant. "And your animal": why do I need this? If to say that one may not do work with it, that has already been said in "you shall not do any work." Why then say "and your animal"? That a person should not rent out his animal to a gentile, nor lend it, and that it should not go out bearing a burden on the Sabbath. "And your stranger who is within your gates": if Scripture speaks of the righteous convert, it has already said, "one statute shall be for you, for the assembly, and for the stranger who sojourns" (Numbers 15:16). How then do I uphold "your stranger"? Scripture speaks of the resident alien, who is the hired hand and gatherer of an Israelite, that he should not let him do work for him on the Sabbath; but for himself, of his own accord, he may do work.