1)

Why does Moshe begin with "Hashem mi'Sinai Ba" and not with the B'rachos?

1.

Rashi: Because it is correct to begin with the praise of Hashem 1 before blessing others. 2

2.

Seforno: All the Pesukim until "Barzel u'Nechoshes Min'alecha", in Pasuk 25, constitute a Tefilah to Hashem that his B'rachos should take effect, and Moshe's B'rachos to Yisrael begin in Pasuk 25. 3

3.

Hadar Zekenim and Rosh: He mentions Hashem, from the location of His Shechinah. 4


1

Like we find in connection with Tefilah - Refer to Devarim 3:24:8:1.

2

Rashi: Nevertheless, he chose a praise that incorporated the praise of Yisrael, as if to say that Yisrael are worthy of the B'rachah that he is about to bestow upon them (And he connects this with Matan Torah, based on the Zohar "Kudsha-B'rich-Hu, Oraysa ve'YisraelChad Hu" - the main theme of Simchas Torah, when we read 've'Zos h'B'rachah'.

3

Seforno: Hence the word "Hashem" is a call to Hashem, to whom he is about to speak, by Name.

4

Rosh: This is somewhat like saying 'P'loni, from the town Ploni.'

2)

What is "Hashem mi'Sinai Ba" referring to?

1.

Rashi #1: It refers to Matan Torah, when Hashem came from Har Sinai to meet Yisrael, 1 when they came to stand under the mountain, like a Chasan goes from the Chupah to meet the Kalah.

2.

Rashi (in Ha'azinu): It refers to Matan Torah, when Hashem came from Har Sinai to meet Yisrael - not from one direction, but from four directions, 2 three of which are hinted in the current Pasuk 3 and the fourth - "Elokah mi'Teiman Yavo" - in Chavakuk, 3:3.

3.

Ramban: Hashem came from Sinai to rest His Shechinah upon Yisrael. 4

4.

Targum Yonasan: 'Hashem came from Sinai to give the Torah to His people Yisrael'.


1

Rashi: As the Pasuk intimates in Sh'mos, 19:17.

2

Refer to 33:2:5:1.

3

Refer to 32;11:1:1 and see Sifsei Chachamim in Devarim, note 200 there.

4

Ramban: From whom it never departed. Because until Moshe came down with the second Luchos, it rested on Har Sinai

3)

What is the meaning of "Hofi'a me'Har Paran"?

1.

Rashi: 'He appeaared to them from Har Paran.

2.

Rashbam: 'He shone upon them from Har Paran'.

3.

Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: 'He appeared in His might (in the splndor of His glory) from Har Paran'.

4.

Bava Kama, 38a: It means that He revealed the money of Yishmael (and the nations), 1 making it accessible to Yisrael (because they had not adhered to the seven Mitzvos B'nei No'ach. 2


1

See Torah Temimah, note 3.

2

Bava Kama (Ibid.): Consequently, if an ox belonging to a Yisrael gores an ox belonging to a Nochri, the Yisrael is Patur from paying, whereas in the reverse case, the Nochri is obligated to pay full damages..

4)

When did Hashem 'shine upon Yisrael from Se'ir and appear to Yisrael from Har Paran'?

1.

Rashi, 1 Rashbam and Targum Yonasan: Hashem came to give the Torah to Yisrael, after offering it to Eisav, who lived in Se'ir 2 and to Yishmael, who lived on Har Paran. 3

2.

Ramban: The Pasuk is referring to the first stop after Har Sinai, which took place in Midbar Paran, when Yisrael first entered the great and awesome desert 4 - where Hashem initially looked into 5 their needs; and to Se'ir in the fortieth year, 6 which was the first time that Hashem spoke to Moshe after the episode with the Meraglim. 7 That was when Hashem shone His light upon them, when their period of mourning came to an end, and the conquest of Cana'an began - when they defeated Sichon and Og and captured their land. 8


1

Targum Yonasan: "Vezarach" means that 'He shone the Glory of His Shechinah (upon Se'ir and Har Paran). Refer also to 33:2:5:1.

2

Rashi: Both of whom declined to accept it. See also Ba'al ha'Turim - and Rashbam, who refers to Shoftim, 5:4 and Chavakuk, 3:3.

3

As the Torah wrote in Vayeira 21:21. Refer also to 33:2:4:1.

4

Ramban: As the Torah states in Bamidbar, 10:12.

5

Ramban: As in Iyov, 10:3.

6

It is not clear however, as to why the Torah inverts the order, mentioning Se'ir before Har Paran?

7

Bava Basra 121a: Moshe did not merit Dibur until after the death of all those decreed to die in the Midbar. Rashi, in Devarim, 2:16 explins that Hashem spoke to him with Lashon Amirah, but not with a Lashon Dibur. It seems that the Ramban agrees, seeing as just before this, he implied that Hashem spoke with Moshe all forty years (Refer to 33:3:3:2*),and because he did not comment on Rashi Devarim. Refer to 2:16:151:1-4 (PF).

8

See Ramban.

5)

Why did the Torah allude specifically to Eisav and Yishmael? Why did Hashem not offer the Torah to the other nations?

1.

Ramban and Riva: In fact, He offered the Torah to all the nations (who all declined to accept it), 1 but the Torah only refers to the descendents of Avraham Avinu. 2

2.

Peninim mi'Shulchan ha'Gra (in Pinchas): Because Yishmael and Eisav represented all the seventy nations - Yishmael thirty-five and Eisav thirty-five. 3


1

Refer to 33:2:3:2.

2

The Yalkut Shimoni explains why Eisav, Yishmael and Amon and Mo'av declned to accept the Torah. See Oznayim la'Torah.

3

See Peninim mi'Shulchan ha'Gra. in Bamidbar 29:12-16. See also Torah Temimah, note 1.

6)

Why did Hashem appear to Yisrael from (four) different directions?

1.

Rashi 1 : He did that as if to split-up His revelation to them as it were, in order not to come across too hard on them. 2

2.

Rashbam 3 : 'The Light and the angels came from all four sides of Har Sinai, to Yisrael 4 via Se'ir and Paran.


1

Refer to 33:2:3:1.

2

See also Seforno.

3

Who does not deal with the question in hand.

4

Rashbam: See Tehilim, 68:18 and Chavakuk, 3:3.

7)

What is the meaning of "Ve'asa me'Riv'vos Kodesh"?

1.

Rashi: It means that Hashem came 1 with some of 2 the myriads of holy angels. 3

2.

Ramban #1: It means that the honor rested on Yisrael from twenty-two thousand holy angels, who descended on to the mountain together with Hashem. 4

3.

Ramban #2: It means that Hashem gave the Torah to Yisrael from a profusion of Kedushah. 5

4.

Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: And there came with Him myriads of holy angels.

5.

Chagigah, 16a: It implies that Hashem is a Symbol (He stands out) among the myriads of His angels. 6


1

'Asa' spelt in this way is actually an Arama'ic word. See Torah Temimah, note #4 - citing the Sifri, who explains how this Pasuk is speaking in four languages.

2

Rashi: 'Not all of them and not even most of them - as human kings tend to do, to display all of their wealth and glory on their wedding day'.

3

See also 33:2:5:2.

4

Ramban: As the Pasuk writes in Tehilim, 88:18. Refer to Bamidbar, 10:36:3:1. The Ramban queries this explanation however, bearing in mind that the Pasuk goes on state "mi'Yemino Eshdas lamo", implying that the Torah came from Hashem directly and not from the angels.

5

Ramban: As the Navi writes in Yeshayah, 6:3, "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh... ".

6

See Torah Temmah, note 4.

8)

What is the significance of the fact that Hashem gave the Torah "from His Right Hand"?

1.

Ramban: (according to Kabalah): The fire, which is the Torah, came from His Right Hand, because Midas ha'Din incorporates Midas ha'Rachamim'.

2.

Seforno: 'The sanctity of the law of fire (the deeper interpretation of Torah) came to them from various locations (Se'ir and Paran) - from the profusion of the right-hand side of Kedushah'. 1

3.

B'rachos, 62a: Hashem gave Yisrael the Torah with His Right Hand. Consequently a. after relieving oneself, one should clean oneself with the left-hand; 2 b. when, stepping back three paces after concluding the Amidah, one bows first towards the right [of Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu] - Yoma, 53b; 3 c. when handing over a Seifer-Torah to another person, one hands it to him in his right hand, and when receiving from him, one receives it in one's right hand - Maseches Sofrim, 3:10.


1

Seforno: Because the Torah was given with a clear vision (like looking through clear glass).

2

See Torah Temimah, note 6.

3

See Torah Temimah, note 7.

9)

What are the connotations of the word "Eishdas"?

1.

Rashi and Ramban #1: It refers to the Torah - a combination of the two words 'Eish' and 'Das', 1 meaning a law of fire. 2

2.

Ramban #2: "Eishdas" is two words - meaning that 1. Hashem showed Yisrael the upper fire 3 and that 2. He let them hear the Torah.

3.

Rashbam and Targum Onkelos, : It means the Torah which Hashem gave Yisrael from amidst fire (where He had spoken to them - Rashbam). 4

4.

Targum Yonasan: It means that Hashem gave Yisrael the Torah from a flame of fire.

5.

Oznayim la'Torah: The Torah is like a fire, which keeps us warm when it is cold and renders the food edible - but one must take care not to come too close in orde not to get burned.


1

Rashi (in Tehilim, 10:10): This is one of fifteen instances where the Torah presents two words an the form of one.

2

Ramban: As if it had written 'Das Eish'. And the Torah wrote in Va'eschanan in 5:21, that we heard Hashem's Voice "mi'Toch ha'Eish".

3

Ramban: As the Torah stated in Devarim 4:36.

4

Rashbam: As the Torah related in Va'eschsnan, 4:33.

10)

Why does the Pasuk call the Torah "Eishdas"?

1.

Rashi #1: Because the Torah had been lying before Hashem from the distant past, white fire on black fire. 1

2.

Rashi #2 (citing Targum Onkelos) and Rashbam: Refer to 33:2:7:3.

3.

Ramban and Seforno: Refer to 33:2:7:1-4.

4.

Beitzah, 25b: To teach us that Torah-study weakens Yisrael and that, had Torah not been givn to Yisrael, no nation would have been capable of standing up to them. 2

5.

Yerushalmi Shekalim, 6:1: See answer #1 and note. It is principally made of fire, 3 it is mixed with fire, it is hewn from fire and it is placed in fire. 4


1

See Torah Temimah, note 9.

2

See Torah Temimah, note 8,.

3

See answer #1.

4

See Torah Temimah, note 10.

11)

Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfuous woed "Eishdas lamo"?

1.

Beitzah, 25b: To teach us that Yisrael were worthy of receiving the Torah.

12)

What is this Pasuk coming to teach us?

1.

Ramban and Seforno: It teaches us that, after Eisav and Yishmael declined to accept the Torah 1 , Hashem shone His Face upon Yisrael and gave them the Torah 'with His Right Hand, His (strong) Arm and with the Light of His Countenance, because He favored them'. 2 This is to stress this was a great merit for Yisrael, who accepted the Torah when all the other nations rejected it. 3

2.

Sifri: It teaches us that when Hashem revealed Himself to Yisrael to give them the Torah, He spoke in four languages: in Lashon ha'Kodesh - "Hashem mi'Sinai Ba"; in Latin - "ve'Zarach mi'Seir lamo"; in Arabic - "Hofi'a me'Har Paran", and in Arama'ic - "ve'Asah me'Riv'vos Kodesh". 4


1

Refer to 33:2:3:1**.

3

Seforno: So that his Tefilah on their behalf should be accepted and his subsequent B'rachah should take effect- Refer to 33:2:1:1.

4

See Torah Temimah, note 4.

13)

What are the implications of the word "mi'Yemino"?

1.

Divrei Eliyahu: The language of the other nations is written from left to right. When they asked, what is written in the Torah, Hashem referred to what was written on the left Lu'ach


1

Devarim Rabah (Eikev DH me'Eimasai): And to Amon and Mo'av He replied "Do not commit adultery."

Sefer: Perek: Pasuk:

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