The Third Day, the Blood of the Covenant, and the Betrothal at Sinai

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people" [today] - this is the fourth day. "And tomorrow" - this is the fifth day. "And let them be ready for the third day" (Exodus 19:11) - this is the sixth day, on which the Torah was given. And what did Moses do on the fifth? He rose early in the morning and built an altar beneath the mountain, as it is said, "And he rose up early in the morning and built an altar under the mount" (Exodus 24:4), and set up twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel - the words of Rabbi Yehudah. And the Sages say: twelve for each tribe. He built an altar and offered upon it burnt offerings and peace offerings; he took from the blood of the burnt offering in two cups, a portion for the Omnipresent and a portion for the congregation, and from the blood of the peace offerings in two cups, a portion for the Omnipresent and a portion for the congregation, as it is said, "And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins" (Exodus 24:6) - this is the portion for the Omnipresent - "and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar" - this is the portion for the congregation. "And he took the book of the covenant," etc., but we have not heard from where he read in their ears. Rabbi Ishmael son of Rabbi Yose says: from the beginning of Genesis until here. Rabbi says: the commandments that Adam the first man was commanded, and the commandments that the sons of Noah were commanded, and the commandments they were commanded in Egypt and at Marah, and all the rest of the commandments. Rabbi Ishmael says: at the beginning of the matter, what does it say? "And the land shall keep a Sabbath unto the LORD... six years you shall sow" (Leviticus 25:2-3) - sabbatical years, jubilees, blessings and curses; at the end of the matter, what does it say? "These are the statutes and the ordinances and the laws," etc. They said: we accept upon ourselves. When he saw that they had accepted upon themselves, he took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people. He said to them: behold, you are bound, tied, and held fast; come quickly and accept upon yourselves all the commandments. Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Yehudah says: on that same day all these acts were done. "And they washed their garments" - and how do we know they required immersion? Behold, I reason: if in a place where they are not required to wash garments they are required to immerse, here, where one is required to wash garments, is it not logical that they should require immersion? There is no washing of garments in the Torah without requiring immersion. "Go unto the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow" - and what was their sanctification in the wilderness? There were no uncircumcised among them; manna came down to them from heaven; water they drank from the well; clouds of glory surrounded them. Rather, it was concerning the impurity of marital relations, that they should abstain. What did Moses do? He added one day of his own. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, how many souls of Israel were to come into being on that night - rather, let what you have done be done, as it is said, "And let them be ready." A ruling: a man of Israel who betroths a woman, who must pay the fee for writing the document of betrothal? Thus the Sages taught: one does not write a document of betrothal and marriage except with the consent of both parties, and the groom gives the fee. And from whom did they learn it? From the Holy One, blessed be He, at the time He betrothed Israel at Sinai, for thus He wrote, "Go unto the people and sanctify them." And who wrote the document for them? This is Moses, as it is said, "And Moses wrote this law" (Deuteronomy 31:9). And what reward did the Holy One, blessed be He, give him? The shining of the face, as it is written, "And Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone" (Exodus 34:29).