Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Reader

"for this thing is beyond your strength": He said to him: Look at that beam. When it is moist, two or three get under it but cannot lift it; four or five get under it and can lift it. "For this thing is beyond your strength you will not be able to do it alone."

(Exodus 19:19) "Moses spoke and the L–rd answered him with a voice": R. Eliezer says: Whence is it derived that the Holy One Blessed be He would not speak (a new commandment) until Moses said to Him that His children had already accepted (the previous commandment)? From "Moses spoke, etc."

Rebbi says: That verse is speaking of an offering that comes from either sheep or cattle, i.e., peace-offerings (shelamim) — whence they ruled: A Pesach "surplus" is used for peace-offerings. (i.e., in the instance of an intended Pesach offering which was lost and replaced by another, and then found.)

R. Avshalom the elder says: An analogy: A man gets angry with his son and drives him from the house. His lover comes in to beseech him to restore him to his house. He responds: Are you beseeching me for my son? I have already come to terms with my son.

A king of flesh and blood goes out to war and (emissaries of) neighboring lands come and request sustenance form him. He tells them angrily that he is going to war. When he returns victorious, they come and request sustenance form him. "The L–rd is a man of war" — He wars against Egypt. "the L–rd is His name" — (At the same time) He hears the outcries of all who enter the world. As it is written (Psalms 65:3) "Heeder of prayer — to You does all flesh come.

R. Eliezer says: "and about two cubits above the earth": the quail were two cubits above the ground, and Israel took them from the top (layer). Come and see how the manna descended for Israel: A north wind would come and "sweep" the desert. Then rain would come and clean the ground, and the dew would rise and the wind would blow on it and make it like golden tables, on which the manna descended. And Israel would eat it, saying:

(Ibid. 19) "Now, hearken to my voice": If you hearken to me, it will go well with you. "I will counsel you and G–d will be with you." Go and consult the Omnipotent. "You be to the people": as a vessel, full of pronouncements. "And you shall bring the matters": The things that you hear, bring and relate to them.

R. Akiva to R. Eliezer: This goes without saying. What, rather, is the intent of "Moses spoke, etc."? That the Holy One Blessed be He gave power and strength to Moses and assisted him with his voice, so that Moses could speak (the commandment) to Israel in the same manner that he had heard it from Him. Thus, "Moses spoke, G–d answering (i.e., assisting) him with (the) voice."

But still, let his blood be spilled from other limbs (and not through "the sword" [i.e., decapitation])! It is, therefore, written (in respect to eglah arufah [the "heifer of the broken neck"], Devarim 21:4) "And they shall break there (with a hatchet) the neck of the heifer in the river-bed … (9) and you shall remove the innocent blood from your midst." All spillers of blood are likened to eglah arufah — Just as eglah arufah, by decapitation, so, all spillers of blood by decapitation. We have heard of the punishment. Whence (is derived) the exhortation? (Exodus 20:13) "Thou shalt not kill."

(Exodus 23:15) "the festival of Matzoth shall you keep": From here R. Yehudah b. Betheira adduced: "as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of aviv" — Years are intercalated so that the festival (Pesach) falls out only in the month of aviv, (when the grain begins to ripen).

A king of flesh and blood, whilst at war, cannot supply all of his soldiers. Not so, the Holy One Blessed be He. "The L–rd is a man of war" — He wars against Egypt. "The L–rd is His name" — He sustains all who enter the world. As it is written (Psalms 136:13) "He divides the sea into strips" (twelve strips for twelve tribes) — (Ibid. 25) "He gives bread to all flesh." (Ibid. 147:10) He gives the beast its food, the raven's young, what they call for."

(Exodus 19:20) "And the L–rd descended upon Mount Sinai": I might think that the "Glory" itself descended on Mount Sinai. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 20:19) "that from the heavens I spoke to you." We are hereby apprised that the Holy One Blessed be He bent the lower heavens and the upper heavens of heaven and spread them over the top of the mountain and the Glory descended on top of the mountain. (He did this) as one spreads a bolster on a bed, (and He spoke) as a man speaking from a bolster, viz. (Isaiah 63:19-64:1) "Had You not split the heavens and descended, the mountains quaking before You, as fire kindles brushwood, fire boiling water, etc."

"they shall not appear before Me empty-handed": but with sacrifices. You say with sacrifices, but perhaps with money? It follows (that it is with sacrifices), viz.: "Rejoicing" is written (here) in respect to man, and "rejoicing" is written in respect to peace-offerings. Just as there, with sacrifices, so, here, with sacrifices.

Rebbi says: Last night you said (i.e., you complained to Me) (Exodus 5:23) "And from the time I came to Pharaoh, etc." And now you stand and wax long in prayer? "Why do you cry out to Me?" Rebbi says (Exodus 14:15) "Speak to the children of Israel and have them go forward ('veyisa'u')." Have them retract ('yasiu') the things that they said. Last night they said (Ibid. 11) "Is it for lack of graves, etc.?" and now you stand and wax long in prayer (for them)? "Why do you cry out to Me?" Let them retract what they have said.

"The L–rd is a man of war": Is it possible to say this (i.e., to refer to Him as "a man")? Is it not written (of His transcendent majesty) (Jeremiah 23:24) "Do I not fill heaven and earth, sys the L–rd"? And (Isaiah 6:3) "And one (seraph) would call to another and say: Holy, Holy, Holy, etc." And (II Chronicles 6:14) "O L–rd, G–d of Israel, there is none like You, etc." And (Ezekiel 43:2) "And, behold, the glory of the G–d of Israel, etc." What, then, is the intent of "a man of war"? Because of your love (i.e., the love He has for you) and because of your holiness, I shall sanctify My name through you. For it is written (Hoshea 11:9) "For I am G–d, and not a man, etc."

(Numbers 11:33) "the flesh was still between their teeth": They said: The "kosher" one among them ate it and became immediately diarrhetic. The wicked one among them ate it and suffered up to thirty days, viz. (Ibid.) "and the wrath of the L–rd burned against them … an extremely sore plague." (Ibid. 35) "And the people journeyed from Chatzeiroth and they abode in Chatzeiroth": Now did they journey from Chatzeiroth and abide there? We are hereby apprised that they journeyed back for the sake of Miriam. (See Ibid. Chapter 12)

R. Yossi says (Psalms 115:16) "the heavens are the heavens of the L–rd, etc." Moses and Eliyahu did not ascend above, and the glory did not descend below. But the L–rd said to Moses: I will call you from the top of the mountain, and you ascend, viz. (Exodus 19:20) "And the L–rd called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses ascended."

How so? If one were rolling a roller (down), and it fell on him and killed him; if he were descending a ladder, and it fell on him and killed him; if he were letting a bucket (down), and it fell on him and killed him — he is exiled.

Variantly: "They shall not appear before Me empty-handed": but with burnt-offerings. But perhaps, with peace-offerings. It follows (that it is with burnt-offerings), viz.: "Rejoicing" is written (here) in respect to men, and "rejoicing" is written in respect to peace-offerings. Just as "rejoicing" vis-à-vis men is with something that is fit for men (i.e., peace-offerings, of which a man eats) so, "rejoicing" vis-à-vis Heaven is with something that is (uniquely) "fit" for Heaven (i.e., burnt-offerings). It would not be fitting that your table be full ad the "table" of your Master, empty.

The sages say: He wrought with them for His name's sake, viz. (Isaiah 48:11) "For My sake, for My sake shall I do, etc." And (Ibid. 63:12) "He split the sea before them." Why? (Ibid.) "To make Himself an eternal name."

"the L–rd is His name": It is with His name that He wars, and He has no need of any of these (military) appurtenances. And thus did David say (I Samuel 17:95) "You come to me with sword, and spear, and javelin; but I come to you with the name of the L–rd of hosts, etc." And (Psalms 20:8) "These with chariots and these with horse, but we with the name of the L–rd our G–d, etc." And thus did Assa say, viz. (II Chronicles 14:10) "And Assa called out to the L–rd his G–d and said: O L–rd, there is none besides You, etc."

(Exodus 16:13) "and in the morning there was a layer of dew": Scripture comes to apprise us how the manna descended for Israel: A north wind would come and "sweep" the desert. Then rain would come and clean the ground, and the dew would rise and the wind would blow on it and make it like golden tables, on which the manna descended.

But if he were pulling a roller up, and it fell on him and killed him; if he were ascending a ladder, and it fell on him and killed him; if he were pulling up a bucket, and the rope tore and it fell upon him and killed him — he is not exiled. The witting one comes and falls by the hand of the unwitting one.

(Exodus 23:16) "And the festival of the harvest (Shavuoth) the (time of bringing the) first-fruits of your labor": The three festivals are mentioned in the section of shevi'ith to teach that (in the shemitah year) the three festivals are not to be dislodged from their proper times (though these times correspond to those of planting, harvesting, etc., operations which are suspended in the shemitah year).

(Exodus 15:4) "the chariots of Pharaoh and his host": "As one measures, so is it meted out to him." They (the Egyptians [i.e., Pharaoh]) said (Ibid. 5:2) "Who is the L–rd that I should hearken to his voice?" And You meted it out to him accordingly, viz. "The chariots of Pharaoh, etc." One verse (here) states "yarah" (He cast into the sea"), and, another (Ibid. 1) "ramah" ("He lifted into the sea"). How are these two verses to be reconciled? "Yarah" — they descended to the depths; "ramah" — they rose to the heights.

(Ibid. 14) "and, behold, on the face of the desert": Not on the whole desert, but on part of it. (Ibid.) "thin as hoarfrost": We are hereby apprised that it descended like ice on the ground. These are the words of R. Yehoshua.

R. Elazar Hamodai say: "And you shall apprise them": Make known to them "the house of their life" (i.e., instruct them in the earning of a livelihood.) "the way": the visiting of the sick. "they shall go": the burial of the dead. "in it": the practice of lovingkindness. "and the deed": the law. "that they shall do": above and beyond the letter of the law.

"and there fall of them many": If one of them falls, it is (to Me) as if all have fallen; the one detracts from the many. One of them who falls is reckoned against the entire act of creation, viz. (Zechariah 9:2) "for to the L–rd (will be) the eye of (one) man and (it will be reckoned as) all the tribes of Israel."

And thus is it written (I Samuel 24:19) "As stated in the apothegm of the Primal One: 'From the evil shall evil go forth.'" And where is it stated? "And if he did not lie in wait (for him), but G–d put (him) into his hand, etc."

R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: In the merit of their father Abraham I will split the sea for them, viz. (Psalms 105:42) "For He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant. (43) And He led out His people with joy, etc."

Variantly: "The chariots of Pharaoh, etc." They (the Egyptians [i.e., Pharaoh') said (Ibid. 1:22) "Every son that is born into the Nile shall you thrown him, You, likewise, meted it out to him accordingly, viz.: "The chariots of Pharaoh, etc."

R. Eliezer Hamodai says: "And the dew layer ascended": (homiletically) there arose the prayers of our forefathers who were buried in the earth, on the face of the ground. "and, behold, on the face of the desert": Not on the whole desert, but on part of it. "dak like hoarfrost": It descended from the firmament, as it is written (Isaiah 40:22) "… who stretches out the heavens like dak." Since it descended from the firmament, I might think it descended cold.

It is, therefore, written "cham" ("warm" [i.e., the samech in mechuspas looks very much like a mem]). I might think it descended with a great din. Whence is it derived that it descended silently? It is, therefore, written "hass" ("hush" [i.e., the cheth in mechuspas reads very much like a heh]).

I might think that it descended on vessels. Whence do I derive that it descended only on the ground? From "as hoarfrost upon the ground."

(Ibid. 21) "And you shall see from all the people": by prophecy. "men of valor": men of wealth and men of means. "fearers of G–d": in judgment. "men of truth": trustworthy men. "haters of gain": who hate to accept money (for collusion) in judgment. These are the words of R. Yehoshua.

(Exodus 19:22) "And also the Cohanim, who draw near to the L–rd": We are hereby apprised that the Cohanim are not included in "the people" (above, 21). And thus is it written (Leviticus 16:33) "for the Cohanim and for all the people of the congregation shall he make atonement" — the Cohanim are not included in "the people." And who are "the Cohanim"? R. Yehoshua b. Karcha says: Nadav and Avihu, (i.e., even the most prominent of them.) (For) it is not written (merely) "the Cohanim," but "the Cohanim who draw near to the L–rd."

(Ibid. "then I shall make for you a place [even now, in the desert,] where he shall flee":) We did not hear (where that place is.) It follows (by identity) A (temporary) "refuge" (in the desert) is spoken of, and a permanent "refuge" (i.e., the cities of the Levites) is spoken of. Just as the latter is in the cities of the Levites, so, the former is in the camp of the Levites.

Similarly, (Devarim 6:4) "Hear, O Israel, the L–rd our G–d, the L–rd is One." Is it not already written "the L–rd our G–d." Why, then, "the L–rd is One"? It is with us that He especially unifies His name. nding which I have unified My name only with My people, Israel.

R. Eliezer b. Yehudah of Bortutha says: In the merit of the tribes I will split the sea for them, viz. (Habakkuk 3:14) "You have split (the sea) for his tribes, the heads of his scattered ones, etc." And it is written (Psalms 136:13) "who split the sea into sections."

They (Ibid. 14:7): "And he took six hundred chosen chariots." You, likewise (Ibid. 15:4): "and the élite of his officers were mired in the sea. They placed (Ibid. 14:7) "officers upon all of them"; You, likewise, (Ibid. 17:5) [He mired them there] "so that the waters should [return and] cover them."

R. Tarfon says: It descended, as it were, on the palms of the L–rd ("pas" in "mechuspas" is a palm). The Holy One Blessed be He stretched out His hand took the prayers of our forefathers buried in the earth and brought down the manna which is like the dew for Israel, viz. (Iyyov 33:24) "Then He will be gracious to him and will say: 'Redeem him from descending to the pit, for I have found his ransom ("kofer," as in the description of the dew, "dak kakfor.")

R. Elazar Hamodai says: "And you shall see from all the people": clearly, as by the glass through which the kings look. "men of valor": trustworthy men. "fearers of G–d": those who compromise in judgment. "men of truth": such as R. Chanina b. Dossa and his colleagues. "haters of gain": who "hate" (i.e., who are prepared to lose) their own money in judgment. If they (thus) "hate" their own money, how much more so (are they solicitous for) the money of others!