What did Hashem mean when He said "Lo Suchal Lir'os es Panai"?
Rashi: He meant that, even when He passes all His goodness before Moshe, He will not allow him to see His Face.
Ramban: Refer to 33:19:2:2.
R. Bachye (citing R. Sa?adya Gaon): ?You will not be able to see the beginning of the light (due to its intensity) 1
Seforno: Refer to 33:19:3:3*.
Toras Moshe: Refer to 33:23:2:4.
B'rachos, 7a: He was saying to Moshe When I wanted (to show you - at the Burning Bush) you did not want; 2 Now when you want, I do not want!'
What did Hashem mean when He said "Ki Lo Yir'ani ha'Adam va'Chai!"?
Rashi (in Chagigah 14b) and R. Bachye (in Pasuk 18): It means that no human-being ? (even Moshe Rabeinu ? R. Bachye), 1 can see Hashem and live (seeing as his body comprises material elements ? R. Bachye). 2
Ramban and Moshav Zekenim (in Pasuk 19): It means (not that someone who sees the Shechinah will die, but) that, if the Shechinah appears, someone who looks will die before he sees it 3 - ?A person cannot see the Shechinah whilst he is alive?.
Moshav Zekenim (in Pasuk 19, citing R. Yosef) and Rosh #1: He meant that even a person like Moshe 6 or a 'Chai (with reference to the Chayos ha'Kodesh - Hadar Zekenim) cannot see Him and live
Hadar Zekenim, Da'as Zekenim and Rosh #2 (both in Pasuk 19): It means that Moshe was unable to see His Face clearly (be'Aspaklarya ha'Me'irah).
Megilah, 19b: Had there remained in the cave where Moshe and Eliyahu (ha'Navi) stood, a hole the size of the hole of a needle, they would not have been able to survive, as the Pasuk writes "Ki Lo Yir'ani ha'Adam va'Chai". 7
R. Bachye): Who had all but negated every vestige of physicality, when he fasted for forty days on Har Sinai.
But he can see Him after his death, as the Pasuk writes in Tehilim 22:30 ?Ach Lefanav Yichr?u Kol Yordei Afar? and as the Sifra in Vayikra extrapolates from the current Pasuk. Se also R. Bachye who elaborates.
Ramban: Bear in mind, that even due to seeing angels, Daniel's limbs became dislocated (Daniel, 10:16).
Moshav Zekenim: Yechezkel saw a vision only in a dream, and his Neshamah departed and Hashem had to revive him - as the Pasuk states in Yechezkel, 37:1 "Haysah alai Yad Hashem".
Rosh: As implied by the Pasuk in Behe'aloscha Bamidbar 12:8 "u'Semunas Hashem Yabit" implying 'via a glass that is unclear'. Refer also to 33:20:3:1.
See Torah Te mimah, note 25.
"Ki Lo Yir'ani ha'Adam va'Chai!". Why does the Torah insert the ?Hey? in ?ha?Adam??
R. Bachye: To incorporate the Adam of the Chayos ha?Kodesh in the Merkavah and the Malahei ha?Shareis who stand before Hashem. 1
See R. Bachye and R. Chavel?s footnotes.
How will we reconcile this Pasuk with the Pasuk in Yeshayah, 6:1, which describes Yeshayah as having seen Hashem sitting on a Throne?
Yevamos, 49b: Yeshayah - like all Nevi'im with the exception of Moshe - saw with an Aspaklarya she'Einah Me'irah (an unclear vision), whereas when the Torah writes "Ki Lo Yir'ani ... " it means with an Aspaklaryah Me'irah' - as were all of Moshe's visions. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 26. In fact, Menasheh killed Yeshayah on account of the question, and Yeshayah did not answer him like the Gemara, because he knew that Menasheh would not accept it.
