Moses Carries the Word Out and Brings Israel's Answer Back

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 431:3

Another interpretation: "saying", go out and tell them, and bring back to Me their reply. And from where do we know that Moses would go out and speak with them? As it is said, "And he would go out and speak to the children of Israel what he was commanded" (Exodus 34:34). And from where do we know that Moses would bring back words before the Almighty? As it is said, "And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD" (Exodus 19:8). Since it says, "And the LORD spoke to him," I might understand from the Tent of Meeting itself. Scripture teaches, "And I will meet with you there and speak with you from above the cover." It is impossible to say from the Tent of Meeting, since it already says "from above the cover," and it is impossible to say "from above the cover," since it already says "from the Tent of Meeting." How can these two verses be upheld? This is a principle in the Torah: two verses set one against the other and contradicting one another remain in place until a third verse comes and decides between them. And what does Scripture teach by saying, "And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting" (Numbers 7:89)? Scripture tells that Moses would enter and stand in the Tent, and a voice would descend from the highest heavens to between the two cherubim, and he would hear the voice speaking from within.

Themes