Rashi on Exodus

Rashi on Exodus
1:1

,‫ׁשּנִמְׁשְ לּו לְכֹו ָכבִים‬

ֶ ,‫ לְהֹודִ י ַע ִחּבָתָם‬,‫ ָחז ַר ּו ְמנָָאם ְּבמִיתָ תָ ם‬,‫ׁש ְּמנָָאן ְּב ַחּי ֵיהֶם ִּבׁשְמֹותָ ם‬
ֶ ‫ ַאעַ" ִּפ‬.‫ואלה שמות בני ישראל‬
)'‫ׁשּנֶ' "הַּמֹוצִיא ְב ִמ ְסּפָר ְצבָָאם ְל ֻכּלָם ְּבׁשֵם יִק ְָרא" (ישעיהו מ‬ ֶ ,)‫ ׁשֶּמֹוצִיָאם ּו ַמ ְכנִיסָם ְּב ִמ ְסּפַר ּו ִבׁשְמֹותָ ם (שמות רבה‬:

‫ ואלה שמות בני ישראל‬NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL —
Although scripture has already enumerated them by name whilst they were living, when they
went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:8-27), it again enumerates them when it tells us of their
death, thus showing how dear they were to God — that they are compared to the stars which
also God brings out and brings in by number and name when they cease to shine, as it is said,
(Isaiah 40:26) “He bringeth out their host by number, He calleth them all by name” (Exodus
Rabbah 1:3; Tanchuma Yashan 1:1:2).

1:5

?‫ׁשהּוא ָהי ָה ּבְמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬

ֶ ‫ ּו ַמה ּבָא ְל ַלּמְדֵ נּו? ְוכִי ֹלא ָהי ִינּו יֹודְ עִים‬,‫ׁש ְבעִים‬
ִ ‫ ַוהֲֹלא הּוא ּו ָבנָיו הָיּו ִּב ְכלַל‬.‫ויוסף היה במצרים‬
‫ וְעֹומֵד ְּבצִדְ קֹו‬,‫ׂשה ֶמלְֶך‬
ָ ‫ ְונַ ֲע‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא יֹוסֵף‬,‫ הּוא יֹוסֵף הָרֹועֶה אֶת צ ֹאן ָאבִיו‬,‫ׁשל יֹוסֵף‬ ֶ ‫אֶ ּלָא לְהֹודִ יעֲָך צִדְ קָתֹו‬
)‫(שמות רבה‬:

‫ ויוסף היה במצרים‬lit., AND JOSEPH WAS IN EGYPT — But were not he and his sons
included in the seventy? What, then, is this statement intended to tell us? Do we not know that
he was in Egypt? But its purpose is to inform you of Joseph’s righteousness: this is the same
Joseph who tended his father’s sheep; this is the same Joseph who was in Egypt and became
king there, and yet he remained steadfast in his righteousness, and the change from a humble
position to exalted rank in Egypt caused no deterioration in his character (cf. Sifrei ‫;האזינו‬
Exodus Rabbah 1:7).

1:7

‫ שלא הפילו נשותיהם ולא מתו כשהם קטנים‬.‫פרו‬:

That there women did not miscarry and did not die when they were young.

)‫ּׁשה ְּבכ ֵָרס אֶ חָד (שם‬

ָ ‫ׁש‬ִ ‫ׁשהָיּו יֹולְדֹות‬
ֶ .‫וישרצו‬:

‫ וישרצו‬AND THEY INCREASED ABUNDANTLY (more lit., they swarmed, a word used of
the prolificness of reptiles) — they bore six children at one birth (the six words from ‫ פרו‬to
‫ מאד‬suggest or imply the number six) (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 5).

1:8

‫ׁשּנִתְ חַּדְ ׁשּו ְּגז ֵרֹותָ יו‬

ֶ ‫ ְוחַד ָאמַר‬,‫ חַד ָאמַר חָדָ ׁש ַמּמָׁש‬,‫ ַרב ּוׁשְמּו ֵאל‬.‫ויקם מלך חדש‬:
‫ ויקם מלך חדש‬NOW THERE AROSE A NEW KING — Rab and Samuel (two Amoraim or
Talmudical teachers) differed in their interpretation of these words. One said that he was
really a new king; the other said that it was the same king but he made new edicts (Sotah 11a).

)‫ׂשה ַעצְמֹו ְּכאִּלּו ֹלא י ְדָ עֹו (סוטה י"א‬

ָ ‫ ָע‬.‫אשר לא ידע‬:

‫ אשר לא ידע‬WHO KNEW NOT [JOSEPH] — he comported himself as though he did not
know him (Sotah 11a).

1:10

‫ ַהזְמִינּו ַעצְמְ כֶם ְלכְָך‬,‫ ּכְלֹומַר‬,‫ ּכָל ָהבָה לְׁשֹון ֲה ָכנָה ְו ַהז ְ ָמנָה לְדָ בָר הּוא‬.‫הבה נתחכמה‬:

‫ הבה נתחכמה‬COME ON, LET US DEAL WISELY — Wherever ‫ הבה‬is used it has the meaning
of preparing oneself and making oneself ready to do a particular matter; it signifies as much
as: get yourself ready for this (cf. Rashi on Genesis 11:4 and Rashi on Genesis 38:16).

‫ ׁשֶ ְּכבָר נִׁשְ ּבַע‬,‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל לְדּונָם ַּב ַּמי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דָ ְרׁשּו נִתְ ַחּכֵם לְמֹוׁשִיעָן‬.‫ ָלעָם; נִתְ ַח ְּכ ָמה ַמה ַּלעֲׂשֹות לֹו‬.‫נתחכמה לו‬
)‫ׁשֹּלא יָבִיא ַמּבּול לָעֹולָם (שם‬ ֶ :

‫ נתחכמה לו‬LET US DEAL WISELY WITH THEM (‫ לו‬more lit., with him) — i. e. with the
people (the word ‫לו‬, which is singular, refers to ‫ עם‬used in the preceding verse in the phrase ‫עם‬
‫)בני ישראל‬: let us consider wisely what to do to them. Our Rabbis, however, explained that the
singular ‫ לו‬refers to God, and that the words mean: “let us use our wisdom against Him who
would show Himself Israel’s deliverer, by sentencing them to death by water, since He has
already sworn that He will not bring another flood upon the world, and He will therefore be
unable to punish us ‘measure for measure’, as is His way.”)

‫ ַוה ֲֵרי הּוא ּכְאִ ּלּו כָתַ ב‬,)‫ׁש ְּמ ַקּלֵל ַעצְמֹו וְתֹולֶה ִק ְללָתֹו ַּב ֲאח ִֵרים (שם‬
ֶ ‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דָ ְרׁשּו ּכְָאדָ ם‬.‫ עַל ּכ ְָרחֵנּו‬.‫ועלה מן הארץ‬
‫ָָארץ – ְוהֵם י ִָירׁשּו ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ָעלִינּו מִן ה‬:

‫ ועלה מן הארץ‬AND HE WILL GO UP OUT OF THE LAND, against our will. Our Rabbis
explained that they spoke like a person who is pronouncing a curse against himself but
attaches the curse to others (because he does not wish to use an ominous expression of
himself), so that it is as though Scripture wrote “and we shall have to go up out of the land”
and they will take possession of it (Sotah 11a).

1:11

‫ עַל ָהעָם‬.‫עליו‬:

‫[ עליו‬THEREFORE THEY DID SET] OVER THEM (‫ עליו‬over him) i. e. over the people.

‫ׁשּיִבְנּו ע ֵָרי מִ ְסּכְנֹות ְלפ ְַרע ֹה‬

ֶ ?‫ ּו ַמהּו ַהּמַס‬,‫ ׂש ִָרים ׁשֶּגֹובִין ֵמהֶם ַהּמַס‬,‫ לְׁשֹון מַס‬.‫מסים‬:

‫ מסים‬has the meaning of tribute (‫)מס‬, a forced levy of labour, so that ‫ שרי מסים‬are the officers
who exact the tribute of labour from them. And what was this tribute? That they should build
store-cities for Pharaoh.

‫ ׁשֶ ל מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬.‫למען ענתו בסבלתם‬:

‫ למען ענותו בסבלותם‬TO AFFLICT THEM WITH THEIR BURDENS — i. e. the burdens of the
Egyptians.

‫ ְוכֵן "לְֶך ּב ֹא ֶאל הַּסֹוכֵן ַהּז ֶה" (ישעיהו כ"ב) – ִּגזְּבָר ַה ְמ ֻמּנֶה עַל הָאֹוצָרֹות‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫ערי מסכנות‬:

‫ — ערי מסכנות‬Translate this as the Targum does: CITIES WHICH ARE PLACES FOR
TREASURES; similarly we have, (Isaiah 22:15) “Go, get thes unto this steward (‫— ”)הסוכן‬
the treasurer appointed over the stores (Exodus Rabbah 2:1:10).

‫ׂשאּום ֲחז ָקֹות ּובְצּורֹות לְאֹוצָר‬

ָ ‫ ַו ֲע‬,‫ׁשֹּלא הָיּו ְראּויֹות מִּתְ ִחּלָה ְלכְָך‬
ֶ .‫את פתם ואת רעמסס‬:

‫ את פתם ואת רעמסס‬PITHOM AND RAMESES — These cities already existed but were not
adapted originally for this purpose; now they strengthened them and fortified them to serve as
store-cities.

1:12

‫ ּכֵן לֵב ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְלה ְַרּבֹות ּו ְל ַהפ ְִריץ‬,‫ּׁשהֵם נֹותְ נִין לֵב ְלעַּנֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ְּבכָל מַה‬.‫וכאשר יענו אתו‬:

‫ וכאשר יענו אתו‬AND AS THEY AFFLICTED THEM — In whatsoever matter it was that they
set their hearts upon afflicting them so was the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, set upon
multiplying them and making them grow apace.

)‫ אַּתֶ ם אֹומ ְִרים ּפֶן י ְִרּבֶה ַו ֲאנִי אֹומֵר ּכֵן י ְִרּבֶה (סוטה י"א‬,‫ רּו ַח הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש אֹומ ֶֶרת ּכֵן‬,‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.‫ ּכֵן ָרבָה ְוכֵן ּפ ַָרץ‬.‫כן ירבה‬:

‫ כן ירבה‬signifies: so they multiplied and so they grew apace (i. e. God’s determination was
carried out, the imperfect tenses of the verbs denoting the continuance of the increase and
growth). This is the real meaning; but there is a Midrashic explanation of these imperfect
tenses: The Holy spirit (God) said this: You say ‫פן ירבה‬, “lest they increase”, but “I” say ‫כן‬
‫ירבה‬, “thus will they assuredly increase” (Sotah 11a).

)‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דָ ְרׁשּו ּכְקֹוצִים הָיּו ְּבעֵינֵיהֶם (שם‬.‫ קָצּו ְב ַחּי ֵיהֶם‬.‫ויקצו‬:

‫ ויקצו‬the word means, THEY WERE WEARY OF THEIR LIVES. Our Rabbis explained that
it means that they were as thorns (‫ )קוצים‬in their eyes (cf. Sotah 11a).

1:13

)‫ ַה ְמפ ֶָרכֶת אֶת הַּגּוף ּומְׁשַ ּב ְַרּתֹו (שם‬,‫ׁשה‬

ָ ‫ ַּבעֲבֹודָ ה ָק‬.‫בפרך‬:

‫ בפרך‬means with hard service which crushes (‫ )מפרכת‬the body and shatters it (cf. Sotah 11b).

1:15

‫ ּכְָך מֹולִיד ּומְ יַּלֵד‬,‫ ּדֹובֵר ּומְדַ ּבֵר‬,‫ׁשּבֵר‬

ַ ‫ ּכְמֹו ׁשֹובֵר ּו ְמ‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לָ' ַקל ְוי ֵׁש לָ' ָּכבֵד‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ הּוא לְׁשֹון מֹולִידֹות‬.‫למילדת‬:

‫( למילדת‬the Piel participle) — This is synonymous with ‫( מולידות‬the Hiphil participle, and both
denote the women who assist the mother in bringing the child to birth). But some verbs are
used in forms of a light conjugation (i. e. one which has no strong Dagesh as a characteristic)
or in forms of a strong conjugation (one that has such a Dagesh), as e. g., ‫( ׁשֹובֵר‬Kal) and ‫ׁשּבֵר‬
ַ ְ‫מ‬
(Piel); ‫( ּדֹובֵר‬Kal) and ‫( מְדַ ּבֵר‬Piel). both having the same meaning; similarly here we may have
‫( מוליד‬the Hiphil — without a strong Dagesh) or ‫( ְמיַּלֵד‬the Piel), both signifying one who helps
to bring to birth.

)‫ׁשּפ ֶֶרת אֶת ַה ָּולָד (שם‬

ַ ‫ׁש ְּמ‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם‬,‫ יֹו ֶכבֶד‬.‫שפרה‬:

‫ שפרה‬SHIPHRAH — This was Jochebed; she bore this additional name because she used to
put the babe after its birth into good physical condition (‫ )משפרת‬by the care she bestowed
upon it (Sotah 11b).

‫ ּכְדֶ ֶרְך ַהּנָׁשִים ַה ְמ ַפּי ְסֹות ּתִ ינֹוק הַּבֹוכֶה‬,)‫ׁשּפֹועָה ּומְדַ ּב ֶֶרת וְהֹוגָה ַל ָּולָד (שם‬
ֶ ,‫ זֹו מ ְִרי ָם‬.‫פועה‬.

‫ פועה‬PUAH — This was Miriam, and she bore this additional name because she used to Call
aloud and speak and croon to the babe just as women do who soothe a child when it is crying
(Sotah 11b).

)‫ ּכְמֹו "ּכַּיֹולֵדָ ה ֶא ְפעֶה" (ישעיה מ"ב‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ְצ ָע ָקה‬.‫פועה‬:

‫ פועה‬has the meaning of crying aloud, as (Isaiah 42:14) “I will cry (‫ )אפעה‬like a travailing
woman”.

1:16

‫ ּכְמֹו ּבְהֹולִידְ כֶן‬.‫בילדכן‬:

‫ בילדכן‬WHEN YE DO THE OFFICE OF A MIDWIFE — This word (the Piel) has the same
force as ‫( בהולידכן‬the Hiphil): when you assist them to give birth.

"‫ׂשה ְמלָאכָה עַל הָָא ְבנָי ִם‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּבֵר; ְוכָמֹוהּו "עֹו‬

ְ ‫קֹוראֹו ַמ‬
ְ ,) ‫ ְּב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר (ישעיהו ל"ז‬,‫ׁשב ָה ִאּׁשָה הַּיֹולֶדֶ ת‬
ַ ‫ מֹו‬.‫על האבנים‬
‫ׁשב ְּכלִי אֻּמָ נּות יֹוצֵר ח ֶֶרׂש‬
ַ ‫ – מֹו‬,)‫(ירמיהו י"ח‬:

‫ על האבנים‬UPON THE STOOLS — the seat for the woman in the act of childbirth; in another
passage (Isaiah 37:3) Scripture terms it ‫ׁשּבֵר‬
ְ ‫ ַמ‬. Similar is, (Jeremiah 18:3) “He was at work on
the ‫ — "אבנים‬the place of the vessels of (being produced by) the craftsmanship of the potter.

‫ׁשעָתִ יד ְל ִה ָּולֵד ּבֵן הַּמֹוׁשִ י ַע אֹותָ ם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשָאמְרּו לֹו ִא ְצ ַטגְנִינָיו‬
ֶ ,‫ ֹלא ָהי ָה ַמ ְקּפִיד אֶ ּלָא עַל ַהּזְכ ִָרים‬.'‫אם בן הוא וגו‬:

'‫ אם בן הוא וגו‬IF IT BE A SON etc. — He was particular only about the male children because
his astrologers had told him that there was to be born to a Hebrew woman a son who would
become their deliverer (Exodus Rabbah 1:18).

‫ וְתִ ְחי ֶה‬.‫וחיה‬:

‫ וחיה‬has the same meaning as ‫ ותחיה‬THEN SHE SHALL LIVE.

1:17

‫ׁשּלְׁשֹון ָעבָר ִלנְקֵ בֹות ַרּבֹות‬

ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ּׁשנִי ְו ַקּיֵמְּתֻ ן‬
ֵ ‫ ְו ַה‬,‫ ּתַ ְרּגּום ה ִָראׁשֹון ְו ַקּי ָ ָמא‬.‫ ְמ ַסּפְקֹות ָלהֶם ַמי ִם ּומָזֹון‬.‫ותחיין את הילדים‬
‫ (לְׁשֹון ָעבָר) ּכְמֹו‬,)'‫ ּכְגֹון "וַּת ֹאמ ְַרן ָ אִיׁש ִמצ ְִרי" (שמות ב‬,‫ׁש ֶּמׁשֶת לְׁשֹון ָּפעֲלּו ּולְׁשֹון ְּפ ַעלְּתֶ ם‬ ַ ‫ּתֵ בָה זֹו ְוכַּיֹוצֵא בָּה ְמ‬
"‫ ְוכֵן "וַּתְ ַח ְּל ֶלנָה א ֹתִ י אֶ ל עַּמִ י‬,‫ ּכְמֹו וַּתְ דַ ּבְרּו ִלזְכ ִָרים‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּדִ ּב ְַרּתֶ ן‬,) ‫ "וַּתְ דַ ּב ְֵרנָה ְּבפִיכֶם" (ירמיהו מ"ד‬,‫וַּי ֹאמְרּו ִלזְכ ִָרים‬
‫ ּכְמֹו וַּתְ ַחּלְלּו ִלזְכ ִָרים‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ָעבָר ִח ַּללְּתֶ ן‬,)‫(יחזקאל י"ג‬:

‫ ותחיין את הילדים‬This may mean THEY MAINTAINED THE CHILDREN IN LIFE — they
provided them with food (Sotah 11b). The Targum renders ‫ ותחיין‬the first time it occurs (i. e.
in this verse) by ‫( וקימא‬which means, “and they — the women — preserved the babes”). and
the second time (Exodus 1:18) by ‫( וקימתן‬which means, “and ye women have preserved etc.”)
The Targum is able to distinguish between the two meanings of this word, but this cannot be
done in Hebrew because in the Hebrew language in the case of fem. plur. this word and
similar forms (ending in ‫ נָה‬or ָ ‫ )ן‬are used in the sense of “they did something” (3rd person)
and in the sense of “ye did something” (2nd person). For example: (Exodus 2:19) “And they
(the daughters of Jethro) said, (ָ ‫“ )וַּת ֹאמ ְַרן‬An Egyptian man etc.”, which is the past tense (the
Rashi text must read here ‫( )לשון ָעבַר‬imperf. with Vau conv.), just as one would use ‫ וַי ֹאמְרּו‬if
one were speaking of men; (Jeremiah 54:25) “Ye women have spoken (‫ )ותדברנה‬with your
mouths”, having the same meaning as ‫דברתן‬, and corresponding to ‫ ותדברו‬when used of men;
(Ezekiel 13:19) “And ye (women) have profaned Me (‫ )ותחללנה‬among My people” which is a
past tense, the same as ‫ חללתן‬corresponding to ‫ ותחללו‬when used of men.

1:19

,)‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ּדָ ְרׁשּו ה ֲֵרי הֵן מְׁשּולֹות ְּכחַּיֹות ַהּׂשָדֶ ה (סוטה י"א‬.‫ ּתַ ְרּגּום ְמיַּלְדֹות ַחּי ָתָ א‬,‫ ְּבקִיאֹות ַּכ ְמיַּלְדֹות‬.‫כי חיות הנה‬
‫ אַ ּיָלָה‬,)‫ ּבְכֹור ׁשֹורֹו (דברים ל"ג‬,)‫ ז ְ ֵאב יִט ְָרף (בראשית מ"ט‬,‫ַארי ֵה‬ ְ ‫ ְוהֵיכָן מְׁשּולֹות ְלחַּיֹות? ּגּור‬.‫ׁשֶ ֵאינָן צ ְִריכֹות ְמיַּלְדֹות‬
‫ וְעֹוד ּכְתִ יב מָה ִאּמְָך ְל ִבּי ָא (יחזקאל‬,)‫ ה ֲֵרי ַהּכָתּוב ְּכ ָללָן ַויְב ֶָרְך אֹותָ ם (שם‬,‫ׁשֹּלא נִכְּתַ ב ּבֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ּומִי‬,) ‫ׁשְ ֻלחָה (בראשית מ"ט‬
)‫י"ט‬:

‫ כי חיות הנה‬signifies they are just as skilful as midwives. The Aramaic for ‫מילדות‬, midwives, is
‫( חיתא‬hence the term ‫ חיות‬in this verse). Our Rabbis, however, (taking this word in the sense of
animals) gave the following explanation (Sotah 11b): they have been compared to the beasts
of the field which do not require the help of midwives. And where are they compared to
animals? (Genesis 49:9) “Judah is a young lion”; (Genesis 27) “Benjamin is a wolf that
leareth”; (Deuteronomy 33:17) “Joseph is the firstling of his ox”; (Genesis 49:21) “Naphtali is
a hind sent forth”. As for the ancestors of those tribes about whom such a comparison is not
expressly written Scripture implicitly includes them in the several blessings bestowed upon
their brothers, (and thus they also are compared, as their brothers, to animals), for Scripture
states, (Genesis 49:28) “And he blessed them etc.” (cf. Rashi on these words). Then, again, it
is written, (Ezekiel 19:2) “How was thy mother a lioness!” (The prophet is addressing the
princes of Israel as the representatives of the people, and by the term “thy mother” means the
progenitors of the nation; the chapter proceeds to speak of the mother’s offspring as
“whelps”).

1:20

‫ׁשהִיא בָָאה לְדַ ּבֵר לְׁשֹון ַוּי ַ ְפעִיל‬ ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ׁשּה‬ָ ‫ׁשּי ְסֹודָ ּה ׁשְּתֵ י אֹותִ ּיֹות ְונָתַ ן לָּה וָי"ו יֹו"ד ּבְר ֹא‬ ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶה חִּלּוק ּבְתֵ בָה‬.‫ ֵהטִיב ָלהֶן‬.‫וייטב‬
.‫ – ה ְִרּבָה ּתַ אֲ נִּי ָה‬,)'‫ " ַוּי ֶֶרב ְּבבַת י ְהּודָ ה" (איכה ב‬,‫ ּכְגֹון ַוּי ֵיטֶב אֱֹלהִים ַל ְמיַּלְד ֹת‬,‫ׁשהּוא ָקמָץ ָקטָן‬ ֶ ,‫ֵירי‬ֵ ‫הּוא נָקּוד הַּיֹו"ד ְּבצ‬
– )‫ " ַוּיֶפֶן זָנָב אֶל זָנָב" (שופטים ט"ו‬,‫ּׁשא ִֵרית‬ ְ ‫ – ִהגְלָה אֶת ַה‬,)‫ּׁשא ִֵרית" דִ נְבּוז ְַראֲדָ ן (דברי הימים ב' ל"ו‬ ְ ‫ְוכֵן " ַוּיֶגֶל ַה‬
‫ ּכְגֹון‬,‫ִירק‬ ִ ‫ הּוא נָקּוד הַּיֹו"ד ְּבח‬,‫ׁשהּוא מְדַ ּבֵר ִּבלְׁשֹון ַוּי ִ ְפעַל‬ ֶ ‫ ּכָל אֵ ּלּו לְׁשֹון ִה ְפעִיל אֶת אֲ ח ִֵרים; ּו ְכ‬,‫ִה ְפנָה ַהּזְנָבֹות זֹו לָזֹו‬
,‫ " ַוּיִגֶל י ְהּודָ ה" (מלכים ב כ"ה) – ָהגְלָה י ְהּודָ ה‬,‫ – נִתְ ַרּבָה ָהעָם‬,‫ ְוכֵן ַוּי ִֶרב ָהעָם‬,‫ לְׁשֹון הּוטַב‬,)'‫" ַוּי ִיטַב ְּבעֵינָיו" (ויקרא י‬
‫ׁשאֵינָן מִ ִּגז ְָרתָ ן ׁשֶ ל‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ַוּיֵצֵא‬,‫ ַוּי ֵֶרד‬,‫ׁשב‬ ֶ ֵ ‫ ַוּי‬,‫ וְַאל ּתְ ׁשִי ֵבנִי ַוּיֵלְֶך‬.‫י״ב ) – ִה ְפנָה ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן‬:‫" ַוּיִפֶן ּכ ֹה וָכ ֹה" (שמות ב׳‬
‫ יֵצֵא – י' אֹות ׁשְ לִיׁשִ ית ּבֹו‬,‫ י ֵֵרד‬,‫ׁשב‬ ֵ ֵ ‫ י‬,‫ יֵלְֵך‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי הַּיֹו"ד י ְסֹוד ָּבהֶן‬ ֶ ,‫ ֵאּלּו‬:
‫ ַוּי ֵיטָב‬means HE DID GOOD TO THEM. — The following is the difference between certain
forms in a word (verb) whose root is two letters when one prefixes ‫ ו‬and ‫ י‬to them: when it
intends to express the meaning “and he caused someone or something to do a particular
action” (i. e. the 3rd masc. sing, imperf. Hiphil with Vau conversive), the ‫ י‬has the vowel
Tzéré which is what we call Kametz Katan, as, (in this verse) “And God dealt well (‫ ) ַוּי ֶיטָב‬with
the midwives” (to Rashi the root it ‫ ;טב‬we take it as ‫( ;)יטב‬Lamentations 2:5) “‫ ַוי ָָרב‬for the
daughter of Judah [mourning]” i. e. He increased (made great) the mourning; (root ‫ ;ר ֹב‬we take
it as ‫)רבה‬. Similarly (II Chronicles 36:20) “‫ ַוּיָגָל‬the remnant” which occurs in connection with
Nebuzaradon, i. e. he caused the remnant to be exiled; (Judges 15:4) ‫ ַוּיָפָן‬tail to tail”, i. e. he
turned the tails one towards the other (more lit., he caused one tail to turn to the other) — all
these express the meaning “he caused others to do something” (i. e. they are of the Hiphil
conjugation). When, however, it speaks in the sense of “and he did something” (3rd masc.
sing, imperf. Kal with Vau conv.), the ‫ י‬has the vowel Chirik. For example, (Leviticus 10:20)
“‫ ַוי ִיטַב‬in his eyes” — this means, “it was good”. Similarly (in this verse) the people”, i. e. the
people became many; (2 Kings 25:21) “‫ ַויִגָל‬Judah”, i. e. Judah became an exile; (2:12) “‫ַויִפֵן‬
this way and that way”, i. e. he turned this way and that way. Do not answer me (do not raise
an objection) by quoting the words ‫ ַויֵּלְֶך‬and ‫ׁשב‬ ֶ ֵ ‫ ַוּי‬and ‫ ַוי ֶַרד‬and ‫( ַוּיֵצֵא‬saying that these verbal
forms also have ‫ ו‬and ‫ י‬prefixed and the ‫ י‬has the vowel Tzéré and yet they are Kal, not Hiphil
forms), because these are not of the same class of verbs as those above-mentioned, for the ‫ י‬is
part of the root in them — in ‫ יֵלְֵך‬and ‫שב‬ ֵׁ ֵ ‫ י‬and ‫ י ֵֵרד‬and ‫יֵצֵא‬, the ‫ י‬is a third root letter in each of
these.

‫ מַ הּו הַּטֹובָה‬.‫?וייטב אלהים למילדת‬:

‫ וייטב אלהים למילדת‬THEREFORE GOD DEALT WELL WITH THE MIDWIVES — What
was the good He dealt out to them? The next verse gives the reply to this —

1:21

‫ " ִלבְנֹות אֶת ּבֵית ה' ְואֶת ּבֵית הַּמֶ לְֶך" (מלכים‬:‫ׁשּכָתּוב‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשּקְרּוי ִין ּבָּתִ ים‬
ֶ ‫ ּבָּתֵ י ְכ ֻהּנָה ּו ְל ִוּי ָה ּו ַמלְכּות‬.‫ויעש להם בתים‬
‫ ּכִדְ אִיתָ א ּבְמַ ֶּסכֶת סֹוטָה‬.‫ ְּכ ֻהּנָה ּו ְל ִוּי ָה מִּיֹו ֶכבֶד ּו ַמלְכּות ִמּמ ְִרי ָם‬,) ‫א׳‬:‫א ט׳‬:

‫ ויעש להם בתים‬HE MADE THEM HOUSES — houses (dynasties) of the priesthood and the
Levites and of royalty which are all termed ‫בתים‬, “houses”, as it is said, (1 Kings 9:1) “and
Solomon built the house of the Lord and the house of the king”: “the house of the Lord” i. e. a
dynasty of priests and Levites — from Jochebed (Shifrah); and “the house of the king”, i. e. a
royal dynasty — from Miriam (Puah), just as it is stated in Treatise Sotah 11b.

1:22

‫ ְואֵין ָאנּו יֹודְ עִים אִ ם‬,‫ הַּיֹום נֹולָד מֹוׁשִיעָן‬,‫ׁשה ָאמְרּו לֹו ִא ְצ ַטגְנִינָיו‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ יֹום ׁשֶּנֹולַד מ‬,) ‫ ַאף ֲעלֵיהֶם ָּגז ַר (סוטה י"ב‬.‫לכל עמו‬
‫ ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר ּכָל ַהּבֵן‬,‫ ְלפִיכְָך ָּגז ַר אֹותֹו הַּיֹום ַאף עַל ַה ִּמצ ְִרּי ִים‬,‫ וְרֹואִין ָאנּו ׁשֶּסֹופֹו ִללְקֹות ַּב ַּמי ִם‬,‫ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם אִם ִמּיִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
‫מְריבָה‬ִ ‫ וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ַהּי ִּלֹוד ָל ִעב ְִרים; ְוהֵם ֹלא הָיּו יֹודְ עִים ׁשֶּסֹופֹו ִללְקֹות עַל מֵ י‬,‫ ַהּי ִּלֹוד‬:

‫ לכל עמו‬This may be translated AND PHARAOH GAVE COMMAND REGARDING ALL (
‫ )לכל‬HIS PEOPLE — Regarding them, too, he made a decree (Sotah 12a). For on the day
when Moses was born his astrologers said to him, “To-day their deliverer has been born, but
we know not whether he is born of an Egyptian father or of an Israelite; but we see by our
astrological art that he will ultimately suffer misfortune through water”. Pharaoh therefore
made a decree that day regarding the Egyptians also, as it is said here, “Every son that is born
[ye shall cast into the river]”, and it is not stated “[every son] who is born to the Hebrews”.
They (the astrologers), however, were not aware that Moses was ultimately to suffer
misfortune through the waters of Meribah and not through the waters of the Nile (Exodus
Rabbah 1:18; Sotah 12a; cf. also Rashi on Numbers 20:13).

2:1

‫ וְַאף הִיא נֶ ֶה ְפכָה ִלהְיֹות‬,‫ׁשנִּי ִים‬ ְ ‫ׂשה בָּה לִּקּוחִין‬ ָ ‫ ְו ֶה ֱחז ִָירּה ְו ָע‬,‫ ּפָרּוׁש ָהי ָה ִמ ֶּמּנָה ִמ ְּפנֵי ְּגז ֵַרת ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬.‫ויקח את בת לוי‬
‫ׁשּיָצְאּו ָהי ָה מ ֹׁשֶ ה ּבֶן‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ ּו ָמאתַ י ִם ָו ֶעׂשֶר נִׁשְּתַ הּו ׁשָם‬,‫ׁשּנֹולְדָ ה ּבְבֹוָאם ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם ּבֵין הַחֹומֹות‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשנָה ָהי ְתָ ה‬ָ ‫נַע ֲָרה; ּובַת ק"ל‬
‫ בבא בתרא קי"ט‬,‫ְקֹורא אֹותָ ּה ּבַת ֵלוִי (עי' סוטה י"ב‬ ֵ ‫ׁשלֹוׁשִים ו‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנִתְ ַעּב ְָרה ִמ ֶּמּנּו ָהי ְתָ ה ּבַת ֵמָאה ּו‬ ֶ ‫ אִם ּכֵן ְּכ‬,‫ׁשנָה‬
ָ ‫ׁשְמֹונִים‬
)‫ושמות רבה‬:

‫ ויקח את בת לוי‬AND HE HAD TAKEN TO WIFE A DAUGHTER OF LEVI — He had lived

apart from her in consequence of Pharaoh’s decree that the children should, on their birth, be
drowned. Now he took her back and entered into a second marriage with her, and she also
physically became young again. For really she was then 130 years old — for she was born
“between the walls” when they were about to enter Egypt (cf. Rashi on Genesis 46:15) and
they (the Israelites) remained there 210 years, and when they left Egypt Moses was 80 years
old; consequently when she became pregnant with him she was 130 years old — and yet
Scripture calls her ‫ בת לוי‬a young daughter of Levi (Sota 12a; Bava Batra 119b).

2:2

)‫אֹורה (סוטה י"ב‬

ָ ‫ׁשּנֹולַד נִתְ ַמּלֵא ַה ַּבי ִת ּכֻּלֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫כי טוב הוא‬:

‫ כי טוב הוא‬THAT HE WAS GOODLY — When he was born the whole house became filled
with light (Sotah 12a).

2:3

‫ ׁשֶ הַּיֹולֶדֶ ת‬,)‫ּׁשה חֳדָ ׁשִים וְיֹום ֶאחָד (שם‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬

ִ ‫ ְוהִיא יְלָדַ ּתּו ְל‬,‫ׁש ֶה ֱחז ִָירּה‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָּמנּו לָּה ַה ִּמצ ְִרּי ִים מִּיֹום‬
ֶ .‫ולא יכלה עוד הצפינו‬
‫ ְוהֵם ּבָדְ קּו ַאח ֲֶרי ָה לְסֹוף ּתִ ׁשְ עָה‬,)‫ׁש ְבעָה יֹולֶדֶ ת ִל ְמ ֻק ָּטעִין (נדה ל"ח‬ ִ ‫ ְל‬:

‫ ולא יכלה עוד הצפינו‬AND SHE COULD NO LONGER CONCEAL HIM, because the Egyptians
calculated the period from when he (Amram) took her back. She, however, bore him after a
term of six months and one day — for a woman who gives birth to a child in the seventh
month may do so in incomplete months (i. e. the seventh month of pregnancy may not be
completed) (Niddah 38b) — and they (the Egyptians) made enquiry regarding her at the end
of nine months (the normal term of pregnancy, but in this case three months after the child’s
birth; therefore “she could no longer conceal him”).

)‫ וְדָ בָר ַרְך הּוא וְעֹומֵד ִּב ְפנֵי ַרְך ּו ִב ְפנֵי קָׁשֶה (סוטה י"ב‬,‫ ּו ְב ַלעַז יונק"ו‬,) ‫ׁשנָה (שבת ע"ח‬
ְ ‫ ְּגמִי ִּבלְׁשֹון ִמ‬.‫גמא‬:

‫ גמא‬PAPER-REED — In the language of the Mishna it is called ‫( גמי‬Shabbat 78a), and in old
French junc. It is a flexible substance that offers resistance to the pressure of both soft and
hard things (Sotah 12a).

)‫ׁשֹּלא י ִָרי ַח אֹותֹו צַּדִ יק ֵרי ַח ַרע ׁשֶ ל זֶפֶת (שם‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ זֶפֶת ִמּבַחּוץ ְוטִיט ִמ ִּב ְפנִים‬.‫בחמר ובזפת‬:
‫ — בחמר ובזפת‬with pitch (‫ )זפת‬outside, but with slime (‫ )חמר‬inside, in order that that righteous
child might not smell the disagreeable odour of the pitch (Sotah 12a).

)‫ וְדֹו ֶמה לֹו " ָקנֶה וָסּוף ָק ֵמלּו" (ישעיהו י"ט‬,‫ רושיי"ל ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ הּוא לְׁשֹון ֲאגַם‬.‫ותשם בסוף‬:

‫ ותשם בסוף‬AND SHE PUT IT IN THE FLAGS — It (‫ )סוף‬has the same meaning as ‫אגם‬. old
French rosel. Another example of the word is (Isaiah 19:6) “And reeds and flags (‫ )סוף‬shall
wither”.

2:5

‫ ותרד בת פרעה על היאר לרחץ בו‬:‫ׁשהּו‬

ֵ ‫ ס ֵָרס ַה ִּמק ְָרא ּופ ְָר‬.‫לרחץ על היאר‬:

‫ — לרחץ על היאר‬Invert the order of the words in this verse and then explain it: “The daughter
of Pharaoh went down ‫על היאר‬, by the river, ‫ לרחץ‬to bathe in it”.

.‫ׁשּי ַד הָָאדָ ם סְמּוכָה לֹו‬ ֶ ,‫ וְהּוא לְׁשֹון י ָד ַמּמָׁש‬,)‫"ראּו ֶח ְלקַת יֹוָאב אֶ ל י ָדִ י" (שמואל ב י"ד‬
ְ ‫ כְמֹו‬,‫ ֵאצֶל ַהי ְאֹור‬.‫על יד היאר‬
‫ ּכְמֹו " ִהּנֵה ָאנֹכִי הֹולְֵך לָמּות" (בראשית כ"ה) – הֹולְכֹות לָמּות‬,)‫ "הֹולְכֹות" לְׁשֹון מִיתָ ה (סוטה י"ב‬,‫ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ָאמְרּו‬
‫ ּכִי ָל ָּמה לָנּו ִלכְּת ֹב ְונַעֲרֹותֶ י ָה הֹולְכֹות‬,‫ׁשּמִחּו בָּה; ְו ַהּכָתּוב ְמ ַסּיְעָן‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬:

‫ על יד היאר‬means BESIDE THE RIVER. Similar is (II Samuel 14:30) “See, the field of Joab is
beside mine (‫”)על ידי‬. It really denotes even in this sense the actual hand, for a person’s hand
is beside him (i. e. beside his body). Our Rabbis explained that the word ‫“ הלכת‬they were
going” denotes dying, similar to (Genesis 25:32) “Behold I am going (‫ )הולך‬to die” — they
were going to their death because they attempted to prevent her from saving the child.
Scripture, too, supports them in this explanation, for if this is not the meaning, why do we
need that it should write “and her damsels were going”? (Scripture reports nothing as having
happened because they were walking there. Why then stress this detail if it merely signifies
that they were walking along the bank?).

,‫ ֲאבָל ְלפִי ּדִ קְּדּוק לְׁשֹון הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש ָהי ָה לֹו ְל ִהּנָקֵד אַּמָתָ ּה‬,‫ לְׁשֹון י ָד‬,)‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ּדָ ְרׁשּו (סוטה שם‬.‫ׁש ְפחָתָ ּה‬
ִ ‫ אֶת‬.‫את אמתה‬
‫ ְונִׁשְּתַ ְר ְּבבָה ַאּמָתָ ּה אַּמֹות ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ ְוהֵם ּדָ ְרׁשּו אֶת ֲאמָתָ ּה – אֶת י ָדָ ּה‬,‫ׁשה‬
ָ ‫ּדְ גּו‬:

‫ את אמתה‬means her handmaid. Our Rabbis, however, explained it in the sense of hand (cf.
Sotah 12b) — but according to the grammar of the Holy Language it should then have been
written ‫ אַּמָתָ ה‬, dageshed in the ‫מ‬. — And the reason why they explained ‫ את אמתה‬to mean ‫את‬
‫“ ידה‬she stretched forth her hand” is because they hold that Scripture intentionally uses this
term to indicate that her hand increased in length several cubits (‫אמה‬, a cubit) in order that she
might more easily reach the cradle.

2:6

‫ ׁש ֶָראֲתָ ה עִּמֹו ׁשְ כִינָה‬,)‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו (שם‬.‫ ז ֶהּו ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬,‫ אֶת מִי ָראֲתָ ה? את הילד‬.‫ותפתח ותראהו‬:

‫ ותפתח ותראהו‬lit., AND SHE OPENED IT AND SHE SAW HIM — whom did she see? ‫את‬
‫ הילד‬THE CHILD. This is the literal sense of the suffix in ‫ותראהו‬. A Midrashic explanation is
(taking ‫ את‬in the sense of “with”— she saw Him with the child): she saw the Shechina with
him (cf. Sotah 12b).

)‫ קֹולֹו ְּכנַעַר (שם‬.‫והנה נער בכה‬:

‫ והנה נער בכה‬lit., AND BEHOLD A BOY WEEPING — Although he was a ‫ילד‬, “a child”, his
voice was like that of a ‫נער‬, a grown up boy (cf. Sotah 12b).

2:7

)‫ׁש ָהי ָה עָתִ יד לְדַ ּבֵר עִם הַּׁשְ כִינָה (שם‬

ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁש ֶה ֱחז ִַירּתּו עַל ִמצ ְִרּיֹות ה ְַרּבֵה לִינ ֹק וְֹלא יָנַק‬
ֶ .‫מן העברית‬:

‫ מן העבריות‬OF THE HEBREWS — She expressly said, “shall I call a nurse of the Hebrews?”
because she (Pharaoh’s daughter) had handed him to many Egyptian women to suckle him
and he had refused to take suck — this was because he was destined to hold converse with the
Shechina (Exodus Rabbah 1:21 and Sotah 12b).

2:8

)‫ ָה ְלכָה ִּבז ְִריזּות ְו ַעלְמּות ְּכ ֶעלֶם (שם‬.‫ותלך העלמה‬:

‫ ותלך העלמה‬AND THE YOUNG WOMAN WENT — she went eagerly and with vigour (
‫ )עלמות‬like a young man (‫( )עלם‬cf. Sotah 12b).

2:9

‫ נִתְ נַּבְָאה וְֹלא י ָדְ עָה ַמה ּנִתְ נַּבְָאה – הֵי ׁשֶ ּלִיכִי‬.‫היליכי‬:

‫( היליכי‬the word may be explained as a compound of two Aramaic words, ‫הי‬, here is, and ‫ליכי‬,
that which belongs to thee — thine own) — she prophesied without knowing what she was
prophesying (unconsciously she stated the actual fact) — here is thine own (Exodus Rabbah
1:21 and Sotah 12b).

2:10

‫ ּו ְבלְׁשֹון ִעב ְִרי משיתיהו לְׁשֹון‬,"‫ׁשחַל ּבִינְתָ א ֵמ ֲח ָלבָא‬ ְ ‫ " ְּכ ִמ‬,‫ הּוא לְׁשֹון הֹוצָָאה ְּבלָׁשֹון א ֲַרּמִי‬,‫ׁש ַחלִיתֵ ּה‬ ְ .‫משיתהו‬
‫ ּולְׁשֹון‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו ִמ ַּמ ְחּב ֶֶרת מָׁש ְוי ָמּוׁש ֶאּלָא ִמ ִּגז ְַרת מָׁשָ ה‬
ֶ ‫ ַו ֲאנִי אֹומֵר‬.‫ ּכְָך ִחּבְרֹו ְמנַחֵם‬,‫ ֹלא מָׁשּו‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ֹלא י ָמּוׁש‬,‫ֲהסִירֹותִ יו‬
‫ׁש ִאּלּו ָהי ָה ִמ ַּמ ְחּב ֶֶרת מָׁש ֹלא י ִּתָ כֵן לֹומַר מְׁשִ יתִ יהּו אֶ ּלָא‬
ֶ ,) ‫ (שמואל ב כ"ב‬,"‫ׁשנִי ִמ ַּמי ִם ַרּבִים‬ ֵ ‫ ְוכֵן "י ַ ְמ‬,‫הֹוצָָאה הּוא‬
‫ ּכְמֹו "ּומַׁשְּתִ י אֶת עֲֹון‬,‫ אֹו ַמׁשְּתִ יהּו‬,‫ ּומִן ּבָא ֲהבִיאֹותִ י‬,‫ׁשב ֲהׁשִיבֹותִ י‬ ָ ‫ ּומִן‬,‫ ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר י ֵָאמֵר מִן קָם ֲהקִימֹותִ י‬,‫ֲהמִיׁשֹותִ יהּו‬
,‫ עָׂשָ ה‬,‫ ָּבנָה‬,‫ ּכְגֹון מָׁשָ ה‬,‫ׁשּלָּה ְמיֻּסָד ְּבהֵ"א ּבְסֹוף הַּתֵ בָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּפֹעַל‬ ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל ָמׁשִיתִ י אֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ּתֵ בָה‬,) '‫ָָארץ" (זכריה ג‬ ֶ ‫ה‬
‫ ִצּוִיתִ י‬,‫ עָׂשִ יתִ י‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ָּבנִיתִ י‬,‫ ּתָ ב ֹא הַּיֹו"ד ִּב ְמקֹום הֵ"א‬,‫ׁשּי ָב ֹא לֹומַר ָּבהֶם ָּפ ַעלְּתִ י‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ ָּפנָה‬,‫ ִצּוָה‬:

‫ משיתיהו‬The Targum renders this by ‫ שחלתיה‬which in the Aramaic language means drawing
out. The word occurs in the Talmud, (Berakhot 8a) “as one draws out (‫ )משחל‬a hair from
milk”, and in the Hebrew language ‫ משיתיהו‬might be taken to mean “I have removed him”,
just as, (Joshua 1:8) “it shall not depart (‫( ;”)ימוש‬Numbers 14:44) “they did not depart (‫”)משו‬.
Thus indeed did Menachem b. Seruk classify it (i. e. he put ‫ משיתיהו‬under the same root as ‫מש‬
and ‫ משו‬in the verses quoted; according to him a biliteral root ‫מש‬, our ‫ ע"ו‬root ‫)מוש‬. I,
however, say, that it should not be classified together with ‫ מש‬and ‫ וימוש‬but that it is to be
derived from ‫משה‬, and that it means taking out, similar to (II Samuel 22:17) “He draws me out
(‫ )ימשני‬from many waters”. For if it were of the same class as ‫מש‬, it would not be correct to
say ‫( משיתיהו‬in the Kal), but ‫ הֲמיׁשֹותִ יהּו‬a Hiphil form, (since this root in the Kal means “to
depart” or “go away” and not “to make a thing go away”), just as from ‫ קם‬one says ‫ֲהקִימֹותִ י‬
and from ‫ שב — ֲהׁשִיבֹותִ י‬and from ‫ ; ֲהבִיאֹותִ י — בא‬or one must say ‫( ַמשְּתִ יהּו‬which is also a form
from ‫ מוש‬used in a causative sense), just as, (Zechariah 3:9) “And I will remove (‫ )ּו ַמׁשְּתִ י‬the
iniquity of that land”. But ‫ מָשִׁ יתִ י‬can only be derived from a word whose verbal form has a ‫ה‬
as a root letter at the end of the word, as e. g., ‫ משה‬and ‫ בנה‬and ‫ עשה‬and ‫ צוה‬and ‫פנה‬. When it
wishes to say in regard to these verbs, “I have done so-and-so” (a Kal), a ‫ י‬takes the place of
the ‫ה‬, as in ‫ ָּבנִיתִ י‬and ‫ ָעׂשִיתִ י‬and ‫ ִצוִּיתִ י‬.

2:11

‫ ׁשֶּמִ ּנָהּו‬,‫ּׁשנִי ִלגְדֻ ּלָה‬

ֵ ‫ ה ִָראׁשֹון לְקֹו ָמה ְו ַה‬,‫ ַוהֲֹלא ְּכבָר ּכָתַ ב ַוּיִגְּדַ ל ַהּיֶלֶד? ָאמַר ַרּבִי י ְהּודָ ה ּב ְַרּבִי ִא ְלעַאי‬.‫ויגדל משה‬
)‫ּפ ְַרע ֹה עַל ּבֵיתֹו (ילקוט שמעוני‬:

‫ ויגדל משה‬AND MOSES WAS GROWN — But has it not already been written, (Exodus 2:10)
“And the child grew”? Rabbi Judah the son of Eloai said: the first time it refers to growth in
stature, the second time to greatness, — that Pharaoh appointed him to have charge over his
palace (Tanchuma Yashan 2.2:17; cf. also Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 166:11).

)'‫ נָתַ ן עֵינָיו ְולִּבֹו ִלהְיֹות ֵמצֵר ֲעלֵיהֶם (שמות רבה א‬.‫וירא בסבלתם‬:

‫ וירא בסבלתם‬AND HE SAW THEIR BURDENS — he set his eyes and mind to share in their
distress. (Exodus Rabbah 1:27)

)‫ נֹוגֵׂש ָהי ָה ְמ ֻמּנֶה עַל ׁשֹוט ְֵרי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְו ָהי ָה ַמ ֲעמִידָ ם ִמּקְרֹות ַה ֶּגבֶר לִמְ לַאכְּתָ ם (שם‬.‫איש מצרי‬:

‫ איש מצרי‬AN EGYPTIAN MAN — This was one of the taskmasters appointed over the
Israelite officers and he used to rouse them from their beds at cock-crow that they might
proceed to their work (Exodus Rabbah 1:28 and Leviticus Rabbah 32:4).

,‫ ּו ַב ַּליְלָה ֶה ֱעמִידֹו וְהֹוצִיאֹו מִ ּבֵיתֹו‬,‫ׁשלֹומִית ּבַת ּדִ ב ְִרי ָהי ָה ְונָתַ ן עֵינָיו ּבָּה‬
ְ ‫ׁשל‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ַב ְעלָּה‬.‫ ַמ ְל ֵקהּו וְרֹודֵ הּו‬.‫מכה איש עברי‬
‫ ּו ְכׁש ֶָרָאה אֹותֹו מִ צ ְִרי‬,‫ ְו ָחז ַר ָהאִיׁש ְלבֵיתֹו ְוה ְִרּגִיׁש ּבַּדָ בָר‬,‫ׁשהּוא ַב ְעלָּה‬ ֶ ‫ְבּורה‬
ָ ‫ ִּכס‬,‫וְהּוא ָחז ַר ְונִ ְכנַס ַל ַּבי ִת ּובָא עַל אִ ׁשְּתֹו‬
)‫ ָהי ָה ַמּכֵהּו וְרֹודֵ הּו ּכָל הַּיֹום (שם‬,‫ׁשה ְִרּגִיׁש ּבַּדָ בָר‬ ֶ :

‫ מכה איש עברי‬SMITING A HEBREW MAN — beating and flogging him. The latter was the
husband of Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri (see Leviticus 24:11), and the Egyptian
taskmaster had set his fancy upon her. During the night he compelled him (her husband) to
rise and made him leave the house. He, however, returned, entered the house and forced his
attentions upon the woman, she believing it was her husband. The man returned and became
aware of what had happened, and when the Egyptian perceived that he was aware of it he beat
him and flogged him the whole day long (Exodus Rabbah 1:28).

2:12

‫ ּו ְלפִי ּפְׁשּוטֹו ּכְמַׁשְמָעֹו‬.)‫ׂשה לֹו ַבּׂשָדֶ ה (שם‬

ָ ‫ׂשה לֹו ַּב ַּבי ִת ּו ֶמה ָע‬
ָ ‫ ָרָאה ֶמה ָע‬.‫ויפן כה וכה‬:

‫ ויפן כה וכה‬AND HE TURNED THIS WAY AND THAT WAY — he saw what he had done to
him in the house and what he had done to him in the field (outside the house. viz., the beating
to which he had subjected him) (Exodus Rabbah 1.28). But according to the literal meaning it
must be explained in its ordinary sense: he turned this way and that way.

)‫ עָתִ יד ָלצֵאת ִמ ֶּמּנּו ׁשֶ ּי ִתְ ַּגּי ֵר (ת"י‬.‫וירא כי אין איש‬:

‫ וירא כי אין איש‬AND HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NO MAN destined to issue from him,
who would become an adherent of Israel’s religion (Exodus Rabbah 1:29; cf. Targum
Jonathan on Exodus 2:12) .

2:13

)‫ׁשהֹותִ ירּו מִן הַּמָן (נדרים ס"ד‬

ֶ ‫ הֵם‬,‫ִירם‬
ָ ‫ ּדָ תָ ן ַו ֲאב‬.‫שני אנשים עברים‬:

‫ שני אנשים עברים‬TWO MEN OF THE HEBREWS — viz., Dathan and Abiram (Nedarim 64b);
it was they, too, who left over some of the manna (Exodus Rabbah 1:29).

‫מְריבִים‬
ִ .‫נצים‬:

‫ נצים‬means quarelling.

)‫ׁשֹּלא ִהּכָהּו נִק ְָרא ָרׁשָע ַּבה ֲָרמַת י ָד (סנהדרין נ"ח‬

ֶ ‫ ַאעַ" ִּפ‬.‫למה תכה‬:

‫ למה תכה‬lit., WHEREFORE WILT THOU SMITE — Although he had not yet smitten him he
is termed here ‫ רשע‬wicked, because he had merely raised his hand against him (Sanhedrin
58b).

)‫ ָרׁשָע ּכְמֹותְ ָך (תנחומא‬.‫רעך‬:

‫ רעך‬THY FELLOW (the word denotes one who is the equal of another) — who is as wicked
as yourself (Exodus Rabbah 1:29).

2:14

‫ ְו ִהנֵה עֹודְ ָך נַעַר‬.‫מי שמך לאיש‬:

‫ מי שמך לאיש‬WHO MADE THEE A PERSONAGE (lit., a man), and you are yet only a boy
(Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10).

)'‫ׁשה ֲָרגֹו ַּבּׁשֵם ַה ְמפ ָֹרׁש (שמות רבה א‬

ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן ָאנּו ְלמֵדִ ים‬.‫הלהרגני אתה אמר‬:

‫ הלהרגני אתה אמר‬lit. WILT THOU SPEAK IN ORDER TO SLAY ME — From this we may
learn that he had killed him by the mere utterance of the “Shem Hamephorash” (Midrash
Tanchuma, Shemot 10; Exodus Rabbah 1:30).

‫ׁש ָּמא אֵינָם ְראּוי ִין ְל ִהּגָאֵ ל‬

ֶ ‫ ֵמעַּתָ ה‬,‫ ָאמַר‬,‫ָטֹורין‬
ִ ‫ׁשעִים ּדֵ ל‬
ָ ‫ ּדָ ַאג לֹו עַל ׁש ֶָרָאה ְביִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְר‬:‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.‫ ִּכפְׁשּוטֹו‬.‫ויירא משה‬
)'‫(שמות רבה א‬:

‫ ויירא משה‬AND MOSES FEARED — Explain it in its literal sense: he was afraid of Pharaoh.
A Midrashic explanation is: he felt distressed because he saw that there were wicked men
among the Israelites — common informers. He said: Since this is so (‫)מעתה‬, perhaps they are
not worthy to be delivered from bondage (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10).

‫ׁש ְבעִים אֻּמֹות ִלהְיֹות‬

ִ ‫ ֶמה ָחטְאּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ִמּכָל‬,‫ׁש ָהי ִיתִ י ּתָ ֵמ ַּה ָעלָיו‬
ֶ ‫ נֹודַ ע לִי הַּדָ בָר‬,‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.‫ׁשמָעֹו‬
ְ ‫ ְּכ ַמ‬.‫אכן נודע הדבר‬
)'‫ׁשהֵם ְראּוי ִים ְלכְָך (שמות רבה א‬ ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל רֹו ֶאה אֲ נִי‬,‫נ ְִרּדִ ים ַּבעֲבֹודַ ת ּפ ֶֶרְך‬:
‫ אכן נדע הדבר‬SURELY THE THING IS KNOWN — Explain it in its literal sense: the fact that
I have killed the Egyptian is known. A Midrashic explanation is: now there is known to me
that matter about which I have been puzzled — how has Israel sinned more than all the
seventy nations, that they should be oppressed by this crushing servitude? But now I see that
they deserve this (Exodus Rabbah 1:30).

2:15

)'‫ הֵם ִה ְלׁשִינּו ָעלָיו (שמות רבה א‬.‫וישמע פרעה‬:

‫ וישמע פרעה‬AND PHARAOH HEARD IT — they (Dathan and Abiram) slandered

(denounced) him (Exodus Rabbah 1:31).

"‫ׁשה " ַוּי ַ ִּצ ֵלנִי מֵ ח ֶֶרב ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשָאמַר מ‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא‬,)‫ׁש ְלטָה בֹו ַהח ֶֶרב (שם‬
ָ ‫ ְמסָרֹו לַּקּו ְסטִינָר ְלה ְָרגֹו וְֹלא‬.‫ויבקש להרג את משה‬
)‫ד׳‬:‫(שמות י״ח‬:

‫ ויבקש להרג את משה‬AND HE SOUGHT TO SLAY MOSES — He handed him over to the
executioner to slay him, but the sword proved powerless against him. It is to this that Moses
referred when he said, (18:4) “And He delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword” (see Mechilta
‫ יתרו‬and Exodus Rabbah 1:31).

()‫ׁשב יַעֲק ֹב" (בראשית ל"ז‬

ֶ ֵ ‫ " ַוּי‬:‫ נִתְ ַעּכֵב ׁשָם; ּכְמֹו‬.‫וישב בארץ מדין‬:

[‫ וישב בארץ מדין‬AND HE ABODE IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN — the word ‫ וישב‬means he
stayed there, as (Genesis 37:1) “And Jacob abode (‫”)וישב‬.]

)'‫ׁשּנִז ְּדַ ּוֵג לֹו ז ִּוּוגֹו מִן ַה ְּבאֵר (שמות רבה א‬

ֶ ‫ ָלמַד ִמּיַעֲק ֹב‬.‫ לְׁשֹון יְׁשִיבָה‬.‫וישב על הבאר‬:

‫ — וישב על הבאר‬Here the word ‫ וישב‬has the meaning of sitting down. He learnt to sit at the
well from Jacob whose marriage had been brought about by means of a well (Exodus Rabbah
1:32).

2:16

)‫ׁש ָּבהֶן; ּופ ַָרׁש לֹו ֵמעֲ"ז ָ ְונִּדּוהּו מֵ אֶ ְצלָם (שם‬

ֶ ‫ ַרב‬.‫ולכהן מדין‬:

‫ ולכהן מדין‬THE PRIEST OF MIDIAN — ‫ כהן‬signifies the chief amongst them (see Targ.
Onkelos and Mekhilta ‫ ;)יתרו‬he had abandoned the idol-worship to which they were addicted
and they banished him, driving him away from them (Exodus Rabbah 1:32).

‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ אֶת ּב ְֵרכֹות מְרּוצֹות ַה ַּמי ִם ָהעֲׂשּויֹות ּב‬.‫את הרהטים‬:

‫ את הרהטים‬THE GUTTERS — the troughs for the currents of water which are excavated in the
ground.

2:17

)‫ ִמ ְּפנֵי ַהּנִּדּוי (שם‬.‫ויגרשום‬:

‫ ויגרשם‬AND THEY DROVE THEM AWAY, because of the banishment into which their
father and his family had been driven (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 11).

2:20

)'‫ׁש ַה ַּמי ִם עֹולִים ִלק ְָראתֹו (שמות רבה א‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשל יַעֲק ֹב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהּוא ִמּז ְַרעֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ִהּכִיר ּבֹו‬.‫למה זה עזבתן‬:

‫ — למה זה עזבתן‬WHEREFORE HAVE YE LEFT [THE MAN]? — He recognised that he was

of the offspring of Jacob because for him (Moses), as for Jacob, the water had risen in the
well at his approach (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 11)

)‫ "ּכִי אִם ַה ֶּלחֶם ֲאׁשֶר הּוא אֹוכֵל" (בראשית ל"ט‬:‫ּׂשא ַאחַת ִמּכֶם; ְּכ ָמה דְ אַּתְ ָאמַר‬
ָ ִ ‫ׁש ָּמא י‬
ֶ .‫ויאכל לחם‬:

‫ ויאכל לחם‬THAT HE MAY EAT BREAD — perhaps he will marry one of you — just as you
say, (Genesis 39:6) “except the bread which he did eat” (cf. Rashi on this verse, where the
word “bread” is explained as a euphemism) (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 11).

2:21

‫ "הֹוַאלְּתִ י לְדַ ּבֵר" (בראשית‬,)'‫ "וְלּו הֹוַאלְנּו" (יהושע ז‬,)‫ וְדֹו ֶמה לֹו "הֹו ֶאל נָא ְולִין" (שופטים י"ט‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרגּומֹו‬.‫ויואל‬
)‫ׁשֹּלא י ָזּוז ִמּמִדְ י ָן ּכִי אִם ּב ְִרׁשּותֹו (נדרים ס"ה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבַע לֹו‬
ְ ִ‫ לְׁשֹון ָאלָה – נ‬:‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.) ‫י"ח‬:

‫ — ויואל‬Translate this as the Targum does: AND HE WAS WILLING. Similar are: (Judges
19:6) “Be content (‫)הואל‬, I pray thee, and tarry all night”; (Joshua 7:7) “would that we had
been content (‫( ;”)הואלנו‬Genesis 18:31) “I am content (‫ )הואלתי‬to speak”. A Midrashic
explanation is that it has the sense of taking an oath (‫)אלה‬, so that it should be rendered, “And
Moses pledged himself by an oath to remain with the man” — he swore to him that he would
not stir from Midian save by his permission (cf. Exodus 4:18) (Nedarim 65a).

2:23

‫ ומשה היה רעה‬,‫ ְו ֻהצ ְְרכּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל לִתְ ׁשּועָה‬,‫ וימת מלך מצרים‬,‫ׁשה ּגָר ְּבמִדְ י ָן‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה מ‬
ֶ .‫ויהי בימים הרבים ההם‬
‫ ְלכְָך נִ ְסמְכּו ּפ ָָרׁשִּיֹות ַהּלָלּו‬,‫ ּובָאת ּתְ ׁשּועָה עַל י ָדֹו‬,)‫א׳‬:‫(שמות ג׳‬:

[‫ ויהי בימים הרבים ההם‬AND IT CAME TO PASS DURING THOSE MANY DAYS during
which Moses was sojourning in Midian, ‫ וימת מלך מצרים‬THAT THE KING OF EGYPT DIED,
and the Israelites felt the need of help; and therefore ‫“ ומשה היה רעה‬And Moses fed the flock”
and help came through him. For this reason these chapters are placed in juxtaposition].

)'‫ נִ ְצט ַָרע ְו ָהי ָה ׁשֹוחֵט ּתִ ינֹוקֹות יִׂש ְָר ֵאל וְרֹוחֵץ ּבְדָ מָם (שמות רבה א‬.‫וימת מלך מצרים‬:

‫ וימת מלך מצרים‬THE KING OF EGYPT DIED — he became stricken with leprosy (and
therefore may be spoken of as dead; cf. Numbers 12:12), and he used to slaughter Israelitish
children and bathe in their blood as a cure for his disease (cf. Targum Jonathan and Exodus
Rabbah 1:34).

2:24

)‫ ְוכֵן " ֵמעִיר מְתִ ים יִנְָאקּו" (איוב כ"ד‬,‫ ַצ ֲעקָתָ ם‬.‫נאקתם‬:

‫ נאקתם‬means THEIR CRY. Similar is, (Job 24:12) “from out of the populous city men groan (
‫”)ינאקו‬.

‫ עִם ַאב ְָרהָם‬.‫את בריתו את אברהם‬:

‫ — את בריתו את אברהם‬The words ‫את אברהם‬, are the same as ‫עם אברהם‬, with Abraham (i. e. the
word ‫ את‬means “with”, whilst in the preceding phrase, ‫את בריתו‬, it is the sign of the
accusative).

2:25

‫ נָתַ ן ֲעלֵיהֶם לֵב וְֹלא ֶה ֱעלִים עֵינָיו‬.‫וידע אלהים‬:

‫ וידע אלהים‬AND GOD KNEW — He directed His heart to them and did not hide His eyes from
them.

3:1

)'‫ׁשֹּלא י ְִרעּו ִּבׂשְדֹות ֲאח ִֵרים (שמות רבה ב‬

ֶ ,‫ ְלהִתְ ַרחֵק מִן ַה ֶּגז ֶל‬.‫אחר המדבר‬:

‫[ אחר המדבר‬HE LED THE SHEEP] BEHIND THE DESERT — in order to keep them away
from private property (‫ גֶז ֵל‬i. e. things which can be appropriated only as the result of
“robbery”) — that they should not graze in other people’s fields (Exodus Rabbah 2:3).

‫ עַל ׁשֵ ם ֶהעָתִ יד‬.‫אל הר האלהים‬:

‫ אל הר האלהים‬TO THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD — Scripture so names it with reference to what

happened there in the future (Sifrei on Deuteronomy 1:24).

3:2

‫ " ְּבלֵב ָה ֵאלָה" (שמואל ב י"ח); וְַאל ּתִ תְ מַ ּה‬,)'‫ּׁש ַמי ִם" (דברים ד‬ ָ ‫ ּכְמֹו "לֵב ַה‬,‫ׁשל אֵׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְל ֶהבֶת אֵׁש – לִּבֹו‬
ַ ‫ ְּב‬.‫בלבת אש‬
)‫ " ָמה ֲא ֻמלָה ִלּבָתֵ ְך" (יחזקאל ט"ז‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לָנּו כַּיֹוצֵא בֹו‬
ֶ ,‫עַל הַּתָ י"ו‬:

‫ בלבת אש‬means IN A FLAME OF FIRE, i. e. in the very heart of (‫ )לב‬the fire. Similarly is ‫לב‬
used of inanimate objects in: (Deuteronomy 4:11) “in the heart of (‫ )לב‬heaven”; (II Samuel
18:14) “in the midst of (‫ )לב‬the terebinth”. Do not be puzzled by the ‫ת‬, although the ordinary
word for heart, ‫לב‬. does not require the suffix ‫ ת‬in the construct form, because we have
another example of this form, viz., (Ezekiel 16:30) “how weak is thy heart (‫”)לבתך‬.

)‫ מִּׁשּום "עִּמֹו ָאנֹכִי ְבצ ָָרה" (תהילים צא טו‬,‫ וְֹלא אִילָן ַאחֵר‬.‫מתוך הסנה‬:

‫ מתוך הסנה‬OUT OF THE MIDST OF A BUSH (a thornbush) — and not from any other tree, in
accordance with the idea (Psalms 91:15) “I will be with him in trouble” (Midrash Tanchuma,
Shemot 14).

)'‫ " ֲאׁשֶר ֻלּקַח ִמּׁשָם" (בראשית ג‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו "ֹלא ֻעּבַד ּבָּה" (דברים כ"א‬,‫ נֶ ֱאכָל‬.‫אכל‬:

‫ אֻ ּכָל‬means DEVOURED, eaten. It is of the same grammatical form as, (Deuteronomy 21:3)
“which hath not been wrought with (‫( ;”) ֻעּבַר‬Genesis 3:23) “whence he was taken (‫) ֻלקַח‬:
3:3

‫קָרב ׁשָ ם‬
ֵ ְ‫ָאסּורה ִמּכָאן ְלהִת‬
ָ .‫אסרה נא‬:

‫ָאסוּרה‬
ָ means I WILL TURN ASIDE from here in order that I may approach thither.

3:5

)‫ּׁשל ז ֵיתֶ ָך" (שם כ"ח‬

ַ ִ ‫ "ּכִי י‬,)‫ׁשל ַהּב ְַרז ֶל" (דברים י"ט‬
ַ ָ‫ ּכְמֹו " ְונ‬,‫ׁשֹלף וְהֹוצֵא‬
ְ .‫של‬:

‫ של‬means DRAW OFF and take off. It is of the same root as, (Numbers 19:5) “and the iron-
head slippeth off (‫ )נשל‬from the handle”; (Deuteronomy 28:40) “for thine olives shall drop off
(‫”)ישל‬.

‫ הַּמָ קֹום‬.‫אדמת קדש הוא‬:

‫ אדמת קדש הוא‬the place IS HOLY GROUND (i. e. the masculine pronoun ‫ הוא‬refers to the
word ‫ המקום‬and not to ‫אדמת‬, which is feminine).

3:7

‫ׂשמְּתִ י לֵב ְלהִתְ ּבֹונֵן ְולָדַ עַת אֶת מַ כְאֹובָיו וְֹלא‬

ַ ‫ ּכְלֹומַר ּכִי‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו " ַוּי ֵדַ ע ֱאֹלהִים" (שמות ב‬.‫כי ידעתי את מכאביו‬
‫ ֶה ֱע ַלמְּתִ י עֵינַי ֶלאֱט ֹם ָאזְנַי מִ ַּצעֲקָתָ ם‬:

‫ כי ידעתי את מכאביו‬FOR I KNOW THEIR SORROWS — The verb has the same meaning as in
(Exodus 2:25) “and God knew”, signifying as much as: for I have set my heart upon noticing
and understanding their sorrows, and I have not hidden my eyes from their distress, nor have I
stopped my ears against their cry.

3:10

‫ יֹועִילּו ּדְ ב ֶָריָך וְתֹוצִיאֵ ם מִּׁשָ ם‬.‫ ְואִם ּת ֹאמַר מַה ּתֹועִיל? והוצא את עמי‬.‫ועתה לכה ואשלחך אל פרעה‬:

‫ ועתה לך ואשלחך אל פרעה‬COME NOW, THEREFORE, AND I WILL SEND THEE UNTO
PHARAOH — And if you ask “What will this avail?” ‫ והוצא את עמי‬AND BRING FORTH MY
PEOPLE — your words will prove effective and you will bring them forth from there.

3:11

‫ ָמה ֲאנִי חָׁשּוב לְדַ ּבֵר עִם הַּמְ ָלכִים‬.‫?מי אנכי‬

‫ מי אנכי‬WHO AM I? — Of what importance am I that I should speak with monarchs?

‫ׂשה ָלהֶם נֵס וְאֹוצִיאֵ ם מִּמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּי ֵ ָע‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה ּז ָכּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬,‫ וְַאף אִם חָׁשּוב אֲ נִי‬.‫?וכי אוציא את בני ישראל‬:

‫ וכי אוציא את בני ישראל‬AND THAT I SHOULD BRING FORTH THE CHILDREN OF
ISRAEL — and even if I am of sufficient importance for this, how has Israel merited that a
miracle should be wrought for them and that I should bring them forth from Egypt?

3:12
 ‫ׁשָאמ ְַרּתָ מִי ָאנֹכִי ּכִי ֵאלְֵך ֶאל ּפ ְַרע ֹה – ֹלא ׁשֶ ּלְָך‬ ֶ ;‫ ֱהׁשִיבֹו עַל ִראׁשֹון ִראׁשֹון ְועַל ַאחֲרֹון ַאחֲרֹון‬.‫ויאמר כי אהיה עמך‬
,‫ ּוכְדַ אי אֲ נִי ְל ַהּצִיל‬,‫ ּכִי ֶא ְהי ֶה ִעּמְָך – וזה ַהּמ ְַר ֶאה ֲאׁשֶר ָראִיתָ ַּב ְּסנֶה לך האות כי אנכי שלחתיך‬,‫ּׁשּלִי‬ ֶ ‫הִיא ּכִי אִם ִמ‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל‬
ָ ‫ּׁשַאלְּתָ ַמה ּז ְכּות י ֵׁש ְלי‬ָ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁשלִיחּותִ י ְואֵינְָך נִּזֹוק; ְו‬
ְ ‫ ּכְָך ּתֵ לְֵך ִּב‬,‫ׁשלִיחּותִ י ְואֵינֶּנּו ֻאּכָל‬
ְ ‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ‫ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר ָראִיתָ ַה ְּסנֶה עֹו‬
‫ַּתֹורה עַל ָההָר ַהּז ֶה לְסֹוף ג' חֳדָ ׁשִ ים ׁשֶ ּיֵצְאּו‬ ָ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי עֲתִ ידִ ים ְל ַקּבֵל ה‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּיֵצְאּו ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם? ּדָ בָר ּגָדֹול י ֵׁש לִי עַל הֹוצָָאה זֹו‬
ֶ
‫ׁש ֲאנִי ַמ ְבטִיחֲָך ׁשֶ ּכְׁשֶּתֹוצִיאֵ ם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשלִיחּותְ ָך לך האות עַל ַה ְב ָטחָה ַאח ֶֶרת‬ ְ ‫ וזה ׁשֶּתַ ְצלִי ַח ִּב‬,‫ כי אהיה עמך‬:‫ ּדָ "ַא‬.‫ִמ ִּמצ ְָרי ִם‬
:‫ וְדֻ גְמַת לָׁשֹון ז ֶה מָ צִינּו‬.‫ ְוהִיא ַהּז ְכּות הָעֹומֶדֶ ת ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬,‫ַּתֹורה ָעלָיו‬ ָ ‫ ׁשֶּתְ ַקּבְלּו ה‬,‫ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם ּתַ ַעבְדּון אֹותִ י עַל ָההָר ַהּז ֶה‬
‫ַאר ְצכֶם‬ ְ ֶ‫ ׁש‬,‫ ַמ ָּפלַת ַסנְח ִֵריב ּתִ ְהי ֶה לְָך אֹות עַל ַה ְב ָטחָה ַאח ֶֶרת‬,)‫ּׁשנָה ָספִי ַח וְגֹו'" (ישעיהו ל"ז‬ ָ ‫" ְוז ֶה ּלְָך הָאֹות ָאכֹול ַה‬
‫ח ֲֵרבָה ִמּפֵרֹות ַו ֲאנִי אֲ ב ֵָרְך ַה ְּספִיחִים‬:

‫ ויאמר כי אהיה עמך‬AND HE SAID, BECAUSE I WILL BE WITH THEE — He answered his
first question first and his last question last: as regards what thou hast said, “Who am I that I
should go unto Pharaoh?” i. e. of what importance am I to speak with kings, I reply, it is not
an undertaking of yours, but it is partly mine for “I” will be with thee”, ‫ וזה‬AND THIS — i. e.
the sight which thou hast witnessed in the bush, ‫ לך האות כי אנכי שלחתיך‬SHALL BE A SIGN
UNTO THEE, BECAUSE (‫“ )כי‬I” HAVE SENT THEE and “I” am competent to save: just as
thou hast seen the bush carrying out the mission I laid upon it and it was not consumed, so go
thou too on the mission I entrust to thee and thou shalt suffer no harm. And as regards thy
question: What merit have the Israelites that they should go forth from Egypt? — I reply that I
have a great purpose in this, My bringing them forth, for they are destined to accept the Torah
upon this mountain at the expiration of three months after they leave Egypt (cf. Exodus
Rabbah 3:4). Another explanation is: ‫ כי אהיה עמך‬FOR I WILL BE WITH THEE and thou wilt
therefore succeed, ‫ וזה‬AND THIS — viz., the fact that thou wilt succeed in thy mission ‫לך‬
‫ האות‬WILL BE A SIGN UNTO THEE with respect to another promise: for I promise thee that
when thou hast brought them forth from Egypt ye will serve Me upon this mountain — i. e.
that ye will receive the Torah upon it. This is the merit which is an advocate for Israel. An
exactly similar use of the word ‫אות‬, where something that will happen in the future is to serve
as an ‫ אות‬in regard to an event that will transpire in the more distant future we find elsewhere:
(Isaiah 27:30.) “And this shall be a sign unto thee — for ye shall eat this year that which
groweth of itself etc.” (the passage proceeds to state that after a few years the devastated land
will have regained its former fertility) — this, i. e, the fall of Sennacherib promised in the
preceding section of that chapter shall be a sign to thee in respect to another promise: for your
land is now barren of fruits, but I will bless that which grows of itself and the land shall bring
forth fruits in abundance.

3:14

‫ מָ ה אֲ נִי‬,‫ׁשל עֹולָם‬
ֶ ‫ ִרּבֹונֹו‬,‫ ָאמַר ְל ָפנָיו‬.‫ׁשָאר ַמ ְלכֻּיֹות‬
ְ ‫ׁשעְּבּוד‬
ִ ‫ ֶא ְהי ֶה ִעּמָם ְּבצ ָָרה זֹו אֲ ׁשֶר ֶא ְהי ֶה ִעּמָם ְּב‬.‫אהיה אשר אהיה‬
)'‫ כה תאמר וגו' (ברכות ט‬, ָ‫ ָאמַר לֹו יָפֶה ָאמ ְַרּת‬,‫ ַמזְּכִיר ָלהֶם צ ָָרה ַאח ֶֶרת? ּדַ ּי ָם ְּבצ ָָרה זֹו‬:

‫ אהיה אשר אהיה‬I AM THAT I AM — I will be with them in this sorrow — I Who I will be with
them in the subjection they will suffer at the hands of other kingdoms (Berakhot 9b).
Whereupon Moses said to him: Lord of the Universe! Why should I mention to them other
sorrows: they have enough with this sorrow! God replied to him: You have spoken rightly —
‫ כה תאמר‬THUS SHALT THOU SAY etc.… Ehyeh, “I am” — without the addition of ‫אשר אהיה‬
which has reference to future sorrows — has sent me unto you”.

3:15

)'‫ׁשֹּלא יִּק ֵָרא ִּככְתָ בֹו (פסחים נ‬

ֶ – ‫ ַה ֲעלִי ֵמהּו‬,‫ לֹומַר‬,‫ ָחסֵר וָי"ו‬.‫זה שמי לעלם‬:
‫ זה שמי לעלם‬THIS IS MY NAME FOR EVER — The last word is written without ‫( ו‬so that it
may be read ‫ ְל ַעּלֵם‬and it would mean “this is My Name which is to be concealed”) to suggest:
Conceal it (this Divine Name), so that it shall not be read exactly as it is written (but should
be read as ‫ ;אדני‬cf. Pesachim 50a; Exodus Rabbah 3:7).

)‫ׁשמְָך לְעֹולָם ה' זִכ ְְרָך לְד ֹר וָד ֹר" (תהלים קל"ה‬
ִ '‫ "ה‬,‫ ְוכֵן ּדָ וִד הּוא אֹומֵר‬.‫ ִלּמְדֹו הֵיאְַך נִק ְָרא‬.‫וזה זכרי‬:

‫ וזה זכרי‬AND THIS IS MY MEMORIAL (the word may signify “the mention of Me”) — He
taught him how the Divine Name should be read. So, too, did David say, (Psalms 135:13) “O
Lord, Thy name is for ever (‫)שמך לעולם‬, O Lord, Thy memorial is throughout all generations (
‫)זכרך לדר ודר‬.

3:16

‫ׁשּׁשִים ִרּבֹוא? (יומא‬

ִ ‫ׁשל‬
ֶ ‫ הֵיאְַך אֶ ְפׁשָר לֹו ֶלאֱס ֹף ז ְ ֵקנִים‬,‫ ְואִם ּת ֹאמַר ז ְ ֵקנִים סְתָ ם‬.‫ ְמיֻחָדִ ים לִיׁשִיבָה‬.‫את זקני ישראל‬
)‫כ"ח‬

‫ את זקני ישראל‬THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, those singled out to attend meetings, (i. e. the
leaders) (cf. Yoma 28b). If, however, you should say that the text means old men in the
ordinary sense I ask: How was it possible for him to gather all the old men amongst a male
population of 600,000?

3:18

‫ ׁשֶ ְּבלָׁשֹון ז ֶה‬,‫ׁש ְּכבָר סִימָן ז ֶה מָסּור ְּבי ָדָ ם ִמּיַעֲק ֹב ּומִּיֹוסֵף‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשמְעּו לְקֹולְָך‬
ְ ִ ‫ י‬,‫ ִמּכֵיוָן ׁשֶּת ֹאמַר ָלהֶם לָׁשֹון ז ֶה‬.‫ושמעו לקלך‬
"‫ יֹוסֵף ָאמַר ָלהֶם "ּפָק ֹד יִפְק ֹד אֱ ֹלהִים אֶתְ כֶם‬,)'‫ יַעֲק ֹב ָאמַר ָלהֶם "וֵאֹלהִים ּפָק ֹד יִפְק ֹד אֶתְ כֶם" (בראשית נ‬,‫הֵם נִגְָאלִים‬
)‫(שם‬:

‫ ושמעו לקלך‬AND THEY SHALL HEARKEN TO THY VOICE — as soon as you will
mention to them this expression (the double use of the verb ‫ פקד‬as in v. 16) they will hearken
to your voice, for they have long had this sign as a tradition from Jacob and Joseph that by
mention of this phrase their deliverance will be brought about. Jacob said to them “And God
will surely visit you”, and Joseph said to them (Genesis 50:25) “God will surely visit you”.

‫ִקְרה מֵ אִּתֹו הֲֹלם‬

ֶ ‫ "וְָאנֹכִי ִאּק ֶָרה ּכ ֹה" (במדבר כ"ג) – ֱאהֵא נ‬,"‫ לְׁשֹון ִמק ְֶרה; ְוכֵן " ַוּיִּקָר ֱאֹלהִים‬.‫נקרה עלינו‬:

‫ נקרה עלינו‬GOD HATH HAPPENED TO MEET US — The word ‫ נקרה‬signifies a casual

meeting. Similar are: (Numbers 23:4) “And God happened to meet (‫[ )ויקר‬Balaam]”;
(Numbers 23:15) ‫ ואנכי ִאּק ָָרה כה‬which means “I will be met by him yonder”.

(‫ ברש"י ישן‬.‫ רמז לי' מכות‬,‫ יו"ד יתירה‬.‫)אלהי העבריים‬:

God of the Hebrews. [‫ ָה ִעב ְִרּי ִים‬is written with] an additional yud as an allusion to the ten
plagues. (From an old Rashi manuscript.)

3:19

,‫ׁשאֵין אֲ נִי מֹודִ יעֹו י ָדִ י ַה ֲחז ָקָ ה‬

ֶ ‫ ּכָל עֹוד‬,‫ אִם אֵין אֲ נִי מ ְַר ֶאה לֹו י ָדִ י ַה ֲחז ָ ָקה; ּכְלֹומַר‬.‫לא יתן אתכם מלך מצרים להלך‬
‫ֹלא י ִּתֵ ן אֶתְ כֶם ַלהֲֹלְך‬:
‫ לא יתן אתכם מלך מצרים להלך‬THE KING OF EGYPT WILL NOT LET YOU GO, if I do not (
‫ )ולא‬show him My strong hand (‫ — )יד חזקה‬it is as much as to say: so long as I do not let him
feel My strong hand he will not let you go.

‫ ְו ֻכּלָן לְׁשֹון‬,)‫ "וְֹלא נְתָ נֹו ֱאֹלהִים ְלה ַָרע ִעּמָדִ י" (שם ל"א‬,)'‫ "עַל ּכֵן ֹלא נְתַ ּתִ יָך" (בראשית כ‬:‫ׁשּב ֹק ּכְמֹו‬ ְ ִ ‫ לָא י‬.‫לא יתן‬
,"'‫ׁשלַח אֶת י ָדִ י ְו ִהּכֵיתִ י אֶת מִ צ ְַרי ִם וְגֹו‬
ְ ֶ‫ "ּכִי ֵמָאז א‬,‫ׁשּי ָדֹו ֲחז ָ ָקה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבִיל‬ְ ‫ ְוי ֵ" ְמ ולא ביד חזקה — וְֹלא ִּב‬.‫נְתִ ינָה הֵם‬
‫ׁשל ַרּבִי יַעֲק ֹב ּב ְַרּבִי מְ נַחֵם נֶאֱמַר לִי‬ ֶ ‫ ִמּׁשְמֹו‬."‫ּומְתַ ְר ְּגמִין אֹותֹו " ְולָא מִן קֳדָ ם ּדְ חֵילֵּה ּתַ ּקִיף‬:

‫ — לא יתן‬Translate this as the Targum does: he will not give leave. Similar uses of ‫נתן‬
followed by ‫ ל‬with the infinitive in sense of permitting are: (Genesis 20:6) “therefore I did not
permit thee (‫ )נתתיך‬to touch her”; (Genesis 31:7) “And God did not permit him (‫ )נתנו‬to do me
evil”. Still all these passages really have the sense of giving”. Some explain the phrase ‫ולא ביד‬
‫ חזקה‬to signify: “He will not permit you to go, and this will not be because his hand is strong”,
for (v. 20) “As soon as I stretch forth My hand I will smite the Egyptians [… and afterwards
he will let you go]”. And so the Targum renders it: and not on account that his power is
mighty. This explanation was told me in the name of Rabbi Jacob the son of Menachem.

3:22

‫ׁשהִיא ג ָָרה אִּתָ ּה ַּב ַּבי ִת‬

ֶ ‫ ֵמאֹותָ ּה‬.‫ומגרת ביתה‬:

‫ ומגרת ביתה‬means from that woman with whom she sojourneth in one house.

,)‫ " ַוּי ִתְ נַּצְלּו ְבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל אֶת עֶדְ י ָם" (שם ל"ג‬,) ‫ ְוכֵן " ַוּיְנַּצְלּו אֶת ִמצ ְָרי ִם" (שמות י"ב‬,"‫ ּכְתַ ְרגּומֹו "ּותְ רֹו ִקנּון‬.‫ונצלתם‬
"‫ " ֲאׁשֶר ִהּצִיל ֱאֹלהִים מֵ ָאבִינּו‬,"‫ְוהַּנּו"ן ּבֹו י ְסֹוד; ּו ְמנַחֵם ִחּבְרֹו ְּב ַמ ְחּב ֶֶרת צָדִ "י עִם " ַוּיַּצֵל ֱאֹלהִים אֶת ִמ ְקנֵה ֲאבִיכֶם‬
‫ׁש ֶּמׁשֶת ִּבלְׁשֹון ּו ְפ ַעלְּתֶ ם‬
ַ ‫ ֹלא תְ הֵא ְמ‬,‫ִירק‬ ִ ‫ ּכִי אִם ֹלא ָהי ְתָ ה הַּנּו"ן י ְסֹוד ְוהִיא נְקּודָ ה ְבח‬,‫ וְֹלא י ֵָא ְמנּו ּדְ ב ָָריו‬,) ‫(בראשית ל"א‬
‫ ְונִ ַּגפְּתֶ ם ִל ְפנֵי אֹויְבֵיכֶם (ויקרא‬,"‫ " ְונִּתַ ּתֶ ם ְּבי ַד אֹוי ֵב‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו " ְונִ ַּסחְּתֶ ם ֵמעַל ָהאֲדָ ָמה" (דברים כ"ח‬,‫אֶ ּלָא ִּבלְׁשֹון ְונִ ְפ ַעלְּתֶ ם‬
‫ׁשהִיא בָָאה ּבְתֵ בָה‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכָל נּו"ן‬,‫ לְׁשֹון נִ ְפ ַעלְנּו‬,) '‫ " ַו ֲאמ ְַרּתֶ ם נִ ַּצלְנּו" (ירמיהו ז‬,)‫ " ְונִּתַ כְּתֶ ם ּבְתֹוכָּה" (יחזקאל כ"ב‬,)‫כ"ו‬
‫ ּכְגֹון‬,‫ׁשהִיא מְדַ ּב ֶֶרת לְׁשֹון ּו ְפ ַעלְּתֶ ם ּתִ ּנָקֵד ַּב ֲחטָף‬
ֶ ‫ נֹוׁשְֵך – ְּכ‬,‫ נֹותֵ ן‬,‫ׂשא‬ ֵ ‫ נֹו‬,‫ׁשל נֹוגֵף‬ ֶ ‫ִלפ ְָרקִים וְנֹו ֶפלֶת ִמ ֶּמּנָה – ּכְנּו"ן‬
"‫ "ּונְ ַמלְּתֶ ם אֵת ּבְׂשַר ע ְָרלַתְ כֶם‬,)‫ "ּונְתַ ּתֶ ם ָלהֶם אֶת א ֶֶרץ ַה ִּג ְלעָד" (במדבר ל"ב‬,)‫ׂשאתֶ ם אֶת ֲאבִיכֶם" (בראשית מ"ה‬ ָ ְ‫"ּונ‬
,‫ וְהּוא מִן ַהּלְׁשֹונֹות ַה ְּכבֵדִ ים‬,‫ וִיסֹוד ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר נִּצּול‬,‫ִירק מִן ַהי ְסֹוד הִיא‬ ִ ‫ ְלכְָך ֲאנִי אֹומֵר ׁשֶּז ֹאת ַהּנְקּודָ ה ְּבח‬,) ‫(בראשית י"ז‬
‫ " ְו ִכּפ ְַרּתֶ ם אֶת‬,)'‫ִירק ּכְמֹו "וְדִ ּב ְַרּתֶ ם אֶל ַה ֶּסלַע" (במדבר כ‬ ִ ‫ יִּנָקֵד ְּבח‬,‫ׁשּי ְדַ ּבֵר ִּבלְׁשֹון ּו ְפ ַעלְּתֶ ם‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ לִּמּוד‬,‫ ּכִּפּור‬,‫ּכְמֹו ּדִ ּבּור‬
)‫ " ְו ִלּמַדְ ּתֶ ם אֹותָ ם אֶת ְּבנֵיכֶם" (דברים י"א‬,)‫ ַה ָּבי ִת" (יחזקאל מ"ה‬:

‫ ונצלתם‬render it as the Targum does: and ye shall empty out Egypt. Similar are: (Exodus
12:36) “And they emptied out (‫ )וינצלו‬Egypt”; (Exodus 33:6) “And the children of Israel
stripped themselves (‫ )ויתנצלו‬of their ornaments” The ‫ נ‬in it is a root-letter. Menachem ben
Seruk placed it (this word ‫ )ויתנצלו‬in section ‫( צ‬taking the root as ‫ צל‬not as ‫ )נצל‬together with,
(Genesis 31:9) “And God took away (‫ )ויצל‬your father’s cattle”, and with, (Genesis 31:16)
“which God hath taken away (‫ )הציל‬from our father”, but his view cannot be sustained. For if
the ‫ נ‬is not a root-letter, then seeing that it (the word ‫ )ונצלתם‬is vowelled with Chirik, it cannot
be used in the sense of “and ye shall do something” (the active voice, which is required here
since ‫ את מצרים‬can only be the object of the verb), but in the sense of “and ye shall have
something done to you” (the passive — “Niphal”), as (Deuteronomy 28:63) “And ye shall be
plucked up (‫ ) ְונִ ַּסחְּתֶ ם‬from off your land”; (Leviticus 26:25) “and ye shall be given (‫ ) ְונִּתַ ּתֶ ם‬into
the hand of the enemy”; (Leviticus 17) “And ye shall be smitten (‫ ) ְונִ ַּגפְּתָ ם‬before your
enemies”; (Ezekiel 22:21) “And ye shall be melted (‫ ) ְונִּתַ כְתָּ ם‬in the midst thereof”; (Jeremiah
7:10) “And ye say, ‫ — ”נִ ַּצלְנּו‬which expresses the idea “we have had something done to us”
(the Niphal: we have been delivered). Then again, every ‫ נ‬which sometimes appears in a word
and sometimes is omitted, as e. g. the ‫ נ‬of ‫ נוגף‬and ‫ נושא‬and ‫ נותן‬and ‫נושך‬, when the word
expresses the sense “and ye shall do something” (the Kal), it is pointed with vocal Sheva (‫חטף‬
a “snatched” sound), as, for instance, (Genesis 45:19) “and ye shall bear (‫שאתָ ם‬ ָׂ ְ‫ )ּונ‬your
father”; (Numbers 32:29) “And ye shall give (‫ )ּונְתַ ּתֶ ם‬them the land of Gilead”; (Genesis
17:11) “And ye shall circumcise (‫ )ּונְ ַמלְּתֶ ם‬the flesh of your foreskin”. Consequently I am of the
opinion that this letter ‫ נ‬which is vowelled with a Chirik is one of the root letters, and the
grammatical form of the noun of the same root is ‫ נִּצּול‬which is of the strong (dageshed) forms,
just as ‫ ּדִ ּבּור‬and ‫ כִּּפּור‬and ‫לִּמּוד‬. When, in the case of verbs formed from these roots one
expresses the idea of “and ye shall do something” (active voice) the ‫ נ‬has the vowel Chirik (i.
e. it is the Piel conjugation), as (Numbers 20:8) “And ye shall speak (‫ )וְדִ ּב ְַרּתֶ ם‬unto the rock”;
(Ezekiel 45:20) “And ye shall atone (‫ ) ְו ִּכּפ ְַרּתֶ ם‬for the house”; (Deuteronomy 11:19) “And ye
shall teach (‫ ) ְו ִלּמַדְ ּתָ ם‬them unto your children”.

4:2

‫ ּכְָאדָ ם ׁשֶ אֹומֵר‬:‫ׁש ָחׁשַדְ ּתָ ִב ְכׁש ִֵרים; ּופְׁשּוטֹו‬

ֶ ,‫ׁש ְּבי ָדְ ָך אַּתָ ה ַחּי ָב ִללְקֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּז ֶה‬:‫ לִדְ ר ֹׁש‬,‫ ְלכְָך נִכְּתַ ב ּתֵ בָה ַאחַת‬.‫מזה בידך‬
‫ׁש ְּל ָפנֶיָך ֶאבֶן הִיא? אֹומֵר לֹו הֵן; ָאמַר לֹו ה ֲֵרינִי עֹוׂשֶ ה אֹותָ ּה עֵץ‬ ֶ ‫ ַל ֲחבֵרֹו מֹודֶ ה אַּתָ ה ׁשֶּזֹו‬:

‫ מזה בידך‬WHAT IS THAT IN THINE HAND? —The reason why the words ‫ מה זה‬are written
here as one word is to afford the opportunity to explain it thus: on account of this (‫ ) ִמּז ֶה‬that is
in thine hand thou wilt make thyself liable to punishment because thou hast harboured
suspicion about worthy persons (Exodus Rabbah 3:12). The real meaning, however, is that it
is a question such as one puts to his fellow: “You admit that this object in front of you is a
stone?” The other replies, “Yes”. The former says, “Well, I’ll turn it into wood”.

4:3

)‫ׁשל נָחָׁש (שמות רבה‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ִּסּפֵר לָׁשֹון ה ָָרע עַל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל וְתָ פַׂש ֻאּמָנּותֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ָרמַז לֹו‬.‫ויהי לנחש‬:

‫ ויהי לנחש‬AND IT BECAME A SERPENT — This was an indication to him, that he had
slandered the Israelites by saying (v. 1) “But, behold they will not believe me etc.”, and that
he had made the serpent’s occupation (slander) his own (cf. Genesis 3:5) (Exodus Rabbah
3:12).

4:4

"‫ " ְו ֶה ֱחז ִיקָ ה ּבִמְ בֻׁשָ יו‬,)‫ " ַוּי ַ ֲחז ִיקּו ָה ֲאנָׁשִים ְּבי ָדֹו" (בראשית י"ט‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ֲאחִיז ָה הּוא; ְוה ְַרּבֵה י ֵׁש ַּב ִּמק ְָרא‬.‫ויחזק בו‬
)‫ (ּכָל לְׁשֹון חִּזּוק הַּדָ בּוק ְלבֵי"ת לְׁשֹון אֲ חִיז ָה הּוא‬,)‫ " ְו ֶה ֱחזַקְּתִ י ִּבז ְ ָקנֹו" (שמואל א י"ז‬,)‫(דברים כ"ה‬:

‫ ויחזק בו‬AND HE LAID HOLD OF IT —The phrase signifies “grasping” (‫)אחז‬. There are
many examples of it in the Scriptures: (Genesis 19:16) “The men laid hold of (ְ‫ויחזיקו ּב‬..) his
hand”; (Deuteronomy 25:11) “And she layeth hold of (ְ‫והחזיקה ּב‬..) his secret parts”; (I Samuel
17:35) “And I caught him by (ְ‫והחזקתי ּב‬..) his beard”. [Wherever the root ‫ חזק‬in the Hiphil is
followed by the preposition ‫ ב‬it denotes “taking hold of a thing”].

4:6

‫ ּדֶ ֶרְך צ ַָרעַת ִלהְיֹות ְל ָבנָה – " ְואִם ַּבה ֶֶרת ְל ָבנָה הִיא" (ויקרא י"ג ); ַאף ּבְאֹות ז ֶה ָרמַז לֹו ׁשֶ ּלָׁשֹון ה ָָרע‬.‫מצרעת כשלג‬
)‫ׁש ָּלקְתָ ה מ ְִרי ָם עַל לָׁשֹון ה ָָרע (שבת צ"ז‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ְלפִיכְָך ִה ְל ָקהּו ְבצ ַָרעַת‬,‫ ִסּפֵר ּבְָאמְרֹו ֹלא י ַ ֲאמִינּו לִי‬:
‫ מצרעת כשלג‬LEPROUS AS SNOW — It is the nature of leprosy to be white, and thus we read
in reference to a leper, (Leviticus 13:4) “If the bright spot be white [in the skin of his flesh]”.
By this sign, too, he indicated that he had made a slanderous statement when he said, (v. 1)
“But, behold, they will not believe me”. Therefore He smote him with leprosy (Exodus
Rabbah 3:13) even as Miriam was so smitten for the slander she had spoken (cf. Shabbat 97a).

4:7

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ב ִָראׁשֹונָה ֹלא נֶאֱמַר‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּמִּדָ ה טֹובָה ְמ ַמה ֶֶרת לָב ֹא ִמּמִּדַ ת ּפ ְֻרעָנּות‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬.‫ויוצאה מחיקו והנה שבה כבשרו‬
)‫"מֵ חֵיקֹו" (שם‬:

‫ ויוצאה מחיקו והנה שבה כבשרו‬AND HE BROUGHT IT OUT OF HIS BOSOM AND, BEHOLD,
IT HAD RETURNED AS HIS OTHER FLESH — From this we may infer that the measure
of Divine good comes more quickly than the measure of the punishment He inflicts, for in the
former case it does not say ‫ מחיקו‬after the word ‫ויוצאה‬. (Shabbat 97a; Exodus Rabbah 3:13).

4:8

‫ ׁשֶ ְּכבָר‬,‫ יַאֲמִינּו לְָך‬,‫ׁש ִּסּפ ְַרּתִ י ֲעלֵיכֶם לָׁשֹון ה ָָרע‬

ֶ ‫ עַל‬,‫ׁשבִי ְלכֶם ָלקִיתִ י‬
ְ ‫ ִמּׁשֶּת ֹאמַר ָלהֶם ִּב‬.‫והאמינו לקל האת האחרון‬
‫ׂשָרה‬
ָ ‫ ּכְגֹון ּפ ְַרע ֹה ַו ֲאבִי ֶמלְֶך ּבִׁשְ בִיל‬,‫ׁש ַה ִּמז ְּדַ ְּוגִין ְלה ַָרע ָלהֶם לֹוקִים ִּבנְגָעִים‬
ֶ ‫ ָלמְדּו ְבכְָך‬:

‫ והאמינו לקל האת האחרון‬THEY WILL BELIEVE THE VOICE OF THE LATTER SIGN — As
soon as you say to them, “On your account have I been smitten — because I uttered slander
about you”, they will believe you, for they are already experienced in this: that those who
combine to harm them are smitten by plagues, e. g., Pharaoh and Abimelech who were
punished on Sarah’s account.

4:9

‫ נפרע‬,‫ כשהקב"ה נפרע מן האומות‬,‫ (פירוש‬,‫ רמז להם שבמכה ראשונה נפרע מאלהותם‬.‫ולקחת ממימי היאור‬
)‫ ברש"י ישן‬.‫ והפכם לדם‬,‫ שהיו עובדים לנילוס המחיה אותם‬,‫מאלהותם תחלה‬:

‫ — והיו המים וגו׳‬Here we have the word ‫ והיו‬twice. It appears to me that if it was stated ‫היאר לדם‬
‫ביבשת מן והיו המים אשר תקח‬, I might understand it to mean that it would be turned into blood in
his hand and that also when it reached the ground it would retain that state (more lit., it would
be as it was). But now (as the text stands) it tells us that it would not become blood until it
would come on the dry ground.

,‫ ִאּלּו נֶ ֱאמַר ְוהָיּו ַה ַּמי ִם ֲאׁשֶר ּתִ ּקַח מִן ַהי ְאֹור לְדָ ם ַּבּיַּבָׁשֶת‬,‫ ב' ְּפ ָעמִים נ ְִראֶה ְבעֵינַי‬,"‫ " ְוהָיּו" " ְוהָיּו‬.'‫והיו המים וגו‬
‫ׁשֹּלא יִהְיּו דָ ם עַד ׁשֶ ּיִהְיּו‬
ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל ַע ְכׁשָו ְמ ַלּמְדֵ נּו‬,‫ָָארץ יִהְיּו ַּב ֲה ָוי ָתָ ן‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּי ְֵרדּו ל‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְּבי ָדֹו הֵם נֶ ְה ָּפכִים לְדָ ם – וְַאף ְּכ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע אֲ נִי‬
‫ ַבּיַּבָׁשֶת‬:

The water [you will take]. The word ‫[ ְוהָיּו‬appears] twice [in this verse]: It seems to me that
had it said: "‫ " ְוהָיּו ַה ַּמּי ִם ֲאׁשֶר ּתִ ּקַח מִן ַהי ְאֹור לְדָ ם ַּבּי ַ ָּבׁשֶת‬, I would conclude that while still in his
hand [the waters] will turn into blood and also upon reaching the ground they would remain
as they are but, now, [by repeating ‫ ְוהָיּו‬, i.e., ‫ ] ְוהָיּו לְדָ ם ַּבּי ַ ָּבׁשֶת‬it teaches us that they will not turn
into blood until they reach the dry land.

4:10
 ‫ "מֵ ָאז‬,"‫ "ׁשִ לְׁש ֹם‬,"‫ "מִּתְ מֹול‬,‫ׁשלִיחּותֹו‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ַּב ְּסנֶה לֵילְֵך ִּב‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּכָל ז' יָמִים ָהי ָה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְמפַּתֶ ה אֶת מ‬
ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו‬.'‫גם מתמול וגו‬
‫ׁשָאמַר לֹו ז ֹאת עֹוד ׁשְ לַח נָא ְּבי ַד‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשבִיעִי ְּכ‬
ְ ‫ וְהּוא ָהי ָה עֹומֵד ּבַּיֹום ַה‬,‫ּׁשה‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,‫ׁשה גַּמִין ִרּבּוי ִין הֵם‬
ָ ‫ׁשלֹו‬ְ ‫ּדַ ּב ְֶרָך" ה ֲֵרי ג' ּו‬
‫ׁש ָהי ָה ּגָדֹול הֵימֶ ּנּו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה רֹוצֶה לִּט ֹל ּגְדֻ ּלָה עַל ַאהֲר ֹן ָאחִיו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשח ָָרה ּבֹו ְו ִקּבֵל ָעלָיו (שמות רבה); ְוכָל ז ֶה‬ ֶ ‫ עַד‬,‫ׁשלָח‬ְ ִ‫ּת‬
‫ ְוכֵן "וָאִ ּוָדַ ע ָלהֶם‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ֲהנִגְֹלה נִגְלֵיתִ י אֶל ּבֵית ָאבִיָך ִּבהְיֹותָ ם ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם" (שמואל א ב') – הּוא ַאהֲר ֹן‬ ֶ ,‫ְונָבִיא ָהי ָה‬
)‫ֶמְרה (תנחומא‬ ָ ‫ וְאֹותָ ּה נְבּוָאה לְַאהֲר ֹן נֶא‬,)'‫ׁשלִיכּו" (יחזקאל כ‬ ְ ‫ׁשּקּוצֵי עֵינָיו ַה‬ ִ ‫ ְּבא ֶֶרץ ִמצ ְַרי ִם … וָאֹמַר ֲאלֵיהֶם אִיׁש‬:

‫ גם מתמול וגו׳‬NEITHER FROM YESTERDAY [NOR FROM BEFORE YESTERDAY] —

This teaches us that for an entire period of seven days God had been endeavouring to
persuade Moses at the thornbush to go on his mission, for the terms ‫ מתמול‬and ‫ שלשום‬and ‫מאז‬
‫ דברך‬imply three days, and the three-fold ‫ גם‬which is mentioned here point to three extensions
of the period, making six in all, and therefore he had now reached the seventh day when he
further said to him, (Exodus v. 13) “Send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt
send” — until God became angry with him (Exodus v. 14), and he accepted the mission (cf.
Leviticus Rabbah 11:6, and Seder Olam ch. 5). All this reluctance was because he was
unwilling to assume any dignity that would make him superior to his brother Aaron who was
older than he and was also a prophet, as it is said (I Samuel 2:27) that the man of God spoke
to Eli, the high-priest, in God’s name, “Surely I revealed myself unto the house of thy father
when they were in Egypt” — thy father means Aaron. Similary in : (Ezekiel 20:5, 7) “And I
made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt … and I said unto them, “cast ye away
every man the detestable things of his eyes”, and that prophecy was spoken to Aaron (Exodus
Rabbah 3:16; and cf. ‫)ברייתא דל"ב מדות‬.

‫ ּו ִבלְׁשֹון ַלעַז בלב"ו‬.‫ ִּב ְכבֵדּות אֲ נִי מְדַ ּבֵר‬.‫כבד פה‬:

‫ כבד פה‬SLOW OF SPEECH (lit. heavy of mouth) — I speak heavily (with difficulty); old
French balbus. (English = stammerer).

4:11

‫ׁש ָהי ִיתָ נִּדֹון ִל ְפנֵי פ ְַרע ֹה עַל הַּמִ צ ְִרי‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ מִי ִלּמְדֶ ָך לְדַ ּבֵר‬.'‫?מי שם פה וגו‬

‫ מי שם פה וגו׳‬WHO HATH MADE MAN’S MOUTH etc.? — Who taught you to speak when
you were arraigned in judgment before Pharaoh on account of the Egyptian whom you slew?

‫ׁשֹּלא ׁשָמְעּו ְּבצַּוֹותֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ְואֶת ְמׁש ְָרתָ יו ח ְֵרׁשִים‬,‫ׁשֹּלא נִתְ ַאּמֵץ ְּב ִמ ְצוַת ה ֲִריגָתְ ָך‬
ֶ ,‫ׂשה פ ְַרע ֹה ִאּלֵם‬
ָ ‫ מִי ָע‬.‫או מי ישום אלם‬
ָ‫ׁשּב ַָרחְּתָ מִן ַהּבִימָ ה ְונִמְ ַלטְּת‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָראּו ְּכ‬
ֶ ‫ׂשָאם ִעו ְִרים‬ ָ ‫ַהֹורגִים מִי ֲע‬
ְ ‫ָטֹורין ה‬ ִ ‫ ְואֶת אֶ ְס ַּפ ְקל‬,‫? ָעלֶיָך‬

‫ או מי ישום אלם‬OR WHO MAKETH THE DUMB — Who made Pharaoh dumb so that he
could not insist upon the carrying out of his command to kill you? Who made his ministers
deaf so that they could not hear when he gave orders concerning you? And the executioners
whose task it was to slay — who made them blind so that they could not see when you fled
from the platform (raised place of execution) and escaped? (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10)

)‫ּׁשמִי ה' ָעׂשִיתִ י כָל ז ֹאת (שם‬

ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ .‫הלא אנכי‬:

‫ 'הלא אנכי ה‬DID NOT I whose name is THE LORD do all this?

4:13
‫ָָארץ ְו ִלהְיֹות‬
ֶ ‫ אֵין סֹופִי ְל ַה ְכנִיסָם ל‬,ַ‫ׁשֹלח‬ ְ ‫ ְּבי ַד ַאחֵר ׁשֶּתִ ְרצֶה ִל‬:‫ ּדָ "ַא‬.‫ וְהּוא ַאהֲר ֹן‬,ַ‫ׁשֹלח‬
ְ ‫ׁשאַּתָ ה ָרגִיל ִל‬
ֶ ‫ ְּבי ַד מִי‬.‫ביד תשלח‬
‫ י ֵׁש לְָך ׁשְ לּוחִים ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ּגֹו ֲאלָם ֶלעָתִ יד‬:

‫ ביד תשלח‬signifies by the hand of him whom Thou art accustomed to send; viz., Aaron
(Exodus Rabbah 3:16). Another explanation is: by the hand of some other person whom Thou
wilt be pleased to send — for in the end “I” shall not bring them into the land of Palestine nor
shall “I” become their deliverer in the future — and You have many messengers! (Pirkei
DeRabbi Eliezer 40)

4:14

‫ׂשה רֹׁשֶם ְוז ֶה ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ּבֹו רֹׁשֶם וְֹלא ָמצִינּו ׁשֶ ּבָא עֹנֶׁש‬ ֶ ‫ַּתֹורה עֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשּב‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַע ּבֶן ק ְָרחָה אֹומֵר ּכָל חֲרֹון ַאף‬ ֻ ‫ ַרּבִי י ְהֹו‬.‫ויחר אף‬
,‫ׁש ָהי ָה עָתִ יד ִלהְיֹות ֵלוִי וְֹלא ּכֹהֵן‬
ֶ – ‫עַ"י ְ אֹותֹו חָרֹון; ָאמַר לֹו ַרּבִי יֹוסֵי ַאף ּבְזֹו נֶ ֱאמַר ּבֹו רֹׁשֶם – הלא אהרן אחיך הלוי‬
‫ׁשה אִ יׁש הָאֱ ֹלהִים‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "ּומ‬
ֶ ,‫ ֵמעַּתָ ה ֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה כֵן ֶאּלָא הּוא י ִ ְהי ֶה ּכֹהֵן ְואַּתָ ה ַה ֵּלוִי‬,‫ְו ַה ְּכ ֻהּנָה ָהי ִיתִ י אֹומֵר ָלצֵאת ִמּמְָך‬
)‫ׁשבֶט ַה ֵּלוִי" (דהי"א כ"ג) (זבחים ק"ב‬ ֵ ‫ ָּבנָיו יִּק ְָראּו עַל‬:

‫ ויחר אף‬AND [THE LORD’S] WRATH GLOWED — Rabbi Joshua the son of Korcha said:
wherever the term “and God’s wrath glowed” occurs in the Scriptures it leaves a definite
impression (mention of punishment of some kind follows), but here no such result is
mentioned, for we do not find that any punishment came upon Moses in consequence of that
anger of God. Rabbi José said to him: As a matter of fact here, too, some definite result is
mentioned, viz., ‫“ הלא אהרן אחיך הלוי‬Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother?” — which implies,
that he was destined to be a Levite (an attendant on the priests) and not a priest, — and I
intended that the priesthood should proceed from you. Now, however, this shall not be so, but
he will be the Priest and you the Levite, as it is said, (I Chronicles 23:14) “But as for Moses
the man of God his sons are named among the tribe of Levi” (Zevachim 102a).

‫ ּכְׁשֶּתֵ לְֵך לְמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬.‫הנה הוא יצא לקראתך‬:

‫ הנה הוא יצא לקראתך‬HE WILL BE GOING FORTH TOWARDS THEE, when you will be
going to Egypt.

‫ׁשאַּתָ ה עֹולֶה ִלגְדֻ ּלָה; ּו ִמּׁשָם זָכָה ַאהֲר ֹן ַלעֲדִ י הַח ֹׁשֶ ן ַהּנָתּון‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא ַמ ְקּפִיד ָעלֶיָך‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשאַּתָ ה סָבּור‬
ֶ ‫ ֹלא ְכ‬.‫וראך ושמח בלבו‬
)‫עַל ַהּלֵב (שבת קל"ט‬:

‫ וראך ושמח בלבו‬AND WHEN HE SEETH THEE, HE WILL BE GLAD IN HIS HEART — not
as you believe, that he will be angry with you became you have attained a high position. In
consequence of this, Aaron was privileged to wear the ornament of the breastplate which was
placed over his heart (cf. Exodus 28:29) (Shabbat 139a; Exodus Rabbah 3:17).

4:16

‫ׁש ֻּכּלָם לְׁשֹון עַל הֵם‬

ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶה יֹוכִי ַח עַל ּכָל לְָך ְולִי וְלֹו ְו ָלכֶם ְו ָלהֶם ַהּסְמּוכִים לְדִ ּבּור‬.‫ׁשבִילְָך י ְדַ ּבֵר אֶל ָהעָם‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫ודבר הוא לך‬:

‫ ודבר הוא לך‬means HE WILL SPEAK to the people ON THY ACCOUNT (‫)לְָך‬. This passage is
proof, regarding every usage of ‫ לך‬and ‫ לי‬and ‫ לו‬and ‫ לכם‬and ‫ להם‬that follow after the verb ‫דבר‬,
that they all have the meaning of ‫“ על‬on account of”.

‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶ אַּתָ ה ְכבַד ּפֶה‬,‫ ְל ֵמלִיץ‬.‫יהיה לך לפה‬:

‫ יהיה לך לפה‬HE SHALL BE TO THEE INSTEAD OF A MOUTH — he will be to thee as a
spokesman because thou art slow of speech (Exodus Rabbah 3:17).

‫ ל ְַרב ּולְׂשַר‬.‫לאלהים‬:

‫ לאלהים‬means a superior and chief (cf. Onkelos).

4:18

,‫ חֹובָב‬,‫ קֵ ינִי‬,‫ י ִתְ רֹו‬,‫ י ֶתֶ ר‬,‫ ְרעּו ֵאל‬,‫ וְז' ׁשֵמֹות הָיּו לֹו‬.) ‫ׁשּבַע לֹו (נדרים ס"ה‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נ‬
ֶ ,‫ לִּט ֹל ְרׁשּות‬.‫וישב אל יתר חתנו‬
‫ ּפּוטִיאֵ ל‬,‫ ֶחבֶר‬:

‫ וישב אל יתר חתנו‬AND HE RETURNED TO JETHRO HIS FATHER-IN-LAW, to obtain his

permission to go to Egypt, for he had sworn to him that he would not leave Midian except by
his permission (Nedarim 65a). He is here called ‫ יתר‬and he had seven names: Reuel, Jether,
Jethro, Keni, Hobab, Cheber and Putiel (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:2)

4:19

‫ׁשּי ְָרדּו ִמּנִ ְכסֵיהֶם ְו ֶה ָענִי חָׁשּוב ּכַּמֵת‬

ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ִירם; ַחּי ִים הָיּו‬
ָ ‫ מִי הֵם? ּדָ תָ ן ַו ֲאב‬.‫כי מתו כל האנשים‬:

FOR ALL THE MEN ARE DEAD — Who were these men? Dathan and Abiram: Really they
were still alive, but they had come down in the world, having lost their property, and a
poverty-stricken man may well be regarded as dead (Nedarim 64b).

4:20

‫ ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר‬,‫ׁשעָתִ יד ֶמלְֶך ַה ָּמׁשִי ַח ְל ִהּגָלֹות ָעלָיו‬

ֶ ‫ וְהּוא‬,‫ׁש ָחבַׁש ַאב ְָרהָם ַל ֲעקֵדַ ת י ִ ְצחָק‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא ַהחֲמֹור‬,‫ חֲמֹור ַה ְמיֻחָד‬.‫על החמר‬
)‫" ָענִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמֹור" (זכריה ט') (פרקי דרבי אליעזר ל"א‬:

‫ על החמור‬UPON “THE” ASS — the ass designated for this purpose: this was the ass which
Abraham had saddled for the purpose of travelling to bind Isaac on Mount Moriah, and this,
too, is the ass upon which King Messiah will once show himself in public, as it is said,
(Zechariah 9:9) “[Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, …] lowly and riding upon an ass”
(Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31).

‫קְרא‬
ָ ִ‫ אֵין ֻמקְּדָ ם ּו ְמ ֻאחָר מְדֻ קְּדָ קִ ים ּבַּמ‬.‫ ויקח משה את מטה‬,‫וישב ארצה מצרים‬:

‫ וישב ארצה מצרים ויקח משה את מטה‬AND HE RETURNED TO THE LAND OF EGYPT: AND
MOSES TOOK THE STAFF [OF GOD] — “Earlier and later” are not strictly observed in the
Scriptures (i. e. incidents are not necessarily related in the exact order in which they occur.
Here it should state: He took the staff etc. and returned to Egypt; cf. v. 17).

4:21

‫ירא‬ ָ ִ‫ׁשלִיחּותִ י ַלעֲׂשֹות ּכָל מֹופְתַ י ִל ְפנֵי פ ְַרע ֹה וְֹלא ת‬

ְ ‫ׁשעַל ְמנָת ּכֵן ּתֵ לְֵך ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ּגִּבֹור ִּב‬
ֶ ‫ ּדַ ע‬.'‫בלכתך לשוב מצרימה וגו‬
‫מִּמֶ ּנּו‬:

‫ בלכתך לשוב מצרימה וגו׳‬WHEN THOU GOEST TO RETURN TO EGYPT, [SEE THAT THOU
DO etc.] — Understand that you should go thither with this purpose in mind: that you should
be vigorous in carrying out my mission — to do all my wonders before Pharaoh and that you
should not be afraid of him.

‫ִׂשְראֵ ל‬ ָ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ֹלא ִל ְפנֵי פ ְַרע ֹה ִצּוָה ַלעֲׂשֹותָ ם ֶאּלָא ִל ְפנֵי י‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשלֹוׁש אֹותֹות ָהאֲמּורֹות ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬ ָ ‫ ֹלא עַל‬.‫אשר שמתי בידך‬
‫ ּכְמֹו "ּכִי י ְדַ ּבֵר אֲ לֵיכֶם ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬,‫ׁש ֲאנִי עָתִ יד לָׂשּום ְּבי ָדְ ָך ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא מֹופְתִ ים‬,‫ׂשָאם ְל ָפנָיו‬
ָ ‫ׁש ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ וְֹלא ָמצִינּו‬,‫ׁשּי ַ ֲאמִינּו לֹו‬
ֶ
‫ ְּכׁשֶּתְ דַ ּבֵר עִּמֹו ְּכבָר ׂשַמְּתִ ים ְּבי ָדְ ָך‬,‫ׁשמָעֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשּכֵן ַמ‬ ֶ ,"‫ׂשמְּתִ י‬
ַ ‫וְגֹו'" (שמות ז' ); וְַאל תִ תְ מַּה עַל ֲאׁשֶר ּכְתִ יב " ֲאׁשֶר‬:

‫[ אשר שמתי בידך‬THE WONDERS] WHICH I HAVE PUT IN THY HAND — Not in reference
to the three signs mentioned above was God speaking, for he had not commanded him to do
these before Pharaoh, but before Israel in order that they might believe in him, nor do we find
that he did them before him. But God meant: those wonders which I shall in future place in
thy hand in Egypt — such as (Exodus 7:9) “When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, [saying,
show a wonder (‫ )מופת‬for yourselves]”. Do not be puzzled because it is written ‫( אשר שמתי‬a
past tense), for the following is what it means: when you will be speaking with him I shall
already have put them into thy hand.

4:22

‫ׁשּלִּבֹו ָחז ָק וִי ָמאֵן לִׁשְ ֹל ַח אֱמ ֹר לֹו ּכֵן‬

ֶ ‫ׁשמַע‬
ְ ִ‫ ְּכׁשֶּת‬.‫ואמרת אל פרעה‬:

‫ ואמרת אל פרעה‬AND THOU SHALT SAY UNTO PHARAOH — When you perceive that his
heart is stubborn and that he refuses to let them go speak to him thus:

‫ִירת‬
ַ ‫ ּכָאן חָתַ ם ַה ָּקּבָ"ה עַל מְ כ‬:‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.‫ ז ֶהּו ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬,) ‫ "ַאף ֲאנִי ּבְכֹור אֶּתְ נֵהּו" (תהלים פ"ט‬:‫ לְׁשֹון ּגְדֻ ּלָה; ּכְמֹו‬.‫בני בכרי‬
)‫ׁש ָּלקַח יַעֲק ֹב ֵמ ֵעׂשָו (בראשית רבה ס"ג‬ ֶ ‫ְכֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ַהּב‬:

‫[ בני בכרי‬ISRAEL IS] MY SON, MY FIRSTBORN — The term ‫“ בכור‬firstborn” denotes high
dignity as, (Psalms 89:28) “I also will appoint him a ‫( ”בכור‬which is explained by the
following words, “the highest of the kings of the earth”). This is the literal meaning; a
Midrashic comment is: Here (in these words) the Holy One, blessed be He, set His seal to the
sale of the birthright which Jacob had purchased from Esau (Genesis Rabbah 63:14).

4:23

‫ׁשל ָמקֹום שלח את בני‬

ֶ ‫ׁשלִיחּותֹו‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫ואמר אליך‬:

‫ ואמר אליך‬AND I HAVE SAID UNTO THEE, as a messenger of the Omnipresent God, ‫שלח את‬
‫ בני‬LET MY SON GO,

– "‫ׁשָאמַר "הֶן ֵאל י ַׂשְ ּגִיב ּבְכ ֹחֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשה; ְוז ֶה הּוא‬ ָ ‫ׁשהִיא ָק‬ ֶ ‫ ּובָּה הִתְ ָרהּו ּתְ ִחּלָה ִמ ְּפנֵי‬,‫ הִיא ַמּכָה ַאחֲרֹונָה‬.'‫הנה אנכי הרג וגו‬
‫ אֲ בָל‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ְ ַבּקֵׁש ַה ָּצלָה‬
ֶ ,‫ ַמ ֲעלִים אֶת ּדְ ב ָָריו‬,‫מֹורה" (איוב ל"ו ); ָּבׂשָר וָדָ ם ַה ְמ ַבּקֵׁש ְל ִהּנָקֵם ֵמ ֲחבֵרֹו‬ ֶ ‫ְלפִיכְָך "מִי כָמ ֹהּו‬
‫מֹורהּו ּומַתְ ֶרה בֹו לָׁשּוב‬ ֵ ‫ ְלפִיכְָך הּוא‬,‫ׂשּגִיב ּבְכ ֹחֹו ְואֵין י ְכֹלֶת ְל ִה ָּמלֵט ִמּי ָדֹו ּכִי אִם ּבְׁשּובֹו אֵ לָיו‬
ְ ַ ‫ ַה ָּקּבָ"ה י‬:

‫ הנה אנכי הרג וגו׳‬BEHOLD I WILL SLAY etc. — This, it is true, was the last of the plagues,
but it was by mention of it that God gave him the first warning regarding the plagues that
would come upon him, because this was the severest of them all. This is what Scripture means
by, (Job 36:22) “Behold God is mighty in His power”, therefore “Who is a teacher like unto
Him?” — This signifies: A human being who intends to avenge himself upon his fellow keeps
his plans secret in order that he may not seek means of escape. But the Holy One, blessed be
He, is so mighty in His power that there is no possibility of escape from His hand except by
returning to Him in penitence. Just on this account He teaches him (informs him what
punishment will befall him) and so warns him to return to Him (Exodus Rabbah 9:9).

4:24

‫ויהי משה בדרך במלון‬:

‫ ויהי‬AND HE WAS — Moses was — DURING THE JOURNEY IN THE LODGING

PLACE.

‫ חַס‬:‫ ּתַ נְי ָא ָאמַר ַרּבִי יֹוסֵי‬.‫ּׁשל נֶ ֱענַׁש מִיתָ ה‬ ֵ ‫ׁשּנִתְ ַר‬
ֶ ‫ ְועַל‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ָמל אֶת אֱ לִי ֶעז ֶר ּבְנֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬:‫ׁשה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ (המלאך ל)מ‬.‫ויבקש המיתו‬
‫ הַּקָ ּבָ"ה‬,‫ׁשהֶה ג' י ָמִ ים‬ ְ ‫ ָאמּול ְו ֶא‬,‫ׁשלֹוׁשֶת יָמִים‬ ְ ‫ ַס ָּכנָה הִיא לַּתִ ינֹוק עַד‬,‫ ָאמּול ְו ֵאצֵא לַּדֶ ֶרְך‬,‫ּׁשל ֶאּלָא ָאמַר‬ ֵ ‫ ֹלא נִתְ ַר‬,‫ׁשלֹום‬ָ ‫ְו‬
‫ ְו ָהי ָה ַה ַּמלְאְָך נַעֲׂשֶ ה ּכְמִ ין‬:‫ ְּב ַמ ֶּסכֶת נְדָ ִרים‬.)‫ׁשּנִתְ ַעּסֵק ַּב ָּמלֹון ּתְ ִחּלָה (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ִצ ַּונִי לְֵך ׁשֻב ִמצ ְָרי ִם ּו ִמ ְּפנֵי ָמה נֶ ֱענַׁש? ְלפִי‬
‫ׁשבִיל ַהּמִילָה הּוא (נדרים‬ ְ ‫ׁש ִּב‬
ֶ ‫ִּפֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ֵהבִינָה צ‬,‫נָחָׁש ּובֹולְעֹו מֵר ֹאׁשֹו ְועַד י ְֵרכָיו וְחֹוז ֵר ּובֹולְעֹו מ ֵַרגְלָיו ְועַד אֹותֹו ָמקֹום‬
)‫ל"ב‬:

‫ ויבקש המיתו‬AND HE SOUGHT TO PUT HIM TO DEATH — the angel sought etc., because
he had not circumcised his son Eliezer; and because he had showed himself remiss in this, he
brought upon himself the punishment of death. It has been taught in a Boraitha (Nedarim
31b): Rabbi José said: God forbid that this was so; Moses had not been remiss in this duty;
but he thought, “If I circumcise him and immediately proceed on the journey, the child’s life
will be in danger for three days. If, on the other hand, I circumcise him and wait three days —
the Holy One, blessed be He, has commanded me, “Go return to Egypt!” Consequently, he
obeyed His command, intending to circumcise the child as soon as the opportunity presented
itself. There was therefore no remissness on his part; why, then, was he threatened with
punishment? Because he busied himself with the affairs of the lodging place first, (i. e.
because when he arrived at the inn he troubled himself first about eating and drinking. He
should first have circumcised his son. Being now so much nearer Egypt, the danger that
follows upon the circumcision was not so great, since the interval of time between the
operation and his arrival in Egypt was now shorter than if he had circumcised him before he
set out on the journey). See this in Treatise Nedarim. — The angel became a kind of serpent
and swallowed him (Moses) from his head to his thigh, spued him forth, and then again
swallowed him from his legs to that place (the membrum). Zipporah thus understood that this
had happened on account of the delay in the circumcision of her son (Nedarim 32a; cf.
Exodus Rabbah 5:8).

4:25

‫ׁשלִיכַּתּו ִל ְפנֵי ַרגְלָיו ׁשֶ ל מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬

ְ ‫ ִה‬.‫ותגע לרגליו‬:

‫ ותגע לרגליו‬AND CAST IT AT HIS FEET — i. e. she cast it before Moses’ feet (Talmud
Yerushalmi Nedarim 3:9).

‫ עַל ְּבנָּה‬.‫ותאמר‬:

‫ ותאמר‬AND SHE SAID, referring to her son:

‫הֹורג אִ יׁשִ י אַּתָ ה לִי‬

ֵ – ‫ׁשּלִי נ ְִרצָח ָעלֶיָך‬
ֶ ‫ּגֹורם ִלהְיֹות ֶהחָתָ ן‬
ֵ ‫ אַּתָ ה ָהי ִיתָ ה‬.‫כי חתן דמים אתה לי‬:
‫ כי חתן דמים אתה לי‬which means, thou hast brought it about that my bridegroom (Moses) was
on the point of being killed because of thee: thou hast been to me my husband’s murderer.

4:26

‫ׁשעַל הַּמִ ילָה ּבָא ְלה ְָרגֹו‬

ֶ ‫ אז ֵהבִינָה‬,‫ ַה ַּמ ְלאְָך ממנו‬.‫וירף‬:

‫ וירף‬SO HE LOOSENED HIS HOLD — the angel loosened his hold ‫ ממנו‬FROM HIM; (cf.
Exodus Rabbah 5:8). ‫ אז‬THEN she understood that he had come to kill him because of the
delay in the circumcision,

‫ חֲתָ נִי ָהי ָה נ ְִרצָח עַל ּדְ בַר הַּמִ ילָה‬.‫אמרה חתן דמים למולת‬:

‫ אמרה חתן דמים למלות‬SHE SAID “BRIDEGROOM OF BLOOD BECAUSE OF THE

CIRCUMCISION” — my bridegroom was on the point of being killed on account of the
circumcision.

,)‫ ּכְמֹו "וְָאמַר ּפ ְַרע ֹה ִל ְבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל" (שמות י"ד‬,‫ׁש ֶּמׁשֶת ִּבלְׁשֹון עַל‬
ַ ‫ ְו ַה ָּלמֶ"ד ְמ‬,‫ ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר הּוא‬.‫ עַל ּדְ בַר הַּמּולֹות‬.‫למולת‬
‫ ְו ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם ּדָ מִים עַל ּדַ ם הַּמִ ילָה‬:

‫ למלות‬means on account of (‫ )ל‬the circumcision (‫)מולות‬. The word ‫ מולות‬it a noun, and the ‫ל‬
prefixed it used in the tense of ‫על‬, “on account of”, just as in (Exodus 14:3) “And Pharaoh
will say regarding the children (‫ )לבני‬of Israel”. Onkelos, however, translated the word ‫ דמים‬as
having reference to the blood of the circumcision (whilst, according to Rashi, it refers to the
blood of Moses which was about to be shed).

5:1

‫ׁשמְטּו ֻכּלָם ק ֹדֶ ם ׁשֶ ִהּגִיעּו‬

ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ עַד‬,‫ׁשה וְַאהֲר ֹן‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשמְטּו אֶ חָד אֶ חָד ֵמַאחַר מ‬ ְ ִ‫ ֲאבָל ַהּז ְ ֵקנִים נ‬.'‫ואחר באו משה ואהרן וגו‬
‫ׁשה ְלבַּדֹו ֶאל ה' ְוהֵם ֹלא יִּגָׁשּו" (שמות כ"ד) – ֶה ֱחז ִָירם‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ " ְונִּגַׁש מ‬,‫ׁשּי ְָראּו ָל ֶלכֶת; ּו ְבסִינַי נִפ ְַרע ָלהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ַל ָּפ ָלטִין‬
)‫ֲחֹוריהֶם (שמות רבה‬ ֵ ‫ ַלא‬:

‫ ואחר באו משה ואהרן‬AND AFTERWARDS MOSES AND AARON CAME — But the elders
slipped away one by one from behind Moses and Aaron until every-one of them had slipped
away before they arrived at the palace, because they were afraid to go there. At Sinai they
were punished for this, for it is stated (Exodus 24:2) “And Moses alone shall draw near unto
the Lord, but they, (the elders; cf. Exodus 24:1) shall not draw near” — He bid them stay
behind. (Exodus Rabbah 5:14)

5:3

)‫ ְּפגִיעָה זֹו לְׁשֹון ִמק ְֵרה מָ וֶת הִיא (שם‬.‫ׁש ָחלְקּו ּכָבֹוד ַל ַּמלְכּות‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ ּפֶן י ִ ְפ ָּגעֲָך הָיּו צ ְִריכִים לֹומַר‬.‫פן יפגענו‬:

‫ פן יפגענו‬LEST HE LIGHT ON US — They should have said, “Lest He light on thee (Pharaoh)
[with pestilence] etc.” — but they showed respect to royalty (the king) by thus expressing
themselves. This term ‫“ פגיעה‬lighting on”, “meeting” denotes meeting with death (Exodus
Rabbah 5:15).

5:4
‫ְבּורים לָנּו ַח מִן הַּמְ לָאכָה; ְוכֵן‬
ִ ‫ ׁשֶּׁשֹו ְמעִין ָלכֶם ּוס‬,‫ ּתַ בְּדִ ילּו וְתַ ְרחִיקּו אֹותָ ם ִמ ְּמלַאכְּתָם‬.‫תפריעו את העם ממעשיו‬
‫ "ּכִי פ ָֻר ַע הּוא" (שמות ל"ב) – נ ְִרחָק‬,)'‫ ְוכֵן "וַּתִ פ ְְרעּו כָל ֲעצָתִ י" (שם א‬,‫"ּפ ְָרעֵהּו ַאל ּתַ עֲב ֹר ּבֹו" (משלי ד') – ַר ֲח ֵקהּו‬
‫ ְונִתְ עָב‬:

‫ תפריעו את העם ממעשיו‬means ye detach and take them away from their work, because they
listen to you and believe that they may refrain from the work. Similar are: (Proverbs 4:15) “
‫ פרעהו‬pass not by it”, i. e. keep it far from thee, pass not by it; (Proverbs 1:25) “and ye
withdraw (‫ )ותפרעו‬all my counsel”; (Exodus 32:25) “for it is ‫ ”פרע‬i. e. it had removed itself
from the proper path and had made itself a thing to be abhorred (but cf. Rashi on this verse
where he explains the word by ‫)מגולה — נתגלה שמצו וקלונו‬.

‫ׁשעְּבּוד ִמצ ְַרי ִם ֹלא ָהי ְתָ ה עַל ׁשִ בְטֹו ׁשֶ ל‬
ִ ‫ אֲ בָל ְמלֶאכֶת‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ָלכֶם ַלעֲׂשֹות ְּבבָּתֵ יכֶם‬
ֶ ‫ לְכּו ִל ְמלַאכְּתְ כֶם‬.‫לכו לסבלתיכם‬
)‫ׁשה וְַאהֲר ֹן יֹו ְצאִים ּו ָבאִים (שמות רבה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי מ‬
ֶ ,‫ ֵלוִי; ּתֵ דַ ע לְָך‬:

‫לכו לסבלתיכם‬. GO YE UNTO YOUR BURDENS — Go to your work which you have to do at
home; but it cannot signify “go to your labours as slaves”, for he was speaking to Moses and
Aaron who were of the tribe of Levi, and the work of Egyptian slavery had not been imposed
on the tribe of Levi. You may know that this was so, because Moses and Aaron went and
came just as they pleased (Exodus Rabbah 5:16).

5:5

‫ ֶה ְפסֵד ּגָדֹול הּוא ז ֶה‬,‫ׁשּבִיתִ ים אֹותָ ם ִמ ִּסבְלֹותָ ם‬

ְ ‫ ְואַּתֶ ם ַמ‬,‫ׁש ָהעֲבֹודָ ה ֻמ ֶּטלֶת ֲעלֵיהֶם‬
ֶ .‫הן רבים עתה עם הארץ‬:

‫ הן רבים עתה עם הארץ‬BEHOLD THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND NOW ARE MANY upon
whom lies the duty of working, and you make them rest from their burdens — this is a great
loss to us, since so many will refrain from work.

5:6

‫ ִמצ ְִרּי ִים הָיּו ְוהַּׁשֹוט ְִרים הָיּו יִׂש ְְר ֵאלִים; הַּנֹוגֵׂש ְמ ֻמּנֶה עַל ַּכ ָּמה ׁשֹוט ְִרים ְוהַּׁשֹוטֵר ְמ ֻמּנֶה ל ְִרּדֹות ּבְעֹוׂשֵ י הַּמְ לָאכָה‬.‫הנגשים‬
)‫(שמות רבה‬:

‫ הנגשים‬THE TASKMASTERS — These were Egyptians, and the ‫שוטרים‬, bailiffs, were
Israelites (cf. vv. 14, 15, 19) (Exodus Rabbah 5:18). A taskmaster (‫)נוגש‬, was given charge
over many bailiffs, and a ‫ שוטר‬was one who was appointed to have control over the workmen.

5:7

‫ הָיּו ּגֹו ְבלִין אֹותֹו עִם ַהּטִיט‬,‫ אשטו"בלא‬.‫תבן‬:

‫ תבן‬STRAW — In old French estouble; English stubble. They used to knead this into the clay.

‫ֶּׂשֹורפִין אֹותָ ן ַּב ִּכבְׁשָ ן‬

ְ ‫ ׁשֶעֹוׂשִים ִמּטִיט ּו ְמי ַ ְּבׁשִין אֹותָ ן ַּב ַח ָּמה; ְוי ֵׁש ׁש‬,‫ טיוול"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫לבנים‬:

‫ לבנים‬BRICKS — old French tuiles: English tiles, which they make from clay and dry in the
sun; sometimes they are burnt in a kiln.

‫ ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר ֱהי ִיתֶ ם עֹוׂשִ ים עַד ֵהּנָה‬.‫;כתמול שלשום‬

‫‪ means as you have been doing UP TILL NOW (not “yesterday and the day‬כתמול שלשם‬
‫‪before” as is the literal meaning, but merely “formerly”).‬‬

‫‪:‬וקששו‪ְ .‬ולָקְטּו‬

‫‪ means AND LET THEM GATHER.‬וקששו‬

‫‪5:8‬‬

‫ׁש ָהי ָה הַּתֶ בֶן נִּתָ ן ָלהֶם‪ ,‬אֹותֹו סְכּום ּתָ ׂשִ ימּו‬
‫ׂשה לַּיֹום ְּכ ֶ‬
‫ׁש ָהי ָה ּכָל אֶ חָד עֹו ֶ‬
‫ׁשּבֹון ַה ְּל ֵבנִים ֶ‬
‫ואת מתכנת הלבנים‪ .‬סְכּום ֶח ְ‬
‫‪ֲ :‬עלֵיהֶם ּגַם עַּתָ ה‪ְ ,‬ל ַמעַן ּתִ ְכּבַד ָהעֲבֹודָ ה ֲעלֵיהֶם‬

‫‪ means the total number of bricks which each made per day when straw was‬ואת מתכנת הלבנים‬
‫‪being supplied to them — that total you shall impose upon them now also, in order that the‬‬
‫‪service may be hard upon them.‬‬

‫‪':‬כי נרפים‪ .‬מִן ָהעֲבֹודָ ה הֵם‪ְ ,‬לכְָך ִלּבָם ּפֹונֶה ֶאל ַה ַּב ָּטלָה וְצֹו ֲעקִים לֵאמ ֹר נלכה וגו‬

‫‪ signifies because they have loosened themselves from the work; therefore (this word‬כי נרפים‬
‫‪ in the Hebrew text) their mind turns to idleness and they cry out,‬על כן ‪in Rashi corresponds to‬‬
‫‪ LET US GO [AND SACRIFICE etc.].‬נלכה וגו׳ ‪saying,‬‬

‫מתכנת‪ .‬וְתֹכֶן ְל ֵבנִים‪" ,‬וְלֹו נִתְ ּכְנּו ֲעלִילֹות" (שמואל א ב')‪" ,‬אֶת ַה ֶּכסֶף ַהמְתֻ ּכָן" (מלכים ב י"ב)‪ֻּ ,‬כּלָם לְׁשֹון חֶׁשְ ּבֹון‬
‫‪:‬הֵם‬

‫‪ (v. 18), and the words of the same root in (I Samuel 2:3) “And‬ותכן ‪ — This word, and‬מתכנת‬
‫( ‪)” and in (2 Kings 12:12) “the money that was counted‬נתכנו( ‪by Him actions are counted‬‬
‫‪)”, all have the meaning of counting.‬המתכן‬

‫‪:‬נרפים‪ַ .‬ה ְּמלָאכָה ְרפּוי ָה ְבי ָדָ ם ַועֲזּובָה ֵמהֶם ְוהֵם נ ְִרּפִים ִמ ֶּמּנָה; רטריי"ט ְּב ַלעַז‬

‫‪) in their hand and neglected by them so that they are‬רפויה( ‪ — The work is loose‬נרפים‬
‫‪) from it. In old French retrait.‬הם נרפים( ‪loosened‬‬

‫‪5:9‬‬

‫ׁשעָה ְבחֻּקֶ יָך תָ מִ יד"‬ ‫ואל ישעו בדברי שקר‪ .‬וְַאל יֶהֱגּו וִידַ ּבְרּו תָ מִיד ּבְדִ ב ְֵרי רּו ַח לֵאמ ֹר‪ ,‬נֵ ְלכָה נִז ְ ְּבחָה; וְדֹו ֶמה לֹו " ְו ֶא ְ‬
‫ׁשנִינָה" (דברים כ"ח)‪ ,‬מְתַ ְר ְּגמִינָן "ּולְׁשֹועֵי"; ַוי ְ ַסּפֵר – " ְו ִאׁשְּתָ עִי"; ְואִי ֶאפְׁשָר לֹומַר ישעו‬ ‫ׁשל ְו ִל ְ‬ ‫(תהילים קי"ט); " ְל ָמ ָ‬
‫ׁשעָה" (בראשית ד')‪ּ ,‬ו ְלפ ֵָרׁש ַאל יִׁשְעּו – ַאל יִפְנּו‪ׁ ,‬שֶ אִם ּכֵן ָהי ָה לֹו‬ ‫לְׁשֹון " ַוּיִׁשַע ה' אֶ ל ֶהבֶל"‪ְ " ,‬ו ֶאל ַקי ִן ְו ֶאל ִמנְחָתֹו ֹלא ָ‬
‫ׂשהּו" (ישעיהו י"ז)‪" ,‬וְֹלא‬ ‫ׁשעֶה הָָאדָ ם עַל עֹו ֵ‬ ‫ׁשקֶר‪ּ ,‬כִי כֵן ִּגז ְַרת ֻּכּלָם‪" ,‬י ִ ְ‬
‫ׁשקֶר אֹו לְדִ ב ְֵרי ָ‬ ‫ִלכְּת ֹב וְַאל יִׁשְעּו אֶל ּדִ ב ְֵרי ָ‬
‫ׁשל ּבֵי"ת סְמּוכָה לְַאח ֲֵריהֶם‪,‬‬ ‫י ִׁשְ עֶה ֶאל ַה ִּמזְּבְחֹות"‪( ,‬שם)‪" ,‬וְֹלא ׁשָעּו עַל קְדֹוׁש יִׂש ְָר ֵאל" (שם ל"א)‪ ,‬וְֹלא ָמצָאתִ י ׁשִּמּוׁש ֶ‬
‫ֲאבָל ַאחַר לְׁשֹון ּדִ ּבּור – ְּכמִתְ ַעּסֵק לְדַ ּבֵר ּבְדָ בָר – נֹופֵל לְׁשֹון ׁשִּמּוׁש ּבֵי"ת‪ּ ,‬כְגֹון‪ַ " :‬הּנִדְ ּב ִָרים ּבְָך" (יחזקאל ל"ג)‪,‬‬
‫ׁשה" (במדבר י"ב)‪ַ " ,‬ה ַּמ ְלאְָך הַּדֹובֵר ּבִי" (זכריה ד')‪" ,‬לְדַ ּבֵר ּבָם" (דברים י"א)‪" ,‬וַאֲדַ ּב ְָרה‬ ‫"וַּתְ דַ ּבֵר מ ְִרי ָם וְַאהֲר ֹן ּבְמ ֹ ֶ‬
‫‪ְ :‬בעֵדֹותֶ יָך" (תהילים קי"ט)‪ַ ,‬אף ּכָאן – אל ישעו בדברי שקר – ַאל יִהְיּו נִדְ ּב ִָרים ּבְדִ ב ְֵרי ׁשָ וְא ַו ֲהבַאי‬

‫‪ AND LET THEM NOT REGARD VAIN WORDS — let them not think‬ואל ישעו בדברי שקר‬
‫‪and speak always about “words of wind” saying, “Let us go and sacrifice”. Of similar‬‬
‫‪) thy statutes continually”. The‬ואשעה ב־( ‪meaning is, (Psalm 119:117) “And I will speak of‬‬
‫‪ “[thou shalt become] a proverb and a byword” we‬למשל ולשנינה )‪phrase (Deuteronomy 28:37‬‬
‫‪ (Genesis‬ויספר ‪)”, and the word‬שועי( ‪translate in the Targum by “a topic of conversation‬‬
24:66) “and he related” by ‫“ ואשתעי‬and he spoke about”. One cannot possibly say that the
word ‫ ישעו‬has the same meaning as the verbs in (Genesis 4:4) “And the Lord turned (‫ )וישע‬to
Abel” and in (Genesis 4:4) “but to Cain and his offering he did not turn (‫”)שעה‬, and that we
must translate ‫ אל ישעו‬by “Let them not turn”, for if this were so Scripture should have written
‫ אל דברי שקר‬or ‫( לדברי שקר‬instead of ‫ )בדברי‬for so is the construction in all such cases.
Examples are: (Isaiah 17:7) “A man shall turn to (‫ )ישעה אל‬his Maker”; (Isaiah 17:8) “and he
shall not turn to (‫ )ישעה על‬the altars”; (Isaiah 31:1) “they turn not unto (‫ )שעו על‬the Holy One
of Israel”. I do not find the construction of a ‫ ב‬following these verbs in the sense of “turning
to”, but after an expression of ‫“ דבר‬speaking” — as when one intently directs his conversation
upon a matter — the construction with ‫ כ‬is quite an appropriate one. For instance: (Ezekiel
33:30) “those who intently direct their conversation (‫ )הנדברים‬upon thee (‫( ;”)בך‬Numbers 12:1)
“And Miriam and Aaron directed their speech (‫ )ותדבר‬upon Moses (‫( ;”)במשה‬Zechariah 4:1)
“And the angel who directed his conversaion (‫ )הדובר‬upon me (‫( ;”)בי‬Deuteronomy 11:9) “To
turn your conversation (‫ )לדבר‬intently upon them (‫( ;”)בם‬Psalm 119:46) “And I will direct my
speech (‫ )אדברה‬upon thy testimonies (‫”)בעדותיך‬. So, too, here: ‫ ואל ישעו בדברי שקר‬means “let
them not always be conversing about vain and idle matters”.

5:11

‫ ּוצ ְִריכִים אַּתֶ ם לֵילְֵך ִּבז ְִריזּות‬.‫אתם לכו קחו לכם תבן‬,

‫ אתם לכו קחו לכם תבן‬GO, YE, TAKE TO YOURSELVES STRAW — and you will have to go
pretty quickly,

‫ׁש ֱהי ִיתֶ ם עֹוׂשִים לַּיֹום ִּבהְיֹות הַּתֶ בֶן נִּתָ ן ָלכֶם ְמז ֻּמָ ן מִ ּבֵית הַּמֶ לְֶך‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָל סְכּום ְל ֵבנִים‬, ‫כי אין נגרע מעבדתכם דבר‬:

‫ כי אין נגרע מעבודתכם דבר‬FOR THERE SHALL NOT BE DIMINISHED OF YOUR WORK A
SINGLE THING from the whole total of bricks which you used to make daily when straw
was supplied to you, ready to use, from the king’s store.

5:12

‫ לְצ ֶֹרְך ּתֶ בֶן ַהּטִיט‬,‫ ִללְק ֹט ֶלקֶט‬,‫ ֶלאֱס ֹף ֲאסִיפָה‬.‫לקשש קש לתבן‬:

‫ לקשש קש לתבן‬means TO MAKE A GATHERING, to make a collection FOR the purpose of

STRAW for the clay.

‫ עַל ׁשֵם ׁשֶּדָ בָר ַהּמִתְ ַּפּז ֵר הּוא ְוצ ִָריְך לְקֹוׁשְׁשֹו קָרּוי קַׁש ּבִׁשְ ָאר מְ קֹומֹות‬,‫ לְׁשֹון לִּקּוט‬.‫קש‬:

‫ קש‬denotes collecting. Because stubble is something that is strewn about and must be gathered
(‫ )קושש‬it is called ‫ קש‬in other passages.

5:13

‫ ּדֹוחֲקִ ים‬.‫אצים‬:

‫ אצים‬means PRESSING.

‫ ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר ֲעׂשִיתֶ ם ִּבהְיֹות הַּתֶ בֶן מּוכָן‬,‫ׁשל ּכָל יֹום ּכַּלּו ּבְיֹומֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבֹון‬
ְ ‫ ֶח‬.‫דבר יום ביומו‬:
‫ דבר יום ביומו‬means the full quantity due each day complete it on that day, as ye used to do
when straw was ready at hand.

5:14

‫ׁשלִימִים ַה ְּל ֵבנִים לַּנֹוגְׂשִ ים‬

ְ ‫ׁשהָיּו ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ הַּׁשֹוט ְִרים יִׂש ְְר ֵאלִים הָיּו ְו ָחסִים עַל ַחב ְֵריהֶם ִמּלְדָ ְחקָם‬.‫ויכו שטרי בני ישראל‬
‫ׁשֹּלא ּדָ חֲקּו אֶת עֹוׂשֵי ַה ְּמלָאכָה; ְלפִיכְָך ז ָכּו אֹותָ ם ׁשֹוט ְִרים‬ ֶ ‫ הָיּו ַמ ְלקִין אֹותָ ם עַל‬,‫ ְו ָהי ָה ָחסֵר מִן ַהּסְכּום‬,‫ׁשהֵם ִמצ ְִרּי ִים‬ ֶ
– "'‫ִׂשְראֵ ל וְגֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁש ְבעִים אִיׁש ִמּז ִ ְקנֵי י‬
ִ ‫ " ֶא ְספָה ּלִי‬:‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר‬ֶ ,‫ׁשה וְהּוׂשַם ֲעלֵיהֶם‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ִלהְיֹות ַסנְהֶדְ ִרין ְונֶ ֱאצַל מִן הָרּו ַח אֲ ׁשֶר עַל מ‬
)‫ (שמות רבה‬,)‫ׁשעָׂשּו ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם – ּכִי הֵם ז ִ ְקנֵי ָהעָם וְׁשֹוט ְָריו (במדבר י"א‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּי ָדַ עְּתָ הַּטֹובָה‬
ֶ ‫ ֵמאֹותָ ן‬:

‫ ויכו שטרי בני ישראל‬AND THE BAILIFFS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL … WERE
SMITTEN — These bailiffs were Israelites and they spared their fellow-Israelites, not urging
them on to their work. When they handed over the bricks to the taskmasters who were
Egyptians and something was deficient in the total they used to beat them because they had
not urged on the Israelitish workmen. On this account these bailiffs were privileged to become
members of the Sanhedrin later on, and there was taken some of the prophetical spirit that was
upon Moses and it was placed upon them, as it is said, (Numbers 11:16) “Gather unto me
seventy men of the elders of Israel [whom thou knowest]” — of those about whom thou
knowest the kindly acts which they did in Egypt, “for they are the real elders of the people
having been their bailiffs” (Exodus Rabbah 5:20).

‫ לָּמָ ה ויכו? ׁשֶ הָיּו‬.'‫ לאמר מדוע וגו‬,‫ויכו שטרי בני ישראל אשר שמו נגשי פרעה אֹותָ ם לְׁשֹוט ְִרים עליהם‬
‫ׁשהּוא יֹום ׁשֶ ִּל ְפנֵי‬ֶ ,‫ּׁשלִיׁשִי‬ְ ‫אֹומ ְִרים ָלהֶם מדוע לא כליתם גם תמול גם היום ח ֹק ַהּקָצּוב ֲעלֵיכֶם ללבן ּכִתְ מֹול ַה‬
‫אֶתְ מֹול; וְהּוא ָהי ָה ִּבהְיֹות הַּתֶ בֶן נִּתָ ן ָלהֶם‬:

‫ ויכו שטרי בני ישראל אשר שמו נגשי פרעה‬THEN WERE SMITTEN THE BAILIFFS OF THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHOM PHARAOH’S TASKMASTERS HAD PUT as bailiffs
‫ עליהם‬OVER THEM (i. e. over the Israelites) ‫ לאמר מדוע וגו׳‬SAYING, WHEREFORE etc. —
Why were they beaten? because they (the taskmasters) said to them (the bailiffs)
WHEREFORE DID YE NOT FINISH (‫ )גם תמול גם היום‬BOTH YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY
THE TASK SET FOR YOU (‫ )חקכם‬IN MAKING BRICKS as ye did yesterday-in-the-third-
degree (‫ — )כתמול שלשם‬which means the day before yesterday — which was the time when
straw was given to them.

‫ הֻּכּו ִמּי ַד אֲ ח ִֵרים – הַּנֹוגְׂשִ ים הִּכּום‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ַוּי ֻ ְפעֲלּו‬.‫ויכו‬:

Heb. ‫ ַוי ֻּכּו‬They were the object of an action. [The word is in the “hoph’al” conjugation, the
recipient of the “hiph’il.”] They were beaten by others; the taskmasters beat them.

5:16

‫ ּכַּמִ נְי ָן ה ִָראׁשֹון‬,‫ הַּנֹוגְׂשִים עשו‬.‫ולבנים אומרים לנו‬:

‫ ולבנים אמרים לנו‬AND BRICKS THEY — the taskmasters — SAY TO US ‫ עשו‬MAKE, just as
the former number.

‫ ׁשֵ ם ּדָ בָר‬,‫ ַע ְכׁשָו ׁשֶהּוא קָמָ ץ‬,‫ וְדָ בָר ז ֶה ַחּטַאת ַעּמְָך הּוא‬,‫ׁשהּוא דָ בּוק‬
ֶ ‫ ָהי ִיתִ י אֹומֵר‬,‫ אִּלּו ָהי ָה נָקּוד ּפַּתָ ח‬.‫וחטאת עמך‬
‫ ׁשֶ הּוא‬,)'‫ ְּכאִּלּו כָתּוב ְו ַחּטָאת ְל ַעּמֶָך; ּכְמֹו "ּכְבָֹאנָה ּבֵית ֶלחֶם" (רות א‬,‫ וְדָ בָר ז ֶה ֵמבִיא ַחּטָאת עַל ַעּמְָך‬:‫ ְוכְָך ּפֵרּוׁשֹו‬,‫הּוא‬
‫ ְוכֵן ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ּכְמֹו ְלבֵית ֶלחֶם‬:
‫ ְו ָחטָאת עַּמֶָך‬BUT THE FAULT IS IN THINE OWN PEOPLE — If the word ‫ וחטאת‬had the
vowel Patach under the ‫ ט‬I would say that it is a noun in the construct state, so that the
meaning would be, “and this thing is the sin of thy people” But now, since the vowel is
Kametz, it is a noun in the absolute case, and its meaning is as follows: “And this thing brings
sin upon thy people”, as though it were written ‫וחטאת לעמך‬. Sirnilarly we find ‫ ל‬omitted in,
(Ruth 1:19) “When they were come ‫ ”בית לחם‬which is the same as ‫לבית לחם‬, to Bethlehem, and
there are many similar examples.

5:18

‫ׁשָאמּור ָּב ִענְי ָן " ַוּיָצֻרּו ַוּי ִמְ נּו אֶת‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשּבֹון ַה ְּל ֵבנִים; ְוכֵן "אֶת ַה ֶּכסֶף ַהמְתֻ ּכָן" (מלכים ב י"ב) – ַה ָּמנּוי‬
ְ ‫ ֶח‬.‫ותכן לבנים‬
‫" ַה ֶּכסֶף‬:

‫ ותכן לבנים‬means THE NUMBER OF THE BRICKS; similar is (2 Kings 12:12) “the money
‫”המתכן‬, i. e. the money which was counted, just as it states in that passage (v. 11), “and they
put it up in bags and counted the money”.

5:19

‫ אֶת ַחב ְֵריהֶם ַהּנ ְִרּדִ ים עַל י ָדָ ם‬.‫ויראי שטרי בני ישראל‬,

‫ ויראו שטרי בני ישראל‬The meaning is: AND THE BAILIFFS OF THE CHILDREN OF
ISRAEL DID SEE [THEM] i. e. their fellow-lsraelites who were ruled by them,

‫ ְּב ַה ְכּבִידָ ם ָהעֲבֹודָ ה ֲעלֵיהֶם לאמר לא תגרעו וגו‬,‫ ָראּו אֹותָ ם ּב ְָרעָה ְוצ ָָרה הַּמֹו ֵצאֵת אֹותָ ם‬, ‫'ברע‬:

‫ — ברע‬they saw them in the misfortune and trouble that befell them, because they had to
make the labour hard upon them. ‫ לאמר לא תגרעו וגו׳‬BY SAYING, YE SHALL NOT
DIMINISH etc.

5:20

‫ ׁשֶ ּנֶ' ָּבהֶם‬,‫ִירם הָיּו‬

ָ ‫ ּכָל "נִּצִים" " ְונִ ָּצבִים" ּדָ תָ ן ַו ֲאב‬:‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ּדָ ְרׁשּו‬.'‫ ֲאנָׁשִים ִמּיִׂש ְָר ֵאל את משה ואת אהרן וגו‬.‫ויפגעו‬
)‫ (נדרים ס"ד‬,)‫כ״ד‬:‫"יָצְאּו נִ ָּצבִים" (במדבר ט״ז‬:

‫ ויפגעו‬AND THEY MET — men of Israel met — ‫ את משה ואהרן וגו׳‬MOSES AND AARON
etc.; Our Rabbis explained that wherever it speaks of people “quarelling” (2:13; cf. Rashi on
that verse) or “standing” these were Dathan and Abiram about whom it is stated (Numbers
16:27) “[And Dathan and Abiram] came out standing” (Nedarim 64b).

5:22

)‫ּׁש ַלחְּתַ נִי (שמות רבה‬

ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ְואִם ּת ֹאמַר ָמה ִא ְכּפַת לְָך? קֹובֵל ֲאנִי עַל‬.‫למה הרעתה לעם הזה‬:

‫ למה הרעתה לעם הזה‬WHEREFORE HAST THOU DONE SO EVIL TO THIS PEOPLE? —
And if You ask, “What concern is that of yours?” I answer “I have to complain that You have
sent me at all” (Exodus Rabbah 5:22).

5:23
‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו "ַאבְאִ יׁש‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ִה ְפעִיל הּוא – ה ְִרּבָה ָרעָה ֲעלֵיהֶם‬.‫"הרע‬:

‫ הרע‬This is an expression denoting “he has caused something to happen” — he (Pharaoh) has
brought even more evil upon them. It must be translated in the Targum by ‫“ אבאיש‬he has
treated badly”.

6:1

‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך‬,)‫ׁשָאמ ְַרּתִ י לֹו "ּכִי ְבי ִ ְצחָק יִּק ֵָרא לְָך ז ַָרע" (בראשית כ"א‬
ֶ ‫ ֹלא כְַאב ְָרהָם‬,‫ ה ְִרה ְַרּתָ עַל מִּדֹותַ י‬.'‫עתה תראה וגו‬
‫ וְֹלא ֶהעָׂשּוי לְמַ ְלכֵי ׁשִ ְבעָה‬,‫ ֶהעָׂשּוי ְלפ ְַרע ֹה ּתִ ְראֶה‬.‫ָאמ ְַרּתִ י לֹו " ַה ֲעלֵהּו לְעֹולָה" וְֹלא ה ְִרהֵר ַאח ֲַרי; ְלפִיכְָך עתה תראה‬
)‫ָָארץ (סנהדרין קי"א‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ֲאבִיאֵם ל‬
ֶ ‫אֻּמֹות ְּכ‬:

‫ עתה תראה וגו׳‬NOW THOU SHALT SEE etc. — You have criticised My methods of guiding
the world. You are not like Abraham to whom I said. (Genesis 21:12) “for through Isaac shall
seed be raised unto thee” and to whom I afterwards said, (Gen 22:2) “bring him up as a burnt
offering”, and yet he did not criticise My ways, therefore, ‫ עתה תראה‬NOW THOU SHALT
SEE — what will now be done to Pharaoh thou shalt see, but thou shalt not see what will be
done to the kings of the seven nations of Canaan when I shall bring them (the Israelites) into
the Holy Land (cf. Sanhedrin 111a).

‫ ִמ ְּפנֵי י ָדִ י ַה ֲחז ָ ָקה ׁשֶּתֶ ֱחז ַק ָעלָיו י ְׁשַ ְּלחֵם‬.‫כי ביד חזקה ישלחם‬:

‫ כי ביד חזקה ישלחם‬this means: for on account of My strong hand (i. e. the strong hand which I
will use against him, the ‫ ב‬in ‫ ביד‬denoting “on account of”) — which will prove strong against
him he will send them away.

‫ ֹלא י ַ ְסּפִיקּו ַלעֲשֹות ָלהֶם צֵדָ ה; ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר "וַּתֶ ֱחז ַק‬,‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל יְג ְָרׁשֵם‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ּכ ְָרחָם‬.‫וביד חזקה יגרשם מארצו‬
)‫ ִמצ ְַרי ִם עַל ָהעָם וְגֹו'" (שמות י"ב‬:

‫ וביד חזקה יגרשם מארצו‬AND WITH A STRONG HAND SHALL HE DRIVE THEM OUT OF
HIS LAND — against the will of the Israelites themselves will he drive them out of his land:
they will not have sufficient time to prepare provisions for themselves for the journey. So,
indeed, does Scripture state: (Exodus 12:33) “And Egypt was urgent (‫תחזק‬. lit., was strong)
upon the people etc.”.

6:2

‫ׁשה לְדַ ּבֵר וְלֹומַר " ָל ָמה ה ֲֵרע ֹתָ ה ָלעָם ַהּז ֶה‬
ָ ‫ׁש ִה ְק‬
ֶ ‫ עַל‬,‫ׁשּפָט‬
ְ ‫ ּדִ ּבֵר אִּתֹו ִמ‬.‫"וידבר אלהים אל משה‬:

‫ וידבר אלהים אל משה‬AND GOD SPOKE UNTO MOSES — He took him to task because he
had spoken so censoriously when he said, (Exodus 5:22) “Wherefore hast thou done so evil to
this people”.

‫ׁש ַלחְּתִ יָך ּכִי אִם ְל ַקּי ֵם ּדְ ב ִָרי ׁשֶּדִ ּב ְַרּתִ י לָָאבֹות‬
ְ ‫ וְֹלא ְל ִחּנָם‬,‫ׂשכָר טֹוב ַלּמִתְ ַה ְּלכִים ְל ָפנַי‬
ָ ‫ׁשּלֵם‬ ַ ‫ נֶ ֱאמָן ְל‬.'‫ויאמר אליו אני ה‬
‫ׁשהּוא ָאמּור ֵאצֶל עֹנֶׁש – ּכְגֹון‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ַבּלָׁשֹון ַהּז ֶה ָמצִינּו ׁשֶהּוא נִדְ ָרׁש ְּב ַכ ָּמה ְמקֹומֹות ֲאנִי ה' נֶ ֱאמָן ְל ִהּפ ַָרע – ְּכ‬.‫ה ִָראׁשֹונִים‬
‫ׁשמ ְַרּתֶ ם מִ צְֹותַ י ַועֲׂשִ יתֶ ם‬ ְ ‫ׁשהּוא אֹומֵר ֵאצֶל קִּיּום ִמצְוֹות – ּכְגֹון "ּו‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,) ‫י״ב‬:‫" ְו ִח ַּללְּתָ אֶת ׁשֵם ֱאֹלהֶיָך ֲאנִי ה'" (ויקרא י״ט‬
‫אֹותָ ם ֲאנִי ה'" (שם כ"ב) – נֶאֱמָ ן לִּתֵ ן ׂשָ כָר‬:

‫ ויאמר אליו אני ה׳‬AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, I AM THE LORD, Who am faithful to
recompense with a full reward those who walk before Me. Nor have I sent you with no
purpose in view (cf. 5:22), but to fulfil the promise which I made to the early patriarchs. In
this sense we find that the phrase is to be explained in many passages: ‫ אני ה׳‬signifies, I am the
Lord, Who am faithful to exact punishment — when it is spoken in reference to a matter that
demands punishment, as, for instance, (Leviticus 19:12) “And thou profanest the name of thy
God; I am the Lord”; and when it is spoken in reference to observing the Divine commands
— as in, (Leviticus 22:31) “Ye shall keep my commandments and do them; I am the Lord” —
it signifies, “I am the Lord Who am faithful to give reward.”

6:3

‫ אֶל הָָאבֹות‬.‫וארא‬:

‫ וארא‬AND I APPEARED — to the patriarchs.

‫ ִה ְב ַטחְּתִ ים ַה ְבטָחֹות ּו ְב ֻכּלָן ָאמ ְַרּתִ י ָלהֶם אֲ נִי אֵ ל ׁשַּדַ י‬.‫באל שדי‬:

‫ באל שדי‬BY THE NAME OF GOD ALMIGHTY — I made certain promises to them and in
the case of all of these I said unto them, “I am God Almighty”.

‫ ׁשֶ ָעלֶי ָה‬,‫ ֹלא נִּכ ְַרּתִ י ָלהֶם ְּבמִדַ ת ֲאמִּתּות ׁשֶ ּלִי‬,‫ ֹלא הֹודַ עְּתִ י אֵין ּכְתִ יב ּכָאן ֶאּלָא ֹלא נֹודַ עְּתִ י‬.‫ושמי ה' לא נודעתי להם‬
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ִה ְב ַטחְּתִ ים וְֹלא קִ ּי ַמְּתִ י‬
ֶ ,‫ נֶ ֱאמָן ְל ַאּמֵת ּדְ ב ַָרי‬,'‫ׁשמִי ה‬
ְ ‫נִק ְָרא‬:

‫ ושמי ה׳ לא נודעתי להם‬BUT BY MY NAME THE LORD WAS I NOT KNOWN TO THEM —
It is not written here ‫[ לא הודעתי‬My name the Lord] I did not make known to them, but ‫לא‬
‫[ נודעתי‬by My name, the Lord], was I not known [unto them] — i. e. I was not recognised by
them in My attribute of “keeping faith”, by reason of which My name is called ‫ה׳‬, which
denotes that I am certain to substantiate My promise, for, indeed, I made promises to them but
did not fulfill them [during their lifetime].

6:4

‫ׁשּנ ְִראֵיתִ י ָלהֶם ְּב ֵאל ׁשַּדַ י ִה ַּצבְּתִ י ְו ֶה ֱעמַדְ ּתִ י ב ְִריתִ י ּבֵינִי ּובֵינֵיהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ ְוגַם ְּכ‬.'‫וגם הקמתי את בריתי וגו‬,

‫ וגם הקמתי את בריתי וגו׳‬Then, ALSO, when I appeared unto them by the name of God Almighty
I ESTABLISHED and set up MY COVENANT between Myself and them

"‫אֶרץ מְ ג ֶֻריָך‬ ֶ ‫ לְַאב ְָרהָם ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת מִילָה נֶ ֱאמַר " ֲאנִי ֵאל ׁשַּדַ י וְגֹו' ְונָתַ ּתִ י לְָך ּו ְלז ְַרעֲָך ַאח ֲֶריָך אֵת‬.‫לתת להם ארץ כנען‬
‫ׁש ַּבעְּתִ י לְַאב ְָרהָם" (שם‬ ְ ִ‫ּׁש ֻבעָה ֲאׁשֶר נ‬ ְ ‫ ְלי ִ ְצחָק "ּכִי לְָך ּו ְלז ְַרעֲָך אֶּתֵ ן אֶת ּכָל ָהא ֲָרצ ֹת ָה ֵאל ַו ֲהקִמ ֹתִ י אֶת ַה‬,) ‫(בראשית י"ז‬
‫ָָארץ אֲׁשֶר‬ ֶ ‫ּורבֵה וְגֹו' וְאֶת ה‬ ְ ‫ׁש ַּבעְּתִ י לְַאב ְָרהָם ְּב ֵאל ׁשַּדַ י ָאמ ְַרּתִ י ְליַעֲק ֹב – " ֲאנִי אֵ ל ׁשַּדַ י ּפ ְֵרה‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבּועָה‬ְ ‫ וְאֹותָ ּה‬,)‫כ"ו‬
‫ׁשּנָדַ ְרּתִ י ָלהֶם וְֹלא קִ ּי ַמְּתִ י‬
ֶ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,)‫וְגֹו'" (שם ל"ה‬:

‫ לתת להם את ארץ כנען‬TO GIVE THEM THE LAND OF CANAAN — Of Abraham it is stated
in the chapter that contains the commandment of the Circumcision, (Genesis 17:1, and 17:8)
“[The Lord appeared to Abraham and said unto him], I am God Almighty etc., and I will give
to thee and to thy seed after thee the land of thy sojourning”. Of Isaac it is stated, (Genesis
26:3) “[The Lord appeared unto him and said], For unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all
these countries, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham, thy father”, and
that oath here referred to which I sware to Abraham I uttered by the name of God Almighty.
Of Jacob it is stated, (Genesis 35:9, 11, 12) “[And God appeared unto Jacob … and God said
unto him], I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply, … the land which I gave [Abraham
and Isaac to thee I will give it] etc.” So you see that I made certain vows to them and I have
not yet fulfilled them.

6:5

‫ אשר‬,‫ ְלפִיכְָך שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל הַּנֹואֲ קִ ים‬,‫ׁש ִה ַּצבְּתִ י ְו ֶה ֱעמַדְ ּתִ י ַהּב ְִרית י ֵׁש ָעלַי ְל ַקּי ֵם‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬.‫וגם אני‬
"‫ ּכִי ִּבב ְִרית ּבֵין ַהּבְתָ ִרים ָאמ ְַרּתִ י לֹו " ְוגַם אֶת הַּגֹוי אֲ ׁשֶר יַעֲב ֹדּו ּדָ ן ָאנֹכִי‬,‫מצרים מעבדים אתם ואזכר אֹותֹו ַהּב ְִרית‬
)‫(בראשית ט"ו‬:

‫ — וגם אני‬Since I established and set up My covenant it is incumbent upon Me to fulfil it;
therefore, ‫ שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל‬I HAVE HEARD THE GROANING OF THE CHILDREN
OF ISRAEL who groan (complain) ‫ אשר מצרים מעבדים אתם‬THAT THE EGYPTIANS ARE
ENSLAVING THEM, ‫ ואזכר‬AND I REMEMBER that covenant which I have already made
with them; because at the covenant “between the pieces” I said to him, (Genesis 15:14) “And
also against that nation whom they shall serve will I pronounce judgment.”

6:6

‫ עַל ּפִי אֹותָ ּה הַּׁשְ בּועָה‬.‫לכן‬:

‫ לכן‬THEREFORE, i. e. in accordance with the tenor of that oath (cf. Exodus Rabbah 6)

‫ ַהּנֶאֱמָ ן ְּב ַה ְב ָטחָתִ י‬.'‫אמר לבני ישראל אני ה‬:

‫ אמר לבני ישראל אני ה׳‬SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, I AM THE LORD Who am
faithful in My promise,

)‫ "וְַאח ֲֵרי כֵן יֵצְאּו ּב ְִרכֻׁש ּגָדֹול" (שם‬:‫ ּכִי כֵן ִה ְב ַטחְּתִ י‬.‫והוצאתי אתכם‬:

‫ והוצאתי אתכם‬AND I WILL BRING YOU OUT, — for so did I promise them: (Genesis 15:14)
“and afterwards shall they go out with great substance”.

‫ ט ַֹרח מַּׂשָ א מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬.‫סבלת‬:

‫ סבלת מצרים‬means the encumbrance of the burdens of Egypt.

6:8

‫ ה ֲִרימֹותִ י ָה ְלהִּׁשָ בַע ְּב ִכסְאִ י‬.‫נשאתי את ידי‬:

‫ נשאתי את ידי‬I HAVE LIFTED UP MY HAND — I have lifted it up to swear by My Throne.

6:9

‫ ֹלא קִ ּבְלּו תַ נְחּומִ ין‬.‫ולא שמעו אל משה‬:

‫ ולא שמעו אל משה‬BUT THEY HEARKENED NOT TO MOSES — they did not accept his
words of comfort.
‫ קָרֹוב ְל ִענְי ָן ז ֶה ׁשָמַ עְּתִ י ְּבפ ָָרׁשָ ה זֹו‬:‫ ְואֵינֹו י ָכֹול ְל ַהא ֲִריְך ִּבנְׁשִימָתֹו‬,‫ רּוחֹו ּונְׁשִימָתֹו קְ צ ָָרה‬,‫ׁשהּוא ֵמצֵר‬ ֶ ‫ ּכָל מִי‬.‫מקצר רוח‬
"'‫ְבּורתִ י ְוי ָדְ עּו ּכִי ׁשְמִ י ה‬
ָ ‫ " ַּב ַּפעַם הַּז ֹאת אֹודִ יעֵם אֶת י ָדִ י ְואֶת ּג‬,‫ ְו ֵהבִיא לִי ְרָאי ָה ִמ ִּמק ְָרא ז ֶה‬,‫מ ֵַרּבִי ּבָרּוְך ּב ְַרּבִי ֱאלִי ֶעז ֶר‬
.‫ׁשּכֵן הַאֲמָ נָה לְטֹובָה‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכָל‬,'‫ׁשּׁשְמֹו ה‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְמ ַאּמֵן אֶת ּדְ ב ָָריו ֲאפִּלּו ְלפ ְֻרעָנּות מֹודִ י ַע‬
ֶ ‫(ירמיהו ט"ז ) – ָלמַדְ נּו ְּכ‬
‫ ָאמַר לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה " ֲחבַל עַל ּדְ ָאבְדִ ין ְולָא מִׁשְּתַ ְּכחִין" – י ֵׁש‬,‫ׁשה ָלמָה ה ֲֵרע ֹתָ ה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשָאמַר מ‬ֶ ,‫ׁשל ַמ ְעלָה‬ ֶ ‫ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דְ ָרׁשּוהּו ְל ִענְי ָן‬
,‫ָאמַרּתָ מַ ה ּׁשְמֹו‬
ְ ‫ ְואַּתָ ה‬,‫ּׁשמְָך‬ ִ ‫ ה ְַרּבֵה ְּפ ָעמִים נִגְלֵיתִ י ֲאלֵיהֶם ְּב ֵאל ׁשַּדַ י וְֹלא ָאמְרּו לִי מַה‬,‫לִי ְלהִתְ אֹונֵן עַל מִיתַ ת הָָאבֹות‬
‫מָ ה א ֹמַר אֲ לֵיהֶם‬:

‫ מקצר רוח‬THROUGH ANGUISH (lit. shortness) OF SPIRIT — If one is in anguish his breath
comes in short gasps and he cannot draw long breaths. In a somewhat similar manner to this I
heard this section expounded by Rabbi Baruch the son of Rabbi Eliezer, and he cited the
following verse to me in proof of his explanation: (Jeremiah 16:21) “This once will I cause
them to know My hand and My might, and they shall know that My Name is the Lord”. Rabbi
Baruch said: we may learn from this text that when the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfils His
words, even when it is a matter of punishment, He makes it known that His Name is the Lord;
and, of course, this is all the more so, when He fulfils His words in a matter of bestowing
reward. — Our Rabbis explained it (this section) as having reference to what precedes it —
that Moses said (5:22): “Wherefore hast thou done so evil [to this people]”. Whereupon God
said to him, “Alas, for those that are gone (i. e. the patriarchs) and are no more to be found! I
really have reason to deplore the death of the patriarchs. Many a time did I reveal Myself to
them by the name ‘God Almighty’, and not once did they ask Me, What is Thy Name? (i. e.
what is the name that describes Thy true essence); but thou hast at once said (Exodus 3:13)
“[If they ask] ‘what is His name’, what shall I say unto them?!” (Exodus Rabbah 6:4;
Sanhedrin 111a).

‫ ְוכֵן ְּבי ִ ְצחָק ע ְִרעֲרּו ָעלָיו‬,‫ׁש ָּקנָה בְדָ מִים מ ְֻרּבִים‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ִּבּקֵׁש ַאב ְָרהָם ִלקְּב ֹר אֶת ׂש ָָרה ֹלא ָמצָא ֶקבֶר עַד‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬.'‫וגם הקמתי וגו‬
‫ָאמַרּתָ לָמָ ה‬
ְ ‫ ְואַּתָ ה‬,‫ וְֹלא ה ְִרהֲרּו ַאחַר מִּדֹותַ י‬,‫ ִלנְטֹות ָאהֳלֹו‬,‫ ְוכֵן יַעֲק ֹב ַוּיִקֶן אֶת ֶח ְלקַת ַהּׂשָדֶ ה‬,‫עַל ַה ְּבאֵרֹות ֲאׁשֶר ָחפַר‬
‫ וְאִ ם ּת ֹאמַר ֹלא‬,‫ׁש ֲאלּו לִי‬ ָ ‫ׁשמִי ה' ֹלא‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא נֶ ֱאמַר ּו‬
ֶ ,‫ ַאחַת‬,‫ּׁשב ַאחַר ַה ִּמק ְָרא ִמ ְּפנֵי ַכּמָה דְ ב ִָרים‬ ֵ ַ ‫ה ֲֵרע ֹתָ ה? ְואֵין ַהּמִדְ ָרׁש מִתְ י‬
‫ׁשּנִגְלָה לְַאב ְָרהָם ּבֵין ַהּבְתָ ִרים נֶ ֱאמַר " ֲאנִי ה' ֲאׁשֶר הֹוצֵאתִ יָך ֵמאּור ַּכׂשְדִ ים" (בראשית‬ ֶ ‫ ה ֲֵרי ּתְ ִחּלָה ְּכ‬,‫ׁשּכְָך ׁשְמֹו‬ ֶ ‫הֹודִ יעָם‬
‫ׁשהּוא סֹומְֵך ְלכָאן וגם אני שמעתי וגו' לכן אמר לבני ישראל? ְלכְָך אֲ נִי‬ ֶ ‫ׁשכֶת ּבִדְ ב ִָרים‬ ֶ ‫ וְעֹוד הֵיאְַך ַה ְּסמִיכָה נִ ְמ‬,) ‫ט"ו‬
'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "הֲלֹוא כ ֹה דְ ב ִָרי ּכָאֵׁש נְאֻ ם ה‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשה תִ ּדָ ֵרׁש‬ָ ‫ ְוהַּדְ ָר‬,‫ ּדִ ּבּור ּדָ בּור עַל ָא ְפנָיו‬,‫ּׁשב ַה ִּמק ְָרא עַל ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬ ֵ ַ ‫אֹומֵר י ִתְ י‬
)‫ּו ְכ ַפּטִיׁש י ְפֹוצֵץ ָסלַע" (ירמיהו כ"ג) – מִתְ ַחּלֵק ְל ַכּמָה נִיצֹוצֹות (סנהדרין ל"ד‬:

‫ וגם הקמתי וגו׳‬ALSO I SET UP [MY COVENANT WITH THEM TO GIVE THEM THE
LAND OF CANAAN], and yet when Abraham wished to bury Sarah he could not obtain a
grave until he purchased one at a high price. So, too, in the case of Isaac, people strove with
him for possession of the wells which he had dug. Similarly, of Jacob it is stated, (Genesis
33:19) “He purchased a parcel of field,” in which to pitch his tent. Yet none of them criticised
My dealings with them, whilst you say “Wherefore hast Thou done so evil [to this people!]”
— But this Midrashic exposition does not fit in with the text for several reasons. Firstly,
because Scripture does not state “And they did not ask of Me regarding my Name, the Lord”.
And if you say in refutation of my objection that they did not mean that ‫ושמי ה' לא נודעתי‬
actually signifies that they did not ask what is My Name, but it means “He did not tell them
that this was His Name and yet they did not ask Him what it was”, then I reply that these
words cannot mean that He did not tell them His name, for at the very first when He revealed
Himself to Abraham at the Covenant “between the pieces’’ it is said, (Genesis 15:7) “I am the
Lord (‫ )אני ה׳‬who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees”. Further (secondly), how does the
context run on to the statements which Scripture places after the above verses, viz., “And I
have also heard etc.” and “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel etc.”? Therefore I say: let
Scripture be explained in its literal sense so that each statement fits into its proper setting, but
the Midrashic exposition may also be given, if you like, as it is said (Jeremiah 23:29) “Is not
my word like as fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer which, by the force of its own blow,
the rock at which it strikes shatters in pieces”.

6:12

)‫ַּתֹורה (בראשית רבה צ"ב‬

ָ ‫ׁשּב‬ ֶ ‫ ז ֶה אֶ חָד ֵמ ֲעׂש ָָרה קַל וָחֹמֶר‬.‫ואיך ישמעני פרעה‬:

‫ ואיך ישמעני פרעה‬HOW THAN SHALL PHARAOH HEAR ME? — This is one of the ten
inferences from minor to major which are found in the Bible (Genesis Rabbah 92:7).

,ַ‫ "ע ֲֵרלָה ָאזְנָם" (ירמיהו ו') – אֲטּומָ ה מִּׁשְמֹע‬,‫ׁשהּוא ָאטּום‬ ֶ ‫ׂשפָתַ י ִם; ְוכֵן ּכָל לְׁשֹון ע ְָרלָה ֲאנִי אֹומֵר‬
ְ ‫ אֲטּום‬.‫ערל שפתים‬
‫ "ע ְָרלַת‬,‫ּׁשכְרּות ּכֹוס הַּקְ ָללָה‬ ִ ‫ "ׁשְתֵ ה ּגַם אַּתָ ה ְו ֵהע ֵָרל" (חבקוק ב') – ְוהֵָאטֵם ִמ‬,‫"ע ְַרלֵי לֵב" (שם ט') – אֲטּומִים ֵמ ָהבִין‬
,‫ׁשּיַבְּדִ יל ִּב ְפנֵי אֲ כִילָתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ " ַוע ֲַרלְּתֶ ם ע ְָרלָתֹו" (ויקרא י"ט) – עֲׂשּו לֹו אֹטֶם ּוכְסּוי אִּסּור‬,‫ׁש ַהּגִיד ָאטּום ּו ְמ ֻכּסֶה בָּה‬
ֶ – "‫ָּבׂשָר‬
‫ׁשנִים י ִ ְהי ֶה ָלכֶם ע ֲֵרלִים" (שם) – ָאטּום ּו ְמ ֻכּסֶה ּומֻ בְּדָ ל מִ ּלְָאכְלֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹלׁש‬
ָ ":

‫ ערל שפתים‬OF UNCIRCUMCISED LIPS — It really means obstructed as regards the lips. So,
too, in respect to all forms derived from ‫ ערל‬I say that they signify obstructed. E. g. (Jeremiah
6:10) “their ear is ‫ — ע ֲֵרלָה‬stopped up so that it will not hear; (Jeremiah 9:25) “‫ ע ְַרלִי‬in heart”
— their hearts are closed so that they will not understand; (Habakkuk 2:16) “Drink thou, also
‫ — ” ְו ֵהע ֵָרל‬and become thou closed up (in thy senses) through intoxication caused by the cup
of curse mentioned in that passage; the foreskin (‫ )ערלה‬of the flesh is so called because the
membrum is closed up and covered by it; (Leviticus 19:23) ‫ וערלתם ערלתו‬signifies, make for it
(the tree) a closure (‫ )אוטם‬and cover by means of an inhibition that will prove a barrier against
eating it; (Leviticus 19:23 “Three years shall it be to you as ‫ — ”ערלים‬it shall be closed up and
covered and barred so that it many not be eaten.

6:13

‫ צ ֵֵרף לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה אֶת ַאהֲר ֹן ִלהְיֹות לֹו ְלפֶה ּולְמֵ לִיץ‬,‫ׂשפָתַ י ִם‬
ְ ‫ׁשה ֲאנִי ע ֲַרל‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשָאמַר מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫וידבר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן‬:

‫ וידבר ה' אל משה ואהרן‬AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON —
because Moses had said, “I am of uncircumcised lips”. The Holy One, blessed be He,
associated Aaron with him to be his mouth-piece and spokesman.

)‫ ִצּוָם ֲעלֵיהֶם ְל ַהנְהִיגָם ְּבנַחַת ְו ִלסְּב ֹל אֹותָ ם (שמות רבה‬.‫ויצום אל בני ישראל‬:

‫ ויצום אל בני ישראל‬signifies that HE GAVE THEM A CHARGE regarding them; viz., to deal
with them in a gentle manner and to be patient with them (Exodus Rabbah 7:3)

‫ִׂשְראֵ ל ְועַל‬
ָ ‫ ִצּוָם עַל ּדְ בַר י‬,‫ ז ֶה מִדְ ָרׁשֹו (שם); ּופְׁשּוטֹו‬,‫ ִצּוָם ָעלָיו ַלחֲֹלק לֹו כָבֹוד ּבְדִ ב ְֵריהֶם‬.‫ואל פרעה מלך מצרים‬
,‫ׁש ִהזְּכִיר מ ֹׁשֶ ה וְַאהֲר ֹן‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא מִּתֹוְך‬,‫ׁשנִּי ָה לְַאחַר סֵדֶ ר ַהּיַחַס‬
ְ ‫ׁשה‬
ָ ‫ ְמפ ָֹרׁש ְּבפ ָָר‬,‫ׁשלִיחּותֹו אֶל ּפ ְַרע ֹה; ּודְ בַר ַהּצִּוּוי ַמהּו‬
ְ
‫ׁשה וְַאהֲר ֹן ּובְמִ י נִתְ יַחֲסּו‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ִה ְפסִיק ָה ִענְי ָן ְּבאלה ראשי בית אבתם ְל ַלּמְדֵ נּו הֵיאְַך נֹולְדּו מ‬:

‫ ואל פרעה מלך מצרים‬signifies that He charged them with regard to PHARAOH, KING OF
EGYPT, viz., that they should show respect to him in all that they spoke. This is a Midrashic
explanation (Exodus Rabbah 7:3; Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 2); but the real meaning is: He
gave them a command with regard to Israel and with regard to His mission on which he had
sent them to Pharaoh. And what the purport of this command was is explained in the second
section from here (vv. 29—31) after the order of genealogy set forth in the next passage. It
properly should follow here, but because Scripture has mentioned Moses and Aaron here, it
interrupts the narrative by interpolating the section beginning (v. 14), “These are the heads of
their fathers’ houses”, in order to inform us how Moses and Aaron were born (who were their
parents) and with whom they are connected by descent.

6:14

‫ הִתְ חִיל ְלי ַ ֲחסָם ּדֶ ֶרְך‬,‫ׁשה וְַאהֲר ֹן‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשבִיל מ‬
ְ ‫ׁשה וְַאהֲר ֹן ִּב‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשל ֵלוִי עַד מ‬ ֶ ‫ׁשבְטֹו‬
ִ ‫ׁש ֻהז ְ ַקק ְליַחֵס‬
ֶ ‫ מִּתֹוְך‬.‫אלה ראשי בית אבתם‬
‫ ָחז ַר‬,‫ׁש ָבטִים ַהּלָלּו ּבִׁשְ עַת מֹותֹו‬ ְ ‫ׁשה‬ָ ‫ׁשלֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁש ִּקנְט ְָרם יַעֲק ֹב ָאבִינּו ִל‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ּו ְב ְפסִיקְּתָ א ַרּבָתִ י ָראִיתִ י‬.‫ּתֹולְדֹותָ ם מ ְֵראּובֵן‬
‫ לֹומַר ׁשֶ חֲׁשּובִים הֵם‬,‫ ַהּכָתּוב ְוי ִ ֲחסָם ּכָאן ְלבַּדָ ם‬:

‫ אלה ראשי בית אבתם‬THESE ARE THE HEADS OF THEIR FATHERS’ HOUSES — Since it
(Scripture) finds itself compelled to give the genealogy of the tribe of Levi as far as Moses
and Aaron because of Moses and Aaron, it begins to give the genealogy of the tribes in the
order of their birth commencing from Reuben. And in Pesikta Rabbati 7 (on Numbers 7:12) I
have seen the statement, that because their father Jacob reproached these three tribes in the
hour of his death Scripture again enumerates here their genealogy alone of all the tribes to
indicate that they nevertheless were men of worth.

6:16

‫ּׁש ָבטִים קַ ּי ָם ֹלא ָהי ָה‬

ְ ‫ׁש ֶאחָד מִן ַה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכָל זְמַן‬ֶ ;‫ּׁשעְּבּוד‬ִ ‫ׁשל ֵלוִי? לְהֹודִ י ַע ַּכּמָה יְמֵי ַה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנֹותָ יו‬
ְ ‫ ָל ָּמה נִמְנּו‬.'‫ושני חיי לוי וגו‬
‫ֶאֱריְך י ָמִ ים עַל‬
ִ ‫ ְו ֵלוִי ה‬,"‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך " ַוּיָקָם ֶמלְֶך חָדָ ׁש‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ַוּיָמָת יֹוסֵף ְוכָל ֶאחָיו" (שמות א‬ ֶ ,)'‫ׁשִ עְּבּוד (שמות רבה א‬
‫ ֻּכּלָם‬:

‫ ושני חיי לוי וגו׳‬AND THE YEARS OF THE LIFE OF LEVI WERE etc. — Why is the number
of the years of Levi mentioned? In order to tell us how long the period of slavery lasted —
because so long as even one of the sons of Jacob (lit. the tribes) remained alive there was no
slavery imposed upon the Israelites, as it is said, (Exodus 1:6) “And Joseph died and all his
brethren”, and afterwards it is stated (Exodus 1:8), “Now there arose a king” (who enslaved
them); and Levi lived the longest of all of them (Seder Olam 3).

6:18

‫ׁשנָה ׁשֶ ָאמַר ַהּכָתּוב‬ ָ ‫ַארּבַע ֵמאֹות‬ ְ ‫ׁשב ְּבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ַ ‫ׁשּבֹון ז ֶה ָאנּו ְלמֵדִ ים עַל מֹו‬
ְ ‫ ֵמ ֶח‬.'‫ ושני חיי עמרם וגו‬,‫ושני חיי קהת‬
‫ חֲׁש ֹב ּכָל‬,‫ִּיֹורדֵ י ִמצ ְַרי ִם ָהי ָה‬
ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְקהָת מ‬ ֶ ;‫ׁשּנֹולַד י ִ ְצחָק‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא מִּיֹום‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ְבא ֶֶרץ ִמצ ְַרי ִם ְלבַּדָ ּה הָיּו‬
ֶ ,) ‫י״ג‬:‫(בראשית ט״ו‬
‫ׁשנִים נִ ְב ָלעִים ַל ָּבנִים ּבִׁשְ נֵי הָָאבֹות‬
ָ ‫ ְוה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ׁשנָה‬
ָ ‫ַארּבַע ֵמאֹות‬
ְ ‫ ֹלא תִ ְמ ָצאֵם‬,‫ׁשה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשל מ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנֹות ַעמ ְָרם ּוׁשְמֹונִים‬
ְ ‫ׁשנֹותָ יו ּו‬
ְ :

‫ ושני חיי קהת … ושני חיי עמרם וגו׳‬AND THE YEARS OF THE LIFE OF KOHATH WERE etc.
… AND THE YEARS OF THE LIFE OF AMRAM WERE etc. — From these numbers we
may gather regarding the period of residence of the children of Israel, — viz., four hundred
years, of which Scripture speaks, that these four hundred years were not passed in Egypt
alone, but that they date from the day of Isaac’s birth. You know that Kohath was one of those
who went down to Egypt; now reckon all his years (133) although really we should not take
into account the years he lived before he went down to Egypt, and the years of Amram, his
son (137), and the eighty years of Moses, the latter’s son, which he had attained when the
Israelites left Egypt, and you will not find them totaling to four hundred, and in this
calculation many years of the sons’ ages are included in those of their fathers (i. e. in such a
calculation one must deduct in each instance the father’s age when his son was born since this
number is included in the total age of each of these persons) (cf. Rashi on Exodus 12:40)
6:20

‫ ּבַת ֵלוִי אֲחֹות קְ הָת‬,‫ ַאחַת אֲ בּוהִי‬.‫יוכבד דודתו‬:

‫ יוכבד דדתו‬JOCHEBED HIS AUNT — The Targum has: his father’s sister; she was daughter
of Levi (cf. Exodus 2:1) and sister of Kohath.

6:23

)‫ּׁשה צ ִָריְך ִלבְד ֹק בְַאחֶי ָה (בבא בתרא ק"י‬

ָ ‫ׂשא ִא‬
ֵ ‫ הַּנֹו‬,‫ ִמּכָאן ָלמְדּו‬.‫אחות נחשון‬:

‫ אחות נחשון‬THE SISTER OF NAASHON — Hence they (the Rabbis) learned (i.e. from the
fact that Scripture states who her brother was when it mentions her marriage to Aaron) that he
who is about to take a wife should strictly investigate who her brothers are (Bava Batra 110a).

6:25

)‫ׁש ִּפ ְטּפֵט ְּביִצְרֹו (סוטה מ"ג‬

ֶ ‫ ּו ִמּז ֶַרע יֹוסֵף‬,ָ ‫ׁש ִּפּטֵם ֲעגָלִים ַלעֲ"ז‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּז ֶַרע י ִתְ רֹו‬.‫מבנות פוטיאל‬:

‫ מבנות פוטיאל‬ONE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF PUTIEL — of the family of Jethro (cf. Rashi
on Exodus 4:18) who used to fatten (‫ )פטם‬calves for idolatrous sacrifice, and of the family of
Joseph who overcame (‫פטפט‬, who talked or argued with) his passion (Sotah 43a; Bava Batra
109b).

6:26

‫ׁש ַּמקְּדִ ים ַאהֲר ֹן לְמ ֹׁשֶ ה‬

ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש ְמקֹומֹות‬.‫ הוא אהרן ומשה‬.‫ׁשּיָלְדָ ה יֹו ֶכבֶד ְל ַעמ ְָרם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁש ֻהזְּכְרּו ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬
ֶ ‫ אֵּלּו‬.‫הוא אהרן ומשה‬
‫ לֹומַר לְָך ׁשֶּׁשְ קּולִין ּכְאֶ חָד‬,‫ׁשה לְַאהֲר ֹן‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ַּמקְּדִ ים מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְוי ֵׁש ְמקֹומֹות‬:

‫ הוא אהרן ומשה‬THESE ARE THAT AARON AND MOSES who are mentioned above where it
states (v. 20) that Jochebed bore them to Amram. ‫ הוא אהרן ומשה‬There are some passages
where Scripture mentions Aaron before Moses (as here) and other passages where it mentions
Moses before Aaron; this is done in order to indicate that they were equal in all respects (more
lit., that they weighed alike) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:1).

‫ " ְועַל ח ְַרּבְָך תִ ְחי ֶה" (בראשית‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא ִב ְמקֹום אֹות ַאחַת‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְבטֵיהֶם; י ֵׁש עַל‬
ִ ‫ ּכָל ְצבָָאם ְל‬,‫ ְּב ִצבְאֹותָ ם‬.‫על צבאתם‬
‫ " ֲעמַדְ ּתֶ ם עַל ח ְַר ְּבכֶם" (יחזקאל ל"ג) – ְּבח ְַר ְּבכֶם‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ְּבח ְַרּבְָך‬,)‫כ"ז‬:

‫ — על צבאתם‬This is the same as ‫ בצבאותם‬with their hosts — all their hosts according to their
tribes. Sometimes the word ‫ על‬is merely used in place of a single letter (‫ ב‬as a prefix); e. g.,
(Genesis 27:40) “‫ על חרבך‬shalt thou live” which is the same as ‫בחרבך‬, by thy sword; (Ezekiel
33:26) “Ye stand ‫ ”על חרבכם‬which is the same as ‫בחרבכם‬, by your sword.

6:27

‫ הֵם ׁשֶ ּקִ ּי ְמּו‬,‫ׁשּנִ ְצטַּוּו‬

ֶ ‫ הֵם‬.'‫הם המדברים וגו‬:

‫ הם המדברים וגו׳‬THESE ARE THEY WHO SPAKE TO PHARAOH — It was they who
received the command to speak to Pharaoh (cf. v. 26), and it was they who carried it out by
actually speaking to him (cf. e.g. Exodus 7:7).
)‫ׁשלִיחּותָ ם ּו ְבצִדְ קָתָ ם מִּתְ ִחּלָה ְועַד סֹוף (מגילה י"א‬
ְ ‫ הֵם ִּב‬.‫הוא משה ואהרן‬:

‫ הוא משה ואהרן‬THESE ARE MOSES AND AARON — they remained always the same in
carrying out their mission and in their integrity from beginning to end (cf. Megillah 11a).

6:28

‫קְרא ׁשֶ ּלְַאח ֲָריו‬

ָ ִ‫ ְמ ֻחּבָר לַּמ‬.'‫ויהי ביום דבר וגו‬:

And it came to pass on the day that the Lord spoke unto Moses in the land of Egypt: [This is
connected with the following verse]

6:29

,‫ׁש ִה ְפסִיק ָה ִענְי ָן ּכְדֵ י ְלי ַ ֲחסָם‬

ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא מִּתֹוְך‬, ‫ הּוא הַּדִ ּבּור ַעצְמֹו הָָאמּור ְל ַמ ְעלָה בא דבר אל פרעה מלך מצרים‬.'‫וידבר ה‬
‫ ָחז ַר ָעלָיו ְלהַתְ חִיל ּבֹו‬:

‫ וידבר ה׳‬AND THE LORD SPAKE — This is the self-same command which was mentioned
before, viz., (v. 11) “Go in, speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt”, but because it (Scripture)
broke off the narrative in order to record their genealogy it now reverts to it and begins it
anew.

‫ׁש ְלחֲָך ּו ְל ַקּי ֵם ּדִ ב ְֵרי ׁשְ לִיחּותִ י‬

ָ ‫ ּכְדַ אי ֲאנִי ְל‬.'‫אני ה‬:

‫ אני ה׳‬I AM THE LORD — I am powerful enough to send you and to carry out the matter on
which I have sent you.

6:30

‫ ּכֵיוָן ׁשֶ ִה ְפסִיק‬,‫ׁשנָה ַהּכָתּוב ּכָאן‬

ָ ‫ ְו‬,‫ׁשָאמַר ְל ַמ ְעלָה הן בני ישראל לא שמעו אלי‬
ֶ ‫ִירה‬
ָ ‫ הִיא ָה ֲאמ‬.'‫ויאמר משה לפני ה‬
‫ ּכְָאדָ ם הָאֹומֵר "נַחֲז ֹר עַל ה ִָראׁשֹונֹות‬,‫" ָה ִענְי ָן; ְוכֵן הִיא ַהּׁשִיטָה‬:

‫ ויאמר משה לפני ה׳‬AND MOSES SAID BEFORE THE LORD — This is the statement which
he made above, (v. 12), “Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me”.
Scripture repeats it here, because it broke off the narrative for the reason already given. So is
the method of the historian — just as a person who says, “let us return to the previous
subject”.

7:1

‫ִּסּורין‬
ִ ‫ ל ְִרּדֹותֹו בְמַ ּכֹות ְוי‬,‫ ׁשֹופֵט וְרֹודֶ ה‬.‫נתתיך אלהים לפרעה‬:

‫ נתתיך אלהים לפרעה‬This signifies I have made thee a judge and castigator — to castigate him
with plagues and pains.

‫ וְהּוא מִ ִּגז ְַרת‬,‫ׁשמִי ַע ָלעָם ּדִ ב ְֵרי תֹוכָחֹות‬

ְ ‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל לְׁשֹון נְבּוָאה ָאדָ ם ַה ַּמכ ְִריז ּו ַמ‬."‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו – "מְתֻ ְר ְּג ָמנְָך‬.‫יהיה נביאך‬
‫קֹוראִ ין לֹו‬ְ ‫ " ַויְכַל ֵמהִתְ נַּבֹות" ּדִ ׁשְמּו ֵאל (א' י'); ּו ְב ַלעַז‬,)'‫ "י ָנּוב ָח ְכ ָמה" (משלי י‬,)‫ׂשפָתָ י ִם" (ישעיהו נ"ז‬ ְ ‫"נִיב‬
‫פרידיכ"ר‬:
‫[ יהיה נביאך‬AARON] SHALL BE THY PROPHET — This must be understood as the Targum
takes it: thy interpreter. Similarly, wherever this term of ‫ נבואה‬is mentioned it refers to a man
who publicly proclaims and utters to the people words of reproof. It is of the same derivation
as, (Isaiah 57:19) “utterance (‫ )ניב‬of the lips”; (Proverbs 10:31) “it utters (‫ )ינוב‬wisdom”; (I
Samuel 10:13) “he made an end of proclaiming (‫”)התנבות‬, which is in the book of Samuel. In
old French we call him predicar; English preacher.

7:2

‫ וְַאהֲר ֹן ָאחִיָך י ַ ְמלִיצֶּנּו ְוי ַ ְטעִימֶ ּנּו ּבְָאזְנֵי פ ְַרע ֹה‬,‫ּׁש ַמעְּתֹו ִמּפִי‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ׁשלִיחּות ְּכפִי‬
ְ ‫ׁשלִיחּות ּו‬
ְ ‫ ַּפעַם ַאחַת ּכָל‬.‫אתה תדבר‬:

‫ אתה תדבר‬THOU SHALT SPEAK once, every separate message just as you have heard it from
My mouth, and your brother Aaron shall express it in eloquent language and explain it in
Pharaoh’s hearing.

7:3

‫ טֹוב ׁשֶ ּי ִתְ קַּׁשֶ ה‬,‫ׁשלֵם לָׁשּוב‬

ָ ‫ׁשאֵין נַחַת רּו ַח ָּבאֻּמֹות לָתֵ ת לֵב‬ ֶ ‫ ְוגָלּוי ְל ָפנַי‬,‫ׁשה ְִרׁשִי ַע ְוהִתְ ִריס ְּכנֶגְּדִ י‬
ֶ ‫ ֵמַאחַר‬.‫ואני אקשה‬
‫ ֵמבִיא ּפ ְֻרעָנּות עַל ָהאֻּמֹות ּכְדֵ י ׁשֶ ּי ִׁשְמְעּו‬,‫ׁשל ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬
ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן מִּדָ תֹו‬.‫ְבּורתִ י‬
ָ ‫ וְתַ ּכִירּו אַּתֶ ם אֶת ּג‬,‫ ְל ַמעַן ה ְַרּבֹות ּבֹו אֹותֹותַ י‬,‫לִּבֹו‬
‫יראִי אֹותִ י ּתִ ְקחִי מּוסָר" (צפניה ג'); וְַא ַעּפִ" ֵכ ְּבחָמֵׁש‬ ְ ִ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱא' " ִהכ ְַרּתִ י גֹוי ִם נָׁשַּמּו ּפִּנֹותָ ם … ָאמ ְַרּתִ י אְַך ּת‬
ֶ ,‫ִׂשְר ֵאל ְוי ְִיראּו‬
ָ ‫י‬
)‫ ֶאּלָא ַוּי ֶ ֱחז ַק לֵב ּפ ְַרע ֹה (תנחומא‬,‫ ַמּכֹות ה ִָראׁשֹונֹות ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ַוי ְ ַחּז ֵק ה' אֶת לֵב ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬:

‫ ואני אקשה‬AND I WILL ALLOW [PHARAOH’S HEART] TO HARDEN — Since he has

wickedly resisted Me, and it is manifest to Me that the heathen nations find no spiritual
satisfaction in setting their whole heart to return to Me penitently, it is better that his heart
should be hardened in order that My signs may be multiplied against him so that ye may
recognise My divine power. Such, indeed, is the method of the Holy One, blessed be He: He
brings punishment upon the nations so that Israel may hear of it and fear Him, as it is said,
(Zephaniah 3:6, 3:7) “I have cut off nations, their corners are desolate etc. … I said: Surely
thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt receive correction” (cf. Yevamot 63a). Nevertheless, in the case
of the first five plagues it is not stated, “The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart” but “Pharaoh’s
heart was hardened” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 3).

7:4

‫ ְלהַּכֹות ָּבהֶם‬,‫ י ָד ַמּמָׁש‬.‫את ידי‬:

‫ את ידי‬this must be translated literally, “hand”, (not “power”) I will lay My hand upon Egypt to
smite them.

7:9

‫ׁשּי ֵׁש צְרֹוְך ְּבמִי ׁשֶּׁשֹו ֵל ַח אֶתְ כֶם‬

ֶ ‫ לְהֹודִ י ַע‬,‫ אֹות‬.‫מופת‬:

‫ מופת‬A WONDER — a sign to prove that there is power in Him who is sending you.

7:10

‫ נָחָׁש‬.‫לתנין‬:
‫ לתנין‬means A SERPENT.

7:11

‫ ְּב ַל ֲחׁשֵיהֹון; ְואֵין לֹו ּדִ מְיֹון ַּב ִּמק ְָרא; ְוי ֵׁש לְדַ ּמֹות לֹו " ַלהַט ַהח ֶֶרב ַהּמִתְ ַה ֶּפכֶת" (בראשית ג') – ּדֹומֶ ה ׁשֶ הִיא‬.‫בלהטיהם‬
‫מִתְ ַה ֶּפכֶת עַל י ְדֵ י ַלחַׁש‬:

‫ בלהטיהם‬The Targum renders this by ‫בלחשיהון‬: with their secret spells. There is no other
example of this word in the Bible. One may compare it to the first word in (Genesis 3:24) “the
‫ להט‬of the sword that turned round” — it appeared to turn round through some magic spell.

7:12

)‫ ָּבלַע אֶת ֻּכּלָן (שבת צ"ז‬,‫ׂשה ַמּטֶה‬

ָ ‫ׁש ָחז ַר ְונַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ֵמַאחַר‬.‫ויבלע מטה אהרן‬:

‫ ויבלע מטה אהרן‬BUT AARON’S STAFF SWALLOWED (It states that the staff swallowed) —
after it had again become a staff it swallowed all of them (Shabbat 97 a; Exodus Rabbah 9:7).

7:14

)‫ ּכְמֹו "ּכִי ָכבֵד ִמּמְָך הַּדָ בָר" (שמות י"ח‬,‫ׁשהּוא ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר‬
ֶ ‫ ִמ ְּפנֵי‬,‫ ּתַ ְרגּומֹו יַּקִיר וְֹלא אִתְ יַּקַר‬.‫כבד‬:

‫ — כבד‬This word should be translated in the Targum by ‫( יקיר‬his heart is hard — an adjective)
and not by ‫( אתיקר‬his heart has become Hard — a verb, as is given in some editions of
Onkelos) because it is an adjective, just as (Exodus 18:18) “the thing is too heavy (‫ ) ָּכבֵד‬for
thee”.

7:15

‫ׁשּכִים וְיֹוצֵא ַלּנִילּוס וְעֹוׂשֶ ה ׁשָ ם‬

ְ ‫ ּו ַמ‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו צ ִָריְך ִלנְ ָקבָיו‬
ֶ ‫ׂשה ַעצְמֹו אֱלֹו ַּה וְאֹומֵר‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה עֹו‬
ֶ ;‫ ִלנְ ָקבָיו‬.‫הנה יצא המימה‬
)‫צ ְָרכָיו (תנחומא‬:

‫ הנה יצא המימה‬LO, HE GOETH OUT UNTO THE WATER to ease himself. For he claimed to
be a god and asserted that because of his divine power he did not need to ease himself; and
therefore he used to rise early and go to the Nile and there eased himself in secret (Midrash
Tanchuma, Vaera 14; Exodus Rabbah 9:8).

7:16

)‫ד׳‬:‫ׁש ֶאפְּתַ ח ּבָּה ּבְ"כ ֹה" ָאמַר ה' ַּכחֲצֹות ַה ַּליְלָה (שמות י״א‬
ֶ ‫ׁשמַע ִמ ֶּמּנִי ַמּכַת ּבְכֹורֹות‬
ְ ִ‫ עַד ׁשֶּת‬:‫ עַד ֵהּנָה; ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.‫עד כה‬:

‫ עד כה‬means UNTIL NOW. A Midrashic explanation (taking this sentence to mean, “thou wilt
not hearken until (‫ )עד‬thou hearest the word “‫ )”כה‬is: until thou hearest from me the
announcement of the slaughter of the first-born, which I will begin with the words, (Exodus
11:4) “Thus (‫ )כה‬saith the Lord, About midnight etc.”

7:17

‫ ְלפִיכְָך‬,‫ָָארץ ּו ִמצ ְַרי ִם עֹובְדִ ים ַלּנִילּוס‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ֶקה אֶת ה‬
ְ ‫יֹורדִ ים ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם ְונִילּוס עֹולֶה ּו ַמ‬
ְ ‫ׁשמִים‬
ָ ‫ׁשאֵין ְּג‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫ונהפכו לדם‬
)‫ ִה ְל ָקה אֶת י ְִרָאתָ ם וְַאחַ" ָּכ ִה ְלקָה אֹותָ ם (תנחומא‬:
‫ ונהפכו לדם‬AND THEY SHALL BE TURNED INTO BLOOD — Because rain does not fall in
Egypt but the Nile rises and irrigates the land and the Egyptians on this account worshipped
the Nile, therefore God first smote their deity and afterwards smote them (Exodus Rabbah
9:9).

7:18

‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ְראּוי ִין לִׁשְּתֹות‬

ֶ ‫ ְל ַבּקֵׁש ְרפּוָאה ְלמֵי ַהי ְאֹור‬.‫ונלאו מצרים‬:

‫ ונלאו מצרים‬THE EGYPTIANS SHALL WEARY THEMSELVES in seeking a cure for the
waters of the river that they may become fitted for drinking.

7:19

‫ ְולָקָה עַל‬,‫ ְלפִיכְָך ֹלא ָל ָקה עַל י ָדֹו ֹלא בַּדָ ם וְֹלא ַב ְצפ ְַרּדְ עִים‬,‫ׁשלְַך לְתֹוכֹו‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ְּכ‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ֵהגֵן ַהי ְאֹור עַל מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫אמר אל אהרן‬
)‫י ְדֵ י ַאהֲר ֹן (שמות רבה‬:

‫ אמר אל אהרן‬SAY UNTO AARON — Because the river had protected Moses when he was
cast into it, therefore it was not smitten by him neither at the plague of blood nor at that of
frogs, but it was smitten by Aaron (Exodus Rabbah 9:10).

‫ ְּכעֵין נְהָרֹות ׁשֶ ּלָנּו‬,‫ׁשכִים‬

ְ ‫ הֵם נְהָרֹות הַּמֹו‬.‫נהרתם‬:

‫ נהרתם‬THEIR STREAMS — These are the flowing rivers, just like our rivers in France.

‫ְאֹורים‬
ִ ‫ ְונִילּוס מֵימָיו מִתְ ּב ְָרכִים וְעֹולֶה ּדֶ ֶרְך ַהי‬,‫ּׂשפַת ַהּנָהָר ַלּׂשָדֹות‬
ְ ‫ ָהעֲׂשּויֹות ּבִידֵ י ָאדָ ם ִמ‬,‫ הֵם ּב ְֵרכֹות נִּג ִָרים‬.‫יאריהם‬
‫ּומַׁשְ קֶ ה הַּׂשָדֹות‬:

‫ — יאריהם‬These are canals which convey water being made by human agency and extending
from the river bank into the fields. The waters of the Nile increase in volume and rise by way
of these canals and so irrigate the fields.

‫ְקֹורין לֹו אשטנ"ק‬

ְ ‫ ו‬,‫ ֶאּלָא עֹומְדִ ין ְּב ָמקֹום ֶאחָד‬,‫ׁשכִין‬
ְ ‫ׁשאֵינָן נֹו ְבעִין ְואֵין מֹו‬
ֶ ‫ קְבּוצַת ַמי ִם‬.‫אגמיהם‬:

‫ — אגמיהם‬A collection of waters that neither spring up from beneath the ground nor flow
along, but which remain in one spot. In old French they call it étang.

‫ ַאף ַּבּמ ְֶר ֲחצָאֹות ּובַָא ְמ ַּבּטָאֹות ׁשֶ ַּבּבָּתִ ים‬.‫בכל ארץ מצרים‬:

‫[ בכל ארץ מצרים‬THERE WILL BE BLOOD] THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT
— also in their bathing establishments and in the baths in their houses.

‫ׁש ִּב ְכלֵי עֵץ ּו ִב ְכלֵי אֶ בֶן‬

ֶ ‫ ַמי ִם‬.‫ובעצים ובאבנים‬:

‫ — ובעצים ובאבנים‬the water which happened to be BOTH IN vessels of WOOD AND in

vessels of STONE.

7:22
 ‫ " ְּב ַל ֲהטֵיהֶם" מַ עֲׂשֵ ה כְׁשָ פִים‬,‫ׂשה ׁשֵדִ ים‬
ֵ ‫ " ְּב ָלטֵיהֶם" ַמ ֲע‬,‫ׁשאי; ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ָאמְרּו‬
ַ ‫ׁשאֹומ ְִרין אֹותֹו ַּבּלָט ּו ַב ֲח‬
ֶ ‫ ַלחַׁש‬.‫בלטיהם‬
)‫(סנהדרין ס"ז‬:

‫ בלטיהם‬SECRET ARTS — magic formulas which they utter secretly and in a whisper. Our
Rabbis stated that ‫ בלטיהם‬refers to the work of demons, ‫ בלהטיהם‬to witchcraft (Sanhedrin 67b;
Exodus Rabbah 9:11).

‫ ַאף אַּתֶ ם‬,‫ׁש ֻּכּלָּה ּתֶ בֶן‬ ֶ ‫ עִיר‬,"‫ּׁשפּות אַּתֶם עֹוׂשִים ּכֵן; "ּתֶ בֶן אַּתֶ ם ַמ ְכנִיסִים ְל ָעפ ְַרי ִם‬
ְ ‫ לֹומַר עַל י ְדֵ י ְמ ַכ‬.‫ויחזק לב פרעה‬
‫ּׁשפּות ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם ׁשֶ ֻּכּלָּה ּכְׁשָ פִים‬
ְ ‫ ְמבִיאִין ְמ ַכ‬:

‫ ויחזק לב פרעה‬AND PHARAOH’S HEART WAS HARDENED so that he said: You are doing
this by witchcraft: “You are bringing straw to Afarayim”— a city that is full of straw; thus
you bring sorcery to Egypt, a land that is full of sorcery (Menachot 85a; Exodus Rabbah 9:6-
7).

7:23

‫ וְֹלא ָלז ֶה ׁשֶ ל ּדָ ם‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ְהּפְַך לְתַ ּנִין‬

ֶ ‫ לְמֹופֵת ַה ַּמּטֶה‬.‫גם לזאת‬:

‫[ גם לזאת‬NEITHER DID HE SET HIS HEART] TO THIS ALSO — to the wonder of the staff
which was changed into a serpent and also not to that of the blood.

7:25

‫ וג' ֲחלָקִ ים ָהי ָה מֵ עִיד‬,‫ׁש ֶּמׁשֶת ְרבִי ַע ח ֹדֶ ׁש‬

ַ ‫ׁש ָהי ְתָ ה ַה ַּמּכָה ְמ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשב ַהי ְאֹור ְלקַדְ מּותֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא‬
ֶ , ‫ ִמנְי ַן שבעת ימים‬.‫וימלא‬
)‫ּומַתְ ֶרה ָבהֶם (תנחומא‬:

‫ וימלא‬AND THERE WAS COMPLETED (the verb is singular) ‫ שבעת ימים‬the number of
SEVEN DAYS during which the river did not return to its original condition. For each plague
functioned a quarter of a month and for three quarters He warned and cautioned them
(Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 13; Exodus Rabbah 9:12).

7:27

,)‫ׁשלֵו" (איוב ט"ז‬

ָ " ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ אֶ ּלָא ּכִּנּוי הָָאדָ ם עַל ׁשֵם ַה ִּמ ְפעָל‬,‫ ְמס ֵָרב‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ְמ ָמאֵן‬.‫ מאן‬:‫ ְואִם ס ְַרבָן אַּתָ ה‬.‫ואם מאן אתה‬
)'‫ "סַר ְוזָעֵף" (מלכים א כ‬,)‫ׁשקֵט" (שופטים י"ח‬ ָ ":

‫ — ואם מאן אתה‬AND IF THOU BE A REFUSER. ‫ — מאן‬The word has the same meaning as
‫ממאן‬, refusing, (the Piel participle) only the difference is that it is a description of a person
having reference to the action he always does (i. e. it is an adjective and the full phrase would
be ‫ )איש מאן‬similar to ‫ׁשלֵו‬
ָ “a man at ease” (Job 16:12); ‫ׁשקֵט‬ָ “a man at ease” (Jeremiah 48:11); ‫ְו‬
‫“ ]סר[ זָעֵף‬a man displeased” (1 Kings 20:43), whilst ‫ מְמאֵן‬merely describes the person as
refusing at some particular moment.

,)‫ּׁשה ה ָָרה" (שמות כ"א‬ ָ ‫ ְוכֵן " ְונָגְפּו ִא‬,‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל לְׁשֹון ַמ ֵּגפָה אֵינֹו לְׁשֹון מִיתָ ה ֶאּלָא לְׁשֹון ַמּכָה‬,‫ ַמּכֶה‬.‫נגף את כל גבולך‬
"‫ "ּולְאֶ בֶן נֶגֶף‬,)‫ "ּפֶן ּתִ ּג ֹף ָּב ֶאבֶן ַרגְלֶָך" (תהילים צ"א‬,)‫ ְוכֵן "ּו ְבט ֶֶרם י ִתְ נַּגְפּו ַרגְלֵיכֶם" (ירמיהו י"ג‬,‫אֵינֹו לְׁשֹון מִיתָ ה‬
)'‫(ישעיהו ח‬:

‫ נגף את כל גבולך‬I WILL PLAGUE ALL THY BOUNDARIES — ‫ נוגף‬means smiting. So, too,
wherever a form from the root ‫ נגף‬occurs, it does not necessarily denote killing but it may
mean merely smiting. Similarly, (Exodus 21:22) “and if they hurt (‫ )ונגפו‬a woman with child”,
does not mean they kill (as the context shows); so, too, (Jeremiah 13:16) “and before your feet
stumble (‫( ”)יתנגפו‬i. e. hit against something); (Psalms 91:12) “lest thou dash (‫ )תגף‬thy foot
against a stone”; (Isaiah 8:14) ”and for a stone of stumbling (‫”)נגף‬.

7:28

‫ מִ ן ַהי ְאֹור‬.‫ועלו‬:

‫ ועלו‬AND THEY SHALL GO UP from the river

‫ ּו ִמ ֶּמּנּו הִתְ חִילָה ַהּפ ְֻרעָנּות‬,)'‫ "וַּי ֹאמֶר ֶאל עַּמֹו" (שמות א‬,‫ הּוא הִתְ חִיל ָּב ֵעצָה ּתְ ִחּלָה‬.‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך בבית עבדיך‬.‫בביתך‬:

‫ — בביתך‬first into thine house and afterwards, ‫ — בבית עבדיך‬into the house of thy servants; he
took the first step in counselling evil against Israel, as it is stated (1:9) “He spake to his
people, “[Behold, the children of Israel are more numerous and powerful than we]”, and with
him, therefore, did punishment begin (cf. Sotah 11a and Exodus Rabbah 10:3).

7:29

)‫ ּבְתֹוְך ְמעֵיהֶם נִ ְכנָסִין ּו ְמק ְַרק ְִרין (סוטה י"א‬.‫ובכה ובעמך‬:

‫ ובכה ובעמך‬AND UPON (or in) THEE AND THY PEOPLE [SHALL THE FROGS COME]
— they made their way right into their bodies and crowed (Exodus Rabbah 10:3).

8:2

‫ ּופְׁשּוטֹו‬.)‫ ז ֶהּו מִדְ ָרׁשֹו (סנהדרין ס"ז‬,‫ ְצפ ֵַרּדַ ע ַאחַת ָהי ְתָ ה ְוהָיּו ַמּכִין אֹותָ ּה ְוהִיא מַּתֶ ז ֶת נְחִילִים נְחִילִים‬.‫ותעל הצפרדע‬
– ‫ וְַאף ותעל הצפרדע‬,‫ פדולייר"א ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׁשה‬ ָ ‫קֹורא לְׁשֹון יְחִידּות; ְוכֵן וַּתְ הִי ַה ִּכּנָם – ה ְָרחִי‬ ֵ ‫ ׁשֵרּוץ ַה ְצפ ְַרּדְ עִים‬,‫י ֵׁש לֹומַר‬
‫גרינולייר"א ְּב ַלעַז‬:

‫ ותעל הצפרדע‬AND THE FROGS (lit. frog) CAME UP — Really there was only one frog, but
when they struck at it, it was split into many swarms. This is a Midrashic explanation of the
usage of the singular noun here (cf. Sanhedrin 67b; Exodus Rabbah 10:4). But as a literal
explanation one must say that the swarm of the frogs is denoted by the singular form. Similar
is, (v. 14) “and there was the ‫ — ”כנם‬the swarm of insects, in old French pedulier; i. e. a
swarm of lice. So, too, here, ‫ ותעל הצפרדע‬means: and there came up a grenouillière (old
French) i. e. a swarm of frogs.

8:5

‫ ְוכֵן‬.‫ ונטי"ר ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ּכְמֹו " ֲהי ִתְ ָּפאֵר ַהּג ְַרז ֶן עַל הַחֹצֵב ּבֹו" (ישעיהו י' ) – ִמׁשְּתַ ֵּב ַח לֹומַר ֲאנִי ּגָדֹול ִמּמְָך‬.‫התפאר עלי‬
‫ׁשֹּלא אּוכַל ַלעֲׂשֹותֹו‬ֶ ‫ וְלֹומַר‬,‫ׁשא ֹל ּדָ בָר ּגָדֹול‬ְ ‫ הִתְ ָּפאֵר ָעלַי – ִהׁשְּתַ ֵּב ַח ְלהִתְ ַחּכֵם ְו ִל‬:

‫ התפאר עלי‬GLORY OVER ME — Similar is, (Isaiah 10:15) “Should the axe ‫ יתפאר‬against him
that heweth therewith” i. e. should it boast, saying “I am greater than thou”; old French
vanter. Therefore ‫ התפאר‬means pride yourself on showing your cleverness and on asking of
me a difficult matter asserting that I shall be unable to do it.
 ‫ׁשּיִּכ ְָרתּו? וְתִ ְר ֶאה אִם אַׁשְ לִים ּדְ ב ִָרי‬
ֶ ‫ ְלמָתַ י ּתִ ְרצֶה‬,‫ אֶת אֲ ׁשֶר ַאעְּתִ יר לְָך הַּיֹום עַל ַהכ ְָרתַ ת ַה ְצפ ְַרּדְ עִים‬.‫למתי אעתיר לך‬
‫ מַׁשְמָע אֲ נִי הַּיֹום‬,"‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ְלמָתַ י‬ֶ ‫ ַע ְכׁשָו‬,‫ׁשמָע מָתַ י אֶתְ ַּפּלֵל‬ ְ ‫ ָהי ָה ַמ‬,‫ אִ ּלּו נֶ ֱאמַר "מָתַ י" ַאעְּתִ יר‬.‫לַּמֹועֵד ׁשֶּתִ ְקּבַע לִי‬
.‫ והעתרתי‬,‫ העתירו‬,‫ אעתיר‬:‫ׁשּיִּכ ְָרתּו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּיִּכ ְָרתּו ַה ְצפ ְַרּדְ עִים ִלזְמַן ׁשֶּתִ ְקּבַע ָעלַי; אֱמ ֹר ְלאֵיז ֶה יֹום ּתִ ְרצֶה‬ֶ ,‫אֶתְ ַּפּלֵל ָעלֶיָך‬
‫ לְׁשֹון‬,‫ ְוה ְִרּבֵיתִ י‬,‫ ה ְַרּבּו‬,‫ַארּבֶה‬
ְ ‫ ְו ַכ ֲאׁשֶר י ֹאמַר‬,‫ׁשּכָל לְׁשֹון עתר ה ְַרּבֹות ֶּפלֶל הּוא‬ ֶ ‫ ִמ ְּפנֵי‬,‫ ְועָתַ ְרּתִ י‬,‫ עִתְ רּו‬,‫וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ֶאעְּתַ ר‬
‫ ְו ַהעְּתַ ְרּתִ י ּדְ ב ִָרים; וְָאב ְל ֻכּלָם " ְו ַהעְּתַ ְרּתֶ ם ָעלַי ּדִ ב ְֵריכֶם" (יחזקאל ל"ה) – ה ְִרּבֵיתֶ ם‬,‫ ַהעְּתִ ירּו‬,‫ ּכְָך י ֹאמַר ַאעְּתִ יר‬,‫ מַ ְפעִיל‬:

‫ למתי אעתיר‬FOR WHAT PERIOD SHALL I ENTREAT FOR THEE — With reference to the
entreaty which I shall make to-day regarding the destruction of the frogs, by what period do
you wish that they should be destroyed, and you will see whether I can carry out my promise
by the time which you will set me. If the text said ‫( מתי אעתיר‬without ‫)ל‬, it would signify
“when shall I pray?” but now that it is said ‫למתי‬, it signifies I will pray to-day for you that the
frogs should be destroyed by the time which you will set for me. Tell me, then, by what day
you wish that they shall be destroyed. The words here, ‫ אעתיר‬and ‫( העתירו‬v. 4) and ‫( העתרתי‬v.
25) are Hiphil forms, and it does not say ‫ ֶאעְּתַ ר‬and ‫ עִתְ רּו‬and ‫( ְועָתַ ְרּתִ י‬Kal forms) because
wherever the root ‫ עתר‬is used it denotes to pray much (more lit. Rashi’s words signify “to
multiply praying”, “to make much praying”), and just as one says ‫ַארּבֶה‬ ְ and ‫ ה ְַרּבּו‬and ‫ְוה ְִרּבֵתִ י‬
which all have the meaning of “causing an action to happen” (in this case, causing a thing to
be much — our Hiphil conjugation), so one says ‫ ַאעְּתִ יר‬and ‫ ַהעְּתִ ירּו‬and ‫“ ְו ֵהעְּתַ ְרּתִ י‬I increase”,
“increase ye” and “I will increase” i. e. I will increase words. The passage which serves as
evidence of the meaning of all these words is (Ezekiel 35:13) “‫ ְו ֵהעְּתַ ְרּתֶ ם‬your words against
Me” — which can only mean “Ye have multiplied” (being a transitive verb; cf. Rashi on
Genesis 25:21).

8:6

‫ ׁשֶ ּיִּכ ְָרתּו לְמָ חָר‬,‫ הִתְ ַּפּלֵל הַּיֹום‬.‫ויאמר למחר‬:

‫ ויאמר למחר‬AND HE SAID, FOR TO-MORROW — He said: Pray to-day that they may be
destroyed by to-morrow.

8:8

‫ ׁשֶ ּיִּכ ְָרתּו לְמָ חָר‬,‫ ִמּי ָד‬.‫ ויצעק‬,‫ויצא‬:

‫ ויצעק‬. .‫ ויצא‬THEY WENT … AND CRIED [UNTO THE LORD) immediately that they
should be destroyed by to-morrow.

8:10

‫גֹורין – ַּגּלִין‬
ִ ְ‫ ּד‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,‫ִּבּורים‬
ִ ‫ִּבּורים צ‬
ִ ‫ צ‬.‫חמרם חמרם‬:

‫ חמרים חמרים‬means IN HEAPS, just as the Targum renders it, ‫דגורין‬, which means ‫ גלין‬heaps (
‫ דגורא‬is the Targum of ‫ הגל‬in Genesis 31:46).

8:11

,)‫כ״ד‬:‫ ְוכֵן " ְוהַּכֹות אֶת מֹוָאב" (מלכים ב ג׳‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו "הָלֹוְך ְונָסֹועַ" (בראשית י"ב‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּפָעֹול הּוא‬.‫והכבד את לבו‬
)'‫ " ַהּכֵה ּופָצֹעַ" (מלכים א כ‬,)‫י״ג‬:‫ׁשאֹול לֹו בֵאֹלהִים" (שמואל א כ״ב‬ ָ ‫" ְו‬:
‫ והכבד את לבו‬HE ALLOWED HIS HEART TO BE HARDENED — The word ‫ ַה ְכּבֵד‬expresses
doing something (the Hebrew infinitive but having a past meaning) just as, (Genesis 12:9)
“going (‫ )הלוך‬and journeying (‫”)ונסוע‬. So, too, (2 Kings 3:24) “and smiting (‫ )והכת‬Moab”; (I
Samuel 22:13) “and enquiring (‫ )ושאול‬of God for him”; (1 Kings 20:37); “smiting (‫ )הכה‬and
wounding (‫”)ופצוע‬.

‫ׁשמַע אֲ לֵיכֶם ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬

ְ ִ ‫ ְוהֵיכָן ּדִ ּבֵר? וְֹלא י‬.'‫כאשר דבר ה‬:

‫ כאשר דבר ה׳‬AS THE LORD HAD SPOKEN — And where had He said this? When He said,
(Exodus 7:4) “Pharaoh will not hearken to you”.

8:12

‫ ְולָקָה עַל‬,‫ׁשה ַָרג אֶת ַה ִּמצ ְִרי ַוּי ִ ְט ְמנֵהּו ּבַחֹול‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ֵהגֵן ָעלָיו ְּכ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ֹלא ָהי ָה ֶה ָעפָר ּכְדַ אי ִללְקֹות עַ"י ְ מ‬.‫אמר אל אהרן‬
)‫י ְדֵ י ַאהֲר ֹן (שמות רבה‬:

‫ אמר אל אהרן‬SAY UNTO AARON — The dust did not deserve to be smitten by Moses
because it had protected him when he slew the Egyptian, for “he hid him in the sand”; and it
was therefore smitten by Aaron (Tanchuma; Exodus Rabbah 10:7).

8:13

‫ פדוליר"א ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׁשה‬

ָ ‫ ה ְָרחִי‬.‫ותהי הכנם‬:

‫ ותהי הכנם‬means the swarming was. In old French pedulier.

8:14

‫ ִלבְר ֹאתָ ם ּולְהֹוצִיָאם מִּמָ קֹום ַאחֵר‬.‫להוציא את הכנים‬:

‫ להוציא את הכנים‬TO BRING FORTH GNATS — to create them and to bring them forth from
some other place (not from dust but to turn some other material into gnats).

)‫ְעֹורה (סנהדרין ס"ז‬

ָ ‫ׁשאֵין ַהּׁשֵד ׁשֹולֵט עַל ּב ְִרּי ָה ּפְחּותָ ה ִמ ַּכּׂש‬
ֶ .‫ולא יכלו‬:

‫ ולא יכלו‬BUT THEY COULD NOT — for the demon (through whose agency this was to be
done) is powerless in the case of a creature smaller than a barley corn) (Sanhedrin 67b).
Therefore they had to admit,

8:15

)‫ ֵמאֵת ַה ָּמקֹום הִיא (שמות רבה‬,‫ׁשפִים‬

ָ ‫ ַמּכָה זֹו אֵינָּה עַל י ְדֵ י ְכ‬.‫אצבע אלהים הוא‬:

‫ אצבע אלהים הוא‬THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD — This plague is not caused by sorcery: it is
of the Omnipresent God!

‫ׁשמַע אֲ לֵיכֶם ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬

ְ ִ ‫ וְֹלא י‬.'‫כאשר דבר ה‬:

‫ כאשר דבר ה׳‬AS THE LORD HAD SPOKEN — when He said, (Exodus 7:4) “Pharaoh will not
hearken unto you”.
8:17

‫ אינציט"ר ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ׁשִּסּוי‬,)‫ׁשּלַח ּבָם" (דברים ל"ב‬

ַ ֲ‫ ְוכֵן " ְוׁשֶן ְּבהֵמֹות א‬,‫ ְמג ֶָרה בְָך‬.‫משליח בך‬:

‫ משליח בך‬means I WILL INCITE AGAINST THEE. Another example is. (Deuteronomy
32:24) “I will incite (‫ )אשלח‬the tooth of beasts against them”, where it signifies letting loose
an animal against a person; old French inciter. English to incite.

‫ׁשחִיתִ ים ָּבהֶם; ְוי ֵׁש ַטעַם ּבַּדָ בָר ּבָאַ ּגָדָ ה ְּבכָל מַ ּכָה‬
ְ ‫ ְוהָיּו ַמ‬,‫ ּכָל מִינֵי ַהחַּיֹות ָרעֹות ּונְ ָחׁשִים ְו ַעק ְַרּבִים ְּבע ְִרּבּו ְבי ָא‬.‫את הערב‬
‫ ּבַּתְ ִחּלָה מְ קַ לְקֵ ל‬,‫ׁשּצ ָָרה עַל עִיר‬ֶ ‫ ְּכסֵדֶ ר ַמלְכּות ְּכ‬,‫ּו ַמּכָה ָל ָּמה זֹו ְו ָל ָּמה זֹו; ְּב ַט ְכסִיסֵי ִמ ְלחֲמֹות ְמ ָלכִים ּבָא ֲעלֵיהֶם‬
,'‫ ְוכֵן ַה ְצפ ְַרּדְ עִים ְמק ְַרק ְִרים וְהֹומִ ים וְכּו‬,‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך ּתֹו ְקעִין ֲעלֵיהֶם ּומ ְִריעִין ּבַּׁשֹופָרֹות ְלי ְָרָאם ּו ְל ַב ֲהלָם‬,ָ‫ַמ ְעי ְנֹותֶ יה‬
)‫ּכִדְ אִיתָ א ְּבמִדְ ַרׁש ַרּבִי ּתַ נְחּומָ א (פ' בא‬:

‫ את הערב‬this means all kinds of wild beasts, serpents, and scorpions (a mixture [‫ ]ערב‬of
noxious creatures) in a crowd (Exodus Rabbah 11:3) — these played havoc with them. There
is a reason given in the Midrash in the case of each plague why this particular one and why
that: God came against them with the tactics of warlike operations as carried out by kings in
orderly sequence: a government (monarch) who is besieging a city first destroys its water
supply, then they blow the trumpets and sound an alarm in order to terrify and dismay them
— thus [their water supply was turned into blood], the frogs croaked and made a noise etc. -
just as you will find it stated in the Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma 2:3:4.

8:18

‫ ְוכֵן "ֹלא נִ ְפלֵאת הִיא ִמּמְָך" (דברים ל') – ֹלא ֻמבְּדֶ לֶת ּומֻ פ ְֶרׁשֶת הִיא‬,)'‫ ְוכֵן " ְו ִה ְפלָה ה'" (שמות ט‬,‫ ְו ִהפ ְַרׁשְּתִ י‬.‫והפליתי‬
‫מִּמְָך‬:

‫ והפליתי‬means I WILL SEPARATE. Similar is, (Exodus 9:4) “And the Lord will make a
separation (‫ ;”)והפלה‬so, also, (Deuteronomy 30:11) “It is not ‫ נפלאת‬from thee‫ — ״‬that is, “it is
not separated and set at a far distance from thee”.

‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ְּגז ֵָרתִ י מִתְ ַקּי ֶמֶת ּבַּתַ חְּתֹונִים‬

ָ ‫ּׁשכִינָתִ י ַּב‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ַאף עַל ּפִי‬.‫למען תדע כי אני ה' בקרב הארץ‬:

‫ למען תדע כי אני ה׳ בקרב הארץ‬IN ORDER THAT THOU MAYEST KNOW THAT I AM THE
ETERNAL IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH — although My Shechina is in the heavens
My command is fulfilled amongst mankind (as we might say, “My writ runs on earth also”).

8:19

‫ׁשּיַבְּדִ יל ּבֵין עַּמִ י ּובֵין עַּמְָך‬

ֶ .‫ושמתי פדת‬:

‫ ושמתי פדות‬AND I WILL MAKE A DELIVERANCE which shall serve as a division

BETWEEN MY PEOPLE AND THY PEOPLE.

8:20

‫ַארעָא‬
ְ ‫ אִתְ ַח ָּבלַת‬,‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשחֶתֶ ת ה‬
ְ ִ‫ נ‬.‫תשחת הארץ‬:
‫ תשחת הארץ‬means the ground was being destroyed (the imperfect tense denotes what was then
going on continuously), and so the Targum has ‫( אתחבלת ארעא‬the participle) the ground was
being ruined.

8:21

‫ ִּב ְמקֹו ְמכֶם וְֹלא תֵ לְכּו ּבַּמִדְ ּבָר‬.‫זבחו לאלהיכם בארץ‬:

‫ זבחו לאלהיכם בארץ‬SACRIFICE TO YOUR GOD IN THE LAND, in the place where you are,
and do not go into the wilderness.

8:22

‫קֹורא אֹותָ ּה‬

ֵ ‫ ְו ֵאצֶל יִׂש ְָראֵ ל‬,)‫י״ג‬:‫ ּכְמֹו "ּו ְל ִמלְּכ ֹם ּתֹו ֲעבַת ְּבנֵי עַּמֹון" (מלכים ב כ״ג‬,‫ י ְִרַאת ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬.‫תועבת מצרים‬
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי י ְִרָאתָ ם ָאנּו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשָאנּו זֹו ְבחִים‬
ֶ ‫ׂשנאּוי הּוא ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם זְבִיחָה‬
ָ ‫ ּדָ בָר‬, ‫ תועבת מצרים‬,‫ּתֹו ֵעבָה; וְעֹוד י ֵׁש לֹומַר ְּבלָׁשֹון ַאחֵר‬
‫זֹו ְבחִים‬:

‫ תועבת מצרים‬THE ABOMINATION OF THE EGYPTIANS — This means: that which the
Egyptians reverence (their idol), just as, (2 Kings 23:13) “and for Milcom the abomination (
‫ )תועבת‬of the children of Ammon”, but in relation to the Israelites it (Scripture) calls it ‫תועבה‬.
We may explain these words in another sense also: ‫ — תועבת מצרים‬The act of sacrifice which
we practise is a hateful thing to the Egyptians seing that we sacrifice their god (sheep which
were reverenced as gods in Egypt).

‫ ּבִתְ מִ י ָה‬.‫ולא יסקלנו‬:

‫ — ולא יסקלנו‬This must be read in the intonation of a question (although there is no

interrogative prefix ‫ ) ֲה‬AND WILL THEY NOT STONE US?

8:25

‫ ּכְמֹו ְלהָתֵ ל‬.‫התל‬:

‫ התל‬is the same as ‫( להתל‬i. e. the infinitive may be used with or without ‫ ל‬prefixed).

8:26

‫ ּוכְׁשֶ הּוא אֹומֵר‬,‫ׁש ָמע ַוּי ְַרּבֶה ּבִתְ ִפּלָה‬ ְ ‫ ּו ַמ‬,‫ ָהי ָה י ָכֹול לֹומַר‬,‫ ְוכֵן אִם ּבָא לֹומַר ַוּיַעְּתִ יר‬,‫ נִתְ ַאּמֵץ ּבִתְ ִפּלָה‬.'‫ויעתר אל ה‬
‫ׁשמָע ַוּי ְִרּבֶה ְלהִתְ ַּפּלֵל‬
ְ ‫ ַמ‬,‫ ִּבלְׁשֹון ַוּי ִ ְפעַל‬:

‫ ויעתר אל ה׳‬AND ENTREATED THE LORD (the verb is the Kal) — he concentrated his
energies on prayer. So, too, if it had wished to use the term ‫( ַויַעְּתִ יר‬the Hiphil) it could have
used it, and that would have signified, “and he increased words in prayer”. But when it uses
an expression denoting “and he did something” (the Kal) it signifies “he prayed much
(devoutly)”.

8:27

)‫ׁשאִם מֵתּו ָהי ָה ָלהֶם ֲהנָָאה ּבְעֹורֹותָ ם (תנחומא‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּמֵתּו ַה ְצפ ְַרּדְ עִים‬
ֶ ‫ וְֹלא מֵתּו ּכְמֹו‬.‫ויסר הערב‬:
‫ ויסר הערב‬AND HE REMOVED THE SWARM OF ANIMALS — He merely removed them
and they did not die as the frogs had died; for had they died, they (the Egyptians) could have
made some use of their skins (Exodus Rabbah 11:3).

8:28

‫ לא קיים הבטחתו‬,‫ אע"פ שאמר אנכי אשלח אתכם‬.‫גם בפעם הזאת‬:

Again this time. [Once more,] though he said, “I will send you out,” he did not keep his
promise.

9:2

)‫ ּכְמֹו " ְו ֶה ֱחז ִי ָקה ִּב ְמ ֻבׁשָיו" (דברים כ"ה‬,‫ אֹוחֵז ּבָם‬.‫מחזיק בם‬:

‫ מחזיק בם‬means WILT KEEP HOLD OF THEM, as in, (Deuteronomy 25:11) “and layeth hold
of him etc. (...‫”)והחזיקה ב‬.

9:3

‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ְועַל הָעֹומֵד הֹוי ָה‬,‫ ְועַל ֶהעָתִ יד ּתִ ְהי ֶה‬,‫ׁש ָעבַר ָהי ְתָ ה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכִי כֵן י ֹאמַר ִּבלְׁשֹון נְ ֵקבָה עַל‬,‫ לְׁשֹון הֹוֶה‬.‫הנה יד ה' הויה‬
‫ רֹועָה‬,‫ רֹוצָה‬,‫ׂשה‬ ָ ‫עֹו‬:

‫ הנה יד ה׳ הֹוי ָה‬BEHOLD THE HAND OF THE LORD IS — The verb ‫ הויה‬is in the present
tense, for so one says in the feminine gender of the past ‫היתה‬, “she was”, of the future, ‫תהיה‬,
“she will be” and of the present, ‫הֹוי ָה‬, the latter form being similar to ‫ׂשה‬
ָ ‫ עֹו‬and ‫ רֹוצָה‬and ‫רֹועָה‬
(Fem. part. sing. Kal of ‫ ל"ה‬verbs).

9:4

‫ ְו ִהבְּדִ יל‬.‫והפלה‬:

‫ והפלה‬means HE WILL SEPARATE.

9:8

‫ ילויני"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫מלא חפניכם‬:

‫ מלא חפניכם‬HANDFULS (more lit., as much as will fill your fists), old French joincheiz; Engl,
double-handfuls.

‫ ּו ְב ַלעַז אולבי"ש‬,‫ ּדָ בָר ַהּנִּפָח מִן ַה ֶּג ָחלִים עֲמּומִים ַהּנִׂש ְָרפִים ַּב ִּכ ְבׁשָן‬.‫פיח כבשן‬:

‫ פיח הכבשן‬SOOT OF THE FURNACE — the word ‫ פיח‬denotes a thing which is blown away (
‫ )נפוח‬from coals that have become extinguished after being burnt in a furnace; in old French
oulvis.

‫ׁשהָרּו ַח מְ פִיחָן ּומַ פ ְִריחָן‬

ֶ ,‫ לְׁשֹון ֲה ָפחָה‬.‫פיח‬:
‫ פיח‬is derived from a root that signifies blowing, and it so called because the wind blows it
about and scatters it abroad.

‫ׁש ֶה ֱחז ִיק ֻקמְצֹו ׁשֶ ל מ ֹׁשֶ ה מְ ֹלא‬

ֶ ‫ ה ֲֵרי נִּסִים ה ְַרּבֵה – ֶאחָד‬,‫ אֵינֹו נִז ְָרק אֶ ּלָא ְבי ַד ַאחַת‬,ַ‫ ְוכָל ּדָ בָר ַהּנִז ְָרק ּבְכֹח‬.‫וזרקו משה‬
)‫ׁש ָהלְַך הָָאבָק עַל ּכָל א ֶֶרץ ִמצ ְַרי ִם (תנחומא‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ֶאחָד‬,‫ׁשל ַאהֲר ֹן‬ֶ ‫ׁשּלֹו ְו‬
ֶ ‫ ָח ְפנַי ִם‬:

‫ וזרקו משה‬AND LET MOSES THREW IT — Since anything which is thrown with force must
be thrown with one hand only, there were here several miracles: one, that Moses’ closed
fingers (‫ )קמץ‬held as much as would fill his two fists and those of Aaron, and another, that this
dust spread itself over the entire land of Egypt (Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 14; Exodus
Rabbah 11:8).

9:9

‫ׁשעַל י ָדֹו צֹומְ חִין ָּבהֶן ּבּועֹות‬

ֶ ,‫ ְֹלׁשִי ֲחנָא ָסגֵי ֲא ַבעְּבּועִין‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫לשחין פרח אבעבעת‬:

‫ לשחין פרח אבעבעת‬A BOIL BREAKING FORTH INTO BLAINS — Render it as the Targum
does: a boil growing blains, — the idea is, that through it (the boil) blains burst out on them
(on the people).

)‫ׁשנָה ׁשְחּונָה" (יומא נ"ג‬

ָ " ,‫ׁשנָה‬
ְ ‫ לְׁשֹון ֲחמִימּות; ְוה ְַרּבֵה י ֵׁש ִּבלְׁשֹון ִמ‬.‫שחין‬:

‫ שחין‬has the meaning of “heat”. In the Mishnaic Hebrew there are many examples of its use; e.
g., (Yoma 53b) “a hot (‫ )שחונה‬year”.

9:10

‫ ַוהֲֹלא ְּכבָר נֶ ֱאמַר ַוּיָמָת ּכ ֹל ִמ ְקנֵה ִמצ ְָרי ִם? ֹלא נִגְז ְָרה גְז ֵָרה אֶ ּלָא‬,‫ ְואִם ּת ֹאמַר ֵמַאי ִן הָיּו ָלהֶם ַה ְּבהֵמֹות‬.‫באדם ובבהמה‬
‫ ּכֵן ׁשְ נּוי ָה‬,‫ ְו ַהּי ֵָרא אֶת ּדְ בַר ה' ִה ְכנִיס אֶת ִמ ְקנֵהּו ֶאל ַהּבָּתִ ים‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְּב ִמ ְקנְָך ֲאׁשֶר ַּבּׂשָדֶ ה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁש ַּבּׂשָדֹות ִּב ְלבַד‬
ֶ ‫עַל אֹותָ ן‬
)‫ ִּב ְמכִילְּתָ א אֵ צֶל " ַוּיִּקַח ׁשֵׁש ֵמאֹות ֶרכֶב ּבָחּור" (שמות י"ד‬:

‫ באדם ובבהמה‬UPON MAN AND UPON CATTLE — If you ask, “Whence did they obtain
these cattle”? Has it not already been stated, (v. 6) “And all the cattle of Egypt died”? I reply
that this judgment was decreed only against the cattle that were in the fields, as it is said, (v.
3) “[The hand of the Lord is] upon thy cattle which is in the field”, and everyone who feared
the Lord took his cattle in-doors. So it is taught in the Mechilta in the comment on (Exodus
14:7) “And he took six hundred chosen chariots.”

9:14

‫ׁשקּולָה ְּכנֶגֶד ּכָל הַּמַ ּכֹות‬

ְ ‫ׁש ַּמּכַת ּבְכֹורֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו ִמּכָאן‬.‫את כל מגפתי‬:

‫[ את כל מגפתי‬FOR I WILL THIS TIME SEND] ALL MY PLAGUES — We may gather from
this that the plague on the first ripe ears outweighed all the previous plagues.

9:15

‫ׁש ַלחְּתִ י ָה ְו ִהּכֵיתִ י אותך ואת עמך‬

ְ ,‫ׁש ִהּכִיתִ ים ּבַּדֶ בֶר‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָהי ְתָ ה י ָדִ י ְב ִמ ְקנְָך‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ ּכִי אִ ּלּו ָרצִיתִ י‬.'‫כי עתה שלחתי את ידי וגו‬
‫ ֲאבָל בעבור זאת העמדתיך וגו‬,‫ ותכחד מן הארץ‬,‫'עִם ַה ְּבהֵמֹות‬:
‫ כי עתה שלחתי את ידי וגו׳‬FOR NOW I MIGHT HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HAND etc. —
For had I so desired it, when My hand was upon thy cattle which I smote with pestilence I
could have stretched it forth and smitten thee and thy people together with the cattle, ‫ותכחד מן‬
‫ הארץ‬AND THOU WOULDST HAVE BEEN EXTERMINATED FROM THE EARTH,
BUT (this word ‫ אבל‬corresponds to ‫ ואולם‬in the Hebrew text) ‫ בעבור זאת העמדתיך‬FOR THIS
REASON I MADE THEE REMAIN [IN LIFE IN ORDER TO SHOW THEE MY POWER],
etc.

9:17

;‫ ּו ְב ַלעַז קלקי"ר‬,‫ׁשא‬ ָ ‫ ּדִ מְתַ ְר ְּגמִינָן א ַֹרח ְּכבִי‬,‫ וְהּוא ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ְמ ִסּלָה‬,‫ ְּכבִיׁשַת ּבֵּה ְּב ַעּמִי‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫עודך מסתולל בעמי‬
‫ נֹותֵ ן הַּתָ י"ו ׁשֶ ל ׁשִּמּוׁש‬,‫ ּכָל ּתֵ בָה ׁשֶּתְ ִחּלַת י ְסֹודָ ּה סמ"ך ְוהִיא ּבָָאה לְדַ ּבֵר ִּבלְׁשֹון מִתְ ַּפעֵל‬,‫ּו ְכבָר ּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י ּבְסֹוף ַויְהִי ִמּקֵץ‬
,)‫ "ּכִי תִ ׂשְּתָ ֵרר ָעלֵינּו" (במדבר ט"ז‬,‫ ִמ ִּגז ְַרת סבל‬,)‫ ּוכְגֹון " ְויִסְּתַ ּבֵל ֶה ָחגָב" (קה' י"ב‬,‫ ּכְגֹון זֹו‬,‫ׁשל ִעּקָר‬ ֶ ‫ְּב ֶא ְמצַע אֹותִ ּיֹות‬
)'‫ " ִמׂשְּתַ ּכֵל ֲהוֵית" (דניאל ז‬,‫ ִמ ִּגז ְַרת נָגִיד ְוׂשָר‬:

‫ עודך מסתולל בעמי‬Understand this as the Targum does: THOU TREADEST DOWN MY
PEOPLE. The word ‫ מסתולל‬is of the same derivation as ‫ ְמ ִסּלַה‬which we render in the Targum
by “a trodden path”: old French caucher. I have already explained at the end of Sedrah ‫ויהי‬
‫( מקץ‬see Rashi on Genesis 44:16) that in the case of every word (verb) whose first root letter
is ‫( ס‬or ‫)ש‬, when it is intended to express the idea of acting upon itself (our Hithpael
conjugation) one puts the ‫ ת‬of the prefix ( ְ‫ הִת‬or ‫ מִת‬or ְ‫ י ִת‬etc.) between the root letters, just as in
this case, and as in, (Ecclesiastes 12:5) ‘‘and the grasshopper shall drag itself along heavily (
‫ ”)ויסתבל‬which is derived from ‫“ סבל‬to carry a load”; (Numbers 16:13) “that thou wouldst
make thyself altogether a prince (‫ )השתרר תשתרר‬over us”, of the same derivation as the word
‫ שר‬in (II Chronicles 32:21) “a prince (‫ )שר‬and noble”; (Daniel 7:8) ‘‘I was considering (
‫ ”)מסתכל‬from the root ‫סכל‬, “to reflect on.”

9:18

‫ י ֵֵרד ַהּב ָָרד‬,‫ ָּכעֵת הַּז ֹאת ְל ָמחָר; ׂש ַָרט לֹו ׂש ְִריטָה ּבַּכ ֹתֶ ל – ְל ָמחָר ְּכׁשֶּתַ ּגִי ַע ַח ָּמה ְלכָאן‬.‫כעת מחר‬:

‫ כעת מחר‬means AT THIS TIME (‫ ָּכעֵת‬not ‫ ) ְּכעֵת‬TO-MORROW — He scratched a mark on the

wall, saying, “To-morrow when the sun-rays reach here the hail will descend” (Exodus
Rabbah 12:2; cf. Rashi on Genesis 21:2).

‫ ּתָ ב ֹא ַהּוָי"ו ּבִמְ קֹום‬,‫ׁשהִיא מִתְ ַּפ ֶעלֶת‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ יסר‬,‫ ידע‬,‫ ילד‬,‫ ּכְגֹון יסד‬,‫ׁשּנִתְ יַּסְדָ ה; ְוכָל ּתֵ בָה ׁשֶּתְ ִחּלַת י ְסֹודָ ּה יֹו"ד‬
ֶ .‫הוסדה‬
)‫ "ּבִדְ ב ִָרים ֹלא י ִ ָּוסֶר ָעבֶד" (משלי כ"ט‬,)‫ " ַוּי ִ ָּולֵד לְיֹוסֵף" (בראשית מ"ו‬,‫ ַוּיִּוָדַ ע‬,)'‫ ִה ָּולְדָ ּה (הושע ב‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ִה ָּוסְדָ ּה‬,‫הַּיֹו"ד‬:

‫ הוסדה‬means [FROM THE DAY] WHEN IT WAS FOUNDED (‫)נתיסדה‬. Every word (verb)
the first root-letter of which is ‫י‬, as ‫ יסד‬and ‫ ילד‬and ‫ ידע‬and ‫יסר‬, when it is used in the Hithpael
sense (Rashi means our Niphal which often is the reflexive of the Kal), a ‫ ו‬replaces this ‫ ;י‬e.
g., ‫ הוסדה‬here, from ‫( ;יסד‬Hosea 2:5) “her being born (‫( ;”) ִה ָולְּדָ ּה‬Esther 2:22) “and it was
known (‫( ;”)ויודע‬Genesis 66:20) “and there was born (‫ )ויולד‬to Joseph”; (Proverbs 29:19) A
servant will not be corrected (‫ )יוסר‬by words”.

9:19

)'‫ " ָהעִזּו ְּבנֵי ִבנְי ָמִ ן" (ירמיה ו‬,)'‫ׁשבֵי ַה ֵּגבִים ֵהעִיזּו" (ישעיה י‬
ְ ‫ ְוכֵן "יֹו‬,‫ׁשלַח ּכְנֹוׁש‬
ְ ,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫שלח העז‬:
‫ שלח העז‬translate it as the Targum: SEND, GATHER. Similar examples of this sense are,
(Isaiah 10:31) “The inhabitants of Gebim gather together (‫( ;”)העיזו‬Jeremiah 6:1) “Gather
together (‫)העיזו‬, ye children of Benjamin”.

‫ לְׁשֹון ַה ְכנָסָה הּוא‬.‫ולא יאסף הביתה‬:

‫ ולא יאסף הביתה‬The verb denotes “bringing into a place” so that the translation is: AND
WHICH IS NOT GATHERED INTO THE HOUSE.

9:20

‫ ִהב ְִרי ַח‬.‫הניס‬:

‫ הניס‬means HE MADE THEM FLEE.

9:22

‫ׁשה ְל ַמ ְעלָה מִ ן ַהּׁשָמַ י ִם‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ ִהגְּבִיהֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה לְמ‬:‫ ּומִדְ ַרׁש ַאּגָדָ ה‬.‫ּׁש ַמי ִם‬
ָ ‫ ְלצַד ַה‬.‫על השמים‬:

‫ על השמים‬signifies towards the heavens (i. e. ‫ על‬is the equivalent of ‫)אל‬. A Midrashic comment
is that the Holy One, blessed be He, raised Moses high above the heavens see Midrash
Tanchuma, Vaera 15).

9:24

‫ ְו ַלעֲׂשֹות ְרצֹון קֹונָם עָׂשּו ׁשָ לֹום ּבֵינֵיהֶם‬,‫ ְו ַהּב ָָרד ַמי ִם הּוא‬,‫ ָהאֵׁש ְו ַהּב ָָרד מְע ָֹרבִין‬,‫ נֵס ּבְתֹוְך נֵס‬.‫מתלקחת בתוך הברד‬:

‫[ מתלקחת בתוך הברד‬AND FIRE] FLASHING UP AMIDST THE HAIL — a miracle within a
miracle! Fire and hail mingled, although hail is water! But in order to perform the will of their
Creator they made peace one with the other (Exodus Rabbah 12:4).

9:28

‫הֹוריד ְּכבָר‬
ִ ֶ‫ ּדַ י לֹו ְּב ַמה ּׁש‬.‫ורב‬:

‫ ורב‬AND IT IS ENOUGH — let it suffice Him with what He has brought down already.

9:29

)‫ׁש ָהי ְתָ ה ְמלֵָאה ּגִּלּולִים (שמות רבה‬

ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל ּבְתֹוְך ָהעִיר ֹלא הִתְ ַּפּלֵל ְלפִי‬,‫ מִן ָהעִיר‬.‫כצאתי את העיר‬:

‫ — כצאתי את העיר‬This is the same as ‫[ מן העיר‬AS SOON AS I AM GONE OUT] FROM THE
CITY. But he did not pray within the city because it was full of idols (Exodus Rabbah 12:5).

9:30

‫ׁשּכָבּו" (בראשית‬ ְ ִ ‫ "ט ֶֶרם י‬,‫ ְואֵינֹו לְׁשֹון ק ֹדֶ ם‬,‫ׁש ַּב ִּמק ְָרא "עֲדַ י ִן ֹלא" הּוא‬
ֶ ‫יראּון; ְוכֵן ּכָל ט ֶֶרם‬
ְ ִ‫ עֲדַ י ִן ֹלא ת‬.‫טרם תיראון‬
‫ ּומִּׁשֶּתִ ְהי ֶה‬,‫ ַאף ז ֶה כֵן הּוא – י ָדַ עְּתִ י ּכִי עֲדַ י ִן אֵינְכֶם י ְֵראִ ים‬.‫ "ט ֶֶרם י ִ ְצמָח" (שם ב') – עַד לָא ְצמַח‬,‫ׁשכִיבּו‬ ְ ‫י"ט ) – עַד לָא‬
‫ה ְָר ָוחָה תַ עַמְדּו ּבְקִ לְקּו ְלכֶם‬:
‫ טרם תראון‬means YE DO NOT YET FEAR. Wherever occurs in Scripture it signifies ‫״‬not
yet”, and does not mean “before”. For example: (Genesis 19:4) ‫טרם ישכבו‬, which the Targum
renders by “whilst yet they had not lain down”; (Genesis 2:5) ‫ טרם יצמח‬which the Targum
renders by “not yet sprung forth”. This, too, has the same meaning: I know that ye do not yet
fear the Lord, and that as soon as there will be respite you will continue in your moral
corruption.

9:31

‫ ְוכֵן ֹלא נֻּכּו; וְֹלא‬,)‫ "נְ ָכאִים" (ישעיהו ט"ז‬,)‫ לְׁשֹון "ּפ ְַרע ֹה נְכ ֹה" (מלכים ב כ"ג‬,‫ׁשּב ְָרה‬ ְ ִ‫ נ‬.‫והפשתה והשערה נכתה‬
‫ ֶאּלָא הַּנו"ן ׁש ֶֹרׁש ּבַּתֵ בָה ַוה ֲֵרי‬,‫ נֻּכּו ּכְמֹו הֻּכּו‬,‫ׁשאֵין נו"ן ִּב ְמקֹום ה"א ְלפ ֵָרׁש נֻּכָתָ ה ּכְמֹו ֻהּכָתָ ה‬
ֶ ,‫י ִּתָ כֵן ְלפ ְָרׁשֹו לְׁשֹון ַהּכָָאה‬
)‫ׁשּפּו ַעצְמֹותָ יו" (איוב ל"ג‬ ֻ ‫הּוא ִמ ִּגז ְַרת " ְו‬:

‫ והפשתה והשערה נכתה‬AND THE FLAX AND THE BARLEY ‫ — נכתה‬i. e. were broken; it has
the same meaning as in, (2 Kings 23:29) “Pharaoh-Necho (‫”)נכה‬, which denotes Pharaoh the
lame i. e. broken in so far as the power of his legs is concerned (cf. II Samuel 9:3); (Isaiah
16:7) “brocken (‫”)נכאים‬, and so too ‫( לא נכו‬v. 32), “they were not broken”. It would not be
correct to explain that it is connected in meaning with the word that signifies “smiting”, ‫הכאה‬,
for a ‫ נ‬cannot take the place of a ‫ ה‬that one may explain ‫ נֻּכָתָ ה‬as being equivalent to ‫ ֻהּכָתָ ה‬, and ֻ‫נ‬
‫ ּכּו‬to ‫הֻּכּו‬, but the ‫ נ‬is a root-letter in the verb, and the word ‫ נֻּכּו‬is of the same grammatical form
as the verb in, (Job. 33:21) “and all his bones are laid bare” ‫ׁשּפּו‬ ֻ (i. e. Pual of ‫כי השערה אביב‬

‫ ְו ֻה ְקׁשָה ַלעֲמ ֹד ְּבגִבְעֹולֶי ָה‬,‫ ְוכֵן ַה ִּפׁשְּתָ ה ּגָדְ לָה ְכבָר‬,‫ ְונִׁשְּתַ ּבְרּו ְונָפְלּו‬,‫ׁשי ָּה‬
ְ ‫ ְּכבָר ִּבּכ ְָרה וְעֹומֶדֶ ת ְּב ָק‬.‫כי השערה אביב‬:

‫ כי השערה אביב‬FOR THE BARLEY WAS IN THE EAR — it had produced its first ears and it
stood on its stalks; these were therefore broken and fell. So, too, the flax had already grown
and had become hard enough to stand in its capsules.

)'‫ לְׁשֹון " ְּב ִאּבֵי ַהּנָחַל" (שיר ו‬,ָ‫ ָעמְדָ ה ְּב ִאּבֶיה‬.‫השערה אביב‬:

‫ השערה אביב‬means [THE BARLEY] STOOD IN RIPE STATE, similar in meaning to, (Song
6:11) “[to look at] the ripe plants (‫ ]באבי‬of the valley”.

9:32

‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ְואֵת ּכָל עֵׂשֶ ב הַּׂשָדֶ ה ִהּכָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשה; וְַאעַ" ִּפ‬
ֶ ‫ ַועֲדַ י ִן הָיּו ַרּכֹות וִיכֹולֹות ַלעֲמ ֹד ִּב ְפנֵי ָק‬,‫ ְמ ֻאחָרֹות‬.‫כי אפילת הנה‬
‫ ּו ְבמִדְ ַרׁש ַרּבִי ּתַ נְחּומָ א י ֵׁש‬.‫ ה ְָראּוי ִם ִללְקֹות ַּבּב ָָרד‬,‫ׂשבִים הָעֹומְדִ ים ְּב ִק ְלחָם‬
ָ ‫ׁשל ִמק ְָרא ַּב ֲע‬ ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש ְלפ ֵָרׁש ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬,"‫ַהּב ָָרד‬
‫ ִּפ ְלאֵי ְפלָאֹות נַעֲׂשּו ָלהֶם ׁשֶ ֹּלא לָקּו‬,‫ וְדָ ְרׁשּו כי אפילת‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ְחלְקּו עַל ז ֹאת‬ ֶ ‫מ ֵַרּבֹותֵ ינּו‬:

‫ כי אפילת הנה‬means FOR THEY WERE LATE in growing and they were still soft and able to
resist the blow of anything hard. It is true that it is stated, (v. 25) “and every herb of the field
did the hail smite”, but one must explain the real meaning of that verse as referring to herbs
that stood on their stalks and were therefore liable to be broken by the hail. In the Midrash of
Rabbi Tanchuma 2:2:16 some of our Rabbis differed in their explanation of this, and
explained the words ‫ כי אפילת‬to signify that most remarkable wonders (‫ )פלאי פלאות‬happened to
them in that they were not smitten.

9:33
 )'‫ּׁשבּועָה" (דניאל ט‬ ְ ‫ "וַּתִ ּתַ ְך ָעלֵינּו הָָאלָה ְו ַה‬:‫ָָארץ; וְדֹו ֶמה לֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהָיּו ָּב ֲאוִיר ֹלא ִהּגִיעּו ל‬
ֶ ‫ וְַאף אֹותָ ן‬,ַ‫ ֹלא ִהּגִיע‬.‫לא נתך‬
‫ וְרֹואֶ ה אֲ נִי אֶת‬,‫ לְׁשֹון יְצִיקַת מַּתֶ כֶת‬,)‫ ּו ְמנַחֵם ּבֶן סָרּוק ִחּבְרֹו ְּב ֵחלֶק " ְּכהִּתּוְך ֶּכסֶף" (יחזקאל כ"ב‬.‫ּדְ ֶעז ְָרא – וַּתַ ּגִי ַע ָעלֵינּו‬
‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ָָארץ – ֹלא הּוצַק ל‬ ֶ ‫ ַאף ז ֶה ֹלא נִּתַ ְך ל‬.‫ ָל ֶצקֶת – ְלאַּתָ כָא‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ְויָצַק – ְואַּתִ יְך‬,‫ּדְ ב ָָריו‬:

‫ לא נתך‬means [RAIN] DID NOT REACH the earth (i. e. no fresh rain came down) — that
rain, too, which was alredy in the air at the moment when Moses was praying remained there
and did not reach the ground. In a similar sense is “‫ ותתך עלינו‬the curse and the oath” — a
passage in the book of Ezra (really, Daniel 9:11) — which signifies, “the curse and the oath
have reached us”. But Menachem ben Seruk classified it in the same section as, (Ezekiel
22:22) “‫ ”כהתוך כסף‬which has the meaning of melting (pouring forth) metal. I agree with his
opinion, because in the Targum we render ‫ויצק‬, (Onkelos Exodus 38:5) “And he cast (metal)”,
by ‫ואתיך‬, and (Onkelos Exodus 38:27) ‫לצקת‬, “to cast (metal)” by ‫לאתכא‬, each of these Aramaic
words being of the same root as our word ‫נתך‬. Therefore ‫ לא נתך ארצה‬would mean: rain was
not poured out to the ground.

10:1

‫ ְוהַתְ ֵרה בֹו‬.‫ויאמר ה' אל משה בא אל פרעה‬:

‫ ויאמר ה' אל משה בא אל פרעה‬AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES GO IN UNTO
PHARAOH and warn him.

‫ ׂשּומִי – ׁשֶ אָׁשִ ית אֲ נִי‬.‫שיתי‬:

‫ שתי‬means my setting (an infinitive of ‫)שית‬, so that the phrase, which literally means “for the
sake of my setting these my signs”, denotes “that I may set”.

10:2

‫ הָָאמּור‬,)'‫ "הֲֹלא ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר הִתְ עֹולֵל ָּבהֶם" (שמואל א' ו‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו "ּכִי הִתְ ַע ַּללְּתְ ּבִי" (במדבר כ"ב‬,‫ׂש ַחקְּתִ י‬ ָ .‫התעללתי‬
,)'‫ ּכְמֹו "וְעֹולֵל לָמֹו ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר עֹו ַללְּתָ לִי" (איכה א‬,‫ׁשאִם ּכֵן ָהי ָה לֹו ִלכְּת ֹב עֹו ַללְּתִ י‬
ֶ ,‫ ְואֵינֹו לְׁשֹון ּפֹועֵל ּו ַמ ֲע ָללִים‬,‫ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
)‫" ֲאׁשֶר עֹולַל לִי" (שם‬:

‫ התעללתי‬means I HAVE MOCKED, as in, (Numbers 22:29) “Because thou hast mocked (
‫ )התעללת‬me”; (I Samuel 6:6) “Indeed, when he mocked (‫ )התעולל‬them”, which, also, is said in
reference to Egypt. It is not an expression denoting doing and action, for were this so it should
have written ‫עוללתי‬, similar to (Lamentations 1:22) “And do (‫ )עולל‬unto them as thou hast
done (‫ )עוללת‬unto me”, and to (Lamentations 1:12) “which he has done (‫ )עולל‬unto me”.

‫ בתורה להודיע לדורות‬.‫ולמען תספר‬:

10:3

‫ וְהּוא ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ָענִי – ֵמַאנְּתָ ִלהְיֹות ָענִי וְׁשָ פָל מִ ָּפנַי‬,"‫ " ְלאִתְ ְּכנָעָא‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫לענת‬:

‫ לענת‬Translate as the Targum: TO BE HUMBLED. It is of the same derivation as ‫ עני‬poor, so

that the passage signifies, “thou refusest to be poor and lowly before Me”.

10:5
‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫מַראֵה ה‬
ְ ‫ אֶת‬.‫את עין הארץ‬:

‫ את עין הארץ‬means THE COLOUR OF THE GROUND.

‫ ְולָׁשֹון קְ צ ָָרה ּדִ ּבֵר‬,‫ הָרֹו ֶאה לראת את הארץ‬.‫ולא יוכל‬:

‫ ולא יוכל‬AND HE — i. e. anyone who is looking — WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE
EARTH; it speaks in (uses) an elliptical expression.

10:7

‫ הַעֹוד ֹלא י ָדַ עְּתָ ּכִי ָאבְדָ ה מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬.‫הטרם תדע‬:

‫ הטרם תדע‬means KNOWEST THOU NOT YET that Egypt has perished. (Cf. Rashi on Exodus
9:30.)

10:8

‫ּׁשלְחּו ַאח ֲֵריהֶם ֶוהֱׁשִיבּום אֶ ל ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬

ָ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ,ַ‫ׁשלִיח‬
ְ ‫ׁשבּו עַל י ְדֵ י‬
ְ ‫ הּו‬.‫ויושב‬:

‫[ ויושב‬AND MOSES AND AARON] WERE BROUGHT BACK (The verb has a passive
meaning [Hophal], not an active as the particle ‫ את‬before ‫ משה‬and ‫ אהרן‬might lead one to
suppose) — They were brought back by a messenger: they (Pharaoh’s servants) sent people
after them and these brought them back to Pharaoh.

10:10

‫אֲמַרּתֶ ם‬
ְ ‫ׁשּלַח ּגַם אֶת הַּצ ֹאן ְואֶת ַה ָּבקָר ּכַאֲׁשֶר‬
ַ ‫ ַאף ּכִי ֲא‬.‫כאשר אשלח אתכם ואת טפכם‬:

‫[ כאשר אשלח אתכם ואת טפכם‬MAY THE LORD BE WITH YOU] AS I WILL LET YOU AND
YOUR LITTLE ONES GO — even though I were to let go also the flocks and herds as you
have said.

‫ רֹו ֶאה אֲ נִי ּבָאִ ְצ ַטגְנִינּות‬,‫ ָאמַר ָלהֶם ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬,‫ׁשּׁשְמֹו ָרעָה‬ ֶ ‫ ּכֹוכָב אֶ חָד י ֵׁש‬,‫ׁש ַמעְּתִ י‬
ָ ‫ ּומִ"ַא‬.‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫ראו כי רעה נגד פניכם‬
‫ ָאמַר‬,‫ׁש ָחטְאּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ָּב ֵעגֶל ּו ִבּקֵׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְלה ְָרגָם‬
ֶ ‫ וְהּוא סִימַן ּדָ ם ַוה ֲִריגָה; ּו ְכ‬,‫ׁשֶ ּלִי אֹותֹו כֹוכָב עֹולֶה ִלק ְַראתְ כֶם ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר‬
;‫ ְראּו ּכִי ָרעָה נֶגֶד ְּפנֵיכֶם‬,‫ׁשָאמַר ָלהֶם‬ ֶ ‫ זֹו הִיא‬,) ‫ ָל ָּמה י ֹאמְרּו ִמצ ְַרי ִם לֵאמ ֹר "ּב ְָרעָה" הֹוצִיָאם (שמות ל"ב‬,‫ׁשה ּבִתְ ִפּלָתֹו‬ ֶ ֹ‫מ‬
‫ׁשּנֶ' "הַּיֹום ּגַּלֹותִ י אֶת ח ְֶרּפַת מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬,‫ׁש ַע אֹותָ ם‬
ֻ ‫ׁש ָּמל י ְהֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ִמּי ָד ַוּיִּנָחֶם ה' עַל ה ָָרעָה ְו ָהפְַך אֶת הַּדָ ם לְדַ ם מִילָה‬
‫ ּדָ ם ָאנּו רֹואִין ֲעלֵיכֶם ּבַּמִדְ ּבָר‬,‫ׁשהָיּו אֹומ ְִרים ָלכֶם‬ ֶ ,)'‫ ֵמ ֲעלֵיכֶם" (יהושע ה‬:

‫ ראו כי רעה נגד פניכם‬Understand this as the Targum takes it: See, the evil you are about to do
wilt turn against yourself. I have heard a Midrashic explanation: There is a certain star the
name of which is ‫“ רעה‬Evil”. Pharaoh said to them, “By my astrological art I see that star
rising towards you in the wilderness whither you wish to proceed. It is an emblem of blood
and slaughter”. Consequently, when Israel sinned by worshipping the calf and the Holy One,
blessed be He, intended to slay them, Moses said in his prayer, (Exodus 32:12) “Wherefore
should the Egyptians speak and say, He brought them forth together with ‫( רעה‬i. e. under the
influence of the star ‫ ;)רעה‬this is, indeed, what he (Pharaoh) has already said, “See, the ‘‫’רעה‬
is before you”. At once, “the Lord bethought Himself concerning ‘‫”’רעה‬, and He changed the
blood of which this star was an emblem to the blood of the circumcision because indeed
Joshua had them circumcised. This is the meaning of what is said, (Joshua 5:9). “This day
have I rolled from off you the reproach of the Egyptians”, for they said to you. “We see blood
impending over you in the wilderness. (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 1:392; cf. also Rashi on
Joshua 5:9.)

10:11

‫ ֶאּלָא לכו הגברים ועבדו את ה‬,‫ ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר ֲאמ ְַרּתֶ ם לְהֹולִיְך ַהּטַף ִע ָּמכֶם‬.‫'לא כן‬:

‫ לא כן‬NOT SO as you have said, to take the children with you, but '‫ לכו נא הגברים ועבדו את ה‬GO
YE WHO ARE ADULT MEN AND SERVE THE LORD.

‫ ְואֵין ּדֶ ֶרְך ַהּטַף ִלז ְּב ֹ ַח‬,‫ ּכִי אֹותָ ּה ִּב ַּקׁשְּתֶ ם עַד ֵהּנָה – נִז ְ ְּבחָה לֵאֹלהֵינּו‬.‫כי אתה אתם מבקשים‬:

‫ כי אתה אתם מבקשים‬means FOR THAT IS WHAT YE DID SEEK till now: let us sacrifice to
our God — and it is not the custom for little children to offer sacrifice.

‫ ה ֲֵרי ז ֶה לָׁשֹון ָקצָר וְֹלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש מִ י הַמְ ג ֵָרׁש‬.‫ויגרש אותם‬:

‫ ויגרש אותם‬AND HE DROVE THEM OUT — This is an elliptical phrase and it does not
expressly state who drove them out (i. e. the subject of the verb is omitted).

10:12

‫ַָארּבֶה‬
ְ ‫ׁשבִיל מַ ּכַת ה‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫בארבה‬:

‫ בארבה‬means on account of the plague of locusts (the prefix ‫ ב‬signifies “on account of”).

10:13

‫ ּכְמֹו ׁשֶּמְ פ ָֹרׁש ּבְמָ קֹום‬,‫ׁש ִּמצ ְַרי ִם ּבִדְ רֹומִית ַמע ֲָרבִית ָהי ְתָ ה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּבָא ְּכנֶגְדֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ַָארּבֶה‬
ְ ‫ׂשא אֶת ה‬
ָ ָ‫ רּו ַח ִמז ְָרחִית נ‬.‫ורוח הקדים‬
‫ַאחֵר‬:

‫ ורוח הקדים‬THE EAST WIND — It was an east wind that brought the locusts because that
came (blew) from the direction opposite to it (to Egypt), since Egypt was in the south-west,
relative to Palestine, as it is explained in another place (Numbers 34:3).

10:14

‫ׁש ָהי ָה ָּכבֵד מִּׁשֶ ל‬

ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו‬,)'‫ׁשּנֶ' "ּכָמֹוהּו ֹלא נִ ְהי ָה מִן הָעֹולָם" (יואל ב‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה בִימֵי יֹו ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ וְאֹותֹו‬.‫ואחריו לא יהיה כן‬
,‫ׁשה ֹלא ָהי ָה אֶ ּלָא מִ ין אֶ חָד‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשל מ‬
ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל‬,‫ ָּגז ָם‬,‫ ָחסִיל‬,‫ יֶלֶק‬,‫ַארּבֶה‬
ְ ‫ׁשהָיּו יַחַד‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשל יֹו ֵאל ָהי ָה) עַ"י ְ מִינִין ה ְַרּבֵה‬
ֶ ‫ (אֹותֹו‬.‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ‫מ‬
‫ ְוכָמֹוהּו ֹלא ָהי ָה וְֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה‬:

‫ ואחריו לא יהיה כן‬NEITHER AFTER THEM SHALL BE SUCH — That plague of locusts
which happened during the days of Joel of which it is said, (Joel 2:2) “there hath not been
ever the like” — which statement teaches us that it was more grievous than that in the days of
Moses — was, however, caused by many species of locusts, together, those called ‫ ארבה‬and
‫ ילק‬and ‫ חסיל‬and ‫ ;גזם‬but that which happened in the days of Moses consisted of only one
species (the ‫ )ארבה‬and any ‫ ארבה‬like that there never was and never will be.

10:15
‫ וירדו"רא ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ָעלֶה י ָר ֹק‬.‫כל ירק‬:

‫ כל ירק‬means any green leaf (not “any herb”, since it speaks of the ‫ ירק‬of the trees); old French
verdure.

10:19

‫ רּו ַח מַ ע ֲָרבִי‬.‫רוח ים‬:

‫ רוח ים‬is A WEST WIND.

‫ ְלפִיכְָך רּו ַח‬,‫ׁשל א ֶֶרץ יִׂש ְָראֵ ל‬ ֶ ‫ ְוגַם ְּב ִמז ְָרחָה‬,‫ ְּכנֶגֶד ּכָל רּו ַח ּדְ רֹומִית‬,‫ׁשּי ַם סּוף ָהי ָה ִמ ְקצָתֹו ַּב ַּמע ֲָרב‬ ֶ ‫ אֹומֵר ֲאנִי‬.‫ימה סוף‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ִמּי ַם סּוף ְועַד י ָם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשהּוא ּפֹונֶה ְלצַד ִמז ְָרח‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן ָמצִינּו ְל ִענְי ַן ּתְ חּומִין‬.‫ַָארּבֶה ְּביָּמָה סּוף ְּכנֶגְּדֹו‬
ְ ‫י ָם ּתְ קָעֹו ל‬
"‫ׁשבֵי ֶחבֶל ַהּי ָם ּגֹוי ּכ ְֵרתִ ים‬ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַּב ְּפ ִלׁשְּתִ ים "יֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּי ָם ְּפ ִלׁשְּתִ ים ַּב ַּמע ֲָרב ָהי ָה‬
ֶ ,‫ְּפ ִלׁשְּתִ ים" (לקמן כג לא) ִמ ִּמז ְָרח ְל ַמע ֲָרב‬
)'‫(צפניה ב‬:

‫ ימה סוף‬INTO THE RED SEA — I say that the Red Sea was, as to part of it, in the west
opposite the whole southern side of Palestine, and was also eastward of the Land of Israel;
therefore a west wind blew the locusts into the Red Sea which was in the opposite direction to
the west of Egypt. Thus do we find mentioned regarding the boundaries of Palestine that it
(the Red Sea) faces the east of Palestine, since it states, (Exodus 23:31) “[And I will set thy
boundaries] from the Red Sea even unto the sea of the Philistines”, which means from east to
west since the sea of the Philistines was in the west, as it is said of the Philistines, (Zephaniah
2:5) “the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites (the Philistines)”.

‫ ַאף ַה ְּמלּוחִים ׁשֶּמָ לְחּו מֵ הֶם‬.‫לא נשאר ארבה אחד‬:

‫ לא נשאר ארבה אחד‬THERE REMAINED NOT ONE LOCUST — not even those which they
had salted — for they had salted some of them (Exodus Rabbah 13:7).

10:21

‫ׁשל ַליְלָה י ַ ֲאמִיׁש ְויַחֲׁשִ יְך עֹוד‬

ֶ ‫ חֹׁשְֶך‬,‫ׁשל ַליְלָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְוי ַ ֲחׁשִיְך ֲעלֵיהֶם חֹׁשְֶך יֹותֵ ר ֵמ ֶחׁשְּכֹו‬.‫וימש חשך‬:

‫ וימש חשך‬signifies and it (the darkness mentioned in the preceding phrase, ‫ )ויהי חשך‬shall
darken for them the natural darkness to a higher degree than the darkness of night: i. e. the
darkness of night shall become even more black and dark.

‫ אֵין ַהּכָתּוב מַ קְ ּפִיד עַל‬,‫ׁשאֵין ֲהב ַָרת הָָאלֶ"ף נִּכ ֶֶרת ּכָל ּכְָך‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ְוי ַ ֲאמֵׁש; י ֵׁש לָנּו תֵ בֹות ה ְַרּבֵה ֲחסֵרֹות ָאלֶ"ף‬.‫וימש‬
,)‫ ְוכֵן "וַּתַ ז ְֵרנִי ַחי ִל" (שמואל ב' כ"ב‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ֹלא י ַ ֲאהֵל – ֹלא יַּטֶה ָאהֳלֹו‬,)‫ ּכְגֹון "וְֹלא יַהֵל ׁשָם ע ֲָרבִי" (ישעיהו י"ג‬,‫ֶחסְרֹונָּה‬
‫ׁשּיַּגִי ַע סָמּוְך לְאֹור הַּיֹום; אֲ בָל‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו ֹלא י ָמּוׁש; "ּבָתַ ר ּדְ יֶעְּדֵ י קְ בַל לֵי ְלי ָא" – ְּכ‬,‫ּכְמֹו וַּתְ ַאּז ְֵרנִי; ְו ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם לְׁשֹון ֲהס ָָרה‬
‫ ּומִ"ַא ּפֹותְ רֹו לְׁשֹון " ְמ ַמּׁשֵׁש ַּב ָּצה ֳַרי ִם" (דברים‬.‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶהּוא כָתּוב ַאחַר וִיהִי חֹׁשְֶך‬,‫ׁשל ְויָמֵׁש‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשב עַל ַהּוָי"ו‬ ָ ֻ ‫אֵ ין הַּדִ ּבּור ְמי‬
‫ׁש ָהי ָה כָפּול ּו ְמ ֻכּפָל ְועָב עַד ׁשֶ ָהי ָה בֹו מַּמָׁש‬
ֶ ,)‫כ"ח‬:

‫ וימש‬means as much as (is a contraction of) ‫( ויאמש‬a Hiphil form of ‫אמש‬, evening darkness).
We have many words in which an ‫ א‬is omitted; since the sound of the ‫ א‬is not very marked,
Scripture is not particular about omitting it. An example is: (Isaiah 13:20) “the Arabian ‫ֹלא יַהֵל‬
there”, which is the same as ‫לא י ַ ֲאהֵל‬, shall not pitch his tent. Similar is, (II Samuel 22:40) “
‫ וַּתַ ז ְֵרנִי‬with strength”, which is the same as ‫“ וַּתְ ַאז ְֵרנִי‬And thou hast girded me” (cf. Psalms
30:12). Onkelos translated it in the sense of removing, from the same root as, (Joshua 1:8) “it
shall not depart (‫”)ימוש‬, his rendering being, “[and there shall be darkness..] after the darkness
of night has departed”, i. e. when the time approaches near to the light of day. But the
statement does not then fit with the ‫ ו‬of ‫וימש‬, because this word is written after ‫ויהי חשך‬. A
Midrashic statement explains it in the sense of (Deuteronomy 28:29) “groping (‫ ממשש‬feeling)
at noon-day”, so that the meaning would be that it was of such a double character and so thick
that there was something tangible in it (Exodus Rabbah 14:1-3).

10:22

‫ׁש ְבעַת יָמִים ְּבכָל ָמקֹום שטיי"נא ׁשֶ ל י ָמִ ים‬

ִ ‫ ְוכֵן‬,‫ טרציינ"א ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׁשל יָמִים‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּלּוׁש‬
ִ .‫שלשת ימים‬:

‫ שלשת ימים‬denotes a triad of days. old French terziane; so, too, ‫ שבעת ימים‬everywhere it occurs
denotes in old French a septaine of days (a period of seven days).

‫ׁשלֹוׁשֶת י ָמִ ים אֲ ח ִֵרים‬ ְ ‫ וְעֹוד‬.‫ׁשֹּלא ָראּו אִיׁש אֶת ָאחִיו אֹותָ ן ג' יָמִים‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשל אֹפֶל‬ ֶ ‫ חֹׁשְֶך‬.‫ שלשת ימים‬:‫ויהי חשך אפלה‬
?‫ וְעֹומֵד אֵין י ָכֹול לֵיׁשֵב; ְו ָל ָּמה ֵהבִיא ֲעלֵיהֶם ח ֹׁשְֶך‬,‫ׁשב אֵין י ָכֹול ַלעֲמ ֹד‬ ֵ ‫ׁשֹּלא קָמּו אִיׁש מִּתַ חְּתָ יו – יֹו‬
ֶ ,‫חֹׁשְֶך ֻמ ְכּפָל עַל ז ֶה‬
‫ׁשֹּלא י ְִראּו ִמצ ְִרּי ִים ּבְמַ ַּפלְּתָ ם‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ׁשלֹוׁשֶת יְמֵי ֲא ֵפלָה‬
ְ ‫ ּומֵתּו ִב‬,‫ׁשעִים וְֹלא הָיּו רֹוצִים ָלצֵאת‬ ָ ‫ׁשֶ הָיּו ְביִׂש ְָר ֵאל ּבְאֹותֹו הַּדֹור ְר‬
‫אֹומְרים אֵ ין‬ִ ‫ׁשּיָצְאּו ְוהָיּו ׁשֹו ֲאלִים ֵמהֶן ְוהָיּו‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ׁש ִחּפְׂשּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ו ְָראּו אֶת ְּכלֵיהֶם‬
ֶ ,‫ וְעֹוד‬.‫ ַאף הֵם לֹוקִים ּכָמֹונּו‬,‫וְי ֹאמְרּו‬
)‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ּפְלֹונִי הּוא (שמות רבה‬,‫ אֲ נִי ְראִיתִ יו ְּבבֵיתְ ָך‬,‫ אֹומֵר לֹו‬,‫ ְּבי ָדֵ נּו כְלּום‬:

‫ — ויהי חשך אפלה … שלשת ימים‬there was darkness of gloom when no man saw another during
those three days, and there was moreover another period of three days’ darkness twice as
thick as this when no man rose from his place: one who happened to be sitting when this
second period of darkness began was unable to rise, and one who was then standing was
unable to sit down. And why did He bring darkness upon them? Because there were wicked
people amongst the Israelites of that generation who had no desire to leave Egypt, and these
died during the three days of darkness so that the Egyptians might not see their destruction
and say, “These, (the Israelites) too have been stricken as we have”. And a further reason is
that the Israelites searched (the darkness came just in order that they might do this) and saw
their (the Egyptians’) jewels, and when they were leaving Egypt and asked them for their
jewels, and they replied, “We have none at all in our possession”, they answered them, “I
have seen it in your house and it is in such and such a place” (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Bo 1;
Exodus Rabbah 14:3).

10:24

‫ יְהֵא מֻ ּצָג ּבִמְ קֹומֹו‬.‫יצג‬:

‫ יצג‬means SHALL REMAIN STANDING in its place.

10:25

‫ׁש ִּמ ְקנֵנּו יֵלְֵך ִע ָּמנּו אֶ ּלָא ּגַם מִּׁשֶ ּלְָך ּתִ ּתֵ ן‬
ֶ ‫ ֹלא ּדַ ּי ְָך‬.‫גם אתה תתן‬:

‫ גם אתה תתן‬THOU MUST GIVE ALSO — It will not be enough for you that our cattle will go
with us but you will give also of yours.

10:26

‫ פלנ"טא ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ּפ ְַרסַת ֶרגֶל‬.‫פרסה‬:

‫ פרסה‬is the hoof of the foot; in old French plante.

‫ׁשַאל יֹותֵ ר מִּמַ ה ּׁשֶ ּי ֵׁש ְּבי ָדֵ נּו‬

ְ ִ ‫ׁש ָּמא י‬
ֶ ,‫ ַּכ ָּמה ּתִ ְכּבַד ָהעֲבֹודָ ה‬.‫לא נדע מה נעבד‬:

‫ לא נדע מה נעבד‬means WE DO NOT KNOW WITH WHAT WE MUST SERVE we do not

know how heavy will be the service: perhaps He will ask more than we have in our
possession.

10:29

)‫ׁשֹּלא אֹוסִיף עֹוד ְראֹות ָּפנֶיָך (מכילתא ושמות רבה‬

ֶ ‫ ֱאמֶת‬. ָ‫ יָפֶה ּדִ ּב ְַרּתָ ּו ִבז ְ ַמּנֹו ּדִ ּב ְַרּת‬.‫כן דברת‬:

‫ כן דברת‬signifies RIGHTLY HAST THOU SPOKEN, and in its proper time hast thou spoken;
for it is true that I will not see thy face again (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:31; Exodus
Rabbah 18:1; cf. also Onkelos).

11:1

‫ ֻּכ ְּלכֶם י ְׁשַ ּלַח‬,‫ֵירא; ָּכלִיל‬

ָ ‫ ְּגמ‬.‫כלה‬:

‫ כלה‬Onkelos renders it by ‫גמירא‬, taking ‫ כלה‬in sense of ‫ כליל‬entirely; i. e. he will send all of
you away.

11:2

"‫ׁשֹּלא י ֹאמַר אֹותֹו צַּדִ יק ַאב ְָרהָם " ַו ֲעבָדּום ְועִּנּו אֹותָ ם‬
ֶ ,‫ִירם עַל ּכְָך‬ֵ ‫ׁשה ִמּמְָך ַהזְה‬
ָ ‫ ְּב ַב ָּק‬,‫ׁשה‬
ָ ‫ אֵין נָא ֶאּלָא לְׁשֹון ַּב ָּק‬.‫דבר נא‬
‫ ֹלא קִ ּי ֵם ָּבהֶם‬,)‫ "וְַאח ֲֵרי כֵן יֵצְאּו ּב ְִרכֻׁש ּגָדֹול" (שם‬,‫ ִקּי ֵם ָּבהֶם‬,)‫(בראשית ט"ו‬:

‫ דבר נא‬SPEAK ‫ — נא‬The word ‫ נא‬is always an expression of entreaty. Here it means: I entreat
you, admonish them about this which follows (impress this injunction upon them), so that
righteous man, Abraham, may not say: the prophecy (Genesis 15:13) “they shall serve them,
and they shall afflict them” He permitted to be fulfilled in them, but the promise (Genesis
15:14) “and afterwards they shall go forth with great substance” He did not bring to fulfilment
for them (Berakhot 9a-b).

11:4

‫ּׁשּיָצָא ִמ ְּל ָפנָיו ֹלא הֹוסִיף ְראֹות ָּפנָיו‬

ֶ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ִמ‬
ֶ ,‫ ְּב ָעמְדֹו ִל ְפנֵי פ ְַרע ֹה נֶ ֶאמ ְָרה לֹו נְבּוָאה זֹו‬.'‫ויאמר משה כה אמר ה‬:

'‫ ויאמר משה כה אמר ה‬AND MOSES SAID, THUS SAITH THE LORD — Whilst he was still
standing before Pharaoh this prophecy was spoken to him, because after he left him, he did
not see his face again (Exodus Rabbah 18:1).

‫ ז ֶהּו ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬,)‫ " ַּבחֲרֹות אַ ּפָם ּבָנּו" (תהילים קכ"ד‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו " ַּבעֲלֹות" (מלכים א י"ח‬.‫ כחצת‬:‫ ְּכ ֵה ָחלֵק ַה ַּליְלָה‬.‫כחצת הלילה‬
,"‫ׁשָאמַר מ ֹׁשֶ ה " ַּכחֲצֹות‬ ֶ ‫ וְָאמְרּו‬,‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דְ ָרׁשּוהּו ּכְמֹו ַּכ ֲחצִי ַה ַּליְלָה‬.‫ׁשל ֲחצִי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין חֲצֹות ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר‬
ֶ ,‫ְליַּׁשְבֹו עַל ָא ְפנָיו‬
‫ׁש ָּמא יִטְעּו אִ ְצ ַטגְנִינֵי פ ְַרע ֹה וְי ֹאמְרּו מ ֹׁשֶ ה ּבַּדַ אי הּוא‬
ֶ ,"‫ וְֹלא ָאמַר " ַּבחֲצֹות‬,‫ אֹו ְל ָפנָיו אֹו לְַאח ֲָריו‬,‫ׁשמַע סָמּוְך לֹו‬ְ ‫ׁש ַּמ‬
ֶ
)'‫(ברכות ד‬:

‫ כחצות הלילה‬means, WHEN THE NIGHT IS DIVIDED (i. e., when midnight arrives). ‫ כחצות‬is
an infinitive with prefix, of similar form to, (1 Kings 18:36) ‫בעלות‬, “when went up” and
(Psalms 124:3) “when their wrath was kindled (‫”)בחרות‬. This is its literal meaning which fits
in with the sense, for ‫ חצות‬is not a noun, being another form of ‫( ֵחצִי‬when the meaning would
be about midnight I will go out etc.”, for this does not fit in with the sense, since God would
certainly have stated exactly when He would do this). But our Rabbis took it in this sense and
explained it as meaning “about the middle of the night”, and they asserted that Moses said
‫“ כחצות‬about midnight”, which implies near to it — either just before it or just after it, and he
did not say ‫“ בחצות‬at midnight” (as God had bidden him say) because he feared lest Pharaoh’s
astrologers might make a mistake as regards the time when the slaughter of the firstborn
actually took place, thinking that it was a little earlier or later than midnight, and would say,
in consequence of this error, “Moses is a liar!” (cf. Berakhot 4a).

11:5

‫ י ְִרָאתָ ם ּתָ ְבעָה ֶעלְּבֹונָם ְו ֵהבִיָאה ּפ ְֻרעָנּות עַל מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ֹאמְרּו‬
ֶ ‫ ָל ָּמה לָקּו ַהּׁשְבּוי ִים? ּכְדֵ י‬.‫עד בכור השבי‬:

‫ עד בכור השבי‬UNTO THE FIRSTBORN OF THE CAPTIVE (these words are used in 12:29
instead of ‫“ עד בכור השפחה‬unto the firstborn of the handmaid” in this verse) — Why were the
captives smitten, for they had not enslaved the Israelites? In order that these might not say that
their god had claimed satisfaction for the humiliation imposed upon them and had brought
this punishment upon the Egyptians (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:29).

‫ּׁש ְפחָה הָיּו ִּב ְכלָל; ְולָּמָ ה לָקּו ְּבנֵי‬

ִ ‫ ּכָל ַהּפְחּותִ ים ִמּבְכֹור ּפ ְַרע ֹה ַוחֲׁשּובִים ִמּבְכֹור ַה‬.‫מבכור פרעה עד בכור השפחה‬
‫ׁש ְעּבְדִ ים ָּבהֶם ּוׂשְמֵ חִים ְּבצ ָָרתָ ם‬
ַ ‫ׁשַאף הֵם הָיּו ְמ‬
ֶ ?‫ּׁשפָחֹות‬ ְ ‫ ַה‬:

‫ מבכור פרעה עד בכור השפחה‬FROM THE FIRSTBORN OF PHARAOH UNTO THE

FIRSTBORN OF THE HANDMAID — All who were of less importance than the firstborn of
Pharaoh and of more importance than the firstborn of the handmaid are included in this
description. And why were the sons of the handmaids stricken? Because they, too, treated
them (the Israelites) as slaves and rejoiced at their misery (Midrash Tanchuma, Bo 7).

‫ נִפ ְָרע מֵ אֱ ֹלהֶי ָה‬,‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה נִפ ְָרע מִן ָה ֻא ָּמה‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ׁשהָיּו עֹובְדִ ין לָּה‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫וכל בכור בהמה‬:

‫ וכל בכור בהמה‬AND ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF BEASTS — because they worshipped these
as gods. When the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from a nation, He punishes
their gods at the same time (Genesis Rabbah 96:5).

11:7

‫ ְוכֵן "ֹלא ח ַָרץ ִל ְבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְלאִיׁש אֶת לְׁשֹונֹו" (יהושע‬,‫ׁשּנֵן‬
ַ ְ ‫ׁשּנּון – ֹלא י‬
ִ ‫ׁשהּוא לְׁשֹון‬ֶ ‫ אֹומֵר ֲאנִי‬.‫לא יחרץ כלב לשונו‬
"‫ " ַמחְׁשְ בֹות חָרּוץ‬,‫ׁשנּון‬
ָ – )‫ְמֹורג חָרּוץ" (ישעיהו מ"א‬ ַ ‫ "ל‬,‫כ״ד) – ּתִ ׁשְּתַ ּנֵן‬:‫ "ָאז ּתֶ ח ֱַרץ" (שמואל ב ה׳‬,‫ׁשּנֵן‬ִ ‫י') – ֹלא‬
‫ סֹוח ֲִרים ׁשְ נּונִים‬,‫ " ְוי ַד חֲרּוצִים ּתַ ֲעׁשִיר" (שם י') – ח ֲִריפִים‬,‫ׁשנּון‬ָ ‫(משלי כ"א ) – ָאדָ ם ח ִָריף ְו‬:

‫ לא יחרץ כלב לשנו‬NO DOG SHALL ‫ חרץ‬HIS TONGUE — I say that it has the meaning of
sharpening: “no dog shall whet his tongue”. So, too: (Joshua 10:21) “‫ לא חרץ‬his tongue
against any of the children of Israel”, i. e. “none whetted”; (II Samuel 5:24) “then ‫— ”תחרץ‬
then thou shalt utter a sharp sound; (Isaiah 41:15) “a threshing-sledge ‫ ”חרוץ‬i. e. sharp;
(Proverbs 21:5) “the plans of a ‫ — ”חרוץ‬of “an acute and sharp man”; (Proverbs 10:4) “the
hand of the ‫ חרוצים‬maketh rich”, i. e. the hand of the acute — of sharp merchants.

‫ יַבְּדִ יל‬.‫אשר יפלה‬:

‫ אשר יפלה‬meant THAT HE MAKETH A DIFFERENCE.

11:8

"‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ּבַּסֹוף י ַָרד ּפ ְַרע ֹה ְּב ַעצְמֹו ֵאלָיו ַּב ַּליְלָה "וַּי ֹאמֶר קּומּו ּצְאּו מִּתֹוְך עַּמִ י‬
ֶ ,‫ ָחלַק ּכָבֹוד ַל ַּמלְכּות‬.‫וירדו כל עבדיך‬
‫ׁשה מִּתְ ִחּלָה ְוי ַָרדְ ּתָ אֵ לַי ְוהִׁשְּתַ ֲחוִיתָ לִי‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ וְֹלא ָאמַר לֹו מ‬,) ‫(שמות י"ב‬:

‫ וירדו כל עבדיך‬AND ALL THY SERVENTS SHALL COME DOWN [UNTO ME] — He
showed respect to the king, for as a matter of fact ultimately Pharaoh himself came down to
him at night, (Exodus 12:31) “And he said, Arise, go out from the midst of my people”; but
Moses did not at the outset say to him, “And thou shalt come down to me and shalt prostrate
thyself”, out of respect for the king, (Exodus Rabbah 7:3)

‫ הַהֹו ְלכִים ַאחַר ֲעצָתְ ָך ְוהִּלּוכְָך‬.‫אשר ברגליך‬:

‫( אשר ברגליך‬lit., who are at thy feet) — who go after (follow) thy counsel and ways.

‫ַארצְָך‬
ְ ֵ‫ עִם ּכָל ָהעָם מ‬.‫ואחרי כן אצא‬:

‫ ואחרי כן אצא‬AND AFTER THAT I WILL GO OUT, with all my people, from thy land.

‫ יָצָא מִ ְּל ָפנָיו‬,‫ׁש ָּגמַר ּדְ ב ָָריו‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ויצא מעם פרעה‬:

‫ ויצא מעם פרעה‬AND HE WENT OUT FROM PHARAOH — After he had concluded his
words he went forth from his presence.

)'‫ׁשָאמַר לֹו "ַאל ּתֹסֶף ְראֹות ָּפנַי" (שמות י‬

ֶ ‫ עַל‬.‫בחרי אף‬:

‫ בחרי אף‬IN FIERCENESS OF WRATH because he (Pharaoh) had said to him, (Exodus 10:28)
“Do not again see my face.

11:9

‫ ַמּכַת ּבְכֹורֹות ּוק ְִריעַת י ַם סּוף ּו ְלנַעֵר אֶת מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬.‫למען רבות מופתי‬:

‫ למען רבות מופתי‬SO THAT MY WONDERS MAY BE MULTIPLIED (more lit., so that my
wonders may be many) — referring not to one wonder alone (the slaying of the firstborn) but
to the slaying of the firstborn, the division of the Red Sea and the overthrowing of the
Egyptians in it.

11:10

‫ׁשבִיל ְל ָס ְמכָּה ַלּפ ָָרׁשָ ה ׁשֶ ּלְַאח ֲֶרי ָה‬

ְ ‫ׁשנָאָּה ּכָאן ֶאּלָא ִּב‬
ְ ‫ וְֹלא‬,‫ ְּכבָר ּכָתַ ב לָנּו ז ֹאת ְּבכָל הַּמֹופְתִ ים‬.'‫משה ואהרן עשו וגו‬:

‫ ומשה ואהרן עשו וגו׳‬AND MOSES AND AARON DID etc. — It (Scripture) has already written
this in the description of all the preceding wonders, and it repeats it here only in order to
connect it with the chapter which comes after this (as giving a reason why the commands in
the next chapter were given to Aaron as well as to Moses; cf. Rashi’s comment on the
following verse).
12:1

,‫ ָחלַק לֹו ּכָבֹוד ז ֶה ּבְמִ ְצוָה ִראׁשֹונָה‬,‫ׁשה‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׂשה ְוט ַָרח ּבַּמֹופְתִ ים ּכְמ‬
ָ ‫ׁשַאהֲר ֹן ָע‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבִיל‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫ויאמר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן‬
‫ׁש ְּכלָלֹו עִם מ ֹׁשֶ ה ּבַּדִ ּבּור‬
ֶ :

‫ ויאמר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן‬AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES AND AARON —
Because Aaron had worked and toiled in performing the wonders just the same as Moses He
paid him this honour at the first command by including him with Moses in the communication
(Tanchuma Yahshan 2:3:8).

‫ ּו ַמה ּתְ ִפּלָה קַ ּלָה ֹלא‬,"'‫ אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ּבְתֹוְך ַהּכ ְַרְך? ּתַ "ֹל (לעיל ט כט) " ְּכצֵאתִ י אֶת ָהעִיר וְגֹו‬,‫ חּוץ ַלּכ ְַרְך‬.‫בארץ מצרים‬
‫ׁש ָהי ְתָ ה מְ לֵָאה גִּלּולִים‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ִמ ְּפנֵי ָמה ֹלא נִדְ ּבַר עִּמֹו ּבְתֹוְך ַהּכ ְַרְך? ְלפִי‬.‫ׁשּכֵן‬
ֶ ‫ ּדִ ּבּור חָמּור ֹלא ּכָל‬,‫ הִתְ ַּפּלֵל ּבְתֹוְך ַהּכ ְַרְך‬:

‫ בארץ מצרים‬IN THE LAND OF EGYPT — This must have been outside the city! Or perhaps
this is not so, but it was inside the city? Scripture however states, (Exodus 9:29) “When I
leave the city [I will spread my hands (pray) unto the Lord]”. Now how was it in regard to
prayer which is of light importance in comparison with a communication from God? He did
not recite the prayer inside the city! Then, in the case of a divine communication which is of
so weighty importance does it not follow all the more that this was also so! — And why,
indeed, did He not converse with him inside the city? Because it was full of idols (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:1:4).

12:2

‫קְרא יֹוצֵא מִ ידֵ י‬ ָ ‫ ְואֵין ִמ‬.)‫ׁש ַהּי ֵָר ַח מִתְ חַּדֵ ׁש י ִ ְהי ֶה לְָך ר ֹאׁש ח ֹדֶ ׁש (מכילתא‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּה וְָאמַר לֹו ְּכ‬
ָ ‫ ה ְֶרָאהּו ְל ָבנָה ְּבחִּדּו‬.‫החדש הזה‬
‫ סִיוָן ׁשְ לִיׁשִ י‬,‫ׁשנִי‬
ֵ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא ִאּי ָר קָרּוי‬
ֶ ,‫ ז ֶה י ִ ְהי ֶה ר ֹאׁש ְלסֵדֶ ר ִמנְי ַן ֶהחֳדָ ׁשִים‬,‫ עַל ח ֹדֶ ׁש נִיסָן ָאמַר לֹו‬,‫ פְׁשּוטֹו‬:

‫ — החדש הזה‬He showed him the moon in the first stage of its renewal, and He said to him,
“The time when the moon renews itself thus, shall be unto you the beginning of the month”.
(The translation therefore is: “This stage of renewal (‫ )חדש‬shall be the moment of beginning
the months”; cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:2:2). But no Scriptural verse can lose its
literal meaning, and He really spoke this in reference to the month Nisan: this month shall be
the beginning in the order of counting the months, so that Iyar shall be called the second,
Sivan the third.

‫ ְוה ְֶרָאה לֹו ְּב ֶא ְצּבַע אֶת ַה ְּל ָבנָה ּב ָָרקִ י ַע‬,‫ ְּבאֵיזֹו ׁשִעּור ּתֵ ָראֶה וְתִ ְהי ֶה ְראּוי ָה ְלקַּדֵ ׁש‬,‫ׁשה עַל מֹולַד ַה ְּל ָבנָה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ּׁשה מ‬
ָ ‫ נִתְ ַק‬.‫הזה‬
‫ׁשּנֶ' " ַויְהִי ּבְיֹום ּדִ ּבֶר ה'" (שמות‬ ֶ ?‫ ְוכֵיצַד ה ְֶרָאהּו? ַוהֲֹלא ֹלא ָהי ָה נִדְ ּבָר עִּמֹו ֶאּלָא ּבַּיֹום‬.)‫וְָאמַר לֹו ָּכז ֶה ְראֵה ְוקַּדֵ ׁש (שם‬
‫ֶאֶמְרה לֹו‬ָ ‫ׁשקִיעַת ַהחַּמָ ה נ‬ ְ ‫ "מִן הַּיֹום ֲאׁשֶר ִצּוָה ה' ָו ָהלְָאה" (במדבר ט"ו)? ֶאּלָא סָמּוְך ִל‬,)'‫ "ּבְיֹום ַצּוֹתֹו" (ויקרא ז‬,)'‫ו‬
‫ׁשה זֹו ְוה ְֶרָאהּו עִם חֲׁשֵ כָה‬ ָ ‫פ ָָר‬:

‫ הזה‬THIS [STAGE OF RENEWAL] — Moses was in perplexity regarding the Molad of (the
exact moment when begins) the new moon — how much of it must be visible before it is
proper to consecrate it as new moon: He therefore pointed it out to him in the sky with the
finger and said to him, “Behold it like this, and consecrate it” (i. e., when you see the moon in
a stage of renewal similar to this which you now behold you may proclaim that a new month
has begun). But how could He point it out to him, for did He not conserve with him only by
day, as it is said, (Exodus 6:28) “And it came to pass on the day when the Lord spake [unto
Moses]”; (Leviticus 7:38) “On the day when he commanded”; (Numbers 15:23) “From the
day that the Lord commanded and henceforward”? But the explanation is: This chapter was
spoken to him close to sunset and He pointed it out to him at nightfall (more lit., near
darkness) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:2:1).

12:3

,‫ וְאֹומ ְִרים ז ֶה ָלז ֶה לַּמְדֵ נִי‬,‫ ְוכִי ַאהֲר ֹן מְדַ ּבֵר? ַוהֲֹלא ְּכבָר נֶ ֱאמַר אַּתָ ה תְ דַ ּבֵר? ֶאּלָא חֹו ְלקִין ּכָבֹוד ז ֶה ָלז ֶה‬.‫דבר אל כל עדת‬
)‫ׁשנֵיהֶם מְדַ ּב ְִרים (מכילתא‬ ְ ‫ׁשנֵיהֶם ְּכ ִאּלּו‬
ְ ‫ ְוהַּדִ ּבּור יֹוצֵא ִמּבֵין‬:

‫ דברו אל כל עדת‬SPEAK UNTO ALL THE CONGREGATION — But did Aaron speak? Has it
not already been stated, (Exodus 7:2) “You (Moses) shall speak etc.”. But the explanation is:
they paid respect one to the other, saying to each other, “Instruct me what to say”. and the
divine communication in question issued from both of them, so that it was as though they
were both speaking (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:2).

‫ׁשּיִּקָחּוהּו ֶּבעָׂש ֹר לַח ֹדֶ ׁש‬

ֶ ‫ ּבְר ֹאׁש ח ֹדֶ ׁש‬,‫ ּדַ ּבְרּו הַּיֹום‬.‫דברו אל כל עדת ישראל לאמר בעשר לחדש‬:

‫ דברו אל כל עדת ישראל לאמר בעשר לחדש‬i. e. SPEAK to-day — on the first of the month —
THAT ON THE TENTH OF THE MONTH they should take it (the lamb) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:3:3).

)‫ וְֹלא ֶּפסַח ּדֹורֹות (פסחים צ"ו‬,‫ ֶּפסַח ִמצ ְַרי ִם ִמקְחֹו ֶבעָׂשֹור‬.‫הזה‬:

‫[ הזה‬ON THE TENTH OF] THIS [MONTH] — As regards the paschal lamb sacrificed in
Egypt it had to be taken from the flock on the tenth, but this did not apply to the paschal-lamb
offered by future generations (Pesachim 96a).

)‫ׂשה ַל ָּבי ִת" (מכילתא‬

ֶ " ‫ׂשה ֶאחָד ְל ֻכּלָן? ּתַ "ֹל‬
ֶ ‫ י ָכֹול‬,‫ׁשהָיּו מ ְֻרּבִין‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָּפחָה ַאחַת; ה ֲֵרי‬
ְ ‫ ְל ִמ‬.‫שה לבית אבת‬:

‫ שה לבית אבות‬A LAMB FOR THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS — i. e. a lamb for one
family (“family” here means the larger unit comprising the father or grandfather with his
married sons and their families). Consequently, if they (the members of such a family) were
numerous, one might think that they may take one lamb for all of them (irrespective of
whether this would suffice to provide a piece as large as an olive, the minimum quantity, for
each person)! Therefore Scripture states: ‫ שה לבית‬A LAMB FOR EACH HOUSEHOLD
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:7).

12:4

‫ ולקח הוא‬:‫ׁשאֵין י ְכֹולִין לְָאכְלֹו ְוי ָב ֹא לִידֵ י נֹותָ ר‬ ֶ ,‫ּׂשה ֶאחָד‬ֶ ‫ ְואִם יִהְיּו מּו ָעטִים ִמהְיֹות ִמ‬.‫ואם ימעט הבית מהיות משה‬
‫ י ְכֹולִין ְלהִתְ ַמעֵט ְולִמְׁשְֹך י ְדֵ יהֶם‬,‫ׁשּנִמְנּו ָעלָיו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשַאחַר‬
ֶ ,‫ ְל ַלּמֵד‬:‫ וְעֹוד י ֵׁש ּבֹו מִדְ ָרׁש‬.‫ׁשמָעֹו ְלפִי פְׁשּוטֹו‬
ְ ‫ ז ֶהּו ַמ‬.'‫ושכנו וגו‬
‫ ִּבהְיֹותֹו‬,‫ּׂשה קַ ּי ָם‬
ֶ ‫ י ִתְ ַמעֲטּו ּבְעֹוד ַה‬,‫ מהיות משה‬,‫ׂשה ַאחֵר; אְַך אִם ּבָאּו ִלמְׁשְֹך י ְדֵ יהֶם ּו ְלהִתְ ַמעֵט‬ ֶ ‫הֵי ֶמּנּו ּו ְל ִה ָּמנֹות עַל‬
)‫ׁשחַט (פסחים פ"ט‬ ְ ִ‫ּׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ ַב ַחּי ִים וְֹלא ִמ‬:

‫ — ואם ימעט הבית מהיות משה‬This means: if they are too few to be sufficient for one lamb — that
they are unable to eat the whole of it, and it would therefore come under the category of ‫נותר‬
“left over”. ‫ ולקח הוא ושכנו וגו׳‬THEN LET HIM AND HIS NEIGHBOUR TAKE etc. — This is
what these words and those that precede it imply in its literal sense, but there is also a
derivation from it of a Halachic character — that the verse intends to teach that after they
have counted themselves (formed themselves into a company) for it, they may reduce their
number by withdrawing from it and may register themselves for a different lamb; but if they
intend to withdraw and thereby reduce their number ‫ — מהיות משה‬they must reduce only
whilst the lamb is still in being — whilst it is alive (‫ — )מחיות משה = מהיות משה‬and not after it
has been slaughtered (Pesachim 89a; cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:4:1).

)‫ ְוכֵן " ִמ ְכסַת ָהע ְֶרּכְָך" (ויקרא כ"ז‬,‫ׁשּבֹון‬

ְ ‫ ֶח‬.‫במכסת‬:

‫ במכסת‬means ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER. Similar is, (Leviticus 27:23) “The number (
‫ )מכסת‬of thy valuation”.

)‫ׁשאֵינֹו י ָכֹול ֶלאֱכ ֹל ַּכּזַי ִת (מכילתא‬

ֶ ‫ ּפ ְָרט לְחֹולֶה ּו ְלזָקֵן‬,‫ ה ָָראּוי ַל ֲאכִילָה‬.‫לפי אכלו‬:

‫[ לפי אכלו‬EVERY MAN] ACCORDING TO HIS EATING — every man who is fitted to eat
the quantity prescribed by the Law; this excludes a sick person and an aged person who are
unable to eat a portion the size of an olive (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:4:5).

‫ "ּתִ תְ מְ נּון‬.‫"תכסו‬:

‫ תכסו‬means ye shall number yourselves, as the Targum renders it. (It is not to be translated: ye
shall number others.)

12:5

‫ ּבְֹלא מּום‬.‫תמים‬:

‫ תמים‬PERFECT i. e. without blemish (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:5:1).

‫ ּכְלֹומַר ׁשֶ ּנֹולַד ּבְׁשָ נָה זֹו‬,‫ׁשנָה‬

ָ ‫ׁשנָתֹו קָרּוי ּבֶן‬
ְ ‫ ּכָל‬.‫בן שנה‬:

‫ בן שנה‬OF THE FIRST YEAR — the whole of its first year it is termed ‫שנה בן‬, as much as to
say, that it was born during this year (it does not mean that it is one year old — in its second
year) (cf.Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:5:2).

)‫ׂשה ִעּז ִים" (דברים י"ד‬

ֵ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ְו‬
ֶ ,‫ׂשה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשַאף עֵז קָרּוי‬
ֶ ,‫ אֹו ִמּז ֶה אֹו ִמּז ֶה‬.‫מן הכבשים ומן העזים‬:

‫ — מן הכבשים ומן העזים‬i. e. either from these (a lamb) or from these (a goat) (i. e. the ‫ ו‬of ‫ומן‬
does not signify “and”, but “or”); for a goat, also, is called ‫שה‬, as it is said, (Deuteronomy
14:4) “the ‫ שה‬of the goats” (‫ שה‬means the young animal, either of the sheep or of the goats)
(cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:5:1).

12:6

‫ ּו ִמ ְּפנֵי מָ ה הִקְּדִ ים‬.)‫ׁשחִיטָה (פסחים צ"ו‬ ְ ‫ַאר ָּבעָה יָמִים ק ֹדֶ ם‬

ְ ‫ׁשּטָעּון ּבִּקּור מִּמּום‬ ֶ ,‫ ז ֶהּו לְׁשֹון ּבִּקּור‬.‫והיה לכם למשמרת‬
‫ ה ֲֵרי הּוא אֹומֵר "וָאֶ עֱב ֹר‬,‫ּׁשֹּלא ִצּוָה כֵן ְּב ֶפסַח ּדֹורֹות? ָהי ָה ַר' מַתְ י ָא ּבֶן ח ָָרׁש אֹומֵר‬ ֶ ‫ ַמה‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה יָמִים‬ ְ ‫ׁשחִיטָתֹו‬ ְ ‫לְקִ יחָתֹו ִל‬
‫ וְֹלא הָיּו‬,‫ׁש ֶאגְַאל אֶת ָּבנָיו‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַּבעְּתִ י לְַאב ְָרהָם‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבּועָה‬ְ ‫ָע ַלי ְִך ָוא ְֶראְֵך ְו ִהּנֵה עִּתֵ ְך עֵת ּדֹודִ ים" (יחזקאל ט"ז ) – ִהּגִיעָה‬
‫ ּדַ ם ֶּפסַח וְדַ ם‬,‫ ְונָתַ ן ָלהֶם ׁשְּתֵ י ִמצְוֹות‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ְואַּתְ עֵרֹום ְוע ְֶרי ָה" (שם‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּי ִ ָּג ֲאלּו‬
ֶ ‫ְבי ָדָ ם ִמצְוֹות ְלהִתְ ַעּסֵק ָּבהֶם ּכְדֵ י‬
‫ וְאֹומֵר "ּגַם אַּתְ ּבְדַ ם ּב ְִריתֵ ְך ׁשִ ַּלחְּתִ י‬,‫ׁשנֵי ּדָ מִים‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "מִתְ ּבֹו ֶססֶת ּבְדָ ָמי ְִך" (שם) – ִּב‬ ֶ ,‫ׁש ָּמלּו בְאֹותֹו ַה ַּליְלָה‬
ֶ ,‫מִילָה‬
‫ מִׁשְ כּו י ְדֵ יכֶם‬,‫ׁשהָיּו ׁשְטּופִין ֶּב ֱאלִילִים ָאמַר ָלהֶם משכו וקחו לכם‬ ֶ ‫ִירי ְִך ִמּבֹור אֵין ַמי ִם ּבֹו" (זכריה ט'); ּו ְלפִי‬ ַ ‫ֲאס‬
)‫ׁשל מִ ְצוָה (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ ּוקְחּו ָלכֶם צ ֹאן‬,‫ ֵמ ֱאלִילִים‬:
‫ והיה לכם למשמרת‬AND IT SHALL BE IN YOUR KEEPING (or watching) — This expresses
the idea of examining, and the text therefore implies that it requires examination against any
blemish during the four days before slaughter (Pesachim 96a). And why did He order that it
should be taken from the flock four days before its slaughter, something which He did not
command in respect to the paschal-lamb that was offered by succeeding generations? Rabbi
Mathia, the son of Cheresh, said, in answer: Behold, it (Scripture) says, (Ezekiel 16:8) “And I
passed over thee (an allusion to God’s passing over the Israelites in Egypt) and looked upon
thee, and behold, thy time was the time of love” — there had arrived the time to fulfil the oath
which I had sworn to Abraham to redeem his children. They, however, possessed no divine
commands in which to engage in order that they should merit to be redeemed — as it is said
(Ezekiel 16:7) “thou wast naked and bare” (i. e. bare of all merit earned through the fulfilment
of God’s commands). He therefore gave them two commands, relating respectively to the
blood of the paschal-lamb and the blood of the circumcision — for that night they
circumcised themselves, as it is said (Ezekiel 16:6) “[When I passed over thee] I saw thee
wallowing in thy bloods (‫ ּבְדָ ַמי ְִך‬is plural)” i. e. in two kinds of blood. Further it states,
(Zechariah 9:11) “As for thee, also, because of the blood of the covenant I released thy
prisoners out of the pit wherin there is no water”. And yet another reply to this question is,
that because they were sunk in idolatry and had no merit gained by the practice of a divine
command, He said unto them, (v. 21) ‫“ משכו‬Draw” — withdraw your hands from idols; ‫וקחו‬
‫“ לכם צאן‬and take unto yourselves a lamb” to fulfil a divine command (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:2:1).

)‫ׁשל ָאדָ ם ּכְמֹותֹו (קידושין מלכים א‬

ֶ ‫ּׁשלּוחֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ְוכִי ֻּכּלָן ׁשֹו ֲחטִין? ֶאּלָא ִמּכָאן‬.'‫ושחטו אתו וגו‬:

‫ ושחטו אתו וגו׳‬AND THEY SHALL SLAUGHTER IT etc. — But did they all slaughter it (one
alone did this on behalf of the company formed to eat that particular lamb; cf. Chullin 29b)?
But we derive from this statement the legal principle that a man’s agent is as himself (this is
derived from the fact that although one alone slaughtered the lamb on behalf of many,
Scripture still states: they shall slaughter it) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:6:2; Kiddushin
41b).

‫ נִ ְכנְסָה כַת ִראׁשֹונָה‬,‫ׁשלֹוׁש ּכִּתֹות זֹו ַאחַר זֹו‬ָ ‫ׁש ָחטִין ְּב‬
ְ ִ‫ ִּפ ְסחֵי צִּבּור נ‬,‫ ָקהָל ְועֵדָ ה ְויִׂש ְָר ֵאל; ִמּכָאן ָאמְרּו‬.‫קהל עדת ישראל‬
)‫ ּכִדְ אִיתָ א ִּב ְפ ָסחִים (דף ס"ד‬.'‫נִנְעֲלּו ּדַ לְתֹות ָה ֲעז ָָרה וְכּו‬:

‫ קהל עדת ישראל‬it speaks here of ‫ קהל‬assembly, ‫ עדה‬congregation, ‫ ישראל‬Israel, whilst one of
these terms alone would have sufficed; hence they (the Rabbis) said: the paschal-lambs of the
congregation (a term used in contrast to that which was sacrificed by an individual on the 14th
of the second month; cf. Numbers 9:9—14) are to be slaughtered in three groups, one after the
other — the first group entered and the doors of the court were closed, etc. as is to be found in
the Talmud, Treatise Pesachim (64a).

‫ּׁשמֶׁש נֹוטֶה ְלבֵית ְמבֹואֹו ַלעֲר ֹב; ּולְׁשֹון בין הערבים נ ְִראֶ ה‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ,‫ ִמּׁשֵׁש ׁשָעֹות ּו ְל ַמ ְעלָה קָרּוי ּבֵין ָהע ְַר ַּבי ִם‬.‫בין הערבים‬
‫ ַוע ֲִריבַת‬,‫ ע ֲִריבַת הַּיֹום ּבִתְ ִחּלַת ז' ׁשָעֹות ִמּכִי יִּנָטּו ִצ ְללֵי ע ֶֶרב‬,‫ׁשּבֵין ע ֲִריבַת הַּיֹום ַלע ֲִריבַת ַה ַּליְלָה‬ֶ ‫ְבעֵינַי אֹותָ ן ׁשָעֹות‬
)‫ׂש ְמחָה" (ישעיהו כ"ד‬ ִ ‫ ּכְמֹו "ע ְָרבָה ּכָל‬,‫ ערב לְׁשֹון נֶׁשֶף וְחֹׁשְֶך‬.‫ ַה ַּליְלָה ּבִתְ ִחּלַת ַה ַּליְלָה‬:

‫ בין הערבים‬AT EVENTIDE — The period beginning at six hours (reckoning from six o’clock
in the morning) and hence forward is called ‫( בין הערבים‬Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:6:5),
because the sun then inclines in the direction of the place of its setting to become darkened.
The expression ‫ בין הערבים‬appears to me to denote those hours which are between the
darkening of the day and the darkening of the night. The darkening of the day is at the
beginning of the seventh hour in the day, from when the shadows of evening decline; and the
darkening of the night is at the commencement of the night (this period is therefore from noon
until the beginning of night). The word ‫ ערב‬is an expression for gloom and darkness, as in
(Isaiah 24:11). “All joy is darkened".

12:7

)‫ י ָכֹול ַּבּי ָד? ּתַ "ֹל אשר בסף (מכילתא‬,‫ זֹו קַ ָּבלַת הַּדָ ם‬.‫ולקחו מן הדם‬:

‫ ולקחו מן הדם‬AND THEY SHALL TAKE OF THE BLOOD — This refers to the ritual
reception of the blood. One might think that they must take it in the hand; therefore Scripture
states, (v. 22) “[and ye shall dip it in the blood] which is in the basin (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:7:1).

‫ הֵם ַהּז ְקּופֹות ַאחַת ִמּכָאן ַלּפֶתַ ח וְַאחַת מִ ּכָאן‬.‫המזוזת‬:

‫ המזוזת‬THE SIDE POSTS — These are the upright posts, one on this side of the entrance and
one on that side.

"‫ ּכְמֹו "קֹול ָעלֶה נִּדָ ף‬,‫ׁשקִיפָה ֲח ָבטָה‬

ְ ‫ לינטי"ל ְּב ַלעַז; ּולְׁשֹון‬,‫ׁשהַּדֶ לֶת ׁשֹוקֵף ָעלָיו ְּכׁשֶּסֹוג ְִרין אֹותֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ָה ֶעלְיֹון‬.‫המשקוף‬
‫ַּבּורה – מַׁשְ קֹופֵי‬
ָ ‫ ח‬,‫ׁשקִיף‬ ָ ְ‫(ויקרא כ"ו) – ד‬:

‫ המשקוף‬THE LINTEL — This is the upper post upon which the door beats (‫ )שוקף‬when it is
being closed; old French lintel. The expression ‫( שקף‬from which ‫ משקוף‬lintel is derived)
denotes beating, as may be seen from the Targum on, (Leviticus 26:36) “the sound of a leaf
that is beaten (by another)”, which Onkelos renders by ‫ ;דשקיף‬and from the Targum on,
(Exodus 21:25) ‫ַּבּורה‬
ָ ‫“ ח‬wheal” (a beaten spot), where ‫ משקופי‬is the rendering.

'‫ׁשאֵין ּדָ ִרין ּבְתֹוכֹו (ע‬

ֶ ,‫ׁש ְּבבֵית הַּתֶ בֶן ּובֵית ַה ָּבקָר‬
ֶ ‫ׁשקֹוף ּומְזּוזֹות‬
ְ ‫ וְֹלא עַל ַמ‬.‫על הבתים אשר יאכלו אתו בהם‬
)‫מכילתא‬:

‫ אל הבתים אשר יאכלו אתו בהם‬ON THE HOUSES WHEREIN THEY SHALL EAT IT — and not
upon the lintel and the doorposts which are in the place used for storing straw or in the stalls
of oxen, in which people do not live and eat. (Cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:7:2 and ‫הגהות‬
‫ הגר״א‬thereon).

12:8

)‫ וְֹלא ּגִידִ ים ַו ֲעצָמֹות (שם‬.‫את הבשר‬:

‫ את הבשר‬AND THEY SHALL EAT] THE FLESH — but not the sinews and bones (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:8:1).

)'‫ׂשב מַר נִק ְָרא מָרֹור; ְו ִצּוָם ֶלאֱכ ֹל מַר זֵכֶר לְ" ַויְמ ְָררּו אֶת ַחּי ֵיהֶם" (שמות א‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל ֵע‬.‫ומצות על מררים‬:

‫ ומצות על מררים‬AND UNLEAVENED BREAD WITH ‫ — מררים‬Every bitter herb is called

‫מרור‬. He commanded them to eat something bitter as a reminder of: (Exodus 1:14) “And they
made their lives bitter” (Pesachim 116b).

12:9
‫קֹוראֹו נָא ְבלָׁשֹון ע ֲָרבִי‬
ְ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו צָלּוי ּכָל צ ְָרּכֹו‬
ֶ .‫אל תאכלו ממנו נא‬:

‫ אל תאכלו ממנו נא‬DO NOT EAT OF IT HALF-DONE — flesh that is not roasted as much as it
should be is called ‫ נא‬in the Arabic language (cf. Pesachim 41a).

‫ ּכָל ז ֶה ּבְַאזְה ַָרת אל תאכלו‬.‫ובשל מבשל‬:

‫ ובשל מבשל‬NOR SODDEN AT ALL — All this belongs to the prohibition, “Do not eat of it”
(The text is, therefore, to be translated as above, and not: Do not eat of it half done, but boiled
etc. The words ‫ אל תאכלו‬are to be supplied before ‫ בשל‬and ‫( )כי אם צלי אש‬Pesachim 41b).

)‫ ִמּכָל ָמקֹום (פסחים מ"א‬,‫ּׁשל‬

ָ ‫ׁשל ְמ ֻב‬
ֵ ‫ׁש ִקין? ּתַ "ֹל ּו ָב‬
ְ ‫ׁשָאר ַמ‬
ְ ‫ ִמּנַי ִן ִל‬.‫במים‬:

‫[ במים‬BOILED] IN WATER — Whence may it be deduced that this prohibition extends to

other liquids also? Because Scripture states here ‫ובשל מבשל‬, “or boiled at all” (Pesachim 41a.).

‫ אל תאכלו ממנו … כי אם צלי אש‬,‫ׂשה‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכָאן הֹוסִיף ָעלָיו ֹלא תַ ֲע‬,‫ׂשה‬
ֵ ‫ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ָּגז ַר ָעלָיו ְּב ִמ ְצוַת ֲע‬.‫כי אם צלי אש‬:

‫ כי אם צלי אש‬BUT ROAST WITH FIRE — Above (in the preceding verse) Scripture
promulgates the law regarding this in the form of an affirmative command; here it adds to that
a negative command: Do not eat of it … except roasted by fire. (Consequently one who eats
of it in in any manner except roasted by fire is liable to the punishment laid down for
transgressing a negative command as well as to that for the infringement of a positive
command) (Pesachim 41b).

;)‫ ּו ְבנֵי ֵמעָיו נֹותֵ ן לְתֹוכֹו ַאחַר הֲדָ חָתָ ן (שם ע"ד‬,‫ צֹולֵהּו ּכֻּלֹו ְכ ֶאחָד עִם ר ֹאׁשֹו ְועִם ּכ ְָרעָיו ְועִם ק ְִרּבֹו‬.‫ראשו על כרעיו‬
‫ׁשהּוא – ּכָל ּבְׂשָרֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ַאף ז ֶה ּכְמֹות‬,‫ׁשהֵן‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו ְּב ִצבְאֹותָ ם – ּכְמֹות‬,) '‫ּולְׁשֹון על קרבו ִּכלְׁשֹון "עַל ִצבְאֹותָ ם" (שמות ו‬
‫ּׁשלֵם‬
ָ ִ‫מ‬:

‫ ראשו על כרעיו‬ITS HEAD WITH ITS LEGS — One roasts it all in one, with its head and with
its legs and with its inward parts, and one places its entrails inside it after having rinsed them
(Pesachim 74a). The expression ‫על קרבו‬, is like the expression, (Exodus 6:26) “‫”על צבאותם‬,
which is the same as ‫בצבאותם‬, “with their hosts”, which means, “just as they are” (every one
of the Israelites). So, too, this phrase means: they shall roast the flesh just as it is — all its
flesh, whole.

12:10

‫ ּובָא‬,‫ּׁשעַת ָהנֵץ ַהחַּמָ ה‬ְ ‫ׁשמָעֹו ִמ‬

ְ ‫ׁשהַּבֹקֶר ַמ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשנִּי ָה? לִּתֵן ּבֹקֶר עַל ּבֹקֶר‬ְ ‫ ַמה ּתַ "ֹל עד בקר ַּפעַם‬.‫והנתר ממנו עד בקר‬
‫ׁשאֵינֹו נִׂש ְָרף ּבְיֹום טֹוב אֶ ּלָא‬
ֶ ‫ ִלּמֵד‬,‫ וְעֹוד מִדְ ָרׁש ַאחֵר‬.‫ׁשמָעֹו‬ְ ‫ ז ֶהּו ְלפִי ַמ‬,‫ּׁשחַר‬ ַ ‫ׁשָאסּור ַּב ֲאכִילָה ֵמעֲלֹות ַה‬
ֶ ‫ַהּכָתּוב ְל ַהקְּדִ ים‬
)‫ׁשנִי תַ עֲמ ֹד וְתִ ׂש ְְרפֶּנּו (מכילתא‬ֵ ‫ עַד ּבֹקֶר‬,‫ ְוהַּנֹותָ ר ִמ ֶּמּנּו ּבְבֹקֶר ִראׁשֹון‬:‫ׁשּנּו‬
ֶ ‫ ְוכְָך ּתִ דְ ְר‬,‫ ִמ ָּמח ֳָרת‬:

‫ והנתר ממנו עד בקר‬AND THAT WHICH REMAINETH OF IT UNTIL THE MORNING —

What does Scripture intend to teach by stating ‫ עד בקר‬a second time? It intends to add an
earlier stage of morning to the stage of morning already mentioned: because the term morning
usually signifies the period beginning with sun-rise, and Scripture here intends to advance the
hour and forbid eating it even from the break of day. This is the explanation according to what
the text really implies. And there is still another Halacha derived from it: it teaches that it is
not to be burnt on the festival itself but on the following day, and this is how you must explain
it: “[and ye shall not leave anything of it until the morning]”; ‫“ והנתר ממנו‬and as regards that
which is left of it” unto that first morning (‫)עד בקר‬, until the second morning shalt thou wait,
and then shalt thou burn it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:10; Pesachim 83b; Shabbat 24b).

12:11

‫ מְ ז ֻּמָ נִים לַּדֶ ֶרְך‬.‫מתניכם חגרים‬:

‫ מתניכם חגרים‬YOUR LOINS GIRDED — i. e. prepared for the journey (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:11).

'‫ׁשלִיכּו א ֲָרם ְּב ָח ְפז ָם" (מלכים ב‬

ְ ‫ " ֲאׁשֶר ִה‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו " ַויְהִי ּדָ וִד נֶ ְחּפָז ָל ֶלכֶת" (שמואל א' כ"ג‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ֶּב ָהלָה ּו ְמהִירּות‬.‫בחפזון‬
)'‫ז‬:

‫ — בחפזון‬This is an expression denoting hurry and haste, similar to, (I Samuel 23:26) “And
David made haste (‫ )נחפז‬to get away”; (2 Kings 7:15) ”which the Arameans had cast away in
their haste"

‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ָהי ָה מְדַ ּלֵג ּבָּתֵ י יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ִמּבֵין ּבָּתֵ י מִ צ ְַרי ִם וְקֹופֵץ‬
ֶ ,‫ ַהּק ְָרּבָן קָרּוי פסח עַל ׁשֵם הַּדִ ּלּוג ְו ַה ְּפסִיחָה‬.'‫פסח הוא לה‬
‫ זֵכֶר לִׁשְמֹו ׁשֶ ּקָרּוי‬,‫ ּדֶ ֶרְך ּדִ ּלּוג ּו ְקפִיצָה‬,‫ׁש ַמי ִם‬ ָ ‫ִמ ִּמצ ְִרי ְל ִמצ ְִרי ְויִׂש ְָר ֵאל אֶ ְמ ָצעִי נִ ְמלָט; ְואַּתֶ ם עֲׂשּו כָל עֲבֹודֹותָ יו ְלׁשֵם‬
‫פסח; ְוגַם פשק"א לְׁשֹון ְּפסִיעָה‬:

‫ פסח הוא לה‬IT IS THE PASSOVER OF THE LORD — The offering is called ‫ פסח‬in allusion
to the springing and passing over — because the Holy One, blessed be He, passed over the
houses of the Israelites in between the houses of the Egyptians and sprang from Egyptian to
Egyptian, whilst the Israelite who was between them escaped. The words “And ye shall eat it
in haste for it is a 'springing’-offering to the Lord” imply: Ye, therefore, do every act of
sacrificial service connected with it (with the Paschal lamb) in honour of Heaven (God) by
way of springing and leaping over (i. e. hastily), as a reminder of its name, which is called, the
“springing”-offering. In old French, (Provencal) too, Pascua (the term for the Passover
festival) signifies stepping over.

12:12

‫ ּו ְב ַה ֲעב ָָרה ַאחַת ּוב ְֶרגַע אֶ חָד ֻּכּלָן לֹוקִ ים‬,)‫ ְּכ ֶמלְֶך הָעֹובֵר ִמ ָּמקֹום ְל ָמקֹום (מכילתא‬.‫ועברתי‬:

‫ ועברתי‬AND I WILL PASS — This is not to be taken literally, but is speaks of God as one
speaks of a king who passes from place to place (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:12:1) but in
this case all were punished at a single passage and in one moment.

‫ׁש ִּב ְמקֹומֹות ֲאח ִֵרים? ּתַ "ֹל "לְמַ ּכֵה‬

ֶ ‫ְכֹורי ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
ֵ ‫ ּו ִמּנַי ִן ַאף ּב‬.‫ ַאף ּבְכֹורֹות אֲ ח ִֵרים ְוהֵם ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬.‫כל בכור בארץ מצרים‬
)‫ְכֹוריהֶם" (תהלים קל"ו‬ ֵ ‫ ִמצ ְַרי ִם ִּבב‬:

‫ כל בכור בארץ מצרים‬ALL THE FIRSTBORN IN THE LAND OF EGYPT — also the first-born
of other nations who happened then to be in Egypt. And whence may we deduce that the first-
born of the Egyptians who happened to be in other countries also died? From what Scripture
states: (Psalms 136:10) “To Him that smote the Egyptians in their first-born” (an unqualified
statement) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:12:2).

)‫ׁשהִתְ חִיל ַּב ֲעב ֵָרה ִמ ֶּמּנּו מַתְ ֶחלֶת ַהּפ ְֻרעָנּות (מכילתא‬
ֶ ‫ מִי‬.‫מאדם ועד בהמה‬:
‫ מאדם עד בהמה‬FROM MAN TO BEAST — He who first began the wrongdoing, from him
began the punishment (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:12:2).

)‫ָָארץ (שם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל מַּתֶ כֶת נִ ְמסֵת ְונִּתֶ כֶת ל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל עֵץ נ ְִר ֶקבֶת ְו‬
ֶ .‫ובכל אלהי מצרים‬:

‫ ובכל אלהי מצרים‬AND AGAINST ALL THE GODS OF EGYPT [WILL I EXECUTE
JUDGEMENTS] — An idol of wood rotted, and one of metal melted and was poured out on
the ground (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:12:3)).

‫ וְֹלא עַל י ְדֵ י ׁשָ לִי ַח‬,‫ ֲאנִי ְב ַע ְצמִי‬.'‫אעשה שפטים אני ה‬:

'‫ אעשה שפטים אני ה‬I WILL EXECUTE JUDGEMENTS, I, THE LORD — I, Myself, and not
by means of a messenger (Pesikta Zotarta).

12:13

‫ׁשֹּלא נָתְ נּו הַּדָ ם אֶ ּלָא מִ ִּב ְפנִים‬

ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬.)‫ ָלכֶם לְאֹות וְֹלא ַל ֲאח ִֵרים לְאֹות (שם‬.‫והיה הדם לכם לאת‬:

‫ והיה הדם לכם לאת‬AND THE BLOOD SHALL BE UNTO YOU FOR A SIGN — it shall be to
you for a sign, and not to others for a sign (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:13:1). From this we
may learn that they put the blood only inside their houses.

‫ ּופֹו ֵס ַח אֲ נִי‬,‫ׁשאַּתֶ ם עֲסּוקִים ְּב ִמצְוֹותַ י‬

ֶ ‫ נֹותֵ ן ֲאנִי אֶת עֵינַי ל ְִראֹות‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ָאמַר ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬,‫ הַּכ ֹל ּגָלּוי ְל ָפנָיו‬.‫וראיתי את הדם‬
)‫ ֲעלֵיכֶם (שם‬:

‫ וראיתי את הדם‬AND WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD — But surely everything is manifest to Him
and He therefore did not need to look whether the blood had been put on the door-posts? But
the meaning is: God says, I will set My eye (my attention) to take notice of the fact that you
are engaged in the performance of My commands — then will I pass over you (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:13:1).

,‫ ופסחתי‬.‫ ּכָל ְּפסִיחָה לְׁשֹון ּדִ ּלּוג ּו ְקפִיצָה‬,‫ ַו ֲאנִי אֹומֵר‬.)‫ וְדֹו ֶמה לֹו "ּפָס ֹ ַח ְו ִה ְמלִיט" (ישעיהו ל"א‬,‫ ְו ָח ַמלְּתִ י‬.‫ופסחתי‬
,)‫ ְוכֵן "ּפֹו ְסחִים עַל ׁשְּתֵ י ַה ְּס ִעּפִים" (מלכים א י"ח‬,‫ׁשהָיּו ׁשְרּוי ִים ז ֶה ּבְתֹוְך ז ֶה‬ ֶ ,‫מְדַ ּלֵג ָהי ָה ִמּבָּתֵ י יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְלבָּתֵ י ִמצ ְִרּי ִים‬
‫ ְוכֵן "ּפָס ֹ ַח ְו ִה ְמלִיט" – מְדַ ּלְגֹו ּו ְמ ַמּלְטֹו מִ ּבֵין הַּמּומָתִ ים‬,‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל ַה ִּפ ְּסחִים – הֹו ְלכִים ּכְקֹו ְפצִים‬:

‫ — ופסחתי‬This signifies I WILL SPARE you; similar to this is, (Isaiah 31:5) “Sparing (‫)פסוח‬
and delivering”. (This is the explanation of Menachem ben Seruk). But I say that wherever the
root ‫ פסח‬occurs it is an expression for leaping and springing over, so that ‫ ופסחתי‬here denotes
that He sprang from the houses of the Israelites when He reached them, without having
entered them, to the houses of the Egyptians — for they (the Egyptians and the Israelites)
dwelt one next to the other. Of a like import is, (1 Kings 18:21) “How long will ye leap (
‫ )פוסחים‬upon two twigs?” So, too, all ‫ פסחים‬lame people walk as though they were springing,
and are therefore termed ‫פסחים‬. This, too, is the meaning of, (Isaiah 31:5) ‫“ פסוח והמליט‬He
springs over him and delivers him” from amongst those who are being killed.

‫ י ָכֹול י ִ ָּמלֵט? ּתַ "ֹל "וְֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה ָבכֶם‬,‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה ִמצ ְִרי ְּבבֵיתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬.‫ ֲאבָל הוֶֹה הּוא ַּב ִּמצ ְִרים‬.‫ולא יהיה בכם נגף‬
‫ ּתַ "ֹל "וְֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה ָבכֶם‬,‫ ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ֲאנִי י ִ ְלקֶה כְמֹותֹו‬,‫ׁשל ִמצ ְִרי‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְּבבֵיתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬.‫ׁש ְּבבָּתֵ יכֶם‬
ֶ ‫ אֲ בָל הֹוֶה ַּב ִּמצ ְִרים‬,"‫נֶגֶף‬
)‫נֶגֶף" (מכילתא‬:
‫ ולא יהיה בכם נגף‬AND THE INFLICTION SHALL NOT BE UPON YOU — but it will be
upon the Egyptians. — In the case that an Egyptian was in an Israelite’s house one might
think that he would escape! Therefore Scripture says: “and the infliction shall not be upon
you”, but it shall be upon the Egyptians who happen to be in your houses! In the case that an
Israelite was in an Egyptians house, I might understand from this that he would be smitten just
the same as he (the Egyptian)! Therefore Scripture says, “and the affliction shall not be upon
you”, wherever you may happen to be (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:13:2).

12:14

‫ לְדֹורֹות‬.‫לזכרון‬:

‫[ לזכרון‬AND THIS DAY SHALL BE UNTO YOU] FOR A MEMORIAL — in future

generations (i. e. in the future).

‫ ּתַ "ֹל "ז ָכֹור אֶת הַּיֹום ַהּז ֶה אֲׁשֶר‬,‫ׁש ַמעְנּו אֵיז ֶהּו יֹום ַהּזִּכָרֹון‬
ָ ‫ ַועֲדַ י ִן ֹלא‬.‫ׁשהּוא לְָך ְלזִּכָרֹון אַּתָ ה חֹוגְגֹו‬
ֶ ‫ יֹום‬.‫וחגתם אתו‬
‫ ְואֵי ז ֶה יֹום יָצְאּו? ּתַ "ֹל " ִמ ָּמח ֳַרת ַה ֶּפסַח יָצְאּו" (במדבר‬.‫ׁשל זִּכָרֹון‬ ֶ ‫ ׁשֶּיֹום ַהיְצִיָאה הּוא יֹום‬,‫ ִלּמְדָ נּו‬,) ‫יְצָאתֶ ם" (שמות י"ג‬
‫ָָש ֹר ָאכְלּו אֶת ַה ֶּפסַח ְולַּב ֹקֶר יָצְאּו‬
ָֹ ‫ּׁשה ע‬
ָ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי לֵיל ֲח ִמ‬ֶ ,‫ׁשל יֹום טֹוב‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשה ָעׂשָר ְּבנִיסָן הּוא‬ ָ ‫ ֱהוֵי אֹומֵר יֹום ֲח ִמ‬,)‫ל"ג‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫ וחגתם אתו‬AND YE SHALL CELEBRATE IT AS A FEAST— Scripture states: the day that is
to serve you as a memorial, that day thou shalt celebrate as a feast, but we have not yet heard
which is the day that is to be a memorial; therefore Scripture says (Exodus 13:3) “Remember
(‫ )זכור‬this day in which ye went out” and this teaches us that the day of the Exodus itself is the
day which is to be the memorial (‫)זכרון‬. Now, on which day did they go forth? Scripture
states, (Numbers 33:3) “On the morrow after the Passover-sacrifice they went forth”. Thus
you must say that the day of the fifteenth of Nisan is that of the Feast, for on the night of the
fifteenth (i. e. what we would term the night following the day of the fourteenth) they ate the
Passover-sacrifice, and consequently on the next morning they went forth (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:14:1).

)‫ ּתַ "ֹל " ֻחּקַת עֹולָם ּתְ ָחּגֻהּו" (שם‬,‫ׁשנַי ִם‬

ְ ‫ ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ֲאנִי מִעּוט ּדֹורֹות‬.'‫לדרתיכם וגו‬:

‫[ לדרתיכם וגו׳‬YE SHALL CELEBRATE IT] FOR YOUR GENERATIONS etc. — I might
understand from this that it need be celebrated only for the minimum of a plurality of
generations, viz., two; therefore Scripture goes on to state “an ordinance for ever shall ye
celebrate it as feast” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:14:3).

12:15

‫ שטיינ"א ׁשֶ ל י ָמִ ים‬.‫שבעת ימים‬:

‫ שבעת ימים‬denotes a septaine (old French) of days.

‫ׁשׁשֶת יָמִים ּת ֹאכַל מַּצֹות" (דברים ט"ז) ִלּמֵד עַל ׁשְ בִיעִי ׁשֶ ל‬ ֵ " ‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר הּוא אֹומֵר‬.‫שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו‬
‫ ּדָ בָר‬,‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ זֹו מִּדָ ה ב‬."‫ׁשׁשֶת יָמִים‬ ֵ " ‫ּׁשה ְרׁשּות? ּתַ "ֹל‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ֹאכַל ָחמֵץ; ִמּנַי ִן ַאף‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ִב ְלבַד‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו חֹובָה ֶלאֱכ ֹל ַמּצָה‬ ֶ ‫ֶּפסַח‬
‫ּׁשבִיעִי ְרׁשּות ַאף‬ְ ‫ ַמה‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ְל ַלּמֵד עַל ַה ְּכלָל ּכֻּלֹו יָצָא‬,‫ ֹלא ְל ַלּמֵד עַל ַעצְמֹו ִּב ְלבַד יָצָא‬,‫ׁשֶ ָהי ָה ִּב ְכלָל ְויָצָא מִן ַה ְּכלָל ְל ַלּמֵד‬
)‫ ּתַ "ֹל " ָּבע ֶֶרב ּת ֹאכְלּו מַּצ ֹת" – ַהּכָתּוב ְקבָעֹו חֹובָה (פסחים ק"כ‬,‫ּׁשה ְרׁשּות; י ָכֹול ַאף ַה ַּליְלָה ה ִָראׁשֹון ְרׁשּות‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ :
‫ שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו‬SEVEN DAYS SHALL YE EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD — But in
another passage it slates: (Deuteronomy 16:8) “Six days shalt thou eat unleavened bread”!
This teaches regarding the seventh day of the Passover that it is not obligatory to eat
unleavened bread on it, but only this is required viz., that one should not eat leavened food.
Whence may we derive that the other six days, too, are optinal as regards the eating of
unleavened bread? From what Scripture states: “Six days [shalt thou eat unnleavened bread]”.
For the following is a Rule by which the Torah may be expounded: Anything that is included
in a general statement and goes out (i. e. Scripture singles it out) from this general statement
for the purpose of teaching something, does not go out from it in order to teach something
regarding itself alone but it goes out from it to teach something about everything that is
included in the general statement. Now the seventh day is included in the general statement
“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread”, and in the text “Six days shall thou eat
unleavened bread” it has left the general statement. How is it with the seventh day? It is
optional as regards the eating of unleavened bread, (as explained in the earlier portion of this
comment)! This, according to the above rule, applies also to everything that was included in
the general statement i. e. to the whole seven days, and therefore the other six days are also
optional in this respect! One might think that the first night of the Passover is also optional
(since it is part of the first day when as we have just shown the eating of unleavened bread is
optional), therefore Scripture states, (v. 18) “at evening ye shall eat unleavened bread”
Scripture thus fixes it as obligatory for that night (Pesachim 120a).

‫ּׁש ְבעָה; ּו ָמצִינּו מֻ קְּדָ ם קָרּוי‬

ִ ‫ׁשהּוא ִל ְפנֵי ַה‬
ֶ ‫ ְוקָרּוי ִראׁשֹון ְלפִי‬,‫ ֵמע ֶֶרב יֹום טֹוב‬.‫אך ביום הראשון תשביתו שאור‬
‫ׁש ְבעָה? ּתַ "ֹל "ֹלא תִ ׁשְ חַט‬ ִ ‫ׁשל‬ ֶ ‫ "ה ֲִראיׁשֹון ָאדָ ם ּתִ ָּולֵד" (איוב ט"ו ) – ֲה ִל ְפנֵי ָאדָ ם נֹולַדְ ּתָ ; אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ִראׁשֹון‬,‫ִראׁשֹון‬
)'‫ׁשחַט ַה ֶּפסַח ַועֲדַ י ִן ָחמֵץ ַקּי ָם (פסחים ה‬ ְ ִ‫עַל ָחמֵץ וְגֹו'" (שמות ל"ד) – ֹלא ת‬:

‫ אך ביום הראשון תשביתו שאור‬EVEN THE FIRST DAY YE SHALL HAVE PUT AWAY
LEAVEN — This means on the eve of the festival ye shall put it away — and that day is
termed “the first (‫ )הראשון‬day” because it is immediately before the seven days: We find in
another passage, too, that a thing which precedes another is termed ‫ראשון‬, as in (Job. 15:7)
“Wast thou born ‫ ראשון‬Adam”, i. e. wast thou born before Adam? — But perhaps the text it
referring only to the first of the seven days (i. e. the word ‫ ראשון‬has its ordinary meaning of
first, and leavened food must be removed on the first day of the Festival and not on the
preceding day)! Scripture, however, states: (Exodus 34:25) “Thou shalt not offer together
with leaven [the blood of my sacrifice]” — i. e. thou shalt not slaughter the Passover sacrifice
whilst leavened bread is still existent (but the Passover sacrifice was slaughtered on the
afternoon of the day before the first day of the Festival; consequently all leavened food must
have been removed by the hour of slaughter)(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:15:4; cf.
Pesachim 5a).

)‫ׁשּה ּובְדַ עְּתָ ּה – ּפ ְָרט לְָאנּוס (מכילתא‬

ָ ‫ׁשהִיא ְבנַ ְפ‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫הנפש ההוא‬:

‫[ הנפש ההיא‬FOR WHOSOEVER EATETH ANYTHING LEAVENED..] THAT SOUL

[SHALL BE CUT OFF] — if it eats unleavened bread when it is in its will (‫ )נפש‬and with its
full consciousness — this would exclude one who does so being under some external
compulsion (force majeure) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:15:5).

‫ ּתַ "ֹל ְּב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר " ִמ ְּל ָפנַי" (ויקרא כ"ב) – ְּבכָל מָ קֹום‬,‫ ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ֲאנִי ּתִ ּכ ֵָרת ִמּיִׂש ְָר ֵאל וְתֵ לְֶך לָּה ְלעַם ַאחֵר‬.‫מישראל‬
‫ׁשֶ הּוא ְרׁשּותִ י‬:
‫[ מישראל‬THAT SOUL SHALL BE CUT OFF] FROM ISRAEL — I might understand from
this that he shall be cut off from Israel and that he will be able to betake himself to another
nation! Scripture therefore states in another passage, (Leviticus 22:3) “[that soul shall be cut
off] from my presence” — in every place that is My territory (i. e. everywhere) (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:15:5).

12:16

)‫ מקרא ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר; ק ְָרא אֹותֹו קדש ַל ֲאכִילָה ּוׁשְתִ ּי ָה ּוכְסּות (מכילתא‬.‫מקרא קדש‬:

‫ — מקרא קדש‬The word ‫ מקרא‬is an infinitive and the translation is, “And on the first day there
shall be “a calling it holy”, which implies: call it holy in regard to eating and drinking and
raiment (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:16:1).

)‫ ֲאפִּלּו עַל י ְדֵ י אֲ ח ִֵרים (שם‬.‫לא יעשה בהם‬:

‫ לא יעשה בהם‬NO WORK SHALL BE DONE ON THEM, even by the agency of others (cf.
Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:16:2).

)‫ׁש ֶא ְפׁשָר ַלעֲׂשֹותָ ן ֵמע ֶֶרב יֹום טֹוב (ביצה כ"ח‬

ֶ ‫ִיריו‬
ָ ‫ "הּוא" וְֹלא ַמ ְכׁש‬.‫הוא לבדו‬:

‫ הוא לבדו‬THAT ALONE — that and not such acts preliminary to it (to the preparation of food)
as it was possible to do on the eve of the Festival (Beitzah 28b).

)‫ ּתַ לְמּוד לֹומַר ָלכֶם (מכילתא‬,‫ ֲאפִּלּו ִל ְב ֵהמָה; י ָכֹול ַאף לַּגֹוי ִם‬.‫לכל נפש‬:

‫ לכל נפש‬BY EVERY BEING — even by cattle. One might think that also food may be
prepared for non-Israelites! Scripture however states, (in this verse) ‫( לכם‬i. e. ‫ )לכל נפש לכם‬for
every being that belongs to you (the responsibility for feeding which belongs to you)
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:16:4).

12:17

‫קֹורא אֶת‬ֵ ‫ׁשּי ָה אֹומֵר ַאל ּתְ הִי‬ ִ ‫ ַרּבִי י ֹא‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ָב ֹאּו לִידֵ י חִּמּוץ; ִמּכָאן ָאמְרּו ּתָ פַח ּתִ לְט ֹׁש ּבְצֹונֵן‬
ֶ .‫ושמרתם את המצות‬
‫ עֲׂשֵ ה‬,‫ ֶאּלָא אִם ּבָָאה ְלי ָדְ ָך‬,‫ ּכְָך אֵין ַמ ֲחמִיצִין אֶת ַה ִּמ ְצוָה‬,‫ׁשאֵין ַמ ֲחמִיצִין אֶת ַה ַּמּצָה‬ ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא אֶת ַה ִּמצְוֹות – ּכְדֶ ֶרְך‬,‫ַהּמַּצֹות‬
)‫אֹותָ ּה מִ ּי ָד (שם‬:

‫ ושמרתם את המצות‬AND YE SHALL WATCH THE UNLEAVENED BREAD that it shall not
reach the stage of becoming leavened; hence the Rabbis said, if it (the dough) is rising (a sign
that the leavening process is setting in) she (the woman kneading the dough) polishes it with
cold water (i. e. she slaps the dough with hands dipped in cold water). Rabbi Josiah said: Do
not read “‫”את הּמַּצֹות‬, the unleavened bread, but ‫[“ את הַמִּ צְֹות‬ye shall watch] the
commandements” — just as we may not cause the unleavened bread to become leavened by
letting the dough remain in its raw state too long so we may not let the commandment become
“leavened” by waiting too long before we perform it; but if it (a commandment) comes to
your hand, perform it immediately (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:17:1).

‫ מִּמְ לָאכָה‬.‫ושמרתם את היום הזה‬:

‫ ושמרתם את היום הזה‬AND YE SHALL GUARD THIS DAY — against work,

 ‫ ׁשֶ ֹּלא‬,‫ׁשנָאֹו ּכָאן‬
ְ ‫ ְלכְָך ָחז ַר ּו‬,‫ׁשֹּלא נֶ ֱאמַר דורות ְוחקת עולם עַל ַה ְּמלָאכָה אֶ ּלָא עַל ַה ֲחגִיגָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫לדרתיכם חקת עולם‬
‫ת ֹאמַר ַאזְה ַָרת כל מלאכה לא יעשה ֹלא לְדֹורֹות נֶ ֶאמ ְָרה ֶאּלָא לְאֹותֹו הַּדֹור‬:

‫ לדרתיכם חקת עולם‬THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS, AN ORDINANCE FOR EVER

— Because the expressions, “[throughout your] generations”, and “an ordinance for ever”
have not been mentioned in connection with the prohibition of work but only in reference to
the celebration of the Festival (v. 14), it is therefore repeated here in order that you should not
say: the prohibition, (v. 16) “no work shall be done”, was not spoken for future generations
but for that generation alone to whom the words were addressed.

12:18

‫ לֵילֹות ִמּנַי ִן? ּתַ "ֹל עד יום‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר יָמִים‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ְבעַת יָמִים"? ְלפִי‬
ִ " ‫ ָל ָּמה נֶ ֱאמַר? ַוהֲֹלא ְּכבָר נֶ ֱאמַר‬.‫עד יום האחד ועשרים‬
)‫האחד ועשרים וגו' (מכילתא‬:

‫ עד יום האחד ועשרים‬UNTIL THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY — Why is this stated? Has it not
already been stated, (v. 15) “Seven days [shall ye eat unleavened bread]” (beginning on the
fifteenth day, as Rashi shows in his comment on v. 14 and therefore terminating on the
twenty-first)? The answer is: Since it is said in that verse, “[seven] days [shalt thou eat
unleavened bread]”, we may ask whence do we derive that the prohibition of eating
unleavened bread extends also to the nights of these seven days? Scripture therefore states
here, “[Ye shall eat unleavened bread] until the twenty-first-day in the evening” (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:18).

12:19

,‫ ִמּנַי ִן ַלגְּבּולִין? ּתַ לְמּוד ֹלֹומַר " ְּבכָל ּגְבּולֶָך" (שמות י"ג); מַה ּתַ "ֹל ְּבבָּתֵ יכֶם? מַה ּבֵיתְ ָך ּב ְִרׁשּותְ ָך‬.‫לא ימצא בבתיכם‬
)‫ׁשל נָכ ְִרי ׁשֶהּוא אֵ צֶל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל וְֹלא ִקּבֵל ָעלָיו ַאח ֲָריּות (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ יָצָא ֲחמֵצֹו‬,‫ׁשּב ְִרׁשּותְ ָך‬
ֶ ‫ַאף ּגְבּולְָך‬:

‫ לא ימצא בבתיכם‬NO LEAVEN SHALL BE FOUND IN YOUR HOUSES — Whence may we

derive that this applies also to the external properties which belong to you? From what
Scripture states, (Exodus 13:7) “[Neither shall leaven be seen with thee] in all thy
boundaries”. If this be so, why then need Scripture specify here “in your houses” (since this
term is comprised in the more general term “in all thy boundaries”)? It is for the purpose of
defining the latter term through the former. How is it the case of thy house? Everything
contained in it is under thy control! So, too, the term “[leaven in all] your boundaries” means
only such leaven as is in your boundaries and under your control, thereby excluding such
leaven belonging to a non-Israelite as is deposited with an Israelite but for which he has
accepted no responsibility (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:19:2).

‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר ָחמֵץ ׁש ֶָראּוי לַאֲ כִילָה ָענַׁש‬ ֶ ‫ ַוהֲֹלא ְכבָר ָענַׁש עַל ֶה ָחמֵץ? ֶאּלָא‬,‫ּׂשאֹור‬ ְ ‫ ַלעֲנ ֹׁש ּכ ֵָרת עַל ַה‬.‫כי כל אכל מחמצת‬
‫ ׂשְ אֹור ׁשֶהּוא‬,‫ ָהי ִיתִ י אֹומֵר‬,‫ּׂשאֹור וְֹלא ָענַׁש עַל ֶה ָחמֵץ‬ ְ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו ָראּוי ַל ֲאכִילָה ֹלא י ֵ ָענֵׁש ָעלָיו; ְואִם ָענַׁש עַל ַה‬
ֶ ‫ׂשאֹור‬
ְ ,‫ָעלָיו‬
)‫ׁשנֵיהֶם (מכילתא‬ ְ ‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֶאמְרּו‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו ְמ ַחּמֵץ ֲאח ִֵרים ֹלא יֵעָנׁש ָעלָיו‬
ֶ ‫ ָחמֵץ‬,‫ ְמ ַחּמֵץ ֲאח ִֵרים ָענַׁש ָעלָיו‬:

‫ כי כל אכל מחמצת‬FOR WHOSOEVER EATETH THAT WHICH LEAVENETH — The

purpose of this statement is to mention the punishment of excision for eating ‫( שאור‬a synonym
for ‫מחמצת‬, which is something that causes the leavening process to set in, such as yeast etc.,
whilst ‫ חמץ‬denotes food which has become leavened). But has not Scripture already
mentioned this punishment for eating leavened food (v. 15)? But the mention of this
punishment is repeated here in connection with leaven ‫מחמצת‬, in order that you should not
argue as follows: For eating leavened food — a thing which is fitted to be eaten — it
mentions this punishment, but if one eats leaven itself — which is something not fitted to be
eaten — one should not be punished for it. If, however, it had mentioned the punishment for
eating leaven but had not mentioned the punishment for eating leavened food, I might have
said: For eating leaven — a thing which has the property of making other things leavened —
it mentions the punishment, but if one eats leavened food — which is something that does not
possess the property of making other things leavened — one should not be punished for it;
therefore they are both mentioned (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:19:3; cf. Beitzah 7b).

)‫ ֻהצ ְַרְך ל ְַרּבֹות אֶת ַהּג ִֵרים (שם‬,‫ׂשה ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ָ ‫ׁש ַהּנֵס נַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫בגר ובאזרח הארץ‬:

‫ בגר ובאזרח הארץ‬WHETHER HE BE A STRANGER OR A NATIVE OF THE LAND —

Because the miracle of the Exodus was performed for Israel it is necessary expressly to
include the stranger who has become an Israelite in this command (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:19:4).

12:20

‫ ַאזְה ָָרה עַל אֲ כִילַת ׂשְ אֹור‬.‫מחמצת לא תאכלו‬:

‫ מחמצת לא תאכלו‬THAT WHICH LEAVENETH YE SHALL NOT EAT — Here we have the
prohibition regarding eating ‫( שאור‬that which causes food to become leavened).

‫ ְל ָהבִיא אֶת ּתַ ע ֲָרבְּתֹו‬.‫כל מחמצת‬:

‫[ כל מחמצת‬YE SHALL NOT EAT] ANYTHING THAT LEAVENETH — The use of the
word ‫כל‬, anything (even in the smallest degree), is intended to include food with which it (
‫ )שאור‬is mixed (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:20:1).

‫ׁשנִי ְוחַּלֹות ּתֹודָ ה‬

ֵ ‫ ּפ ְָרט ְל ַמ ֲעׂשֵר‬,‫ׁשב ֹתֵ יכֶם‬
ְ ‫ ז ֶה בָא ְל ַלּמֵד ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ְראּוי ָה ְלהֵָאכֵל ְּבכָל מֹו‬.‫בכל מושבתיכם תאכלו מצות‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫ בכל מושבתיכם תאכלו מצות‬IN ALL YOUR HABITATIONS SHALL YE EAT UNLEAVENED
BREAD — This statement is intended to teach that it (the unleavened bread which you must
eat on the first night of Passover) must be fitted to be eaten in all your habitations, thus
excluding leavened bread which forms “the second tithe” and the unleavened meal cakes
brought with the thanksgiving offering (which might be eaten only within the walls of
Jerusalem) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:20:2).

12:21

‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לֹו צ ֹאן י ִמְׁשְֹך מִּׁשֶ ּלֹו‬

ֶ ‫ מִי‬.‫משכו‬:

‫ משכו‬DRAW OUT — He who has sheep let him draw one out from his own,

)‫ׁשאֵין לֹו יִּקַח מִ ן הַּׁשּוק (שם‬

ֶ ‫ מִי‬.‫וקחו‬:

‫ וקחו‬OR TAKE, and he who has no sheep let him purchase one in the market (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:21:2).
‫ ׂשֶ ה ְלבֵית ָאבֹות‬.‫למשפחתיכם‬:

‫[ למשפחתיכם‬A LAMB] ACCORDING TO YOUR FAMILIES — this corresponds to ‫שה לבית‬

‫ אבות‬a lamb for the house of their fathers in verse 3.

12:22

‫ מִין י ָָרק ׁשֶ ּי ֵׁש לֹו ִּגבְעֹולִין‬.‫אזוב‬:

‫ אזוב‬HYSSOP — a kind of herb which has thin stalks.

)‫ׁשה קְ ָלחִין קְרּוי ִין ֲאגֻּדָ ה (שבת ק"ט‬

ָ ‫ׁשלֹו‬
ְ .‫אגדת אזוב‬:

‫ אגדת אזוב‬A BUNCH OF HYSSOP — three stalks are called a bunch (cf. Shabbat 109b;
Sukkah 13a).

‫ ּכְמֹו סִּפֹות ֶּכסֶף‬,‫ ַּב ְּכלִי‬.‫אשר בסף‬:

‫ אשר בסף‬means WHICH IS IN THE VESSEL, as in (2 Kings 12:14) “basins (‫ )ספות‬of gold.”

‫ וְׁשֶּתְ הֵא‬,‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר עֹוד ֲאׁשֶר ַּבּסַף‬,‫ׁשלֹוׁש ַהּמַּתָ נֹות‬

ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר ְטבִילָה ַאחַת ִל‬
ֶ ?‫ׁשנָאֹו‬
ְ ‫ ָלּמָה ָחז ַר ּו‬.‫מן הדם אשר בסף‬
)‫ עַל ּכָל ַה ָּגעָה ְטבִילָה (מכילתא‬,‫ כָל נְתִ ינָה ּונְתִ ינָה מִן הַּדָ ם ֲאׁשֶר ַּבּסַף‬:

‫ מן הדם אשר בסף‬WITH THE BLOOD WHICH IS IN THE BASIN — Why does Scripture
repeat this (‫ )אשר בסף‬again? In order that you should not say that one dipping of the hyssop in
the basin suffices for the three sprinklings, therefore it is again stated: “[you shall touch the
lintel…] “with the blood that is in the basin”, to show that each separate sprinkling must be
with the blood which is in the basin — for each touching of the lintel and doorposts there
must be a separate dipping (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:22:1).

‫ אֵינֹו ַמ ְבחִין ּבֵין צַּדִ יק ל ְָרׁשָע (שם); ְו ַליְלָה ְרׁשּות‬,‫ׁשחִית ְל ַחּבֵל‬

ְ ‫ׁשּנִּתְ נָה ְרׁשּות ַל ַּמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ֵּמַאחַר‬
ֶ ,‫ ַמּגִיד‬.'‫ואתם לא תצאו וגו‬
)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "ּבֹו תִ ְרמ ֹׂש ּכָל ַחי ְתֹו יָעַר" (תהלים ק"ד‬ ֶ ,‫ ַל ְמ ַח ְּבלִים הּוא‬:

‫ ואתם לא תצאו וגו׳‬AND NONE OF YOU SHALL GO OUT etc. — This tells us that when once
permission is given to the destroying angel to wound he makes no distinction between
righteous and wicked (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:22:2) — and nighttime is the domain of
the destroying agencies as it is said, (Psalms 104:20) “[Thou makest darkness and it is night],
wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth”.

12:23

‫ ְוי ֵׁש לֹומַר וְדִ ּלֵג‬,‫ ְו ָח ַמל‬.‫ופסח‬:

‫ ופסח‬signifies AND HE WILL SPARE; and one can also explain it to mean, “and He will leap
over them” (cf. Rashi on v. 13 and on Isaiah 30:5).

)‫ ּכְמֹו "וְֹלא נְתָ נֹו ֱאֹלהִים ְלה ַָרע ִעּמָדִ י" (בראשית ל"א‬,‫ וְֹלא י ִּתֵ ן לֹו י ְכֹלֶת לָב ֹא‬.‫ולא יתן המשחית‬:
‫ ולא יתן המשחית‬AND HE WILL NOT GIVE THE DESTROYER He will not give him power
to come in. The phrase is similar to (Genesis 31:9) “And God did not suffer him (‫ — נתנו‬give
him the power) to do me evil”.

12:25

‫ וְֹלא נִתְ ַחּי ְבּו ַבּמִדְ ּבָר ֶאּלָא ֶּפסַח ֶאחָד ׁשֶ עָׂשּו בַּׁשָ נָה‬,‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ ּתָ לָה ַהּכָתּוב עֲבֹודָ ה זֹו ְּבבִיָאתָ ם ל‬.‫והיה כי תבאו אל הארץ‬
‫ּׁשנִית עַל ּפִי הַּדִ ּבּור‬ֵ ‫ ַה‬:

‫ והיה כי תבאן אל הארץ‬AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS WHEN YE BE COME TO THE

LAND — Scripture makes the observance of this service dependent upon their entrance into
the land of Palestine (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:25), and they were not under any
obligation, when in the wilderness, to keep more than the one Passover which they kept in the
second year after the Exodus (cf. Numbers 9:1—5), and that, too, only in consequence of a
special divine communication. (Cf. Rashi on Numbers 9:1 and ‫כאשר דבר (תוס׳ קיד׳ ל"ז ע"ב ד"ה‬
‫הואיל‬

)'‫ָָארץ וְגֹו'" (שמות ו‬

ֶ ‫ ְוהֵיכָן ּדִ ּבֵר? " ְו ֵהבֵאתִ י אֶתְ כֶם אֶל ה‬.‫כאשר דבר‬:

ACCORDING AS HE SPAKE — And where did He say that He would give them that land?
In the following verse: (Exodus 6:8) “And I will bring you into the land” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:25).

12:27

‫ְׂשֹורת ַה ָּבנִים ׁשֶ ּיִהְיּו ָלהֶם‬

ַ ‫ָָארץ ּוב‬
ֶ ‫ְׂשֹורת ַה ְּג ֻאּלָה ּובִיַאת ה‬
ַ ‫ עַל ּב‬.‫ויקד העם‬:

‫ ויקד העם‬AND THE PEOPLE BOWED THE HEAD in thanksgiving for the tidings of the
approaching deliverance and for the promise of their coming into the land, and for the tidings
regarding the children whom they would have (since v. 26 implies that they would be blessed
with children).

12:28

‫ׁש ִּקּבְלּו ֲעלֵיהֶם מַ ֲעלֶה ֲעלֵיהֶם‬

ֶ ‫ ַוהֲֹלא מֵר ֹאׁש ח ֹדֶ ׁש נֶ ֱאמַר ָלהֶם? ֶאּלָא ִמּכֵיוָן‬,‫ ְוכִי ְּכבָר עָׂשּו‬.‫וילכו ויעשו בני ישראל‬
)‫ ַהּכָתּוב ְּכ ִאּלּו עָׂשּו (מכילתא‬:

‫ וילכו ויעשו בני ישראל‬AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT AND DID — But did they
really do this at once — was not all this spoken to them at the beginning of the month (cf.
Rashi on v. 3) and they carried out the command only on the tenth and the fourteenth? But the
explanation is: so soon as they had taken these duties upon themselves Scripture accounts it
unto them as though they had already performed them (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:25).

)‫ׂשכָר ַלעֲׂשִ ּי ָה (שם‬

ָ ‫ׂשכָר ַל ֲהלִיכָה ְו‬
ָ ‫ לִּתֵ ן‬,‫ ַאף ַה ֲהלִיכָה ָמנָה ַהּכָתּוב‬.‫וילכו ויעשו‬:

‫ וילכו ויעשו‬THEY WENT AND DID — Scripture enumerates their going also, to give them a
reward for going and a reward for doing (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:25).

?‫ ּומַ הּו כן עשו‬,‫ׁשה וְַאהֲר ֹן‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשֹּלא ִהּפִילּו ּדָ בָר ִמּכָל ִמצְוֹות מ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְבחָן‬
ִ ‫ ְל ַהּגִיד‬.‫כאשר צוה ה' את משה ואהרן‬
)‫ׁשה וְַאהֲר ֹן ּכֵן עָׂשּו (שם‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ַאף מ‬:
‫[ כאשר צוה ה' את משה ואהרן‬THEY DID] AS THE LORD HAD COMMANDED MOSES AND
AARON — This is stated for the purpose of declaring Israel’s praise — that they did not omit
a single matter of all the commandments of Moses and Aaron. And what is the meaning of ‫כן‬
‫ עשו‬SO DID THEY? Moses and Aaron also did thus!(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:25).

12:29

‫ ּכְמֹו ּפְלֹונִי ּופְלֹונִי‬,‫ׁש ַהּוָי"ו לְׁשֹון ּתֹו ֶספֶת הּוא‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "וַה'" הּוא ּובֵית ּדִ ינֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל ָמקֹום‬.'‫וה‬:

‫“ וה׳‬AND” THE LORD — Wherever it is stated ‫“ וה׳‬And the Lord” it signifies He and His
celestial Court, because the prefix ‫ ו‬expresses an addition, just as one says, “Mr. So-and-so
and Mr. So-and-so” (Genesis Rabbah 51:2; cf. Rashi on Genesis 19:24).

)‫ׁשל ֻא ָּמה ַאח ֶֶרת וְהּוא ְב ִמצ ְַרי ִם (מכילתא‬

ֶ ‫ ַאף‬.‫הכה כל בכור‬:

‫ הכה כל בכור‬SMOTE ALL THE FIRSTBORN — all: such, also, belonging to another people
who happened to be in Egypt (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:29; cf. Rashi on v. 12).

– )'‫ ְו ָעלָיו הּוא אֹומֵר " ַּבעֲבּור ה ְַראֹותְ ָך אֶת ּכֹחִי" (שמות ט‬,‫ ְונִׁשְּתַ ּי ֵר מִן ַהּבְכֹורֹות‬,‫ ַאף ּפ ְַרע ֹה ּבְכֹור ָהי ָה‬.‫מבכר פרעה‬
)‫ ְּבי ַם סּוף (מכילתא‬:

‫ מבכר מרעה‬means FROM THE FIRSTBORN PHARAOH’S — Pharaoh too, was a firstborn,
but he alone was allowed to remain of the firstborn; and regarding this it states, (Exodus 9:16)
“[But for this cause I have maintained thee in life in order to show thee my power” — i. e. to
show thee my power at the Read Sea (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:29).

‫ׁשֹּלא י ֹאמְרּו י ְִרָאתֵ נּו ֵהבִיָאה ַהּפ ְֻרעָנּות; ּובְכֹור הַּׁשִ ְפחָה ִּב ְכלָל‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל; וְעֹוד‬
ֶ ‫ׂש ֵמחִין ְלאֵידָ ם‬
ְ ‫ׁשהָיּו‬
ֶ .‫עד בכור השבי‬
‫ּׁש ְפחָה חָׁשּוב מִ ּבְכֹור הַּׁשְ בִי‬
ִ ‫ ּובְכֹור ַה‬,‫ׁש ְּב ֻכּלָן עַד ַהּפָחּות‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ָמנָה מִן ֶהחָׁשּוב‬ ֶ ,‫ ָהי ָה‬:

‫ עד בכור השבי‬UNTO THE FIRSTBORN OF THE CAPTIVE — because they rejoiced at the
misfortune of the Israelites (Midrash Tanchuma, Bo 7); and a further reason why they were
slain is that they should not say, — if they remained alive — it was our god who brought
punishment upon our oppressors, the Egyptians (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:29) The
firstborn of the handmaid, threatened with death in 40:5 but not mentioned here as having
been slain, is included in those stated here to have been slain since it enumerates here (i. e. the
terms used here are intended to include everyone) from the most important amongst all of
them to the least important, and the firstborn of the handmaid as belonging to the Egyptian
people, is certainly more important than the firstborn of the captive (cf. Rashi on 11:6).

12:30

‫ מִּמִ ּטָתֹו‬.‫ויקם פרעה‬:

‫ ויקם פרעה‬AND PHARAOH AROSE from his bed,

)‫ׁשלֹוׁש ׁשָעֹות ּבַּיֹום (שם‬

ָ ‫ וְֹלא ּכְדֶ ֶרְך ַה ְּמ ָלכִים ְּב‬.‫לילה‬:

‫ לילה‬AT NIGHT and not, as is the way of kings, at three hours in the day (9 o’clock in the
morning) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:30; cf. Berakhot 9b).
)‫ׁש ָהי ָה הּוא ְמ ַחּז ֵר עַל ּבָּתֵ י ֲעבָדָ יו ּומַ עֲמִ ידָ ן (שם‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬,‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך עבדיו‬,‫ ּתְ ִחּלָה‬.‫הוא‬:

‫ הוא‬HE, first — and afterwards ‫ עבדיו‬HIS SERVANTS — this informs us that he went round
to the houses of his servants and made them get up (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:30).

‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "ַאף אֲ נִי ּבְכֹור‬

ֶ ,‫ׁש ַּב ַּבי ִת קָרּוי ּבְכֹור‬ֶ ‫ ּגָדֹול‬,‫ אֵין ׁשָם ּבְכֹור‬,‫ מֵת‬,‫ י ֵׁש ׁשָם ּבְכֹור‬.‫כי אין בית אשר אין שם מת‬
,‫ ְוהָיּו ָלהֶם ּבְכֹורֹות ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ ִמצ ְִרּיֹות ְמז ַּנֹות ּתַ חַת ַּב ְעלֵיהֶן וְיֹולְדֹות מ ֵַר ָּוקִים ּפְנּוי ִים‬,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר‬.) ‫אֶּתְ נֵהּו" (תהילים פ"ט‬
‫ ּכָל אֶ חָד ּבְכֹור לְָאבִיו‬,‫ּׁשה ַאחַת‬
ָ ‫ּׁשה ְל ִא‬ָ ‫ ְּפ ָעמִים ֲח ִמ‬:

‫ כי אין בית אשר אין שם מת‬FOR THERE WAS NOT A HOUSE WHERE THERE WAS NOT
ONE DEAD — If there was a firstborn there, he died: if there was no firstborn there, then the
chief person in the house died because the chief person in the house is called ‫בכור‬, as it is said,
(Psalms 89:28) “I also will appoint him to be a ‫בכור‬, [the highest of the kings of the earth]”
(Mekhilta DeRashbi 12:30; cf. Rashi on 4:22; Pesachim Rabbah, Midr. Vajosha). Another
explanation is: the Egyptian women were unfaithful to their husbands and bore children from
young men, unmarried, and thus they (the Egyptian men) had many firstborn sons sometimes
there were five to one woman, each being the firstborn to his own father (thus there might
well be no house in which there was not a firstborn) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:33).

12:31

?‫ׁשה ׁשָרּוי? הֵיכָן ַאהֲר ֹן ׁשָרּוי‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ הֵיכָן מ‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה ְמ ַחּז ֵר עַל ּפִתְ חֵי ָהעִיר וְצֹועֵק‬
ֶ ‫ ַמּגִיד‬.‫ויקרא למשה ולאהרן לילה‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫ ויקרא למשה ולאהרן לילה‬AND HE CALLED FOR MOSES AND AARON BY NIGHT — This
tells us that he went round to the entrances leading into the city (i. e. to each different district)
crying out, “Where does Moses reside? Where does Aaron reside?” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:31).

‫ ַה ְּגב ִָרים‬.‫גם אתם‬:

‫ גם אתם‬BOTH YE — the men,

‫ ַהּטַף‬.‫גם בני ישראל‬:

‫ גם בני ישראל‬AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — the little ones (i. e. ‫ בני‬must be
understood literally).

‫ ָּבטֵל‬,"‫ ָּבטֵל "מִי ָומִי הַהֹו ְלכִים‬,"ַ‫ׁש ֵּלח‬

ַ ‫ׁשָאמ ְַרּתִ י ֲאנִי; ָּבטֵל "ֹלא ֲא‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ֲאמ ְַרּתֶ ם וְֹלא ְּכ‬
ֶ ‫ הַּכ ֹל ּכְמֹו‬.‫ולכו עבדו את ה' כדברכם‬
‫ְקָרכֶם יֻּצָג‬
ְ ‫""רק צ ֹאנְכֶם ּוב‬:ַ

‫ ולכו עבדו את ה' כדברכם‬AND GO, SERVE THE LORD, AS YE HAVE SAID — everything
shall be as you have said and not as I have said: annulled is what I have said, (5:2) “I will not
let you go” (“Arise, go out”); annulled is, (10:8) “who are they that shall go?” (“go, both you
and the children of Israel”); annulled is, (10:24) “but your flocks and herds must remain”
(“Take also your flocks and herds”) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:31).

12:32
‫ קְחּו ּכַאֲׁשֶר‬,)'‫ ּו ַמהּו כאשר דברתם? "ּגַם אַּתָ ה ּתִ ּתֵ ן ְּבי ָדֵ נּו ז ְ ָבחִים וְעֹֹלת" (שמות י‬.‫גם צאנכם גם בקרכם קחו‬
‫ּדִ ּב ְַרּתֶ ם‬:

‫ גם צאנכם גם בקרכם קחו‬TAKE ALSO YOUR FLOCKS AND HERDS — And what is the force
of ‫ כאשר דברתם‬AS YE HAVE SPOKEN? It is an allusion to (10:25) “Thou, also, must give
into our hands sacrifices and burnt offerings” — it means: take of my cattle also even as ye
said.

‫ ׁשֶ אֲ נִי ּבְכֹור‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ָאמּות‬

ֶ ‫ הִתְ ַּפּלְלּו ָעלַי‬.‫וברכתם גם אתי‬:

‫ וברכתם גם אתי‬AND BLESS ME ALSO — Pray on my behalf that I should not die because I
am a firstborn (cf. Targum Jonathan on Exodus 12:32 and Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:29).

12:33

‫ֲׂשָרה‬
ָ ‫ חֲמִּׁשָ ה אֹו ע‬,‫ ְוכָאן ַאף ַהּפְׁשּוטִים מֵתִ ים‬,"‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ָאמַר "ּומֵת ּכָל ּבְכֹור‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשה הּוא‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ָאמְרּו ֹלא ִכגְז ֵַרת מ‬.‫כלנו מתים‬
‫ ְּב ַבי ִת אֶ חָד‬:

‫ כלנו מתים‬WE ARE ALL DEAD MEN — They said, Not according to Moses’ decree is this
what has happened for he said (10:5) “And every firstborn shall die”, and here all the ordinary
people are dead, five or ten in one house (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:33).

12:34

‫ ַה ִּמצ ְִרים ֹלא ִהּנִיחּום לִׁשְהֹות ּכְדֵ י חִּמּוץ‬.‫טרם יחמץ‬:

‫ טרם יחמץ‬BEFORE IT WAS LEAVENED — The Egyptians would not allow them to stay
long enough for the dough to become leavened.

‫ׁשי ֵָרי מַ ּצָה ּומָרֹור‬

ְ .‫משארתם‬.

‫( משארתם‬from the root ‫“ שאר‬to be left over”) denotes the leavings (what was left) of the
unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:34).

‫ ְמ ַח ְּבבִים הָיּו אֶת הַּמִ ְצוָה‬,‫ׁש ְּבהֵמֹות ה ְַרּבֵה הֹולִיכּו ִע ָּמהֶם‬

ֶ ‫ ַאעַ" ִּפ‬.‫על שכמם‬:

‫ על שכמם‬UPON THEIR SHOULDER — Although they took many cattle with them yet they
bore this upon their shoulders because the commands of God were so dear unto them
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:34).

12:35

‫ׁש ֲאלּו אִ יׁש מֵ אֵת ֵרעֵהּו‬

ְ ִ ‫ " ְוי‬,‫ׁשָאמַר ָלהֶם ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ .‫"כדבר משה‬:

‫[ כדבר משה‬THEY DID] ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF MOSES which he had spoken to
them in Egypt, viz., (Exodus 11:2) “And let every man ask his fellow…”

‫ ְו ַה ְמ ֻאחָר ַּבּפָסּוק חָׁשּוב‬,‫ ַאף הֵן הָיּו חֲׁשּובֹות ָלהֶם מִן ַה ֶּכסֶף ּומִן ַהּזָהָב‬.‫ושמלת‬:
‫ ושמלות‬AND GARMENTS — These were even more valued by them than the silver and than
the gold: the later a thing is mentioned in the text the more valued it is (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:35) (i. e. the fact that silver is mentioned before gold shows that the text is
mentioning the objects in the ascending scale of value and consequently the garments, as
being mentioned last, must have been most valued by them).

12:36

‫ אַּתָ ה אֹומֵר ֶאחָד? ט ֹל ׁשְ נַי ִם ָולְֵך‬,‫ּׁשֹּלא הָיּו ׁשֹו ֲאלִים ֵמהֶם הָיּו נֹותְ נִים ָלהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ ַאף מַה‬.‫וישאלום‬.

‫ וישאלום‬lit., AND THEY HANDED THEM OVER — Even what they did not ask of them did
they give to them: “You say “one” — take “two”, but only go!” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
12:35).

‫ וְרֹוקִ ינּו‬.‫וינצלו‬:

‫ וינצלו‬The Targum translates this by ‫ורוקינו‬, AND THEY EMPTIED OUT.

12:37

)‫ּׂשא אֶתְ כֶם עַל ַּכנְפֵי נְׁש ִָרים" (שמות י"ט‬

ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ָו ֶא‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשעָה‬
ָ ‫ ּובָאּו ׁשָם ְלפִי‬,‫ ֵמָאה ְו ֶעׂש ְִרים מִיל הָיּו‬.‫מרעמסס סכתה‬:

‫ מרעמסס סכתה‬FROM RAMESES TO SUCCOTH — These were distant from one another 120
miles and yet they reached there in one moment, as it is said, (Exodus 19:4) “and I carried you
as on eagles’ wings” (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:35 and Rashi on Exodus 19:4).

)‫ ו‬,‫ׁשנָה ָו ַמ ְעלָה (שה"ש רבה ג‬

ָ ‫ ִמּבֶן ֶעׂש ְִרים‬.‫הגברים‬:

‫ הגברים‬ADULT MALES — from twenty years old and upwards (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:6).

12:38

‫ ּתַ עֲרֹבֶת אֻּמֹות ׁשֶ ל ּג ִֵרים‬.‫ערב רב‬:

‫ ערב רב‬A MIXED MULTITUDE — a mingling of various nations who had become
proselytes.

12:39

‫ׁשֹּלא ֶהחֱמִ יץ קָרּוי מַ ּצָה‬

ֶ ‫ׁשל ַמּצָה; ָּבצֵק‬
ֶ ‫ ח ֲָר ָרה‬.‫עגת מצות‬:

‫ עגת מצות‬means a cake of (made of) unleavened dough (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:35);
dough which has not become leavened is termed ‫וגם צדה לא עשו להם‬

‫ׁשֹּלא ָאמְרּו הֵיאְַך נֵצֵא ַלּמִדְ ּבָר ּבְֹלא צֵידָ ה? אֶ ּלָא הֶאֱמִ ינּו‬ֶ ,‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬ֶ ‫ׁש ְבחָן‬
ִ ‫ ַמּגִיד‬.‫ לַּדֶ ֶרְך‬.‫וגם צדה לא עשו להם‬
‫ְעּורי ְִך ַא ֲהבַת ּכְלּוֹלתָ י ְִך ֶלכְּתֵ ְך ַאח ֲַרי ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר ְּבא ֶֶרץ ֹלא ז ְרּועָה" (ירמיהו‬
ַ ‫ "זָכ ְַרּתִ י לְָך ֶחסֶד נ‬,‫ׁש ְּמפ ָֹרׁש ַּב ַּק ָּבלָה‬
ֶ ‫ְו ָהלְכּו; הּוא‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל לַה' וְגֹו‬
ָ ‫ּׂשכָר ְמפ ָֹרׁש ַאח ֲָריו? "ק ֹדֶ ׁש י‬ ָ ‫ ַמה‬,)'‫"'ב‬:

.‫ מצה‬NEITHER HAD THEY MADE FOR THEMSELVES ANY PROVISION for the
journey. This is stated to tell how praiseworthy Israel was: that they did not say, “How can we
go forth into the wilderness without provisions?” But they had faith and set forth. This it is
that is referred to more explicitly in the prophets: (Jeremiah 2:1) “I remember for thee the
affection of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, how thou wentest after me in the
wilderness in a land that was not sown”. What reward is afterwards set forth there? “Israel is
the Lord’s hallowed portion etc.” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:35).

12:40

‫ְאֶרץ ֹלא ָלהֶם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשבּו ּג ִֵרים ּב‬
ְ ָ ‫ׁשּי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ַהיְׁשִיבֹות‬
ְ ‫ ַאחַר‬.‫אשר ישבו במצרים‬:

‫ אשר ישבו במצרים‬WHO ABODE IN EGYPT after the other settlements (i. e. including those
also) which they had made as strangers in a land that was not theirs (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:40).

‫ּׁש ָהי ָה לֹו ז ֶַרע לְַאב ְָרהָם‬ֶ ‫ ִמ‬,‫ַארּבַע ֵמאֹות‬ ְ ‫ הָיּו‬,‫ּׁשּנֹולַד י ִ ְצחָק עַד ַע ְכׁשָו‬ֶ ‫ ִמ‬,‫ ּבֵין הַּכ ֹל‬.‫שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה‬
‫ְאֶרץ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנִגְז ְָרה גְז ֵַרת ּבֵין ַהּבְתָ ִרים עַד ׁשֶּנֹולַד י ִ ְצחָק; ְואִי אֶ ְפׁשָר לֹומַר ּב‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנָה הָיּו ִמ‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹלׁשִים‬ ְ ‫ ּו‬,‫נִתְ ַקּי ֵם ּכִי גֵר י ִ ְהי ֶה ז ְַרעֲָך‬
‫ ֹלא‬,‫ׁשנֹותָ יו ְוכָל ׁשְנֹות ַעמ ְָרם ּבְנֹו ּוׁשְמֹונִים ׁשֶ ל מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬ ְ ‫ צֵא ַוחֲׁש ֹב ּכָל‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְקהָת מִן ַה ָּבאִים עִם יַעֲק ֹב ָהי ָה‬ ֶ ,‫מִ צ ְַרי ִם ְלבַּדָ ּה‬
,‫ּׁשנֹות ַעמ ְָרם נִ ְב ָלעִים ּבִׁשְ נֹות קְ הָת‬ ְ ‫ ְוה ְַרּבֵה ִמ‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ַָרד ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנִים הָיּו ִל ְקהָת עַד‬ ָ ‫ ְועַל ּכ ְָרחֲָך ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫תִ ְמ ָצאֵם ּכָל ּכְָך‬
‫ ְו ֻהז ְ ַקקְּתָ ה לֹומַר עַל‬,‫ַארּבַע ֵמאֹות ְלבִיַאת ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא תִ ְמצָא‬ ֶ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,‫ׁשנֹות ַעמ ְָרם‬ ְ ‫ׁשה נִ ְב ָלעִים ִּב‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשל מ‬ ֶ ‫ְוה ְַרּבֵה ִמּׁשְמֹונִים‬
,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ֲאׁשֶר ּגָר ׁשָם ַאב ְָרהָם ְוי ִ ְצחָק" (בראשית ל"ה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ַהיְׁשִיבֹות נִק ְְראּו ּגֵרּות ַו ֲאפִּלּו ְב ֶחבְרֹון‬ ְ ‫ׁשַאף‬ ֶ ,‫ּכ ְָרחֲָך‬
,‫ ְלפִיכְָך אַּתָ ה צ ִָריְך לֹומַר "ּכִי גֵר י ִ ְהי ֶה ז ְַרעֲָך" מִּׁשֶ ָהי ָה לֹו ז ֶַרע‬,) '‫אֶרץ ְמג ֵֻריהֶם ֲאׁשֶר ּגָרּו בָּה" (שמות ו‬ ֶ ‫וְאֹומֵר "אֶת‬
‫ּׁשּנּו לְתַ לְמַ י הַּמֶ לְֶך‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶה ֶאחָד מִן הַּדְ ב ִָרים‬,‫ ּתִ ְמצָא ִמּבִיָאתָ ן ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם עַד יְצִיָאתָ ן ר"י‬,‫ּׁשּנֹולַד י ִ ְצחָק‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנָה ִמ‬ ָ '‫ּו ְכׁשֶּתִ ְמנֶה ת‬
)'‫(מגילה ט‬:

‫ שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה‬FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS — Altogether from the
birth of Isaac until now were 400 years, and we must reckon from that event, for only from
the time when Abraham had offspring from Sarah could the prophecy (Genesis 15:13) “Thy
offspring shall be a stranger” be fulfilled; and there had been 30 years since that decree made
at “the convenant between the parts” until the birth of Isaac. It is impossible to say that this
means that they were 430 years in the land of Egypt alone, for Kohath was one of those who
came into Egypt with Jacob (Genesis 46:11); go and reckon all his years and all the years of
Amram his son and the whole eighty years of Moses, the latter’s son, until the Exodus and
you will not find that they total to so many; and you must admit that Kohath had already lived
many years before he went down to Egypt, and that many of Amram’s years are included in
the years of his father Kohath, and that many of the 80 years of Moses are included in the
years of his father Amram, so that you see that you will not find 400 years from the time of
Israel’s coming into Egypt until the Exodus. You are compelled to admit, even though
unwillingly, that the other settlements which the patriarchs made in lands other than Egypt
come also under the name of “sojourning as a stranger” (‫)גרות‬, including also that at Hebron,
even though it was in Canaan itself, because it is said, (Genesis 35:27) “[Hebron] where
Abraham and Isaac sojourned”, and it says, (Exodus 6:4) “[the land Canaan], the land of their
sojournings wherein they sojourned”. Consequently you must necessarily say that the
prophecy, “thy offspring shall be strangers… [four hundred years]” began only from the time
when he had offspring. And only if you reckon the 400 years from the birth of Isaac will you
find that from the time they came into Egypt until the time they left it, was 210 years (as
alluded to in Genesis 15:13). This was one of the passages which they altered for king
Ptolemy (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:40; Megillah 9a).

12:41
‫ׁש ִהּגִי ַע ַהּקֵץ ֹלא ִע ְּכבָן ַה ָּמקֹום ְּכה ֶֶרף ַעי ִן – ּבְט"ו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּכֵיוָן‬
ֶ ,‫ ַמּגִיד‬.‫ויהי מקץ שלשים שנה וגו' ויהי בעצם היום הזה‬
‫ ּובְט"ו ְּבנִיסָן נִגְז ְָרה ְּגז ֵַרת ּבֵין ַהּבְתָ ִרים‬,‫ ּובְט"ו ְּבנִיסָן נֹולַד י ִ ְצחָק‬,‫ ְבנִיסָן ּבָאּו ַמ ְל ֲאכֵי ַהּׁש ֵָרת ֵאצֶל ַאב ְָרהָם ְל ַבּׂשְרֹו‬:

‫ ויהי מקץ שלשים שנה וגו' ויהי בעצם היום הזה‬AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF THE
430 YEARS … EVEN ON THE SELF-SAME DAY — The addition of the latter phrase tells
us that as soon as the predetermined end of the bondage arrived the Omnipresent did not
detain them even as long as the twinkling of an eye (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:42). For
on the fifteenth of Nisan the ministering angels had come to Abraham to announce to him the
promised birth of Isaac, and on the fifteenth of Nisan Isaac was born, and on the fifteenth of
Nisan the decree “between the parts” relating to Israel’s slavery was made.

12:42

‫ ְל ַקּי ֵם ַה ְב ָטחָתֹו להוציאם מארץ מצרים‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ׁשֹומֵר ּו ְמ ַצּפֶה לֹו‬
ֶ .‫ליל שמרים‬:

‫ ליל שמרים‬IT WAS NIGHT OF WATCHING [UNTO THE LORD] — a night which the Holy
One, blessed be He, was watching for and looking forward to, that He might fulfill His
promise ‫ להוציאם מארץ מצרים‬TO BRING THEM OUT FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT.

)‫ ַּב ַּליְלָה ַהּז ֶה ֲאנִי גֹו ֵאל אֶת ָּבנֶיָך (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשָאמַר לְַאב ְָרהָם‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא ַה ַּליְלָה‬.'‫הוא הלילה הזה לה‬:

'‫ הוא הלילה הזה לה‬IT IS THIS NIGHT OF THE LORD — it is the night of which He said to
Abraham, “On this night will I redeem your children” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:42; cf.
Rashi on Genesis 39:11).

)‫ׁשחִית וְגֹו'" (פסחים ק"ט‬

ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "וְֹלא י ִּתֵ ן ַה ַּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ָּכ ִענְי ָן‬,‫ׁשּמָר ּובָא מִן ַה ַּמּז ִיקִין‬
ֻ ‫ ְמ‬.‫שמרים לכל בני ישראל לדרתם‬:

‫[ שמרים לכל בני ישראל לדרתם‬IT IS A NIGHT] OF PROTECTION FOR ALL THE CHILDREN
OF ISRAEL THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS — this night is protected, and comes
as such from ages past, against all destructive forces, as it is said, (v. 33) “And He will not
permit the destroyer [to enter your houses]” (Pesachim 109b; Rosh Hashanah 11b).

12:43

‫ ּבְי"ד ְּבנִיסָן נֶ ֶאמ ְָרה ָלהֶם ּפ ָָרׁשָ ה זֹו‬.‫זאת חקת הפסח‬:

‫ זאת חקת הפסח‬THIS IS THE ORDINANCE OF THE PASSOVER — This chapter was spoken
to them on the 14th day of Nisan.

)‫ׁשּמָד ְּבמַׁשְמָע (מכילתא‬

ֻ ‫ ְו ֶאחָד הַּגֹוי ְו ֶאחָד יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְמ‬,‫ּׁש ַמי ִם‬
ָ ‫ׁש ַּב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנִתְ נַּכְרּו ַמ ֲעׂשָיו לְָאבִיו‬
ֶ .‫כל בן נכר‬:

‫ כל בן נכר‬NO STRANGE PERSON — one whose actions are estranged from his Heavenly
Father (Zevachim 22b); both a heathen and an apostate Israelite therefore are implied in this
term (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:43:2).

12:44

‫ אֵ ין‬,‫ ַרּבִי אֱ לִי ֶעז ֶר אֹומֵר‬.ַ‫ׁשע‬

ֻ ‫ ּדִ ב ְֵרי ַרּבִי י ְהֹו‬,‫ׁשּמִילַת ֲעבָדָ יו ְמ ַע ַּכבְּתֹו ִמ ֶּלאֱכ ֹל ַּב ֶּפסַח‬
ֶ ‫ ַמּגִיד‬,‫ ַרּבֹו‬.‫ומלתה אתו אז יאכל בו‬
‫ אִם ּכֵן ַמה ּתַ "ֹל אז יאכל בו? ָה ֶעבֶד‬,‫מִילַת ֲעבָדָ יו ְמ ַע ַּכבְּתֹו ִמ ֶּלאֱכ ֹל ַּב ֶּפסַח‬:
‫ ומלתה אתו אז יאכל בו‬WHEN THOU HAST CIRCUMCISED HIM THEN SHALL HE EAT
THEREOF — “he” means his (the slave’s) master; this tells us that the neglect to circumcise
his slaves bars him from eating of the Paschal offering. This is the opinion of R. Joshua.
Rabbi Eliezer, however, said: the neglect to circumcise his slaves does not bar him from
eating of the Paschal offering. The objection was raised: if this be so what means “Then shall
he eat thereof”? — The reply was given: “He” means the slave, not the master (the meaning
being that the slave, so long as he is uncircumcised may not eat of it) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:44:2).

12:45

‫ ז ֶה ּגֵר ּתֹוׁשָ ב‬.‫תושב‬:

‫ תושב‬A TOLERATED SOJOURNER — this means a stranger who has settled in Palestine
(having undertaken to observe the seven precepts of the “Sons of Noah”).

‫ ְונֶ ֱאמַר וכל ערל לא יאכל בו? אֶ ּלָא ּכְגֹון ע ֲָרבִי ָמהּול ְוגִבְעֹונִי מָהּול וְהּוא‬,‫ ַוהֲֹלא ע ֲֵרלִים הֵם‬,‫ ּו ַמה ּתַ "ֹל‬,‫ ז ֶה ּגֹוי‬.‫ושכיר‬
)‫ׁשב אֹו ׂשָ כִיר (שם‬ ָ ‫ּתֹו‬:

‫ ושכיר‬AND A HIRED SERVANT — a heathen. But why need Scripture state at all that these
(the ‫ תושב‬and the ‫ )שכיר‬may not eat of the Passover lamb? These are uncircumcised and it is
said (v. 48) “And no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof”? But it refers to such a one as a
circumcised Arabian or a circumcised Gibeonite who is a settler or a hired servant (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:45; Yevamot 71a).

12:46

‫ֲבּורה ַאחַת אֹו אֵ ינֹו‬ָ ‫ אַּתָ ה אֹומֵר ַּבח‬.‫ׁשֹּלא יֵעָׂשּו ַהּנִ ְמנִין ָעלָיו ׁשְּתֵ י חֲבּורֹות וִי ַחּלְקּוהּו‬ֶ ,‫ֲבּורה ַאחַת‬ ָ ‫ ַּבח‬.‫בבית אחד יאכל‬
,‫ׁשֹּלא י ִ ָּכנְסּו ַל ַּבי ִת? ּתַ לְמּוד לֹומַר‬
ֶ ‫ׁשמִים‬
ָ ‫ׁשאִם הִתְ חִילּו ְוהָיּו אֹו ְכלִים ֶּב ָחצֵר ְוי ְָרדּו ְּג‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְל ַלּמֵד‬,‫ׁשמָעֹו‬
ְ ‫ֶאּלָא ְּב ַבי ִת ֶאחָד ְּכ ַמ‬
‫ׁשהָאֹוכֵל אֹוכֵל ּבִׁשְ נֵי מְ קֹומֹות‬ ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬,"‫"עַל ַהּבָּתִ ים ֲאׁשֶר י ֹאכְלּו א ֹתֹו ָּבהֶם‬:

‫ בבית אחד יאכל‬IN ONE HOUSE SHALL IT BE EATEN — in one company (cf. ‫;)שה לבית‬
meaning that those who have registered themselves for it (the Paschal offering) shall not form
themselves afterwards into two companies and divide it. An objection was raised: You say
that this means “in one company”, but perhaps this is not so, but it means “in one house” (or
place) as it usually signifies, and it intends to teach that if they had begun to eat, for example,
in the courtyard of a house and rain fell they may not enter the house to complete the eating of
the offering? The reply was given: this cannot be so, because Scripture says, (v. 7) “[They
shall put the blood] upon the houses (plural) wherein they shall eat it” — and from here it
follows that one who is eating the Paschal offering may eat it in two places (consequently the
only meaning of the term ‫ בית‬is “company”, as was suggested) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:46:1 and Onkelos).

‫ֲבּורה‬
ָ ‫ מִ ן ַהח‬.‫לא תוציא מן הבית‬:

‫ לא תוציא מן הבית‬THOU SHALT NOT CARRY FORTH OUT OF THE HOUSE this must
therefore mean away from the company (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:46:2).

‫ אֵין ָעלָיו ַּכּזַי ִת ּבָׂשָר אֵ ין‬,‫ִירת ֶעצֶם‬

ַ ‫ׁשב‬
ְ ‫ י ֵׁש ּבֹו מִּׁשּום‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ָעלָיו ַּכּזַי ִת ָּבׂשָר‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְגֹון‬,‫ ה ָָראּוי ַל ֲאכִילָה‬.‫ועצם לא תשברו בו‬
‫ִירת ֶעצֶם‬
ַ ‫ּבֹו מִּׁשּום ׁשְ ב‬:
‫ ועצם לא תשברו בו‬NEITHER SHALL YE BREAK A BONE THEREOF — any bone that is
fitted for eating (for the purpose of the performing the command of eating the Paschal lamb)
as, for instance, one upon which there is flesh of the size of an olive — to it there is (applies)
the prohibition relating to the breaking of a bone, but if there is not upon it flesh of the size of
an olive there does not apply to it the prohibition of breaking a bone (cf. Pesachim 84b).

12:47

,‫ׁשּנִ ְמנּו ָעלָיו לַּמִׁשְ ּפָחֹות‬

ֶ ,"‫ׂשה ְלבֵית ָאבֹות‬
ֶ " ‫ׁשהּוא אֹומֵר ְּב ֶפסַח ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ָל ָּמה נֶ ֱאמַר‬.‫כל עדת ישראל יעשו אתו‬
‫י ָכֹול ַאף ֶּפסַח ּדֹורֹות ּכֵן? ּתַ "ֹל כל עדת ישראל יעשו אתו‬:

‫ כל עדת ישראל יעשו אתו‬ALL THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL SHALL KEEP IT — Why
is this stated? Since it says of the Paschal offering offered in Egypt, (v. 3) “a lamb for the
house of their fathers” which means that they are to be registered for it by families, one might
think that in the case of the Paschal offering offered by future generations this must also be
so! Therefore Scripture states: “All the congregation of Israel may eat it” (i.e. any of them
may eat it whoever they may be who combine to do so) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:47).

12:48

‫ְַאר ָּבעָה עָׂשָר ַאף ּגֵר‬

ְ ‫ ָמה ֶאז ְָרח ּב‬,‫ ּתַ לְמּוד לֹומַר והיה כאזרח הארץ‬,‫ׂשה ֶּפסַח ִמּי ָד‬
ֶ ‫ י ָכֹול ּכָל ַהּמִתְ ַּגּי ֵר י ַ ֲע‬.‫ועשה פסח‬
)‫ְַאר ָּבעָה עָׂשָר (שם‬ְ ‫ּב‬:

‫ ועשה פסח‬AND HE WILL KEEP THE PASSOVER (the words may mean, then he shall keep
the Passover) — One might think that this verse implies that any-one who becomes a
proselyte (‫ )גר‬must keep the Passover-offering rite immediately after his circumcision (even
though this has not taken place just before Passover), therefore Scripture states ‫והיה כאזרח הארץ‬
“but he shall be as a native of the land”. How is it in the case of a native? He brings the
offering on the fourteenth! So, too, a proselyte must bring it only on the fourteenth (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:49).

"‫ׁשאֵינֹו מּומָר ַלע ֲֵרלּות ְואֵינֹו ָלמֵד מִ"ּבֶן נֵכָר ֹלא י ֹאכַל ּבֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּמֵתּו ֶאחָיו ֵמ ֲחמַת מִילָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְל ָהבִיא אֶת‬.‫וכל ערל לא יאכל בו‬
)‫(שם‬:

‫ וכל ערל לא יאכל בו‬AND NO UNCIRCUMCISED PERSON SHALL EAT THEREOF — This
is stated in addition to the somewhat similar text in v. 43 in order to include in the prohibition
of eating the Paschal offering any person whose brothers have died in consequence of
circumcision (in which case the parents are exempted from circumcising any of their children
born after the death of these), because such a one is not to be regarded as an apostate who of
set purpose remains uncircumcised, and the law regarding such a one cannot be derived from
the statement in v. 43, “no strange person shall eat thereof” (because Rashi has explained this
to refer to an Israelite whose doings have estranged him from God).

12:49

)‫ַּתֹורה (שם‬
ָ ‫ׁשָאר ִמצְוֹות ׁשֶ ּב‬
ְ ‫ ְל ַהׁשְוֹות ּגֵר ָל ֶאז ְָרח ַאף ִל‬.'‫תורה אחת וגו‬:

‫ תורה אחת וגו׳‬ONE LAW etc. — This is stated in addition to the similar text in v. 48 in order to
declare that the proselyte is equal to the native also in respect to all other commands of the
Torah (i. e. the preceding text has reference only to the Paschal offering whilst this is a
general statement) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:49).

13:2

)‫ׂשפָה" (תהלים כ"ב‬ ָ ‫ ְוכֵן "י ַ ְפטִירּו ְב‬,)‫ "ּפֹוטֵר ַמי ִם ֵראׁשִית מָדֹון" (משלי י"ז‬:‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשּפָתַ ח ה ֶָרחֶם ּתְ ִחּלָה‬
ֶ .‫פטר כל רחם‬
‫– יִפְּתְ חּו ׂשְ פָתַ י ִם‬:

‫ פטר כל רחם‬THE FIRST OFFSPRING OF EVERY WOMB — The words mean: that which
first openeth the womb, the root ‫ פטר‬meaning to open, as in (Proverbs 17:14) “As one makes
an opening (‫ )פוטר‬for water so is the beginning of strife”; and so, too, is (Psalms 22:8) ‫יפטירו‬
‫ בשפה‬i. e. “they open the lips”.

‫ְכֹורי מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬

ֵ ‫ׁש ִהּכֵיתִ י ב‬
ֶ ְ ‫ עַ"י‬,‫ ְל ַע ְצמִי קָ נִיתִ י‬.‫לי הוא‬:

‫ לי הוא‬IT IS MINE — I have acquired him for Myself through My having smitten the first
born of the Egyptians.

13:3

‫ִירין יְצִיַאת מִ צ ְַרי ִם ְּבכָל יֹום‬

ִ ‫ׁש ַּמזְּכ‬
ֶ ,‫ ִלּמֵד‬.‫זכור את היום הזה‬:

‫ זכור את היום הזה‬REMEMBER THIS DAY — This teaches that one must make mention of the
Exodus from Egypt every day (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:3; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy
27:9).

13:4

‫ׁשהֹוצִיא אֶתְ כֶם ּבְח ֹדֶ ׁש‬

ֶ ,‫ׁש ְּג ַמ ְלכֶם‬
ֶ ‫ ְראּו ֶחסֶד‬,‫ ְוכִי ֹלא ָהי ִינּו יֹודְ עִין ְּבאֵיז ֶה ח ֹדֶ ׁש? אֶ ּלָא ּכְָך ָאמַר ָלהֶם‬.‫בחדש האביב‬
‫ִירים ּבַּכֹוׁשָרֹות" (תהלים ס"ח) – ח ֹדֶ ׁש‬ ִ ‫ "מֹוצִיא ֲאס‬,‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר‬,‫ׁשמִים‬ ָ ‫ ֹלא ַח ָּמה וְֹלא ִצּנָה וְֹלא ְּג‬,‫ׁשהּוא ָכׁשֵר ָלצֵאת‬
ֶ
)‫ׁשהּוא ָכׁשֵר ָלצֵאת (מכילתא‬ ֶ :

‫ בחדש האביב‬IN THE MONTH ABIB — But would we not know in which month they went out
(even though it were not stated here)? But Moses spake to them as follows: See the kindness
which God has bestowed on you — that He brought you forth in a month that is fitted for
going out, not hot, nor cold nor rainy. In the same sense it says (Psalms 68:7) “He bringeth
forth the prisoners ‫ ”בכשרות‬i. e. in a month that is fitted (‫ )כשר‬for going out (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 13:4:1).

13:5

‫ׁש ֻּכּלָן ִּב ְכלַל ְּכנַ ֲענִי הֵם וְַאחַת‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשמָע‬ְ ‫ ּכָל ז' ּגֹוי ִם ְּב ַמ‬,‫ּׁשה ֲע ָממִין‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָמנָה אֶ ּלָא ֲח ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ וְַאעַ" ִּפ‬.'‫אל ארץ הכנעני וגו‬
‫ׁשֹּלא נִק ְָרא לָּה ׁשֵ ם אֶ ּלָא ְּכנַ ֲענִי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּפְחֹות ְּכנַעַן ָהי ְתָ ה‬ְ ‫ ִמ ִּמ‬:

‫ אל ארץ הכנעני וגו׳‬TO THE LAND OF THE CANAANITE — And although it enumerates here
only the five peoples, all the seven nations are implied (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:5:1)
for all are included in the generic term Canaanite, although there was one of the races of
Canaan which had no other name than that of Canaanite (whilst the other races had, beside the
generic name Canaanite, some special designation as Hittite etc.: hence under the term
Canaanite one may understand either the one race bearing this name or any of the other races.
Here, therefore, the introductory word ‫ הכנעני‬alludes to the particular tribe so called and to the
two others included in this generic term, or it may allude to three tribes included in the
generic term. In either case we get the “seven peoples of Canaan”).

‫ ּו ְבי ִ ְצחָק הּוא אֹומֵר "ּגּור‬,)‫ ּבְַאב ְָרהָם הּוא אֹומֵר "ּבַּיֹום הַהּוא ּכ ַָרת ה' אֶת ַאב ְָרם וְגֹו'" (בראשית ט"ו‬.‫נשבע לאבתיך‬
)‫ָָארץ ֲאׁשֶר אַּתָ ה ׁשֹוכֵב ָעלֶיהָ" (שם כ"ח‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְביַעֲק ֹב הּוא אֹומֵר "ה‬,)‫ָָארץ הַּז ֹאת" (שם כ"ו‬ ֶ ‫ ּב‬:

‫ נשבע לאבתיך‬WHICH HE SWORE UNTO THY FATHERS — In the case of Abraham it says,
(Genesis 15:18) “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram [saying, To thy seed I
will give this land]”; in the case of Isaac it says, (Genesis 26:3) “Sojourn in this land … [for
to thee and to thy seed I will give all these countries]”; and in the case of Jacob it says,
(Genesis 28:13) “the land wheron thou liest [to thee will I give it and to thy seed]” (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:5:4).

‫ ְוהַּדְ בַׁש ז ָב מִן הַּתְ מ ִָרים ּומִ ן הַּתְ אֵ נִים‬,‫ ָחלָב ז ָב מִן ָה ִעּז ִים‬.‫זבת חלב ודבש‬:

‫ זבת חלב ודבש‬FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY — milk flows from the goats and honey
flows from the dates and from the figs.

‫ ְו ָל ָּמה ָחז ַר ּוׁשְ נָאָּה? ּבִׁשְ בִיל‬,"'‫ָָארץ וְגֹו‬

ֶ ‫ׁשל ֶּפסַח; ַוהֲֹלא ְּכבָר נֶ ֱאמַר ְל ַמ ְעלָה " ְו ָהי ָה ּכִי תָ ב ֹאּו ֶאל ה‬ ֶ .‫את העבדה הזאת‬
‫ׁשה ִראׁשֹונָה נֶ ֱאמַר " ְו ָהי ָה ּכִי י ֹאמְרּו ֲאלֵיכֶם ְּבנֵיכֶם ָמה ָהעֲב ֹדָ ה הַּז ֹאת ָלכֶם" — ְּבבֵן ָרׁשָע‬ ָ ‫ ְּבפ ָָר‬,‫ׁשּנִתְ חַּדֵ ׁש ּבָּה‬
ֶ ‫ּדָ בָר‬
‫ ׁשֶּתִ פְּתַ ח‬,‫ ְו ַהּכָתּוב ְמלַּמֶדְ ָך‬,‫ׁשא ֹל‬
ְ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו יֹודֵ ַע ִל‬ֶ ‫ ְוכָאן " ְו ִהּגַדְ ּתָ ְל ִבנְָך" — ְּבבֵן‬,‫ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר ׁשֶהֹוצִיא אֶת ַעצְמֹו מִן ַה ְּכלָל‬
)‫ׁשכִין אֶת ַהּלֵב (מכילתא‬ ְ ‫לֹו אַּתָ ה ּבְדִ ב ְֵרי ַאּגָדָ ה הַּמֹו‬:

‫ את העבודה הזאת‬THIS SERVICE — that of the Paschal offering. But has it not already been
said above, (Exodus 12:25) “And it shall come to pass when ye be come into the land … [that
ye shall keep this service]”? Why then does it repeat it again? On account of a new matter that
is introduced here; viz., in the former chapter it says, (v. 26) “And it shall come to pass when
your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?” and there Scripture is
speaking about a wicked son who excludes himself from the Israelite community (by saying
ye, as though he does not wish to participate in the service), whilst here it states, (v. 8) “And
thou shalt tell thy son”, referring to a son who does not know how to enquire, and Scripture
teaches you that you yourself must open up the conversation with Agadic explanations which
attract the heart (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:14:1; Shabbat 87a).

13:8

‫ ּכְגֹון ֶּפסַח ַמּצָה ּומָרֹור ַהּלָלּו‬,‫ׁש ֲא ַקּי ֵם ִמצְוֹותָ יו‬

ֶ ‫ ַּבעֲבּור‬.‫בעבור זה‬:

‫ בעבור זה‬FOR THE SAKE OF THIS — for the sake that I should carry out His commands,
such as this Passover offering, this unleavened bread and this bitter herb (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 13:8:1).

)‫ׁש ִאּלּו ָהי ִיתָ ׁשָם ֹלא ָהי ִיתָ כְדַ אי ִלּגָאֵ ל (מכילתא‬
ֶ ,‫ וְֹלא לְָך‬,‫ׂשה ה' לִי‬
ָ ‫ לֹומַר ָע‬,‫ ָרמַז ּתְ ׁשּובָה ְלבֵן ָרׁשָע‬.‫עשה ה' לי‬:

‫ עשה ה' לי‬GOD DID FOR ME — Here is an indication of the reply to be given to the wicked
son: that one should say to him, “God did for me” — and one should not say “what God did
‫לנו‬, for us” — thus implying “not for thee”, for if thou hadst been there (in Egypt) thou
wouldst not have been regarded as worthy of being redeemed (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
13:14:1).
13:9

‫ יְצִיַאת ִמצ ְַרי ִם ּתִ ְהי ֶה לְָך לאות‬.‫והיה לך לאות‬:

‫ והיה לך לאות‬AND IT SHALL BE FOR A SIGN UNTO THEE — i. e. the Exodus from Egypt
shall be to thee as a sign

‫ ׁשֶּתִ כְּת ֹב ַהּפ ָָרׁשִּיֹות ַהּלָלּו וְתִ ְקׁש ְֵרם ּבָר ֹאׁש ּו ַבּז ְרֹו ַע‬.‫על ידך ולזכרון בית עיניך‬:

‫ על ידך ולזכרון בין עיניך‬UPON THINE HAND AND AS A MEMORIAL BETWEEN THINE
EYES — meaning, that you shall write these paragraphs (verses 1—10 and 11—16) and bind
them upon the head and upon the arm.

)‫ׁשהִיא ֵכהָה (מנחות ל"ו‬

ֶ ‫ לִדְ ר ֹׁש ּבָּה י ָד‬,‫ׁשנִּי ָה‬
ְ ‫ׁשה‬
ָ ‫ ְלפִיכְָך י ָדְ כָה ָמלֵא ְּבפ ָָר‬,‫ עַל י ַד ׂשְמ ֹאל‬.‫על ידך‬:

‫ על ידך‬UPON THY HAND — on the left hand; that is why the word is written ‫ י ָדְ כָה‬in its full
form (not ‫ )י ָדְ ָך‬in the second section (v. 16), so that we should explain it (by dividing this word
into two: ‫ )יד כה‬as meaning the hand that is weak (‫( )כהה‬Menachot 36b).

13:10

)‫ּׁשנָה לְׁשָ נָה (שם‬

ָ ‫ ִמ‬.‫מימים ימימה‬:

‫ מימים ימימה‬means FROM YEAR TO YEAR (‫ ימים‬frequently signifies a year) (Menachot 36b).

13:11

( ‫ ְמפ ֵָרׁש ּבִיָאה זֹו אִ ם‬,‫ ְוהָאֹומֵר קָדְ ׁשּו‬,‫ׁשֹּלא קָדְ ׁשּו ּבְכֹורֹות הַּנֹולָדִ ים ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָּלמְדּו ִמּכָאן‬
ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש מ ֵַרּבֹותֵ ינּו‬.‫והיה כי יבאך‬
‫ָָארץ ּותְ קַ ּי ְמּוהּו ׁשָ ם‬
ֶ ‫)ּתְ ַקּי ְמּוהּו ַבּמִדְ ּבָר ּתִ ז ְּכּו ִל ָּכנֵס ל‬:

‫ והיה כי יביאך‬AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS WHEN [THE LORD] SHALL BRING THEE
… [THOU SHALT SET APART etc.] — There are some of our Rabbis who learned from this
statement that the firstborn who were born in the wilderness were not thus hallowed. He who
says that these were thus hallowed explains this “coming” (i. e. this verse, which appears to
make the hallowing of the firstborn dependent upon their arrival in the land) as follows: if you
observe it (this command) in the wilderness, you will be privileged to enter the land and to
observe it there (cf. Bekhorot 4b).

)'‫ׂשאתִ י וְגֹו'" (שמות ו‬

ָ ָ‫ָָארץ ֲאׁשֶר נ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבַע לְָך? " ְו ֵהבֵאתִ י אֶתְ כֶם ֶאל ה‬
ְ ִ‫ ְוהֵיכָן נ‬.‫נשבע לך‬:

‫ נשבע לך‬HE SWORE UNTO THEE — And where did He swear this unto thee? (Exodus 6:8)
“And I will bring you unto the land concerning which I did lift up my hand etc.” (cf. Rashi on
this verse where he explains that “lifting up the hand” denotes taking an oath) (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:11:2).

‫ִירּׁשַת ָאבֹות‬
ֻ ‫ וְַאל ּתְ הִי ְבעֵינֶיָך ּכ‬,‫ ּתְ הֵא ְבעֵינֶיָך ְּכ ִאּלּו נִּתְ נָה לְָך ּבֹו ּבַּיֹום‬.‫ונתנה לך‬:

‫ ונתנה לך‬AND SHALL GIVE IT TO THEE Let it be in thine eyes (regard it) as though He had
given it to thee on that same day (when on each occasion you carry out this command) and do
not regard it as an inheritance from your ancestors (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:11:4).
13:12

)‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר " ְו ַה ֲעב ְַרּתָ אֶת נַ ֲחלָתֹו ְלבִּתֹו" (במדבר כ"ז) (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשה‬
ָ ‫ אֵין ְו ַה ֲעב ְַרּתָ ֶאּלָא לְׁשֹון ַהפ ְָר‬.‫והעברת‬:

‫ והעברת‬This word ‫ והעברת‬is an expression for “setting apart”. Similarly it says, (Numbers
27:8) “And ye shall set his inheritance apart (‫ )והעברתם‬for his daughter” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 13:12:1).

‫ְכֹורה ִלפְט ֹר אֶת ַהּבָא ַאח ֲָריו וְַאף‬ ָ ‫ׁשהּוא קָדֹוׁש ִּבב‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְּלחַּתּו ּבְֹלא עִּתֹו; ְו ִלּמֶדְ ָך ַהּכָתּוב‬
ִ ‫ּׁשּג ְַרּתּו אִּמֹו ְו‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ נֵפֶל‬.‫שגר בהמה‬
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְכבָר ּכָתַ ב ּכָל ֶּפטֶר‬
ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל ז ֶה ֹלא בָא ֶאּלָא ְל ַלּמֵד עַל ַהּנֵפֶל‬,) '‫ׁשגַר ֲא ָלפֶיָך" (דברים ז‬ ְ " ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשגֶר‬ ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין נֵפֶל קָרּוי‬
ֶ
‫ לָׁשֹון ַאחֵר י ֵׁש‬.)‫ ּבָא ּופ ֵֵרׁש ְּב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר " ִּב ְבק ְָרָך ּובְצ ֹאנְָך" (דברים ט"ו‬,‫ׁשמָע‬ ְ ‫ ְואִ"ּת ֹ ַאף ּבְכֹור ְּב ֵה ָמה ְט ֵמָאה ְּב ַמ‬.‫ֶרחֶם‬
‫ " ְו ַה ֲעב ְַרּתָ כָל ֶּפטֶר ֶרחֶם" — ִּבבְכֹור ָאדָ ם ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר‬,‫ ְלפ ֵָרׁש‬:

‫ שגר בהמה‬DROPPED BY BEAST— a premature birth; and this is termed ‫ שגר‬because its
mother casts it out (‫ )שגר‬and expels it (‫ )שלחתו‬from the womb before its due time (‫ שגר‬is a
synonym of ‫“ שלח‬to let go”). Scripture teaches you that although it is a premature birth it is
nevertheless holy by reason of its being first born, in so far that it exempts from the law
regarding the firstborn the young that comes (is born) after it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
13:12:2). It is true that an animal that is not a premature birth) is also called ‫שגר‬, as
(Deuteronomy 7:13) “the ‫ שגר‬of thy kine” (where it speaks of blessing this, and it is therefore
evident that it cannot there denote a premature birth), but this ‫( שגר‬i. e. its use here) is
intended only to tell us something about a premature birth, because, you see, it has already
written in this verse: “Every first offspring of the womb”! And if you say that also the
firstborn of an unclean animal (and not a premature birth) is implied by ‫( שגר‬and that this also
must be hallowed) then I reply that Scripture comes and expressly states in another passage,
(Deuteronomy 15:19) “[All the firstling males that are born] of thy herd and of thy flocks
(thus only clean animals) [shalt thou sanctify etc.]”. Another meaning may be given in
explanation of ‫“ והעברת כל פטר רחם‬thou shalt set apart every first born of the womb” — viz.,
that Scripture by the term ‫ פטר רחם‬is speaking of the firstborn of man (consequently the
following words, ‫שגר בהמה‬, need not denote an animal of premature birth, but an animal born
in the natural course as it certainly means in Deuteronomy 7:13, and we thus avoid the
necessity of here assigning to ‫ שגר‬a meaning different from that which it bears in the latter
passage).

13:13

‫ ׁשֶ ִּסּי ְעּו אֶת‬,‫ֲמֹורים; וְעֹוד‬ִ ‫ְכֹורי ִמצ ְַרי ִם ַלח‬ ֵ ‫ׁשלּו ּב‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנִ ְמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ְּב ֵה ָמה ְט ֵמָאה; ּוגְז ֵַרת ַהּכָתּוב הִיא ְלפִי‬
ְ ‫ וְֹלא ֶּפטֶר‬.‫פטר חמור‬
‫ֲמֹורים ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם טְעּונִים ִמ ַּכ ְסּפָם ּו ִמּז ְ ָהבָם ׁשֶ ל מִ צ ְִרים‬
ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא נָטַל ה ְַרּבֵה ח‬ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין לְָך ֶאחָד ִמּיִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ,‫ יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ּבִיצִיָאתָ ן‬:

‫ פטר חמור‬AND EVERY FIRST OFFSPRING OF AN ASS — but not the first offspring of
other unclean animals. This exception is the enactment of Scripture, because the firstborn of
the Egyptians are compared to asses (Ezekiel 23:20; Bereishit Rabbah 96); and a further
reason for this exception is because they (the asses) were of assistance to the Israelites when
they left Egypt, for there was not a single Israelite who did not take with him from Egypt
several asses laden with the silver and gold of Egypt. (Bekhorot 5b).

)'‫ּׂשה ֻחּלִין ְּבי ַד ּכֹהֵן (בכורות ט‬

ֶ ‫ׂשה לַּכֹהֵן ּו ֶפטֶר חֲמֹור מֻּתָ ר ַּב ֲהנָָאה ְו ַה‬
ֶ ‫ נֹותֵ ן‬.‫תפדה בשה‬:

‫ תפדה בשה‬THOU SHALT REDEEM WITH A LAMB — one gives a lamb to the priest, and
the first offspring of the ass is then permitted to be made use of, whilst the lamb remains in
the priest’s possession with the character of a non-holy object (‫ — חולין‬an ordinary animal)
(cf. Bekhorot 9b).

)'‫ ְלפִיכְָך י ַ ְפסִיד מָמֹונֹו (שם י‬,‫ׁשל ּכֹהֵן‬

ֶ ‫ְהֹורגֹו; הּוא ִה ְפסִיד מָמֹונֹו‬
ְ ‫ֲחֹוריו ו‬
ָ ‫עֹורפֹו ּבְקֹופִיץ ֵמא‬
ְ .‫וערפתו‬:

‫ וערפתו‬THEN THOU SHALT BREAK ITS NECK — one breaks its neck with a hatchet from
behind and so slays it (Bekhorot 13a). The reason is: he (the owner of the ass) has caused a
loss to the possessions of the priest (by not giving him the lamb), therefore must he suffer loss
in his own possessions (Mekhilta d['Rabbi Yishmael 13:13:2).

)‫ ָחמֵׁש ְס ָלעִים ּפִדְ יֹונֹו קָצּוב ְּב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר (במדבר י"ח‬.‫וכל בכור אדם בבניך תפדה‬:

‫ וכל בכור בניך תפדה‬AND ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF MAN AMONGST THY SONS SHALT
THOU REDEEM — His redemption money is fixed in another passage (Numbers 18:16) at
five Sela’im.

13:14

‫ ּוכְגֹון "וְֹלא י ֹאמְרּו ְבנֵיכֶם מָ חָר‬,‫ ּכְגֹון ז ֶה‬,‫ׁשהּוא ַע ְכׁשָיו ְוי ֵׁש ָמחָר ׁשֶהּוא לְַאחַר זְמַן‬
ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש ָמחָר‬.‫כי ישאלך בנך מחר‬
‫ ּדִ ְבנֵי גָד וְדִ ְבנֵי ְראּובֵן‬,)‫ ְל ָבנֵינּו" (יהושע כ"ב‬:

‫ כי ישאלך בנך מחר‬WHEN THY SON ASKETH THEE ‫ — מחר‬There is a usage of the word ‫מחר‬
that refers to “now” (i. e. to the period of time that is nearest to “now” viz., to-morrow), and
there is another usage of ‫ מחר‬that refers to a day following after the lapse of some time, as, for
example, this ‫ מחר‬here and as, for example, (Joshua 22:27) “That your children may not say to
our children in time to come (‫ ”)מחר‬which occurs in the chapter about the sons of Gad and the
sons of Reuben (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:14:1).

‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר הּוא אֹומֵר "מָ ה ָהעֵד ֹת‬,"?‫ׁש ֵאלָתֹו וְסֹותֵ ם וְׁשֹו ֵאל "מַה ּז ֹאת‬ ְ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו יֹודֵ ַע ְל ַה ֲעמִיק‬
ֶ ‫ ז ֶה ּתִ ינֹוק ִטּפֵׁש‬.‫מה זאת‬
‫ וְׁשֶ אֵ ינֹו יֹודֵ ַע‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה ָבנִים — ָרׁשָע‬
ְ ‫תֹורה ְּכנֶגֶד‬
ָ ‫ׁש ֵאלַת ּבֵן ָחכָם; ּדִ ּב ְָרה‬
ְ ‫ ה ֲֵרי ז ֹאת‬,) '‫ׁש ָּפטִים וְגֹו'" (דברים ו‬ ְ ‫ְו ַה ֻחּקִים ְו ַה ִּמ‬
)‫ ְוהַּׁשֹו ֵאל ּדֶ ֶרְך ָחכְמָ ה (מכילתא‬,‫ ְוהַּׁשֹו ֵאל ּדֶ ֶרְך סְתּו ָמה‬,‫ׁשא ֹל‬
ְ ‫ ִל‬:

‫ מה זאת‬WHAT IS THIS? — This is the question of a dull child who has not sufficient
understanding to question very profoundly and who therefore asks in an indefinite fashion,
“What is this?” In another passage (Deuteronomy 6:20) it states, “[When thy son asketh
thee…], What mean the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments … [which the Lord
our God hath commanded you?]” This, however, is the question of a wise son. The Torah in
mentioning four different explanations of the Passover sacrifice-rite to be given by a father to
his children, is speaking in reference to four different types of son: the wicked son (12:25 and
in the second half of 13:8), and one who has not sufficient understanding how to ask (in the
first half of 13:8), and one who asks in an indefinite manner (13:14), and one who asks in a
wise fashion (Deuteronomy 6:20) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:14:1; Jerusalem Talmud
Pesachim 10:4).

13:16

‫ "פת" ּבְַאפ ְִריקִי ׁשְּתַ י ִם (סנהדרין‬,‫ַאר ָבעָה בָּתִ ים קְרּוי ִין טטפת – "טט" ְּבכַתְ ּפִי ׁשְּתַ י ִם‬
ְ ‫ׁשהֵם‬ ֶ ‫ ּתְ ִפּלִין; ְועַל ׁשֵם‬.‫ולטוטפת‬
‫ ׁשֶ הָרֹואֶ ה‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ּו ְלזִּכָרֹון‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּדִ ּבּור‬,)'‫ "ַאל ּתַ ּטִיפּו" (מיכה ב‬,)‫ ּו ְמנַחֵם ִחּבְרֹו עִם " ְו ַהּטֵף אֶ ל ּדָ רֹום" (יחזקאל כ"א‬.)'‫ד‬
‫ יִז ְּכ ֹר ַהּנֵס וִידַ ּבֵר ּבֹו‬,‫אֹותָ ם קָׁשּור ּבֵין ָהעֵינַי ִם‬:
‫ ולטטפת‬this denotes the Tephillin; and because they consist of four houses (compartments)
they are called ‫טטפת‬, for ‫ טט‬denotes “two” in Katpi and ‫ פת‬in Afriki denotes “two‫( ״‬Sanhedrin
4b). Menachem ben Seruk, however, placed it in the same section (gave it the same meaning)
as, (Ezekiel 21:2) “And speak (‫ )הטף‬to the south‫ ;״‬and as, (Micah 2:6) “speak ye (‫ )תטיפו‬not”;
so that ‫ טטפת‬would be an expression denoting “speaking”, and corresponds to ‫( ולזכרון‬in v. 9
where it really replaces ‫)טוטפת‬, because whoever sees them (the Tephillin) bound between the
eyes will remember the miracle (so that they become a ‫זכרון‬, a reminder) and will speak about
it (so that they become a ‫טטפת‬. something that causes one to speak about the miracle).

13:17

)'‫ " ְּבהִתְ ַה ֶּלכְָך ּתַ נְחֶה אֹותָ ְך" (משלי ו‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו "לְֵך נְחֵה אֶת ָהעָם" (שמות ל"ב‬,‫ נְ ָהגָם‬.‫ ולא נחם‬,‫ויהי בשלח פרעה‬:

‫ ולא נחם‬...‫ ויהי בשלח פרעה‬AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN PHARAOH HAD SENT [THE
PEOPLE AWAY] THAT GOD GUIDED THEM NOT — The word ‫ נחם‬means He guided
them, just as, (Exodus 32:34) “Go, guide (‫ )נחה‬the people”, and (Proverbs 6:22) “when thou
goest it shall guide (‫ )תנחה‬thee”.

‫ וְנ ֹ ַח לָׁשּוב ּבְאֹותֹו הַּדֶ ֶרְך ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם; ּומִדְ ְרׁשֵי אַ ּגָדָ ה י ֵׁש ה ְַרּבֵה‬.‫כי קרוב הוא‬:

‫ כי קרוב הוא‬BECAUSE IT WAS NEAR, and it would therefore be easy to return by the same
route to Egypt. — Of Midrashic explanations there are many (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
13:17).

‫ ּומָ ה אִ ם‬,‫ אִם ָהלְכּו ּדֶ ֶרְך יָׁשָר הָיּו חֹוז ְִרים‬,)‫ ּכְגֹון ִמ ְל ֶחמֶת " ַוּי ֵֶרד ָה ֲע ָמ ֵלקִי ְו ַה ְּכנַ ֲענִי וְגֹו'" (במדבר י"ד‬.‫בראתם מלחמה‬
‫ אִם הֹולִיכָם ִּבפְׁשּוטָה עַל ַאחַת ּכַּמָ ה ְוכַּמָ ה‬,)‫ׁש ִהּקִיפָם ּדֶ ֶרְך ְמ ֻעּקָם ָאמְרּו "נִּתְ נָה ר ֹאׁש ְונָׁשּובָה ִמצ ְָרי ְ ָמה" (שם‬ ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬:

‫ בראתם מלחמה‬WHEN THEY SEE WAR — For instance the war mentioned in (Numbers
14:45) “Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites came down etc.” If they had proceeded by
the direct route they would have then turned back. This is evident, for what would have been
the case? If, when He led them about by a circuitous way, they said, (Numbers 14:4) “Let us
appoint another chief and go back to Egypt”, had He led them by a direct route how much the
more certainly would they have spoken so.

‫ׁשּיָצְאּו ְוי ִּתְ נּו לֵב לָׁשּוב‬

ֶ ‫ׁשבָה עַל‬
ָ ‫ׁשבּו ַמ ֲח‬
ְ ‫ י ַ ְח‬.‫פן ינחם‬:

‫ פן ינחם‬PERADVENTURE [THE PEOPLE] REPENT — peradventure they cherish a different

thought (they change their mind) about having gone out and set their hearts on returning (cf.
Rashi on Genesis 6:6).

13:18

‫ ֱה ִסּבָם מִן הַּדֶ ֶרְך ַהּפְׁשּוטָה לַּדֶ ֶרְך ָהעֲקּומָ ה‬.‫ויסב‬:

‫ ויסב‬means HE LED THE PEOPLE ABOUT from the direct route to a circuitous route.

"‫ " ָקנֶה וָסּוף קָמֵ לּו‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו "וַּתָ ׂשֶם ּבַּסּוף"(שמות ב‬,‫ׁשּגְדֵ לִים ּבֹו ָקנִים‬
ֶ ‫ וְסּוף הּוא לְׁשֹון ֲאגַם‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ְלי ַם סּוף‬.‫ים סוף‬
)‫(ישעיהו י"ט‬:
‫ ים סוף‬is the same as ‫ לים סוף‬TO THE RED SEA. The word ‫ סוף‬has the meaning of a marshy
tract in which reeds grow; examples are: (Exodus 2:3) “She placed him in the reeds (‫;”)בסוף‬
(Isaiah 19:6) “The flags and the reeds (‫ )וסוף‬shall wither”.

‫ ֹלא‬,‫ׁשאִּלּו ֱה ִסּבָן ּדֶ ֶרְך י ִּׁשּוב‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשעָלּו חֲמּוׁשִים‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ֱה ִסּבָן ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר הּוא ּג ַָרם ָלהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ אֵין חֲמּוׁשִים ֶאּלָא ְמזֻּיָנִים; ( ְלפִי‬.‫וחמשים‬
‫ אֲ בָל ּכְׁשֶהּוא‬,‫ּׁשּי ִ ְצט ֵָרְך‬
ֶ ‫ אֶ ּלָא ּכְָאדָ ם ׁשֶעֹובֵר ִמ ָּמקֹום ְל ָמקֹום ּובְדַ עְּתֹו ִל ְקנֹות ׁשָם מַה‬,‫ּׁשּצ ְִריכִין‬ ֶ ‫הָיּו ְמ ֻח ָּמׁשִים ָלהֶם ּכָל ַמה‬
‫ׁשֹּלא תִ תְ מַּה ּבְמִ ְלחֶמֶת עֲמָ לֵק‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשּבֵר אֶת הָאֹז ֶן‬ַ ‫ּפֹורׁש ַלּמִדְ ּבָר צ ִָריְך ְלזַּמֵן לֹו ּכָל הַּצ ֶֹרְך; ּו ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה ֹלא נִכְּתַ ב ּכִי אִם ְל‬
ֵ
"‫ׁשהִּכּו אֹותָ ם ַּבח ֶֶרב) ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר " ְואַּתֶ ם ּתַ ַעבְרּו חֲמֻׁשִ ים‬ ֶ ‫ּו ְב ִמ ְל ֶחמֶת סִיחֹון וְעֹוג ּומִדְ י ָן ֵמהֵיכָן הָיּו ָלהֶם ְּכלֵי זַי ִן‬
‫ חֲמֻׁשִ ים אֶ חָד‬,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר‬.‫ ּכְמֹו " ַוּי ֶָרק אֶת ֲחנִיכָיו" (בראשית י"ד) – ְוז ֵָריז‬,"‫ ְוכֵן ּתִ ְרּגְמֹו אֻ נְ ְקלֹוס " ְמז ְָרז ִין‬,)'‫(יהושע א‬
)‫ׁשֹלׁשֶת יְמֵי ֲא ֵפלָה (מכילתא‬ ְ ‫ְַאר ָּבעָה ֲח ָלקִים מֵתּו ִּב‬
ְ ‫ּׁשה יָצְאּו ו‬ ָ ‫ ֵמ ֲח ִמ‬:

‫ — וחמשים‬The word ‫ חמשים‬means provided with weapons (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael

13:19:2). — [Because He led them by a circuitous route through the wilderness He brought it
about that they went up from Egypt well-provided; for had He led them circuitously by the
route of an inhabited district they would not have provided for themselves every thing that
they needed, but only a part, like a person who is travelling from place to place and intends to
purchase there whatever he will require. But if he were setting out for the wilderness he must
provide all that he will require. — This verse (statement in the verse) is written only with the
view of making the ear understand (preparing you for a later statement) viz., that you should
not wonder with regard to the war with Amalek and the war with Sihon and Og and Midian
where they obtained weapons, since they smote them with the sword]. In a similar sense it
says, (Joshua 1:14) “and ye shall pass over armed (‫”)חמשים‬. Onkelos, too, translated it by
‫ מזרזין‬which signifies “armed” in Aramaic, just as he translates the word ‫ וירק‬in (Genesis
14:14) ‫ וירק את חניכיו‬which means, “And he armed his trained servants” by ‫וזריז‬. Another
explanation of ‫ חמשים‬is: only one out of five (‫ )חמשה‬went forth from Egypt, and four parts of
the people died during the three days of darkness because they were unworthy of being
delivered (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:19:3; cf. Rashi on 10:22).

13:19

?‫ׁשהִׁשְ ּבִי ַע יַעֲק ֹב‬ ֶ ‫ּׂשאּוהּו ְלא ֶֶרץ ְּכנַעַן ִמּי ָד ּכְמֹו‬
ָ ִ ‫ׁשּי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבִי ַע ָּבנָיו‬
ְ ‫ ְו ָל ָּמה ֹלא ִה‬.‫ׁשּבִיעּו ִל ְבנֵיהֶם‬
ְ ַ ‫ׁשּי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבִיעָם‬
ְ ‫ ִה‬.‫השבע השביע‬
‫ ְלכְָך הִׁשְ ּבִיעָם‬,‫ ֲאבָל ָבנַי ֹלא יַּנִיחּום ִמצ ְַרי ִם ַלעֲׂשֹות‬,‫ׁשּלִיט ָהי ִיתִ י ְב ִמצ ְַרי ִם ְו ָהי ָה ֵספֶק ְּבי ָדִ י ַלעֲׂשֹות‬ ַ ‫ ֲאנִי‬,‫ָאמַר יֹוסֵף‬
‫ׁשּי ִ ָּג ֲאלּו ְויֵצְאּו מִּׁשָ ם ׁשֶ ּי ִּׂשָ אּוהּו‬
ֶ ‫ ִל ְכ‬:

‫ השבע השביע‬HE HAD STRAITLY ADJURED — He had made them swear that they would
make their children swear. But why did he not make his sons swear that they would take him
to the land of Canaan immediately on his death, as Jacob had made his sons swear? Joseph
said: I was a ruler in Egypt and I had sufficient power to do what my father desired; but my
sons — the Egyptians will not permit them to do this. Consequently he made them swear that
when they would be delivered and would go forth from there that they would take him up
with them (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:19:8).

‫ּׁש ָבטִים ֶהעֱלּו ִע ָּמהֶם ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר אִּתְ כֶם‬

ְ ‫ׁשַאף ַעצְמֹות ּכָל ַה‬
ֶ ‫ ִלּמְדָ נּו‬,‫ׁשּבִי ַע ּכֵן‬
ְ ‫ ְל ֶאחָיו ִה‬.‫והעליתם את עצמתי מזה אתכם‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫ והעליתם את עצמתי מזה אתכם‬THEN YE SHALL BRING UP MY BONES AWAY HENCE

WITH YOU — It was his brothers whom he made swear thus; consequently this tells us that
they (the Israelites who left Egypt) must have brought up with them the bones of all Jacob’s
sons (lit., the tribes) since it is said “with you” (with your own bones) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 13:19:11).
13:20

‫מֵרעְמְ סֵס ְלסֻּכֹות‬

ַ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ב ִָראׁשֹון ּבָאּו‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשנִי‬
ֵ ‫ ּבַּיֹום ַה‬.‫ויסעו מסכת‬:

‫ ויסעו מסכת‬AND THEY JOURNEYED FROM SUCCOTH — on the second day, for on the
first day they had come from Rameses to Succoth (Exodus 12:37).

13:21

,‫ׁשהּוא כְמֹו ְלה ְַראֹותְ כֶם‬ ֶ )'‫ "ל ְַראֹותְ כֶם ּבַּדֶ ֶרְך ֲאׁשֶר ּתֵ לְכּו בָּה" (דברים א‬,‫ׁשהּוא ּכְמֹו ְל ַהנְחֹותָ ם‬ ֶ ‫ נָקּוד ּפַּתָ ח‬.‫לנחתם הדרך‬
‫ ּומִ ּכָל מָ קֹום אֶת‬,‫ּׁשלִיחַ? עַּמּוד ֶה ָענָן; ְו ַהּקָדֹוׁש ּבָרּוְך הּוא ִּבכְבֹודֹו מֹולִיכֹו ִל ְפנֵיהֶם‬
ָ ‫ ּומִי הּוא ַה‬,ַ‫ׁשלִיח‬ָ ְ ‫ַאף ּכָאן ְל ַהנְח ֹתָ ם עַ"י‬
‫ְאֹורה ֶאּלָא לְהֹורֹותָ ם הַּדֶ ֶרְך‬
ָ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי עַ"י ְ עַּמּוד ֶה ָענָן הֵם הֹו ְלכִים; עַּמּוד ֶה ָענָן אֵינֹו ל‬ֶ ,‫ עַּמּוד ֶה ָענָן ֵהכִין ְל ַהנְחֹותָ ם עַל י ָדֹו‬:

‫ לנחתם הדרך‬TO GUIDE THEM IN THE WAY — It (the ‫ ל‬of ‫ )לנחתם‬is punctuated with Patach,
because it (the word) is like ‫( ְל ַהנְחֹותָ ם‬being a contracted form of this); similar is,
(Deuteronomy 1:33) “‫ ל ְַרא ֹתְ כֶם‬the way in which ye shall go”, which is the same as ‫ ְלה ְַרא ֹתְ כֶם‬to
show you. Thus, too, here: ‫ לנחתם‬means as much as ‫ להנחותם‬to make them be guided i. e. by
means of an agent. And who was this agent? The pillar of cloud — and the Holy One, blessed
be He, in His glory (Himself) led it before them. Nevertheless He Himself did not act as their
immediate guide, but He provided the pillar of cloud that they might be guided by means of it,
for, as a matter of fact, as the Scriptural account shows, it was by means of the pillar of cloud
that they set forth on their journeys. The pillar of cloud was not for giving light to them but to
show them the way.

13:22

‫ׁשלִים ְלעַּמּוד ָהאֵׁש ְועַּמּוד הָאֵׁש‬

ְ ‫ׁשעַּמּוד ֶה ָענָן ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ ַה ָּקּבָ"ה אֶת עמוד הענן יומם ועמוד האש לילה; ַמּגִיד‬.‫לא ימיש‬
‫ׁשקַע ז ֶה עֹולֶה ז ֶה‬
ְ ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא י‬
ֶ ‫ׁשעַד‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשלִים ְלעַּמּוד ֶה ָענָן‬
ְ ‫ ַמ‬:

‫ לא ימיש‬means He — the Holy One, blessed be He — did not let depart (did not remove) ‫את‬
‫ עמוד הענן יומם ועמוד האש לילה‬THE PILLAR OF CLOUD BY DAY NOR THE PILLAR OF
FIRE BY NIGHT. — This tells us (we may gather from this) that the pillar of cloud handed
over the camp to the pillar of fire and the pillar of fire handed it over to the pillar of cloud —
that before the one set the other rose (Shabbat 23b).

14:2

‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ּכְדֵ י ְל ַהטְעֹות אֶת ּפ ְַרע ֹה ׁשֶּי ֹאמַר ּתֹועִים הֵם ּבַּדֶ ֶרְך‬,‫ּׁשלִיׁשִי‬
ְ ‫ ְלצַד ִמצ ְַרי ִם הָיּו ְמק ְָרבִין ּכָל יֹום ַה‬,‫ֲחֹוריהֶם‬
ֵ ‫ ַלא‬.‫וישבו‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל וְגֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "וְָאמַר ּפ ְַרע ֹה ִל ְבנֵי י‬ ֶ '":

‫ וישבו‬THAT THEY TURN backwards; all the third day they were moving nearer towards the
Egyptians, in order to mislead Pharaoh, so that he should say: They have lost their way, as it
is said, (v. 3) “so that Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, [They are entangled in the
land]”.

‫ׁשנֵי ְס ָלעִים ּגְבֹוהִים‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנַעֲׂשּו ׁשָם ְּבנֵי ח ִֹרין; ְוהֵם‬

ֶ ‫ ְו ַע ְכׁשָו נִק ְָרא ּפִי ַהחִיר ֹת עַל ׁשֵם‬,‫ הּוא ּפִיתֹום‬.‫ויחנו לפני פי החירת‬
‫ׁשּבֵינֵיהֶם קָרּוי ּפִי ַה ְּס ָלעִים‬
ֶ ‫ז ְקּופִים ְו ַה ַּגי ְא‬:

‫ ויחנו לפני פי החירת‬AND ENCAMP BEFORE PI-HAHIROTH — This is identical with Pithom
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:2:2), but now it obtained the name of ‫פי החירת‬, because there
they became ‫ בני חורין‬free-men (‫ חירת‬is explained as ‫ חרות‬freedom). This was two high,
precipitous rocks and the valley between them was called ‫ פי הסלעים‬the mouth (opening) of the
rocks.

‫ ְו ָעלָיו ּפ ֵֵרׁש אִּיֹוב "מַׂשְ ּגִיא לַּגֹוי ִם‬,‫ׁשה י ְִרָאתָ ן‬

ָ ‫ ׁשֶּי ֹאמְרּו ָק‬,‫ׁשַאר ִמּכָל אֱֹלהֵי ִמצ ְַרי ִם ּכְדֵ י ְל ַהטְעֹותָ ן‬
ְ ִ‫ הּוא נ‬.‫לפני בעל צפן‬
)‫ ַוי ְ ַאּבְדֵ ם" (איוב י"ב‬:

‫ לפני בעל צפון‬BEFORE BAAL-ZEPHON — It (the idol of this name) alone had been left by
God of all the gods of Egypt and, this, too, in order to mislead them — that they should say
that their god was a difficult one to overcome. It was with reference to this that Job expressly
said, (Job 12:23) “He causes the nations to err (‫ׂשגִיא‬
ְ ‫ ַמ‬, is taken in the sense of ‫ׁשגִיא‬
ְ ‫ ַמ‬from root
‫ שגה‬to err) and then destroyeth them” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:2:2; cf. Rashi on this
passage).

14:3

‫ַאֲחֹוריהֶם‬
ֵ ‫ׁשבִים ל‬
ָ ‫ׁשהֵם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשמַע‬
ְ ִ ‫ׁשּי‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ואמר פרעה‬:

‫ ואמר פרעה‬THEN PHARAOH WILL SAY — when he hears that they are turning back.

‫אִמְרי‬
ִ – "‫ (בראשית כ יג) " ִאמ ְִרי לִי ָאחִי הּוא‬,‫ ְוכֵן (פסוק יד) "ה' י ִ ָּלחֵם ָלכֶם" – ֲעלֵיכֶם‬.‫ עַל ְּבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬.‫לבני ישראל‬
‫ ָעלַי‬:

‫ לבני ישראל‬means ‫ על בני‬ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. Similarly. (v. 14) “The Lord
will fight ‫”לכם‬, i. e. ‫ עליכם‬for you; (Genesis 20:13) “Say ‫לי‬, he is my brother” i. e. say about
me.

‫ " ְּב ֵע ֶמק ַה ָּבכָא" (תהילים פ"ד) "מִ ְּבכִי‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו "נִ ְבכֵי י ָם" (איוב ל"ח‬,‫ ּו ְב ַלעַז שירי"ר‬,‫ׁש ָּקעִים‬
ֻ ‫ ּכְלּואִים ּו ְמ‬.‫נבכים הם‬
)‫נְהָרֹות" (איוב כ"ח‬.

‫ נבכים הם‬means, shut up and sunk deep. old French serrer. Of similar meaning are (Job 38:16)
“the depths of (‫ )נבכי‬the sea”; (Psalms 84:7) “in the vale of dejection (‫( ;”)הבכא‬Job 28:11)
“from the depths (‫ )מבכי‬of the rivers.”

‫ׁשאֵינָן יֹודְ עִין ָלצֵאת מִּמֶ ּנּו ּו ְלהֵיכָן יֵלֵכּו‬

ֶ ,‫ ּכְלּואִים הֵם ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר‬, ‫נבכים הם‬:

‫ נבכים הם‬means THEY ARE SHUT UP in the wilderness — so that they do not know how to
get out of it and whither they should go.

14:4

‫ׁש ַּפטְּתִ י אִּתֹו וְגֹו'" וְַאחַר ּכְָך‬

ְ ִ‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר " ְונ‬,‫ׁשעִים ׁשְמֹו מִתְ ּגַּדֵ ל ּומִתְ ַּכּבֵד‬
ָ ‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה מִתְ נַּקֵם ּב ְָר‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ואכבדה בפרעה‬
‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך "נֹודָ ע ּבִיהּודָ ה‬,"‫ׁשפֵי ָקׁשֶת‬ ְ ‫ׁשּבַר ִר‬
ִ ‫ׁש ָּמה‬
ָ " ‫ וְאֹומֵר‬,)‫" ְוהִתְ גַּדִ לְּתִ י ְוהִתְ קַּדִ ׁשְּתִ י וְנֹודַ עְּתִ י וְגֹו'" (יחזקאל ל"ח‬
)'‫ׁשּפָט עָׂשָ ה" (שם ט‬ ְ ‫ וְאֹומֵר "נֹודַ ע ה' ִמ‬,) ‫אֱֹלהִים" (תהלים ע"ו‬:

‫ ואכבדה בפרעה‬AND I WILL BE HONOURED THROUGH PHARAOH — When the Holy

One, blessed be He, takes vengeance on the wicked His name is magnified and honoured.
Thus, too, it states, (Ezekiel 38:22, 23) “And I will plead against him [with pestilence and
with blood etc.]”, and afterwards, “Thus I shall be magnified and sanctified etc.” And it states,
(Psalms 76:3) “There He broke the fiery shafts of the bow”, and afterwards (after He has done
this) (v. 2) “In Judah is God known. “Further it states, (Psalms 9:17) “The Lord is known
because He executeth judgment” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:4:2).

‫ הּוא הִתְ חִיל ַּב ֲעב ֵָרה ּו ִמ ֶּמּנּו הִתְ חִילָה ַהּפ ְֻרעָנּות‬.‫בפרעה ובכל חילו‬:

‫ בפרעה ובכל חילו‬THROUGH PHARAOH AND THROUGH ALL HIS FORCES — He began
the wrongdoing and with him began the punishment (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:4:2; cf.
Rashi on Exodus 7:28).

‫ וְֹלא ָאמְרּו ַהאֵיְך נִתְ ק ֵָרב אֶל רֹודְ פֵינּו? ָאנּו צ ְִריכִים ִלבְר ֹ ַח אֶ ּלָא ָאמְרּו אֵ ין‬,‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ּׁשמְעּו לְקֹול מ‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ,‫ׁש ְבחָן‬
ִ ‫ ְל ַהּגִיד‬.‫ויעשו כן‬
)‫ַמְרם (מכילתא‬ ָ ‫לָנּו ְל ַקי ֵם ֶאּלָא ּדִ ב ְֵרי בֶן ע‬:

‫ ויעשו כן‬AND THEY DID SO — This is stated in order to tell their praise — that they
hearkened to Moses and did not say, How can we move nearer to our enemies; we ought
rather to flee,” but they said, ‘‘It is ours only to carry out the bidding of the son of Amram”
(cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:4:3).

14:5

‫ׁש ָקבְעּו לֵילְֵך ְולָׁשּוב ו ְָראּו ׁשֶ אֵ ינָן חֹוז ְִרין‬

ֶ ‫ׁשֹלׁשֶת יָמִים‬ְ ‫ׁש ִהּגִיעּו ִל‬
ֶ ‫ ְוכֵיוָן‬,‫ׁשלַח ִע ָּמהֶם‬ ָ ‫ְטֹורין‬ִ ‫ אִיק‬.‫ויגד למלך מצרים‬
‫ ּבַּׁשַ ח ֲִרית ָאמְרּו‬,‫ׁשבִיעִי י ְָרדּו ַלּי ָם‬
ְ ‫ לֵיל‬,‫ּׁשּׁשִי ָרדְ פּו ַאח ֲֵריהֶם‬
ִ ‫ ַּב ֲחמִיׁשִי ּו ַב‬,‫ ּבָאּו ְו ִהּגִידּו ְלפ ְַרע ֹה ּבַּיֹום ה ְָרבִיעִי‬,‫ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
‫ִירה ּבַּיֹום הַּׁשְ בִיעִי‬
ָ ‫קֹורין ַהּׁש‬
ִ ‫ׁשל ֶּפסַח; ְלכְָך ָאנּו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשבִיעִי‬ ְ ‫ִירה וְהּוא יֹום‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬:

‫ ויגד למלך מצרים‬AND IT WAS TOLD THE KING OF EGYPT — He sent public officers with
them, and as soon as they had reached the three days’ journey which he had fixed for them to
go and return, and these perceived that they were not going back to Egypt, they came and told
Pharaoh on the fourth day (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:5:1). On the fifth and sixth they
pursued after them: on the night of the seventh day they went down into the sea and on the
following morning they (the Israelites) sang the Song of Praise and this was the seventh day
of Passover. And that is why we read “The Song” (Exodus 15:1 ff.) as the Scriptural lesson on
the seventh day of the Festival (Megillah 31a; Seder Olam 5; cf. Sotah 12b).

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי לְׁשֶ ָעבַר הָיּו‬

ֶ ,‫ ְונֶ ְהּפְַך לֵב ֲעבָדָ יו‬,)‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ָאמַר ָלהֶם "קּומּו ּצְאּו מִּתֹוְך ַעּמִי" (שמות י"ב‬ ֶ ,‫ּׁש ָהי ָה‬
ֶ ‫ נֶ ְהּפְַך ִמ ַּמה‬.‫ויהפך‬
‫ׁשבִיל מָמֹונָם ׁשֶ הִׁשְ אִ ילּום‬
ְ ‫ ְו ַע ְכׁשָיו נֶ ֶהפְכּו ל ְִרד ֹף ַאח ֲֵריהֶם ִּב‬,)'‫אֹומ ְִרים לֹו "עַד מָתַ י י ִ ְהי ֶה ז ֶה לָנּו לְמֹוקֵׁש" (שמות י‬:

‫[ ויהפך‬AND THE HEART…] WAS TURNED — it was turned (changed) from what it had
been, because he had said to them (Exodus 12:31) “Arise, go out from the midst of my
people”, and his servants’ hearts were changed because formerly they had said to him,
(Exodus 10:7) “How long shall this man be a snare unto us? [let the men go etc.]”. Now,
however, they (their hearts) were changed, prompting them to pursue them, because of the
property that they had handed over to them (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:5:3).

‫ מֵ עֲב ֹד אֹותָ נּו‬.‫מעבדנו‬:

‫ מעבדנו‬means from serving us (i. e. the word is an infinitive with an objective suffix and not a
noun signifying “from our service”, which would require ‫) ֵמעֲבֹודָ תֵ נּו‬.

14:6

)‫ הּוא ְב ַעצְמֹו (מכילתא‬.‫ויאסר את רכבו‬:

‫ ויאסר את רכבו‬AND HE MADE READY HIS CHARIOT — he himself (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 14:6:1)

,‫ ּב ֹאּו ִעּמִי ַו ֲאנִי ֹלא אֶתְ נַהֵג ִע ָּמכֶם ּכִׁשְ ָאר מְ ָלכִים‬,‫ׁש ַּלחְנּום‬
ִ ‫ ָלקִינּו ְונָטְלּו מָמֹונֵנּו ְו‬,‫ׁשכָם ּבִדְ ב ִָרים‬ ָ ‫ ְמ‬.‫ואת עמו לקח עמו‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּופ ְַרע ֹה ִהק ְִריב – ִהק ְִריב ַעצְמֹו ּומִ הֵר ִל ְפנֵי‬ ֶ ,‫ ַו ֲאנִי ַאקְּדִ ים ִל ְפנֵיכֶם‬,‫ׁשָאר ְמ ָלכִים ֲעבָדָ יו קֹודְ מִין לֹו ַּב ִּמ ְל ָח ָמה‬ְ ‫ּדֶ ֶרְך‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ֲא ַחּלֵק ׁשָ לָל" (שמות‬ ֶ ‫ׁשוֶה ִע ָּמכֶם ַּב ֵחלֶק‬ ְ ‫ אֲ נִי ֶא‬,‫ׁשּי ִ ְבחַר‬
ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ְמ ָלכִים לִּט ֹל ִּבּז ָה ּבָר ֹאׁש ּכְמֹו‬ ְ ‫ ּדֶ ֶרְך‬,– ‫חֵילֹותָ יו‬
)‫ט"ו‬:

‫ ואת עמו לקח עמו‬AND TOOK HIS PEOPLE WITH HIM — he drew them on by fine words, as
follows: “We have been stricken and they have taken our money and yet we have let them go
free. Come with me and I will not behave with you as other kings. It is the way of other kings
that their subjects go in front of them into the battle, but I will go in front of you” — as,
indeed, it is said, (v. 10) “And Pharaoh ‫( ”הקריב‬the Hiphil): which signifies he brought himself
near and hastened in front of his army. — “It is the way of other kings to take the booty at the
beginning as he chooses (to have first pick of the booty), but I will be equal to you in the
division of the booty” — as, indeed, it states that he said, (Exodus 15:9) “I will divide the
spoil”Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:6:2.

14:7

‫ׁש ְּב ִמנְי ָן ז ֶה ָהי ָה ּבָחּור‬

ֶ ‫ ּכָל ֶרכֶב ו ֶָרכֶב‬,‫ ּבָחּור לְׁשֹון יָחִיד‬,‫ נִ ְבח ִָרים‬.‫בחור‬:

‫ בחור‬means CHOSEN. The word ‫ בחור‬is singular number — the idea is: each and every
chariot in that number was a selected one.

‫ ה ֲֵרי נֶאֱמַר " ַוּי ָמָת ּכ ֹל‬,‫ּׁשל ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ה ֶָרכֶב; ּו ֵמהֵיכָן הָיּו ַה ְּבהֵמֹות ַהּלָלּו? אִם ּת ֹאמַר ִמ‬ ְ ‫ ְו ִע ָּמהֶם ּכָל‬.‫וכל רכב מצרים‬
.'‫ּׁשל מִי הָיּו? מִן ַהּי ֵָרא אֶת ּדְ בַר ה‬ ֶ ‫ ִמ‬,"‫ ַוהֲֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר " ְוגַם ִמ ְקנֵנּו יֵלְֵך ִע ָּמנּו‬,‫ּׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ ְואִם ִמ‬,) '‫מִ ְקנֵה ִמצ ְָרי ִם" (שמות ט‬
)‫ׁש ַּבּנְ ָחׁשִים ְרצ ֹץ אֶת מ ֹחֹו (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ טֹוב‬,‫ׁש ַּב ִּמצ ְִרים הֲר ֹג‬ֶ ‫ ָּכׁשֵר‬,‫ׁשמְעֹון אֹומֵר‬ ִ '‫ ִמּכָאן ָהי ָה ַר‬:

‫ וכל רכב מצרים‬signifies AND with these were ALL THE other CHARIOTS OF EGYPT. And
whence came all these animals required for the chariots? If you say that they were from the
cattle of the Egyptians — but you know it is stated, (Exodus 9:6) “And all the cattle of the
Egyptians died”. And if you say that they were from the Israelites’ cattle — but is it not
stated, (Exodus 10:26) “Our cattle, also, shall go with us”! Then whose were they? They were
of those “who feared the word of the Lord” and saved their cattle by bringing them into their
stables (Exodus 9:20). Deriving it from here (on account of this fact) R. Simeon said: The best
amongst the Egyptians — kill him (otherwise he will afterwards devise evil against you); the
best amongst the serpents — crush its brains (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:7:1).

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,‫ ׂש ֵָרי ְצבָאֹות‬.‫ושלשם על כלו‬:

‫ ושלשים על כלו‬means army-captains, as the Targum has it.

14:8

)‫ ְו ִחּז ֵק אֶת לִּבֹו ל ְִרּד ֹף (שם‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה תֹולֶה אִם ל ְִרּד ֹף אִם לָאו‬
ֶ .‫ויחזק ה' את לב פרעה‬:

‫ ויחזק ה׳ את לב פרעה‬AND THE LORD ALLOWED THE HEART OF PHARAOH TO BE

HARDENED — the meaning is, that he was in doubt whether to pursue or not, and He
hardened his heart to pursue (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:8:1).
‫ְבּורה ּגְבֹוהָה ּומְ פ ְֻרסֶמֶת‬
ָ ‫ ִּבג‬.‫ביד רמה‬:

‫ ביד רמה‬WITH A HIGH HAND — with high and open daring (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
14:8:2).

14:10

‫ ַמהּו ִהק ְִריב? ִהק ְִריב ַעצְמֹו ְונִתְ ַאּמֵץ ְלקַּדֵ ם ִל ְפנֵיהֶם ּכְמֹו ׁשֶ הִתְ נָה עִּמָ הֶם‬,‫קָרב‬
ַ ‫ ָהי ָה לֹו ִלכְּת ֹב ּופ ְַרע ֹה‬.‫ופרעה הקריב‬:

‫ — ופרעה הקריב‬It should have written ‫“ ופרעה קרב‬and Pharaoh came near” — what is the force
of the Hiphil ‫הקריב‬, “He caused to come near”? He made himself come near — he forced
himself to go in front of them as he had arranged with them (cf. Rashi on v. 6).

‫ׁשל ִמצ ְַרי ִם נֹו ֵס ַע מִ ן הַּׁשָמַ י ִם‬

ֶ ‫ ָראּו ׂשַר‬,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר – ְו ִהּנֵה ִמצ ְַרי ִם נ ֹ ֵס ַע ַאח ֲֵריהֶם‬.‫ ְּבלֵב ֶאחָד ְּכאִיׁש ֶאחָד‬.‫נסע אחריהם‬
‫ ַלעֲז ֹר ַל ִּמצ ְִרים; – תנחומא‬:

‫[ נסע אחריהם‬EGYPT] JOURNEYED AFTER THEM (‫ נסע‬is singular) — the Egyptians

journeyed after them with one mind and as one man (hence the use of the singular) (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:10:3). Another explanation of ‫ והנה מצרים נסע אחריהם‬is: the singular
denotes that they saw, not the Egyptians, but the guardian angel of Egypt coming from heaven
to assist the Egyptians. Thus is it explained in the Tanchuma (cf. Exodus Rabbah 21:5).

‫ ְּבי ִ ְצחָק "לָׂשּו ַח‬,)‫ ּתָ פְׂשּו ֻא ָּמנּות ֲאבֹותָ ם – ּבְַאב ְָרהָם הּוא אֹומֵר " ֶאל ַה ָּמקֹום אֲ ׁשֶר ָעמַד ׁשָם" (בראשית י"ט‬.‫ויצעקו‬
)‫ ְּביַעֲק ֹב " ַוּי ִ ְפגַע ַּב ָּמקֹום" (שם כ"ח‬,)‫ (שם כ"ד‬,"‫ ַּבּׂשָדֶ ה‬:

‫ ויצעקו‬AND THEY CRIED — they took to hand the handicraft of their fathers (they had
recourse to prayer as their fathers had always done in times of trouble). In the case of
Abraham it is said, (Genesis 19:27) “[And Abraham went] to the place where he had stood in
prayer”. In the case of Isaac: (Genesis 24:63) “[He went out towards evening] to pray”. In the
case of Jacob: (Genesis 28:11) “He prayed to the Omnipresent God” (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 14:10:4; Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 9, and Rashi on the texts quoted).

14:11

‫ ש"י פו"ר‬.‫ׁשאֵין קְ ב ִָרים ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם ִל ָּקבֵר ׁשָם – ְל ַקחְּתָ נּו מִּׁשָ ם‬
ֶ – ‫ ְוכִי ֵמ ֲחמַת ֶחסְרֹון ְקב ִָרים‬.‫המבלי אין קברים‬
‫פלינ"צא ד"י נו"ן פוש"יש ְב ַלעַז‬:

‫ המבלי אין קברים‬signifies, was it on account of lack of graves — because there were no graves
in Egypt in which to be buried — that thou didst bring us out from there? old French si pour
faillance de non fossés.

14:12

)‫ׁשּפ ֹט" (שמות ה') (מכילתא‬

ְ ִ ‫ ְוהֵיכָן ּדִ ּבְרּו? "י ֵֶרא ה' ֲעלֵיכֶם ְוי‬.‫אשר דברנו אליך בארץ מצרים‬:

‫[ אשר דברנו אליך במצרים‬THE WORD] THAT WE SPOKE UNTO THEE IN EGYPT — And
where had they said this? (Exodus 5:21) “The Lord look upon you and judge!” (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:11)
 ‫ְׁשּורק נִבְָאר ֵמ ֲאׁשֶר נָמּות ְוכֵן "מִ י‬
ֻ ‫ׁשּנָקּוד ּב‬
ֶ ‫ ַע ְכׁשָיו‬,‫ ְואִם ָהי ָה נָקּוד ְמלָאפּום ָהי ָה נִבְָאר ִמּמִיתָ תֵ נּו‬,‫ ֵמ ֲאׁשֶר נָמּות‬.‫ממתנו‬
"‫ ּכְמֹו "לְיֹום קּומִ י ְלעַד‬.‫ׁשָאמּות‬
ֶ – )‫ׁשלֹום (שמואל ב' י"ט‬ ָ ‫ ְוכֵן "מִי י ִּתֵ ן מּותִ י" ּדְ ַא ְב‬,‫ׁשּנָמּות‬
ֶ – )‫י ִּתֵ ן מּותֵ נּו" (שמות ט"ז‬
‫ ׁשֶ אָׁשּוב‬,‫ׁשלֹום" (דברי הימים ב' י"ח) – ׁשֶ ָאקּום‬ ָ ‫ "עַד יֹום ׁשּובִי ְב‬,)'‫(צפניה ג‬:

‫ ממתנו‬means THAN THAT WE SHOULD DIE. If the word had been punctuated with a
Melopum (our ‫ חולם‬i. e. ‫ )מִּמֹותֵ נּו‬it would have to be explained “than our death” (‫ מֹותֵ נּו‬our death
from the noun ‫ ) ָמוֶת‬but now that it is punctuated with a ‫( שורק‬our Kibbutz) it must be
explained by “than that we should die”. And similar is, (Exodus 16:3) “Would that ‫ ”מּותֵ נּו‬i. e.
“that we should die”; similar is, (II Samuel 19:1) “Would that ‫ ”מּותִ י‬in the history of Absalom,
which means “that I should die”. It is an infinitive like (Zephaniah 3:8) “Until the day ‫ קּומִי‬for
ever”, and as (II Chronicles 18:26) “Until the day ‫ ׁשּובִי‬in peace” — which signify ‫“ שאקום‬that
I shall arise”, and ‫“ שאשוב‬that I shall return”.

14:13

‫ הַּיֹום הּוא ׁש ְֶראִיתֶ ם אֹותָ ם וְֹלא תֹוסִיפּו עֹוד‬,‫ ַמה ּׁש ְֶראִיתֶ ם אֹותָ ם אֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא היום‬.'‫כי אשר ראיתם את מצרים וגו‬:

‫ כי אשר ראיתם את מצרים וגו׳‬means WHAT (the fact that) YE HAVE SEEN them (THE
EGYPTIANS), is only ‫ היום‬THIS DAY — to-day it it that ye see them, BUT YE SHALL
NEVER AGAIN see them.

14:14

‫ ְוכֵן " ַו ֲאׁשֶר ּדִ ּבֶר לִי" (בראשית‬,)‫ ְוכֵן "אִם ָל ֵאל ּתְ ִריבּון" (איוב י"ג‬,"‫ׁשבִי ְלכֶם; ְוכֵן "ּכִי ה' נִ ְלחָם ָלהֶם‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫ילחם לכם‬
)'‫ ְוכֵן " ַהאַּתֶ ם ּתְ ִריבּון ַל ַּבעַל" (שופטים ו‬,)‫כ"ד‬:

‫ ילחם לכם‬means He will fight on your behalf; similar is (v. 25) “For the Lord fighteth for them
(‫ ;”)להם‬so too, (Job. 13:8) “will ye contend for God (‫ ”?)לאל‬and thus, too, (Genesis 24:7) “and
who spoke on my behalf (‫”)לי‬, and so, too, (Judges 6:31) “Will ye plead for Baal (‫”?)לבעל‬

14:15

‫ִׂשְראֵ ל נְתּונִין‬ ָ ‫ ׁשֶ ּי‬,‫ ֹלא עֵת עַּתָ ה ְל ַהא ֲִריְך ּבִתְ ִפּלָה‬,‫ ָאמַר לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬,‫ׁשה עֹומֵד ּומִתְ ַּפּלֵל‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה מ‬
ֶ ‫ ִלּמְדָ נּו‬.‫מה תצעק אלי‬
"‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְל ַהּלָן "עַל ָּבנַי ְועַל ּפֹעַל י ָדַ י ּתְ ַצ ֻּונִי‬ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ָעלַי הַּדָ בָר ּתָ לּוי וְֹלא ָעלֶיָך‬,‫ ּדָ "ַא – ַמה ּתִ ְצעַק ֵאלָי‬.)‫ְּבצ ָָרה (מכילתא‬
)‫(ישעיהו מ"ה‬:

‫ מה תצעק אלי‬WHEREFORE CRIEST THOU UNTO ME? — there is no mention that he

prayed to God concerning this, but this teaches us that Moses stood in prayer. Whereupon the
Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “It is no time now to pray at length, when Israel is
placed in trouble”. Another explanation of ‫( מה תצעק אלי‬taking it in the sense of “Wherefore
criest thou? ‫ אלי‬it is to Me — concerns Me”) — upon Me rests this matter and not upon thee.
The idea contained in this explanation is similar to what is expressed elsewhere: (Isaiah
45:11) “Concerning My sons and concerning the work of My hands will ye command Me?”
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:15:2)

‫ ּכְדַ אי הּוא ז ְכּות אֲבֹותֵ יהֶם ְוהָאֱמּונָה‬,‫ׁשאֵין ַהּי ָם עֹומֵד ִּב ְפנֵיהֶם‬
ֶ ,‫ אֵין ָלהֶם ֶאּלָא ִלּסַע‬.‫דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו‬
)‫ ִלקְר ֹ ַע ָלהֶם ַהּי ָם (מכילתא‬,‫ׁש ֶה ֱאמִינּו בִי ְויָצְאּו‬ֶ :

‫ דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו‬SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT THEY
JOURNEY ONWARDS — There is nothing for them to do but to journey on, for the sea will
not stand in their way: their ancestors’ merits and their own, and the faith that they placed in
Me so that they left Egypt will suffice to divide the sea for them (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 14:15:1; Shemot Rabbah 21:8).

14:19

‫ ְּבכָל מָ קֹום הּוא‬.‫ׁשל ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬ ֶ ‫ ְל ַהבְּדִ יל ּבֵין ַמ ֲחנֵה ִמצ ְַרי ִם ּובֵין ַמ ֲחנֵה יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ּו ְל ַקּבֵל ִחּצִים ּו ָבלִי ְסט ְָראֹות‬.‫וילך מאחריהם‬
‫ׁשהָיּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל נְתּונִין ּבַּדִ ין ּבְאֹותָ ּה ׁשָ עָה אִ ם‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬,‫ אֵין ֱאֹלהִים ְּבכָל ָמקֹום ֶאּלָא ּדַ ּי ָן‬,‫אֹומֵר ַמ ְלאְַך ה' ְוכָאן ַמ ְלאְַך ָה ֱאֹלהִים‬
)‫ ְל ִהּנָצֵל אִם ְלהֵָאבֵד עִם מִ צ ְַרי ִם (שם‬:

‫ וילך מאחריהם‬AND WENT BEHIND THEM to divide the camp of Egypt from the camp of
Israel and to receive the arrows and the missiles of the Egyptians. Everywhere it says “The
Angel of the Lord (‫ ”)ה׳‬whilst here we have The Angel of God (‫)אלהים‬.”! The name ‫אלהים‬
really denotes, wherever it occurs, “Judge” (lit., “judgment”). Therefore the use of this term
here teaches us that Israel was, at that moment, arraigned in judgment, whether to be saved or
to be destroyed together with Egypt (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:19).

‫ׁש ָהי ָה ָרגִיל ְל ִהסְּתַ ּלֵק‬

ֶ ‫ ֹלא נִסְּתַ ּלֵק ֶה ָענָן ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשלִים עַּמּוד ֶה ָענָן אֶת ַה ַּמ ֲחנֶה ְלעַּמּוד ָהאֵׁש‬
ְ ‫ׁשכָה ְו ִה‬
ְ ‫ׁש ָח‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ויסע עמוד הענן‬
‫ אֶ ּלָא נָסַע ְו ָהלְַך לֹו ֵמַאח ֲֵריהֶם ְל ַהחֲׁשִ יְך לְמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬,‫ע ְַרבִית ְלגַמ ְִרי‬:

‫ ויסע עמוד הענן‬AND THE PILLAR OF CLOUD WENT [FROM BEFORE THEM] — When it
became dark and the pillar of cloud handed over the camp to the pillar of fire, the cloud did
not go away as it was accustomed to go away altogether in the evening, but it went and betook
itself behind them to make it dark for the Egyptians.

14:20

‫ ּבָא‬,‫ נְטָלֹו ִמ ְּל ָפנָיו ּונְתָ נֹו לְַאח ֲָריו‬,‫ׁשּבֹותֹו‬

ְ ‫ ּבָאּו ִל ְסטִים ִל‬,‫ׁשל ִל ְמ ַהּלְֵך ּבַּדֶ ֶרְך ּובְנֹו ְמ ַהּלְֵך ְל ָפנָיו‬
ָ ‫ ָמ‬.‫ויבא בין מחנה מצרים‬
‫ ּכְָך "וְָאנֹכִי תִ ְר ַּגלְּתִ י לְאֶ פ ְַרי ִם‬,‫ נְתָ נֹו עַל ז ְרֹועֹו ְונִ ְלחַם ָּבהֶם‬,‫ ּבָאּו ִל ְסטִים ְל ָפנָיו ּוז ְ ֵאבִים ֵמַאח ֲָריו‬,‫ נְתָ נֹו ְל ָפנָיו‬,‫ז ְאֵ ב ֵמַאח ֲָריו‬
)‫ ָקחָם עַל ז ְרֹוע ֹתָ יו" (הושע י"א) (מכילתא‬:

‫ ויבא בין מחנה מצרים‬AND IT CAME BETWEEN THE CAMP OF EGYPT — A parable: it may
be compared to one who is proceeding on a journey, his son walking in front of him. If, now,
brigands come to capture him (the son), he takes him away from in front of him and places
him behind himself. If a wolf then comes behind him he places him again in front. If brigands
come in front of him and wolves behind him, he places him on his arm and fights against
them. Thus did God do for Israel, as it says, (Hosea 11:3) “I led Ephraim — He took them
upon His arms” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:19).

‫ לְמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬.‫ויהי הענן והחשך‬:

‫ ויהי הענן והחשך‬AND THERE WAS CLOUD AND DARKNESS to the Egyptians.

‫ׁשל ע ֲָרפֶל ְלצַד מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬

ֶ ‫ וְהֹולְֵך ִל ְפנֵיהֶם ּכְדַ ְרּכֹו ָל ֶלכֶת ּכָל ַה ַּליְלָה ְוהַחֹׁשְֶך‬,‫ויאר עַּמּוד ָהאֵׁש את הלילה ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬:

‫ ויאר‬AND IT — the pillar of fire — ILLUMINATED the night for the Israelites, and went
before them as was its way to go every night, whilst the darkness of the cloud was turned
towards the Egyptians.

)‫ ַמ ֲחנֶה אֶ ל מַ ֲחנֶה (שם‬.‫ולא קרב זה אל זה‬:

‫ ולא קרב זה אל זה‬SO THAT ONE APPROACHED NOT ANOTHER — [This does not mean
that one person did not approach another but]: this camp did not approach that camp
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:20:2).

14:21

‫ "ּכְרּו ַח קָדִ ים‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשעִים‬
ָ ‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה נִפ ְָרע ּבָּה מִן ה ְָר‬
ֶ ‫ הִיא הָרּו ַח‬,‫ׁשּבָרּוחֹות‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהִיא ַעּז ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ּבְרּו ַח קָדִ ים‬.‫ברוח קדים עזה‬
‫ " ָהגָה ּבְרּוחֹו‬,)‫ׁשב ֵָרְך ְּבלֵב יַּמִים" (יחזקאל כ"ז‬ ְ ‫ "רּו ַח ַהּקָדִ ים‬,)‫ "י ָבֹוא קָדִ ים רּו ַח ה'" (הושע י"ג‬,)‫אֲ פִיצֵם" (ירמיה י"ח‬
)‫ׁשה ּבְיֹום קָדִ ים" (ישעיה כ"ז‬ ָ ‫ ַה ָּק‬:

‫ ברוח קדים עזה‬BY A POWERFUL EAST WIND — i. e. by the east wind which is the most
powerful of the winds. This is the wind by which the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts
punishment from the wicked, as it is said, (Jeremiah 18:17) “I will scatter them as with an east
wind”; (Hosea 13:15) “An east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord”; (Ezekiel 27:26) “The
east wind hath broken thee in the heart of the sea”; (Isaiah 27:8) “He hath removed her with
His rough blast in the day of the east wind” (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:21:2).

‫ ּכָל מַ י ִם ׁשֶ ּבָעֹולָם‬.‫ויבקעו המים‬:

‫ ויבקעו המים‬AND THE WATERS WERE DIVIDED — all the waters in the world (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:2:2).

14:23

)‫ׁשאֵין ֻּכּלָם חֲׁשּובִין ִל ְפנֵי ַה ָּמקֹום ֶאּלָא ּכְסּוס אֶ חָד (מכילתא‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכִי סּוס אֶ חָד ָהי ָה? ַמּגִיד‬.‫כל סוס פרעה‬:

‫( כל סוס פרעה‬The word ‫ סוס‬is singular) — But was there only one horse? But the use of the
singular teaches us that they were all accounted before the Omnipresent as only one horse (cf.
Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:1:6).

14:24

‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ וְאֹומֵר אֲ נִי‬.‫קֹורא ַאׁשְמ ֶֹרת הַּבֹקֶר‬ ֵ ‫ׁש ִּל ְפנֵי הַּבֹקֶר‬
ֶ ‫ וְאֹותָ ּה‬,‫ְמּורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹלׁשֶת ֶח ְלקֵי ַה ַּליְלָה קְרּוי ִין ַאׁש‬
ְ .‫באשמרת הבקר‬
‫ ְוז ֶהּו ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם‬,‫ ְלכְָך קָרּוי ַאׁשְמ ֶֹרת‬,‫ׁשה ֲח ָלקִים‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ ִל‬,‫ ּכַת ַאחַר ּכַת‬,‫ׁשל ַמ ְל ֲאכֵי ַהּׁש ֵָרת‬
ֶ ‫ׁשמְרֹות ׁשִיר‬ ְ ‫ׁש ַה ַּליְלָה חָלּוק ְל ִמ‬
ֶ
‫"אֻ נְקְ לֹוס "מַ ּט ְַרת‬:

‫ באשמרת הבקר‬IN THE MORNING WATCH — The three divisions of the night are each called
an ‫“ אשמורה‬a watch” (Berakhot 3b), and that which immediately precedes the morning is
called “the morning watch”. I am of opinion that because the night is divided for the watches (
‫ )משמרות‬of the song of the ministering angels — company after company — into three
divisions, therefore each division of the night is termed, for all purposes, an ‫( אשמרת‬another
form of ‫ משמר‬the angel’s watch), and this is what Onkelos has in mind when he translates
‫ אשמרת‬by ‫מטרת‬.

‫ (במדבר‬,"‫ ּכְמֹו "ׂשְדֵ ה צֹופִים‬,‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו " ְו ִאסְּתְ כִי" ַאף הּוא לְׁשֹון ַה ָּבטָה‬.‫ׁשחִיתָ ם‬
ְ ‫ ּכְלֹומַר ָּפנָה אֲ לֵיהֶם ְל ַה‬,‫ ַוּיַּבֵט‬.‫וישקף‬
‫כ"ג) – חֲקַ ל סָכּותָ א‬:

‫ וישקף‬means HE LOOKED, as much as to say, He turned towards them to destroy them (cf.
Rashi on Genesis 18:16), and its rendering in the Targum, ‫ואסתכי‬, is also an expression
denoting looking, just as he translates (Numbers 23:14), “the field of the watchers (‫ ”)צפים‬by
“the field of ,‫ ”סכותא‬which denotes “looking”.

)‫ ְו ַט ְלפֵי סּוסֵיהֶם ִמׁשְּתַ ּמְטֹות (מכילתא‬,‫ׂשה אֹותֹו ְּכטִיט ְועַּמּוד אֵׁש מ ְַרּתִ יחֹו‬
ֶ ‫יֹורד וְעֹו‬
ֵ ‫ עַּמּוד ָענָן‬.‫בעמוד אש וענן‬:

‫ בעמוד אש וענן‬THROUGH THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND CLOUD — viz., the pillar of cloud
descended and made it (the bed of the sea) like clay, and the pillar of fire made it boiling hot
so that the horses’ hoofs fell off (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:24).

‫ׁשנִינּו ְּבפ ְִרקֵי ַרּבִי ֱאלִי ֶעז ֶר ּבְנֹו ׁשֶ ל ַרּבִי יֹוסֵי‬
ָ ‫ ְו‬.‫ׁש ָּלהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ נָטַל ִסגְנִּיֹות‬,‫ ע ְִר ְּבבָם‬,‫ אשדורד"ישון ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ְמהּו ָמה‬.‫ויהם‬
"‫ ְוז ֶה ָאב ְל ֻכּלָן " ַוּי ְַרעֵם ה' ּבְקֹול ּגָדֹול וְגֹו' עַל ְּפלִׁשְּתִ ים ַויְהֻּמֵ ם‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבֹו ְמהּו ָמה ה ְַר ָעמַת קֹול הּוא‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל ָמקֹום‬:‫ַה ְּגלִילִי‬
)'‫(שמואל א ז‬:

‫ ויהם‬has the meaning of confusion. old French estordison. He cast them into confusion; He
took away their ensigns. And we read in the Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Rabbi José,
the Galilean: Wherever it speaks of ‫( מהומה‬forms from the root ‫ )המם‬it signifies a thundering
sound; and the following passage is the father of all of them (i. e. that from which this
meaning is quite evident): (I Samuel 7:10) “And the Lord thundered with a great sound …
upon the Philistines and discomfited them (‫”)ויהמם‬.

14:25

‫ׁשבִים ָּבהֶם נָעִים ְו ֵאב ֵָריהֶן מִתְ ּפ ְָרקִ ין‬

ְ ‫ ְוהַּיֹו‬,‫ ְו ַהּמ ְֶרּכָבֹות נִג ְָררֹות‬,‫ ִמּכ ֹ ַח ָהאֵׁש נִׂש ְְרפּו ַה ַּג ְל ַּגּלִים‬.‫ויסר את אפן מרכבתיו‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫ ויסר את אפן מרכבותיו‬AND HE REMOVED THEIR CHARIOT WHEELS — Through the

power of the fire of the pillar of fire the wheels were burnt and the chariots were thus dragged
along and those who were sitting in them were thrown about and their limbs were all put out
of joint (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:25).

‫ ַאף ּכָאן‬,)'‫ " ַוּי ַ ְכּבֵד" לִּבֹו הּוא ַו ֲעבָדָ יו (שמות ט‬:‫ׁשּמָדְ דּו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ָלהֶם; ַּבמִּדָ ה‬
ָ ‫ׁשהִיא ְכבֵדָ ה ְו ָק‬
ֶ ‫ ְּב ַהנְ ָהגָה‬.‫וינהגהו בכבדת‬
‫" ַויְנַ ֲהגֵהּו " ִּב ְכבֵדֻ ת‬:

‫ וינהגהו בכבדות‬signifies: And He treated them with a treatment that was hard and harsh to them.
In the measure that they (the Egyptians) had meted out to the Israelites was it meted out to
them, for (9:34) “He hardened his heart, he and his servants”, and therefore here: “He treated
them (the Egyptians) in a hard manner” (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:25).

‫ׁש ֵאּלּו לֹוקִים עַל ַהּי ָם ּכְָך לֹוקִ ים אֹותָ ם‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ְּכׁשֵם‬
ֶ ,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר ְּב ִמצ ְָרי ִם – ְּבא ֶֶרץ ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬.‫ ַּב ִּמצ ְִרּי ִים‬.‫נלחם להם במצרים‬
)‫ׁשאֲרּו ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם (מכילתא‬ ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ :

‫ נלחם להם במצרים‬FIGHTETH FOR THEM ‫ — במצריים‬means against the Egyptians. Another
explanation of ‫ במצרים‬is: in the land of Egypt, for just as these were smitten at the Sea so, too,
were smitten those who remained in Egypt (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:25).

14:26

‫ י ָׁשּובּו ִל ְמקֹומָם וִיכַּסּו עַל מִ צ ְַרי ִם‬,‫ׁשּז ְקּופִין וְעֹומְדִ ים ּכְחֹו ָמה‬
ֶ .‫וישבו המים‬:
‫ וישכו המים‬means THE WATERS that were standing erect as a wall SHALL RETURN to their
places and form a cover over the Egyptians.

14:27

‫ׁשהַּב ֹקֶר ּפֹונֶה לָב ֹא‬

ֶ ‫ ְלעֵת‬.‫לפנות בקר‬:

‫ לפנות בקר‬AT THE TURNING OF THE MORNING at the time when the morning turns to
come).

)‫ לְתָ ְקּפֹו ה ִָראׁשֹון (מכילתא‬.‫לאיתנו‬:

‫ לאיתנו‬means TO ITS ORIGINAL STRENGTH (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:27).

‫ִקְראת הַּמַ י ִם‬

ַ ‫ׁשהָיּו ְמ ֻה ָּממִים ּומְט ָֹרפִים ו ְָרצִין ל‬
ֶ .‫נסים לקראתו‬:

‫ נסים לקראתו‬FLED TOWARDS IT — because they were thrown into confusion and were
bewildered and on that account ran towards it.

,‫ְיֹורדִ ין ּומִׁשְּתַ ּב ְִרין ַּבּי ָם‬

ְ ‫ ּכְָך הָיּו עֹולִין ו‬,‫ׁש ְּמנַעֵר אֶת ַהּקְדֵ ָרה וְהֹופְֵך ָה ֶעלְיֹון ְל ַמּטָה ְוהַּתַ חְּתֹון ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְָאדָ ם‬.'‫וינער ה‬
)‫ִּסּורין (שם‬ ִ ‫ ְונָתַ ן ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ָּבהֶם חַּיּות ְל ַקּבֵל ַהּי‬:

'‫ וינער ה‬AND THE LORD OVERTHREW (or, shook out or emptied out) — as a person
empties out a pot, turning what is on top underneath and what is underneath on top: thus they
were emptied out of their chariots and they rose and fell till at last they were broken to pieces
in the sea, and the Holy One, blessed be He, put vitality (strength) in them so that they could
bear the pain (and thus their agony was protracted) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:27).

ַ‫ ְוה ְַרּבֵה י ֵׁש ּבְמִ"א‬,‫ וְהּוא לְׁשֹון טֵרּוף ִּבלְׁשֹון א ֲַרּמִי‬,"‫ׁשּנֵיק‬

ַ ‫ " ְו‬.‫וינער‬:

‫ — וינער‬Onkelos renders this by ‫ ושניק‬which is an expression for confounding in Aramaic, and

there are many examples of it in the Agadic expositions.

14:28

,)‫ׂשה נְחֹׁשֶת" (שמות כ"ז‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו " ְלכָל ֵּכלָיו ּתַ ֲע‬,‫ ּכְָך ּדֶ ֶרְך ַה ִּמק ְָראֹות ִלכְּת ֹב ָלמֶ"ד י ְתֵ ָרה‬.‫ לכל חיל פרעה‬,‫ויכסו את הרכב‬
‫ ְואֵינָּה אֶ ּלָא ּתִ ּקּון לָׁשֹון‬,)‫ "וִיתֵ דֹותָ ם ּומֵיתְ ֵריהֶם ְלכָל ְּכלֵיהֶם" (שם‬,) '‫ׁשּכָן ּבְכ ֹל עֲב ֹדָ תֹו" (במדבר ד‬ ְ ‫ ְוכֵן "לְכ ֹל ְּכלֵי ַה ִּמ‬:

‫ לכל חיל פרעה‬... ‫ ויכסו את הרכב‬AND COVERED THE CHARIOTS … AND ALL THE
FORCES OF PHARAOH — in regard to the ‫ ל‬of ‫לכל‬, this is the way of Scripture verses (of
Biblical Hebrew) to write a redundant ‫ל‬, as in (Exodus 27:3) “all (‫ )לכל‬its vessels shalt thou
make of copper”.. So, too, (Exodus 27:19) ‘‘all (‫ )לכל‬the vessels of the dwelling in all the
service thereof”; (Numbers 4:32) “and their pins and their cords and all (‫ )לכל‬their vessels”. It
is only an elegancy of style.

14:30

‫ׁשָאנּו עֹולִים מִ ּצַד ז ֶה ּכְָך הֵם‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכׁשֵם‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ֹאמְרּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ׂשפָתֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁש ְּפ ָלטָן ַהּי ָם עַל‬
ֶ .‫וירא ישראל את מצרים מת‬
)‫ ְוי ְִרּדְ פּו ַאח ֲֵרינּו (פסחים קי"ח‬,‫ ָרחֹוק ִמ ֶּמּנּו‬,‫עֹולִין ִמּצַד ַאחֵר‬:
‫ וירא ישראל את מצרים מת‬AND ISRAEL SAW THE EGYPTIANS DEAD — because the sea
threw them out on its shore in order that the Israelites should not say: “Just as we have come
up from out of the sea on this part, so they have come up on another part of this shore, but far
away from us, and they will pursue us” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:31:1; Pesachim 118b;
Arakhin 15a).

14:31

‫ ְוה ְַרּבֵה לְׁשֹונֹות נֹו ְפלִין עַל לְׁשֹון י ָד ְו ֻכּלָן לְׁשֹון י ָד‬.‫ׁשל ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָעׂשְתָ ה י ָדֹו‬
ֶ ‫ְבּורה ַהּגְדֹולָה‬
ָ ‫ אֶת ַהּג‬.‫את היד הגדולה‬
‫ ְו ַה ְמפ ְָרׁשֹו י ְתַ ּקֵן ַהּלָׁשֹון ַאחַר ִענְי ַן הַּדִ ּבּור‬,‫ ַמּמָׁש הֵן‬:

‫ את היד הגדלה‬denotes THE GREAT power which the HAND of the Holy One, blessed be He,
had exercised. There are many meanings that are appropriate to the expression ‫יד‬, hand, but all
of them really signify the actual hand, and he who is explaining it must adapt the language
according to the meaning of the passage.

15:1

‫ ְוכֵן "ּו ַבי ִת יַעֲׂשֶ ה ְלבַת‬,)'‫ׁשעַ" (יהושע י‬ ֻ ‫ ְוכֵן "ָאז י ְדַ ּבֵר י ְהֹו‬.‫ִירה‬ָ ‫ׁשּיָׁשִיר ׁש‬ ֶ ‫ ָאז ְּכׁש ֶָרָאה ַהּנֵס ָעלָה ְבלִּבֹו‬.‫אז ישיר משה‬
‫ירה‬ ָ ִ‫ׂשה – וַּי ֹאמְרּו לֵאמ ֹר אָׁש‬ ָ ‫ׁשּיָׁשִיר ְוכֵן ָע‬ ֶ ‫ ַאף ּכָאן יָׁשִיר ָאמַר לֹו לִּבֹו‬,‫ׂשה לָּה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּי ַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ׁשב ְּבלִּבֹו‬
ַ ‫ּפ ְַרע ֹה" (מלכים א ז' ) – ָח‬
,‫ירת ַהּבְאֵר‬ ַ ִ‫ ְוכֵן ׁש‬,)'‫ׂשה – "וַּי ֹאמֶר ְלעֵינֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל" (יהושע י‬ ָ ‫ׁשּי ְדַ ּבֵר ְוכֵן ָע‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַע ְּכׁש ֶָרָאה ַהּנֵס ָאמַר לֹו לִּבֹו‬ ֻ ‫ ְוכֵן ּבִיהֹו‬,'‫לַה‬
,)‫ׁשֹלמ ֹה ָּבמָה" (מלכים א י"א‬ ְ ‫ "ָאז י ִ ְבנֶה‬,)‫ ּפ ֵֵרׁש ַאח ֲָריו " ֲעלִי ְבאֵר עֱנּו לָּה" (במדבר י"א‬,‫ׁשּפָתַ ח ּבָּה ָאז יָׁשִיר יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬ ֶ
‫ אֲ בָל‬.‫ּׁשב ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬ ֵ ַ ‫ ז ֶהּו ְלי‬,‫ׁשבָה נֶ ֶאמ ְָרה‬ ָ ‫ׁשהַּיֹו"ד עַל ׁשֵם ַה ַּמ ֲח‬ ֶ ‫ ִלּמְדָ נּו‬,‫ׁש ִּבּקֵׁש ִלבְנֹות וְֹלא ָבנָה‬ ֶ ‫ּפ ְֵרׁשּו בֹו ַח ְכמֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
‫ׁשּפ ְֵרׁשּוהּו ּבִּקֵׁש ִלבְנֹות‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשֹלמ ֹה‬ ְ ‫ּׁשל‬ֶ ‫ חּוץ ִמ‬,‫ַּתֹורה" ְוכֵן ְּב ֻכּלָן‬ ָ ‫מִדְ ָרׁשֹו ָאמְרּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ז ִ" ִל " ִמּכָאן ֶרמֶז לִתְ ִחּי ַת ַהּמֵתִ ים מִן ה‬
‫ׂשה אִּיֹוב" (איוב‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְגֹון " ָּככָה י ַ ֲע‬,‫ׁשָאר ּדְ ב ִָרים ַהּנִכְּתָ בִים ִּבלְׁשֹון עָתִ יד ְוהֵן ִמּי ָד‬ ְ ‫ּׁשב לָׁשֹון ַהּז ֶה ִּכ‬ֵ ַ ‫ ְואֵין לֹומַר ּו ְלי‬.‫וְֹלא ָבנָה‬
‫ׁשהֵן ּדָ בָר הַהֹווֶה תָ מִיד וְנֹופֵל ּבֹו ּבֵין לְׁשֹון עָתִ יד‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,)‫ " ְוי ֵׁש ֲאׁשֶר י ִ ְהי ֶה ֶה ָענָן" (שם‬,) '‫ "עַ" ִּפ ה' יַחֲנּו" (במדבר ט‬,)'‫א‬
‫ אֵינִי י ָכֹול ְלי ַּׁשְ בֹו ַּבּלָׁשֹון ַהּז ֶה‬,‫ׁשעָה‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה אֶ ּלָא ְל‬ ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל ז ֶה‬,‫ּובֵין לְׁשֹון ָעבָר‬:

‫ אז ישיר משה‬THEN SANG MOSES — with regard to the usage of the future ‫ישיר‬, the meaning
is: THEN — i. e. when he saw the miracle it entered his mind that HE WOULD SING a song.
Similar is, (Joshua 10:12) “Then Joshua would speak (‫ ;”)אז ידבר‬and similar, (1 Kings 7:8)
“and a house he would make (‫ )יעשה‬for Pharaoh’s daughter”, which signifies “he purposed in
his heart that he would make it for her”. So, also, ‫ ישיר‬here signifies: his heart told him that he
should sing, and thus did he actually do, as it states, “and they (Moses and Israel) spake as
follows, ‘I will sing unto the Lord’”. And in the same way, in the case of Joshua, it means:
then (‫ — )או‬when he saw the miracle mentioned in that narrative — his heart told him
(prompted him) to speak, and thus did he actually do, as it is stated, “and he spake before the
eyes of all Israel”. The same applies to the Song of the Well (Numbers 21:17) which begins
with the words: ‫אז ישיר ישראל‬, “then would Israel sing”; it expresses the intention quite plainly
in the following words, “Come up, O Well — sing ye unto it” (i. e. these words are a call to
the people to sing to it after Israel had expressed their intention so to do and are not part of the
song itself which begins with the words that follow). With regard to (1 Kings 11:7) ‫אז יבנה‬
‫ שלמה במה‬our Rabbis explained that He proposed to build a high place for Chemosh but
actually did not build it (Sanhedrin 91b). This, too, teaches us that the ‫ י‬as a prefix of the
imperfect is used in reference to intention to do a thing. This explanation serves to settle the
literal meaning of the text. But so far as its Midrashic explanation is concerned our Rabbis, of
blessed memory, said: from here (i. e. from the fact that the future tense is used) we may
derive an intimation that the tenet of the Resurrection of the Dead is from the Torah (is
alluded to, although only by inference, in the Torah) (Sanhedrin 91b). And thus, also, do they
explain in the case of all them (all of the examples quoted) except in the case of that referring
to Solomon which they explained in the sense that he purposed to build a high place but did
not build it. — One cannot say that this can be appropriately explained in the same way as one
explains other passages which are written in the future tense, but which really refer to an
immediate action (i. e. to a then present time); for example, (Job. 1:5) “Thus was Job doing (
‫( ;”)יעשה‬Numbers 9:18) “At the command of the Lord were they encamping (‫( ;”)יחנו‬Numbers
9:20) “And there were occasions when the cloud was (‫ )יהיה‬upon the tabernacle”, because
these were each of them something that was continuously happening, and there is proper to it
either the future tense or the past tense (cf. Rashi on Genesis 29:3). But this (‫ אז ישיר‬and other
passages quoted) which happened only at the particular moment mentioned (once and once
only), one cannot fittingly explain in this sense (i. e. of continuous action).

‫ׁשהּוא נִ ְלחָם ַּב ֲחבֵרֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר ְל ָבׂשָר וָדָ ם ַלעֲׂשֹות; ְּכ‬ ֶ ‫ׂשה ּדָ בָר‬ ָ ‫ׁש ָע‬
ֶ ‫ (ּדָ "ַא – ּבָא ַה ֵּכפֶל לֹומַר‬.‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫כי גאה גאה‬
‫ׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר ַלעֲׂשֹות עַל י ְדֵ י זּולָתֹו נֹופֵל ּבֹו לְׁשֹון‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכָל‬,‫ ְוכָאן הַסּוס וְרֹכְבֹו ָר ָמה ַבּי ָם‬,‫ ַמּפִילֹו מִן הַּסּוס‬,‫ּומִתְ ַּגּבֵר ָעלָיו‬
‫ ה' אִ יׁש‬,‫ ָעּז ִי ְוזִמ ְָרת י ָּה ַויְהִי לִי לִיׁשּועָה‬,‫ִירה ּתִ ְמצָא כְפּולָה‬ ָ ‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל ַהּׁש‬,) ‫ׂשה" (ישעיהו י"ב‬ ָ ‫ ּכְמֹו "ּכִי גֵאּות ָע‬,‫ּגֵאּות‬
‫ וְֹלא‬,‫ עֹוד י ֵׁש ּבֹו ּתֹו ֶספֶת‬,‫ּׁש ֲא ַקּלֵס ּבֹו‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ּכָל ַהּׁשִירֹות ְוכָל מַה‬,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר – כי גאה גאה‬.)‫ ְוכֵן ֻּכּלָם‬,‫ִמ ְל ָח ָמה ה' ׁשְמֹו‬
‫ׁש ְּמ ַק ְּלסִין אֹותֹו וְאֵ ין ּבֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְכמִּדַ ת ֶמלְֶך ָּבׂשָר וָדָ ם‬:

‫ כי גאה גאה‬FOR HE IS GLORIOUSLY SUBLIME — render this as the Targum does: for He
is exalted above all exalted beings and real exaltation (supremity) is His alone. [Another
explanation: the repetition of the word is intended to state that He has done something which
it is impossible for a human being (lit., flesh and blood) to do. When he (the latter) fights
against another and vanquishes him he throws him off the horse, but here — horse and its
rider together hath He hurled into the sea. The usage is, that in the case of everything which
cannot possibly be done by anyone except Him the appropriate expression to use is a form of
the root ‫גאה‬, as in (Isaiah 12:5), “for He hath done ‫ — ”גאות‬gloriously. In the same way you
will find that throughout the whole Song the words are repeated: (v. 2) “The strength and
vengeance of the Lord have become my help”; (v. 4). “The Lord is a man of war, the Lord is
His name” (cf. Rashi’s explanation of this), and this is the case in all the verses]. Another
explanation of ‫כי גאה גאה‬: I will sing unto the Lord although (‫ )כי‬He is exalted high above all
songs and however much I may praise Him there will still remain something additional in
Him to be praised (‫ — עוד יש בו תוספת‬I can never exhaust his praises), and not as is the
practice in respect to a human king whom one praises, attributing to him certain virtues whilst
these are really not in him (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:1:6).

)‫ְיֹורדִ ין לָע ֹ ֶמק ְואֵינָן נִפ ְָרדִ ין (מכילתא‬

ְ ‫ְׁשּורים ז ֶה ָּבז ֶה ְו ַה ַּמי ִם ַמ ֲעלִין אֹותָ ן ו‬
ִ ‫ׁשנֵיהֶם ק‬
ְ .‫סוס ורכבו‬:

‫ סוס ורכבו‬THE HORSE AND ITS RIDER — both of them attached one to the other; and the
waters lifted them up and then they descended into the depths and yet they did not become
separated (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:1:6).

,‫ ְוכָתּוב ֶאחָד אֹומֵר י ָָרה‬,‫ ּכָתּוב ֶאחָד אֹומֵר ָר ָמה‬:‫ ּומִדְ ַרׁש אַ ּגָדָ ה‬.) '‫נּורא" (דניאל ג‬ ָ ‫"ּורמִיו לְגֹוא אַּתּון‬ ְ ‫ ְוכֵן‬,‫ׁשלִיְך‬
ְ ‫ ִה‬.‫רמה‬
‫ מִ לְמַ ְעלָה לְמַ ּטָה‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו "מִי י ָָרה ֶאבֶן ִּפּנָתָ ּה" (איוב ל"ח‬,‫ְיֹורדִ ין לַּתְ הֹום‬
ְ ‫ׁשהָיּו עֹולִין לָרּום ו‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬:

‫ רמה‬means HE HATH CAST. Similar is (Daniel 3:21) “and they were cast (‫ )ורמיו‬into the
midst of the fiery furnace”. And an Agadic explanation is: One verse says ‫רמה‬, which involves
the idea of raising (‫)רום‬, and another verse (v. 4) says, ‫ ירה‬which implies casting from a height
(cf. Rashi on 19:13 ‫ !)ירה יירה‬This teaches us that they first went up on high and then went
down into the depths (i. e. they were tossed up and down). The meaning of ‫ ירה‬here is the
same as in (Job. 38:6) “Who laid (‫ )ירה‬the corner-stone thereof?” — implying laying from
above to below (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:1:6).
15:2

‫ ׁשֶ אֵ ין‬,‫קְרא‬ָ ִ‫ ַו ֲאנִי ּתָ ֵמ ַּה עַל לְׁשֹון הַּמ‬,‫ ְוזִמ ְָרת ּכְמֹו ְוזִמ ְָרתִ י‬,‫ ָעּז ִי ּכְמֹו ֻעּז ִי‬,"‫ׁש ַּבחְּתִ י‬ְ ֻ‫ ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם "ּתָ ְקּפִי וְת‬.‫עזי וזמרת יה‬
‫ "ה' ֻעּז ִי‬,‫ׁשּור"ק‬ ֻ ‫ׁשָאר ְמקֹומֹות נָקּוד‬ ְ ‫ ְוכָל‬,‫ׁשהּוא סָמּוְך אֵ צֶל ְוזִמ ְָרת‬ ֶ ‫ׁשה ְמקֹומֹות‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫לְָך כָמֹוהּו ִּבנְקֻּדָ תֹו ַּב ִּמק ְָרא ֶאּלָא ִּב‬
‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל ּתֵ בָה ּבַת ׁשְּתֵ י אֹותִ ּיֹות ַהּנְקּודָ ה ְמלָאפּום ּכְׁשֶ הִיא‬.)‫ "עֻּזֹו ֵאלֶיָך ֶאׁשְמ ָֹרה" (תהילים נ"ט‬,)‫ּו ָמ ֻעּז ִי" (ירמיהו ט"ז‬
‫ ע ֹל עֻּלֹו – " ְוסָר‬,‫ ח ֹק ֻחּקִי‬,‫ ר ֹק ֻרּקִי‬,‫ ּכְגֹון ע ֹז ֻעּז ִי‬,‫ְׁשּורק‬ ֻ ‫ ה ִָראׁשֹונָה נְקּודָ ה ּב‬,‫ּׁשנִּי ָה ַּב ֲחטָף‬ ְ ‫ׁשלִיׁשִית ְואֵין ַה‬ ְ ‫ַמא ֲֶרכֶת ּבְאֹות‬
‫ וְׁשֶ ל‬,‫ׁשל י ְׁשַ ְעי ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְו‬,‫ׁשל ּכָאן‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ֵאּלּו ג' ָעּז ִי ְוזִמ ְָרת‬,)‫ׁש ִלׁשִם עַל ּכֻּלֹו" (שמות י"ד‬ ָ ‫ ּכ ֹל ּכֻּלֹו – " ְו‬,)‫מֵ ֲע ֵלהֶם עֻּלֹו" (ישעיהו י"ד‬
‫ ְלכְָך‬."‫ ְו ֻכּלָם סָמּוְך ָלהֶם " ַויְהִי לִי לִיׁשּועָה‬,‫ וְעֹוד אֵין ְּב ֶאחָד ֵמהֶם ּכָתּוב ְוזִמ ְָרתִ י ֶאּלָא ְוזִמ ְָרת‬,‫ נְקּודִ ים ַּב ֲחטָף ָקמָץ‬,‫ּתְ ִהּלִים‬
‫ ֶאּלָא ָעּז ִי ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר הּוא ּכְמֹו "הַּי ֹׁשְ בִי‬,‫ׁשאֵין ָעּז ִי ּכְמֹו ֻעּז ִי וְֹלא ְוזִמ ְָרת ּכְמֹו ְוזִמ ְָרתִ י‬ ֶ ,‫ּׁשב לְׁשֹון ַה ִּמק ְָרא‬ ֵ ַ ‫ ְלי‬,‫ֲאנִי אֹומֵר‬
‫ִמְרת י ָּה הּוא‬ ָ ‫ּׁשבַח ָעּז ִי ְוז‬
ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו ַה‬,)‫ "ׁש ֹ ְכנִי ְסנֶה" (דברים ל"ג‬,)'‫ "ׁש ֹ ְכנִי ְב ַחגְוֵי ֶסלַע" (עובדיה א‬,)‫ּׁש ָמי ִם" (תהילים קכ"ג‬ ָ ‫ַּב‬
‫ "עַל ּדִ ב ְַרת‬,)'‫ " ְּב ֶעב ְַרת ה'" (ישעיהו ט‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו " ְל ֶעז ְַרת ה'" (שופטים ה‬,‫ ְוזִמ ְָרת ּדָ בּוק הּוא לְתֵ בַת ַהּׁשֵם‬.‫ָהי ָה לִי לִיׁשּועָה‬
‫ לְׁשֹון ּכִּסּו ַח‬,)‫ "זְמִיר ע ִָריצִים" (ישעיהו כ"ה‬,)‫ ּולְׁשֹון ְוזִמ ְָרת לְׁשֹון "ֹלא תִ ז ְמ ֹר" (ויקרא כ"ה‬.)'‫ְּבנֵי הָָאדָ ם" (קהלת ג‬
‫קְראֹות‬ ָ ִ‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לָנּו מ‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשֹּלא נֶ ֱאמַר ָהי ָה‬
ֶ ,‫ וְַאל ּתִ תְ ַמּה עַל לְׁשֹון ַויְהִי‬.‫ׁשל אֱ ֹלהֵינּו ָהי ָה לָנּו לִיׁשּועָה‬ ֶ ‫ּוכ ְִריתָ ה – עֻּזֹו ְונִ ְקמָתֹו‬
‫ ָהי ָה לֹו‬,)'‫ "אֶת קִירֹות ַה ַּבי ִת ָסבִיב ַלהֵיכָל ְולַּדְ בִיר ַוּיַעַׂש ְצלָעֹות ָסבִיב" (מלכים א ו‬:‫ ְוז ֶה דֻ גְמָתֹו‬,‫מְדַ ּב ְִרים ְּבלָׁשֹון ז ֶה‬
‫ׁשבִים ְּבע ֵָרי י ְהּודָ ה ַוּי ִ ְמֹלְך ֲעלֵיהֶם ְר ַח ְבעָם" (דברי הימים‬ ְ ֹ ‫ "ּו ְבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל הַּי‬:‫ ְוכֵן ּבְדִ ב ְֵרי ַהּיָמִים‬.‫ׂשה ְצלָעֹות ָסבִיב‬ ָ ‫לֹומַר ָע‬
.‫ ָהי ָה לֹו לֹומַר ׁשְ ָחטָם‬,)‫ׁש ָחטֵם" (במדבר י"ד‬ ְ ִ ‫ " ִמ ִּבלְּתִ י י ְכֹלֶת ה' וְגֹו' ַוּי‬.‫ ָהי ָה לֹו לֹומַר ָמלְַך ֲעלֵיהֶם ְר ַח ְבעָם‬,) '‫ב' י‬
,)'‫" ַו ֲאׁשֶר ֹלא ׂשָם לִּבֹו ֶאל ּדְ בַר ה' ַוּיַעֲז ֹב" (שמות ט‬,‫ׁשה וְגֹו' ַוּיָמֻתּו" (שם) מֵתּו ָהי ָה לֹו לֹומַר‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשלַח מ‬ ָ ‫" ְו ָה ֲאנָׁשִים ֲאׁשֶר‬
‫ ָהי ָה לֹו לֹומַר ָעז ַב‬:

‫ — עזי וזמרת יה‬Onkelos translated this by “my might and my praise”, taking ‫ ָעז ִּי‬the same as ‫ ֻעז ִּי‬,
and ‫ִמְרת‬ ָ ‫ ְוז‬the same as ‫ ְוזִמ ְָרתִ י‬. But I wonder at the wording of the text if this translation is
correct, for you will find no similar example of its punctuation (i. e. of ‫ ) ָעז ִּי‬in the Scriptures
except in three passages where it is, in each case, followed by ‫וזמרת‬. In all other passages it is
punctuated with ‫( שורק‬i. e. our Kibbutz); e. g., (Jeremiah 16:19) ‫( ה' ֻעז ִּי ומעזי‬Psalms 59:10) ‫עֻּזו‬
‫ אליך אשמרה‬So, too, every word of two letters that is punctuated with a Melopum (our ‫)חולם‬
when it is lengthened by the addition of a third letter (i. e. when it has a pronominal suffix as
in the examples given below), and the second has not a Sheva (‫)חטף‬, the first is punctuated
with a ‫( שורק‬Kibbuts) — as, for instance, ‫ ע ֹז‬and ‫ ר ֹק ; ֻעז ִּי‬and ‫ ח ֹק ; ֻרקִי‬and ‫ ע ֹל ; ֻחקִי‬and ‫ ֻעלִי‬as in
(Isaiah 14:25) “then shall his yoke (‫עֻּלֹו‬, from ‫ )ע ֹל‬depart from him”; — ‫ כ ֹּל‬and ‫ּכֻּלֹו‬, as in
(Exodus 14:7) “and captains over each of them (‫ — )ּכֻּלֹו‬from ‫ּכ ֹל‬. But these three examples of
‫ִּמְרת‬ ָ ‫ ָעז ִּי ְוז‬, viz., that occuring here and that in Isaiah (12:2) and that in Psalms (118:14), are
punctuated with short Kametz, whereas the translation of Onkelos would require ‫ ֻעז ִּי‬and not
‫ ָעז ִּי‬. Then further, in not one of them (these three passages) is it written ‫וזמרתי‬, as Onkelos
translates, but ‫ וזמרת‬and remarkably enough all of them are immediately followed by ‫ויהי לי‬
‫לישועה‬. — Therefore I say in explanation of the wording of the text that ‫ ָעז ִּי‬is not the same as
‫ ֻעז ִּי‬and ‫ִמְרת‬ ָ ‫ ְוז‬is not the same as ‫ ְוזִמ ְָרתִ י‬, but ‫ ָעז ִּי‬is a noun without a suffix of any kind, as we find
in (Psalms 123:1) “The one who sits (‫ׁשבִי‬ ְ ֹ ‫ )הַּי‬in heaven”; (Obadiah 3:3) “The one who dwells (
‫ )ׁש ֹ ְכנִי‬in the cleft of the rock”; (Deuteronomy 33:16) “He that dwelleth (‫ )ׁש ֹ ְכנִי‬in the bush”
(where the syllable at the end of the word is part of the noun and is not the pronominal suffix
denoting “my”). The praise, therefore, proclaimed in these words is this: The ‫ עז‬and the ‫זִמ ְָרת‬
of God, this was to me as a help. The word ‫ וזמרת‬is a noun in the construct state to the word
which expressess the Divine Name (‫)י ָּה‬, in the same sense as (Judges 5:23) “to the help of (
‫לעזרת‬ ַ — const.) the Lord”; (Isaiah 9:18) “through the wrath of (‫ — בעברת‬constr.) the Lord”;
(Ecc. 3:18) “because of (‫דברת‬ ַ — const.) the sons of man”. The expression ‫ וזמרת‬has the
meaning of the root which we find in (Leviticus 25:4) “thou shalt not prune (‫ ”)תזמר‬and in
(Isaiah 25:5) “the cutting down (‫ )זמיר‬of the terrible ones”, both of which have the meaning
“lopping off” and “cutting down”. Thus the verse signifies: “The strength and vengeance of
our God has become to us a help”. Do not be puzzled by the expression ‫ — ויהי‬that it does not
state ‫ — היה‬for we have other verses also that use this idiom, and the following is an example
of such a construction: (1 Kings 6:5) “round about the wall of the house, both of the temple
and the most holy place, he made (‫ )ויעש‬a side structure”, and it should have said (instead of
‫ ויעש‬etc.) ‫עשה לו צלעות סביב‬. Similarly in Chronicles, (2 10:17) “But as for the children of
Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned (‫ )וימלך‬over them”, where it should
have said ‫מלך עליהם‬. Other examples are: (Numbers 14:16) “Because the Lord was unable
etc…. He slaughtered them (‫”)וישחטם‬, where it should have said ‫( ;שחטם‬Numbers 14:36, 37)
“And the men whom Moses sent … they died (‫”)וימתו‬, where it should have said ‫( ;מתו‬Exodus
9:21) “And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left (‫ )ויעזב‬his cattle, etc.”, where it
should have said ‫עזב‬.

)‫ּׁשֹּלא ָראּו נְבִיאִ ים (מכילתא‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ְפחָה עַל ַהּי ָם ַמה‬
ִ ‫ ָראֲתָ ה‬,‫ ִּבכְבֹודֹו נִגְלָה ֲעלֵיהֶם ְוהָיּו מ ְַראִין אֹותֹו ְּב ֶא ְצּבַע‬.‫זה אלי‬:

‫ זה אלי‬THIS IS MY GOD — In His glory did He reveal Himself to them and they pointed to
Him — as it were — with the finger exclaiming “This is my God!” (Shir HaShirim Rabbah
3:15) A maid servant beheld at the Red Sea what even the prophets never saw (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:2:2).

,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר – וְַאנְוֵהּו לְׁשֹון נֹוי‬.)‫ " ִלנְוֵה צ ֹאן" (שם ס"ה‬,) ‫ׁש ֲאנָן" (ישעיהו ל"ג‬ ַ ‫ ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם לְׁשֹון נָוֶה – "נָוֶה‬.‫ואנוהו‬
‫ ְוכָל ָה ִענְי ָן‬,)'‫ ּכְגֹון " ַמה ּדֹודֵ ְך מִּדֹוד וְגֹו' ּדֹודִ י צַח וְָאדֹום" (שיר השירים ה‬,‫ׁשבְחֹו ְל ָבאֵי עֹולָם‬
ִ ‫ ֲא ַסּפֵר נֹויֹו ְו‬:

‫ ואנוהו‬Onkelos translates this in the sense of a dwelling (viz., I will build Him a temple) as in
(Isaiah 33:20) “a peaceful habitation (‫ ”)נוה‬and in (Isaiah 65:10) “a dwelling (‫ )נוה‬for flocks”.
Another explanation of ‫ ואנוהו‬is that it has the sense of ‫נוי‬, “beauty”, and the meaning is: I will
relate His splendour and praiseworthiness to the inhabitants of the world as, for example, was
actually done by Israel: (Song 5:9, 10) The nations of the world ask, “What is thy beloved
more than another beloved?” … and Israel replies, “My beloved is white and ruddy”, and thus
you will find it in that whole section (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:2:2).

‫ּׁשה וֵאֹלהּותֹו ָעלַי מִ ימֵ י‬

ָ ֻ‫ּׁשה ֶאּלָא ֻמ ְחזֶקֶת וְעֹומֶדֶ ת לִי ַהּקְד‬
ָ ֻ‫ ֹלא ֲאנִי ּתְ ִחּלַת ַהּקְד‬.‫ אלהי אבי‬:‫ הּוא ז ֶה וארממנהו‬.‫אלהי אבי‬
‫אֲבֹותַ י‬:

‫ אלהי אבי‬MY FATHER’S GOD is this ‫ וארממנהו‬AND I WILL EXALT HIM. ‫ אלהי אבי‬He is not
merely my God but He was MY FATHER’S GOD also — I am not the beginning of the
sanctity (i. e. I am not the first to hallow Him by proclaiming Him God), this hallowing of
Him and the proclamation of His Godship over me is something that has been held by me and
has remained mine since the days of my fathers.

15:3

ָ‫ ְוכֵן " ְו ָחז ַקְּתָ ְו ָהי ִית‬,‫ ְוכָל אִיׁש ְואִיׁשְֵך מְתֻ ְר ָּגמִין ַּבעַל‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו "אִיׁש נָ ֳעמִי" (רות א‬,‫ ַּבעַל ִמ ְלחָמֹות‬.‫ה' איש מלחמה‬
‫ ְלאִיׁש" (מלכים א ב') – ְלגִּבֹור‬:

‫ ה' איש מלחמה‬means The Lord is a Master of war; just as, (Ruth 1:3) “the ‫( איש‬i. e. the master)
of Naomi”. (Cf. Rashi on that verse). Wherever the words ‫ איש‬and ‫ אישך‬occur they must be
translated by ‫ ;בעל‬so, too, (1 Kings 2:2) “Be thou strong and show thyself an ‫ — ”איש‬a mighty
person.

‫ׁשָאמַר ּדָ וִד "וְָאנֹכִי בָא אֵ לֶיָך ְּבׁשֵם ה' ְצבָאֹות" (שמואל א‬ ֶ ‫ ִמ ְלחֲמֹותָ יו ֹלא ִּב ְכלֵי זַי ִן ֶאּלָא ִּבׁשְמֹו הּוא נִ ְלחָם; ּכְמֹו‬.‫ה' שמו‬
‫ אֹוחֵז הּוא ְּבמִּדָ תֹו ל ְַרחֵם עַל ּבְרּוָאיו ְולָזּון אֶת ּכָל‬,‫ׁשהּוא נִ ְלחָם וְנֹוקֵם ֵמאֹויְבָיו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשעָה‬ָ ‫ ה' שמו – ַאף ְּב‬,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר‬.)‫י"ז‬
‫ׁשהּוא עֹוסֵק ְּב ִמ ְל ָח ָמה ּפֹונֶה ַעצְמֹו ִמּכָל ֲע ָסקִים ְואֵין ּבֹו ּכ ֹ ַח ַלעֲׂשֹות זֹו וְזֹו‬
ֶ ‫ָּבאֵי עֹולָם; וְֹלא ְכמִּדַ ת ַמ ְלכֵי אֲדָ ָמה ְּכ‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:
‫ ה' שמו‬THE LORD IS HIS NAME — His wars are not waged with martial weapons but He
fights by means of His Name, just as David said, (I Samuel 17:45) “But I come against thee in
the name of the Lord of Hosts”. Another explanation of ‫ — ה׳ שמו‬He is a man of war, but His
Name is the Lord (the God of Mercy): even at the time when He battles against and avenges
Himself upon His enemies He retains His attribute (that expressed by His name ‫ )ה׳‬showing
pity to His creatures and feeding all the inhabitants of the world; not as is the nature of the
kings of the world each one of whom when he is engaged in war turns aside from all other
engagements, and has not the power to do both this and that (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
15:3).

15:4

‫ ְוהַּתָ י"ו‬,‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר "אֹו י ָר ֹה יִּי ֶָרה" (שמות י"ט) – אֹו ִאׁשְּתְ דָ ָאה י ִׁשְּתְ דִ י‬,‫ ׁשְדִ י לְׁשֹון י ְִרּי ָה‬,"‫ "ׁשְדִ י ְבי ַ ָּמא‬.‫ירה בים‬
‫ׁשּמֵׁש ְּב ֵאּלּו ּבִמְ קֹום י ִתְ ַּפעֵל‬ ַ ‫ ְמ‬:

‫ ירה בים‬Onkelos translates this by ‫שדי בימא‬: HE HATH CAST IN THE SEA. The word ‫ שדי‬is
an expression for “casting”. And thus, also, it says, (Exodus 19:13) ‫ או ירה יירה‬which Onkelos
renders by ‫“ או אשתדאה ישתדי‬or he shall certainly be thrown down” where the ‫ ת‬is used in both
these words in place of (as marking) the Ithpael form, so that in these Targum words the root
is ‫שדי‬.

‫קְרא ק ֹדֶ ׁש‬

ָ ִ‫ מ‬,‫ׁשּכָב‬
ְ ‫ ִמ‬,‫ ּכְמֹו מ ְֶרּכָב‬.‫ ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר‬.‫ומבחר‬:

‫ ומבחר‬AND THE CHOICEST — This word is a noun of similar form to ‫ מ ְֶרּכָב‬and ‫ׁשּכָב‬
ְ ‫ ִמ‬and
]‫קְרא [קדש‬
ָ ִ‫מ‬.

,)‫ " ַוּי ִ ְטּבַע י ְִר ְמי ָהּו ַּבּטִיט" (ירמיהו ל"ח‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו " ָט ַבעְּתִ י ּבִיוֵן מְצּולָה" (תהילים ס"ט‬,‫ אֵין ְטבִיעָה ֶאּלָא ִּב ְמקֹום טִיט‬.‫טבעו‬
)‫ׁש ְעּבְדּו אֶת יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ּבְחֹמֶר ּו ִב ְל ֵבנִים (מכילתא‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ִלגְמ ֹל ָלהֶם ְּכמִּדָ תָ ם‬,‫ׂשה ַהּי ָם טִיט‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנַ ֲע‬
ֶ ,‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬:

‫ טבעו‬ARE SUNK — The root ‫ טבע‬always denotes sinking in slimy matter, as may be seen
from (Psalms 69:3) “I am sunk (‫ )טבעתי‬in deep mire”, and from (Jeremiah 38:6) “And
Jeremiah sank (‫ )ויטבע‬in the mire”. The fact that this expression is used teaches, therefore, that
the sea became slime (cf. Rashi on 14:24) to requite them according to their own measure —
because that they had made the Israelites work as slaves with slime and with bricks (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:3).

15:5

‫ "י ְִר ְוי ֻן מִּדֶ ׁשֶ ן‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו "וְצ ֹאנְָך י ְִר ְּבי ֻן" (דברים ח‬,‫ ְוהַּיֹו"ד ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִית י ְתֵ ָרה בֹו; וְדֶ ֶרְך ִמק ְָראֹות ְּבכְָך‬,‫ ּכְמֹו יְכַּסּום‬.‫יכסימו‬
‫ׁשּי ַ ְחז ְרּו הַּמַ י ִם וִיכַּסּו‬
ֶ ‫ ֻטּבְעּו ְבי ַם סּוף ּכְדֵ י‬:‫ׁשהּו‬ֵ ‫ ּכְָך ּפ ְָר‬,‫ׁש ָמעָּה לְׁשֹון עָתִ יד‬
ְ ‫ׁש ַּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְוהַּיֹו"ד ִראׁשֹונָה‬,) ‫ּבֵיתֶ ָך" (תהלים ל"ו‬
‫ וְדַ ְרּכֹו ִלהְיֹות נָקּוד י ְ ַכ ְסי ֻמֹו מְ לָאפּום‬,‫ י ְ ַכ ְסי ֻמּו אֵין ּדֹו ֶמה לֹו ַב ִּמק ְָרא ִּבנְקֻּדָ תֹו‬.‫אֹותָ ן‬:

‫ יכסימו‬THEY COVER THEM — this is the same as ‫ יְכַּסּום‬and the middle ‫ י‬is redundant. This
is quite usual in Scripture–verses (in Biblical Hebrew), just as in (Deuteronomy 8:13) ‫וצאנך‬
‫ירביון‬, and (Psalms 36:9) ‫ירויון מדשן ביתך‬, and the force of the first ‫ י‬which expresses the future
tense you must explain as follows: they have been sunk in the Red Sea in order that the waters
should return and should cover them. The word ‫ יכסימו‬has no similar example in Scripture so
far as its punctuation is concerned; ordinarily it would be ‫ י ְ ַכ ְסי ֻמּו‬with Melopum (‫)חולם‬.
 ‫ הֹו ְלכִים ּומִ ּט ְָרפִין עֹולִין‬,‫ׁשעִים ַּכּקַׁש‬
ָ ‫ ה ְָר‬,"‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר "י ֹא ְכלֵמֹו ַּכּקַׁש‬,"‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר " ָצלְלּו ּכַעֹופ ֶֶרת‬.‫כמו אבן‬
)‫ׁשּנָחּו מִ ּי ָד (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ַה ְּכׁש ִֵרים ּכַעֹופ ֶֶרת‬,‫ ּבֵינֹונִים ָּכ ֶאבֶן‬,‫ְיֹורדִ ין‬
ְ ‫ו‬:

‫ כמו אבן‬AS A STONE — But in another passage (v. 10) it states, “they dropped like lead”, and
in yet another passage (v. 7) “it consumes them as stubble”! The wicked amongst the
Egyptians were as stubble, being continually dashed about, and tossed up and down; those of
average worth sank as a stone, suffering less agony, whilst the best amongst them sank as lead
so that they came to their rest at once (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:5).

15:6

)‫ׁשל ָמקֹום ַהּׂשְמ ֹאל נַעֲׂשֵ ית י ָמִ ין (שם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּיִׂש ְָר ֵאל עֹוׂשִין אֶת ְרצֹונֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ׁשנֵי ְפ ָעמִים‬
ְ .‫ימינך ימינך‬:

‫ ימינך‬... ‫ ימינך‬THY RIGHT HAND — twice! — When Israel performs the will of the
Omnipresent the left hand (intended for punishment) becomes a right hand (bestowing
reward, so that God has two right hands as it were) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:5).

‫ מַ ה‬,‫ ְולִי נ ְִראֶה אֹותָ ּה יָמִין ַע ְצ ָמּה ּתִ ְרעַץ אֹוי ֵב‬.‫ּׁשנִית ּתִ ְרעַץ אֹוי ֵב‬
ֵ ‫ ְל ַהּצִיל אֶת יִׂש ְָר ֵאל וִימִינְָך ַה‬.‫ימינך ה' נאדרי בכח‬
'‫ׁשל ִמק ְָרא יְמִינְָך ַהּנֶאֱדֶ ֶרת ּבַּכ ֹ ַח ַמה ְּמלַאכְּתָ ּה? י ְמִ ינְָך ה‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר לְָאדָ ם – ַלעֲׂשֹות ׁשְּתֵ י ְמלָאכֹות ְּבי ָד ַאחַת; ּופְׁשּוטֹו‬
ֶ
‫ וְדֹומֵ יהֶם‬,)‫ "ּכִי ִהּנֵה אֹויְבֶיָך ה' ּכִי ִהּנֵה אֹויְבֶיָך י ֹאבֵדּו" (תהלים צ"ב‬,‫ּתִ ְרעַץ אֹוי ֵב; ְו ַכ ָּמה ִמק ְָראֹות ּדֻ גְמָתֹו‬:

‫ ימינך ה' נאדרי בכח‬THY RIGHT HAND, O LORD, IS GLORIOUS IN POWER to deliver
Israel, and thy second right hand dashes the enemy in pieces. But it seems to me that if we
have to take it in the sense: Thy right hand is glorious to save, thy right hand dashes in pieces
etc. the explanation is that the self-same right hand itself dashes the enemy in pieces,
something which it is impossible for a human being — to do two actions with one hand. But
the literal sense of the text is: “Thy right hand, that is glorious in power — what does it do?”
— “Thy right hand, O Lord, dashes the enemy in pieces”. There are many Scriptural verses
exactly in this poetical form, e. g., (Psalms 92:10) “For, behold, thine enemies, O Lord, for
behold, thine enemies shall perish” and others similar.

)‫ " ְּגנֻבְתִ י יֹום" (בראשית ל"א‬,)'‫ ׂש ָָרתִ י ַּבּמְדִ ינֹות" (איכה א‬,‫"רּבָתִ י עָם‬
ַ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ הַּיֹו"ד י ְתֵ ָרה‬.‫נאדרי‬:

‫ נאדרי‬The ‫ י‬is redundant as in (Lamentations 1:1) “full of (‫ )רבתי‬people . . . princess (‫)שרתי‬

amongst the provinces”; (Genesis 31:39) “stolen (‫ )גנבתי‬by day”.

‫ (ּדָ "ַא‬.)‫ ח‬,‫ ּבְׁשֹו ְפטִים (י‬,"‫ׁשּב ֶֶרת הָאֹוי ֵב; וְדֹו ֶמה לֹו " ַוּי ְִרעֲצּו ַוי ְרֹוצְצּו אֶת ְּבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ַ ‫ ּתָ מִיד הִיא רֹו ֶעצֶת ּו ְמ‬.‫תרעץ אויב‬
)‫ׁשּב ֶֶרת ּומַ לְקָ ה אֹוי ֵב‬
ַ ‫– יְמִינְָך ַהּנֶאֱדֶ ֶרת ּבַּכ ֹ ַח הִיא ְמ‬:

‫ תרעץ אויב‬means, it always crushes and shatters the enemy; similar in meaning to it is, “And
they crushed (‫ )וירעצו‬and broke the children of Israel”, in the Book of Judges (Judges 10:8).
[Another explanation is: Thy right hand that is glorious in power shatters and punishes the
enemy, and these words must be connected with the following:

15:7

‫ ז ֹאת ַהּי ָד ִּב ְלבָד רֹו ֶעצֶת הָאֹוי ֵב – ְּכׁשֶהּוא מ ְִרי ָמּה ּבְר ֹב ּגְאֹונֹו ָאז יַהֲר ֹס קָ מָיו – ְואִם ּבְר ֹב ּגְאֹונֹו ְלבַד אֹויְבָיו‬.‫וברב גאונך‬
‫ּׁשּלַח ּבָם חֲרֹון ַאף י ֹא ְכלֵמֹו‬ִ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫)נֶה ֱָרסִים ַקל וָחֹמֶר ְּכ‬:
‫ וברב גאנך‬AND THROUGH THE GREATNESS OF THINE EXCELLENCY: if the hand
alone crushes the spirit of the enemy, then when He raises it aloft IN THE GREATNESS OF
HIS EXCELLENCY surely then HE WILL OVERTHROW THEM THAT RISE UP
AGAINST HIM; and if through the greatness of His excellency alone His enemies are
overthrown, how much more sure is it that when HE SENDETH FORTH THE FIERCENESS
OF HIS WRATH against them IT WILL CONSUME THEM].

‫ ּומִי הֵם ַה ָּקמִים ְּכנֶגְּדֹו? ֵאּלּו ַה ָּקמִים עַל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל; ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר "ּכִי ִהּנֵה‬,‫הֹורס ָקמֶיָך ַה ָּקמִים נֶגְּדְ ָך‬
ֵ ‫ ּתָ מִיד אַּתָ ה‬.‫תהרס‬
‫קֹורא אֹותָ ם אֹויְבָיו ׁשֶ ל מָ קֹום‬
ֵ ‫ ְועַל ז ֶה‬,)‫ ּו ַמה הִיא ַה ֶה ְמי ָה? "עַל ַעּמְָך יַע ֲִרימּו סֹוד" (שם‬,) ‫אֹויְבֶיָך י ֶ ֱהמָיּון" (תהלים פ"ג‬:

‫ תהרס‬means, Thou always overthrowest ‫ קמיך‬i. e. those that rise up against thee. And who are
those who rise up against Him? They are those who rise up against Israel; and similarly it
says, (Psalms 83:3, 4) “For, lo, thine enemies are in an uproar!” And what is this uproar?
“against thy people they take crafty counsel”, and on this account — because they are Israel's
enemies — it calls them the enemies of the Omnipresent (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:7:1).

15:8

‫ ּכְדֵ י ְלהַׁשְמִ י ַע אֹז ֶן‬,‫ּׁשכִינָה ּדֻ גְמַת ֶמלְֶך ָּבׂשָר וָדָ ם‬

ְ ‫ ּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב ִּכ ְבי ָכֹול ַּב‬.‫ׁשל ַאף‬ֶ ‫ִירי ִם‬ַ ‫ּׁשנֵי נְח‬
ְ ‫ הַּיֹוצֵא ִמ‬.‫וברוח אפיך‬
‫ ְוכֵן‬,)‫ִיריו; ְוכֵן " ָעלָה ָעׁשָן ְּב ַאּפֹו" (תהלים י"ח‬ ָ ‫ׁשָאדָ ם ּכֹועֵס יֹוצֵא רּו ַח ִמּנְח‬ ֶ ‫ ׁשֶּיּוכְלּו ְל ָהבִין ּדָ בָר; ְּכ‬,‫ַהּב ְִרּיֹות ְּכפִי הַהֹוֶה‬
,‫אֲרּכָה‬ ֻ ‫ נְׁשִ ימָתֹו‬,‫ׁשּזַעְּפֹו נָח‬ֶ ‫ (ישעיהו מ"ח) – ְּכ‬,"‫ׁשמִי ַאא ֲִריְך ַאּפִי‬ ְ ‫ׁשָאמַר " ְל ַמעַן‬ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬,)'‫"ּומֵרּו ַח ַאּפֹו יִכְלּו" (איוב ד‬
‫ִירי ִּב ְפנֵי הַָאף‬ ַ ‫ "ּותְ ִהּלָתִ י אֶ ֱחטָם לְָך" (שם) – ּו ְל ַמעַן ּתְ ִהּלָתִ י ָאׂשִים חֹטֶם ְּב ַאּפִי ִלסְּת ֹם נְח‬,‫ׁשהּוא ּכֹועֵס נְׁשִימָתֹו ְקצ ָָרה‬ ֶ ‫ּו ְכ‬
‫קְרא‬ ָ ִ‫ ְוכָל חֲרֹון ַאף ׁשֶ ּבַּמ‬.‫ ּכְָך נ ְִר ֶאה ְּבעֵינַי‬,‫ׁשּבָת‬ ַ ‫ ּכְמֹו "נְָאקָה ּבְחֹטֶם" ְּב ַמ ֶּסכֶת‬,‫ ֶא ֱחטָם‬,‫ׁשבִילְָך‬ ְ ‫ לְָך – ִּב‬,‫ׁשֹּלא יֵצְאּו‬ֶ ‫ְוהָרּו ַח‬
‫ִירי ִם מִתְ ַח ְּממִים ְונֶח ֱִרים ְּבעֵת‬ ַ ‫ׁש ַהּנְח‬
ֶ ,‫ לְׁשֹון ׂש ְֵרפָה ּומֹוקֵד‬,)'‫אֲ נִי אֹומֵר ּכֵן; ח ָָרה ַאף ּכְמֹו " ְו ַע ְצמִי ח ָָרה ִמּנִי ח ֶֹרב" (איוב ל‬
‫ עַל ּכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר " ַו ֲחמָתֹו ָּבע ֲָרה בֹו" (אסתר‬,‫ ְוכֵן ֵח ָמה לְׁשֹון ֲחמִימּות‬,‫ ְוחָרֹון ִמ ִּגז ְַרת חרה ּכְמֹו ָרצֹון ִמ ִּגז ְַרת רצה‬,‫הַּקֶ צֶף‬
‫קָר ָרה" ּדַ עְּתֹו‬ ְ ְ‫ ּובְנֹו ַח ַה ֵח ָמה אֹומֵר "נִת‬,)'‫א‬:

‫ וברוח אפיך‬AND WITH THE BREATH OF THY NOSTRILS — the breath that issues from
both nostrils. Scripture speaks — if this were at all possible (i. e. if one may be permitted to
speak so of God) of the Shechina (God) in the same manner as it does of a human monarch, in
order to make peoples’ ears hear the facts in accordance with what usually happens to that
they may understand the matter: when a man is angry the breath issues from his nostrils (and
Scripture attributes this to God, also, when He is in anger). A similar idea is: (Psalms 18:9)
“Smoke rose up in His nostril”, and also, (Job. 4:9) “By the breath of his nostril they are
consumed”. And this is the meaning of what He said, (Isaiah 48:9) “For My name’s sake
‫ אאריך‬I will make long My ‫”אף‬: when one’s anger subsides his breathing becomes long, whilst
when one is in anger his breathing is short (consequently ‫ אאריך אפי‬signifies “I will not be
angry”). The text continues ‫ ותהלתי אחטם לך‬which means “for the sake of My praise I will
place a nose-ring in My nose to close up the nostrils against the anger and the breath so that
they should not issue forth”. The word ‫לך‬, for thee, in this text, means “for thy sake”, ‫ אחטם‬has
the same meaning and root as in “a wild camel with a nose-ring (‫ ”)חֹטֶם‬which occurs in
Mishna Treatise Sabbath (Mishnah Shabbat 5:1). Thus does the explanation appear to me.
And wherever ‫ אף‬and ‫( חרון‬i. e. where ‫ אף‬and words formed from the same root as ‫ )חרון‬occur
in the Scriptures I say that it has the following sense: In the phrase ‫ חרה אף‬the first word is the
same as (Job 30:30) “My bone is ‫ חרה‬with heat”, where ‫ חרה‬denotes burning and glowing, and
this metaphor is used because the nostrils become hot and burning in a time of anger. The
noun ‫ חרון‬is a derivation of ‫חרה‬, just as ‫ רצון‬is a derivation of ‫רצה‬, and therefore signifies
“burning”. In the same way, ‫ חַמה‬which also signifies wrath really denotes heat (from a root
‫יחם‬, not ‫חמם‬, since the ‫ מ‬of ‫ ַח ָמה‬has no Dagesh. ‫ ַח ָמה‬is formed from ‫ יחם‬as ‫עֵדָ ה‬, congregation,
from ‫)יעד‬. That is why Scripture says, (Esther 1:12) ‫“ וחמתו בערה בו‬his wrath burned in him”,
and when one’s wrath subsides one says, “his mind has become cooled” (‫ נתקררה‬from ‫קר‬
cold).

‫ ְונִּצְבּו כְמֹו נֵד‬,)'‫ ּולְׁשֹון צַחּות ַה ִּמק ְָרא ּכְמֹו "ע ֲֵרמַת ִחּטִים" (שיר השירים ז‬,‫ ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם לְׁשֹון ע ְַרמִימּות‬.‫נערמו מים‬
‫יֹוכִי ַח‬:

‫ נערמו מים‬THE WATERS WERE HEAPED UP — Onkelos translated this in the sense of
‫ערמימות‬, subtlety (the waters showed themselves clever); (cf. ‫ ערום‬Genesis 3:1); but it is more
in accordance with the elegance of Biblical style to take it as the noun of the same root as in
(Song 7:3) “a stack of (‫ )ערמת‬wheat”, and the following words, “the floods placed themselves
like a mound”, prove that this is so (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:8:2). ‫ — נערמו‬Through
the burning heat of the breath that issued from thy nostrils (‫ )וברוח אפיך‬the waters were dried
up and they became like heaps and piles of gain-stacks (‫ )ערמה‬which are high.

‫ ׁשֶ הֵם ּגְבֹוהִים‬,‫ׁשל ע ֲֵר ָמה‬

ֶ ‫ ְוהֵם נַעֲׂשּו ְּכמִין ַּגּלִים ּוכ ְִרּיֹות‬,‫ׁשּיָצָא ֵמ ַאּפְָך יָבְׁשּו ַה ַּמי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ מִּמֹוקֵד רּו ַח‬.‫נערמו‬:

‫ — כמו נד‬Render this as the Targum does: like a ‫שור‬, i. e. a wall.

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו "ּכְׁשּור" – ּכְחֹומָ ה‬.‫כמו נד‬:

‫ נד‬is an expression for anything heaped up and gathered together, as, (Isaiah 17:11) “a heap (
‫ )נד‬of boughs in the day of grief”; (Psalms 33:7) “He gathereth as a heap (‫[ ) ַּכנֵד‬the waters of
the sea]”. It is not written “He gathereth ‫”כנאד‬, but ‫”כנאד‬, and if ‫כנד‬, were the same as ‫כנאד‬
“like a water-skin”, and ‫ כונס‬were an expression for “bringing a thing in”, it should have
written: “He gathered in (‫ מכניס‬and not ‫ )כונס‬the waters of the sea as in a water-skin”, (‫כבנאד‬
and not ‫)כנד‬, but ‫ כונס‬denotes gathering together and heaping up. And this must also be the
meaning of ‫ נד‬in (Joshua 3:16) “[the waters] rose up as one ‫”נד‬, and (Joshua v. 13) “and they
shall stand in one ‫ ;”נד‬for the expressions “rising up” and “standing up” cannot be used in
reference to water in water-skins but only to water that stands up as walls and heaps (and this
must therefore be the meaning of ‫ כמו נד‬in our text also). And, then again, we find the word
‫ נ ֹאד‬punctuated only with a Melopum (‫)חולם‬, as, (Psalms 56:9) “Put thou my tears into thy
bottle (‫ ”)נ ֹאדֶ ָך‬and (Judges 4:19) “the bottle of (‫ )נ ֹאד‬milk”.

‫ ֹלא כָתּוב ּכֹונֵס‬,)‫ז׳‬:‫ "ּכֹונֵס ַּכּנֵד" (תהילים ל״ג‬,)‫י״א‬:‫ ּכְמֹו "נֵד ָקצִיר ּבְיֹום נַ ֲחלָה" (ישעיהו י״ז‬,‫ לְׁשֹון צִּבּור ְוכִּנּוס‬.‫נד‬
‫ אֶ ּלָא כֹונֵס לְׁשֹון‬,‫ ָהי ָה לֹו ִלכְּת ֹב ַמ ְכנִיס ִּכבְנ ֹאד מֵי ַהּי ָם‬,‫ ְו ִאּלּו ָהי ָה כנד ּכְמֹו כנאד וְכֹונֵס לְׁשֹון ַה ְכנָסָה‬,‫ּכַּנ ֹאד ֶאּלָא ַּכּנֵד‬
‫ ְואֵין לְׁשֹון קִי ָמה ַו ֲעמִידָ ה ּבְנ ֹאדֹות אֶ ּלָא‬,)‫ " ַוּי ַ ַעמְדּו נֵד ֶאחָד" (שם‬,) ‫י״ג‬:‫ ְוכֵן "קָמּו נֵד ֶאחָד" (יהושע ג׳‬,‫אֹוסֵף וְצֹובֵר הּוא‬
"‫ "אֶת נ ֹאד ֶה ָחלָב‬,)‫ט׳‬:‫ וְֹלא ָמצִינּו נ ֹאד נָקּוד ֶאּלָא ִּב ְמלָאפּום ּכְמֹו "ׂשִי ָמה דִ ְמעָתִ י בְנ ֹאדֶ ָך" (תהילים נ״ו‬,‫ִּבּורים‬ ִ ‫ּבְחֹומֹות ְוצ‬
)‫י״ט‬:‫(שופטים ד׳‬:

‫ קפאו‬WERE CONGEALED, like (Job 10:10) “thou hast curdled me (‫ )תקפיאני‬like cheese”; the
meaning is that the depths were hardened and became like stones, and the waters cast the
Egyptians against the stony wall with force and battled against them with every harsh means
(cf. Mekhilta).

‫זֹורקִים אֶת ַה ִּמצ ְִרּי ִים עַל הָאֶ בֶן ּבְכ ֹ ַח‬
ְ ‫ׁש ֻהקְׁשּו ְונַעֲׂשּו ַּכ ֲא ָבנִים ְו ַה ַּמי ִם‬
ֶ ,) ‫י׳‬:‫ ּכְמֹו " ְו ַכ ְּג ִבּנָה ּתַ ְקּפִי ֵאנִי" (איוב י׳‬.‫קפאו‬
‫ ְונִ ְל ָחמִים ּבָם ְּבכָל מִ ינֵי ק ֹׁשִ י‬:

‫ בלב ים‬means IN THE VERY STRENGTH OF THE SEA. It is the way of Scripture-verses to
speak thus (to use ‫ לב‬in a metaphorical sense); e. g., (Deuteronomy 4:11) “unto the very midst
of (‫ )לב‬heaven”; (II Samuel 18:14) “in the midst of (‫ )בלב‬the terebinth”. It is an expression
denoting the essence and strength of a thing.

15:9

‫ לְׁשֹון‬,)‫ " ְּבלֵב ָה ֵאלָה" (שמואל ב י"ח‬,)'‫ּׁש ַמי ִם" (דברים ד‬

ָ ‫ "עַד לֵב ַה‬,‫ ּבְחֹז ֶק ַהּי ָם; וְדֶ ֶרְך ַה ִּמק ְָראֹות לְדַ ּבֵר ּכֵן‬.‫בלב ים‬
‫ ִעּקָרֹו וְתָ קְ ּפֹו ׁשֶ ל ּדָ בָר‬:

‫ אמר אויב‬THE ENEMY SAID to his people, when he was persuading them with words (cf.
Rashi on 14:6), I WILL PURSUE and I WILL OVERTAKE them and I WILL DIVIDE THE
SPOIL with my captains and my subjects.

‫ׂשָרי ַו ֲעבָדַ י‬
ַ ‫ׁשלָל עִם‬
ָ ‫ א ְֶרּד ֹף ְו ַאּׂשִיגֵם ַו ֲא ַחּלֵק‬,‫ׁשּפִּתָ ם ּבִדְ ב ִָרים‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ ְלעַּמֹו‬.‫אמר אויב‬:

‫ תמלאמו‬means SHALL BE FILLED WITH THEM (not it shall fill them).

‫ י ֵׁש ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ ּתִ ְמ ָלאֵמֹו – ּתִ ָּמלֵא מֵ הֶם‬,‫ וְַאל ּתִ תְ ַמּה עַל ּתֵ בָה ַהמְדַ ּב ֶֶרת ִּבׁשְּתַ י ִם‬.‫ּורצֹונִי‬
ְ ‫ נַ ְפׁשִי רּוחִי‬,‫ ּתִ תְ ַּמלֵא ֵמהֶם‬.‫תמלאמו‬
‫ ּכְמֹו ּדַ ּבֵר‬,)‫ׁשלֹום" (בראשית ל"ז‬ ָ ‫ "וְֹלא יָכְלּו ּדַ ּבְרֹו ְל‬,‫ ּכְמֹו נָתַ ּתָ לִי‬,)'‫ַּבּלָׁשֹון ַהּז ֶה "ּכִי א ֶֶרץ ַהּנֶגֶב נְתַ ּתָ נִי" (שופטים א‬
"‫ ַאף ּכָאן "ּתִ מְ לָאֵמֹו‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ַאּגִיד לֹו‬,)‫ " ִמ ְסּפַר ְצעָדַ י אֲ גִידֶ ּנּו" (איוב ל"א‬,‫ ּכְמֹו יָצְאּו ִמ ֶּמּנִי‬,)'‫ " ָּבנַי יְצָאּונִי" (ירמיהו י‬,‫עִּמֹו‬
‫– ּתִ ּמָ לֵא נַפְׁשִ י מֵ הֶם‬:

‫ נפשי‬MY SOUL — my spirit, my desire. Do not be puzzled at a word, that expresses an idea
usually expressed by two, viz., ‫ תמלאמו‬for ‫ּתִ ָּמלֵא ֵמהֶם‬, for there are many examples of this way
of speaking; e. g., (Judges 1:15) “the south country ‫”נְתַ ּתָ נִי‬, which is the same as ‫נָתַ ּתָ לִי‬, “thou
hast given to me”; (Genesis 37:4) “And they were not able ‫ ּדַ ּבְרֹו‬peaceably”, which is the same
as ‫“ ּדַ ּבֵר עִּמֹו‬to speak with him”; (Jeremiah 10:20) “My children ‫ יְצָאּונִי‬which is the same as ‫יָצְאּו‬
‫“ מִּמֶ נִי‬have gone away from me”; (Job. 31:37) “the number of my steps ‫ ַאגִידֶ ּנּו‬which is the
same as ‫“ ַאּגִיד לֹו‬I would declare unto him”. Similarly here: ‫ תמלאמו‬means ‫שי ֵמהֶם‬ ִׁ ‫“ ּתִ ָּמלֵא נַ ְפ‬my
soul shall be filled with them”.

‫"מְריקִ ים‬ ִ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ נֹופֵל ּבֹו לְׁשֹון ה ֲָר ָקה‬,‫ׁשָאר ֵריק‬ ְ ִ‫ׁשלִיפָתֹו ְונ‬
ְ ‫ׁשהּוא מ ִֵריק אֶת הַּתַ עַר ִּב‬ֶ ‫ ְועַל ׁשֵם‬,‫ׁשֹלף‬ ְ ‫ ֶא‬.‫אריק חרבי‬
‫ אֶ ּלָא עַל הַּתִ יק‬,‫ וְַאל ּת ֹאמַר אֵין לְׁשֹון ֵריקּות נֹופֵל עַל הַּיֹוצֵא‬.) ‫ " ְו ֵכלָיו י ִָריקּו" (ירמיהו מ"ח‬,)‫ׂשּקֵיהֶם" (בראשית מ"ב‬ ַ
"‫"ָאריק ח ְַרּבִי" ִּכלְׁשֹון " ַוּי ֶָרק אֶת ֲחנִיכָיו‬
ִ ‫ ְולִדְ ח ֹק ּו ְלפ ֵָרׁש‬,‫ ֲאבָל ֹלא עַל ַהח ֶֶרב ְועַל ַהּיַי ִן‬,‫ׁשּיָצָא ִמ ֶּמּנָה‬ ֶ ‫ּׂשק ְועַל ַה ְּכלִי‬
ַ ‫ְועַל ַה‬
‫הּורק מִ ְּכלִי‬
ַ ‫ "וְֹלא‬,)'‫ּתּורק" (שיר השירים א‬ ַ ‫ׁשמֶן‬ ֶ " ,‫ ָמצִינּו ַהּלָׁשֹון מּוסָב ַאף עַל הַּיֹוצֵא‬,‫ ֶאז ְּדַ ּי ֵן ְּבח ְַרּבִי‬,) ‫(בראשית י"ד‬
,‫ ָמצִינּו ַהּלָׁשֹון מּוסָב עַל ַהּיַי ִן‬,‫הּורק ַהּיַי ִן ִמ ְּכלִי ֶאל ְּכלִי‬
ַ ‫הּורק ַה ְּכלִי אֵין ּכְתִ יב ּכָאן אֶ ּלָא ֹלא‬
ַ ‫ ֹלא‬,) ‫אֶ ל ֶּכלִי" (ירמיהו מ"ח‬
)‫ִירם (יחזקאל כ"ח‬ ָ ‫ ּדְ ח‬,"‫ ְוכֵן " ְוה ִֵריקּו ח ְַרבֹותָ ם עַל יְפִי ָח ְכמָתֶ ָך‬:

‫ אריק חרבי‬Translate this as the Targum: I WILL DRAW [MY SWORD]. Because one empties
the scabbard when one draws out the sword and it (the scabbard) then remains empty (‫)ריק‬,
the, expression “emptying” is appropriate to it (to the act of drawing the sword), as in
(Genesis 42:35) “emptying (‫ )מריקים‬their sacks”; (Jeremiah 48:12) “And they shall empty (
‫ )יריקו‬his vessels (of wine)”. Now do not say that the expression “emptiness” in these
examples does not apply to the thing which comes out, but that it applies to the scabbard and
the sack and the vessels from which these things come out and not to the sword and to the
wine (it is the scabbard, the sack and the vessels which are empty not the sword, the corn and
the wine), — and consequently give a forced explanation of ‫ אריק חרבי‬in the sense of the verb
in (Genesis 14:14) “He armed (‫ )וירק‬his trained servants”, saying that it means, “I will arm
myself with my sword”, for we do, indeed, find the expression “empty” applied also to the
thing which, comes out of a receptacle; e. g., (Song 1:3) “oil which is emptied (‫;”)תורק‬
(Jeremiah 48:11) “it (the wine) hath not been emptied (‫ )הורק‬from vessel to vessel”. It does
not say here “the vessel hath not been emptied”, but “the wine has not been emptied (‫)הורק‬
from vessel to vessel”; consequently this expression is applied to the wine. Exactly like the
phrase in this verse, is (Ezekiel 28:7) “And they shall draw their swords (‫)והריקו חרבותם‬
against the beauty of thy wisdom”, in the chapter about Hiram.

)'‫"מֹוריׁש ּו ַמ ֲעׁשִיר" (שמואל א' ב‬

ִ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ֵריׁשּות וְדַ ּלּות‬.‫תורישמו‬:

‫ תורישמו‬This is an expression for poverty and need, (meaning “my hand shall make them
poor”), just as, (I Samuel 2:27) “He maketh poor (‫ )מוריש‬and maketh rich.”

15:10

)'‫ ְוכֵן " ְוגַם נָׁשַף ָּבהֶם" (ישעיה מ‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ֲה ָפחָה‬.‫נשפת‬:

‫ — נשפת‬an expression for “blowing”. Similar is (Isaiah 40:24) “He bloweth (‫ )נשף‬upon them”.

‫ לְׁשֹון מְצּולָה‬,‫ ָע ְמקּו‬,‫ׁשקְעּו‬

ָ .‫צללו‬:

‫ צללו‬means THEY SANK, they went deep, — an expression of the same root as (Psalms 69:3)
‫“ מצולה‬the depths”.

‫ פלו"ם ְב ַלעַז‬,‫ ֲאבָר‬.‫כעופרת‬:

‫ כעופרת‬LIKE LEAD: old French plomb.

15:11

)‫ׁשה" (תהלים כ"ב‬

ָ ‫ " ֱאי ָלּותִ י ְל ֶעז ְָרתִ י חּו‬.)‫ָָארץ ָלקָח" (יחזקאל י"ז‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו " ְואֶת אֵילֵי ה‬,‫ ַּב ֲחזָקִים‬.‫באלם‬:

‫ באלם‬means AMONGST THE MIGHTY, just as (Ezekiel 17:13) “and the mighty of (‫ )אילי‬the
land he took away”; (Psalms 22:20) “O, thou my strength (‫ )אילותי‬hasten to my help”.

)‫ב׳‬:‫ׁשּכָתּוב "לְָך דּו ִמּי ָה תְ ִהּלָה" (תהילים ס״ה‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ י ְָראּוי ִמ ְּל ַהּגִיד ּתְ הִּלֹותֶ יָך פֶן י ִ ְמעֲטּו‬.‫נורא תהלת‬:

‫ נורא תהלות‬means Thou art an object of dread so that people do not recount thy praises fearing
lest these may be enumerated less then they really are, just as it is written (Psalms 65:2) “To
Thee, silence is praise”.

15:12

‫ׁשהַּכ ֹל נָתּון ְּבי ָדֹו וְנֹו ְפלִים ְּב ַה ָּטי ָתָ ּה; ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁשעִים ָּכלִים וְנֹו ְפלִים‬
ָ ‫ ה ְָר‬,‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה נֹוטֶה י ָדֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫נטית ימינך‬
‫ ַמּטֶה י ָדֹו ְמעַט ְוהֵן נֹו ְפלִים‬,‫ׁשל ִל ְכלֵי ז ְכּוכִית ַהּנְתּונִים ְּבי ַד ָאדָ ם‬ ָ ‫ ָמ‬,) ‫ׁשל עֹוז ֵר ְונָפַל ָעז ֻר" (ישעיהו ל"א‬ ַ ‫"וַה' יַּטֶה י ָדֹו ְו ָכ‬
)‫ּו ִמׁשְּתַ ּב ְִרין (מכילתא‬:

‫ נטית ימינך‬THOU INCLINEST THY RIGHT HAND — When the Holy One, blessed be He,
inclines His hand the wicked cease to be and fall — because everything is held in His hand
and consequently falls when He inclines it. Similarly it states, (Isaiah 31:3) “When the Lord
inclineth His hand, he that helpeth shall stumble and he that is helped shall fall”. A parable: it
may be compared to glass vessels held in a man’s hand: if he inclines his hand a little they fall
and are shattered to pieces (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:12:3).
)‫ׁשָאמְרּו ה' ַהּצַּדִ יק (מכילתא‬
ֶ ‫ׂשכַר‬
ְ ‫בּורה ִּב‬
ָ ‫ׁשּז ָכּו ִל ְק‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬.‫תבלעמו ארץ‬:

‫ תבלעמו ארץ‬THE EARTH SWALLOWED THEM — From this it may be gathered that they
received the privilege of burial as a reward for having said, (Exodus 9:27) “The Lord is
righteous” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:12:2).

15:13

‫ וְֹלא דִ קְּדֵ ק ְלפ ֵָרׁש ַאחַר לְׁשֹון ָה ִעב ְִרית‬,‫ׂשא וְסֹובֵל‬

ֵ ‫ ְו ֻאנְקְלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם לְׁשֹון נֹו‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ְמנַהֵל‬.‫נהלת‬:

‫ נהלת‬is of the same root, conjugation and meaning as ‫ מנהל‬a leader; Onkelos translated it in the
sense of bearing and carrying, but he was not particular to translate according to the Hebrew
expression (i. e., to translate literally)

15:14

‫ מִתְ ַר ְּגז ִין‬.‫ירגזון‬:

‫ ירגזון‬means THEY TREMBLE (not they will tremble).

‫ׁש ִּמהֲרּו אֶת ַהּקֵץ ְויָצְאּו ְב ָחז ְ ָקה ַּכ ְמפ ָֹרׁש ּבְדִ ב ְֵרי ַהּיָמִים – ַוה ֲָרגּום ַאנְׁשֵ י גַת‬
ֶ – ‫ׁשה ְָרגּו אֶת ְּבנֵי ֶאפ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ ִמ ְּפנֵי‬.‫ישבי פלשת‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫[ ישבי פלשת‬REIGS SEIZED] THE INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE, because they slew the
children of Ephraim who anticipated the end fixed for the period of slavery and left Egypt
forcibly, as is explained in Chronicles (1 7:21) “[The sons of Ephraim…] whom the men of
Gath slew” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:14:3).

15:15

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ֹלא ֲעלֵיהֶם הֹו ְלכִים? ֶאּלָא ִמ ְּפנֵי אֲ נִינּות ׁשֶ הָיּו‬ ֶ ,‫ ַוהֲֹלא ֹלא ָהי ָה ָלהֶם לִיר ֹא כְלּום‬.‫אלופי אדום אילי מואב‬
)‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל (ילקוט שמעוני‬ ֶ ‫מִתְ אֹונְנִים ּו ִמ ְצ ַטע ֲִרים עַל ּכְבֹודָ ם‬:

‫[ אלופי אדום אילי מואב‬THEN WERE PERTURBED] THE CHIEFTAINS OF EDOM, THE
MIGHTY MEN OF MOAB — But surely they had no cause to fear anything because they
(the Israelites) were not marching against them! But the explanation is, that they were
perturbed by annoyance, because they were annoyed and distressed by the glory that Israel
had achieved (cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 251:11).

)‫ַארצֵנּו (מכילתא‬
ְ ‫ִירׁש אֶת‬
ַ ‫ ְלכַּלֹותֵ ינּו ְול‬,‫ ָעלֵינּו הֵם ָּבאִים‬,‫ ָאמְרּו‬,) ‫ ּכְמֹו "ּב ְִרבִיבִים ּתְ מֹוגְגֶּנָה" (תהלים ס"ה‬,‫ נָמַּסּו‬.‫נמגו‬:

‫ נמגו‬means THEY MELTED — just as, (Psalms 65:11) “Thou makest it soft (‫ )תמגגנה‬with
showers”. They said, “They are marching against us to destroy us and to take possession of
our land” (therefore they melted away from fear, and were not merely perturbed in mind)
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:15:1).

15:16

‫ עַל ה ְָרחֹוקִ ים‬.‫תפל עליהם אימתה‬:

‫ תפל עליהם אימתה‬THERE SHALL FALL UPON THEM DREAD — upon those of them who
are far away (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:16:1),

)'‫ׁש ַמעְנּו אֵת ֲאׁשֶר הֹובִיׁש וְגֹו'" (יהושע ב‬

ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "ּכִי‬
ֶ ‫ ָּכ ִענְי ָן‬,‫ עַל ַהּקְרֹובִים‬.‫ופחד‬:

‫ ופחד‬AND HORROR — shall fall upon those of them who are near by; and all this really
happened just as the matter is stated, (Joshua 2:10) “For we have heard how the Lord dried up
[the waters of the Red Sea]” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:16:1).

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫ עד יעבר‬,‫עד יעבר‬:

‫ עד יעבר‬... ‫ עד יעבר‬TILL THY PEOPLE PASS … TILL THE PEOPLE PASS — The repetition
must be explained as the Targum takes it (until they pass over the Arnon, until they pass over
the Jordan).

‫ׁש ָחבִיב עַל הָָאדָ ם‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ ֵחפֶץ ַה ָּקנּוי ּבְדָ מִים יְק ִָרים‬,‫ּׁשָאר אֻּמֹות‬
ְ ‫ ִח ַּבבְּתָ ִמ‬.‫קנית‬:

‫ קנית‬denotes [THE PEOPLE] WHICH THOU HOLDEST DEAR above all peoples — like an
article purchased (‫ )קנוי‬at a high price and which is therefore held in affection by the man who
bought it.

15:17

)‫ָָארץ ְלכְָך ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר "ּתְ בִי ֵאנּו" (בבא בתרא קי"ט‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ִ ָּכנֵס ל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ נִתְ נַּבֵא מ‬.‫תבאמו‬:

‫ תבאמו‬THOU WILL BRING THEM IN — Moses foresaw by prophetic inspiration that he

would not enter the Holy Land: on this account it is not stated here, “Thou wilt bring us in”
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:17:1).

)‫ׁשל ַמ ְעלָה ֲאׁשֶר ָּפ ַעלְּתָ (מכילתא‬

ֶ ‫ׁשל ַמּטָה ְמ ֻכּוָן ְּכנֶגֶד ִּכּסֵא‬
ֶ ‫ ִמקְּדָ ׁש‬.‫מכון לשבתך‬:

‫ מכון לשבתך‬THE PLACE FOR THY RESIDENCE — the Sanctuary here below will be
exactly opposite the Divine Throne above which ‫ פעלת‬THOU HAST MADE (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:17:4).

,‫ ָחבִיב ּבֵית הַּמִ קְּדָ ׁש‬.'‫ ַה ִּמקְּדָ ׁש אֲ ׁשֶר ּכֹונְנּו י ָדֶ יָך ה‬,‫ׁשּלְַאח ֲָריו‬ ֶ ‫ ְל ַהפ ְִרידֹו מִּתֵ בַת ַהּׁשֵם‬,‫ ַה ַּטעַם ָעלָיו זָקֵף ּגָדֹול‬.'‫מקדש ה‬
?‫ ְואֵימָתַ י י ִ ָּבנֶה ּבִׁשְּתֵ י י ָדַ י ִם‬,‫ ּו ִמקְּדָ ׁש ִּבׁשְּתֵ י י ָדַ י ִם‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "ַאף י ָדִ י יָסְדָ ה א ֶֶרץ" (ישעיהו מ"ח‬ֶ ,‫ׁשֶ הָעֹולָם נִב ְָרא ְּבי ָד ַאחַת‬
‫ׁשּכָל הַּמְ לּוכָה ׁשֶ ּלֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ִּבזְמַן ׁשֶ"ה' י ִ ְמֹלְך לְעֹלָם ָועֶד" – ֶלעָתִ יד לָב ֹא‬:

‫ מקדש ה׳‬The accent on it (the word ‫ )מקדש‬is a Zakef Gadol (a disjunctive accent) which serves
to separate it from the word expressing the Divine Name (‫ )ה׳‬which follows it, so that the
translation is: “The sanctuary which Thy hands have established, O Lord”. The Temple is an
object of affection to God because the Universe was created by one hand — as it is stated,
(Isaiah 48:13) “Yea, My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth” — whilst the Temple by
two hands, as stated here. And when will it be rebuilt by God, with the two hands? At the time
when “the Lord shall reign for ever and ever”: at that future period when all the kingdom will
be His (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:17:5).

15:18
 ‫ ׁשֶ ַהּוָי"ו ּבֹו‬,)‫ אֲ בָל "ָאנֹכִי הַּיֹודֵ ַע ָועֵד" (ירמיהו כ"ט‬,‫ ְלפִיכְָך הִיא ּפְתּוחָה‬,‫ לְׁשֹון עֹולָמּות הּוא ְו ַהּוָי"ו ּבֹו י ְסֹוד‬.‫לעלם ועד‬
‫ קְמּוצָה הִיא‬,‫ׁשִּמּוׁש‬:

‫ לעלם ועד‬The word ‫ ועד‬is an expression denoting ETERNITY — The ‫ ו‬in it is a root-letter, and
consequently it is vowelled with a Patach; but in the similar word in (Jeremiah 29:23) “I am
He that knoweth and am witness (‫”)ועד‬, where the ‫ ו‬is a servile letter (a prefix) it is vowelled
with a Kametz.

15:19

‫ ּכַאֲׁשֶר ּבָא‬.‫כי בא סוס פרעה‬:

‫ כי בא סוס פרעה‬means WHEN [THE HORSES] CAME.

15:20

'‫ ָאמ ְָרה עֲתִ ידָ ה ִאּמִי ׁשֶּתֵ לֵד ּבֵן וְכּו‬,‫ׁשה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּנֹולַד מ‬
ֶ ‫ ק ֹדֶ ם‬,‫ׁש ָהי ְתָ ה אֲחֹות ַאהֲר ֹן‬
ֶ ‫ הֵיכָן נִתְ נַּבְָאה? ְּכ‬.‫ותקח מרים הנביאה‬
‫ִקְראת עַל ׁשְמֹו‬ ֵ ‫ׁשּנִ ְצט ְָרעָה נ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָּמסַר נַפְׁשֹו ָעלֶי ָה ְּכ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ּדָ "ַא — אֲחֹות ַאהֲר ֹן‬.)‫ (דף י"ב‬.‫ ּכִדְ אִיתָ א ּבְסֹוטָה‬:

‫ ותקח מרים הנביאה‬AND MIRIAM THE PROPHETESS TOOK — But where had she
prophesied? When she was THE SISTER OF AARON alone — before Moses was born she
said, “My mother will at some time bear a son who will deliver Israel etc.”, as is stated in
Treatise Sotah 12b (cf. Megillah 14a). Another explanation of ‫אחות אהרן‬, the sister of Aaron:
because he jeopardised his life for her by entreating on her behalf and so possibly incurring
God’s displeasure when she was stricken with leprosy, she is called by his name (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:20:1; cf. Rashi Genesis 34:25).

‫ ְּכלִי ׁשֶ ל מִ ינֵי ז ֶמֶר‬.‫את התף‬:

‫ את התף‬A TIMBREL — an instrument for a particular kind of music.

)‫ׂשה ָלהֶם נִּסִים וְהֹוצִיאּו תֻ ּפִים ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם (מכילתא‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה עֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבַּדֹור‬
ֶ ‫ ֻמ ְבטָחֹות הָיּו צַדְ ָקנִּיֹות‬.‫בתפים ובמחלת‬:

‫ בתפים ובמחלת‬WITH TIMBRELS AND WITH DANCES — The righteous women in that
generation were confident that God would perform miracles for them and they accordingly
had brought timbrels with them from Egypt (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:20:2).

15:21

)'‫ִירה ַלּנָׁשִ ים (סוטה ל‬

ָ ‫ִירה ָל ֲאנָׁשִים – הּוא אֹומֵר ְוהֵם עֹונִין ַאח ֲָריו – ּומ ְִרי ָם ָאמ ְָרה ׁש‬
ָ ‫ׁשה ָאמַר ׁש‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ מ‬.‫ותען להם מרים‬:

‫ ותען להם מרים‬AND MIRIAM SANG UNTO THEM — Moses sang the Song to the men — he
sang it and they repeated it after him; and Miriam sang the Song to the women and they
repeated if after her (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:20:2).

15:22

‫ִׂשְראֵ ל מֹוצְאִ ין‬

ָ ‫ ְוהָיּו י‬,‫ׁש ִעּטְרּו ִמצ ְַרי ִם אֶת סּוסֵיהֶם ּבְתַ ְכׁשִיטֵי זָהָב ָו ֶכסֶף ַו ֲא ָבנִים טֹובֹות‬ ֶ ,‫ ִהּסִיעָן ְּבעַל ּכ ְָרחָם‬.‫ויסע משה‬
– )'‫ׂשה ּלְָך עִם נְקֻּדֹות ַה ָּכסֶף" (שיר השירים א‬ ֶ ‫"ּתֹורי זָהָב נַ ֲע‬
ֵ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר‬
ֶ ‫אֹותָ ן ַּבּי ָם – ּוגְדֹולָה ָהי ְתָ ה ִבּז ַת ַהּי ָם ִמ ִּבּז ַת ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
‫ ְלפִיכְָך ֻהצ ְַרְך ְל ַהּסִיעָן ְּבעַל ּכ ְָרחָם‬:
‫ ויסע משה‬AND MOSES CAUSED [ISRAEL] TO JOURNEY — He made them journey
against their own will, because the Egyptians had adorned their horses with ornaments of gold
and silver and with precious stones, and the Israelites were finding these in the sea. Greater,
indeed, was the booty they obtained at the Red Sea then the booty they had brought out of
Egypt — as it is said (Song 1:11) “Circlets of gold (the booty of the Sea) will we make thee
together with the studs of silver” (which we brought forth from Egypt) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 12:36). On this account he was compelled to make them journey on against their
will.

15:23

,‫מָרה‬ָ ‫ ְוהַּתָ י"ו הִיא ִּב ְמקֹום ה"א ַהּנִׁש ְֶרׁשֶת ּבְתֵ בַת‬,‫ ה"א ּבְסֹוף ּתֵ בָה ִּב ְמקֹום למ"ד ּבִתְ ִחּלָתָ ּה‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ְלמ ָָרה‬.‫ויבאו מרתה‬
‫ׁשל ׁש ֶֹרׁש לְתָ י"ו; ְוכֵן ּכָל הֵ"א ׁשֶ הִיא‬ֶ ‫ ּתֵ ָהפְֵך ַההֵ"א‬,‫ׁשהּוא מֹוסִיף ִּב ְמקֹום ַה ָּלמֶ"ד‬ ֶ ‫ׁשהִיא נִדְ ֶּבקֶת ַלהֵ"א‬ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ּו ִב ְסמִיכָתָ ּה‬
‫ ה ֲֵרי הֵ"א ׁשֶ ל‬,)'‫ " ַו ֲחמָתֹו ָּבע ֲָרה בֹו" (אסתר א‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו " ֵח ָמה אֵין לִי" (ישעיהו כ"ז‬,‫ׁש ֶֹרׁש ּבַּתֵ בָה ּתִ תְ ַהּפְֵך לְתָ י"ו ִּב ְסמִיכָתָ ּה‬
‫ " ִהּנֵה ֲאמָתִ י ִב ְלהָה" (בראשית‬,)‫ ְוכֵן " ֶעבֶד וְָא ָמה" (ויקרא כ"ה‬,‫ׁשּנִ ְס ֶמכֶת ֶאל ַהּוָי"ו הַּנֹו ֶספֶת‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ֶֹרׁש נֶ ְה ֶּפכֶת לְתָ י"ו ִמ ְּפנֵי‬
"‫ "ּותְ ׁשֻ בָתֹו ה ָָרמָתָ ה‬,)'‫ "ּבֵין ה ָָר ָמה" (שופטים ד‬,)‫ " ְוז ִ ֲהמַּתּו ַחּי ָתֹו ָלחֶם" (איוב ל"ג‬,)‫ז׳‬:‫ " ְלנֶפֶׁש ַחּי ָה" (בראשית ב׳‬,)'‫ל‬
)'‫(שמואל א ז‬:

‫ ויבאו מרתה‬AND THEY CAME TO MARAH — The word ‫ מרתה‬is the same as ‫למרה‬: a ‫ ה‬at the
end of a word (as a suffix) replaces a ‫ ל‬at its beginning (as a prefix). The ‫ ת‬takes the place of
the ‫ ה‬which is rooted in (an integral part of) the word ‫ ;מרה‬when it is joined with another
letter, viz., when it is attached to the ‫ ה‬which is added to the word in place of the ‫ל‬, the ‫ ה‬of
the primary form (the ordinary form of the noun from which longer forms are made by the
addition of suffixes) is changed into a ‫ת‬. Thus, also, every ‫ ה‬which is a root-letter (a letter in
the primary form of the noun) is changed into a ‫ ת‬when it is joined to another letter. E. g., we
have (Isaiah 27:4) “Fury (‫ )חמה‬is not in Me”, but (Esther 1:12) “And his fury (‫ )חמתו‬burned
within him”; you see that the ‫ ה‬of the ground-form is changed into a ‫ ת‬because it is to be
joined to the ‫ ו‬which has been added. Similar are: (Leviticus 25:44) “Manservant and
handmaid (‫”)אמה‬, but (Genesis 30:3) “Behold, my handmaid (‫ )אמתי‬Bilhah”; (Genesis 2:7) “a
creature of life (‫”)חיה‬, but (Job 33:20) “His life (‫ )חיתו‬maketh him to abhor bread”; (Judges
4:5) “Between Ramah (‫[ )רמה‬and Beth-el]”, but (I Samuel 7:17) “And his return was to
Ramah (‫ ”)הרמתה‬the latter example being exactly parallel to that in this verse (‫ מרה‬- ‫)מרתה‬.

15:24

– ‫ ְוכֵן ּדֶ ֶרְך לְׁשֹון ּתְ לּונָה ְל ָהסֵב הַּדִ ּבּור אֶל הָָאדָ ם‬,‫ ְוכֵן הַּתַ ְרּגּום לְׁשֹון נִ ְפעָל הּוא ְואִתְ ַרעֲמּו‬,‫ לְׁשֹון נִ ְפעָל הּוא‬.‫וילנו‬
‫ ֵמסֵב הַּדִ ּבּור ֵאלָיו ּבְָאמְרֹו ש"י‬,‫ ְוכֵן י ֹאמַר הַּלֹועֵז דקומפ"לישנ"ט ש"י ְב ַלעַז‬,‫ רֹועֵם‬,‫ מִתְ רֹועֵם וְֹלא ָאמַר לֹונֵן‬,‫ מִתְ לֹונֵן‬:

‫ וילנו‬AND THEY MURMURED — This is a Niphal form, and similarly the Targum is a
Niphal form: ‫( ואתרעמו‬the Ithpael form in Aramaic corresponds to the Hebrew Niphal). And
such is the way in which the expression denoting murmuring (from root ‫ )לון‬is employed: to
refer back the matter (the action of murmuring) to the person (the subject of the verb); thus
one says ‫ מתלונן‬and ‫ מתרועם‬and one does not say ‫ לונן‬and ‫רועם‬. So, too, the Frenchman says
“decomplaisant se” in old French, where it turns back the matter (the action) to himself (the
subject) by saying, “se”, English himself.

15:25

)‫ׁשּבָת ּופ ָָרה אֲדֻ ָּמה וְדִ ינִין (סנהדרין נ"ו‬

ַ ,‫ׁשּי ִתְ ַעּסְקּו ָבהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשל‬ ֶ ‫ ְּבמ ָָרה נָתַן ָלהֶם ִמ ְקצָת ּפ ָָרׁשִּיֹות‬.‫שם שם לו‬:
‫ שם שם לו‬HERE HE MADE FOR THEM [A STATUTE AND AN ORDINANCE) — At
Marah He gave them a few sections of the Torah in order that they might engage in the study
thereof; viz., the sections containing the command regarding the sabbath, the red heifer and
the administration of justice (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:25; Sanhedrin 56b).

‫ׁשּי ִ ְהי ֶה לָנּו ַמי ִם לִׁשְּתֹות" אֶ ּלָא‬

ֶ ‫ׁשה ְּבלָׁשֹון יָפָה " ַּבּקֵׁש ָעלֵינּו ַר ֲחמִים‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשֹּלא נִ ְמלְכּו בְמ‬
ֶ ,‫ ו ְָרָאה ְקׁשִי ע ְָרּפֹו‬,‫ ָלעָם‬.‫ושם נסהו‬
‫נִתְ לֹונְנּו‬:

‫ ושם נסהו‬AND THERE HE TRIED THEM (lit., He tried him) — “him” (singular) means the
people; and He saw their stubbornness: that they did not consult with Moses in a respectful
fashion: “Entreat mercy for us that we may have water to drink” — but that they murmured.

15:26

‫ זֹו ַק ָּבלָה ׁשֶ ּי ְקַ ּבְלּו ֲעלֵיהֶם‬.‫אם שמוע תשמע‬:

‫ אם שמע תשמע‬IF THOU WILL DILIGENTLY HEARKEN — this implies acceptance — that
they should take upon themselves the duty of performing God’s commands.

‫ הִיא עֲׂשִ ּי ָה‬.‫תעשה‬:

‫ תעשה‬AND IF THOU WILT DO — this implies the performance of the commands.

‫ ּתַ ּטֶה ָאזְנַי ִם לְדַ קְּדֵ ק ָּבהֶם‬.‫והאזנת‬:

‫ והאזנת‬means THOU WILT INCLINE THE EAR to be punctilious in the practice of the
details.

?‫ ָמה אִּסּור ְּב ֵאּלּו? לָּמָ ה נֶאֶ סְרּו‬:‫ ְויֵצֶר ה ָָרע ְמ ַקנְטֵר ֲעלֵיהֶם‬,‫ ּבְֹלא ׁשּום ַטעַם‬,‫ׁשאֵינָן ֶאּלָא ְּגז ֵַרת ֶמלְֶך‬
ֶ ‫ ּדְ ב ִָרים‬.‫כל חקיו‬
)‫ּכְגֹון ְלבִיׁשַת ִּכלְַאי ִם ַו ֲאכִילַת ֲחז ִיר ּופ ָָרה אֲדֻ ָּמה ְוכַּיֹוצֵא ָבהֶם (יומא ס"ז‬:

‫ כל חקיו‬ALL HIS STATUTES — Matters which are only the decrees of the King (decrees of
God imposed by Him, as King, upon us, His subjects) and which appear to have no reason,
and at which the evil inclination cavils saying, “What sense is there in prohibiting these? Why
should they be prohibited?” — For instance: the prohibition of wearing a mixture of wool and
linen, and of eating swine’s flesh, and the law regarding the red heifer, and similar matters (cf.
Yoma 67b).

‫ ּו ְלפִי פְׁשּוטֹו ּכִי אֲ נִי ה' רֹפְאֶָך‬.‫ כי אני ה' רפאך – ז ֶהּו מִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬,‫ׂש ָמה‬ ְ ‫ ְואִם ָאׂשִים ה ֲֵרי הּוא ּכְֹלא הּו‬.‫לא אשים עליך‬
‫ ְוכֵן הּוא‬,‫ ַאל ּת ֹאכַל ּדָ בָר ז ֶה ּפֶן יְבִיאֲָך לִידֵ י חֹלִי ז ֶה‬,‫ ּכָרֹופֵא ַהּז ֶה הָאֹומֵר לָָאדָ ם‬,‫תֹורה ּו ִמצְוֹות ְל ַמעַן ּתִ ּנָצֵל ֵמהֶם‬
ָ ‫ּומְ ַלּמֶדְ ָך‬
)'‫"רפְאּות ּתְ הִי ְלׁש ֶָּרָך" (משלי ג‬ ִ ‫אֹומֵר‬:

‫ לא אשים עליך‬I WILL NOT PLACE ON THEE — and if I do place them on thee because thou
refusest to hearken to My voice, it will be as though they had not been placed on thee, for if
thou repentest of thy disobedience I will remove them immediately, ‫ כי אני ה׳ רפאך‬BECAUSE I
AM THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE. This is its Midrashic explanation (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:15). But according to its literal sense the meaning is: For I am the Lord
who healeth thee and teacheth thee the Law and Commandments in order that thou mayst be
saved from them (these diseases) — like a physician who says to a man: Do not eat this thing
lest it will bring you into danger from this disease. So, too, it states, (Proverbs 3:8) “It
(obedience to God) will be wholesome to thy body” (implying that disease will not fall upon
thee) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:15).

15:27

‫ׁש ָבטִים נִז ְּדַ ּמְ נּו ָלהֶם‬

ְ ‫ ְּכנֶגֶד י"ב‬.‫שתים עשרה עינת מים‬:

‫ שתים עשרה עינת מים‬TWELVE SPRINGS OF WATER — A number corresponding to the

twelve tribes of Israel were ready for them (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:27).

)‫ׁש ְבעִים ז ְקֵ נִים (מכילתא‬

ִ ‫ ְּכנֶגֶד‬.‫ושבעים תמרים‬:

‫ ושבעים תמרים‬AND SEVENTY PALM-TREES — corresponding to the seventy elders

(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:27).

16:1

,‫ ְללַּמְדֵ נּו‬,‫ׁשהֹוצִיאּו ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם ְו ֻהצ ְְרכּו לַּמָ ן‬ֶ ‫ׁשּבֹו בַּיֹום ָּכלְתָ ה ַהח ֲָר ָרה‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁשל ֲחנָי ָה זֹו‬
ֶ ‫ נִתְ ּפ ֵָרׁש הַּיֹום‬.‫בחמשה עשר יום‬
‫ׁשּבָת ָהי ָה ּכִדְ אִיתָ א ּבְמַ ֶּסכֶת ׁשַ ּבָת‬ ַ ‫ וְיֹום א' ְּב‬,‫ּׁשה ָעׂשָר ְּב ִאּי ָר‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬ִ ‫ׁשּׁשִים וְַאחַת סְעּודֹות ְוי ַָרד ָלהֶם מָן ְּב‬ִ ‫ּׁשי ֵָרי ַה ָּבצֵק‬
ְ ‫ׁשֶ ָאכְלּו ִמ‬
)‫(פ"ז‬:

‫ בחמשה עשר יום‬ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY — The day of this encampment is specially
mentioned because on that day there came to an end the cake (provisions) they had brought
with them from Egypt and they now needed the Manna, thus informing us that of the remains
of the dough they had prepared in Egypt (cf. Rashi on Exodus 12:33) they ate sixty-one
meals. For the Manna fell for them on the sixteenth day of Iyar, which was the first day of the
week, just as is stated in the Treatise Shabbat 87b.

16:2

‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶ ָּכלָה ַה ֶּלחֶם‬.‫וילונו‬:

‫ וילנו‬AND THEY MURMURED, because the bread had come to an end.

16:3

,‫ ַלחֲנֹות אֲ נַחְנּו‬,‫ ַלעֲׂשֹות ֲאנַחְנּו‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ּכְמֹו עֲׂשֹותֵ נּו חֲנֹותֵ נּו ׁשּובֵנּו‬,‫ׁשּנָמּות; ְואֵינֹו ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר ּכְמֹו מִיתָ תֵ נּו‬
ֶ .‫מי יתן מותנו‬
‫ ב) — ַה ְלוַאי ְו ָהי ִינּו מֵתִ ים‬,‫ "לּו מַתְ נּו" (במדבר יד‬,‫ ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו ְלוַי ּדְ מִיתְ נָא‬.‫לָמּות ֲאנַחְנּו‬:

‫ מי יתן מותנו‬WOULD THAT WE HAD DIED — The word ‫ מותנו‬means “that we should die”; it
is not a noun with the same meaning as ‫“ מיתתנו‬our death”, but it is an infinitive like ‫עשותנו‬
and ‫ חנותנו‬and ‫ שובנו‬which signify “that we should make”, “that we should encamp”, “that we
should return”. In the Targum it is rendered by ‫ לוי דמיתנא‬which is really the Targum rendering
of (Numbers 14:2) ‫“ לו מתנו‬Would that we were dead” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 14:12).

16:4

)‫ צ ֶֹרְך ֲאכִילַת יֹום י ִ ְלקְטּו ּבְיֹומֹו וְֹלא הַּיֹום לְצ ֶֹרְך מָ חָר (מכילתא‬.‫דבר יום ביומו‬:
‫ דבר יום ביומו‬THE THING OF THE DAY ON ITS DAY — what is needed for a day’s eating
shall they collect on its (that) day, and they shall not today collect what will be needed
tomorrow (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:4).

‫ׁשֹּלא יֹותִ ירּו ִמ ֶּמּנּו וְֹלא יֵצְאּו ּבַּׁשַ ּבָת ִללְק ֹט‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשמְרּו ִמצְוֹות הַּתְ לּויֹות ּבֹו‬
ְ ִ ‫ אִם י‬.‫למען אנסנו הילך בתורתי‬:

‫ למען אנסנו הילך בתורתי‬THAT I MAY TRY THEM WHETHER THEY WILL WALK IN MY
LAW — whether they will observe the commands associated with it: viz., that they should not
leave any overnight, and that they should not go out on the Sabbath to collect it.

16:5

‫ לַּיֹום ְולַּמָ ח ֳָרת‬.‫והיה משנה‬:

‫ והיה משנה‬AND IT SHALL BE DOUBLE — for today and for tomorrow.

,‫ׁשנֶה" – לְַאחַר ׁשֶ ּיָבִיאּו‬ ְ ‫ּׁשבּועַ; אֹומֵר ֲאנִי " ֲאׁשֶר יָבִיאּו ְו ָהי ָה ִמ‬
ָ ‫ׁשָאר י ְמֹות ַה‬ְ ‫ׁשל‬ ֶ ‫ׁשהָיּו ְרגִילִים ִללְק ֹט יֹום יֹום‬ ֶ ‫ עַל‬.‫משנה‬
‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬.‫ׁשנֶה – ִּב ְלקִיטָתֹו ָהי ָה נִ ְמצָא ֶלחֶם מִׁשְ נֶה‬ ְ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו ָלקְטּו ֶלחֶם ִמ‬,‫ׁשנֶה ַּבּמְדִ ידָ ה עַל ֲאׁשֶר י ִ ְלקְטּו ְוי ָמֹּדּו יֹום יֹום‬
ְ ‫י ִ ְמצְאּו ִמ‬
‫ ַּב ַּבי ִת ְל ַמֹּלאת הָעֹמֶר ַּפ ֲע ַמי ִם ְל ֶלחֶם יֹומַ י ִם‬,‫ פוי"שן‬,‫ּׁשּׁשִי ֶלחֶם יֹו ָמי ִם – נֹותֵ ן ָלכֶם ּב ְָרכָה‬ ִ ‫ עַל ּכֵן הּוא נֹותֵ ן ָלכֶם ּבַּיֹום ַה‬:

‫ משנה‬DOUBLE of what they were accustomed to collect on each day of the other days of the
week. I say that the words, ‫“ אשר יביאו והיה משנה‬what they bring shall be double”, imply that
after they have brought it home they will find it double in measure of what they had been
gathering and measuring each day. This is the force of: “they collected double bread” (v. 22)
— when it was collected it was found by them to be double food, and this is the meaning of
(v. 29), “therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days”: He gives you a
blessing — old French foison, — abundance in the house that you may fill the Omer twice, as
bread for two days.

16:6

‫ ּכְמֹו ָלע ֶֶרב‬.‫ערב‬:

‫ ערב‬is the same as ‫ לערב‬AT EVENING

‫ ּתֵ דְ עּו ּכִי ֹלא ֲאנַחְנּו הַּמֹוצִיאִ ים‬,‫ׁש ֲאמ ְַרּתֶ ם לָנּו ּכִי הֹוצֵאתֶם אֹותָ נּו‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫וידעתם כי ה' הוציא אתכם מארץ מצרים‬
‫ׁשּיָגִיז ָלכֶם אֶת הַּׂשְ לָו‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא ה' הֹוצִיא אֶתְ כֶם‬:

‫ וידעתם כי ה׳ הוציא אתכם מארץ מצרים‬YE SHALL KNOW THAT THE LORD HATH
BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT — Since you said to us, (v. 3) “for ye
have brought us forth” you shall know that it was not we who brought you forth, but it was
God who brought you forth for He will bring quails for you.

16:7

‫ ע ֶֶרב וִידַ עְּתֶ ם ּכִי ַהי ְכֹלֶת‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ּכְָך ָאמַר ָלהֶם‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ְו ִהּנֵה ּכְבֹוד ה' נ ְִרָאה ֶּב ָענָן" נֶ ֱאמַר‬
ֶ ‫ ֹלא עַל ַהּכָבֹוד‬.‫ובקר וראיתם‬
‫ ְו ַה ֶּלחֶם‬,‫ׁשַאלְּתֶ ם אֹותֹו ּו ִמּכ ֵָרס מְ לֵָאה‬
ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא ּכַהֹגֶן‬
ֶ ‫ ּכִי‬,‫ אְַך ֹלא ְּב ָפנִים ְמאִירֹות י ִּתְ נֶּנָה ָלכֶם‬,‫ ּו ָבׂשָר י ִּתֵ ן‬,‫ְּבי ָדֹו לִּתֵ ן ּתַ ֲאוַתְ כֶם‬
‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ׁשָעֹות ַל ֲהכִינֹו ְוטַל‬ֶ ,‫ ּבַּבֹקֶר‬,‫ֶּיֹורידֵ הּו ָלכֶם ּדֶ ֶרְך ִחּבָה‬
ִ ‫ִירידָ תֹו לַּבֹקֶר ּתִ ְראּו אֶת ּכְבֹוד אֹור ָּפנָיו – ׁש‬ ִ ‫ ּב‬,‫ּׁשַאלְּתֶ ם לְצ ֶֹרְך‬ְ ֶ‫ׁש‬
)‫ ְּכ ֻמּנָח ְּב ֻק ְפסָא (יומא ע"ה‬,‫ ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ְוטַל ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה‬:
‫ ובקר וראיתם‬AND IN THE MORNING YE SHALL SEE [THE GLORY OF THE LORD] —
Not in reference to that glory of which it stated, (v. 10) “And behold the glory of the Lord
appeared in the cloud” is this said, but thus, in effect, did he say to them: In the evening ye
shall know that His hand has the power to give you your desire and He will give you flesh;
but not with a radiant countenance will He give it to you, because you have asked Him
something that is not proper (since one can exist without eating meat), and out of a full
stomach (i. e. you really have meat for you have an abundance of cattle); but the bread for
which you have asked out of necessity — when it falls in the morning you will behold the
glory of the radiance of His countenance (His glory), because He will make it fall for you in a
manner that is indicative of His love (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:7) — in the morning,
whilst there is yet time to prepare it, and there shall be dew above it and dew below it as
though it were carefully packed in a chest (Yoma 75b).

‫ ּכְמֹו אֲׁשֶר עַל ה‬.'‫'את תלנתיכם על ה‬:

‫ את תלנתיכם על ה׳‬this is the same as ‫ ]תלנתיכם] אשר על ה׳‬YOUR MURMURINGS WHICH ARE
AGAINST THE LORD.

‫ ָמה אֲ נַחְנּו חֲׁשּובִין‬.‫?ונחנו מה‬

‫( ונחנו מה‬lit., and we, what?) means AND WE, WHAT ARE WE accounted (of what
importance are we?),

‫ ְועַל ּכ ְָרחִי ֲאנִי ז ָקּוק ְלפ ֵָרׁש ּתַ ּלִינּו‬.‫ ְואֶת ְּבנֵיכֶם ּונְׁשֵיכֶם ּובְנֹותֵ יכֶם ְוע ֵֶרב ַרב‬,‫ ׁשֶּתַ ְרעִימּו ָעלֵינּו אֶת הַּכ ֹל‬.‫כי תלינו עלינו‬
‫ ּכְמֹו " ַוּיָלֶן ָהעָם עַל מ ֹׁשֶ ה" (שמות‬,‫ ָהי ִיתִ י ְמפ ְָרׁשֹו ִּבלְׁשֹון ּתִ ְפעֲלּו‬,‫ׁשאִּלּו ָהי ָה ָרפֶה‬ ֶ ,‫ִּבלְׁשֹון ּתַ ְפעִילּו ִמ ְּפנֵי ּדַ גְׁשּותֹו ּוק ְִרּי ָתֹו‬
,‫ׁשמַע ּתַ ּלִינּו אֶת אֲ ח ִֵרים‬ ְ ‫ ַע ְכׁשָיו הּוא ַמ‬,‫ ָהי ִיתִ י ְמפ ְָרׁשֹו לְׁשֹון ּתִ תְ לֹונְנּו‬,‫ אֹו אִם ָהי ָה דָ גּוׁש ְואֵין ּבֹו יֹו"ד ְונִק ְָרא תִ ּלֹונּו‬,) ‫י"ז‬
)‫ּכְמֹו ַּבּמ ְַר ְּגלִים " ַוּיַּלִינּו ָעלָיו אֶת ּכָל ָהעֵדָ ה" (במדבר י"ד‬:

‫ כי תלינו עלינו‬THAT YOU MAKE everyone MURMUR AGAINST US — your sons, and your
wives, and your daughters and the mixed multitude. — And whether I like it or not I am
forced to explain the word ‫ תַ ּלִינּו‬in the sense of “you make (people) do something”, viz.,
murmur (i. e. what we call the Hiphil conjugation), because of its (the ‫ )ל‬be eshed and because
of the ‫קרי‬. For if it (the ‫ )ל‬were weak (i. e. without a Dagesh), I would explain it in the sense
of “ye do something” (our Kal), just as, (Exodus 17:3) “And the people murmured (‫) ַויָלֶן‬
against Moses”, or, if there was still a Dagesh but there was no ‫ י‬in it, so that it could be read
‫תִ ּלֹונּו‬, I would explain it as meaning “ye put yourself in a state of murmuring” (our Niphal; cf.
Rashi on Exodus 15:24). Now, however, it being as it is, it must imply “you make others
murmur”, just as in the case of the spies it states, (Numbers 14:36) “And they made all the
congregation to murmur (‫ ) ַויַּּלִינּו‬against him” (where ‫ ַויַּּלִינּו‬is the same grammatical form, so far
as conjugation is concerned, as ‫תַ לִּינּו‬, but as it has an object, ‫כל העדה‬, it cannot mean “And they
murmured”, and must necessarily mean “they made the congregation murmur).

16:8

‫ְהֹוריד ֶלחֶם ּבַּב ֹקֶר ּובָׂשָר‬

ִ ‫ ּו ָמה ָרָאה ל‬.‫ׁשאֵין אֹו ְכלִין ָּבׂשָר לָׂשֹבַע‬ ֶ ‫תֹורה ּדֶ ֶרְך א ֶֶרץ‬
ָ ‫ וְֹלא ִלׂשְּבֹעַ; ִלּמְדָ ה‬.‫בשר לאכל‬
‫ׁשה ְַרּבֵה ְבהֵמֹות הָיּו‬ֶ ,‫ׁשֹּלא ּכַהֹגֶן‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ֲאלּו‬
ָ ‫ ֲאבָל ָּבׂשָר‬,‫ׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר לֹו לָָאדָ ם ּבְֹלא ֶלחֶם‬ ֶ ,‫ׁש ֲאלּו ּכַהֹגֶן‬
ָ ‫ׁש ַה ֶּלחֶם‬
ֶ ‫ָּבע ֶֶרב? ְלפִי‬
)‫ׁשֹּלא ּכַהֹגֶן (יומא ע"ה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשעַת ט ַֹרח‬ ְ ‫ ְלפִיכְָך נָתַ ן ָלהֶם ִּב‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה אֶ ְפׁשָר ָלהֶם ּבְֹלא ָבׂשָר‬
ֶ ‫ וְעֹוד‬,‫ ָלהֶם‬:

‫ בשר לאכל‬FLESH TO EAT— but it does not add as it does in the next phrase ‫ׂשּב ֹ ַע‬
ְ ‫ ִל‬, “to
satisfaction”; the Torah thus teaches us a rule of conduct — that one should not eat meat to
satiety. And what did He see (what reason had He) that He made bread fall for them in the
morning and flesh at evening? Because the bread they asked for was a proper thing to demand
since it is impossible for a person to exist without bread; but meat they asked for improperly,
for they had abundant cattle, and besides it was possible for them to exist without flesh. On
this account He gave it to them at evening, at a time of (when it would cause them) trouble, a
manner which was not favourable to them (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:8; Yoma 75).

‫ אֶת ָה ֲאח ִֵרים הַּׁשֹו ְמעִים אֶתְ כֶם מִתְ לֹונְנִים‬.‫אשר אתם מלינם עליו‬:

‫ אשר אתם מלינים עליו‬means [YOUR MURMURINGS] WHICH YOU MAKE others who hear
you murmuring MURMUR AGAINST HIM.

16:9

‫ ַל ָּמקֹום ׁשֶ ֶה ָענָן י ֵֵרד‬.‫קרבו‬:

‫ קרבו‬APPROACH [BEFORE THE LORD] — to the place where the cloud will descend.

16:13

)‫ׁשמֵן ְמא ֹד (יומא ע"ה‬

ָ ‫ מִין עֹוף ְו‬.‫השלו‬:

‫ השליו‬THE QUAILS — a species of fowl which is very fatty (cf. Yoma 75b).

‫יֹורד עַל‬
ֵ ‫ ַהּטַל‬,"'‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר הּוא אֹומֵר (במדבר י"א) "ּוב ְֶרדֶ ת ַהּטַל וְגֹו‬,‫ ַהּטַל ׁשֹוכֵב עַל ַהּמָן‬.‫היתה שכבת הטל‬
)‫ ה ֲֵרי הּוא ְּכ ֻמּנָח ְּב ֻק ְפסָא (יומא שם‬,‫ְיֹורד טַל ָעלָיו‬
ֵ ‫ וְחֹוז ֵר ו‬,‫יֹורד ָעלָיו‬
ֵ ‫ ְו ַהּמָן‬,‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ה‬:

‫ היתה שכבת הטל‬THERE WAS A LAYER OF DEW — Consequently the dew was lying upon
the Manna. In another passage, however, it says, (Numbers 11:9) “And when the dew came
down [upon the camp at night, the manna fell upon it]” and so there was dew under the
Manna! Thus we see that the dew fell upon the ground and the Manna fell upon it, and then
dew fell again upon this, and so it was as though it were carefully packed in a chest (Yoma
75b).

16:14

‫ ּכְדֶ ֶרְך טַל עֹולֶה ִלק ְַראת ַהחַּמָ ה; ַאף אִ ם‬,‫ׁשעַל ַהּמָן ִלק ְַראת ַה ַח ָּמה‬ ֶ ‫ עֹולֶה ַהּטַל‬,‫זֹורחַת‬ ַ ‫ׁש ַה ַח ָּמה‬ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.'‫ותעל שכבת הטל וגו‬
‫ ׁשֶ ַהּטַל עֹולֶה מִ ן‬,‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דָ ְרׁשּו‬.‫ׁשל ּבֵיצָה טַל וְתִ סְּת ֹם אֶת ּפִי ָה וְתַ ּנִיחָּה ַב ַח ָּמה הִיא עֹולָה ֵמ ֵאלֶי ָה ָּב ֲאוִיר‬
ֶ ‫ׁשפֹופ ֶֶרת‬
ְ ‫ּתְ ַמּלֵא‬
‫ׁש ְכבַת ַהּטָל נִתְ גַּלָה ַהּמָן ו ְָראּו והנה על פני המדבר וגו‬ ִ ‫ ְו ַכעֲלֹות‬,‫ָָארץ ָּב ֲאוִיר‬ ֶ ‫'ה‬:

‫ ותעל שכבת הטל וגו׳‬AND WHEN THE LAYER OF DEW WENT UP etc. — When the sun rose
the dew which was lying upon the Manna ascended sunward, as is the manner of dew — that
it ascends sunward; even if you were to fill an egg-shell with dew and close up its opening
and place it in the sun, it (the egg-shell with the dew in it) will rise of its own accord into the
air, (in consequence of the tendency of the dew to rise upwards). — But our Rabbis explained
that these words imply that the dew rose from the ground into the air. — When the layer of
dew went up the Manna became visible, and they looked, (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Beshalach
20; Shemot Rabbah 38:4) ‫ והנה על המדבר דק‬AND BEHOLD, UPON THE SURFACE OF THE
DESERT there was etc.
‫דק – ּדָ בָר ּדַ ק‬:

‫דק‬, a THIN object,

‫ׁשּנִתְ ַּגּלָה מִּׁשִ ְכבַת‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ׁשנָה‬
ְ ‫ׁש ִּבלְׁשֹון ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְוי ֵׁש לֹומַר ְמ ֻח ְסּפָס לְׁשֹון ֲחפִיסָה ּודְ לּו ְס ְק ָמא‬.‫ ְואֵין ּדֹו ֶמה לֹו ַּב ִּמק ְָרא‬,‫ ְמגֻּלֶה‬.‫מחספס‬
‫ לְׁשֹון מַ חְׂש ֹף ַה ָּלבָן‬,"‫ ְו ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם " ְמ ַקּלַף‬.‫ׁשכְבֹות ַהּטָל‬
ִ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה ּדָ בָר ּדַ ק ְמ ֻח ְסּפָס ּבְתֹוכֹו ּבֵין ׁשְּתֵ י‬
ֶ ‫ ַהּטָל ָראּו‬:

‫ מחספס‬uncovered — and there is no other example of this word in the Scriptures. One may
also explain ‫ מחספס‬as having the same meaning as ‫ המיסה‬in (Mishna Bava Metzia 1:8) ‫חפיסה‬
‫ודלוסקמא‬, “a valise and chest”, in Mishnaic Heberw, and the meaning would be, that when it
became uncovered from the layer of dew they saw that there had been a thin object enclosed
in it i. e. enclosed between the two layers of dew. Onkelos tranlates it by ‫ מקלף‬peeled (flaky),
taking ‫ מחספס‬in the sense of, and from a similar root as, (Genesis 30:37) “peeling off (‫)מחשף‬
the white”.

‫ ּכִדְ ָאמ ְִרינַן ַּגּבֵי ּכִּסּוי הַּדָ ם‬,‫ וְהּוא מִין ֶצבַע ׁשָח ֹר‬,) ‫ "ּכְַא ְבנֵי גִר" (ישעיהו כ"ז‬,‫ ּדַ עֲדַ ק ְּכגִיר‬,‫ ּכְפֹור יילי"דא ְב ַלעַז‬.‫ככפר‬
‫ ְוכֵן‬,‫ָָארץ‬ֶ ‫ַארעָא" – ּדַ ק ָהי ָה ְּכגִיר וְׁשֹוכֵב ֻמגְלָד ְּכק ֶַרח עַל ה‬ ְ ‫ "דַ עְדַ ק ְּכגִיר ִּכגְלִידָ א עַל‬.) ‫" ַהּגִיר ְו ַהּז ְַרנִיְך" (חולין פ"ח‬
‫ׁש ָהי ָה ַמגְלִיד ֶּגלֶד ּדַ ק ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה; "ּו ְכגִיר" ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם‬
ֶ ,‫ ּדַ ק טינב"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫ ָקלּוׁש ּו ְמ ֻחּבָר ִּכגְלִיד‬,ַ‫ ּדַ ק ַּכּכְפ ֹר – ׁשָטּוח‬:‫ּפֵרּוׁשֹו‬
‫ ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתֹו ֶספֶת הּוא עַל לְׁשֹון ָה ִעב ְִרית ְואֵין לֹו תֵ בָה ַּבּפָסּוק‬:

‫ ככפר‬AS HOAR FORST — ‫ כפר‬is old French gelide. The Targum renders ‫ דק‬by ‫דעדק כגיר‬, the
word ‫ גיר‬occurring in (Isaiah 27:9) “‫גיר‬-stones” — this is a kind of black colour — just as we
enumerate amongst the kinds of earth which may be used for covering the blood of a wild
animal or bird after it has been slaughtered “powdered chalk (‫ )גיר‬and orpiment” (Chullin
88b). Onkelos renders the entire phrase by “powdered like ‫גיר‬, like hoar-frost upon the
ground”, meaning that it was as fine as ‫ גיר‬and lay congealed as frost in the ground. This is
therefore the meaning of ‫דק ככפור‬: “spread out fine but yet one atom hanging to another like
hoar-frost”. ‫ דק‬is old French tenuis — meaning that it formed a thin incrustation on top. The
word ‫ וכגיר‬which Onkelos has in his translation is an addition to the Hebrew text, there being
no word corresponding to it in the verse.

16:15

)'‫ ּכְמֹו " ַויְמַן ָלהֶם ַה ֶּמלְֶך" (דניאל א‬,‫ ֲה ָכנַת מָזֹון הּוא‬.‫מן הוא‬:

‫ מן הוא‬means this is something prepared for food, as in (Daniel 1:5) “And the king appointed (
‫ )וימן‬for them,”.

‫ִקְראּוהּו בִׁשְמֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשּי‬
ֶ .‫כי לא ידעו מה הוא‬:

‫ כי לא ידעו מה הוא‬FOR THEY KNEW NOT WHAT IS WAS so that they could call it by its
name.

16:16

‫ ׁשֵ ם מִּדָ ה‬.‫עמר‬:

‫ — עמר‬the name of a measure.

‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ְלאִיׁש ּבְָאהֳלֹו ּתִ ּקְחּו ע ֹמֶר ְלכָל ֻּגלְּגֹלֶת‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכפִי ִמנְי ַן נְפָׁשֹות‬.‫מספר נפשתיכם‬:
‫ — מספר נפשתיכם‬The second half of the verse means ACCORDING TO (supply ‫ כ‬before ‫)מספר‬
THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WHOM A MAN HAS (‫ איש לאשר‬being the same as ‫)אשר לאיש‬
IN HIS TENT SHALL YE TAKE AN OMER FOR EVERY HEAD (‫ ַלּגֻלּגֹלֶת‬the definite
article with the ‫ ל‬having distributive force: each and every).

16:17

‫ ּומָ צְאּו‬,‫ׁשּבָאּו ְלבֵיתָ ם מָדְ דּו בָעֹמֶר אִיׁש אִיׁש ַמה ּׁשֶ ּלָקְטּו‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ׁש ָּלקְטּו ְמעַט‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָּלקְטּו ה ְַרּבֵה ְוי ֵׁש‬
ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש‬.‫המרבה והממעיט‬
‫ ְו ַה ַּמ ְמעִיט ִללְק ֹט ֹלא ָמצָא ָחסֵר מֵעֹמֶר ַל ֻּגלְּגֹלֶת; ְוז ֶהּו נֵס ּגָדֹול‬,‫ׁשֶ ַהּמ ְַרּבֶה ִללְק ֹט ֹלא ֶהעְּדִ יף עַל עֹמֶר ַל ֻּגלְּגֹלֶת אֲ ׁשֶר ּבְָאהֳלֹו‬
‫ׁשֶ ּנַעֲׂשָ ה ּבֹו‬:

‫ המרבה והממעיט‬SOME MUCH, SOME LITTLE — There were some who gathered much and
there were some who gathered little; and when they came home they measured it out by an
Omer, each what he had gathered, and they then found that he who had gathered much had no
excess over an Omer for each head that was in his tent, and that he who had gathered less did
not find less than an Omer for each head, and this was a great miracle that was wrought in
respect of it (the Manna).

16:20

‫ִירם‬
ָ ‫ ּדָ תָ ן וַאֲ ב‬.‫ויותרו אנשים‬:

‫ ויותרו אנשים‬BUT SOME MEN LEFT OF IT — Dathan and Abiram (Shemot Rabbah 24:10;
cf. Rashi on Exodus 2:13).

‫ לְׁשֹון ִרּמָ ה‬.‫וירם תולעים‬:

‫ וירם תולעים‬AND IT BRED WORMS — the word ‫ וירם‬is of the same meaning and root as ‫ר ָּמה‬,ִ
worm.

‫ ְוכֵן‬,"‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "וְֹלא ִה ְבאִיׁש ו ְִר ָּמה ֹלא ָהי ְתָ ה ּבֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ָּכ ִענְי ָן‬,ַ‫ׁשּבַּתְ ִחּלָה ִה ְבאִיׁש ּו ְלבַּסֹוף הִתְ לִיע‬
ֶ ,‫ ה ֲֵרי ז ֶה ִמק ְָרא הָפּוְך‬.‫ויבאש‬
)‫ּדֶ ֶרְך ּכָל ַהּמַתְ לִיעִים (מכילתא‬:

‫ ויבאש‬AND IT STANK — This is an inverted verse, because first it must have stunk and
afterwards have become wormy, just as it is said, (v. 24) “And it did not stink and there was
no worm therein — for this is the way of all things that become wormy (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 16:20).

16:21

‫ ְואֻּמֹות הָעֹולָם צָדִ ין ֵמהֶם וְטֹועֲמִ ים ָּבהֶם‬,‫ׂשה נְ ָחלִים וְׁשֹותִ ין ִמ ֶּמּנּו ַאּיָלִים ּו ְצ ָבאִים‬
ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ַּבּׂשָדֶ ה נַ ֲע‬
ְ ִ‫ ַהּנ‬.‫וחם השמש ונמס‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל‬
ָ ‫ּׁש ְבחָן ׁשֶ ל י‬
ִ ‫ וְיֹודְ עִים ַמה‬,‫ ַטעַם מָן‬:

‫ וחם השמש ונמס‬AND WHEN THE SUN WAXED HOT, IT MELTED — What was left in the
field (outside the inhabited camp) melted and ran in streams; the harts and the roes drank
therefrom, and the nations of the world hunted them and experienced through them the taste
of the Manna, and thereby understood how great was Israel’s excellency (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 16:21).

‫ וְדֻ גְמָתֹו ְּב ַסנְהֶדְ ִרין ּבְסֹוף ד' מִ יתֹות‬,‫ דישטנ"פריר ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ּׁשמֶׁש מִתְ ַחּמֵם ּו ַמ ְפׁשִיר‬
ֶ ‫ עַל י ְדֵ י ַה‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּפֹוׁש ְִרים‬,‫ ָּפׁשַר‬.‫ונמס‬:
‫ ונמס‬Onkelos translates by ‫ּפָשָׁר‬, having the same meaning as ‫פושרים‬, tepid waters: through the
sun it became warm and turned into tepid water; old French détemperer. An example of it (
‫ )פשר‬occurs in Treatise Sanhedrin at the end of the chapter that begins, ‫( ארבע מיתות‬Sanhedrin
67b).

16:22

– ‫ ֶלחֶם מִׁשְ נֶה‬:‫ ּומִדְ ַרׁש ַאּגָדָ ה‬.‫ׁשנֵי הָעֹמֶר ָל ֶאחָד‬ ְ ,‫ׁשּמָדְ דּו אֶת ְלקִיטָתָ ם ּבְָא ֳהלֵיהֶם ָמצְאּו ִכ ְפ ַלי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫לקטו לחם משנה‬
)‫ׁשבַח ּב ְֵריחֹו ְו ַטעְמֹו (שם‬ֶ ‫ אֹותֹו הַּיֹום נִׁשְּתַ ּנָה ְל‬,‫ׁשּנֶה‬
ֻ ‫ ְמ‬:

‫ לקטו לחם משנה‬THEY COLLECTED DOUBLE BREAD — when they measured in their tents
what they had gathered they found it double — two Omers for each person (cf. Rashi on v. 5).
(Rashi appears to supply ‫ אשר‬before ‫לקטו‬: It came to pass on the sixth day, what they gathered
‫אשר לַקטו‬, was double bread.) A Midrashic explanation is that ‫ משנה‬in ‫ לחם משנה‬signifies ‫ׁשּנָה‬
ֻ ‫ְמ‬
different, changed, — that day it was changed for the better as regards its smell and its taste
(Tanchuma Yashan).

‫ׁשּבָת ׁשֶ ּנִ ְצ ַטּוָה לֹומַר‬

ַ ‫ׁשה ּפ ָָרׁשַת‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשעֲדַ י ִן ֹלא ִהּגִיד ָלהֶם מ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשָאלּוהּו ַמה הַּיֹום מִּיֹו ַמי ִם; ּו ִמּכָאן י ֵׁש ִללְמ ֹד‬ְ .‫ויגידו למשה‬
‫ ְו ְלכְָך‬,‫ׁשּנִ ְצ ַטּוֵיתִ י לֹומַר ָלכֶם‬
ֶ '‫ ָאמַר ָלהֶם הּוא ֲאׁשֶר ּדִ ּבֶר ה‬,‫ּׁש ֲאלּו ַמה ּז ֹאת‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ עַד‬,'‫ּׁשּׁשִי ְו ֵהכִינּו וְגֹו‬
ִ ‫ָלהֶם ְו ָהי ָה ּבַּיֹום ַה‬
‫ וְֹלא הֹוצִיאֹו מִ ן ַה ְּכלָל‬,‫ׁשָאמַר לֹו עַד ָאנָה ֵמַאנְּתֶ ם‬ ֶ ‫ ֲענָׁשֹו ַהּכָתּוב‬:

‫ ויגידו למשה‬AND THEY TOLD IT TO MOSES — They asked him, “How is this day different
from other days?” — From this we may learn that Moses had not yet told them the section
regarding the Sabbath which he had been commanded to say to them: (v. 5) “And it shall
come to pass on the sixth day they shall prepare etc.” — he did not do this until they asked
him, “What is this?” Then he said to them, (v. 23) “This is that which the Lord hath said” this
is that which I was commanded to say to you previously, but I forgot to do so (Cf. Shemot
Rabbah 25:10). On this account Scripture (God) punished him, in that He said to him, (v. 28)
“How long will ye refuse [to keep my commandments]”, and He did not exclude him from the
general body, by saying, “how long will they refuse etc.”

16:23

‫ּׁשאַּתֶ ם צ ְִריכִים ְלבַּׁשֵ ל מִּמֶ ּנּו‬

ֶ ‫ ּו ַמה‬,‫ׁשנֵי יָמִים‬ ְ ‫ ֵאפּו הַּיֹום הַּכ ֹל ִל‬,‫ּׁשאַּתֶ ם רֹוצִים ֶל ֱאפֹות ּבַּתַ ּנּור‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה‬.‫את אשר תאפו אפו‬
‫ לְׁשֹון ֲא ִפּי ָה נֹופֵל ְּב ֶלחֶם ּולְׁשֹון ּבִּׁשּול ּבְתַ בְׁשִ יל‬.‫ּׁשלּו הַּיֹום‬ְ ‫ ַּב‬,‫ ַּב ַּמי ִם‬:

‫ את אשר תאפו אפו‬THAT WHICH YOU WOULD BAKE, BAKE whatever you wish to bake
(cf. Onkelos: ‫ די אתון עתידין למפא‬and Rashi on ‫ )אז ישיר משה‬in the oven bake to-day — all that
you will need for two days; and what you require to boil of it in water boil to-day. The
expression baking applies to bread, (cf. Rashi on Genesis 40:1) and the expression boiling to a
cooked dish.

‫ ִלגְנִיז ָה‬.‫למשמרת‬:

‫ למשמרת‬means as something put by (to be kept).

16:25
 ‫ ָאמַר ָלהֶם אֶת‬,"‫ "אִם נֵצֵא אִם לָאו‬:‫ׁשא ֹל‬ ְ ‫ׁשהָיּו ְרגִילִין ָלצֵאת ְו ִללְק ֹט ּבָאּו ִל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשח ֲִרית‬
ַ .'‫ויאמר משה אכלהו היום וגו‬
‫ׁש ָּמא ָפסַק הַּמָ ן וְֹלא‬
ֶ ‫ ָרָאה אֹותָ ם ּדֹו ֲאגִים‬,‫ׁשּבָת הַּיֹום‬ַ ‫ׁשָאלּוהּו ַמהּו ָלצֵאת? ָאמַר ָלהֶם‬ ְ ‫ ָלע ֶֶרב ָחז ְרּו ְל ָפנָיו ּו‬,‫ׁשֶ ְּבי ֶדְ כֶם אִ כְלּו‬
‫ מַה ּתַ "ֹל הַּיֹום? הַּיֹום ֹלא תִ ְמצָאּוהּו אֲ בָל מָ חָר ּתִ מְ צָאּוהּו‬,‫ ָאמַר ָלהֶם הַּיֹום ֹלא תִ ְמצָאּוהּו‬,‫ י ֵֵרד עֹוד‬:

‫ ויאמר משה אכלהו היום‬AND MOSES SAID, EAT THAT THIS DAY etc. — In the morning,
when they had been accustomed to go forth and gather it, they came to enquire, “Shall we go
out or not?” He replied to them, “What you have in your possession eat (‫”)אכלהו היום‬. In the
evening they again came before him and asked him, “How is it now about going out?” He
answered them, ‫“ שבת היום‬Today is the Sabbath”. He saw that they were worried believing
perhaps the Manna had stopped and would not again fall; he therefore said to them, “Today ye
shall not find it [in the field]”. What reason was there to say “Today”? — Today you will not
find it, but tomorrow you will find it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:7).

16:26

‫ִּפּורים ְוי ָמִ ים טֹובִים‬

ִ ‫ ַהּמָן לא יהיה בו; וְֹלא בָא ַהּכָתּוב אֶ ּלָא ל ְַרּבֹות יֹום ַהּכ‬,‫ׁשּבָת הּוא‬
ַ .‫וביום השביעי שבת‬:

‫ וביום השביעי שבת‬means but on the seventh day is a day of rest (supply the word ‫ ;)הוא‬and ‫לא‬
‫ יהיה בו‬means the Manna shall not be on it; and this verse comes (is written) only to include
the Day of Atonement and the Festivals [as being also days when no Manna would fall]
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:26).

16:28

‫ְׁשֵרין‬
ִ ‫ׁשעִים מִתְ ַּגּנִין ַהּכ‬
ָ ‫ׁשל הֶדְ יֹוט הּוא " ַּבהֲדֵ י הּוצָא ָלקֵי כ ְַרּבָא" – עַל י ְדֵ י ה ְָר‬
ַ ‫ ְמ‬.‫עד אנה מאנתם‬:

‫ עד אנה מאנתם‬HOW LONG WILL YE REFUSE — A common proverb says: with the thorn the
cabbage which is near it, is also stricken — through the wicked the good are brought into
disgrace (cf. Rashi on v. 22) (Bava Kamma 92a).

16:29

‫ׁשּבָת לָתֵ ת ָלכֶם ֶלחֶם יֹומַ י ִם‬

ַ ‫ׂשה ְּבכָל ע ֶֶרב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֵס נַ ֲע‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשּבָת‬
ַ ‫ ְּבעֵינֵיכֶם ּכִי ה' ִּבכְבֹודֹו ַמזְהִיר אֶתְ כֶם עַל ַה‬.‫ראו‬:

‫ ראו‬SEE with your very eyes (i. e. the word is used literally and not figuratively in the sense of
“consider”) that the Lord in His glory (i. e. the Lord Himself) admonishes you regarding the
Sabbath, for, behold, a miracle is performed for you on the eve of every Sabbath in that He
gives you then bread for two days.

)‫ ִמּכָאן ָסמְכּו ֲח ָכמִים ד' אַּמֹות לַּיֹוצֵא חּוץ לַּתְ חּום (ערובין נ"א‬.‫שבו איש תחתיו‬:

‫ שבו איש תחתיו‬ABIDE YE EVERY MAN IN HIS PLACE (lit., beneath himself) — From here
the Sages derived a support for the permission that a person who has gone beyond the Sabbath
limit may move within a space of four cubits (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:7; Eruvin 51a).

‫ׁשאֵין ּתְ חּומִין אֶ ּלָא מִּדִ ב ְֵרי סֹופ ְִרים‬

ֶ – ‫ וְֹלא ִב ְמפ ָֹרׁש‬,)‫ׁשּבָת (מכילתא‬
ַ ‫ׁשל ּתְ חּום‬
ֶ ‫ אֵּלּו ַא ְל ַּפי ִם ַא ָּמה‬.‫אל יצא איש ממקמו‬
‫ׁשל ִמק ְָרא עַל לֹוקְ טֵי הַּמָ ן נֶאֱמַר‬ ֶ ‫– ְו ִעּקָרֹו‬:

‫ אל יצא איש ממקמו‬LET NO MAN GO OUT OF HIS PLACE — These are the 2,000 cubits of
the Sabbath limit (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:29); but this is not expressly mentioned
here, because the command relating to the Sabbath limits is only an institution of the
Sopherim. The text itself was really spoken about those who gathered the Manna (i. e., it does
not constitute a prohibition regarding the Sabbath for all men and at all periods but was
intended to forbid anyone to go out into the field to gather the Manna; cf. Sotah 30b).

16:31

‫ׁשל ְלז ֶַרע ּגַד אֶ ּלָא‬

ָ ‫ ְואֵינֹו נִ ְמ‬,‫ ְו ַהּמָן ָהי ָה ָלבָן‬,‫ׁשּלֹו עָג ֹל ְואֵינֹו ָלבָן‬
ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶַרע‬,‫ׁשּׁשְמֹו קול"יינדר‬
ֶ ‫ׂשב‬
ֶ ‫ ֵע‬.‫והוא כזרע גד לבן‬
‫ ְּכז ֶַרע ּגַד ָהי ָה – וְהּוא ָלבָן‬,‫ ְל ִענְי ַן ָהעִּגּול‬:

‫ והוא כזרע גד לבן‬AND IT WAS LIKE THE CORIANDER SEED, WHITE — a herb, the name
of which is (in old French) coriandre; its seed is round and is not white, whilst the Manna was
white. It follows therefore, that it is compared to coriander seed only in respect to its
roundness — so that the meaning is: it was like coriander seed, and it was white (Yoma 75a).

‫ וְהּוא ּתַ ְרּגּום ׁשֶ ל אֻ נְקְלֹוס‬,)‫ׁשנָה (פסחים ל"ז‬

ְ ‫ְקֹורין לֹו אִ ְסק ְִריטִין ִּבלְׁשֹון ִמ‬
ִ ‫ ו‬,‫ׁש ְּמ ַט ְּגנִין אֹותֹו ּבִדְ בַׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ָּבצֵק‬.‫כצפיחת‬:

‫ כצפיחת‬LIKE FLAT CAKES — dough which is fried in honey. In the Mishnaic speech it is
called ‫( אסקריטין‬Pesachim 37a), and this is the translation of Onkelos here.

16:32

‫ ִלגְנִיז ָה‬.‫למשמרת‬:

‫ למשמרת‬means to put by.

‫ַּתֹורה? ְוהֵם אֹומ ְִרים נַּנִי ַח ְמלַאכְּתֵ נּו ְונַעֲס ֹק‬

ָ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה י ְִר ְמי ָהּו מֹוכִיחָם ָל ָּמה אֵין אַּתֶ ם עֹו ְסקִים ּב‬
ֶ ‫ ּבִימֵי י ְִר ְמי ָהּו; ְּכ‬.‫לדרתיכם‬
‫ ָּבז ֶה‬,‫ׁשמְעּו ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר אֶ ּלָא ְראּו‬ ִ ,'‫ ֵמהֵיכָן נִתְ ּפ ְַרנֵס? הֹוצִיא ָלהֶם ִצנְ ֶצנֶת ַהּמָן ָאמַר ָלהֶם אַּתֶ ם ְראּו ּדְ בַר ה‬,‫ַּתֹורה‬ ָ ‫ּב‬
‫ִירָאיו‬ ֵ ‫ׁשלּוחִין י ֵׁש לֹו ַל ָּמקֹום ְל ָהכִין מָזֹון ל‬
ְ ‫ ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ נִתְ ּפ ְַרנְסּו ֲאבֹותֵ יכֶם‬:

‫ לדרתיכם‬FOR YOUR GENERATIONS e. g., in the days of Jeremiah: when Jeremiah was
rebuking them (the people), saying, “Why do you not engage yourselves with the Torah?”,
and they answered him, “Shall we leave our work and engage ourselves with the Torah? From
where shall we earn a living?”, he brought out to them the cruse of Manna and said to them,
(Jeremiah 2:31) “[O Generation], see ye the thing of the Lord!” It is not said “Hear the word”
but “See the thing”! — This thing is what your fathers were fed with. The Omnipresent God
has many messengers (many means) to provide food for those who fear Him (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:33).

16:33

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,‫ׁשל ח ֶֶרס‬

ֶ ‫ צְלֹוחִית‬.‫צנצנת‬:

‫ צנצנת‬is an earthern flask, as it is translated in the Targum (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
16:33).

‫ׁשּנִכְּתַ ב ּכָאן ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת הַּמָ ן‬

ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ׁשּנִ ְבנָה אֹהֶל מֹועֵד‬
ֶ ‫ ִל ְפנֵי הָָארֹון; וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה עַד‬.'‫והנח אותו לפני ה‬:
‘‫ והנח אתו לפני ה‬AND LAY IT UP BEFORE THE LORD — before the Ark; this verse, of
course, was not spoken until the tent of meeting had been built and the Ark was placed
therein, but it is written here in the chapter about the Manna, as being its appropriate place.

16:35

‫ ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ּבְט"ו ְּב ִאּי ָר י ַָרד ָלהֶם ַהּמָן ּתְ ִחּלָה ּובְט"ו ְּבנִיסָן ָּפסַק‬
ֶ ?‫ׁשֹלׁשִים יֹום הֵם‬ ְ ‫ ַוהֲֹלא ָחסֵר‬.‫ארבעים שנה‬
‫ׁש ָהעֻּגֹות ׁשֶהֹוצִיאּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם ָטעֲמּו ָבהֶם ַטעַם מָ ן (קידושין‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּב ֹת ַהּמָן ִמ ָּמח ֳָרת" (יהושע ה')? אֶ ּלָא ַמּגִיד‬
ְ ִ ‫" ַוּי‬
)‫ל"ח‬:

‫ ארבעים שנה‬FORTY YEARS — But was not this period short of thirty days, since it was on
the sixteenth of Iyar that the Manna fell for them for the first time and on the fifteenth of
Nisan that it ceased, as it is said, (Joshua 5:12) “And the Manna ceased on the morrow”? (cf.
the preceding verse which speaks of the day when they ate unleavened bread). But this tells us
that in the cakes that Israel had brought out of Egypt and which they ate from the 15th of
Nisan to the 16th of Iyar after they left Egypt they experienced the taste of Manna (so that the
40 years mentioned here as those during which they ate Manna may be regarded as complete)
(Kiddushin 38a).

‫ְאֶראֶ ה אֶת‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ֶא ְעּב ְָרה ּנָא ו‬

ֶ ‫ּׁשבֶת וְטֹובָה‬
ֶ ֻ ‫ׁש ְּב ֵעבֶר ַהּי ְַרּדֵ ן ְמי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאֹותָ ּה‬
ֶ ( ‫ׁש ָעבְרּו אֶת ַהּי ְַרּדֵ ן‬
ֶ ‫ לְַאחַר‬.‫אל ארץ נושבת‬
)‫ ָרצָה לֹומַר — מְ י ֻּׁשֶ בֶת‬,"‫ׁשבֶת "י ָתְ בָתָ א‬ ָ ‫ׁשל נֹו‬
ֶ ‫ וְתַ ְרּגּום‬,"‫ָָארץ הַּטֹובָה ֲאׁשֶר ְּב ֵעבֶר ַהּי ְַרּדֵ ן‬ ֶ ‫ה‬:

‫ אל ארץ נושבת‬TO A LAND INHABITED — after they had crossed the Jordan, [for that
territory on the other side of the Jordan was cultivated (‫ׁשבֶת‬
ֶ ֻ ‫ ְמי‬, which is regarded as the
equivalent of ‫ ;נושבת‬cf. Rashi on Genesis 36:20) and good, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 3:25)
“Let me pass over, I pray thee, and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan”.
And the translation of ‫ נושבת‬by Onkelos is ‫ יתבתא‬which means to say ‫מיושבת‬, “settled”].

‫ נִ ְמצְאּו ַמ ְכחִיׁשִין ז ֶה אֶת ז ֶה? אֶ ּלָא‬.‫ וְהּוא ע ְַרבֹות מֹוָאב‬,‫ׁש ָעבְרּו אֶת ַהּי ְַרּדֵ ן‬ ֶ ‫ ּבִתְ ִחּלַת ַהּגְבּול ק ֹדֶ ם‬.‫אל קצה ארץ כנען‬
‫ׁש ִהק ְִריבּו הָע ֹמֶר ּבְׁשִּׁשָ ה‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָּלקְטּו בֹו בַּיֹום עַד‬
ֶ ‫ ְונִסְּתַ ּפְקּו ִמּמָן‬,‫ֵירד‬
ֵ ‫ׁשה ּבְז' ַּבאֲדָ ר ָּפסַק ַהּמָן ִמּל‬ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּמֵת מ‬
ֶ ‫ְּבע ְַרבֹות מֹוָאב ְּכ‬
)'‫ָָארץ ִמ ָּמח ֳַרת ַה ֶּפסַח" (יהושע ה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "וַּי ֹאכְלּו ֵמעֲבּור ה‬ ֶ ,‫ ָעׂשָר ְּבנִיסָן‬:

‫ אל קצה ארץ כנען‬UNTO THE EXTREMITY OF THE LAND OF CANAAN — at the

beginning of the border before they passed over the Jordan, that is, in the plains of Moab —
consequently they (these two descriptions of the locality) contradict each other! But the
explanation is that in the plains of Moab, when Moses died (cf. Deuteronomy 34:1) on the
seventh of Adar, the Manna really ceased to fall but they had a sufficient supply from the
Manna which they had gathered on that day to last until they had brought the Omer on the
sixteenth of Nisan in Canaan itself, the cultivated land, as it is said, (Joshua 5:11) “And they
did eat of the produce of the land on the morrow after the Passover” (Kiddushin 38a).

16:36

‫ִירית ָהאֵיפָה מ"ג ּבֵיצִים‬ ִ ‫ נִ ְמצָא ֲעׂש‬,‫ׁשֹלׁש ְסאִין ְו ַהּסְָאה ו' ַקּבִין ְו ַה ַּקב ד' ֻלּגִין ְוהַֹּלג ו' ּבֵיצִים‬
ָ ‫ ָהאֵיפָה‬.‫עשרית האיפה‬
‫ וְהּוא ׁשִעּור ַל ַחּלָה ְולַּמְ נָחֹות‬,‫וְחֹמֶׁש ּבֵיצָה‬:

‫[ עשירית האפה‬THE OMER] IS THE TENTH PART OF AN EPHAH — The Ephah is three
Seahs, and the Seah is six Kabs, and the Kab is four Logs and the Log has the capacity of six
eggs: it follows, therefore, that the tenth of an Ephah has the capacity of forty-three and a fifth
eggs — and this is the minimum quantity of dough for the Challa (the minimum quantity to
which applies the injunction to separate a portion of the dough; cf. Numbers 15:20), and the
measure for the meal offering (cf. Rashi on Eruvin 83b).

17:2

‫ְאֶרץ ִצּי ָה‬

ֶ ‫ לֹומַר הֲיּוכַל לָתֵ ת מַ י ִם ּב‬.‫?מה תנסון‬:

‫ מה תנסון‬TO WHY DO YE TRY [THE LORD] by saying, “Will He be able to give us water in
an arid land?”

17:4

‫ אִם ַאמְּתִ ין עֹוד מְ עַט וסקלני‬.‫עוד מעט‬:

‫ עוד מעט‬YET A LITTLE means, if I wait but a little more they will stone me.

17:5

)‫ ָל ָּמה הֹוצֵאתָ ַלעַז עַל ָּבנַי? (שמות רבה‬,‫ּור ֵאה אִם י ִ ְס ְקלּוָך‬
ְ .‫עבור לפני העם‬:

‫ עבר לפני העם‬PASS BEFORE THE PEOPLE and see whether they will stone you! (Midrash
Tanchuma, Beshalach 23) Why have you uttered a slander against My children?

‫ וְֹלא י ֹאמְרּו ַמ ְעי ָנֹות הָיּו ׁשָ ם מִ ימֵ י קֶדֶ ם‬,‫ׁשעַל י ָדְ ָך ַמי ִם יֹו ְצאִים מִן הַּצּור‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּי ְִראּו‬
ֶ ,‫ ְלעֵדּות‬.‫וקח אתך מזקני ישראל‬:

‫ וקח אתך מזקני ישראל‬AND TAKE WITH THEE OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL as witnesses
— that they may see that it is by your agency that the water will come forth from the rock and
that people may not say that there had been springs there from time immemorial (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 17:5:2).

‫ׁשהָיּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל אֹומ ְִרים עַל הַּמַ ּטֶה ׁשֶ אֵ ינֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה ּתַ "ֹל " ֲאׁשֶר ִהּכִיתָ ּבֹו אֶת ַהי ְא ֹר"? ֶאּלָא‬.‫ומטך אשר הכית בו את היאר‬
,‫מּוכָן ֶאּלָא ְלפ ְֻרעָנּות – ּבֹו ָל ָקה פ ְַרע ֹה ּו ִמצ ְַרי ִם ַּכ ָּמה ַמּכֹות ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם ְועַל ַהּי ָם – ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר אֲ ׁשֶר ִהּכִיתָ ּבֹו אֶת ַהי ְא ֹר‬
)‫ׁשַאף לְטֹובָה הּוא מּוכָן (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫י ְִראּו עַּתָ ה‬:

‫ ומטך אשר הכית בו את היאר‬AND THY STAFF, WHEREWITH THOU SMOTEST THE RIVER
— What is the force of the words “wherewith thou smotest the river” — they are apparently
superfluous? But these are added because the Israelites had said of the staff that it was
intended only for punishment: by it Pharaoh and the Egyptians had been stricken with many
plagues in Egypt and at the Red Sea. On this account it is stated here: take the staff wherewith
thou smotest the river — they shall see now that it is also intended for good (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 17:5:3).

17:6

‫ ְוהַּצּור נִבְקַע מִ ָּפנָיו‬,‫ִירינֹון‬

ִ ‫ׁשל מִין ּדָ בָר ָחז ָק ּוׁשְמֹו ַסנְּפ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ַּמּטֶה ָהי ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬,‫ עַל הַּצּור ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ֶאּלָא בַּצּור‬.‫והכית בצור‬
)‫(שם‬:

‫ והכית בצור‬AND THOU SHALT SMITE THE ROCK — It does not say here “thou shalt smite
‫”על הצור‬, upon the surface of the rock, but ‫בצור‬, right into the rock — from this it follows that
the rod must have been composed of a kind of hard material the name of which is sapphire,
and the rock was split by it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 17:6:2).

17:8

'‫אֹומְרים ֲהי ֵׁש ה‬

ִ ‫ ּתָ מִיד ֲאנִי בֵינֵיכֶם ּו ְמזֻּמָן ְלכָל צ ְָרּכֵיכֶם ְואַּתֶ ם‬,‫ לֹומַר‬,‫ׁשה זֹו ְל ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה‬ָ ‫ ָסמְַך ּפ ָָר‬.'‫ויבא עמלק וגו‬
‫ׁשה ְִרּכִיב ּבְנֹו עַל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל לְָאדָ ם‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַה ֶּכלֶב ּבָא וְנֹוׁשְֵך אֶתְ כֶם ְואַּתֶ ם צֹו ֲעקִים לִי וְתֵ דְ עּו הֵיכָן אֲ נִי? ָמ‬
ֶ ‫ ַחּי ֵיכֶם‬,‫ְּבק ְִרּבֵנּו אִם ָאי ִן‬
,‫ ְוכֵן ׁשְ לִיׁשִ ית‬,‫ׁשנִּי ָה‬
ְ ‫ ְוכֵן‬,‫ ַאּבָא ט ֹל ֵחפֶץ ז ֶה וְתֵ ן לִי וְהּוא נֹותֵ ן לֹו‬,‫ ָהי ָה אֹותֹו ַהּבֵן רֹו ֶאה ֵחפֶץ וְאֹומֵר‬,‫ּכְתֵ פֹו ְויָצָא לַּדֶ ֶרְך‬
‫ׁשלִיכֹו ֵמ ָעלָיו ּובָא ַה ֶּכלֶב‬ ְ ‫ אֵינְָך יֹודֵ ַע הֵיכָן אֲ נִי? ִה‬,‫ ָראִיתָ אֶת ַאּבָא? ָאמַר לֹו ָאבִיו‬,‫ָּפגְעּו בְָאדָ ם ֶאחָד ָאמַר לֹו אֹותֹו ַהּבֵן‬
)‫ּונְׁשָכֹו (תנחומא יתרו‬:

‫ ויבא עמלק‬THEN CAME AMALEK — Scripture places this section immediately after this
preceding verse (they said, “Is the Lord among us or not?”) to imply, “I am ever among you
and ready at hand for every thing you may need, and yet you say, “Is the Lord among us or
not?” By your lives, I swear that the hound (Amalek) shall come and bite you, and you will
cry for Me and then you will know where I am!” A parable: it may be compared to a man who
carried his son upon his shoulder, and went out on a journey. The son saw an article and said,
“Father, pick up that thing and give it to me”. He gave it to him, and so a second time and so
also a third time. They met a certain man to whom the son said, “Have you seen my father
anywhere?” Whereupon his father said to him, “Don’t you know where I am?” — He,
therefore, cast him off from himself and a hound came and bit him (Midrash Tanchuma, Yitro
3).

17:9

‫ְמֹורא ַרּבְָך‬ָ ‫ׁשּלְָך; ּוכְבֹוד ֲחב ְֵרָך ּכ‬

ֶ ‫ׁשוָהּו לֹו; ִמּכָאן ָאמְרּו ֲח ָכמִים יְהִי כְבֹוד ּתַ ְלמִידְ ָך ָחבִיב ָעלֶיָך ְּכ‬ ְ ‫ לִי ּולְָך – ִה‬.‫בחר לנו‬
‫ּומֹורא ַרּבְָך‬ָ .‫ׂשה אֶת ֲחבֵרֹו ּכ ְַרּבֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ַוהֲֹלא ַאהֲר ֹן ּגָדֹול ֵמָאחִיו ָהי ָה וְעֹו‬,"‫ׁשה ּבִי אֲדֹנִי‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "וַּי ֹאמֶר ַאהֲר ֹן אֶ ל מ‬
ֶ ?‫ִמּנַי ִן‬
‫מָרדּו‬
ְ ‫ַּמֹורדִ ים ּבְָך ּכְאִ ּלּו‬
ְ ‫ ה‬,‫ ַחּיָבִין הֵם ְּכ ָלי ָה‬,‫ׁשה ְּכ ָלאֵם" – ַּכּלֵם מִן הָעֹולָם‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "אֲדֹנִי מ‬ֶ ?‫ׁש ַמי ִם ִמּנַי ִן‬
ָ ‫ְמֹורא‬
ָ ‫ּכ‬
‫ ְּבהַּקָ ּבָ"ה‬:

‫ בחר לנו‬CHOOSE OUT MEN FOR US — for me and for you: he (Moses) placed him (Joshua)
on the same level with himself. They (the Rabbis) derived from here the teaching: let thy
disciple’s honour be as dear to thee as thy own. And whence may we derive the next
statement in thee well-known passage: and thy colleague’s honour as dear to thee as the
reverence due to thy teacher? Because it is said, (Numbers 12:11) “And Aaron spake to
Moses, “I beseech thee, my lord” — but surely Aaron was older than his brother and yet by
addressing him as “my lord” he treated his colleague (Moses) as his teacher! “And the
reverence due to thy teacher as the reverence due to God” — whence may this be derived?
Because it is said, (Numbers 11:28) “[And he (Joshua) said (to his teacher, Moses)] “My lord,
Moses, ‫”כלאם‬, destroy them (‫ ) ַּכּלֵם‬from out of the world! they who rebel against thee deserve
to be destroyed just the same as though they had rebelled against the Holy One, blessed be He
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 17:9:1).

‫ צֵא מִן ֶה ָענָן ְו ִה ָּלחֵם ּבֹו‬.‫וצא הלחם‬:

‫ וצא הלחם‬GO OUT, FIGHT — go out from the cloud and fight against him (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 17:9:3),

‫ ָאנֹכִי נִּצָב‬,‫ ְּבעֵת ַה ִּמ ְלחָמָ ה‬.‫מחר‬:

‫ מחר‬TO-MORROW, at the time of the battle, I will take my stand.

‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ּדָ בָר ַאחֵר – ְּבחַר לָנּו ֲאנָׁשִים ׁשֶּיֹודְ עִין ְל ַבּטֵל ּכְׁשָ פִים‬.‫ִּבֹורים ְוי ְִראֵי ֵחטְא ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ז ְכּותָ ן ְמ ַסּיַעְּתָ ן‬
ִ ‫ ּג‬.‫בחר לנו אנשים‬
‫ׁש ְּבנֵי ֲע ָמלֵק מְ כַּׁשְ פִין הָיּו‬
ֶ :

‫ בחר לנו אנשים‬CHOOSE US MEN — brave men, and men who fear sin (‫ אנשים‬does not mean
merely men — males, but men fit for war and at the same time God-fearing) — choose these
so that their merit may stand them in good stead (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 17:9:2).
Another explanation: ‫ בחר לנו אנשים‬Choose us men who know how to make witchcraft of none
effect; he said this because the sons of Amalek were wizards (cf. Rashi on v. 12)

17:10

)‫ׁשּבְתַ ֲענִית הָיּו ׁשְרּוי ִים (מכילתא‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשה ַלעֲב ֹר ִל ְפנֵי הַּתֵ בָה‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ׁשּצ ְִריכִים‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן לְתַ ֲענִית‬.‫ומשה אהרן וחור‬:

AND MOSES AND AARON AND HUR — From this we may infer as regards a public fast
that three men must pass before the Holy Ark (i. e. must officiate at prayer) — we may infer
this because they (the Israelites) were then engaged in fasting (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
17:12:5).

)‫ׁשל מ ְִרי ָם ָהי ָה ְו ָכלֵב ַּב ְעלָּה (סוטה י"א‬

ֶ ‫ ְּבנָּה‬.‫חור‬:

‫ חור‬HUR was the son of Miriam and her husband was Caleb (Sotah 11b).

17:11

‫ׁשה נֹוצְחֹות הָיּו ַה ִּמ ְל ָח ָמה וְכּו' ּכִדְ אִ יתָ א ּבְר ֹ" ַה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשל מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְוכִי י ָדָ יו‬.‫כאשר ירים משה ידו‬:

‫ כאשר ירים משה ידו‬WHEN MOSES LIFTED UP HIS HAND — But could Moses’ hands win
the battle etc.? See the whole passage as it is given in the Treatise Rosh Hashanah 29a.

17:12

‫ נִתְ י ַּקְרּו י ָדָ יו‬,‫ׁשּנִתְ ַעּצֵל ַּב ִּמ ְצוָה ּו ִמּנָה ַאחֵר ּתַ חְּתָ יו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבִיל‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫וידי משה כבדים‬:

‫ וידי משה כבדים‬BUT MOSES HANDS BECAME HEAVY — Because he had shown himself
remiss in the duty that was his, of waging war himself against Amalek, and had appointed
another in his stead, his hands became heavy (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 17:12:1).

‫ ַאהֲר ֹן וְחּור‬.‫ויקחו‬:

‫ ויקחו‬AND THEY TOOK — Aaron and Hur took —

)‫ ַאף ֲאנִי ֶא ְהי ֶה ִע ָּמהֶם ְּב ַצעַר (תענית י"א‬,‫ יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ׁשְרּוי ִין ְּב ַצעַר‬:‫ ָאמַר‬.‫ׁשב לֹו עַל ּכַר ָו ֶכסֶת‬
ַ ָ ‫ וְֹלא י‬.‫אבן וישימו תחתיו‬:

‫ אבן וישימו תחתיו‬A STONE AND THEY PUT IT UNDER HIM [AND HE SAT THEREON]
— but he did not seat himself upon a cushion or a pillow, for he said, “Israel is in tribulation;
I will be in tribulation together with them”. (Taanit 11a).

‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ּבִתְ ִפּלָה נֶאֱמָ נָה ּונְכֹונָה‬

ָ ‫ ּפְרּוׂשֹות ַה‬,‫ׁשה י ָדָ יו ֶּבאֱמּונָה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ַויְהִי מ‬.‫ויהי ידיו אמונה‬:
‫( ויהי ידיו אמונה‬lit., and he was, his hands faithfulness) — and Moses was in the condition that
his hands were in faithfulness — spread forth to heaven in a confident and firm prayer.

‫ ְו ֶה ֱעמִיד ָלהֶם מ ֹׁשֶ ה חַּמָ ה‬,‫ׁשעָה הֵם נֹו ְצחִים‬

ָ ‫ ְּבאֵיזֹו‬,‫ּׁשבִין אֶת ַהּׁשָעֹות ָּבאִי ְצטְרּולֹוגִיָאה‬
ְ ‫ׁשהָיּו ֲע ָמ ֵלקִים ְמ ַח‬
ֶ .‫עד בא השמש‬
)‫ ְוע ְִרּבֵב אֶת הַּׁשָעֹות (תנחומא‬:

‫ עד בא השמש‬UNTIL THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN — Because the Amalekites had
calculated the hours by astrology, as to which hour they would prove victorious, Moses held
back the sun against them and brought the hours into confusion (Midrash Tanchuma,
Beshalach 28).

17:13

‫ ִמּכָאן ָאנּו ְלמֵדִ ים ׁשֶ עָׂשּו עַ" ִּפ‬,‫ וְֹלא ה ֲָרגָם ֻּכּלָם‬,‫ׁש ָּבהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאִיר אֶ ּלָא ַח ָּלׁשִים‬
ְ ‫ִּבֹוריו וְֹלא ִה‬
ָ ‫ חָתַ ְך ָראׁשֵי ג‬.‫ויחלש יהושע‬
)‫ׁשל ׁשְ כִינָה (שם‬ ֶ ‫הַּדִ ּבּור‬:

‫ ויחלש יהושע‬AND JOSHUA DISCOMFITED [AMALEK] (more lit., he weakened Amalek) —

he cut off the heads of his mighty men and left only the weak amongst them, and he did not
kill all of them (leaving the weak men alive: thus Amalek was made weak, and powerless for
further mischief). From this we may learn that they acted according to the expressed
pronouncement of the Shechina (otherwise they would, in the stress of battle, not have so
discriminated) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 17:13:2).

17:14

‫ׁשּבָא ֲע ָמלֵק ְל ִהז ְּדַ ּוֵג ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל ק ֹדֶ ם ְלכָל הָאֻּמֹות‬
ֶ .‫כתב זאת זכרון‬:

‫ כתב זאת זכרון‬WRITE THIS FOR A MEMORIAL, that Amalek came to wage war against
Israel before any other nation.

‫ׁשּלֵם לֹו אֶת ּגְמּולֹו; ּכָאן נ ְִרמַז לֹו לְמ ֹׁשֶ ה‬ ַ ‫ׁשּי ְ ַצּוֶה אֶת יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְל‬
ֶ ,‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ ַה ַּמ ְכנִיס אֶת יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ל‬.‫ושים באזני יהושע‬
)‫ָָארץ (שם‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַע ַמ ְכנִיס אֶת יִׂש ְָראֵ ל ל‬
ֻ ‫ׁשּי ְהֹו‬
ֶ :

‫ ושים באזני יהושע‬AND PUT INTO THE EARS OF JOSHUA, who will bring Israel into the
Holy Land, that he must command Israel to pay him his recompense. Here it was intimated to
Moses (by the mere statement that Joshua should in some future time carry out the injunction
to destroy Amalek) that Joshua would bring Israel into the Holy Land (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 17:14:1).

‫ ּכִי ָחפֵץ אֲ נִי לִמְחֹותֹו‬,‫ִירָך ּכֵן‬

ְ ‫ ְלכְָך ֲאנִי ַמזְה‬.‫כי מחה אמחה‬:

‫ כי מחה אמחה‬BECAUSE I WOULD UTTERLY BLOT OUT [THE REMEMBRANCE OF

AMALEK] — the reason why I admonish you thus is because (‫ )כי‬I desire to blot it out.

17:15

‫ ׁשֶ ל מִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח‬.‫ויקרא שמו‬:

‫ ויקרא שמו‬AND HE CALLED HIS (or its) NAME — the name of the altar,
 – ‫ׁשעָׂשָ ה הַּמָ קֹום‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל ִמז ְ ֵּב ַח זֹוכֵר אֶת ַהּנֵס‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא ַה ַּמזְּכִיר ׁשְמֹו‬,'‫ׁש ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח קָרּוי ה‬
ֶ ‫ ֹלא‬.‫ׂשה לָנּו ּכָאן נֵס‬
ָ ‫ ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ָע‬.‫ה' נסי‬
‫ה' הּוא נֵס ׁשֶ ּלָנּו‬:

‫( ה׳ נסי‬lit., the Lord is my banner or my miracle) — The Holy One, blessed be He, here
performed a miracle for us. It does not mean that the altar was named ‫ה׳‬, “the Lord, my
banner”, but the reason for so calling it was that anyone mentioning the altar’s name would
thereby remember the miracle which the Omni-present had performed, since he would be
saying: the Lord, He is our Miracle (cf. Rashi on Genesis 33:20).

17:16

‫ מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬.‫ויאמר‬:

‫ ויאמר‬AND HE SAID — i. e. Moses said.

‫ ּו ַמהּו ּכֵס וְֹלא נֶאֱמַר‬,‫ּׁשבַע ְּב ִכסְאֹו ִלהְיֹות לֹו ִמ ְל ָח ָמה ְואֵיבָה ַב ֲע ָמלֵק עֹו ָלמִית‬
ָ ‫הּור ָמה ִל‬
ְ ‫ׁשל ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬ ֶ ‫ י ָדֹו‬.‫כי יד על כס יה‬
,‫ׁשּי ִ ָּמחֶה ׁשְמֹו ׁשֶ ל עֲמָ לֵק ּכֻּלֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשלֵם עַד‬ ָ ‫ׁשלֵם ְואֵין ִּכסְאֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשאֵין ׁשְמֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבַע ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬ְ ִ‫ִּכּסֵא? וְַאף ַהּׁשֵם נֶ ֱחלַק ְל ֶחצְיֹו? נ‬
‫ ז ֶהּו עֲמָ לֵק ׁשֶ ּכָתּוב ּבֹו‬,)'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "הָאֹוי ֵב ּתַ ּמּו ח ֳָרבֹות ָלנֶצַח" (תהלים ט‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשלֵם‬ָ ‫ׁשלֵם ְו ַה ִּכּסֵא‬
ָ ‫ׁשּי ִ ָּמחֶה ׁשְמֹו י ִ ְהי ֶה ַהּׁשֵם‬
ֶ ‫ּו ְכ‬
‫ ַמהּו אֹומֵר ַאח ֲָריו? "וַה' לְעֹולָם‬,)‫ " ְוע ִָרים נָתַ ׁשְּתָ ָאבַד זִכ ְָרם ֵה ָּמה" (תהלים שם‬,) '‫ׁשמ ָָרה נֶצַח" (עמוס א‬ ְ ‫" ְו ֶעב ְָרתֹו‬
‫ׁשּפָט ִּכסְאֹו" — ה ֲֵרי ִּכּסְאֹו ׁשָ לֵם‬ ְ ‫ "ּכֹונֵן ַל ִּמ‬,‫ׁשלֵם‬
ָ ‫ׁשב" — ה ֲֵרי ַהּׁשֵם‬ ֵ ֵ ‫י‬:

‫ כי יד על כס יה‬BECAUSE THE HAND IS UPON THE THRONE OF JAH — the hand of the
Holy One, blessed be He, is raised to swear by His throne that He will have war and enmity
against Amalek to all eternity. And what is the force of ‫ — כס‬why does it not say as usual
‫ ?כסא‬And the Divine Name, also, is divided into half (‫ יה‬is only the half of the
Tetragrammaton)! The Holy One, blessed be He, swears that His Name will not be perfect nor
His throne perfect until the name of Amalek be entirely blotted out. But when his name is
blotted out then will His (God’s) Name be perfect and His throne perfect, as it is said, (Psalms
9:7) “The enemy is come to an end, he whose swords were for ever” — and this refers to
Amalek of whom it is written, (Amos 1:11; the paragraph is a prophecy against Edom — Esau
— the father of Amalek) “he kept his wrath for ever”. The verse in the Psalm continues: “and
thou didst uproot enemies, their very memorial is perished”, What does it say immediately
after this? (Psalms 9:8) “But the Lord (the Divine Name as given here is the Tetragrammaton)
shall now remain for ever” — you see that the Name will be perfect (after Amalek is entirely
rooted out as is mentioned in v. 7); “He establishes his throne (‫ כסאו‬not ‫ )כס‬in righteousness”
— so you see that His throne will then be perfect (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 11).

18:1

‫ׁשמַע ּובָא? ק ְִריעַת י ַם סּוף ּומִ ְלחֶמֶת עֲמָ לֵק‬

ָ ‫ ַמה ּׁשְמּועָה‬.‫וישמע יתרו‬:

‫ וישמע יתרו‬AND JETHRO HEARD — What was the particular report which he heard so that
he came? — The division of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 18:1:1; Zevachim 116a).

‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשה ַאחַת ּב‬ ָ ‫ׁשּי ִּתֵ ר ּפ ָָר‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם‬,‫ ּפּוטִי ֵאל; י ֶתֶ ר‬,‫ קֵינִי‬,‫ ֶחבֶר‬,‫ חֹובָב‬,‫ י ִתְ רֹו‬,‫ י ֶתֶ ר‬,‫ ְרעּו ֵאל‬:‫ׁשבַע ׁשֵמֹות נִק ְְראּו לֹו‬ ֶ .‫יתרו‬
‫ַּתֹורה; חֹובָב הּוא‬ ָ ‫ׁש ִחּבֵב אֶת ה‬ ֶ ,‫ הֹוסִיפֹו לֹו אֹות ֶאחָד עַל ׁשְמֹו; חֹובָב‬,‫ׁשּנִתְ ַּגּי ֵר ְו ִקּי ֵם ַה ִּמצְוֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ִל ְכ‬,‫" ְואַּתָ ה תֶ ֱחז ֶה"; י ִתְ רֹו‬
‫ ּו ַמהּו אֹומֵר "וַּתָ ב ֹאנָה אֶ ל‬,‫ׁשל י ִתְ רֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ְוי ֵׁש אֹומ ְִרים ְרעּו ֵאל ָאבִיו‬,) '‫ׁשה" (שופטים ד‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ִמ ְּבנֵי חֹובָב ח ֹתֵ ן מ‬
ֶ ‫י ִתְ רֹו‬
‫ ְּב ִספ ְֵרי‬.‫קֹורין ַל ֲאבִי ֲאבִיהֶן אַ ּבָא‬ ִ ‫ׁשהַּתִ ינֹוקֹות‬ֶ ?"‫רעּו ֵאל אֲ בִיהֶן‬: ְ
‫ יתרו‬JETHRO — He was called by seven names: Reuel, Jether, Jethro, Hobab, Heber, Keni
and Putiel. He was called Jether (from ‫“ י ִּתֵ ר‬to add”) because he added (it was through him
that there was added) a section to the Torah; viz., that beginning at (21 ff.) “Moreover thou
shalt provide”. Jethro — so was he called because when he became a proselyte and fulfilled
the divine precepts one more letter was added to his name (‫)יתר‬. Hobab — because he loved (
‫ ) ִחּבֵב‬the Torah (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:1:2). — Hobab is certainly identical with
Jethro, as it is said, (Judges 4:11) “of the sons of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses” and
therefore it is correct to say that Hobab is one of his names. But as to Reuel there are some
who say that he is not identical with Jethro, but that he was Hobab’s (Jethro’s) father, as may
be seen from Numbers 10:29. Then what, according to this view, would be the meaning of
(Exodus 2:18) “And they came to Reuel, their father” (from which it would appear that Reuel
and Jethro are the same)? It means their grandfather, for children call their grandfather: father.
This is to be found in Sifrei Bamidbar 79 (on Numbers 10:29).

‫ ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר " ַוּי ָׁשָ ב‬,‫ׁשה תֹולֶה ַהּגְדֻ ּלָה ְּב ָחמִיו‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ָעבַר ָהי ָה מ‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְל‬,‫ׁשה – ֲאנִי חֹותֵ ן ַה ֶּמלְֶך‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ּכָאן ָהי ָה י ִתְ רֹו מִתְ ַּכּבֵד ּבְמ‬.‫חתן משה‬
)'‫ ֶאל י ֶתֶ ר חֹותְ נֹו" (שמות ד‬:

‫ חתן משה‬MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW — Here Jethro prided himself on his relationship to

Moses: I, the father-in-law of the king. Previously, however, Moses had made whatever
greatness he had hinge upon his relationship to his father-in-law, the chieftain of Midian, as it
is said, (Exodus 4:18) “And he returned to Jethro, his father-in-law” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 18:1:4).

)‫ׁשה ְּכנֶגֶד ּכָל יִׂש ְָראֵ ל (מכילתא‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשקּול מ‬
ָ .‫למשה ולישראל‬:

‫ למשה ולישראל‬TO MOSES AND TO ISRAEL — Moses alone is of equal in importance to all
Israel (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:1:5).

‫ִירידַ ת ַהּמָן ּו ַבּבְאֵר ּו ַבעֲמָ לֵק‬

ִ ‫ ָלהֶם ּב‬.‫את כל אשר עשה‬:

‫ את כל אשר עשה‬ALL THAT [GOD] HAD DONE for them through the falling of the Manna
and through the well (cf. Rashi on Numbers 21:17) and by the defeat of Amalek.

)‫ זֹו ּגְדֹולָה עַל ֻּכּלָם (שם‬.'‫כי הוציא ה' וגו‬:

‫ כי הוציא ה׳ וגו׳‬THAT THE LORD HAD BROUGHT FORTH etc. — this was greater than all
other things, and is therefore singled out for mention (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:1:5).

18:2

‫ִקְראתֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשה אֶת ִאׁשְּתֹו ְואֶת ָּבנָיו וְגֹו' ְויָצָא ַאהֲר ֹן ל‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשב ִמצ ְָרי ִם ַוּיִּקַח מ‬
ֻ ‫ׁשָאמַר לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְּבמִדְ י ָן לְֵך‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫אחר שלוחיה‬
‫ ָאמַר לֹו‬,‫ׂשאתִ י ְּבמִדְ י ָן ְו ֵאּלּו ָבנַי‬
ָ ָ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ ָאמַר לֹו מִי הֵם ַהּלָלּו? ָאמַר לֹו זֹו הִיא ִאׁשְּתִ י‬,) '‫ׁשהּו ְּבהַר ָה ֱאֹלהִים (שמות ד‬ ֵ ‫ַוּי ִ ְפ ְּג‬
‫ ָאמַר לֹו עַל ה ִָראׁשֹונִים ָאנּו ִמ ְצ ַטע ֲִרים ְואַּתָ ה בָא לְהֹוסִיף ֲעלֵיהֶם ָאמַר לָּה ְלכִי‬,‫ְוהֵיכָן אַּתָ ה מֹולִיכָן? ָאמַר לֹו ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
)‫ׁשנֵי ָבנֶי ָה ְו ָה ְלכָה לָּה (מכילתא‬ ְ ‫ נָ ְטלָה‬,‫ ְלבֵית ָאבִיְך‬:

‫ אחר שלוחיה‬AFTER HIS HAVING SENT HER AWAY — When God said to him in Midian,
(Exodus 4:19, 20) “Go, return to Egypt … and Moses took his wife and his sons etc…. and
Aaron went forth towards him and met him at the Mount of God”, he (Aaron) said to him,
“Who are these?” He answered him, “This is my wife whom I married in Midian and these
are my children”. He, thereupon, asked him, “Whither are you taking them?” He replied, “To
Egypt”. Where-upon he said to him, “We have cause to grieve over the former ones (the
Israelites already there), and you propose to add to their number!” Moses therefore said to her,
“Return to your father’s house” — she took her two sons and went away (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 18:2).

18:4

)‫ׂשה ַצּוָארֹו ְּכעַּמּוד ׁשֶ ל ׁשַ י ִׁש (שם‬

ָ ‫ׁשה נַ ֲע‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ִירם עַל ּדְ בַר ַה ִּמצ ְִרי ּו ִבּקֵׁש ַלהֲר ֹג אֶת מ‬
ָ ‫ׁשּגִּלּו ּדָ תָ ן ַו ֲאב‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ויצלני מחרב פרעה‬:

‫ ויצלני מחרב פרעה‬AND HE DELIVERED ME FROM THE SWORD OF PHARAOH — When

Dathan and Abiram made the disclosure regarding the matter of the Egyptian whom Moses
had killed and Pharaoh wished to slay Moses, his neck became as a column of marble so that
the sword was powerless against him (Shemot Rabbah 1:31; cf. Rashi on Exodus 2:15).

18:5

‫ׁשב ִּבכְבֹודֹו ׁשֶ ל עֹולָם ּונְדָ בֹו‬ ֵ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה יֹו‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשל י ִתְ רֹו ּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבְחֹו‬
ִ ‫ׁש ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר הָיּו ֶאּלָא ְּב‬
ֶ ‫ ַאף ָאנּו יֹודְ עִים‬.‫אל המדבר‬
)‫תֹורה (שם‬ ָ ‫ ְמקֹום ּת ֹהּו ִלׁשְמ ֹ ַע ּדִ ב ְֵרי‬,‫לִּבֹו ָלצֵאת ֶאל ַהּמִדְ ּבָר‬:

‫ אל המדבר‬INTO THE DESERT — Indeed we know that they were in the wilderness, and it
appears unnecessary to state that Jethro came to Moses there. But by stressing this Scripture is
speaking in praise of Jethro: that he was living amidst all the splendour that the world could
provide, and nevertheless his heart prompted him to go forth into the desert, a waste place
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:5:2), to hearken to the words of the Torah.

18:6

)‫ עַ"י ְ ׁשָ לִי ַח (שם‬.‫ויאמר אל משה‬:

‫ ויאמר אל משה‬AND HE SAID UNTO MOSES through a messenger (Mekhilta d'Rabbi

Yishmael 18:6).

‫ צֵא ְבגִין ׁשְ נֵי ָבנֶי ָה‬,‫ ְואִם אֵין אַּתָ ה יֹוצֵא ְבגִין ִאׁשְּתְ ָך‬,‫ צֵא ְבגִין ִאׁשְּתְ ָך‬,‫ אִם אֵין אַּתָ ה יֹוצֵא ְבגִינִי‬.'‫אני חתנך יתרו וגו‬
)‫(שם‬:

'‫ אני חתנך יתרו וגו‬I, THY FATHER-IN-LAW, JETHRO etc. — If you will not come out for my
own sake, come out for the sake of your wife; and if you will not come out for your wife’s
sake, come out for the sake of your two sons (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:6).

18:7

‫ׁשֶרָאה אֶת אֵ ּלּו‬

ָ ‫ ּומִי הּוא‬,‫ יָצָא ַאהֲר ֹן נָדָ ב ַו ֲאבִיהּוא‬,‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּיָצָא מ‬
ֶ ‫ ּכֵיוָן‬,‫ׁשעָה‬
ָ ‫ ּכָבֹוד ּגָדֹול נִתְ ַּכּבֵד י ִתְ רֹו ּבְאֹותָ ּה‬.‫ויצא משה‬
)‫יֹו ְצאִין וְֹלא יֵצֵא? (תנחומא‬:

‫ ויצא משה‬AND MOSES WENT OUT — Great honour, indeed, did Jethro receive at that
moment, for as soon as Moses went out to Jethro, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu went out, and who
was it that saw these go out and would not himself go out? (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayigash 7)

‫ׁשּנֶאֱמַר " ְוהָאִ יׁש‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ מִי ַהּקָרּוי "אִיׁש" – מ‬,‫ׁשהּוא אֹומֵר אִיׁש ל ְֵרעֵהּו‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ אֵינִי יֹודֵ ַע מִי ִהׁשְּתַ ֲחוָה ְלמִי‬.‫וישתחו וישק לו‬
)‫ׁשה" (במדבר י"ב‬ ֶ ֹ ‫מ‬:
‫ וישתחו וישק לו‬AND HE PROSTRATED HIMSELF AND KISSED HIM — From the wording
of this statement I do not know who prostrated himself to whom! But when it states in the
next words: ‫איש לרעהו‬, “a man to his fellow”, it becomes quite evident; for which of the two is
called by the appellation ‫איש‬, “man”? — This was Moses, as it is said, (Numbers 12:3) “And
the man, Moses”. (Thus it was the man (‫ )איש‬Moses, who bowed down to his fellow
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:7:2).

18:8

)‫ַּתֹורה (מכילתא‬
ָ ‫ ִלמְׁשְֹך אֶת לִּבֹו ְלק ְָרבֹו ל‬.‫ויספר משה לחתנו‬:

‫ ויספר משה לחתנו‬AND MOSES RELATED TO HIS FATHER-IN-LAW [ALL THAT THE
LORD HAD DONE] — in order to allure his heart that he might attach him to the Torah
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:8).

‫ׁשעַל ַהּי ָם וְׁשֶ ל עֲמָ לֵק‬

ֶ .‫את כל התלאה‬:

‫ את כל התלאה‬ALL THE TRAVAIL that they had experienced at the Red Sea, and that caused
by Amalek (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:8).

,‫ ּתְ קּומָ ה‬,‫ ּתְ נּופָה‬,‫ ְוהַּתָ י"ו הּוא ּתִ ּקּון וִיסֹוד הַּנֹופֵל ִמ ֶּמּנּו ִלפ ְָרקִים; ְוכֵן ּתְ רּו ָמה‬,‫ׁשל ּתֵ בָה‬
ֶ ‫ ָלמֶ"ד ָאלֶ"ף מִן ַהי ְסֹוד‬.‫התלאה‬
‫ּתְ נּוָאה‬:

‫ — התלאה‬The ‫ ל‬and ‫ א‬are part of the primary form of the word and the ‫ ת‬is a formative letter
and a part of the primary form of the noun which sometimes is omitted from it. Similar
examples are ‫ תרומה‬and ‫ תנופה‬and ‫ תקומה‬and ‫תנואה‬.

18:9

‫ָאמְרי אִ ינָׁשֵ י‬
ֵ ְ‫ הַינּו ּד‬,‫ ֵמצֵר עַל אִ ּבּוד ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬,‫ׂשה ְבׂשָרֹו חִּדּודִ ין חִּדּודִ ין‬
ָ ‫ ּומִ"ַא נַ ֲע‬.‫ ז ֶהּו ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬,‫ׂשמַח י ִתְ רֹו‬
ְ ִ ‫ ַוּי‬.‫ויחד יתרו‬
‫אֲרּמָ ָאה ּבְאַ ּפֵיּה‬
ַ ‫ִּיֹורא עַד ֲעׂש ָָרה ּדָ ֵרי לָא תְ ַבּז ֵי‬
ָ ‫""ּג‬:

‫ ויחד יתרו‬AND JETHRO REJOICED — This is its literal meaning. A Midrashic comment is:
his flesh became full of prickles (‫ — חדודין‬his flesh crept with horror) — he felt grieved at the
destruction of Egypt. That is what people say (what the common proverb says): A proselyte
even though his heathen descent dates from as far back as the tenth generation, do not speak
slightingly of an Aramean (any non-Jew) in his presence (Sanhedrin 94a).

‫ ְועַל ֻּכּלָן אשר הצילו מיד מצרים; עַד ַע ְכׁשָו ֹלא ָהי ָה ֶעבֶד י ָכֹול ִלבְר ֹ ַח‬,‫ַּתֹורה‬ ָ ‫ טֹובַת ַהּמָן ְו ַה ְּבאֵר ְוה‬.‫על כל הטובה‬
)‫ׁשּׁשִים ִרּבֹוא (מכילתא‬ ִ ‫ ְו ֵאּלּו יָצְאּו‬,‫ָָארץ ְמ ֻסּג ֶֶרת‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָהי ְתָ ה ה‬
ֶ ,‫ ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם‬:

‫ על כל הטובה‬FOR ALL THE GOODNESS — the goodness in giving the Manna and the well
and the Torah — and he rejoiced above all these (more especially), ‫ אשר הצילו מיד מצרים‬THAT
HE HAD DELIVERED THEM OUT OF THE HAND OF EGYPT — Until now no slave had
ever been able to escape from Egypt because that land was closely shut in on all sides, but
these had gone forth six hundred thousand in number (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
18:11:1).

18:10
‫ אֻּמָ ה קָׁשָ ה‬.‫אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים‬:

‫ אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים‬WHO HATH DELIVERED YOU OUT OF THE HAND OF
EGYPT, a hard people,

‫ מֶ לְֶך קָׁשֶ ה‬.‫ומיד פרעה‬:

‫ ומיד פרעה‬AND OUT OF THE HAND OF PHARAOH, a hard monarch.

‫ׁשהָיּו ַמ ְכּבִידִ ים ֲעלֵיהֶם הִיא ָהעֲבֹודָ ה‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו – לְׁשֹון ִרּדּוי ּומָרּות; ַהּי ָד‬.‫מתחת יד מצרים‬:

‫ — מתחת יד מצרים‬Translate this as the Targum does: from beneath the authority of Egypt,
taking ‫ יד‬as an expression of domination and authority; “the hand” spoken of here is the hand
which they imposed heavily upon them — referring to the hard bondage.

18:11

‫ׁש ָעבַר ְו ַעכְׁשָו ּבְיֹותֵ ר‬

ֶ ‫ ַמּכִירֹו ָהי ִיתִ י ְל‬.‫עתה ידעתי‬:

‫ עתה ידעתי‬NOW I KNOW — I indeed knew Him formerly, but now I know Him even more
(cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:11:2).

)‫ׁשֹּלא ֲעבָדָ ּה (מכילתא‬

ֶ ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא ִהּנִי ַח עֲ"ז‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּבָעֹולָם‬
ֶ ָ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה ַמּכִיר ְּבכָל עֲ"ז‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫מכל האלהים‬:

‫[ מכל האלהים‬GREATER] THAN ALL THE GODS — This tells us that he had a full
knowledge of every idol in the world — that he left no idol unworshipped by him (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:11:1).

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו – ַּב ַּמי ִם ּדִ ּמּו ְל ַאּבְדָ ם ְוהֵם נֶאֶ בְדּו ּבַּמַ י ִם‬.‫כי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם‬:

‫ — כי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם‬Understand this as the Targum does for by that very thing with which
the Egyptians thought to judge Israel were they themselves judged — they had thought to
destroy them by water and they were themselves destroyed by water (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 18:11:2).

)‫ּׁשלּו ּבָּה נִתְ ּבַּׁשְ לּו (סוטה י"א‬

ְ ‫ ַּבּקְדֵ ָרה ֲאׁשֶר ִּב‬,‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ּדְ ָרׁשּוהּו לְׁשֹון ַוּיָז ֶד יַעֲק ֹב נָז ִיד‬.‫ ֲאׁשֶר ה ְִרׁשִיעּו‬.‫אשר זדו‬:

‫ אשר זדו‬means in which they had shown themselves wicked. Our Rabbis, however, explained
it in the same sense as the root which we find in (Genesis 25:29) “And Jacob was boiling (‫)ויזד‬
pottage (‫( )נזיד‬lit., something boiled)” — in the pot wherein they had boiled, therein were they
themselves boiled (Sotah 11a).

18:12

‫ ׁשֶ הִיא ֻּכּלָּה ָּכלִיל‬,‫ׁש ָמעָּה‬

ְ ‫ ְּכ ַמ‬.‫עלה‬:

‫ — עלה‬Translate this according to its usual meaning: a burnt-offering, which was burnt entire
and completely.

‫ ׁשְ לָמִ ים‬.‫וזבחים‬:

‫ וזבחים‬AND SACRIFICES — i. e. peace-offerings.

‫ׁש ָהי ָה עֹומֵד ּומְׁשַּמֵׁש‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּיָצָא ִלק ְָראתֹו ְוג ַָרם לֹו אֶת ּכָל ַהּכָבֹוד? ֶאּלָא‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה הֵיכָן ָהלְַך? ַוהֲֹלא הּוא‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ּומ‬.'‫ויבא אהרן וגו‬
)‫ ִל ְפנֵיהֶם (מכילתא‬:

‫ ויבא אהרן וגו׳‬AND AARON CAME, etc. — But where had Moses gone? Was it not he who
had gone out to meet him and had been the cause of all the honour shown to him? But the
explanation why he is not mentioned as having come to eat bread with Jethro is that he was
standing by and waiting upon them (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:12:2).

)‫ּׁשכִינָה (ברכות ס"ד‬

ְ ‫ ְּכ ִאּלּו נֶ ֱהנֶה ִמּז ִיו ַה‬,‫ׁש ַהּנֶ ֱהנֶה ִמּסְעּודָ ה ׁשֶּתַ ְלמִידֵ י ֲח ָכמִים ְמ ֻסּבִין ּבָּה‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬.‫לפני האלהים‬:

‫ לפני האלהים‬BEFORE GOD — From this statement that they were “before God” we may learn
that one who takes part in (more lit., who has enjoyment from) a meal at which scholars sit
may be regarded as though he has enjoyment from the splendour of the Shechina (Berakhot
64a; cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:12:3).

18:13

‫ׁשנִינּו ְּב ִספ ְֵרי ּו ַמהּו ִמ ָּמח ֳָרת? ְל ָמח ֳַרת ִרדְ ּתֹו מִן ָההָר; ְועַל ּכ ְָרחֲָך אִ י אֶ פְׁשָר‬ ָ ‫ ּכְָך‬,‫ִּפּורים ָהי ָה‬
ִ ‫ מֹו ָצאֵי יֹום ַהּכ‬.‫ויהי ממחרת‬
‫ּתֹורה עַד יֹהַ" ִּכ‬
ָ ‫ּׁשּנִּתְ נָה‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ִמ‬,"'‫ּתֹורה אִ" ֶא לֹומַר "וְהֹודַ עְּתִ י אֶת ֻחּקֵי וְגֹו‬ ָ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ק ֹדֶ ם מַּתַ ן‬ ֶ ,‫ִּפּורים‬
ִ ‫לֹומַר אֶ ּלָא ִמ ָּמח ֳַרת יֹום ַהּכ‬
‫ׁשהָה ׁשְמֹונִים יֹום ְוי ַָרד‬ ָ ‫ׁש ָּכ ָמה ְו‬
ְ ‫ׁשבַר אֶת ַהּלֻחֹות ּו ְל ָמחָר ָעלָה ְּב ַה‬ ָ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי בְי"ז ּבְתַ ּמּוז י ַָרד ְו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּפ ֹט אֶת ָהעָם‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ִל‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשב מ‬ַ ָ ‫ֹלא י‬
‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשנִּי ָה – ַאף לְדִ ב ְֵרי הָאֹומֵר י ִתְ רֹו ק ֹדֶ ם מַּתַ ן‬ ְ ‫ׁשנָה‬ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא נֶ ֱאמַר ַויְהִי ִמ ָּמח ֳָרת עַד‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשה זֹו כְתּובָה ַּכּסֵדֶ ר‬ָ ‫ּבְיֹהַ"ּכ; ְואֵין ּפ ָָר‬
‫ ּו ָמצִינּו בְמַ ּסַע הַּדְ גָלִים‬,‫ׁשה אֶת ח ֹתְ נֹו‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּלַח מ‬
ַ ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָאן ַוי‬
ֶ – ‫ׁשנִּי ָה‬ְ ‫ׁשנָה‬ ָ ‫ַארצֹו ֹלא ָהי ָה אֶ ּלָא עַד‬
ְ ‫ׁשּלּוחֹו אֶ ל‬ ִ ,‫ּבָא‬
,‫ּתֹורה‬ָ ‫ ְואִם זֹו ק ֹדֶ ם מַּתַ ן‬,)‫ ַאל נָא ּתַ עֲז ֹב א ֹתָ נּו" (שם לא‬,)‫ׁשה "נ ֹ ְסעִים ֲאנַחְנּו אֶ ל ַה ָּמקֹום וְגֹו'"(במדבר י כט‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשֶ ָאמַר לֹו מ‬
‫ הּוא חֹובָב הּוא‬,‫ׁשל י ִתְ רֹו ָהי ָה‬ ֶ ‫ ּובְנֹו‬,‫ ׁשָם ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר י ִתְ רֹו אֶ ּלָא חֹובָב‬,‫ׁש ָחז ַר? ְואִם ּת ֹאמַר‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשּלְחֹו ְו ָהלְַך הֵיכָן ָמצִינּו‬ִ ‫ּׁש‬
ֶ ‫ִמ‬
)'‫ׁשה" (שופטים ד‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי כָתּוב " ִמ ְּבנֵי חֹבָב ח ֹתֵ ן מ‬ ֶ ,‫י ִתְ רֹו‬:

‫ ויהי ממחרת‬AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW — This was really the day after
the Day of Atonement: so have we learnt in Siphré (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:13:1).
Since the Day of Atonement is not mentioned anywhere in this section that deals with the
Giving of the Law what is the force of ‫ ?ממחרת‬i. e. in relation to what particular day in the
history of the Law-giving is the term ‫ממחרת‬, “on the morrow”, used? It means the morrow
after he (Moses) descended from the Mount Sinai, and you must admit that it is impossible to
say that this was any other day but the morrow after the Day of Atonement because, before
the giving of the Torah, one could not say, (v. 16) “and I do make them know the statutes [of
God and His laws]” (which are part of the Torah), and from the day when the Torah was
given until the Day of Atonement Moses did not sit down to judge the people, since
immediately after the Torah was given he ascended the mountain and descended only on the
seventeenth of Tammuz when he broke the tablets in pieces. On the next day he again
ascended the mountain early in the morning and stayed there eighty days, descending on the
Day of Atonement (cf. Tanchuma ‫כי תשא‬, Rashi on 33:11, Deuteronomy 9:18 and 10:1).
Consequently this section is not written (placed) in its chronological order, for this paragraph
commencing with ‫ ויהי ממחרת‬and ending with “Moses let his father-in-law go and he (Jethro)
went his way into his own land” was not said before the second year after the Exodus. For
even according to the view of one who says that Jethro came to Moses before the giving of
the Torah (Avodah Zarah 24a) his dismissal into his own land did not take place until the
second year, for it is stated here (v. 27) “Moses let his father-in-law go”, and we find in the
account of Israel’s journey through the wilderness beneath their banners (which according to
Numbers 10:11 began in the second year) that Moses said to him, (Numbers 10:29, 31) “We
are journeying etc…. Forsake us not, I pray thee”. Now if this incident happened before the
giving of the Torah (including Jethro’s departure) where do we find it related that he returned
after he had let him go and he had taken departure? And if you object that there (in the section
in Numbers which Rashi has quoted as evidence that Jethro’s departure took place in the
second year) it does not mention Jethro at all but Hobab, and that the latter was not Jethro but
the son of Jethro, then I reply that Hobab is identical with Jethro and not his son, because it is
written, (Judges 4:11) “of the sons of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses”.

‫ִׂשְראֵ ל‬
ָ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה ְמז ַ ְלז ֵל ִּבכְבֹודָ ן ׁשֶ ל י‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה הַּדָ בָר ְלי ִתְ רֹו‬
ָ ‫ ְו ֻה ְק‬,‫ׁשב ְּכ ֶמלְֶך ְו ֻכּלָן עֹומְדִ ים‬
ֵ ‫ יֹו‬.‫וישב משה וגו' ויעמד העם‬
‫ׁשב ְלבַּדֶ ָך ְו ֻכּלָם נִ ָּצבִים‬
ֵ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר (פסוק יד) מַּדּו ַע אַּתָ ה יֹו‬ ֶ ,‫וְהֹוכִיחֹו עַל ּכְָך‬:

‫ וישב משה וגו׳ ויעמד העם‬MOSES SAT … AND THE PEOPLE STOOD He was sitting like a
king and they all stood, and the thing was distasteful to Jethro in that he made light of the
respect due to Israel. He therefore reproved him for this, as it is said (v. 14) “Why sittest thou
only” — and they all stand! (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:14)

‫ ַמ ֲעלֶה ָעלָיו ַהּכָתּוב ּכְאִ ּלּו‬,‫ׁשעָה ַאחַת‬

ָ ‫ ֶא ְפׁשָר לֹומַר ּכֵן? ֶאּלָא ּכָל ּדַ ּי ָן ׁשֶּדָ ן ּדִ ין ֱאמֶת ַל ֲאמִּתֹו ֲאפִּלּו‬.‫מן הבקר עד ערב‬
)'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבֹו ַויְהִי ע ֶֶרב וְגֹו' (שבת י‬
ֶ ,‫ׂשה ב ְֵראׁשִית‬ ֵ ‫ׂשה ׁשֻּתָ ף ְל ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְּב ַמ ֲע‬ ֶ ‫ַּתֹורה ּכָל הַּיֹום ּו ְכאִּלּו נַ ֲע‬
ָ ‫ עֹוסֵק ּב‬:

‫ מן הבקר עד הערב‬FROM MORNING UNTO EVENING — Is it really possible to say so — that

Moses sat the whole day long? But the explanation is that any judge who gives a rightful
decision as truth demands it, even though he spends but one hour on it, Scripture accounts it
to him as though he had occupied himself with the Torah the whole day long, and as though
he became co-partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of the Creation of which
it is stated, “It was evening and it was morning” (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:13;
Shabbat 10a).

18:15

‫ לְׁשֹון הֹוֶה‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ּכִי בָא‬.‫כי יבא‬:

‫ — כי יבא‬This is the same as ‫ כי בא‬because the people comes”, the imperfect tense expressing
continuous action.

‫ְבּורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשא ֹל ּתַ לְמּוד מִ ּפִי ַהּג‬
ְ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו " ְלמִתְ ּבַע ֻא ְלּפַן" – ִל‬.‫לדרש אלהים‬:

‫ לדרש אלהים‬TO ENQUIRE OF GOD — Understand this as the Targum does: ‫למתבע אלפן‬, to
seek instruction from the mouth of the Almighty.

18:16

‫ׁש ָהי ָה לֹו הַּדָ בָר – ּבָא אֵ לַי‬

ֶ ‫ מִי‬.‫כי יהיה להם דבר בא‬:

‫ כי יהיה להם דבר בא‬WHEN THEY HAVE A MATTER THEY COME (lit., “he comes”) —
“He”, viz., who has the matter comes to me.

18:17

‫קֹוראֹו ַהּכָתּוב חֹותְ נֹו ׁשֶ ל מֶ לְֶך‬

ְ ‫ ּדֶ ֶרְך ּכָבֹוד‬.‫ויאמר חתן משה‬:
‫ ויאמר חתן משה‬AND MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW SAID — By way of honour Scripture
describes him as the father-in-law of the king.

18:18

"‫ " ִּכנְב ֹל ָעלֶה מִ ֶּגפֶן‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו " ְו ֶה ָעלֶה נָבֵל" (ירמיהו ח‬,‫ פלייש"טרא ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׁשה‬ ָ ‫ ּולְׁשֹונֹו לְׁשֹון ְּכמִי‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫נבל תבל‬
‫ׁשהּוא כָמּוׁש עַל י ְדֵ י ַח ָּמה ְועַל י ְדֵ י ק ֶַרח וְכ ֹחֹו ּתָ ׁש ְונִלְאֶ ה‬
ֶ ,) ‫(ישעיהו ל"ד‬:

‫ — נבל תבל‬Explain this as the Targum does: thou will certainly become weary. Its meaning
expresses the idea of withering, old French flestre, just as. (Jeremiah 8:13) “and the leaf is
withered (‫( ;”)נבל‬Isaiah 34:4) “as withereth (‫ )כנבל‬the leaf from off the vine” — the meaning
being that it becomes shrivelled through the heat and through the frost, and so its strength
diminishes and it becomes, as it were, weary, and falls from off the vine (‫)מגפן‬.

‫ ל ְַרּבֹות ַאהֲר ֹן וְחּור וְׁשִ ְבעִים ז ְקֵ נִים‬.‫גם אתה‬:

‫ גם אתה‬THOU ALSO — The word ‫“ גם‬also” was added in order to include Aaron and Hur and
the seventy elders (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:17).

‫ ָּכבְּדֹו ַרב יֹותֵ ר מִ ּכֹחֲָך‬.‫כי כבד ממך‬:

‫ כי כבד ממך‬FOR [THIS THING] IS TOO HEAVY FOR THEE — its weight is far more than
thy strength can bear.

18:19

)‫ְבּורה (מכילתא‬
ָ ‫ ָּב ֵעצָה; ָאמַר לֹו צֵא ִה ָּמלְֵך ַּבּג‬.‫איעצך ויהי אלהים עמך‬:

‫ איעצך ויהי אלהים עמך‬I WILL GIVE THEE COUNSEL BUT LET GOD BE WITH THEE in
considering this counsel. This is really what he said to him: Go and consult with the Almighty
as regards the counsel I give you (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:19).

‫ׁשלִי ַח ּו ֵמלִיץ ּבֵינֹותָ ם ַל ָּמקֹום וְׁשֹו ֵאל מִׁשְ ָּפטִים מֵ אִּתֹו‬

ָ .‫היה אתה לעם מול האלהים‬:

‫ היה אתה לעם מול האלהים‬BE THOU FOR THE PEOPLE TO GOD-WARD — be thou the agent
and intermediary between them and the Omnipresent, and be thou the one who enquires of
Him regarding the judgments.

‫ ּדִ ב ְֵרי ִריבֹותָ ם‬.‫את הדברים‬:

‫[ את הדברים‬AND THOU SHALT BRING] THE MATTERS — i. e. the matters of their strife.

18:21

‫ ּבְרּו ַח הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש ׁשֶ ָעלֶיָך‬.‫ואתה תחזה‬:

‫ ואתה תחזה‬MOREOVER THOU SHALT PROVIDE through the Holy Spirit that is upon thee
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:21:1),

)‫ׁשאֵין צ ְִריכִין ְל ַה ֲחנִיף ּו ְל ַהּכִיר ָּפנִים (שם‬

ֶ ,‫ִירים‬
ִ ‫ ֲעׁש‬.‫אנשי חיל‬:
‫ אנשי חיל‬MEN OF ABILITY (but ‫ חיל‬may mean “wealth” and in this sense the words would
mean) — rich men who will not need to flatter or to show favour (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 18:21:1).

‫ׁשעַל י ְדֵ י כֵן יִהְיּו דִ ב ְֵריהֶם נִׁשְמָ עִין‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשהֵם ּכְדַ אי ִלסְמְֹך עַל ּדִ ב ְֵריהֶם‬
ֶ ,‫ ֵאּלּו ַּב ֲעלֵי ַה ְב ָטחָה‬.‫אנשי אמת‬:

‫ אנשי אמת‬MEN OF TRUTH — These are people commanding confidence (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 18:21:1); who are deserving that one should rely upon their words — appoint these
as judges because on account of this their words will be listened to.

‫ ּכָל דַ ּיָנָא ּדְ ַמ ְּפקִין מָמֹונָא מִיּנֵיּה ּבְדִ ינָא לָאו ּדַ ּיָנָא הּוא (בבא‬:‫ ְּכ ַההִיא ּדְ ָאמ ְִרינָן‬,‫ ׁשֶּׂשֹונְאִין אֶת מָמֹונָם ּבַּדִ ין‬.‫שנאי בצע‬
)‫בתרא נ"ח‬:

‫ שנאי בצע‬HATING LUCRE — men who hate (pay no regard to) their property when it is to be
made the matter of a law-suit (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:21:1), in accordance with what
we say: Any judge from whom one has to wring the money he owes only by means of a law-
suit is no fitting judge (Bava Batra 58b).

‫ הֵם הָיּו ׁשֵׁש ֵמאֹות ׂש ִָרים לְׁשֵׁש מֵ אֹות אֶ לֶף‬.‫שרי אלפים‬:

‫ שרי אלפים‬OFFICERS OF THOUSANDS — there were six hundred such officers for the six
hundred thousand men of Israel.

‫ ׁשֵׁש אֲ ָלפִים הָיּו‬.‫שרי מאות‬:

‫ שרי מאות‬OFFICERS OF HUNDREDS — there were six thousand of them.

‫ י"ב אֶ לֶף‬.‫שרי חמשים‬:

‫ שרי חמשים‬OFFICERS OF FIFTIES — twelve thousand.

‫ ׁשִּׁשִ ים אֶ לֶף‬.‫שרי עשרת‬:

‫ שרי עשרת‬OFFICERS OF TENS — sixty thousand (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:21:2,

Sanhedrin 18a).

18:22

‫ לְׁשֹון צִּוּוי‬,‫ וִידּונּון‬.‫ושפטו‬:

‫ — ושפטו‬Onkelos translates this by ‫ וידונון‬AND LET THEM JUDGE (not “and they judged”,
as in v. 26) — the word expresses a command.

,)'‫ " ְוהַּכֹות אֶת מֹוָאב" (מלכים ב ג‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו " ְו ַה ְכּבֵד אֶת לִּבֹו" (שמות ח‬.‫ והקל‬:‫ ּדָ בָר ז ֶה ְל ָה ֵקל ֵמ ָעלֶיָך‬.‫והקל מעליך‬
‫לְׁשֹון הֹוֶה‬:

‫ והקל מעליך‬lit., AND TO LIGHTEN the burden FROM OFF YOU — this thing will serve to
lighten it from off you. ‫ — והקל‬the grammatical form is similar to (Exodus 8:11) ”and to
harden (‫ )והכבד‬his heart”; (2 Kings 3:24) “and to smite (‫ )והכות‬Moab” — both of which words
are infinitives expressing present time.
18:23

‫ ְואִם י ְ ַעּכֵב עַל י ָדְ ָך ֹלא תּוכַל ַלעֲמ ֹד‬,‫ ּתּוכַל עֲמ ֹד‬,‫ אִם ְמ ַצּוֶה אֹותְ ָך ַלעֲׂשֹות ּכֵן‬,‫ְבּורה‬
ָ ‫ ִה ָּמלְֵך ַּבּג‬.‫וצוך אלהים ויכלת עמד‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫ וצוך אלהים ויכלת עמד‬This implies: Consult the Almighty; if He commands thee to do this, thou
wilt be able to stand, and if He prevents thee thou wilt be unable to stand (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 18:23).

)‫ׁש ְבעִים ז ְ ֵקנִים ַהּנִ ְלוִים עַּתָ ה עִּמְָך (שם‬

ִ ‫ ַאהֲר ֹן נָדָ ב ַו ֲאבִיהּוא ְו‬.‫וגם כל העם הזה‬:

‫ וגם כל העם הזה‬AND ALL THIS PEOPLE ALSO — Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the seventy
elders who are now associated with you (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:23).

18:26

‫ וְדָ יְנִין י ָת עַּמָ א‬.‫ושפטו‬:

‫ — ושפטו‬Onkelos translates by ‫“ ודינין ית עמא‬and they were judging the people” (cf. Rashi on v.
22).

‫ מָ י ְתִ ין‬.‫יביאון‬:

‫ — יביאון‬Onkelos translates this by ‫( מיתין‬participle) “they were bringing” (or “they always
brought”).

‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּדָ יְנִין אִיּנּון; ִמק ְָראֹות ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים הֵם‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ֹלא תַ ַעב ְִרי‬,) '‫ֲבּורי" (רות ב‬ ִ ‫ ְוכֵן "ֹלא תַ ע‬,‫ׁשּפְטּו‬
ְ ִ ‫ ּכְמֹו י‬.‫ישפוטו הם‬
‫ ּו ִמק ְָראֹות ַהּלָלּו לְׁשֹון עֲׂשִ ּי ָה‬,‫ י ְדּונּון‬,‫ יַי ְתּון‬,‫ ְלכְָך מְתֻ ְר ָּגמִין וִידּונּון‬,‫ לְׁשֹון צִּוּוי‬:

‫ — י ִׁשְ ּפּוטּו הֵם‬This is the same as ‫ׁשּפְטּו‬

ְ ִ ‫ ;י‬similar is (Ruth 2:8) ‫ֲבּורי‬
ִ ‫ ֹלא תַ ע‬which is the same as ‫ֹלא‬
‫תַ ַעב ְִרי‬. Its translation in the Targum is ‫“ דינין אינון‬they were judging”. The above verses (i. e.
the verbs in v. 22) express the command and consequently they are translated by ‫ וידונון‬and
‫ ייתון‬and ‫ידונון‬, “and let them judge”, and “let them bring”, and “let them judge”; but these
verses express the doing of what was commanded (they state that the command was actually
carried out).

18:27

)‫ׁש ַּפחְּתֹו (מכילתא‬

ְ ‫ ְלגַּי ֵר ְּבנֵי ִמ‬.‫וילך לו אל ארצו‬:

‫ וילך לו אל ארצו‬AND HE WENT HIS WAY INTO HIS OWN LAND, for the purpose of
making proselytes of the members of his family (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:24:2).

19:1

‫תֹורה חֲדָ ׁשִים ָעלֶיָך ּכְאִּלּו‬

ָ ‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ּדִ ב ְֵרי‬
ֶ ?‫ ַמהּו ּבַּיֹום ַהּז ֶה‬,‫ ּבְר ֹאׁש ח ֹדֶ ׁש; ֹלא ָהי ָה צ ִָריְך ִלכְּת ֹב ֶאּלָא ּבַּיֹום הַהּוא‬.‫ביום הזה‬
)‫הַּיֹום נְתָ נָם (ברכות ס"ג‬:

‫ ביום הזה‬THE SAME (lit., this) DAY — on the day of the New Moon. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:1:3; Shabbat 86b). It ought not to write ‫ביום הזה‬, but ‫ביום ההוא‬, “on that day”;
what, then, is the force of the words “on this day”? Since they refer to the day when the
Israelites came to Sinai to receive the Torah they imply that the commands of the Torah
should be to you each day as something new (not antiquated and something of which you
have become tired), as though He had only given them to you for the first time on the day in
question (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 273; cf. Berakhot 63b).

19:2

‫ׁשּמִּׁשָ ם נָסְעּו? אֶ ּלָא‬

ֶ ‫ ְּבי ָדּו ַע‬,‫ׁשּב ְִרפִידִ ים הָיּו חֹונִים‬
ֶ ‫ ַוהֲֹלא ְכבָר ּכָתַ ב‬,‫ ַמה ּתָ "ֹל ַלחֲז ֹר ּו ְלפ ֵָרׁש ֵמהֵיכָן נָסְעּו‬.‫ויסעו מרפידים‬
‫ ַאף נְסִיעָתָ ן מ ְֵרפִידִ ים ּבִתְ ׁשּובָה‬,‫ ַמה ּבִיָאתָ ן ְלמִדְ ּבַר סִינַי ּבִתְ ׁשּובָה‬,‫ְל ַהּקִיׁש נְסִיעָתָ ן מ ְֵרפִידִ ים ְלבִיָאתָ ן ְלמִדְ ּבַר סִינַי‬
)‫(מכילתא‬:

‫ ויסעו מרפידים‬AND THEY JOURNEYED FROM REPHIDIM — What does Scripture teach us
by again expressly stating from where they set forth on the journey, for is it not already
written (Exodus 17:1) that they had encamped at Rephidim and it is therefore evident that
they set forth from there?! But Scripture repeats it in order to make a comparison with the
character of their journey from Rephidim to that of their arrival in the wilderness of Sinai!
How was it in the case of their arrival in the wilderness of Sinai? They were in a state of
penitence (as shown by the unanimity with which they encamped before the mountain: cf.
Rashi on the end of this verse)! Thus, too, their setting forth from Rephidim was in a state of
repentance for the sin they had committed there (see Exodus 17:2) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:2:1).

‫ׁשָאר ּכָל ַה ֲחנִּיֹות ּבְתַ ְרעֹומֹות ּובְמַ חֲֹלקֶת‬

ְ ‫ אֲ בָל‬,‫ ְּכאִיׁש ֶאחָד ְּבלֵב ֶאחָד‬.‫ויחן שם ישראל‬:

‫ ויחן שם ישראל‬AND THERE ISRAEL ENCAMPED as one man and with one mind — but all
their other encampments were made in a murmuring spirit and in a spirit of dissension
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:2:10).

)‫ ָּפנִים לַּמִ ז ְָרח (שם‬,‫ׁשאַּתָ ה מֹוצֵא נֶגֶד‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכָל ָמקֹום‬,‫ ְל ִמז ְָרחֹו‬.‫נגד ההר‬:

‫ נגד ההר‬BEFORE THE MOUNTAIN — i. e. at its east side (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
19:2:10), for wherever you find the word ‫ נגד‬referring to a locality it signifies with the face
towards the east of the place mentioned.

19:3

)‫ׁשה בַּבֹקֶר" (שמות ל"ד‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּכֵם מ‬
ְ ַ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ַוּי‬
ֶ ,‫ׁש ָּכ ָמה הָיּו‬
ְ ‫ּׁשנִי; ְוכָל ֲעלִּיֹותָ יו ְּב ַה‬
ֵ ‫ ּבַּיֹום ַה‬.‫ומשה עלה‬:

‫ ומשה עלה‬AND MOSES WENT UP on the second day of the month (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:3); for all his ascents to the mountain were made early in the morning, as it is
stated (Exodus 34:4) “And Moses rose up early in the morning [and went up unto mount
Sinai]” (Shabbat 86b).

‫ ַּבּלָׁשֹון ַהּז ֶה ְו ַכּסֵדֶ ר ַהּז ֶה‬.‫כה תאמר‬:

‫ כה תאמר‬THUS SHALT THOU SAY — Thus, i. e. in this (the Hebrew) language (cf. Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:3) and in this form of words.

)‫ ּת ֹאמַר ָלהֶן ְּבלָׁשֹון ַרּכָה (מכילתא‬,‫ ֵאּלּו ַהּנָׁשִים‬.‫לבית יעקב‬:

‫ לבית יעקב‬TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB — This denotes the women — to them you shall
speak in gentle language (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:3).

)‫ ּדְ ב ִָרים ַה ָּקׁשִין ְּכגִידִ ין (שבת פ"ז‬,‫ ֳענָׁשִין וְדִ קְּדּוקִים ּפ ֵָרׁש ַלּזְכ ִָרים‬.‫ותגיד לבני ישראל‬:

‫ ותגיד לבני ישראל‬AND TELL THE CHILDREN (lit., the sons) OF ISRAEL — explain to the
men the punishments and the details of the commandments in words that are as hard
(distasteful) as wormwood (‫( )גידין‬cf. Shabbat 87a; Midrash ‫)לקח טוב‬.

19:4

‫ ֶאּלָא אתם ראיתם‬,‫ ֹלא ְבעֵדִ ים ֲאנִי ֵמעִיד ֲעלֵיכֶם‬,‫ׁשּגֵר ָלכֶם‬ ַ ‫ ֹלא בִדְ ב ִָרים אֲ נִי ְמ‬,‫ ֹלא מַּס ֶֹרת הִיא ְבי ֶדְ כֶם‬.‫אתם ראיתם‬
)‫ׁשּנִז ְּדַ ּוְגּו ָלכֶם וְֹלא נִפ ְַרעְּתִ י ֵמהֶם ֶאּלָא עַל י ֶדְ כֶם (מכילתא‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ַּכ ָּמה ֲעבֵרֹות הָיּו ַחּיָבִין לִי ק ֹדֶ ם‬, ‫אשר עשיתי למצרים‬:

‫ אתם ראיתם‬YE HAVE SEEN — It is not a tradition in your possession, not in written words do
I send a message to you, not by means of eye-witnesses do I attest this to you, but you
yourselves have seen ‫ אשר עשיתי למצרים‬WHAT I DID UNTO EGYPT — on account of many
sins were they liable to Me for punishment before they came into contact which you, but I did
not exact punishment from them except on your account (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
19:4:1).

‫ׁשעָה ַקּלָה ּכְׁשֶ ּבָאּו ִלּסַע‬

ָ ‫ ּו ְל‬,‫אֶרץ ּגֹׁשֶן‬ֶ ‫ׁשהָיּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְמ ֻפּז ִָרין ְּבכָל‬ֶ ,‫ׁשּבָאּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ל ְַר ְע ְמסֵס‬
ֶ ‫ ז ֶה הַּיֹום‬.‫ואשא אתכם‬
‫ ּתִ ּקֵן אֶת הַּדָ בָר ּדֶ ֶרְך ּכָבֹוד‬,"‫ּׂשא ּכְמֹו ָו ַאּסִי ַע אֶתְ כֶם – " ְו ַא ֵּטלִית י ָתְ כֹון‬
ָ ‫ ְו ֻאנְקְלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם ָו ֶא‬,‫ נִ ְקּבְצּו ֻּכּלָם ל ְַר ְע ְמסֵס‬,‫ְו ָלצֵאת‬
‫לְמַ ְעלָה‬:

‫ ואשא אתכם‬AND I BARE YOU [ON EAGLES’ WINGS] — This happened on that day when
the Israelites came to Rameses (the place where they all assembled on the night when they left
Egypt) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:4:2), because the Israelites were living dispersed
throughout the whole district of Goshen and in one brief moment — when they came there to
set out and to leave Egypt — they all gathered together at Rameses. Onkelos translates ‫ואשא‬
as though it were [‫ — ְו ַאּסִי ַע [אתכם‬viz., ‫“ ואטלית יתכון‬and I made you travel” (cf. the Targum on
‫ ַויַּסַע‬Exodus 15:22); he adapted the expression in a manner that is consonant with the respect
due to the Most High God.

‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶּמִתְ י ְָראִ ין‬,‫ׁשָאר הָעֹופֹות נֹותְ נִים אֶת ְּבנֵיהֶם ּבֵין ַרגְלֵיהֶם‬ ְ ‫ׁשּכָל‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשא ּגֹוזָלָיו עַל ְּכנָפָיו‬
ֵ ‫ ַּכּנֶׁשֶר הַּנֹו‬.‫על כנפי נשרים‬
‫ּפֹור ַח עַל‬ֵ ‫ׁשאֵין עֹוף‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁש ָּמא יִז ְר ֹק ּבֹו חֵץ‬ֶ ‫ אֲ בָל ַהּנֶׁשֶר ַהּז ֶה אֵינֹו מִתְ י ֵָרא ֶאּלָא מִן הָָאדָ ם‬,‫ּפֹור ַח עַל ַּגּבֵיהֶם‬
ֵ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫מֵעֹוף ַאחֵר‬
‫ ַוּי ָב ֹא‬,'‫ " ַוּיִּסַע ַמ ְלאְַך ָה ֱאֹלהִים וְגֹו‬:‫ ַאף ֲאנִי ָעׂשִיתִ י כֵן‬,‫ אֹומֵר מּוטָב י ִ ָּכנֵס ַהחֵץ ּבִי וְֹלא ִּב ְבנִי‬,‫ ְלכְָך נֹותְ נֹו עַל ְּכנָפָיו‬,‫ַּגּבָיו‬
‫זֹורקִים ִחּצִים וְַא ְבנֵי ָּבלִי ְסט ְָראֹות ְו ֶה ָענָן מְ קַ ְּבלָם‬
ְ ‫ ְוהָיּו ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬,) ‫ּבֵין ַמ ֲחנֵה ִמצ ְַרי ִם וְגֹו'" (שמות י"ד‬:

‫ על כנפי נשרים‬UPON EAGLES’ WINGS — as an eagle which bears its fledglings upon its
wings. Scripture uses this metaphor because all other birds place their young between their
feet since they are afraid of another bird that flies above them, but the eagle fears none except
man — apprehending that perhaps he may cast an arrow at it — since no bird can fly above it;
therefore he places it (its young) upon its wings, saying, “Better that the arrow should pierce
me than my young!” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:4:3). — “I, too”, said God, “did thus”:
(Exodus 14:19, 20) “And the angel of God … journeyed etc…. And he came between the
camp of Egypt etc.” … and the Egyptians were casting arrows and stone missiles and the
cloud caught these (cf. Rashi on these verses).

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫ואבא אתכם אלי‬:

‫ ואבא אתכם אלי‬AND I BROUGHT YOU UNTO MYSELF — Explain this as the Targum does:
“and I have brought you near to My service”.

19:5

)‫ׁשּכָל הַתְ חָלֹות קָׁשֹות (מכילתא‬

ֶ ,‫ יֶע ֱַרב ָלכֶם ִמּכָאן ָואֵילְָך‬,‫ אִם עַּתָ ה תְ ַקּבְלּו ֲעלֵיכֶם‬.‫ועתה‬:

‫ ועתה‬AND NOW — if you will now take upon yourselves the observance of My
commandments, it will be pleasant (easy) to you from now and henceforth, for every
beginning is difficult (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:5:1).

‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ירת ה‬ַ ִ‫ׁש ֶאכְר ֹת ִע ָּמכֶם עַל ׁשְמ‬
ֶ .‫ושמרתם את בריתי‬:

‫ ושמרתם את בריתי‬AND KEEP MY COVENANT which I shall make with you regarding the
observance of the Torah (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:5:1).

‫ ּכְָך אַּתֶ ם ּתִ הְיּו‬,‫ׁש ַה ְּמ ָלכִים ּגֹונְז ִים אֹותָ ם‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו "ּו ְסגֻּלַת ְמ ָלכִים" (קהלת ב') – ְּכלֵי יְקָר ַו ֲא ָבנִים טֹובֹות‬,‫ אֹוצָר ָחבִיב‬.‫סגלה‬
‫ׁשּלִי ְואֵין לִי ֲאח ִֵרים ִע ָּמכֶם ּו ַמה ּי ֵׁש לִי עֹוד ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ִחּבַתְ כֶם נִּכ ֶֶרת‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשָאר אֻּמֹות; וְֹלא ת ֹאמְרּו אַּתֶ ם ְלבַּדְ כֶם‬
ְ ‫ לִי ְסגֻּלָה ִמ‬:

‫ סגלה‬means a cherished treasure, the same as (Ecclesiastes 2:8) “and treasures (‫ )וסגלת‬of
kings” — costly vessels and precious stones which kings store up. In the same manner shall
ye be unto Me a cherished treasure more than other peoples (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
19:5:2) . Now do not say that ye alone belong to Me and that I have no other peoples together
with (besides) you, and what else, therefore, have I by which the special love I bear you can
be made evident; this is not so,

‫כי לי כל הארץ ְוהֵם ְּבעֵינַי ּו ְל ָפנַי ִלכְלּום‬:

‫ כי לי כל הארץ‬FOR ALL THE EARTH IS MINE, but in My eyes and before Me they are as
nought.

19:6

)'‫ ְּכ ָמה ּדְ אַּתְ ָאמַר "ּו ְבנֵי ּדָ וִד ּכ ֹ ֲהנִים" (שמואל ב ח‬,‫ ׂש ִָרים‬.‫ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים‬:

‫ ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים‬AND YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF ‫ — כהנים‬i. e.

princes, just as you say, (II Samuel 8:18) “And the sons of David were princes (‫”)כהנים‬, which
cannot denote priests since his sons were of the tribe of Judah and not of Levi, the priestly
tribe.

)‫ ֹלא ּפָחֹות וְֹלא יֹותֵ ר (מכילתא‬.‫אלה הדברים‬:

‫ אלה הדברים‬THESE ARE THE WORDS — these neither fewer nor more (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:6).

19:8

?‫ׁש ָּכ ָמה ָעלָה; ְוכִי צ ִָריְך ָהי ָה מ ֹׁשֶ ה ְלהָׁשִ יב‬
ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְּב ַה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשלִיׁשִי‬
ְ ‫ׁשהּוא‬
ֶ ,‫ ּבְיֹום ַה ָּמח ֳָרת‬.'‫וישב משה את דברי העם וגו‬
)‫ּׁש ָל ַחנִי אֵינִי צ ִָריְך ְלהָׁשִ יב (שבת פ"ז‬ ְ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָאמַר הֹואִיל וְיֹודֵ ַע מִי‬ֶ ,‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫אֶרץ מִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא ּבָא ַהּכָתּוב ְל ַלּמֶדְ ָך ּדֶ ֶרְך‬:
‫ וישב משה את דברי העם וגו׳‬AND MOSES RETURNED THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE
[UNTO THE LORD] on the next day, which was the third of the month, for he never
ascended the mountain to God except early in the morning (Shabbat 86a). But was it really
necessary for Moses to deliver the reply to God; God is Omniscient! — But the explanation is
that Scripture intends to teach you good manners from the example of Moses: for he did not
say, “Since He who sent me knows the reply there is no need for me to report it” (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:8).

19:9

‫ ְּב ַמ ֲעבֵה ֶה ָענָן ְוז ֶהּו ע ֲָרפֶל‬.‫בעב הענן‬:

‫ בעב הענן‬signifies in the thickness of the cloud, and this is the ‫ערפל‬, the thick darkness
mentioned in Exodus 20:18 “And Moses stepped near unto the thick darkness where God
was” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:9:1).

)‫ ּגַם ַּבּנְבִיאִים ַה ָּבאִים ַאח ֲֶריָך (מכילתא‬.‫וגם בך‬:

‫ וגם בך‬AND IN THEE ALSO [WILL THEY BELIEVE] — The word “also” implies that they
will believe also in the prophets who will come after thee (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
19:9:1).

‫ׁשהּוא ְרבִיעִי לַח ֹדֶ ׁש‬

ֶ ,‫ ּבְיֹום ַה ָּמח ֳָרת‬.'‫ויגד משה את דברי וגו‬:

‫ ויגד משה את דברי וגו׳‬AND MOSES TOLD THE WORDS OF [THE PEOPLE UNTO THE
LORD] on the following day which was the fourth of the month.

‫ אֵינֹו ּדֹו ֶמה הַּׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ִמּפִי ׁשָ לִי ַח לַּׁשֹומֵ ַע‬,‫ׁש ַמעְּתִ י ֵמהֶם ׁש ְֶרצֹונָם ִלׁשְמ ֹ ַע ִמּמְָך‬
ָ ;‫ ּתְ ׁשּובָה עַל ּדָ בָר ז ֶה‬.'‫את דברי העם וגו‬
)‫ ְרצֹונֵנּו ל ְִראֹות אֶת ַמ ְלּכֵנּו (מכילתא‬,‫ ִמּפִי ַה ֶּמלְֶך‬:

‫ את דברי העם וגו׳‬THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE etc. — He said to God: “I have heard from
them a reply to this statement — that their desire is to hear the commandments from You and
not from me. One who hears from the mouth of a messenger is not the same (in the same
position) as one who hears directly from the mouth of the King himself. It is our wish to see
our King (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:9:2).

19:10

‫ לך אל העם‬,‫ אם כן שמזקיקין לְדַ ּבֵר עמם‬.‫ויאמר ה' אל משה‬:

Adonoy said to Moshe. If that be so — that they make it necessary to speak to them
[directly] — go to the people —

‫ׁשּיָכִינּו ַעצְמָ ם הַּיֹום ּומָ חָר‬

ֶ ,‫ ְוז ִ ַּמנְּתָ ם‬.‫וקדשתם‬:

‫ וקדשתם‬means AND THOU SHALT PREPARE THEM; i. e. tell them that they shall prepare
themselves to-day and to-morrow (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:10:1; cf. Onkelos).

19:11
)‫ ֻמבְּדָ לִים ֵמאִּׁשָ ה (שבת פ"ז‬.‫והיו נכנים‬:

‫ והיו נכנים‬AND LET THEM BE PREPARED — separated from their wives (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:15:1; cf. Rashi on Shabbat 87a).

‫ׁשה אֶת ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ּתַ חַת ָההָר ּוׁשְּתֵ ים ֶעׂש ְֵרה ַמ ֵּצבָה – ּכָל ָה ִענְי ָן‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ּו ַב ֲחמִיׁשִי ָּבנָה מ‬,‫ּׁשה בַח ֹדֶ ׁש‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬ִ ‫ׁשהּוא‬
ֶ .‫ליום השלישי‬
‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁש ָּפטִים – ְואֵין ֻמקְּדָ ם ּומְ אֻ חָר ּב‬ ְ ‫הָָאמּור ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת ְו ֵאּלֶה ַה ִּמ‬:

‫ ליום השלישי‬AGAINST THE THIRD DAY, which is the sixth of the month. On the fifth
Moses built the altar under the mountain and the twelve monuments — the whole narrative as
is stated later on in the Sidra ‫( ואלה המשפטים‬Exodus 24:4), for there is neither “earlier” nor
“later” (there is no chronological order) in the Torah (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:10:1-2).

)‫ׁשּנִתְ ַרּפְאּו ֻכּלָם (מכילתא‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה ָבהֶם סּו ָמא‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫לעיני כל העם‬:

‫ לעיני כל העם‬BEFORE THE EYES (in the sight) OF ALL THE PEOPLE — This tells us that
there was not a blind person amongst them — that they had all been healed of their blindness
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:11).

19:12

‫ׁשֹּלא יִק ְְרבּו מִן ַהּגְבּול ָו ָהלְָאה‬

ֶ ,‫ ְקבַע ָלהֶם ּתְ חּומִין ְלסִימָן‬.‫והגבלת‬:

‫ והגבלת‬AND THOU SHALT SET BOUNDS — set boundary marks for them as a sign that
they should not approach the mountain from the boundary and beyond.

‫ִירם עַל ּכְָך‬

ֵ ‫ ְואַּתָ ה ַהזְה‬,‫ּׁשמְרּו ֵמעֲלֹות ִמּכָאן ּו ְל ָהלְָאה‬
ָ ‫ ַהּגְבּול אֹומֵר ָלהֶם ִה‬.‫לאמר‬:

‫ לאמר‬SAYING — The boundary says to them, “Take care not to ascend from here and further
on” and you, too, admonish them regarding this.

‫ אֲ פִּלּו בְקָ צֵהּו‬.‫ונגע בקצהו‬:

‫ ונגע בקצהו‬OR TOUCH THE EXTREMITY THEREOF — i. e. even the extremity thereof.

19:13

)‫ׁש ָהי ָה ּגָבֹו ַּה ׁשְּתֵ י קֹומֹות (סנהדרין מ"ה‬

ֶ ‫ׁשהֵם נִדְ חִין ְל ַמּטָה ִמּבֵית ַה ְּסקִילָה‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן ַלּנִ ְס ָקלִין‬.‫ירה יירה‬:

‫ ירה יירה‬HE SHALL SURELY BE CAST DOWN — From this we derive the law regarding
those who are sentenced to be stoned that they have to be thrown down from the place of
stoning, which was a spot of the height of twice a man’s stature (Sanhedrin 45a).

‫ ּכְמֹו "י ָָרה ַבּי ָם‬,‫ָָארץ‬

ֶ ‫ׁשלְַך ְל ַמּטָה ל‬
ְ ֻ ‫ י‬.‫"יירה‬:

‫ יירה‬means HE SHALL BE THROWN BELOW to the ground, the word being similar to,
(Exodus 15:4) “He hath cast down (‫ )ירה‬into the sea”.

‫ הֵם ַרּׁשָ אִ ין ַלעֲלֹות‬,‫ׁש ֶאסְּתַ ּלֵק‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכֵיוָן‬,‫ׁשכִינָה ְו ַה ְפ ָסקַת הַּקֹול‬
ְ ‫ הּוא סִימָן סִּלּוק‬,‫ׁשּיִמְׁשְֹך הַּיֹובֵל קֹול ָארְֹך‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫במשך היבל‬:
‫ במשך היבל‬WHEN THE RAM’S HORN SOUNDETH LONG — when the ram’s horn draws
out a long sound that is a sign of the departure of the Shechina and that the Divine voice is
about to cease, and as soon as “I” shall depart they shall be permitted to ascend [i. e. ‫המה יעלו‬
‫ בהר‬is not obligatory, signifying, “they shall go up”, but it is permissive] (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:13:2).

‫ׁשל י ִ ְצחָק ָהי ָה (פרקי דרבי אליעזר‬

ֶ ‫ׁשל ַאי ִל‬
ֶ ‫ וְׁשֹופָר‬,‫קֹורין לְדִ כ ְָרא יּו ְבלָא‬
ִ ‫ׁשּכֵן ַּבע ֲַר ְבי ָא‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשל ַאי ִל‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא ׁשֹופָר‬.‫היבל‬
)‫ל"א‬:

‫ — היבל‬This denotes a ram’s horn, for so do they term, a ram in Arabia — ‫יובלא‬
(corresponding to the Hebrew ‫( )יובל‬Rosh Hashanah 26a). The horn used here was that of
Isaac’s ram (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31).

19:14

)‫ ֶאּלָא מִן ָההָר – ֶאל ָהעָם (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשה פֹונֶה ַל ֲע ָסקָיו‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫מן ההר אל העם‬:

‫[ מן ההר אל העם‬AND MOSES WENT DOWN] FROM THE MOUNTAIN UNTO THE
PEOPLE —This tells us that Moses did not betake himself first to his personal concerns but
went direct from the mountain to the people (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:14).

19:15

‫ ּולְדִ ב ְֵרי‬,‫ׁשה יֹום אֶ חָד מִּדַ עְּתֹו ּכְדִ ב ְֵרי ַרּבִי יֹוסֵי‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשהֹוסִיף מ‬
ֶ ,‫ הּוא יֹום ְרבִיעִי‬,‫ לְסֹוף ג' יָמִים‬.‫היו נכנים לשלשת ימים‬
‫ׁשֹלׁשֶת יָמִים ּכְמֹו לַּיֹום הַּׁשְ לִיׁשִ י‬ ְ ‫ ְו ִל‬,‫ׁשה כְלּום‬ֶ ֹ ‫ ֹלא הֹוסִיף מ‬,‫ּׁשה בַח ֹדֶ ׁש נִּתְ נּו ֲעׂש ֶֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬ִ ‫ הָאֹומֵר ְּב‬:

‫ היו נכנים לשלשת ימים‬means be ready by the end of three days, that is, by the fourth day — for
Moses added a day of his own accord to the time appointed by God. This is the opinion of
Rabbi José. But according to the opinion of him who says that the Ten Commandments were
given on the sixth of the month Moses did not add anything, and the words ‫ לשלשת ימים‬do not
signify after three days but mean the same as ‫( ליום השלישי‬v. 11), i. e. by three days (cf.
Shabbat 86b-87a).

‫ ׁשֶ אִ ם‬,‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ּׁשלִיׁשִי וְתִ ְהי ֶינָה טְהֹורֹות ְל ַקּבֵל‬ְ ‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ַהּנָׁשִים טֹובְלֹות לַּיֹום ַה‬ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ ּכָל ג' יָמִים ַהּלָלּו‬.‫אל תגשו אל אשה‬
‫ ְּכבָר ַהּז ֶַרע‬,‫ּׁשהֲתָ ה ג' יָמִים‬
ָ ‫ּׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל ִמ‬,‫ׁש ְכבַת ז ֶַרע לְַאחַר ְטבִילָתָ ּה וְתַ חֲז ֹר וְתִ ַּט ֵּמא‬
ִ ‫ּׁשה‬ָ ‫ׁש ָּמא תִ פְֹלט ָה ִא‬
ֶ ‫י ְׁשַ ּמְׁשּו ּתֹוְך ג' יָמִים‬
)‫ ְוטָהֹור ִמ ְּל ַט ֵּמא אֶת הַּפֹו ֶלטֶת (שבת פ"ו‬,ַ‫ ַמס ְִרי ַח ְואֵינֹו ָראּוי ְל ַהז ְִריע‬:

‫ אל תגשו אל אשה‬DO NOT GO NEAR A WOMAN during the whole of these three days, this
was in order that the women may immerse themselves on the third day and be pure to receive
the Torah. If they have relations within the three days, the woman could [involuntarily] expel
semen after her immersion and become unclean again. After three days have elapsed,
however, the semen has already become putrid and is no longer capable of fertilization, so it
is pure from contaminating the woman who expels it. (cf. Shabbat 86a)

19:16

‫שּיְהֵא ה ַָרב ַממְּתִ ין לַּתַ לְמִ יד; ְוכֵן מָ צִינּו‬

ֶ – ‫ּׁשאֵין ּדֶ ֶרְך ָּבׂשָר וָדָ ם ַלעֲׂשֹות ּכֵן‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה‬,‫ׁש ִהקְּדִ ים עַל י ָדָ ם‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫בהית הבקר‬
)'‫ וָָאקּום ָו ֵאצֵא ֶאל ַה ִּב ְקעָה ְו ִהּנֵה ׁשָם ּכְבֹוד ה' עֹמֵד" (יחזקאל ג‬,‫"קּום צֵא ֶאל ַה ִּב ְקעָה‬:
‫ בהיות הבקר‬lit., WHEN IT WAS BEING MORNING — This phrase tells us that He was there
before them at the place of the Divine Revelation, something which it is not customary for
human beings to do — that the teacher should await the arrival of his disciple. A similar
instance we find in Scripture (Ezekiel 3:22, 23): “[God said unto me]. Arise, go forth into the
plain, [and I will there speak with thee]. Then I arose, and went forth into the plain; and,
behold the glory of the Lord stood there already” (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 15; cf.
Nedarim 8a).

19:17

,)‫ׁשָאמַר ה' ִמּסִינַי ּבָא (דברים ל"ג‬ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬,‫ּׁשכִינָה יָצְָאה ִלק ְָראתָ ם ְּכחָתָ ן הַּיֹוצֵא ִלק ְַראת ַּכּלָה‬
ְ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ‫ ַמּגִיד‬.‫לקראת האלהים‬
)‫וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ְלסִינַי ּבָא (מכילתא‬:

‫[ לקראת האלהים‬AND MOSES BROUGHT FORTH THE PEOPLE …] TO MEET GOD —

This (the word ‫לקראת‬, “to meet”, which is used when two persons are approaching one
another) tells us that the Shechina was going forth to meet them, as a bridegroom who goes
forth to meet his bride. This is what Scripture means when it says, (Deuteronomy 33:2) “The
Lord came from Sinai”, and it is not said, “[The Lord came to Sinai” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:17:1).

)‫ׁשּנִתְ לַׁש ָההָר ִמ ְּמקֹומֹו ְונִ ְכּפָה ֲעלֵיהֶם ְּכגִיגִית (שבת פ"ח‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי פְׁשּוטֹו ּב ְַרגְלֵי ָההָר; ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.‫בתחתית ההר‬:

‫ בתחתית ההר‬AT THE NETHER PART OF THE MOUNTAIN — According to its literal
meaning this signifies “at the foot of the mountain”. But a Midrashic explanation is, that the
mountain was plucked up from its place and was arched over them as a cask, so that they were
standing ‫ בתחתית‬beneath (under) the mountain itself (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:17:2;
Shabbat 88a).

19:18

‫ ְלכְָך ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּתְ נַן‬,‫ׁשמַע‬

ָ ,‫ׁשמַר‬ ָ ,‫ ֶאּלָא לְׁשֹון ָּפעַל ּכְמֹו ָאמַר‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נָקּוד ַהּׁשִי"ן ּפַּתָ ח‬ ֶ ,‫ אֵין ָעׁשַן ז ֶה ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר‬.‫עשן כלו‬
‫ׁש ַּב ִּמק ְָרא נְקּודִ ים ָקמָץ ִמ ְּפנֵי ׁשֶ הֵם ׁשֵ ם ּדָ בָר‬
ֶ ‫ ְוכָל ָעׁשָן‬,‫ וְֹלא תִ ְרּגֵם ּתְ נָנָא‬,‫ ֻּכּלֵּה‬:

‫ עשן כלו‬WAS ALTOGETHER ON A SMOKE — This word ‫ ָעׁשַן‬is not a noun, because the ‫ש‬
is punctuated with Patach, but it has the meaning of “it was doing something”, similar to and
‫ ָאמַר‬and ‫ ׁשָמַר‬and ‫ׁשמַע‬
ָ . On this account, its translation in the Targum is ‫“ ּתָ נֵן ֻּכּלֵּה‬it was
altogether giving forth smoke” (‫ ּתָ נֵן‬is a verb corresponding with the Hebrew ‫) ָעׁשַן‬. and it does
not translate it by ‫( ּתְ נָנָא‬a noun denoting smoke, corresponding to Hebrew ‫) ָעׁשָן‬. But wherever
else the word ‫ עשן‬occurs in Scripture it is punctuated with Kametz because it is a noun.

‫ ּו ַמה ּתַ "ֹל ִּכבְׁשָ ן? לְׂשַ ּבֵר אֶת‬,)'‫ּׁש ַמי ִם (דברים ד‬ ָ ‫ ּתַ "ֹל ּבֹועֵר ָּבאֵׁש עַד לֵב ַה‬,‫ׁשל סִיד; י ָכֹול ְּכ ִכ ְבׁשָן ז ֶה וְֹלא יֹותֵ ר‬
ֶ .‫הכבשן‬
‫ ְוכִי מִ י נָתַ ן ּכ ֹ ַח‬,)‫ׁשָאג (הושע י"א‬ ְ ִ ‫ְַארי ֵה י‬
ְ ‫ּׁשהִיא י ְכֹולָה ִלׁשְמ ֹ ַע – נֹותֵ ן ַלּב ְִרּיֹות סִימָן ַהּנִּכָר ָלהֶם; ּכַּיֹוצֵא ּבֹו ּכ‬
ֶ ‫הָאֹז ֶן ַמה‬
‫ׂשּבֵר אֶת הָאֹז ֶן מַ ה ּׁשֶ ּי ְכֹולָה‬
ַ ‫ ֶאּלָא ָאנּו ְמ ַכּנִין ּומְדַ ּמִין אֹותֹו ִלב ְִרּיֹותָ יו ּכְדֵ י ְל‬,‫ְַארי ֵה‬
ְ ‫ׁשלֹו ּכ‬
ְ ‫ָּבא ֲִרי ֶאּלָא הּוא? ְו ַהּכָתּוב מֹו‬
‫ לְדַ ּמֹותֹו‬,‫ ְוכִי מִי נָתַ ן קֹול ַל ַּמי ִם ֶאּלָא הּוא? ְואַּתָ ה ְמ ַכּנֶה אֹותֹו‬,) ‫ִלׁשְמֹעַ; ּכַּיֹוצֵא בֹו וְקֹולֹו ּכְקֹול ַמי ִם ַרּבִים (יחזקאל מ"ג‬
)‫ׂשּבֵר אֶת הָאֹז ֶן (מכילתא‬ ַ ‫ ִלב ְִרּיֹותָ יו – ּכְדֵ י ְל‬:

‫ הכבשן‬A FURNACE of lime (i. e. in which lime is burnt and which emits vast quantities of
smoke). One might think that the mountain emitted smoke only like such a furnace and not to
a greater degree! Scripture therefore states in another passage, (Deuteronomy 4:11) “[And the
mountain] burned with fire unto the very midst of the heavens”. Then what reason is there for
stating that it smoked only like a furnace? This is said in order to make intelligible to the
human ear as much as it can understand: Scripture gives human beings an example (a
comparison) which is well-known to them. A similar case is, (Hosea 11:10) “As a lion does
He (God) roar”. But who gave the lion power if not He, and yet Scripture compares him only
to a lion! But the reason is that we describe Him by comparing Him to His creatures in order
to make intelligible to the human ear as much as it can understand. A similar example is:
(Ezekiel 43:2) “And His voice was like the sound of many waters”. But who gave the waters a
thunderous sound except He, and yet you describe Him by comparing Him to His handiwork
— it is to make it intelligible to the human ear (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:18:2).

19:19

‫ ְולָּמָ ה ּכְָך‬,‫ אֲ בָל ּכָאן הֹולְֵך ְו ָחז ֵק מְ א ֹד‬,‫ׁשהּוא ַמא ֲִריְך לִתְ ק ֹ ַע קֹולֹו ַמ ֲחלִיׁש וְכֹוהֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ִמנְהַג הֶדְ יֹוט ּכָל זְמַן‬.‫הולך וחזק מאד‬
‫ׂשּבֵר ָאזְנֵיהֶם ַמה ּׁשֶ ּי ְכֹולִין לִׁשְמ ֹ ַע‬ַ ‫מִּתְ ִחּלָה? ְל‬:

‫ הולך וחזק מאד‬WAXED LOUDER AND LOUDER — The manner of an ordinary person is
that the longer he continues to blow a trumpet the sound he produces becomes weaker and
fainter; but in this instance it went on getting stronger. And why was it thus (i. e. not so loud)
at first? To make their ears receptive to as much as they were able to hear (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:19:1).

– ‫ְבּורה ֶאּלָא ָאנֹכִי וְֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה לְָך‬

ָ ‫ׁשמְעּו ִמּפִי ַהּג‬
ָ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ֹלא‬ ֶ – ‫ׁשמִי ַע הַּדִ ּבְרֹות ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ְ ‫ׁשה מְדַ ּבֵר ּו ַמ‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫משה ידבר‬
)‫ ְו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְמ ַסּי ְעֹו לָתֵ ת ּבֹו כ ֹ ַח ִלהְיֹות קֹולֹו ַמגְּבִיר ְונִׁשְמָע (שם‬:

‫ משה ידבר‬MOSES SPAKE — When Moses was speaking and proclaiming the
Commandments to Israel — for they heard from the Almighty’s mouth only the
Commandments ‫ אנכי‬and ‫לא יהיה לך‬, whilst the others were promulgated by Moses — then the
Holy One, blessed be He, assisted him by giving him strength so that his voice might be
powerful and so become audible (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:19:2).

‫ְהֹורידֹו‬
ִ ‫ ל‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ֲאׁשֶר י ַ ֲענֶה ָבאֵׁש (מלכים א י"ח) – עַל ּדְ בַר הָאֵׁש‬,‫ י ַ ֲענֶּנּו עַל ּדְ בַר הַּקֹול‬.‫יעננו בקול‬:

‫ יעננו בקול‬signifies He answered him in respect to (‫ )ב‬the voice, just as (1 Kings 18:24) “He
that answereth ‫“ — ”באש‬in respect to the fire” — i. e. by causing fire to descend. (So here:
God answered Moses’ petition that his voice might become audible to the vast concourse of
people).

19:20

‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד ׁשֶ ה ְִרּכִין ׁשָמַ י ִם‬,)'‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ּדִ ּב ְַרּתִ י ִע ָּמכֶם (שמות כ‬
ָ ‫ ּתַ "ֹל ּכִי מִן ַה‬,‫ י ָכֹול י ַָרד ָעלָיו ַמּמָׁש‬.‫וירד ה' על הר סיני‬
)‫ ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים ְוהַּתַ חְּתֹונִים ְו ִהּצִיעָן עַל ַּגּבֵי ָההָר ְּכ ַמּצָע עַל ַה ִּמּטָה ְוי ַָרד ִּכּסֵא ַהּכָבֹוד ֲעלֵיהֶם (מכילתא‬:

‫ וירד ה׳ על הר סיני‬AND THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI — One might
think, then, that He actually came down upon it! Therefore it states, (Exodus 20:19) “Ye have
seen that I have spoken to you from heaven”. These two texts together teach us that He bent
down the upper and lower heavens and spread them out over the top of the mountain like a
bed-spread over a bed and the throne of Glory descended upon it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
19:20).

19:21
‫ׁשֹּלא ַלעֲלֹות ָּבהָר‬
ֶ ‫ הַתְ ֵרה ָבהֶם‬.‫העד בהם‬:

‫ העד בעם‬signifies, WARN THEM not to ascend the mountain.

‫ִקְרבּו ְלצַד ָההָר‬

ְ ‫ ְוי‬,‫ ל ְִראֹות‬,'‫ עַל י ְדֵ י ׁשֶּתַ ֲאוָתָ ם ֶאל ה‬,‫ׁשֹּלא יֶה ְֶרסּו אֶת ַמ ָּצבָם‬
ֶ .'‫פן יהרסו וגו‬:

‫ פן יהרסו‬lit., LEST THEY BREAK DOWN — warn them that they shall not break down their
post because that their longing is ‫ אל ה׳‬TO THE LORD ‫ לראות‬TO SEE Him and they therefore
would approach nearer towards the mountain,

)‫ חָׁשּוב ְל ָפנַי ָרב (שם‬,‫ ַו ֲאפִּלּו הּוא יְחִידִ י‬,‫ּׁשּי ִּפ ֹל ֵמהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל ַמה‬.‫ונפל ממנו רב‬:

‫ ונפל ממנו רב‬AND MANY OF THEM FALL — whatever of them it may be that falls, even
though it be a single person only, will be regarded by Me as ‫רב‬, many (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:21).

‫הֹורסִים אֶת הַּמַ ּצָב‬

ְ ‫ ַאף ַהּנִפ ְָרדִ ין ִמ ַּמּצַב אֲ נָׁשִים‬,‫ ּכָל ה ֲִריסָה ַמפ ְֶרדֶ ת אֲ סִיפַת ַה ִּבנְי ָן‬.‫פן יהרסו‬:

‫ — פן יהרסו‬The term ‫הרס‬, “breaking down”, always denotes the separation of the collection of
parts that constitute the edifice. Similarly those who depart from the position which people
have taken up break down that position.

19:22

)‫ׁש ָהעֲבֹודָ ה ָבהֶם (זבחים קט"ו‬

ֶ ‫ ַאף ַהּבְכֹורֹות‬.‫וגם הכהנים‬:

‫ וגם הכהנים‬AND THE PRIESTS ALSO — the first born sons also, through whom the
sacrificial service was carried out (Zevachim 115b),

‫ ַאף הֵם ֹלא י ִ ְסמְכּו עַל חֲׁשִ יבּותָ ם ַלעֲלֹות‬,‫ ְל ַהק ְִריב ק ְָרּבָנֹות‬.'‫הנגשים אל ה‬:

‘‫ הנגשים אל ה‬WHO MAY DRAW NIGH UNTO THE LORD to offer sacrifices — let them
also not rely upon their rank and ascend the mountain, but

‫ יִהְיּו ְמז ֻ ָּמנִים ְלהִתְ יַּצֵב עַל עָמְּדָ ן‬.‫יתקדשו‬:

‫ יתקדשו‬LET THEM BE PREPARED to remain at their post,

‫ לְׁשֹון ּפ ְִרצָה; יַהֲר ֹג ָּבהֶם ְויַעֲׂשֶ ה ָבהֶם ּפ ְִרצָה‬.‫פן יפרץ‬:

‫ פן יפרץ‬LEST [THE LORD] BURST FORTH — The word ‫ פרץ‬is of the same root and
meaning as ‫“ פרצה‬a breach”; the sense is: He may slay some of them and thus cause a breach
in their ranks.

19:23

‫ וְֹלא יּוכְלּו ַלעֲלֹות ׁשֶ אֵ ין ָלהֶם‬,‫ׁשֹלׁשֶת יָמִים‬

ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי מֻתְ ִרים וְעֹומְדִ ין הֵם הַּיֹום‬
ֶ ,‫ אֵינִי צ ִָריְך ְל ָהעִיד ָּבהֶם‬.‫לא יוכל העם‬
‫רׁשּות‬:
ְ
‫ לא יוכל העם‬THE PEOPLE CANNOT [COME UP TO MOUNT SINAI] — There is no need
for me to warn them, for they have been standing under such a warning these three days, and
they cannot go up for they have no permission so to do.

19:24

)‫ׁשעַת ַמעֲׂשֶ ה (מכילתא‬

ְ ‫ׂשה וְחֹוז ְִרין ּו ְמז ְָרז ִין אֹותֹו ִּב‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְּמז ְָרז ִין אֶת הָָאדָ ם ק ֹדֶ ם ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשנִית‬
ֵ ‫ ְו ָהעֵד ָּבהֶם‬.‫לך רד‬:

‫ לך רד‬GO, GO DOWN and warn them a second time. God said this, because the rule is that
one admonishes a person before an action is to be done and then one again admonishes him at
the very moment when the action is to be done (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:24:1).

‫ וְַאהֲר ֹן‬,‫ אַּתָ ה ְמ ִחּצָה ְל ַעצְמְָך‬,‫ אֱמ ֹר ֵמעַּתָ ה‬,‫ ּתַ "ֹל ְו ָעלִיתָ אַּתָ ה‬,‫ י ָכֹול ַאף הֵם ִעּמְָך‬.‫ועלית אתה ואהרן עמך והכהנים‬
‫ ְו ָהעָם ּכָל עִּקָר ַאל יֶה ְֶרסּו‬,‫ וְַאהֲר ֹן יֹותֵ ר מִן הַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים‬,‫ׁשה נִּגַׁש יֹותֵ ר ֵמַאהֲר ֹן‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ְוהַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים ְמ ִחּצָה ְל ַע ְצמָם – מ‬,‫ְמ ִחּצָה ְל ַעצְמֹו‬
)‫אֶת ַמ ָּצבָם ַלעֲלֹות אֶ ל ה' (שם‬:

‫ ועלית אתה ואהרן עמך והכהנים‬AND THOU SHALT COME UP, THOU AND AARON WITH
THEE AND THE PRIESTS — One might think that they (the priests) shall also be with thee!
Therefore it states “and thou shalt come up”. Consequently you must now admit that this is
what God spake to him: thou hast a designated place for thyself, and Aaron a designated place
for himself and they a designated place for themselves — Moses approached closer than
Aaron and Aaron closer than the priests — but let the people under no circumstances break
down their position to go up to the Lord (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:24:2).

‫ׁשהִיא סְמּוכָה בָָאה‬ ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ׁשּנְקֻּדָ תָ ּה ְמלָאפּום‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְָך ּדֶ ֶרְך ּכָל ּתֵ בָה‬,‫ׁשהּוא נָקּוד ֲחטַף ָקמָץ אֵינֹו ז ָז ִמ ְּגז ֵָרתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ַאעַ" ִּפ‬.‫פן יפרץ בם‬
‫ ִמׁשְּתַ ּנֶה ַהּנִּקּוד ַל ֲחטַף קָמָ ץ‬,‫ ְּב ַמּקָף‬:

‫ פן יפרץ בם‬LEST HE BURST FORTH UPON THEM — Although it (the word ‫ )יִפ ְָרץ‬is
punctuated with a Chataf Kametz (our Kamets Chataf — short Kametz), it has not departed
from its normal grammatical form, for thus is the way of every word which has the vowel
Melopum (our ‫ )חולם‬in its hit syllable, that being a closed syllable: when it comes with a
Makkef (a hyphen) after it the vowelling is changed to a Chataf Kametz (our short Kametz).

19:25

‫ הַתְ ָרָאה זֹו‬.‫ויאמר אלהם‬:

‫ ויאמר אליהם‬AND HE SPOKE UNTO THEM this warning.

20:1

‫ ְואִם לָאו אֵ ינֹו מְ קַ ּבֵל‬,‫ׂשכָר‬

ָ ‫ׂשָאן ָאדָ ם ְמ ַקּבֵל‬ ָ ‫ׁשאִם ֲע‬ֶ ‫ַּתֹורה‬ ָ ‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ּפ ָָרׁשִּיֹות ּב‬
ֶ ‫ אֵין ֱאֹלהִים אֶ ּלָא ּדַ ּי ָן; ְלפִי‬.‫וידבר אלהים‬
)‫ ּתַ "ֹל ַוי ְדַ ּבֵר ֱאֹלהִים – ּדַ ּי ָן ִלּפ ַָרע (מכילתא‬,‫ י ָכֹול ַאף ֲעׂש ֶֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות ּכֵן‬,‫ ֲעלֵיהֶם ּפ ְֻרעָנּות‬:

‫ וידבר אלהים‬AND GOD SPAKE — The word ‫ אלהים‬is a term for a judge. Since there are
chapters in the Torah of such a character that if a person observes the commands contained
therein he will receive a reward and if he never observes them at all) he will not receive
punishment on their account, one might think that the Ten Commandments are also of such a
character (that no punishment will follow upon the infringement of them); therefore Scripture
expressly states, “God spake” — God Who is Judge, exacting punishment (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 20:1:1).

‫ אִ ם ּכֵן מַ ה‬,‫ּׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר לְָאדָ ם לֹומַר ּכֵן‬

ֶ ‫ ַמה‬,‫ׁשָאמַר ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ֲעׂש ֶֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות ּבְדִ ּבּור ֶאחָד‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫את כל הדברים האלה‬
)‫ׁש ָחז ַר ּופ ֵֵרׁש עַל ּכָל ּדִ ּבּור וְדִ ּבּור ִּב ְפנֵי ַעצְמֹו (שם‬
ֶ ?‫ּתַ "ֹל עֹוד ָאנֹכִי וְֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה לְָך‬:

‫ את כל הדברים האלה‬ALL THESE WORDS — This statement (that God spake all these words)
tells us that the Holy One, blessed be He, said all these words in one utterance, something that
is impossible to a human being to do — to speak in this manner. Now if this be so, why does
Scripture again say the first two Commandments, ‫ אנכי‬and ‫ ?לא יהיה לך‬But the explanation is
that He repeated and expressly uttered each of these two commandments by itself (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:1:1).

)‫ׁשהָיּו עֹונִין עַל הֵן הֵן ְועַל לָאו לָאו (שם‬

ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫לאמר‬:

‫ לאמר‬lit., TO SAY — This expression teaches us that they answered to that which required the
reply “Yea” (‫ )אנכי‬by “Yea” and to that which required the reply “Nay” (‫ )לא יהיה‬by “Nay”
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:1:1).

20:2

‫ׁשּנִגְלָה ַבּי ָם ְּכגִּבֹור מִ ְלחָמָ ה ְונִגְלָה‬

ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁש ְעּבָדִ ים לִי; ּדָ "ַא‬
ֻ ‫ ּכְדַ אי הִיא הַהֹוצָָאה ׁשֶּתִ הְיּו ְמ‬.‫אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים‬
,‫ זֹו ָהי ְתָ ה ְל ָפנָיו ּבִׁשְ עַת הַּׁשִ עְּבּוד‬,)‫ׂשה ִל ְבנַת ַה ַּסּפִיר (שמות כ"ד‬ ֵ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר וְתַ חַת ַרגְלָיו ְּכ ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ – ,‫ּכָאן ְּכזָקֵן ָמלֵא ַר ֲחמִים‬
‫ ָאנֹכִי הּוא אֲׁשֶר הֹוצֵאתִ יָך‬,‫ ַאל ּת ֹאמְרּו ׁשְּתֵ י ָרׁשּויֹות הֵן‬,‫ּׁשּנִגְ ֲאלּו – הֹואִיל ַו ֲאנִי ִמׁשְּתַ ּנֶה ְבמ ְַראֹות‬ ֶ ‫ ִמ‬,‫ּׁש ַמי ִם‬
ָ ‫ּו ְכ ֶעצֶם ַה‬
‫ַארּבַע רּוחֹות ּומִ ן הַּׁשָמַ י ִם‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר אֶת הַּקֹוֹלת – קֹולֹות ָּבאִין ֵמ‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשהָיּו שֹו ְמעִין קֹולֹות ה ְַרּבֵה‬ ֶ ‫ ּדָ "ַא ְלפִי‬.‫מִ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם ְועַל ַהּי ָם‬
‫ֵגֹורי ָא‬
ְ ‫ׁשה ְללַּמֵד ָסנ‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ָָארץ – ַאל ּת ֹאמְרּו ָרׁשּויֹות ה ְַרּבֵה הֵן; ְו ָל ָמה ָאמַר לְׁשֹון יָחִיד ֱאֹלהֶיָך? לִּתֵ ן ּפִתְ חֹון ּפֶה לְמ‬ ֶ ‫ּומִן ה‬
‫ׁשָאמַר ָל ָמה ה' יֶח ֱֶרה ַאּפְָך ְּב ַעּמֶָך – ֹלא ָלהֶם ִצּוִיתָ ֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה ָלכֶם אֱ ֹלהִים אֲ ח ִֵרים אֶ ּלָא לִי ְלבַּדִ י‬ ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶה‬,‫ׂשה ָה ֵעגֶל‬ ֵ ‫ְּב ַמ ֲע‬
)‫(שמות רבה‬:

‫ אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים‬WHO HAVE BROUGHT THEE OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT
— That act of bringing you out is alone of sufficient importance that you should subject
yourselves to Me. Another explanation: because He had revealed Himself to them at the Red
Sea as a mighty man of war and here He revealed Himself as a grey-beard filled with
compassion, as it is stated in connection with the Giving of the Law, (Exodus 24:10) “and
there was under His feet as it were a brick-work of sapphire”, which is explained to mean that
this (the brick-work) was before Him at the time of their bondage; “and there was as the
essence of heaven” (i. e. joy and gladness) when they had been delivered (cf. Rashi on Exodus
24:10), thus the Divine Glory changed according to circumstances, — therefore He stated
here: Since I change, appearing in various forms, do not say, “There are two divine Beings”; it
is I Who brought you forth from Egypt and Who appeared to you at the Sea (cf. Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:2:2). Another explanation: because they then heard many voices, as it is
said (v. 15) “the people heard the voices (‫ — ”)הקלות‬voices coming from the four cardinal
points and from the heavens and from the earth — therefore God said to them, “Do not say
there are many Deities”. — Why did God say in the singular ‫אלהיך‬, “Thy God”, (as though
speaking to one person alone)? To afford Moses an opportunity to speak in defence of Israel
at the incident of the golden calf. This, is exactly what he did say, (Exodus 32:11)
“Wherefore, O Lord, doth Thy wrath glow against Thy people”, for not to them didst Thou
give the command, “There shall be to thee no other gods” but to me alone! (Exodus Rabbah
43:5)
 ‫ׁשהָיּו ֲעבָדִ ים ַל ֲעבָדִ ים? ּתַ "ֹל ַוּיִפְּדְ ָך‬
ֶ ‫ אֹו אֵינֹו אֹומֵר ֶאּלָא ִמּבֵית ֲעבָדִ ים‬,‫ׁש ֱהי ִיתֶ ם ֲעבָדִ ים לֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּבֵית ּפ ְַרע ֹה‬.‫מבית העבדים‬
)‫ אֱמ ֹר ֵמעַּתָ ה ֲעבָדִ ים ַל ֶּמלְֶך הָיּו וְֹלא ֲעבָדִ ים ַל ֲעבָדִ ים (מכילתא‬,) '‫ ִמּבֵית ֲעבָדִ ים ִמּי ַד ּפ ְַרע ֹה ֶמלְֶך ִמצ ְָרי ִם (דברים ז‬:

‫ מבית עבדים‬OUT OF THE HOUSE OF SLAVES — This means, from the house of Pharaoh
where ye were slaves to him. Or perhaps it only says “from the house of slaves” in the sense
of a house belonging to slaves to that the words imply that they were slaves to slaves (a most
abject form of slavery)! But elsewhere it states, (Deuteronomy 7:8) “He redeemed thee from
the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt”, so that you must now admit
that they were slaves of the king and not slaves to slaves and the meaning is: from the house
where you were slaves (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:2:5).

20:3

‫ׁשֹּלא י ְקַ ּי ֵם? ּתַ "ֹל ֹלא‬

ֶ ‫ ֶהעָׂשּוי ְּכבָר ִמּנַי ִן‬,‫ׂשה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ אֵין לִי אֶ ּלָא‬,‫ׂשה לְָך‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ' ֹלא תַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ָל ָּמה נֶ ֱאמַר? ְלפִי‬.‫לא יהיה לך‬
)‫י ִ ְהי ֶה לְָך (שם‬:

‫ לא יהיה לך‬THERE SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE [OTHER GODS] — Why is this said?
Does not the preceding verse state: I — and no other — shall be thy God? But since it states
immediately after this, “Thou shalt not make unto thee [any graven image etc.]” I might say
that I have only a prohibition that one may not make such gods; whence could I know that one
may not retain an idol that has already been made? Perhaps there is no such law! Therefore it
states here: “there shall not be unto thee” (thou shalt not have other gods) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 20:3:1.)

‫ ׁשֶ ְּגנַאי‬,‫ וְֹלא י ִּתָ כֵן ְלפ ֵָרׁש ֱאֹלהִים ֲאח ִֵרים זּולָתִ י‬,‫ׂשאּום ֱאֹלהִים ֲעלֵיהֶם‬
ָ ‫ׁשאֵינָן אֱלֹוהּות ֶאּלָא ֲאח ִֵרים ֲע‬ ֶ .‫אלהים אחרים‬
‫ׁשהֵם אֲ ח ִֵרים לְעֹובְדֵ יהֶם – צֹו ֲעקִים אֲ לֵיהֶם וְאֵ ינָן עֹונִין‬ ֶ ,‫ ּדָ "ַא אֱ ֹלהִים ֲאח ִֵרים‬.‫ְּכ ַלּפֵי ַמ ְעלָה ִלקְר ֹאותָ ם אֱ לֹוהּות אֶ צְלֹו‬
‫ׁשאֵינֹו מַ ּכִירֹו מֵעֹולָם‬ ֶ ‫ וְדֹו ֶמה ְּכ ִאּלּו הּוא ַאחֵר‬,‫אֹותָ ם‬:

‫ אלהים אחרים‬OTHER GODS — which are not gods, but others have made them gods over
themselves. It would not be correct to explain this to mean “gods other than Me”, for it would
be blasphemy of the Most High God to term them gods together with Him (cf. Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:1). Another explanation of ‫ אלהים אחרים‬: they are so called because
they are other (i. e. strange) to those who worship them; these cry to them but they do not
answer them, and it is just as though it (the god) is another (a stranger) to him (to the
worshipper), one who has never known him at all (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:1).

)‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר ֹלא נִ ְצטַּוּו עַל עֲ"ז ָ ֶאּלָא אֹותֹו הַּדֹור (מכילתא‬
ֶ ,‫ׁש ֲאנִי ַקּי ָם‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל זְמַן‬.‫על פני‬:

‫ על פני‬BEFORE ME — i. e. so long as I exist; and these apparently superfluous words are

added in order that you may not say that no one received any command against idolatry
except that generation which went forth from Egypt (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:2).

20:4

‫ עַל ׁשֵ ם ׁשֶ ּנִ ְפסָל‬.‫פסל‬:

‫ פסל‬A GRAVEN IMAGE — it is so called because it is chiselled out (the root ‫ פסל‬has this
meaning).

‫ ּתְ מּונַת ּדָ בָר אשר בשמים‬.‫וכל תמונה‬:

‫ וכל תמונה‬lit., OR ANY LIKENESS i. e. the likeness of any thing ‫ אשר בשמים‬THAT IS IN THE
HEAVENS.

20:5

‫ ְמ ַקּנֵא ִלּפ ַָרע ְואֵינֹו עֹובֵר עַל מִּדָ תֹו ִלמְח ֹל עַל עֲבֹודַ ת ֱאלִילִים; ּכָל לְׁשֹון ַקּנָא אנפרי"מנט ְּב ַלעַז – נֹותֵ ן לֵב‬.‫אל קנא‬
‫ ִלּפ ַָרע‬:

‫ אל קנא‬A JEALOUS GOD — He is jealous to exact punishment, and does not pass over His
rights by pardoning idolatry (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:5:1). Wherever: the expression
‫ קנא‬occurs it signifies in old French emportement, English zeal, — determining to exact
punishment.

;‫ׂשכָר עַד לְַא ְל ַּפי ִם דֹור‬

ָ ‫ׁשּלֵם‬
ַ ‫ ְל‬,‫ׂשה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשָאדָ ם עֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׂשה אֲבֹותֵ יהֶם ּבִידֵ יהֶם; וְנֹוצֵר ֶחסֶד‬
ֵ ‫ׁשאֹו ֲחז ִין ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫לשנאי‬
)'‫ְַאר ָּבעָה ּדֹורֹות וְזֹו ַל ֲא ָלפִים (תוספתא סוטה ד‬ ְ ‫ ׁשֶּזֹו ל‬,‫ נִ ְמצֵאת מִּדָ ה טֹובָה י ְתֵ ָרה עַל מִּדַ ת ּפ ְֻרעָנּות ַאחַת עַל ֲחמֵׁש ֵמאֹות‬:

‫ לשנאי‬OF THEM THAT HATE ME — This must be explained in the same sense as the
Targum takes it: when they retain in their hands (follow the example of) the evil doings of
their ancestors (Sanhedrin 27b); and He keeps (stores up) the mercy which a person does to
give a reward for it to the thousand generations of that person’s descendants. It follows,
therefore, that the measure of good (reward) is greater than the measure of punishment in the
proportion of one to five hundred, for the former is threatened only to four generations whilst
the latter is bestowed upon thousands (two thousands at least) (Tosefta Sotah 4:1; see Rashi
on Exodus 34:7).

20:6

‫ נמצאת מדה טובה יתירה על מדת פורעניות אחת על חמש‬,‫ לשלם שכר עד לאלפים דור‬,‫ שאדם עושה‬.‫נוצר חסד‬
)‫ א‬,‫ וזו לאלפים (תוספתא סוטה ד‬,‫ שזו לארבעה דורות‬,‫מאות‬:

Who stores the loving-kindness — that a person does, in order to reward him, for two
thousand generations. Consequently [God’s] measure for reward is greater than His measure
for punishment by five hundred times, because one is for four generations and the other for
two thousand [generations].

20:7

)‫ׁשל זָהָב (שבועות כ"ט‬

ֶ ‫ׁשהּוא‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל ֶאבֶן‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנֹות אֶת ַהּי ָדּו ַע – עַל עַּמּוד‬
ַ ‫ׁשּבַע ְל‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשוְא? נ‬
ָ ‫ׁשבּועַת‬
ְ ‫ ְואֵיז ֶהּו‬,‫ ַל ֶהבֶל‬,‫ ִחּנָם‬.‫לשוא‬:

‫ לשוא‬IN VAIN — for no valid reason, idly. What is a ‫שבועת שוא‬, an oath taken for no valid
reason? If one takes an oath declaring something, the nature of which is evident, to be
different from what it is: e. g., swearing about a stone pillar that it is of gold (Shevuot 29a).

20:8

;)‫ׁשנֵי ְכ ָבׂשִים (במדבר כ"ח‬ ְ ‫ּׁשּבָת‬

ַ ‫ ּובְיֹום ַה‬,)‫ ְוכֵן ְמ ַח ְללֶי ָה מֹות יּומָת (שמות ל"א‬,‫ ז ָכֹור ְוׁשָמֹור ּבְדִ ּבּור ֶאחָד נֶ ֶאמְרּו‬.‫זכור‬
‫ י ְ ָב ָמּה י ָב ֹא ָעלֶי ָה (דברים‬,)‫ׂשה ּלְָך (דברים כ"ב); ְוכֵן ע ְֶרוַת אֵ ׁשֶת ָאחִיָך (ויקרא י"ח‬ ֶ ‫ ּגְדִ לִים ּתַ ֲע‬,‫ׁש ַע ְטנֵז‬
ַ ‫ְוכֵן ֹלא תִ ְלּבַׁש‬
‫ ּכְמֹו ָאכֹול וְׁשָתֹו‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּפָעֹול הּוא‬.‫ זכור‬:)‫ׁש ָמעְּתִ י (תהילים ס"ב‬ ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַאחַת ּדִ ּבֶר ֱאֹלהִים ׁשְּתַ י ִם זּו‬ֶ ‫כ"ה); הּוא‬
‫ׁשאִם נִז ְּדַ ּמֵ ן לְָך ֵחפֶץ יָפֶה‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשּבָת‬
ַ ‫ ּתְ נּו לֵב ִלז ְּכ ֹר ּתָ מִיד אֶת יֹום ַה‬:‫ ְוכֵן ּפִתְ רֹונֹו‬,) '‫ הָלֹוְך ּובָכ ֹה (שמואל ב ג‬,)‫(ישעיהו כ"ב‬
)‫ּתְ הֵא ַמזְמִינֹו לְׁשַ ּבָת (מכילתא‬:
‫ — זכור‬This word REMEMBER which opens this commandment here and ‫“ שמור‬observe”
which opens it in Deuteronomy (5:12) were spoken in one utterance. Similar is, (Exodus
31:14) “Everyone that profaneth it (the Sabbath) shall surely be put to death”, which
apparently is in contradiction with (Numbers 28:9) “And on the Sabbath day [ye shall offer]
two lambs”, a command necessitating actions which, if done for any other purposes on the
Sabbath, would involve a profanation of that day. Similar is, (Deuteronomy 22:11) “Thou
shalt not wear a garment of two kinds, [as of woollen and linen together]” and (Deuteronomy
22:12) “Thou shalt make thee tassels”, for the performance of which command wool and linen
may be employed in combination. Similar is, (Leviticus 18:16) “The nakedness of thy
brother’s wife” (the prohibition of marriage with her), and (Deuteronomy 25:5) “her
husband’s brother shall come unto her” (he shall marry her). — This is the meaning of what is
said (Psalms 62:12) “One thing did God speak, these two things did we hear” (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:8:1). ‫ — זכור‬This word expresses the verbal action without any reference
to a particular time (the infinitive), similar to, (Isaiah 22:13) ‫“ אכול ושתו‬to eat and to drink”; (II
Samuel 3:16) ‫“ הלוך ובכה‬to go and to weep”; and the following is its meaning: take care to
remember always the Sabbath day — that if, for example, you come across a nice article of
food during the week, put it by for the Sabbath (Beitzah 16a).

20:9

)‫ׁשֹּלא תְ ה ְַרהֵר ַאחַר מְ לָאכָה (שם‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּבָת יְהֵא ְבעֵינֶיָך ְּכ ִאּלּו ּכָל ְמלַאכְּתְ ָך עֲׂשּוי ָה‬
ַ ‫ ְּכׁשֶּתָ ב ֹא‬.‫ועשית כל מלאכתך‬:

‫[ ועשית כל מלאכתך‬SIX DAYS SHALT THOU LABOUR] AND DO ALL THY WORK —
When the Sabbath comes it should be in thy eyes as though all thy work were done
(completed), so that thou shouldst not think at all about work (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
20:9).

20:10

‫ ֶאּלָא ֹלא בָא ֶאּלָא ְל ַהזְהִיר ּגְדֹולִים‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי ְּכבָר ֻמזְה ִָרים הֵם‬, ָ‫ ֵאּלּו ְק ַטּנִים; אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ּגְדֹולִים? ָאמ ְַרּת‬.‫אתה ובנך ובתך‬
‫ׁשּבָא ְלכַּבֹות אֵין ׁשֹו ְמעִין לֹו ִמ ְּפנֵי ׁשֶּׁשְ בִיתָ תֹו ָעלֶיָך‬
ֶ ‫ ָקטָן‬,)‫ּׁשנִינּו (שבת קכ"א‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבִיתַ ת ַה ְּק ַטּנִים; ְוז ֶהּו‬
ְ ‫עַל‬:

‫ אתה ובנך ובתך‬THOU AND THY SON AND THY DAUGHTER — these latter mean the
young children. Or perhaps this is not so, but it means your adult children? But you must
admit that these have already been placed under this prohibition (by the word “Thou”,
because the performance of this command is obligatory upon all adults to whom it was
addressed). Therefore these words must be intended only to admonish the adults (implied in
the term “Thou”) about the Sabbath rest of their young children (to impose upon the parents
the obligation of enforcing the Sabbath rest upon them) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:10:1).
This is the meaning of what we have learnt in a Mishna, (Shabbat 16:6) “A minor who is
about to extinguish a fire — we do not listen to him (do not permit him to do this), because
his observance of the Sabbath is a duty imposed upon you”.

20:11

‫ׁש ְּמלַאכְּתֹו ְב ָע ָמל וִיגִיעָה ׁשֶ ּי ִ ְהי ֶה נָח‬

ֶ ‫ ְל ַלּמֵד הֵי ֶמּנּו ַקל וָחֹמֶר לָָאדָ ם‬,‫ ִּכ ְבי ָכֹול ִהכְּתִ יב ְּב ַעצְמֹו ְמנּוחָה‬.‫וינח ביום השביעי‬
)‫ּבְׁשַ ּבָת (מכילתא‬:

‫ וינח ביום השביעי‬AND HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY — If one may say so, He
recorded rest about Himself (recorded that He rested) to teach from this an inference à fortiori
as regards a human being whose work is performed only by labour and toil — that he should
rest on the Sabbath day (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:11:2).

)‫יֹורד ּבֹו (מכילתא‬

ֵ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה‬
ֶ – ‫ ְוקִּדְ ׁשֹו ַבּמָן‬,‫ׁשנֶה‬
ְ ‫ּׁשּׁשִי ֶלחֶם ִמ‬
ִ ‫ ּב ְֵרכֹו ַבּמָן – ְל ָכפְלֹו ַּב‬.‫ ויקדשהו‬,‫ברך‬:

‫ ברך… ויקדשהו‬HE BLESSED … AND SANCTIFIED IT — He blessed it through the Manna

by giving a double portion on the sixth day — “double bread”; and He sanctified it through
the Manna in that on it none fell (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:11:3; cf. Rashi on Genesis
2:3).

20:12

‫תֹורה נֹוט ִָריקֹון הֵם נִדְ ָרׁשִים – ִמ ְּכלַל הֵן לָאו ּומִ ְּכלַל‬
ָ ‫ ׁשֶּדִ ב ְֵרי‬,‫ אִם ּתְ ַכּבֵד יַא ֲִריכּון ְואִם לָאו י ִ ְקצְרּון‬.‫למען יארכון ימיך‬
)‫לָאו הֵן (מכילתא‬:

‫ למען יארכון ימיך‬THAT THY DAYS MAY BE LONG — If thou honourest them they will be
long, and if not, they will be shortened — for the words of the Torah may be explained as
concise statements: from what is included in a positive statement we may infer the negative
and from what is included in a negative statement we may infer the positive (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:12:2).

20:13

‫ּׁשה הַמְ נָאֶ פֶת ּתַ חַת‬

ָ ‫ וְאֹומֵר ָה ִא‬,)'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר מֹות יּומַת הַּנֹואֵף ְוהַּנֹוָאפֶת (ויקרא כ‬
ֶ ,‫ אֵין נִאּוף אֶ ּלָא ְב ֵאׁשֶת אִיׁש‬.‫לא תנאף‬
)‫ׁשּה ּתִ ּקַח אֶת ז ִָרים (יחזקאל ט"ז‬ ָ ‫אִי‬:

‫ לא תנאף‬THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY — The term ‫ניאוף‬, “adultery”, is

technically only applicable to the case of a married woman, as it is said, (Leviticus 20:10) […
the wife of his neighbour], the ‫ נואף‬and the ‫ נואפת‬shall surely be put to death”, and it further
states, (Ezekiel 16:32) “The woman that comitteth adultery, that taketh strangers instead of
her husband”.

‫ ּבְגֹונֵב מָמֹון; אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ז ֶה בְגֹונֵב מָמֹון ּו ְל ַהּלָן ּבְגֹונֵב‬,)‫ ֹלא ּתִ גְנ ֹבּו (ויקרא י"ט‬,‫ ּבְגֹונֵב נְפָׁשֹות ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר‬.‫לא תגנב‬
‫ ַאף ֹלא תִ גְנ ֹב‬,‫ׁש ַחּיָבִין ָעלָיו מִיתַ ת ּבֵית ּדִ ין‬ ֶ ‫ מְדַ ּבֵר ּבְדָ בָר‬,‫ ֹלא תִ נְָאף‬,‫נְפָׁשֹות? ָאמ ְַרּתָ ּדָ בָר ָלמֵד ֵמ ִענְי ָנֹו – מַה ֹלא תִ ְרצָח‬
)‫ׁש ַחּי ָב ָעלָיו מִיתַ ת ּבֵית ּדִ ין (סנהדרין פ"ו‬ ֶ ‫ּדָ בָר‬:

‫ לא תגנוב‬THOU SHALT NOT STEAL — Scripture here is speaking about a case of one who
steals human beings, whilst the command (Leviticus 19:11) “Ye shall not steal” speaks about
a case of one who steals money (another person’s property in general). Or perhaps this is not
so, but this speaks about the case of one who money and the other about the case of one who
steals human beings! You must, however, admit that the rule applies: a statement must be
explained from its context. How is it in regard to, “Thou shalt not murder” and “Thou shalt
not commit adultery”? Each, speaks of a matter for which one becomes liable to death by
sentence of the court; similarly, “Thou shalt not steal”, must speak of a matter for which one
becomes liable to death by sentence of the court, and this is not so in the case of theft of
money but only in that of kidnapping (Sanhedrin 86a; cf.Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:13).

20:15
 ‫ ּומִ ּנַי ִן ׁשֶ ֹּלא ָהי ָה‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה ָבהֶם ִאּלֵם? ּתַ "ֹל ַוּיַעֲנּו כָל ָהעָם‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ִמּנַי ִן‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה ָבהֶם ֶאחָד סּו ָמא‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫וכל העם ראים‬
)‫ׂשה ְונִׁשְמָע (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ ָבהֶם ח ֵֵרׁש? ּתַ "ֹל נַ ֲע‬:

‫ וכל העם ראים‬AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW — This statement teaches us that there was not a
blind person amongst them. And whence may we learn that there was not a dumb person
amongst them? Because it states (Exodus 19:8) “And all the people answered”. And whence
may we learn that there was not a deaf person amongst them? Because it states (Exodus 24:7)
“We will do and we will hear” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:15:2).

‫ׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר ל ְִראֹות ּבְמָ קֹום ַאחֵר‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשמָע‬
ְ ִ‫ רֹואִין אֶת ַהּנ‬.‫ראים את הקולת‬:

‫[ ראים את הקולת‬THEY] SAW THE SOUNDS — they saw that which should be heard
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:15:1) — something which is impossible to see on any other
occasion.

‫ְבּורה‬
ָ ‫ הַּיֹוצְאִין מִ ּפִי ַהּג‬.‫את הקולת‬:

‫ את הקולת‬THE SOUNDS which issued from the mouth of the Almighty.

‫ אֵין נּו ַע אֶ ּלָא ז ִי ַע‬.‫וינעו‬:

‫ וינעו‬THEY MOVED — The root ‫ נוע‬denotes trembling (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:15:3).

,‫ ּו ַמ ְל ֲאכֵי ַהּׁש ֵָרת ָּבאִין ּו ְמ ַסּיְעִין אֹותָ ן ְל ַה ֲחז ִָירם‬,‫ ּכְא ֶֹרְך ַמ ֲחנֵיהֶם‬,‫ׁשנֵים ָעׂשָר מִיל‬
ְ ‫ֲחֹוריהֶם‬
ֵ ‫ הָיּו נ ְִרּתָ עִין ַלא‬.‫ויעמדו מרחק‬
)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר (תהילים ס"ח) ַמ ְל ֲאכֵי ְצבָאֹות י ִּד ֹדּון י ִּד ֹדּון (שבת פ"ח‬ ֶ :

‫ ויעמדו מרחק‬AND THEY STOOD AFAR OFF — they moved back startled twelve miles, a
distance equal to the length of their camp, and ministering angels came and assisted them —
to bring them back, as it is said, (Psalms 68:13) “The angels of the God of Hosts made them
move on, move on” (Shabbat 88b).

20:17

‫ׁשהּוא ִּבכְבֹודֹו נִגְלָה ֲעלֵיכֶם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּיֵצֵא ָלכֶם ׁשֵם ָּבאֻּמֹות‬
ֶ ,‫ ְלגַּדֵ ל אֶתְ כֶם ּבָעֹולָם‬.‫לבעבור נסות אתכם‬:

‫ לבעבור נסות אתכם‬signifies, in order to exalt you in the world (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
20:17:2) — that you may obtain a great name amongst the nations because He has revealed
Himself to you in His Glory.

‫ ַכּנֵס עַל ַה ִּג ְבעָה (שם ל') – ׁשֶ הּוא‬,)‫ָארים נִּסִי (שם מ"ט‬
ִ ,)‫ ּכְמֹו ה ִָרימּו נֵס (ישעיהו ס"ב‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ה ֲָר ָמה ּוגְדֻ ּלָה‬.‫נסות‬
‫ז ָקּוף‬:

‫ נסות‬has the sense of exalting and greatness, of similar meaning and root to, (Isaiah 62:10)
“Lift up an ensign (‫( ;”)נס‬Isaiah 49:22) “I will lift up my standard (‫( ;”)נסי‬Isaiah 30:17) “as an
ensign (‫ )כנס‬on a hill” — and an ensign is called ‫ נס‬because it is something raised on high.

‫יראּו מִ ָּפנָיו‬
ְ ִ‫ ּתֵ דְ עּו ּכִי אֵין זּולָתֹו וְת‬,‫ עַל י ְדֵ י ׁש ְֶראִיתֶ ם אֹותֹו י ָראּוי ּו ְמ ֻאּי ָם‬.‫ובעבור תהיה יראתו‬:
‫ ובעבור תהיה יראתו‬AND THAT HIS FEAR MAY BE [BEFORE YOUR FACES] — Through
the fact that you see that He is feared and dreaded you will know that there is none beside
Him and you will therefore fear Him and not sin.

20:18

‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ח ֹׁשְֶך ָענָן ַוע ֲָרפֶל‬

ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְו ָההָר ּבֹעֵר ָּבאֵׁש עַד לֵב ַה‬
ֶ ;‫ ַוע ֲָרפֶל‬,‫ ָענָן‬,‫ חֹׁשְֶך‬:‫ּׁשֹלׁש ְמחִּצֹות‬
ָ ‫ ִל ְפנִים ִמ‬.‫נגש אל הערפל‬
)‫ׁשָאמַר לֹו ִהּנֵה ָאנֹכִי ּבָא אֵ לֶיָך ְּבעַב ֶה ָענָן (שמות י"ט‬ ֶ ‫(דברים ד' ); ע ֲָרפֶל הּוא עַב ֶה ָענָן‬:

‫[ נגש אל הערפל‬AND MOSES] STEPPED NEAR TO THE THICK CLOUD — within the three
divisions — darkness, cloud and thick cloud (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:18:2), as it is
said, (Deuteronomy 4:11) “And the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of the heaven,
with darkness, clouds and dark clouds”. The ‫ ערפל‬is the ‫ עב הענן‬of which God spoke to him
when He said, (19:9) “Behold I come unto thee in a thick cloud (‫( ”)עב הענן‬cf. Rashi on that
verse).

20:19

‫ ַּבּלָׁשֹון ַהּז ֶה‬.‫כה תאמר‬:

‫ כה תאמר‬THUS THOU SHALT SAY — in this (the Holy) language (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 20:19:1).

‫ּׁש ֲאח ִֵרים ְמׂשִיחִין לֹו ְּפעָמִים ׁשֶ ּלִּבֹו חָלּוק‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ַּמה‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁש ֲאח ִֵרים ְמׂשִיחִין לֹו‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשָאדָ ם רֹו ֶאה ְל ַמה‬
ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש ֶהפ ְֵרׁש ּבֵין ַמה‬.‫אתם ראיתם‬
)‫ ִמ ְּלהַאֲמִ ין (מכילתא‬:

‫ אתם ראיתם‬YE HAVE SEEN — There is a difference between what a person himself sees and
what others relate to him, for what others relate to him sometimes his heart is divided in its
opinion so that he does not believe (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:19:1).

‫ּׁשלִיׁשִי ְו ִהכ ְִרי ַע ּבֵינֵיהֶם – מִ ן‬

ְ ‫ ּבָא ַהּכָתּוב ַה‬,)‫ ְוכָתּוב אֶ חָד אֹומֵר ַוּי ֵֶרד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי (שמות י"ט‬.‫כי מן השמים דברתי‬
‫ְבּורתֹו עַל‬
ָ ‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ְואִּׁשֹו ּוג‬ ָ ‫ ּכְבֹודֹו ַּב‬,)'‫ָָארץ ה ְֶראֲָך אֶת אִּׁשֹו ַהּגְדֹולָה (דברים ד‬ ֶ ‫ׁשמִיעֲָך אֶת קֹולֹו ְליַּס ְֶר ָּך ְועַל ה‬
ְ ‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ִה‬
ָ ‫ַה‬
)‫ׁש ַמי ִם ַוּי ֵַרד (תהילים י"ח‬ ָ ‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר ַוּי ֵט‬,‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ְו ִהּצִיעָן עַל ָההָר‬
ָ ‫ׁשמֵי ַה‬
ְ ‫ׁש ַמי ִם ּו‬
ָ ‫ ה ְִרּכִין‬:‫ָָארץ; ּדָ "ַא‬
ֶ ‫ה‬:

‫ כי מן השמים דברתי‬THAT I HAVE SPOKEN [TO YOU] FROM HEAVEN — But another
verse states, (Exodus 19:20) “And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai”, and thus the two
verses appear to be contradictory! There now comes a third verse and harmonises them:
(Deuteronomy 4:36) “Out of heaven He made thee hear His voice that He might instruct thee;
and upon the earth He showed thee His great fire” — His glory was in the heavens but His
fire and His power were upon the earth. Another explanation: He bent down the heavens and
the heavens of heavens, and spread them out upon the mountain; similarly it states, (Psalms
18:10) “He bowed the heavens and came down” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:19:2) .

20:20

)‫ׁש ְּמׁשִים ְל ָפנַי ַּבּמָרֹום (מכילתא‬

ַ ‫ׁש ָּמׁשַי ַה ְמ‬
ַ ‫ ֹלא תַ עֲׂשּון ּדְ מּות‬.‫לא תעשון אתי‬:

‫ לא תעשון אתי‬YE SHALL NOT MAKE WITH ME — Ye shall not make an image of My
ministers that minister before Me in the heights (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:20:1).
‫ׁשּנִיתֶ ם ַלעֲׂשֹותָ ם ׁשֶ ל ֶּכסֶף‬
ִ ‫ׁשאִם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשל ֶּכסֶף‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא יִהְיּו‬
ֶ ,‫ׂשה ַלעֲמ ֹד אִּתִ י‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאַּתָ ה עֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ּבָא ְל ַהזְהִיר עַל ַהּכְרּובִים‬.‫אלהי כסף‬
‫ה ֲֵרי הֵן ְל ָפנַי ּכֶאֱלֹוהּות‬:

‫ אלהי כסף‬GODS OF SILVER — This statement is intended to lay down a prohibition

regarding the Cherubim which you will make to stand with Me — that they shall not be made
of silver, for if you make any alteration in them by making them of silver and not of gold they
will be before me (regarded by Me) as idols.

)‫ַאר ָּבעָה ה ֲֵרי הֵן ְל ָפנַי ּכֵאֹלהֵי זָהָב (מכילתא‬

ְ ָ‫ׁשאִם ָעׂשִית‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשנַי ִם‬
ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא יֹוסִיף עַל‬
ֶ ‫ ּבָא ְל ַהזְהִיר‬.‫ואלהי זהב‬:

‫ ואלהי זהב‬AND GODS OF GOLD — This statement is intended to lay down a prohibition that
one may not add to the number of two Cherubim which are prescribed: for if you make four
they will be regarded by Me as gods of gold (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:20:2).

‫ ְלכְָך‬,‫ׂשה ְּבבֵית עֹולָמִ ים‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ֲאנִי עֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׂשה כְרּובִים ְּבבָּתֵ י ְכנֵסִּיֹות ּו ְבבָּתֵ י מִדְ ָרׁשֹות ּכְדֶ ֶרְך‬
ֶ ‫ ֹלא ת ֹאמַר ה ֲֵרינִי עֹו‬.‫לא תעשו לכם‬
)‫נֶ ֱאמַר ֹלא תַ עֲׂשּו ָלכֶם (שם‬:

‫ לא תעשו לכם‬YE SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELVES — Ye shall not say: Behold I
will make Cherubim in the Synagogues and the Houses of Study of the same kind as I make
in the House of Eternity (a term for the Temple at Jerusalem); on this account it states: “ye
shall not make for yourselves” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:20:2).

20:21

‫ׁש ָהי ָה ְמ ַמּלֵא אֶת ֲחלַל מִ זְּבַח ַהּנְח ֹׁשֶת‬

ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ִ ְבנֶּנּו עַל ַּגּבֵי עַּמּודִ ים אֹו עַל ַּגּבֵי ָּבסִיס; ּדָ "ַא‬
ֶ ,‫ ְמ ֻחּבָר ַּבאֲדָ ָמה‬.‫מזבח אדמה‬
)‫ׁשעַת ֲחנִּי ָתָ ן (שם‬ ְ ‫אֲדָ ָמה ִּב‬:

‫ מזבח אדמה‬AN ALTAR OF EARTH [SHALT THOU MAKE] — i. e. an altar attached to the
earth, meaning, that they should not build an altar upon columnes or upon a base but it must
rest upon the actual ground. Another explanation is, that one should fill the hollow interior of
the copper altar (Exodus 27:8) with earth at the time when they encamp, and then erect it for
the purpose of sacrifice (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:1).

‫ ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ּתְ ִחּלַת עֲׂשִ ּי ָתֹו לִׁשְמִ י‬.‫תעשה לי‬:

‫ תעשה לי‬THOU SHALT MAKE FOR ME — this implies that from its very beginning it shall
be made for My Name (i. e. for the service of Me).

'‫ אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ָעלָיו ַמּמָׁש? ּתַ "ֹל ַה ָּבׂשָר ְוהַּדָ ם עַל מִ זְּבַח ה‬,)'‫ּׁשה (במדבר ב‬
ֶ ַ‫ ּכְמֹו ְו ָעלָיו ַמּטֵה ְמנ‬,‫ ֶאצְלֹו‬.‫וזבחת עליו‬
‫ׁשחִיטָה ּבְר ֹאׁש הַּמִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח‬
ְ ‫ ְואֵין‬,)‫אֱֹלהֶיָך (דברים י"ב‬:

‫ וזבחת עליו‬AND THOU SHALT SACRIFICE (slaughter) ‫ — עליו‬i. e. near it, in the same sense
as, (Numbers 2:20) “and by him (‫ )ועליו‬the tribe of Manasseh”. Or perhaps this is not the
meaning, but it means “[thou shalt slaughter] upon it”, in its literal sense? This cannot be so,
because it states, (Deuteronomy 12:27) “[And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings] as regards
the flesh and the blood upon the altar of the Lord thy God”, but the slaughtering shall not be
on the top of the altar (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:2).

):‫ ּפֵרּוׁש ְלאֶת עֹוֹלתֶ יָך וְאֶת ׁשְ לָמֶ יָך‬.‫ (את צאנך ואת בקרך‬:‫ ֲאׁשֶר מִּצ ֹאנְָך ּו ִמ ְּבק ֶָרָך‬.‫את עלתיך ואת שלמיך‬
‫ את עלתיך ואת שלמיך‬THY BURNT OFFERINGS AND THY FEAST OFFERINGS which are
from (belong to) thy flocks and thy herds. [‫ את צאנך ואת בקרך‬are thus a further explanation of
the words ‫]את עלתיך ואת שלמיך‬.

– ‫ ׁשָם אבוא אליך וברכתיך‬,‫ׁשּלִי‬ ֶ ‫ ֲאׁשֶר אֶּתֵ ן לְָך ְרׁשּות ְל ַהזְּכִיר ׁשֵם ַה ְמפ ָֹרׁש‬.‫בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי‬
‫ ְוז ֶהּו בֵית‬,‫ּׁשכִינָה בָָאה ׁשָ ם‬
ְ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא נִּתַ ן ְרׁשּות ְל ַהזְּכִיר ׁשֵם ַה ְמפ ָֹרׁש ֶאּלָא ְּב ָמקֹום‬
ֶ ‫ׁשכִינָתִ י ָעלֶיָך; ִמּכָאן אַּתָ ה ָלמֵד‬
ְ ‫אַ ׁש ְֶרה‬
)‫ ׁשָם נָתַ ן ְרׁשּות לַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים ְל ַהזְּכִיר ׁשֵם ַה ְמפ ָֹרׁש ִּבנְׂשִיַאת ַּכ ַּפי ִם ְלב ֵָרְך אֶת ָהעָם (סוטה ל"ח‬,‫ִירה‬
ָ ‫ ַה ְּבח‬:

‫ בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי‬IN ALL PLACES WHERE I MENTION MY NAME — This
means: where I will give you permission to mention My Proper Name, there ‫ אבא אליך וברכתיך‬I
WILL COME TO THEE AND I WILL BLESS THEE — I will make My Shechina rest upon
thee. From this you may learn that He did not give any permission to mention (pronounce)
His Proper Name except in the place where the Shechina would come — and this is the
Chosen House (another term for the Temple at Jerusalem). He gave permission to the priests
to pronounce His Proper Name there whilst lifting up their hands to bless the people (cf.
Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:3; Sotah 38a; and Rashi on Numbers 6:27).

20:22

‫ ה ֲֵרי אִ ם ז ֶה‬,‫ׂשה ּלִי‬ ֶ ‫ ְואִם ִמזְּבַח ֲא ָבנִים ּתַ ֲע‬,'‫ַּתֹורה ְרׁשּות חּוץ מִג‬ ָ ‫ׁשּב‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ָמעֵאל אֹומֵר ּכָל אִם ְואִם‬ ְ ִ ‫ ַרּבִי י‬.‫ואם מזבח אבנים‬
,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי חֹובָה ָעלֶיָך ִלבְנֹות מִ זְּבַח אֲ ָבנִים‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשה לִי ִמזְּבַח אֲ ָבנִים לא תבנה אתהן גזית‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּמֵׁש ִּבלְׁשֹון ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר – ְו ַכ ֲאׁשֶר ּתַ ֲע‬
ַ ְ‫מ‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְו ַה ֲעבֵט ּתַ ֲעבִיטֶּנּו‬
ֶ ,‫ חֹובָה הּוא‬,)‫ׁשלֵמֹות ּתִ ְבנֶה (דברים כ"ז) – ְוכֵן אִם ֶּכסֶף ּתַ ְלוֶה (שמות כ"ב‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ֲא ָבנִים‬
ֶ
‫ זֹו ִמנְחַת הָע ֹמֶר ׁשֶ הִיא‬,)'‫ִּכּורים (ויקרא ב‬ ִ ‫ׁשּמֵׁש ִּבלְׁשֹון ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר – ְוכֵן ְואִם ּתַ ק ְִריב ִמנְחַת ּב‬ ַ ‫(דברים ט"ו ) – וְַאף ז ֶה ְמ‬
‫ ּו ִבלְׁשֹון ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר הֵם מְׁשַּמְׁשִ ים‬,‫ ְועַל ּכ ְָרחֲָך אֵין אִם ַהּלָלּו ּתְ לּוי ִין ֶאּלָא וַּדָ אִין‬,‫חֹובָה‬:

‫ ואם מזבח אבנים‬AND IF (according to Rashi, AND WHEN) [THOU WILT MAKE ME] AN
ALTAR OF STONES — Rabbi Ishmael said: Every time the word ‫ אם‬it used in the Torah it
refer to some action the doing of which is optional, except in three instances. Here: ‫ואם מזבח‬
‫ — אבנים תעשה לי‬you see that this ‫ אם‬is used in the sense of ‫כאשר‬, “when”, the meaning being:
“And when thou makest me an altar of stone, ‫ לא תבנה אתהן גזית‬THOU SHALT NOT BUILD
IT OF HEWN STONE, for, as a matter of fact, it is obligatory upon thee to build an altar of
stone, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 27:6) “of whole stones thou shalt build [the altar of the Lord
thy God]”. Similarly, (Exodus 22:24) ‫ אם כסף תלוה את עמי‬is obligatory and signifies: “when (
‫ )אם‬thou lendest My people money”, and not, “if thou lendest”, because it is said,
(Deuteronomy 15:8) “And thou shalt surely lend him”; consequently this ‫ אם‬also is used in the
sense of ‫“ כאשר‬when”. Similarly, (Leviticus 2:14) ‫ואם תקריב מנחת בכורים‬, for this refers to the
meal-offering of the Omer which is obligatory and therefore the trantlation is, “And when (
‫ )ואם‬thou offerest the meal-offering of first-fruits”, and not, “if thou offerest”. You must
therefore admit that these instances of ‫ אם‬are not conditional, meaning “if”, but they are
absolute, and that they are used in the sense of ‫כאשר‬, “when” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
20:22:1; Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 306; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 2:14).

‫ׁשּפֹו ְסלָן ּומְ כַּתְ תָ ן ְּבב ְַרז ֶל‬

ֶ ,‫ לְׁשֹון ְּגז ִיז ָה‬.‫גזית‬:

‫ — גזית‬This has the meaning of cutting (‫)גזיזה‬, the stones being thus called because one hews
them and cuts them with an iron tool (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:22:1).

‫ׁשהּוא ּדִ י ְל ָמא – ּפֶן ּתָ נִיף ח ְַרּבְָך ָעלֶי ָה‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּמֵׁש ִּבלְׁשֹון ּפֶן‬
ַ ‫ ה ֲֵרי ּכִי ז ֶה ְמ‬.‫כי חרבך הנפת עליה‬:
‫ — כי חרבך הנפת עליה‬This word ‫ כי‬is used here in the sense of ‫פן‬, which signifies “perhaps it
may be” (and it does not mean “because”) — “perhaps it may happen that thou liftest up thy
iron tool above it”.

‫ׁשל ָאדָ ם ְו ַהּב ְַרז ֶל נִב ְָרא לְקַ ּצֵר י ָמָ יו‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח נִב ְָרא ְל ַהא ֲִריְך יָמָיו‬
ֶ , ָ‫ׁשאִם ֵהנַפְּתָ ָעלֶי ָה ּב ְַרז ֶל ִח ַּללְּת‬
ֶ ָ‫ הָא ָלמַדְ ּת‬.‫ותחללה‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל לַאֲ בִיהֶם‬
ָ ‫ׁשלֹום ּבֵין י‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ֵמטִיל‬
ֶ ‫ וְעֹוד‬.)‫ אֵין ז ֶה ּבַּדִ ין ׁשֶּיּונַף ַה ְמ ַקּצֵר עַל ַה ַּמא ֲִריְך (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשל ָאדָ ם‬ ֶ
‫ׁשאֵינָן רֹואֹות וְֹלא ׁשֹומְעֹות וְֹלא‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ָמה ֲא ָבנִים‬,‫ּכֹורת ּו ְמ ַחּבֵל; ַוה ֲֵרי ּדְ ב ִָרים ַקל וָחֹמֶר‬ ֵ ‫ ְלפִיכְָך ֹלא י ָב ֹא ָעלָיו‬,‫ּׁש ַמי ִם‬
ָ ‫ׁש ַּב‬
ֶ
‫ ּבֵין מִׁשְ ָּפחָה‬,‫ׁשלֹום ּבֵין אִיׁש ְל ִאׁשְּתֹו‬ ָ ‫ ַה ֵּמטִיל‬,‫ּתֹורה וְֹלא תָ נִיף ֲעלֵיהֶם ּב ְַרז ֶל‬ ָ ‫ׁשלֹום ָאמ ְָרה‬ ָ ‫ׁש ְּמטִילֹות‬
ֶ ‫ עַל י ְדֵ י‬,‫מְדַ ּבְרֹות‬
)‫ׁשֹּלא תְ בֹו ֵאהּו ּפ ְֻרעָנּות (שם‬ ֶ ‫ עַל ַאחַת ַּכּמָה ְו ַכ ָּמה‬,‫ ּבֵין ָאדָ ם ַל ֲחבֵרֹו‬,‫ׁש ָּפחָה‬ ְ ‫ ְל ִמ‬:

‫ ותחללה‬THEN THOU HAST PROFANED IT — Thus you may learn that if thou liftest up thy
iron tool above it thou profanest it. The reason of this it, because the altar is created (its
purpose is) to lengthen man’s days and iron has been created (one of its purposes is) to
shorten man’s days, it is not right that an object which shortens man’s life should be lifted up
above that which lengthens it (Mekhilta, Middoth 3:4). And a further reason it: because the
altar makes peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven, and therefore there should not
come upon it anything that cuts and destroys. Now, the following statement follows logically,
à fortiori: How is it in the case of stones which cannot see nor hear nor speak? Because that
they promote peace Scripture ordains, “Thou shalt not lift up against them any iron tool!”
Then in the case of one who makes peace between a man and his wife, between family and
family, between a man and his fellow, how much more certain is it that punishment will not
come upon him (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:22:2).

20:23

‫ ֶאּלָא ָחלָק יְהֵא ּומְׁשֻ ּפָע‬,‫ אשקלו"נש ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׂשהּו ַמעֲלֹות ַמעֲלֹות‬
ֵ ‫ׁשאַּתָ ה בֹונֶה ֶכבֶׁש ַל ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ֹלא תַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ולא תעלה במעלת‬:

‫ ולא תעלה במעלות‬AND THOU SHALT NOT GO UP BY STEPS [TO MY ALTAR] — When
thou buildest an ascent to the altar thou shalt not construct it of steps, échelons in old French,
but it shall be even (i. e. the surface shall be unbroken) and sloping (cf. Rashi on Exodus
27:5).

‫ ׁשֶ ה ֲֵרי כְתִ יב‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו ּגִּלּוי ע ְֶרוָה ַמּמָׁש‬ֶ ‫ׁשעַל י ְדֵ י ַה ַּמעֲלֹות אַּתָ ה צ ִָריְך ְלה ְַרחִיב ְּפסִיעֹותֶ יָך; וְַאעַ" ִּפ‬
ֶ .‫אשר לא תגלה ערותך‬
‫ ְואַּתָ ה נֹוהֵג ּבָם ִמנְהַג ִּבּז ָיֹון; ַוה ֲֵרי ּדְ ב ִָרים‬,‫ ִמּכָל ָמקֹום ה ְַר ָחבַת ַה ְּפסִיעֹות קָרֹוב ְלגִּלּוי ע ְֶרוָה הּוא‬,‫ׂשה ָלהֶם ִמ ְכנְסֵי בָד‬ ֵ ‫ַו ֲע‬
‫תֹורה הֹואִיל ְוי ֵׁש ָּבהֶם צ ֶֹרְך ֹלא תִ נְהַג ָּבהֶם מִ נְהַג‬ ָ ‫ ָאמ ְָרה‬,‫ׁשאֵין ָּבהֶם ּדַ עַת ְל ַה ְקּפִיד עַל ִּבז ְיֹונָן‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ָמה ֲא ָבנִים ַהּלָלּו‬,ָ‫קַ"ו‬
‫ עַל ַאחַת ּכַּמָה ְוכַּמָ ה‬,‫ ּו ַמ ְקּפִיד עַל ִּבז ְיֹונֹו‬,‫ ֲחב ְֵרָך ׁשֶהּוא בִדְ מּות יֹוצ ְֶרָך‬,‫ ִּבּז ָיֹון‬:

‫ אשר לא תגלה ערותך‬THAT THY NAKEDNESS BE NOT UNCOVERED — because on

account of these steps you will have to take large paces and so spread the legs. Now, although
this would not be an actual uncovering of one’s nakedness (of the parts usually kept covered),
since it is written, (Exodus 28:42) “And thou shalt make for them (the priests) linen breeches
[to cover the flesh of their nakedness]”, still the taking of large paces is near enough to
uncovering one’s nakedness that it may be described as such, and you would then be treating
them (the stones of the altar) in a manner that implies disrespect. Now the following statement
follows logically à fortiori: How is it in the case of stones which have no sense (feeling) to be
particular about any disrespect shown to them? Scripture ordains that since they serve some
useful purpose you should not treat them in a manner that implies disrespect! Then in the case
of your fellow-man who is made in the image of your Creator and who is particular about any
disrespect shown to him, how much more certain is it that you should not treat him
disrespectfully! (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:23:1)
21:1

‫ מָ ה ה ִָראׁשֹונִים‬,‫ " ְו ֵאּלֶה" מֹוסִיף עַל ה ִָראׁשֹונִים‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר " ֵאּלֶה" ָּפסַל אֶת ה ִָראׁשֹונִים‬ ֶ ‫ ּכָל ָמקֹום‬.‫ואלה המשפטים‬
)‫ ׁשֶּתָ ׂשִים ַסנְהֶדְ ִרין ֵאצֶל ַה ִּמקְּדָ ׁש (מכילתא‬,‫ ַאף אֵּלּו ִמּסִינַי; ְו ָל ָּמה נִ ְס ְמכָה ּפ ָָרׁשַת ּדִ ינִין ְלפ ָָרׁשַת ִמז ְ ֵּבחַ? לֹומַר לְָך‬,‫מִ ּסִינַי‬:

‫ ואלה המשפטים‬NOW THESE ARE THE JUDGMENTS — Wherever ‫אלה‬, “these are”, is used
it cuts off (‫ )פוסל‬the preceding section from that which it introduces; where, however, ‫ואלה‬
“and these” is used it adds something to the former subject (i. e. forms a continuation of it).
So also here: “And these are the judgments (i. e. these, also)”: What is the case with the
former commandments (the ‫ ?)עשרת הדברות‬They were given at Sinai! So these, too, were
given at Sinai! (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:1:1; Shemot Rabbah 30:3; cf. also Midrash
Tanchuma, Mishpatim 3) If this be so, why is this section dealing with the “civil laws” placed
immediately after that commanding the making of the altar? To tell you that you should seat
(i. e. provide quarters for) the Sanhedrin in the vicinity of the Temple.

,‫ׁשנֶה ָלהֶם ַהּפ ֶֶרק ְו ַה ֲה ָלכָה ב' אֹו ג' ְּפעָמִ ים‬ְ ‫ ֶא‬,‫ ֹלא תַ ֲעלֶה עַל ּדַ עְּתְ ָך לֹומַר‬:‫ׁשה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ָאמַר לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה לְמ‬.‫אשר תשים לפניהם‬
‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר ֲאׁשֶר ּתָ ׂשִ ים ִל ְפנֵיהֶם‬,‫ ְואֵינִי ַמט ְִרי ַח ַע ְצמִי ַל ֲהבִינָם ַט ֲעמֵי הַּדָ בָר ּופֵרּוׁשֹו‬,‫ׁשנָתָ ּה‬ְ ‫ְדּורה ְּבפִיהֶם ְּכ ִמ‬
ָ ‫עַד ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ס‬
)‫ׁש ְלחָן ֶהעָרּוְך ּומּוכָן ֶלאֱכ ֹל ִל ְפנֵי הָָאדָ ם (שם‬ ֻ ‫– ְּכ‬:

‫ אשר תשים לפניהם‬WHICH THOU SHALT PUT BEFORE THEM — God said to Moses: It
should not enter your mind to say, “I shall teach them a section of the Torah or a single
Halacha twice or three times until it will become current in their mouths exactly according to
its wording (i. e. until they know the text verbatim), but I shall not take the trouble to make
them understand the reason of each thing and its significance”; therefore Scripture says, ‫אשר‬
‫תשים לפניהם‬, “which thou shalt set before them” (cf. Genesis 34:23) — like a table fully laid
before a person with everything ready for eating (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:1:1).

‫ ׁשֶ הַּמֵ בִיא‬,‫ ַאל ּתְ בִי ֵאהּו ְבע ְַרּכָאֹות ׁשֶ ָּלהֶם‬,‫ׁשהֵם ּדָ נִין אֹותֹו ּכְדִ ינֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ ַו ֲאפִּלּו י ָדַ עְּתָ בְדִ ין ֶאחָד‬,‫ וְֹלא ִל ְפנֵי גֹוי ִם‬.‫לפניהם‬
‫צּורם וְאֹיְבֵינּו ְּפלִילִים‬
ָ ‫ְצּורנּו‬ ֵ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּכִי ֹלא כ‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּבִיחָּה‬ ְ ‫ ְמ ַחּלֵל אֶת ַהּׁשֵם ּו ְמיַּקֵר ׁשֵם עֲ"ז ָ ְל ַה‬,‫ּדִ ינֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ִל ְפנֵי גֹוי ִם‬
)‫ׁשאֹויְבֵינּו ְּפלִילִים ז ֶהּו עֵדּות ְלעִּלּוי י ְִרָאתָ ם (תנחומא‬ ֶ ‫(דברים ל"ב ) – ְּכ‬:

‫ לפניהם‬BEFORE THEM — but not before the heathens. Even if you know that in the case of a
particular matter of law they will decide it in the same way as Jewish law would, do not bring
it before their courts; for he who brings Israel’s law-cases before the heathens defames the
Name of the Lord and pays honour to the name of the idol (in the name of which the heathen
court administers justice), thereby giving it undue importance, as it is said, (Deuteronomy
32:31) “For their rock is not as our Rock that our enemies should be judges over us”, which
implies: when our enemies are judges over us (i. e. if we make them judges over us) it is a
testimony to the superiority of that which they reverence (their idol) (Midrash Tanchuma,
Mishpatim 3).

21:2

‫ׁש ְּל ַקחְּתֹו ִמּיִׂש ְָר ֵאל – ְו ָעלָיו הּוא‬

ֶ ‫ׁשל ִעב ְִרי – ֶעבֶד ְּכנַ ֲענִי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהּוא ִעב ְִרי; אֹו אֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא ַעבְּדֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ֶעבֶד‬.‫כי תקנה עבד עברי‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל יֵצֵא‬
ָ ‫ אֲ בָל ְּבלָקּו ַח מִ ּי‬,‫ ְּבלָקּו ַח מִן הַּגֹוי‬,)‫ׁשנִים יַעֲב ֹד? ּו ָמה אֲ נִי ְמ ַקּי ֵם ְוהִתְ נַ ַחלְּתֶ ם א ֹתָ ם (ויקרא כ"ה‬
ָ ‫אֹומֵר ׁשֵׁש‬
‫ ֹלא ָאמ ְַרּתִ י אֶ ּלָא בְָאחִיָך‬,)‫ ְּבׁשֵׁש? ּתַ "ֹל ּכִי י ִ ָּמכֵר לְָך ָאחִיָך ָה ִעב ְִרי (דברים ט"ו‬:

‫ כי תקנה עבד עברי‬IF THOU BUYEST AN ‫ — עבד עברי‬This means a servant who is a Hebrew.
Or perhaps this is not so, but it means a servant of a Hebrew (one who had been the servant of
a Hebrew), i. e. a Canaanitish servant whom thou hast bought from an Israelite, and it is with
regard to him that Scripture states “six years he shall serve”! — And if you ask, how I will
then explain the commandment, (Leviticus 25:46) “and you shall leave them (the Canaanitish
servants) as an inheritance for your children [and they shall serve you forever]”? then I reply,
that this refers to the case of a Canaanitish servant who has been bought from a heathen; but if
such a servant has been bought from an Israelite he shall go free at the end of six years! —
This explanation that our text refers to a Canaanite servant will not hold, for Scripture states,
(Deuteronomy 15:12) “and if thy brother an Hebrew man be sold unto thee [and serve thee six
years, then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee]” — the Torah says, as it
were, by using the two terms ‫ העברי‬and ‫אחיך‬: I tell you this (that the servant shall go free in the
seventh year) only with regard to thy brother! Consequently Leviticus 25:46 has to be applied
to any Canaanite servant, whether bought from a Hebrew or from a heathen and ‫ עבד עברי‬in
our text can only denote ‫עבד שהוא עברי‬. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:2:2)

‫ אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ּבְמֹוכֵר ַעצְמֹו מִ ְּפנֵי‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר אִם אֵין לֹו ְונִ ְמּכַר ִּבגְנֵבָתֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁש ְּמכָרּוהּו ִבגְנֵבָתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּי ַד ּבֵית ּדִ ין‬.‫כי תקנה‬
‫ ה ֲֵרי מֹוכֵר‬,)‫ׁשהּוא אֹומֵר ְוכִי י ָמּוְך ָאחִיָך ִעּמְָך ְונִ ְמּכַר לְָך (ויקרא כ"ה‬ ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל ְמכָרּוהּו בֵית ּדִ ין ֹלא יֵצֵא ְבׁשֵׁש? ְּכ‬,‫ּדָ חְקֹו‬
‫ ּו ָמה ֲאנִי ְמ ַקּי ֵם ּכִי תִ ְקנֶה? ְּבנִמְ ּכַר ְּבבֵית ּדִ ין‬,‫ ַעצְמֹו ִמ ְּפנֵי ּדָ חְקֹו ָאמּור‬:

‫ כי תקנה‬IF THOU BUYEST [AN HEBREW SERVANT] — This means an Hebrew servant
whom thou hast bought from the hand of the court which sold him for a theft which he had
committed, as it is said, (Exodus 22:2) “if he (the thief) have nothing, then shall he be sold for
his theft”. Or perhaps this is not so, but Scripture is referring to the case of one who sells
himself as a servant on account of his destitution, whilst he who has been sold by the court for
his theft shall not go free at the end of six years! This assumption it erroneous, for when
Scripture states, (Leviticus 25:39, 40) “and if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor,
and he sells himself unto thee … [he shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee]”, it is plain that
in this passage there is mentioned the case of one who sells himself on account of his
destitution. How then must I explain ‫ כי תקנה‬in this verse? Obviously as referring to him who
was sold by the court (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:2:1).

‫ ְלחֵרּות‬.‫לחפשי‬:

‫ לחפשי‬means INTO FREEDOM (i. e. ‫ חפשי‬is a noun like ‫ חֹפֶׁש‬but having a redundant ‫ י‬at the
end).

21:3

,‫ יְחִידִ י‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ּבָא ֶאּלָא ּכְמֹות ׁשֶ הּוא‬

ֶ ,‫ ּולְׁשֹון ְּבגַּפֹו – ִּב ְכנָפֹו‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו אִם ִּבלְחֹודֹוהִי‬,‫ּׁשה‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה נָׂשּוי ִא‬
ֶ .‫אם בגפו יבא‬
‫ּבְתֹוְך לְבּוׁשֹו – ִּב ְכנַף ִּבגְדֹו‬:

‫ אם בגפו יבא‬IF HE CAME IN BY HIMSELF — This means that he was unmarried — as the
Targum renders it ‫אם בלחודוהי‬, if he came in “alone”. The term ‫ בגפו‬is the same as ‫גף) בכנפו‬
being synonymous with ‫ כנף‬wing, skirt) i. e. he came in only just as he was, alone, merely
wrapped in his garment: so that ‫בגפו‬, “in his skirt”, means “in the skirt of his garment”.

)'‫ׁש ְפחָה ְכנַ ֲענִית לְהֹולִיד ִמ ֶּמּנָה ֲעבָדִ ים (קידושין כ‬

ִ ‫ אֵין ַרּבֹו מֹוסֵר לֹו‬,‫ׁשאִם ֹלא ָהי ָה נָׂשּוי מִּתְ ִחּלָה‬
ֶ ‫ ַמּגִיד‬.‫בגפו יצא‬:

‫ בגפו יצא‬HE SHALL GO OUT BY HIMSELF — This intimates that if he was unmarried
originally (when he came in), his master is not allowed to give him against his will a
Canaanitish handmaid with the object of raising slaves (Kiddushin 20a).
‫ִׂשְראֵ לִית‬
ְ ‫ י‬.‫אם בעל אשה הוא‬:

‫ אם בעל אשה הוא‬IF HE BE MARRIED to an Israelite woman (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael

21:3:2),

‫ׁשהַּקֹונֶה ֶעבֶד ִעב ְִרי ַחּי ָב ִּבמְזֹונֹות אִׁשְּתֹו ּו ָבנָיו (שם‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכִי מִי ִה ְכנִיסָּה ׁשֶּתֵ צֵא? ֶאּלָא ַמּגִיד ַהּכָתּוב‬.‫ויצאה אשתו עמו‬
)‫כ"ב‬:

‫ ויצאה אשתו עמו‬then HIS WIFE SHALL GO OUT WITH HIM — But who brought her in (into
the state of service) that the text has to state she shall go out? But by saying this Scripture
intimates that he who acquires a Hebrew servant is bound to provide his wife and children
also with food (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:3:3; Kiddushin 22a).

21:4

‫ אֹו אֵ ינֹו אֶ ּלָא‬.‫ׁש ְפחָה ְכנַ ֲענִית לְהֹולִיד ִמ ֶּמּנָה ֲעבָדִ ים‬ִ ‫ׁשה ְָרׁשּות ְּבי ַד ַרּבֹו ִלמְס ֹר לֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬.‫אם אדניו יתן לו אשה‬
– ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ָה ִעב ְִרּי ָה ַאף הִיא יֹוצְָאה בְׁשֵׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ הָא אֵינֹו מְדַ ּבֵר ֶאּלָא ִּב ְכנַ ֲענִית‬,ָ‫ּׁשה וִילָדֶ י ָה ּתִ ְהי ֶה לַאדֹנֶיה‬
ָ ‫ְביִׂש ְְר ֵאלִית? ּתַ "ֹל ָה ִא‬
‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד ׁשֶ ַאף ָה ִעב ְִרּי ָה‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ָאחִיָך ָה ִעב ְִרי אֹו ָה ִעב ְִרּי ָה (דברים ט"ו‬ֶ – ‫ַו ֲאפִּלּו ִל ְפנֵי ׁשֵׁש אִם ֵהבִיָאה סִי ָמנִין יֹוצְָאה‬
)‫יֹוצְָאה בְׁשֵׁש (מכילתא‬:

‫ אם אדניו יתן לו אשה‬IF HIS LORD HAS GIVEN HIM A WIFE — From this we learn that if he
has already an Israelite wife the master has the right to give him a Canaanitish handmaid with
the object of raising slaves. Or perhaps this is not so, but Scripture by ‫ אשה‬is speaking about
an Israelite woman?! Scripture, however, states: “the wife and her children shall be the
master’s”, consequently the text can only be speaking of a Canaanitish woman, for a Hebrew
maidservant goes free at the end of six years just as a Hebrew man-servant does — yea, even
before the termination of six years she goes free if she shows symptoms of incipient puberty
(cf. Rashi v. 7) — for it is said, (Deuteronomy 15:12) “[and if] thy brother, an Hebrew man,
or an Hebrew woman, [be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years, then in the seventh year
thou shalt let him go free from thee]”, which statement teaches you that a Hebrew woman also
goes free after six years’ service (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:3:1; Kiddushin 14b).

21:5

‫ הַּׁשִ ְפחָה‬.‫את אשתי‬:

‫ את אשתי‬MY WIFE — the Canaanitish handmaid mentioned above.

21:6

)‫ׁש ְּמכָרּוהּו לֹו (שם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּי ִ ָּמלְֵך ּבְמֹוכ ְָריו‬
ֶ ‫ ְלבֵית ּדִ ין; צ ִָריְך‬.‫אל האלהים‬:

‫ אל האלהים‬means to the court. He (the slave) should take counsel with his vendors (the court)
because it was they who sold him to him (the master) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:6:1).

‫ הָא‬,‫ ּבַּדֶ לֶת וְֹלא בַּמְזּוז ָה‬,‫ ּתַ "ֹל ְונָתַ ּתָ ה בְָאז ְנֹו ּובַּדֶ לֶת‬,ָ‫ י ָכֹול ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ַהּמְזּוז ָה ְכׁש ֵָרה ל ְִרצ ֹ ַע ָעלֶיה‬.‫אל הדלת או אל המזוזה‬
)‫ ַמה ּמְזּוז ָה מֵעֹומֵד ַאף ּדֶ לֶת מֵעֹומֵד (שם‬,‫ ַמה ּתַ "ֹל אֹו ֶאל ַהּמְזּוז ָה? ִהּקִיׁש ּדֶ לֶת ִלמְזּוז ָה‬:

‫ אל הדלת או אל המזוזה‬TO THE DOOR OR TO THE DOORPOST — From this statement you
might think that the doorpost is also a proper thing upon which the servant’s ear may be
pierced! Scripture, however, states, (Deuteronomy 15:17) “[Then thou shalt take an awl], and
thrust it through his ear and into the door” — into the door but not into the doorpost. If this be
so, what is the purpose of Scripture stating here “[to the door] or to the doorpost”? By this
juxtaposition it only compares the door with the doorpost. What is the characteristic of the
doorpost? It is something perpendicular! So, too, the door must during the act of performation
be in a perpendicular position (on its hinges), not detached as, for instance, lying on the
ground (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:6:2; Kiddushin 22b).

‫ נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָאן ו ְָרצַע אֲדֹנָיו‬,‫ׁשוָה‬ ָ ‫ׁשל ׂשְמ ֹאל? ּתַ "ֹל אֹז ֶן אֹז ֶן ִלגְז ֵָרה‬ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ אֹו אֵינֹו‬,‫ ַהי ְ ָמנִית‬.‫ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע‬
‫ ַאף ּכָאן ַהי ְ ָמנִית; ּומָ ה ָרָאה אֹז ֶן‬,‫ ַמה ְּל ַהּלָן ַהי ְ ָמנִית‬,)‫ ְונֶ ֱאמַר ִּבמְצ ָֹרע ּתְ נּוְך אֹז ֶן ַה ִּמ ַּטהֵר ַהי ְ ָמנִית (ויקרא י"ד‬,‫אֶת ָאז ְנֹו‬
.‫ ּתֵ ָרצַע‬,‫ ְו ָהלְַך ְוגָנַב‬,‫ּׁש ְמעָה עַל הַר סִינַי ֹלא תִ גְנ ֹב‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ אֹז ֶן ז ֹאת‬:‫ׁשּבַּגּוף? ָאמַר ַרּבָן יֹו ָחנָן ּבֶן זַּכַאי‬ ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ֵאב ִָרים‬ ְ ‫ל ֵָרצַע ִמּכָל‬
‫ ַרּבִי ׁשִמְעֹון ָהי ָה‬.‫ ּתֵ ָרצַע‬,‫ ְו ָהלְַך ְו ָקנָה ָאדֹון ְל ַעצְמֹו‬,‫ּׁש ְמעָה עַל הַר סִינַי ּכִי לִי ְבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ֲעבָדִ ים‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ אֹז ֶן‬,‫וְאִ ם מֹוכֵר ַעצְמֹו‬
‫ׁשהָיּו עֵדִ ים ּבְמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַּב ַּבי ִת? ָאמַר ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ּדֶ לֶת ּומְזּוז ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה ּנִׁשְּתַ ּנּו ּדֶ לֶת ּומְזּוז ָה ִמּכָל ֵּכלִים‬:‫ּדֹורׁש ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה ְּכמִין חֹמֶר‬ ֵ
‫ׁשקֹוף ְועַל ׁשְּתֵ י ַהּמְזּוזֹות וְָאמ ְַרּתִ י ּכִי לִי ְבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ֲעבָדִ ים – ֲעבָדַ י הֵם וְֹלא ֲעבָדִ ים ַל ֲעבָדִ ים – ְו ָהלְַך‬ ְ ‫ׁש ָּפ ַסחְּתִ י עַל ַה ַּמ‬
ֶ ‫ְּכ‬
)‫ י ֵָרצַע ִּב ְפנֵיהֶם (קידושין כ"ב‬,‫ז ֶה ְו ָקנָה ָאדֹון ְל ַעצְמֹו‬:

‫ ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע‬AND HIS LORD SHALL BORE HIS EAR THROUGH WITH THE
AWL — “His ear” means his right ear. Or perhaps this is not so, but Scripture means his left
ear? Scripture however uses the term ‫ אזן‬here and it uses ‫ אזן‬in another passage, thereby
suggesting an analogy based upon verbal similarity; viz., here it is said “and his lord shall
bore his ear (‫ )אזנו‬through”, and of the leper it is said, (Leviticus 14:25) “and the priest shall
put it upon the tip of the right ear (‫ )אזנו הימית‬of him that is to be cleansed”. — How is it in
that latter passage? It is the right ear! So here, too, it is the right ear. — What is the reason
that the ear had to be pierced rather than any other limb of the servant’s body? Rabban
Jochanan ben Zaccai said: That ear which heard on Mount Sinai, (Exodus 20:13) “Thou shalt
not steal” and yet its owner went and stole and was therefore sold as a slave — let it be
pierced! Or, in the case of him who sold himself from destitution, having committed no theft,
the reason is: That ear which heard on Mount Sinai what I said, (Leviticus 25:55) “For unto
Me the children Israel are servants” and yet its owner went and procured for himself another
master — let it be pierced! (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:6:3; Kiddushin 22b). Rabbi
Simeon interpreted this verse like a jewel (i. e. giving it an ethical signification): In what
respect are door and doorpost different from all other objects in the house that they should be
singled out for this purpose? God, in effect, said: door and doorpost that were eye-witnesses
in Egypt when I passed over the lintel and the two doorposts, freeing Israel from slavery, and
when I said, (Leviticus 25:55) “For unto Me the children of Israel are servants” — servants to
Me but not servants of servants (of human beings), and yet this man went and procured
another master for himself — let him be pieced in their presence (i. e. let them be eye-
witnesses now when this man voluntarily prolongs his state of slavery)! (Kiddushin 22b.)

‫ מַ ּגִיד ׁשֶ חֲמִּׁשִ ים‬,)‫ׁש ַּפחְּתֹו ּתָ ׁשּובּו (ויקרא כ"ה‬

ְ ‫ׁשמָעֹו? ּתַ "ֹל ְואִיׁש ֶאל ִמ‬
ְ ‫ עַד הַּיֹובֵל; אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא לְעֹולָם ְכ ַמ‬.‫ועבדו לעלם‬
)‫ ּבֵין סָמּוְך ּבֵין ֻמ ְפלָג (קידושין ט"ו‬,‫ ֶאּלָא עֹובְדֹו עַד הַּיֹובֵל‬,‫ׁשנָה‬ ָ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא עֹובְדֹו ּכָל ֲח ִמּׁשִים‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנָה קְרּוי ִים עֹולָם; וְֹלא‬
ָ :

‫ ועבדו לעלם‬AND HE SHALL SERVE HIM FOR EVER — This means until the Jubilee. Or,
perhaps this is not so, but ‫ לעולם‬means for ever as is its usual meaning? Scripture however,
states, (Leviticus 25:10) “[And ye shall sanctify the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty
throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof] and ye shall return every man unto his
family”. A comparison of these two passages tells us that a period of fifty years is termed
‫עולם‬. This does not, however, imply that he has to serve him a whole period of fifty years, but
that he has to serve him until the year of the Jubilee (the fiftieth year) whether this be close at
hand or far ahead (Kiddushin 15a; Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:6:6).
21:7

‫כּורה ק ֹדֶ ם‬ ָ ְ‫ ּו ַמה ּמ‬,‫ ָאמ ְַרּתָ ַקל וָחֹמֶר‬,‫ ִּב ְק ַטּנָה ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר; י ָכֹול ֲאפִּלּו ֵהבִיָאה סִי ָמנִים‬.‫וכי ימכר איש את בתו לאמה‬
‫מְכּורה אֵ ינֹו ּדִ ין‬
ָ ‫ׁשאֵינָּה‬
ֶ – ‫ּדֹורׁשִין אֹותֹו ְלסִי ָמנֵי נַעֲרּות‬
ְ ‫ׁשָאנּו‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּכָתּוב ְויָצְָאה ִחּנָם אֵין ָּכסֶף‬ ֶ ‫ָלכֵן יֹוצְָאה ְבסִי ָמנִין – ּכְמֹו‬
)‫ׁשֹּלא תִ ָּמכֵר (ערכין כ"ט‬ ֶ :

‫ וכי ימכר איש את בתו לאמה‬AND IF A MAN SELL HIS DAUGHTER TO BE A

MAIDSERVANT — The text speaks of a minor daughter (under 12 years of age). You might
think that he may sell her also although she may have shown signs of incipient puberty and is
no longer a minor! You must admit, however, that the à fortiori argument applies: How is it in
the case of a woman who was sold at an earlier age (as a minor)? She goes free on showing
signs of incipient puberty, as it is said, (v. 11) “then shall she go out free without money”,
which law we explain to refer to a woman who has showed such signs during the period of
slavery! Is it not the conclusion that she who is of such an age and has not yet been sold shall
not be sold at all?! (Arakhin 29b, cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:7:1).

‫ אֹו‬,‫ ֲאבָל זֹו ֹלא תֵ צֵא ְּבׁשֵן ָו ַעי ִן ֶאּלָא עֹובֶדֶ ת ׁשֵׁש‬,‫ ּכִיצִיַאת ֲעבָדִ ים ְּכנַ ֲענִים ׁשֶּיֹו ְצאִים ְּבׁשֵן ָו ַעי ִן‬.‫לא תצא כצאת העבדים‬
‫ אֹו אֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא ֹלא תֵ צֵא‬.‫ׁשּנָּה‬ ִ ‫ וְנֹותֵ ן לָּה ּדְ מֵי עֵינָּה אֹו ּדְ מֵי‬,‫ ְוכָל הַּקֹודֵ ם קֹודֵ ם ְלחֵרּותָ ּה‬,‫ אֹו עַד ׁשֶּתָ בִיא סִי ָמנִין‬,‫עַד הַּיֹובֵל‬
‫ מָ ה‬,‫ ַמּקִיׁש ִעב ְִרּי ָה ְל ִעב ְִרי ְלכָל יְצִיאֹותָ יו‬,‫ְּכצֵאת ָה ֲעבָדִ ים ְּבׁשֵׁש ּובַּיֹובֵל? ּתַ "ֹל ּכִי י ִ ָּמכֵר לְָך ָאחִיָך ָה ִעב ְִרי אֹו ָה ִעב ְִרּי ָה‬
‫ ּו ַמהּו ֹלא תֵ צֵא ְּכצֵאת ָה ֲעבָדִ ים? ֹלא תֵ צֵא ב ְָראׁשֵ י אֵ ב ִָרים‬,‫ ַאף ִעב ְִרּי ָה יֹוצְָאה ְבׁשֵׁש ּובַּיֹובֵל‬,‫ִעב ְִרי יֹוצֵא ְבׁשֵׁש ּובַּיֹובֵל‬
‫ מָה ָה ִעב ְִרּי ָה אֵ ינָּה‬,‫ ַמּקִיׁש ִעב ְִרי ְל ִעב ְִרּי ָה‬,‫ַּכ ֲעבָדִ ים ְּכנַ ֲענִּי ִים; י ָכֹול ָה ִעב ְִרי יֹוצֵא ב ְָראׁשֵי ֵאב ִָרים? ּתַ "ֹל ָה ִעב ְִרי אֹו ָה ִעב ְִרּי ָה‬
)‫ ַאף הּוא אֵינֹו יֹוצֵא ב ְָראׁשֵי ֵאב ִָרים (מכילתא‬,‫יֹוצְָאה ב ְָראׁשֵי ֵאב ִָרים‬:

‫ לא תצא כצאת העבדים‬SHE SHALL NOT GO OUT AS THE MENSERVANTS DO — i. e. not

under the circumstances that the Canaanitish menservants’ departure takes place, for these go
free in consequence of the loss of their tooth or eye inflicted by their master; this woman,
however, shall not go free because of such loss of her tooth or eye, but shall serve either six
years or until the Jubilee, or until she shows signs of incipient puberty. Whichsoever of these
periods comes first brings her freedom first. — He (the master), however, has to pay her the
value of her eye or the value of her tooth. — Or perhaps this is not so, but, “she shall not go
out as the men-servants do,” means she shall not go free as the Hebrew menservants do, viz.,
at the end of six years or at the Jubilee? Scripture, however, states, (Deuteronomy 15:12) And
if thy brother, an Hebrew man or an Hebrew woman be sold unto thee”, comparing the
Hebrew woman with the Hebrew man in regard to all reasons for departure (i. e. also with
regard to her going free in the Jubilee, for that she goes free in the seventh year is stated in the
text just quoted). How is it in the case of a Hebrew man? He goes free at the end of six years
and at the Jubilee! So, too, does the Hebrew woman go free at the end of six years and at the
Jubilee. What then do these words mean: “she shall not go out as the menservants do”? They
mean: she shall not go free in consequence of the loss of one of “the tips of her limbs” (i. e.
the ends of limbs that project from the body) (cf. Mishnah Negaim 6:7) inflicted by the
master, as the Canaanitish servants do when they that lose “the tips of their limbs” (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:3:1; Kiddushin 20a). Incidentally I may add that you might think that
the Hebrew manservant shall go free in consequence of loss of one of the tips of his limbs and
that only the Hebrew maidservant differs in this respect from the Canaanitish servant, since
Scripture expressly specified her in the words: she shall not go out free etc. Scripture,
however, states “an Hebrew man or an Hebrew woman” thereby comparing the Hebrew man
with the Hebrew woman. What is the case with the Hebrew woman? She does not go free in
consequence of loss of one of “the tips of her limbs”! So, too, the Hebrew man does not go
free as compensation for the injury inflicted on one of “the tips of his limbs” (cf. Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:3:1).
21:8

‫ׂשָאה חֵן ְּבעֵינָיו ְל ָכנְסָּה‬

ְ ָ‫ׁשֹּלא נ‬
ֶ .‫אם רעה בעיני אדניה‬:

‫ אם רעה בעיני אדניה‬IF SHE BE EVIL IN THE EYES OF HER LORD — i. e. that she did not
find favour in his eyes so that he might be induced to marry her (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 21:8:1).

‫ ְו ֶכסֶף ְקנִּי ָתָ ּה הּוא ֶכסֶף קִּדּוׁשֶיהָ; ְוכָאן ָרמַז לְָך ַהּכָתּוב ׁשֶּמִ ְצוָה‬,‫ּׁשה‬
ָ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה לֹו ְליַעֲדָ ּה ּו ְל ַה ְכנִיסָּה לֹו ְל ִא‬
ֶ .‫אשר לא יעדה‬
)‫ׁשאֵינָּה צ ְִריכָה קִּדּוׁשִין אֲ ח ִֵרים (קידושין י"ח‬ ֶ ‫ ו ְָרמַז לְָך‬,‫ ְּבי ִעּוד‬:

‫ אשר לו יעדה‬means: [IF SHE BE EVIL IN THE EYES OF HER LORD] WHO OUGHT TO
HAVE DESIGNATED HER to be his wife and ought to have married her, her purchase-
money serving as the money necessary to contract a marriage (‫)כסף קידושין‬. Scripture hereby
implicitly tells you that it is his duty to designate her for himself, and since it makes no
mention of the manner in which the marriage is to be contracted it implicitly tells you at the
same time that she requires no other rite of marriage than the passing of the purchase-money
from the master to her father (cf. Kiddushin 19a, Bekhorot 13a).

‫ׁשַאף הּוא ְמ ַסּי ֵ ַע ְּבפִדְ יֹונָּה; ּו ַמה הּוא ָמקֹום ׁשֶּנֹותֵ ן לָּה? ׁשֶּמְ ג ֵָר ַע מִ ּפִדְ יֹונָּה‬
ֶ – ‫ י ִּתֵ ן לָּה ָמקֹום ְל ִהּפָדֹות ְו ָלצֵאת‬.‫והפדה‬
‫אֹומְרים‬
ִ ,‫ׁש ְּקנָ ָאּה ְּב ָמנֶה ְו ָעׂשְתָ ה ֶאצְלֹו ׁשְּתֵ י ׁשָ נִים‬
ֶ ‫ ּכֵיצַד? ה ֲֵרי‬.‫ְכּורה ֶאצְלֹו‬ָ ‫ׁש ָעׂשְתָ ה אֶ צְלֹו ְּכ ִאּלּו הִיא ׂש‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשנִים‬ָ ‫ְּב ִמ ְסּפַר ַה‬
‫ ְו ָעׂשְתָ ה אֶ ְצלְָך ׁשְּתֵ י‬,‫ׁשּׁשִית ַה ָּמנֶה‬ ִ ‫ׁשנָה ְּב‬
ָ ‫ׁשנָה ְו‬ָ ‫ׁש ָּקנִיתָ עֲבֹודַ ת ּכָל‬ֶ ‫ נִ ְמצָא‬,‫ׁשעֲתִ ידָ ה ָלצֵאת לְסֹוף ׁשֵׁש‬ ֶ ָ‫ יֹודֵ ַע ָהי ִית‬,‫לֹו‬
‫ׁשלִיׁשִּיֹות ַה ָּמנֶה וְתֵ צֵא מֵ אֶ ְצלְָך‬ ְ ‫ׁשנֵי‬
ְ ‫ ט ֹל‬,‫ׁשלִיׁשִית ַה ָּמנֶה‬ ְ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,‫ׁשנִים‬ ָ :

‫ והפדה‬means he shall afford her the opportunity to obtain her release from service — that he
himself must cooperate in respect to the amount of her ransom. And what is this opportunity
he has to give her? That he allows her a deduction from her ransom corresponding to the
number of years she has served in his house, as though she were only hired by him. How can
this be done? Supposing he had bought her for a maneh (one hundred shekels) and she had
served him two years. We say to him: “You knew that she was to go free at the end of six
years; it follows then that you bought the labour of each year for one sixth of a maneh. Now
she has served you two years, that is the equivalent of one-third of the maneh: accept
therefore two-thirds of a maneh as a ransom and let her go free out of your house (Kiddushin
14b).

)‫ּׁשאי ְל ָמכ ְָרּה לְַאחֵר ֹלא הָָאדֹון וְֹלא הָָאב (שם‬

ַ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו ַר‬
ֶ .‫לעם נכרי לא ימשל למכרה‬:

‫ לעם נכרי לא ימשל למכרה‬means that neither the master nor the father has a right to sell her to
another Jewish man (Kiddushin 18a),

‫ׁש ָּבגַד ּבָּה ּומְ כ ָָרּה ָלז ֶה‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן ָאבִי ָה ֵמַאחַר‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ְל ַקּי ֵם ּבָּה ִמ ְצוַת י ִעּוד‬
ֶ ,‫ אִם ּבָא ִלבְּג ֹד ּבָּה‬.‫בבגדו בה‬:

‫ בבגדו בה‬SEEING THAT HE HATH DEALT DECEITFULLY WITH HER — If “he” means
the master then these words signify: if he intends to deal faithlessly with her, i. e. if he does
not intend to fulfil the commandment of “Jiud” (of designating her to himself). So also the
father — he has no right to sell her to another man since he has dealt faithlessly with her as a
father having sold her to this man (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:8:4; Kiddushin 18b).

21:9
 ,‫ׁשּה קִּדּוׁשִ ין אֲ ח ִֵרים‬ ָ ְ‫ ְואֵינֹו צ ִָריְך ְלקַּד‬,‫ׁשַאף ּבְנֹו קָם ּתַ חְּתָ יו ְליַעֲדָ ּה אִם י ְִרצֶה ָאבִיו‬
ֶ ‫ הָָאדֹון; ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫ואם לבנו ייעדנה‬
‫ׁש ִּקּבֵל ָאבִיְך ּבְדָ מַ י ְִך‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא אֹומֵר לָּה ה ֲֵרי אַּתְ מְיֹעֶדֶ ת לִי ַּב ֶּכסֶף‬:

‫ ואם לבנו יעדנה‬AND IF HE HATH BETROTHED HER TO HIS SON — “He” means the
master (not like “he” in the previous verse where it refers both to the master and to the father).
The verse teaches you that the son also may succeed to his father’s rights to betroth her to
himself, if his father consents to it. Then it is not necessary for him either (just as is not
obligatory for his father; cf. v. 8) to perform another act of betrothal, but he merely says to
her: “You are designated for me as my wife by means of the money which your father has
received from my father as your price” (Kiddushin 19a).

)‫ׁשאֵר ּכְסּות וְעֹונָה (מכילתא‬

ְ .‫כמשפט הבנות‬:

‫[ כמשפט הבנות‬HE SHALL DO UNTO HER] AFTER THE MANNER OF DAUGHTERS —

who may claim food, clothing and marital duty (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:9:2).

21:10

‫ ָעלֶי ָה‬.‫אם אחרת יקח לו‬:

‫ אם אחרת יקח לו‬IF HE TAKE HIM ANOTHER WIFE — besides her,

‫ מִן הָָא ָמה ׁשֶ ּיָעַד לֹו ְכבָר‬.‫שארה כסותה וענתה לא יגרע‬:

‫ שארה כסותה וענתה לא יגרע‬HER FOOD, HER RAIMENT AND THE MARITAL DUTY
SHALL HE NOT WITHHOLD — from the maidservant whom he has already designated as
his wife.

‫ מְזֹונֹות‬.‫שארה‬:

‫ שארה‬means FOOD;

‫ ּכְמַׁשְמָעֹו‬.‫כסותה‬.

‫ כסותה‬means what the literal sense of the word is:RAIMENT;

)‫ׁשמִיׁש (כתובות מ"ז‬

ְ ַ‫ ּת‬.‫ענתה‬:

‫ ענתה‬means THE MARITAL DUTY (Ketuvot 47b).

21:11

‫ אֹו יְג ֵָר ַע‬,‫ אֹו ִלבְנֹו‬,‫ּׁשֹלׁש? י ִיעָדֶ ּנָה לֹו‬

ָ ‫ׂשה לָּה; ּו ָמה הֵן ַה‬
ֶ ‫ּׁש ֹלׁש ֵאּלֶה ֹלא י ַ ֲע‬
ְ ‫ אִם ַאחַת ִמ‬.‫ואם שלש אלה לא יעשה לה‬
‫ ְוהִיא ֹלא ָהי ָה ְבי ָדָ ּה ִלפְּדֹות אֶת ַעצְמָ ּה‬,‫ ֹלא לֹו וְֹלא ִלבְנֹו‬,‫ ְוז ֶה ֹלא יְעָדָ ּה‬,‫ ִמּפִדְ יֹונָּה וְתֵ צֵא‬:

‫ ואם שלש אלה לא יעשה לה‬means IF HE DO NOT one of THESE THREE UNTO HER. What are
these three? He should designate her to himself as his wife, or to his son, or allow her a
deduction from the ransom so that she may go free (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:11:1).
This man, however, has neither betrothed her to himself, nor to his son, and she herself does
not possess the entire sum paid for her originally that she might buy herself out, therefore
shall she go out free without money.

‫ ּו ַמה הִיא ַהיְצִיָאה? ִלּמֶדְ ָך ׁשֶּתֵ צֵא ְבסִי ָמנִין וְתִ ׁשְ הֶה עִּמֹו עֹוד‬,‫ ִרּבָה לָּה יְצִיָאה לָזֹו יֹותֵ ר ִמ ַּמה ּׁש ִֶרּבָה ָל ֲעבָדִ ים‬.‫ויצאה חנם‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ָה ִעב ְִרי אֹו ָה ִעב ְִרּי ָה ַו ֲעבָדְ ָך ׁשֵׁש‬
ֶ ,‫ ְּכבָר ָלמַדְ נּו ׁשֶּתֵ צֵא‬,‫ׁשנִים ק ֹדֶ ם סִי ָמנִין‬
ָ ‫ – ְואִם ִהּגִיעּו ׁשֵׁש‬,‫עַד ׁשֶּתָ בִיא סִי ָמנִין‬
‫ אֹו אֵינֹו אֹומֵר ׁשֶּתֵ צֵא‬.‫ׁשנִים ּתֵ צֵא ָבהֵן‬ ָ ‫ׁשאִם קָדְ מּו סִי ָמנִים ְלׁשֵׁש‬ ֶ ?‫ׁשָ נִים (דברים ט"ו ) – ּו ַמהּו הָָאמּור ּכָאן ְויָצְָאה ִחּנָם‬
‫ ְלכְָך‬,‫ׁשנֵיהֶם ָהי ִיתִ י אֹומֵר ְויָצְָאה ִחּנָם זֹו ַבגְרּות‬ ְ ‫ֶאּלָא ְּב ַבגְרּות? ּתַ "ֹל אֵין ָּכסֶף ל ְַרּבֹות יְצִיַאת ַּבגְרּות; ְואִם ֹלא נֶ ֶאמְרּו‬
)‫ׁשֹּלא לִּתֵ ן ּפִתְ חֹון ּפֶה ְל ַבעַל הַּדִ ין ַלחֲֹלק (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנֵיהֶם‬ ְ ‫ נֶ ֶאמְרּו‬:

‫ ויצאה חנם‬THEN SHALL SHE GO OUT FOR NOTHING (i. e. without making any payment)
— Scripture adds in her case one more way of acquiring freedom than it provides for
menservants. What is this additional way of acquiring freedom? This verse teaches you that
she goes free also on account of having shown signs of incipient puberty: but she must stay
with him until she reaches this stage of incipient puberty. For that she goes free if the
termination of the six years happened to come before the signs of incipient puberty we have
already learned, since it is said, (Deuteronomy 15:12) ,‘[and if thy brother], an Hebrew man,
or an Hebrew woman [be sold unto thee], and serve thee six years [then in the seventh year
thou shalt let him go free from thee]” (cf. Rashi v. 7). What then must be the meaning of what
is stated here, “she shall go out for nothing”? That when the signs of incipient puberty appear
before the six years are at end she shall go out on account of them. Or perhaps Scripture states
here that she shall go free only when she has reached the intermediate stage of womenhood (
‫בגרות‬, fuller development after twelve years and a half), if this stage happened to be reached
before the termination of the six years! To teach this Scripture states “without money” —
which would be superfluous since it has already said “she shall go out ‫ — ”חנם‬in order to add
as another date of her acquiring freedom the time of her reaching this stage of womanhood.
And though it necessarily follows that she goes free an reaching the state of ‫ בגרות‬since her
freedom is brought about even by the earlier stage of ‫ נערות‬yet if Scripture had not used both
terms (both ‫ חנם‬and ‫)אין כסף‬, I might have said that ‫ ויצאה חנם‬refers to the stage of
womanhood; therefore both expressions are used in order to give a disputant no opportunity to
offer a different explanation (i. e. Scripture wishes to be quite clear on the point in order to
preclude all possibility of misunderstanding) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:11:3; Kiddushin
4a).

21:12

‫ אֲ פ ֵָרׁש‬,‫ּׁש ְּבי ָדִ י ְלפ ֵָרׁש ָל ָּמה בָאּו ֻכּלָם‬

ֶ ‫ ּו ַמה‬,‫ ַּכ ָּמה כְתּובִים נֶ ֶאמְרּו ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת רֹו ְצחִין‬.‫מכה איש ומת‬:

‫ מכה איש ומת‬WHOSOEVER SMITETH A MAN SO THAT HE DIE [SHALL SURELY BE

PUT TO DEATH] — Many apparently redundant verses have been written in various sections
of the Torah dealing with murderers and I shall explain to the best of my ability why all these
statements have been made.

,‫ ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע אֲ נִי ַהּכָָאה בְֹלא מִ יתָ ה‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְואִיׁש ּכִי יַּכֶה ּכָל נֶפֶׁש ָאדָ ם (ויקרא כ"ד‬ ֶ ‫ ָל ָּמה נֶ ֱאמַר? ְלפִי‬.‫מכה איש ומת‬
‫ ָהי ִיתִ י‬,‫ׁשל מִיתָ ה; ְואִם נֶ ֱאמַר ַמּכֵה אִיׁש וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ְואִיׁש ּכִי יַּכֶה‬ ֶ ‫ּתַ לְמּוד לֹומַר ַמּכֵה אִיׁש ָומֵת – אֵינֹו ַחּי ָב אֶ ּלָא ְּב ַהּכָָאה‬
;‫ּׁשה ְואֶת ַה ָּקטָן ִמּנַי ִן? ּתַ "ֹל ּכִי יַּכֶה ּכָל נֶפֶׁש ָאדָ ם – ֲאפִּלּו ָקטָן וַאֲ פִּלּו אִּׁשָ ה‬
ָ ‫ ִהּכָה אֶת ָה ִא‬,‫ׁשּיַּכֶה אִיׁש‬ ֶ ‫אֹומֵר אֵינֹו ַחּי ָב עַד‬
‫ וְֹלא ָקטָן ׁשֶ ִהּכָה; וְעֹוד ּכִי‬,‫ ּתַ "ֹל ְואִיׁש ּכִי יַּכֶה‬,‫ׁש ִהּכָה ְוה ַָרג יְהֵא ַחּי ָב‬ ֶ ‫ ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ֲאנִי אֲ פִּלּו קָ טָן‬,‫ ִאּלּו נֶ ֱאמַר ַמּכֵה אִיׁש‬,‫וְעֹוד‬
)‫ׁשּיַּכֶה בֶן קַ ּי ָ ָמא ה ָָראּוי ִלהְיֹות אִ יׁש (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ אֵינֹו ַחּי ָב עַד‬,‫ ּתַ "ֹל ַמּכֵה אִיׁש‬,‫ׁשמָע‬ ְ ‫ יַּכֶה ּכָל נֶפֶׁש ָאדָ ם אֲ פִּלּו נְ ָפלִים ְּב ַמ‬:

‫ מכה איש ומת‬WHOSOEVER SMITETH A MAN SO THAT HE DIE — Why is this said (how
does the particular form of words used here tell us some point of law which is not contained
in another text bearing upon the same subject)? Since it is said, (Leviticus 24:17) “And the
man that smiteth (‫ )יכה‬any person (more lit., the soul of any human being) [shall surely be put
to death]”, I might have inferred that mere smiting without resultant death is subject to the
death penalty. Scripture therefore states here, “Whosoever smiteth a man so that he die [shall
surely be put to death]”, thus telling you that he is not punishable with death unless the stroke
proves fatal. On the other hand if it had stated here, “Whosoever smiteth a man…” and it had
not said there “If a man smiteth [any person]”, I might have inferred that the murderer is not
guilty except if he killed “a man”; whence, however, could I know that he is subject to the
death penalty if he killed a woman or a minor? Therefore Scripture states “And if [a man]
smiteth any person”, thus including even a minor and a woman. Then again: if it had stated
only, “Whosoever smiteth a man” I might have inferred that even a minor who smote and
killed a person is punishable with death. Scripture therefore states “and if a man smiteth” — a
man but not a minor. Then on the other hand, so far as concerns the statement “And if [a man]
smiteth the soul of any man” it might be held that even premature births at a term of eight
months are included in the term ‫“ כל נפש אדם‬soul of any man”, Scripture therefore states
“Whosoever smiteth a man” to intimate that one is not subject to the death penalty unless he
kills a viable child — one which is fitted to become a man (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21:12:2).

21:13

‫ָארב לֹו וְֹלא נִתְ ַּכּוֵן‬

ַ ‫ ֹלא‬.‫ואשר לא צדה‬:

‫ ואשר לא צדה‬AND IF A MAN LIE NOT IN WAIT — i. e. if he did not lie in ambush for him
(the person whom he killed), nor did he premeditate the blow (Makkot 7b).

"‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר " ְואַּתָ ה צ ֹדֶ ה אֶת נַ ְפׁשִי" (שמואל א כ"ד); וְֹלא י ִּתָ כֵן לֹומַר צָדָ ה לְׁשֹון " ַהּצָד ַצי ִד‬,‫ָארב‬ ַ ‫ לְׁשֹון‬.‫צדה‬
,‫ ּופֹעַל ׁשֶ ּלֹו צֹודֶ ה‬,‫ ְוז ֶה ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר ּבֹו צְדִ ּי ָה‬,‫ ְוׁשֵם ּדָ בָר ּבָּה ַצי ִד‬,‫ׁשּלָּה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּצִידַ ת חַּיֹות אֵין נֹופֵל ה"א ּבְפֹעַל‬ ֶ ,) ‫(בראשית כ"ז‬
‫ ְואֵין ֲאנִי מֹודֶ ה לֹו; וְאִ ם‬,‫ ּו ְמנַחֵם ִחּבְרֹו ְּב ֵחלֶק צָד ַצי ִד‬.‫ וְאֹומֵר ֲאנִי ּפִתְ רֹונֹו ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו – ּודְ לָא ְכמַן לֵּה‬.‫ׁשּלֹו צָד‬ ֶ ‫ְוז ֶה הַּפֹעַל‬
,)'‫אֹורה" (שמואל א כ‬ ֶ ‫ "צִּדָ ה‬,)‫ׂשאּו" (ישעיהו ס"ו‬ ֵ ָ‫ נְ ַחּב ְֶרּנּו ְב ֵחלֶק "עַל צַד ּתִ ּנ‬,‫ׁשל צָד‬
ֶ ‫י ֵׁש ְל ַחּבְרֹו ּבְַאחַת ִמ ַּמ ְחלָקֹות‬
‫ ַאף ּכָאן ֲאׁשֶר ֹלא צָדָ ה – ֹלא צִּדֵ ד ִלמְצ ֹא לֹו ׁשּום צַד מִיתָ ה; וְַאף ז ֶה י ֵׁש ְלה ְַרהֵר‬,) '‫"ּו ִמּלִין ְלצַד ִעּלָָאה י ְ ַמּלֵל" (דניאל ז‬
‫אֹורב הּוא‬ֵ ‫ ִמּכָל ָמקֹום לְׁשֹון‬,‫ ָעלָיו‬:

‫ צדה‬is a term denoting “lying in wait”; similarly it says, (I Samuel 24:12) “yet thou liest in
wait (‫ )צדה‬for my soul to take it”. It is, however, not correct to say that ‫ צדה‬is of the same
derivation as, (Genesis 27:34) ‫“ הצד ציד‬he that hath hunted (‫ )הצד‬venison”, for a ‫ ה‬has no place
in the verbal forms of the term denoting “hunting beasts”. Then again, the noun form of the
latter is ‫ ַצי ִד‬and that of the former ‫צְדִ י ָה‬, whilst the participle of the verb “lying in wait” is ‫צֹודֶ ה‬
and that of the other is ‫צָד‬. I therefore say that its meaning is as the Targum gives it: “and if he
did not lie in ambush for him”. Menachem ben Seruk placed it in the same section as ‫הצד ציד‬
(i. e. he held that the root is ‫ צד‬and that it has the meaning of “hunting”), but I do not agree
with him. If it is to be placed in one of the sections of ‫ צד‬we had better place it in the same
section as, (Isaiah 66:12) ‫“ על צד תנשאו‬ye shall be borne upon her side (‫ ”)צד‬and (I Samuel
20:20) “and I will shoot [three arrows] on the side thereof (‫”)צדה‬, and (Daniel 7:25) “and he
shall speak towards the side of (against) the Most High”. Thus, here, the words ‫אשד לא צדה‬
could be taken to mean, “he did not turn aside (‫ ”)צִּדֵ ד‬to seek some side (occasion) for killing
him. But there are objections even to this explanation. At any rate, even if it be connected
with ‫ צד‬in this sense, it would still have the meaning “lying in wait”.
,)‫ "ֹלא י ְ ֻאּנֶה ַלּצַּדִ יק ּכָל ָאוֶן" (משלי י"ב‬,)‫ לְׁשֹון "ֹלא תְ ֻאּנֶה אֵ לֶיָך ָרעָה" (תהילים צ"א‬,‫ זִּמֵן ְלי ָדֹו‬.‫והאלהים אנה לידו‬
‫"מִתְ ַאּנֶה הּוא לִי" (מלכים ב ה') – ִמז ְּדַ ּמֵן לִמְצ ֹא לִי ִעּלָה‬:

‫ והאלהים אנה לידו‬means, BUT GOD GOT IT READY FOR HIS HAND. It has the same
meaning as this root has in, (Psalms 91:10) “No evil shall be got ready (‫ )תאנה‬for thee”;
(Proverbs 12:21) “There shall no evil be got ready (‫ )תאנה‬for the just”; (2 Kings 5:7) “he gets
himself ready (‫ )מתאנה‬for me”, i. e. he gets himself ready to discover some occasion against
me.

"‫ׁשעִים יֵצֵא ֶרׁשַע‬ ָ ‫ׁשל ַהּקַדְ מֹנִי מ ְֵר‬ַ ‫ׁשָאמַר ּדָ וִד " ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר י ֹאמַר ְמ‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ָל ָּמה תֵ צֵא ז ֹאת ִמ ְּל ָפנָיו? הּוא‬.‫והאלהים אנה לידו‬
‫תֹורה‬
ָ ‫ָאמְרה‬ ָ ‫ׁשל עֹולָם; ְוהֵיכָן‬ ֶ ‫ׁשהּוא קַדְ מֹונֹו‬ֶ ‫ׁשל ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬ ַ ‫ׁשהִיא ְמ‬ ֶ ,‫ַּתֹורה‬ָ ‫ׁשל ַהּקַדְ מֹונִי הִיא ה‬ ַ ‫(שמואל א כ"ד ); ּו ְמ‬
‫ וְֹלא הָיּו‬,‫ אֶ חָד ה ַָרג ׁשֹוגֵג ְו ֶאחָד ה ַָרג מֵ ז ִיד‬,‫ׁשנֵי ְבנֵי ָאדָ ם‬ ְ ‫ ַּב ֶּמה ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר? ִּב‬.‫ׁשעִים יֵצֵא ֶרׁשַע? ְו ָה ֱאֹלהִים ִאּנָה ְלי ָדֹו‬ ָ ‫מֵר‬
ְ
‫ׁשב ּתַ חַת ַה ֻּסּלָם ְוז ֶה‬
ֵ ‫ׁשה ַָרג ְּב ֵמז ִיד יֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ז ֶה‬,‫ ְו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְמז ַ ְּמנָן ְל ֻפנְדָ ק ֶאחָד‬,‫ ְוז ֶה ֹלא גָלָה‬,‫ ז ֶה ֹלא נֶה ֱַרג‬,‫ׁשּיָעִידּו‬
ֶ ‫עֵדִ ים ּבַּדָ בָר‬
‫ נִמְ צָא ז ֶה ׁשֶ ה ַָרג‬,‫ ְועֵדִ ים ְמעִידִ ים ָעלָיו ּו ְמ ַחּיְבִים אֹותֹו ִלגְלֹות‬,‫ְהֹורגֹו‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ַָרג ְּב ֵמז ִיד ו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשֶ ה ַָרג ׁשֹוגֵג עֹולֶה ַּב ֻּסּלָם וְנֹופֵל עַל ז ֶה‬
)'‫ׁשה ַָרג ְּב ֵמז ִיד נֶה ֱָרג (מכות י‬ ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶה‬,‫ּבְׁשֹוגֵג ּגֹולֶה‬:

‫ והאלהים אנה לידו‬BUT GOD GOT IT READY FOR HIS HAND — But why should this go
forth from Him (be brought about by God)? This is just what David tells us: (I Samuel 24:13)
“As says the proverb of the ancient (‫“ )הקדמני‬Wickedness proceededeth from the wicked”. —
“The proverb of the ‫ ”קדמני‬is the Torah, the maxim of God, Who it the “Ancient” (Whose
existence preceded that) of the world. But where indeed does the Torah say, “Wickedness
proceedeth from the wicked”? It says it implicitly in the verse: “But God got it ready for his
hand”. For what is Scripture here speaking about? About two men, one of whom killed a
person with premeditation and the other killed inadvertently, and in neither case were there
witnesses to the deed who could testify about it. Consequently, the former was not put to
death and the latter was not forced into banishment to a city of refuge (cf. Numbers 35:11).
Now God brings them together at the same inn. He who killed with premeditation happens to
sit beneath a ladder, and the other who killed inadvertently ascends the ladder and falls, when
descending it, upon the man who killed with premeditation and kills him. Witnesses now
being present they testify against him, so compelling him to be banished to one of the cities of
refuge. The result is that he who killed inadvertently is actually banished and he who killed
with premeditation actually suffers death (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:13:1 and Makkot
10b).

)‫ ְואֵי ז ֶה ָמקֹום קֹולְטֹו? ז ֶה ַמ ֲחנֵה ְל ִוּי ָה (מכילתא‬,‫ׁש ָּמה‬

ָ ‫ׁשּי ָנּוס‬
ֶ ,‫ ַאף ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר‬.‫ושמתי לך מקום‬:

‫ ושמתי לך מקום‬AND I WILL APPOINT THEE A PLACE — in the wilderness also —

WHITHER HE SHALL FLEE — Which was the place that offered him an asylum? The camp
of the Levites (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:13:2; Makkot 12b).

21:14

‫ׁשהֵמִ ית ּבְמַ לְקּות‬

ֶ ‫ׁשלִי ַח ּבֵית ּדִ ין‬
ְ ‫ׁש ֵהמִית ּו‬
ֶ ‫ וְרֹופֵא‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַמּכֵה אִיׁש וְגֹו' ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע אֲ נִי ֲאפִּלּו ּגֹוי‬
ֶ ‫ ָל ָּמה נֶ ֱאמַר? ְלפִי‬.‫וכי יזד‬
,‫ עַל ֵרעֵהּו – וְֹלא עַל ּגֹוי‬,‫ ּתַ "ֹל ְוכִי יָז ִד – וְֹלא ׁשֹוגֵג‬,‫ ְוהַּׁשֹוגֵג‬,‫ ְוהָָאב ַה ַּמּכֶה אֶת ּבְנֹו ְוה ַָרב הָרֹודֶ ה אֶת ּתַ ְלמִידֹו‬,‫ַאר ָּבעִים‬
ְ
)‫ׁשהֵם ְמז ִידִ ין אֵין ַמע ֲִרימִ ין (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ׁשַאף עַל ּפִי‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשלִי ַח ּבֵית ּדִ ין ְוהָרֹופֵא וְרֹודֶ ה בְנֹו וְתַ ְלמִידֹו‬ ְ ‫ ְלה ְָרגֹו ְבע ְָר ָמה – וְֹלא‬:

‫ וכי יזד‬AND IF A MAN ACT INTENTIONALLY — Why is this stated at all (since v. 13
expressly provides a place for the murderer only if he does not lie in wait)? Since it is said, (v.
12) “Whosoever smiteth a man [so that he die shall be put to death]”, I might infer that this is
so even if the victim is a heathen, and that there it included even a physician who kills a
person as a result of his treatment, and a court-officer who kills a man when inflicting on him
the forty lashes, and a father who beats and thereby kills his son, and a teacher who chastises
his pupil and thereby kills him, and one who kills in error (‫שוגג‬, i. e. one who intended to kill a
certain person but missed the mark and killed another instead — ‫!)נתכוין להרוג את זה והרג את זה‬
Scripture therefore states here: “if a man acts intentionally (‫ — ”)יזיד‬but not in error (‫;)שוגג‬
“against his fellowman (‫ — ”)רעהו‬but not against a heathen; “to slay with guile (‫— ”)בערמה‬
thus excluding the court-officer, the physician, and one who chastises his son or his pupil for
all these though acting intentionally do not do so with guile (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21:14:1).

)‫ אִם ָהי ָה כֹהֵן וְרֹוצֶה ַלעֲב ֹד עֲבֹודָ ה ּתִ ָּקחֶנּו לָמּות (יומא פ"ה‬.‫מעם מזבחי‬:

‫ מעם מזבחי תקחנו למות‬THOU SHALT TAKE HIM FROM MY ALTAR, THAT HE MAY DIE
— even if he is a priest and stands at the altar intending to officiate thou shalt take him away
that he die (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:14:4; Yoma 85a).

21:15

‫ ֻהצ ְַרְך לֹומַר עַל הַחֹובֵל ּבְָאבִיו ׁשֶ הּוא‬,‫ׁשלּומִין וְֹלא ְבמִיתָ ה‬ ְ ַ‫ׁשהּוא בְת‬ֶ ‫ׁש ִּלּמְדָ נּו עַל הַחֹובֵל ַּב ֲחבֵרֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫ומכה אביו ואמו‬
)‫ַּבּורה (סנהדרין פ"ה‬ ָ ‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ּבָּה ח‬
ֶ ‫ ְואֵינֹו ַחּי ָב ֶאּלָא ְב ַהּכָָאה‬,‫ ְבמִיתָ ה‬:

‫ ומכה אביו ואמו‬AND HE THAT SMITETH HIS FATHER OR HIS MOTHER [SHALL
SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH] — Because Scripture has taught us that he who inflicts a
wound upon his fellow-man is liable for damages (cf. Rashi on Exodus 21:24) but is not
subject to death, it was compelled to state that he who inflicts a wound on his father or his
mother is subject to the death penalty (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:15:3). He is, however,
not punishable with death except for a blow which causes a wound (Sanhedrin 85b).

‫ אֹו ז ֶה אֹו ז ֶה‬.‫אביו ואמו‬:

‫ אביו ואמו‬means either his father or his mother (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:15:2).

)‫ ְּב ֶחנֶק (מכילתא‬.‫מות יומת‬:

‫ מות יומת‬SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH — by strangulation (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael

21:15:4).

21:16

‫ אֵין לִי אֶ ּלָא אִ יׁש ׁשֶ ָּגנַב‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּכִי י ִ ָּמצֵא אִיׁש ּגֹונֵב נֶפֶׁש ֵמ ֶאחָיו (דברים כ"ד‬ ֶ ‫ ָלּמָה נֶ ֱאמַר? ְלפִי‬.‫וגנב איש ומכרו‬
‫ אֵין לִי אֶ ּלָא ּגֹונֵב‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱא' ּכָאן וְגֹנֵב אִיׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְלפִי‬.‫ׁש ָּגנְבּו ִמּנַי ִן? ּתַ "ֹל וְגֹנֵב אִיׁש ּו ְמכָרֹו‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשה אֹו ֻטמְטּום אֹו ַאנְּדְ רֹוגִינֹוס‬
ָ ‫ ִא‬,‫נֶפֶׁש‬
)‫ּׁש ִחּסֵר ז ֶה ִּגּלָה ז ֶה (סנהדרין שם‬ ֶ ‫ ַמה‬,‫ׁשנֵיהֶם‬ ְ ‫ ְלכְָך ֻהצ ְְרכּו‬,‫ּׁשה ִמּנַי ִן? ּתַ "ֹל ּגֹנֵב נֶפֶׁש‬ָ ִ‫ ּגֹונֵב א‬,‫ אִיׁש‬:

‫ וגנב איש ומכרו‬AND HE THAT STEALETH A MAN, AND SELLETH HIM, [AND HE BE
PREVIOUSLY FOUND IN HIS HAND, HE SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH] —
Why is this statement made (how does the particular form of words used here tell us some
point of law which is not contained in another text bearing upon the same subject)? Since it is
said, (Deuteronomy 24:7) “If a man be found stealing any of his brethren … [then that thief
shall die]”, I might say that I have here only the law that a man who stole a person is
punishable with death. Whence, however, do I know that this is also the case if a woman or a
person whose sex is not distinguishable or a hermaphrodite (‫ )טומטום ואנדרונינוס‬has stolen a
person? Scripture therefore states here: “Whosoever stealeth a man and selleth him”. — And
again, since Scripture states here: “He that stealeth a man [shall be put to death]”, I might say
that I have here only the law that if one steals a man he is punishable with death. Whence do I
know that this is also the case if he has stolen a woman? Therefore Scripture states,
(Deuteronomy 24:7) “[If a man be found] stealing any person [he shall be put to death]”.
Consequently both verses are necessary: what the one omits the other tells us (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:16:2; Sanhedrin 85b).

)‫ִירה (שם‬
ָ ‫ ְונִ ְמצָא ְכבָר ְּבי ָדֹו ק ֹדֶ ם מְ כ‬,‫ׁש ְּגנָבֹו ּו ְמכָרֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ׁש ֶָראּוהּו עֵדִ ים‬.‫ונמצא בידו‬:

‫ ונמצא בידו‬implies that witnesses have seen him stealing and also saw him selling the person,
and that he has been found in his possession before he had sold him (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 21:16:3).

‫ַּתֹורה סְתָ ם ֶחנֶק הִיא ( ְו ִה ְפסִיק ָה ִענְי ָן ְוכָתַ ב וְגֹנֵב אִיׁש ּבֵין מַ ּכֵה ָאבִיו וְאִּמֹו‬
ָ ‫ֲמּורה ב‬ ָ ‫ ְּב ֶחנֶק; ּכָל מִיתָ ה ָהא‬.‫מות יומת‬
))‫ ּדְ מַר ָסבַר ַמ ְּקׁשִינַן ַהּכָָאה ִל ְק ָללָה ּומַר ָסבַר לָא מַ ּקְׁשִ ינַן (שם‬,‫ ְונ ְִר ֶאה לִי ַהי ְנּו ּפְלּוגְּתָ א‬,‫ ִל ְמ ַקּלֵל ָאבִיו‬:

‫ מות יומת‬HE SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH — by strangulation. Wherever the death-
penalty is mentioned in Scripture without being precisely defined strangulation is intended
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:16:4; Sanhedrin 84b). [It should be noted that Scripture
interrupted the context by writing “Whosoever stealeth etc.” between the passages, “He that
smiteth his father etc.” and “He that curseth his father etc.”, which passages ought on account
of their contents to follow one after the other. I think that this gave rise to the difference of
opinion found in Sanhedrin 85a where one Rabbi holds that we must put “smiting” on an
equality with “cursing”, in spite of the text being interrupted by the verse ‫וגונב‬, which,
however, is placed between them only to teach that in some respects “smiting” and “cursing”
have not the same law, — that after the death of the parents “cursing” them is punishable
whilst “smiting” them is not; whilst another bolds that since the two verses have been
disconnected “smiting” can by no means be put on an equality with, and have the same legal
consequenses as, “cursing” (cf. Sanhedrin 85b)].

21:17

‫ אֵין לִי ֶאּלָא אִ יׁש ׁשֶ ּקִ ּלֵל‬,)'‫ׁשהּוא אֹומֵר אִיׁש אִיׁש ֲאׁשֶר י ְ ַקּלֵל אֶת ָאבִיו (ויקרא כ‬ ֶ ‫ ָלּמָה נֶ ֱאמַר? ְלפִי‬.‫ומקלל אביו ואמו‬
‫ אִם ּכֵן ָל ָּמה נֶאֱמַר אִ יׁש אֲׁשֶר‬,‫ ּבֵין אִיׁש ּובֵין ִאּׁשָה‬,‫ׁש ִּק ְּללָה אֶת ָאבִי ָה ִמּנַי ִן? ּתַ "ֹל ּו ְמ ַקּלֵל ָאבִיו ְואִּמֹו סְתָ ם‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשה‬
ָ ‫ ִא‬,‫אֶת ָאבִיו‬
)‫י ְ ַקּלֵל? לְהֹוצִיא אֶת הַּקָ טָן (מכילתא‬:

‫ ומקלל אביו ואמו‬WHOSOEVER CURSETH HIS FATHER OR HIS MOTHER [SHALL

SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH] — Why is this stated in this particular form? Since Scripture
says, (Leviticus 20:9) “For every man who execrateth his father [or his mother shall surely be
put to death]” I might say that I have here only the law that a man who curseth his father or
his mother is punishable with death. Whence do I know that this is also the case if a woman
curseth her father or her mother? Scripture therefore states here, “Whosoever curseth father or
mother” — whosoever generally — intimating that it applies to both man and woman
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:17:1). But if this be so why is it said, (Leviticus 20:9). “For
every man who execrateth etc.”? To exclude a minor.

,)'‫ ּו ִבנְי ַן ָאב ְל ֻכּלָם ָּב ֶאבֶן י ְִרּגְמּו א ֹתָ ם ּדְ מֵיהֶם ּבָם (ויקרא כ‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּדָ מָיו ּבֹו ִּב ְסקִילָה‬
ֶ ‫ ִּב ְסקִילָה; ְוכָל ָמקֹום‬.‫מות יומת‬
‫ּו ִב ְמ ַקּלֵל ָאבִיו ְואִּמֹו נֶאֱמַר ּדָ מָ יו ּבֹו‬:
‫ מות יומת‬SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH — by stoning. And the rule is that wherever
the term “his blood is upon him “is used in connection with the death penalty, “execution by
stoning” is meant. The following in the passage from which this is evident (‫)בנין אב‬: (Leviticus
20:27) “they shall overwhelm them with stones: their blood is upon them” — and as regards
one who curses father or mother (Leviticus 20:9), Scripture indeed uses the words ‫דמיו בו‬
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:17:3; Sanhedrin 66a).

21:18

‫ ְלכְָך‬,‫ׁשבֶת ו ְִרּפּוי ֹלא לָמַדְ נּו‬

ֶ ‫ ֹלא ָלמַדְ נּו ֶאּלָא ּדְ מֵי ֵאב ָָריו ֲאבָל‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַעי ִן ּתַ חַת ַעי ִן‬
ֶ ‫ ָלּמָה נֶ ֱאמַר? ְלפִי‬.‫וכי יריבן אנשים‬
‫ֶאֶמְרה ּפ ָָרׁשָ ה זֹו‬
ָ ‫נ‬:

‫ וכי יריבן אנשים‬AND IF MEN QUARREL — Why is this (vv. 18, 19) stated in this particular
form? Since Scripture states, (v. 24) “Eye for eye”, we learn from this only that compensation
for the loss of limbs has to be paid, but we cannot infer from it that indemnity for loss of time
(during which the injured has been disabled from work) and cost of medical treatment have
also to be paid; consequently this section (vv. 18 and 19) is said (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21:18:1).

‫ׁש ְּמ ַבּטְלֹו מִּמְ לַאכְּתֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ְויִּפֵל לְבּו ְטלָן – לְחֹלִי‬.‫ונפל למשכב‬:

‫ ונפל למשכב‬BUT KEEPETH HIS BED — The meaning is as the Targum gives it: ‫ויפל לבוטלן‬
“and he falls into inactivity”, i. e. he falls into an illness that prevents him from working.

21:19

)‫ עַל ּב ְֻריֹו וְכ ֹחֹו (מכילתא‬.‫על משענתו‬:

‫( על משענתו‬lit., with that on which he relies) — i. e. his former healthy state and vigour
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:19:1; cf. Onkelos).

;‫ׁשּנ ְִראֶה אִ ם י ִתְ ַרּפֵא ז ֶה‬

ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא ה ַָרג? ֶאּלָא ִלּמֶדְ ָך כָאן ׁשֶחֹו ְבׁשִים אֹותֹו עַד‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּיֵה ֵָרג ז ֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ְוכִי תַ ֲעלֶה עַל ּדַ עְּתְ ָך‬.‫ונקה המכה‬
)‫ׁשֹּלא י ָקּום ז ֶה ֹלא נִ ָּקה ַה ַּמּכֶה (כתובות ל"ג‬ ֶ ‫ אֲ בָל עַד‬,‫ׁש ַענְּתֹו ָאז נִּקָה ַה ַּמּכֶה‬
ְ ‫ׁשּקָם ז ֶה וְהֹולְֵך עַל ִמ‬ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬:‫ׁשמָעֹו‬ְ ‫ ְוכֵן ַמ‬:

‫[ ונקה המכה‬WHEN HE RISES AGAIN…] HE THAT SMOTE HIM SHALL BE FREED —

But could it enter your mind that this person who has not killed anyone at all should be
subject to the death penalty? Why, then, is it necessary to state this? But it is intended to teach
you that he is kept in prison until we discover whether the other is completely healed or not,
and what the verse implies is this: when this man rises again (‫ )אם יקום‬and walks in the street
in his former vigour, then he who smote him shall be freed from prison, but so long as the
other has not risen from the sick-bed etc. the man who smote him is not freed (Ketubot 33b;
Sanhedrin 78b).

,‫ רֹואִין ּבִּטּול ְמלַאכְּתֹו ֵמ ֲחמַת הַחֹלִי ְכ ִאּלּו ׁשֹומֵר קִּׁשּואִ ין‬,‫ ּבִּטּול ְמלַאכְּתֹו ֵמ ֲחמַת הַחֹלִי; אִם קָ טַע י ָדֹו אֹו ַרגְלֹו‬.‫רק שבתו‬
‫ׁשּנֶ' י ָד ּתַ חַת י ָד ֶרגֶל‬
ֶ ,‫ וְהּוא ְכבָר נָתַ ן לֹו ֵמ ֲחמַת נִז ְקֹו ּדְ מֵי י ָדֹו ו ְַרגְלֹו‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ַאף לְַאחַר הַחֹלִי אֵינֹו ָראּוי ִל ְמלֶאכֶת י ָד ו ֶָרגֶל‬
ֶ
‫ּתַ חַת ָרגֶל‬:

‫ רק שבתו‬ONLY [HE SHALL PAY FOR] THE LOSS OF HIS TIME — i. e. for the
interruption of his labour due to this illness. If, for instance, he cut off his hand or his foot, we
regard the interruption of labour caused by this illness as though his occupation were that of a
watchman in a cucumber field (which work can be done even by a man lacking a hand or a
foot), for even after he has recovered from the illness he will not be able to do work which
requires hands or feet, and indeed the value of his hand or his foot that was cut off the other
has already paid to him as “damages” (‫)נזק‬, as it is said, (v. 24) “hand for hand, foot for foot”.
(Having compensated him already for loss of capacity as a wage-earner whole in body, it
would not be right if this man has again to pay him for loss of time as though he were of full-
earning capacity) (Bava Kamma 85b).

‫ׁשּלֵם ׂשְ כַר הָרֹופֵא‬

ַ ְ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו – י‬.‫ורפא ירפא‬:

‫ — ורפא ירפא‬Translate it as the Targum does: he shall pay the physician’s fee.

21:20

‫ מַ ה ַּכסְּפֹו‬,‫ אֹו אֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא ְּב ִעב ְִרי? ּתַ "ֹל ּכִי ַכסְּפֹו הּוא‬,‫ ְּב ֶעבֶד ְּכנַ ֲענִי ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר‬.‫וכי יכה איש את עבדו או את אמתו‬
‫ ִלהְיֹות‬,‫ ַאף ֶעבֶד ַהּקָנּוי לֹו עֹו ָלמִית; ַוה ֲֵרי ָהי ָה ִב ְכלַל ַמּכֵה אִיׁש ָומֵת? אֶ ּלָא בָא ַהּכָתּוב וְהֹוצִיאֹו מִן ַה ְּכלָל‬,‫קָנּוי לֹו עֹו ָלמִית‬
)‫ׁשהָה ֵמעֵת ְלעֵת ּפָטּור (מכילתא‬ ָ ‫ׁשאִם ֹלא מֵת ּתַ חַת י ָדֹו ְו‬ ֶ ,‫ נָדֹון ּבְדִ ין יֹום אֹו יֹו ַמי ִם‬:

‫ וכי יכה איש את עבדו או את אמתו‬AND IF A MAN SMITE HIS SERVANT OR HIS
MAIDSERVANT — Scripture speaks of a Canaanitish servant. Or perhaps this is not so, but
it speaks of a Hebrew servant? Scripture however states, (Exodus 21:21) “for he is his
money”. How is it in the case of his money? It is something that is his forever (i. e. it is
something the possession of which is not limited to a definite time)! So also the servant
referred to here is such a one as is his forever (and only a Canaanitish servant serves his
master for ever, cf. Leviticus 25:46, whilst the Hebrew servant goes free after six years). But
surely he (one that smites his servant) is included in the general statement, (Exodus 21:12)
”Whosoever smiteth a man [so that he die shall surely be put to death]”; why, then, is this
case mentioned at all? But Scripture singles it out from the general statement that he (who
smiteth his servant etc.) may be subject to the particular regulation of “a day or two” (Exodus
21:21) — that if he (the servant) does not die beneath his hand and continue to live twenty-
four hours his master should be freed from the death-penalty (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21.20.1).

‫ אֹו אֲ פִּלּו אֵין ּבֹו ּכְדֵ י ְל ָהמִית? ּתַ "ֹל ְּביִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְואִם ְּב ֶאבֶן י ָד אֲׁשֶר י ָמּות ּבָּה‬.‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ּבֹו ּכְדֵ י ְל ָהמִית ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫בשבט‬
‫ ַמה ּיִׂש ְָר ֵאל חָמּור אֵין ַחּי ָב ָעלָיו ֶאּלָא אִם ּכֵן ִהּכָהּו בְדָ בָר ׁשֶ ּי ֵׁש ּבֹו ּכְדֵ י‬:‫ ַוהֲֹלא ּדְ ב ִָרים ַקל וָחֹמֶר‬,) ‫ִהּכָהּו (במדבר ל"ה‬
)‫ ֶעבֶד ַה ַּקל ֹלא ּכָל ׁשֶ ּכֵן (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשהּוא כְדֵ י לָמּות ְּב ַהּכָָאה זֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ְל ָהמִית ְועַל אֵ בֶר‬:

‫ בשבט‬WITH A ROD — Scripture speaks of a rod that is capable of inflicting death. Or

perhaps it speaks even of one that is not capable of inflicting death (but some-how or other the
servant died beneath his hand)? Scripture however states, (Numbers 35:17) in reference to an
Israellite (cf. Numbers 35:15) “And if he smote him with a stone in the hand, wherewith he
may die, [and he die, he is a murderer]”. Now is not the following statement a logical
conclusion à fortiori? How is it if one has killed an Israelite whose case is more stringent
(inasmuch as the leniency mentioned in v. 21 is not applied to it)? He is not subject to the
death penalty unless he smote him with an instrument capable of inflicting death and unless it
be a limb through the striking of which by such an instrument he is likely to die! Then in the
case of a servant where (as can be seen from v. 21) the conditions are less stringent, does it
not follow all the more that he is not subject to the death penalty? (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 21.20.4).
)‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר ח ֶֶרב נ ֹ ֶקמֶת נְקַם ּב ְִרית (ויקרא כ"ו‬,‫ מִיתַ ת ַסי ִף‬.‫נקם ינקם‬:

‫ נקם ינקם‬HE SHALL SURELY BE AVENGED — This means execution by the sword. For
thus does Scripture state, (Leviticus 26:25) “a sword avenging the vengeance of my covenant”
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21.20.6; Sanhedrin 52b).

21:21

,‫ׁשּכֵן? אֶ ּלָא יֹום ׁשֶ הּוא כְיֹומַ י ִם‬

ֶ ‫ אִם עַל יֹום אֶ חָד הּוא ּפָטּור עַל יֹו ַמי ִם ֹלא ּכָל‬.‫אך אם יום או יומים יעמד לא יקם‬
)‫ ְואֵיז ֶה? ז ֶה ֵמעֵת ְלעֵת (מכילתא‬:

‫ אך אם יום או יומים יעמד לא יקם‬NOTWITHSTANDING IF HE CONTINUE A DAY OR TWO,

HE SHALL NOT BE AVENGED — If the master is free of the death penally in case of the
servant remaining alive one day, is it not logical that he is free if he lives two days (what need
is there for Scripture to add ‫ ?)יומים‬But it adds it to show that the term ‫ יום‬is to be defined by
‫“ — יומים‬a day that is like two days”. And what kind of day is thereby meant? A period of
twenty-four hours (a day which comprises a part of two separate days) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 21:21:1).

‫ ַחּי ָב‬,‫ּׁשהָה ֵמעֵת ְלעֵת ק ֹדֶ ם ׁשֶּמֵת‬

ָ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ַאעַ" ִּפ‬,‫ׁש ִהּכָהּו‬
ֶ ‫ הָא ַאחֵר‬.‫לא יקם כי כספו הוא‬:

‫ לא יקם כי כספו הוא‬HE SHALL NOT BE AVENGED: FOR HE IS HIS MONEY — However,
any other person who smote him (the servant) is subject to the death penalty although he lived
24 hours before dying.

21:22

‫ ְונִתְ ַּכּוֵן ְלהַּכֹות אֶת ֲחבֵרֹו ְו ִהּכָה אֶת הָאִּׁשָ ה‬,‫ ז ֶה עִם ז ֶה‬.‫וכי ינצו אנשים‬:

‫ וכי ינצו אנשים‬IF MEN STRIVE with each other and one intended to strike the other and
inadvertently struck the woman (Sanhedrin 79b).

‫ ְּבט ֶֶרם י ִתְ נַּגְפּו ַרגְלֵיכֶם (ירמיהו‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו ּפֶן ּתִ ּג ֹף ָּב ֶאבֶן ַרגְלֶָך (תהילים צ"א‬,‫ אֵין נְגִיפָה ֶאּלָא לְׁשֹון ּדְ חִיפָה ְו ַהּכָָאה‬.‫ונגפו‬
)'‫י"ג) ּו ְל ֶאבֶן נֶגֶף (ישעיהו ח‬:

‫ ונגפו‬AND HURT [A WOMAN WITH CHILD] — The root ‫ נגף‬always signifies “dashing
against” and “striking”. Examples are: (Psalms 91:15) “lest thou dash (‫ )תגוף‬thy foot against a
stone”; (Jeremiah 13:16) “and before your feet dash (‫( ;”)יתנגפו‬Isaiah 8:14) “but for a stone of
dashing (‫)נגף‬.

‫ ּבָאִּׁשָ ה‬.‫ולא יהיה אסון‬:

‫ ולא יהיה אסון‬AND YET THERE BE NO MISCHIEF — no further mischief with the woman
(Sanhedrin 79b).

‫ׁשמִין אֹותָ ּה ַּכ ָּמה ָהי ְתָ ה ְראּוי ָה ִל ָּמכֵר ּבַּׁשּוק ְל ַהעֲלֹות ּבְדָ מֶי ָה ּבִׁשְ בִיל ה ְֶריֹונָּה‬
ָ ;‫ׁשּלֵם ּדְ מֵי ְולָדֹות ַל ַּבעַל‬
ַ ‫ ְל‬.‫ענוש יענש‬:

‫ ענוש יענש‬HE SHALL SURELY BE AMERCED to pay the value of the offspring to the
husband. We estimate her value according to what she is worth if she were sold as a slave in
the market giving her a higher value on account of her being with child (Bava Kamma 49a).
)‫ ּכְמֹו ְו ָענְׁשּו א ֹתֹו ֵמָאה ֶכסֶף (דברים כ"ב‬,‫ יִגְּבּו מָמֹון ִמ ֶּמּנּו‬.‫ענש יענש‬:

‫( ענוש יענש‬lit., he shall surely be punished) — It means that they shall exact money from him.
‫ ענוש‬is used here in the same sense as in, (Deuteronomy 22:19) “And they shall amerce (‫)וענשו‬
him an hundred shekel of silver”.

‫ׁשּי ִתְ ָּבעֶּנּו ַה ַּבעַל ְּבבֵית ּדִ ין ְל ָהׁשִית ָעלָיו עֹנֶׁש עַל ּכְָך‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.'‫כאשר ישית עליו וגו‬:

‫ כאשר ישית עליו וגו׳‬means, when the husband will summons him before the Court that they
should place upon him a fine for this (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:23:7),

‫ הַּמַ ּכֶה ּדְ מֵ י ְולָדֹות‬.‫ונתן‬:

‫ ונתן‬THEN HE SHALL GIVE — i. e. the man that struck the woman shall give the value of
the offspring.

)‫בפללים – עַל ּפִי הַּדַ ּיָנִים (מכילתא‬:

‫ בפללים‬ACCORDING TO THE DECISION OF THE JUDGES (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael

21:23:9).

21:23

‫ ּבָאִּׁשָ ה‬.‫ואם אסון יהיה‬:

‫ ואם אסון יהיה‬AND IF THERE BE ANY FURTHER MISCHIEF — in the case of the woman,

,‫ ְוי ֵׁש אֹומ ְִרים מָמֹון אֲ בָל ֹלא נֶפֶׁש מַּמָׁש‬,‫ י ֵׁש אֹומ ְִרים נֶפֶׁש ַמּמָׁש‬,‫ ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו חֹו ְלקִים ּבַּדָ בָר‬.‫ונתתה נפש תחת נפש‬
)‫ׁש ָהי ָה נִ ְמּכָר ּבַּׁשּוק (שם‬
ֶ ‫ְיֹורׁשָיו ּדָ מָיו ּכְמֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשּלֵם ל‬
ַ ‫ ּו ְמ‬,‫ׁש ַהּמִתְ ַּכּוֵן ַלהֲר ֹג אֶת ז ֶה ְוה ַָרג אֶת ז ֶה ּפָטּור ִמּמִיתָ ה‬
ֶ :

‫ ונתת נפש תחת נפש‬THEN THOU SHALT GIVE SOUL FOR SOUL. Our Rabbis differ as to the
explanation of the word ‫ נפש‬the first time it occurs here. There are some who say that it
actually signifies “life” (i. e. life for life), others say that it means monetary compensation but
not literally life, and they say that this must be so because he who intends to kill a certain
person and inadvertently kills another instead, (as is the case here), is exempt from the death
penalty, and has only to pay to his heirs his value estimating this as though he were sold as a
slave in the market (Sanhedrin 79a).

21:24

‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ְוכֵן ֻּכּלָם; וְֹלא נְטִילַת אֵ בֶר מַּמָׁש‬,‫ׁש ָּפחֲתּו ּדָ מָיו ִלמְּכ ֹר ּבַּׁשּוק‬
ֶ ‫ ִס ֵּמא עֵין ֲחבֵרֹו נֹותֵ ן לֹו ּדְ מֵי עֵינֹו ַּכ ָּמה‬.‫עין תחת עין‬
)‫ׁשֶּדָ ְרׁשּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ְּבפ ֶֶרק הַחֹובֵל (בבא קמא דף פ"ג‬:

‫ עין תחת עין‬EYE FOR EYE — If one blinded the eye of his fellow-man he has to pay him the
value of his eye, i. e. he pays him how much his value would be diminished if he were to be
sold as a slave in the market. In the same way all other cases are to be dealt with, but it does
not mean the actual cutting off of the offender’s limb — just as our Rabbis have explained in
the chapter beginning with the word ‫( החובל‬Bava Kamma 84a).

21:25
 ,‫ׁשאֵין ּבָּה ְּפחַת ּדָ מִ ים אֶ ּלָא ַצעַר‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ַע ְכׁשָיו ְּב‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ּבָּה ְּפחַת ּדָ מִים‬
ֶ ‫ ִמ ְכוַת אֵׁש; ְועַד ַע ְכׁשָו ּדִ ּבֵר ְּב ַח ָּבלָה‬.‫כויה תחת כויה‬
)‫ אֹומְדִ ים ַּכ ָּמה ָאדָ ם ּכַּיֹוצֵא ָבז ֶה רֹוצֶה לִּט ֹל ִלהְיֹות ִמ ְצ ַטעֵר ּכְָך (בבא קמא פ"ג‬,‫ׁשפּוד עַל ִצּפ ְָרנָיו‬ ְ ‫ ּכְגֹון ְּכוָאֹו ִב‬:

‫ כויה תחת כויה‬BURNING FOR BURNING — ‫ כויה‬is a burn produced by fire. Up to here (i .e.
v. 24) Scripture has spoken of a bodily injury that is attended by a decrease of the market-
value of the person injured; here, however, it speaks of a case in which there is no decrease of
value but pain alone: if, for instance, a man burns another on his nails with a hot spit, we
estimate how much a person like him (the injured) would be willing to accept for undergoing
a pain like this, and such an amount the other has to pay as indemnity (Bava Kamma 84b).

‫ נֹותֵ ן‬,‫ נבר"ורא ְּב ַלעַז; הַּכ ֹל ְלפִי ַמה ּׁשֶהּוא – אִם י ֵׁש ּבֹו ְּפחַת ּדָ מִ ים‬,‫ׁש ָּפצַע אֶת ְּבׂשָרֹו‬ ֶ ,‫ הִיא ַמּכָה הַּמֹוצִיָאה דָ ם‬.‫פצע‬
‫ ּו ְבהַחֹובֵל ּדְ ָרׁשּוהּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ְל ַחּי ֵב עַל ַה ַּצעַר‬,‫ׁשבֶת ו ְִרּפּוי ּובֹׁשֶת ְו ַצעַר; ּו ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה י ָתֵ ר הּוא‬
ֶ ‫ נֹותֵ ן‬,‫ׁשּכָב‬
ְ ‫ ְואִם נָפַל ְל ִמ‬,‫נֶז ֶק‬
‫ הֹואִיל ְו ָקנָה י ָדֹו י ֵׁש ָעלָיו‬,‫ לֹומַר‬,‫ אֵין ּפֹוט ְִרים אֹותֹו מִן ַה ַּצעַר‬,‫ׁשַאף עַל ּפִי ׁשֶּנֹותֵ ן לֹו ּדְ מֵי י ָדֹו‬ ֶ – ‫ֲאפִּלּו ִב ְמקֹום נֶז ֶק‬
‫ ְוז ֶה חֲתָ כָּה ְּבב ְַרז ֶל ְו ִצעֲרֹו‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו ִמ ְצ ַטעֵר ּכָל ּכְָך‬
ֶ ,‫ י ֵׁש לֹו ְלחָתְ כָּה ְּבסַם‬,‫ אֶ ּלָא אֹומ ְִרים‬,‫ּׁשּי ְִרצֶה‬ֶ ‫ ְלחָתְ כָּה ְּבכָל מַה‬:

‫ פצע‬is an injury which draws blood — the accused having crushed the other’s flesh; navrure in
old French In such a case it all depends upon what happens: if any decrease in his market-
value is caused the other pays him an indemnity (‫ ;)נזק‬if he is confined to his bed, he has to
pay for loss of time, for medical treatment, for the shame he feels at being somewhat
disfigured and for the pain he has been made to suffer. This passage, (‫)פצע תחת פצע‬, is
apparently redundant, but our Rabbis explained in the chapter beginning with the word ‫החובל‬
(Bava Kamma 85b) that Scripture intends by this statement to make one liable to pay for pain
inflicted even in a case when one has already paid damages (‫ )נזק‬for decrease in one’s value
— that although he has paid him the value of his hand, we do not exempt him from paying
also for pain inflicted, arguing thus: Since he has, so to say, purchased his hand by paying its
value, he was entitled to cut if off by whatever means he pleases; but we say that he ought to
have removed it by means of a poisonous drug when he would not have suffered so much
pain. He, however, cut if off by means of an iron instrument and caused him great pain;
therefore he is bound to pay for pain inflicted also.

‫ ּכְמֹו ְונָמֵר‬,‫ַּבּורה טק"א ְּב ַלעַז‬

ָ ‫ ּולְׁשֹון ח‬,‫ׁש ַּמאֲדִ ים ַה ָּבׂשָר ְּכנֶגְּדֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ׁשהַּדָ ם נִצ ְָרר ּבָּה ְואֵינֹו יֹוצֵא‬
ֶ ‫ הִיא ַמּכָה‬.‫חבורה‬
,)‫ ְוכֵן ׁשְדּופֹות קָדִ ים (בראשית מלכים א‬,‫ בטדו"רא ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ֲח ָבטָה‬,‫ׁשקֹופֵי‬ ְ ‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ַמ‬,) ‫ֲחב ְַרּבֻר ֹתָ יו (ירמיהו י"ג‬
‫ׁשהַּדֶ לֶת נֹוקֵׁש ָעלָיו‬ ֶ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם‬,‫ׁשקֹוף‬
ְ ‫ ְוכֵן עַל ַה ַּמ‬,ַ‫ׁשקִיפָן קִּדּום – חֲבּוטֹות ּבָרּוח‬ ְ :

‫ חבורה‬is a wound in which the blood is congealed but does not come out, only that the flesh on
that spot becomes red. The word ‫ חבורה‬means tache in old French Similar is, (Jeremiah 13:23)
“[Can an Ethiopian change his skin] or the leopard his spots (‫”)חברברתיו‬. The Targum renders
it (‫ )חבורה‬by ‫משקופי‬, an expression denoting “beating”, batture in old French Similarly it
translates (Genesis 41:6) ‫שדופות קדים‬, “blasted with the east”, by ‫שקיפן קדום‬, “beaten by the
east wind”. So, too, the lintel it termed “‫( ”משקוף‬from the root ‫“ שקף‬to beat upon”), as, e. g., in
the expression ‫על המשקוף‬, because the door beats against it.

21:26

‫ׁשָאמ ְַרנּו ֹלא תֵ צֵא ְּכצֵאת ָה ֲעבָדִ ים‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ֲאבָל ִעב ְִרי אֵינֹו יֹוצֵא ְבׁשֵן ְו ַעי ִן‬,‫ ְּכנַ ֲענִי‬.‫את עין עבדו‬:

‫[ את עין עבדו‬AND IF A MAN SMITE] THE EYE OF HIS SERVANT — of a Canaanitish

servant; but the Hebrew servant does not got free on account of his tooth or his eye having
been knocked out by his master, as we have stated in our comment on the passage ‫לא תצא כצאת‬
‫( העבדים‬v. 7).
 .‫ׁשהּוא ּגִיד הָאַּמָ ה‬ ֶ ‫ וְר ֹאׁש ַה ְּג ִוּי ָה‬,‫ ְוהַחֹטֶם‬,‫ ּוׁשְּתֵ י ָאזְנַי ִם‬,‫ ֶא ְצּבְעֹות ַהּי ָדַ י ִם ְוה ַָרגְ ַלי ִם‬:‫ ְוכֵן ּבְכ"ד ָראׁשֵי ֵאב ִָרים‬.‫תחת עינו‬
‫ ַוה ֲֵרי ׁשֵ ן ֹלא‬,‫ׁשּנִב ְָרא עִּמֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּנִב ְָרא עִּמֹו ַאף ּכָל‬
ֶ ‫ ָהי ִיתִ י אֹומֵר ָמה ַעי ִן‬,‫ׁשאִם נֶ ֱאמַר ַעי ִן וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ׁשֵן‬ ֶ ?‫ְו ָל ָּמה נֶ ֱאמַר ׁשֵן ְו ַעי ִן‬
)‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר ַעי ִן (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לָּה ֲחלִיפִין‬ ֶ ‫ ָהי ִיתִ י אֹומֵר ֲאפִּלּו ׁשֵן ּתִ ינֹוק‬,‫ נִב ְָרא עִּמֹו; ְואִם נֶ ֱאמַר ׁשֵן וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ַעי ִן‬:

‫[ תחת עינו‬HE SHALL LET HIM GO FREE] FOR HIS EYE’S SAKE — and similarly if he
cuts off one of the twenty-four “tips of limbs” viz., the fingers, the toes, the two ears, the nose
and the ‫ראש הגויה‬, the membrum (cf. Mishnah Negaim 6:7). But why, since the precept is not
applicable to eye and tooth alone but to twenty-four limbs, are both the eye and the tooth,
mentioned? One would have stufficed! Because if only the eye were mentioned and not the
tooth also, I might have said: What it the characteristic of the eye? It came into the world
together with him! So, too, this law is applicable only to such limbs as came into the world
together with him, but not to the tooth, for the tooth did not come into the world together with
him. If, on the other hand, only the tooth had been mentioned and not the eye also, I might
have said: the law applies even to a case when the master knocked out a child-slave’s tooth
which grows again (more lit., which has a substitute) after a time. Therefore the eye is also
mentioned to intimate that the law can be applied only when the master knocks out the tooth
of his adult slave which, like the eye, does not grow again. (Kiddushin 24b).

21:28

)‫ אֶ ּלָא ׁשֶּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב ּבַהֹוֶה (בבא קמא נ"ד‬,‫ ֶאחָד ׁשֹור ְו ֶאחָד ּכָל ְּב ֵה ָמה ְו ַחּי ָה וָעֹוף‬.‫וכי יגח שור‬:

‫ וכי יגח שור‬AND IF AN OX THRUST — This law applies to an ox as well to any other cattle,
wild beast or fowl, but Scripture mentions the ox, because it speaks of what usually occurs
(Bava Kamma 54b).

‫אֲסּורה ַּב ֲאכִילָה? אֶ ּלָא מַ ה‬ָ ‫ׁשהּוא נְ ֵבלָה ּונְ ֵבלָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר סָקֹול י ִ ָּס ֵקל הַּׁשֹור אֵינִי יֹודֵ ַע‬
ֶ ‫ׁשמָע‬ְ ‫ ִמ ַּמ‬.‫ולא יאכל את בשרו‬
‫ ַּב ֲהנָָאה ִמּנַי ִן? ּתַ "ֹל ּו ַבעַל הַּׁשֹור‬,‫ׁשּנִגְמַר ּדִ ינֹו ָאסּור ַּב ֲאכִילָה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשחָטֹו לְַאחַר‬ ְ ‫ׁש ֲאפִּלּו‬
ֶ ?‫ּתַ לְמּוד לֹומַר וְֹלא י ֵָאכֵל אֶת ְּבׂשָרֹו‬
.)‫ ז ֶהּו מִדְ ָרׁשֹו (בבא קמא מלכים א‬,‫ׁשל ּכְלּום‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְָאדָ ם הָאֹומֵר ַל ֲחבֵרֹו יָצָא ּפְלֹונִי נָקִי ִמּנְ ָכסָיו ְואֵין לֹו ָבהֶם ַהּנָָאה‬,‫נָקִי‬
‫ ֻהצ ְַרְך לֹומַר ּבַּתָ ם ּו ַבעַל הַּׁשֹור נָקִ י‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבַּמּועָד ְוגַם ְּב ָעלָיו יּומָת‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁשמָעֹו‬ ְ ‫ּופְׁשּוטֹו ְכ ַמ‬:

‫ ולא יאכל את בשרו‬AND ITS FLESH SHALL NOT BE EATEN — From what is implied in the
words “the ox shall surely be stoned” do I not know that it becomes carrion, and carrion of
course is prohibited to be eaten? Why then is it stated, “and its flesh shall not be eaten”? It is
to intimate that even if he slaughtered the animal according to regulation after sentence of
stoning has been pronounced but before it had been carried out it is forbidden to be eaten.
Whence may it be proved that under such circumstances it is prohibited to derive any other
benefit from it? Scripture therefore states: “and the owner of the ox is ‫ — ”נקי‬it is a phrase
such as a man uses to his fellow: that man there has gone away “empty” (‫ )נקי‬of all his
property (he has nothing whatever left), and he has not the slightest benefit of it. This is how
the Halachic Midrash explains it (Bava Kamma 41a). However, the real sense of ‫ובעל השור נקי‬,
is what it literally means: the owner of the ox shall be guiltless. Because Scripture says with
reference to the ‫( מועד‬an ox which inflicted injury three times in succession, and about which
its owner must therefore be regarded as forewarned), (v. 29) “and his owner also shall be put
to death”, it was forced to state with regard to the ‫( תם‬a hitherto innocuous animal, having
inflicted an injury for the first time) “the owner of the ox shall be guiltless”.

21:29

)‫ׁשֹלׁש נְגִיחֹות (מכילתא‬

ָ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬.‫מתמל שלשם‬:
‫[ מתמל שלשם‬BUT IF THE OX HAS BEEN WONT TO THRUST] YESTERDAY AND
BEFORE YESTERDAY — Here you have including the present occasion the three times an
ox must gore before it can be declared a ‫( מועד‬Bava Kamma 23b).

)‫ ּכְמֹו ָהעֵד ֵהעִד ּבָנּו ָהאִיׁש (בראשית מ"ג‬,‫ לְׁשֹון הַתְ ָרָאה ְבעֵדִ ים‬.‫והועד בבעליו‬:

‫ והועד בבעליו‬AND IT HATH BEEN TESTIFIED TO HIS OWNER — ‫( הועד‬from the root ‫)עוד‬
is an expression for warning through witnesses (Bava Kamma 24a), as in, (Genesis 43:3) “the
man hath solemnly forewarned (‫ ) ָהעֵד ַהעִד‬us”.

‫ מִ ּנַי ִן? ּתַ לְמּוד‬,‫ ְּבעִיטָה‬,‫ ּדְ חִיפָה‬,‫ ֱהמִיתֹו ִבנְׁשִיכָה‬,‫ׁש ֱהמִיתֹו ִבנְגִיחָה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּכִי יִּגַח אֵין לִי ֶאּלָא‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.'‫והמית איש וגו‬
‫לֹומַר ְוהֵמִ ית‬:

‫ והמית איש וגו׳‬BUT HE HATH PUT TO DEATH A MAN [OR WOMAN] — Since it states,
(v. 28) “If an ox gore (‫[ )יגח‬a man or a woman, that he die]” I might say that I have only the
law dealing with the case that it kills by pushing him with the horn (the root ‫ נגח‬being mainly
used of thrusting with the horn, cf. e .g., Deuteronomy 33:17) but whence can the law be
derived that it applies also to the case where it kills by biting, thrusting, or kicking? Scripture
therefore states “he hath put to death [a man or a woman]” thus intimating that so long as
death is caused by the animal it is liable to stoning.

‫הֹורגֹו וְאִ י‬
ְ ‫ עַל ְרצִיחָתֹו אַּתָ ה‬,‫ י ָכֹול ּבִידֵ י ָאדָ ם? ּתַ לְמּוד לֹומַר מֹות יּומַת ַה ַּמּכֶה רֹו ֵצ ַח הּוא‬.‫ׁש ַמי ִם‬
ָ ‫ ּבִידֵ י‬.‫וגם בעליו יומת‬
)‫הֹורגֹו עַל ְרצִיחַת ׁשֹורֹו (סנהדרין ט"ו‬ ְ ‫אַּתָ ה‬:

‫ וגם בעליו יומת‬AND HIS OWNER ALSO SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH by a visitation of God.
You might perhaps think he shall be punished by human agency (the judges)! Scripture,
however, states, (Numbers 35:21) “he that smote him (a human being) shall surely be put to
death; for he is a murderer” — the force of these last words is to intimate that for a murder
committed by himself you shall put him to death (i. e. he suffers death by human agency as is
the law regarding a murderer), but you shall not put him to death on account of a murder
committed by his ox; this must be left to God (Sanhedrin 15b; cf. also Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 21:29:8).

21:30

‫ׁשּי ָׁשִ יתּו ָעלָיו ּבֵית‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּפָטֹו‬
ְ ‫ ז ֶה ִמ‬,‫ ַוה ֲֵרי הּוא ּכְמֹו "אִם ֶּכסֶף ּתַ ְלוֶה" – לְׁשֹון ֲאׁשֶר‬,‫ "אִם" ז ֶה אֵינֹו תָ לּוי‬.‫אם כפר יושת עליו‬
‫ּדִ ין ּכֹפֶר‬:

‫ אם כפר יושת עליו‬WHEN THERE BE SET ON HIM A RANSOM — This ‫ אם‬is not conditional
(i. e. it does not mean “if” the heirs feel inclined to set on him a ransom) but it has the same
meaning as in (Exodus 22:24) “When (‫ )אם‬thou lendest money” where it has the meaning of
‫אשר‬, “when” (for it is a duty to lend money to the poor and it is not optional). It is the law
regarding him that the court should set on him a ransom.

)‫ ַר' ֲעקִיבָא אֹומֵר ּדְ מֵי מַ ּז ִיק (מכילתא‬,‫ׁש ָמעֵאל‬

ְ ִ ‫ ּדְ מֵי נִּז ָק ּדִ ב ְֵרי ַר' י‬.‫ונתן פדין נפשו‬:

‫ ונתן פדיון נפשו‬HE SHALL GIVE THE RANSOM OF HIS SOUL — the value of the injured
person; this is the view of R. Ishmael, R. Akiba, however, says that it means the value of the
person who caused the injury (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:30).
21:31

‫ ּבֵן ׁשֶ הּוא קָ טָן‬.‫או בן יגח‬:

‫ או בן ינח‬WHETHER HE HAVE THRUST A SON — a son who is a minor;

,'‫ ּתַ לְמּוד לֹומַר אֹו בֵן יִּגָח וְגֹו‬,‫ י ָכֹול אֵינֹו ַחּי ָב אֶ ּלָא עַל ַהּגְדֹולִים‬,‫ּׁשה‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְו ֵהמִית אִיׁש אֹו ִא‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהִיא ְק ַטּנָה; ְלפִי‬
ֶ .‫או בת‬
)‫ ְל ַחּי ֵב עַל ַה ְּק ַטּנִים ַּכּגְדֹולִים (שם‬:

‫ או בת יגח‬OR HAVE THRUST A DAUGHTER, who is a minor. Since it states, (v. 29) “and
hath put to death a man or a woman”, one might think that the owner is liable only for the
death of adult persons, Scripture therefore states, “whether he have thrust a son etc.” to make
him liable for the death of minors equally as for that of adults (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21:31:1).

21:32

‫ ְּכנַ ֲענִּי ִים‬.‫ או אמה‬,‫אם עבד‬:

‫ אם עבד או אמה‬IF [AN OX SHALL THRUST] A MANSERVANT OR A MAIDSERVANT —

Canaanitish servants (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:32:1).

‫ַאר ָּבעָה‬
ְ ‫ּׁש ֶקל מִׁשְ קָ לֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ַה‬.‫ׁשוֶה ֶאּלָא ּדִ ינָר‬ ָ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשוֶה ֶאלֶף זּוז ּבֵין‬
ָ ‫ׁשהּוא‬
ֶ ‫ ּבֵין‬,‫ ְּגז ֵַרת ַהּכָתּוב הּוא‬.‫שלשים שקלים יתן‬
‫ׁש ָקל ַהּיָׁשָר ׁשֶ ל קֹולֹונְי ָ"א‬ ְ ‫ׁשהֵם ֲחצִי אֻ נְ ִקי ָא ְל ִמ‬ ֶ ‫ז ְהּובִים‬:

‫ שלשים שקלים יתן‬HE SHALL GIVE THIRTY SHEKELS — This is the enactment of Scripture
(and no reason is given) — the indemnity shall be thirty shekels whether the slave was worth
a thousand zuz or was worth no more than one denar. A shekel weighs four gold coins,
making half an ounce according to the correct weight of Cologne.

21:33

‫ׁש ָהי ָה מְ ֻכּסֶה ְוגִּלָהּו‬

ֶ .‫וכי יפתח איש בור‬:

‫ וכי יפתח איש בור‬AND IF A MAN SHALL OPEN A PIT which was covered over, and he now
uncovered it.

‫ּכֹורה ׁשֶ הּוא ַחּי ָב (בבא‬

ֶ ‫כֹורה ַאחַר‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכֵן? ֶאּלָא ְל ָהבִיא‬
ֶ ‫ ָל ָּמה נֶ ֱאמַר? אִם עַל ַהּפְתִ יחָה ַחּי ָב עַל ַהּכ ְִרּי ָה ֹלא כָל‬.‫או כי יכרה‬
)‫קמא נ"א‬:

‫ או כי יכרה‬OR IF A MAN SHALL DIG [A PIT] — Why is this stated? If he becomes liable for
opening one that already exists how much the more is he liable for digging a new one!
However, it does not mean that he digs a pit from beginning to end but it is intended to
include in this law a person who digs after another has dug (i. e. who deepens to a height of
ten handbreaths a pit which another has already excavated to a depth less than this. Before he
did this an animal which fell into the pit was unlikely to kill itself; now, however, such a fall
may prove fatal) — that such a one alone becomes liable (cf. Bava Kamma 51a).

‫ הָא אִם ִּכּסָהּו ּפָטּור; ּובְחֹופֵר ּב ְִרׁשּות ה ַָרּבִים ּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב‬.‫ולא יכסנו‬:
‫ ולא יכסנו‬AND SHALL NOT COVER IT — if, however, he did cover it, though he did not fill
it in with earth” he is not liable (Bava Kamma 50a). Scripture speaks of one who excavates a
pit in a public thoroughfare (cf. Bava Kamma 49b).

,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ׁשֹור אֹו חֲמֹור ָאנּו ְלמֵדִ ין אֹותֹו ׁשֹור ׁשֹור מִּׁשַ ּבָת‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְּבכָל ָמקֹום‬ ֶ ,‫ הּוא הַּדִ ין ְלכָל ְּב ֵה ָמה ְו ַחּי ָה‬.‫שור או חמור‬
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֶ ֱאמַר ּבְמָ קֹום ַאחֵר ְוכָל‬
ֶ – ‫ ַמה ְּל ַהּלָן ּכָל ְּב ֵה ָמה ְו ַחּי ָה ּכְׁשֹור‬,) ‫ׁשֹורָך ַוחֲמ ֶֹרָך (שמות כ"ג‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְל ַמעַן י ָנּו ַח‬
ֶ
‫ חֲמֹור וְֹלא ֵכלִים‬,‫ וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ׁשֹור ַוחֲמֹור אֶ ּלָא ׁשֹור וְֹלא ָאדָ ם‬,‫ְּב ֶהמְּתֶ ָך (דברים ה' ) – ַאף ּכָאן ּכָל ְּב ֵהמָה ְו ַחּי ָה ּכְׁשֹור‬
)‫(בבא קמא נ"ג‬:

‫ שור או חמור‬AN OX OR AN ASS — This is the law also with respect to all cattle and beasts,
because wherever the Torah prescribes something with regard to “ox or ass”, we derive it (the
fact that it applies to all cattle and beasts) on the grounds of the verbal similarity of ‫ שור‬in the
text in question with ‫ שור‬which occurs in the law prescribing the Sabbath rest, for — with
regard to the latter — it is stated, (Exodus 23:12) “that thine ox and thine ass may rest”. Now
how is it in the latter case? We know that all cattle and beasts are to be treated in this respect
as the “ox”, because in another passage referring to Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5:14) it is
expressly said “[thy ox and thy ass] and all thy cattle”! So here, too, all cattle and beasts are to
be treated as the ox. The only reason why ox and ass are alone mentioned is to imply: “an ox”
— but not a man, “an ass” — but not vessels (Bava Kamma 53b).

21:34

‫ׂשאֹו ַהּכָתּוב ְּב ָעלָיו ְלהִתְ ַחּי ֵב ָעלָיו‬

ָ ‫ׂשאֹו ב ְִרׁשּות ה ַָרּבִים – ֲע‬
ָ ‫ׁש ֲע‬
ֶ – ‫ׁשּלֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין הַּבֹור‬
ֶ ‫ ַּבעַל הַּתַ ָּקלָה; ַאעַ" ִּפ‬.‫בעל הבור‬
‫ ִּבנְז ָקָ יו‬:

‫ בעל הבור‬THE OWNER OF THE PIT [SHALL PAY FOR IT] — This means the one who
occasioned the damage. Although the pit was not his, — for he dug it in the public
thoroughfare, — Scripture regards him as its “owner” (‫ )בעל הבור‬in so far that he becomes
responsible for the damage caused by it.

)'‫ׁשוֵה ֶכסֶף ַו ֲאפִּלּו ֻסּבִין (שם ז‬

ְ ‫ יָׁשִיב ל ְַרּבֹות‬.‫כסף ישיב לבעליו‬:

‫[ כסף ישיב לבעליו‬THE OWNER OF THE PIT SHALL PAY FOR IT] AND RESTORE
MONEY UNTO THE OWNER OF THEM — The word ‫ ישיב‬is apparently redundant; it
would have sufficed to state ‫ ישלם כסף לבעליו‬but it is added to include as legal tender in this
case even bran (i. e. the restitution need not be money so long as he actually restores
something of money-value). (Bava Kamma 7a).

)'‫ׁשלּומֵי נִז ְקֹו (בבא קמא י‬

ְ ַ‫ׁשּלֵם לֹו ַה ַּמּז ִיק ָעלֶי ָה ת‬
ַ ‫ׁשמִין אֶת ַהּנְ ֵבלָה וְנֹו ְטלָּה ּבְדָ מִים ּו ְמ‬
ָ ;‫ ַלּנִּז ָק‬.‫והמת יהיה לו‬:

‫ והמת יהיה לו‬AND THE DEAD BEAST SHALL BELONG TO HIM — to him who has
suffered the loss. We assess the value of the carcass and he (the claimant) takes it at this value
in part payment, and the man who caused the damage pays him in addition to this as much as
will make up the whole loss he has suffered (Bava Kamma 10b).

21:35

‫ׁשאֵין נְגִיפָה אֶ ּלָא לְׁשֹון‬

ֶ ,‫ ֻּכּלָן ִּב ְכלַל נְגִיפָה הֵם‬,‫ׁשּנָיו‬
ִ ‫ׁשּנְׁשָכֹו ְב‬
ֶ ‫ ּבֵין‬,‫ ּבֵין ּב ְַרגְלֹו‬,‫ ּבֵין ּבְגּופֹו‬,‫ י ִדְ ח ֹף; ּבֵין ְּבק ְַרנָיו‬.‫וכי יגף‬
‫מַ ּכָה‬:
‫ וכי יגף‬AND IF [AN OX] HURT [AN OX OF HIS FELLOW-MAN] — ‫ יגף‬means to thrust;
whether it injures by horns or the whole body, or whether it kicks with its foot or bites it with
its teeth, all are included in the term ‫נגף‬, for ‫ נגף‬means nothing else than ‫ — מכה‬the impact of
one thing upon another (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:35:1).

‫ ׁשֹור ׁשֶ ל אִ יׁש‬.‫שור איש‬:

‫ שור איש‬means ‫ שור של איש‬THE OX OF A MAN (i. e. ‫ שור‬is in construct state to the word
‫)איש‬.

‫ׁשוֶה ָמאתַ י ִם – ּבֵין ׁשֶ ַהּנְ ֵבלָה ׁשָ וָה‬ ָ ‫ׁש ֵהמִית ׁשֹור‬ ֶ ‫ׁשוֶה ָמאתַ י ִם‬ ָ ‫ׁשוִים ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר – ׁשֹור‬ ָ ‫ ְּב‬.'‫ומכרו את השור וגו‬
‫ נִ ְמצָא כָל ֶאחָד מַ ְפסִיד ֲחצִי נֶז ֶק‬,‫ׁשּנֹוטֵל ז ֶה ֲחצִי ַהחַי ַו ֲחצִי ַהּמֵת ְוז ֶה ֲחצִי ַהחַי ַו ֲחצִי ַהּמֵת‬ ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ׁשוָה ְמעַט‬ ָ ‫ׁשהִיא‬ ֶ ‫ ּבֵין‬,‫ה ְַרּבֵה‬
‫ׁשּלֵם ֲחצִי נֶז ֶק – ֹלא‬ ַ ‫ ּכִי ּדִ ין הַּתָ ם ְל‬,‫ׁשוִין‬
ָ ‫ׁשאֵינָן‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשוִין אַּתָ ה ָלמֵד ְל‬ ָ ‫ׁשּמִן ַה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּלֵם ֲחצִי נֶז ֶק‬ ַ ‫ׁשהַּתָ ם ְמ‬ֶ ‫ׁשֶ ִהּז ִיקָה ַהּמִיתָ ה; ִלּמְדָ נּו‬
‫ ְּפעָמִ ים‬,‫ׁשנֵיהֶם? אִם ָאמ ְַרּתָ כֵן‬ ְ ‫ׁשהֵן ַחּי ִים ָאמַר ַהּכָתּוב יֶחֱצּו אֶת‬ ֶ ‫ׁשוִין ּבִדְ מֵיהֶן ְּכ‬
ָ ‫ׁשאֵינָן‬ ֶ ‫ אֹו י ָכֹול ַאף ְּב‬.‫ּפָחֹות וְֹלא יֹותֵ ר‬
‫ ְואִי אֶ ְפׁשָר ׁשֶּי ֹאמַר ַהּכָתּוב‬,‫ׁשוָה ִל ָּמכֵר ְלנָכ ְִרים ה ְַרּבֵה יֹותֵ ר מִּדְ מֵי ׁשֹור ַה ַּמּז ִיק‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַהּנְ ֵבלָה‬ ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ׁש ַה ַּמּז ִיק ִמׂשְּתַ ּכֵר ה ְַרּבֵה‬
ֶ
‫ׁשוִין יֹותֵ ר מִ ּכָל ּדְ מֵ י‬ָ ‫ׁש ֲחצִי ּדְ מֵי ׁשֹור ַה ַּמּז ִיק‬ ֶ – ‫ׁשלֵם‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַהּנִּז ָק נֹוטֵל ה ְַרּבֵה יֹותֵ ר מִּדְ מֵי נֶז ֶק‬ ֶ ‫ׂשּכָר; אֹו ְפ ָעמִים‬ ְ ִ‫ׁשֶ ּיְהֵא ַה ַּמּז ִיק נ‬
‫ׁשהַּתָ ם מְׁשַ ּלֵם ֲחצִי‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ִלּמֶדְ ָך‬,‫ׁשוִין‬ָ ‫ עַל ּכ ְָרחֲָך ֹלא ּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב ֶאּלָא ְּב‬.‫ ה ֲֵרי תָ ם חָמּור מִּמּועָד‬,‫ׁשֹור ַהּנִּז ָק – ְואִם ָאמ ְַרּתָ כֵן‬
‫ נֹוטֵל‬,‫ׁשבִיל הַּמִ יתָ ה‬ ְ ‫ׁש ָּפחֲתּו ּדָ מָיו ִּב‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ַמה‬,‫ׁשמִין לֹו אֶת ַהּנְ ֵבלָה‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַה ִּמׁשְּתַ ּלֵם ֲחצִי נִז ְקֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשוִין‬ ָ ‫ׁשאֵינָן‬ֶ ‫ּׁשוִין ּתִ לְמ ֹד ְל‬
ָ ‫ ּומִן ַה‬,‫נֶז ֶק‬
‫ וְאִ ם‬,‫ׁשּלֵם ֶאּלָא מִּגּופֹו‬ ַ ‫ׁשאֵין הַּתָ ם ְמ‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּלֵם ֶחצְיֹו? ְל ַלּמֵד‬ ַ ְ ‫ ְו ָל ָמה ָאמַר ַהּכָתּוב ַּבּלָׁשֹון ַהּז ֶה וְֹלא ָאמַר י‬.‫ֲחצִי ַה ְּפחָת וְהֹולְֵך‬
‫ׁשּנָגַח ׁשֹור ׁשָ וֶה חֲמֵׁש מֵ אֹות‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשוֶה ָמנֶה‬ ָ ‫ ְואִם אֵינָּה ַמ ַּגעַת ַל ֲחצִי נִז ְקֹו י ַ ְפסִיד; אֹו ׁשֹור‬,‫ אֵין ּנִּז ָק נֹוטֵל ֶאּלָא ַהּנְ ֵבלָה‬,‫נָגַח ּומֵת‬
)‫ׁשּלֵם מִן ָה ֲע ִלּי ָה (בבא קמא ל"ג‬ ַ ‫ׁשֹּלא נִתְ ַחּי ֵב הַּתָ ם ְל ַחּי ֵב אֶת ְּב ָעלָיו ְל‬
ֶ ,‫ אֵינֹו נֹוטֵל אֶ ּלָא אֶת הַּׁשֹור‬,‫ זּוז‬:

‫ ומכרו את השור וגו׳‬THEN THEY SHALL SELL THE LIVE ONE — Scripture is speaking of a
case when both animals are of the same value: an ox of the value of 200 zuz that killed
another also valued at 200 zuz. Then whether the carcass is worth much or whether it is worth
little, as soon as one takes one-half of the living animal and one-half of the dead, and the other
takes one-half of the living animal and one-half of the dead, it follows that each of them
suffers the loss of half the damage which the death of the animal has caused. Scripture teaches
us that the ‫( תם‬which is the animal spoken of here — one that inflicted injury for the first
time) always pays half damages. For from what it states about animals of the same value you
may gather the rule for such as are of different values — that the law regarding the ‫ תם‬is for
its owner to pay half damages, neither more nor less. Or perhaps you might say that also of
animals which were of unequal value when living Scripture states that both of them must be
halved! But if you say this, you will find that sometimes the man who occasions the damage
may benefit considerably — namely, when the carcass is worth when sold unto heathens
much more than the value of the ox which inflicted the injury. And you must admit that it is
impossible that Scripture should say that the man who occasioned the damage should benefit
by it. Or it may sometimes happen that the claimant will receive much more than the value of
the whole damage — namely, when one-half of the value of the defendant’s ox is worth more
than the whole value of the claimant’s ox. Consequently if you still maintain this (that the
animals are to be halved even when they are of different value), the result may well be that the
case of the ‫ תם‬is more severely dealt with than that of the ‫( מועד‬when the claimant gets full
damages — but not more). You must therefore needs admit that Scripture speaks here only of
animals that are of equal value, and that it teaches you that the owner of a ‫ תם‬has to pay half
damages; and from what is said in respect to animals of equal value you may derive the law in
respect of such as are of different values — that in any case when a person is paid half the
damages caused to him we value the carcass for him (the claimant); and as regards the
depreciation in value caused by its death — he must accept a sum equal to half of that
depreciation together with the carcass and has to be satisfied (Hebrew: and goes his way). But
why does Scripture use this mode of expression and does not simply say: he (the owner of the
‫ )תם‬shall pay the half? To teach you by the way that the ‫ תם‬pays only to the extent of its own
value (Hebrew: from what can be obtained for its body). So in case it gores another and itself
dies, the claimant gets at most the carcass of the ox that caused the damage, and if that does
not amount to one-half of the damage, he has to suffer the loss. Or take another case: an ox of
the value of one maneh (200 zuz) that gored an ox of the value of 500 zuz (so that the loss is
more than the whole value of the ox that caused it). The claimant still does not get more than
the living ox; and the defendant is not bound to make up the deficiency from his own money,
for the ‫ תם‬is not responsible to such an extent as to make its owner liable to pay from his own
property) (Bava Kamma 16b).

21:36

‫ׁשלְׁש ֹם ה ֲֵרי ׁשָ ֹלׁש נְגִיחֹות‬

ִ ‫ הַּיֹום ּומִּתְ מֹול‬,‫ ֶאּלָא נֹודַ ע ּכִי ׁשֹור נַּגָח הּוא‬,‫ אֹו ֹלא ָהי ָה תָ ם‬.‫או נודע‬:

‫ או נודע‬means, OR it was not a ‫ תם‬but IT IS KNOWN THAT THE OX WAS WONT TO

THRUST to-day yesterday and the day before yesterday — thus you have the three acts of
goring required to make it a ‫( שלם ישלם שור‬Bava Kamma 23b)

‫ נֶז ֶק ׁשָ לֵם‬.‫שלם ישלם שור‬:

.‫ מועד‬HE SHALL SURELY PAY AN OX [FOR THE OX] — i. e. the full damage.

‫ׁשּיִׁשְּתַ ּלֵם נִּז ָק ּכָל נִז ְקֹו‬

ֶ ‫ׁשלִים ַה ַּמּז ִיק עַד‬
ְ ַ ‫ ַלּנִּז ָק; ְו ָעלָיו י‬.‫והמת יהיה לו‬:

‫ והמת יהיה לו‬AND THE DEAD SHALL BELONG TO HIM — to the claimant (Bava Kamma
23b) as part of this full payment. In addition to it the defendant has to complete the amount
until the claimant has been paid for his entire loss.

21:37

‫ׁשהֹולְֵך ּב ְַרגְלָיו וְֹלא נִתְ ַּבּז ָה ּבֹו ַה ַּגּנָב‬

ֶ ‫ׁשל ּב ְִרּיֹות – ׁשֹור‬
ֶ ‫ ָאמַר ַר' יֹו ָחנָן ּבֶן זַּכַאי חָס ַה ָּמקֹום עַל ּכְבֹודָ ן‬.'‫חמשה בקר וגו‬
‫ּוראֵ ה‬ ְ ‫ ָאמַר ַרּבִי מֵ אִ יר ּב ֹא‬.‫ַאר ָּבעָה הֹואִיל ְונִתְ ַּבּז ָה בֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשּלֵם‬
ַ ‫ ְמ‬,‫ּנֹוׁש ֹאֹו עַל ּכְתֵ פֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ‫ׂשה‬ ֶ ,‫ּׁשה‬
ָ ‫ׁשּלֵם ֲח ִמ‬
ַ ‫ ְמ‬,‫ׂשאֹו עַל ּכְתֵ פֹו‬
ְ ָ‫ְלנ‬
‫ בבא קמא‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה (מכילתא‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא ִבּטְלֹו ִמ ְּמלַאכְּתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׂשה‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשה‬ ָ ‫ׁש ִּבּטְלֹו ִמ ְּמלַאכְּתֹו ֲח ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל ְמלָאכָה – ׁשֹור‬ ֶ ‫ַּכ ָּמה גָדֹול ּכֹחָּה‬
)‫ע"ט‬:

‫[ חמשה בקר וגו׳‬HE SHALL PAY] FIVE OF THE HERD etc. — Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai
said, “The Omnipresent has much consideration for the honour of His creatures: when an ox
— an animal that can walk by itself — has been stolen and sold or slaughtered, in which case
the thief had not to degrade himself by carrying it on his shoulder, he has to pay fivefold
restitution. In the case of a lamb, however, which he had to carry on his shoulder, he has to
pay only the fourfold, because he was forced to degrade himself by carrying it”. Rabbi Meir
said, “Come and see how great is the virtue of labour: In the case of the theft of an ox which
he (the thief) withdrew from its labour, thereby causing a loss to its owner, he has to repay
five oxen, in the case of a lamb which he has not withdrawn from its labour — only four
(Bava Kamma 79b).

‫ּׁשה נֹו ֶהגֶת ֶאּלָא ּבְׁשֹור וְׂשֶ ה ִּב ְלבַד (בבא‬

ָ ‫ַאר ָּבעָה ַו ֲח ִמ‬
ְ ‫ׁשלּומֵי‬
ְ ַ‫ׁשאֵין מִּדַ ת ּת‬
ֶ ‫ לֹומַר‬,‫ׁשנָָאן ַהּכָתּוב‬
ְ .‫ תחת השה‬,‫תחת השור‬
)‫קמא ס"ז‬:
‫ תחת השור … תחת השה‬FOR THE OX … FOR THE LAMB — The text repeats the words ‫שור‬
and ‫ שה‬unnecessarily (for it would have sufficed to state ‫כי יגנוב איש שור וטבחו או מכרו חמשה בקר‬
‫“ ישלם תחתיו וארבע הצאן תחת השה‬And if a man shall steal an ox … then he shall pay five of the
herd for it, or four sheep in place of the lamb”) to tell you that the rule providing for four-fold
and five-fold restitution applies solely to the ox and the lamb (and not to any other cattle)
(Bava Kamma 67b).

22:1

‫ׁש ָהי ָה חֹותֵ ר אֶת ַה ַּבי ִת‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫אם במחתרת‬:

‫ אם במחתרת‬means when he was breaking in into the house (i. e. in the very act of forcing an
entry, but at no other moment).

‫ׁשּכֵם ְלה ְָרגֹו" ְוז ֶה ְלה ְָרּגְָך‬

ְ ‫ ַה‬,‫תֹורה "אִם ּבָא ְלה ְָרּגְָך‬
ָ ‫ ה ֲֵרי הּוא ְכמֵת ֵמ ִעּקָרֹו; ּכָאן ִלּמְדַ תְ ָך‬,‫ אֵין זֹו ְרצִיחָה‬.‫אין לו דמים‬
‫ ְלפִיכְָך עַל ְמנָת ּכֵן ּבָא ׁשֶ אִ ם יַעֲמ ֹד‬,‫ׁשּנֹו ְטלִין מָמֹונֹו ְּב ָפנָיו וְׁשֹותֵ ק‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין ָאדָ ם ַמ ֲעמִיד ַעצְמֹו וְרֹו ֶאה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי יֹודֵ ַע הּוא‬
ֶ ,‫ּבָא‬
)‫ ַּבעַל ַהּמָמֹון ְּכנֶגְדֹו יַה ְַרגֶּנּו (סנהדרין ע"ב‬:

‫ אין לו דמים‬THERE SHALL NO GUILT OF BLOOD BE INCURRED FOR HIM — This is

not regarded as a murder; it is as though he (the thief) has been dead from the beginning of his
criminal act (‫ אין לו דמים‬is taken to mean: he, the thief, had no blood — no vitality). Here the
Torah teaches you the rule: “If one comes with the intention of killing you, be quick and kill
him”. — And this burglar actually came with the intention of killing you, for he knew full
well that no one can hold himself in check, looking on whilst people are stealing his property
before his eyes and doing nothing. He (the thief) therefore obviously came with this purpose
in view — that in case the owner of the property would resist him, he would kill him
(Sanhedrin 72a).

22:2

‫ּׁשמֶׁש ַהּז ֶה ׁשֶ הּוא ׁשָ לֹום‬ֶ ‫ ַּכ‬,‫ׁשלֹום ִעּמְָך‬

ָ ‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לֹו‬
ֶ ‫ אִם ּבָרּור לְָך הַּדָ בָר‬:‫ׁשל‬ ָ ‫ אֵין ז ֶה ֶאּלָא ְכמִין ָמ‬.‫אם זרחה השמש עליו‬
‫ׁשֶרחֲמֵ י‬
ַ ‫ ְּבי ָדּו ַע‬,‫ ּכְגֹון ָאב הַחֹותֵ ר ִלגְנ ֹב מָמֹון ַהּבֵן‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו בָא ַלהֲר ֹג ֲאפִּלּו יַעֲמ ֹד ַּבעַל ַהּמָמֹון ְּכנֶגְּדֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְָך ּפָׁשּוט לְָך‬,‫ּבָעֹולָם‬
)‫הָָאב עַל ַהּבֵן ְואֵינֹו בָא עַל ִעסְקֵי נְפָׁשֹות (שם‬:

‫ אם זרחה השמש עליו‬IF THE SUN SHONE UPON HIM — This is only a metaphorical
expression signifying: if the fact is clear to you that he is peaceably disposed towards you.
The simile is: just as the sun brings peace (happiness) to the world so if it is evident to you
that he did not come with the intention of killing, even if the owner of the property would
resist him (Sanhedrin 72a), as, for instance, when a father breaks in to steal the money of his
son, for it is certain that the father cherishes feelings of pity for his child and the matter of
taking human life is not in his thoughts at all, — then

‫ּורצִיחָה הִיא אִם יַה ְַרגֶנּו ַּבעַל ַה ַּבי ִת‬

ְ ,‫ ְּכחַי הּוא חָׁשּוב‬.‫דמים לו‬:

‫דמים לו‬, then he is to be regarded as a living man (cf. Rashi’s explanation of ‫ אין לו דמים‬v. 1.),
and it is murder if the householder kills him.

,‫ ָלקַח לֹו ׁשִ ּטָה ַאח ֶֶרת‬,‫ׁש ָּגנַב ְואֵינֹו ַחּי ָב מִיתָ ה; ְו ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם אִם עֵינָא ּדְ ַסהֲדַ ּי ָא נְ ָפלַת עֲלֹוהִי‬
ֶ ‫ ַה ַּגּנָב מָמֹון‬.‫שלם ישלם‬
‫ דמים לו – ַחּי ָב ָעלָיו‬,‫ׁשֹּלא יַה ְַרגֵהּו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּבָא ַּבעַל ַה ַּבי ִת נֶגְּדֹו הִתְ רּו בֹו‬ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ׁשּבָא ַּבעַל ַה ַּבי ִת‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאִם ְמצָאּוהּו עֵדִ ים ק ֹדֶ ם‬ ֶ ,‫לֹומַר‬
‫ וְֹלא יַהֲר ֹג אֶת ַּבעַל הַּמָמֹון‬,‫ אֵין ַה ַּגּנָב ַהּז ֶה בָא עַל ִע ְסקֵי נְפָׁשֹות‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש רֹואִים לֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ֵּמַאחַר‬
ֶ ,‫ אִם ה ֲָרגֹו‬:
‫ שלם ישלם‬means the thief shall only restore the money he has stolen but is not subject to the
death penalty. Onkelos who renders ‫ אם זרחה השמש עליו‬by, “If the eye of witnesses fall upon
him” chose a different way of explaining the verse, namely, that if witnesses surprise him
before the householder appears, and when the householder is going towards him they warn
him not to kill him (the thief), then ‫דמים לו‬, he is punishable if he kills him; for since there are
people watching him the thief surely has no thought of taking human life and will not kill the
owner of the property.

22:3

‫ׁשֹּלא ָטבַח וְֹלא מָ כַר‬

ֶ ,‫ ּב ְִרׁשּותֹו‬.‫המצא תמצא‬:

‫ המצא תמצא‬IF THE THEFT BE CERTAINLY FOUND IN HIS HAND i. e. in his possession
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:3:2), he having neither sold it nor slaughtered it he shall pay
only double.

‫קְרא‬
ָ ִ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֶאֱמַר ּבְמ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשאֵין ּבֹו רּו ַח ַחּי ִים‬ֶ ‫ ּבֵין‬,‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ּבֹו רּו ַח ַחּי ִים‬
ֶ ‫ ּבֵין‬,‫ׁשלּומֵי ֶּכפֶל‬
ְ ַ‫ ּכָל ּדָ בָר ִּב ְכלַל ּת‬.‫משור עד חמור‬
)‫ׁשנַי ִם ל ְֵרעֵהּו" (בבא קמא ס"ב‬ ְ ‫ׁשּלֵם‬ַ ְ ‫ׂש ְל ָמה עַל ּכָל ֲאבֵדָ ה … י‬ ַ ‫ׂשה עַל‬ ֶ ‫ַאחֵר "עַל‬:

‫ משור עד חמור‬WHETHER IT BE AN OX OR AN ASS — Every thing stolen whether it be

animate or inanimate comes under the category of things for which two-fold compensation
(“kefel”) must be made, for it is said in another verse, (8) “[for every matter of tresspass
whether it be for ox, for ass…], for sheep, for raiment or for any lost thing … he shall pay
double unto his fellow-man”(Bava Kamma 62b).

)‫ אֶ ּלָא ַחּי ִים אֹו ּדְ מֵי ַחּי ִים (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשּלֵם לֹו מֵתִ ים‬
ַ ְ ‫ וְֹלא י‬.‫חיים שנים ישלם‬:

‫ חיים שנים ישלם‬means, two living animals (‫ )חיים שנים‬shall he pay and he shall not give dead
animals in payment (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:3:4) — but either living animals or the
value of living animals.

22:4

)'‫ִירנּו (במדבר כ‬
ֵ ‫ ּכְמֹו ֲאנַחְנּו ּו ְבע‬,‫ ֻּכּלָם לְׁשֹון ְּב ֵהמָה‬.‫ את בעירה ובער‬,‫כי יבער‬:

‫ כי יבער … בעירה ובער‬All these terms are connected with the word ‫ בעיר‬which signifies “cattle”,
as in (Numbers 20:4) ‫“ אנחנו ובעירנו‬we and our cattle" .

,‫ׁשּלּו ַח ְּבעִירֹו אֹו ְּבבִעּור‬

ִ ‫ אֹו ְב‬,‫ ְויַּז ִיק אֹותֹו בְַאחַת ִמּׁשְתֵ י ֵאּלּו‬,‫ׁשל ֲחבֵרֹו‬
ֶ ‫ יֹולִיְך ְּבהֵמֹותָ יו ְּבׂשָדֶ ה אֹו ְבכ ֶֶרם‬.‫כי יבער‬
)'‫ הָאֹו ֶכלֶת ּו ְמ ַבע ֶֶרת (בבא קמא ב‬,‫ "ּו ִבעֵר" הּוא נִזְקֵי ַהּׁשֵן‬,‫ׁשּלַח" הּוא נִזְקֵי מִדְ ַרְך ּכַף ֶרגֶל‬ ִ ‫ ּופ ְֵרׁשּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו " ְו‬:

‫ כי יבער‬means accordingly, he takes his cattle into the field or the vineyard of his fellow-man
and causes damage to him by one of these two ways: either by the mere fact that he lets his
cattle go (tread) there (‫)ושלח את בעירו‬, or by letting it graze there (‫)ובער‬. Our Rabbis explained
(Bava Kamma 2b), that ‫ ושלח‬refers to the damage done by “treading” (Rashi uses a Biblical
phrase Deuteronomy 5:1. “treading of the hollow of the foot”) and ‫ ובער‬to the damage caused
by the tooth that eats up and removes (‫ )מבערת‬the crops (grazing).

‫ ְּבׂשָדֶ ה ׁשֶ ל אִ יׁש ַאחֵר‬.‫בשדה אחר‬:

‫ בשדה אחר‬means ‫ בשדה של אחר‬IN THE FIELD OF ANOTHER MAN (not “in another field”,
when it would be punctuated ‫ ְּבשָׂדֶ ה‬, for ‫ ִּבׁשְדֵ ה‬is the construct form).

‫ׁשּלֵם לֹו ִמּמֵיטַב ׂשְדֹותָ יו – אִ ם ָהי ָה נִז ְקֹו‬

ַ ְ ‫ י‬,‫ׁשּלֵם לֹו ק ְַרקַע ּדְ מֵי נִז ְקֹו‬
ַ ‫ ְואִם ּבָא ְל‬,‫ׁשמִין אֶת ַהּנֶז ֶק‬
ָ .‫מיטב שדהו … ישלם‬
)'‫ בבא קמא ו‬,‫ׁשמִין ָלהֶם ְּבעִּדִ ית (מכילתא‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַהּנְזָקִין‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לֹו; ִלּמֶדְ ָך ַהּכָתּוב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשוֵה ֶסלַע ֵמעִּדִ ית‬
ְ ‫ י ִּתֵ ן לֹו‬,‫ ֶסלַע‬:

‫ מיטב שדהו … ישלם‬THE BEST OF HIS FIELD SHALL HE PAY — We assess the damage,
and if the defendant proposes to make restitution to him for the damage he has suffered with
“land’” then he has to pay him with the best of his fields. If for instance the damage amounted
to a Sela he has to give him a Sela-worth of the best of the fields he possesses). Scripture
teaches you that in cases of damages (which it is proposed to pay with land) we assess and
collect them from the best land of the defendant (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:4:6; Bava
Kamma 6b).

22:5

)‫ ֲאפִּלּו ֵמ ַע ְצ ָמּה (בבא קמא כ"ב‬.‫כי תצא אש‬:

‫ כי תצא אש‬IF A FIRE GOETH FORTH — i. e. even if it goeth forth (extends) by itself (Bava
Kamma 24b) from the field in which it has been lit into another persons field.

‫ קרדו"נש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫ומצאה קצים‬:

‫ ומצאה קוצים‬AND CATCH IN THORNS —chardons in old French

‫ַּקַרקַע‬
ְ ‫ׁש ִהּגִיעָה ַלּגָדִ יׁש אֹו ַל ָּק ָמה הַמְ ֻחּב ֶֶרת ּב‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ִּל ֲחכָה ּבַּקֹוצִים עַד‬
ֶ .‫ונאכל גדיש‬:

‫ ונאכל גדיש‬SO THAT THE STACKS OF CORN [OR THE STANDING CORN] BE
CONSUMED, because it (the fire) licked up the thorns and gradually reached the stacks of
corn or the standing corn, i. e. corn that is still attached to the ground.

)'‫ׁשנִּי ָה (בבא קמא ס‬

ְ ‫ׁש ִּל ֲחכָה אֶת נִירֹו ְוצ ִָריְך ָלנִיר אֹותָ ּה ַּפעַם‬
ֶ .‫או השדה‬:

‫ או השדה‬OR THE FIELD — because it (the fire) liked up his furrow (the newly broken soil),
so that it became hard and he (the owner) has to plough it again (Bava Kamma 60a).

‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶ ֹּלא‬,‫ ַחּי ָב לְׁשַ ּלֵם‬,‫ׁש ָּמצְָאה‬

ֶ ‫ ְוהִיא יָצְָאה ֵמ ַע ְצ ָמּה עַל י ְדֵ י קֹוצִים‬,‫ׁשּלֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהִדְ לִיק ּבְתֹוְך‬
ֶ ‫ ַאעַ" ִּפ‬.‫שלם ישלם המבער‬
‫ׁשמַר אֶת ַּג ַחלְּתֹו ׁשֶ ֹּלא תֵ צֵא וְתַ ּז ִיק‬
ָ :

‫ שלם ישלם המבער‬HE THAT KINDLED [THE CONFLAGRATION] SHALL SURELY PAY
— Although he has lit the fire on his own soil and it extended by itself through the thorns
which it came across, he has to make restitution because he did not guard his fire (lit., burning
coals) that it should not extend and cause damage.

22:6

)‫ ְלפִי דְ ב ָָריו (שם ס"ג‬.‫וגנב מבית האיש‬:

‫ וגנב מבית האיש‬AND IT BE STOLEN OUT OF THE MAN’S HOUSE — i. e. according to his
statement),
‫ ַה ַּגּנָב שנים ַל ְּב ָעלִים‬.‫אם ימצא הגנב ישלם‬:

‫ אם ימצה הגנב ישלם‬IF THE THIEF BE FOUND HE — the thief — SHALL PAY ‫שנים‬
DOUBLE to the owner (to the bailor not to the bailee) (Bava Kamma 63b).

22:7

‫ ׁשֶהּוא ַּבעַל ַה ַּבי ִת‬,‫ ּובָא הַּׁשֹומֵר ַהּז ֶה‬.‫אם לא ימצא הגנב‬:

‫ אם לא ימצא הגנב‬IF THE THIEF BE NOT FOUND then this bailee — who is ‫“ בעל הבית‬the
owner of the house” for the time being (since the bailment is then in his possession although
he is not really its owner) — shall come.

)‫ׁשלַח י ָדֹו ּבְׁשֶ ּלֹו (שם‬

ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשבַע לֹו‬
ָ ‫ לָדּון עִם ז ֶה ְו ִל‬,‫ ֶאל הַּדַ ּיָנִין‬.‫ונקרב‬:

‫ ונקרב אל‬AND SHALL APPROACH UNTO THE ‫ — אלהים‬the judges, to put his case against
the other and to swear unto him that he has not put forth his hands against his property (Bava
Kamma 63b).

22:8

‫ׁשהּוא ַעצְמֹו ְּגנָבֹו – ְוי ְַרׁשִיעּוהּו ֱאֹלהִים עַל ּפִי ָהעֵדִ ים‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּיָעִידּו עֵדִ ים‬
ֶ – ‫ׁשבּועָתֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשק ְָרן ִּב‬
ַ ‫ׁשּי ִ ָּמצֵא‬
ֶ .‫על כל דבר פשע‬.

‫ על כל דבר פשע‬FOR ALL MANNER OF TRESSPASS in which he (the bailee) is proved a liar
in respect of his oath (i. e. is convicted of perjury), because witnesses testify that he himself
has stolen it and the judges condemn him on the evidence of the witnesses,

;‫ׁשּלֵם ּתַ ׁשְ לּומֵ י ֶּכפֶל‬

ַ ‫ ְמ‬,‫ׁשהּוא ַעצְמֹו ְּגנָבֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ְונִ ְמצָא‬,‫ׁשהַּטֹועֵן ְּב ִפּקָדֹון לֹומַר נִגְנַב הֵי ֶמּנּו‬ֶ ,‫ ִלּמֶדְ ָך ַהּכָתּוב‬.‫ישלם שנים לרעהו‬
,‫ ק ְִריבָה זֹו ׁשְ בּועָה הִיא‬,‫ ְונִק ְַרב ַּבעַל ַה ַּבי ִת אֶל ָה ֱאֹלהִים‬:‫ׁשּכְָך ּדָ ְרׁשּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּבַע וְַאחַ" ָּכ ּבָאּו עֵדִ ים‬ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫וְאֵ ימָתַ י? ִּבזְמַן‬
‫ ִמּי ָד י ִתְ ַחּי ֵב ֶּכפֶל אִם ּבָאּו עֵדִ ים ׁשֶ הּוא‬,‫ׁשּבָא לַּדִ ין ְו ָכפַר לֹומַר נִגְנְבָה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכֵיוָן‬ ֶ ,‫אַּתָ ה אֹומֵר ִלׁשְבּועָה אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא לַּדִ ין‬
‫ׁשלַח י ָדֹו – מַה ְּל ַהּלָן‬ ָ ‫ׁשנֵיהֶם אִם ֹלא‬ ְ ‫ׁשלִיחּות י ָד – ׁשְבּועַת ה' ּתִ ְהי ֶה ּבֵין‬ ְ ‫ׁשלִיחּות י ָד ְונֶ ֱאמַר ְל ַמּטָה‬ ְ ‫ְבי ָדֹו? נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָאן‬
)‫ ַאף ּכָאן ׁשְ בּועָה (שם‬,‫ׁשבּועָה‬ ְ :

‫ ישלם שנים לרעהו‬HE SHALL PAY THE DOUBLE TO HIS FELLOW-MAN — Scripture
teaches you that in a case of a bailment where one pleads that it has been stolen from him and
it is proved that he himself has stolen it he is liable to pay “kefel” (twice the value of the
article) to the owner. When, however, does this law hold good? In the case that he has taken
an oath that it has been stolen from him and witnesses afterwards appear and testify to the
contrary. For our Rabbis expound this phrase as follows: (Bava Kamma 63b) “and the owner
of the house shall approach unto the judges” — this “approaching the judges” is an expression
signifying the taking of an oath. You say that it means approaching the judges in order to take
an oath, but perhaps this is not so, and it means that he approaches them to put his case, and
that the meaning of the verse is. that as soon as the bailee appears before the court and denies
any liability, saying, “it has been stolen” from me, he at once becomes liable to pay double if
witnessess appear who testify that the bailment is still in his possession? You certainly cannot
argue thus! For “conversion” (‫ )שליחות יד‬is mentioned here and later on (v. 10) it is mentioned
again: “Then shall the oath of the Lord be between the two of them, if he hath not put his hand
(‫ )אם לא שלח ידו‬unto his fellow-man’s goods”. — Now, what is the meaning of the phrase in
the latter case? It is evident from what precedes it that it is a matter of taking an oath! So also
here it is a matter of taking an oath. (Bava Kamma 63b).
 ‫ עַד הַּדַ ּיָנִין י ָב ֹא ּדְ בַר‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי הּוא ֶא ְצלְָך‬,‫ׁש ַּבעְּתָ ָעלָיו‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי פְׁשּוטֹו ֲאׁשֶר י ֹאמַר ָהעֵד ּכִי הּוא ז ֶה‬.‫אשר יאמר כי הוא זה‬
‫ ׁשֶ ּנִמְ צְאּו‬,‫ ְואִם י ְַרׁשִיעּו אֶת ָהעֵדִ ים‬,‫ׁשנַי ִם‬ְ ‫ׁשּלֵם‬ ַ ְ ‫ י‬,‫ אִם ְּכׁש ִֵרים הֵם ְוי ְַרׁשִיעּוהּו לְׁשֹומֵר ז ֶה‬,‫ ְוי ַ ְחקְרּו אֶת ָהעֵדִ ים‬,‫ׁשנֵיהֶם‬ ְ
‫ׁשאֵין ְמ ַחּיְבִין אֹותֹו ׁשְבּועָה ֶאּלָא אִ ם ּכֵן הֹודָ ה‬ ֶ ,‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ז ִ" ִל ּדָ ְרׁשּו ּכִי הּוא ז ֶה ְל ַלּמֵד‬.‫ׁשנַי ִם לַּׁשֹומֵר‬
ְ ‫ׁשּלְמּו הֵם‬
ַ ְ ‫ י‬,‫זֹו ְממִין‬
)‫ ְוהַּמֹותָ ר נִגְנַב מִּמֶ ּנִי (שם ק"ז‬,‫ לֹומַר ּכְָך ְוכְָך ֲאנִי ַחּי ָב לְָך‬,‫ ְּב ִמ ְקצָת‬:

‫ אשר יאמר כי הוא זה‬means, according to the literal sense, any article about which the witness
will say: “this is the very article” about which you have taken an oath that it has been stolen
from you; see, it is actually in your possession! — then the matter of dispute between the two
of them shall come before the judges. These shall examine the witnesses, and if they prove to
be trustworthy and they (the judges) condemn this bailee, then he has to pay double. If,
however, they condemn the witnesses because these are found to be “plotting” witnesses (
‫ )זוממין‬then shall they (the witnesses) pay double to the bailee. Our Rabbis, of blessed
memory, however, explained that ‫ כי הוא זה‬tells us that no oath can be imposed upon him (the
defendant) except if he admits a part of the other’s claim asserting, “So-and-so much I owe
you, and the rest has been stolen from me” (according to this explanation the phrase ‫כי הוא זה‬
is not a statement of the witnesses but that of the bailee himself; i. e. he says, ‫כי הוא זה‬, “it is
this only” that you have to claim and not as much as you say) (Bava Kamma 107b).

22:9

‫ ּכְמֹו ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר‬,‫ ְלפִיכְָך ָּפטַר ּבֹו אֶת ַה ְּגנֵבָה‬,‫ׁשה ִראׁשֹונָה נֶ ֶאמ ְָרה ּבְׁשֹומֵר ִחּנָם‬ ָ ‫ ּפ ָָר‬.‫כי יתן איש אל רעהו חמור או שור‬
‫ ּופ ָָרׁשָ ה‬.‫ׁשבּועָה זֹו‬ ְ ‫ׁשּפֹוטֵר ַעצְמֹו ִּב‬ֶ ָ‫ ָלמַדְ ּת‬,‫ׁשבּועָה‬ ְ ‫ אִם ֹלא י ִ ָּמצֵא ַה ַּגּנָב ְונִק ְַרב ַּבעַל ַה ַּבי ִת ִל‬,‫(פסוק ו) ְוגֻּנַב ִמּבֵית ָהאִיׁש‬
‫ אֲ בָל עַל‬,‫ׁשּכָתּוב (פסוק יא) אִם ּגָנ ֹב י ִ ָּגנֵב ֵמעִּמֹו י ְׁשַ ּלֵם‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ְלפִיכְָך אֵינֹו ּפָטּור אִם נִגְנְבָה‬,‫ׂשכָר‬ ָ ‫ֲמּורה ּבְׁשֹומֵר‬
ָ ‫זֹו א‬
‫ ְואֵין רֹו ֶאה ׁשֶ ּיָעִיד ּבַּדָ בָר‬,‫ׁשּבָה ְּב ָחז ְ ָקה עַל י ְדֵ י ִל ְסטִים‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשּבַר אֹו נ‬
ְ ִ‫ אֹו נ‬,‫ ּכְגֹון מֵת ֵמ ַעצְמֹו‬,‫ הָאֹנֶס‬:

‫ כי יתן איש אל רעהו חמור או שור‬IF A MAN GIVE UNTO HIS FELLOW-MAN AN ASS OR AN
OX — The first section (v. 6—9) speaks of the gratuitous bailee and therefore (since the
chattels are kept for the use of the bailor only) Scripture frees him of liability for theft, as it is
written, (v. 6) “[If a man shall give … to keep] and it be stolen out of the man’s house, if the
thief be not found, then the owner of the house shall approach the judges” to take an oath (cf.
Rashi v. 7). You may learn from this that he (the bailee) frees himself from liability by this
oath. This section (v. 9—12), however, speaks of a “bailee for payment” (‫ )שומר שכר‬who is
therefore not free from liability if the object has been stolen, as it is written, “but if it be
certainly stolen from him, he shall pay [unto the owner thereof]” (Bava Metzia 94b).
However, for any loss over which he has no control — if, for instance, the animal died a
natural death or has been injured by a wild beast, or forcibly seized by robbers, and ‫אין רואה‬
NO ONE SEEING IT that could testify in this matter

22:10

‫ׁשלַח ּבָּה י ָד וְַאחַ" ָּכ‬

ָ ‫ׁשאִם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשלַח ּבָּה י ָד ְל ִהׁשְּתַ ּמֵׁש ּבָּה ְל ַעצְמֹו‬
ָ ‫ וְהּוא ֹלא‬,‫ׁשּכֵן הּוא כִדְ ב ָָריו‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשבַע‬
ָ ִ ‫ י‬.‫שבעת ה' תהיה‬
)‫ ַחּי ָב ָּב ֳאנָסִים (בבא מציעא צ"ד‬,‫נֶ ֶאנְסָה‬:

‫ שבעת ה׳ תהיה‬THEN SHALL THE OATH OF THE LORD BE BETWEEN THEM BOTH —
i. e. he (the bailee) must take an oath that the case was as he says (that it died or was injured
or captured), and also that he had not previously put forth his hand against it (the object),
using it for his own purposes. For if he had thus “put forth his hand” and afterwards some
accident, as described, happened to it he is held liable for loss by accident (Bava Metzia 94b),
since he has broken the terms of the contract. —
‫ הַּׁשְ בּועָה‬.‫ולקח בעליו‬:

‫ ולקח בעליו‬AND THE OWNER OF IT SHALL ACCEPT IT — i. e. shall accept the oath (Bava
Kamma 106a),

)‫ לֹו הַּׁשֹומֵר ּכְלּום (בבא קמא ק"ו‬.‫ולא ישלם‬:

‫ ולא ישלם‬AND HE — the bailee — SHALL NOT PAY HIM (the bailor) anything, not even
the capital (‫)קרן‬.

22:12

‫ עַ"י ְ ַחּי ָה ָרעָה‬.‫אם טרף יטרף‬:

‫ אם טרף יטרף‬IF IT BE TORN IN PIECES — by wild beasts.

‫ׁשּנִט ְְרפָה בְאֹנֶס ּופָטּור‬

ֶ ‫ יָבִיא עֵדִ ים‬.‫יביאהו עד‬:

‫ יביאהו עד‬THEN LET HIM BRING WITNESSES that it has been torn in pieces by accident
and he shall be freed from liability.

‫ׁשאֵינֹו מְׁשַ ּלֵם; ט ְֵרפַת‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּלֵם ְוי ֵׁש ט ְֵרפָה‬
ַ ‫ׁשהּוא ְמ‬ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש ט ְֵרפָה‬,‫ׁשּלֵם אֶ ּלָא ַהּט ְֵרפָה‬
ַ ְ ‫ אֵינֹו אֹומֵר ט ְֵרפָה ֹלא י‬.‫הטרפה לא ישלם‬
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי כָתּוב ּומֵת אֹו נִׁשְ ּבַר אֹו‬
ֶ ?‫ׁשּלֵם; ּומִי ְל ָחׁשְָך לָדּון ּכֵן‬
ַ ‫ וְד ֹב ְונָחָׁש אֵינֹו ְמ‬,‫אֲרי‬ִ ,‫ ט ְֵרפַת ז ְ ֵאב‬,‫ׁשּלֵם‬
ַ ‫חָתּול וְׁשּועָל ּונְ ִמּי ָה ְמ‬
)‫ׁשאֵין י ָכֹול ְל ַהּצִיל (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְבי ָה‬
ִ ‫ׁשבֶר ְו‬ֶ ‫ ַאף‬,‫ׁשאֵין י ָכֹול ְל ַהּצִיל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבָה – ַמה ּמִיתָ ה‬ ְ ִ‫ נ‬:

‫ הטרפה לא ישלם‬HE SHALL NOT PAY THAT WHICH HAS BEEN TORN — It does not say
‫“ טרפה לא ישלם‬one which has been torn he shall not pay for” — but it says “the torn one”, (the
one mentioned here, viz., that which was torn without him being able to prevent it). Because
there is a torn beast for which he has to pay and a torn beast for which he has not to pay. For
an animal torn by a cat, a fox or a marten he has indeed to make restitution; but for one torn
by a wolf, a lion, a bear or a serpent he is not liable to pay. But how do you come to make
such a distinction (lit., who whispered to you to draw such a conclusion)? Because, you see, it
states, “and if it die or be injured, or be captured”. Now what is the characteristic of natural
death? One cannot save from it! Thus, also, the injury and the capture must be such that he
was unable to save the animal from it (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:12).

22:13

‫ׁשהּוא ַחּי ָב ּבָאֳ נָסִין‬

ֶ ‫ ּבָא ְל ַלּמֵד עַל הַּׁשֹו ֵאל‬.‫וכי ישאל‬:

‫ וכי ישאל איש‬AND IF A MAN BORROWS — The purpose of this verse is to tell you that the
borrower is liable for loss from whatever cause even from accident.

)‫ׁשל ׁשֹור אֵינֹו עִם הַּׁשֹו ֵאל ִּב ְמלַאכְּתֹו (בבא מציעא צ"ה‬
ֶ ‫ אִם ְּב ָעלָיו‬.‫בעליו אין עמו‬:

‫ בעליו אין עמו‬THE OWNER THEREOF NOT BEING WITH IT (lit., with “him”) — i. e. if the
owner of the ox is not employed with the borrower in his work (Bava Metzia 95b).

22:14
 ‫ׁש ֵאלָה אֵינֹו צ ִָריְך ִלהְיֹות עִּמֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשעַת‬
ְ ‫ ָהי ָה עִּמֹו ִּב‬,‫ׁשהּוא ִב ְמלָאכָה ַאח ֶֶרת‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהּוא ּבְאֹותָ ּה ְמלָאכָה ּבֵין‬
ֶ ‫ ּבֵין‬.‫אם בעליו עמו‬
)‫ִירה ּומִ יתָ ה (שם‬ ָ ‫ׁשב‬ ְ ‫ׁשעַת‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬:

‫ אם בעליו עמו‬BUT IF THE OWNER THEREOF BE WITH IT (lit., with “him”) — whether he
be employed in the very kind of work for which the animal has been borrowed, or whether he
be employed in any other work of the borrower — provided that he (the owner) was
employed by the borrower when the loan was effected it is not necessary, in order to free him
from restitution that he should be employed by the bailee at the time when the injury or death
took place (Bava Metzia 95b).

,‫ ְואֵין ּכָל ֲהנָָאה ׁשֶ ּלֹו‬,‫ׁש ֵאלָה‬

ְ ‫ וְֹלא ִב‬,‫ׂשכָרֹו ְלי ַד הַּׂשֹוכֵר ַהּז ֶה‬
ְ ‫ ּבָא ִּב‬,‫ׁשאּול ֶאּלָא ׂשָכּור‬ ָ ‫ אִם הַּׁשֹור אֵינֹו‬.‫אם שכיר הוא‬
,‫ אִם ּכְׁשֹומֵר ִחּנָם אֹו כְׁשֹומֵר ׂשָ כָר‬,‫ׁשּפַט ׁשֹו ֵאל ְלהִתְ ַחּי ֵב ָּב ֳאנָסִין; וְֹלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש ַמה ּדִ ינֹו‬
ְ ‫ ְואֵין לֹו ִמ‬,‫ׂשכָרֹו נִׁשְּתַ ּמֵׁש‬
ְ ְ ‫ׁשֶ ה ֲֵרי עַ"י‬
‫ ַר' י ְהּודָ ה אֹומֵר ּכְׁשֹומֵר ׂשָ כָר (בבא‬,‫ ַרּבִי ֵמאִיר אֹומֵר ּכְׁשֹומֵר ִחּנָם‬,‫ׁשּלֵם‬ ַ ‫ְלפִיכְָך נֶ ְחלְקּו בֹו ַח ְכמֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ׂשֹוכֵר ּכֵיצַד ְמ‬
)‫מציעא צ"ה‬:

‫ אם שכיר הוא‬IF IT BE HIRED — i. e. if the ox has not been borrowed but hired, ‫בא בשכרו‬
THEN IT CAME FOR ITS HIRE into the hand of this hirer and not by way of loan. For he
does not get the entire benefit of the transaction since he is using it only because he has paid
hire for it and consequently the owner benefits also; therefore the law applicable to a borrower
does not apply in his case — that he should be held liable for loss by accident. Scripture,
however, does not state explicity what his (the hirer’s) law actually is — whether he has to be
treated as the gratuitous bailee (‫ )שומר חנם‬or as the bailee for payment (‫)שומר שכר‬, and
therefore the Sages in Israel differ in their opinion as to how the hirer (‫ )שוכר‬has to make
restitution. R. Meir says he is responsible only as a gratuitous bailee, whilst R. Judah says,
even as a bailee for payment (Bava Metzia 80b).

22:15

‫ ׁשִּדּול ִּבלְׁשֹון א ֲַרּמִי ְּכפִּתּוי ִּבלְׁשֹון ִעב ְִרי‬,‫ ְוכֵן ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו ַוא ֲֵרי יְׁשַּדֵ ל‬,‫ מְדַ ּבֵר עַל ִלּבָּה עַד ׁשֶּׁשֹו ַמעַת לֹו‬.‫וכי יפתה‬:

‫ וכי יפתה‬AND IF A MAN ENTICE [A VIRGIN] — i. e. if he speaks kindly to her until she
submits to him. Thus does also the Targum take it: ‫“ ארי ישדל‬if a man persuades”, the root ‫שדל‬
(the Pael conjugation) in Aramaic being the equivalent of ‫ ּפִּתָ ה‬in Hebrew.

)‫ּׂשאֶ ּנָה (מכילתא‬

ָ ִ ‫ׁשּפַט אִיׁש ְל ִאׁשְּתֹו – ׁשֶּכֹותֵ ב לָּה ּכְתֻ ּבָה ְוי‬
ְ ‫ יִפְס ֹק לָּה מֹהַר ְּכ ִמ‬.‫מהר ימהרנה‬:

‫ מהר ימהרנה‬HE SHALL SURELY GIVE HER THE MARRIAGE PRICE — He shall assign
her a marriage portion as is the practice of a man to do to his wife, i. e. he shall write her a
Ketuba (marriage contract providing for a marriage portion) and shall marry her (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:15:3).

22:16

‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְונָתַ ן הָאִ יׁש הַּׁשֹכֵב‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשהּוא קָצּוב ֲח ִמּׁשִים ֶּכסֶף ֵאצֶל הַּתֹופֵס אֶת ַהּבְתּולָה וְׁשֹוכֵב ִע ָּמּה ּבְאֹנֶס‬
ֶ .‫כמהר הבתולת‬
)‫ ִע ָּמּה ַל ֲאבִי ַהּנַע ֲָרה ֲח ִמּׁשִים ָּכסֶף (דברים כ"ב‬:

‫ כמהר הבתולת‬AS THE MARRIAGE PRICE OF THE VIRGINS — which is limited to fifty
shekels in the case of one who outrages a virgin, for it is said, (Deuteronomy 22:29) “Then the
man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver” (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:16:2; Ketubot 10a).
22:17

‫ׁש ַהּנָׁשִ ים מְצּויֹות‬

ֶ ,‫ ֶאּלָא ׁשֶּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב ּבַהֹווֶה‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ּתּומַת ְּבבֵית ּדִ ין; ְו ֶאחָד זְכ ִָרים ְו ֶאחָד נְ ֵקבֹות‬.‫מכשפה לא תחיה‬
)‫ּׁשפֹות (סנהדרין ס"ז‬ ֵ ‫ ְמ ַכ‬:

‫ מכשפה לא תחיה‬THOU SHALT NOT SUFFER A WITCH TO LIVE — This does not mean
that you may kill her but she shall be put to death by the court. Both men and women who
practise witchcraft are included in this law but in using the feminine term ‫ מכשפה‬Scripture
speaks of what is usually the case; for it is women who mostly practise witchcraft (Sanhedrin
67a).

22:18

)'‫ׁשּכָתּוב ָּבהֶם ּדְ מֵיהֶם ּבָם (ויקרא כ‬

ֶ ,‫ רֹו ֵב ַע ַּכּנ ְִר ַּבעַת‬,‫ ִּב ְסקִילָה‬.‫כל שכב עם בהמה מות יומת‬:

‫ — כל שכב עם בהמה מות יומת‬All who have carnal connection with beasts, whether men or
women, shall surely be put to death — by stoning, for it states of such, (Leviticus 20:16)
“their blood is upon them” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 21:17) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:18)].

22:19

‫ אֵין צ ִָריְך ְלפ ֵָרׁש‬,‫ׁשָאמַר ָל ֱאֹלהִים‬ ֶ ‫ ַע ְכׁשָו‬,"‫ ָהי ָה צ ִָריְך ְלפ ֵָרׁש ְו ִלכְּת ֹב " ֲאח ִֵרים‬,‫ ַלעֲ"ז ָ; אִּלּו ָהי ָה נָקּוד לֵאֹלהִים‬.‫לאלהים‬
‫ צ ִָריְך ְלפ ֵָרׁש לְאֵ יז ֶה‬,‫ ְלעִיר‬,‫ ְלמִדְ ּבָר‬,‫ ּכְגֹון ְל ֶמלְֶך‬,‫ׁש ֶּמׁשֶת ּבְר ֹאׁש הַּתֵ בָה אִם נְקּודָ ה ַּב ֲחטָף‬ ַ ‫ׁשּכָל ָלמֶ"ד ּובֵי"ת ַה ְמ‬ ֶ ,‫ֲאח ִֵרים‬
‫ כֵן‬,‫ ּכָל ְמ ָלכִים ּבְמַׁשְמָע‬,‫ ְואִם אֵינֹו ְמפ ֵָרׁש‬,‫ ְוכֵן ִל ְמ ָלכִים ְול ְִרגָלִים צ ִָריְך ְלפ ֵָרׁש ְלאֵיז ֶה‬,‫ ְלאֵיז ֶה עִיר‬,‫ ְלאֵיז ֶה מִדְ ּבָר‬,‫ֶמלְֶך‬
‫ נֹודַ ע ּבְאֵ יז ֶה מֶ לְֶך‬,‫ ָלעִיר‬,‫ ַלּמִדְ ּבָר‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ַל ֶּמלְֶך‬,‫ׁשהִיא נְקּודָ ה ּפַּתָ ח‬
ֶ ‫ אֲ בָל ְּכ‬,‫ׁשמָע – ֲאפִּלּו ק ֹדֶ ׁש‬ ְ ‫לֵאֹלהִים ּכָל ֱאֹלהִים ְּב ַמ‬
‫ׁש ֻהזְה ְַרּתֶ ם ֲעלֵיהֶם ְּב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר; ּכַּיֹוצֵא בֹו אֵ ין ּכָמֹוָך‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן ָל ֱאֹלהִים – לְאֹותָ ן‬,‫ ְוכֵן ָלעִיר נֹודַ ע ְּבאֵיז ֶה עִיר מְדַ ּבֵר‬,‫מְדַ ּבֵר‬
‫ ֻהצ ְַרְך ִלּנָקֵד ּפַּתָ ח‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ָבאֱֹלהִים‬:

‫ לָאֱ ֹלהִים‬means TO IDOLS — If the word (a noun) were punctuated ‫לֵאֹלהִים‬, with Tzéré under
the first ‫ ל‬it would be necessary to define it more closely by adding the adjective ‫= אחרים‬
strange (gods — idols); now, however, that it says ‫ ָל ֱאֹלהִים‬it is not necessary to define it more
closely by adding the word ‫אחרים‬. For wherever ‫ ל‬or ‫ ב‬are prefixed to a word if it (the prefix)
be punctuated with Chataph (‫)שוא‬, as e. g., ‫ ְל ֶמלְֶך‬a king, ‫ ְלמִדְ ּבָר‬, to a desert, ‫ ָלעִיר‬, to a city, it
must be explained to which king, to which desert, to which city. The same is the case if the ‫ל‬
or ‫ ב‬has a Chirik instead of a Sheva which happens when they are placed before a word
beginning with Sheva, as e .g., in ‫ ִל ְמ ָלכִים‬for kings, ‫ל ְִרגָלִים‬, for festivals, (quoted from Mishnah
Rosh Hashanah 1:1) it is necessary to state for which kings or festivals, and if he does not
state this, all kings and festivals are implied by these words. Similarly here: the word ‫לַאֹלהִים‬
“to gods”, would imply “all gods”, including even Him of Whom the term ‫ אלהים‬is used in a
holy sense (i. e. the Most High God). When, however, it (the prefix) is vowelled with Patach
(or Kametz if the following letter cannot take Dagesh), as ‫ ַל ֶּמלְֶך‬and ‫ ַלמִּדְ ּבָר‬and ‫ ָלעִיר‬it is quite
plain which king one is speaking of, and similarly in the case of ‫“ ָלעִיר‬to the city”, it is quite
plain of which city one is speaking. In the same way, ‫ ָל ֱאֹלהִים‬, to the gods, means to those gods
which in another passage you have been forbidden to worship. A similar instance is, (Psalms
86:8) ‫אין כמוך בָאֱ ֹלהִים‬, “there is none like unto Thee among the gods” — because he did not
more closely define it by the addition of some word like ‫אחרים‬, it was necessary for him to
vowel the ‫ ל‬with Patach (Kametz).

‫ יּומַת; ָלּמָה נֶ ֱאמַר יָח ֳָרם ַוהֲֹלא ְכבָר נֶ ֶאמ ְָרה בֹו מִיתָ ה ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר וְהֹוצֵאתָ אֶת ָהאִיׁש הַהּוא אֹו אֶת הָאִּׁשָה ַההִוא‬.‫יחרם‬
‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר ּכָל עֲבֹודֹות ְּבמִיתָ ה – ּבָא ּופ ֵֵרׁש לְָך‬
ֶ – ‫ׁשֹּלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש עַל אֵיזֹו עֲבֹודָ ה ַחּי ָב מִיתָ ה‬
ֶ ‫וְגֹו' (דברים י"ז )? ֶאּלָא ְלפִי‬
 ‫ ַאף ֲאנִי מ ְַרּבֶה ַה ַּמ ְקטִיר ְוהַמְ נַּסְֵך ׁשֶ הֵם‬,‫ּׁש ַמי ִם‬ ָ ‫ ַמה ּזְבִיחָה עֲבֹודָ ה ַהּנַ ֲעׂשֵית ִּב ְפנִים ַל‬,‫ לֹומַר לְָך‬,‫ּכָאן "ז ֹ ֵבחַ" ָל ֱאֹלהִים‬
,‫ ֲאבָל ׁשְ ָאר עֲבֹודֹות‬.‫ׁשאֵין ּדַ ְרּכָּה ְל ָעבְדָ ּה ְּבכְָך‬ ֶ ‫ ּבֵין‬,‫ ְו ַחּיָבִים ֲעלֵיהֶם ְלכָל עֲ"ז ָ ּבֵין ׁשֶּדַ ְרּכָּה ְל ָעבְדָ ּה ְּבכְָך‬,‫עֲבֹודֹות ִּב ְפנִים‬
‫ּכְגֹון ַה ְמ ַכּבֵד ְו ַהמ ְַרּבֵץ ְו ַה ְמגַּפֵף ְו ַה ְמנַּׁשֵ ק אֵ ינֹו ּבְמִ יתָ ה‬:

‫ יחרם‬means SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH — Why is this verse with its predicate ‫ יחרם‬said at
all? Was not the death penalty for him (the idolator) stated in another passage: (Deuteronomy
17:5) “Thou shalt bring forth that man or that woman [who have done that evil thing … and
stone them]”? But the reason is: because Scripture does not specify there for what form of
worship he (the idolator) is liable to death and it merely states, “and hath gone and served
other gods” — now, in order that you might not say that any kind of worship offered to idols
is punishable with death, Scripture comes and definitely tells you here: “one who sacrificeth
unto any god [shall surely be put to death]”, to teach you that all kinds of worship which have
a certain characteristic of “sacrifice” are meant here. What is this characteristic of sacrifice? It
is an act of worship performed in honour of the Lord in the “Interior” (i. e. in the Temple)! So
I mean to include as punishable by death anyone offering incense and libation since these are
also acts of worship performed in the Temple, and that one is liable for these acts if he
performed them in honour of any idol, whether this be the usual way of worshipping it or
whether this be not the usual way of worshipping it. But other forms of adoration which are
shown to some idols but which are not peculiar to the worship of the idol which one happens
to be worshipping, — if, e. g., one sweeps the place before the idol in its honour, or one lays
the dust in front of it by sprinkling water there, or one embraces or kisses it, — are not
punishable by death (cf. Sanhedrin 60b).

22:20

)‫ ּכְמֹו ְו ַה ֲא ַכלְּתִ י אֶת מֹונַי ְִך אֶת ְּבׂש ָָרם (ישעיהו מ"ט‬,‫ קונטרארי"ר ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ אֹונַָאת ּדְ ב ִָרים‬.‫וגר לא תונה‬:

‫ — וגר לא תונה‬means, do not vex him with words (referring to the fact that he is a stranger);
contrarier in old French Similar is, (Isaiah 49:26) “And I will feed them that vex thee (‫)מוניך‬
with their own flesh”.

‫ ִּבגְזֵלַת מָמֹון‬.‫ולא תלחצנו‬:

‫ ולא תלחצנו‬NOR OPPRESS HIM — by robbing him of money (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
22:20).

;"‫ׁשּבְָך ַאל ּת ֹאמַר ַל ֲחב ְֵרָך‬ֶ ‫ "מּום‬, ָ‫ ַאף אַּתָ ה ִמּג ִֵרים ּבָאת‬,‫ ַאף הּוא י ָכֹול לְהֹונֹותְ ָך וְלֹומַר לְָך‬,‫ אִם הֹונִיתֹו‬.‫כי גרים הייתם‬
‫ ֶאּלָא ּבָא ִמּמְדִ ינָה ַאח ֶֶרת לָגּור ׁשָ ם‬,‫ׁשֹּלא נֹולַד ּבְאֹותָ ּה מְדִ ינָה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל לְׁשֹון ּגֵר ָאדָ ם‬:

‫ כי גרים הייתם‬FOR YE WERE STRANGERS — If you vex him he can vex you also by saying
to you: “You also descend from strangers”. Do not reproach thy fellow-man for a fault which
is also thine (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:20). Wherever ‫ גר‬occurs in Scriptures it signifies
a person who has not been born in that land (where he is living) but has come from another
country to sojourn there.

22:21

‫ׁשהֵם ּתְ ׁשּוׁשֵי כ ֹ ַח וְדָ בָר מָצּוי‬

ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ׁשֶּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב ּבַהֹווֶה‬,‫ הּוא הַּדִ ין ְלכָל ָאדָ ם‬.‫כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון‬
)‫ ְלעַּנֹותָ ם (מכילתא‬:
‫ כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון‬YOU SHALL NOT AFFLICT ANY WIDOW, OR FATHERLESS
CHILD — That is also the law regarding any person, but Scripture is speaking of what
usually happens and therefore mentions these in particular, for they are feeble in defensive
power (i. e. they have no one to protect them) and it is a frequent occurrence for people to
afflict them (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:21).

22:22

‫ ָּגז ַם וְֹלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו ָלכֵן ּכָל ה ֵֹרג קַ י ִן (בראשית ד‬,‫ ָּגז ַם וְֹלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש ָענְׁשֹו‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי ז ֶה ִמק ְָרא קָ צָר‬.‫אם ענה תענה אתו‬
‫ׁשּלְָך ָל ָּמה? ּכִי אִם צָע ֹק י ִ ְצעַק אֵ לַי וְגֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְלֹומַר סֹופְָך לִּט ֹל אֶת‬,‫ ַאף ּכָאן אִם ַעּנֵה תְ ַעּנֵה אֹותֹו לְׁשֹון ּגִּזּום‬,‫' ָענְׁשֹו‬:

‫ אם ענה תענה אתו‬IF THOU AFFLICT THEM IN ANY WISE — This is an elliptical phrase —
the text threatens but breaks off and does not specify immediately the punishment which will
fall upon those who do this. We have the same in, (Genesis 4:15) “Therefore whosoever
slayeth Cain …” it threatens but does not specify the punishment. So, here, too: “If thou
afflict them in any wise”, — this is a threat, as much as to say: “in the end you will get your
deserts!” Why are you certain to get them? “Because (‫ )כי‬if (‫ )אם‬they cry at all unto Me, I will
surely hear their cry”.

22:23

‫ׁשּנְׁשֵיכֶם ַא ְל ָמנֹות ּו ְבנֵיכֶם י ְתֹומִים? ֶאּלָא ה ֲֵרי זֹו קְ ָללָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְוה ַָרגְּתִ י אֶתְ כֶם אֵינִי יֹודֵ ַע‬
ֶ ‫ׁשמָע‬
ְ ‫ ִמ ַּמ‬.‫והיו נשיכם אלמנות‬
‫ ְו ַה ָּבנִים יִהְיּו‬,‫ׂשא‬
ֵ ָ‫ׁשֹּלא יִהְיּו עֵדִ ים ְלמִיתַ ת ַּב ְעלֵיהֶן וְתִ ְהי ֶינָה אֲסּורֹות ְל ִהּנ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ַהּנָׁשִים צְרּורֹות ּכְַא ְל ָמנֹות חַּיֹות‬
ֶ ,‫ַאח ֶֶרת‬
)‫ׁשּבּו (בבא מציעא ל"ח‬ ְ ִ‫ׁשאֵין יֹודְ עִים אִם מֵתּו אִם נ‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ֵירד ְלנִ ְכסֵי אֲ בִיהֶם‬ ֵ ‫ׁשֹּלא יַּנִיחּום ּבֵית ּדִ ין ל‬
ֶ ,‫ י ְתֹומִים‬:

‫ והיו נשיכם אלמנות‬AND YOUR WIVES SHALL BE WIDOWS [AND YOUR CHILDREN
FATHERLESS] — From what is implied in the words, “I will kill you with the sword” do I
not know that “your wives shall be widows and your children orphans”? But the explanation
of the latter words is not that implied by your question; it is quite a different curse: that the
wives will be “fettered” for life — “as living widows” (Rashi is imitating a Biblical phrase, II
Samuel 20:3, used in a somewhat similar sense) — that there will be no witnesses who can
testify to the death of their husbands, and so they will be forbidden to re-marry. In which case
the children will be destitute orphans, for the court will not allow them to take possession of
the chattels of their fathers, since they do not know whether they have died or have only been
taken captives (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:23; Bava Metzia 38b).

22:24

)‫ ְוז ֶה ֶאחָד מֵ הֶן (מכילתא‬,‫ׁשה‬

ָ ‫ּׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ַּתֹורה ְרׁשּות חּוץ ִמ‬
ָ ‫ׁשּב‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ָמעֵאל אֹומֵר ּכָל אִם ְואִם‬
ְ ִ ‫ ַרּבִי י‬.‫אם כסף תלוה את עמי‬:

‫ אם כסף תלוה את עמי‬IF THOU LEND MONEY TO ANY OF MY PEOPLE — R. Jishmael

said: wherever ‫ אם‬occurs in Scripture it is used of an act the performance of which is optional,
except in three instances, of which this is one (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:24:1; cf. Rashi
on Exodus 20:22 - the translation therefore is: “When thou lendett etc.”).

‫ִירָך ַו ֲענִּי ֵי עִיר ַאח ֶֶרת ֲענִּי ֵי‬ ְ ‫ ֲענִּי ֵי ע‬,‫ִירָך ֲענִּי ֶיָך קֹודְ מִין‬
ְ ‫ ֲענִּי ֶיָך ַו ֲענִּי ֵי ע‬,‫ ָענִי ְו ָעׁשִיר ָענִי קֹודֵ ם‬,‫ ַעּמִי וְגֹוי ַעּמִי קֹודֵ ם‬.‫את עמי‬
‫ ּו ְלאֵיז ֶה ָענִי? לְאֹותֹו‬,‫ ּו ְלאֵיז ֶה ֵמ ַעּמִי? אֶת ֶה ָענִי‬,‫ אִם ֶּכסֶף ּתַ ְלוֶה – אֶת ַעּמִי ּתַ ְלוֵהּו וְֹלא לְגֹוי‬:‫ׁשמָעֹו‬ ְ ‫ִירָך קֹודְ מִין; ְוז ֶה ַמ‬
ְ ‫ע‬
‫ׁשֹּלא תִ נְהַג ּבֹו ִּבּז ָיֹון ְּב ַה ְלוָָאה ׁשֶ הּוא עַּמִ י‬ ֶ ,‫ אֶת ַעּמִי‬,‫ (ּדָ "ַא‬.‫ׁש ִעּמְָך‬ ֶ :
‫ את עמי‬TO ANY OF MY PEOPLE — If thou hast to choose between lending money to My
people and a heathen, My people come first; if between a poor man and one who is better off,
the poor man comes first; if between thine own poor (poor relatives) and other poor of thy
city, thine own poor come first; if between the poor of thine own city and the poor of another
city, the poor of thine own city come first (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:24:3; Bava Metzia
71a). And this is how the above explanation is implied in the text: “If thou lend money” — ‫את‬
‫“ עמי‬lend it to My people”, and not to a heathen; and to which one of My people? ‫את העני‬, to
the poor; and to which poor? ‫ עמך‬to him that is with thee (i. e. who is with thee in relationship
and is with thee in thy city). [Another explanation of ‫ את עמי‬is: Thou shalt not treat him
disrespectfully when lending him money, for he is ‫ — עמי‬though in need he is still “My
people”!

‫ ֱהוֵי ִמסְּתַ ּכֵל ְּב ַע ְצמְָך ּכְאִ ּלּו אַּתָ ה ָענִי‬.‫את העני עמך‬:

‫ את העני עמך‬Look at thyself as though thou art the poor man (Midrash Tanchuma 6:15)].

‫ ַאל ּתְ הִי ּדֹו ֶמה ָעלָיו ְּכ ִאּלּו ִה ְלוִיתֹו אֶ ּלָא כְאִ ּלּו ֹלא‬,‫ׁשאֵין לֹו‬
ֶ ‫ אִם אַּתָ ה יֹודֵ ַע‬.‫ ֹלא תִ תְ ָּבעֶּנּו ְּב ָחז ְ ָקה‬.‫לא תהיה לו כנשה‬
‫ ּכְלֹומַר ֹלא תַ ְכלִימֵהּו‬,‫ ִה ְלוִיתֹו‬:

‫ לא תהיה לו כנשה‬THOU SHALT NOT BE UNTO HIM AS AN EXACTOR — you shall not
demand the debt of him forcibly. The comparative ‫ כ‬of ‫ כנשה‬suggests thou shalt not be like a
‫נשה‬: if you know that he has no money do not appear in your attitude towards him as though
you had lent him, but as though you had not lent him — it means as much as, do not humble
him.

‫ ּכְָך‬,‫ ּופִתְ א ֹם הּוא ְמ ַב ְטּבֵט וְנֹו ֵפ ַח עַד קָדְ קֳדֹו‬,‫ַּבּורה ְק ַטּנָה ּב ְַרגְלֹו ְואֵינֹו מ ְַרּגִיׁש‬
ָ ‫ׁשנֹוׁשְֵך ח‬
ֶ ‫ ׁשֶהּוא ִכנְׁשִיכַת נָחָׁש‬,‫ ִרּבִית‬.‫נשך‬
)‫ׁשה ִָרּבִית עֹולָה ּו ְמ ַחּסְרֹו מָמֹון ה ְַרּבֵה (תנחומא‬ ֶ ‫רּבִית אֵינֹו מ ְַרּגִיׁש ְואֵינֹו נִּכָר עַד‬: ִ

‫ נשך‬is what is called in Rabbinical Hebrew ‫( רבית‬from ‫ רבה‬to increase). It is called ‫נשך‬
“biting”, because it resembles the bite of a snake: it bites, inflicting a small wound in a
person’s foot which he does not feel at first, but all at once it swells and distends the whole
body up to the top of his head. So it is with interest: at first one does not feel the drain it
makes on him and it remains unnoticed until the interest mounts up and suddenly makes the
person lose a big fortune (Exodus Rabbah 31:6).

22:25

;ַ‫פֹורע‬
ֵ ‫ׁש ַּמּגִי ַע ַהּז ְמַ ן וְאֵ ינֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְּכנִין אֶת הַֹּלוֶה ְּכ‬
ְ ‫ׁש ְּמ ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ׁשעַת ַה ְלוָָאה‬ ְ ‫ׁשּכֹון ִּב‬
ְ ‫ ּכָל לְׁשֹון ֲח ָבלָה אֵינֹו ַמ‬.‫אם חבל תחבל‬
‫ ַוה ֲֵרי נַ ְפׁשְָך עֹולָה אֶ ְצלִי ּכָל אֶמֶׁש‬,‫(חָב ֹל ּתַ חְּב ֹל – ּכְפ ֹל לְָך ַּב ֲח ָבלָה עַד ַּכּמָה ְפ ָעמִים; ָאמַר ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ַּכ ָּמה אַּתָ ה ַחּי ָב לִי‬
‫ ַאף אַּתָ ה ט ֹל ְוהָׁשֵ ב ט ֹל ְוהָׁשֵ ב‬,‫ ָו ֶאמֶׁש וְנֹותֶ נֶת ּדִ ין ּומִתְ ַחּיֶבֶת ְל ָפנַי ַו ֲאנִי ַמ ֲחז ִָירּה לְָך‬:

‫ אם חבל תחבל‬IF THOU TAKE TO PLEDGE — The root ‫ חבל‬never signifies “taking a pledge”
at the time when the loan is transacted, but it means taking the goods of the debtor when the
date of payment arrives and he does not pay (Bava Metzia 114b). [‫ — חבל תחבל‬Scripture bids
you take the pledge repeatedly — even many times (that is, repeatedly to defer the time of
payment). The Holy One, blessed be He, says as it were: “How much do you owe Me! See,
your soul ascends night by night to Me and renders account of its doing and so becomes My
debtor, and should be kept as a pledge; and yet I return it to you every morning. Thus, too,
you should do: take the pledge and restore it, take it again and again restore it!”) (Midrash
Tanchuma, Mishpatim 16)].
 ;‫ׁשּי ָב ֹא ּב ֹקֶר ׁשֶ ל מָ חָר‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשמֶׁש ּתַ חֲז ֹר וְתִ ְּטלֶּנּו עַד‬
ֶ ‫ ּוכְב ֹא ַה‬,‫ּׁשמֶׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל הַּיֹום ּתְ ׁשִיבֶּנּו לֹו עַד ּב ֹא ַה‬.‫עד בא השמש תשיבנו לו‬
)‫ בבא מציעא קי"ד‬,‫ׁשאֵין צ ִָריְך לָּה ַּב ַּליְלָה (מכילתא‬ ֶ ,‫ּו ִבכְסּות יֹום ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר‬:

‫ עד בא השמש תשיבנו לו‬RESTORE IT UNTO HIM TILL THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN
— Restore it unto him for the whole day until the sun-set, and at night-fall you may take it
again till the day-break of the next morning. Scripture speaks here of garment which is worn
during the day and which is not required during the night (Bava Metzia 114b).

22:26

‫ זֹו ַטּלִית‬.‫כי הוא כסותה‬:

‫ כי הוא כסותה‬FOR THAT IS HIS RAIMENT — i. e. his upper garment;

‫ ז ֶה חָלּוק‬.‫שמלתו‬:

‫ שמלתו‬means HIS SHIRT (the ‫ שמלה‬for the skin);

)‫ ל ְַרּבֹות אֶת הַּמַ ּצָע (מכילתא‬.‫במה ישכב‬:

‫ במה ישכב‬WHEREIN SHALL HE LIE DOWN — These words are used to include amongst
the articles which must be returned to him during the day the couch and its coverings on
which he rests during day-time (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:26:3).

22:27

)‫ ה ֲֵרי זֹו ַאזְה ָָרה ְלב ְִרּכַת ַהּׁשֵם וְַאזְה ָָרה ְל ִק ְללַת ּדַ ּי ָן (סנהדרין ס"ו‬.‫אלהים לא תקלל‬:

‫ אלהים לא תקלל‬THOU SHALT NOT EXECRATE GOD — Here you have the prohibition of
blasphemy (the penalty being stated in Leviticus 24:16) and the prohibition of cursing a judge
(who is also termed ‫אלהים‬, cf. Exodus 22:7) (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:27:1 and
Sanhedrin 66a).

22:28

‫ִּכּורים‬
ִ ‫ ְוהֵם ּב‬,‫ּׁשל‬
ֵ ‫ חֹובָה ַה ֻּמ ֶּטלֶת ָעלֶיָך ְּכׁשֶּתִ תְ ַמּלֵא תְ בּוָאתְ ָך ְלהִתְ ַּב‬.‫מלאתך‬:

‫[ מלאתך‬THOU SHALT NOT DELAY TO OFFER FROM] THY FULLNESS — The duty
which falls upon you as soon as your crop becomes fully ripened: this refers to the first fruits (
‫)בכורים‬.

‫ הַּתְ רּו ָמה – ְואֵינִי יֹודֵ ַע מַ הּו לְׁשֹון ּדֶ מַע‬.‫ודמעך‬.

‫ ודמעך‬means THE HEAVE OFFERING, — thus do our Rabbis explain it (cf. Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:28), but I do not know what the expression ‫ דמע‬means (i. e. I do not
know how it comes to have the meaning of (‫)תרומה‬.

‫ִּכּורים ּומַ עֲׂשֵר‬

ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא יַקְּדִ ים ּתְ רּו ָמה ְלב‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּנֶה סֵדֶ ר ַהפ ְָרׁשָתָ ן לְַאחֵר אֶת ַה ֻּמקְּדָ ם ּו ְל ַהקְּדִ ים אֶת ַה ְמ ֻאחָר‬
ַ ְ‫ ֹלא ת‬.‫לא תאחר‬
)‫לִתְ רּומָ ה (מכילתא‬:
‫ לא תאחר‬THOU SHALT NOT DELAY — i. e. thou shalt not alter the prescribed sequence of
separating them from the crops, setting aside last what should be first and setting aside first
what should be last — i. e. that one should not set aside the heave-offering before the first
fruit nor the tithe before the heave-offering (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:28).

‫ ִלפְּדֹותֹו ְב ָחמֵׁש ְס ָלעִים מִן הַּכֹהֵן; ַוהֲֹלא ְּכבָר ִצּוָה ָעלָיו ְּב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר? אֶ ּלָא ּכְדֵ י ִלסְמְֹך לֹו ּכֵן ּתַ עֲׂשֶ ה‬.‫בכור בניך תתן לי‬
‫ ַאף ּבְכֹור ְּבהֵמָ ה ּדַ ּקָ ה‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּופְדּוי ָו ִמּבֶן ח ֹדֶ ׁש ּתִ פְדֶ ה (במדבר י"ח‬ֶ ,‫ׁשֹלׁשִים יֹום ּפֹודֵ הּו‬
ְ ‫לְׁש ְֹרָך – ַמה ּבְכֹור ָאדָ ם לְַאחַר‬
)‫ׁשֹלׁשִים יֹום וְַאחַ" ָּכ נֹותְ נֹו לַּכֹהֵן (בכורות כ"ו‬ ְ ‫ ְמ ַטּפֵל ּבֹו‬:

‫ בכור בניך תתן לי‬THE FIRST BORN OF THY SONS SHALT THOU GIVE UNTO ME — by
redeeming him from the priest by the payment of five Sela’im. Scripture, it is true, has already
given an ordinance concerning him (the firstborn) in another passage (Numbers 18:16), but it
is stated here again in order to bring it into juxtaposition with the next verse: “Likewise shalt
thou do with that of thine ox”, and to illustrate the latter command by the former. How is it in
the case of a human being? He (the father) redeems it after thirty days, for it is said, (Numbers
18:16) “and those that are to be redeemed, from a month old shalt thou redeem”! So, too, has
the owner of small cattle to look after it for 30 days and only afterwards must he give it to the
priest (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:28 and Bekhorot 26b).

22:29

‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶ הּוא מְ ֻחּסַר ז ְמַ ן‬,‫ׁשאִם ּבָא ְל ַמהֵר אֶת ק ְָרּבָנֹו ֹלא י ְ ַמהֵר ק ֹדֶ ם ׁשְמֹנָה‬
ֶ ,‫ זֹו ַאזְה ָָרה לַּכֹהֵן‬.‫שבעת ימים יהיה עם אמו‬:

‫ שבעת ימים יהיה עם אמו‬SEVEN DAYS IT SHALL BE WITH ITS DAM — This is an
admonition for the priest (for the Israelite himself does not sacrifice the firstborn animal) that
if he wishes to bring his offering of this at an earlier date (i.e. in the case of the Israelite
having given it to him before the thirtieth or fiftieth day) he is not allowed to offer it before it
is eight days old because it is then “short in time” (i. e. too young for sacrifice; cf. Leviticus
22:27).

‫ּׁשמִינִי ָו ָהלְָאה י ֵָרצֶה (ויקרא‬ ְ ‫ׁשמִינִי ְונֶ ֱאמַר ְל ַהּלָן ּומִּיֹום ַה‬
ְ ‫ נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָאן‬,‫ י ָכֹול יְהֵא חֹובָה לְבֹו בַּיֹום‬.‫ביום השמיני תתנו לי‬
:‫ּׁשמִינִי ּו ְל ַהּלָן; ְוכֵן מַׁשְמָעֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשמִינִי הָָאמּור ּכָאן ְל ַה ְכׁשִיר ִמ‬ ְ ‫ ַאף‬,‫ּׁשמִינִי ּו ְל ַהּלָן‬
ְ ‫ּׁשמִינִי הָָאמּור ְל ַהּלָן ְל ַה ְכׁשִיר ִמ‬
ְ ‫ ַמה‬,) ‫כ"ב‬
)‫ּׁשאי לִּתְ נֹו לִי (מכילתא‬ ַ ‫ּׁשמִינִי אַּתָ ה ַר‬
ְ ‫ּובַּיֹום ַה‬:

‫ ביום השמיני תתנו לי‬ON THE EIGHTH DAY THOU SHALT GIVE IT ME — One might think
that it is obligatory to offer it on that day! Scripture, however, uses here the words “eighth
day” and uses them again later on, (Leviticus 22:27) “and from the eighth day and henceforth
it shall be favourably accepted”, in order to suggest an analogy. Now what is the meaning of
the “eighth day” mentioned in the latter passage? It intends to declare the first-born fit for
sacrifice from the eighth day and henceforth (i. e. it is intended to fix the earliest possible time
on which it may be sacrificed). This, too, in the purpose of the word ‫ שמיני‬used here: to
declare it fit for sacrifice from the eighth day and henceforth. The text therefore implies: “on
the eighth day thou mayest give it to Me” (and not “thou shalt give it to Me”) (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:29:3).

22:30

‫ׁשּלִי ְואִם לָאו אֵ ינְכֶם ׁשֶ ּלִי‬

ֶ ‫ּׁשּקּוצֵי נְבֵלֹות ּוט ְֵרפֹות ה ֲֵרי אַּתֶ ם‬
ִ ‫ אִם אַּתֶ ם קְדֹוׁשִים ּופְרּוׁשִים ִמ‬.‫ואנשי קדש תהיון לי‬:
‫ ואנשי קדש תהיון לי‬AND YE SHALL BE MEN OF HOLINESS UNTO ME — If you will be
holy and keep yourselves aloof from the loathsomeness of carrion and Trefa you are Mine, if
not you are not Mine (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:30:1).

‫ ֶאּלָא ׁשֶּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב ּבַהֹווֶה – ָמקֹום ׁשֶּדֶ ֶרְך ְּבהֵמֹות ִלּט ֵָרף; ְוכֵן ּכִי בַּׂשָדֶ ה מְ צָאָ ּה‬,‫ ַאף ַּב ַּבי ִת ּכֵן‬.‫ובשר בשדה טרפה‬
.‫ ֶאּלָא ׁשֶּדִ ּבֵר ַהּכָתּוב ּבַהֹווֶה‬,‫ הּוא הַּדִ ין ְל ִמק ְֵרה יֹום‬,)‫ ְוכֵן אֲ ׁשֶר ֹלא י ִ ְהי ֶה טָהֹור ִמּק ְֵרה ָליְלָה (שם כ"ג‬,) ‫(דברים כ"ב‬
‫ְׁשֵרה ְּב ַחּי ֶי ָה‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנִתְ לַׁש עַ"י ְ ט ְֵרפַת ז ְ ֵאב אֹו א ֲִרי מִן ַחּי ָה ְכׁש ֵָרה אֹו ִמ ְּב ֵהמָה כ‬
ֶ ‫ ָּבׂשָר‬,‫ּו ְבׂשַר ּדִ תְ לִיׁש מִן חֵיוָא ַחּי ָא‬:

‫[ ובשר בשדה טרפה‬NEITHER SHALL YE EAT] ANY FLESH THAT IS TORN IN THE
FIELD – The same holds good in case the animal has been torn in the house, only that
Scripture speaks of what usually happens mentioning the field because it is the place where it
is usual for cattle to be torn. A similar instance is, (Deuteronomy 22:27) “for he found her in
the field”, but the same law would apply if he found her elsewhere. Another example is,
(Deuteronomy 23:11) “Any man that is unclean by reason of uncleanliness that chanceth him
by night”; the same law, however, applies to an uncleanliness that happens by day, but night
is mentioned because Scripture speaks of what usually happens (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
22:30:3). The Targum renders ‫ ובשר בשדה טרפה‬by ‫“ ובשר תליש מן חיוא חיא‬flesh that is torn off
from a living animal”, i. e. flesh that has been torn off through a laceration caused by a wolf
or a lion, from a living beast which is permitted to be eaten (e. g., a stag), or from cattle
permitted to be eaten.

‫ קַ" ָו ִלט ְֵרפָה‬,)‫ׁשמָעֹו? ּתַ "ֹל ִּבנְ ֵבלָה אֹו מָכ ֹר ְלנָכ ְִרי (שם י"ד‬ ְ ‫ ַאף הַּגֹוי ַּכ ֶּכלֶב; אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ֶּכלֶב ְּכ ַמ‬.‫לכלב תשלכון אתו‬
‫ׁשאֵין ַה ָּקּבָ"ה מְ קַ ֵּפ ַח ׂשְ כַר ּכָל‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ִלּמֶדְ ָך ַהּכָתּוב‬,‫ׁש ַה ֶּכלֶב נִ ְכּבָד ִמ ֶּמּנּו‬
ֶ ‫ אִם ּכֵן ַמה ּתַ "ֹל ַל ֶּכלֶב? ְל ַלּמֶדְ ָך‬.‫ׁשֶ ּמֻּתֶ ֶרת ְּבכָל ֲהנָאֹות‬
)‫ ָאמַר ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ּתְ נּו לֹו ׂשְ כָרֹו (מכילתא‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּו ְלכָל ְּבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ֹלא יֶח ֱַרץ ֶּכלֶב לְׁש ֹנֹו (שמות י"א‬ ֶ ,‫ּב ְִרּי ָה‬:

‫ לכלב תשלכון אתו‬YE SHALL CAST IT TO THE DOGS — You may give it to a heathen as
well as to the dog. Or, perhaps this is not so, but ‫ כלב‬is to be taken literally? Scripture,
however, states with regard to carrion, (Deuteronomy 14:21) “Thou shalt give it to a stranger
or sell it unto an alien”, from which it follows by a conclusion à fortiori that you may derive
whatever benefit you like from the Trefa (and so you also may give it to heathen). But if this
be so, what is the force of Scripture expressly saying “to the dog”? It is to teach you that the
dog is to be given preference in this respect and Scripture tells you at the same time that God
does not withhold the reward due to any of His creatures. The dog is entitled to reward
because it is stated, (Exodus 11:7) “But against the children of Israel shall not a dog move its
tongue”, and this happened. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Give it the reward it deserves
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 32:30:3).

23:1

‫ׁשמַע ּדִ ב ְֵרי ַבעַל ּדִ ין עַד‬

ְ ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא י‬
ֶ ‫ ַאזְה ָָרה ִל ְמ ַקּבֵל לָׁשֹון ה ָָרע ְולַּדַ ּי ָן‬,‫ׁשקָר‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשמַע ד‬
ְ ‫ לָא תְ ַקּבֵל‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫לא תשא שמע שוא‬
)‫ׁשּי ָב ֹא ַּבעַל ּדִ ין ֲחבֵרֹו (שם‬ֶ :

‫ לא תשא שמע שוא‬THOU SHALT NOT HEAR A FALSE REPORT — Take it as the Targum
renders it: thou shalt not accept (listen to) a false report. This is a prohibition addressed to one
who is about to accept a slanderous statement, and it is addressed also to a judge — that he
should not hear the pleadings of one party to a suit before the other appears (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 22:23:1; Sanhedrin 7b).

‫ ׁשֶּתַ ְבטִיחֵהּו ִלהְיֹות לֹו עֵד חָמָס‬,‫ׁשקֶר‬

ֶ ‫ הַּטֹועֵן אֶת ֲחבֵרֹו ּתְ בִיעַת‬.‫אל תשת ידך עם רשע‬:
‫ אל תשת ידך עם רשע‬SET NOT THINE HAND WITH THE WICKED — with him who makes a
false claim against his fellow-man: that you promise him to give evidence for him that will
result in wrong being done (‫)להיות עד חמס‬.

23:2

‫ מִ ּכָאן‬.‫ּׁשב ָּבהֶן עַל ָא ְפנָיו‬ ָ ֻ ‫ ֲאבָל אֵין לְׁשֹון ַה ִּמק ְָרא ְמי‬,‫ י ֵׁש ְּב ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה מִדְ ְרׁשֵי ַח ְכמֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬.‫לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת‬
‫ׁשנַי ִם ְמ ַחּיְבִין יֹותֵ ר עַל‬ ְ ‫ׁשאִם י ֵׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ וְסֹוף ַה ִּמק ְָרא ּדָ ְרׁשּו אחרי רבים להטת‬,‫ׁשאֵין ַמּטִין לְחֹובָה ְּב ַהכ ְָרעַת ּדַ ּי ָן אֶ חָד‬ ֶ ‫ּדָ ְרׁשּו‬
,‫ַה ְמזַּכִין ַהּטֵה הַּדִ ין עַל ּפִיהֶם לְחֹובָה – ּובְדִ ינֵי נְפָׁשֹות ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר – ְו ֶא ְמצַע ַה ִּמק ְָרא ּדָ ְרׁשּו לא תענה על רב – עַל ַרב‬
‫ׁש ָּבהֶם ׁשֹו ֲאלִין ּתְ ִחּלָה ׁשֶּי ֹאמְרּו‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִיכְָך מַתְ חִילִין ּבְדִ ינֵי נְפָׁשֹות מִן ַהּצַד – ַל ְּק ַטּנִים‬,‫ׁש ְּבבֵית ּדִ ין‬ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין חֹו ְלקִין עַל ֻמ ְפלָא‬ֶ
‫ׁשבִיל ּדַ ּי ָן אֶ חָד ׁשֶ ּי ְִרּבּו‬
ְ ‫ ְל ַחּי ֵב מִיתָ ה ִּב‬.‫ לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת‬:‫אֶת ּדַ עְּתָ ם – ּו ְלפִי ּדִ ב ְֵרי ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ּכְָך ּפִתְ רֹון ַה ִּמק ְָרא‬
‫ י ֵׁש‬,‫ׁשהּוא ָחסֵר יֹו"ד ּדָ ְרׁשּו בֹו ּכֵן – אחרי רבים להטת‬ ֶ ‫ וְֹלא תַ ֲענֶה עַל ה ַָרב ִלנְטֹות מִּדְ ב ָָריו – ּו ְלפִי‬,‫מְ ַחּיְבִין עַל ַה ְמזַּכִין‬
‫ׁשנַי ִם ַה ַּמכ ְִריעִין ַּב ְמ ַחּיְבִין יֹותֵ ר מִן ַה ְמזַּכִין; ּו ִמ ַּמׁשְמָ ע ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר לא‬ְ ‫ׁשהֵן‬ֶ ‫ ְואֵימָתַ י? ִּבזְמַן‬,‫ׁשאַּתָ ה נֹוטֶה ַאח ֲֵריהֶם‬ֶ ‫ַרּבִים‬
‫ ִמּכָאן ָאמְרּו ּדִ ינֵי נְפָׁשֹות ַמּטִין עַל ּפִי ֶאחָד ִלז ְכּות ְועַל ּפִי‬,‫תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ֲאנִי אֲ בָל ֱהי ֵה ִע ָּמהֶם לְטֹובָה‬
‫ ּולְׁשֹון ָה ִעב ְִרי ְלפִי הַּתַ ְרּגּום ּכְָך‬,‫ ְו ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּתִ ְרּגֵם לָא תִ תְ ְמנַע ִמ ְּל ַא ָּלפָא ָמה דְ מִתְ ְּבעֵי לְָך (דִ ְבעֵינְָך) עַל ּדִ ינָא‬.‫ׁשְ נַי ִם לְחֹובָה‬
‫ אֶ ּלָא‬,‫ׁשּפָט ֹלא תַ ֲענֶה ִלנְטֹות ְלצַד אֶ חָד ּו ְל ַסּלֵק ַע ְצמְָך מִ ן ה ִָריב‬ ְ ‫ׁשָאלּוָך ּדָ בָר ַל ִּמ‬
ְ ִ ‫ אִם י‬.‫ לא תענה על רב לנטת‬:‫הּוא נִדְ ָרׁש‬
‫ ֱהוֵי דָ ן אֹותֹו לַאֲמִּתֹו‬.

‫ לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת‬THOU SHALT NOT FOLLOW THE MANY FOR EVIL — There are
Halachic interpretations of this verse given by the Sages of Israel but the wording of the text
does not fit in well with them. They derive from here that we must not decide a person’s guilt
by a preponderance of one judge. And the end of the verse they explained thus: ‫אחרי רבים‬
‫ — להטות‬but if the judges who declare the defendant guilty are two more than those who
declare him innocent, then decide the matter as they declare — that he is guilty (Sanhedrin
2a). — The verse, they point out, speaks of capital cases. — The middle passage ‫לא תענה על‬
‫רב‬, they explained as though it were written ‫על ַרב‬, “thou shalt not speak against the chief of
the judges, meaning that one should not give an opinion different from that given by the ‫מופלא‬
of the court (the most eminent among the judges, because this is disrespectful to the
Presiding-judge). In consequence of this rule we begin to take the view of those in the side-
benches first — we ask the youngest judges to express their opinion first (so that they may not
be able to vote against the view expressed by the ‫)מופלא‬. Therefore the exegesis of the verse
according to the words of our Rabbis is as follows: “thou shalt not follow a bare majority for
evil” — to sentence a man to death on account of the one judge by whom those who condemn
him are more in number than those who acquit him; “and thou shalt not speak against the
chief inclining away” from his opinion. — They explained this latter phrase thus, because the
word which is usually written ‫ ִריב‬is here written without and therefore may be read, ‫אחרי רבים‬
‫;רב‬
ַ — ‫להטות‬, there is, however, a majority to whose view thou must incline. When is this the
case? When there are two who preponderate amongst those who vote for condemnation over
and above those who vote for acquittal. For from what is implied in, “thou shalt not follow a
bare majority for evil”, I may infer: but thou shall follow it for good. Hence they (the Rabbis)
said (i. e. they established the general rule): In capital cases we may decide by a majority of
one for acquittal, but only by a majority of at least two to condemn. Onkelos translates the
second phrase by: Do not refrain from teaching when you are being asked your opinion in a
legal matter. The Hebrew text is to be explained according to the Targum as follows: ‫לא תענה‬
‫ על רב לנטת‬If you are being asked your opinion in a legal matter do not give your answer just
to incline to one particular side and so to withdraw yourself from the dispute, but decide the
matter as truth requires. Such are the expositions that have been offered of this verse.

‫ ֹלא‬,‫ׁשעִים ַמּטִין מִׁשְ ּפָט‬

ָ ‫ אִם ָראִיתָ ְר‬.‫ לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת‬:‫ַו ֲאנִי אֹומֵר ְליַּׁשְבֹו עַל ָא ְפנָיו ִּכפְׁשּוטֹו כְָך ּפִתְ רֹונֹו‬
‫ הֹואִיל ו ְַרּבִים הֵם ִהנְנִי נֹוטֶה ַאח ֲֵריהֶם‬,‫ת ֹאמַר‬:
But I think that if one wishes to explain the verse so that every thing should fit in properly, its
exegesis must be as follows: ‫לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת‬, If you see wicked men wresting judgment
do not say: since they are many I will incline after them;

‫ ַאל ּתַ ֲענֶּנּו עַל ה ִָריב ּדָ בָר הַּנֹוטֶה ַאח ֲֵרי אֹותָ ן ַרּבִים‬,‫ׁשּפָט‬
ְ ‫ׁשָאלְָך ַהּנִּדֹון עַל אֹותֹו ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ִ ‫ ְואִם י‬.'‫ולא תענה על רב לנטת וגו‬
)'‫ׁשּפָט ַּכ ֲאׁשֶר הּוא וְקֹולָר יְהֵא תָ לּוי ְּב ַצּוַאר ה ַָרּבִים (סנהדרין ז‬ ְ ‫ ֶאּלָא אֱמ ֹר אֶת ַה ִּמ‬,‫ׁשּפָט ֵמ ֲאמִּתֹו‬
ְ ‫ ְלהַּטֹות אֶת ַה ִּמ‬:

‫ולא תענה על רב לנטת וגו׳‬, and if the defendant asks you about that judgment do not give him as a
reply concerning the dispute any statement which will incline after that majority, thereby
wresting judgment from the truth, but pronounce the decision just as it should be and let the
collar hang around the neck of the majority (i. e. if you be outvoted let them bear the
responsibility).

23:3

‫ ֹלא תַ חֲֹלק לֹו כָבֹוד ְלז ַּכֹותֹו בַּדִ ין וְלומַר ּדַ ל הּוא אֲ זַּכֶּנּו וַאֲ ַכּבְדֶ ּנּו‬.‫לא תהדר‬:

‫ לא תהדר‬NEITHER SHALT THOU COUNTENANCE [THE INDIGENT IN HIS

QUARREL] — You shall not pay regard to him by finding in his favour in the law suit,
saying, “He is a poor man; I will find in his favour, and thus show him some measure of
respect.”

23:5

‫ ׁשֶּמָ א‬:‫ וְכ ֹה ּפִתְ רֹונֹו‬,‫ׁשל ׁשִּמּוׁשֵי כִי‬

ֶ ‫ַארּבַע לְׁשֹונֹות‬
ְ ‫ ׁשֶהּוא ֵמ‬,‫ׁשּמֵׁש לְׁשֹון ּדִ ְל ָמא‬
ַ ‫ ה ֲֵרי כִי ְמ‬.'‫כי תראה חמור שנאך וגו‬
‫ ּבִתְ מִ י ָה‬,‫ּׂשאֹו וחדלת מעזב לו‬ ָ ‫תִ ְר ֶאה חֲמֹורֹו רֹבֵץ ּתַ חַת ַמ‬:

‫ כי תראה חמור שנאך וגו׳‬IF THOU SEE THE ASS OF HIM THAT HATETH THEE etc. — ‫כי‬
here has the meaning of “possibly”, “perhaps”, which is one of the four meanings which the
word ‫ כי‬serves to express. The sense of the verse is accordingly the following: Can you
possibly see his ass crouching beneath his burden and forbear to help him? (The Hebrew word
‫ בתמיה‬in Rashi means “Say this in the intonation of a question”, and is nothing more than our
question mark).

– )'‫ׁש ַלי ִם עַד הַחֹו ָמה (נחמיה ג‬ ָ ‫ ְוכֵן ַוּי ַ ַעז ְבּו י ְרּו‬,)‫ ְוכֵן עָצּור ְועָזּוב (דברים ל"ב‬,‫ ֲעז ִיבָה זֹו לְׁשֹון ֶעז ְָרה‬.‫עזב תעזב עמו‬
‫ ׁשֶּמָ א‬,)'‫ ּכַּיֹוצֵא בֹו ּכִי ת ֹאמַר ִּב ְל ָבבְָך ַרּבִים הַּגֹוי ִם ָה ֵאּלֶה ִמ ֶּמּנִי וְגֹו' (דברים ז‬.‫מִ ּלְאּו ָה ָעפָר ַלעֲז ֹר ּו ְל ַסּי ֵ ַע אֶת חֹז ֶק הַחֹו ָמה‬
‫ ּו ְפעָמִ ים ׁשֶ אַּתָ ה‬,‫ׁשאַּתָ ה חֹודֵ ל‬
ֶ ‫ ְּפ ָעמִים‬, ָ‫ ּכִי תִ ְר ֶאה ְוחָדַ לְּת‬:‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו ּכְָך ּדָ ְרׁשּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו‬.‫ירא ֵמהֶם‬
ָ ִ‫ ּבִתְ מִיהָ? ֹלא ת‬,‫ּת ֹאמַר ּכֵן‬
)‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְוחָדַ לְּתָ (מכילתא‬ ֶ ‫ּׂשאֹו‬
ָ ‫ אֹו ֶב ֱהמַת גֹוי ּו ַמ‬, ָ‫ הָא כֵיצַד? זָקֵן ְואֵינֹו ְלפִי ּכְבֹודֹו ְוחָדַ לְּת‬,‫עֹוז ֵר‬:

‫ — עזב תעזב עמו‬The root ‫ עזב‬has here the meaning of “helping”. It has a similar meaning in,
(Deuteronomy 32:36) “assisted and helped (‫”)עזוב‬. Similar also is, (Nehemiah 3:8) “‫ויעזבו‬
Jerusalem up to the wall” — i. e. they filled it up with earth in order to help and to support the
strength of the wall. A similar use of ‫ כי‬is, (Deuteronomy 7:17, 18) ‫כי תאמר בלבבך רביס הגוים‬
‫ האלה וגו׳‬which means “Canst thou possibly (‫ )כי‬speak thus? ‫לא תירא מהם‬, Do not be afraid of
them and speak thus”. Our Rabbis expounded it in a Halachic sense as follows: … ‫כי תראה‬
‫“ וחדלת‬If thou seest etc. …‫ — ”וחדלת‬there are occasions when you may forbear and there are
occasions when you must help. How so? If it is an old man who sees the ass in this condition
and it is not compatible with his dignity to intervene, then ‫“ וחדלת‬thou mayest forbear” holds
good; or if the animal belongs to a heathen and its burden to an Israelite then, also, ‫ וחדלת‬may
be applied (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:5:3).
‫ׁש ַקל לֵיּה – ִמּלִּט ֹל מַּׂשָ אֹו מִּמֶ ּנּו‬
ְ ‫ּׂשא; ִמ ְּל ִמ‬
ָ ‫ ְלפ ֵָרק ַה ַּמ‬.‫עזב תעזב עמו‬:

‫ עזב תעזב עמו‬THOU SHALT SURELY HELP HIM — to unload the burden (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 23:5:4). Onkelos also translates it in this sense: ‫ מלמשקל ליה‬which means, [Thou
shalt not keep back] from taking the load from off it.

23:6

‫ ׁשֶהּוא מְדֻ לְּדָ ל וְתָ אֵ ב ְלכָל טֹובָה‬,‫ לְׁשֹון אֹובֶה‬.‫אבינך‬:

‫ — אבינך‬from the root ‫“ אבה‬to long for”, “to desire” — one who is poverty-stricken and longs
for all the good things which he lacks.

23:7

‫ׁש ַּמ ֲחז ִִירין אֹותֹו? ּתַ "ֹל ְונָקִ י ַאל‬ ֶ ‫ ִמּנַי ִן לַּיֹוצֵא ִמּבֵית ּדִ ין ַחּי ָב וְָאמַר אֶ חָד י ֵׁש לִי ְל ַלּמֵד ָעלָיו ז ְכּות‬.‫ונקי וצדיק אל תהרג‬
‫ ּומִ ּנַי ִן לַּיֹוצֵא‬.‫ׁשה ֲֵרי י ֵׁש לְָך ְלז ַּכֹותֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָל ָמקֹום נָקִי הּוא מִּדִ ין מִיתָ ה‬,‫ׁשֹּלא נִ ְצטַּדֵ ק ְּבבֵית ּדִ ין‬ֶ ,‫ׁשאֵינֹו צַּדִ יק‬
ֶ ‫ וְַאעַ" ִּפ‬,‫ּתַ הֲר ֹג‬
‫ ְוז ֶה צַּדִ יק הּוא‬,‫ׁשאֵין ַמ ֲחז ִִירין אֹותֹו ְלבֵית ּדִ ין? ּתַ "ֹל ְוצַּדִ יק ַאל ּתַ הֲר ֹג‬ ֶ ‫מִ ּבֵית ּדִ ין זַּכַאי וְָאמַר ֶאחָד י ֵׁש לִי ְל ַלּמֵד ָעלָיו חֹובָה‬
)‫ׁשּנִ ְצטַּדֵ ק ְּבבֵית ּדִ ין (סנהדרין ל"ג‬ ֶ :

‫ ונקי וצדיק אל תהרג‬AND THE GUILTLESS AND RIGHTEOUS SLAY THOU NOT —
Whence may we infer that in the case that one who left the court after being found guilty and
one says, “I have something to plead in his favour”, he has to be brought back in order that the
court may listen to this? From what Scripture states, “and the ‫ נקי‬thou shalt not slay”.
Although he is not a ‫ — צדיק‬for he has not been acquitted by the court — he is however “free”
(‫ )נקי‬from the death penalty, for it is your duty to plead — as far as possible — in his favour.
And whence mar we infer, on the other hand, that in the case of one who left the court after
having been acquitted and one says, “I have something to say against him” he is not to be
brought back that the judges may hear this? From what Scripture states: “and the ‫ צדיק‬slay
thou not” — and this man is a ‫ צדיק‬since he has been acquitted by the court (Sanhedrin 33b).

‫ׁשלּוחִים ה ְַרּבֵה ַלהֲמִ יתֹו‬

ְ ‫ אִם יָצָא ִמּי ָדְ ָך זַּכַאי י ֵׁש לִי‬,‫ ּכִי אֲ נִי ֹלא ַאצְּדִ י ֶקּנּו בְדִ ינִי‬,‫ אֵין ָעלֶיָך ְל ַה ֲחז ִירֹו‬.‫כי לא אצדיק רשע‬
)‫ׁשּנִתְ ַחּי ֵב ּבָּה (מכילתא‬ֶ ‫ ַבּמִיתָ ה‬:

‫ כי לא אצדיק רשע‬FOR “I” WILL NOT JUSTIFY THE WICKED — It is not your duty, in the
latter case, to bring the man back to the court, for if he is really guilty, “I” will not acquit him
in My court. Altough he has left your hands as innocent “I” have many agents (many means)
to inflict upon him the death to which he has made himself liable (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
23:7:2).

23:8

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְלהַּטֹות אֶת הַּדִ ין נֶ ֱאמַר ְּכבָר (דברים ט"ז) ֹלא‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּכֵן ּכְדֵ י ְלהַּטֹות אֶת הַּדִ ין‬
ֶ ‫ ְוכָל‬,‫ׁשּפ ֹט אֱ מֶת‬
ְ ‫ ֲאפִּלּו ִל‬.‫ושחד לא תקח‬
)‫ׁשּפָט (כתובות ק"ה‬
ְ ‫תַ ּטֶה ִמ‬:

‫ ושחד לא תקח‬AND THOU SHALT TAKE NO GIFT, even if you mean to give a true judgment
in favour of the giver, and it is a matter of course that you must not accept one to wrest
judgment, and therefore there is no need for Scripture to forbid this, for with regard to
wresting judgment, whether you take a bribe or not, it is distinctly stated, (Deuteronomy
16:19) “Thou shalt not wrest judgment” (Ketubot 105a).
)‫ַּתֹורה וְנֹוטֵל ׁשֹחַד סֹוף ׁשֶּתִ ּט ֵָרף ּדַ עְּתֹו ָעלָיו ְויִׁשְּתַ ּכַח ּתַ לְמּודֹו ְוי ִ ְכהֶה ְמאֹור עֵינָיו (שם‬
ָ ‫ ֲאפִּלּו ָחכָם ּב‬.‫יעור פקחים‬:

‫[ יעור פקחים‬FOR THE BRIBE] BLINDETH THE OPEN-EYED — Even if he be well-versed

in the Torah and takes a bribe, in the end his mind will become confused, what he has learnt
will be forgotten, and the light of his eyes will become dim (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:8;
Ketubot 105a).

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּומְ קַ לְקֵ ל‬.‫ויסלף‬:

‫ — ויסלף‬render it as the Targum does: ‫“ ויקלקל‬makes bad”, “perverts”. ...

‫ְׁשָרים‬
ִ ‫ ְוכֵן ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּפִתְ גָמִין ּתְ ִריצִין – י‬,‫ׁש ְּפטֵי אֱ מֶת‬
ְ ‫ ִמ‬,‫ ּדְ ב ִָרים ַה ְמצֻּדָ קִים‬.‫דברי צדיקים‬:

‫ דברי צדיקים‬means, the words which have been described by the term “righteous”, viz., the
judgments of truth uttered on Sinai. Thus, too, does the Targum take it: words that are ‫תריצין‬,
upright.

23:9

)‫ּתֹורה עַל ַהּגֵר ִמ ְּפנֵי ׁשֶּסּורֹו ָרע (בבא מציעא נ"ט‬

ָ ‫ִירה‬ָ ‫ ְּבה ְַרּבֵה ְמקֹומֹות ִהזְה‬.‫וגר לא תלחץ‬:

‫ וגר לא תלחץ‬AND THOU SHALT NOT OPPRESS THE STRANGER — In numerous

passages (36 in number) does the Torah offer a caution about the ill-treatment of the stranger,
because his original character is bad (Bava Metzia 59b).

‫ׁשה לֹו ּכְׁשֶ ּלֹו ֲחצִים אֹותֹו‬

ֶ ָ‫ ַּכ ָּמה ק‬.‫את נפש הגר‬:

‫[ אח נפש הגר‬FOR YE KNOW] THE SOUL OF A STRANGER — how hard it is for him when
people oppress him.

23:10

)‫ ּכְמֹו ַו ֲא ַספְּתֹו ֶאל ּתֹוְך ּבֵיתֶ ָך (דברים כ"ב‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ַה ְכנָסָה ַל ַּבי ִת‬.‫ואספת את תבואתה‬:

‫ ואספת את תבואתה‬AND SHALT GATHER IN THE INCREASE THEREOF — ‫ אסף‬is a term

denoting “bringing into the house”, like, (Deuteronomy 22:2) “thou shalt gather it (‫)ואספתו‬
into thine house” (cf. Rashi on Genesis 49:29).

23:11

‫ מֵ עֲבֹודָ ה‬.‫תשטמנה‬:

‫ תשמטנה‬THOU SHALT LET IT REST — by not tilling it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael

23:11:1),

‫ ּונְטַׁשְּתָ ּה – מִ ְּלזַּבֵל‬,‫ׁשה ּוז ְִריעָה‬

ָ ‫ ּכְגֹון ח ֲִרי‬,‫ְמּורה‬
ָ ‫ׁש ְמ ֶטּנָה – ֵמעֲבֹודָ ה ג‬
ְ ִ‫ ּת‬,‫ ּדָ "ַא‬.‫ ֵמ ֲאכִילָה ַאחַר זְמַן ַהּבִעּור‬.‫ונטשתה‬
)‫ׁשקֵׁש (סוכה מ"ד‬ ְ ‫ּו ִמ ְּל ַק‬:

‫ ונטשתה‬AND THOU SHALT ABANDON IT — by not eating of its produce (Mekhilta

d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:11:1) after “the time of removal” of the produce has arrived. Another
explanation is: ‫ תשמטנה‬THOU SHALT LET IT REST, from what is real work, as, for
example, ploughing and sowing, ‫ ונטשתה‬AND LEAVE IT ALONE — not even to manure and
to hoe it.

‫ ַאף אֶ בְיֹונִים אֹו ְכלִים בְֹלא‬,‫ מַה ַחּי ָה אֹו ֶכלֶת ּבְֹלא ַמ ֲעׂשֵר‬,‫ ְל ַהּקִיׁש ַמ ֲאכַל אֶ בְיֹון ְל ַמ ֲאכַל ַחּי ָה‬.‫ויתרם תאכל חית השדה‬
)‫ּׁשבִיעִית (מכילתא‬ ְ ‫ ַמ ֲעׂשֵר; ִמּכָאן ָאמְרּו אֵין ַמ ֲעׂשֵר ַּב‬:

‫ ויתרם תאכל חית השדה‬AND WHAT THEY LEAVE THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD (the wild
animals) SHALL EAT — This cannot be a command that the wild animals shall eat it, viz.,
that you shall permit them to eat it. No such command is necessary since you have no control
over wild animals; it intends by juxtaposition with the preceding words to place in the same
category (more lit., to compare) the food of the poor with that of the beast. For how is it in the
case of the wild animal? It eats food without the tithe having been separated from it! So too,
the poor may in the seventh year eat food without the tithe having been separated from it.
From this juxtaposition they (the Rabbis) derived the rule that the law of tithe is not to be
observed in the seventh year (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:11:3).

‫ַארצֶָך‬
ְ ‫ׁשָאמּור ְל ַמ ְעלָה הֵי ֶמּנּו ּתִ ז ְַרע אֶת‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ּותְ ִחּלַת ַה ִּמק ְָרא מְדַ ּבֵר ִּבׂשְדֵ ה ַה ָּלבָן‬.‫כן תעשה לכרמך‬:

‫ כך תעשה לכרמך‬IN LIKE MANNER THOU SHALT DO WITH THY VINEYARD — The
first member of the verse, however, speaks of a “white field” (i. e. a bright, shadeless field —
a grain field or a vegetable field — in contrast to a ‫ שדה אילן‬which casts shade), as it is said
above, (v. 10) “thou shalt sow thy land”.

23:12

‫ הֹואִיל ְוכָל הַּׁשָ נָה קְרּוי ָה‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר‬

)‫ׁשּבַת ּב ְֵראׁשִ ית (שם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּבַת ּב ְֵראׁשִית ִמ ְּמקֹו ָמּה‬
ַ ‫ּׁשבִיעִית ֹלא תֵ ָעקֵר‬
ְ ‫ּׁשנָה ַה‬
ָ ‫ ַאף ַּב‬.‫וביום השביעי תשבת‬
ַ ‫ׁשּבָת ֹלא תִ נְהַג ּבָּה‬
ַ :

‫[ וביום השביעי תשבת‬SIX DAYS SHALT THOU DO THY WORK] AND ON THE SEVENTH
DAY THOU SHALT LEAVE OFF — Even in the Sabbatical year you shall not abrogate the
weekly Sabbath: you shall not say, “Since the whole year bears the name of ‘Sabbath’, the
weekly Sabbath need not to be observed” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:12:1).

‫ׂשבִים מִן ַהּק ְַרקַע; אֹו אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא י ַ ְחּבְׁשֶ ּנּו ּבְתֹוְך‬
ָ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא תֹולֵׁש וְאֹוכֵל ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ְלהַּתִ יר‬,ַ‫ ּתֵ ן לֹו נִיח‬.‫למען ינוח שורך וחמרך‬
‫ ַה ַּבי ִת? ָאמ ְַרּתָ אֵין ז ֶה נִי ַח אֶ ּלָא ַצעַר‬:

‫ למען ינוח שורך‬means, give it (the animal) some satisfaction (‫ )ניח‬by permitting it to pull up and
eat grass from the ground as it pleases. Or, perhaps, this is not the meaning but it means that is
must rest: that one must tie it up in its stall so that it does no work in the field! You will,
however, admit this is no satisfaction but a source of annoyance (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
23:12:2).

‫ ְּב ֶעבֶד ע ֵָרל ַהּכָתּוב מְדַ ּבֵר‬.‫בן אמתך‬:

‫ בן אמתך‬THE SON OF THY HANDMAID — Scripture speaks of an uncircumcised

Canaanitish servant; (that the circumcised servant should rest is already mentioned in
Deuteronomy 5:14: ‫( )עבדך ואמתך כמוך‬cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:12:3).

‫ ּגֵר ּתֹוׁשָ ב‬.‫והגר‬:

‫ והגר‬means a ‫גר תושב‬, a proselyte settler (one who renounces idolatry and thus acquires limited
citizenship in Palestine).

23:13

‫ַּתֹורה ַאזְה ָָרה הִיא ּבִמְ קֹום לָאו‬

ָ ‫ׁשּב‬ ֶ ‫ִירה‬
ָ ‫ׁשמ‬
ְ ‫ׁשּכָל‬
ֶ ,‫ׂשה ּבְַאזְה ָָרה‬
ֵ ‫ ַלעֲׂשֹות ּכָל ִמ ְצוַת ֲע‬.‫ובכל אשר אמרתי אליכם תשמרו‬
)‫(מנחות ל"ו‬:

‫ ובכל אשר אמרתי אליכם תשמרו‬AND IN ALL THAT I HAVE SAID TO YOU TAKE HEED —
This statement is intended to bring every positive command (‫ )מצות עשה‬also under the
category of a prohibition (‫ ;)לאו‬for wherever the term ‫שמר‬, “take heed”, is used in the Torah it
is an admonition in the place of (having the force of) a prohibition (cf. Yalkut Shimoni on
Torah 355).

‫ָאמַרּתִ י‬
ְ ‫ אֹו תַ עֲמ ֹד ִעּמִי ּבְיֹום עֲ"ז ָ ּפְלֹונִית; ּדָ "ַא — ּובְכ ֹל אֲׁשֶר‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ֹאמַר לֹו ׁשְמ ֹר לִי ְּבצַד עֲ"ז ָ ּפְלֹונִית‬ ֶ .‫לא תזכירו‬
‫ ְו ַהּנִזְהָר ּבָּה‬,)'‫ּׁשקּולָה עֲ"ז ָ ְּכנֶגֶד ּכָל ַה ִּמצְוֹות ֻּכּלָן (הוריות ח‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ְל ַלּמֶדְ ָך‬,‫ּׁשמֵרּו ְוׁשֵם ֱאֹלהִים ֲאח ִֵרים ֹלא תַ זְּכִירּו‬
ָ ִ‫אֲ לֵיכֶם ּת‬
‫ּכְׁשֹומֵר אֶת ֻּכּלָן‬:

‫ לא תזכירו‬MAKE NO MENTION [OF THE NAME OF OTHER GODS] — This means that
one must not say to another: “Wait for me near such-and-such an idol”, or, “Stay with me on
the festival of such-an-such an idol’” (mentioning its name) (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
23:13:3; Sanhedrin 63b). Another explanation of verse 13 is: the juxtaposition of “Be heedful
in respect of everything that I have spoken to you” with “and the names of other gods ye shall
not mention” is intended to teach you that the practise of idol-worship is of equal heinousness
as though one had infringed every command (cf. Horayot 8a); and that one who avoids it may
be regarded as though he had observed every one of them (cf. Chullin 5a).

‫ּגֹורם ׁשֶ ּיִּזָכֵר עַל י ָדְ ָך‬

ֵ ‫ׁשאַּתָ ה‬
ֶ ָ‫ׁשּלֹו נִ ְמצֵאת‬
ֶ ָ ‫ּׁשבַע לְָך ַּבעֲ"ז‬
ָ ִ ‫ׂשה ׁשֻּתָ פּות עִם גֹוי ְוי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא תַ ֲע‬
ֶ .‫לא ישמע מִן הַגֹוי על פיך‬
)‫(סנהדרין ס"ז‬:

‫ לא ישמע‬IT SHALL NOT BE HEARD from a heathen, THROUGH THINE AGENCY — i. e.

you shall make no business partnership with a heathen through which it might happen that he
will take an oath by the name of his god, for consequently you will have brought it about that
it has been mentioned through your agency (cf. Sanhedrin 63b).

23:14

)‫ׁשֹלׁש ְרגָלִים (במדבר כ"ב‬

ָ ‫ ְּפ ָעמִים; ְוכֵן ּכִי ִהּכִיתַ נִי ז ֶה‬.‫רגלים‬:

‫ רגלים‬means TIMES. Similar is, (Numbers 22:28) “that thou hast smitten me these three times
(‫”)רגלים‬.

23:15

‫ ּבְכֹור ו ְִראׁשֹון ְלבַּׁשֵ ל ּפֵרֹות‬,‫ ָאבִיב לְׁשֹון ָאב‬.ָ‫ׁשהַּתְ בּוָאה מִתְ ַמּלֵאת ּבֹו ְּב ִאּבֶיה‬
ֶ .‫חדש האביב‬:

‫ חודש האביב‬THE MONTH OF ‫ — אביב‬it is the month when the grain becomes full in its ripe
state (‫)באביה‬. The word ‫ אביב‬is connected with ‫ ַאב‬which signifies maturity, and being the first
of the fruit to ripen (cf. Rashi on Exodus 9:31).
)‫ ָהבִיאּו לִי עֹולֹות (מכילתא‬,‫ ְּכׁשֶּתָ ב ֹאּו ל ְִראֹות ָּפנַי ּב ְָרגָלִים‬.‫ולא יראו פני ריקם‬:

‫ ולא יראו פני ריקם‬AND NONE SHALL APPEAR BEFORE MY FACE EMPTY — When you
come to appear before My face on the festivals, bring Me burnt-offerings (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 23:15:2; Chagigah 7a).

23:16

‫ הּוא חַג ׁשָ בּועֹות‬.‫וחג הקציר‬:

‫ וחג הקציר‬AND THE FESTIVAL OF HARVEST — this is the Feast of Weeks,

‫ִּכּורים‬
ִ ‫ירין ֶהחָדָ ׁש ַל ְּמנָחֹות ּו ְל ָהבִיא ב‬
ִ ִ‫ׁשּׁשְתֵ י ַה ֶּלחֶם ַה ָּבאִין ַּב ֲעצ ֶֶרת הָיּו מַּת‬
ֶ ,‫ִּכּורים‬
ִ ‫ׁשהּוא זְמַן ֲהבַָאת ּב‬
ֶ .‫בכורי מעשיך‬
)‫ִּכּורים וְגֹו' (במדבר כ"ח‬
ִ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּובְיֹום ַהּב‬ ֶ ,‫ ַל ִּמקְּדָ ׁש‬:

‫ בכורי מעשיך‬which is the time for bringing the first-fruits, for the offering of the two loaves
that were brought on the Feast of Weeks made it permissible for the first time during the year
to use the new harvest of wheat for the meal offerings (Menachot 68b), and to bring the first
fruits into the Temple, (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:3) for it is said, (Numbers 28:26) “And on the
day of the first fruits etc., [‫ בשבעתיכם‬on your weeks etc.]” (cf. Rashi on that verse).

‫ הּוא חַג ַהּסֻּכֹות‬.‫וחג האסף‬:

‫ וחג האסף‬AND THE FESTIVAL OF THE INGATHERING — that is the Feast of

Tabernacles.

‫ ּו ֶבחָג אֹו ְספִים אֹותָ ּה ֶאל ַה ַּבי ִת מִ ְּפנֵי ַהּגְׁשָמִ ים‬,‫ׁשּכָל י ְמֹות ַה ַח ָּמה הַּתְ בּוָאה מִתְ י ַ ֶּבׁשֶת ַּבּׂשָדֹות‬
ֶ .‫באספך את מעשיך‬:

‫ באספך את מעשיך‬WHEN THOU HAST GATHERED IN THY LABOURS — For during the
whole summer-time the fruits are drying in the fields and about the Festival (‫ ָהחָג‬is a
Talmudical term for the Feast of Tabernacles) they are gathered into the barns on account of
the rain that is then due.

23:17

‫ׁשֹּלא יִסְּתָ ְרסּו ְרגָלִים מִּמְ קֹומָ ן‬

ֶ ‫ ֻהצ ְַרְך לֹומַר‬,‫ּׁשבִיעִית‬
ְ ‫ׁש ָה ִענְי ָן מְדַ ּבֵר ַּב‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.'‫שלש פעמים וגו‬:

‫ שלש פעמים וגו׳‬THREE TIMES etc. — Because this section speaks mainly of the Sabbatical
year, it was necessary to state that the sequence of the festivals should not be disturbed even
in this year of agricultural rest (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:16; cf. Rashi on v. 12).

‫ ַהּזְכ ִָרים ׁשֶ ּבְָך‬.‫כל זכורך‬:

‫ כל זכורך‬means all the male population among you.

23:18

)‫ׁשחַט אֶת ַה ֶּפסַח ּבְי"ד ְּבנִיסָן עַד ׁשֶּתְ ַבעֵר ֶהחָמֵ ץ (מכילתא‬
ְ ִ‫ ֹלא ת‬.'‫לא תזבח על חמץ וגו‬:
‫ לא תזבח על חמץ וגו׳‬means, you shall not sacrifice the Passover-lamb on the fourteenth day of
Nisan before you have removed the leavened bread from your house (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 23:18:1). (This verse is to be connected with v. 15).

‫ולא ילין חלב חגי חּוץ לַּמִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח‬:

‫ ולא ילין חלב חגי‬NEITHER SHALL THE FAT OF MY SACRIFICE REMAIN away from the
altar (cf. the Targum).

)'‫ ּתַ "ֹל עַל מֹוקְדָ ה עַל ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ּכָל ַה ַּליְלָה (ויקרא ו‬,‫ י ָכֹול ַאף עַל ַה ַּמע ֲָרכָה י ִ ָּפסֵל ְּבלִינָה‬.‫עד בקר‬:

UNTIL MORNING. One might think, however, that the meaning is, that it shall not remain
overnight on the altar and that the sacrifice would therefore become invalid even through the
fat remaining overnight on the “wood-pile” of the altar! Scripture, however, states, (Leviticus
6:2) “[This is the law of the burnt-offering; it is that which may go up] on the fire-place of the
altar all the night, [any time until the morning]”(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23:18:2), —

‫ אֲ בָל ּכָל ַה ַּליְלָה י ָכֹול ְל ַהעֲלֹותֹו מִן ה ִָר ְצּפָה לַּמִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח (מגילה‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר עַד ּבֹקֶר‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשחַר‬
ַ ‫ אֵין לִינָה ֶאּלָא ְבעַּמּוד ַה‬.‫ולא ילין‬
)'‫כ‬:

Therefore the statement ‫ ולא ילין‬means, that this law of leaving the fat away from the altar
overnight is infringed only if it has not been placed on the altar by the dawn of the morning,
for it says, “[neither shall the fat remain] until morning”, but any time during the whole night
one may lift it up from the pavement on to the altar (cf. Megillah 20b).

23:19

‫ ּכֵיצַד? ָאדָ ם נִ ְכנָס לְתֹוְך‬.‫ִּכּורי ַאדְ מָתְ ָך‬

– ‫קְרא‬ ָ ִ‫ֲמּורין ּבַּמ‬
ִ ‫ׁש ְבעַת ַהּמִינִין ָהא‬
)‫א ֶֶרץ ִחּטָה ּוׂשְע ָֹרה וְגֹו' (בכורים פ"א‬:
ֵ ‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר ַאף ּכָאן ּב‬,‫ִּכּורים‬ִ ‫ּׁשבִיעִית ַחּיֶבֶת ְּבב‬ ְ ‫ ַאף ַה‬.‫ראשית בכורי אדמתך‬
ִ ‫ִּכּורים ֶאּלָא ְּב‬
ִ ‫ ְואֵין ּב‬,‫ׁשּה‬ָ ‫ּכֹורְך ָעלֶי ָה ְּגמִי ְלסִימָן ּו ַמקְּדִ י‬
ֵ ,‫ׁש ִּבּכ ְָרה‬
ֶ ‫ רֹו ֶאה ּתְ ֵאנָה‬,‫ׂשָדֵ הּו‬

‫ ראשית בכורי אדמתך‬THE FIRST OF THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THY GROUND [THOU

SHALT BRING etc.] — Even in the seventh year the offering of the first fruits is obligatory
in some cases, therefore here also (where Scripture mainly deals with the laws of the
Sabbatical year) it is stated: “the first of the first-fruits of thy land [shalt thou bring, etc.]”.
How was the procedure at the setting apart of the first fruits? A man goes into his field and
sees a fig which was the first to ripen; he ties a piece of reed-grass round it to distinguish it
and so marks its sacred character (Mishnah Bikkurim 3:1). The law of the first fruits applies
only to the seven kinds of produce that are mentioned in Scripture: (Deuteronomy 8:8) “a land
of wheat and barley etc.”, for which Palestine is praised in that verse (Mishnah Bikkurim 3:1).

‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ּׁשאַּתָ ה מֹוצֵא ְּב ַכ ָּמה מְ קֹומֹות ּב‬ֶ ‫ ִמ ַּמה‬,‫ׁשאֵין ּגְדִ י ֶאּלָא לְׁשֹון ָולָד ַרְך‬ֶ ,‫ ַאף ֵעגֶל ְו ֶכבֶׂש ִּב ְכלַל ּגְדִ י‬.‫לא תבשל גדי‬
‫ ׁשְ נֵי ּגְדָ י ֵי‬,)‫ אֶת ּגְדִ י ָה ִעּז ִים (שם‬,)‫ׁשּלַח ּגְדִ י ִעּז ִים (בראשית ל"ח‬ ַ ֲ‫ ּכְגֹון ָאנֹכִי א‬,‫ׁשּכָתּוב ּגְדִ י ְו ֻהצ ְַרְך ְלפ ֵָרׁש ַאח ֲָריו ִעּז ִים‬
ֶ
‫ אֶ חָד לְאִּסּור‬,‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ּובְג' ְמקֹומֹות נִכְּתַ ב ּב‬.‫ׁשמָע‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּגְדִ י סְתָ ם ַאף ֵעגֶל ְו ֶכבֶׂש ְּב ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכָל ָמקֹום‬ ֶ ‫ ְל ַלּמֶדְ ָך‬,)‫ִעּז ִים (שם כ"ז‬
)‫ חולין קט"ו‬,‫ ְו ֶאחָד ְלאִּסּור ּבִּׁשּול (מכילתא‬,‫ ְו ֶאחָד ְלאִּסּור ֲהנָָאה‬,‫ ֲאכִילָה‬:

‫ לא תבשל גדי‬THOU SHALT NOT COOK A KID — A calf and a lamb also are comprehended
under the term ‫גדי‬, for ‫ גדי‬means nothing more than a young tender animal, as you may gather
from the fact that you will find in several passages in the Torah that the term ‫ גדי‬is used and
that the writer felt it necessary specially to explain it by adding after it the word ‫עזים‬, as, e. g.,
(Genesis 38:17) “I will send forth a ‫ גדי‬of the goats”; (Genesis 38: 20) “the ‫ גדי‬of the goats”;
(Genesis 27:9) “two kids of the goats (‫”)גדיי עזים‬. This fact serves to show you that wherever
‫ גדי‬is mentioned without further description the term implies also a calf and a lamb. — In
three different passages the law ‫ לא תבשל גדי‬is written: once for the purpose of prohibiting the
eating of meat-food with milk-food, once to prohibit us from deriving any other benefit
(besides eating) from such mixture, and once to prohibit the boiling of meat with milk
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 23.19.2; Chullin 115b).

23:20

)‫ׁשכִינָה אֹומ ֶֶרת ָלהֶם ּכִי ֹלא ֶא ֱעלֶה ְּבק ְִרּבְָך (שמות ל"ג‬
ְ ‫ ּו‬,‫ׁשעֲתִ ידִ ין ַלחֲט ֹא‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָאן נִתְ ַּבּׂשְרּו‬.‫הנה אנכי שלח מלאך‬:

‫ הנה אנכי שלח מלאך‬BEHOLD, I SEND A MESSENGER [BEFORE THEE] — Here they were
informed that they would once sin and that the Divine Majesty would have to tell them,
(Exodus 33:3) “for ‘I’ will not go up among thee” (cf. Exodus Rabbah 32:3).

‫ ְוז ֶה אֶ חָד מִ ן‬,‫ ז ֶהּו ּפְׁשּוטֹו; ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו אל המקום אשר הכנתי ְּכבָר ְמקֹומִי ְּכנֶגְּדֹו‬,‫ ֲאׁשֶר ז ִ ַּמנְּתִ י לָתֵ ת ָלכֶם‬.‫אשר הכנתי‬
)‫ׁשל מַ ּטָה (תנחומא‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל ַמ ְעלָה ְמ ֻכּוָן ְּכנֶגֶד‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבֵית ַה ִּמקְּדָ ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאֹומ ְִרים‬
ֶ ‫ ַה ִּמק ְָראֹות‬:

‫ אשר הכנתי‬means, WHICH I HAVE PREPARED in order to give unto you. This is the literal
meaning of the verse. The Midrash (taking the word as connected in meaning with the term ‫ִּכוֵן‬
“to put a thing in a line with” or “to make it correspond with” another thing) explains ‫אל המקום‬
‫ אשר הכנתי‬to signify “to the place opposite to which I have long since established the seat of
my Glory” (“the place” therefore denotes the Temple; cf. Rashi on Exodus 15:17). This is,
according to the Midrash, one of the verses which implicitly state that the Temple in Heaven
is situated exactly opposite (‫ ) ְמ ֻכּוָן‬that on the earth (Midrash Tanchuma, Mishpatim 18)

23:21

)'‫ ּכְמֹו אֲ ׁשֶר יַמ ְֶרה אֶת ּפִיָך (יהושע א‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ַהמ ְָרָאה‬.‫אל תמר בו‬:

‫ אל תמר בו‬EXASPERATE HIM NOT — This verb is a term denoting rebellion (‫)המראה‬,
similar to, (Joshua 1:18) “Whosoever he be that rebel (‫ )ימרה‬against thy commandment”.

‫ׂשה אֶ ּלָא ׁשְ לִיחּותֹו‬

ֶ ‫ׁשלִי ַח ְואֵינֹו עֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשהּוא‬
ֶ ‫ וְעֹוד‬,‫ׁשאֵין חֹו ְטאִין‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהּוא מִן ַהּכַת‬
ֶ ,‫ אֵינֹו ְמ ֻלּמָד ְּבכְָך‬.‫כי לא ישא לפשעכם‬:

‫ כי לא ישא לפשעכם‬FOR HE WILL NOT PARDON YOUR TRESPASS — He is not

accustomed to it (to sin) for he is one of a class of beings who never sin. Besides he is only a
messenger and only carries out the mission entrusted to him (i. e. he has no right to pardon
you, for this is My prerogative: it is his only to insist upon obedience to My commands)
(Midrash Tanchuma, Mishpatim 18).

‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ָאמְרּו ז ֶה ְמ ַטטְרֹון ׁשֶּׁשְמֹו כְׁשֵ ם‬.‫ ְמ ֻחּבָר לְר ֹאׁש ַה ִּמק ְָרא – השמר מפניו כי שמי ְמׁשֻּתָ ף ּבֹו‬.‫כי שמי בקרבו‬
)‫ ְמ ַטטְרֹון ְּבגִי ַמט ְִרּי ָא ׁשַּדַ י (סנהדרין ל"ח‬,‫ ַרּבֹו‬:

‫ כי שמי בקרבו‬FOR MY NAME IS IN HIM — This passage must be connected with the
beginning of the verse: Take heed of him etc. — for (‫ )כי‬My Name is associated with his (i. e.
whatever he does, he does in My Name). Our Rabbis said that he (the angel) is Mattatron (
‫ )מטטרון‬whose name is even as the name of his Master, for ‫ מטטרון‬has the numerical value of
‫“ שדי‬the Almighty” (Sanhedrin 38b).
23:22

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו וְָאעִיק‬.‫וצרתי‬:

‫ — וצרתי‬render this as the Targum does: I will distress.

23:24

‫ לְאֹותָ ם אֱ לֹוהּות‬.‫הרס תהרסם‬:

‫[ הרס תהרסם‬BUT] THOU SHALT UTTERLY OVERTHROW THEM — those gods.

‫ׁשהֵם ַמּצִיבִין ְלהִׁשְּתַ חֲוֹות ָלהֶם‬

ֶ ‫ ֲא ָבנִים‬.‫מצבתיהם‬:

‫ מצבתיהם‬THEIR MONUMENTS — stones which they set up (root ‫ )נצב‬before which to

prostrate themselves.

23:26

‫ אִם ּתַ עֲׂשֶ ה ְרצֹונִי‬.‫לא תהיה משכלה‬:

‫ לא תהיה משכלה‬THERE SHALL NOTHING BE BEREAVED OF YOUNG, if you will act

according to My will.

‫ ַמ ֶּפלֶת נְ ָפלִים אֹו קֹוב ֶֶרת אֶת ָּבנֶי ָה קְרּוי ָה מְׁשַ ֵּכלָה‬.‫משכלה‬:

‫ משכלה‬BEREAVED OF YOUNG — A woman who miscarries or who buries her children at a

very early age is called ‫משכלה‬.

23:27

,‫ ְּכׁשֶּתֵ ָהפְֵך לְדַ ּבֵר ִּבלְׁשֹון ָּפ ַעלְּתִ י‬,‫ׁשּלָּה ְּב ֶכפֶל אֹות ַאחֲרֹונָה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּפֹעַל‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל ּתֵ בָה‬.‫ׁשּגֵׁש‬
ַ ‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ֶו ֱא‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ְו ָה ַממְּתִ י‬.‫והמתי‬
‫ׁשּנֹוטֵל אֹות ַהּכְפּולָה ּומַדְ ּגִיׁש אֶת הָאֹות וְנֹוקְדֹו ִּב ְמלָאפּום ּכְגֹון ְוהַּמ ֹתִ י ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ְו ָהמַם ִּג ְלּגַל ֶעגְלָתֹו (ישעיהו‬ ֶ ‫י ֵׁש ְמקֹומֹות‬
‫ ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ּדָ לְלּו ְוח ְָרבּו‬,)‫ ּדַ ֹּלתִ י (תהילים קט"ז‬,)‫ט״ז‬:‫ ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ְו ָסבַב ּבֵית ֵאל (שמואל א ז׳‬,)'‫ ְוסַּבֹותִ י (קהלת ב‬,)‫כ"ח‬
,)‫ג׳‬:‫ אֶת מִי ַרּצֹותִ י (שמואל א י״ב‬,)'‫ ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ִח ְקקֵי לֵב (שופטים ה‬,)‫ט״ז‬:‫ עַל ַּכ ַּפי ִם חַּק ֹתִ יְך (ישעיהו מ״ט‬,)‫(ישעיהו י"ט‬
‫ אֵין הֵ"א ׁשֶ ּלָּה ְּבפַּתָ ח‬,‫ׁש ִאּלּו ִמ ִּגז ְַרת מִיתָ ה ָהי ָה‬ֶ ,‫ טֹועֶה הּוא‬,‫ ְו ַהמְתַ ְרּגֵם ְוהַּמ ֹתִ י ְו ֶא ְקטַל‬.) '‫מִ ִּגז ְַרת ִרּצַץ ָעז ַב ּדַ ּלִים (איוב כ‬
‫ ְוהַּתָ י"ו מֻדְ ּגֶׁשֶת‬,)‫ט״ו‬:‫ ֶאּלָא ְו ֵהמַּתִ י ּכְגֹון ְו ֵהמַּתָ ה אֶת ָהעָם ַהּז ֶה (במדבר י״ד‬,‫ׁשּלָּה מֻדְ ֶּגׁשֶת וְֹלא נְקּודָ ה ְמלָאפּום‬ ֶ ‫וְֹלא מֵ"ם‬
,‫ ָחטָאתִ י‬,‫ָאמַרּתִ י‬
ְ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁש ֶּמׁשֶת‬ ַ ‫ׁשאֵין מִיתָ ה ּבְֹלא תָ י"ו – ְוהַָאח ֶֶרת ְמ‬ ֶ ‫ הַָאחַת נִׁש ְֶרׁשֶת – ְלפִי‬,‫ְלפִי ׁשֶּתָ ב ֹא ִּב ְמקֹום ׁשְּתֵ י תָ וִי"ן‬
‫ ּכְמֹו ּבְיֹום‬,‫ׁשֹלׁש ּתָ וִי"ן – ׁשְּתַ י ִם לִיסֹוד‬ ָ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה צ ִָריְך‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁשהִיא בָָאה ִּב ְמקֹום ׁשְּתַ י ִם‬ ֶ ,‫ ְוכֵן ְונָתַ ּתִ י הַּתָ י"ו מֻדְ ֶּגׁשֶת‬,‫ָעׂשִיתִ י‬
‫ ְוהַּׁשְ לִיׁשִ ית לְׁשִּמּוׁש‬,)'‫ מַּתַ ת ֱאֹלהִים הִיא (קהלת ג‬,)'‫ּתֵ ת ה' (יהושע י‬:

‫ והמתי‬I WILL CONFOUND — This is equivalent to ‫( ְו ָה ַממְּתִ י‬i. e. the root is ‫)המם‬. Its rendering
in the Targum is ‫“ ואשנש‬and I will confound”. Similar is every verb the root of which has its
last letter doubled (verbs ‫)ע"ע‬: when it is changed (conjugated) to express the idea of “I have
done something” (i. e. the first person singular perfect of the Kal; the same really applies to
some inflected forms of other conjugations also) there are occasions when one omits the
doubled letter (it is actually the first of the two similar letters) and dageshes the remaining
letter of these two and vowels it with ‫( מלאפום‬our ‫)חולם‬. Examples are: ‫ ְוהַּמ ֹתִ י‬which is of the
same derivation as, (Isaiah 28:28) “and the wheel of his cart makes a confused noise (‫;”)המם‬
(Ecclesiastes 2:20) ‫ ְוסַב ֹּתִ י‬, “and I turned about” which is of the same derivation as, (I Samuel
7:16) “and he went round (‫ )וסבב‬to Bethel”; (Psalms 116:6) ‫“ דַ ֹּלתִ י‬I was low”, of the same
derivation as, (Isaiah 19:6) “The waters shall become low (‫ )דללו‬and dried up”; (Isaiah 49:16)
“I have graven thee (‫ )חַּק ֹתִ יְך‬upon the palms of my hand”, of the same derivation as, (Judges
5:15) “things engraved (‫ )חקקי‬in the heart”; (I Samuel 12:3) ‫“ את מי ַרּצ ֹתִ י‬whom have I
crushed”, of the same derivation as, (Job 20:19) “because he hath crushed (‫ )רצץ‬and hath
forsaken the poor”. He, however, who translates it in the Targum by ‫ ְו ֶא ְקטַל‬, is in error. For if
it were derived from the root denoting death (‫)מות‬, the ‫ ה‬in it would not be vowelled with
Patach and its ‫ מ‬would not be dageshed nor vowelled with ‫חולם‬, but it would read ‫ ְו ַהמַּתִ י‬, as,
(Numbers 14:15) “Now if Thou shalt kill ( ָ‫ ) ְו ַהמַּת‬this people”, the ‫ ת‬being dageshed because it
would come in place of two ‫’ת‬s, one being a root-letter — for no form of ‫ מות‬can be written
without at least one ‫( ת‬that in the root) — and the other being a servile letter (part of the
suffix), just as ‫ ּתִ י‬in ‫תי‬-‫ אמר‬and ‫תי‬-‫ חמא‬and ‫תי‬-‫עשי‬. Similarly with ‫נתתי‬: the second ‫ ת‬is
dageshed because it comes in the place of two ‫’ת‬s — since it (the word) really requires three
‫’ת‬s, two for the root, as in, (Joshua 10:12) “the day when the Lord giveth (‫”)תת‬, and in,
(Ecclesiastes 3:13) “it is the gift (‫ )מתת‬of God”, — and the third as a servile letter.

‫ׁשּי ָנּוסּו ִמ ָּפנֶיָך ְוי ַ ַהפְכּו לְָך ע ְָרּפָם‬

ֶ .‫ערף‬:

‫ ערף‬NAPE OF THE NECK — i. e. they will flee before you and so turn the napes of their
necks to you.

23:28

,‫ ְו ַהּצ ְִרעָה ֹלא ָעב ְָרה אֶת ַהּי ְַרּדֵ ן‬.‫אֶרס ְוהֵם מֵתִ ים‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ָהי ְתָ ה ַמּכָה אֹותָ ם ְּבעֵינֵיהֶם ּו ַמּטִילָה ָבהֶם‬,‫ מִין ׁש ֶֶרץ הָעֹוף‬.‫הצרעה‬
‫ׁשהּוא מֵ ֵעבֶר ַהּי ְַרּדֵ ן‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ִחּוִי ַאעַ" ִּפ‬,‫ׁשבַע אֻּמֹות ֹלא ָמנָה כָאן אֶ ּלָא ֵאּלּו‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִיכְָך ִמּכָל‬,‫אֶרץ סִיחֹון וְעֹוג‬ ֶ ‫ְו ַהחִּתִ י ְו ַה ְּכנַ ֲענִי הֵם‬
‫מָרה‬ ָ ‫ׂשפַת ַהּי ְַרּדֵ ן ָעמְדָ ה ְוז ְָרקָ ה ָבהֶם‬ ְ ‫ עַל‬,)‫ׁשנּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ְב ַמ ֶּסכֶת סֹוטָה (דף ל"ו‬ָ ,‫ ָו ָהלְָאה‬:

‫ הצרעה‬THE HORNETS — This is a kind of insect which wounded their eyes and injected
poison in them, so that they died. The hornets did not cross the Jordan and the Hittite and the
Canaanite whom Scripture mentions here as being driven out by them were the inhabitants of
the land of Sichon and Og (on the east side of the Jordan). It is for this reason that Scripture
enumerates here of all the seven nations that Israel fought against when entering Palestine
only these two (cf. Joshua 24:12, where the text expressly states that the peoples driven out by
the hornets were those of ‫שני מלכי האמרי‬, “of the two kings of the Amorites” who are identical
with Sihon and Og). But the Hivites lived on the other bank of the Jordan and somewhat
beyond it and yet it states here that the hornets would drive them out! They were indeed
driven out by the hornets, for our Rabbis have explained in Treatise Sotah 36a that the hornets
placed themselves on the east bank of the Jordan and from there cast the poison against them.

23:29

‫ׁשאַּתֶ ם ְמעַט ְואֵין ָּבכֶם ּכְדֵ י לְמַ ֹּלאות אֹותָ ּה‬

ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ֵר ָקנִית ִמ ְּבנֵי ָאדָ ם‬.‫שממה‬:

‫ שממה‬DESOLATE — empty of human beings, for you are but few and not sufficient to fill it
all up.

‫ וְתִ ְרּבֶה ָעלֶיָך‬.‫ורבה עליך‬:

‫ ורבה עליך‬means, [LEST THE ANIMALS OF THE FIELD] MULTIPLY AGAINST THEE.
23:30

)'‫ּורבּו (בראשית א‬
ְ ‫ ּכְמֹו ּפְרּו‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּפ ְִרי‬,‫ ּתִ ְרּבֶה‬.‫עד אשר תפרה‬:

‫ עד אשר תפרה‬UNTIL THOU BE FRUITFUL — i. e. until you become many. ‫ תפרה‬is of the
same root and meaning as no fruit, as, (Genesis 1:28) ‫“ פרו ורבו‬be fruitful and multiply”.

23:31

‫ ְוהַָאחַת לְׁשִּמּוׁש‬,‫ׁשאֵין ׁשִיתָ ה ּבְֹלא תָ י"ו‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּבָָאה ּתַ חַת ׁשְּתַ י ִם‬
ֶ ‫ ְוהַּתָ י"ו מֻדְ ֶּגׁשֶת ִמ ְּפנֵי‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ֲהׁשָתָ ה‬.‫ושתי‬:

‫ ושתי‬is of the root ‫ שית‬or ‫שות‬. The ‫ ת‬is dageshed, because it comes in place of two ‫’ת‬s (‫תי‬-‫)ושת‬
— one is necessary because no grammatical form of ‫ שות‬can be without the ‫ ת‬of the root, and
the other is a servile letter (part of the suffix).

‫ ּפ ְָרת‬.‫עד הנהר‬:

‫ עד הנהר‬UNTO THE RIVER — the Euphrates.

‫ ּותְ ג ְָרׁשֵ ם‬.‫וגרשתמו‬:

‫ וגרשתמו‬means AND THOU SHALT DRIVE THEM OUT.

23:33

‫ַארּבַע לְׁשֹונֹות ׁשֶ ַהּכִי‬

ְ ‫ׁשהּוא ֶאחָד ֵמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו לְׁשֹון אִי‬,‫ ְוכֵן ְּב ַכ ָּמה ְמקֹומֹות‬,‫ׁש ְּמׁשִין ִּב ְמקֹום ֲאׁשֶר‬
ַ ‫ ה ֲֵרי ֵאּלּו ּכִי ְמ‬.'‫כי תעבד וגו‬
‫ ׁשֶ הִיא חֹובָה‬,)'‫ִּכּורים (ויקרא ב‬ ִ ‫ ּכְמֹו ְואִם ּתַ ק ְִריב ִמנְחַת ּב‬,‫ׁשּמֵׁש ִּבלְׁשֹון ֲאׁשֶר‬ַ ‫ ְוגַם ָמצִינּו ְּבה ְַרּבֵה ְמקֹומֹות אִם ְמ‬,‫ׁשּמֵׁש‬
ַ ְ‫ מ‬:

‫ כי תעבד וגו׳‬FOR IF THOU SERVE etc. — Both particles ‫ כי‬in this verse have the meaning of
‫“ אשר‬that”. It has this meaning in several passages. This is really the sense of the Aramaic
word ‫( אי‬Hebrew ‫ )אם‬which itself is one of the four meanings in which ‫ כי‬is used (cf. Gittin
90a. where the four usages of ‫ כי‬are given). In fact we find ‫ )אי( אם‬used in many passages in
the sense of ‫אשר‬, e. g., (Leviticus 2:14) ‫ ואם תקריב‬where it certainly should not be translated
“if” — but ”when thou offer an offering of thy first-fruits”, for this offering is not optional but
is obligatory (cf. Rashi on that verse).

24:1

)‫ ּבְד' ְּבסִיוָן נֶ ֱאמ ְָרה לֹו ֲעלֵה (שבת פ"ח‬,‫ׁשה זֹו נֶ ֶאמ ְָרה ק ֹדֶ ם ֲעׂש ֶֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות‬
ָ ‫ ּפ ָָר‬.‫ואל משה אמר‬:

‫ ואל משה אמר‬AND UNTO MOSES HE SAID — This section was spoken before the Ten
Commandments were given (i. e. ‫ אמר‬is the pluperfect); it was the fourth of Sivan when
“Come up” was said to him (Shabbat 88a).

24:2

‫ אֶ ל ָהע ֲָרפֶל‬.‫ונגש משה לבדו‬:

‫ ונגש משה לבדו‬AND MOSES ALONE SHALL STEP NEAR unto the thick darkness (cf.
Exodus 20:18).
24:3

‫ ּבֹו בַּיֹום‬.‫ויבא משה ויספר לעם‬:

‫ ויבא משה ויספר לעם‬AND MOSES CAME AND RELATED TO THE PEOPLE — on that same
day (the 4th of Sivan).

‫ ִמ ְצוַת ּפ ְִריׁשָ ה ְו ַהגְ ָּבלָה‬.'‫את כל דברי ה‬:

‫ את כל דברי ה׳‬ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD — the commands concerning their keeping
apart from women and the setting of bounds at Mount Sinai.

‫ְמָרה‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנִּתְ נּו ָלהֶם ּב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבָת ְוכִּבּוד ָאב ָואֵם ּופ ָָרה אֲדֻ ָּמה וְדִ ינִין‬
ַ ‫ ְו‬,ַ‫ׁשּנִ ְצטַּוּו ְבנֵי נֹח‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבַע ִמצְוֹות‬
ֶ .‫ואת כל המשפטים‬
)‫(סנהדרין נ"ו‬:

‫ ואת כל המשפטים‬AND ALL THE JUDGMENTS which had been ordained before the Sinaitic
legislation: the seven commands given to the “Sons of Noah” (the non-Israelite world), the
law of the Sabbath, of filial respect, of the “red heifer” and regarding the administration of
justice, all of which had been given to them already in Marah (cf. Sanhedrin 56b).

24:4

‫ְמָרה‬
ָ ‫ ְוכָתַ ב ִמצְוֹות ׁשֶ ּנִ ְצטַּוּו ב‬,‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ִמּב ְֵראׁשִית ְועַד מַּתַ ן‬.‫ויכתב משה‬:

‫ ויכתב משה‬AND MOSES WROTE [ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD] — from ‫ בראשית‬up
to (but not including) the account of the Giving of the Torah and he wrote down the
commandments that were given to them in Marah (cf. Mekhilta on Exodus 19:10).

‫ ַּבחֲמִּׁשָ ה ְּבסִיוָן‬.‫וישכם בבקר‬:

‫ וישכם בבקר‬AND ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING — on the fifth of Sivan (cf. Rashi
on Exodus 19:11) (Shabbat 88a).

24:5

‫ ַהּבְכֹורֹות‬.‫את נערי‬:

‫ את נערי‬THE LADS — the first-born sons (Zevachim 115b; Onkelos).

24:6

)'‫ מִי ִחּלְקֹו? ַמ ְלאְָך ּבָא ְו ִחּלְקֹו (ויקרא רבה ו‬.‫ויקח משה את חצי הדם‬:

‫ ויקח משה חצי הדם‬AND MOSES TOOK THE HALF OF THE BLOOD — Who divided it into
halves? An angel came down and divided it (Leviticus Rabbah 6:5).

‫ ּו ִמּכָאן ָלמְדּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ׁשֶ ּנִ ְכנְסּו‬.‫ׁש ָלמִים ְלהַּזֹות אֹותָ ם עַל ָהעָם‬ ְ ‫ אֶ חָד ַל ֲחצִי ּדַ ם עֹולָה ְו ֶאחָד ַל ֲחצִי ּדָ ם‬,‫ ׁשְּתֵ י אַ ּגָנֹות‬.‫באגנת‬
)'‫ׁשאֵין ַהּז ָָאה ּבְֹלא ְטבִילָה (כריתות ט‬ ֶ ,‫אֲבֹותֵ ינּו ַלּב ְִרית ְּבמִילָה ּו ְטבִילָה ְו ַהּז ַָאת ּדָ מִים‬:
‫ באגנת‬IN BASONS — There were two basons, one for holding the half of the blood of the
burnt offering and the other for holding the half of the blood of the peace offerings, in order to
sprinkle it (both bloods) on the people. From here have our Rabbis inferred (Keritot 9a) that
our ancestors entered into the covenant with God by means of circumcision, immersion and
sprinkling of blood — and although immersion is not mentioned in this paragraph it must
have taken place, for no sprinkling is effective without immersion preceding it (cf. Tosafot
Yevamot 46b ‫)ד"ה דאין הזאה בלא טבילה‬.

24:7

‫ְמָרה‬
ָ ‫ּתֹורה ּו ִמצְוֹות ׁשֶ ּנִ ְצטַּוּו ב‬
ָ ‫ ִמּב ְֵראׁשִית ְועַד מַּתַ ן‬.‫ספר הברית‬:

‫ ספר הברית‬THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT — the book which we have said contained the
part of the Torah from ‫ בראשית‬till the “Giving of the Torah” including the Commandments
that were given to them at Marah (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:10:2; cf. Rashi on v. 4).

24:8

‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּוז ְַרק עַל מַדְ ְּבחָא ְל ַכּפ ָָרא עַל עַּמָ א‬,‫ ִענְי ַן ַהּז ָָאה‬.‫ויזרק‬:

‫ ויזרק‬means sprinkling — he sprinkled it on the people (not he threw it against the people, as
this word might imply; cf. e. g., Exodus 9:8: ‫)וזרקו משה השמימה‬. The Targum, however,
renders it by: and he poured it (the blood) upon the altar as atonement for (‫ )על‬the people,
adding the words “upon the altar”, and taking ‫ על העם‬to denote “on behalf of the people”, i. e.
he poured it out to atone for the people.

24:10

‫ַּתֹורה ְוהִמְּתִ ין ְלנָדָ ב‬

ָ ‫ׂש ְמחַת ה‬ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָרצָה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְלע ְַרּבֵב‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ נִסְּתַ ּכְלּו ְו ֵהצִיצּו ְונִתְ ַחּי ְבּו מִיתָ ה‬.‫ויראו את אלהי ישראל‬
‫ וַּתִ ְבעַר ּבָם אֵׁש ה' וַּת ֹאכַל ִּב ְקצֵה הַּמַ ֲחנֶה (במדבר‬,‫ ְו ַלּז ְ ֵקנִים עַד ַויְהִי ָהעָם ְּכמִתְ אֹונְנִים‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ְ ‫ַו ֲאבִיהּוא עַד יֹום ֲחנֻּכַת ַה ִּמ‬
)‫ׁשּבַּמַ ֲחנֶה (תנחומא‬ ֶ ‫י"א) – ַּב ְּקצִינִים‬:

‫ ויראו את אלהי ישראל‬NOW THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL — They gazed intently and
failing in this they peeped in their attempt to catch a glimpse of the Supreme Being, and
thereby made themselves liable to death. But it was only because God did not wish to disturb
the joy caused by the Giving of the Torah, that He did not punish them instantly, but waited
(postponed the punishment) for Nadab and Abihu until the day when the Tabernacle was
dedicated, when they were stricken with death, and for the elders until the event of which the
text relates, (Numbers 11:16) “And when the people complained …. and the fire of the Lord
burned among them and destroyed ‫ — ”בקצה המחנה‬those who were the ‫“ קצינים‬nobles” of the
camp (Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 16).

‫ׁש ְעּבָדִ ים ּבְמַ עֲׂשֵ ה ְל ֵבנִים‬

ֻ ‫ׁשהָיּו ְמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ ִלז ְּכ ֹר צ ָָרתָ ן‬,‫ּׁשעְּבּוד‬
ִ ‫ׁשעַת ַה‬
ְ ‫ הִיא ָהי ְתָ ה ְל ָפנָיו ִּב‬.‫כמעשה לבנת הספיר‬
)‫(ויקרא רבה‬:

‫ כמעשה לבנת הספיר‬AS IT WERE THE BRICKWORK OF SAPPHIRE — This had been before
Him during the period of Egyptian slavery as a symbol of Israel’s woes — for they were
subjected to do brick-work (cf. Jerusalem Talmud Succah 6:3; Leviticus Rabbah 23:8).

‫ּׁשּנִגְ ֲאלּו ָהי ָה אֹור ְוחֶדְ וָה ְל ָפנָיו‬

ֶ ‫ ִמ‬.‫וכעצם השמים לטהר‬:
‫ וכעצם השמים לטהר‬AND AS IT WERE AS THE BODY OF HEAVEN FOR PURITY — This
implies that as soon as they (the Israelites) were delivered there was radiance and rejoicing
before Him.

‫מַראֶ ה‬
ְ ‫ לְׁשֹון‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫וכעצם‬:

‫ — וכעצם‬Translate it as the Targum does: “as the appearance”.

‫ לְׁשֹון ּבָרּור ְוצָלּול‬.‫לטהר‬:

‫ לטהר‬means FOR BRIGHTNESS AND CLEARNESS.

24:11

‫ הֵם נָדָ ב ַו ֲאבִיהּוא ְו ַהּז ְקֵ נִים‬.‫ואל אצילי‬:

‫ ואל אצילי‬AND UPON THE NOBLES — these were Nadab and Abihu and the elders —

)'‫ ויקרא רבה כ‬,‫ׁשהָיּו ְראּוי ִים ְל ִהׁשְּתַ ֵּל ַח ָּבהֶם י ָד (תנחומא‬
ֶ ‫ ִמ ְּכלָל‬.‫לא שלח ידו‬:

‫ לא שלח ידו‬HE LAID NOT HIS HAND — This implies that they well deserved that God
should stretch forth His hand against them (Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 16).

‫ ְו ֻאנְקְלֹוס ֹלא תִ ְרּגֵם ּכֵן‬,‫ ּכְָך מִדְ ַרׁש ּתַ נְחּו ָמא‬,‫ הָיּו ִמסְּתַ ְּכלִין ּבֹו ְּבלֵב ּגַס מִּתֹוְך ֲאכִילָה ּוׁשְתִ ּי ָה‬.‫ויחזו את האלהים‬.

‫ ויחזו את האלהים‬AND THEY BEHELD GOD [AND DID EAT AND DRINK] — They gazed
at him intimately as though their association with Him were a matter of eating and drinking.
Thus does the Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 16 explain it. Onkelos, however, does not
translate the passage this way (i. e. he does not take it in a depreciative sense that Nadab and
Abihu and the elders acted improperly. His translation is: they beheld God’s Glory and
rejoiced in their offerings which were accepted as though they were eating and drinking). —

‫ ׁשֵׁש אַּמֹות אַ ּצִילָה‬,)‫ ַוּי ָאצֶל מִן הָרּו ַח (במדבר י"א‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו ּו ֵמ ֲאצִילֶי ָה ק ְָראתִ יָך (ישעיהו מ"א‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּגְדֹולִים‬.‫אצילי‬
)‫(יחזקאל מ"א‬:

‫ אצילי‬means “the great men”, as, (Isaiah 41:9) “I called thee from the chief men (‫)אציליה‬
thereof”; (Numbers 11:17) “And he increased (‫ )ויאצל‬some of the spirit” (cf. Rashi on
Numbers 11:17 and Onkelos on 11:25); (Ezekiel 41:8) “six cubits in its size (largeness) (
‫”)אצילה‬.

24:12

‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ לְַאחַר מַּתַ ן‬.‫ויאמר ה' אל משה‬:

‫ ויאמר ה’ אל משה‬AND THE LORD SAID TO MOSES — after the Giving of the Law,

‫ַאר ָּבעִים יֹום‬

ְ .‫עלה אלי ההרה והיה שם‬:

‫ עלה אלי ההרה והיה שם‬COME UP TO ME INTO THE MOUNTAIN AND REMAIN THERE
forty days.
 ‫ֲׂשֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹלׁש ֶעׂש ְֵרה ִמצְוֹות ִּב ְכלַל ע‬ ְ ‫ ּכָל ׁשֵׁש ֵמאֹות ּו‬.‫את לחת האבן והתורה והמצוה אשר כתבתי להורתם‬
‫ׁשּיָסַד ְלכָל ּדִ ּבּור וְדִ ּבּור ִמצְוֹות הַּתְ לּויֹות ּבֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ו ְַרּבֵנּו ְסעַדְ י ָה ּפ ֵֵרׁש ּבַָאזְהָרֹות‬,‫ הֵן‬:

‫[ את לחת האבן והתורה והמצוה אשר כתבתי להורתם‬AND I WILL GIVE THEE] THE TABLETS OF
STONE, AND THE LAW, AND THE COMMANDMENT WHICH I HAVE WRITTEN TO
TEACH THEM — All the six hundred and thirteen commandments are implicitly contained
in the Ten Commandments and may therefore be regarded as having been written on the
tablets. Rabbi Saadia specified in the ‫ אזהרות‬which he has composed those commandments
which may be associated with each of the Ten Commandments.

24:13

‫ׁש ָהי ָה הַּתַ ְלמִיד ְמ ַלּוֶה ל ַָרב עַד מְ קֹום‬ֶ ,‫ וְאֹומֵר ֲאנִי‬,‫ׁש ַע ּכָאן‬ ֻ ‫ׁשל י ְהֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ֹלא י ָדַ עְּתִ י מַה ּטִיבֹו‬.‫ויקם משה ויהושע משרתו‬
‫ׁש ַע נָטָה ׁשָ ם ָאהֳלֹו‬ ֻ ‫ וִיהֹו‬,‫ׁשה ְלבַּדֹו ֶאל הַר ָה ֱאֹלהִים‬ֶ ֹ ‫ ּו ִמּׁשָם ַוּיַעַל מ‬,‫ּׁשאי לֵילְֵך ִמּׁשָם ָו ָהלְָאה‬ ַ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו ַר‬
ֶ ‫ַהגְ ָּבלַת ּתְ חּומֵי ָההָר‬
‫ לָמַדְ נּו‬,)‫י״ז‬:‫ׁש ַע אֶת קֹול ָהעָם ּב ְֵרע ֹה (שמות ל״ב‬ ֻ ‫ׁשמַע י ְהֹו‬ ְ ִ ‫ׁשה ַוּי‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּי ַָרד מ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכֵן ָמצִינּו ְּכ‬
ֶ ,‫ַאר ָּבעִים יֹום‬
ְ ‫ְונִתְ ַעּכֵב ׁשָם ּכָל‬
‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה י ְהֹוׁשֻ ַע עִּמָ הֶם‬
ֶ :

‫ ויקם משה ויהושע משרתו‬AND MOSES ROSE AND HIS MINISTER JOSHUA — I am not sure
in what capacity Joshua appears here, but I think that as a disciple he was accompanying the
teacher as far as the place where the bounds of the mountain were marked out, whence
onward he was not permitted to proceed. From that point ‫ ויעל משה‬MOSES alone
ASCENDED ‫ אל הר האלהים‬THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD, whilst Joshua pitched his tent there
and stayed there during the whole forty days which Moses spent on the mountain. For thus we
find that when Moses came down from the mountain it states, (Exodus 32:17) “and Joshua
heard the voice of the people that they shouted” — from which we may infer that he was not
with them in the camp.

24:14

‫ ְּבצֵאתֹו מִ ן הַּמַ ֲחנֶה‬.‫ואל הזקנים אמר‬:

‫ ואל הזקנים אמר‬BUT UNTO THE ELDERS HE SAID when he left the camp (‫ אמר‬in the
sequence of verbs which we find here denotes the pluperfect; the translation therefore is: and
to the elders he had said).

‫ׁשּפ ֹט ְלכָל אִ יׁש ִריבֹו‬

ְ ‫ ִלהְיֹות נְכֹונִים ִל‬,‫ׁשָאר ָהעָם ַּב ַּמ ֲחנֶה‬
ְ ‫ ְוהִתְ ַעּכְבּו ּכָאן עִם‬.‫שבו לנו בזה‬:

‫ שבו לנו בזה‬ABIDE YE HERE FOR US and stay ye with all the other people in the camp so as
to be ready to decide his dispute for each man.

‫ אֶ פ ְָרת זֹו‬,)'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַוּיִּקַח לֹו ָכלֵב אֶת ֶאפ ְָרת וַּתֵ לֶד לֹו אֶת חּור (דהי"א ב‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשל מ ְִרי ָם ָהי ָה וְָאבִיו ָּכלֵב ּבֶן י ְ ֻפּנֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ְּבנָּה‬.‫חור‬
‫מ ְִרי ָם ּכִדְ אִ יתָ א ּבְסֹוטָה‬:

‫[ חור‬AND] HUR — He was the son of Miriam and his father was Caleb the son of Jephunneh,
as it is said, (1 Chr. 2:9) “Caleb took unto him Ephrath, who bare him Hur”; and Ephrath is
identical with Miriam, as it is stated in Treatise Sotah 11b.

‫ מִ י ׁשֶ ּי ֵׁש לֹו ּדִ ין‬.‫מי בעל דברים‬:

‫ מי בעל דברים‬HE WHO HAS ANY MATTER TO DO — i. e. he who has any law-suit.
24:16

)‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשּמֵר"ח (עַד ֲעצ ֶֶרת יֹום מַּתַ ן‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשה יָמִים‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬ִ ‫ י ֵׁש ֶמהֵם אֹו' ֵאּלּו‬,‫ ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו חֹו ְלקִים ּבַּדָ בָר‬.‫ויכסהו הענן‬:

‫ ויכסהו הענן‬AND THE CLOUD COVERED IT (lit., “him”) [SIX DAYS] — Our Rabbis are of
different opinions as to what this passage means. Some of them hold that these were the six
days from the first of Sivan (until the Feast of Weeks, the day of the Giving of the Law) —

‫ ָלהָר‬.‫ויכסהו הענן‬:

and that the word ‫ ויכסהו‬in the phrase ‫“ ויכסהו הענן‬the cloud covered him” or covered “it”
means that it covered the mountain.

‫ׁש ָחלַק ַהּכָתּוב ּכָבֹוד‬ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ׁשה ְוכָל ְּבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל עֹומְדִ ים‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ּומ‬,‫ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי לֹומַר ֲעׂש ֶֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות‬
‫ַאר ָּבעִים יֹום ׁשֶ ָעלָה מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬
ְ ‫ ְוהֵם הָיּו ּבִתְ ִחּלַת‬,‫ׁשה ששת ימים לְַאחַר ֲעׂש ֶֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשה; ְוי ֵ"א ֹ ויכסהו הענן לְמ‬
ֶ ֹ ‫לְמ‬
)'‫ּׁשה י ָמִ ים (יומא ג‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ‫ׁשה‬ָ ‫ׁשכִינָה טָעּון ּפ ְִרי‬
ְ ‫ׁשּכָל ַהּנִ ְכנָס ְל ַמ ֲחנֵה‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ִלּמֶדְ ָך‬,‫ ְל ַקּבֵל לּוחֹות‬:

‫ ויקרא אל משה ביום השביעי‬AND HE CALLED UNTO MOSES ON THE SEVENTH DAY of
Sivan to utter the Ten Commandments. It is true that Moses and all Israel were standing there
but the text states, “He called unto Moses” merely to give special honour to Moses calling
him by name. Others, however, say that the passage means: AND THE CLOUD COVERED
HIM — Moses, FOR SIX DAYS after the Ten Commandments had been given. These were
at the beginning of the forty days which Moses spent on Mount Sinai when he went up to
receive the Tablets, and Scripture teaches you that whosoever enters the camp of the Divine
Majesty (here the mountain and later on the Holy of Holies) requires separation from others
(must live in seclusion) for six days (Yoma 4a).

24:18

)'‫ׁשבִיל ּבְתֹוכֹו (שם ד‬

ְ ‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׂשה לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה לְמ‬
ָ ‫ ְו ָע‬,‫ ָענָן ז ֶה ְּכמִין ָעׁשָן הּוא‬.‫בתוך הענן‬:

‫ בתוך הענן‬INTO THE MIDST OF THE CLOUD — This cloud was thick like smoke and God
made a path for Moses through it (Yoma 4b).

25:2

‫ לִי – לִׁשְמִ י‬.‫ויקחו לי תרומה‬:

‫ ויקחו לי תרומה‬THAT THEY TAKE ME A HEAVE OFFERING — “Me” means to the glory
of My Name (Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 1).

‫ יַפ ְִריׁשּו לִי מִּמָמֹונָם נְדָ בָה‬,‫ׁשה‬

ָ ‫ ַהפ ְָר‬.‫תרומה‬:

‫ תרומה‬is something set apart (cf. Onkelos); the meaning is: let them set apart from their
possessions a voluntary gift in My honour.

‫ פיישנ"ט ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ לְׁשֹון נְדָ בָה וְהּוא לְׁשֹון ָרצֹון טֹוב‬.‫ידבנו לבו‬:
‫ — ידבנו לבו‬The word ‫ ידבנו‬is of the same root as ‫( נדבה‬the ‫ נ‬in the latter being replaced by the
Dagesh in the ‫ ;)ד‬it is a term denoting “good-will”, apaisement in old French (cf. Rashi on
Genesis 33:10 and Leviticus 19:5).

‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשּנַעֲׂשּו ֵמהֶם הָאֲדָ נִים‬ ֶ ‫ ַאחַת ּתְ רּומַת ֶּבקַע ַל ֻּגלְּגֹלֶת‬,‫ׁשֹלׁש ּתְ רּומֹות אֲמּורֹות ּכָאן‬ ָ ‫ ָאמְרּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו‬.‫תקחו את תרומתי‬
‫ וְַאחַת ּתְ רּומַת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬,‫קָרּבְנֹות צִּבּור‬ ְ ‫ וְַאחַת ּתְ רּומַת ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ֶּבקַע ַל ֻּגלְּגֹלֶת ַל ֻּקּפֹות ִלקְנֹות ֵמהֶן‬,‫ׁש ְּמפ ָֹרׁש ְּב ֵאּלֶה פְקּודֵ י‬
ֶ
‫ֲמּורים ָּב ִענְי ָן ֻּכּלָם ֻהצ ְְרכּו ִל ְמלֶאכֶת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן אֹו ְל ִבגְדֵ י‬
ִ ‫ י"ג ּדְ ב ִָרים ָהא‬.) '‫נִדְ בַת ּכָל ֶאחָד ְו ֶאחָד (תלמוד ירושלמי שקלים א‬
‫ ְכ ֻהּנָה ּכְׁשֶּתְ דַ קְּדֵ ק ָּבהֶם‬:

‫ תקחו את תרומתי‬YE SHALL TAKE MY HEAVE OFFERING — Our Rabbis said: the
expression ‫ תרומה‬is used here three times, being an allusion to three different heave offerings;
one is the heave offering which consisted of a beka (half a shekel) a head, and of which the
sockets were made, as is set forth in the section ‫( אלה פקודי‬Exodus 39:26-27); another is the
heave offering for the altar — a beka a head that was given to the funds (more lit., “the
basket”, in which collections for communal or charitable purposes were made) from which to
purchase the communal sacrifices; (see Rashi on Exodus 30:15) and the other one is that
implied in the word ‫“ תרומתי‬My heave offering” and referred to by the word ‫ כסף‬in the next
verse — the heave offering for the Tabernacle which was a free-will gift from each individual
(Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 1:1). Thirteen different articles (cf. Tanchuma) that are
mentioned in this section were all required either for the work of the Tabernacle (i. e. the
construction of the Tabernacle or making the articles contained therein), or for the priests’
garments, as you will find when you look closely into the matter.

25:3

‫ ַמ ֲחצִית הַּׁשֶ קֶ ל ְלכָל‬,‫ׁשוֶה‬ ָ ‫ׁשּבָא ְּב‬

ֶ ‫ּׁשּנְדָ בֹו לִּבֹו – חּוץ מִן ַה ֶּכסֶף‬
ֶ ‫ ֻּכּלָם ּבָאּו ִבנְדָ בָה – אִיׁש אִיׁש ַמה‬.'‫זהב וכסף ונחשת וגו‬
‫ ּוׁשְ ָאר‬,'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְו ֶכסֶף ּפְקּודֵ י ָהעֵדָ ה וְגֹו' ֶּבקַע ַל ֻּגלְּגֹלֶת וְגֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁש ֻהצ ְַרְך ׁשָם ֶּכסֶף יֹותֵ ר‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ וְֹלא ָמצִינּו ְבכָל ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ִּמ‬,‫אֶ חָד‬
‫ׁשָרת‬
ֵ ‫ׂשאּוהּו ִל ְכלֵי‬ ָ ‫ ַה ֶּכסֶף ַהּבָא ׁשָם ִּבנְדָ בָה ֲע‬:

‫ זהב וכסף ונחשת וגו׳‬GOLD AND SILVER AND COPPER etc. — All these came (were
brought) as voluntary gifts, each man giving as his heart prompted him, except that silver
which was brought by all in equal quantities (cf. Rashi above), a half shekel by each person.
For we do not find in the account of the entire work connected with the Tabernacle that any
silver was needed for the work there described in detail over and above this, for it is said,
(Exodus 38:25-26) “And the silver of them who were numbered of the congregation [was an
hundred talents, etc.] … a beka for every man etc.” and vv. 27 and 28 inform us that of this
silver were made the Sockets and the hooks. Of the other silver which came (was brought)
there, as a free-will gift they made the holy vessels (lit., vessels for service), and it is this
silver that is referred to in this verse and which is stated in the preceding verse as having been
brought voluntarily.

25:4

)‫ ֶצמֶר צָבּו ָע ּבְדַ ם ִחּלָזֹון ְו ִצבְעֹו י ָר ֹק (מנחות מ"ד‬.‫ותכלת‬:

‫ ותכלת‬AND BLUE PURPLE — wool dyed with the blood of the ‫( חלזון‬a kind of shell-fish),
the colour of which was greenish-blue (Menachot 44a).

‫ַארּגָמָ ן‬
ְ ‫ ֶצמֶר צָבּו ַע ִמּמִין ֶצבַע ׁשֶּׁשְמֹו‬.‫וארגמן‬:
‫ וארגמן‬AND RED PURPLE — wool coloured with a kind of dye the name of which is ‫ארגמן‬

‫ הּוא ּפִׁשְּתָ ן‬.‫ושש‬.

‫ — ושש‬this is what we call LINEN (Yevamot 4b).

‫ ׁשֶּתַ ְרּגּום ׁשֶ ל ִעּז ִים ִעּזַּי ָא‬,‫ ְלכְָך ּתִ ְרּגֵם אֻ נְ ְקלֹוס ּו ְמ ַעּז ֵי – ַהּבָא מִן ָה ִעּז ִים – וְֹלא ִעּז ִים ַע ְצמָם‬,‫ׁשל ִעּז ִים‬
ֶ ‫ נֹוצָה‬.‫ועזים‬:

‫ ועזים‬is GOATS’ HAIR; therefore Onkelos translates it by ‫ ּו ְמ ַעז ֵּי‬which denotes something that
comes from the goats — not the goats themselves, for the Aramaic translation of ‫ עזים‬is ‫ ִעּזַּי ָא‬.

25:5

‫ צְבּועֹות הָיּו ָאד ֹם לְַאחַר עִּבּודָ ן‬.‫מאדמים‬:

‫ מאדמים‬RED — they were dyed red after having been tanned.

‫ׁשּׂשָׂש ּומִתְ ּפָאֵר ִּבגְ ָונִין ׁשֶ ּלֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ְלכְָך מְתֻ ְרּגָם ַססְּגֹונָא‬,‫ ְוה ְַרּבֵה ְּג ָונִים הָיּו לָּה‬,‫ׁשעָה‬
ָ ‫ וְֹלא ָהי ְתָ ה ֶאּלָא ְל‬,‫ מִין ַחּי ָה‬.‫תחשים‬
)‫(שבת כ"ח‬:

‫ תחשים‬TACHASH was a kind of wild beast. It existed only at that time (when Israel built the
Tabernacle). It was multi-coloured and therefore it is translated in the Targum by ‫ססגונה‬, and
it is so translated because it delights (‫ )ׂשָׂש‬and prides itself in its colours (‫( )גונא‬Shabbat 28;
Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 6).

‫ִׂשְראֵ ל ִלבְנֹות‬ָ ‫ׁשעֲתִ ידִ ין י‬ ֶ ‫ יַעֲק ֹב ָאבִינּו ָצפָה ּבְרּו ַח הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש‬:‫ ּו ֵמַאי ִן הָיּו ָלהֶם ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר? ּפ ֵֵרׁש ַרּבִי ּתַ נְחּו ָמא‬.‫ועצי שטים‬
‫ ְו ִצּוָה ְל ָבנָיו ִל ְּטלָם ִע ָּמהֶם ּכְׁשֶ ּיֵצְאּו מִּמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬,‫ ְו ֵהבִיא א ֲָרז ִים ְל ִמצ ְַרי ִם ּונְ ָטעָם‬,‫ׁשּכָן ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר‬
ְ ‫ ִמ‬:

‫ ועצי שטים‬AND SHITTIM WOOD — But from where did they get this in the wilderness?
Rabbi Tanchuma explained it thus: Our father Jacob foresaw by the gift of the Holy Spirit that
Israel would once build a Tabernacle in the wilderness: he therefore brought cedars to Egypt
and planted them there, and bade his children take these with them when they would leave
Egypt (Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 9; cf. Bereishit Rabbah 94 and Rashi on Exodus 26:15).

25:6

‫ׁשמֶן זַי ִת ז ְַך ְל ַהעֲלֹות נֵר ּתָ מִ יד‬

ֶ .‫שמן למאר‬:

‫ שמן למאר‬OIL FOR THE LIGHT — “clear olive-oil … to make the flame ascend
continually”).

‫ׁש ְּמפ ָֹרׁש ְּבכִי תִ ּׂשָ א‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׂשמִים‬
ָ ‫ ְו ֻהצ ְְרכּו לֹו ְב‬,‫ׁשּכָן ְלקַּדְ ׁשֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשּכָן ְו ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ‫ׂשה ִלמְׁש ֹ ַח ְּכלֵי ַה ִּמ‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנַ ֲע‬
ֶ .‫בשמים לשמן המשחה‬:

‫ בשמים לשמן המשחה‬SPICES FOR THE ANOINTING OIL which was made for the purpose of
anointing the vessels of the Tabernacle and the Tabernacle itself in order to sanctify it. For
this oil spices were required as is set forth in the section ‫( כי תשא‬Exodus 30:23 ff.).

‫מְרת‬ ַ ִ‫ ּולְׁשֹון קְט ֶֹרת ַה ֲעלַָאת קִ יטֹור וְת‬,‫ׁש ְּמפ ָֹרׁש ִּב ְואַּתָ ה ּתְ ַצּוֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ִירין ְּבכָל ע ֶֶרב וָבֹקֶר‬
ִ ‫ׁשהָיּו ַמ ְקט‬
ֶ .‫ולקטרת הסמים‬
‫עָׁשָ ן‬:
‫ ולקטרת הסמים‬AND FOR INCENSE OF AROMATIC SPICES that were burnt every evening
and morning, as is set forth in the section ‫( ואתה תצוה‬Exodus 30:7). The word ‫ קטרת‬signifies
raising vapour (‫ )קיטור‬and a column of smoke.

25:7

‫ ׁשְּתַ י ִם ֻהצ ְְרכּו ׁשָם לְצ ֶֹרְך ָה ֵאפֹוד הָָאמּור ִּבוְאַּתָ ה ּתְ ַצּוֶה‬.‫אבני שהם‬:

‫ אבני שהם‬ONYX STONES — two were required there for the needs of the “ephod” which is
mentioned in ‫( ואתה תצוה‬Exodus 28:6ff.).

‫ ּומְ קֹום‬,‫ קְרּוי ִים ַא ְבנֵי מִ ּלּואִ ים‬,‫ׁשם ְל ַמֹּלאות ַה ֻּג ָּמא‬
ָ ‫ וְנֹותְ נִין ָה ֶאבֶן‬,‫ׁשב ְּכמִין ֻּג ָּמא‬
ָ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם ׁשֶעֹוׂשִין ָלהֶם ַּבּזָהָב מֹו‬.‫מלאים‬
‫ׁשב קָרּוי מִׁשְ ֶּבצֶת‬ָ ‫הַּמֹו‬:

‫ מלאים‬FOR SETTING (lit., filling in) — Because they made for them (for the stones) settings
in gold — a kind of indentation — and they put the stone there (in it) to fill the indentation,
they were called “filling-up stones”; the spot where the indentation is (i. e. the hollow spot) is
called ‫“ משבצת‬setting”.

‫ ַא ְבנֵי הַּׁשֹהַם ָלאֵפֹוד וְַא ְבנֵי ַה ִּמ ֻּלאִים לַחֹׁשֶן; וְחֹׁשֶן ְו ֵאפֹוד ְמפ ָֹרׁשִים ִּב ְואַּתָ ה ּתְ ַצּוֶה ְוהֵם מִ ינֵי תַ כְׁשִ יט‬.‫לאפד ולחשן‬:

‫ לאפד ולחשן‬FOR THE EPHOD AND THE BREASTPLATE respectively: the onyx stones for
the ephod and “stones for setting” for the breastplate. Ephod and breastplate are described in
‫ואתה תצוה‬. They were a kind of ornament worn only by the High-Priest.

25:8

‫ּׁשה‬
ָ ֻ‫ ְועָׂשּו לִׁשְמִ י ּבֵית קְד‬.‫ועשו לי מקדש‬:

‫ ועשו לי מקדש‬AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY — Let them make to the glory
of My Name (cf. Rashi on v. 2) a place of holiness.

25:9

‫ׁש ְּל ַמ ְעלָה הֵי ֶמּנּו ְועָׂשּו לִי מִ קְּדָ ׁש‬

ֶ ‫ ַה ִּמק ְָרא ַהּז ֶה ְמ ֻחּבָר ַל ִּמק ְָרא‬, ‫ ּכָאן את תבנית המשכן‬.‫ככל אשר אני מראה אותך‬
‫מַראֶה אֹותְ ָך‬ ְ ‫ּכְכ ֹל ֲאׁשֶר אֲ נִי‬:

‫ ככל אשר אני מראה אותך‬ACCORDING TO ALL THAT I AM SHOWING THEE here, ‫את תבנית‬
‫ המשכן‬THE PATTERN OF THE DWELLING. — This verse must be connected with the
verse that precedes it, thus: And let them make for Me a sanctuary … according to all that I
am showing thee (the words ‫ ושכנתי בתוכם‬being a parenthesis).

‫ ּכְגֹון ׁשֻ ְלחָנֹות‬,‫ אֹו ְּכׁשֶּתַ עֲׂשּו לִי ְּכלֵי בֵית עֹו ָלמִים‬,‫ אִם י ֹאבַד ֶאחָד מִן ַה ֵּכלִים‬,) ‫ לְדֹורֹות (סנהדרין ט"ז‬.‫וכן תעשו‬
‫ ֹלא‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְבנִית ֵאּלּו ּתַ עֲׂשּו אֹותָ ם; ְואִם ֹלא ָהי ָה ַה ִּמק ְָרא ְמ ֻחּבָר ְל ַמ ְעלָה הֵימֶ ּנּו‬,‫ׁשֹלמ ֹה‬ ְ ‫ׂשה‬
ָ ‫ׁש ָע‬
ֶ ‫ּו ְמנֹורֹות ְוכִּיֹורֹות ּומְכֹונֹות‬
‫ׂשּי ַת אֹהֶל מֹועֵד ְו ֵכלָיו‬
ִ ‫ ְו ָהי ָה מְדַ ּבֵר עַל ֲע‬,‫ ָהי ָה לֹו ִלכְּת ֹב ְוכֵן ּתַ עֲׂשּו ֶאּלָא ּכֵן ּתַ עֲׂשּו‬:

‫ וכן תעשו‬AND SO SHALL YE MAKE IT also in future generations (cf. Sanhedrin 16b); if one
of the vessels is lost, or when you make for Me the vessels for the “House of Eternity”
(another name for the Temple in Jerusalem), — as e. g., the tables, candlesticks, lavers and
stands which Solomon had made — you shall make them after the pattern of these (the
vessels of the Tabernacle), If, however, the verse were not to be connected with the preceding
one but formed a new statement, Scripture ought not to have written: ‫“ וכן תעשו‬and so shall ye
make them” but ‫“ כן תעשו‬so shall ye make them” and then it would be speaking of the making
of the tent of meeting and its vessels and not of the vessels of the Temple, and the translation
would be: according to all that I am showing you the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern
of all its vessels, even so shall you make them.

25:10

‫ יֹוׁשֵ ב עַל ׁשּולָיו‬,‫ּקֹורין אישקרי"ן ְּב ַלעַז‬

ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ‫ַארּגָז‬
ְ ‫ עֲׂשּוי ִם ְּכמִין‬,‫ ְּכמִין אֲרֹונֹות ׁשֶעֹוׂשִים ּבְֹלא ַרגְ ַלי ִם‬.‫ועשו ארון‬:

‫ ועשו ארון‬AND THEY SHALL MAKE AN ARK (‫ — )ארון‬It is so called because it had the
appearance of boxes (‫ )ארונות‬which people make without feet — in the shape of a chest which
is called escrin in old French which rests on its bottom.

25:11

‫ַארּבַע ּכְתָ לִים וְׁשּו ַלי ִם ְלכָל אֶ חָד‬ְ ,‫ׁשל עֵץ‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל זָהָב ְו ֶאחָד‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנַי ִם‬
ְ ,‫ׂשה ְב ַצ ְל ֵאל‬ָ ‫ׁשה אֲרֹונֹות ָע‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬
ְ .‫מבית ומחוץ תצפנו‬
‫ נִ ְמצָא מְ ֻצּפֶה מִ ַּבי ִת‬,‫ׂשפָתֹו ָה ֶעלְיֹונָה ְּבזָהָב‬
ְ ‫ׁשל עֵץ ְו ִחּפָה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל זָהָב ּבְתֹוְך‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל זָהָב ְו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל עֵץ ּבְתֹוְך‬ֶ ‫ נָתַ ן‬,‫ּופְתּוחִים ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬
)‫ּומִחּוץ (יומא ע"ב‬:

‫ מבית ומחוץ תצפנו‬WITHIN AND WITHOUT SHALT THOU OVERLAY IT — Bezalel made
three arks, two of gold and one of wood, each having four walls (sides) and a bottom, being,
however, open at the top. He put the wooden ark into the larger golden one and the smaller
golden one into that of wood and covered its upper rim (that of the wooden ark) with gold;
consequently it can be said that the wooden ark was overlaid with gold within and without
(Yoma 72b; Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 6:1).

‫ׁש ָעלָה לְמּול עֹבִי ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת‬

ֶ ‫ עַד‬,‫ׂשה הָָארֹון ַהחִיצֹון ּגָבֹו ַּה מִן ַה ְּפנִימִי‬ ָ ‫ׁש ָע‬
ֶ ,‫ּׂשפָתֹו‬
ְ ‫ ְּכמִין ּכֶתֶ ר ֻמּקָף לֹו ָסבִיב ְל ַמ ְעלָה ִמ‬.‫זר זהב‬
‫ׁשהּוא וְהּוא סִימָ ן‬ ֶ ‫ עֹולֶה ַהּז ֵר ְל ַמ ְעלָה ִמּכָל עֹבִי ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת ּכָל‬,‫ׁש ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת ׁשֹוכֵב עַל עֹבִי ַהּכְתָ לִים‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ּׁשהּו‬
ֶ ‫ּו ְל ַמ ְעלָה הֵי ֶמּנּו ַמ‬
‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ְלכֶתֶ ר‬:

‫ זר זהב‬A BORDER OF GOLD — a crown-like ornament encompassed it (the ark) round about
above its rim, for he (Bezalel) made the outer ark which was of gold higher than the inner
ones so that it stood up over against the thickness of the cover which was made for it and even
somewhat beyond it (Yoma 72b). Now when the cover lay upon the thickness of the sides of
the two smaller arks the crown-like ledge rose a little above the entire thickness of the cover.
It was a symbol of the “crown of the Torah” which was placed within that ark (Exodus
Rabbah 34b).

25:12

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,‫ לְׁשֹון הַּתָ כָה‬.‫ויצקת‬:

‫ — ויצקת‬a term used of casting metal, as the Targum has it.

,‫ ׁשְּתַ י ִם ִמּכָאן ּוׁשְּתַ י ִם ִמּכָאן ל ְָרחְּבֹו ׁשֶ ל ָארֹון‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרגּומֹו ז ִ ְוי ָתֵ יּה; ּו ַבּזָוִּיֹות ָה ֶעלְיֹונֹות סָמּוְך ַלּכַּפ ֶֹרת הָיּו נְתּונֹות‬.‫פעמותיו‬
‫ׁשנֵי ְבנֵי ָאדָ ם הַּנֹוׂשְ אִ ין אֶת‬
ְ ‫ׁשּיִהְיּו‬ֶ ,‫ אַ ּמָתַ י ִם ָו ֵחצִי ּבֵין ּבַד ְלבַד‬,‫ׁשל ָארֹון ַמ ְפסִיק ּבֵין ַהּבַּדִ ים‬ ֶ ‫ְָארּכֹו‬
ְ ‫ ו‬,‫ְו ַהּבַּדִ ים נְתּונִים ָּבהֶם‬
)‫הָָארֹון ְמ ַה ְּלכִין ּבֵינֵיהֶם; ְוכֵן ְמפ ָֹרׁש ִּב ְמנָחֹות ּבְפ' ׁשְּתֵ י ַה ֶּלחֶם (מנחות דף צ"ח‬:
‫ — פעמתיו‬Understand this as the Targum renders it: ON ITS CORNERS. It was on the upper
corners near to the cover that the rings were placed — two on one side of the ark and two on
the other along the breadth of the ark, and the staves were put into them (the rings). The
length of the ark thus formed a space of two cubits and a half between one stave and the other
so that two men who were carrying the ark could walk with ease between on the same side.
Thus is it explained in Treatise Menachot in the section beginning with the words, "Shtei
HaLehem" (Menachot 98b).

,‫ ּופ ֵֵרׁש לְָך הֵיכָן הָיּו; ְו ַהּוָי"ו זֹו י ְתֵ ָרה הִיא‬,‫ׁשּבִתְ ִחּלַת ַה ִּמק ְָרא‬
ֶ ‫ַארּבַע ַטּבָעֹות‬ְ ‫ הֵן הֵן‬.‫ושתי טבעת על צלעו האחת‬
‫ ּוׁשְּתֵ י מִן ַה ַּטּבָעֹות ָהאֵּלּו עַל ַצלְעֹו הַָאחַת‬:‫ּׁשבָּה ּכֵן‬
ְ ַ ‫ ְוי ֵׁש לְָך ְלי‬,‫ּופִתְ רֹונֹו ּכְמֹו ׁשְּתֵ י ַטּבָעֹות‬:

‫ שתי הלחם ושתי טבעות על צלעו האחת‬AND TWO RINGS IN THE ONE SIDE OF IT — These are
the very four rings spoken of in the beginning of the verse but here Scripture explains to you
where they were fixed. This ‫ ו‬of the word ‫( ושתי‬the first time the word occurs here) is really
redundant and the interpretation is as though it read, ‫( שתי טבעת‬see Note on Exodus 24:12).
Since however the ‫ ו‬is there you may make it fit in thus: and two of these rings shall be on the
one side of it and two on the other side thereof.

‫ צִּדֹו‬.‫צלעו‬:

‫ צלעו‬means THE SIDE OF IT.

25:13

‫ מֹוטֹות‬.‫בדי‬:

‫ בדי‬means STAVES.

25:15

)‫ לְעֹולָם (יומא ע"ב‬.‫לא יסרו ממנו‬:

‫ לא יסרו ממנו‬THEY SHALL NOT DEPART THEREFROM for ever (cf. Yoma 72a).

25:16

‫ ּכְמֹו ּבָָארֹון‬.‫ונתת אל הארן‬:

‫ — ונתת אל הארן‬It must be explained as though it were written ‫בארון‬: [AND THOU SHALT
PUT] INTO THE ARK,

‫ׁש ִּצּוִיתִ י אֶתְ כֶם ִמצְוֹות ַהּכְתּובֹות ּבָּה‬

ֶ ‫ׁשהִיא ְלעֵדּות ּבֵינִי ּובֵינֵיכֶם‬
ֶ ,‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ה‬.‫העדת‬:

‫ העדות‬THE TESTIMONY — the Torah (the Tablets; cf. Rashi on Exodus 40:20) which is a
testimony between Me and you that I have ordained the commandments written in it (Midrash
Tanchuma, Pekudei 4).

25:17

‫ׁש ָהי ָה ּפָתּו ַח ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ּו ַמּנִיחֹו ָעלָיו ּכְמִ ין ּדַ ף‬

ֶ ,‫ ּכִּסּוי עַל הָָארֹון‬.‫כפרת‬:
‫ — כפרת‬A cover for the ark which was made open on top. He laid it upon it, flat like an
ordinary slab.

‫ וְַאעַ" ִּפ ׁשֶ ֹּלא נָתַ ן‬,‫ַאר ַּבעְּתָ ם‬

ְ ‫ ּו ֻמּנַחַת עַל עֹבִי ַהּכְתָ לִים‬,‫ׁשל ָארֹון‬ ֶ ‫ ו ְָר ְחּבָּה ּכ ְָרחְּבֹו‬,‫ׁשל ָארֹון‬
ֶ ‫ְָארּכֹו‬
ְ ‫ ּכ‬.‫אמתים וחצי ארכה‬
)'‫ׁש ָהי ָה ָע ְבי ָּה ֶטפַח (סוכה ה‬ ֶ ‫ ּפ ְֵרׁשּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו‬,‫ׁשִעּור ְל ָע ְבי ָּה‬:

‫ אמתים וחצי ארכה‬TWO CUBITS AND A HALF SHALL BE THE LENGTH THEREOF, as
was the length of the ark, and its (the cover’s) breadth was as the breadth of the ark (i. e. of
the inner wooden ark, cf. Rashi on v. 11); thus it rested on the thickness of its four walls.
Although it does not assign any size for its (the cover’s) thickness our Rabbis have explained
(applying to it a ‫ )ג"ש‬that the thickness thereof was one cubit (Sukkah 5a).

25:18

‫ ּדְ מּות ּפ ְַרצּוף ּתִ ינֹוק ָלהֶם‬.‫כרבים‬:

‫ כרבים‬CHERUBIM — They had the form of a child’s face (Sukkah 5a).

‫ּקֹורין שולד"יר‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫צֹורפִים‬ ְ ‫ׂשה‬ ֵ ‫ׂשּי ָתָ ם ְּכ ַמ ֲע‬

ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא תַ ֲעׂשֵם ִּב ְפנֵי ַע ְצמָם ּותְ ַחּב ְֵרם ּב ְָראׁשֵי ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת לְַאחַר ֲע‬ֶ .‫מקשה תעשה‬
‫ ְו ַצּי ֵר‬,‫ ו ְָראׁשִין ּבֹו ְלטִין לְמַ ְעלָה‬,‫ ְו ַהּכֵה ְּב ַפּטִיׁש ּו ְבק ְֻרנָס ָּב ֶא ְמצַע‬,‫ׂשּי ַת ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת‬
ִ ‫ ֶאּלָא ַהּטֵל זָהָב ה ְַרּבֵה ּבִתְ ִחּלַת ֲע‬,‫ְּב ַלעַז‬
‫ ַהּכְרּובִים ִּב ְבלִיטַת קְצֹותָ יו‬:

‫ מקשה תעשה‬OF BEATEN WORK SHALT THOU MAKE [THEM] — i. e. thou shalt not
make them separately (apart from the actual lid) and join them to the ends of the lid after they
have been made, like goldsmith’s work which is called in old French souder (English solder)
— but lay down a large mass of gold (lit., much gold) when thou beginnest to make the lid
and beat upon the middle part of it (the gold) with a hammer or with a mallet, so that its ends
will project upward (stand out in relief), and then shape the cherubim out of the projecting
edges.

)'‫ ּכְמֹו ּדָ א לְדָ א נָקְׁשָ ן (דניאל ה‬,‫ בטדי"ץ ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫מקשה‬:

‫ מקשה‬batediz (beaten work) in old French Similarly we have (Daniel 5:6) “and his knees
knocked (‫ )נקשן‬one against another”.

‫ ָראׁשֵ י ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת‬.‫קצות הכפרת‬:

‫ קצות הכפרת‬means THE EXTREMITIES OF THE COVER.

25:19

‫ ְלכְָך ֻהצ ְַרְך ְלפ ֵָרׁש ּכְרּוב אֶ חָד מִ ּקָ צָה מִ ּז ֶה‬,‫ׁשנַי ִם ּכְרּובִים ְלכָל ָקצֶה ְו ָקצֶה‬
ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר‬
ֶ .‫ועשה כרוב אחד מקצה‬:

‫ ועשה כרוב אחד מקצה‬AND MAKE ONE CHERUB FROM ONE EXTREMITY — In order that
you should not say that the preceding verse means two cherubim on each extremity, it was
necessary to expressly state: “one cherub from the one extremity and one cherub from the
other extremity”.

‫ׂשה ִּב ְפנֵי ַעצְמָ ם ּותְ ַחּב ְֵרם‬

ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא תַ ֲע‬
ֶ ,‫ׂשה אֹותָ ם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ּתַ ֲע‬
ָ ‫ׁשל ִמ ְק‬
ֶ ‫ ז ֶהּו ּפֵרּוׁש‬,‫ׂשה אֶת ַהּכְרּובִים‬
ֶ ‫ ַע ְצ ָמּה ּתַ ֲע‬.‫מן הכפרת‬
‫ ַלּכַּפ ֶֹרת‬:
‫ מן הכפרת‬FROM THE COVER itself, ‫ תעשו את הכרבים‬SHALL YE MAKE THE CHERUBIM
— This is the explanation of: (v. 18) “of beaten work shalt thou make them” — that thou shalt
make them out of the cover itself and that thou shalt not make them by themselves and
afterwards join them to the cover.

25:20

‫ׁשּיְהֵא ֲעׂש ָָרה ְט ָפחִים ֶּב ָחלָל‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשה ַכנְפֵיהֶם ׁשֹו ְכבִים ֶאּלָא ּפְרּוׂשִים ּוגְבֹוהִים ְל ַמ ְעלָה אֵ צֶל ָראׁשֵיהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא תַ ֲע‬
ֶ .‫פרשי כנפים‬
‫ ּכִדְ אִ יתָ א ְב ֻסּכָה‬,‫ׁשּבֵין ַה ְּכנָ ַפי ִם ַלּכַּפ ֶֹרת‬
ֶ :

‫[ פרשי כנפים‬AND THE CHERUBIM SHALL] SPREAD THEIR WINGS [ON HIGH] — i. e.
that you shall not make their wings touching the body but spreading on high slightly above
but almost on the same level with their heads so that the hollow space between the wings and
the cover shall be ten handbreadths, as it is explained in Treatise Sukkah 5b.

25:21

‫ ׁשֶ ּבָא ְללַּמֵד‬,‫ ְוי ֵׁש לֹומַר‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְּכבָר נֶ ֱאמַר ְונָתַ ּתָ אֶ ל הָָאר ֹן אֵת ָהעֵדֻ ת‬
ֶ ,‫ ֹלא י ָדַ עְּתִ י ָל ָּמה נִ ְכּפַל‬.‫ואל הארן תתן את העדת‬
‫ ְוכֵן ָמצִינּו ּכְׁשֶ הֵקִ ים אֶת‬,‫ י ִּתֵ ן ּתְ ִחּלָה ָהעֵדּות לְתֹוכֹו וְַאחַר ּכְָך י ִּתֵ ן אֶת ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת ָעלָיו‬,‫ ּבְֹלא כַּפ ֶֹרת‬,‫ׁשּבְעֹודֹו ָארֹון ְלבַּדֹו‬
ֶ
‫ נֶ ֱאמַר ַוּי ִּתֵ ן אֶת ָהעֵדֻ ת ֶאל הָָאר ֹן וְַאחַר ּכְָך ַוּי ִּתֵ ן אֶת ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת עַל הָָאר ֹן מִ לְמָ ְעלָה‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ ַה ִּמ‬:

‫ ואל הארן תתן את העדות‬AND IN THE ARK THOU SHALT PUT THE TESTIMONY — I do
not know why this is repeated for it has already been commanded, (v. 16) “and thou shalt put
the Testimony in the ark”. One may say that it intends to tell us that whilst the ark is still by
itself — i. e. without the cover — he should first put the Testimony into it, and only
afterwards should he put the cover on it for the first time. Thus indeed do we find: that when
he (Moses) erected the Tabernacle it is stated, (Exodus 40:20) “and he [took and] put the
Testimony into the ark”, and afterwards it says, “and he put the cover upon the ark above it”
(cf. Talmud Yerushalmi Shekalim 6:1).

25:22

‫ׁשָאב ֹא ׁשָ ם לְדַ ּבֵר אֵ לֶיָך‬

ֶ ‫ אֹותֹו ָמקֹום אֶ ְקּבַע לַּמֹועֵד‬,‫ׁש ֶא ְקּבַע מֹועֵד לְָך לְדַ ּבֵר ִעּמְָך‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ונועדתי‬:

‫ ונועדתי‬AND [THERE] I WILL BE MET [BY THEE] — When I shall appoint you a place of
meeting to speak to you that place will I appoint as the place of meeting whither I will come
to speak to you.

‫ מִחּוץ‬,‫ ז ֶה הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬,)'‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר הּוא אֹומֵר ַוי ְדַ ּבֵר ה' ֵאלָיו ֵמאֹהֶל מֹועֵד לֵאמ ֹר (ויקרא א‬.‫ודברתי אתך מעל הכפרת‬
,‫ׁשה אֶ ל אֹהֶל מֹועֵד‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ּובְב ֹא מ‬:‫ּׁשלִיׁשִי ְו ִהכ ְִרי ַע ּבֵינֵיהֶם‬
ְ ‫ – ּבָא ַהּכָתּוב ַה‬,‫ׁשנֵי כְתּובִים ַמ ְכחִיׁשִים ז ֶה אֶת ז ֶה‬ְ ‫ נִ ְמצְאּו‬,‫ַלּפָרֹכֶת‬
‫יֹורד‬
ֵ ‫ קֹול‬,‫ׁשּבָא בְתֹוְך ַהּפֶתַ ח‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכֵיוָן‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשה ָהי ָה נִ ְכנָס ַל ִּמ‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ מ‬,) '‫ׁשמַע אֶת הַּקֹול מִּדַ ּבֵר ֵאלָיו ֵמעַל ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת וְגֹו' (במדבר ז‬ְ ִ ‫ַוּי‬
)‫ׁשה ּבְאֹהֶל מֹועֵד (ספרי‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשמָע לְמ‬
ְ ִ‫ ּו ִמּׁשָם יֹוצֵא ְונ‬,‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ְלבֵין ַהּכְרּובִים‬
ָ ‫מִן ַה‬:

‫ ודברתי אתך מעל הכפרת‬AND I SHALL SPEAK WITH THEE FROM ABOVE THE COVER —
In another passage, however, it says, (Leviticus 1:1) “And God spake unto him out of the
appointed tent, saying” — this is that part of the Tabernacle outside the partition veil whilst
the ark and the cover were on the other tide of the veil — consequently we have two verses
contradicting each other! But there comes a third verse and reconciles them: (Numbers 7:89)
“And when Moses came into the appointed tent to speak with Him, he heard the voice
speaking unto him from off the covering etc.” This verse explains exactly what happened.
Moses came into the Tabernacle and as soon as he had passed the entrance a voice fell from
heaven to the place on the cover which was between the cherubim, and from there it issued
and was heard by Moses in the tent of meeting (outside the Holy of Holies; cf. Sifrei
Bamidbar 58 and Rashi on Numbers 7:89).

‫ וְאֶת אֲׁשֶר‬:‫ וְכ ֹה תִ ּפָתֵ ר‬,‫ ְוכָמֹו ָה ה ְַרּבֵה ַּב ִּמק ְָרא‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי וָי"ו זֹו י ְתֵ ָרה ּו ְט ֵפלָה‬.‫ואת כל אשר אצוה אותך אל בני ישראל‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל הּוא‬
ָ ‫אֲדַ ּבֵר ִעּמְָך ׁשָם אֵת ּכָל ֲאׁשֶר ֲא ַצּוֶה אֹותְ ָך ֶאל ְּבנֵי י‬:

‫ ואת כל אשר אצוה אותך אל בני ישראל‬AND OF ALL WHICH I SHALL COMMAND THEE
CONCERNING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — This ‫ ו‬of the word ‫ ואת‬is redundant and
without import; there are many sentences similar to this in Scripture. However if you wish to
explain this ‫ ו‬the verse must be interpreted as follows: [I shall speak with thee from above the
cover] and that which (‫ )ואת‬I shall speak to you will be everything I shall command thee
concerning the children of Israel.

25:23

‫ ּגֹבַּה ַרגְלָיו עִם עֹבִי הַּׁשֻ ְלחָן‬.‫קמתו‬:

‫ קמתו‬THE HEIGHT THEREOF — i. e. the height of its legs together with the thickness of the
table-board.

25:24

‫ׁשאֹומ ְִרים ׁשֻ ְלחַן מְ ָלכִים‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ּׁש ְלחָן ׁשֵם עֹׁשֶר ּוגְדֻ ּלָה‬
ֻ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ,‫ סִימָן ְלכֶתֶ ר ַמלְכּות‬.‫זר זהב‬:

‫ זר זהב‬A BORDER OF GOLD — a symbol of the royal crown, for the table is an emblem of
wealth and greatness, as may be seen from the fact that people speak of one’s “royal table”
when they wish to state one is exceedingly wealthy (cf. Yoma 72b).

25:25

‫ּׁש ְלחָן ּכְמֹו ְל ִבז ְ ְּבז ִין ׁשֶ ּבִׂשְ פַת ׁשֻ ְלחַן‬
ֻ ‫ י ֵ"א ֹ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ָהי ְתָ ה ָסבִיב ַל‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרגּומֹו ּגְדַ נְפָא; ְונֶ ְחלְקּו ַח ְכמֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ּבַּדָ בָר‬.‫מסגרת‬
‫ּׁש ְלחָן ׁשֹוכֵב עַל אֹותָ ּה מִ ְסּג ֶֶרת‬ ֻ ‫ וְדַ ף ַה‬,‫ּׁש ְלחָן‬
ֻ ‫ְַארּבַע רּוחֹות ַה‬ ְ ‫ ְוי ֵ"א ֹ ְל ַמּטָה ָהי ְתָ ה תְ קּועָה מ ֵֶרגֶל ל ְֶרגֶל ּב‬,‫ ׂש ִָרים‬:

‫ — מסגרת‬Understand this as the Targum renders it: ‫גדנפא‬, A RIM. The Sages in Israel are of
different opinion as to what this ‫ מסגרת‬signifies. Some say it was on top all the way round the
table like the vertical ledge that is on the edges of the table of noble men, whilst others say it
was fixed beneath the table from leg to leg on the four sides of the table and that the table-top
rested upon that ledge (cf. Menachot 96b and Sukkah 5a).

‫ׁשעַל הַּמִ ְסּג ֶֶרת ָהי ְתָ ה‬

ֶ ‫ ּופ ֵֵרׁש לְָך ּכָאן‬,‫ הּוא ז ֵר הָָאמּור ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬.‫ועשית זר זהב למסגרתו‬:

‫ ועשית זר זהב למסגרתו‬AND THOU SHALT MAKE A GOLDEN BORDER TO THE RIM
THEREOF —This is the same border spoken of above (v. 24), and here it explains to you that
it was fixed to the rim.

25:27

‫ ְּכנֶגֶד ָראׁשֵ י הַּמִ ְסג ֶֶרת‬,‫ ּב ַָרגְ ַלי ִם ּתְ קּועֹות‬.‫לעמת המסגרת תהיין הטבעת‬:
‫ לעמת המסגרת תהיין הטבעת‬OVER AGAINST THE RIM SHALL THE RINGS BE — inserted in
the legs over against the extremities of the border.

‫ אֹותָ ן ַטּבָעֹות יִהְיּו בָּתִ ים ְל ַה ְכנִיס ָּבהֶן ַהּבַּדִ ים‬.‫לבתים לבדים‬:

‫ לבתים לבדים‬FOR PLACES FOR THE STAVES — These rings shall be receptacles in which
to put the staves.

‫ַאֲרי ַחּי ָא‬

ִ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו – ַאתְ ָרא ל‬,‫ לְצ ֶֹרְך בתים לבדים‬.‫לבתים‬:

‫ לבתים‬means for the purpose of being (to serve as) receptacles for the staves, as the Targum
has it: places for the staves.

25:28

‫ּׂשא בָם אֶת הַּׁשֻ ְלחָן‬

ָ ִ‫ י ִ ְהי ֶה נ‬,‫ לְׁשֹון נִ ְפעַל‬.‫ונשא בם‬:

‫ — ונשא בם‬The word ‫ ונשא‬is a passive (Niphal) form; the meaning is: THAT THE TABLE
MAY BE BORNE BY THEM.

25:29

‫ ְו ַה ֶּלחֶם ָהי ָה עָׂשּוי ְּכמִין ּתֵ בָה ּפְרּוצָה מִׁשְּתֵ י‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה עָׂשּוי ּכִדְ פּוס ַה ֶּלחֶם‬
ֶ ‫ ְקעָרֹותָ יו ז ֶה ּדְ פּוס‬.‫ועשית קערתיו וכפתיו‬
‫ׁשּי ֵׁש לֹו ָפנִים רֹואִ ין‬ֶ ,‫ ּו ְלכְָך קָרּוי ֶלחֶם ַה ָּפנִים‬,‫ וְקֹופֵל ִמּכָאן ּו ִמּכָאן ְּכ ַלּפֵי ַמ ְעלָה ְּכמִין ּכְתָ לִים‬,‫ ׁשּו ַלי ִם לֹו ְל ַמּטָה‬,ָ‫רּוחֹותֶ יה‬
‫ּׁש ְלחָן; ְו ָהי ָה עָׂשּוי לֹו‬
ֻ ‫ׂשפַת ַה‬ְ ‫ ְוכָתְ לָיו ז ְקּופִים ְּכנֶגֶד‬,‫ׁש ְלחָן‬
ֻ ‫ׁשל‬ ֶ ‫ָארּכֹו ל ְָרחְּבֹו‬
ְ ‫ וְנֹותֵ ן‬,‫ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן ְלצִּדֵ י ַה ַּבי ִת ִמּז ֶה ּו ִמּז ֶה‬
‫ׁשּבָת ׁשֶּמְ סַּדְ רֹו עַל‬
ַ ‫ׁשל זָהָב עַד ְל ָמחָר ְּב‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ְכׁשֶּמֹוצִיאֹו מִן הַּתַ ּנּור נֹותְ נֹו ְב‬,‫ׁשל ּב ְַרז ֶל הּוא נֶ ֱאפֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ְּב‬,‫ּדְ פּוס זָהָב ּודְ פּוס ּב ְַרז ֶל‬
‫ וְאֹותֹו ּדְ פּוס קָרּוי קְ ע ָָרה‬,‫ּׁש ְלחָן‬
ֻ ‫ ַה‬:

‫ ועשית קערתיו וכפתיו‬AND THOU SHALT MAKE THE DISHES THEREOF AND THE
SPOONS THEREOF — ‫ קערתיו‬are the forms (moulds) that were made to fit the shape of the
bread (Menachot 97a). The bread was shaped like a case broken open as regards two of its
sides (two opposite sides of which have been removed; these are what we would call the front
and the back). It had a bottom underneath, but no top, and this bottom was turned up on both
ends to form, as it were, walls. On this account it was called ‫לחם הפנים‬, “bread with faces” —
because it had faces (surfaces) looking in both directions towards the sides of the House (the
Sanctuary). The bread was placed lengthwise across the breadth of the table with its sides
standing up exactly in a line with the edge of the table. There were made for it a golden mould
and an iron mould: in the iron one it was baked, and when it was taken out from the oven it
was put on the golden one until the next day, the Sabbath, when it was arranged on the table
(the mould then being removed). This golden mould is here called ‫( קערה‬Menachot 94a; cf.
also Berliner’s Rashi 2nd ed. p. 426).

‫ׁשּנֶאֱמַר ְונָתַ ּתָ עַל‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּנֹותְ נִין עַל ׁשְּתֵ י ַה ַּמע ֲָרכֹות‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ֻק ְמצֵי לְבֹונָה‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנֹותְ נִין ָּבהֶם לְבֹונָה ׁשְּתַ י ִם הָיּו ִל‬
ֶ ‫ ָּבז ִיכִין‬.‫וכפתיו‬
)‫ ַה ַּמע ֲֶרכֶת לְבֹנָה זַּכָה (ויקרא כ"ד‬:

‫ וכפתיו‬AND ITS SPOONS — ladles (or rather, cups with flat bottoms) in which the incense
was put. There were two such vessels for the two handfuls of incense which was put upon the
piles in which the loaves were arranged, as it is said, (Leviticus 24:7) “And thou shalt put pure
frankincense upon each pile”.
 ‫ ּו ְמסַּדֵ ר ג' עַל ר ֹאׁש ּכָל‬,‫ׁשל זָהָב‬ ֶ ‫ׂשה‬ ֶ ‫ ּדֻ גְמָתָ ן עֹו‬,)‫ְָארּכָן (מנחות צ"ו‬ ְ ‫ הֵן ְּכמִין ֲח ָצאֵי ָקנִים חֲלּולִים ַהּנִסְּדָ קִין ל‬.‫וקשותיו‬
;‫ ּו ַמבְּדִ ילִין ּבֵין ֶלחֶם ְל ֶלחֶם ּכְדֵ י ׁשֶּתִ ָּכנֵס הָרּו ַח ּבֵינֵיהֶם וְֹלא י ִתְ ַעּפְׁשּו‬,‫ׁשב ֶלחֶם הַָאחֵר עַל ַּגּבֵי אֹותָ ן ַה ָּקנִים‬
ֵ ֵ ‫ׁשּי‬
ֶ ,‫ֶלחֶם‬
‫ּו ִבלְׁשֹון ע ֲָרבִי ּכָל ּדָ בָר חָלּול קָרּוי קס"וא‬:

‫ — וקשתיו‬These had the form of halves of hollow canes which are split along their length
(Menachot 96a). Articles similar to these were made of gold and three of them were set in a
row above each loaf so that another loaf (that above it) should rest on top of the “canes”; thus
they (these canes) separated one loaf from another so that air could enter between and they
would not become mouldy (Menachot 97a). In the Arabic language anything hollow is called
‫( קסוא‬and this corresponds to the root of this word, which therefore denotes something
hollow).

‫ ְּכנֶגֶד‬,‫ּׁש ְלחָן ה ְַרּבֵה‬

ֻ ‫ָָארץ ּוגְבֹוהִים עַד ְל ַמ ְעלָה מִן ַה‬ ֶ ‫ עֹומְדִ ין ּב‬,‫ הֵן ְסנִיפִים ְּכמִין י ִתְ דֹות זָהָב‬,‫ ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּו ְמכִילָתֵ יּה‬.‫ומנקיתיו‬
‫ׁשּבֵין ֶלחֶם ְל ֶלחֶם סְמּוכִין עַל אֹותָ ן‬ ֶ ‫ ו ְָראׁשֵי ַה ָּקנִים‬,‫ּׁשה פִּצּולִים ז ֶה ְל ַמ ְעלָה ִמּז ֶה‬ ָ ‫ ּו ְמ ֻפ ָּצלִים ֲח ִמ‬,‫ּגֹבַּה ַמע ֲֶרכֶת ַה ֶּלחֶם‬
‫ ּכְמֹו נִלְאֵ יתִ י ָהכִיל‬,‫ּׁשבְרּו; ּולְׁשֹון ְמכִילָתֵ יּה סֹבְלֹותָ יו‬ ָ ִ ‫ּׂשא ַה ֶּלחֶם ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים עַל הַּתַ חְּתֹונִים ְוי‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ִ ְכּבַד ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ּפִּצּולִין‬
,‫ ֲאבָל לְׁשֹון ְמנַּקִּיֹות אֵינִי יֹודֵ ַע אֵיְך נֹופֵל עַל ְסנִיפִין; ְוי ֵׁש ֵמ ַח ְכמֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל אֹומ ְִרים קְׂש ֹתָ יו אֵ ּלּו ְסנִיפִין‬.) '‫(ירמיהו ו‬
‫ אֲ בָל‬,)‫ׁשֹּלא י ִתְ ַעּפֵׁש (מנחות צ"ז‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְּמנַּקִין אֹותֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְמנַּקִּי ֹתָ יו אֵּלּו ַה ָּקנִים‬,‫ּׁשבֵר‬
ָ ִ ‫ׁשֹּלא י‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַּמ ְקׁשִין אֹותֹו ּו ַמ ֲחז ִיקִים אֹותֹו‬ֶ
‫ ָהי ָה ׁשֹונֶה כְדִ ב ְֵרי הָאֹומֵר ְמנַּקִ ּיֹות הֵן ְסנִיפִין‬,‫ ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם ּו ְמכִילָתֵ יּה‬:

‫ — מנקיותיו‬It is translated in the Targum by ‫“ ומכילתיה‬and the trestles (supports) thereof” (cf.
Menachot 96a). According to him these were attachments to the table like a kind of golden
pegs (pillars) standing on the floor and reaching in height far above the table up to the height
of the pile of bread. They were notched in five places, one above the other, and the ends of the
canes which were between one loaf and another were supported on these notches so that the
weight of the upper loaves should not press heavily upon the lower ones in which event these
would be broken. The word ‫ מכילתיה‬used by Onkelos as a rendering of ‫ מנקיותיו‬denotes
“bearers;” it is of the same root as the verb in (Jeremiah 6:11) “I am weary to bear (‫ )הכיל‬it.”
But as for the term ‫( מנקיות‬which is a Piel of ‫ נקה‬and would denote “cleansers”) I do not know
how it is applicable to these attachments the purpose of which was not to keep the bread clean
but merely to serve as supports for the canes. But there are some of the Jewish Sages who
hold that ‫( קשתיו‬connected with ‫“ קשה‬hard”) are the pegs (or pillars) and they are so called
because they served to keep it (the loaves) hard and firm, so that it should not break, whilst
‫ מנקיותיו‬are the “canes” which kept the bread clean so that it should not become mouldy.
Onkelos, however, who translated ‫ מנקיותיו‬by ‫ מכילתיה‬understood it according to the opinion of
him who holds that ‫ מנקיות‬were the supporting pillars (cf. Menachot 97a).

‫ ְוכֵן ּבְמָ קֹום ַאחֵר הּוא‬,‫ׁשהָיּו ָעלָיו ְּכמִין ְסכְָך ְוכִּסּוי‬ ֶ ,‫ ְועַל קְׂש ֹתָ יו הּוא אֹומֵר ֲאׁשֶר יֻּסְַך‬,‫ ֲאׁשֶר י ְ ֻכּסֶה ָבהֵן‬.‫אשר יסך בהן‬
‫ לְׁשֹון ְסכְָך ְוכִּסּוי הֵם‬,‫ יֻּסְַך ְו ַהּנָסְֶך‬,‫ ְוז ֶה ָוז ֶה‬,)'‫אֹומֵר ְואֵת קְׂשֹות ַהּנָסְֶך (במדבר ד‬:

‫ אשר יסך בהן‬means BY WHICH THEY SHALL BE COVERED. It is of the ‫קשות‬, the “canes,”
that the words ‫ אשר יסך‬are said, because these lay over it like a cover and a screen. Thus, too,
in another passage (Numbers 4:7) it says, ‫ואת קשות הנסך‬, “and the ‫ קשות‬for covering;” both
words, ‫ יסך‬and ‫הנסך‬, denote screening and covering.

25:30

‫ ּו ִמנְי ַן ַה ֶּלחֶם ְוסֵדֶ ר ַמע ְַרכֹותָ יו ְמפ ָֹרׁשִים ֶּבאֱמ ֹר אֶ ל הַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים‬,‫ׁשּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהָיּו לֹו ָּפנִים ּכְמֹו‬
ֶ .‫לחם פנים‬:
‫ לחם הפנים‬SHEW-BREAD (lit., bread of faces) — It was so called because it had “faces” (
‫ )פנים‬as I have explained (v. 29). The number of loaves and the way they were set in piles are
fully explained in the Sidrah ‫( אמר אל הכהנים‬Leviticus 24:5—9).

25:31

‫ ּכְדֶ ֶרְך‬,‫ׂשה ָקנֶי ָה ְונֵרֹותֶ י ָה אֵ ב ִָרים ֵאב ִָרים וְַאחַר ּכְָך י ַדְ ּבִיקֵ ם‬ֶ ‫ׂשּנָה ֻחלְיֹות וְֹלא י ַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ַ ֲע‬
ֶ .‫מקשה תיעשה המנורה‬
‫ ּו ַמּקִיׁש ַּבּק ְֻרנָס וְחֹותֵ ְך ִּב ְכלִי ָה ֻא ָּמנּות ּומַ פ ְִריד הַּקָ נִים‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ֻכּלָּה ּבָָאה ֵמחֲתִ יכָה ַאחַת‬,‫ּקֹורין שולד"יר ְּב ַלעַז‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ‫ַּצֹורפִים‬
ְ ‫ה‬
‫אֵ ילְָך וָאֵ ילְָך‬:

‫ מקשה תיעשה המנורה‬OF BEATEN WORK SHALL THE CANDELABRUM BE MADE — i. e.

one should not make it of separate pieces nor shall one make its branches or its lamps as
separate limb — a kind of work called souder in old French, Engl, to solder, but is was to be
made in its entirety of a single mass of gold. He (who made it) beat it with the hammer and
cut away with the implements of his craft thus making the branches spread out in this
direction and in that (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 61:1).

‫ ּולְׁשֹון מִ קְׁשָ ה‬,‫ׁש ַּמ ְמׁשִיְך אֶת ָה ֵאב ִָרים מִן ָה ֶעׁשֶת ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן ְּב ַה ָּקׁשַת ַהּק ְֻרנָס‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשכָה‬
ָ ‫ לְׁשֹון ַה ְמ‬,‫ ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו נְגִיד‬.‫מקשה‬
)'‫ ּכְמֹו ּדָ א לְדָ א נָקְׁשָ ן (דניאל ה‬,‫ בטדי"ץ ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ַמּכַת ק ְֻרנָס‬:

‫ — מקשה‬This word is translated in the Targum by ‫נגיד‬, an expression for “drawing out;” he
renders it thus because the parts of the candle-stick were drawn from the lump in this
direction and in that by the blow of the hammer. The term ‫ מקשה‬denotes knocking with the
hammer — batediz in old French — as the verb in (Daniel 5:6) “and his knees knocked (‫)נקשן‬
one against another”.

,ָ‫ׁשלְֵך אֶת ַה ִּכּכָר לָאּור ְוהִיא נַעֲׂשֵ ית מֵ אֵ לֶיה‬

ְ ‫ ָאמַר לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ַה‬,‫ּׁשה בָּה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה מִתְ ַק‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,ָ‫ ֵמ ֵאלֶיה‬.‫תיעשה המנורה‬
)‫ ְלכְָך ֹלא נִכְּתַ ב ּתַ עֲׂשֶ ה (תנחומא‬:

‫[ תיעשה המנורה‬OF BEATEN WORK] SHALL THE CANDELABRUM BE MADE — The

passive form used here in contradistinction to the active forms of ‫ עשה‬used throughout this
section in connection with the making of the vessels indicates that it shall be made of itself
(automatically). Because Moses was puzzled by it (the work of the candlestick), the Holy
One, blessed be He, said to him, “Cast the talent of gold into fire and it will be made of
itself.” For this reason it does not say here ‫ׂשה‬
ֶ ‫“ ּתַ ֲע‬thou shalt make” (Midrash Tanchuma,
Beha'alotcha 3)

‫ׁשה ַרגְ ַלי ִם יֹו ְצאִין הֵימֶ ּנּו ּולְמַ ּטָה‬

ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ ּו‬,‫ׁש ְּל ַמּטָה ֶהעָׂשּוי ְּכמִין ּתֵ בָה‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא ה ֶָרגֶל‬.‫ירכה‬:

‫ — ירכה‬the foot (the base) below, which was made in form of a box, three legs coming out
from it underneath.

‫ לָצּוק הַּׁשֶמֶ ן‬,‫ ְו ָעלָיו נֵר ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי עָׂשּוי ְּכמִין ָּבז ְֵך‬,‫ׁשּלָּה הָעֹולֶה ְּב ֶא ְמצַע ַהּי ֵָרְך ז ָקּוף ְּכ ַלּפֵי ַמ ְעלָה‬
ֶ ‫ ַה ָּקנֶה ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬.‫וקנה‬
‫לְתֹוכֹו ְולָתֵ ת ַהּפְתִ ילָה‬:

‫ — וקנה‬ITS SHAFT — its middle branch that rose from the central point of the base vertically
upwards. On it was the middle lamp, made in the form of a cup into which to pour the oil and
to put the wick.
 ,‫ ְו ֵאּלּו עֲׂשּוי ִין ׁשֶ ל זָהָב‬,‫ְקֹורין ָלהֶם מדיר"נש ְּב ַלעַז‬ ִ ‫ ו‬,‫ א ֲֻרּכִים ּו ְקצ ִָרים‬,‫ הֵן ְּכמִין ּכֹוסֹות ׁשֶעֹוׂשִין ִמּז ְכּוכִית‬.‫גביעיה‬
‫ וְֹלא הָיּו בָּה אֶ ּלָא לְנֹוי‬,‫ׁשּנָתַ ן ָּבהֶם ַהּכָתּוב‬
ֶ ‫ּובֹו ְלטִין וְיֹו ְצאִין ִמּכָל ָקנֶה ְו ָקנֶה ַּכ ִּמנְי ָן‬:

‫ — גביעיה‬They were like that kind of goblets which are made of glass and which are long and
slender; in old French they are termed maderins (cf. Rashi on Genesis 44:2). These, however,
were made of gold and came out as projections from each branch to the number which
Scripture enjoins for them. They were on it for embellishment only.

,‫ַּׂשָרים‬
ִ ‫ ּכְדֶ ֶרְך ׁשֶעֹוׂשִין ַל ְּמנֹורֹות ׁשֶ ִּל ְפנֵי ה‬,‫ ּבֹו ְלטִין ְסבִיבֹות ַה ָּקנֶה ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬,‫ ֲעגֻּלִין ָסבִיב‬,‫ ְּכמִין ּתַ ּפּוחִים הָיּו‬.‫כפתריה‬
‫ְּתֹורים ּבֹו ְלטִין ִמ ֶּמּנָה ְו ַכ ָּמה ָחלָק ּבֵין ַּכפְּתֹור ְל ַכפְּתֹור‬
ִ ‫ ַּכ ָּמה ַּכפ‬,‫ׁשה‬ָ ‫ׁש ָּלהֶם ּכָתּוב ַּבּפ ָָר‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ִמנְי ָן‬,‫ְקֹורין ָלהֶם פומיל"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬
ִ ‫ו‬:

‫ כפתריה‬ITS KNOBS — These were like apples, globular, projecting all round the middle
branch (shaft), such as are made for candlesticks of princely houses (lit., which stand before
the princes), and which are called pommeaux in old French, apple-shaped ornaments. Their
number is stated in this section — how many knobs projected from it (the middle branch) and
how much was left plain between one knob and the other.

‫ִּיּורין עֲׂשּוי ִן ּבָּה ּכְמִ ין ּפ ְָרחִין‬

ִ ‫ צ‬.‫ופרחיה‬:

‫ ופרחיה‬AND ITS FLOWERS — Figures were made on it in the shape of flowers.

‫ׂשה ְלבַּדָ ם ְוי ַדְ ּבִיקֵ ם‬

ֶ ‫ וְֹלא י ַ ֲע‬,‫ׁשה יֹוצֵא מִּתֹוְך חֲתִ יכַת ָה ֶעׁשֶת‬
ָ ‫ הַּכ ֹל ִמ ְק‬.‫ממנה יהיו‬:

‫ ממנה יהיו‬SHALL BE OF THE SAME — All shall be of beaten work coming out of this block-
shaped piece: one must not make them separately and then join them on the branches.

25:32

‫ וְיֹוצְאִ ין מִּתֹוְך‬,‫ׁשהּוא ָקנֶה ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬ ֶ ‫נֹורה‬

ָ ‫ׁשל ְמ‬ ֶ ‫ׁשכִים וְעֹולִין עַד ְּכנֶגֶד ָּג ְבהָּה‬
ָ ‫ נִ ְמ‬,‫ ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן ַּב ֲא ַלכְסֹון‬.‫יצאים מצדיה‬
‫ׁש ָהי ָה ּגֹבַּה ָראׁשֵ יהֶן ׁשָ וֶה‬ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ְו ָה ֶעלְיֹון ָקצָר הֵי ֶמּנּו‬,‫ׁשל ַמ ְעלָה ָקצָר הֵי ֶמּנּו‬ֶ ‫ ְו‬,‫ הַּתַ חְּתֹון ָארְֹך‬,‫קָ נֶה ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי ז ֶה ְל ַמ ְעלָה ִמּז ֶה‬
‫ּׁשה קָ נִים‬
ָ ִ‫ׁש ִּמ ֶּמּנּו יֹו ְצאִים הַּׁש‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשבִיעִי‬
ְ ‫ ַה‬,‫ׁשל קָ נֶה ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬ ֶ ‫ ְלגָבְהֹו‬:

‫[ יצאים מצדיה‬AND SIX BRANCHES] SHALL GO OUT OF ITS SIDE — on each side
slantwise extending on high up to the level of the candlestick proper, i. e. of the middle
branch. They came out from the middle branch, one above the other — the lowest being the
longest, that above it being shorter than it, and the upper one even shorter than that, for the
height of their tops was to be the same as the height of the middle branch — the seventh, the
central one, from which the other six branches came out.

25:33

‫ּקֹורים נייל"יר ְּב ַלעַז‬

ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְדֶ ֶרְך ׁשֶעֹוׂשִין ִל ְכלֵי ֶכסֶף ְוזָהָב‬,‫ ְמ ֻצּי ִָרים הָיּו‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫משקדים‬:

‫ — משקדים‬Understand this as the Targum has it, ‫ ְמ ָצי ְִרין‬, chased. They were “modelled” in the
way that is done on gold and silver vessels, a kind of work called in old French nieller.

‫ ּבֹו ְלטִין מִ ּכָל קָ נֶה וְקָ נֶה‬.‫שלשה גבעים‬:

‫ שלשה גבעים‬THREE GOBLETS, projecting from each branch,

‫‪:‬כפתר ופרח‪ָ .‬הי ָה ְלכָל קָ נֶה וְקָ נֶה‬

‫‪ AND A KNOB AND A FLOWER was also on each branch.‬כפתור ופרח‬

‫‪25:34‬‬

‫ּׁשֹלׁשָ ה לְמַ ְעלָה‬ ‫ַאר ָּבעָה ְּגבִיעִים – אֶ חָד ּבֹולֵט ּבָּה ְל ַמּטָה מִן ַה ָּקנִים‪ְ ,‬ו ַה ְ‬
‫ְנֹורה הָיּו ְ‬
‫ׁשל מ ָ‬
‫ובמנרה ארבעה גבעים‪ּ .‬בְגּופָּה ֶ‬
‫‪:‬מִן יְצִיַאת ַה ָּקנִים הַּיֹוצְאִ ין מִ ּצִּדֶ י ָה‬

‫‪ AND IN THE CANDELABRUM SHALL BE FOUR CUPS — i. e, on the‬ובמנרה ארבעה גבעים‬

‫‪body of the candlestick (on the vertical branch), were four goblets, viz., one jutting out from‬‬
‫‪beneath the branches and three above the points from which emerged the branches that went‬‬
‫‪out from its sides.‬‬

‫ׁשאֵין ָלהֶם ֶהכ ְֵר ַע (יומא נ"ב)‪ ,‬אֵין י ָדּו ַע אִם ְּגבִיעִים מְׁשֻ ּקָדִ ים אֹו‬
‫ּׁשה ִמק ְָראֹות ֶ‬
‫משקדים כפתריה ופרחיה‪ .‬ז ֶה ֶאחָד ֵמ ֲח ִמ ָ‬
‫ְּתֹורי ָה ּופ ְָרחֶי ָה‬
‫ׁשּקָדִ ים ַּכפ ֶ‬
‫‪ְ :‬מ ֻ‬

‫‪ GOBLETS MODELLED, WITH THEIR KNOBS AND THEIR‬משקדים כפתריה ופרחיה‬

‫‪FLOWERS (or it may be translated also: GOBLETS, MODELLED WITH THEIR KNOBS‬‬
‫אתנחתא ‪ being separated from the preceding by an‬משקדים ‪AND FLOWERS — The word‬‬
‫‪, but the fact that in the preceding verse it‬כפתוריה ופרחיה ‪seems to belong to the next words, to‬‬
‫‪. This is one of the five‬גביעים משקדים ‪had been used of the goblets only suggests the reading‬‬
‫‪verses in Scripture the syntactical construction of which is undecided: it is not clear whether‬‬
‫‪ (Yoma 52b).‬משקדים כפתריה ופרחיה ‪ or‬גביעים משקדים ‪one should read‬‬

‫‪25:35‬‬

‫ׁשנִינּו ִב ְמלֶאכֶת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‪:‬‬ ‫ּׁשנֵי צִּדֶ י ָה אֵילְָך ָואֵילְָך‪ּ ,‬כְָך ָ‬‫ׁשכִים ִמ ְ‬ ‫וכפתר תחת שני הקנים‪ .‬מִּתֹוְך ַה ַּכפְּתֹור הָיּו ַה ָּקנִים נִ ְמ ָ‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר עַד י ְֵרכָּה עַד ּפ ְִרחָּה‬ ‫ׁשה ְט ָפחִים – הּוא ַהּפ ֶַרח הָָאמּור ַּבּי ֵָרְך‪ֶ ,‬‬ ‫ׁשֹל ָ‬
‫נֹורה י"ח ְט ָפחִים‪ ,‬ה ַָרגְ ַלי ִם ְו ַהּפ ֶַרח ְ‬ ‫ׁשל ְמ ָ‬ ‫ָּג ְבהָּה ֶ‬
‫ָאֲמּורים‬
‫ׁשנֵי פ ְָרחִים ה ִ‬ ‫ְּתֹורים ּו ְ‬
‫ּׁשנֵי ַכפ ִ‬ ‫ַָאר ָּבעָה גְבִיעִים ְו ַכפְּתֹור ָופ ֶַרח ִמ ְ‬ ‫ׁשּבֹו ָּגבִי ַע ֵמה ְ‬ ‫(במדבר ח' ) – ּו ְט ָפ ַחי ִם ָחלָק‪ְ ,‬ו ֶטפַח ֶ‬
‫ּׁשֹלׁשָ ה‬‫ׁשנֵי פ ְָרחִים ְלבַד מִ ן ַה ְ‬ ‫ְּתֹורים ּו ְ‬
‫ׁשנֵי ַכפ ִ‬ ‫ׁשהָיּו ַּב ָּקנֶה ְ‬
‫ְּתֹורי ָה ּופ ְָרחֶיהָ‪ָ ,‬למַדְ נּו ֶ‬ ‫ׁשּקָדִ ים ַּכפ ֶ‬ ‫ׁשּנֶ' ְמ ֻ‬
‫נֹורה ַע ְצ ָמּה‪ֶ ,‬‬ ‫ַּב ְּמ ָ‬
‫ׁשנֵי קָ נִים יֹוצְאִ ים‬ ‫ׁשנֵי ַה ָּקנִים וְגֹו'‪ּ ,‬ו ְט ָפ ַחי ִם ָחלָק‪ְ ,‬ו ֶטפַח ַּכפְּתֹור ּו ְ‬ ‫ׁשּנֶ' ְו ַכפְּת ֹר ּתַ חַת ְ‬ ‫ׁשכִין מִּתֹוכָן‪ֶ ,‬‬ ‫ׁש ַה ָּקנִים נִ ְמ ָ‬
‫ְּתֹורים ֶ‬
‫ַכפ ִ‬
‫ׁשנֵי ָקנִים יֹו ְצאִים מִּמֶ ּנּו‪ְ ,‬ו ֶטפַח‬ ‫נֹורה‪ֶ ,‬טפַח ָחלָק‪ְ ,‬ו ֶטפַח ַּכפְּתֹור ּו ְ‬ ‫ׁשל ְמ ָ‬ ‫ׁשכִים וְעֹולִים ְּכנֶגֶד ָּג ְבהָּה ֶ‬ ‫ִמ ֶּמּנּו אֵילְָך ָואֵילְָך נִ ְמ ָ‬
‫נֹורה‪ּ ,‬ו ְט ָפ ַחי ִם ָחלָק‪ ,‬נִׁשְּתַ ּי ְרּו ׁשָ ם ׁשְ ֹלׁשָ ה‬
‫ׁשל ְמ ָ‬ ‫ׁשכִים וְעֹולִין ְּכנֶגֶד ָּג ְבהָּה ֶ‬ ‫ׁשנֵי ָקנִים יֹו ְצאִים ִמ ֶּמּנּו ְונִ ְמ ָ‬ ‫ָחלָק‪ְ ,‬ו ֶטפַח ַּכפְּתֹור ּו ְ‬
‫ְַאר ָּבעָה‬
‫ׁשה ְלכָל ֶאחָד וְאֶ חָד‪ ,‬ו ְ‬ ‫ׁשֹל ָ‬
‫ּׁשה ָקנִים‪ְ ,‬‬ ‫ׁש ָ‬
‫ׁשה גְבִיעִים ְו ַכפְּתֹור ָופ ֶַרח‪ ,‬נִ ְמצְאּו ְּגבִיעִים כ"ב – י"ח ְל ִ‬ ‫ׁשֹל ָ‬
‫ׁש ָּבהֶם ְ‬
‫ְט ָפחִים ֶ‬
‫ׁשהַּקָ נִים יֹוצְאִ ים‬ ‫נֹורה ֶ‬‫ׁשל ְמ ָ‬ ‫ׁשה ּבְגּופָּה ֶ‬ ‫ׁשֹל ָ‬
‫ׁשׁשֶת ַה ָּקנִים‪ּ ,‬ו ְ‬‫ּׁש ה ְּב ֵ‬ ‫ׁש ָ‬‫ְּתֹורים‪ִ ,‬‬‫ְנֹורה‪ ,‬ה ֲֵרי כ"ב – וְַאחַד ָעׂשָר ַּכפ ִ‬ ‫ׁשל מ ָ‬ ‫ּבְגּופָּה ֶ‬
‫ׁשנַי ִם‪ָ ,‬ה ֶאחָד ְל ַמּטָה ֵאצֶל ַהּי ֵָרְך‪ְ ,‬ו ָה ֶאחָד ּבְג' ְט ָפחִים‬ ‫ְּתֹורים ְ‬
‫ְּתֹוריהָ‪ּ ,‬ומִעּוט ַּכפ ִ‬ ‫ׁשּקָדִ ים ַּכפ ֶ‬ ‫ׁשּנֶ' ְמ ֻ‬
‫נֹורה ֶ‬ ‫ׁשנַי ִם עֹוד ַּב ְּמ ָ‬‫מֵ הֶם‪ּ ,‬ו ְ‬
‫נֹורה‬
‫ׁשּנֶ' ַּב ָּקנֶה ָה ֶאחָד ַּכפְּת ֹר ָופ ֶַרח‪ּ ,‬וׁשְ ֹלׁשָ ה לַּמְ ָ‬ ‫ׁשׁשֶת ַה ָּקנִים‪ֶ ,‬‬ ‫ּׁש ה ְל ֵ‬‫ׁש ָ‬‫ׁשעָה פ ְָרחִים הָיּו לָּה‪ִ ,‬‬ ‫ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים עִם ג' ַה ְּגבִיעִים‪ ,‬וְתִ ְ‬
‫ׁשנַי ִם‪ְ ,‬ו ֶאחָד הָָאמּור ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת ְּב ַהעֲֹלתְ ָך עַד י ְֵרכָּה עַד ּפ ְִרחָּה‪ ,‬וְאִ ם ּתְ דַ קְּדֵ ק‬ ‫ְּתֹורי ָה ּופ ְָרחֶיהָ‪ּ ,‬ומִעּוט ּפ ְָרחִים ְ‬ ‫ׁשּקָדִ ים ַּכפ ֶ‬ ‫ׁשֶ ּנֶ' ְמ ֻ‬
‫ׁשנָה זֹו ַהּכְתּובָה ְל ַמ ְעלָה‪ּ ,‬תִ ְמ ָצאֵם ְּכ ִמנְיָנָם אִיׁש אִ יׁש ּבִמְ קֹומֹו‬ ‫‪ְּ :‬ב ִמ ְ‬

‫‪ AND THERE SHALL BE A KNOB UNDER TWO BRANCHES — The‬וכפתר תחת שני הקנים‬
‫‪branches were drawn out from the two sides of the knob to this direction and to that. Thus we‬‬
‫‪are taught in the Baraitha dealing with the construction of the Tabernacle (ch. 10): The full‬‬
‫‪height of the candlestick was eighteen handbreadths, the legs and the flower taking up three‬‬
‫‪handbreadths. — This is the flower mentioned in connection with the base, as it says,‬‬
‫‪(Numbers 8:4) “unto the base thereof, unto the flower thereof”. — Then there was a space of‬‬
‫‪two handbreadths that was plain; then one handbreadth in which was one of the four goblets‬‬
‫‪(mentioned Exodus 25:34) and a knob and a flower of those two knobs and those two flowers‬‬
‫‪that are mentioned together with the candlestick proper — for it states, (v. 34) “[And on the‬‬
candelabrum (i. e. on the shaft) there shall be four cups] made like unto almonds with their
knobs and their flowers,” which teaches us that there were on the middle branch two knobs
and two flowers (the plural ‫ כפתריה ופרחיה‬without stating the number suggesting “two” of each
kind; besides the three knobs from which the branches emerged and of which it is said,
(Exodus 25:35) “And there shall be a knob under the two branches etc.” — Then there were
the following: two handbreadths that were plain; a handbreadth made up of a knob from
which two branches emerged on each side, extending upward to the level of the candlestick
proper; one handbreadth plain; one handbreadth made up of a knob with two branches
emerging from it; one handbreadth plain, and a handbreadth made up of a knob from which
two branches emerged and rose to the level of the candlestick proper; two handbreadths plain.
Thus there remained three handbreadths in which were three goblets (three of the four
mentioned in v. 34) and one knob and one flower (of the two mentioned Exodus 25:34-35).
Consequently the goblets were twenty-two — eighteen on the six branches, there being three
on each, and four on the candlestick proper, making altogether twenty-two; — and there were
eleven knobs, — six on the six branches, one on each, and three on the candlestick proper
from which the branches emerged, and two more knobs on the candlestick proper, — for it
says, “made like unto almonds with its knobs”, and the minimum number implied by the
plural ‫כפתורים‬, is two. One of these was below near the base and the other in the upper three
handbreadths together with the three goblets. Furthermore it had nine flowers, six on the six
branches, — as it says, (Exodus 25:33) “with a knob and a flower on the one branch” — and
three on the candlestick proper, viz., two as is implied in what is said “made like unto
almonds with its knobs and its flowers” — and the minimum number to be understood by the
plural ‫ פרחים‬is two, and one that is mentioned in the section ‫בהעלתך‬, (Numbers 8:4) “unto the
base thereof and the flower thereof.” If you will study the above quoted Boraitha minutely
you will find them (the different parts of the candlestick) enumerated according to their
number, each in its position as laid down in this section (Menachot 28b).

25:37

‫ׁשּנֹותְ נִין ּבְתֹוכָן הַּׁשֶמֶ ן ְו ַהּפְתִ ילֹות‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכמִין ָּבז ִיכִין‬.‫את נרתיה‬:

‫ את נרתיה‬ITS LAMPS — a kind of small bowls into which the oil and the wicks were put.

‫ ּכְדֵ י ׁשֶ ּיִהְיּו‬,‫ׁשּב ְָראׁשֵי ַה ָּקנִים הַּיֹו ְצאִים ִמּצִּדֶ י ָה ְמ ֻסּבִים ְּכ ַלּפֵי ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשׁשֶת ַהּנֵרֹות‬
ֵ ‫ׂשה ּפִי‬
ָ ‫ ָע‬.‫והאיר אל עבר פניה‬
‫נֹורה‬
ָ ְ‫ׁשהּוא ּגּוף הַּמ‬ ֶ ,‫אֹורם אֶל צַד ְּפנֵי ַה ָּקנֶה ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬ ָ ‫ִירים אֶל ֵעבֶר ָּפנֶי ָה – ֻמּסָב‬ ִ ‫ ַהּנֵרֹות ְּכׁשֶּתַ דְ לִיקֵם ְמא‬:

‫ והאיר על עבר פניה‬AND MAKE THEM GIVE LIGHT OVER AGAINST IT — Make the
mouths of those six lamps which are on the top of the branches that come out from its sides so
that they are turned towards the middle branch, in order that when you kindle the lamps they
shall cast their light over against its (the candlestick’s) front-side, i. e. their light should be
directed in the direction of the front of the central branch which forms the candlestick proper.

25:38

‫ ְועַל ׁשֵם ׁשֶ ּלֹוקְ חִים ָּבהֶם‬,‫ׁשכָן ְּבפִי ַהּנֵרֹות‬

ְ ‫ּׁשבָן ּו ְל ָמ‬
ְ ַ ‫ ְלי‬,‫ּׁשמֶן‬
ֶ ‫ הֵם ַה ְּצבָתִ ים ָהעֲׂשּוי ִין ִלּקַח ָּבהֶם ַהּפְתִ ילָה מִּתֹוְך ַה‬.‫ומלקחיה‬
‫ טנייל"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ קְרּוי ִים ֶמ ְל ָק ַחי ִם; ְו ִצבְתָ הָא ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס לְׁשֹון ְצבָת‬:

‫ — ומלקחיה‬These were tongs made for taking the wicks out from the oil, to put them in
position and to draw them into the mouths. Because people took things with them they were
called ‫מלקחים‬, (from ‫לקח‬, “to take”). The word ‫ צבתהא‬by which Onkelos renders it is the same
as the more familiar term ‫צבת‬, “a pair of tongs”; tenailles in old French

‫ׁשהּוא מֵיטִיב אֶת ַהּנֵרֹות מֵ אֵ פֶר‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ׁש ַּבּנֵר ּבַּבֹקֶר ּבַּבֹקֶר‬
ֶ ‫ הֵם ְּכמִין ָּבז ִיכִין ְק ַטּנִים ׁשֶחֹותֶ ה ָּבהֶן אֶת ָה ֵאפֶר‬.‫ומחתתיה‬
)'‫ ּכְמֹו ַלחְּתֹות אֵׁש ִמּי ָקּוד (ישעיהו ל‬,‫ ּולְׁשֹון ַמחְּתָ ה פויישר"יא ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ַהּפְתִ ילֹות ׁשֶּדָ לְקּו ַה ַּליְלָה ְוכָבּו‬:

‫ ומחתתיה‬AND ITS SNUFF-DISHES — These were like small bowls into which the High
Priest raked the ashes every morning when he cleansed out the lamps from the ashes of the
wicks that had burned all night and had become extinguished. The word ‫ מחתה‬is fougère
(feuchière) in old French, as in, (Isaiah 30:14) “to rake (‫ )לחתות‬fire from the hearth.”

25:39

‫ ְו ַה ִּכּכָר ׁשֶ ל ח ֹל ׁשִּׁשִ ים‬.)‫ ֹלא ּפָחֹות וְֹלא יֹותֵ ר (מנחות פ"ח‬,‫ׁש ָקלָּה עִם ּכָל ֵּכלֶי ָה אֶ ּלָא ִּכּכָר‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ִ ְהי ֶה ִמ‬
ֶ .‫ככר זהב טהור‬
– ‫ ְוהֵם מֵ ָאה ז ְהּובִים‬,‫ׁש ַקל קֹולֹונְי ָא‬ ְ ‫ ְו ַה ָּמנֶה הּוא לִיט ְָרא ׁשֶּׁשֹו ְקלִין ּבָּה ֶּכסֶף ְל ִמ‬,‫ ק"ך ָמנֶה‬,‫ׁשל ק ֹדֶ ׁש ָהי ָה ּכָפּול‬
ֶ ‫ ְו‬,‫ָמנֶה‬
‫ַאר ָּבעָה ז ְהּובִים‬
ְ ‫ּׁשה ְס ָלעִים ְו ַה ֶּסלַע‬
ָ ‫ ֶעׂש ְִרים ַו ֲח ִמ‬:

‫ ככר זהב טהור‬OF A TALENT OF PURE GOLD [SHALL HE MAKE IT WITH ALL THESE
VESSELS] — i. e. that its weight together with (‫ )את‬all its vessels shall he exactly one talent,
neither more nor less (cf. Menachot 88b). A common (not holy) kikkar (one used for
weighing ordinary articles) was sixty manehs, that used for sacred purposes double as much,
hundred and twenty manehs; a maneh was equal to a litra (the Roman libra, a pound) by
which silver is weighed, according to the standard weight of Cologne. This is hundred denars
which is the equivalent of twenty-five Sela’im, one Sela being four denars (cf. Bekhorot 5a).

25:40

‫ׁשה ְֶרָאה לֹו הַּקָ ּבָ"ה‬

ֶ ‫נֹורה עַד‬
ָ ‫ׂשה ַה ְּמ‬
ֵ ‫ׁשה ְב ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ּׁשה מ‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנִתְ ַק‬
ֶ ‫ ַמּגִיד‬,‫ׁש ֲאנִי מ ְַר ֶאה אֹותְ ָך‬
ֶ ‫ ְראֵה כָאן ָּבהָר ּתַ ְבנִית‬.‫וראה ועשה‬
)‫ׁשל אֵׁש (שם כ"ט‬ ֶ ‫נֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ְמ‬:

‫ וראה ועשה‬AND SEE AND MAKE — See here, in the mountain, the pattern which I shew
thee. This teaches you that Moses was puzzled about the workmanship of the Menorah until
the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him the pattern of it in a candlestick of fire (Menachot
29a).

,‫ ָהי ָה ּפִתְ רֹונֹו אַּתָ ה מ ְַראֶ ה לַאֲ ח ִֵרים‬,‫ ְּבפַּתָ ח‬,‫ְטּורא; ִאּלּו ָהי ָה נָקּוד מ ְַר ֶאה‬
ָ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּדְ אַּתְ מִתְ ֲחז ֵי ּב‬.‫אשר אתה מראה‬
)‫ׁש ַהּנִּקּוד ַמפ ְִריד ּבֵין עֹוׂשֶ ה ְלנַעֲׂשֶ ה‬ֶ ( ‫ׁש ֲאח ִֵרים מ ְַראִים לְָך‬ֶ – ‫ ּפִתְ רֹונֹו ּדְ אַּתְ מִתְ ֲחז ֵי‬,‫ׁשּנָקּוד ֲחטַף ָקמָץ‬ ֶ ‫ ַע ְכׁשָו‬:

‫ אשר אתה מראה‬WHICH WAS SHOWN THEE — Translate as the Targum does: ‫דאת מתחזי‬
‫ בטורא‬which thou hast been shown on the mountain. If it were punctuated with Patach (‫)מ ְַר ֶאה‬
it would mean which you show to others,” now, however, that it is punctuated with ‫חטף קמץ‬
(our ‫קמץ חטוף‬, short Kametz) it signifies, “which thou hast been shown” — i. e. which others
show thee [for the punctuation distinguishes between the words denoting “one who does
something” and “one who has something done to him” (i. e. between the active participle
‫מַראֶ ה‬
ְ and the passive participle ‫)מ ְָר ֶאה‬.]

26:1

‫ֲחֹוריהֶן ְלכַּסֹותָ ן‬
ֵ ‫ׁש ַהי ְִריעֹות ּתְ לּויֹות ֵמא‬
ֶ ,‫ ִלהְיֹות לֹו ְלגַג ְו ִל ְמחִּצֹות מִחּוץ ַלּק ְָרׁשִים‬.‫ואת המשכן תעשה עשר יריעת‬:
‫ ואת המשכן תעשה עשר יריעת‬MOREOVER THOU SIIALT MAKE THE DWELLING OF TEN
CURTAINS — that they should serve it as a roof and at the same thime as wall-coverings for
the outside of the beards; — for the curtains hung behind them so as to cover them.

‫ׁשל ֶצמֶר – ְוכָל חּוט וְחּוט‬

ֶ ‫ׁשה‬
ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ׁשל ִּפׁשְּתָ ן ּו‬
ֶ ‫ַאר ָּבעָה מִינִין יַחַד חּוט וְחּוט – אֶ חָד‬
ְ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬.‫שש משזר ותכלת ותלעת שני‬
)‫ְזּורין יַחַד כ"ד ְּכ ָפלִים לַחּוט (יומא ע"א‬ ִ ‫ׁשהֵן ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ַאר ָּבעָה מִינִין ְּכ‬
ְ ‫ ּכָפּול ו' ה ֲֵרי‬:

‫ שש משזר ותכלת וארגמן ותלעת שני‬OF FINE TWINED LINEN AND BLUE PURPLE, AND RED
PURPLE, AND CRIMSON — Thus there were four different materials in every thread, one
of linen and three of wool, each of the strands of which a thread was composed being sixfold
(the word is taken here in the double sense of ‫“ שש‬linen” and of ‫“ שש‬six”). Consequently the
four materials intertwined into one thread gave a twenty-four-fold thread (Yoma 71b; Baraita
DeMelekhet HaMishkan ch. 2).

,‫ ֶאּלָא ַבא ֲִריגָה בִׁשְ נֵי ּכְתָ לִים‬,‫ׂשה ַמחַט‬

‫ּקֹורין ְּב ַלעַז‬
ִ ֶ‫ׁשל ֶמׁשִי ׁש‬
‫פיישי"שא‬:
ֵ ‫ׁשהּוא ַמ ֲע‬ֶ ‫ וְֹלא ב ְִרקִי ָמה‬,‫ ּכְרּובִים הָיּו ְמ ֻצּי ִָרין ָּבהֶם ַּבא ֲִריגָתָ ן‬.‫כרבים מעשה חשב‬
ֶ ‫אֹורגִין חֲגֹורֹות‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ‫אֲרי ִמּצַד ז ֶה ְונֶׁשֶר ִמּצַד ז ֶה – ּכְמֹו‬
ִ – ‫ּפ ְַרצּוף ֶאחָד ִמּכָאן ּופ ְַרצּוף אֶ חָד ִמּכָאן‬

‫ כרבים מעשה חשב‬WITH CHERUBIM, THE WORK OF AN ARTIST — Cherubim were

figured on them (on the curtains) in the process of weaving them, not afterwards by
embroidery which is needlework — but by weaving it on its two surfaces, one design on one
side, a different design on the other; e. g., a lion on one side and an eagle on the other side,
just as the silken girdles are woven which are called in old French faisee (Yoma 72b,
Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 8:4).

26:3

‫ ָחמֵׁש ְלבַד ְוחָמֵׁש ְלבַד‬,‫ ּתֹופ ְָרן ְּב ַמחַט זֹו ְבצַד זֹו‬.‫תהיין חברת‬:

‫ תהיין חברת‬SHALL JOIN TOGETHER — They sewed them together with a needle, each five
separately.

‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ּובְדָ בָר ׁשֶהּוא לְׁשֹון זָכָר אֹומֵר אִיׁש אֶ ל ָאחִיו‬,‫ׁשהּוא לְׁשֹון נְ ֵקבָה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְָך ּדֶ ֶרְך ַה ִּמק ְָרא לְדַ ּבֵר ּבְדָ בָר‬.‫אשה אל אחתה‬
)‫ׁשּנֶאֱ' ַּבּכְרּובִים ּו ְפנֵיהֶם אִיׁש ֶאל ָאחִיו (שמות כ"ה‬ ֶ :

‫ אשה אל אחתה‬ONE TO ANOTHER (lit., a woman to her sister) — This is the idiom of Biblical
Hebrew — to speak thus about a thing that is of the feminine gender when it correlates it with
a thing of the same kind. In the case of a thing that is masculine it uses the expression ‫איש אל‬
‫אחיו‬, lit., a man to his brother, as it is said, e. g. of the cherubim (Exodus 25:20) “and their
faces were turned ‫”איש אל אחיו‬.

26:4

‫ לְׁשֹון ֲענִיבָה‬,‫ ְוכֵן ּתִ ְרּגֵם אֻ נְ ְקלֹוס עֲנּובִין‬,‫ לצול"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫ללאת‬:

‫ ללאת‬are lacels in old French Similarly Onkelos translates it by ‫ענובין‬, which has the meaning
of “looping.”

‫ קְבּוצַת ֲח ֵמׁשֶת ַהי ְִריעֹות קְרּוי ָה חֹוב ֶֶרת‬,‫ׁשּבְסֹוף ַהחִּבּור‬

ֶ ‫ ּבְאֹותָ ּה י ְִריעָה‬.‫מקצה בחברת‬:
‫ מקצה בחברת‬FROM THE EXTREMITY IN THE JOINING — i. e. the loops shall be made on
that curtain which is the last in the section. The combination of five curtains is here termed
‫חוברת‬.

‫ ּכְלֹומַר לְסֹוף‬,‫ לְׁשֹון קָ צֶה‬,‫ׁשהִיא קִיצֹונָה‬

ֶ ‫ ּבְאֹותָ ּה י ְִריעָה‬.‫וכן תעשה בשפת היריעה הקיצונה במחברת השנית‬
‫הַחֹוב ֶֶרת‬:

‫ —וכן תעשה בשפת היריעה הקיצונה במחברה השנית‬AND LIKEWISE SHALT THOU MAKE IN
THE OUTERMOST EDGE OF ANOTHER CURTAIN IN THE JOINING OF THE
SECOND — i. e. on that curtain which is the end-most — ‫ קיצונה‬is connected in meaning with
‫קצה‬, end; — it is as much as to say: “at the end of the section.”

26:5

‫ִיריעָה זֹו ּכֵן‬ ִ ‫ ּו ְכמִּדָ תָ ן ּב‬,‫ ְמ ֻכ ֶּונֶת ַהבְּדָ לָתָ ן זֹו מִּזֹו‬,‫ׂשה הַּלּולָאֹות ְּבמִּדָ ה ַאחַת‬ ֶ ‫ ׁשְמ ֹר ׁשֶּתַ ֲע‬.‫מקבילת הללאת אשה אל אחתה‬
‫ ְוז ֶהּו לְׁשֹון‬,‫ׁשל זֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל י ְִריעָה זֹו ְמ ֻכּוָנֹות ְּכנֶגֶד לּולָאֹות‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְּכׁשֶּתִ פְר ֹׂש חֹוב ֶֶרת ֵאצֶל חֹוב ֶֶרת יִהְיּו הַּלּולָאֹות‬ ֶ ,‫יְהֵא ַּב ֲחב ְֶרּתָ ּה‬
‫ׁש ִחּבֵר ָחמֵׁש י ְִריעֹות יַחַד נִמְ צָא‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ַארּבַע‬ְ ‫ָארּכָן כ"ח ו ְָר ְחּבָן‬ ְ ‫ ַהי ְִריעֹות‬.‫ׁשל נֶגֶד ָל ֳקבֵל‬ ֶ ‫ ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,‫ַמ ְקּבִילֹות – זֹו ְּכנֶגֶד זֹו‬
,‫ׁשּנֶ' ֶעׂש ְִרים ק ְָרׁשִים ִלפְַאת נֶגֶב ּתֵ ימָ נָה‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשֹלׁשִים מִן ַה ִּמז ְָרח ַל ַּמע ֲָרב‬ ְ ‫ָארּכֹו‬ְ ‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ ְו ַה ִּמ‬,‫ּׁשנִית‬ֵ ‫ ְוכֵן הַחֹוב ֶֶרת ַה‬,‫ָר ְחּבָן ֶעׂש ְִרים‬
,‫ׁשּכָן מִן ַהּצָפֹון לַּדָ רֹום עֶׂשֶר אַּמֹות‬ ְ ‫ רֹחַב ַה ִּמ‬,‫ׁשֹלׁשִים מִן ַה ִּמז ְָרח ַל ַּמע ֲָרב‬ ְ ‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,‫ ְוכָל ק ֶֶרׁש אַ ָּמה ַו ֲחצִי ָה ַא ָּמה‬,‫ְוכֵן ַלּצָפֹון‬
‫ׁשנֵי ק ְָרׁשִים ִל ְמ ֻקצְע ֹת ה ֲֵרי ֶעׂשֶר – ּו ִב ְמקֹומָם ֲאפ ְָרׁשֵם ַל ִּמק ְָראֹות ַהּלָלּו – נֹותֵ ן‬ ְ ‫ׁשּכָן י ָ ָּמה וְגֹו' ּו‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּו ְלי ְַרּכְתֵ י ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ
‫ ְו ַא ָּמה ִמּכָאן ְו ַא ָּמה ִמּכָאן לְעֹבִי ָראׁשֵ י‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות ֶא ְמ ָצעִּיֹות ְלגַג ֲחלַל רֹחַב ַה ִּמ‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ׁשל ִמ‬ ֶ ‫ָארּכָן ל ְָרחְּבֹו‬ ְ ‫ַהי ְִריעֹות‬
‫ נִמְ צְאּו ׁשְּתֵ י‬,‫ׁש ָּג ְבהָן ֶעׂשֶר‬ ֶ ‫ ְמכַּסֹות קֹומַת ַהּק ְָרׁשִים‬,‫ ח' ַלצָפֹון וְח' לַדָ רֹום‬,‫ נִׁשְּתַ ּי ְרּו ט"ז ַא ָּמה‬,‫ׁש ָע ְבי ָם ַאּמָה‬ ֶ ‫ַהּק ְָרׁשִים‬
‫ׁשֹלׁשִים מֵ הֶן ְלגַג ֲחלַל‬ ְ .‫ ֶעׂש ְִרים ַא ָּמה לְחֹוב ֶֶרת‬,‫ׁשהֵן ְמ ֻחּבָרֹות‬ ֶ ‫ַאר ָּבעִים ַא ָּמה ְּכ‬ְ ‫ׁשל י ְִריעֹות‬ ֶ ‫אַּמֹות הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות ְמגֻּלֹות; ָר ְחּבָן‬
‫קְרׁשִ ים‬ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא הָיּו‬ ֶ – ‫ׁש ַּב ִּמז ְָרח‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ַא ָּמה ְלכַּסֹות עֹבִי ָהעַּמּודִ ים‬,‫ׁש ַּב ַּמע ֲָרב‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ַא ָּמה ְכנֶגֶד עֹבִי ָראׁשֵי ַהּק ְָרׁשִים‬,‫ְָארּכֹו‬ ְ ‫ׁשּכָן ל‬ ְ ‫ַה ִּמ‬
‫אֲחֹורי‬
ֵ ‫ׁש ָּבהֶן ְּכמִין וִילֹון – נִׁשְּתַ ּי ְרּו ׁשְמֹונֶה אַּמֹות הַּתְ לּוי ִין עַל‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ָּמסְָך ּפָרּוׂש וְתָ לּוי ַּב ָּווִין‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשה עַּמּודִ ים‬ ָ ‫ ֶאּלָא ֲח ִמ‬,‫ַּב ִּמז ְָרח‬
‫ אֲ בָל ְּב ַמ ֶּסכֶת ׁשַ ּבָת אֵ ין‬.‫ַאר ָּבעִים וְתֵ ׁשַע מִּדֹות‬ ְ ְ‫ זֹו ָמצָאתִ י ְּבב ַָרי ְתָ א ּד‬,‫ ּוׁשְּתֵ י אַּמֹות הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות ְמגֻּלֹות‬,‫ׁש ַּב ַּמע ֲָרב‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ַה ִּמ‬
‫ ְונָתַ ּתָ אֶת ַהּפָרֹכֶת‬,‫ׁשה זֹו ְמ ַסּיְעֵנּו‬ ָ ‫ ְו ַהּכָתּוב ְּבפ ָָר‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ְ ‫ֲחֹורי ַה ִּמ‬
ֵ ‫ וְתֵ ׁשַע אַּמֹות ּתְ לּויֹות א‬,‫ַהי ְִריעֹות ְמכַּסֹות אֶת עַּמּודֵ י ַה ִּמז ְָרח‬
‫ נִ ְמצֵאת ּפָרֹכֶת מְׁשּוכָה מִן ַהּק ְָרסִים ְולַּמַ ע ֲָרב אַּמָ ה‬,‫ ְואִם ּכְדִ ב ְֵרי ַהּב ַָרי ְתָ א הַּז ֹאת‬,‫"ּתַ חַת" ַהּק ְָרסִים‬:

‫ — מקבילת הללאת אשה אל אחתה‬Be careful that you make the loops (place them on the curtains)
to one measurement: that the spaces between one loop and the other be exactly the same, and
further, as their measurement is on the one so shall it be on the other, so that when you lay out
one section next to the other the loops of the one shall come exactly opposite those of the
other. That is what is meant by the expression ‫מקבילות‬, viz., “one opposite the other”. In the
Targum the translation of ‫“ נֶגֶד‬opposite” is ‫( לקבל‬hence the term ‫ מקבילות‬from ‫)קבל‬. The
curtains were twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide, so when they joined five curtains
together along their lengths it followed that their width was twenty cubits. The same was the
case with the other section. The Tabernacle was thirty cubits in length from East to West, for
it is said, (Exodus 36:23) “twenty boards for the south side (which was the long side of the
Tabernacle) southward,” and the same is stated with reference to the north side; and as each
board was one cubit and a half in breadth you have thirty cubits from East to West. The width
of the Tabernacle from North to South was ten cubits, for it is said, (Exodus 36:27, 28) “and
for the side of the dwelling westward he made six boards … and two boards … for the corners
of the dwelling,” so you have ten cubits (this appears to give a breadth of twelve cubits, but
each of the corner boards stood partly behind the thickness of the adjoining board that stood at
right angles with it, and as the thickness was one cubit it took off a cubit on each side from the
inside measurement). — I shall explain these verses each on its place. — They spread the
curtains with their length over the breadth of the Tabernacle, whereby the ten middle cubits
served as a roofing for the inside over the width of the Tabernacle and a cubit on each side of
these ten cubits went to cover the thickness of the boards which were one cubit thick, so that
there remained altogether sixteen cubits — eight hanging over on the north side and eight on
the south side, covering the vertical boards which were ten cubits in height; consequently the
two lowest cubits of the boards were left showing. The breadth of the curtains after having
been joined together was forty cubits, twenty cubits for each section. Thirty cubits of these
served as a roofing for the inside of the Tabernacle over its length, and one cubit for the
thickness of the tops of the boards of the westside and one more cubit to cover the thickness
of the columns in the east side — for there were no boards in the east side but there were five
columns on the hooks of which the screen was spread and hung as a kind of curtain (cf.
Exodus 27:10). Thus there remained eight cubits which hung on the back of the Tabernacle on
the west side, leaving the two lowest cubits showing. This I have found in the Boraitha ‫מ"ט‬
‫מדות‬. But in Treatise Shabbat 98b it is stated that the curtains did not cover the thickness of
the columns on the east side, and consequently there were nine cubits of the curtains hanging
on the back of the Tabernacle. The text of this section suppports this view, since it says (v. 33)
“and thou shalt hang up the partition veil under the catches;” for if it were as the Boraitha
states the partition veil would have been distant from the catches one cubit to the West.

26:6

‫ׁשּבְחֹוב ֶֶרת זֹו ּומְ ַחּב ְָרן‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּבְחֹוב ֶֶרת זֹו וְר ֹאׁשָן ֶאחָד ּבַּלּולָאֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ַמ ְכנִיסִין ר ֹאׁשָן אֶ חָד ּבַּלּולָאֹות‬,‫ פירמי"לש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫קרסי זהב‬
‫ ָּבהֶן‬:

‫ קרסי זהב‬CATCHES OF GOLD — Fermels in old French They put one end of them into the
loops on one section and the other end into the loops on the other section and they thus joined
them (these sections) together by means of them.

26:7

‫ מִ ּנֹוצָה ׁשֶ ל ִעּז ִים‬.‫יריעת עזים‬:

‫ יריעת עזים‬CURTAINS OF ‫ — עזים‬i. e. GOATS HAIR (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:4).

‫ ִלפְר ֹׂש אֹותָ ן עַל ַהי ְִריעֹות הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות‬.‫לאהל על המשכן‬:

‫ לאהל על המשכן‬TO BE A COVERING UPON THE DWELLING — i. e. to spread them over

the lower curtains (over those which had been already placed over the Tabernacle).

26:8

‫ נִ ְמצְאּו ֵאּלּו עֹודְ פֹות אַ ָּמה ִמּכָאן וְאַּמָ ה מִ ּכָאן‬,‫ׁשּנָתַ ן אֶת ה ִָראׁשֹונֹות‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ָארּכָן לְרֹחַב ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנֹותֵ ן‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְּכ‬
ֶ .‫שלשים באמה‬
‫ׁשאֵין ַהי ְִריעָה ְמ ַכּסָה אֹותֹו הִיא‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל ק ֶֶרׁש‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ָה ַא ָּמה הַּתַ חְּתֹונָה‬,‫ׁשאֲרּו ְמגֻּלֹות מִן ַהּק ְָרׁשִים‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ְלכַּסֹות ַאחַת ֵמ ַהּׁשְתֵ י אַּמֹות‬
‫ׁש ָהאֲדָ נִים ָּג ְבהָן אַּמָ ה‬
ֶ ,‫ ָה ַא ָּמה הַּתְ חּובָה ְּבנֶ ֶקב ָהאֶדֶ ן‬:

‫[ שלשים באמה‬THE LENGTH OF ONE CURTAIN SHALL BE] THIRTY CUBITS — so that
when they place them with their length over the breadth of the Tabernacle in the same way as
they put the first curtains (the length of which was 28 cubits) it follows that they are in excess
by one cubit on this side and one cubit on that side, thus covering one of the two cubits of the
boards left showing. The lowest cubit of the boards which no curtain covered was that cubit
which was inserted in the hole of the socket, for the sockets themselves were one cubit high.

26:9
‫ הָעֹודֶ פֶת ְּב ֵאּלּו ָה ֶעלְיֹונֹות יֹותֵ ר מִ ן הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות‬.‫וכפלת את היריעה הששית‬:

‫ וכפלת את היריעה הששית‬AND THOU SHALT DOUBLE THE SIXTH CURTAIN which was
additional in these upper curtains over and above the lower curtains,

‫ ּדֹו ֶמה ְל ַכּלָה צְנּועָה הַמְ ֻכּסָה ְּב ָצעִיף‬,‫ׁש ַּב ִּמז ְָרח ְּכנֶגֶד ַהּפֶתַ ח‬
ֶ ‫ ֲחצִי ָר ְחּבָה ָהי ָה תָ לּוי ְוכָפּול עַל ַה ָּמסְָך‬.‫אל מול פני האהל‬
‫עַל ָּפנֶי ָה‬:

‫ אל מול פני האהל‬OPPOSITE THE FRONT OF THE TENT; half of its breadth (two cubits)
hung down, being doubled, over the screen which was on the east side before the entrance,
whereby the Tabernacle gained the appearance of a modest bride who has her face covered by
a veil.

26:12

‫ ּכְמֹו ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר‬,‫ׁשּקְרּוי ִים אֹהֶל‬ֶ ,‫ׁשל ִעּז ִים‬ֶ ‫ׁשּכָן; י ְִריעֹות הָאֹהֶל הֵן ָה ֶעלְיֹונֹות‬ ְ ‫ עַל י ְִריעֹות ַה ִּמ‬.‫וסרח העדף ביריעת האהל‬
‫ ְוהֵן הָיּו עֹודְ פֹות‬,‫ׁש ַּמ ֲאהִילֹות ּו ְמ ַסּכְכֹות עַל הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות‬
ֶ ,‫ ְוכָל אֹהֶל הָָאמּור ָּבהֶן אֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא לְׁשֹון ּגַג‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ָּבהֶם לְאֹהֶל עַל ַה ִּמ‬
‫ נִׁשְ אֲרּו ׁשְּתֵ י‬,‫ׁשל י ְִריעָה ַאחַת ֶעׂש ְֵרה ַהי ְתֵ ָרה ָהי ָה נִ ְכּפָל אֶל מּול ְּפנֵי הָאֹהֶל‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ֵחצִי‬
ֶ ,‫עַל הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות ֲחצִי ַהי ְִריעָה ַל ַּמע ֲָרב‬
‫אַּמֹות רֹחַב ֶח ְצי ָּה עֹודֵ ף עַל רֹחַב הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות‬:

‫ וסרח העדף ביריעת האהל‬AND THE SURPLUS OF THE CURTAINS OF THE TENT over and
above the lower curtains of the Tabernacle [SHALL HANG OVER etc.]. “The curtains of the
‫ ”אהל‬were the upper ones made of goats’ hair which Scripture calls ‫אהל‬, as it states about
them, (v. 7) “they shall be an ‫ אהל‬over the dwelling.” The word ‫ אהל‬used in connection with
them means only a covering (the word has not its usual meaning of “tent“) because they
formed a cover and a screen over the lower ones. They exceeded the lower ones by one half
curtain on the west side. For the other half of the eleventh curtain which was in excess of the
number of the lower ones was folded over to hang in front of the tent (the Tabernacle) (cf. v.
9). There therefore remained two cubits, — the breadth of the half of it — in excess of the
width of the lower curtains (it is this which is here described as ‫“ חצי היריעה העדפת‬the half
curtain that exceeded”). This

‫ַּקְרׁשִ ים‬
ָ ‫ׁשהָיּו מְ גֻּלֹות ּב‬
ֶ ‫ ְלכַּסֹות ׁשְּתֵ י אַּמֹות‬.‫תסרח על אחרי המשכן‬:

‫ תסרח על אחרי המשכן‬SHALL HANG OVER THE BACK OF THE TABERNACLE — to cover
the two cubits of the boards that were left bare.

‫ ְוצָפֹון וְדָ רֹום קְרּוי ִין צְדָ דִ ין ַלּי ָמִ ין ְו ַלּׂשְמ ֹאל‬,‫ׁשהֵן ָּפנָיו‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַהּפֶתַ ח ַּב ִּמז ְָרח‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ הּוא צַד ַמע ֲָרבִי‬.‫אחרי המשכן‬:

‫ אחרי המשכן‬THE BACK OF THE TABERNACLE — i. e. the west side. This is called “the
back” because the entrance was on the east side which was therefore its front. The north and
the south are accordingly called the “sides” in the right and the left directions.

26:13

‫ ַלּצָפֹון ְולַּדָ רֹום‬.‫והאמה מזה והאמה מזה‬:

‫ והאמה מזה והאמה מזה‬AND A CUBIT ON THE ONE SIDE AND A CUBIT ON THE OTHER
SIDE — i. e. on the north and on the south,
‫ׁשהֵן עֹודְ פֹות עַל א ֶֹרְך י ְִריעֹות ַהּמִׁשְ ּכָן ׁשְּתֵ י אַּמֹות‬
ֶ .‫בעדף בארך יריעת האהל‬:

‫ בעדף בארך יריעת האהל‬OF THE SURPLUS OF THE LENGTH OF THE CURTAINS OF THE
TABERNACLE — i. e. which were in excess over the curtains of “the Tabernacle” (the
woollen ones) by two cubits,

‫ׁשּיְהֵא ָאדָ ם חָס עַל ַהּיָפֶה‬

ֶ ‫אֶרץ‬
ֶ ‫תֹורה ּדֶ ֶרְך‬
ָ ‫ ִלּמְדָ ה‬.‫ׁשּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ַלּצָפֹון ְולַּדָ רֹום‬.‫יהיה סרוח על צדי המשכן‬
)‫(ילקוט שמעוני‬:

‫ יהיה מרוח על צדי המשכן‬SHALL HANG OVER THE SIDES OF THE TABERNACLE — on
the north and on the south as I have explained above. The Torah here teaches you a rule of life
— that a man should take care of his artistic objects (this the Torah does by commanding that
the beautiful lower curtains should be protected by coarse upper ones) (Yalkut Shimoni on
Torah 422).

26:14

‫ וְעֹוד ְל ַמ ְעלָה מִּמֶ ּנּו מִ ְכסֵה‬,‫ׁשל עֹורֹות אֵילִים ְמאָּדָ מִים‬ ֶ ‫ׂשה עֹוד ִמ ְכסֶה ַאחֵר‬ ֵ ‫ׁשל י ְִריעֹות ִעּז ִים ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ לְאֹותֹו ּגַג‬.‫מכסה לאהל‬
‫ ּולְדִ ב ְֵרי ַרּבִי‬,‫ אֵּלּו ּדִ ב ְֵרי ַרּבִי נְ ֶח ְמי ָה‬,'‫ָארּכָן ל' ו ְָר ְחּבָן י‬
ְ ,‫עֹורֹות ּתְ ָחׁשִים; וְאֹותָ ן ִמ ְכסָאֹות ֹלא הָיּו ְמ ַכּסִין אֶ ּלָא אֶת ַהּגָג‬
)‫ׁשל עֹורֹות ּתְ ָחׁשִים (שבת כ"ח‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל עֹורֹות אֵילִים ְמאָּדָ מִים ְו ֶחצְיֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ֶחצְיֹו‬,‫ י ְהּודָ ה ִמ ְכסֶה ֶאחָד ָהי ָה‬:

‫[ מכסה לאהל‬AND THOU SHALT MAKE] A COVERING FOR THE ‫ — אהל‬For that roofing
of goats’ hair (which is termed ‫ אהל‬in this section) make still another covering of rams’ skins
dyed red, and above this also a covering of Tachash skins. These uppermost covers however
covered the roof only (were not hanging over the sides), their length being 30 cubits and their
width 10. This is the opinion of R. Nehemia (that the goats’ skins and the layer of rams’ and
Tachash skins formed two different covers one above the other); according to R. Jehudah,
however, there was only one cover, half of it being of rams’ skins dyed red and half of it of
Tachash skins (cf. Shabbat 28a).

26:15

‫ ַמהּו ַהּק ְָרׁשִים? מֵ אֹותָ ן הָעֹומְדִ ין‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְּבכָל ּדָ בָר וְדָ בָר‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ָהי ָה לֹו לֹומַר ְו ָעׂשִיתָ ק ְָרׁשִים‬.‫ועשית את הקרשים‬
‫ וְָאמַר ָלהֶם‬,‫ׁשּיֵצְאּו ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם‬ֶ ‫ׁשּמֵת ִצּוָה ְל ָבנָיו ְל ַהעֲלֹותָ ם ִע ָּמהֶם ְּכ‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ּו ְמיֻחָדִ ין ְלכְָך; יַעֲק ֹב ָאבִינּו נָטַע א ֲָרז ִים ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
‫ׁשּיִּסֵד ַה ַּב ְבלִי ַּבּפִּיּוט‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ְמז ֻ ָּמנִים ְּבי ֶדְ כֶם; הּוא‬
ֶ ‫ ְראּו‬,‫ׁשּטִים‬ ִ ‫ׁשּכָן ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר ֵמ ֲעצֵי‬
ְ ‫ׁשעָתִ יד ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְלצַּוֹות אֹותָ ן ַלעֲׂשֹות ִמ‬ ֶ
‫ׁשּנִז ְּדָ ְרזּו ִלהְיֹות מּו ָכנִים ְּבי ָדָ ם מִ ּק ֹדֶ ם ָלכֵן‬
ֶ ,"‫ "טָס ַמּטַע מְז ָֹרז ִים קֹורֹות ּבָּתֵ ינּו א ֲָרז ִים‬,‫ׁשּלֹו‬ ֶ :

‫ ועשית את הקרשים‬AND THOU SHALT MAKE THE BOARDS — It should be said: “Thou
shalt make boards” (without the definite article), the same form which is used of each of the
other things (parts of the Tabernacle)! What is the force of the term, “the boards?” It speaks of
those boards that already existed as being designated for that purpose. For our father Jacob
had planted cedars (shittim-trees) in Egypt and when he died be bade his sons carry them up
with them when they would leave Egypt. He told them that God would once command them
to erect a dwelling of shittim-trees in the wilderness. “See” — added he — “that they be ready
in your possession!” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:5). That is what the Babylonian embodied in his
liturgical composition: The plant of those who had been admonished by their father Jacob
grew up rapidly to become the cedars for the beams of our House (the Tabernacle), which
refers to the fact that they had been admonished that they (the cedars) should be ready in their
possession in advance (before they were needed).
 ‫ וְֹלא תַ עֲׂשֶ ה ַהּכְתָ לִים‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא א ֶֹרְך ַהּק ְָרׁשִים ז ָקּוף ְל ַמ ְעלָה ְּבקִירֹות ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ;‫ איתשט"נביש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫עצי שטים עומדים‬
‫קֶרׁש‬
ֶ ‫קֶרׁש עַל‬ ֶ ‫ ִלהְיֹות רֹחַב ַהּק ְָרׁשִים לְגֹבַּה ַהּכְתָ לִים‬,‫ ִּבק ְָרׁשִים ׁשֹו ְכבִים‬:

‫ עצי שטים עמדים‬OF SHITTIM-WOOD STANDING UP — Estantivs in old French; Engl,

perpendicular. — This means that the length of the boards shall be placed perpendicular in the
walls of the Tabernacle and that you shall not make the walls of the boards placed
horizontally so that the breadth of the boards should be along the height of the walls, one
board upon the other.

26:16

‫ׁשל מִׁשְ ּכָן עֶׂשֶר אַּמֹות‬

ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו ָּגבְהֹו‬.‫עשר אמות ארך הקרש‬:

‫ עשר אמות ארך הקדש‬TEN CUBITS SHALL BE THE LENGTH OF A BOARD — This tells us
that the height of the Tabernacle was ten cubits (since the boards were standing vertically).

‫ ׁשְ ֹלׁשִ ים‬,‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ַּבּצָפֹון ּובַּדָ רֹום מִן ַה ִּמז ְָרח לַּמַ ע ֲָרב‬
ֶ ‫ ְל ֶעׂש ְִרים ק ְָרׁשִים‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשל ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ָארּכֹו‬
ְ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו‬.‫ואמה וחצי האמה רחב‬
‫אַּמָ ה‬:

‫ ואמה וחצי האמה רחב‬AND A CUBIT AND A HALF SHALL BE THE BREADTH — This
teaches us that the length of the Tabernacle corresponding to the twenty boards which were on
the north and on the south was 30 cubits from east to west.

26:17

‫ּורבִי ַע ָרחְּבֹו‬ְ ,‫ ּו ַמּנִי ַח ְרבִי ַע ָרחְּבֹו ִמּכָאן‬,‫חֹורץ אֶת ַהּק ֶֶרׁש ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה ְּב ֶא ְמצָעֹו ּבְגֹבַּה ַא ָּמה‬
ֵ ‫ ָהי ָה‬.‫שתי ידות לקרש האחד‬
‫ ְוהָאֲדָ נִים ָּג ְבהָן‬,‫ׁשהָיּו חֲלּולִים‬ֶ ‫ וְאֹותָ ן ַהּי ָדֹות ַמ ְכנִיס ָּבאֲדָ נִים‬,‫ ְו ֶהח ִָריץ ֲחצִי רֹחַב ַהּק ֶֶרׁש ָּב ֶא ְמצַע‬,‫ ְוהֵן הֵן ַהּי ָדֹות‬,‫ִמּכָאן‬
‫ׁשה צִּדֵ יהֶן – רֹחַב‬ ָ ‫ּׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ וִידֹות ַהּק ֶֶרׁש ַהּנִ ְכנָסֹות ַּב ֲחלַל ָהאֲדָ נִים חֲרּוצֹות ִמ‬,‫ַאר ָּבעִים ז ֶה ֵאצֶל ז ֶה‬ ְ ‫ׁשבִים ְרצּופִים‬ ְ ‫ַא ָּמה וְיֹו‬
‫ נִ ְמצָא ֶרוַח ּבֵין ק ֶֶרׁש ְלק ֶֶרׁש ּכְעֹבִי ׂשְ פַת ׁשְ נֵי‬,‫ׁשאִם ֹלא כֵן‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּי ְ ַכּסֶה ַהּק ֶֶרׁש אֶת ּכָל ר ֹאׁש ָהאֶדֶ ן‬ ֶ – ‫ׂשפַת ָהאֶדֶ ן‬ ְ ‫ֶהח ִָריץ ּכְעֹבִי‬
‫ַּקְרׁשִ ים ז ֶה אֵ צֶל‬
ָ ‫ׁשּי ִתְ ַחּבְרּו ה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּיַחֲר ֹץ אֶת צִּדֵ י ַהּי ָדֹות ּכְדֵ י‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְויִהְיּו ת ֹ ֲאמִים ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬,‫ׁשּי ַ ְפסִיקּו ּבֵינֵיהֶם‬
ֶ ,‫ָהאֲדָ נִים‬
‫ז ֶה‬:

‫ שתי ידות לקרש האחד‬TWO TENONS THERE SHALL BE IN ONE BOARD — They cut out
the lower part of the boards in the middle to a height of one cubit leaving one fourth of its
width on the one side and one fourth of it on the other side. These pieces on each side of the
boards were the ‫ידות‬, the tenons. Thus the part cut out was one half of the breadth of the board
(¾ cubit) in its centre. Now these tenons they fixed into the sockets which were made hollow.
The sockets were one cubit in height and they lay in a line forty of them, one close against the
other. The tenons of the boards that were fixed into the sockets were then cut away on three
sides, the depth of the portions thus cut away being equal to the thickness of the rim of the
sockets, so that when the boards were fixed in the sockets the wood of the board would cover
the entire top of the socket. For if this were not so (if the tenons were not cut away on their
outside edge) there would have been a space between one board and the next equal to the
thickness of the rims of two sockets which would have separated them. That is what is meant
when it says, (v. 24) “and they shall be coupled together beneath” — that they should cut
away the sides of the tenons in order that the boards should join closely one to the other.

‫ׁשּפִין ָראׁשֵיהֶם ִל ָּכנֵס ּבְתֹוְך ֲחלַל ָהאֶדֶ ן ּכִׁשְ לִיבָה ַהּנִ ְכנֶסֶת‬
ֻ ‫ ּו ְמ‬,‫ ּו ֻמבְּדָ לֹות זֹו מִּזֹו‬,‫ׁשלִיבֹות ֻסּלָם‬
ְ ‫ עֲׂשּויֹות ְּכמִין‬.‫משלבת‬
‫ ְּבנֶקֶ ב עַּמּודֵ י ַה ֻּסּלָם‬:
‫ משלבת‬means made like the rungs (‫ )שליבה‬of a ladder and separated from each other and
planed at their ends in order that they could be inserted into the hollow of the sockets like a
rung which is fixed in the hole in the ladder’s uprights.

‫ׁשֹּלא יִהְיּו ׁשְּתֵ י י ָדֹות זֹו מְׁשּוכָה ְלצַד ְּפנִים‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ׁשוִים זֹו ְכמִּדַ ת זֹו‬
ָ ‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ח ֲִריצֵיהֶם‬
ֶ ,‫ ְמ ֻכּוָנֹות זֹו ְכנֶגֶד זֹו‬.‫אשה אל אחתה‬
‫ִירי הַּדֶ לֶת ַהּנִ ְכנָסִים ּבְח ֵֹרי‬
ֵ ‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶּדֹומֹות ְלצ‬,‫ִירין‬ִ ‫ׁשל י ָדֹות צ‬ ֶ ‫ וְתַ ְרּגּום‬,‫ׁשהּוא ַא ָּמה‬
ֶ ‫וְזֹו מְׁשּוכָה ְלצַד חּוץ ּבְעֹבִי ַהּק ֶֶרׁש‬
‫הַּמִ פְּתָ ן‬:

‫ אשה אל אחתה‬ONE TO THE OTHER — i. e. the tenons should correspond exactly one to the
other; the meaning is that the portions cut away from the fronts and backs shall be precisely
equal, one portion cut away having the same measurement as another portion cut away in
order that of two tenons one should not diverge from a straight line towards the front and the
other diverge towards the outside (the back) in reference to the thickness of the board which
was one cubit. The Targum renders ‫ ידות‬by ‫צירין‬, pivots, because they resembled, in one
respect, the pivots of a door which are inserted in the hole in the threshold.

26:18

‫ לְרּו ַח ֵעבַר ּדָ רֹומָ א‬:‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ּכָל הָרּו ַח קְרּוי ָה ּפֵָאה‬,ַ‫ אֵין ּפֵָאה זֹו לְׁשֹון ִמקְצֹוע‬.‫לפאת נגבה תימנה‬:

‫ לפאת נגבה תימנה‬ON THE SOUTH SIDE SOUTHWARD — The word ‫ פאה‬here has not the
meaning of “corner” (as e. g., Leviticus 19:9, ‫ )פאת שדך‬but the whole side is called ‫פאה‬, as the
Targum has it: ‫לרוח עבר דרומא‬.

26:22

‫ ׁשֶ ַה ָּפנִים‬,‫ ְוז ֶהּו סֹוף‬,‫אֲחֹורי ִם‬

ַ ‫ קָרּוי ִמז ְָרח ָּפנִים ְו ַה ַּמע ֲָרב‬,‫ׁש ַהּפֶתַ ח ַּב ִּמז ְָרח‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְלפִי‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ְו ִל ְסיָפֵי‬,‫ לְׁשֹון סֹוף‬.‫ולירכתי‬
‫הּוא הָר ֹאׁש‬:

‫ ולירכתי‬AND FOR THE BACKPART — This is a term for “end”, as the Targum renders it,
‫ולסיפי‬, “for the ends.” Because the entrance was on the east the east-side is called the front and
the west-side the back. And this is why it is described here by a word denoting end, because
the front is the head (the beginning) of a thing.

‫ ה ֲֵרי תֵ ׁשַע אַּמֹות רֹחַב‬.‫תעשה ששה קרשים‬:

‫ תעשה ששה קרשים‬THOU SHALT MAKE SIX BOARDS — thus you have 9 cubits in the
breadth.

26:23

‫קְרׁשִ ים ְּבסֵדֶ ר‬
ָ ‫ ּכָל ׁשְמֹנָה‬,‫ ְו ֶאחָד ְל ַמע ֲָרבִית ּדְ רֹומִית‬,‫ ֶאחָד ְל ִמקְצֹו ַע צְפֹונִית ַמע ֲָרבִית‬.‫ושני קרשים תשעה למקצעת‬
,‫ׁשלִים ָרחְּבֹו ְלעֶׂשֶר‬ ְ ‫ ְל ַה‬,‫ׁשּכָן ֶאּלָא ֲחצִי ַא ָּמה מִּזֹו ַו ֲחצִי ַא ָּמה מִּזֹו נ ְִראֹות ֶּב ָחלָל‬
ְ ‫ּׁשנַי ִם אֵינָן ַּב ֲחלַל ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ‫ׁש ֵאּלּו ַה‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫אֶ חָד הֵן‬
‫ׁשּיְהֵא ַה ִּמקְצֹו ַע מִ ּבַחּוץ ׁשָ וֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ׁשּכָן ַהּצָפֹון ְוהַּדָ רֹום‬
ְ ‫קַרׁשֵי ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ‫ ְו ָה ַאּמָה ִמּז ֶה ְו ָה ַא ָּמה ִמּז ֶה ּבָאֹות ְּכנֶגֶד אַ ּמַת עֹבִי‬:

‫ ושני קרשים תעשה למקצעת‬AND TWO BOARDS SHALT THOU MAKE FOR THE CORNERS
— one for the north-west corner and one for the south-west corner. All the eight boards were
set in a row, only that the entire width of these two did not show in the interior of the
Tabernacle, but only a half cubit on the one side and a half cubit on the other side could be
seen in the interior, thus making up the breadth to ten cubits. The remaining cubit of one
board and the remaining cubit of the other board came against the cubit thickness of the
boards of the Tabernacle on the north and the south sides, so that the outside should be even.

26:24

‫ ז ֶהּו‬,‫ׁשנֵי ָהאֲדָ נִים ּבֵינֵיהֶם ְלה ְַרחִיקָ ם זֹו מִּזֹו‬ְ ‫ׂשפַת‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ַ ְפסִיק עֹבִי‬ ֶ ,‫ ּכָל ַהּק ְָרׁשִים ּתֹו ֲאמִים ז ֶה ָלז ֶה ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה‬.‫ויהיו‬
,‫ ְלכַּסֹות אֶת ׂשְ פַת הָאֶדֶ ן‬,‫ׁשּיְהֵא רֹחַב ַהּק ֶֶרׁש ּבֹולֵט ְלצִּדָ יו חּוץ לִידֵ י ַהּק ֶֶרׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ִירי ַהּי ָדֹות חֲרּוצִים ִמּצִּדֵ יהֶן‬ ֵ ‫ׁשּיִהְיּו צ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֶ ּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י‬
‫ׁש ְּבסֵדֶ ר ַה ַּמע ֲָרב חָרּוץ ל ְָרחְּבֹו ְּב ָעבְיֹו ְּכנֶגֶד ח ִָריץ ׁשֶ ל צַד‬
ֶ ‫ ְונִ ְמצְאּו תֹו ֲאמִים ז ֶה ָלז ֶה; ְוק ֶֶרׁש ַה ִּמקְצֹו ַע‬,‫ׁש ֶאצְלֹו‬ֶ ‫ְוכֵן ַהּק ֶֶרׁש‬
‫ׁשֹּלא יַפ ְִרידּו הָאֲדָ נִים ּבֵינֵיהֶם‬ֶ ‫ כְדֵ י‬,‫ק ֶֶרׁש ַהּצְפֹונִי ְוהַּדְ רֹומִי‬:

‫ ויהיו‬AND THEY SHALL BE — all the boards shall be —‫ תאמים‬COUPLED TOGETHER

with each other, ‫ מלמטה‬BENEATH, so that the thickness of the edges of two adjacent sockets
should not form a space between them, keeping them apart. That is what I meant when I
explained (v. 17) that the pivot-like tenons of a board should be cut away on all sides, in order
that the breadth of the board shall project at the sides beyond the tenons of the boards that it
may cover the rim of the socket. In like manner was the adjacent board treated. The result was
that they coupled together (stood one close against the other). Each end-board in the western
row was cut away along its width into its thickness over against the portion cut away from the
adjacent boards of the northern and southern wall, so that the sockets standing between should
not part them (the end-board and that standing next to it on the north side or south side).

‫ ּכְמֹו תֹואֲמִ ים‬.‫ויחדו יהיו תמים‬:

‫ ויחדו יהיו תמים‬AND THEY SHALL BE COUPLED TOGETHER — ‫ תמים‬has the same
meaning here as ‫ תאמים‬in the phrase immedialely preceding.

‫קֶרׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ׁשֶ ל‬.‫על ראשו‬:

‫ על ראשו‬ABOVE THE HEAD OF IT — i. e. of each board.

‫ ּומַ ְכנִיסֹו‬,‫ ּכְמֹו עֹבִי ַט ַּבעַת‬,‫ׁשנֵי צִּדָ יו‬

ְ ‫ ִּב‬,‫ׁשנֵי ח ֲִריצִין‬ְ ‫קֶרׁש ְוק ֶֶרׁש ָהי ָה חָרּוץ ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ב ְָרחְּבֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ּכָל‬.‫אל הטבעת האחת‬
‫ַּקֶרׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ּוב‬,‫ אִם ְמ ֻט ְלטָלֹות‬,‫ ֲאבָל אֹותָ ן ַטּבָעֹות ֹלא י ָדַ עְּתִ י אִם קְבּועֹות הֵן‬,‫ׁש ֶאצְלֹו‬ ֶ ‫ נִ ְמצָא מַתְ אִים ַלּק ֶֶרׁש‬,‫ְּב ַט ַּבעַת ַאחַת‬
‫ נִמְ צְאּו ׁשְ נֵי‬,‫ׁש ְּבסֵדֶ ר ַמע ֲָרב נִ ְכנָס לְתֹוכֹו‬
ֶ ‫ וְר ֹאׁש ק ֶֶרׁש ַה ִּמקְצֹו ַע‬,‫ׁש ַּב ִּמקְצֹו ַע ָהי ְתָ ה ַט ַּבעַת ּבְעֹבִי ַהּק ֶֶרׁש הַּדְ רֹומִי ְו ַהּצְפֹונִי‬
ֶ
‫ ַהּכְתָ לִים מְ ֻחּב ִָרים‬:

‫ אל הטבעת האחת‬INTO ONE RING — Each board had on the top two semi-circular incisions,
one on each end of its breadth, tallying with the thickness of the ring which was to be inserted
into it. They passed it (the board) into the same ring into which the next board had been
passed (see illustration); Thus it (one board) joined close to the board next to it. I do not know
however whether these rings were fixed to the boards or whether they were loose (not
screwed down). In the case of the end-board the ring was inserted into the incisions made in
the thickness of the north and south board respectively, and the top of the board which was in
the west row adjacent to it was passed into it also. Thus the two pairs of walls (the western
with the southern and northern respectively) were held together.

‫ ְוכֵן לִׁשְ נֵי הַּמִ קְצֹועֹות‬,‫ׁשּבְסֹוף צָפֹון ְו ַלּק ֶֶרׁש ַה ַּמע ֲָרבִי‬
ֶ ‫ ַלּק ֶֶרׁש‬,ַ‫ׁש ַּב ִּמקְצֹוע‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ַהּק ְָרׁשִים‬
ְ ‫ ִל‬.‫כן יהיה לשניהם‬:

‫ כן יהיה לשניהם‬THUS SHALL IT BE FOR THEM BOTH — for the two end-boards; e. g., for
the board at the end of the north side and for the adjacent board in the western wall; and thus
shall it be at both corners.
26:25

‫קְרׁשִ ים‬ ָ ‫ נִ ְמצְאּו ׁשְמֹנָה‬,‫ׂשה ִל ְמ ֻקצְע ֹת‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ק ְָרׁשִים ּתַ ֲע‬ ְ ‫ּׁשה ק ְָרׁשִים ּו‬ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ‫ׂשה‬ ֶ ‫ הֵן ָהאֲמּורֹות ְל ַמ ְעלָה ּתַ ֲע‬.‫והיו שמנה קרשים‬
‫ְחֹורץ אֶת‬ ֵ ‫ׂשה אֶת ָהאֲדָ נִים חֲלּולִים ו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּכָן; ָהי ָה עֹו‬ ְ ‫ׂשה סֵדֶ ר ַהּק ְָרׁשִים ִּב ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ִּמ‬ ֵ ‫ׁשנָה ַמ ֲע‬ְ ‫ׁשנּוי ָה ַּב ִּמ‬
ְ ‫ְּבסֵדֶ ר ַמע ֲָרבִי; ּכְָך‬
‫ׁשנֵי חֲמּוקִין – ְולִי נ ְִראֶ ה‬ ְ ‫ׂשה לֹו ׁשְּתֵ י י ָדֹות ְּכמִין‬ ָ ‫ ְו ָע‬,‫ ְו ֶהח ִָריץ ֶחצְיֹו ָּב ֶא ְמצַע‬,‫ּורבִי ַע ִמּכָאן‬ ְ ‫ַהּק ֶֶרׁש ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה ְרבִי ַע ִמּכָאן‬
‫ׁשּפֹות ִל ָּכנֵס ַּב ֲחלַל ָהאֶדֶ ן ּכִׁשְ לִיבָה ַהּנִ ְכנֶסֶת‬ֻ ‫ ּו ְמ‬,‫ׁשלִיבֹות ֻסּלָם ַה ֻּמבְּדָ לֹות זֹו מִּזֹו‬ ְ ‫ׁשנֵי‬
ְ ‫ ְּכמִין‬,‫ׁשנֵי ֲח ָוקִין‬ ְ ‫ׁש ַהּג ְִרסָא ְּכמִין‬
ֶ
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ׁשְ נֵי אֲדָ נִים ׁשְ נֵי‬ֶ ,‫ׁשנֵי אֲדָ נִים‬ ְ ‫ׁשלִיבָה – ּו ַמ ְכנִיסָן לְתֹוְך‬ ְ ‫ עֲׂשּויֹות ְּכמִין‬,‫ׁשּלָבֹות‬ ֻ ‫ וְהּוא לְׁשֹון ְמ‬,‫ְּבנֶ ֶקב עַּמּוד ַה ֻּסּלָם‬
‫ׁשֹּלא יִהְיּו נִפ ְָרדִ ין‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל זָהָב ּכְדֵ י‬ ֶ ‫ וְנֹותְ נָן לְתֹוְך ַט ַּבעַת ַאחַת‬,‫ְחֹורץ אֶת ַהּק ֶֶרׁש ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ֶא ְצּבַע ִמּכָאן ְו ֶא ְצּבַע ִמּכָאן‬ ֵ ‫ ו‬,‫אֲדָ נִים‬
‫קְראֹות‬ָ ִ‫ׁשּלָּה ִה ַּצעְּתִ י ְל ַמ ְעלָה ְּבסֵדֶ ר הַּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ַהּפֵרּוׁש‬,‫ׁשנָה‬ ְ ‫ ּכְָך הִיא ַה ִּמ‬,'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְויִהְיּו ת ֹ ֲאמִים ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה וְגֹו‬ ֶ ,‫ ז ֶה ִמּז ֶה‬:

‫ והיו שמנה קרשים‬AND THEY SHALL BE EIGHT BOARDS — These are the same boards
mentioned above (vv. 22—23): “Thou shalt make six boards” … “and two boards shalt thou
make for the corners”; consequently there were eight boards in the western row. The
following is stated in that Mishna (paragraph) in the Boraitha dealing with “The structure of
the Tabernacle” which treats of the method of arranging the boards of the Tabernacle: they
made the sockets hollow, and cut away the board at the bottom, a quarter of its width being
left on one side and a quarter on the other side, the portion cut away in the middle being one
half its width. Thus they made for it (the board) two tenons like two ‫ — חמוקין‬I think the
correct reading is, “like two ‫ ”חווקין‬i. e. like two rungs of a ladder set at some distance one
from the other. These were planed down so as to fix into the hollow of the socket just as a
rung which is fixed into the hole in the ladder’s upright. This is the meaning of ‫משלבות‬, viz.,
made like a rung (‫)שליבה‬. They fixed them (the two tenons) into the two sockets as it says, (v.
19) “two sockets [under one board for its two tenons] and two sockets [under another board
for its two tenons]”. They cut out the board at the top a finger breadth on this side and a finger
breadth on that side and put them (two semicircular projecting pieces on two adjacent boards)
into one golden ring in order that they (the boards) should not fall apart, as it says, “and they
shall be coupled together beneath, [and they shall be coupled together above].” Thus the
Mishna; its explanation I have set forth above following the order of the verses.

26:26

‫ ּו ְב ַלעַז אשפ"ריש‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ַעּב ְִרין‬.‫בריחם‬:

‫ בריחים‬are BOLTS, as the Targum translates it: ‫ ;עברין‬in old French esparres.

‫ ז ֶה מַ ב ְִרי ַח עַד‬,‫ׁש ַהּב ְִרי ַח ָה ֶעלְיֹון ְוהַּתַ חְּתֹון עָׂשּוי ִמׁשְּתֵ י חֲתִ יכֹות‬ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא‬,‫ּׁשה ג' הֵן‬ ָ ‫ ֵאּלּו ֲח ִמ‬.‫חמשה לקרשי צלע המשכן‬
,‫ עַד ׁשֶּמַ ּגִיעִין ז ֶה ָלז ֶה‬,‫ ְוז ֶה נִ ְכנָס ַּב ַּטּבָעֹות ִמּצַד ז ֶה‬,‫ ז ֶה נִ ְכנָס ַּב ַּטּבָעֹות ִמּצַד ז ֶה‬,‫ֲחצִי הַּכ ֹתֶ ל ְוז ֶה ַמב ְִרי ַח עַד ֲחצִי הַּכ ֹתֶ ל‬
,‫ ּו ַמב ְִרי ַח ִמ ְקצֵה הַּכ ֹתֶ ל ְועַד קָ צֵהּו‬,‫ָארּכֹו ְּכנֶגֶד ּכָל הַּכ ֹתֶ ל‬ְ ‫ ֲאבָל ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה‬ְ ‫ׁשהֵן‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנַי ִם‬
ְ ‫ׁש ֶעלְיֹון וְתַ חְּתֹון‬
ֶ ‫נִ ְמצָא‬
,‫ ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים ְוהַּתַ חְּתֹונִים הָיּו ָלהֶן ַטּבָעֹות ַּבּק ְָרׁשִים ִל ָּכנֵס ּבְתֹוכָן‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְו ַהּב ְִרי ַח הַּתִ יכ ֹן וְגֹו' ַמב ְִר ַח מִן ַה ָּקצֶה ֶאל ַה ָּקצֶה‬ ֶ
‫ ְו ֵחלֶק‬,‫ׁשל ּגֹבַּה ַהּק ֶֶרׁש – ֵחלֶק ֶאחָד מִן ַה ַּט ַּבעַת ָה ֶעלְיֹונָה ּולְמַ ְעלָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ָּלׁשִים ּבְתֹוְך ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות‬ ֻ ‫ׁשְּתֵ י ַטּבָעֹות ְלכָל ק ֶֶרׁש ְמ‬
‫ׁשּיִהְיּו כָל ַה ַּטּבָעֹות‬ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ֲח ָלקִים ּבֵין ַט ַּבעַת ְל ַט ַּבעַת ּכְדֵ י‬ ְ ‫ ּו‬,‫ ְוכָל ֵחלֶק הּוא ְרבִי ַע א ֶֹרָך ַהּק ֶֶרׁש‬,‫ֶאחָד מִן הַּתַ חְּתֹונָה ּו ְל ַמּטָה‬
‫ וְהּוא נִ ְכנָס ָּבהֶם ּדֶ ֶרְך ַהּנְקָ בִים ׁשֶ הֵם‬,‫ ֶאּלָא ַהּק ְָרׁשִים נְקּובִים ְּב ָע ְבי ָן‬,‫מְ ֻכ ָּונִים זֹו ְּכנֶגֶד זֹו – ֲאבָל ַלּב ְִרי ַח הַּתִ יכֹון אֵין ַטּבָעֹות‬
‫ׁשּבַּדָ רֹום א ֶֹרָך ּכָל אֶ חָד‬ֶ ‫ׁש ַּבּצָפֹון ְו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר "ּבְתֹוְך" ַהּק ְָרׁשִים; ַהּב ְִריחִים ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים ְוהַּתַ חְּתֹונִים‬ ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬,‫ְמ ֻכ ָּונִין ז ֶה מּול ז ֶה‬
‫ ְוז ֶהּו מִן ַה ָּקצֶה ֶאל ַה ָּקצֶה – מִן ַה ִּמז ְָרח ְועַד ַה ַּמע ֲָרב – ַוחֲמִּׁשָ ה ב ְִריחִים‬,‫ׁשֹלׁשִים ַא ָּמה‬ ְ ‫ָארּכֹו‬
ְ ‫ ְוהַּתִ יכֹון‬,‫ֲחמֵׁש ֶעׂש ְֵרה ַא ָּמה‬
‫ ּכְָך הִיא‬,‫ ְּכנֶגֶד רֹחַב ׁשְמֹנָה ק ְָרׁשִ ים‬,‫ָארּכֹו ׁשְּתֵ ים ֶעׂש ְֵרה‬ ְ ‫ ְוהַּתִ יכֹון‬,‫ׁש ַּב ַּמע ֲָרב א ֶֹרְך ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים ְוהַּתַ חְּתֹונִים ׁשֵׁש אַּמֹות‬ ֶ
‫ ְמפ ֶֹרׁשֶת ּבִמְ לֶאכֶת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬:

‫ חמשה לקרשי צלע המשכן‬FIVE FOR THE BOARDS OF THE ONE SIDE OF THE
TABERNACLE — The five were really only three, but the upper and the lower bolts were
each composed of two pieces, the one reaching to the middle of the wall from one side and the
other reaching to the middle of the wall from the other side, the one passing through the
outermost ring from one side and the other passing through the outermost ring from the other
side, until, passing through all the intermediate rings, they met one against each other. Thus
the upper and lower bolts were two which were made up of four. As to the middle bolt its
length was equal to that of the entire wall passing from one end of the wall to the other end,
for it is said, “And the middle bolt etc. shall reach from extremity to extremity.” This was
therefore in one piece, and so we have the five of which this passage speaks. For the upper
and lower bolts had rings on the boards into which were to be inserted two rings for each
board. The bolts were ‫ משלשים‬i. e. placed at three equidistant points along the ten cubits that
formed the height of the board, thus dividing the height into four equal portions, — one
portion extending from the upper ring to the top of the board, another from the lower ring to
the bottom, each portion being a quarter of the board’s height, and the other two portions were
between the rings (from one ring to the central bolt and from there to the other ring). This was
done in order that all the rings in one row should be exactly opposite one another so that the
bolt could be easily inserted. The middle bolt, however, had no rings, but the) wards were
grooved right through their thickness and it (the middle bolt) passed through them by way of
these grooves which were exactly opposite one another (all in one straight line). This is the
meaning of what is stated, “[and the middle bolt] in the midst of the boards.” The upper two
and the lower two bolts on the north and south side were each 15 cubits long, whilst the
middle bolt was 30 cubits long. That is what Scripture means by saying of this bolt that it
shall reach “from extremity to extremity” — from east to west. Of the five bolts on the west
side the length of the two upper and the two lower ones was each six cubits whilst the middle
one hade its length twelve cubits corresponding to the aggregate width of the eight boards
(each of which was one cubit and a half). This is how it is explained in the Boraitha treating
of the construction of the Tabernacle.

26:29

‫ׂשה ָּבהֶן יִהְיּו ּבָּתִ ים ִל ָּכנֵס ָּבהֵן ַהּב ְִריחִים‬

ֶ ‫ ַה ַּטּבָעֹות ׁשֶּתַ ֲע‬.‫בתים לבריחם‬:

‫ בתים לבריחם‬FOR PLACES FOR THE BOLTS — The rings which you shall make on them
(the boards) shall serve as receptacles into which the bolts shall be inserted.

‫ַּקֶרׁש ָהי ָה קֹו ֵב ַע‬

ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין ֲעלֵיהֶם ׁשּום צִּפּוי – ֶאּלָא ב‬ ֶ – ‫ׁש ָהי ָה ַהּזָהָב מְדֻ ּבָק עַל ַהּב ְִריחִים‬ ֶ ‫ ֹלא‬.‫וצפית את הבריחם זהב‬
‫ַּקֶרׁש‬
ֶ ‫ָארּכָן ְמ ַמּלֵא אֶת רֹחַב ה‬ ְ ,‫ וְקֹו ְבעָן ֵאצֶל ַה ַּט ַּבעַת ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן‬,‫ׁשנֵי סִדְ קֵי ָקנֶה חָלּול‬ ְ ‫ ְּכמִין‬,‫ׁשל זָהָב‬ ֶ ‫ְּכמִין ׁשְּתֵ י ּפִיפִּיֹות‬
‫ נִ ְמצְאּו ַהּב ְִריחִים מְ ֻצּפִים‬,‫ּׁשנִי‬
ֵ ‫ ְו ַהּב ְִרי ַח נִ ְכנָס לְתֹוכֹו ּו ִמ ֶּמּנּו ַל ַּט ַּבעַת ּומִן ַה ַּט ַּבעַת ַלּפֶה ַה‬,‫מִן ַה ַּט ַּבעַת ְלכָאן ּו ִמ ֶּמּנָה ְלכָאן‬
,‫ ַה ַּטּבָעֹות ְו ַהּפִיפִּיֹות ֹלא הָיּו נ ְִראֹות ּבְתֹוְך הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬,‫ׁשהֵן ּתְ חּובִין ַּבּק ְָרׁשִים; ְו ַהּב ְִריחִים ַהּלָלּו ִמּבַחּוץ הָיּו ּבֹולְטֹות‬ ֶ ‫זָהָב ְּכ‬
‫ ֶאּלָא ּכָל הַּכ ֹתֶ ל ָחלָק מִ ִּב ְפנִים‬:

‫ וצפית את הבריחם זהב‬AND THOU SHALT OVERLAY THE BOLTS WITH GOLD —This
does not mean that the gold should be attached to the bolts for there was no overlay on them,
but on the boards there were fixed a kind of two gold staples something like the two
longitudinal sections of a hollow cane. These were fixed close to each ring on both sides of it.
The length of the two staples filled up the space along the width of the board, one extending
from the ring in this direction, the other from it (the ring) again in the other direction. Thus
the bolts appeared to be covered with gold when they were lying on the boards. These bolts
formed a projection on the walls outside. Thus neither the rings nor the staples were visible
within the interior of the Tabernacle, but the entire surface of the wall within was unbroken.

26:30
‫ לְַאחַר ׁשֶ ּיִּגָמֵר הֲקִ ימֵ הּו‬.‫והקמת את המשכן‬:

‫ והקמת את המשכן‬AND THOU SHALT SET UP THE TABERNACLE — after it is completed

set it up. ...

‫ׁש ֲאנִי עָתִ יד ְל ַלּמֶדְ ָך ּו ְלה ְַראֹותְ ָך סֵדֶ ר הֲקָמָתֹו‬

ֶ ,‫ ק ֹדֶ ם ָלכֵן‬.‫הראית בהר‬:

‫ הראית בהר‬This must be translated: WHICH THOU WILT before then HAVE BEEN SHOWN
IN THE MOUTAIN — (The verb is future perfect). For later on I shall instruct thee and show
thee the way to erect it.

26:31

‫ ּו ִבלְׁשֹון ֲח ָכמִים ּפ ְַרּגֹוד ּדָ בָר ַה ַּמבְּדִ יל ּבֵין הַּמֶ לְֶך ּובֵין ָהעָם‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ְמ ִחּצָה הּוא‬.‫פרכת‬:

‫ פרכת‬is a term denoting a partition; in the language of the Sages (in Rabbinical Hebrew) ‫פרגוד‬
is something which separates the king from the people (Berakhot 18b).

‫ ּכָל מִין ָומִין ָהי ָה כָפּול ְּבכָל חּוט וָחּוט ׁשִּׁשָ ה חּוטִין‬.‫תכלת וארגמן‬:

‫ תכלת וארגמן‬BLUE PURPLE, AND RED PURPLE — every material was intertwined in each
strand by six threads (Yoma 71b).

‫ּׁשנֵי ֲעב ֶָרי ָה אֵינָן ּדֹומִ ין ז ֶה ָלז ֶה‬

ְ ‫ׁש ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ִּיּורין‬
ִ ‫ ְו ַהּצ‬,‫ׁשל ׁשְּתֵ י קִירֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכבָר ּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י ׁשֶּזֹו הִיא א ֲִריגָה‬.‫מעשה חשב‬:

‫ מעשה חשב‬THE WORK OF AN ARTIST — I have already explained (v. 9) that this is a
weaving on the two surfaces, the designs on the two sides not being similar to one another.

‫ׁשל ּב ְִרּיֹות יַעֲׂשֶ ה בָּה‬

ֶ ‫ִּיּורין‬
ִ ‫ צ‬.‫כרבים‬:

‫ כרבים‬CHERUBIM — i. e. he shall make on it figures of different creatures.

26:32

‫ לְהֹוׁשִיב ֲעלֵיהֶן ּכְלֹונָס‬,‫ ֲע ֻקּמִים ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬,‫ וְאּונְ ְקלִּיֹות קְ בּועִין ָּבהֵן‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה אֲדָ נִים‬ ְ ‫ ּתְ קּועִים ּבְתֹוְך‬.‫ארבעה עמודי שטים‬
‫ָארּכָּה ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות ל ְָרחְּבֹו ׁשֶ ל‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְכמִין ָווִין הֵן עֲׂשּוי ִים – ְו ַהּפָרֹכֶת‬ ֶ – ‫ ְוהָאּונְ ְקלִּיֹות הֵן ַה ָּווִין‬,‫ׁשֶר ֹאׁש ַהּפָרֹכֶת ּכָרּוְך ּבָּה‬
‫ׁשּיְהֵא הֵי ֶמּנָה ְו ִל ְפנִים ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות ְוהֵימֶ ּנָה‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשל ִמ‬ ֶ ‫ׁשלִיׁשִית‬ ְ ‫ ּפְרּוסָה ִּב‬,‫ׁשל ק ְָרׁשִים‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכָן ו ְָר ְחּבָּה ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות ְּכגָ ְבהָן‬
ְ ‫ִמ‬
‫ׁשּנֶ' ְונָתַ ּתָ ה אֶת ַהּפָרֹכֶת ּתַ חַת ַהּק ְָרסִים – הַמְ ַחּב ְִרים אֶת‬ ֶ ,‫ נִ ְמצָא בֵית קָדְ ׁשֵי ַהּקֳדָ ׁשִים ֶעׂשֶר עַל ֶעׂשֶר‬,‫ְולַחּוץ ֶעׂש ְִרים ַא ָּמה‬
‫ ָּכלְתָ ה ּבִׁשְ נֵי‬,‫ׁשּכָן מִן ַהּפֶתַ ח ַל ַּמע ֲָרב‬
ְ ‫ׂשּה עַל ּגַג ַה ִּמ‬ָ ‫ׁשּפ ְָר‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ׁשּכָן; רֹחַב הַחֹוב ֶֶרת ֶעׂש ְִרים ַאּמָה‬ ְ ‫ׁשל י ְִריעֹות ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשְּתֵ י חֹובְרֹות‬
‫ַּקְרׁשִ ים‬
ָ ‫ֲחֹוריו ְלכַּסֹות אֶת ה‬ ָ ‫ ְוהַּמֹותָ ר ּתָ לּוי ַלא‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ׁשל ִמ‬ ֶ ‫ׁשלִיׁשֹו‬ ְ ‫ּׁשנִית ִּכּסְתָ ה‬
ֵ ‫ ְוהַחֹוב ֶֶרת ַה‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ׁשלִיׁשִי ַה ִּמ‬
ְ :

‫ ארבעה עמודי‬FOUR COLUMNS inserted into four sockets. Hooks were fixed upon them, bent
upward, upon each of which to hang a pole round which the top of the partition veil was
wrappped. The hooks are the ‫ ווים‬mentioned in the text, for they were made in the form of the
letter ‫וי"ו‬. The partition veil was ten cubits long corresponding to the breadth of the
Tabernacle and ten cubits wide as was the height of the boards. It was hung at one-third of the
length of the Tabernacle from the western side so that from it there should be inward (i. e. to
that side) ten cubits and from it outward (to the entrance) twenty cubits. It follows therefore
that the Holy of Holies was ten by ten cubits, and this agrees with what is said, (v. 33) “and
thou shalt hang up the partition veil under the catches” that coupled the two sections of the
curtaining of the Tabernacle together. For the breadth of one section was twenty cubits and
when it was laid over the top of the Tabernacle from the entrance to the west, its end with the
catches came at two-thirds of the length of the Tabernacle (20 cubits), exactly where we have
stated that the veil was hanging. The second section covered the other third of the length of
the Tabornacle (10 cubits) and what was left over (10 cubits) hung behind to cover the boards
(which were 10 cubits in height; cf. Rashi on v. 5).

26:35

‫ מְׁשּוכָה מִ ן הַּכ ֹתֶ ל‬,‫נֹורה בַּדָ רֹום‬ ָ ‫ ּו ְמ‬,‫ מָׁשּוְך מִן הַּכ ֹתֶ ל ַהּצְפֹונִי ׁשְּתֵ י אַּמֹות ּו ֶמ ֱחצָה‬,‫ׁש ְלחָן ַּבּצָפֹון‬ֻ .‫ושמת את השלחן‬
‫ ְו ֻכּלָם נְתּונִים‬,‫נֹורה מָׁשּוְך ִק ְמעָא ְּכ ַלּפֵי ַה ִּמז ְָרח‬ ָ ‫ׁש ְלחָן ַל ְּמ‬
ֻ ‫ׁשּבֵין‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ִמזְּבַח ַהּזָהָב נָתּון ְּכנֶגֶד ֲאוִיר‬,‫הַּדְ רֹומִי ׁשְּתֵ י אַּמֹות ּו ֶמ ֱחצָה‬
‫ְנֹורה מְׁשּוכִים מִ ן‬ָ ‫ּׁש ְלחָן ְו ַהּמ‬ ֻ ‫ ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְו ַה‬,‫ׁשּכָן מִן ַהּפֶתַ ח ַלּפָרֹכֶת ֶעׂש ְִרים ַאּמָה‬
ְ ‫ׁשּכָן ְו ִל ְפנִים; ּכֵיצַד? א ֶֹרְך ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ‫מִן ֲחצִי ַה ִּמ‬
)‫ ַהּפֶתַ ח ְלצַד ַמע ֲָרב ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות (יומא ל"ג‬:

‫ ושמת את השלחן‬AND THOU SHALT PUT THE TABLE [WITHOUT THE PARTITION
VEIL] — The table was in the north, distant from the north wall two cubits and a half. The
candelabrum was in the south, distant from the south wall two cubits and a half. The golden
altar was opposite the space which was between the table and candelabrum drawn back
slightly towards the east (cf. Rashi on Exodus 30:6). All these three were placed in that part
which extended from one-half the length of the Tabcrnacle (not including the Holy of Holies)
inward. How so? The length of the Tabernacle from the entrance to the partition veil was 20
cubits, and the altar, the table and the candelabrum were distant from the entrance in a
western direction 10 cubits(Yoma 33b).

26:36

‫ לְׁשֹון מָ גֵן‬,)'‫ׂשכְּתָ ַבעֲדֹו (איוב א‬

ַ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ הּוא ָמסְָך ְּכנֶגֶד ַהּפֶתַ ח‬,‫ וִילֹון‬.‫ועשית מסך‬:

‫ ועשית מסך‬AND THOU SHALT MAKE A SCREEN — a curtain which formed a protecting
screen in front of the entrance. the word ‫ מסך‬being of the same meaning as the verb in (Job 1.
10) “Hast Thou not hedged (‫ )שכת‬him about?” It is an expression denoting protecting.

‫ׁשל ֵעבֶר ז ֶה ּכְָך ּפ ְַרצּוף ׁשֶ ל ֵעבֶר ז ֶה‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכפ ְַרצּוף‬,‫ׂשה ַמחַט‬
ֵ ‫ הַּצּורֹות עֲׂשּויֹות ּבֹו ַמ ֲע‬.‫מעשה רקם‬:

‫ מעשה רקם‬THE WORK OF AN EMBROIDERER — The designs were made on it by needle-

work; as were the figures on one side so were the figures on the other side.

‫ מִּדַ ת ַה ָּמסְָך ְּכמִּדַ ת ַהּפָרֹכֶת – עֶׂשֶר אַּמֹות עַל‬.‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו עֹובַד ַצּי ָר וְֹלא עֹובַד צִּיּור‬,‫ ׁשֵם ָה ָאּמָן וְֹלא ׁשֵם ָה ָא ָּמנּות‬.‫רקם‬
‫עֶׂשֶר אַּמֹות‬:

‫ — רקם‬This word is the name of the workman (an embroiderer), not the name of the trade
(embroidery). The Targum therefore should be ‫“ עובד ַצּי ָר‬work of an embroiderer,” not ‫עובד‬
‫“ צִּיּור‬work of embroidery.” The size of the screen was the same as the size of the partition
veil, viz., 10 cubits by 10 cubits.

27:1

‫ ַרּבִי יֹוסֵי אֹומֵר נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָאן ָרבּו ַע ְונֶאֱמַר‬,‫ ּדִ ב ְֵרי ַר' י ְהּודָ ה‬,‫ ּדְ ב ִָרים ִּככְתָ בָן‬.‫ועשית את המזבח וגו' ושלש אמות קמתו‬
?‫ׁשֹלׁש אַּמֹות ק ֹמָתֹו‬ ָ ‫ ּו ָמה אֲ נִי ְמ ַקּי ֵם ְו‬,‫ְָארּכֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשנַי ִם ּכ‬
ְ ‫ ַאף ּכָאן ָּגבְהֹו ּפִי‬,‫ְָארּכֹו‬ְ ‫ׁשנַי ִם ּכ‬
ְ ‫ ַמה ְּל ַהּלָן ָּגבְהֹו ּפִי‬,ַ‫ַּב ְּפנִימִי ָרבּוע‬
)‫ּׂשפַת סֹובֵב ּו ְל ַמ ְעלָה (זבח' נ"ט‬ ְ ‫ ִמ‬:
‫ ועשית את המזבח וגו׳ ושלש אמות קמתו‬AND THOU SHALT MAKE AN ALTAR etc. AND THE
HEIGHT THEREOF SHALL BE THREE CUBITS — These words should be understood as
they are written (i. e. to mean exactly what they say — that its height was three cubits); this is
the opinion of R. Jehudah. R. José, however, says: it is stated here, “[the altar shall be]
square” and it is stated with reference to the inner (the golden) altar, (Exodus 30:2) “square
[shall it be].” How was it there (in the case of the latter)? Its height was twice its length (“a
cubit the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, . . . and two cubits the height
thereof”)! So, also, here: the height shall be twice its length, i. e. ten cubits. And if you ask,
how, then, do I explain the words and three cubits the height thereof?” I reply that this gives
the measurement from the edge of the surround (‫ )סובב‬upwards (whilst 10 cubits was the
actual height from the ground to the top of the altar) (cf. Zevachim 60a; Rashi on v. 5).

27:2

‫ׁשֹּלא י ַ ֲעׂשֵם ְלבַּדָ ם וִי ַחּב ְֵרם ּבֹו‬

ֶ .‫ממנו תהיין קרנתיו‬:

‫ ממנו תהיין קרנתיו‬ITS HORNS SHALL BE OF THE SAME — i. e. he shall not make them
separately and afterwards attach them to it (to the altar).

)‫ׁשה (ישעיהו מ"ח‬

ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ' ּו ִמ ְצחֲָך נְחּו‬
ֶ ,‫ ְל ַכּפֵר עַל עַּזּות ֶמצַח‬.‫וצפית אתו נחשת‬:

‫ וצפית אתו נחשת‬AND THOU SHALT OVERLAY IT WITH COPPER — to atone for sins
committed with effrontery (more lit., with impudence of forehead, the Hebrew expression for
effrontery being, “having a copper forehead,”) as it is said, (Isaiah 48:4) “[Because I know
that thou art obstinate] and that thy forehead is copper” (cf. our English expression “brazen-
faced”) (Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 11).

27:3

‫ ּכְמִ ין יֹורֹות‬.‫סירתיו‬:

‫ — סירתיו‬a kind of pot.

‫ וְהּוא ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם ֻאנְקְלֹוס ְל ִמ ְסּפֵי ִק ְטמֵּה – ִלסְּפֹות הַּדֶ ׁשֶן לְתֹוכָם; ּכִי י ֵׁש ִמּלֹות ְּבלָׁשֹון ִעב ְִרית‬,‫ׁשנֹו לְתֹוכָם‬ ְ ִ‫ ְל ָהסִיר ּד‬.‫לדשנו‬
‫ ְוחִּלּופֹו‬,)'‫ ֱאוִיל ַמׁש ְִריׁש (איוב ה‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו וַּתַ ׁש ְֵרׁש ׁש ָָרׁשֶי ָה (תהילים פ‬,‫ירה‬ ָ ִ‫ׁשּמֵׁש ִּבנְי ָן ּוסְת‬
ַ ‫מִ ּלָה ַאחַת מִתְ ַח ֶּלפֶת ַּבּפִתְ רֹון ְל‬
)‫ל״ג‬:‫ֻארה (ישעיהו י׳‬ ָ ‫ ְוחִּלּופֹו ְמ ָסעֵף ּפ‬,)‫ו׳‬:‫י״ב); ְוכָמֹוהּו ִּב ְס ִעּפֶי ָה ּפ ִֹרּי ָה (ישעיהו י״ז‬:‫ּו ְבכָל ּתְ בּוָאתִ י תְ ׁש ֵָרׁש (איוב ל״א‬
,)‫י״ג‬:‫ׁשּבַר ֲע ָצמָיו; ְוכָמֹוהּו ַוּי ִ ְס ְקלֻהּו ָב ֲא ָבנִים (מלכים א כ״א‬ ִ – )'‫ּׁש ַח ְס ִעּפֶיהָ; ְוכָמֹוהּו ְוז ֶה הַָאחֲרֹון ִעּצְמֹו (ירמיהו נ‬ ֵ ‫– ְמ ַפ‬
,‫ּׁשנֹו – ְל ָהסִיר ּדִ ׁשְ נֹו‬
ְ ַ‫ ַאף ּכָאן לְד‬,)'‫ ְוכֵן ַוי ְ ַעּז ְ ֵקהּו ַוי ְ ַס ְּקלֵהּו (שם ה‬,ָ‫י׳ ) – ָהסִירּו אֲ ָבנֶיה‬:‫ְוחִּלּופֹו ַס ְּקלּו ֵמ ֶאבֶן (ישעיהו ס״ב‬
‫ּו ְב ַלעַז אדשצנדר"יר‬:

‫ לדשנו‬means TO REMOVE ITS ASHES in them. That is exactly as Onkelos translated it:
‫למספי קטמה‬, to remove the ashes into them. For although in its primary sense ‫ ּדַ ּׁשֵן‬would mean
to cover with ashes, it has also the meaning of removing the ashes, for there are in the Hebrew
language certain expressions with the peculiarity that the same word changes in meaning so as
to be used to denote both “construction” and “destruction,” (having a positive and a negative
meaning). Examples are: (Psalms 80:10) “and didst cause it to take deep root (‫( ;”)ותשרש‬Job
5:3) “I have seen the foolish taking root (‫)משריש‬,” whilst we have its opposite (negative)
meaning in, (Job 31:12) “and thou wouldst root out (‫ )תשרש‬all my increase.” Similar to it is,
(Isaiah 17:6) “in the utmost fruitful branches (‫)בסעיפיה‬,” and its opposite, (Isaiah 10:33) “The
Lord of hosts shall ‫”מסעף‬, i. e. shall lop off the branches thereof. Similar to it is also (Jeremiah
50:17) “And this last person ‫“ — ” ִעּצְמֹו‬has broken his bones” although the primary meaning
of ‫ עצם‬is to be strongboned. Similar to it is, (1 Kings 21:13) “and stoned him with stones (
‫ ”)ויסקלהו‬i. e. heaped up stones above him, and its opposite is, (Isaiah 62:10) “‫ סקלו‬the stones”
— i. e. remove its stones; and so, too, (Isaiah 5:2) “And he fenced it and gathered out the
stones thereof (‫)ויסקלהו‬.” Thus here, also, ‫ לדשנו‬means to remove its ashes. In 0. F. à
discendrer.

‫ ּו ְב ַלעַז ווד"יל‬,‫ׁשל מַּתֶ כֶת ּדַ ק וְֹלֹו בֵית י ָד‬

ֶ ‫ ְוהֵן ְּכמִין ּכִּסּוי ַהּקְדֵ ָרה‬,‫ׁשּנֹו ְטלִים ָּבהֶם הַּדֶ ׁשֶן‬
ֶ ‫ ִמג ְָרפֹות‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫ויעיו‬:

‫ ויעיו‬AND ITS SHOVELS — as the Targum renders it, ‫מגרפות‬, shovels by which the ashes
were removed. They had the form of the lid of a pot, of thin metal, but having a handle. In old
French vedil.

‫ ְל ַקּבֵל ָּבהֶם ּדַ ם ַהּז ְ ָבחִים‬.‫ומזרקתיו‬:

‫ ומזרקתיו‬AND ITS BOWLS, in which to receive the blood of the sacrifices.

,‫ׂשְרפָתָ ן‬
ֵ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא מְמַ הֵר‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ַמּכֶה ָבהֶם ַּב ָּבׂשָר ְונִתְ ָחבִים ּבֹו ּו ְמ ַהּפְֵך ָּבהֶן עַל ַּג ֲחלֵי ַה ַּמע ֲָרכָה‬,‫ ְּכמִין ֻאנְ ְקלִּיֹות ּכְפּופִים‬.‫ומזלגתיו‬
)‫ִּנֹורּיֹות (יומא י"ב‬
ִ ‫ ּו ִבלְׁשֹון ֲח ָכמִים צ‬,‫ו ְב ַלעַז קרוצי"נש‬:

‫ ומזלגתיו‬AND ITS FLESHHOOKS — These had the form of bent hooks; they stuck them
forcibly into the flesh so that they penetrated it, and with them they turned the flesh over upon
the coals of the fire-place in order that it might become the more quickly consumed. In old
French these are called crochets and in the language of our Sages ‫( צנוריות‬Yoma 12a).

‫ ְועַל ׁשֵם חֲתִ ּי ָתָ ן קְרּוי ִים‬,‫ׂשאתָם עַל ִמז ְ ֵּב ַח ַה ְּפנִימִי ַלּקְט ֶֹרת‬
ֵ ‫ ְל‬,ַ‫ ּבֵית ִקּבּול י ֵׁש ָלהֶם לִּט ֹל ָּבהֶן ֶּג ָחלִים מִן ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬.‫ומחתתיו‬
)'‫ ְוכֵן ֲהיַחְּתֶ ה אִיׁש אֵׁש ְּבחֵיקֹו (משלי ו‬,‫ׁשאִיבַת אֵׁש ִמ ְּמקֹו ָמּה‬ ְ ‫ לְׁשֹון‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו ַלחְּתֹות אֵׁש ִמּי ָקּוד (ישעיהו ל‬,‫ ַמחְּתֹות‬:

‫ ומחתתיו‬AND ITS FIRE-PANS — These had a cavity to hold things so that the coals might be
taken in them from the altar in order to carry them on to the inner altar for the incense. And
because of their use for raking the coals into them (‫ )חתיה‬they were called ‫מחתות‬. This word is
of the same root and meaning as the verb in, (Isaiah 30:14) “‫ לחתות‬fire from the fire-place,”
which has the meaning of drawing fire from its place. Similar is, (Proverbs 6:27) “Can a man
rake (‫ )היחתה‬fire into his bosom?”

‫ ּכְמֹו ּכָל ֵּכלָיו‬.‫לכל כליו‬:

‫ לכל כליו‬means ALL THE VESSELS THEREOF [THOU SHALT MAKE OF COPPER] (i. e.
it does not mean: “thou shalt make things of copper, for (i. e. to serve as) all its vessels” but
the ‫ ל‬is redundant; cf. Rashi on Exodus 14:28).

27:4

‫קְרא ז ֶה‬
ָ ִ‫ ְּכמִין ֶרׁשֶת; ּומ‬,‫ עָׂשּוי ח ִֹרין ח ִֹרין‬,ַ‫ ְּכמִין לְבּוׁש עָׂשּוי לֹו ַל ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬,‫ּקֹורין קרי"בלא ְּב ַלעַז‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ לְׁשֹון ְּכב ָָרה‬.‫מכבר‬
‫ ְו ָעׂשִיתָ ּלֹו ִמ ְכּבַר נְח ֹׁשֶת מַ עֲׂשֵ ה ֶרׁשֶת‬:‫מְס ָֹרס וְכ ֹה ּפִתְ רֹונֹו‬:

‫ מכבר‬A GRATE — ‫ מכבר‬is an expression connected with ‫כברה‬, a sieve which is called in old
French crible. A kind of covering was made for the altar, constructed with many holes just
like a net. The word of this verse are transposed, and its explanation is as follows: And thou
shalt make for it a grate of copper, of network.
27:5

‫ּׁשנִינּו ְּבהַּכ ֹל ׁשֹו ֲחטִין ֵאּלּו הֵן ָּגלְמֵ י ְכלֵי עֵץ ּכָל‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ סֹובֵב; ּכָל ּדָ בָר ַה ַּמּקִיף ָסבִיב ְּבעִּגּול קָרּוי ּכ ְַרּכ ֹב‬.‫כרכב המזבח‬
‫ ַאף ַל ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח עָׂשָ ה ח ִָריץ‬,‫ וְהּוא ּכְמֹו ׁשֶעֹוׂשִים ח ֲִריצִין ֲעגֻּלִין ְּבק ְַרׁשֵי ּדָ ְפנֵי הַּתֵ בֹות ְו ַס ְפ ָסלֵי ָהעֵץ‬,‫ׁשעָתִ יד לָׁשּוף ּו ְלכ ְַרּכֵב‬ ֶ
‫ הָא מָ ה אֲ נִי‬,‫ְָארּכֹו‬ ְ ‫ׁשנַי ִם ּכ‬ְ ‫ׁשל ָּגבְהֹו ּכְדִ ב ְֵרי הָאֹומֵר ָּגבְהֹו ּפִי‬ ֶ ‫ׁשֹלׁש אַּמֹות‬ ָ ‫ ְו ָהי ָה ָרחְּבֹו ַאּמָה בְדָ פְנֹו לְנֹוי וְהּוא לְסֹוף‬,‫ְסבִיבֹו‬
‫ אֶ ּלָא עַל ר ֹאׁשֹו‬,‫ ֲאבָל סֹובֵב ְלהִּלּוְך הַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים ֹלא ָהי ָה ְל ִמזְּבַח ַהּנְחֹׁשֶת‬,‫ּׂשפַת סֹובֵב ּו ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹלׁש אַּמֹות קֹומָתֹו? ִמ‬ ָ ‫מְ ַקּי ֵם ְו‬
‫ ְו ִל ְפנִים ֵמהֶן ַאּמָה ׁשֶ ל הִּלּוְך ַרגְלֵי‬,‫ אֵי ז ֶהּו ּכ ְַרּכֹוב? ּבֵין ק ֶֶרן ְלק ֶֶרן; ְו ָהי ָה רֹחַב ַאּמָה‬:‫ׁשנִינּו ִבז ְ ָבחִים‬ ָ ‫ ְוכֵן‬,‫ִל ְפנִים ִמּק ְַרנֹותָ יו‬
‫ׁש ַהּכ ְַרּכֹוב ּבְדָ פְנֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ׁשְּתֵ י אַּמֹות ַהּלָלּו קְרּוי ִים ּכ ְַרּכֹוב; וְדִ קְּדַ ְקנּו ׁשָם ְו ָהכְתִ יב ּתַ חַת ּכ ְַרּכ ֹב ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ִמ ְּל ָמּטָה? ָלמַדְ נּו‬,‫הַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים‬
‫ ּומִּתַ חְּתָ יו‬,‫ׁשּבַּדֹפֶן לְנֹוי ָהי ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ז ֶה‬,‫ חַד לְנֹוי ְוחַד לַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים ּדְ ֹלא יִׂשְּתָ ְרגּו‬,‫הּוא ּולְבּוׁש ַה ִּמ ְכּבָר ּתַ חְּתָ יו? וְתֵ ֵרץ ַהמְתָ ֵרץ ּתְ ֵרי הֲוֹו‬
‫ ְל ַהבְּדִ יל ּבֵין ּדָ מִים ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים לְדָ מִ ים‬,‫ וְהּוא ָהי ָה סִימָן ַל ֲחצִי ָּגבְהֹו‬,ַ‫ִה ְלּבִיׁשֹו ַה ִּמ ְכּבָר ְו ִהּגִי ַע ָרחְבֹו עַד ֲחצִי ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬
‫ׁשהָיּו עֹולִין ּבֹו ַאעַ" ִּפ ׁשֶ ֹּלא פ ְֵרׁשֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ֶכבֶׁש‬,‫הַּתַ חְּתֹונִים; ּו ְכנֶגְּדֹו עָׂשּו ְל ִמזְּבַח ּבֵית עֹו ָלמִים ּדֻ גְמַת חּוט ַה ִּסק ְָרא ְב ֶא ְמצָעֹו‬
‫ אֶ ּלָא‬,‫ׂשה לֹו ַמעֲלֹות ְּב ֶכבֶׁש ׁשֶ ּלֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׂשה ּלִי וְֹלא תַ ֲעלֶה ְב ַמעֲֹלת – ֹלא תַ ֲע‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַמעְנּו ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת ִמזְּבַח אֲדָ ָמה ּתַ ֲע‬ ָ ‫ ְּכבָר‬,‫ְּב ִענְי ָן ז ֶה‬
‫ׁשהָיּו ְמ ַמ ְּלאִין ֲחלָלֹו אֲדָ מָ ה‬ ֶ ,‫ ּו ִמזְּבַח אֲדָ ָמה הּוא ִמזְּבַח ַהּנְחֹׁשֶת‬.‫ׁשנִינּו ַּב ְּמכִילְּתָ א‬ ָ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה לֹו ֶּכבֶׁש; ּכְָך‬ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו‬,‫ֶּכבֶׁש ָחלָק‬
‫ ו ְַרגְלָיו ַמּגִיעִין עַד ַא ָּמה סָמּוְך לְקַ ְלעֵי‬,‫ּׂשע ֲָרה‬ ַ ‫ ֻמבְּדָ ל מִן ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְמֹלא חּוט ַה‬,ַ‫ ְו ַה ֶּכבֶׁש ָהי ָה ּבִדְ רֹום ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬,‫ִב ְמקֹום ֲחנִּי ָתָן‬
‫ׁשֹלׁש אַּמֹות קֹומָתֹו – ֹלא ָהי ָה א ֶֹרְך‬ ָ – ‫ ּולְדִ ב ְֵרי הָאֹומֵר ּדְ ב ִָרים ִּככְתָ בָן‬,‫ ּכְדִ ב ְֵרי הָאֹומֵר ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות קֹומָתֹו‬,‫ׁשּבַּדָ רֹום‬ ֶ ‫ֶה ָחצֵר‬
‫ ּבְמַ ֶּסכֶת‬,‫ׁשהּוא ֻמבְּדָ ל מִן ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְמֹלא הַחּוט‬ ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶה‬,‫ַאר ָּבעִים וְתֵ ׁשַע מִּדֹות‬ ְ ‫ׁשנַת‬ ְ ‫ ּכְָך ָמצָאתִ י ְּב ִמ‬,‫ַה ֶּכבֶׁש אֶ ּלָא ֶעׂשֶר אַּמֹות‬
‫קְרא‬ ָ ִ‫ז ְ ָבחִים (דף ס"ב) ְלמָדּוהּו מִ ן הַּמ‬:

‫ כרכב המזבח‬THE COMPASS OF THE ALTAR — ‫ כרכב‬is a surround. Anything which

encompasses an object all the way round is called ‫כרכב‬, just as we read in the Talmudical
section beginning with the words ‫( הכל שוחטין‬Chullin 25a): The following come under the
description of unfinished wooden vessels — all such as have still to be polished and to be
rounded off (‫ ;ולכרכב‬i. e. making a rim by hollowing out the centre). This is similar to the
practice of making rounded grooves in the boards that form the sides of chests and wooden
chairs. For the altar too he made a hollowing round about — its width was a cubit — in its
wall for ornamentation. It was made at the end of three cubits of its height (measuring from
the top of the altar). This is according to the view of him who says (cf. v. 1): its (the altar's)
height was twice its length. And if you ask how, then, can I explain the statement, “and the
height thereof shall be three cubits” I reply, that this gives the measurement from the edge of
the surround upwards. This surround served only as an ornamentation, but a surround for the
priests to walk upon when officiating the copper altar had only on its top within its horns
(running from one horn to the other). Thus we read in Treatise Zevachim 62a: What is the
‫ ?כרכב‬The sunken space between one horn of the altar and the other, this being a cubit in
width, and, from that space inward (towards the centre of the altar) a space of another cubit
upon which the priests could walk right round the altar, thus making a surround two cubits in
width. These two cubits were called ‫כרכב‬. The criticism is there made to this definition: But is
it not written, “[and thou shalt put it (the grate)] under the compass of the altar beneath” —
which statement teaches us that the ‫ כרכב‬was on the side of the altar and not on its top since
the covering formed by the grate was beneath it? Whereupon the Talmud replies (lit., the
replier replies), that in fact there were two surrounds, one for ornamentation (that below) and
another (on the top) for the priests that they should not slip off when walking round. The one
on the side of the altar was intended for ornamentation, and beneath it they put the grate as a
covering and its width reached to the middle of its (the altar’s) height, measuring this from the
ground. It also served to mark the middle of its height separating the two halves of the altars
side upon which were put respectively the sacrifical blood which had to be sprinkled above
(on the upper part; this was the blood of a ‫ )חטאת‬and the blood which had to be sprinkled
below (that of ‫שלמים‬, ‫ עולה‬and ‫)אשם‬. Corresponding to this there was made for the altar in the
“Eternal House” (the Temple at Jerusalem) a sign consisting of a red line (Zevachim 53a;
Mishnah Middot 3:1). As to the ascent (‫ — כבש‬the inclined plane) upon which they went up
to the top of the altar, it is true that Scripture does not expressly mention it in this section but
we have it already implied in the statement in the section beginning with the words ‫מזבח אדמה‬
‫( תעשה לי‬Exodus 20:21—23): “Thou shalt not go up by steps [unto my altar]” — i. e. thou
shalt not make steps on its ascent, but thou shalt make an unbroken ascent, — this tells us that
it had such an ascent. — So do we read in the Mechilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:23:1). — For the
altar of earth there spoken of is identical with the altar of copper described here and it was
called an altar of earth because they used to fill the hollow space within it (within its coppered
walls) with earth at every place where they encamped in the wilderness. This ascent was on
the south of the altar, its top standing away from the altar just a hair’s breadth (i. e. almost
touching the altar). Its foot reached to the cubit adjacent to the hangings of the court on the
south, (i. e. it was one cubit distant from those hangings of the enclosure). This latter
statement is according to him who holds that its height (that of the altar) was ten cubits, whilst
according to him who holds that the command, (v. 1) “and three cubits shall be the height
thereof” is to be taken literally (cf. Rashi on v. 1) the length of the ascent was only ten cubits,
for since the altar was lower the slope leading to its top could not be a very long one. So did I
find in the Boraitha ‫( דמ"ט מדות‬cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 419). And as regards this
statement that it stood away from the top of the altar just a hair’s breadth, in Treatise
Zevachim 62b they (the Rabbis) derived it from a Biblical text.

27:7

‫ְַארּבַע ַטּבָעֹות ׁשֶ ּנַעֲׂשּו לַּמִ ְכּבָר‬

ְ ‫ ּב‬.‫בטבעת‬:

‫[ בטבעת‬AND THE BARS SHALL BE BROUGHT] INTO THE RINGS — into the four rings
made for the grate (v. 4).

27:8

‫ׁשּיְהֵא ָעבְיֹו חָמֵׁש‬ ֶ ‫ וְֹלא יְהֵא ּכֻּלֹו עֵץ ֶאחָד‬,‫ׁשּטִים ִמּכָל צַד ְו ֶה ָחלָל ְב ֶא ְמצַע‬
ִ ‫ לֻח ֹת ֲעצֵי‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ֲחלִיל לּוחִין‬.‫נבוב לחת‬
‫אַּמֹות עַל ָחמֵׁש אַּמֹות ּכְמִ ין סַּדָ ן‬:

‫ נבוב לחת‬HOLLOW WITH TABLETS — Render it as the Targum does, ‫חליל לוחין‬, hollow as
regards boards (‫ לוחין‬is what is termed an accusative of respect): boards of shittim-wood on all
sides (cf. v. 1) and a hollow space in the middle; it shall not be in its entirety a single block of
wood, the thickness of which in two directions should be five cubits by five cubits — like the
trunk of a tree, which has been hollowed out.

27:9

‫ וְתַ ְרּגּום ס ְָרדִ ים ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ׁשֶ ל מִ ְכּבָר‬,‫אֹורג‬

ֵ ‫ׂשה‬ֵ ‫ׂשה קְ לִיעָה וְֹלא ַמ ֲע‬
ֵ ‫ ַמ ֲע‬,‫ נְ ָקבִים נְ ָקבִים‬,‫ עֲׂשּוי ִין ְּכמִין ַק ְלעֵי ְספִינָה‬.‫קלעים‬
‫ׁשהֵן מְ נֻּקָ בִין ִּכ ְכב ָָרה‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ַהמְתֻ ְרּגָם ס ְָרדָ ה‬:

‫ קלעים‬HANGINGS — made like the sails of ships, full of holes, of plaited work and not
weaver’s work. The rendering in the Targum, ‫סרדין‬, is the same as the rendering of ‫ ִמ ְכּבָר‬,
which it renders by the singular ‫ ;סרדא‬this is because they, both the hangings and the grate, are
riddled with holes like a sieve.

‫ ּכָל הָרּו ַח קָרּוי ּפֵָאה‬.‫לפאה האחת‬:

‫ לפאה האחת‬FOR ONE SIDE — the entire side (not only the corner; cf. Rashi on Exodus 26:18)
is called ‫פאה‬.
27:10

‫ ָחמֵׁש אַּמֹות ּבֵין עַּמּוד ְלעַּמּוד‬.‫ועמדיו עשרים‬:

‫ ועמדיו עשרים‬AND TWENTY COLUMNS THEREOF — There was a space of five cubits
between one column and the other

‫ּקֹורין‬
ִ ֶ‫ׂשה ְכמִין קֻ נְּדָ סִין ׁש‬ֶ ‫ָָארץ ְו ָהעַּמּודִ ים ּתְ קּועִין לְתֹוכָן; ָהי ָה עֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבִים עַל ה‬ ְ ‫ ָהאֲדָ נִים יֹו‬,‫ׁשל ָהעַּמּודִ ים נְחֹׁשֶת‬ ֶ .‫ואדניהם‬
‫ׂשפַת ַה ֶּקלַע ְסבִיבָיו ּבְמֵ יתָ ִרים‬ְ ‫ְכֹורְך‬
ֵ ‫ ְו ַט ַּבעַת נְחֹׁשֶת קְבּועָה בֹו ְּב ֶא ְמצָעֹו ו‬,‫ׁשה‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬ְ ‫ּׁש ה ְט ָפחִים ו ְָר ְחּבָן‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ‫ָארּכָן‬ְ ,‫פל"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬
‫ׁש ָּבעַּמּוד ֶהעָׂשּוי ְּכמִין וָי"ו – ר ֹאׁשֹו ז ָקּוף לְמַ ְעלָה וְר ֹאׁשֹו‬ ֶ ‫ וְתֹולֶה ַה ֻּקנְּדָ ס ּדֶ ֶרְך ַט ַּבעְּתֹו ָב ֻאנְ ְקלִּיֹות‬,‫ְּכנֶגֶד ּכָל עַּמּוד ְועַּמּוד‬
‫ וְרֹחַב ַה ֶּקלַע ּתָ לּוי ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה ְוהִיא קֹומַת‬,‫ּקֹורין גונ"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ֶאחָד ּתָ קּו ַע ָּבעַּמּוד – ּכְאֹותָ ן שֶעֹוׂשִין ְל ַהּצִיב ּדְ לָתֹות‬
‫מְ חִּצֹות ֶה ָחצֵר‬:

‫ ואדניהם‬AND THE SOCKETS of the columns SHALL BE OF COPPER (i. e. the word ‫ נחשת‬is
to be connected only with the preceding word ‫ואדניהם‬, not with ‫ ועמדיו‬at the beginning of the
verse). The sockets rested on the ground and the columns were inserted in them. There was
made a kind of rail which is called pals in old French, six handbreadths by three, and a copper
ring was fixed in its centre. They folded the upper edge of the curtaining round it (round each
rail) by cords at the places where the curtaining came opposite each column and they hung the
rail by its ring on the hook which was on the column and which was made like the letter ‫— ו‬
one of its ends being bent upward and the other end being driven into the column, like those
hooks which are made to fix doors upon them, and which are called in old French gonds. Thus
the width of curtain was hanging down and this width formed the height of the walls of the
court.

‫ הֵם הָאֻ נְקְ לִּיֹות‬.‫ווי העמדים‬:

‫ ווי העמדים‬are the hooks already mentioned.

‫ אְַך יֹודֵ ַע‬,‫ ְואִם ְּב ֶא ְמ ָצעָם‬,‫ אִם ּבְר ֹאׁשָם‬,‫ ְואֵינִי יֹודֵ ַע אִם עַל ְּפנֵי ֻכּלָן‬,‫ ֻמ ָּקפִין הָיּו ָהעַּמּודִ ים ּבְחּוטֵי ֶכסֶף ָסבִיב‬.‫וחשקיהם‬
‫ ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו חֲׁשּוקִ ים‬,)‫ֲמֹורים חֲבּוׁשִים (שופטים י"ט‬ ִ ‫ׁשּכֵן ָמצִינּו ְּבפִי ֶלגֶׁש ַּב ִּג ְבעָה ְועִּמֹו ֶצמֶד ח‬
ֶ ,‫ֲגֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשחָׁשּוק לְׁשֹון ח‬ ֶ ‫ ֲאנִי‬:

‫ וחשקיהם‬AND THEIR FILLETS — The columns were encircled with silver threads. I do not
know, however, whether this was done over their whole surface or at the top only or round the
middle only, but I do know that ‫ חשוק‬denotes “tied on”, for we find in the account of the
concubine of Gibeah (Judges 19:10): “there were with him a couple of asses saddled (‫חבושים‬
lit., bound)” which latter word the Targum renders by ‫חשוקים‬.

27:13

,‫ ְלפִיכְָך ַה ִּמז ְָרח קָרּוי קֶדֶ ם ׁשֶ הּוא ָּפנִים‬,‫ֲחֹורי ִם‬

ַ ‫ ָאחֹור לָׁשֹון א‬,‫ ְּפנֵי ַה ִּמז ְָרח; קֶדֶ ם לְׁשֹון ָּפנִים‬.‫לפאת קדמה מזרחה‬
‫ י ַּמָ א מַ ע ְַרבָא‬,)‫ ְּכ ָמה דְ אַּתְ ָאמַר ַהּי ָם הַָאחֲרֹון (דברים י"א‬,‫ּו ַמע ֲָרב קָרּוי ָאחֹור‬:

‫ לפאת קדמה מזרחה‬ON THE EAST SIDE EASTWARDS — The last two words are the same as
‫פני המזרח‬. The word ‫ הדם‬is synonymous with ‫פנים‬, the face (the front side of any thing), and
‫ אחור‬is the same term as ‫ֲחֹורי ִם‬
ַ ‫א‬, the buttocks, the back-side. The East is therefore called ‫קדם‬
because it is the front part of the world; correspondingly, the West is called ‫אחור‬, the back part
of the world just as you speak of (Deuteronomy 11:24) ‫ הים האחרון‬the Hinder Sea, which the
Targum renders by “the Western Sea.”
 ‫ ֶאּלָא ט"ו ַא ָּמה ְק ָלעִים ְלכֶתֶ ף ַהּפֶתַ ח‬,‫ׁשּׁשָם ַהּפֶתַ ח‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ אֹותָ ן נ' אַ ָּמה ֹלא הָיּו סְתּומִים ֻּכּלָם ַּב ְּק ָלעִים‬.‫חמשים אמה‬
‫ׁשעַר ֶה ָחצֵר ָמסְָך כ' ַא ָּמה – וִילֹון לַּמָ סְָך‬ ַ ‫ׁשּנֶ' ּו ְל‬
ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬,‫ׁשַאר רֹחַב ֲחלַל ַהּפֶתַ ח ּבֵינְתַ י ִם כ' ַאּמָה‬
ְ ִ‫ נ‬,‫ּׁשנִית‬
ֵ ‫ ְוכֵן ַלּכָתֵ ף ַה‬,‫מִ ּכָאן‬
‫ ּכְרֹחַב ַהּפֶתַ ח‬,‫ ְּכנֶגֶד ַהּפֶתַ ח כ' ַא ָּמה א ֶֹרְך‬:

‫ חמשים אמה‬FIFTY CUBITS — These fifty cubits were not all filled in with curtaining, because
the entrance was there; there were only fifteen cubits of curtaining at the side of the entrance
in the one direction, similarly on the other side thereof. Thus there was left the width of the
open space at the entrance consisting of 20 cubits between (between the two lengths of
curtaining to the right and left of the entrance). This is what is meant by: (v. 16) “and for the
gate of the enclosure a veil of twenty cubits” — a veil serving as a screen for the entrance,
twenty cubits long, equal to the breadth of the entrance.

27:14

‫ׁשּבְר ֹאׁש הַּדָ רֹום הָעֹומֵד ְּב ִמקְצֹו ַע ּדְ רֹומִית ִמז ְָרחִית עַד עַּמּוד‬ ֶ ‫ ּבֵין עַּמּוד‬.‫ ָחמֵׁש אַּמֹות ּבֵין עַּמּוד ְלעַּמּוד‬.‫עמדיהם שלשה‬
,‫ ְוכֵן ַלּכָתֵ ף הַּׁשֵ נִית‬,‫ּׁשלִיׁשִי ָחמֵׁש אַּמֹות‬ ְ ‫ּׁשנִי ַל‬
ֵ ‫ ּומִן ַה‬,‫ּׁשנִי ָחמֵׁש אַּמֹות‬ ֵ ‫ ּו ִמ ֶּמּנּו ַל‬,‫ׁש ַּב ִּמז ְָרח ָחמֵׁש אַּמֹות‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה‬
ָ ‫ּׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ׁשהּוא מִן ַה‬
ֶ
‫ ה ֲֵרי ֲעׂש ָָרה עַּמּודִ ים ַל ִּמז ְָרח ְּכנֶגֶד י' לַּמַ ע ֲָרב‬,‫ְַאר ָּבעָה עַּמּודִ ים ַל ָּמסְָך‬
ְ ‫ו‬:

‫ עמדיהם שלשה‬THEIR COLUMNS THREE — There were five cubits space between one
column and another column: between the column at the end of the southern row, standing at
the southeast corner, to the first column which was one of the three in the east there were five
cubits; from that to the second, five cubits, and from the second to the third, five cubits. It was
similar at the other side of the entrance. And four columns for the screen are mentioned here,
so that you have ten columns for the east corresponding to the ten columns in the west side (v.
12).

27:17

‫ ֲאבָל ַל ִּמז ְָרח ְולַּמַ ע ֲָרב ֹלא‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש ָווִין ַוחֲׁשּוקִים וְַאדְ נֵי נְחֹׁשֶת ֶאּלָא ַלּצָפֹון ְולַּדָ רֹום‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.'‫כל עמודי החצר סביב וגו‬
‫ ְלכְָך ּבָא ְולִּמֵד ּכָאן‬,‫נֶ ֱאמַר ָווִין ַוחֲׁשּוקִים וְַאדְ נֵי נְחֹׁשֶת‬:

‫ כל עמודי החצר סביב וגו׳‬ALL THE COLUMNS ROUND ABOUT THE ENCLOSURE etc. —
Because Scripture expressly mentioned hooks and fillets and copper sockets in connection
only with the north and the south, and with regard to the east and the west there is no mention
of hooks and fillets and copper sockets (cf. vv. 14, 15, where there is indeed mention of
sockets but it is not stated that they should be of copper), therefore Scripture now comes and
gives directions that the sockets of all the pillars that are round about should be of copper.

27:18

‫ׁשּמִן ַה ִּמז ְָרח ַל ַּמע ֲָרב מאה באמה‬

ֶ ‫ ַהּצָפֹון ְוהַּדָ רֹום‬.‫ארך החצר‬:

‫ ארך החצר‬THE LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSURE — i. e. its north and south sides which run
from east to west, SHALL BE A HUNDRED CUBITS.

,‫ׁשֹלׁשִים ו ְָרחְּבֹו עֶׂשֶר‬ ְ ‫ָארּכֹו‬

ְ ‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ׁש ַה ִּמ‬ֶ ,‫ ֲח ִמּׁשִים עַל ֲח ִמּׁשִים‬,‫ׁש ַּב ִּמז ְָרח ָהי ְתָ ה מ ְֻר ַּבעַת‬
ֶ ‫ ָחצֵר‬.‫ורחב חמשים בחמשים‬
,‫ָארּכֹו לְסֹוף ׁשְ ֹלׁשִ ים‬ ְ ‫ נִ ְמצָא ּכֻּלֹו ַּב ֲח ִמּׁשִים ַה ְּפנִי ִמּי ִים ְו ָכלֶה‬,‫ׁשל א ֶֹרְך ֶה ָחצֵר‬ ֶ ‫ׂשפַת נ' ַהחִיצֹונִים‬ְ ‫ֶה ֱעמִיד ִמז ְַרח ּפִתְ חֹו ִּב‬
,‫ׁשּכָן עֶׂשֶר אַּמֹות‬ ְ ‫ וְרֹחַב ַה ִּמ‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ֲחֹורי ַה ִּמ‬
ֵ ‫ׁשל א‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַּב ַּמע ֲָרב ַלי ְִריעֹות‬
ֶ ‫ֲחֹוריו ּבֵין ַה ְּק ָלעִים‬
ָ ‫נִ ְמצְאּו ֶעׂש ְִרים ַא ָּמה ֶרוַח ַלא‬
‫ ַוחֲמִּׁשִ ים‬,‫ ְוכֵן לַּמַ ע ֲָרב‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ִיריעֹות ַה ִּמ‬ ִ ‫ נִ ְמצְאּו לֹו ֶעׂש ְִרים ַא ָּמה ֶרוַח ַלּצָפֹון ְולַּדָ רֹום מִן ַק ְלעֵי ֶה ָחצֵר ל‬,‫ְּב ֶא ְמצַע רֹחַב ֶה ָחצֵר‬
‫עַל ֲחמִּׁשִ ים ָחצֵר ְל ָפנָיו‬:
‫ ורחב חמשים בחמשים‬AND THE BREADTH FIFTY EVERYWHERE — The part of the
enclosure in the east side was a square of fifty by fifty cubits, for the Tabernacle was thirty
cubits long and 10 cubits wide. Its entrance was placed in the east at the end of the outer fifty
cubits of the length of the enclosure; consequently it (the Tabernacle) was entirely within the
inner (the western) fifty cubits and its length finished up at the end of another thirty cubits
(thus using up eighty cubits in the middle of the length of the enclosure); it followed therefore
that it had a space of twenty cubits behind, between the hangings of the enclosure in the west
and the curtains of the back of the Tabernacle. The breadth of the Tabernacle was using up ten
cubits in the middle of the breadth of the enclosure; thus it had a space of twenty cubits on the
north and on the south between the hangings of the enclosure and the curtains of the
Tabernacle and there was a similar space in the west, as shown above, whilst fifty by fifty was
the court in front of it (cf. Eruvin 23b).

‫ ּגֹבַּה ְמחִּצֹות ֶה ָחצֵר וְהּוא רֹחַב הַּקְ ָלעִים‬.‫וקמה חמש אמות‬:

‫ וקמה חמש אמות‬AND THE HEIGHT FIVE CUBITS — The height of the partitions of the
enclosure was five cubits and this was formed by the breadth of the curtaining.

‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר ֹלא נֶ ֶאמְרּו ַאדְ נֵי נְחֹׁשֶת אֶ ּלָא ְלעַּמּודֵ י ַה ְּק ָלעִים ֲאבָל ַאדְ נֵי הַּמָ סְָך ׁשֶ ל‬
ֶ ,‫ ְל ָהבִיא ַאדְ נֵי ַה ָּמסְָך‬.‫ואדניהם נחשת‬
‫ׁש ְּלכְָך ָחז ַר ּוׁשְ נָָאן‬
ֶ ‫ ּכֵן נ ְִראֶה ְבעֵינַי‬,‫מִין ַאחֵר‬:

‫ ואדניהם נחשת‬AND THEIR SOCKETS OF COPPER — This statement is intended to include

the sockets of the screen — that you should not say: sockets of copper are prescribed only for
the columns of the curtaining (v. 17), but the sockets of the screen which are not stated to be
of copper (v. 16) may be of another material; this, it appears to me, is the reason why
Scripture repeats these words after having used them in v. 17.

27:19

‫ ּכְגֹון ַמ ָּקבֹות לִתְ ק ֹ ַע י ְתֵ דֹות ְועַּמּודִ ים‬,‫ְהֹורדָ תֹו‬

ָ ‫ׁשהָיּו צ ְִריכִין ַל ֲה ָקמָתֹו ּול‬
ֶ .‫לכל כלי המשכן‬:

‫ לכל כלי המשכן‬ALL THE VESSELS OF THE TABERNACLE that were necessary for erecting
it and for taking it down as, for instance, hammers to drive in the pegs and the columns.

‫ ּכְדֵ י ׁשֶ ֹּלא‬,‫ׁשּפּולֵיהֶן‬

ִ ‫ְׁשּורים ְּבמֵיתָ ִרים ָסבִיב ָסבִיב ְּב‬ ִ ‫ ק‬,‫ִיריעֹות הָאֹהֶל ּו ְל ַק ְלעֵי ֶה ָחצֵר‬ ִ ‫ ְּכמִין נִג ְֵרי נְחֹׁשֶת עֲׂשּוי ִין ל‬.‫יתדת‬
,ַ‫ׁשֹּלא י ָנּועּו בָרּוח‬ֶ ‫ׁשּפּולֵי ַהי ְִריעֹות‬ ִ ‫ְׁשּורין ּותְ לּוי ִין ְו ָכבְּדָ ן ַמ ְכּבִיד‬
ִ ‫ָָארץ אֹו ק‬ֶ ‫ ְואֵינִי יֹודֵ ַע אִם ּתְ חּובִין ּב‬,‫תְ הֵא הָרּו ַח ַמגְּבִיהָתָ ן‬
‫ ּו ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה ְמ ַסּי ְ ֵענִי אֹהֶל ּבַל י ִ ְצעָן ּבַל יִּסַע‬,‫ ְלכְָך נִק ְְראּו י ְתֵ דֹות‬,‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהֵם ּתְ קּועִים ּב‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשמָן מֹוכִי ַח ֲעלֵיהֶם‬ ְ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫וְאֹומֵר ֲאנִי‬
)‫י ְתֵ ד ֹתָ יו ָלנֶצַח (ישעיהו ל"ג‬:

‫ יתרת‬PEGS — a kind of copper nail made for the curtains of the ‫( אהל‬the second layer of
curtain over the top) and for the hangings of the enclosure, fastened to these by cords all the
way round them on their lower edge in order that the wind should not lift them up. I do not
know for. certain whether they were stuck in the ground or whether they were merely tied to
the edges and hung down, their weight loading the edges of the curtains that they should not
move about in the wind. But I would say that their name (i. e. the name given here to these
pieces of metal) shows that they were stuck in the ground, and for that reason they are here
called ‫יתדת‬. The following verse supports me in my opinion: (Isaiah 33:20) “A tent that shall
not be taken down; its stakes (‫ )יתדותיו‬shall never be plucked up.”.

27:20
‫ּׁשנִינּו ִב ְמנָחֹות ְמג ְַרּגְרֹו בְר ֹאׁש ַהּזַי ִת וְכּו‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשמ ִָרים‬
ְ ‫ ְּבלִי‬.‫ זך‬.‫'ואתה תצוה‬:

‫ זך‬... ‫ ואתה תצוה‬CLEAR — without lees; and this was effected not by straining the oil but as
we learn in Treatise Menachoth 86a “He lets it (the olive) ripen on the top of the olive-tree
etc.”

‫ וְַאחַר ׁשֶהֹוצִיא ִטּפָה ִראׁשֹונָה מַ ְכנִיסָן‬,‫ׁשמ ִָרים‬

ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ִ ְהי ֶה בֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬,‫ ַהּז ֵיתִ ים ּכֹותֵ ׁש ַּב ַּמכְּתֶ ׁשֶת ְואֵינֹו טֹו ֲחנָן ּב ֵָר ַחי ִם‬.‫כתית‬
)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּכָתִ ית ַל ָּמאֹור – וְֹלא כָתִ ית ַל ְּמנָחֹות (מנחות פ"ו‬ ֶ ‫ְנֹורה ְו ָכׁשֵר ִל ְמנָחֹות‬ ָ ‫ּׁשנִי ּפָסּול ַלּמ‬ֵ ‫ּׁשמֶן ַה‬ ֶ ‫ ל ֵָר ַחי ִם וְטֹו ֲחנָן; ְו ַה‬:

‫ כתית‬BEATEN — he pounds the olives in a mortar and must not grind them in a mill, so that
there may be no lees; and after he has thus extracted the first drop of oil he may bring them
into the mill and grind them. The second oil (that obtained by grinding) is unfitted for use in
the candelabrum but is permissible for the meal-offerings (which had to be mingled with oil)
since it is said here, “Beaten for the light”, and hence it is not essential that it should be beaten
for the meal-offerings (Menachot 86a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:40).

)‫ׁש ְל ֶהבֶת עֹולָה ֵמ ֵאלֶי ָה (שבת כ"א‬

ַ ‫ מַדְ לִיק עַד ׁשֶּתְ הֵא‬.‫להעלות נר תמיד‬:

‫ להעלות נר תמיד‬TO CAUSE THE LIGHT TO BURN (lit., to ascend) CONTINUALLY — he

must enkindle it until the flame ascends by itself (Shabbat 21a).

‫ׁשאַּתָ ה אֹומֵר עֹלַת ּתָ מִיד ְואֵינָּה ֶאּלָא מִּיֹום לְיֹום; ְוכֵן ְּב ִמנְחַת ֲחבִּתִ ין נֶאֱמַר ּתָ מִ יד‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ּכָל ַליְלָה ְו ַליְלָה קָרּוי ּתָ מִיד‬.‫תמיד‬
‫ ֲאבָל ּתָ מִיד הָָאמּור ְּב ֶלחֶם ַה ָּפנִים מִּׁשַ ּבָת לְׁשַ ּבָת הּוא‬,‫ ְואֵינָּה אֶ ּלָא ַמ ֲחצִיתָ ּה ּבַּבֹקֶר ּו ַמ ֲחצִיתָ ּה ָּבע ֶֶרב‬:

‫ תמיד‬CONTINUALLY — doing something every night, as is described here, may be termed

‫תמיד‬, continually, just as you speak of (Numbers 27:6) “The continual (‫ )תמיד‬burnt-offering”,
although this was sacrificed only from day to day. So, too, in the case of the meal-offering
made in a flat pan it is said, (Leviticus 6:13) that it should be brought continually (‫ )תמיד‬and
yet it was only brought thus: “Half of it in the morning, and half of it at evening”. However,
the expression ‫ תמיד‬which is used in connection with the show-bread (Exodus 25:30) denotes
the whole period without a break from Sabbath to Sabbath).

27:21

‫ָאֲרּכִין ְוכֵן ְלכָל‬

ֻ ‫ׁשעֲרּו ֲח ָכמִים ֲחצִי ֹלג ְללֵילֵי ֵטבֵת ה‬
ִ ‫ ְו‬,‫ ּתֵ ן לָּה מִּדָ תָ ּה ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ּדֹו ֶלקֶת ֵמע ֶֶרב ְועַד ּבֹקֶר‬.‫מערב עד בקר‬
)‫ ְואִם יִּוָתֵ ר אֵין ְּבכְָך ּכְלּום (מנחות פ"ט‬,‫ ַהּלֵילֹות‬:

‫ מערב עד בקר‬FROM EVENING TO MORNING — Give it its due measure of oil so that it may
burn from evening to morning. Our Rabbis estimated half a log of oil as sufficient for the
nights of Tebeth which are long, and they ordained a similar quantity for every night of the
year, and if any were left over on the shorter nights it did not matter (Menachot 89a).

28:1

‫ לְַאחַר ׁשֶּתִ ָּגמֵר מְ לֶאכֶת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬.‫ואתה הקרב אליך‬:

‫ ואתה הקרב אליך‬AND THOU TAKE TO THEE after the work of the Tabernacle is finished.

28:3
‫ שנטרי"אה ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ּולְׁשֹון ְּכ ֻהּנָה ׁשֵרּות הּוא‬,‫ׁשּיְהֵא כֹהֵן לִי‬
ֶ ‫ ְלקַּדְ ׁשֹו ְל ַה ְכנִיסֹו ִּב ְכ ֻהּנָה עַ"י ְ ַה ְּבגָדִ ים‬.‫לקדשו לכהנו לי‬:

‫ לקדשו לכהנו לי‬TO SANCTIFY HIM, TO APPOINT HIM AS PRIEST TO ME — to sanctify

him, i. e. to instal him into the priesthood by means of the garments here specified, so that he
may become priest unto Me. The expression of ‫ כהונה‬denotes service — serventrie in old
French

28:4

‫ ּתַ כְׁשִ יט ְּכנֶגֶד ַהּלֵב‬.‫חשן‬:

‫ חשן‬A BREAST-PLATE — an ornament borne in front of the heart.

,‫ ָרחְּבֹו ּכְרֹחַב ּגַב אִ יׁש‬,‫ֲחֹוריו‬ָ ‫ֲגֹורה לֹו ֵמא‬ ָ ‫ׁשהּוא ח‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ִלּבִי אֹומֵר לִי‬,‫ׁש ַמעְּתִ י וְֹלא ָמצָאתִ י ַּבּב ַָרי ְתָ א ּפֵרּוׁש ּתַ ְבנִיתֹו‬ ָ ‫ ֹלא‬.‫ואפוד‬
‫ׁשּנֶאֱמַר וְדָ וִד חָגּור‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשהּו ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה‬
ֵ ‫ ּכְָך ַמ ֲע‬,‫ ׁשֶחֹוגְרֹות ַהּׂשָרֹות ְּכׁשֶרֹוכְבֹות עַל הַּסּוסִים‬,‫ּקֹורין פורצי"נט ְּב ַלעַז‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ‫ּכְמִ ין סִינָר‬
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֶ ֱאמַר ַוּי ִּתֵ ן ָעלָיו אֶת הָאֵ פ ֹד‬
ֶ ,‫ֲגֹורה ְלבַּדָ ּה‬
ָ ‫ׁשאֵין ּבֹו אֶ ּלָא ח‬ ֶ ‫ֲגֹורה הִיא; ְואִי ֶא ְפׁשָר לֹומַר‬ ָ ‫ׁש ָה ֵאפֹוד ח‬ ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו‬,‫אֵפֹוד ּבָד‬
;‫ׁשב הּוא ֶהחָגֹור ְו ָהאֵפֹוד ׁשֵם ּתַ כְׁשִ יט ְלבַּדֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ֵח‬ ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו‬,‫ׁשב ָהאֵפ ֹד וְתִ ְרּגֵם אֻ נְ ְקלֹוס ְּב ֶה ְמי ַן ֵאפֹודָ א‬ ֶ ‫וְַאחַ" ַּכ ַוּיַחְּג ֹר אֹותֹו ְּב ֵח‬
‫ ָלמַדְ נּו ׁשֶ הָאֵ פֹוד ׁשֵ ם‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֶ ֱאמַר ׁשְּתֵ י כִתְ פֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּבֹו הּוא קָרּוי אֵ פֹוד‬ ֶ ‫ׁשעַל ׁשֵם ׁשְּתֵ י ַהּכְתֵ פֹות‬ ֶ ‫ְואִי ֶא ְפׁשָר לֹומַר‬
‫ׁשל ַמּטָה קָרּוי ֵאפֹוד – עַל ׁשֵ ם ׁשֶ אֹופְדֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשעַל ׁשֵם ַהּסִינָר‬ ֶ ‫ ְלכְָך ֲאנִי אֹומֵר‬,‫ׁשב ׁשֵם ְלבַד‬ ֶ ‫ְלבַד ְו ַהּכְתֵ פֹות ׁשֵם ְלבַד ְו ַה ֵח‬
‫ וְעֹוד אֹומֵר לִי ִלּבִי ׁשֶ ּי ֵׁש‬.‫ׁש ְּל ַמ ְעלָה הֵי ֶמּנּו ְו ַהּכְתֵ פֹות ְקבּועֹות ּבֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשב הּוא חָגּור‬ ֶ ‫ ְו ַה ֵח‬,‫ׁשּנֶ' ַוּי ֶ ְאּפ ֹד לֹו ּבֹו‬
ֶ ‫ּו ְמ ַקּׁשְטֹו בֹו – ּכְמֹו‬
‫ וְתִ ְרּגֵם ּכְמֹו כֵן מְ עִילִים‬,‫ ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם יֹונָתָ ן וְדָ וִד חָגּור אֵ פֹוד ּבָד (שמואל ב ו') – ּכ ְַרּדּוט ּדְ בּוץ‬,‫ׁשהּוא מִין לְבּוׁש‬ ֶ ‫ְרָאי ָה‬
)‫ׁשנָה בְנֹות ַה ֶּמלְֶך ַהּבְתּולֹות ְמעִילִים (שם י"ג‬ ְ ‫ ּכִי כֵן ּתִ ְל ַּב‬,‫ׁשלֹום‬ָ ‫ׂשה ּתָ מָר אֲחֹות ַא ְב‬ ֵ ‫ ְּב ַמ ֲע‬,‫ ּכ ְַרּדּוטִין‬:

‫ ואפוד‬AND AN EPHOD — I have heard no tradition nor have I found in the Boraitha any
description of its shape, but my own mind tells me that it was tied on behind him; its breadth
was the same as the breadth of a man’s back like a kind of apron which is called pourceint in
old French which ladies of rank tie on when they ride on horse-back. Such, as mentioned, was
the way in which the lower part was made, as it is said, (II Samuel 6:14) “And David was
girded with a linen ephod” — this informs us that the ephod was something tied on the body.
It is, however, not possible to say that it consisted of a girdle only, because it is said
(Leviticus 8:7) “And he put the ephod upon him”, and afterwards it is stated “and he girded
him with the ‫ חשב‬of the ephod” and this Onkelos translated by “the girdle of the ephod.” This,
therefore, informs us that the ‫ חשב‬is the girdle and the ‫ אפור‬is the name of the ornamental
garment itself. Further, it is not possible to assert that it was on account of the two shoulder-
straps that it was called ‫( אפוד‬i. e. that the term ‫ אפוד‬applies to these two straps and the girdle
to which they were attached) for it is said, (v. 27) “the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod” —
this tells us that the ephod is a separate name, the shoulderpieces a separate name and the
girdle a separate name (i. e. each of these is the name of separate articles). Consequently I say
that it is called ‫ אפוד‬in reference to the apron-like garment which hung down and that it was so
called because they bedecked him (‫ )אופדו‬and ornamented him with it, as it is said, (Leviticus
8:7) “And he bedecked (‫ )ויאפוד‬him with it.” The ‫ חשב‬was the girdle which was on the upper
portion of it (the ephod), and the shoulder-pieces were attached to it. Further, my own mind
tells me that there is evidence that it was a kind of garment, for Jonathan ben Uzziel translates
(II Samuel 6:14) “And David was girded with a linen ephod” by “a linen ‫ ”כרדוט‬and exactly
similarly does he translate ‫מעילים‬, “robes”, by ‫ כרדוטין‬in the story of Tamar, Absolom’s sister,
(II Samuel 13:18) “For with such robes (‫ )מעילים‬were the king’s daughters that were virgins
apparelled”.

‫ׁש ַהּכֻּתֹנֶת סָמּוְך ִל ְבׂשָרֹו ּו ְמעִיל קָרּוי חָלּוק ָה ֶעלְיֹון‬

ֶ ‫ אֶ ּלָא‬,‫ ְוכֵן ַהּכֻּתֹנֶת‬,‫ הּוא ְּכמִין חָלּוק‬.‫מעיל‬:
‫‪ was worn‬כתונת ‪, except that the‬כתונת ‪ — This was a kind of shirt and so, too, the‬מעיל‬
‫‪ is a term for the outer shirt.‬מעיל ‪immediately on the body and‬‬

‫ׁשב ְקבִיעַת אֲ ָבנִים טֹובֹות‬

‫ׁשּבְצֹות הֵם ְּכמִין ּגֻּמֹות ָהעֲׂשּויֹות ּבְתַ ְכׁשִיטֵי זָהָב לְמֹו ַ‬ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות לְנֹוי‪ְ ,‬ו ַה ִּמ ְ‬
‫תשבץ‪ .‬עֲׂשּוי ִין ִמ ְ‬
‫קֹוראִין אֹותֹו קשטו"נש‬ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות זָהָב‪ּ ,‬ו ְב ַלעַז ְ‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבְַא ְבנֵי ָה ֵאפֹוד ֻמסַּב ֹת ִמ ְ‬
‫‪ּ:‬ומ ְַר ָּגלִּיֹות‪ּ ,‬כְמֹו ֶ‬

‫משבצות ‪ as ornaments. These‬משבצות ‪ A QUILTED [INNER GARMENT] — made with‬תשבץ‬

‫‪were a kind of indentations which are made in gold ornaments as a setting in which to fix‬‬
‫‪precious stones and pearls, as it is said of the stones of the ephod, (v. 11) “enclosed in settings‬‬
‫‪) of gold.” In old French they call them castons.‬משבצות(‬

‫קֹורא ָלהֶם ִמגְּבָעֹות ּומְתַ ְרּגְמִ ינָן ּכֹו ָבעִין‬

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר ֵ‬
‫ּקֹורין קופ"יא ְּב ַלעַז‪ֶ ,‬‬
‫ׁש ִ‬ ‫‪:‬מצנפת‪ְּ .‬כמִין ִּכּפַת ּכֹובַע‪ֶ ,‬‬

‫‪ — a kind of domed helmet which they call cofea in old French, for in another passage‬מצנפת‬
‫‪, helmets.‬כובעין ‪ which we translate in the Targum by‬מגבעות ‪(v. 40) it calls them‬‬

‫ׁש ָּמצִינּו ְּבסֵדֶ ר ְלבִיׁשָתָ ן ַוּי ִּתֵ ן ָעלָיו אֶת ַהּכֻּתֹנֶת ַוּיַחְּג ֹר‬
‫ֲגֹורה עַל ַה ְּמעִיל‪ּ ,‬כְמֹו ֶ‬
‫ֲגֹורה עַל ַהּכֻּתֹנֶת ְו ָה ֵאפֹוד ח ָ‬
‫ואבנט‪ .‬הִיא ח ָ‬
‫‪:‬א ֹתֹו ּבַָא ְבנֵט ַוּי ַ ְלּבֵׁש א ֹתֹו אֶת ַה ְּמעִיל ַוּי ִּתֵ ן ָעלָיו אֶת הָאֵ פ ֹד‬

‫‪ — This was a girdle upon the inner-garment, and the ephod was the girdle over the‬ואבנט‬
‫‪outer-garment, just as we find it stated in the description of the order in which they were‬‬
‫‪) and girded him with‬כתנת( ‪donned: (Leviticus 8:7), “And he put upon him the inner-garment‬‬
‫”‪) upon him.‬אפוד( ‪) and put the ephod‬מעיל( ‪) and clothed him with the mantle‬אבנט( ‪the belt‬‬

‫‪:‬בגדי קדש‪ .‬מִּתְ רּו ָמה ַה ְמקֻּדֶ ׁשֶת ִלׁשְמִ י יַעֲׂשֶ ה אֹותָ ם‬

‫‪ lit., GARMENTS OF THE HOLY THING — i. e. from the heave-offering that is‬בגדי קדש‬
‫‪) to My Name shall they make them (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 1 10).‬מקדשת( ‪sanctified‬‬

‫‪28:5‬‬

‫ׁשּיַעֲׂשּו ַה ְּבגָדִ ים י ְ ַקּבְלּו מִן ַהּמִתְ נַּדְ בִים אֶת ַהּזָהָב ְואֶת הַּתְ ֵכלֶת ַלעֲׂשֹות מֵ הֶן אֶת ַה ְּבגָדִ ים‬
‫‪:‬והם יקחו‪ .‬אֹותָ ם ַח ְכמֵי לֵב ֶ‬

‫‪ AND THEY SHALL TAKE — Those men, wise in heart (cf. v. 3), who are to make‬והם יקחו‬
‫‪ THE GOLD AND THE BLUE‬את הזהב ואת התכלת ‪the garments shall receive from the donors‬‬
‫‪PURPLE, in order to make the garments of them.‬‬

‫‪28:6‬‬

‫ַּקֹורא‬
‫ׂשה ָה ֵאפֹוד ְוהַחֹׁשֶן עַל סֵדֶ ר ַה ִּמק ְָראֹות‪ ,‬ה ֲֵרי ּפֵרּוׁשָן ּפ ְָרקִים‪ְ ,‬וי ִׁשְ גֶה ה ֵ‬ ‫ועשו את האפד‪ .‬אִם ּבָאתִ י ְלפ ֵָרׁש ַמ ֲע ֵ‬
‫קְראֹות‪ .‬הָאֵ פֹוד‬ ‫ַּקֹורא בֹו‪ ,‬וְַאחַר ּכְָך ֲאפ ֵָרׁש עַל סֵדֶ ר ַה ִּמ ָ‬ ‫ׁשהּוא‪ְ ,‬ל ַמעַן י ָרּוץ ה ֵ‬ ‫ְּבצֵרּופָן‪ְ ,‬לכְָך ֲאנִי כֹותֵ ב ַמ ֲעׂשֵיהֶם ּכְמֹות ֶ‬
‫ֲחֹוריו ְּכנֶגֶד לִּבֹו ְל ַמּטָה ֵמ ֲאצִילָיו‪ָ ,‬רחְּבֹו ְּכמִּדַ ת רֹחַב ּגַּבֹו ׁשֶ ל‬ ‫ׁשל נָׁשִים רֹוכְבֹות סּוסִים‪ ,‬וְחֹוגֵר אֹותֹו ֵמא ָ‬ ‫עָׂשּוי ְּכמִין סִינָר ֶ‬
‫אֹורג‪ּ ,‬ו ַמא ֲִריְך ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן ּכְדֵ י ְלהַּקִ יף‬ ‫ׂשה ֵ‬ ‫ׁשב ְמ ֻחּבָר ּבְר ֹאׁשֹו עַל ְּפנֵי ָרחְּבֹו ַמ ֲע ֵ‬ ‫ָאדָ ם וְיֹותֵ ר‪ּ ,‬ו ַמּגִי ַע עַד ֲע ֵקבָיו‪ְ ,‬ו ַה ֵח ֶ‬
‫ׁשל סִינָר‪ּ ,‬וכְׁשֶּזֹוקְ פָן‬ ‫ׁשנֵי קְצֹות ָרחְּבֹו ֶ‬ ‫ֲחֹורי הַּכֹהֵן‪ִ ,‬ל ְ‬
‫ׁשב‪ֶ ,‬אחָד ְליָמִין ְו ֶאחָד ִלׂשְמ ֹאל‪ֵ ,‬מא ֵ‬ ‫ְו ַלחְּג ֹר ּבֹו‪ְ ,‬ו ַהּכְתֵ פֹות ְמ ֻחּבָרֹות ַּב ֵח ֶ‬
‫עֹומְדֹות לֹו עַל ׁשְּתֵ י כְתֵ פָיו‪ְ ,‬והֵן ְּכמִין ׁשְּתֵ י ְרצּועֹות עֲׂשּויֹות ִמּמִין ָה ֵאפֹוד‪ ,‬א ֲֻרּכֹות ּכְדֵ י ׁשִעּור ְלז ָ ְקפָן ֵאצֶל ַצּוָארֹו מִ ּכָאן‬
‫ּו ִמּכָאן ְונִ ְקּפָלֹות ְל ָפנָיו ְל ַמּטָה ִמּכְתֵ פָיו ְמעַט‪ ,‬וְַא ְבנֵי הַּׁשֹהַם קְבּועֹות ָּבהֶם‪ַ ,‬אחַת עַל ּכֶתֶ ף יָמִין וְַאחַת עַל ּכֶתֶ ף ׂשְמ ֹאל‪,‬‬
‫ׁשּבַחֹׁשֶן‪ּ ,‬בִׁשְ נֵי קְצֹות ָרחְּבֹו‬ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות נְתּונֹות ּב ְָראׁשֵיהֶם ִל ְפנֵי ּכְתֵ פָיו‪ּ ,‬וׁשְּתֵ י עֲבֹותֹות ַהּזָהָב ּתְ חּובֹות ִּבׁשְּתֵ י ַטּבָעֹות ֶ‬ ‫ְו ַה ִּמ ְ‬
‫ׁשֶרת הַּׂשְמָ אלִית‬ ‫ׁשנֵי ָראׁשֵי ַהּׁש ְַר ֶ‬ ‫ׁש ֶּבצֶת ַלּיָמִין ְוכֵן ְ‬ ‫ׁשנֵי ָראׁשֵי ַהּׁש ְַרׁש ֶֶרת ּתְ קּועִין ַּב ִּמ ְ‬ ‫ָה ֶעלְיֹון‪ַ ,‬אחַת ְליָמִין וְַאחַת ִלׂשְמ ֹאל‪ּ ,‬ו ְ‬
‫ׁשּבְצֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד עַל לִּבֹו ִמ ְּל ָפנָיו‪ ,‬וְעֹוד ׁשְּתֵ י ַטּבָעֹות ּבִׁשְ נֵי קְצֹות‬ ‫ׁש ְּבכָתֵ ף ׂשְמ ֹאל‪ ,‬נִ ְמצָא הַחֹׁשֶן ּתָ לּוי ְּב ִמ ְ‬ ‫ׁש ֶּבצֶת ֶ‬
‫ּתְ קּועִין ַּב ִּמ ְ‬
‫ׁשב; ַטּבְעֹות הַח ֹׁשֶ ן אֶ ל‬ ‫הַחֹׁשֶן ּבְתַ חְּתִ יתֹו‪ּ ,‬ו ְכנֶגְּדָ ם ׁשְּתֵ י ַטּבָעֹות ִּבׁשְּתֵ י ּכִתְ פֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה‪ּ ,‬בְר ֹאׁשֹו הַּתַ חְּתֹון ַה ְּמ ֻחּבָר ַּב ֵח ֶ‬
‫ׁשּיְהֵא ּתַ חְּתִ ית הַח ֹׁשֶ ן ּדָ בּוק‬
ֶ ,‫ ּומ ְַר ְּכסָן ִּבפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת ּתָ חּוב ְּב ַטּבְעֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד ְוהַחֹׁשֶן‬,‫מּול ַטּבְעֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד ׁשֹו ְכבִים ז ֶה עַל ז ֶה‬
‫ הֹולְֵך וְחֹוז ֵר‬,‫ׁשב ָה ֵאפֹוד וְֹלא יְהֵא נָד ְונִבְּדָ ל‬ ֶ ‫ ְל ֵח‬:

‫ ועשו את האפד‬AND THEY SHALL MAKE THE EPHOD — If I set myself to explain the
making of the ephod and the breast-plate in the order of the verses, the description of them
would be fragmentary and the reader might err in piecing the details together: therefore I shall
write down how they were made, just as each of them was, in order that “he who runs may
read” (may have a comprehensive idea of them in their entirety), and afterwards I shall
explain it in the order of the verses. The ephod was made like that kind of apron of women
who ride on horse-back. He (the priest) tied it on behind him opposite (at the height of) his
heart below his elbows. Its breadth was equal to the measure of a man’s back and somewhat
more (cf. Rashi, end of v. 26), and it reached to his heels. The belt was attached to its top edge
along the whole of its width, being of weaver’s work (i. e. woven in one piece with the ephod)
and it extended on both sides beyond the width of the ephod in order that it might go right
round the body and gird on the ephod by means of it. The shoulder-pieces were attached to
the belt, one on the right and one the left, behind the priest, at the two ends of the width of the
apron, and when they were lifted up they stood (we should say “they lay”) upon his two
shoulders, so that they were like two straps made of the same material as the ephod itself, and
sufficiently long to lift them up to reach to his neck on both sides, and they hung over in front
of him a little below his shoulders. The onyx stones were fixed in them, one on his right
shoulder and one on his left shoulder, and the settings were placed in their ends in front of his
shoulders on his breast. Two cords of gold were inserted through two rings which were on the
breastplate at the two ends of its upper width (edge), one on the right and one on the left, and
the two ends of the chain (or cord) were fixed in the setting on the right, and similarly the two
ends of the left chain were fixed in the setting which was on the left shoulder. Consequently,
the breast-plate hung in front of him over his heart from the settings of the ephod. Further,
there were two rings at the two ends of the breast-plate on its lower edge, and opposite them
two rings below on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod on the lower edge of each where this
was joined to the belt. The under two rings on the breast-plate were opposite the rings on the
ephod, lying one upon the other, and they fastened them (each pair of rings) together by a blue
purple thread which was inserted through the rings in the ephod and breast-plate, so that the
lower edge of the breast-plate should lie close to the belt of the ephod and should not move
about and come apart from it, swinging to and fro.

‫ְזּורין ְּבכָל חּוט וָחּוט; הָיּו מ ְַרּדְ דִ ין אֶת ַהּזָהָב ּכְמִ ין‬ִ ‫ ֲח ֵמׁשֶת מִינִים ַהּלָלּו ׁש‬.‫זהב תכלת וארגמן תולעת שני ושש משזר‬
‫ׁשל זָהָב עִם ׁשִּׁשָ ה חּוטִין‬ ֶ ‫ וְחּוט‬,‫ׁשל ּתְ ֵכלֶת‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשה חּוטִין‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ‫ׁשל זָהָב עִם‬ ֶ ‫ וְטֹווִין אֹותֹו חּוט‬,‫ַטּסִין ּדַ ּקִין וְקֹו ְצצִין ּפְתִ ילִים ֵמהֶם‬
‫ׁשל זָהָב עִם ּכָל ֶאחָד ְו ֶאחָד – וְַאחַר ּכְָך‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשה וְחּוט‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ‫ׁשּכָל ַהּמִינִין חּוטָן ּכָפּול‬ ֶ – ‫ׁשנִי ְוכֵן ַּבּׁשֵׁש‬
ָ ‫ ְוכֵן ּבְתֹו ַלעַת‬,‫ַאר ָּגמָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשל‬ ֶ
‫ ְו ָלמֵד מִן ַה ִּמק ְָרא ַהּז ֶה ַוי ְַרּקְעּו אֶת ַּפחֵי ַהּזָהָב‬,‫ ְוכֵן ְמפ ָֹרׁש ְּב ַמ ֶּסכֶת יֹו ָמא‬,‫ נִ ְמצָא חּוטָן ּכָפּול כ"ח‬,‫ׁשֹוז ֵר אֶת ֻּכּלָם ְּכ ֶאחָד‬
‫ׁשל זָהָב ׁשָזּור עִם ּכָל מִ ין‬ ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו ׁשֶחּוט‬,'‫ַָאר ָּגמָן וְגֹו‬
ְ ‫ְו ִקּצֵץ ּפְתִ ילִם ַלעֲׂשֹות – אֶת ּפְתִ ילֵי ַהּזָהָב – ּבְתֹוְך הַּתְ ֵכלֶת ּובְתֹוְך ה‬
‫וָמִ ין‬:

‫ זהב תכלת וארגמן תולעת שני ושש משזר‬OF GOLD, OF BLUE PURPLE, AND OF RED PURPLE,
OF CRIMSON AND FINE TWISTED LINEN — The five materials were intertwined in
every strand: they beat out the gold into the form of thin plates and from them they cut
threads, and they wove that gold thread together with six threads of blue purple and a gold
thread with six threads of red purple, and similarly with the crimson and similarly with the
fine linen; because all the materials had their threads sixfold and there was a gold thread with
each of them. Then they intertwined them all into one thread; it followed, therefore, that their
thread was 28-fold. This is how it is explained in Treatise Yoma 72a and it is derived from the
following verse: (Exodus 39:3) “And they beat out the gold into thin plates and cut it into
threads to work the threads of gold in the blue purple and in the red purple, etc.” — this tells
us that a gold thread was intertwined with each material.

‫ׁשנֵי ֲעב ֶָרי ָה ּדֹומֹות זֹו לָזֹו‬

ְ ‫ׁשאֵין צּורֹות‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשהּוא א ֲִריגַת ׁשְּתֵ י קִירֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכבָר ּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י‬.‫מעשה חשב‬:

‫ מעשה חשב‬THE WORK OF AN ARTIST — I have already explained (Exodus 26:1) that this
was weaving on both sides: that is, that the designs on both sides were not similar one to the
other.

28:7

‫ ּומִ ּגַּבֹו ׁשֶ ל ּכֹהֵן‬,‫ ּוצְמּודָ ה לֹו ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ּדֻ גְמַת סִינַר ַהּנָׁשִים‬,‫ֲגֹורה‬ ָ ‫ׁשב ָה ֵאפֹוד הִיא ַהח‬ ֶ ‫ ַהּסִינָר ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה ְו ֵח‬.'‫שתי כתפת וגו‬
‫ וְזֹו ְקפָן עַל ׁשְּתֵ י כִתְ פֹותָ יו עַד‬,‫ ַאחַת ְּכנֶגֶד ּכָל ּכָתֵ ף ְוכָתֵ ף‬,‫ׁשב ׁשְּתֵ י חֲתִ יכֹות ְּכמִין ׁשְּתֵ י ְרצּועֹות ְרחָבֹות‬ ֶ ‫הָיּו ְמ ֻחּבָרֹות ַּב ֵח‬
,‫ ּכְמֹו ׁשֶּמְ פ ָֹרׁש ָּב ִענְי ָן‬,‫ׁשאֵין נֹופְלֹות‬
ֶ ‫ִּבּורן ְל ַטּבְעֹות הַחֹׁשֶן נֶ ֱא ָחז ִין ִמ ְּל ָפנָיו ְּכנֶגֶד לִּבֹו‬
ָ ‫ ְועַ"י ְ ח‬,‫ׁשּנִ ְקּפָלֹות ְל ָפנָיו ְּכנֶגֶד ֶה ָחז ֶה‬ ֶ
‫ ְוהָיּו ז ְקּופֹות וְהֹולְכֹות ְּכנֶגֶד ּכְתֵ פָיו ּוׁשְּתֵ י ַא ְבנֵי הַׁשֹהַם קְבּועֹות ָּבהֶן ַאחַת ְּבכָל ַאחַת‬:

‫ שתי כתפת וגו׳‬TWO SHOULDER-PIECES, etc. — The apron was below and the ‫ חשב‬of the
ephod was the belt, and this was joined to it on its top edge similar to the apron of ladies who
ride on horseback. On the priest’s back there were joined to the belt two pieces like two wide
straps, one opposite each shoulder. He lifted these up upon his two shoulders so that they
hung down in front of him before his breast, and because they were joined to the rings in the
breast-plate they were held fast in front of him upon his heart so that they could not fall off his
shoulders backwards, just as is explained in this section (v. 28). Thus they lay on his back in
an erect position and then passed over his shoulders and the two onyx stones were fixed on
them, one stone upon each shoulder-piece.

‫ּקֹורין‬
ִ ֶ‫ ׁש‬,‫ׁשל ּכֹהֵן ְוגָבְהֹו עַד ְּכנֶגֶד ָה ֲאצִילִים‬ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה ָרחְּבֹו אֶ ּלָא ְּכנֶגֶד ּגַּבֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשל אֵפֹוד‬
ֶ ‫ אֶל ָרחְּבֹו‬.‫אל שני קצותיו‬
‫ ֹלא ְל ַמ ְעלָה ֵמ ֲאצִילֵיהֶם וְֹלא לְמַ ּטָה‬,‫ׁשּנֶ' ֹלא י ַ ְחּגְרּו ַּבּיָז ַע (יחזקאל מ"ד ) – אֵין חֹוג ְִרין ִּב ְמקֹום ז ֵיעָה‬
ֶ ,‫קורי"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬
‫ ִמּמָתְ נֵיהֶם ֶאּלָא ְּכנֶגֶד אֲ צִילֵיהֶם‬:

‫ אל שני קצותיו‬AT THE TWO EXTREMITIES THEREOF — on the width of the ephod; for its
width was equal only to that of the priest’s back (and did not go entirely round his body, so
that one may well speak of the two extremities of the ephod), and its height was up to the
elbows — which they call coudes in old French — and not higher, because it is said (Ezekiel
44:18) “they shall not gird themselves (‫) ַבּיָּז ַע‬,” i. e. they shall not gird themselves in the place
where one perspires (‫ )במקום זיעה‬namely, not higher than their elbows and not lower than their
loins, but only by their elbows (Zevachim 18b).

‫אֹורגָם ְלבַד וְַאחַר‬

ְ ‫ וְֹלא יֶא ְֶרגֵם עִּמֹו אֶ ּלָא‬,‫ׁשב‬
ֶ ‫ ָהאֵפֹוד עִם אֹותָ ן ׁשְּתֵ י כִתְ פֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד י ְ ַחּבֵר אֹותָ ם ְּב ַמחַט ְל ַמּטָה ַּב ֵח‬.‫וחבר‬
‫ּכְָך מְ ַחּב ְָרם‬:

‫ וחבר‬IT — the ephod — SHALL BE JOINED with the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod: he
shall join them below the belt with a needle and he shall not weave them together with it, but
he must weave them separately and join them afterwards.

28:8

‫ׁשעַל י ָדֹו הּוא ְמ ַאּפְדֹו ּומְתַ ְּקנֵהּו לַּכֹהֵן ּומְ קַּׁשְטֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ְוחָגֹור‬.‫וחשב אפדתו‬:
‫ וחשב אפדתו‬This signifies, and the girdle by means of which he bedecks it (the ephod) and puts
it in order for the priest and adorns him (cf. Rashi on v. 4).

‫ֲגֹורה‬
ָ ‫ הִיא ַהח‬,‫ׂשפַת ַהּסִינָר‬
ְ ‫ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ִּב‬.‫אשר עליו‬:

‫ אשר עליו‬WHICH WAS UPON IT — above on the edge of the apron: this is therefore the
girdle.

‫ׁשב ּומֵ חֲמֵׁשֶת מִ ינִין‬

ֵ ‫ׂשה חֹו‬
ֵ ‫ׁשב ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫אֲריגַת ַה ֵח‬
ִ ‫ ּכְָך‬,‫ׁשב ּו ֵמ ֲח ֵמׁשֶת מִינִים‬
ֵ ‫ׂשה חֹו‬
ֵ ‫ ַּכא ֲִריגַת ַהּסִינָר ַמ ֲע‬.‫כמעשהו‬:

‫ כמעשהו‬ACCORDING TO THE WORK THEREOF — as the weaving of the apron — the

work of an artist and of the five materials — so the weaving of the belt, also, was the work of
an artist and of the five materials.

‫ַַארגֶּנּו ְלבַד וִי ַחּב ְֶרּנּו‬

ְ ‫ עִּמֹו י ִ ְהי ֶה ָארּוג וְֹלא י‬.‫ממנו יהיה‬:

‫ ממנה יהיה‬IT SHALL BE OF THE SAME — it shall be woven together with it, and one shall
not weave it separately, and join its afterwards.

28:10

,‫ י ִּׂשָשכָר ז ְבּולֻן‬,‫ ָאׁשֵר‬,‫ּׁשנִּי ָה ּגָד‬

ְ ‫ ְועַל ַה‬,‫ נַפְתָ לִי עַל הַָאחַת‬,‫ ּדָ ן‬,‫ י ְהּודָ ה‬,‫ ֵלוִי‬,‫ׁשמְעֹון‬
ִ ,‫ׁשּנֹולְדּו – ְראּובֵן‬
ֶ ‫ ַּכּסֵדֶ ר‬.‫כתולדתם‬
‫ כ"ה אֹותִ ּיֹות ְּבכָל ַאחַת וְַאחַת‬,‫ׁשּכֵן הּוא כָתּוב ִּב ְמקֹום ּתֹולַדְ ּתֹו‬ ֶ ,‫ ִּבנְיָמִין ָמלֵא‬,‫יֹוסֵף‬:

‫ כתולדתם‬ACCORDING TO THEIR BIRTH — in the order in which they were born: Reuben,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali upon one, and upon the other Gad, Asher, Issachar,
Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin — the last name being written full (plene, with a ‫ י‬before the
last letter, thus: ‫ )בנימין‬for that is how it is written in the passage that tells of his birth (Genesis
35:18). This gives twenty-five letters on each stone (cf. Sotah 36a).

28:11

‫ ְוכֵן‬,‫ׁשּלְַאח ֲָריו ּו ְלפִיכְָך הּוא נָקּוד ּפַּתָ ח ּבְסֹופֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ח ַָרׁש ז ֶה ּדָ בּוק הּוא לַּתֵ בָה‬,‫ׁשל ֲא ָבנִים‬
ֶ ‫ׂשה ֻאּמָן‬
ֵ ‫ ַמ ֲע‬.‫מעשה חרש אבן‬
‫ ּכָל אֵ ּלֶה ּדְ בּוקִ ים ּופְתּוחִים‬,)‫ (שם‬,‫ ְוכֵן ח ַָרׁש ּב ְַרז ֶל ַמ ֲעצָד‬,‫ׁשל ֵעצִים‬ ֶ ‫ח ַָרׁש ֵעצִים נָטָה קָו (ישעיהו מ"ד ) – ח ָָרׁש‬:

‫ מעשה חרש אבן‬means THE WORK OF AN ARTIFICER IN STONES. This word ‫ חרש‬is in
close connection (i. e. in the construct state) with the word that follows it and therefore it is
punctuated with Patach in its last syllable. Similar is, (Isaiah 44:13) “The ‫ ח ַָרׁש עצים‬stretcheth
out a line” i. e. the worker in wood. So, also, (Isaiah 44:12) “the worker in (‫ )ח ַָרׁש‬iron maketh
an axe.” All these examples of ‫ ח ַָרׁש‬are in close connection with the words that follows them
and are therefore punctuated with Patach.

‫ֶחֹורצִין חֹותְ מֵי ַטּבָעֹות ׁשֶ הֵם ַלחְּת ֹם‬

ְ ‫ חֲרּוצֹות הָאֹותִ ּיֹות ּבְתֹוכָן ּכְמֹו ׁש‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּכְתַ ב ְמפ ַָרׁש ִּכגְֹלף ּדְ ִעז ְ ָקא‬.‫פתוחי חתם‬
‫ ִאּגְרֹות – ּכְתָ ב נִּכָר ּומְ פ ָֹרׁש‬:

‫ פתוחי חותם‬LIKE THE ENGRAVINGS OF A SIGNET — Understand this as the Targum

renders it: a distinct writing like the engraving of a signet-ring: the letters were incised in
them just as one incises the seals of a ring which are used to seal letters — a clear and distinct
writing.
‫ ּכְמֹו ּבִׁשְמ ֹת‬.‫על שמת‬:

‫ — על שמות‬This is the same as ‫“ בשמות‬with the names of”.

‫ׁשב ָה ֶאבֶן ְּבזָהָב ְּכמִין ֻּג ָּמא ְלמִּדַ ת הָאֶ בֶן ּומְׁשַ ּקְ עָּה‬ַ ‫ׂשה מֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ׁשֶעֹו‬,‫ׁשּבְצֹות זָהָב‬ְ ‫ ֻמ ָּקפֹות ָה ֲא ָבנִים ְּב ִמ‬.‫מסבת משבצות‬
‫ׁשּבְצֹות ְּבכִתְ פֹות הָאֵ פֹוד‬ ְ ‫ׁש ֶּבצֶת סֹו ֶבבֶת אֶת ָה ֶאבֶן ָסבִיב ּו ְמ ַחּבֵר ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ‫ נִ ְמצֵאת ַה ִּמ‬,‫ׁש ֶּבצֶת‬ְ ‫ ַּב ִּמ‬:

‫ מסבת משבצות‬SURROUNDED WITH SETTINGS [OF GOLD] — Thou shalt make the stones
to be surrounded by gold settings: the meaning is that they should make as a setting for each
stone a kind of indentation in the gold, of the same size as the stone and sink it in the setting;
thus the setting surrounds the stone on all sides. That setting they attached to the shoulder-
pieces of the ephod.

28:12

‫ּׁש ָבטִים ּכְתּובִים ְל ָפנָיו ְויִז ְּכ ֹר צִדְ קָתָ ם‬

ְ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא רֹו ֶאה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה אֶת ַה‬
ֶ .‫לזכרן‬:

‫ לזכרון‬FOR A MEMORIAL — so that the Holy One, blessed be He, will see the names of the
tribes written before Him and He will remember their righteousness (cf. Exodus Rabbah
38:8).

28:13

‫ ּו ְבפ ָָרׁשַת הַח ֹׁשֶ ן ּגֹומֵר לְָך‬,‫ׁשה זֹו ֶאּלָא ִמ ְּקצָת צ ְָרּכָן‬
ָ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות ׁשְּתַ י ִם; וְֹלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש לְָך עַּתָ ה ְּבפ ָָר‬
ְ ‫ מִעּוט ִמ‬.‫ועשית משבצת‬
‫ּפֵרּוׁשָ ן‬:

‫ ועשית משבצת‬AND THOU SHALT MAKE SETTINGS — two settings, for the minimum
number of settings (the plural) is two. In this section it explains to you only part of their
purpose, whilst in the section dealing with the breast-plate it completes for you the
explanation about them.

28:14

‫ ׁשַ לְׁשְ לָאֹות‬.‫שרשרת זהב‬:

‫ שרשרת זהב‬means CHAINS OF GOLD — the word being the same as ‫( שלשלאות‬the letters ‫ל‬
and ‫ ר‬being interchangeable, as in ‫ ארמנות‬for ‫ ;אלמנות‬cf. the Aramaic ‫)ארמלתא‬

‫ לְסֹוף ּגְבּול הַח ֹׁשֶ ן ּתַ עֲׂשֶ ה אֹותָ ם‬.‫מגבלת‬:

‫ מגבלות‬means AT THE END OF THE BORDER (‫ )גבול‬of the breast-plate ‫ תעשה אותם‬SHALT
THOU MAKE THEM.

‫ ֶאּלָא ּכְאֹותָ ן ׁשֶעֹוׂשִ ין‬,‫ׂשה נְ ָקבִים ּו ְכ ָפלִים ּכְאֹותָ ן ׁשֶעֹוׂשִין לְבֹורֹות‬

ֵ ‫ וְֹלא ַמ ֲע‬,‫ׂשה ְקלִיעַת חּוטִין‬
ֵ ‫ ַמ ֲע‬.‫מעשה עבת‬
‫ּקֹורין אנשנשוי"רש ְּב ַלעַז‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ְלע ְַרּדַ ְס ָקאֹות‬:

‫ מעשה עבת‬OF CORD-LIKE WORK — made of plaited threads and not made of rings and
hooks (somewhat like links) like those chains which are made for cisterns (to which the
bucket is attached), but like those which are made for censers which are called encensiers in
old French (cf. Rashi on Beitzah 22b).
 ‫ׁשּבְצֹות ַהּלָלּו; וְֹלא ז ֶה הּוא ְמקֹום ַצּוַָאת עֲׂשִ ּי ָתָ ן ׁשֶ ל‬ ְ ‫ׂשה עֲבֹות עַל ִמ‬ ֵ ‫ׁשל עֲבֹותֹות ָהעֲׂשּויֹות ַמ ֲע‬ ֶ .‫ונתתה את שרשרת‬
,‫ ֶאּלָא לְׁשֹון עָתִ יד‬,‫ ְואֵין ְונָתַ ּתָ ה הָָאמּור ּכָאן לְׁשֹון צִּוּוי‬,‫ׂשה הָָאמּור ּכָאן לְׁשֹון צִּוּוי‬ ֶ ‫ אֵין ּתַ ֲע‬,‫ וְֹלא ַצּוַָאת ְקבִיעָתָ ן‬,‫ׁשַרׁשְרֹות‬
ְ
‫ וְֹלא נִכְּתַ ב ּכָאן ֶאּלָא לְהֹודִ י ַע ִמ ְּקצַת צ ֶֹרְך הַּמִׁשְ בְצֹות ׁשֶ ִּצּוָה‬,‫ׂשּי ָתָ ן ְועַל ְקבִיעָתָ ן‬ ִ ‫ּכִי ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת הַחֹׁשֶן חֹוז ֵר ּו ְמ ַצּוֶה עַל ֲע‬
‫ ּתִ ּתְ נֵם‬,‫ׂשה ׁש ְַרׁשְרֹות ִמגְּבָלֹות עַל הַח ֹׁשֶ ן‬ ֶ ‫ ִל ְכׁשֶּתַ ֲע‬,‫ׁשּבְצֹות ַהּלָלּו יִּז ָ ְקקּו לְָך‬
ְ ‫ ְוכָתַ ב לְָך ז ֹאת לֹומַר לְָך ַה ִּמ‬,‫ַלעֲׂשֹות עִם ָהאֵפֹוד‬
‫עַל הַּמִׁשְ ּבְצֹות ַהּלָלּו‬:

‫ — ונתת את שרשרת‬This means, AND THOU WILT PLACE THE CHAINS OF CORD-WORK
— i. e. the chains made of cord-work — upon these settings. This is not the place where the
command is laid down about making the chains nor is this the command about fixing them:
the word ‫ תעשה‬used here does not express a command, nor does the word ‫ ונתת‬used here
express a command, but these express the future tense. For in the chapter about the breast-
plate He returns to this, and there He lays down the command about making them (v. 22) and
fixing them (vv. 24—25). This is written here only to point out part of the purpose of the
settings which He commanded to be made together with the ephod, and He wrote this here to
tell you: these settings you will require — when you will make chains at the ends upon the
breast-plate you shall put them upon these settings.

28:15

‫ דריש"נטנט ְּב ַלעַז; ׁשֶ הַּמִׁשְ ּפָט‬,‫ׁש ְּמב ֵָרר ּדְ ב ָָריו ְו ַה ְב ָטחָתֹו ֱאמֶת‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּפָט‬
ְ ‫ ִמ‬,‫ ּדָ "ַא‬.‫ׁש ְּמ ַכּפֵר עַל קִ לְקּול הַּדִ ין‬
ֶ .‫חשן משפט‬
‫ אִ ם עֹנֶׁש‬,‫ אִם עֹנֶׁש מַ ּכֹות‬,‫ אִם עֹנֶׁש מִיתָ ה‬,‫ ּדִ ב ְֵרי ַטעֲנֹות ַה ַּב ֲעלֵי ּדִ ינִים ּוגְמַר הַּדִ ין וְעֹנֶׁש הַּדִ ין‬,‫ׁשֹלׁש לְׁשֹונֹות‬
ָ ‫ׁשּמֵׁש‬
ַ ‫ְמ‬
‫ׁש ְּמפ ֵָרׁש ּומְ ב ֵָרר ּדְ ב ָָריו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּמֵׁש לְׁשֹון ּבֵרּור ּדְ ב ִָרים‬
ַ ‫ ְוז ֶה ְמ‬,‫מָמֹון‬:

‫ חשן משפט‬THE BREAST-PLATE OF JUDGMENT — it was so called because it atoned for

any error in judgment (cf. Zevachim 88b; Jerusalem Talmud Yoma 7:5). Another explanation
of why it is called “the breast-plate of ‫”משפט‬, is because it makes its statements clear (definite
— so that there can be no doubt about their meaning) and its promise is true; discerement in
old French, (sentence of judgment). Because the word ‫ משפט‬is used in three senses: the
contentions of the parties to the law-suit, the pronouncement of the sentence and the
punishment attendant on the sentence, whether it be punishment of death or punishment of
flagellation or punishment involving a monetary payment; here it is used in the sense of
making its statements definite, so that this is the breast-plate with the Urim and Thummim
which explains and makes its statement clear.

‫ׁשב ּומֵ חֲמֵׁשֶת מִ ינִין‬

ֵ ‫ׂשה חֹו‬
ֵ ‫ ַמ ֲע‬.‫כמעשה אפד‬:

‫ כמעשה אפד‬AFTER THE WORK OF THE EPHOD — the work of an artist and of the five
materials.

28:16

‫ ּתָ לּוי ְּבכִתְ פֹות הָאֵ פֹוד ַהּבָאֹות‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְוהָיּו עַל לֵב ַאהֲר ֹן‬ ֶ ,‫ ּכָפּול; ּו ֻמּטָל לֹו ְל ָפנָיו ְּכנֶגֶד לִּבֹו‬.‫זרת ארכו וזרת רחבו‬
‫ ְוהַחֹׁשֶן ּתָ לּוי ָּבהֶן ְּבׁש ְַרׁשְרֹות ְו ַטּבָעֹות ּכְמֹו ׁשֶּמְ פ ָֹרׁש ָּב ִענְי ָן‬,‫ְיֹורדֹות ְל ָפנָיו ְמעַט‬ְ ‫ֲחֹוריו עַל ּכְתֵ פָיו ְונִ ְקּפָלֹות ו‬
ָ ‫ ֵמא‬:

‫ זרת ארכו וזרת רחבו‬A SPAN IN LENGTH AND A SPAN IN WIDTH, being double (Exodus
39:9) and it lay on him in front over his heart, as it is said, (v. 30) “And they shall be upon
Aaron’s heart.” It was suspended from the shoulder-pieces of the ephod which came from
behind him upon his shoulders and hung over and fell down a little way in front of him, and
the breast-plate was suspended from them by means of the chains and rings, as is explained in
the section (vv. 22—29).
28:17

‫קֹורא אֹותָ ן ִּבלְׁשֹון מִ ּלּואִ ים‬

ֵ ,‫ׁשּבְצֹות ַהמְתֻ ּקָנֹות ָלהֶן‬
ְ ‫ׁש ָה ֲא ָבנִים ְמ ַמּלְאֹות ּגֻּמֹות ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם‬.‫ומלאת בו‬:

‫ ומלאת בו‬AND THOU SHALT FILL IT [WITH FILLINGS OF STONES] — Because the
stones fill the hollows of the settings which were specially made for them it calls them by the
term ‫“ מלואים‬fillings”.

28:20

‫ ז ֶהּו לְׁשֹון‬,‫ׁשּי ִתְ ַמּלֵא ּבְעֹבִי הָאֶ בֶן‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות זָהָב ּבְע ֹ ֶמק ׁשִעּור‬ ְ ‫ַּטּורים במלואתם – ֻמ ָּקפִים ִמ‬ ִ ‫ ה‬.‫משבצים זהב יהיו‬
‫ ֹלא פָחֹות וְֹלא יֹותֵ ר‬,‫ׁשּבְצֹות‬ ְ ‫ׁשל ֲא ָבנִים י ִ ְהי ֶה ע ֹ ֶמק ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכׁשִעּור ִמּלּוי ָע ְבי ָן‬,‫ ְּב ִמּלּוא ֹתָ ם‬:

‫ משבצים זהב יהיו‬SET IN GOLD SHALL THEY — the rows — BE ‫ במלאותם‬IN THEIR
SETTINGS — surrounded by gold settings in depth of such a size that each shall be filled by
the thickness of the stone. This is the meaning of ‫במלאותם‬, “in their fillings”: of such a size as
will be filled by the thickness of the stones shall be the depth of the settings, neither more nor
less.

28:21

‫ ְוכֵן ֻּכּלָם‬,‫ ִּפטְדָ ה לְׁשִמְעֹון‬,‫ א ֹדֶ ם ל ְִראּובֵן‬,‫ ְּכסֵדֶ ר ּתֹולְדֹותָ ם סֵדֶ ר ָה ֲא ָבנִים‬.‫איש על שמו‬:

‫ איש על שמו‬EVERY ONE WITH HIS NAME — As the order in which they were born shall be
the order of the stones: a sardius for Reuben, a topaz for Simeon, and so in the case of all of
them.

28:22

‫ׁש ְּמפ ָֹרׁש לְמַ ּטָה ָב ִענְי ָן‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ְל ָק ְבעָם ְּב ַטּבְעֹותָ יו‬,‫ׁשבִיל הַחֹׁשֶן‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫על החשן‬:

‫ על החשן‬means [AND THOU SHALT MAKE] FOR THE BREAST-PLATE (not upon it), —
in order to fasten them (the plaited chains) on its rings, as is explained further on in the
section.

‫ׁש ָּבהֶם י ִ ְהי ֶה תָ לּוי‬

ֶ ‫ ַאף ֵאּלּו יִהְיּו ְמַא ֲחז ִין לַחֹׁשֶן‬,‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ ַה ְמַא ֲחז ִין ָלאִילָן ְלהֵָאחֵז ּו ְלהִּתָ קַע ּב‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ׁש ְָרׁשֵי אִילָן‬.‫שרשת‬
,‫ׁשָרׁשִ ים‬
ָ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות; וְַאף ׁש ְַרׁשְרֹות ּפָתַ ר ְמנַחֵם ּבֶן סָרּוק לְׁשֹון‬ ְ ‫ ְוהֵן ׁשְּתֵ י ׁש ְַרׁשְרֹות ָהאֲמּורֹות ְל ַמ ְעלָה ְּב ִענְי ַן ַה ִּמ‬,‫ָּבאֵפֹוד‬
‫ ֶאּלָא ׁש ְַרׁש ֶֶרת ִּבלְׁשֹון ִעב ְִרית‬,‫ ְואֵינִי רֹו ֶאה אֶת ּדְ ב ָָריו‬,‫ׁשּב ְֵריקָם‬ ֶ ‫ׁשלְׁשֹום ּומ"ם‬ ִ ‫ׁש ְּב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ֵָרי"ׁש י ְתֵ ָרה ּכְמֹו מ"ם‬
ֶ ‫וְָאמַר‬
‫ׁשלֶת ִּבלְׁשֹון מִׁשְ נָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְל‬
ַ ‫ ְּכ‬:

‫ — שרשת‬This is the same expression as the roots (‫ )ׁש ֶֹרׁש‬of a tree which hold the tree firm so
that it may be held and kept fixed in the ground. Thus, also, these roots, as it were, shall hold
the breast-plate firm because from them shall it hang on the ephod. These were really the two
plaited chains which are mentioned above in the section on the settings (v. 14). Indeed,
Menachem ben Seruk actually explained the word ‫ שרשרות‬as well in the sense of roots and he
said that the second ‫ ר‬was redundant, just as the ‫ ם‬in ‫ שלשם‬and the ‫ ם‬in ‫ריקם‬. I, however, do
not agree with his statement, but I am of opinion that ‫ ׁש ְַרׁש ֶֶרת‬in the Hebrew language is the
equivalent of ‫ׁשלֶת‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְל‬
ַ in the Mishnaic language (Mishnah Kelim 14:3) (cf. Rashi on v. 14).

‫ אשומי"יל ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ְוכָל ּגְבּול לְׁשֹון ָקצֶה‬,‫ׁשּיִהְיּו ִּבגְבּול הַחֹׁשֶן‬

ֶ ‫ ׁשֶּתִ תְ ָקעֵם ַּב ַּטּבָעֹות‬,‫ הּוא ִמגְּבָלֹות הָָאמּור ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬.‫גבלת‬:
‫ — גבלת‬This is the same as ‫ מגבלות‬used above, (v. 14) meaning that thou shalt fix them in the
rings which will be on the border (‫ )גבול‬of the breast-plate. Wherever the word ‫ גבול‬occurs it
has the meaning of end; à sommel in old French

‫ מַ עֲׂשֵ ה קְ לִיעָה‬.‫מעשה עבת‬:

‫ מעשה עבת‬means PLAITED WORK.

28:23

‫ׁשאִם ּכֵן ַמה הּוא ׁשֶחֹוז ֵר וְאֹומֵר‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשּי ָתָ ן ָעלָיו‬

ִ ‫ וְֹלא י ִּתָ כֵן לֹומַר ׁשֶּתְ הֵא ּתְ ִחּלַת ֲע‬:‫ לְצ ֶֹרְך הַחֹׁשֶן – ּכְדֵ י ְל ָק ְבעָם ּבֹו‬.‫על החשן‬
,‫ְונָתַ ּתָ אֶת ׁשְּתֵ י ַה ַּטּבָעֹות ַוהֲֹלא ְכבָר נְתּונִין ּבֹו? ָהי ָה לֹו ִלכְּת ֹב ּבִתְ ִחּלַת ַה ִּמק ְָרא ְו ָעׂשִיתָ עַל קְצֹות הַחֹׁשֶן ׁשְּתֵ י ַטּבְעֹות זָהָב‬
‫וְַאף ְּבׁש ְַרׁשְרֹות צ ִָריְך אַּתָ ה ִלפְּת ֹר ּכֵן‬:

‫ על החשן‬means [AND THOU SHALT MAKE] FOR THE BREAST-PLATE (not upon it), —
in order to fix them on it. And it would not be correct to say that this means that they should
originally be made upon it (‫)על‬, for if this were so why should it again say in this verse, “And
thou shall put the two rings [on the two extremities]”? Would they not already have been
lying upon it if they had been made together with the breast-plate? It should rather have
written at the beginning of the verse, “And thou shalt make at the ends of the breast-plate two
rings of gold.” In the case of chains, also, you must explain it similarly.

‫ ַה ָּבאִים מּול ּכִתְ פֹות הָאֵ פֹוד‬,‫ּׂש ָמאלִית‬

ְ ‫ ַלי ְ ָמנִית ְו ַל‬,‫ׁש ְּכנֶגֶד ַה ַּצּוָאר‬
ֶ ‫ ִלׁשְּתֵ י ּפֵאֹות‬.‫על שני קצות החשן‬:

‫ על שני קצת החשן‬ON THE TWO EXTREMITIES OF THE BREAST-PLATE — on its two
corners that are close by his neck, on the right and on the left, which come opposite the
shoulder-pieces of the ephod.

28:24

‫ ַעכְׁשָו מְ פ ֵָרׁש‬,‫ וְֹלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש ְמקֹום קִּבּועָן ּבַחֹׁשֶן‬,‫ הֵן הֵן ׁש ְַרׁשֹות ַּגבְלּות ַהּכְתּובֹות ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬.‫ונתתה את שתי עבתת הזהב‬
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת ֵאּלֶה פְקּודֵ י ֹלא ֻה ְכּפְלּו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשהֵן הֵן ה ִָראׁשֹונֹות‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּיְהֵא תֹוחֵב אֹותָ ן ַּב ַּטּבָעֹות; וְתֵ דַ ע לְָך‬
ֶ ‫ לְָך‬:

‫ ונתת את שתי עבתת הזהב‬AND THOU SHALT PUT THE TWO ‫ עבתת‬OF GOLD — These are
the selfsame ‫“ שרשרת גבלות‬chains on the ends” which are written about above (v. 14). There,
however, it did not specify the place where they were to be fixed on the breast-plate, stating
only that the ends were to be put on the settings; now it tells you that one should insert them
in the rings which were on the breast-plate. And you can be certain that these are identical
with the former ones, because in the section ‫ אלה פקודי‬they are not mentioned twice (in two
separate paragraphs).

28:25

‫ׁשנֵי ָראׁשֵיהֶם ׁשֶ ל ּכָל ַאחַת‬

ְ ,‫ׁשל שתי עבתת‬
ֶ ‫ואת שתי קצות‬.

‫ ואת שתי קצות‬means, AND THE TWO EXTREMITIES OF ‫ שתי עבתת‬THE TWO PLAITED
CHAINS — (Rashi points out that ‫ קצות‬is in the construct state) — i. e. the two ends of each
cord
,‫ וְֹלא ּפ ֵֵרׁש אֶת צ ְָרּכָן וְאֶת מְ קֹומָ ן‬,‫ ּבֵין ּפ ָָרׁשַת הַחֹׁשֶן ּופ ָָרׁשַת ָה ֵאפֹוד‬,‫ הֵן הֵן ַהּכְתּובֹות ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬.‫תתן על שתי המשבצות‬
‫ׁשֶרת‬
ֶ ‫ׁשַר‬
ְ ‫ׁשנֵי ָראׁשֵ י‬ ְ ;‫ׁשּי ִתְ קַע ָּבהֶן ָראׁשֵי ָהעֲבֹותֹות הַּתְ חּובֹות ְּב ַטּבְעֹות הַחֹׁשֶן ַלּיָמִין ְו ַלּׂשְמ ֹאל ֵאצֶל ַה ַּצּוָאר‬
ֶ ‫ַע ְכׁשָו ְמפ ֵָרׁש‬
‫ׁשֶרת הַּׂשְמָ אלִית‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ָראׁשֵי ַהּׁש ְַר‬ְ ‫ׁשל ׂשְמ ֹאל‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן ְּב‬,‫ׁשל יָמִין‬ֶ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות‬ ְ ‫ ַהי ְ ָמנִית ּתֹו ֵק ַע ְּב ִּמ‬:

‫ תתן על שתי המשבצות‬THOU SHALT FASTEN IN THE TWO SETTINGS — These are the
selfsame settings which are mentioned above in the paragraph that is placed between the
section on the breast-plate and the section on the ephod. There it did not explain their purpose
and their position; now, however, it explains that he should fix into them the ends of the
plaited chains which had been inserted in the rings of the breast-plate on the right and on the
left near the neck. The two ends of the right chain he fixed in the setting on the right, and
similarly in that on the left he fixed the two ends of the left chain.

‫ הַּמִׁשְ ּבְצֹות‬.‫ונתתה‬

‫ ונתת‬AND THOU SHALT PUT the settings.

‫ ַועֲדַ י ִן‬,‫ ּו ָבהֵן הּוא תָ לּוי‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ִּפ ֹל‬

ֶ ‫ נִ ְמצְאּו ּכִתְ פֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד ַמ ֲחז ִיקִין אֶת הַחֹׁשֶן‬,‫ ַאחַת ּבְזֹו וְַאחַת ּבְזֹו‬, ‫על כתפות האפוד‬
,‫ ְלכְָך ֻהצ ְַרְך עֹוד ׁשְּתֵ י ַטּבָעֹות לְתַ חְּתִ יתֹו‬,‫ׂשפַת הַחֹׁשֶן הַּתַ חְּתֹונָה הֹו ֶלכֶת ּובָָאה וְנֹו ֶקׁשֶת עַל ּכ ְֵרסֹו ְואֵינָּה ּדְ בּו ָקה לֹו יָפֶה‬
ְ
‫ּכְמֹו ׁשֶּמְ פ ֵָרׁש וְהֹולְֵך‬:

‫ על כתפות האפד‬ON THE SHOULDER-PIECES OF THE EPHOD, one setting on this shoulder-
piece and one on that. Consequently the shoulder-pieces of the ephod hold the breast-plate up
so that it may not fall, and from them did it hang. But the lower edge of the breast-plate would
still come and go (swing to and fro) and strike against his stomach and would not lie closely
upon it; therefore two more rings were needed for its lower edge, as it goes on to explain.

‫ וְהּוא‬,‫ׁש ְּכ ַלּפֵי הַחּוץ‬

ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא ָּב ֵעבֶר ָה ֶעלְיֹון‬,‫ׁש ְּכ ַלפֵי ַה ְּמעִיל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות ְּב ֵעבֶר ַהּכְתֵ פֹות‬
ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ִּתֵ ן ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשל ֵאפֹוד‬
ֶ .‫אל מול פניו‬
‫ׁשאֵינֹו נ ְִר ֶאה אֵ ינֹו קָרּוי ָּפנִים‬
ֶ ‫ ּכִי אֹותֹו ֵעבֶר‬,‫ׁשל אֵ פֹוד‬ ֶ ‫קָרּוי מּול ָּפנָיו‬:

‫ אל מול פניו‬IN THE FOREPART THEREOF — i. e. in the forepart of the ephod. meaning that
he should not put the settings on that surface of the shoulder-pieces which faced the ‫מעיל‬, but
on the upper surface which faced the outside. It is that latter surface which is called the
forepart of the ephod, because the surface which is not seen, being turned towards the ‫מעיל‬,
cannot be called the ‫פנים‬, the front.

28:26

‫ הֵן ׁשְּתֵ י פֵאֹותָ יו הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות ַלּי ָמִ ין ְו ַלּׂשְמ ֹאל‬.‫על שני קצות החשן‬:

‫ על שני קצות החשן‬IN THE TWO EXTREMITIES OF THE BREAST-PLATE — These are its
two lower corners on the right and on the left.

‫ׁשל ּתַ חְּתִ יתֹו ׁשֶ הּוא ְכנֶגֶד‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ְקצָוֹות‬ְ ‫ׁשּי ִּתְ נֵם ִּב‬
ֶ ‫ ָה ֶאחָד‬,‫ׁשנֵי סִי ָמנִין‬
ְ ‫ ה ֲֵרי לְָך‬.‫על שפתו אשר אל עבר האפוד ביתה‬
‫ ׁשֶ ֹּלא י ִקְ ָּבעֵם‬,‫ וְעֹוד נָתַ ן סִימָן‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי סָמּוְך ַל ַּצּוָאר הּוא ְו ָהאֵפֹוד נָתּון עַל מָתְ נָיו‬ ֶ ,‫ׁש ֶעלְיֹונֹו אֵינֹו ְכנֶגֶד ָה ֵאפֹוד‬
ֶ ,‫ָהאֵפֹוד‬
‫ ׁשֶ חֵׁשֶ ב הָאֵ פֹוד‬,‫ וְאֹותֹו ָה ֵעבֶר הּוא ְלצַד ָה ֵאפֹוד‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ָּבי ְתָ ה‬ ֶ ,‫ׁש ְּכ ַלּפֵי ְּפנִים‬
ֶ ‫ ֵאּלֶא ָּב ֵעבֶר‬,‫ׁש ְּכ ַלּפֵי הַחּוץ‬
ֶ ‫ְּב ֵעבֶר הַחֹׁשֶן‬
‫ ּו ְקצָת ּכ ְֵרסֹו ִמּכָאן ּו ִמּכָאן עַד ְּכנֶגֶד קְצֹות הַחֹׁשֶן ּוקְצֹותָ יו ׁשֹו ְכבִין ָעלָיו‬,‫חֹוגְרֹו הַּכֹהֵן ְונִ ְקּפָל ַהּסִינָר ִל ְפנֵי הַּכֹהֵן עַל מָתְ נָיו‬:

‫ על שפתו אשר על עבר האפוד ביתה‬ON THE BORDER THEREOF WHICH IS ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE EPHOD INWARD — Here you have two indications of the position of the
rings: one, that he should place them on the two ends of the lower edge, for it was this which
was over against the ephod, because its upper edge was not over against the ephod since it
was close to the neck and the ephod was placed a little above his loins (consequently the
upper edge of the breastplate which was near the priest’s neck was nowhere near the ephod
which was girded round him just above the loins. See Rashi on v. 7). It gives another
indication by the use of the word ‫ ביתה‬: that, he should not fix them on that side of the breast-
plate which faced outside, but on that side which faced inward, because it is said ‫ביתה‬, inward.
It was that side which was turned toward the ephod, for the ends of the lower edge of that side
of the breast-plate really lay upon the ephod since the priest tied the belt of the ephod around
him and the apron was folded over in front of the priest upon his loins and upon a part of his
stomach on both sides as far as against the ends of the breast-plate (i. e. the corners of the
lower edge), the ends of which lay upon it.

28:27

,‫ ְּכנֶגֶד ּגְרֹונֹו‬,‫ׁשּבְצֹות נְתּונֹות ּב ְָראׁשֵי כִתְ פֹות ָה ֵאפֹוד ָה ֶעלְיֹונִים ַה ָּבאִים עַל ּכְתֵ פָיו‬ ְ ‫ׁש ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ .‫על שתי כתפות מלמטה‬
‫ סָמּוְך‬,‫ׁשּנֶ' ְל ֻעּמַת מַ ְחּב ְַרּתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ וְהּוא‬,‫ׁשהּוא ְמ ֻחּבָר ָלאֵפֹוד‬ ֶ ,‫ּׁשנִי‬
ֵ ‫ ְו ַה ַּטּבָעֹות ִצּוָה לִּתֵ ן ּבְר ֹאׁשָן ַה‬,‫ְיֹורדֹות ְל ָפנָיו‬
ְ ‫ְונִ ְקּפָלֹות ו‬
,‫ ְו ֵאּלּו נְתּונִים ְמעַט ּבְגֹבַּה ז ְקִ יפַת ַהּכְתֵ פֹות‬,‫ֲגֹורה‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַה ַּמ ְחּב ֶֶרת ְל ֻעּמַת ַהח‬
ֶ ,‫ֲגֹורה ְמעַט‬ ָ ‫ ְל ַמ ְעלָה מִן ַהח‬,‫ִּבּורן ָּב ֵאפֹוד‬ָ ‫ִל ְמקֹום ח‬
‫ וְנֹותֵ ן ּפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת ּבְאֹותָ ן ַה ַּטּבָעֹות ּו ְב ַטּבְעֹות הַח ֹׁשֶ ן וְרֹו ְכסָן‬,‫ ְוהֵן ְּכנֶגֶד סֹוף הַחֹׁשֶן‬,‫ׁשב ָהאֵפֹוד‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ִמ ַּמעַל ְל ֵח‬
ֶ ‫הּוא‬
‫ ְונִמְ צָא מְ י ֻּׁשָ ב עַל‬,‫ וְנֹוקֵׁש עַל ּכ ְֵרסֹו‬,‫ׁשֹּלא יְהֵא תַ חְּתִ ית הַחֹׁשֶן הֹולְֵך ְל ָפנִים וְחֹוז ֵר לְָאחֹור‬ ֶ ,‫ּבְאֹותֹו ּפְתִ יל ְליָמִין ְו ִלׂשְמ ֹאל‬
‫הַּמְ עִיל יָפֶה‬:

‫על שתי כתפות האפוד מלמטה‬. ON THE TWO SHOULDER-PIECES OF THE EPHOD
UNDERNEATH — underneath because the settings were placed on the upper ends of the
shoulder-pieces of the ephod which came upon his shoulders beside his throat and which were
folded over his shoulders and fell down in front of him; and the rings mentioned here He
commanded to be put on the other end of each shoulder-piece which was joined on the ephod.
This is the meaning of what is said ‫לעמת מחברתו‬, “over against the joining thereof”, i. e. close
by the spot where they were joined on to the ephod, namely, a little above the girdle, for the
place of joining was over against the girdle. Thus these rings were placed a little above the
place where the shoulder-straps began to rise from the girdle, and this is the meaning of what
is said, “above the girdle of the ephod”. These were thus opposite (i. e. on a level with) the
end (the lower edge) of the breastplate (but, of course, on the priest’s back, whilst the breast-
plate lay in front of him). Now they placed a thread of blue purple in those rings and in the
rings of the breast-plate and fastened them (the pair of rings) together by means of that thread
on the right and on the left so that the lower edge of the breast-plate should not move forward
and then return backward (should not move to and fro) and strike against his stomach. It
followed, therefore, that it (the breast-plate) lay well upon the “Meil”.

‫ ָּב ֵעבֶר ַהחִיצֹון‬.‫ממול פניו‬:

‫ ממול פניו‬TOWARDS THE FOREPART THEREOF — i. e. on the outer side.

28:28

– )'‫ ְוכֵן ְוה ְָר ָכסִים ְל ִב ְקעָה (ישעיהו מ‬,‫ׁשעִים‬ ָ ‫ִּבּורי ֶח ְבלֵי ְר‬
ֵ ‫ לְׁשֹון חִּבּור; ְוכֵן מ ֵֻר ְכסֵי אִיׁש (תהילים ל"א) – ח‬.‫וירכסו‬
‫ׁשּמִּתֹוְך ְסמִיכָתָ ן ַה ַּגי ְא ז ְקּופָה ַועֲמֻ ּקָ ה – יְהֵא‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּבֵינֵיהֶם ֶאּלָא בְקֹׁשִי ּגָדֹול‬
ֶ ‫ֵירד ַל ַּגי ְא‬
ֵ ‫ׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר ל‬
ֶ ,‫ה ִָרים ַהּסְמּוכִים ז ֶה ָלז ֶה‬
‫ ְל ִב ְקעַת מִיׁשֹור וְנֹוחָה לֵילְֵך‬:

‫ — וירכסו‬This is an expression for joining. Similar in meaning is, (Psalms 31:21) “[Thou
hidest them] from the ‫ ֻר ְכסַי‬of men”, i. e. from the union of companies of wicked people.
Similar is, (Isaiah 40:4) “And the ‫ רכסים‬shall become a plain” — i. e. the mountains which are
close (almost joined) to one another so that it is not possible to descend into the valley
between them except with great difficulty, since, in consequence of their closeness to each
other, the valley is precipitous and deep — these ‫רכסים‬, connected mountains, shall become a
level plain and easy to travel upon.

‫ ִלהְיֹות הַחֹׁשֶן ּדָ בּוק אֶ ל חֵׁשֶ ב הָאֵ פֹוד‬.‫להיות על חשב האפוד‬:

‫ להיות על חשב האפוד‬THAT IT MAY BE UPON THE GIRDLE OF THE EPHOD — that the
breast-plate (not the ring) may be attached to the girdle of the ephod.

‫ לְׁשֹון נִּתּוק; ּולְׁשֹון ע ֲָרבִי הּוא ּכְדִ ב ְֵרי ּדּונָׁש ּבֶן ָלב ְָרט‬.‫ולא יזח‬:

‫ ולא יזח‬SO THAT [THE BREAST-PLATE] BE NOT LOOSENED — ‫ יזח‬is an expression for
“breaking away”. It is an Arabic expression according to the opinion of Dunash ben Labrat.

28:30

‫ׁשעַל י ָדֹו הּוא ֵמאִיר ּדְ ב ָָריו ּומְתַ ּמֵ ם‬ֶ ,‫ׁש ָהי ָה נֹותְ נֹו ּבְתֹוְך ִּכ ְפלֵי הַחֹׁשֶן‬
ֶ ,‫ הּוא ּכְתָ ב ׁשֵם ַה ְמפ ָֹרׁש‬.‫את האורים ואת התמים‬
,‫ׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר לְכֹהֵן ּגָדֹול ִלהְיֹות ְמ ֻחּסַר ְּבגָדִ ים – ֲאבָל אֹותֹו ַהּׁשֵם ֹלא ָהי ָה ּבְתֹוכֹו‬ ֶ – ‫ׁשנִי ָהי ָה הַחֹׁשֶן‬
ֵ ‫אֶת ּדְ ב ָָריו; ּו ְב ִמקְּדָ ׁש‬
)‫ָאּורים (יומא ע"ג‬ ִ ‫ׁשּפַט ה‬ְ ‫ׁשַאל לֹו ְּב ִמ‬
ָ ‫ ְו‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר (במדבר כ"ז‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּפָט‬ ְ ‫ ְועַל ׁשֵם אֹותֹו ַהּכְתָ ב הּוא קָרּוי ִמ‬:

‫ את האורים ואת התמים‬THE URIM AND THE THUMMIM — This was an inscription of the
Proper Name of God which was placed between the folds (i. e. the two pieces forming the
front and back) of the breast-plate through which it (the breast-plate) made its statements clear
(lit., illuminated its words; ‫ מאיר‬from ‫אור‬, light, this being an allusion to the ‫ )אורים‬and its
promises true (‫ מתמם‬from the root ‫תמם‬, an allusion to ‫( )תמים‬Yoma 73b). In the second Temple
there was certainly the breast-plate (although other objects employed in the Temple Service
were missing) for it was impossible that the High Priest should have lacked a garment, but
that Divine Name was not within it. It was on account of the inscription which constituted the
Urim and Thummim and which enabled it to give decisions that it was called “judgment”, as
it is said, (Numbers 27:21) “And he shall enquire for him by the judgment of the Urim”
(Numbers 27:21).

‫ אִם ַלעֲׂשֹות ּדָ בָר אֹו ֹלא ַלעֲׂשֹות; ּו ְלפִי מִ"ַא ׁשֶ הַח ֹׁשֶ ן‬,‫ׁש ָּפטִים וְנֹו ָכחִים עַל י ָדֹו‬
ְ ִ‫ׁשהֵם נ‬
ֶ ‫ ּדָ בָר‬.‫את משפט בני ישראל‬
‫ׁשּפָט עַל ׁשֵם ְסלִיחַת הַּמִׁשְ ּפָט‬ ְ ‫ נִק ְָרא ִמ‬,‫ ְמ ַכּפֵר עַל ְמ ַעּוְתֵ י הַּדִ ין‬:

‫[ את משפט בני ישראל‬AND AARON SHALL BEAR] THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHILDREN
OF ISRAEL — the object by means of which they are judged and admonished whether they
should do a particular thing or whether they should not do it. But according to the Midrashic
statement (Zevachim 88b) that the breast-plate atoned for those who pervert judgment it was
called “judgment” in allusion to the pardon thus given for perverse judgment.

28:31

‫ֲגֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁש ָה ֵאפֹוד נָתּון ָעלָיו ַלח‬
ֶ .‫את מעיל האפוד‬:

‫ את מעיל האפוד‬THE ROBE OF THE EPHOD — i. e. the robe over which the ephod was placed
to serve the purpose of a girdle.
‫ׁשאֵין מִין ַאחֵר מְע ָֹרב ּבֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ ּכֻּלֹו תְ ֵכלֶת‬.‫כליל תכלת‬:

‫ כליל תכלת‬signifies THE WHOLE OF IT BLUE PURPLE, meaning that there should be no
other material mixed with it (Yoma 71b).

28:32

‫ׁש ְּבגָבְהֹו – הּוא ּפְתִ יחַת ּבֵית ַה ַּצּוָאר‬

ֶ ‫ ּפִי ַה ְּמעִיל‬.‫והיה פי ראשו‬:

‫ והיה פי ראשו‬AND THE HOLE IN THE HEAD OF IT SHALL BE — the hole of the Robe
which is at its top — that is, the opening which serves as a receptacle for the neck,

‫אֹורג וְֹלא בְמַ חַט‬

ֵ ‫ׂשה‬ֵ ‫ ְו ָהי ָה ַמ ֲע‬,‫ׂשפָה ְּכפִילָתֹו‬
ָ ‫ ִלהְיֹות לֹו ְל‬,‫ ּכָפּול לְתֹוכֹו‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ָּכפִיל ְלגַּוֵּה‬.‫בתוכו‬:

‫ בתוכו‬IN THE MIDST THEREOF — Understand this as the Targum renders it: ‫כפיל לגויה‬
“turned in towards the inside” — the turn-in shall serve as its seam. It was weaver’s work
(woven as such with the Robe) and not made with a needle.

‫ׁש ָּלהֶם ּפִיהֶם ּכָפּול‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ַהּׁש ְִריֹונִים‬
ֶ ‫ ָלמַדְ נּו‬.‫כפי תחרא‬:

‫ כפי תחרא‬AS IT WERE THE HOLE OF A HABERGEON — This informs us that their
habergeons had the neck-opening turned in.

‫ ְוכֵן ֹלא יָסֻרּו מִּמֶ ּנּו‬,‫ ְוכֵן וְֹלא יִּז ַח הַחֹׁשֶן‬,‫ַּתֹורה‬

ָ ‫ׁשּב‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּז ֶה ִמ ִּמנְי ַן לָאוִין‬
ֶ ,‫ַּקֹורעֹו עֹובֵר ְּבלָאו‬
ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא יִּק ֵָרעַ; ְוה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְדֵ י‬.‫לא יקרע‬
‫ ַהּנֶאֱמַר ְּבבַּדֵ י הָָארֹון‬:

‫ לא יקרע‬means SO THAT IT BE NOT RENT — Indeed, whoever rends it, transgresses

thereby a negative commandment because this is among the number of the negative
commands contained in the Torah. The same is the case with (v. 28) “that the breast-plate be
not loosened”, and similarly, (Exodus 25:15) “they shall not depart from it”, which is said of
the staves of the ark (Yoma 72a).

28:33

‫ ֲעגֻּלִים ַוחֲלּולִים הָיּו ְּכמִין ִרּמֹונִים ָהעֲׂשּוי ִים ְּכבֵיצַת ּתַ ְרנְגֹלֶת‬.‫רמני‬:

‫ רמוני‬POMEGRANATES — They were round and hollow, similar to that kind of

pomegranates which are made like (have the form of) a hen’s egg.

‫ זַּגִין עִם ִענְ ָּבלִין ׁשֶ ּבְתֹוכָם‬.‫ופעמני זהב‬:

‫ ופעמני זהב‬AND BELLS OF GOLD — bells, together with the clappers in them.

‫ׁשנֵי ִרּמֹונִים ַּפעֲמֹון ֶאחָד ּדָ בּוק וְתָ לּוי ּבְׁשּולֵי הַּמְ עִיל‬
ְ ‫ ּבֵינֵיהֶם ָסבִיב – ּבֵין‬.‫בתוכם סביב‬:

‫ בתוכם סביב‬IN THE MIDST OF THEM ROUND ABOUT — i. e. between them (the
pomegranates) all the way round the hem: between every two pomegranates there was one
bell attached hanging from the hem of the Robe (cf. Zevachim 88b).

28:34
‫ אֶ צְלֹו‬.‫פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון‬:

‫ פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון‬means a golden bell and a pomegranate next to it.

28:35

‫ ַחּי ָב‬,‫ הָא אִם י ִ ָּכנֵס ְמ ֻחּסָר אֶ חָד מִן ַה ְּבגָדִ ים ַהּלָלּו‬,‫ ִמ ְּכלַל לָאו אַּתָ ה ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע הֵן – אִם יִהְיּו לֹו ֹלא י ִתְ ַחּי ֵב מִיתָ ה‬.‫ולא ימות‬
)‫ׁש ַמי ִם (סנהדרין פ"ג‬ ָ ‫מִיתָ ה בִידֵ י‬:

‫ ולא ימות‬THAT HE DIE NOT — From what is included in this negative statement you may
infer the positive: if he has these garments on him he will not incur death; consequently if he
enters the Sanctuary lacking one of these garments he incurs death at the hands of God (cf.
Sanhedrin 83).

28:36

‫ ַמּקִיף עַל הַּמֵ צַח מֵ אֹז ֶן לְאֹז ֶן‬,‫ רֹחַב ׁשְּתֵ י ֶא ְצּבָעֹות‬,‫ׁשל זָהָב ָהי ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכמִין טַס‬.‫ציץ‬:

‫ — ציץ‬This was a kind of golden Plate, two fingers in breadth, going round the forehead from
ear to ear (Shabbat 63b).

28:37

‫ ּולְמַ ּטָה הּוא‬,‫ ּו ְב ָמקֹום ַאחֵר הּוא אֹומֵר ַוּי ִּתְ נּו ָעלָיו ּפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת? וְעֹוד ּכְתִ יב ּכָאן ְו ָהי ָה עַל ַה ִּמ ְצנָפֶת‬.‫על פתיל תכלת‬
‫ׁשּׁשָם ֵמנִי ַח ּתְ ִפּלִין? לָמַדְ נּו‬ֶ ‫ׂשעָרֹו ָהי ָה נ ְִר ֶאה ּבֵין צִיץ ַל ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת‬
ְ ‫ׁשנִינּו‬
ָ ‫ׁשחִיטַת קָדָ ׁשִים‬ ְ ‫אֹומֵר ְו ָהי ָה עַל ֵמצַח ַאהֲר ֹן? ּו ִב‬
‫ ְו ַהּפְתִ ילִים הָיּו ִבנְקָ בִים‬,‫ ְו ַהּצִיץ ִמ ְּל ַמּטָה‬,‫ׁש ַה ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת ְל ַמ ְעלָה ּבְגֹבַּה הָר ֹאׁש ְואֵינָּה ֲע ֻמ ָּקה ִל ָּכנֵס ּבָּה ּכָל הָר ֹאׁש עַד ַה ֵּמצַח‬
ֶ
,‫ ּפְתִ יל ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ֶאחָד ִמּבַחּוץ ְו ֶאחָד מִ ִּב ְפנִים ְּכנֶגְּדֹו‬,‫ׁשה ְמקֹומֹות ַהּלָלּו‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬ְ ‫ּׁשה ִּב‬ָ ‫ׁש‬
ִ ,‫ׁשנֵי ָראׁשִים ּו ְב ֶא ְמצָעֹו‬
ְ ‫ּותְ לּוי ִין ּבֹו ִּב‬
‫ ְו ַהּפְתִ יל‬,‫ ְונִ ְמצְאּו בֵין א ֶֹרְך ַהּטַס ּופְתִ ילֵי ָראׁשָיו ַמּקִיפִין אֶת הַּקָדְ ק ֹד‬,‫ׁש ָלׁשְּתָ ן‬ְ ‫ֲחֹורי הָע ֶֹרף‬
ֵ ‫וְקֹוׁשֵר ָראׁשֵי ַהּפְתִ ילִים ֵמא‬
‫ נִ ְמצָא עָׂשּוי ְּכמִין ּכֹובַע; ְועַל ּפְתִ יל‬,‫ וְהֹולְֵך עַל ְּפנֵי רֹחַב הָר ֹאׁש ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬,‫ּׁשנַי ִם‬ ְ ‫ קָׁשּור עִם ָראׁשֵי ַה‬,‫ׁשּבְר ֹאׁשֹו‬ ֶ ‫ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬
‫ ְו ַהּפְתִ יל הָאֶמְ ָצעִי מַ ֲחז ִיקֹו‬,‫ ְו ָהי ָה נֹותֵ ן ַהּצִיץ עַל ר ֹאׁשֹו ְּכמִין ּכֹובַע עַל ַה ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת‬,‫ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי הּוא אֹומֵר ְו ָהי ָה עַל ַה ִּמ ְצנָפֶת‬
‫ ּופְתִ יל עַל הַּמִ ְצנֶפֶת‬,‫ ְוצִיץ עַל ַהּפְתִ יל‬,‫ ְונִתְ ַקּי ְמּו ּכָל ַה ִּמק ְָראֹות – ּפְתִ יל עַל ַהּצִיץ‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו נֹופֵל ְו ַהּטַס ּתָ לּוי ְּכנֶגֶד ִמצְחֹו‬ ֶ
‫מִ לְמַ ְעלָה‬:

‫[ על פתיל תכלת‬AND THOU SHALT PUT IT] ON A BLUE PURPLE STRING — but in
another passage (Exodus 39:31) is states, “And they put upon it (upon the Plate) a string of
blue purple (so that the Plate was beneath the string, not upon it as is here commanded)! Then
again, it is written here, “and it (the Plate) shall be upon the mitre”, whilst further on (v. 38) it
says, “And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead”! And in the Treatise on the Slaughter of the
Sacrifices (Zevachim 19a) we learn: “His (the High Priest’s) hair was visible between the
Plate and the mitre, whereon he placed the Tephillin”, thus informing us that the mitre was
above on the crown of the head and was not so deep that the entire head went into it right
down to the forehead, and that the Plate was beneath it with a space between them.
Consequently the Plate was not on the mitre as seems to be stated in this verse! But I say that
(cf. Rashi on Exodus 39:31 ‫ )ואומר אני וגו׳‬the strings were in holes and hung from it (from the
Plate) at its two ends and at its middle point, six in these three places (i. e. one string in each
hole, the centre of each string resting on the bottom point of the hole, the three thus forming
six). Thus, at each hole, there was one string on top of the Plate — outside it, and one inside
(between the Plate and the forehead). He tied the ends of the strings, the three of them, behind
the neck; it follows therefore that the length of the Plate and the strings that were at its ends
together encompassed his skull. The middle string which was on its top edge bound together
with the ends of the two which were at the extremities of the Plate, passed over the breadth of
the head above (over the crown). Consequently it (the Plate, together with the strings) formed
a kind of helmet. It is with reference to the middle string that it states, “And it (the string just
mentioned in the verse; not the Plate as was assumed) shall be upon the mitre”, for he placed
the Plate, with the strings already tied in this manner, upon his head as a kind of helmet
passing it over the mitre, and the middle string held it (the Plate) firm so that it could not fall,
and thus the Plate hung in front of his forehead and did not fall lower down. In this way all
these verses find their explanation — the string being on the Plate, the Plate on the string, and
the string on the mitre above (cf. Chullin 138a).

28:38

‫ׁשל עָֹון – נִ ְמצָא מְ ֻסּלָק ֶהעָֹון מִ ן‬

ֶ ‫ּׂשא‬
ָ ‫ׂשא אֶת ַה ַּמ‬
ֵ ‫ׁשמָעֹו – ַאהֲר ֹן נֹו‬
ְ ‫ לְׁשֹון ְסלִיחָה; וְַא ַעּפִ" ֵכ אֵינֹו ז ָז ִמ ַּמ‬.‫ונשא אהרן‬
)‫ ַהּקֳדָ ׁשִים (חולין קל"ח‬:

‫ ונשא אהרן‬AND AARON SHALL BEAR [THE INIQUITY OF THE HOLY THINGS] — The
word ‫ נשא‬is an expression of forgiveness, but nevertheless it does not move from (lose) its
ordinary meaning of “bearing”: Aaron bears the load of iniquity so that it follows that the
iniquity is lifted off the holy things.

‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,‫ׂשא? אִם עֲֹון ּפִּגּול‬ ֵ ‫ אֵי ז ֶה עָֹון הּוא נֹו‬:‫ּׁשנִינּו‬

ָ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשּק ְָרבּו ְב ֻט ְמָאה‬
ֶ ‫ ל ְַרּצֹות עַל הַּדָ ם ְועַל ַה ֵחלֶב‬.‫את עון הקדשים‬
‫ׁשּי ְ ַכּפֵר עַל עֲֹון הַּכֹהֵן‬
ֶ ‫ׁשב (שם ז') – ְואֵין לֹומַר‬ ֵ ‫ ְואִם עֲֹון נֹותָ ר ה ֲֵרי נֶ ֱאמַר ֹלא י ֵ ָח‬,) ‫ְכבָר נֶ ֱאמַר ֹלא י ֵָרצֶה (ויקרא י"ט‬
)'‫ַּקָרּבָן (יומא ז‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי עֲֹון ַהּקֳדָ ׁשִים נֶ ֱאמַר וְֹלא עֲֹון ַה ַּמק ְִריבִים – הָא אֵינֹו מ ְַרּצֶה ֶאלָא ְל ַה ְכׁשִיר ה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁש ִהק ְִריב ָט ֵמא‬
ֶ :

‫[ את עון הקדשים‬HE SHALL BEAR] THE INIQUITY OF THE HOLY THINGS — atoning for
the blood and fat of sacrifices which had been offered when they were unclean, as we have
learned (Pesachim 17b; Yoma 7a): What iniquity is it that it (the Plate) bears (atones for)? If
you say that it is the iniquity caused by ‫ — פגול‬but it is already said in reference to this,
(Leviticus 19:7) “it cannot be atoned for”! If you say it is the iniquity caused by ‫ — נותר‬but it
is said in reference to this, (Leviticus 7:18) “It shall not under any circumstances be accounted
[unto him] as a sacrifice”! Nor can one say that it (the Plate) atoned for the iniquity of the
priest who offered a sacrifice when he was unclean because it is stated here, “[shall bear] the
iniquity of the holy things” and it does not state “the iniquity of those who offer the
sacrifices” — thus it (the Plate) atones only in so far as to make the sacrifice a fitting one if
there had been anything irregular about it.

‫ אֶ ּלָא ּתָ מִ יד‬,‫ׁשעַת ָהעֲבֹודָ ה‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי אֵינֹו ָעלָיו ֶאּלָא ִב‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּיְהֵא עַל ִמצְחֹו ּתָ מִיד‬ ֶ ‫ אִי אֶ ְפׁשָר לֹומַר‬.‫והיה על מצחו תמיד‬
‫ ּולְדִ ב ְֵרי הָאֹומֵר עֹודֵ הּו עַל מִ צְחֹו מְ ַכּפֵר‬,‫ׁשעָה‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה כֹהֵן ּגָדֹול עֹובֵד ּבְאֹותָ ּה‬ֶ – ‫ל ְַרּצֹות ָלהֶם ֲאפִּלּו אֵינֹו עַל ִמצְחֹו‬
‫ׁשֹּלא יַּסִי ַח ּדַ עְּתֹו מִּמֶ ּנּו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשמֵׁש ּבֹו ּבְעֹודֹו עַל ִמצְחֹו‬ְ ‫ׁש ְּמ ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬,‫ נִדְ ָרׁש עַל ִמצְחֹו ּתָ מִיד‬,‫ ְואִם לָאו אֵינֹו מ ְַרּצֶה‬,‫ּומ ְַרּצֶה‬
)‫(שם‬:

‫ — והיה על מצחו תמיד‬It is not possible to say that this means that it should be on his forehead
continually because, as a matter of fact, it was on it only at the time of the sacrificial service.
But the word ‫ תמיד‬is to be connected with the words that follow: “continually to make
atonement for them”, even if it be not then upon his forehead, i. e. when the High Priest was
not officiating, and therefore was not wearing the Plate, at that time when the unclean animal
was being sacrificed by an ordinary priest. But according to the opinion (if we adopt the
opinion) of him (Rabbi Judah) who says that only whilst it was on his forehead did it atone
and effect pardon, and that if it was not on his forehead it did not effect pardon, the following
inference must be derived from the phrase ‫על מצחו תמיד‬: it informs us that he must constantly
touch it whilst it is on his forehead, so that he should not divert his attention from it (Yoma
7b).

28:39

‫ ְו ֻכּלָּה ׁשֶ ל ׁשֵׁש‬,‫ׁשּבְצֹות‬

ְ ‫ׁשּבְצֹות ִמ‬
ְ ‫ׂשה אֹותָ ם ִמ‬
ֵ ‫ ֲע‬.‫ושבצת‬:

‫ ושבצת‬means make them with many checkered figures, and entirely of fine linen.

28:40

‫ ּכֻּתֹנֶת וְַא ְבנֵט ּו ִמגְּבָעֹות – הִיא ִמ ְצנֶפֶת – ּו ִמ ְכנָ ַסי ִם ּכְתּובִים‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה ְבגָדִ ים ַהּלָלּו וְֹלא יֹותֵ ר‬
ְ .‫ולבני אהרן תעשה כתנת‬
‫לְמַ ּטָה ַּבּפ ָָרׁשָ ה‬:

‫ ולבני אהרן תעשה כתנת‬AND FOR AARON’S SONS THOU SHALT MAKE INNER
GARMENTS — these four garments and no more; viz., the three mentioned in this verse, —
the inner garment, the girdle and the ‫ מגבעות‬which are identical with what is elsewhere called
the mitre, — and the breeches prescribed later in this section (v. 42).

28:41

,‫ ְוצִיץ‬,‫ וְַא ְבנֵט‬,‫ ִמ ְצנֶפֶת‬,‫ׁשּבֵץ‬ ְ ַ‫ ּוכְתֹנֶת ּת‬,‫ ּו ְמעִיל‬,‫ ְו ֵאפֹוד‬,‫ֲמּורין ּבְַאהֲר ֹן – חֹׁשֶן‬
ִ ‫ אֹותָ ם ָהא‬.‫והלבשת אתם את אהרן‬
‫ּו ִמ ְכנָ ַסי ִם ַהּכְתּובִים לְמַ ּטָה ְּב ֻכּלָם‬:

‫ והלבשת אתם את אהרן‬AND THOU SHALT PUT THEM ON AARON — i. e. those which are
mentioned in connection with Aaron: the breast-plate, the ephod, the Robe, the inner garment
of checker-work, the mitre, the girdle and the Plate, and the breeches which are prescribed
later for all of them (for all the priest’s and therefore for Aaron also).

‫ אֹותָ ם ַהּכְתּובִים ָּבהֶם‬.‫ואת בניו אתו‬:

‫[ ואת בניו אתו‬AND THOU SHALT PUT THEM ON AARON …] AND ON HIS SONS WITH
HIM — i. e. put on them those garments which are prescribed for them.

‫ אֶת ַאהֲר ֹן ְואֶת ָּבנָיו ּבְׁשֶמֶ ן הַּמִׁשְ חָה‬.‫ומשחת אתם‬:

‫ ומשחת אתם‬AND THOU SHALT ANOINT THEM — viz., Aaron and his sons, with the oil of
anointing.

‫ ּו ְבלְׁשֹון ַלעַז‬:‫ׁשהּוא נִ ְכנָס לְדָ בָר ִלהְיֹות ֻמ ְחז ָק ּבֹו ֵמאֹותֹו יֹום ָו ָהלְָאה הּוא‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ ּכָל ִמּלּוי י ָדַ י ִם לְׁשֹון חִּנּוְך‬.‫ומלאת את ידם‬
,‫ ְועַל י ָדֹו הּוא מַ ֲחז ִיקֹו ּבַּדָ בָר‬,‫ּקֹורין גאנ"ט ְּב ַלעַז‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשל עֹור‬ֶ ‫ּׁשּלִיט ְּבי ָדֹו ּבֵית י ָד‬
ַ ‫ נֹותֵ ן ַה‬,‫ׁש ְּמ ַמּנִין ָאדָ ם עַל ְּפקִידַ ת ּדָ בָר‬
ֶ ‫ְּכ‬
‫ וְהּוא מִ ּלּוי י ָדַ י ִם‬,‫ִירה רווישט"יר ְּב ַלעַז‬ ָ ‫ְקֹורין לְאֹותֹו ְמס‬
ִ ‫ו‬:

‫ ומלאת את ידם‬AND THOU SHALT CONSECRATE THEM (more lit., fill their hand) —
wherever the term “filling the hand” is used it denotes the installation ceremony performed
when one enters for the first time into an office, as a sign that he is entitled to it from that day
and henceforth. And in the old French language — when a person is appointed to the charge
of a matter, the Prince puts into his hand a leathern glove which they call “gant” in old French
and by that means he gives him a right to the matter, and they term that transmission of the
glove and the office, revestir in old French This is the connection between the literal and the
metaphorical meaning of “filling the hand”.

28:42

‫ לְַאהֲר ֹן ּו ְל ָבנָיו‬.‫ועשה להם‬:

‫ ועשה להם‬AND MAKE FOR THEM — for Aaron and his sons —

‫ְַאר ָּבעָה לְכֹהֵן הֶדְ יֹוט‬

ְ ‫ ה ֲֵרי ׁשְמֹונָה ְבגָדִ ים לְכֹהֵן ּגָדֹול ו‬.‫מכנסי בד‬:

‫ מכנסי בד‬LINEN BREECHES — this makes eight garments for the High Priest and four for the
ordinary priest.

28:43

‫ עַל ַאהֲר ֹן ה ְָראּוי ִין לֹו‬,‫ ּכָל ַה ְּבגָדִ ים ָה ֵאּלֶה‬.‫והיו על אהרן‬:

‫ והיו על אהרן‬AND THEY SHALL BE UPON AARON — “they” means all these garments (not
only the breeches which are the last-mentioned garments); upon Aaron shall be those which
are proper to him,

‫ָאֲמּורין ָּבהֶם‬
ִ ‫ ה‬.‫ועל בניו‬:

‫ ועל בניו‬AND UPON HIS SONS, those prescribed for them.

‫ ְוכֵן לַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬,‫ ַלהֵיכָל‬.‫בבאם אל אהן מועד‬:

‫ בבאם אל אהל מועד‬WHEN THEY COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT — into the Temple,
and similarly when they come into the Tabernacle.

‫ׁשּמֵׁש ְמ ֻחּסַר ְּבגָדִ ים ּבְמִ יתָ ה‬

ַ ‫ׁש ַה ְמ‬
ֶ ָ‫ הָא ָלמַדְ ּת‬.‫ומתו‬.

‫ ומתו‬AND THEY DIE — thus you may learn that he who officiates lacking any of these
garments is liable to death (Midrash Tanchuma, Achrei Mot 6).

‫ ְל ַעּכֵב ּבֹו‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ֻחּקַת עֹולָם הּוא ְּגז ֵָרה ִמּי ָד ּולְדֹורֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל ָמקֹום‬.‫חקת עולם לו‬:

‫ חקת עולם לו‬AN ORDINANCE TO HIM FOR EVER — Wherever it is said “an ordinance
forever” it is an enactment for the immediate present time and for future generations, and the
phrase is used to make invalid thereby (through the fact that this phrase is used) any rite
where the details prescribed are not fully carried out (cf. Menachot 19a).

29:1

‫ ְו ָלהֶן ּפִתְ רֹון אֶ חָד‬,‫ׁשל ְלקִיחָה‬

ֶ ‫ׁשל קִיחָה וְַאחַת‬
ֶ ‫ ַאחַת‬,‫ ּוׁשְּתֵ י גְז ִירֹות הֵן‬.‫ ּכְמֹו קַח‬.‫לקח‬:

‫ לקח‬This is the same as ‫( קח‬the imperative, “Take thou” and must not be regarded as the
infinitive). There are two forms of the root: one is ‫ קח‬and the other ‫לקח‬, both having the same
meaning.
)‫ׁשהּוא ּפַר (מנחות י"ט‬
ֶ ‫ׂשה ָה ֵעגֶל‬
ֵ ‫ ְל ַכּפֵר עַל ַמ ֲע‬.‫פר אחד‬:

‫ פר אחד‬ONE BULLOCK — to atone for the incident of worshipping the golden calf which is
of the bullock species (cf. Sifra on Leviticus 9:2).

29:2

‫ הִיא הַּקְרּוי ָה לְמַ ּטָה‬,‫ּורקִיקִים ֶלחֶם מַּצֹות‬ ְ ‫ ְוחַּלֹות‬,‫ׁשה מִינִין ְרבּוכָה‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬
ְ ‫ ה ֲֵרי אֵ ּלּו‬.‫ולחם מצות וחלת מצת ורקיקי מצות‬
‫ ְוכָל ַהּמִינִין ּבָאִ ים עֶׂשֶר עֶׂשֶר‬,‫ׁשמֶן ּב ְָרבּוכָה ְּכנֶגֶד ַהחַּלֹות ְוה ְָרקִיקִין‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנֹותֵ ן‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם‬,‫ׁשמֶן‬
ֶ ‫ָּב ִענְי ָן (פסוק כג) ַחּלַת ֶלחֶם‬
‫חַּלֹות‬:

‫ ורקיקי מצות‬... ‫ ולחם מצות וחלת מצת‬AND UNLEAVENED BREAD, AND PIERCED CAKES
UNLEAVENED … AND WAFERS UNLEAVENED — Here you have these three kinds:
“satured” with scalding water, and pierced cakes, and wafers. The ‫לחם מצות‬, “unleavened
bread” mentioned here is that which is termed further on in this section (v. 23) ‫חלת לחם שמן‬,
“pierced cake of oiled bread”, being so termed because they put unto the saturated dough as
much oil as they put into the pieced cakes and wafers together (Menachot 89a). Of each of
these kinds there were brought ten cakes (Menachot 76a).

‫ׁשהֵן ֶקמַח יֹוצֵק ָּבהֶן ׁשֶמֶ ן ּובֹו ְללָן‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫בלולת בשמן‬:

‫[ בלולת בשמן‬CAKES] MINGLED WITH OIL — whilst they were still meal they poured oil
into them and mixed them up (Menachot 75a).

‫ׁשהִיא עֲׂשּוי ָה ּכְנּו"ן ׁשֶ ּלָנּו‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשחָן ְּכמִין כִי י ְ ָונִית‬
ְ ‫ ַאחַר ֲא ִפּי ָתָן מֹו‬.‫משחים בשמן‬:

‫ משחים בשמן‬ANOINTED WITH OIL — after they were baked they anointed them in the form
of a Greek Chi (X), which is formed like our ‫( נ‬Menachot 74b and Rashi thereon; Menachot
75a).

29:3

‫ׁשּכָן ּבְיֹום הֲקָמָתֹו‬

ְ ‫ אֶל ֲחצַר ַה ִּמ‬.‫והקרבת אתם‬:

‫ והקרבת אתם‬AND THOU SHALT OFFER THEM (lit., bring them near) to the court of the
Tabernacle on the day when it will be first erected.

29:4

‫ זֹו ְטבִילַת ּכָל הַּגּוף‬.‫ורחצת‬:

‫ ורחצת‬AND THOU SHALT WASH [THEM] — This signifies the immersion of the entire
body (cf. Targum Jonathan).

29:5

‫ֲגֹורה ְו ַהּסִינָר ְסבִיבֹותָ יו‬

ָ ‫ ַקּׁשֵט וְתַ ּקֵן ַהח‬.‫ואפדת‬:

‫ ואפדת‬AND THOU SHALT FASTEN [THE EPHOD ON] — adorn and arrange the girdle and
the apron around him.
29:6

‫ ז ֶה ַהּצִיץ‬.‫נזר הקדש‬:

‫ גזר הקדש‬THE DIADEM OF HOLINESS — This refers to the Plate.

‫אֲחֹורי‬
ֵ ֵ‫ׁשלָׁשְּתָ ן מ‬
ְ ‫ְׁשּורין‬
ִ ‫ ַהּק‬,‫ׁשּבְר ֹאׁשֹו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי פְתִ ילִין‬
ְ ‫ׁשּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י ְל ַמ ְעלָה – עַל י ְדֵ י ַהּפְתִ יל ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי ּו‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬.‫על המצנפת‬
‫ הּוא נֹותְ נֹו עַל ַה ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת ּכְמִ ין ּכֹובַע‬,‫הָע ֶֹרף‬:

‫ על המצנפת‬UPON THE MITRE, as I have explained above (Exodus 28:37) — by means of the
middle string and the two strings at its (the Plate’s) ends which were, the three of them, tied
together behind his neck he placed it upon the mitre as a kind of helmet.

29:7

)'‫ׁשמֶן עַל ר ֹאׁשֹו ּובֵין ִרּסֵי עֵינָיו ּו ְמ ַחּב ְָרן ְּב ֶא ְצּבָעֹו (כריתות ה‬
ֶ ‫ נֹותֵ ן‬,‫ ַאף ְמׁשִיחָה זֹו ְּכמִין כִי‬.‫ומשחת אתו‬:

‫ ומשחת אתו‬AND THOU SHALT ANOINT HIM — This anointing also, was in the form of a
X: he put a drop of oil on his head and another drop between his eyebrows and joined them
with his finger into this shape (Keritot 5b).

29:9

‫ ִמּלּוי י ָדַ י ִם ז ֶה ִל ְכ ֻהּנַת עֹולָם‬.‫והיתה להם‬:

‫ והיתה להם‬AND SHALL BE UNTO THEM This “filling of hands” shall be for an everlasting
priesthood.

‫ עַל י ְדֵ י הַּדְ ב ִָרים הָאֵ ּלֶה‬.‫ומלאת‬:

‫ ומלאת‬AND THOU SHALT “FILL” by means of these following matters

‫ ְּב ִמּנּוי ּופְקֻּדַ ת ַה ְּכ ֻהּנָה‬.‫יד אהרן ויד בניו‬:

‫ יד אהרן ויד בניו‬AARON’S HAND AND HIS SONS’ HANDS in the appointment and
assigment to the priesthood.

29:11

‫ׁשּכָן ׁשֶ ִּל ְפנֵי ַהּפֶתַ ח‬

ְ ‫ ַּב ֲחצַר ַה ִּמ‬.‫פתח אהל מועד‬:

‫ פתח אהל מועד‬BY THE ENTRANCE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — i. e. in the court of the
Tabernacle which was in front of the entrance.

29:12

‫ַּקְרנֹות מַּמָׁש‬
ָ ‫ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ּב‬.‫על קרנת‬:
‫ על קרנות‬UPON THE HORNS — on top of the horns actually (the blood was not to be
sprinkled from below so as to reach the horns but was to be placed by the finger actually upon
the horns) (Zevachim 53a).

‫ ׁשְ י ֵָרי הַּדָ ם‬.‫ואת כל הדם‬:

‫ ואת כל הדם‬AND ALL THE BLOOD i. e. all the remainder of the blood (that which is left after
some of it had been placed upon the horns of the altar as just stated).

‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָעלָה אַּמָ ה מִ ן ה‬
ֶ ‫ לְַאחַר‬,‫ ְּכמִין ְּבלִיטַת ּבֵית קִּבּול עָׂשּוי לֹו ָסבִיב ָסבִיב‬.‫אל יסוד המזבח‬:

‫ אל יסוד המזבח‬AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ALTAR — A kind of projection that formed a
receptacle was made right round it after it had risen to a height of one cubit from the ground
(Sukkah 45a).

29:13

‫ּקֹורין טי"לא‬
ִ ֶ‫ ׁש‬,‫ׁשעַל ַהּכ ֶֶרס‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא ַהּקְרּום‬.‫החלב המכסה את הקרב‬:

‫ החלב המכסה את הקרב‬THE FAT THAT COVERETH THE INWARDS — this is the membrane
upon the maw (Tosefta Chullin 9:3) which is called tele in old French

‫ּקֹורין איבר"יש‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשא ּדְ ַכבְּדָ א‬
ָ ‫ הּוא ט ְַר ְּפ‬.‫ואת היתרת‬:

‫ ואת היתרת‬This is the lobe of the liver which is called abris in old French

)‫ ַאף מִן ַה ָּכבֵד ט ֹל עִּמָ ּה (ספרא‬.‫על הכבד‬:

‫ — על הכבד‬Take with it (with the lobe) some of the liver also (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura
d'Nedavah, Section 14 8).

29:14

‫ִׂשְרפֶת אֶ ּלָא זֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ֹלא ָמצִינּו ַחּטָאת חִיצֹונָה נ‬.‫תשרף באש‬:

‫ תשרף באש‬SHALT THOU BURN WITH FIRE — We do not find that any “outside” sin
offering was to be burnt except this (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 9:11).

29:16

‫ ְואֵין ק ְָרּבָן טָעּון מַּתָ נָה ְּב ֶא ְצּבַע אֶ ּלָא ַחּטָאת‬,‫ׁשּי ֵָר ֶאה ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן‬ ֶ ‫ְזֹורק ְּכנֶגֶד ַהּק ֶֶרן ּכְדֵ י‬
ֵ ‫ ִּב ְכלִי; אֹוחֵז ַּב ִּמז ְָרק ו‬.‫וזרקת‬
‫ ְואֵינֹו עֹולֶה ַּב ֶּכבֶׁש אֶ ּלָא עֹומֵד‬,‫ׁשּמַּתַ ן ּדָ מָם ֵמ ֲחצִי ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ּו ְל ַמּטָה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשָאר ז ְ ָבחִים אֵינָן טְעּונִין ק ֶֶרן וְֹלא אֶ ְצּבַע‬ ְ ‫ אֲ בָל‬,‫ִּב ְלבַד‬
)‫ְזֹורק (זבחים נ"ג‬ ֵ ‫ָָארץ ו‬ ֶ ‫ּב‬:

‫ וזרקת‬AND THOU SHALT SPRINKLE IT with a vessel: he held the basin and cast blood
from it towards the horn in such a manner that it (the blood) showed on both sides of it. No
offering except the sin-offering alone required that its blood should be smeared with the
finger, but other sacrifices required neither “horn” nor “finger” (did not require that the blood
should be placed on the horn of the altar by the fingers), for the sprinkling of their blood had
to be upon the lower half of the altar, and he (the priest) therefore did not mount the ascent
leading to the top of the altar but he stood on the ground and sprinkled the blood (Zevachim
53b).

‫ ְוהַָאחַת ׁשֶ ְּכנֶגְדָ ּה‬,‫ הַָאחַת ְּבק ֶֶרן זָוִית זֹו‬,‫ַארּבַע‬

ְ ‫ׁשהֵן‬ ֶ ‫ׁשאֵין ָסבִיב ֶאּלָא ׁשְּתֵ י מַּתָ נֹות‬ ֶ ‫ׁשחִיטַת קָדָ ׁשִים‬ ְ ‫ ּכְָך ְמפ ָֹרׁש ִּב‬.‫סביב‬
‫ ְלכְָך קָרּוי ָסבִיב‬,‫ְַארּבַע רּוחֹות ָסבִיב‬ ְ ‫ נִ ְמצָא הַּדָ ם נָתּון ּב‬,‫ׁשנֵי צִּדֵ י ַהּק ֶֶרן אֵילְָך ָואֵילְָך‬
ְ ‫ ְוכָל מַּתָ נָה נ ְִראֵית ִּב‬,‫ ַּב ֲא ַלכְסֹון‬:

‫ סביב‬ROUND ABOUT — This is how it is explained in the Treatise on Slaughtering the

Sacrifices (Zevachim 53b): that ‫סביב‬, “round about” signifies nothing more than that there
were to be two sprinklings so made that they should constitute four — one on this corner and
one at that which was diagonally opposite it, and so that each sprinkling showed on both sides
of the corner, on this and on that side; it followed therefore that the blood was placed on the
four sides round about, and for this reason it is here termed ‫סביב‬.

29:17

‫ עִם נְתָ חָיו – מּוסָף עַל ׁשְ ָאר ַהּנְתָ חִים‬.‫על נתחיו‬:

‫[ על נתחיו‬AND PUT THEM] TO ITS PIECES — i. e. together with (‫ )על‬its pieces — added to
the other pieces.

29:18

‫ׁשָאמ ְַרּתִ י ְונַעֲׂשָ ה ְרצֹונִי‬

ֶ ,‫ נַחַת רּו ַח ְל ָפנַי‬.‫ריח ניחוח‬:

‫ ריח נחוח‬AS A PLEASING ODOUR — as a gratification of spirit before Me — that I

commanded and My will was carried out (Zevachim 46b).

‫ ְוהִיא ַה ְקט ַָרת ֵאב ִָרים ׁשֶ עַל הָאֵׁש‬,‫ לְׁשֹון אֵׁש‬.‫אשה‬:

‫ אשה‬AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE a term connected with the word ‫אש‬, fire: it denotes the
burning of the parts which had been placed on the fire (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 1:9).

29:20

‫ּקֹורין טנדרו"ס ְּב ַלעַז‬

ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּבְתֹוְך הָאֹז ֶן‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא ַהּסְחּוס ָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִי‬.‫תנוך‬:

‫ — תנוך‬This is the inner cartilage which is within the ear, which they call tendrons in old
French (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 14:14).

)‫ הַּגּודָ ל ּו ַבּפ ֶֶרק הָאֶמְ ָצעִי (ספרא‬.‫בהן ידם‬:

‫ — בהן ידם‬i. e. the thumb; and the blood was placed on the middle joint (Chullin 11a).

29:22

‫ ז ֶה ֵחלֶב הַּדַ ּקִ ים אֹו הַּקֵ בָה‬.‫החלב‬:

‫ החלב‬THE FAT — This means the fat of the gut, or, (according to the opinion of Rabbi
Ishmael,) of the maw (Chullin 49b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 3:3).
 ‫ׁש ַה ְּכלָיֹות יֹועֲצֹות‬
ֶ ‫ִירּנָה – ָמקֹום‬ֶ ‫ ְל ֻעּמַת ֶה ָעצֶה יְס‬,)'‫ׁשּנֶ' (ויקרא ג‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְּמפ ָֹרׁש ְּב ַוּיִק ְָרא‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ מִן ַה ְּכלָיֹות ּו ְל ַמּטָה‬.‫והאליה‬
‫ ֲאבָל ׁשֹור ְועֵז אֵ ין טְעּונִין‬,‫ׁשאֵין ַא ְלי ָה ק ְֵרבָה ֶאּלָא ְב ֶכבֶׂש ְו ִכ ְבׂשָה וְַאי ִל‬
ֶ ,‫ֵמּורי ַהּפָר ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ַא ְלי ָה‬ ֵ ‫ ּו ְבא‬,) ‫(חולין י"א‬
‫ַא ְלי ָה‬:

‫ והאליה‬AND THE FAT TAIL — This is the portion of the animal from the kidneys and lower
down, as is explained in Leviticus, (3:9) because it is said, “[the whole fat tail], he shall take it
off hard by the back bone (‫ ”) ָעצָה‬i. e. by the place where the kidneys give counsel (‫) ָעצָה‬
(Chullin 11a). In the case of the fat portions of the bullock the “fat tail” is not mentioned, for
the “fat tail” was offered only in the case of a male or female lamb and a ram, but an ox and a
goat do not require the “fat tail” to be offered.

‫ֵמּורים אֶ ּלָא זֹו ִב ְלבָד‬

ִ ‫ ֹלא ָמצִינּו ַה ְקט ָָרה בְׁשֹוק ַהּיָמִין עִם ָהא‬.‫ואת שוק הימין‬:

‫ ואת שוק הימין‬AND THE RIGHT SHOULDER — We do not find that burning if prescribed for
the right shoulder together with the fat parts except in the case of this alone.

‫ ׁשֶּמְׂשִ ימִ ים ׁשָ לֹום‬,‫ׁש ָלמִים‬ ְ ‫ׁש ַה ִּמּלּואִים‬

ֶ ‫ׁשלַם ּבַּכ ֹל; ַמּגִיד ַהּכָתּוב‬
ְ ‫ׁש ֻה‬ ֶ – ‫ׁשלֵמּות‬
ְ ‫ׁש ָלמִים; לְׁשֹון‬ ְ .‫כי איל מלאים הוא‬
‫ ְוז ֶהּו מ ֹׁשֶ ה ׁשֶּׁשִּמֵׁש‬,‫ ִלהְיֹות לֹו לְעֹובֵד ָהעֲבֹודָ ה ְל ָמנָה‬,‫ ְלכְָך ֲאנִי ַמצ ְִריכֹו ֶה ָחז ֶה‬,‫ַל ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ּולְעֹובֵד ָהעֲבֹודָ ה ְו ַל ְּב ָעלִים‬
‫ ּכַמְ פ ָֹרׁש ָּב ִענְי ָן‬,‫ׁשהֵם ְּב ָעלִים‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשָאר ָאכְלּו ַאהֲר ֹן ּו ָבנָיו‬
ְ ‫ ְו ַה‬,‫ ַּב ִּמּלּואִים‬:

‫ כי איל מלאים הוא‬FOR IT IS A RAM OF ‫ — מלאים‬of ‫( שלמים‬usually translated peace-offerings):

‫ מלואים‬has the meaning of “perfection” (‫ מלא‬meaning “full”, so that ‫ מלואים‬is synonymous with
‫ — )שלמים‬something that is perfect in all respects. Scripture informs us that the ‫מלואים‬
(consecration sacrifices) are to be regarded as ‫שלמים‬-sacrifices, in that they, like the ‫שלמים‬,
promote peace (‫ )שלום‬between the altar and him who carries out the sacrifical rite (the priest)
and the owner of the animal (the worshipper who brings the sacrifice”). Therefore, says God,
in this case I make it a condition that the breast shall belong as a portion to him who performs
the sacrificial rite, viz., Moses, who officiated at the installation into office (cf. v. 26). — The
remainder, Aaron and his sons ate because they were the “owners”, as is expressly set forth in
this section (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 16 2; Midrash Tanchuma, Tzav
4).

29:23

‫ מִ ן ַהחַּלֹות‬.‫וככר לחם‬:

‫ וככר לחם‬AND ONE LOAF OF BREAD — of the cakes (mentioned in Exodus 29:2)
(Menachot 78a).

‫ מִּמִ ין ה ְָרבּוכָה‬.‫וחלת לחם שמן‬:

‫ וחלת לחם שמן‬AND ONE PIERCED CAKE OF OILED BREAD — of the “saturated" kind.

,‫ וְֹלא ָמצִינּו תְ רּומַת ֶלחֶם ַהּבָא עִם זֶבַח נִ ְקט ֶֶרת אֶ ּלָא זֹו ִּב ְלבַד‬.‫ׁש ְּבכָל מִין ָומִין‬ ֶ ‫ ֶאחָד ֵמ ֲעׂש ָָרה‬,‫ מִן ה ְָרקִיקִין‬.‫ורקיק‬
‫ׁשה ְל ָמנָה אֶ ּלָא ָחז ֶה ִּב ְלבָד‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ּו ִמּז ֶה ֹלא ָהי ָה לְמ‬,‫ ׁשֶּתְ רּומַת ַל ְחמֵי תֹודָ ה ְואֵיל נָז ִיר נְתּונָה לַּכ ֹ ֲהנִים עִם ָחז ֶה וְׁשֹוק‬:

‫ ורקיק‬AND ONE WAFER — of the wafers there mentioned: i. e. one out of the ten which
were comprised in each of these different kinds of bread (Menachot 76a; cf. Rashi on Exodus
29:2). We do not find that any heave-offering of bread brought with a sacrifice was burnt
except this alone, for the heave-offering of the bread brought with the thanksgiving offering
and with the ram of the Nazarite was given to the priest (and therefore not burnt) together
with the breast and the shoulder, whilst of this the breast alone was given as a portion to
Moses, as the officiating priest.

29:24

;‫ הָא ּכֵיצַד? ּכֹהֵן ַמּנִי ַח י ָדֹו ּתַ חַת י ַד ַה ְּב ָעלִים ּומֵ נִיף‬,‫ׁשנֵיהֶם עֲסּוקִים ּבִתְ נּופָה – ַה ְּב ָעלִים ְוהַּכֹהֵן‬
ְ .‫ והנפת‬:‫על כפי אהרן‬
‫ ּומ ֹׁשֶ ה ּכֹהֵן‬,‫ּו ָבז ֶה הָיּו ַאהֲר ֹן ּו ָבנָיו ְּב ָעלִים‬:

‫[ על כפי אהרן … והנפת‬AND THOU SHALT PUT ALL] IN THE HANDS OF AARON …
AND THOU SHALT WAVE THEM — The rule is that both of them take part in the waving
ceremony, the “owner” and the priest. How is this done? The priest places his hand beneath
the “owner’s” hand, and thus does the waving (Menachot 61b) — and in case of this offering
Aaron and his sons were the “owners” and Moses the priest, and therefore Scripture enacts as
stated here.

‫ּומֹוריד‬
ִ ‫ מַ ֲעלֶה‬,‫ׁשּלֹו; תְ נּופָה ְמ ַע ֶּכבֶת ּו ְמ ַב ֶּטלֶת ּפ ְֻר ָענֻּיֹות וְרּוחֹות ָרעֹות‬
ֶ ‫ַארּבַע רּוחֹות הָעֹולָם‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ מֹולִיְך ּו ֵמבִיא ְלמִי‬.‫תנופה‬
)‫ ּו ְמ ַע ֶּכבֶת ְט ָללִים ָרעִים (מנחות ס"ב‬,‫ׁשּלֹו‬ ֶ ‫ָָארץ‬ ֶ ‫ּׁש ַמי ִם ְוה‬ ָ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ‫ ְלמִי‬:

‫ תנופה‬A WAVE OFFERING — He moved it about horizontally in all directions to the glory of
Him to Whom belong the four quarters of the world. This waving was symbolical of
preventing and making of none effect misfortune and destructive winds. Then he moved it
upwards and downward to the glory of Him to Whom belong heaven and earth and this was
symbolical of keeping away injurious dews (Menachot 62a).

29:25

‫ עַל הַָאי ִל ה ִָראׁשֹון ׁשֶ ֶה ֱעלִיתָ עֹולָה‬.‫על העלה‬:

‫ על העלה‬BESIDES THE BURNT OFFERING — besides the first ram which you had already
offered up as a burnt offering.

‫ׁשָאמַר ְונַעֲׂשָ ה ְרצֹונֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ְלנַחַת רּו ַח ְלמִי‬.‫לריח ניחוח‬:

‫ לריח ניחוח‬AS A PLEASING ODOUR — as a gratification of spirit to Him Who gave the
command and found that His will was carried out (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah,
Chapter 6 10).

‫ לְאֵׁש נִּתָ ן‬.‫אשה‬:

‫ אשה‬AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE given over to the fire.

‫ לִׁשְמֹו ׁשֶ ל מָ קֹום‬.'‫לה‬:

‫ לה׳‬TO THE LORD — to the Name of the Omnipresent.

29:27

‫ ִלהְיֹות נֹו ֶהגֶת ּתְ רּומָתָ ם ַו ֲהנָפָתָ ם ְּב ָחז ֶה וְׁשֹוק ׁשֶ ל‬,‫ קַּדְ ׁשֵם לְדֹורֹות‬.'‫וקדשת את חזה התנופה ואת שוק התרומה וגו‬
‫ ֶאּלָא ְו ָהי ָה לְַאהֲר ֹן ּו ְל ָבנָיו לֶאֱ כ ֹל‬,‫ אֲ בָל ֹלא ְל ַה ְקט ָָרה‬,‫ׁש ָלמִים‬
ְ :
‫ וקדשת את חזה התנופה ואת שוק התרומה וגו׳‬AND THOU SHALT SANCTIFY THE BREAST OF
THE WAVE OFFERING AND THE SHOULDER OF THE HEAVE OFFERING etc. —
Declare these portions of the animal to have a sacred character for future generations in that
the heaving of them and the waving of them shall be practised in respect of the breast and the
shoulder of all peace-offerings, but the similarity between the ‫ שלמים‬and the ‫ מלואים‬shall not
extend to burning the shoulder as was done in the case of the ‫ מלואים‬but (v. 28) “it shall be for
Aaron and his sons” to be eaten.

‫ ונטלי"ה ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ לְׁשֹון הֹו ָלכָה ַו ֲהבָָאה‬.‫תנופה‬:

‫ הונף‬WHICH IS WAVED — an expression for moving to and fro in a horizontal direction;

venteler in old French

‫ּומֹוריד‬
ִ ‫ לְׁשֹון מַ ֲעלֶה‬.‫הורם‬:

‫ הורם‬WHICH WAS HEAVED — an expression for moving up and down.

29:28

‫ ְואֶת ֶה ָחז ֶה ְואֶת הַּׁשֹוק י ִּתְ נּו לַּכֹהֵן‬,‫ּׁש ָלמִים ַל ְּב ָעלִים‬
ְ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ .‫לחק עולם מאת בני ישראל‬:

‫ לחק עולם מאת בני ישראל‬AS AN ASSIGNED PORTION FROM THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
— because peace-offerings belong to the “owner”, and the breast and the shoulder shall they
give to the priest.

‫ ֶה ָחז ֶה וְׁשֹוק ַהּז ֶה‬.‫כי תרומה הוא‬:

‫ כי תרומה הוא‬FOR IT IS A HEAVE OFFERING — i.e. the breast and the shoulder form a
heave-offering.

29:29

‫ׁשּבָא ִּבגְדֻ ּלָה ַאח ֲָריו‬

ֶ ‫ ְלמִי‬.‫לבניו אחריו‬:

‫[ לבניו אחריו‬SHALL BE] FOR HIS SONS AFTER HIM — for him who comes after him in
this high office.

‫ ַאל ּתִ ּגְעּו ּבִמְׁשִ יחָי‬,)‫ׁשחָה (במדבר י"ח‬

ְ ‫ ּכְמֹו לְָך נְתַ ּתִ ים ְל ָמ‬,‫ׁשהִיא לְׁשֹון ׂש ְָר ָרה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ְמׁשִיחָה‬
ֶ ,‫ ְלהִתְ גַּדֵ ל ָּבהֶם‬.‫למשחה‬
)‫(דהי"א טז‬:

‫ למשחה‬means to be raised to dignity by means of them. For sometimes the word ‫ משח‬is used in
the sense of “dignity”, as in (Numbers 18:8), “to thee I have given them as a dignity (‫”)למשחה‬,
and (I Chronicles 16:22) “Touch ye not my nobles (‫( ”)משיחי‬cf. Rashi on Exodus 30:29).

‫ עַל י ְדֵ י ַה ְּבגָדִ ים הּוא מִתְ ַלּבֵׁש ִּב ְכ ֻהּנָה גְדֹולָה‬.‫ולמלא בם את ידם‬:

‫ ולמלא בם את ידם‬AND TO BE CONSECRATED BY THEM — through these garments he is to

be invested with the high-priesthood (cf. Rashi on Yoma 73a).

29:30
‫ ְרצּופִין‬.‫שבעת ימים‬:

‫ שבעת ימים‬SEVEN DAYS in succession, on such a High Priest’s installation,

‫ׁשּי ְ ַמּנּוהּו ִלהְיֹות ּכֹהֵן ּגָדֹול‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ ֲאׁשֶר י ָקּום ִמ ָּבנָיו ּתַ חְּתָ יו ִל ְכ ֻהּנָה גְדֹולָה‬.‫ילבשם הכהן‬:

‫ ילבשם הכהן‬THE PRIEST SHALL PUT THEM ON — i. e. he who, from among his sons, will
rise up in his stead in the high-priesthood at the time when they will appoint him to be High
Priest.

‫ׁשאֵ ין עֲבֹודַ ת יֹום‬

ֶ ,‫ ְוז ֶהּו כֹהֵן ּגָדֹול‬,‫ִּפּורים‬
ִ ‫ אֹותֹו כֹהֵן הַּמּוכָן ִל ָּכנֵס ִל ְפנַי ְו ִל ְפנִים ּבְיֹום ַהּכ‬.‫אשר יבא אל אהל מועד‬
‫ְׁשֵרה אֶ ּלָא ּבֹו‬
ָ ‫ִּפּורים ּכ‬
ִ ‫ ַהּכ‬:

‫ אשר יבא אל אהל מועד‬WHO WILL COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT — These words
qualify the word ‫ הכהן‬so that it refers to that priest who is designated to enter into the
innermost part (the words ‫ לפני ולפנים‬in the Rashi text correspond to ‫ בקדש‬in the Biblical text)
of the Sanctuary on the Day of Atonement — and this must mean the High Priest, since the
sacrificial service on the Day of Atonement was not valid unless performed by him (Yoma
73a).

‫ י ְ ַמּנּוהּו כֹהֵן ּגָדֹול ּתַ חְּתָ יו‬,‫ׁשאִם י ֵׁש לֹו לְכֹהֵן ּגָדֹול ּבֵן ְמ ַמּלֵא אֶת ְמקֹומֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫תחתיו מבניו‬:

‫ תחתיו מבניו‬IN HIS STEAD FROM AMONG HIS SONS — This informs us that if the High
Priest has a son who can fill his place they shall appoint him High Priest in his stead (Sifra,
Acharei Mot, Chapter 8 5; cf. Rashi on Yoma 72b).

(‫ ְלפִיכְָך נִּגּון ּתְ בִיר נִמְׁשְָך ְל ָפנָיו‬,‫ ִמּכָאן ְרָאי ָה ּכָל לְׁשֹון כֹהֵן פֹועֵל עֹובֵד ַמּמָׁש‬.‫)הכהן תחתיו מבניו‬:

[‫ — הכהן תחתיו מבניו‬From here (from this phraseology) we have a proof that the word ‫ הכהן‬is
everywhere a participle — meaning “he who is actually acting as the officiant”; therefore the
tonic accent ‫ תביר‬on the word ‫ הכהן‬connects it with the word following it.].

29:31

‫ּׁש ָלמִים ַהּלָלּו קָדְ ׁשֵ י קָדָ ׁשִ ים הָיּו‬

ְ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ,‫ ַּב ֲחצַר אֹהֶל מֹועֵד‬.‫במקם קדש‬:

‫ במקום קדש‬IN A HOLY PLACE in the court of the tent of meeting because these peace-
offerings were holy in the highest degree (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 6:9).

29:32

‫ ּכָל ֶה ָחצֵר קָרּוי ּכֵן‬.‫פתח אהל מועד‬:

‫ פתח אהל מועד‬BY THE ENTRANCE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — the whole court is thus
named (cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:11).

29:33

‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶ הֵם ַּב ֲעלֵיהֶם‬,‫ ַאהֲר ֹן ּו ָבנָיו‬.‫ואכלו אתם‬:

‫ ואכלו אתם‬AND THEY SHALL EAT THOSE THINGS i. e. Aaron and his sons because they
are the “owners” of them (cf. Pesachim 59b).

‫ ּכָל ז ָרּות וְתִ עּוב‬.‫אשר כפר בהם‬:

‫ אשד כפר בהם‬THROUGH WHOM THERE WAS EXPIATED everything that was strange and
objectionable.

‫ ּבְַאי ִל ְו ֶלחֶם ַהּלָלּו‬.‫למלא את ידם‬:

‫ למלא את ידם‬TO INITIATE THEM INTO OFFICE by means of this ram and bread.

‫ׁשעַל י ְדֵ י ַה ִּמּלּואִים ַהּלָלּו נִתְ ַמּלְאּו י ְדֵ יהֶם ְונִתְ קַּדְ ׁשּו ִל ְכ ֻהּנָה‬
ֶ .‫לקדש אתם‬:

‫ לקדש אתם‬TO SANCTIFY THEM — for by means of this initiation-sacrifice they were
installed and sanctified to the priesthood.

‫ׁשּנָתַ ן ַה ִּמק ְָרא ַטעַם לַּדָ בָר מִּׁשּום ּדְ ק ֹדֶ ׁש‬
ֶ ,‫ קָדְ ׁשֵי קָדָ ׁשִים; ּו ִמּכָאן ָלמַדְ נּו ַאזְה ָָרה ְלז ָר הָאֹוכֵל קָדְ ׁשֵי קָדָ ׁשִים‬.‫כי קדש הם‬
)‫הֵם (פסח' כ"ד‬:

‫ כי קדש הם‬BECAUSE THEY ARE HOLY — i. e. holy in the highest degree. From this we
derive the prohibition against a “stranger” (a non-priest) eating anything that is holy in the
highest degree (Makkot 18b), since Scripture assigns a reason for the matter (why a stranger
may not eat of these), viz., because they are holy in the highest degree (cf. Pesachim 24a).

29:35

‫ ֹלא נִתְ מַ ּלְאּו י ְדֵ יהֶם‬,‫ׁשאִם ָחסַר ּדָ בָר ֶאחָד ִמּכָל הָָאמּור ָּב ִענְי ָן‬
ֶ – ‫ׁשנָה ַהּכָתּוב ְו ָכפַל ְל ַעּכֵב‬
ָ .‫ועשית לאהרן ולבניו ככה‬
‫ ִלהְיֹות ּכ ֹ ֲהנִים ַועֲבֹודָ תָ ם ּפְסּולָה‬:

‫ ועשית לאהרן ולבניו ככה‬AND THUS SHALT (i. e. must) THOU DO TO AARON AND HIS
SONS — Scripture recites a second time in this general statement all that has been already
commanded in order to impede the validity of the rites; i. e. that if they do not do this and a
single thing is omitted of all that is prescribed in this section their initiation to be priests must
be regarded as not having taken place and their act of sacrifice is consequently invalid (Yoma
5a).

‫ ּכְמֹו אֹותָ ְך‬.‫אתכה‬:

‫ אתכה‬is the same as (another form of): ‫“ אֹותָ ך‬thee”.

‫ ָּב ִענְי ָן ַהּז ֶה ּו ַבּק ְָרּבָנֹות ַהּלָלּו ְּבכָל יֹום‬.'‫שבעת ימים תמלא וגו‬:

‫ שבעת ימים תמלא ידם‬SEVEN DAYS SHALT THOU CONSECRATE THEM in this manner
and by means of these sacrifices on each day.

29:36
‫ אֵין לִי אֶ ּלָא ּדָ בָר‬,‫ׁש ְבעַת יָמִים ּתְ ַמּלֵא י ָדָ ם‬ ִ 'ֶ‫ׁשּנ‬ֶ ‫ ְל ַכּפֵר עַל ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ִמּכָל ז ָרּות וְתִ עּוב; ּו ְלפִי‬,‫ִּפּורים‬
ִ ‫ׁשבִיל ַהּכ‬ ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫על הכפרים‬
‫ ְלכְָך ֻהצ ְַרְך‬,‫ׁש ַמעְנּו‬ ָ ‫ ֹלא‬,ַ‫ׁשהּוא ְלחִּטּוי ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְגֹון ּפַר‬,ַ‫ׁשבִיל ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬ ְ ‫ ֲאבָל ַהּבָא ִּב‬,‫ ּכְגֹון ָהאֵילִים ְו ַה ֶּלחֶם‬,‫ׁשבִילָם‬ְ ‫ַהּבָא ִּב‬
‫ׁש ָּמא הִתְ נַּדֵ ב אִיׁש ּדְ בַר ֶּגז ֶל ִּב ְמלֶאכֶת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן ְוהַּמִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח‬
ֶ ‫ ִמק ְָרא ז ֶה; ּומִדְ ַרׁש ּת"ּכ ֹ אֹומֵר ַּכּפ ַָרת ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ֻהצ ְְרכָה‬:

‫ על הכפרים‬means for the purpose of expiation — to expiate for the altar for all that is “strange”
(not holy) and objectionable that may happened to it. Now since it is said. (v. 35) “Seven days
shalt thou consecrate them” after having stated that if a single thing is omitted the ceremony is
invalid, I can infer nothing more than that this alludes to a thing that is offered on account of
them personally as, for example, the rams and the bread, but as regards anything that is
offered on account of the altar as, for example, the bullock, which is intended to serve as
expiation for the altar, we cannot infer from that verse that if this is omitted the ceremony of
initiation is invalid; consequently this verse is necessary to inform us of this. An explanation
in Torath Cohanim (the Sifra) states: atonement for the altar was necessary because perhaps a
man had donated for work in connection with the construction of the Tabernacle or the altar
something which he had stolen (Sifra, Tzav, Mechilta d'Miluim 1 15).

‫ לְׁשֹון מַּתְ נַת ּדָ מִים ַהּנְתּונִים ְּב ֶא ְצּבַע קָרּוי חִּטּוי‬,‫ ּותְ דַ ּכֵי‬.‫וחטאת‬:

‫ — וחטאת‬The Targum translates this by ‫ ותדכי‬AND THOU SHALT PURIFY [THE ALTAR];
the expression for placing upon the altar the blood that is placed there with the finger is called
‫( ַחּטַא‬hence it is followed by the preposition ‫“ על‬upon”).

‫ ְוכָל ַהּמְׁשִ יחֹות ּכְמִ ין כִי‬,‫ׁשחָה‬

ְ ‫ׁשמֶן ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְּב‬.‫ומשחת אתו‬:

‫ ומשחת אתו‬AND THOU SHALT ANOINT IT with the oil of anointing: every anointing was
done in the form of a Greek Chi (X).

29:37

‫ׁש ָעלָה ָעלָיו קִּדְ ׁשֹו הַּמִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח ְל ַהכְׁשִ ירֹו‬ ֶ ‫ ֲאפִּלּו ק ְָרּבָן ּפָסּול‬.‫ ּו ַמה הִיא קְדֻ ּׁשָתֹו? כל הנגע במזבח יקדש‬.‫והיה המזבח קדש‬
‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה פְסּולֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁשאֵינֹו ָראּוי – ּכְגֹון ּדָ בָר‬ ֶ ‫ ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ֲאנִי ּבֵין ָראּוי ּבֵין‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּכָל הַּנֹגֵ ַע ַּב ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח יִקְּדָ ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ֵֵרד; מִּתֹוְך‬ֶ
‫ מָ ה עֹולָה‬,‫ׂשה ַהּסָמּוְך ַאח ֲָריו‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְגֹון הָרֹו ֵב ַע ְו ַהּנ ְִרּבָע ּו ֻמ ְקצֶה ְונֶ ֱעבָד ְו ַהּט ְֵרפָה ְוכַּיֹוצֵא ָּבהֶן – ּתַ "ֹל ְוז ֶה אֲ ׁשֶר ּתַ ֲע‬,‫ּבַּק ֹדֶ ׁש‬
‫ׁשחַט ְּב ַמחֲׁשֶ בֶת חּוץ ִלז ְמַ ּנֹו‬ ְ ִ‫ׁשּנ‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְגֹון ַהּלָן ְוהַּיֹוצֵא ְו ַה ָּט ֵמא ְו‬,‫ּׁשּבָא ָל ֲעז ָָרה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנ ְִרָאה לֹו ְכבָר ְונִ ְפסַל ִמ‬ ֶ ‫ ַאף ּכָל ָראּוי‬,‫ְראּוי ָה‬
)‫וְחּוץ ִל ְמקֹומֹו ְוכַּיֹוצֵא ָּבהֶן (זבחים פ"ג‬:

‫ והיה המזבח קדש‬AND THE ALTAR SHALL BE [MOST] HOLY — and in what consists its
holiness? In this: ‫ כל הנגע במזבח יקדש‬that WHATSOEVER TOUCHETH THE ALTAR
SHALL BECOME HOLY — that even a sacrifice which is really invalid that has been
brought upon it — even that does the altar sanctify making it a valid sacrifice in so far that it
must not be taken down from the altar. Now since it is said, “Anything that toucheth the altar
shall become holy”, I might infer that this applies to a thing whether it was fitting to be an
offering at the time when it was brought into the Sanctuary or whether it was not so fitting as,
for example, in the latter case, something the disqualification of which did not happen within
the Sanctuary itself but had happened before it was brought there, such as, an animal, male or
female, with which sexual sin had been committed, or an animal which had been set aside as a
sacrifice to an idol, or one which had been worshipped as a god, or one which showed signs
of incapacity to live owing to certain diseases (technically termed ‫ )טרפה‬and animals similar to
these (with similar disqualifications); consequently it states, “Now this is that which thou
shalt offer [upon the altar]”, which follows immediately after this (in v. 38). Now how is it in
the case of the burnt-offering which is mentioned in the next verse as something commanded
to be brought upon the altar? It must be fitted to be brought upon the altar! So, also, the
preceding statement, “Whatever [touches the altar shall become holy]”, refers only to
whatever was fitting, i. e. what was already fitting to be brought upon the altar and became
disqualified only after it had been brought into the fore-court of the Sanctuary, as, for
example, that which had been left over night (the blood or fat of a sacrifice which had been
left until the morning without having been placed upon the altar), or that which, before it had
been placed upon the altar, had been taken (lit., had gone forth) outside the forecourt, or that
which had become unclean, or an animal which had been slaughtered with the intention to
sprinkle the blood or to burn the fat or to eat the flesh outside the prescribed period or outside
the prescribed place, and animals similar to these (Zevachim 83b).

29:40

‫ִירית ָהאֵיפָה – מ"ג ּבֵיצִים וְח ֹמֶׁש ּבֵיצָה‬

ִ ‫ ֲעׂש‬.‫ועשרן סלת‬:

‫ ועשרן סלת‬A TENTH DEAL OF FLOUR — i. e. a tenth part of an ephah: a capacity of forty
three and a fifth eggs (cf. Rashi on Exodus 16:36).

‫ׁשמָע ַל ָּמאֹור וְֹלא לַּמְ נָחֹות – י ָכֹול‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּכָתִ ית ַל ָּמאֹור – ּו ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ אֶ ּלָא ְל ַה ְכׁשִיר‬,‫ ֹלא לְחֹובָה נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָתִ ית‬.‫בשמן כתית‬
‫ׁשַאף ַהּטָחּון ּב ֵָרי ַחי ִם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשאֵין צ ִָריְך ּכָתִ ית‬ ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא ְל ַמעֵט ְמנָחֹות‬,‫ ּתַ "ֹל ּכָאן ּכָתִ ית וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָתִ ית ַל ָּמאֹור‬,‫ְל ָפסְלֹו ַל ְּמנָחֹות‬
)‫ ָּכׁשֵר ָּבהֶן (מנחות פ"ו‬:

‫[ בשמן כתית‬MINGLED] WITH OIL, BEATEN — Not to make this obligatory is it stated
“beaten” but to make it lawful if such oil be at all used. Since it is stated, (Exodus 27:20)
“beaten for the light” and the implication is that for the light it must be beaten and not for the
meal-offerings, one might think that this is expressly stated in order to declare it unfitting for
the meal-offerings; therefore it states here “beaten”, meaning that for the meal-offerings
beaten oil may be used if one so wishes. And it is stated “beaten for the light”, only to exclude
the meal-offerings from the command: that beaten oil is not obligatory for them — that oil
obtained from olives ground in a mill is also permissible for them (Menachot 86b).

‫ ׁשְ ֹלׁשָ ה ֻלּגִין‬.‫רבע ההין‬:

‫ רבע ההין‬THE FOURTH PART OF A HIN — three logs.

‫ׁשל ֶּכסֶף הָיּו בְר ֹאׁש ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ּו ְמנֻ ָּקבִים ּכְמִ ין ׁשְ נֵי ֳחטָמִ ין‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ְס ָפלִים‬ְ – )‫ּׁשנִינּו ְב ַמ ֶּסכֶת ֻסּכָה (מ"ח‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ַל ְּס ָפלִים‬.‫ונסך‬
,‫ ְּב ִמזְּבַח ּבֵית עֹולָמִ ים‬,‫יֹורד ַלּׁשִיתִ ין‬ ֵ ‫ ּו ִמּׁשָם‬,ַ‫ נֹותֵ ן ַהּיַי ִן לְתֹוכֹו וְהּוא ְמ ַק ֵּל ַח וְיֹוצֵא ּדֶ ֶרְך הַחֹטֶם וְנֹופֵל עַל ּגַג ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬,‫ּדַ ּקִים‬
‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫יֹורד מִן הַּמִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח ל‬
ֵ ‫ּו ְב ִמזְּבַח ַהּנְחֹׁשֶת‬:

‫ ונסך‬AND A LIBATION — for the bowls, as we learn in Treatise Sukkah 48a: there were two
silver bowls above the altar pierced with holes, as it were like two slender nostrils. He poured
the wine into these and it ran through and gushed forth by way of this “nostril”, falling upon
the top of the altar. Thence it ran down into the subterranean channels in the case of the altar
in the Temple, but in the case of the copper altar in the Tabernacle it ran down from the altar
to the ground.

29:41

‫ ׁשֶ ּנֶאֱמַר‬,‫ ְוסֵדֶ ר ַהק ְָרבָתָ ם ָה ֵאב ִָרים ּבַּתְ ִחּלָה וְַאחַר ּכְָך הַּמִ נְחָה‬,‫ׁש ִּמנְחַת נְ ָסכִים ֻּכּלָּה ָּכלִיל‬
ֶ ,‫ עַל ַה ִּמנְחָה נֶ ֱאמַר‬.‫לריח ניחח‬
‫עֹלָה ּומִ נְחָה‬:
‫ לריח ניחח‬FOR A PLEASING ODOUR — This is said in reference to the meal-offering just
mentioned and not only to the lamb mentioned in the first half of the verse, for also the meal-
offering brought with the libation was all of it entirely burnt, unlike other meal-offerings. The
order when offering them was: first the limbs of the animal and afterwards the meal-offering,
since it is said (Leviticus 23:27) “burnt-offering and meal-offering”.

29:42

‫ מִּיֹום אֶל יֹום – וְֹלא י ַ ְפסִיק יֹום ּבֵינְתַ י ִם‬.‫תמיד‬:

‫ תמיד‬A CONTINUAL [BURNT-OFFERING] i.e. from day to day: there shall not be an
interval of a day between them (between two successive morning or afternoon offerings; cf.
Rashi on Exodus 27:20).

‫ׁש ֵּמעַל מִ זְּבַח ַהּנְח ֹׁשֶת‬

ֶ ‫ ְוי ֵׁש מ ֵַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ֹלמְדִ ים ִמּכָאן‬.‫ ׁשָם ֶא ְק ָּבעֶּנּו לָב ֹא‬,‫ׁש ֶא ְקּבַע מֹועֵד לְדַ ּבֵר ֵאלֶיָך‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫אשר אועד לכם‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר וְדִ ּב ְַרּתִ י אִּתְ ָך מֵ עַל ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ְוי ֵׁש אֹומ ְִרים ֵמעַל ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ּׁשהּוקַם ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ִמ‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ָהי ָה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה מְדַ ּבֵר עִם מ‬
‫קְרא‬
ָ ִ‫ ַו ֲאׁשֶר ִא ָּועֵד ָלכֶם הָָאמּור ּכָאן אֵינֹו ָאמּור עַל ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ֶאּלָא עַל אֹהֶל מֹועֵד ַהּנִזְּכָר ּבַּמ‬,) ‫(שמות כ"ו‬:

‫ אשר אועד לכם‬WHERE I SHALL BE MET BY YOU — when I shall appoint a place of
meeting to speak unto you I shall appoint it there (at the entrance of the tent of meeting) as the
spot to which to come. Some of our Rabbis learn from this that it was from above the copper
altar that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with Moses after the Tabernacle was erected, for
this was at the entrance; but some say that He spoke from above the cover of the Ark (the
‫)כפרת‬, as it is said, (Exodus 25:22) “And I will speak to thee from above the cover”, and that
the words “where I shall be met by you” which are said here are not used in reference to the
altar which was at the entrance of the tent of meeting, but in reference to the tent of meeting
itself which is mentioned in this verse (so that the meaning is: “at the entrance of the tent of
meeting where, viz., in the tent of meeting, I shall be met by you”; cf. ‫ ברייתא דמלאכת המשכן‬at
the end).

29:43

‫ ְּכ ֶמלְֶך הַּקֹו ֵב ַע ְמקֹום מֹועֵד לְדַ ּבֵר עִם ֲעבָדָ יו ׁשָ ם‬,‫ אֶתְ ַועֵד ִעּמָם ּבְדִ ּבּור‬.‫ונעדתי שמה‬:

‫ ונעדתי שמה‬AND I WILL BE MET THERE — I will come together with them in a
conversation as a king who appoints a place of meeting where he will speak with his subjects.

‫ הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬.‫ונקדש‬:

‫ ונקדש‬AND IT — the Tabernacle — SHALL BE SANCTIFIED,

‫ׁשּלִי – ּכָאן ָרמַז לֹו מִ יתַ ת ְּבנֵי‬ ֶ ‫ ּומִדְ ַרׁש ַאּגָדָ ה ַאל ּתִ ק ְֵרי ִּבכְב ֹדִ י ֶאּלָא ִּבכְבּודַ י – ִּב ְמ ֻכּבָדִ ים‬.‫ׁשכִינָתִ י ּבֹו‬
ְ ‫ – ׁשֶּתִ ׁש ְֶרה‬.‫בכבדי‬
‫ ְוהֵיכָן ּדִ ּבֶר? ְונִקְּדַ ׁש ִּבכְב ֹדִ י (זבחים‬,‫ׁשה הּוא ֲאׁשֶר ּדִ ּבֶר ה' לֵאמ ֹר ִּבקְרֹבַי אֶ ּקָדֵ ׁש‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשָאמַר מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו‬,‫ַאהֲר ֹן ּבְיֹום ֲה ָקמָתֹו‬
)‫קט"ו‬:

‫ בכבדי‬BY MY GLORY — for my Shechina shall rest there. A Midrashic comment is: Read
not here ‫“ ִּבכְבֹודִ י‬by My Glory”, but ‫ ִּבכְבּודַ י‬, “through My honoured ones”. Here He gave him
some slight intimation of the death of Aaron’s sons on the day when it (the Tabernacle) would
be erected. This is the meaning of what Moses then said, (Leviticus 10:3) “That is what the
Lord said, Through those that draw near to Me will I be sanctified”. But where had he said
this? Here, in the words, “and it shall be sanctified through My honoured ones” (Zevachim
115b).

29:46

‫ עַל ְמנָת לִׁשְ ּכ ֹן אֲ נִי ּבְתֹוכָם‬.‫לשכני בתוכם‬:

‫ לשכני בתכם‬means under the condition that I may dwell in the midst of them.

30:1

‫ ְל ַהעֲלֹות ָעלָיו קִּטּור עֲׁשַ ן סַּמִ ים‬.‫מקטר קטרת‬:

‫ מקטר קטרת‬FOR THE BURNING OF INCENSE — to raise smoke (‫ )קיטור‬on it, viz., the
smoke of incense.

30:3

‫ אֲ בָל ִמזְּבַח הָעֹולָה ֹלא ָהי ָה לֹו ּגַג אֶ ּלָא ְמ ַמ ְּלאִים ֲחלָלֹו אֲדָ מָ ה ְּבכָל ֲחנִּי ָתָ ן‬,‫ ז ֶה ָהי ָה לֹו ּגַג‬.‫את גגו‬:

‫ את גגו‬THE ROOF THEREOF — This altar had a top but the altar of burnt-offering had no
top, but they filled in the hollow space enclosed by its sides with earth wherever they
encamped (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:1).

‫ סִימָן הּוא ְלכֶתֶ ר ְּכ ֻהּנָה‬.‫זר זהב‬:

‫ זר זהב‬A CROWN OF GOLD — an emblem of the crown of priesthood (Yoma 72b).

30:4

‫ׁשנֵי צִּדָ יו – עַל ׁשְּתֵ י זָוִּיֹות ׁשֶ ּבִׁשְ נֵי צִּדָ יו‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר עַל‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,‫ ּכָאן הּוא לְׁשֹון זָוִּיֹות‬.‫צלעתיו‬:

‫ צלעתיו‬Here this word must signify “corners” (not “sides” as Rashi explains in Exodus 25:12),
as it is translated in the Targum, since it is stated afterwards, ‫על שני צדיו‬, “upon the two sides
of it”, so that the phrases mean, “the two corners that are on its two sides”.

‫ׂשה ַה ַּטּבָעֹות הָאֵ ּלֶה‬

ֵ ‫ ַמ ֲע‬.‫והיה‬:

‫( והיה‬lit., “and it shall be”, not “they shall be”) — i. e. the making of these rings (this ring-
work) shall be (shall serve) —

‫ ַּבי ִת ּתִ ְהי ֶה ַה ַּט ַּבעַת ַלּבַד‬.‫לבתים לבדים‬:

‫ לבתים לבדים‬FOR PLACES FOR THE STAVES — i.e. the ring shall serve as a place for the
stave (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:27).

30:6

‫ ּתַ "ֹל ִל ְפנֵי ַהּכַּפ ֶֹרת ְמ ֻכּוָן ְּכנֶגֶד הָָארֹון מִ ּבַחּוץ‬,‫ׁש ָּמא ת ֹאמַר מָׁשּוְך ִמ ְּכנֶגֶד הָָארֹון ַלּצָפֹון אֹו לַּדָ רֹום‬
ֶ .‫לפני הפרכת‬:
‫ לפני הכפרת‬BEFORE THE PARTITION VAIL — But this vail was drawn across the entire
width of the Tabernacle, and you may perhaps say that the altar was not to be placed exactly
before (exactly in a straight line with) the Ark but might be withdrawn from the straight line
to the North or to the south since in that position, too, it would be before the partition vail;
therefore it states further, “before the covering of the Ark”, i. e. exactly in front of the Ark but
outside the veil.

30:7

‫ ְו ָהי ָה ְמטִיבָן ְּבכָל ּב ֹקֶר וָב ֹקֶר‬,‫ׁשּנִׂש ְְרפּו ַב ַּליְלָה‬

ֶ ‫ְנֹורה מִּדֶ שֶן ַהּפְתִ ילֹות‬
ָ ‫ׁשל ַהּמ‬
ֶ ‫ לְׁשֹון נִּקּוי ַה ָּבז ִיכִין‬.‫בהיטיבו‬:

‫ בהטיבו‬WHEN HE TRIMMETH — This word is an expression for cleansing the bowls of the
candelabrum from the ashes of the wicks which had burnt out during the night; and he used to
clean them (the lamps) out every morning.

‫ׁשהּוא לְׁשֹון הַדְ לָקָ ה‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ׁשָם ַה ֲעלָָאה‬
ֶ ‫ חּוץ ִמ ָּמקֹום‬,‫נֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל נֵרֹות ָהאֲמּורֹות ַּב ְּמ‬,‫ לו"שיש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫הנרת‬:

‫ הנרת‬THE LAMPS — luces in old French And this is the meaning of ‫ נרות‬whenever it is
mentioned in connection with the candelabrum, except in any passage where the term ‫העלאה‬
“causing to ascend” (any verbal form which is the Hiphil of ‫)עלה‬, which denotes lighting is
used, and there it signifies “lights”, (The translation here is therefore: “when he cleans out the
lamps”, not “when he trims the lights”).

30:8

‫ׁשּי ַדְ לִיקֵם ְל ַהעֲלֹות ַל ַהבְתָ ן‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ובהעלת‬:

‫ ובהעלת‬means when he kindles them by making their flame ascend (cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:20
and on Numbers 8:2).

)'‫ׁשח ֲִרית ּופ ְָרס ַמ ְקטִיר ּבֵין ָהע ְַר ַּבי ִם (כריתות ו‬
ַ ‫ ּפ ְָרס ַמ ְקטִיר‬,‫ ְּבכָל יֹום‬.‫יקטירנה‬:

‫ יקטירנה‬HE SHALL BURN IT [A CONTINUAL INCENSE] — ‫תמיד‬, “continual”, means

every day regularly: a half he burnt in the morning and a half he burnt in the evening (Keritot
6b).

30:9

‫ עַל מִ ז ְ ֵּב ַח ז ֶה‬.‫לא תעלו עליו‬:

‫ לא תעלו עליו‬YE SHALL NOT OFFER ON IT — on it, i. e. on this altar, but you may offer on
the copper altar (cf. Menachot 50b),

‫ׁשל נְדָ בָה – ֻּכּלָן ז ָרֹות לֹו חּוץ מִּזֹו‬

ֶ ‫ ׁשּום קְט ֶֹרת‬.‫קטרת זרה‬:

‫ קטרת זרה‬STRANGE INCENSE — any incense brought as a freewill offering; all of them (all
offerings of incense) are “strange” to it (to the altar) except this prescribed here.

‫ ִמנְחָה הִיא ׁשֶ ל ֶלחֶם‬,‫ׁשל ְּב ֵה ָמה וָעֹוף‬

ֶ ‫ עֹולָה‬,‫ וְֹלא עֹולָה ּו ִמנְחָה‬.‫ועלה ומנחה‬:
‫ ועלה ומנחה‬means, nor burnt offering nor meal-offering. The ‫ עולה‬is an offering of an animal or
bird; ‫ מנחה‬is one of bread.

30:10

‫ מַּתַ ן ּדָ מִ ים‬.‫וכפר אהרן‬:

‫ וכפר אהרן‬AND AARON SHALL MAKE EXPIATION — This refers to the placing of the
blood upon the horns of the altar.

)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבְַאח ֲֵרי מֹות ְויָצָא אֶ ל ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ֲאׁשֶר ִל ְפנֵי ה' ְו ִכּפֶר ָעלָיו (ויקרא ט"ז‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא‬,‫ִּפּורים‬
ִ ‫ ּבְיֹום ַהּכ‬.‫אחת בשנה‬:

‫ אחת בשנה‬ONCE IN THE YEAR — On the Day of Atonement. This is what is said in the
section ‫אחרי מות‬, which describes the sacrificial service on that day, (Leviticus 16:18) “And he
shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord and make an expiation upon it”.

‫ִּפּורים ַה ְמ ַכּפ ְִרים עַל ֻט ְמַאת מִ קְּדָ ׁש וְקָדָ ׁשָ יו‬

ִ ‫ׁשל יֹום ַהּכ‬
ֶ ‫ׂשעִיר‬
ָ ‫ הֵם ּפַר ְו‬.‫חטאת הכפרים‬:

‫ חטאת הכפרים‬SIN-OFFERING OF EXPIATION — These are the bullock and goat of the Day
of Atonement which atone for the uncleanness of the Sanctuary and its holy offerings
(Shevuot 2b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 16:11).

‫ ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְמקֻּדָ ׁש לִדְ ב ִָרים ַהּלָלּו ִּב ְלבַד וְֹלא ַלעֲבֹודָ ה ַאח ֶֶרת‬.‫קדש קדשים‬:

‫[ קדש קדשים‬IT IS] MOST HOLY — the altar is sanctified for offering on it these things alone
and not for any other sacrificial service.

30:12

‫ ֶאּלָא י ִּתְ נּו ּכָל אֶ חָד‬,‫ ַאל ּתִ ְמנֵם ַל ֻּגלְּגֹלֶת‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו; ְּכׁשֶּתַ חְּפ ֹץ ְל ַקּבֵל סְכּום ִמנְיָנָם לָדַ עַת ַּכּמָה הֵם‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ַק ָּבלָה‬.‫כי תשא‬
‫ּׁש ָקלִים וְתֵ דַ ע מִ נְיָנָם‬
ְ ‫ּׁש ֶקל וְתִ ְמנֶה אֶת ַה‬ ֶ ‫ ַמ ֲחצִית ַה‬:

‫ כי תשא‬This has the meaning of obtaining: WHEN THOU TAKEST [THE SUM], (not of
“lifting up” as in Genesis 40:13); as the Targum has it, ‫תקבל‬. The sense is: when you wish to
obtain the sum total of their number — to know how many they are — do not take their
census by their polls but each of them shall give half a shekel, and you shall count these, and
so ascertain their number.

)‫ׁש ָּמצִינּו בִימֵי ּדָ וִד (שמואל ב כ"ד‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ ְוהַּדֶ בֶר ּבָא ֲעלֵיהֶם‬,‫ׁש ַה ִּמנְי ָן ׁשֹולֵט ּבֹו ַעי ִן ה ָָרע‬
ֶ .‫ולא יהיה בהם נגף‬:

‫ ולא יהיה בהם נגף‬THAT THERE BE NO CALAMITY AMONG THEM — for numbers (i. e.
things that have been numbered) are subject to the influence of the “evil eye”, and therefore if
you count them by their polls pestilence may befall them, as we find happened, in the days of
David (II Samuel 24:10 and 15).

30:13

)'‫ּׁש ֶקל וְאֹומֵר לֹו ָּכז ֶה י ִּתְ נּו (תלמוד ירושלמי שק' א‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָקלָּה ַמ ֲחצִית ַה‬
ְ ‫ׁשל אֵׁש ּו ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ ה ְֶרָאה לֹו ְּכמִין ַמ ְט ֵּב ַע‬.‫זה יתנו‬:
‫ זה יתנו‬THIS SHALL THEY GIVE — He (God) showed him (Moses) a kind of fiery coin the
weight of which was half a shekel and said to him, “Like this shall they give” (Midrash
Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 9).

‫ ְוכֵן‬,)‫ּׁשבֶט (ויקרא כ"ז‬

ָ ‫ ְוכֵן ּכ ֹל ֲאׁשֶר יַעֲב ֹר ּתַ חַת ַה‬,‫ִירין אֶת ַהּנִ ְמנִין ז ֶה ַאחַר ז ֶה‬
ִ ‫ ּדֶ ֶרְך הַּמֹונִין ַמ ֲעב‬.‫העבר על הפקדים‬
)‫ּתַ עֲב ְֹרנָה הַּצ ֹאן עַל י ְדֵ י מֹונֶה (ירמיהו ל"ג‬:

‫[ העבר על הפקדים‬EVERY ONE] THAT PASSETH AMONG THEM THAT ARE MUSTERED
— Scripture uses the expression ‫ כל העבר על הפקדים‬instead of merely saying ‫ כל הפקדים‬because
it is the practice of those who count animate beings to make these pass before them one after
the other, counting them as they pass. Similar are: (Leviticus 27:32) “whatever passeth (‫)יעבר‬
under the rod”; (Jeremiah 33:13) “the flock shall pass again (‫ )תעברנה‬under the hands of him
that counteth them”.

‫ָאֲמּורין ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת‬

ִ ‫ׁש ָקלִים ה‬
ְ ‫ ּכְגֹון‬,‫ׁש ְקלֵי הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש‬
ִ ‫ׁשק ֹל ּבֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁש ָּק ַצבְּתִ י לְָך ִל‬
ֶ ‫ּׁש ֶקל‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַקל ַה‬
ְ ‫ ְּב ִמ‬.‫מחצית השקל בשקל הקדש‬
‫ע ֲָרכִין ּוׂשְדֵ ה אֲ ֻחּז ָה‬:

‫ מחצית השקל בשקל הקדש‬THE HALF OF A SHEKEL AFTER THE SHEKEL OF HOLINESS –
i. e. after the weight of the shekel which I have appointed for you as the standard by which to
weigh the shekels used for sacred purposes, as, for instance, those shekels mentioned in the
section dealing with estimating things dedicated to the Sanctuary and with “fields of
possession” so dedicated (Leviticus ch. 27).

‫ ַע ְכׁשָו ּפ ֵֵרׁש לְָך ּכַּמָ ה הּוא‬.‫עשרים גרה השקל‬:

‫ עשרים גרה השקל‬A SHEKEL IS TWENTY GERAHS — Having stated that it must be a holy
shekel it now tells you exactly how much it is.

‫ֲגֹורת ֶּכסֶף ְו ִכּכַר ָלחֶם‬

ַ ‫ י ָבֹוא ְל ִהׁשְּתַ חֲֹות לֹו ַלא‬,)'‫ׁשמְּו ֵאל (א' ב‬
ְ ‫ לְׁשֹון ָמעָה; ְוכֵן ִּב‬.‫גרה‬:

‫ גרה‬in Hebrew denotes what is called a ‫מעה‬, a coin of small value, in Aramaic. And in this
sense we find it in the book of Samuel (I Samuel 2:36) “[every one that is left] shall come and
crouch to him for a piece of (‫ )אגורת‬silver and a morsel of bread” which the Targum renders
by ‫למעה דכסף‬.

‫ אֶ ּלָא בָאּו וְהֹוסִיפּו ָעלָיו ׁשְתּות‬,‫ ְוהַּזּוז מִּתְ ִחּלָתֹו ָחמֵׁש מָעֹות‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה זּוז ִים‬
ְ ‫ּׁשלֵם‬
ָ ‫ּׁש ֶקל ַה‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ .‫עשרים גרה השקל‬
)'‫ׁשָאמ ְַרּתִ י לְָך י ִּתְ נּו ּתְ רּו ָמה לַה' (בכורות ה‬
ֶ ‫ּׁש ֶקל ַהּז ֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ַמ ֲחצִית ַה‬,‫ ְו ֶהעֱלּוהּו ְלׁשֵׁש ָמעָה ֶכסֶף‬:

‫ עשרים גרה השקל‬A SHEKEL IS TWENTY GERAHS — For a full shekel is four zuz and a zuz
was originally five meahs (consequently a shekel was twenty meahs or gerahs); only that they
increased it (the zuz) by one sixth and so raised its value to six meahs of silver. Now THE
HALF OF THIS (the original) SHEKEL of which I have spoken to you SHALL THEY GIVE
AS A HEAVE OFFERING TO THE LORD.

30:14

‫ׁשאֵין ּפָחּות ִמּבֶן ֶעׂש ְִרים יֹוצֵא ַל ָּצבָא ְונִ ְמנֶה ִּב ְכלַל אֲ נָׁשִ ים‬
ֶ ‫ ִלּמֶדְ ָך ּכָאן‬.‫מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה‬:
‫ מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה‬FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND ABOVE — Scripture teaches you
here that anyone less than twenty years of age does not go forth to the host nor is he to be
counted among the “men” (of whom v. 12 speaks).

30:15

‫ ְלפִי ׁש ֶָרמַז ָלהֶם ּכָאן ג' ּתְ רּומֹות – ׁשֶ ּנִכְּתַ ב‬,‫ׁשֹלא תִ ּנָגְפּו עַל י ְדֵ י ִמנְי ָן; ּדָ "ַא ְל ַכּפֵר עַל נַפְׁשֹותֵ יכֶם‬ ֶ .‫לכפר על נפשתיכם‬
‫ׁשּנָתְ נּו ּכָל אֶ חָד וְאֶ חָד מַ ֲחצִית‬ֶ ,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשהִתְ חִילּו ְבנִדְ בַת ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְּמנָָאן ְּכ‬
ֶ ‫ ַאחַת ּתְ רּומַת אֲדָ נִים‬,‫ׁשֹלׁש ְּפ ָעמִים‬ ָ '‫ּכָאן ּתְ רּומַת ה‬
‫ׁשּנֶאֱמַר ַויְהִי מְ ַאת‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ֵמהֶם נַעֲׂשּו ָהאֲדָ נִים‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְו ֶכסֶף ּפְקּודֵ י ָהעֵדָ ה ְמַאת ִּכּכָר (שמות ל"ח‬ ֶ ,‫ ְו ָעלָה ִל ְמַאת ַה ִּכּכָר‬,‫ּׁש ֶקל‬
ֶ ‫ַה‬
‫ הּוא ַה ִּמנְי ָן הָָאמּור ּבִתְ ִחּלַת חֻּמַׁש‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ּׁשהּוקַם ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְּמנָָאן ִמ‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשנִית ַאף הִיא עַל י ְדֵ י ִמנְי ָן‬ ֵ ‫ִּכּכַר ַה ֶּכסֶף וְגֹו' (שם); ְו ַה‬
‫קָרּבְנֹות צִּבּור‬ ְ ‫ ְוהֵן ִלקְנֹות ֵמהֶן‬,‫ּׁש ֶקל‬ ֶ ‫ ְונָתְ נּו ּכָל ֶאחָד ַמ ֲחצִית ַה‬,) '‫ּׁשנִית (במדבר א‬ ֵ ‫ּׁשנָה ַה‬ ָ ‫ּׁשנִי ַּב‬
ֵ ‫ַהּפְקּודִ ים ְּב ֶאחָד לַח ֹדֶ ׁש ַה‬
‫ׁש ַהּק ְָרּבָנֹות ְל ַכּפ ָָרה הֵם‬
ֶ ,‫ ְועַל אֹותָ ּה ּתְ רּו ָמה נֶ ֱאמַר ְל ַכּפֵר עַל נַפְׁשֹותֵ יכֶם‬,‫ִירים‬ ִ ‫ ְו ֻהׁשְוּו ָבהֶם ֲענִּי ִים ַו ֲעׁש‬,‫ׁשנָה‬ ָ ‫ׁשנָה ְו‬ָ ‫ׁשֶ ל ּכָל‬
‫ וְֹלא ָהי ְתָ ה י ַד ֻּכּלָם‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּכָל מ ִֵרים ּתְ רּומַת ֶּכסֶף ּונְחֹׁשֶת (שמות ל"ה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּכָן ּכְמֹו‬
ְ ‫ּׁשלִיׁשִית הִיא תְ רּומַת ַה ִּמ‬ ְ ‫ָּבאִים; ְו ַה‬
‫ׁשוָה בָּה אֶ ּלָא אִיׁש מַ ה ּׁשֶ ּנְדָ בֹו לִּבֹו‬
ָ :

‫ לכפר על נפשתיכם‬TO MAKE AN EXPIATION FOR YOUR SOULS — in order that you may
not be liable to the plague in consequence of the census. Another explanation of ‫לכפר על‬
‫ נפשתיכם‬is that is was really an atonement for their sins: because Scripture alludes here to
three different heave offerings since it uses the expression ‫ תרומת ה׳‬three times (twice in vv.
14 and 15, ‘‫תרומת ה‬, and once in vers 13, ‘‫)תרומה לה‬. One mention is an allusion to the heave
offering that was to be used for the making of the sockets, for he (Moses) counted them when
they began to contribute towards the building of the Tabernacle, when each gave half a
shekel, the total amounting to a hundred talents, as it is said, (Exodus 38:25) “and the silver of
them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents”, and of these the
sockets were made, as it is stated, (Exodus 38:27) “And of the hundred talents of silver [were
cast the sockets of the Sanctuary etc.]”. The second heave offering was also levied by way of
census, for he numbered them again after the Tabernacle was erected; that is the census
referred to in the beginning of the Book of Numbers: (Numbers 1:1) “[And the Lord spake
unto Moses] … on the first day of the second month in the second year … [Take ye the sum
of all the congregation of the children of Israel]”, and on that occasion, too, each of them gave
half a shekel. These were employed in purchasing the communal sacrifices for each year.
Rich and poor were made alike in regard to these half shekels; and it is with reference to this
heave offering that Scripture uses here the expression ‫לכפר על נפשתיכם‬, “to make expiation for
your souls”, for sacrifices were brought in order to make atonement. The third heave offering
was that offered for the building of the Tabernacle, as it is said, (Exodus 35:24) “Every one
that did offer an offering of silver and brass…”. In this heave offering, however, they did not
all participate alike, but each one brought whatever his heart prompted him to give (Talmud
Yerushalmi Shekalim 1:1; cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:1).

30:16

‫ ִמ ְּפנֵי ׁשֶ ּנִ ְכנַס ָּבהֶם‬,‫ׂשה ָה ֵעגֶל‬ֵ ‫ ַאחַר ַמ ֲע‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנִ ְצטַּוּו ִל ְמנֹותָ ם ּבִתְ ִחּלַת נִדְ בַת ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ָ‫ ָלמַדְ ּת‬.‫ונתת אתו על עבדת אהל מועד‬
‫ּׁש ָּפסַק ָאמַר לֹו לָרֹועֶה ְּבבַּקָׁשָ ה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשּנָפַל ּבָּה ּדֶ בֶר ּו ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל לְצ ֹאן ַה ֲחבִיבָה עַל ְּב ָעלֶי ָה‬ ָ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַוּי ִּג ֹף ה' אֶת ָהעָם; ָמ‬ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫מַ ֵּגפָה‬
‫ׁש ַה ִּמנְי ָן ַהּז ֶה הּוא הָָאמּור ְּבחֻּמַׁש‬ ֶ ‫ׁשהִיא ֲחבִיבָה ָעלָיו; ְואִי אֶ ְפׁשָר לֹומַר‬ ֶ ‫ לְהֹודִ י ַע‬,‫מִ ּמְָך ְמנֵה אֶת צ ֹאנִי וְדַ ע ַּכ ָּמה נֹותְ רּו ָבהֶם‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבְיֹום הַח ֹדֶ ׁש ה ִָראׁשֹון‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּכָן הּוקַם ְּב ֶאחָד לַח ֹדֶ ׁש ה ִָראׁשֹון‬ ְ ‫ּׁשנִי ְו ַה ִּמ‬
ֵ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֶ ֱאמַר ּבֹו ְּב ֶאחָד לַח ֹדֶ ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ,‫ַהּפְקּודִ ים‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַויְהִי ְמַאת ִּכּכַר ַה ֶּכסֶף‬ ֶ – ‫ׁשּלֹו‬ ֶ ‫ּׁש ָקלִים‬ ְ ‫ ּו ֵמ ַה ִּמנְי ָן ַהּז ֶה נַעֲׂשּו ָהאֲדָ נִים – ִמ‬,) '‫ְּב ֶאחָד לַח ֹדֶ ׁש ּתָ קִים וְגֹו' (שמות מ‬
‫ וְַאחַת ּבְׁשָ נָה ׁשְ נִּי ָה‬,‫ׁשנָה ִראׁשֹונָה‬ ָ ‫ִּפּורים ְּב‬
ִ ‫ ֶאחָד ּבִתְ ִחּלַת נִדְ בָתָ ן ַאחַר יֹום ַהּכ‬,‫ הָא ָלמַדְ ּתָ ׁשְּתַ י ִם הָיּו‬,)‫ָל ֶצקֶת וְגֹו' (שם ל"ח‬
‫ׁשוִים – ו' ֵמאֹות אֶ לֶף וְג' ֲא ָלפִים ַוחֲמֵׁש מֵ אֹות‬ ָ ‫ׁשנֵיהֶם הָיּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬ְ ‫ׁש ִּב‬
ֶ ‫ ְואִם ּת ֹאמַר ְוכִי ֶא ְפׁשָר‬.‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ּׁשהּוקַם ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ְּב ִאּי ָר ִמ‬
‫ ּו ְב ֻחּמַׁש ַהּפְקּודִ ים ַאף ּבֹו נֶ ֱאמַר ּכֵן ַוּיִהְיּו ּכָל ַהּפְקּודִ ים ׁשֵׁש מֵ אֹות אֶ לֶף‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְב ֶכסֶף ּפְקּודֵ י ָהעֵדָ ה נֶ ֱאמַר ּכֵן‬ ֶ – ‫ַו ֲח ִמּׁשִים‬
‫ׁשעַת ִמנְי ָן ה ִָראׁשֹון ְּבנֵי‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹלא הָיּו ִב‬ ֶ ‫ ְואִ" ֶא‬,‫ׁשנִים הָיּו‬ ָ ‫ ַוהֲֹלא ִבׁשְּתֵ י‬,) '‫ׁשֹלׁשֶת ֲא ָלפִים ַו ֲחמֵׁש ֵמאֹות ַו ֲח ִמּׁשִים (במדבר א‬ ְ ‫ּו‬
 ‫ ֲאבָל לְמִ נְי ַן יְצִיַאת‬,‫ׁשנָה ַאחַת נִ ְמנּו‬ ָ ‫ׁשנֹות ָה ֲאנָׁשִים ְּב‬ ְ ‫ ֵאצֶל‬:‫ּׁשנִּי ָה נַעֲׂשּו ְּבנֵי כ'! ּתְ ׁשּובָה לַּדָ בָר‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא נִ ְמנּו ּו ַב‬
ֶ ‫ׁשנָה‬ָ ‫י"ט‬
‫ ְונִ ְבנָה הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬,)'‫ּׁשנָה (דף ב‬ ָ ‫ּׁשנִינּו ְב ַמּסֶ' ר ֹאׁש ַה‬
ָ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשּלִיצִיַאת ִמצ ְַרי ִם מֹונִין ִמּנִיסָן‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁשנִים‬ ָ ‫ִמצ ְַרי ִם הָיּו ׁשְּתֵ י‬
‫ הַּמַתְ חִילִין‬,‫ׁשנֹות עֹולָם‬ ְ ‫ׁשנֹות ָה ֲאנָׁשִים ְמנּוי ִין ְל ִמנְי ַן‬ ְ ‫ אֲ בָל‬,‫ׁשנָה ְּב ֶאחָד ְּבנִיסָן‬ ָ ‫ׁשה‬
ָ ְ‫ׁשּנִתְ חַּד‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשנִּי ָה‬
ְ ‫ּב ִָראׁשֹונָה וְהּוקַם ַּב‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל ִלסְֹל ַח‬ָ ‫ׁשּנִתְ ַרּצָה ַה ָּמקֹום ְלי‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנָה ַאחַת – ַה ִּמנְי ָן ה ִָראׁשֹון ָהי ָה ּבְתִ ׁש ְֵרי לְַאחַר י ֹ" ַה ִּכ‬ ָ ‫ׁשנֵי ַה ִּמנְיָנִים ְּב‬
ְ ‫ נִ ְמצְאּו‬,‫מִּתִ ׁש ְֵרי‬
‫ ְוהַּׁשֵ נִי ּבְאֶ חָד ּבְאִ ּי ָר‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ ָלהֶם ְונִ ְצטַּוּו עַל ַה ִּמ‬:

‫ ונתת אתו על עבדת אהל מועד‬AND THOU SHALT GIVE IT FOR THE SERVICE OF THE
APPOINTED TENT — From this statement you may learn that he (Moses) was commanded
to take their census when they began to contribute towards the building of the Tabernacle,
after the incident of the golden calf, because the pestilence had befallen them, as it is said,
(Exodus 32:35) “and the Lord plagued the people”. A parable: To what may this be
compared? To a flock that is dear to its owner upon which there fell pestilence. As soon as it
ceased he said to the shepherd, “I beg of you, count my sheep and ascertain how many of
them are left”. He did this to show that it (the flock) was dear to him (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki
Tisa 9). — It is, however, impossible to say that the census mentioned here is identical with
that spoken of in the Book of Numbers (1:1), for there (in Numbers 1:1) Scripture states,
“[And God spake to Moses …] on the first day of the second month … [Take ye the sum of
all the congregation of the children of Israel etc.]”, whilst the Tabernacle was set up on the
first day of the first month as it is said, (Exodus 40:2) “On the first day of the first month shalt
thou set up [the Tabernacle etc.]”, and from this census (that mentioned in this paragraph) —
from the shekels obtained by it — the sockets used for its boards were made, for it is said,
(Exodus 38:27) and of the hundred talents of silver were cast [the sockets of the sanctuary]”.
Consequently you learn from this that two censuses were taken, viz., one at the beginning of
their contributing towards the Tabernacle, after the Day of Atonement (when Moses first
commanded the people to engage in the construction of the Tabernacle; see Rashi on Exodus
33:11, last sentence), in the first year, and the other in the second year, in Iyar, after the
Tabernacle had already been set up. If you ask, however: is it at all possible that on both of
these occasions the number of the Israelites was exactly the same, viz., 603,550, for in the
account of how the silver of those that were numbered of the congregation was used (Exodus
38:27) it is so stated, and in the Book of Numbers (1:46) exactly the same is stated, “Even all
they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and
fifty”; were not these censuses taken in two different years, and surely it is impossible that
there were not at the time of the first census people nineteen years old who accordingly were
not counted and who became twenty years old in the second year when the second census was
taken and this must have added to the total?! The reply to this question is: As far as the years
of men’s ages are concerned they were counted in the same year, but reckoning from the time
of the exodus from Egypt they were two different years in which the censuses were held. For
when we speak of a period beginning with the exodus from Egypt, which took place in Nisan,
we calculate from Nisan, as we have learned in Treatise Rosh Hashanah 2b. Consequently the
Tabernacle was being built in the first year and was erected in the second year, because a new
year began on the first of Nisan following the exodus. The years of people’s ages, however,
were counted according to the era of the creation of the world which begins with Tishri,
consequently from this point of view both censuses took place in the same year: the first in
Tishri after the Day of Atonement when the Omnipresent became reconciled with Israel to
grant them His pardon and when they received the command regarding the construction of the
Tabernacle, and the second on the first of Iyar, so that those who were only 19 years old after
the Day of Atonement when the first census was taken, were not yet regarded as twenty in
Iyar when the second census was held even though they were born between Tishri and Iyar.

‫ הֵן ָהאֲדָ נִים ׁשֶ ּנַעֲׂשּו בֹו‬.‫על עבדת אהל מועד‬:

‫ על עבדת אהל מועד‬FOR THE SERVICE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — i. e. for the sockets
that were made of it (the expiation money).

30:18

‫ ְּכמִין ּדּוד ּגְדֹולָה ְולָּה ּדַ ּדִ ים ַהּמ ְִריקִים ְּבפִיהֶם מַ י ִם‬.‫כיור‬:

‫ כיור‬A LAVER — like a large pot with teats which discharged water by the way of their
openings.

‫ מֹוׁשָ ב מְתֻ ּקָ ן ַלּכִּיֹור‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ְּבסִיסֵּה‬.‫וכנו‬:

‫ — וכנו‬Understand this as the Targum renders it: ‫ בסיסה‬ITS BASE, i. e. a stand specially made
for the laver.

‫ מּוסָב עַל ַהּכִּיֹור‬.‫לרחצה‬:

‫ לרחצה‬TO LAVE WITHAL — This, of course, refers to the laver and not to the base.

‫ וְעֹומֵד ְּכנֶגֶד אֲ וִיר‬,‫ ְו ָהי ָה ַהּכִּיֹור מָׁשּוְך ִק ְמעָא‬,‫ׁשּכַן אֹהֶל מֹועֵד‬ ְ ‫ׁשהּוא ִל ְפנֵי ּפֶתַ ח ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכָתּוב ּבֹו‬ ֶ ,‫ ִמזְּבַח הָעֹולָה‬.‫ובין המזבח‬
‫ׁשּכַן אֹהֶל מֹועֵד (שמות‬ ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְואֵת ִמזְּבַח הָעֹלָה ׂשָם ּפֶתַ ח ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ מִּׁשּום‬,‫ ְואֵינֹו ַמ ְפסִיק ְּכלָל ּבֵינְתַ י ִם‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשּבֵין ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְו ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ
‫ הָא כֵיצַד? מָׁשּוְך ִק ְמעָא ְּכ ַלּפֵי הַּדָ רֹום; ּכְָך ׁשְ נּוי ָה‬,‫ – ּכְלֹומַר ִמז ְ ֵּב ַח ִל ְפנֵי אֹהֶל מֹועֵד ְואֵין ּכִּיֹור ִל ְפנֵי אֹהֶל מֹועֵד‬,) '‫מ‬
‫ ִבז ְ ָבחִים‬:

‫ ובין המזבח‬BETWEEN [THE APPOINTED TENT AND] THE ALTAR — the altar of burnt
offering of which it is written, (Exodus 40:6) that is was to be set “before the entrance of the
dwelling of the appointed tent”. The laver was drawn a little to the side and stood facing the
open space which was between the altar and the Tabernacle, and it did not stand between
them at all because it is stated (Exodus 40:29) “and he put the altar of burnt offering by the
entrance of the dwelling of the appointed tent” which implies that the altar was in front of the
entrance of the appointed tent, but that the laver was not in front of the entrance of the
appointed tent. How was it arranged? It was drawn a little towards the south. Thus is it stated
in Treatise Zevachim 59a.

30:19

?‫ׁשנִינּו ִבז ְ ָבחִים (דף י"ט); ּכֵיצַד קִּדּוׁש י ָדַ י ִם ו ְַרגְ ַלי ִם‬
ָ ‫ ְּבבַת ַאחַת ָהי ָה ְמקַּדֵ ׁש י ָדָ יו ו ְַרגְלָיו; ְוכְָך‬.‫את ידיהם ואת רגליהם‬
‫ּׂש ָמאלִית עַל ַּגּבֵי ַרגְלֹו הַּׂשְמָ אלִית ּומְ קַּדֵ ׁש‬
ְ ‫ ַמּנִי ַח י ָדֹו ַהי ְ ָמנִית עַל ַּגּבֵי ַרגְלֹו ַהי ְ ָמנִית ְוי ָדֹו ַה‬:

‫ את ידיהם ואת רגליהם‬THEIR HANDS AND THEIR FEET The priest washed his hands and his
feet simultaneously. Thus we learn in Zevachim 19b: How was the procedure in washing
hands and feet? He placed his right hand upon his right foot (knee) and his left hand upon his
left foot (knee) and thus washed both simultaneously.

30:20

ָ ‫ִירי עֲ"ז‬
ֵ ‫ אֹו ְלהַּזֹות מִּדַ ם ּפַר ּכֹהֵן ַה ָּמׁשִי ַח ּוׂשְ ע‬,‫ׁשח ֲִרית ּובֵין ָהע ְַר ַּבי ִם קְט ֶֹרת‬
ַ ‫ ְל ַה ְקטִיר‬.‫בבאם אל אהל מועד‬:

‫ בבאם אל אהל מועד‬WHEN THEY COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT to burn incense in
the morning and at evening, or to sprinkle of the blood of the bullock offered by the anointed
High-Priest (Leviticus 4:5, 7) and of the he-goats offered as atonement for the sin of idolatry
(all of which services were performed in the interior of the Sanctuary) (Zevachim 19b).

‫ ּו ִמ ְכלַל לָאו אַּתָ ה ׁשֹומֵ ַע הֵן‬,‫ַּתֹורה נֶ ֶאמְרּו ְכלָלֹות‬

ָ ‫ׁשּב‬ ֶ ,‫ הָא אִם ֹלא י ְִרחֲצּו י ָמּותּו‬.‫ולא ימתו‬:

‫ ולא ימתו‬THAT THEY DIE NOT — thus it follows that if they do not wash they will die: You
may rightly draw this conclusion for in the Torah laws are sometimes stated only by
implication: consequently from what is said here in the negative (that they die not) you may
derive the positive (that they will die if they do not observe the law here laid down).

‫ׁשאֵין ּכָאן ּבִיַאת אֹהֶל מֹועֵד אֶ ּלָא ֶּב ָחצֵר‬

ֶ ,‫ ַהחִיצֹון‬.‫אל המזבח‬:

‫[ אל המזבח‬OR WHEN THEY STEP] NEAR THE ALTAR — i. e. the outer altar, in which
case there is no entering into the appointed tent but the service is performed in the court.

30:21

‫ׁש ַמעְנּו אֶ ּלָא עַל ַהּנִ ְכנָס‬

ָ ‫ׁש ַהּמִיתָ ה ה ִָראׁשֹונָה ֹלא‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּמֵׁש ַּב ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְואֵינֹו ְרחּוץ י ָדַ י ִם ו ְַרגְ ַלי ִם‬
ַ ‫ ְל ַחּי ֵב מִיתָ ה עַל ַה ְמ‬.‫ולא ימתו‬
‫ ַלהֵיכָל‬:

‫ ולא ימתו‬THAT THEY DIE NOT — This statement is intended to declare subject to the death
penalty anyone who ministers at the outer altar without having washed his hands and his feet,
because from the first mention of “death” (v. 20) we can only infer that one is subject to death
for entering the Sanctuary under these circumstances.

30:23

‫ חֲׁשּובִים‬.‫בשמים ראש‬:

‫ בשמים ראש‬PRINCIPAL SPICES — i. e. excellent ones.

‫ ְלכְָך ֻהצ ְַרְך‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ְּכעֵץ‬

ֶ ‫ ְוי ֵׁש‬,‫ׁשהּוא טֹוב ְוי ֵׁש ּבֹו ֵרי ַח טֹוב ְו ַטעַם‬
ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש‬,‫ׁש ַה ִּקּנָמֹון ְק ִלּפַת עֵץ הּוא‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫וקנמן בשם‬
‫לֹומַר קִ ּנְמָן ּבֶׂשֶ ם – מִ ן הַּטֹוב‬:

‫ וקנמן בשם‬AND OF CINNAMON SPICE — Because cinnamon is the bark of a tree there is
some of good quality, having fragrance and a pleasant taste and there is some which is merely
like wood; Scripture therefore felt itself compelled to state, “Cinnamon ‫ — בשם‬with sweet
scent”: of the good species.

‫ אִ ם ּכֵן‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ׁשִעּור מָר ּדְ רֹור‬,‫ נִ ְמצָא כֻּלֹו ֲחמֵׁש ֵמאֹות‬,‫ ַמ ֲחצִית ֲהבָָאתֹו ּתְ הֵא ֲח ִמּׁשִים ּו ָמאתַ י ִם‬.‫מחציתו חמשים ומאתים‬
‫ׁשאֵין ׁשֹו ְקלִין ַעי ִן ְּב ַעי ִן; ְוכְָך ׁשְ נּוי ָה‬
ֶ ,‫ ְלה ְַרּבֹות ּבֹו ב' ַהכ ְָרעֹות‬,‫ ְּגז ֵַרת ַהּכָתּוב הִיא ַל ֲהבִיאֹו ַל ֲח ָצאִין‬,‫ָלּמָה נֶ ֱאמַר ּבֹו ֲח ָצאִין‬
‫ ְבכ ֵָרתֹות‬:

‫[ מחציתו חמשים ומאתים‬AND OF CINNAMON SPICE] HALF SO MUCH, EVEN TWO

HUNDRED AND FIFTY [SHEKELS] — The half of what is to be brought shall be 250
shekels; consequently the whole weight of this species was 500 shekels exactly the same as
that of the myrrh. But if this be so, why is it (the quantity to be brought) expressed in halves?
It is the ordinance of Scripture that it should be brought in halves only, so that the quantity
may be increased by two overweights, for there was no exact balancing of the scales in
weighing the spices, but a little was always added. Thus it is stated in Keritot 5a.
‫ׁשל ּבֹׂשֶם ֻהצ ְַרְך לֹומַר קְ נֵה ב ֹׂשֶ ם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאֵינָן‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּי ֵׁש ָקנִים‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל ּבֹׂשֶם; ְלפִי‬
ֶ ‫ ָקנֶה‬.‫וקנה בשם‬:

‫ וקנה בשם‬AND CALAMUS SPICE — i. e. cane of sweet spices. Because there are canes
which do not bear sweet spices Scripture had to state (add the word) ‫בֹׂשֶם‬

‫ סְַך מִׁשְ קַ ל ּכֻּלֹו‬.‫חמשים ומאתים‬:

‫ חמשים ומאתים‬TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY was the amount of its entire weight (not of the
half of it as in the case of the preceding ingredient).

30:24

‫ ּו ִבלְׁשֹון ֲחכָמִ ים קְ צִיעָה‬,‫ׂשב‬

ֶ ‫ ׁשֵם ׁש ֶֹרׁש ֵע‬.‫וקדה‬:

‫ וקדה‬AND OF CASSIA [FIVE HUNDRED SHEKEL] — ‫ קדה‬is the name of a root of a

certain herb. In the language of our Sages it is called ‫( קציעה‬cf. Onkelos).

‫ ָאמַר לֹו ַר' י ְהּודָ ה ַוהֲֹלא לָסּוְך אֶת‬,‫ׁשלְקּו אֶת ָה ִעּק ִָרין‬
ָ ‫ י"ב ֻלּגִין; ְונֶ ְחלְקּו בֹו ַח ְכמֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל — ַרּבִי ֵמאִיר אֹומֵר ּבֹו‬.‫הין‬
‫ וְקִ ּפְחֹו‬,ַ‫ׁש ָּקלַט ה ֵָריח‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשמֶן עַד‬
ֶ ‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך ֵהצִיף ֲעלֵיהֶם ַה‬,‫ּׁשמֶן‬
ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ִ ְבלְעּו אֶת ַה‬
ֶ ‫ָה ִעּק ִָרין אֵינֹו ִסּפֵק ֶאּלָא ׁש ְָראּום ַּב ַּמי ִם‬
)‫ּׁשמֶן ֵמעַל ָה ִעּק ִָרין (הוריות י"א‬ ֶ ‫ ַל‬:

‫ הין‬ONE HIN — twelve logs. The Sages in Israel are of different opinions as to the purpose of
the oil. R. Meir said: in it the roots were boiled. Whereupon R. Jehuda said to him: Surely it
(the quantity of oil) was not sufficient even to smear the roots with it, but they were steeped in
water so that, being saturated with it, they should not absorb the oil; the oil was then poured
upon them and they were left thus until it (the oil) absorbed their scent and then they skimmed
the oil off the roots (Horayot 11b; Keritot 5a).

30:25

‫ ֶרגַע; ְואֵינֹו ּכְמֹו רֹגַע ַהּי ָם‬,‫ ַוה ֲֵרי הּוא ּכְמֹו ֶרקַח‬,‫ׁשהּוא ְל ַמ ְעלָה‬ ֶ ,ַ‫ ְו ַה ַּטעַם מֹוכִיח‬,‫ רֹקַח ׁשֵם ּדָ בָר הּוא‬.‫רקח מרקחת‬
‫ׁשּז ֶה קֹו ֵפ ַח מִ ּז ֶה אֹו ֵרי ַח‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ַּטעַם ְל ַמּטָה; ְוכָל ּדָ בָר ַהמְע ָֹרב ַּב ֲחבֵרֹו עַד‬
ֶ ,)‫ָָארץ (שם מלכים ב‬ ֶ ‫ ּוכְמֹו רֹקַע ה‬,) ‫(ישעיהו נ"א‬
‫מִרקַ חַת‬
ְ ‫אֹו ַטעַם קָרּוי‬:

‫ רקח מרקחת‬A COMPOUND COMPOUNDED — ‫ רקח‬is a noun and its accent proves it, for it
is on the first syllable, on the ‫ר‬, so that it is a noun just as are ‫ ֶרקַח‬in (Song 8:2) “I would
cause thee to drink of the mixed wine (‫ ”)מיין הרקח‬and ‫ ֶרגַע‬in (Exodus 33:5) “one moment ( ‫ֶרגַע‬
‫”)אחד‬, and it is not a participle like (Isaiah 51:15) “[I am the Lord] who stireth up (‫ )רֹוגַע‬the
sea”, or (Isaiah 42:5) “Who spreadeth forth (‫ )רֹקַע‬the earth”, where the accent is on the last
syllable. Any thing (ingredient) which is mixed with another so thoroughly that one becomes
impregnated with the other as regards the smell or the taste is called a ‫מרקחת‬.

‫ רֹקַח ֶהעָׂשּוי עַ"י ְ אָּמָ נּות וְתַ עֲרֹובֹות‬.‫רקח מרקחת‬:

Thus ‫( רקח מרקחת‬lit., a mixing of a mixture) means a compounding effected by skilled art and
perfect mixing.

‫ ׁשֵ ם הָאֻּמָ ן ּבַּדָ בָר‬.‫מעשה רקח‬:

‫ מעשה רקח‬THE WORK OF A COMPOUNDER — ‫ ר ֹ ֵק ַח‬is the name given to a workman
skilled in this matter.

30:26

)'‫ׁשהֵן ְּכמִין נֵז ֶר (כריתות ה‬

ֶ ‫ּׁשל ְמ ָלכִים‬
ֶ ‫ חּוץ ִמ‬,‫ ּכָל ַה ְּמׁשִיחֹות ְּכמִין כִי‬.‫ומשחת בו‬:

‫ ומשחת בו‬AND THOU SHALT ANOINT WITH IT — All anointings mentioned in Scriptures
were made in the form of a Greek X except the anointing of kings which were made round the
head like a crown (wreath) (Keritot 5b).

30:29

,‫ׁשָרת‬
ֵ ‫ ּכָל ה ָָראּוי ִל ְכלִי‬:'‫ ּו ַמה הִיא קְדֻ ּׁשָתָ ם? כל הנגע וְגֹו‬,‫ ְמׁשִיחָה זֹו ְמקַּדַ ׁשְּתָ ם ִלהְיֹות ק ֹדֶ ׁש קָדָ ׁשִים‬.‫וקדשת אתם‬
‫ ֲאבָל ּדָ בָר ׁשֶ אֵ ינֹו ָראּוי‬,‫ קָדֹוׁש קְדֻ ּׁשַת הַּגּוף – ִל ָּפסֵל ּבְיֹוצֵא ְולִינָה ּוטְבּול יֹום ְואֵינֹו נִפְּדֶ ה ָלצֵאת ְל ֻחּלִין‬,‫ּׁשּנִ ְכנַס לְתֹוכֹו‬ ֶ ‫ִמ‬
‫ ׁשֹומֵ ַע אֲ נִי ּבֵין‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ' ּכָל הַּנֹגֵ ַע ַּב ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח יִקְּדָ ׁש (שמות כ"ט‬ֶ ‫ מִּתֹוְך‬:ַ‫ׁש ֵל ָמה ֵאצֶל ִמז ְ ֵּבח‬ ְ ‫ׁשנָה‬ְ ‫ׁשנּוי ָה הִיא ִמ‬ְ ‫ָלהֶם אֵין ְמקַּדְ ׁשִין; ּו‬
‫ׁשּכָן וְכ ֹ ֲהנִים ּו ְמ ָלכִים מְתֻ ְרּגָם לְׁשֹון‬
ְ ‫ מַה ְּכ ָבׂשִים ְראּוי ִים ַאף ּכָל ָראּוי; ּכָל ְמׁשִיחַת ִמ‬,‫ ּתַ "ֹל ְּכ ָבׂשִים‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו ָראּוי‬ ֶ ‫ָראּוי ּבֵין‬
‫ׁשָאר ְמׁשִיחֹות – ּכְמֹו ְרקִ יקִ ין מְׁשּוחִין‬ ְ ‫ ּו‬,‫ׁשּז ֶה חִּנּוְך ּגְדֻ ּלָתָ ן‬
ֶ ‫ ּכִי כֵן יִּסַד ַה ֶּמלְֶך‬,‫ׁשאֵין צ ֶֹרְך ְמׁשִיחָתָ ן ֶאּלָא ִלגְדֻ ּלָה‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ִרּבּוי‬
‫אֲרּמִית ָּבהֶן ִּכלְׁשֹון ִעב ְִרית‬
ַ ‫ׁש ָמנִים י ִ ְמׁשָחּו (עמוס ו') – לְׁשֹון‬ ְ ‫ ו ְֵראׁשִית‬,)‫(שם‬:

‫ וקדשת אתם‬AND THOU SHALT SANCTIFY THEM — This anointing (mentioned v. 26)
sanctifies them so that they become most holy. And in what consists their holiness? ‫כל הנגע‬
‫ בהם וגו׳‬that WHOSOEVER TOUCHETH THEM [SHALL BECOME HOLY]. — Whatever
is proper for use in a particular sacred vessel becomes itself holy (more lit., becomes holy
with bodily holiness) as soon as it comes into it, so that it becomes invalid as an offering
under the following conditions: when after it had been placed in the vessel it had been taken
(lit., had gone forth) outside the fore-court, or when it had been left the whole of the night
without being placed on the altar, or when it has come into contact with a ‫( טבול יום‬a person
who had been unclean and has taken the ritual immersion but is awaiting sunset to be
regarded as clean, as is prescribed in Leviticus 22:7). Moreover it cannot be redeemed by
payment of its value to the Temple treasury, thereby to reassume its ordinary character. But
whatever is not proper to them (to these vessels) they do not make holy (Zevachim 87a). A
similar statement is made in an uncontroverted (Hebrew: perfect) Boraitha (Zevachim 83b)
about the hallowing power of the altar: Since it is said, (Exodus 29:37) “Whatsoever toucheth
the altar shall become holy”, I might infer that this applies to a thing whether it was fitting to
be an offering at the time when it was brought into the Sanctuary or whether it was not fitting;
Scripture therefore states immediately afterwards, (Exodus 29:38) “[Now this is that which
thou shalt offer upon the altar]; two lambs”. Now how is it in the case of the lambs? They are
fitting for the altar! So, also, does the preceding statement, “Whatsoever [touches the altar
shall become holy]”, refer only to anything that is fitting (i. e. that was already fitting to be
brought upon the altar and became disqualified only after it had been brought into the
forecourt of the Sanctuary). — In all cases where the term ‫משח‬, “to anoint”, is used with
reference to the Tabernacle or priests or kings it is rendered by the Targum by the appropriate
form of the verb ‫רבה‬, “to raise to high rank”, “to distinguish”, because the anointing of them
had no other purpose than to show the distinction that was being bestowed upon them. For
thus did the Heavenly King ordain (Rashi uses here the words of the text, (Esther 1:9) that this
should constitute their installation in their high office. In any other case, however, where ‫משח‬
is used, — for instance, (Exodus 29:2) “wafers [unleavened] ‫ משוחים‬with oil”; (Amos 6:6)
“and with the chief ointments ‫ — ”ימשחו‬the Aramaic expression for them in the Targum is the
same term as the Hebrew text, viz., a form of ‫( ;משח‬because in these passages anointing is an
end in itself, whilst in the former case it is an indication only of elevation to a distinguished
position).

30:31

‫ׁשּכֻּלֹו קַ ּי ָם ֶלעָתִ יד לָב ֹא‬

ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן ָלמְדּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו לֹומַר‬.‫לדרתיכם‬:

‫ לדרתיכם‬THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS — From here our Rabbis derived that it

(the oil of anointment) was miraculously preserved in its entirety for the time to come (for the
Messianic days) (Horayot 11b).

)'‫ ְּבגִי ַמט ְִרּי ָא ּתְ ֵריסַר ֻלּגִין הֲוּו (כריתות ה‬.‫זה‬:

‫ זה‬has the numerical value of 12, alluding to the 12 “logs” which was the measure for the oil
of anointment (Horayot 11b; cf. Rashi v. 24).

30:32

‫ ּכְמֹו (דברים ה טו) לְמַ עַן י ִיטַב לְָך‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ֹלא י ִ ְפעַל‬,‫ׁשנֵי יֹודִ י"ן‬
ְ ‫ ִּב‬.‫לא ייסך‬:

‫ לא ייסך‬with two “yods” has the meaning “he shall not do something” (i. e. it is 3rd person
masc. sing. Kal), similar to ‫ ייטב‬in (Deuteronomy 6:18) “that it may be well (‫ )ייטב‬with thee”.

‫ מִן ַהּׁשֶמֶ ן ַהּז ֶה ַעצְמֹו‬.‫על בשר אדם לא ייסך‬:

‫ על בשר אדם לא ייסך‬UPON MAN’S FLESH SHALL IT NOT BE POURED — anything from
that selfsame oil (which Moses had prepared).

‫ אֲ בָל אִ ם‬,‫ׁש ַקל ַס ָּמנִין ַהּלָלּו ְלפִי מִּדַ ת הִין ׁשֶמֶ ן‬

ְ ‫ ִּבסְכּום ַס ָּמנָיו ֹלא ּתַ עֲׂשּו ַאחֵר ּכָמֹוהּו ְּב ִמ‬.‫ובמתכנתו לא תעשו כמהו‬
‫ אֵין ַהּסְָך ִמ ֶּמּנּו ַחּי ָב אֶ ּלָא הָרֹוקְחֹו‬,‫ׁשל ז ֶה‬
ֶ ‫ וְַאף ֶהעָׂשּוי ְּבמַתְ ֻּכנְּתֹו‬,‫ׁשמֶן מֻּתָ ר‬
ֶ ‫ ָּפחַת אֹו ִרּבָה ַס ְמ ָמנִין ְלפִי מִּדַ ת הִין‬:

‫ ובמתכנתו לא תעשו כמהו‬AND ACCORDING TO ITS PROPORTION YE SHALL NOT MAKE

ANY LIKE IT — In regard to the quantities of its spices ye shall not make any other oil like it
— i. e. in regard to the weights of these spices in proportion to the measure of a hin of oil; but
if one uses less or more of these spices in proportion to the measure of a hin of oil, it is
permitted to do so. And even if it is made in the same proportions as this (the oil made by
Moses) it is not the one who anoints himself with it that is punishable (for this applies only to
one who anoints himself with the oil made by Moses) but he who compounds it (Keritot 5a).

‫ ְוכֵן ְּבמַתְ ֻּכנְּתָ ּה ׁשֶ ל קְט ֶֹרת‬,‫ ּכְמֹו (שמות ה ח ) מַתְ ּכֹנֶת ַה ְּל ֵבנִים‬,‫ׁשּבֹון‬
ְ ‫ לְׁשֹון ֶח‬.‫ובמתכנתו‬:

‫ ובמתכנתו‬is a term denoting amount, as (Exodus 5:8) “the quantity (‫ )מתכנת‬of bricks”. Similar
is the word ‫ מתכנת‬used of the incense (v. 37).

30:33

‫ מֵ אֹותֹו ׁשֶ ל מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬.‫ואשר יתן ממנו‬:

‫ ואשר יתן ממנו‬WHOSOEVER PUTTETH ANY OF IT — of that made by Moses (Keritot 5a)
‫ׁשאֵינֹו צ ֶֹרְך ְּכ ֻהּנָה ּומַ לְכּות‬
ֶ .‫על זר‬:

‫ על זר‬UPON A STRANGER — when it is not required for installing a person into the high-
priesthood or kingdom (Keritot 5b).

30:34

‫קֹורין לֹו טרי"אקה‬

ִ ‫ ְו ַהּצ ֳִרי‬,‫ ּו ְב ַלעַז גומ"א‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו אֶ ּלָא ׂש ְָרף הַּנֹוטֵף ֵמ ֲעצֵי ַה ְּקטָף קָרּוי נָטָף‬
ֶ ‫ ְועַל‬,‫ הּוא צ ֳִרי‬.‫נטף‬:

‫ נטף‬is balsam. Because it is merely the sap which drips from the wood of the balsam tree it is
called ‫נטף‬, “dripping” (Keritot 6a). In old French it is called gomme; English gum. The balm
itself, however, is called thériaque (cf., however, Ramban).

‫ ְוז ֶהּו ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם אֻ נְקְ לֹוס וְטּופ ְָרא‬,‫ׁשנָה קָרּוי צִּפ ֶֹרן‬
ְ ‫ ּו ִבלְׁשֹון ַה ִּמ‬,‫ ׁש ֶֹרׁש ּבֹׁשֶם ָחלָק ּו ַמ ְצהִיר ְּכּצִּפ ֶֹרן‬.‫ושחלת‬:

‫ ושחלת‬AND ONYCHA This is a root of a fragrant herb, smooth and transparent like a
fingernail, In the language of the Mishna it is called ‫צפורן‬, a nail (cf. Keritot 6a). This is
exactly how Onkelos renders it: ‫וטופרא‬, which is the Aramaic word corresponding to the
Hebrew ‫צפורן‬.

‫ׁשֹּלא י ֵ ַקל ְּבעֵינֵינּו ְלצ ֵָרף עִּמָ נּו‬

ֶ ‫ ּו ְמנָ ָאּה ַהּכָתּוב ּבֵין ַס ָּמנֵי ַהּקְט ֶֹרת ְל ַלּמְדֵ נּו‬,‫ְקֹורין לֹו גַ ְל ְּבנָא‬
ִ ‫ ו‬,‫ ּבֹׂשֶם ׁש ֵֶריחֹו ַרע‬.‫וחלבנה‬
‫ׁשּיִהְיּו נִמְ נִין עִּמָ נּו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשעֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ְ ‫ ַּב ֲאגֻּדַ ת ּתַ ֲענִּיֹותֵ ינּו ּותְ פִּלֹותֵ נּו אֶת ּפֹו‬:

‫ — וחלבנה‬This is a malodorous spice which is called galbanum. Scripture enumerates it among

the spices of the incense to teach us that we should not regard as a light thing the duty of
associating with ourselves when we band together for fasts and prayers Israelites who are
transgressors — that they should be counted as ourselves (Keritot 6b).

‫ אֲ ח ִֵרים‬.‫סמים‬:

‫ סמים‬means other SPICES also.

‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,'‫ׁש ֵחלֶת ְו ֶח ְל ְּבנָה ג‬

ְ ‫ נָטָף ּו‬,‫ׁשנַי ִם‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ְּבסִינַי – מִעּוט ַסּמִים‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ִמּכָאן ָלמְדּו ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו י"א ַס ָּמנִין נֶ ֶאמְרּו לֹו לְמ‬.‫ולבנה זכה‬
‫ ּולְבֹונָה ה ֲֵרי י"א; ְו ֵאּלּו הֵן ַהּצ ֳִרי ְו ַהּצִּפ ֶֹרן ַה ֶח ְל ְּבנָה ְו ַהּלְבֹונָה מ ֹר ּוקְ צִיעָה‬,‫ ַסּמִים ל ְַרּבֹות עֹוד ּכְמֹו אֵ ּלּו ה ֲֵרי ֲעׂש ָָרה‬,‫ּׁשה‬ ָ ‫ֲח ִמ‬
‫ׁש ְט ְו ַה ִּקּלּופָה ְו ִקּנָמֹון ה ֲֵרי י"א; ּב ִֹרית‬ ְ ֹ ‫ׁשּבֹלֶת – הַּק‬ ִ ‫ׁש ַהּנ ְֵרּדְ ּדֹו ֶמה ְל‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשּבֹלֶת ְונ ְֵרּדְ ֶאחָד‬
ִ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ – '‫ׁשּבֹלֶת נ ְֵרּדְ ְוכ ְַרּכ ֹם ה ֲֵרי ח‬
ִ
)'‫ׁשפִין אֶת ַהּצִּפ ֶֹרן ְל ַל ְּבנָּה ׁשֶּתְ הֵא נָָאה (כריתות ו‬ ָ ‫ ּכ ְַרׁשִינָה אֵינֹו נִ ְקטָר ֶאּלָא ּבֹו‬:

‫ ולבנה זכה‬AND PURE FRANKINCENSE — From here our Rabbis learned that eleven spices
were mentioned to Moses on Sinai (a technical term, like ‫ )הלכה למשה מסיני‬as the ingredients
of the incense. For the least number implied by the plural ‫ סמים‬is two; balsam, onycha and
galbanum are three, making together five. The word ‫ סמים‬that follows (without stating any
number) is intended to add a similar number as these already prescribed, viz., five, making
ten, and frankincense makes eleven. They are the following: balm, onycha, galbanum,
frankincense, myrrh, cassia, spikenard and saffron, altogether eight — for ‫ שבלת‬and ‫ נרד‬are
one, it being given this compound name only because the nard resembles a ‫שבלת‬, a spike, —
costus, aromatic bark and cinnamon, altogether eleven. “Borith karshina” (lye obtained from a
species of vetch) which is also mentioned in Keritotot 6a in connection with the ingredients of
the incense was not burnt itself as incense, but the onycha was rubbed with it in order to
whiten it — that it should be (look) better (Keritot 6a).
 ‫ׁש ָקלֹו ׁשֶ ל ז ֶה – ְוכֵן‬
ְ ‫ׁשל ז ֶה ּכְָך ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָקלֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁש ָקל – ְּכ ִמ‬
ְ ‫ׁש ָקל ְּב ִמ‬
ְ ‫ׁשוִין ִמ‬
ָ ‫ַָאר ָּבעָה ַהּנִזְּכ ִָרים ּכָאן יִהְיּו‬
ְ ‫ ֵאּלּו ה‬.‫בד בבד יהיה‬
,‫ׁשהּוא לְׁשֹון יָחִיד‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְבעִים ָמנֶה (שם); ּולְׁשֹון ּבַד נ ְִראֶה ְבעֵינַי‬ ִ ‫ׁש ְבעִים‬
ִ ‫ׁש ַקל‬ְ ‫ ַהּצ ֳִרי ְו ַהּצִּפ ֶֹרן ַה ֶח ְל ְּבנָה ְו ַהּלְבֹונָה ִמ‬:‫ׁשנִינּו‬
ָ
‫ ֶאחָד ְּב ֶאחָד יִהְיּו – ז ֶה ּכְמֹות ז ֶה‬:

‫ בד בבד יהיה‬means, these four ingredients mentioned here shall be equal, weight for weight —
as the weight of one so shall be the weight of another. Thus indeed we learn (Keritot 6a): the
balm, the onycha, the galbanum and the frankincense shall each have the weight of seventy
manehs. The term ‫ בד‬seems to me to mean “a single article” (cf. ‫ ְלבַד‬,‫ – )ּבָדָ ד‬they shall be “one
equal with one”: they shall be the one the same as the other.

30:35

‫ מַ ָּל ַחי ְִך‬,)'‫ׁשחִיקָתָ ן יָפֶה יָפֶה ז ֶה עִם ז ֶה; וְאֹומֵר ֲאנִי ׁשֶּדֹו ֶמה לֹו ַוּי ְִיראּו ַה ַּמ ָּלחִים (יונה א‬ ְ ‫ׁשּיְע ֵָרב‬
ֶ ,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו מְע ָֹרב‬.‫ממלח‬
‫ ּכְָאדָ ם ַה ְמ ַהּפְֵך ְּבכַף ּבֵיצִים‬,‫ׁש ַּמנְהִיגִים אֶת ַה ְּספִינָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ְּמ ַה ְּפכִין אֶת ַה ַּמי ִם ִּבמְׁשֹוטֹות ְּכ‬
ֶ ‫וְח ֹ ְב ָלי ְִך (יחזקאל כ"ז ) – עַל ׁשֵם‬
‫ׁשָאדָ ם רֹוצֶה ְלע ֵָרב יָפֶה יָפֶה ְמ ַהּפְכֹו ּבְאֶ ְצּבַע אֹו ְּב ָבז ְֵך‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכָל ּדָ בָר‬,‫ טְרּופֹות ְלע ְָרבָן עִם ַה ַּמי ִם‬:

‫ ממלח‬TEMPERED TOGETHER — Understand this as the Targum renders it: ‫מעורב‬, mixed —
that they should thoroughly intermix the powder of the ingredients. I think that similar in
meaning to it are the nouns in (Jona 1:5) “Then the mariners (‫ )המלחים‬were afraid”; (Ezekiel
27:27) “thy mariners (‫ )מלחיך‬and thy pilots”, who are so called because they turn over (stir up)
the water with oars when they propel the ship — like a person who stirs up beaten eggs with a
spoon in order to mix them with water. Anything that a person wishes to mix up thoroughly
he stirs up with his finger or with a spoon.

‫ ְוטָהֹור י ִ ְהי ֶה וְק ֹדֶ ׁש י ִ ְהי ֶה‬,‫ ְמ ֻמּלָח י ִ ְהי ֶה‬.‫ממלח טהור קדש‬:

‫ ממלח טהור קדש‬TEMPERED TOGETHER, PURE AND HOLY — i. e. tempered together shall
it (the compound) be, pure shall it be, and holy shall it be.

30:36

‫ׁשעַל ִמז ְ ֵּב ַח ַה ְּפנִימִי ׁשֶהּוא בְאֹהֶל מֹועֵד‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ְּבכָל יֹום וָיֹום‬
ֶ ‫ הִיא קְט ֶֹרת‬.'‫ונתתה ממנה וגו‬:

‫ ונתת ממנה וגו׳‬AND THOU SHALT PUT OF IT [BEFORE THE TESTIMONY IN THE
APPOINTED TENT] — This refers to the incense which was burnt daily on the inner altar
that was in the tent of meeting.

‫ ֲאנִי קֹו ְבעָם לְאֹותֹו מָ קֹום‬,‫ׁש ֶא ְקּבַע לְָך‬

ֶ ‫ ּכָל מֹועֲדֵ י ּדִ ּבּור‬.‫אשר אועד לך שמה‬:

‫ אשר אועד לך שמה‬WHERE I WILL BE MET BY THEE — All appointments for the purpose of
speaking unto you which I shall make with you I shall confine to that place (cf. Rashi on
Exodus 25:22).

30:37

‫ ּבְמִ נְי ַן סַמְמָ נֶי ָה‬.‫במתכנתה‬:

‫ במתכנתה‬means, according to the quantity of spices used by Moses.

‫ׁשֹּלא תַ עֲׂשֶ ּנָה אֶ ּלָא לִׁשְמִ י‬

ֶ .'‫קדש תהיה לך לה‬:
‘‫ קדש תהיה לך לה‬IT SHALL BE UNTO THEE HOLINESS FOR THE LORD — This means
that you must not make it except in honour of My Name.

30:38

)'‫ ּכְדֵ י ְל ָמכ ְָרּה ַלּצִּבּור (כריתות ה‬,‫ּׁשּלְָך‬

ֶ ‫ׂשה אַּתָ ה ְּבמַתְ ֻּכנְּתָ ּה ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ ֲאבָל עֹו‬.‫להריח בה‬:

‫[ להריח בה‬WHOSOEVER SHALL MAKE LIKE UNTO THAT] TO SMELL THERETO

[SHALL BE CUT OFF] — but you may make some according to these quantities of your
own spices for the purpose of selling it to the community (cf. Keritot 5a).

31:2

‫ ַלעֲׂשֹות ְמלַאכְּתִ י – אֶת ְּב ַצלְאֵ ל‬.– ‫קראתי בשם‬:

‫ קראתי בשם‬I HAVE CALLED BY NAME — to accomplish My work — BEZALEL.

31:3

‫ּׁשָאדָ ם ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע מֵ אֲ ח ִֵרים ְולָמֵד‬

ֶ ‫ ַמה‬.‫חכמה‬:

‫ חכמה‬WISDOM is what a person hears from others and learns (makes his own).

‫ ֵמבִין ּדָ בָר ִמּלִּבֹו מִּתֹוְך ּדְ ב ִָרים ׁשֶ ּלָמַד‬.‫תבונה‬:

‫ תבונה‬UNDERSTANDING is understanding a matter by one’s own intelligence deducing it

from the things one has already learned.

‫ רּו ַח הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש‬.‫דעת‬:

‫ דעת‬means holy inspiration.

31:4

‫ א ֲִריגַת מַ עֲׂשֵ ה ח ֹׁשֵ ב‬.‫לחשב מחשבת‬:

‫ לחשב מחשבה‬lit., TO DEVISE DEVICES — this refers to the weaving of an artist’s work.

31:5

‫ׁשח ַָרׁש ֲא ָבנִים קָרּוי אָּמָ ן ְוח ַָרׁש‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשּנָה ְּבפֵרּוׁשָן‬
ִ ‫ ְו‬,‫ ְו ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ּפ ֵֵרׁש‬,) '‫ ּכְמֹו ח ָָרׁש ָחכָם (ישעיהו מ‬,‫ לְׁשֹון אָ ָּמנּות‬.‫ובחרשת‬
‫עֵץ קָרּוי נַּגָר‬:

‫ ובחרשת‬denotes artisanship generally, as (Isaiah 40:20) “a clever artisan (‫”)חרש חכם‬. Onkelos,
however, more closely defines the term each time it occurs in this verse and varies the
definition he gives of them: the first he renders by ‫ אמנות‬and the second by ‫נגרות‬, because the
lapidary is called in Aramaic ‫אמן‬, whilst the worker in wood is called ‫נגר‬, and he therefore
uses the abstract forms of these nouns to specify the particular kind of artisanship here
intended.
‫ׁש ֶּבצֶת ְלמִּדַ ת מֹוׁשַ ב הָאֶ בֶן ְו ָע ְבי ָּה‬
ְ ‫ׁשּלָּה ְּב ִמּלּו ָאּה – ַלעֲׂשֹות ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ֶּבצֶת‬
ְ ‫ לְהֹוׁשִיבָּה ְּב ִמ‬.‫למלאת‬:

‫ למלאת‬TO SET IN — i. e. to put it into its setting, so as to fill it in (‫ )למלאת‬by making the
setting according to the size of the bottom of the stones and its thickness.

31:6

‫ ְוכָל אֲ ׁשֶר נָתַ ּתִ י בֹו ָח ְכמָה ְועָׂשּו אֵת ּכָל אֲׁשֶר ִצּוִיתִ יָך‬,‫ׁשָאר ַח ְכמֵי לֵב י ֵׁש ָּבכֶם‬
ְ ‫ וְעֹוד‬.'‫ובלב כל חכם לב וגו‬:

‫ ובלב כל חכם לב וגו׳‬AND IN THE HEARTS OF ALL THAT ARE WISE HEARTED [I HAVE
GIVEN WISDOM] — and there are still other wise-hearted men among you (beside Bezalel
and Oholiab) and all these in whom I have given wisdom shall make all that I have
commanded thee.

31:7

‫ לְצ ֶֹרְך לֻחֹות ָהעֵדּות‬.‫ואת הארן לעדת‬:

‫ ואת הארן לעדת‬AND THE ARK FOR THE TESTIMONY — for the purpose of the Tablets of
the testimony (not, “the ark to serve as the testimony”; the ‫ ל‬denotes “for” in the sense of “for
the use of”, and the term ‫ עדת‬is an abbreviation of ‫)לחות העדות‬.

31:8

‫ עַל ׁשֵ ם זָהָב טָהֹור‬.‫הטהרה‬:

‫ הטהרה‬THE (PURE [CANDELABRUM] — It is called ‫ טהרה‬because the term ‫זהב טהר‬, pure
gold, is used of it (cf. Exodus 25:31) (not ‫ טהרה‬in contrast to ‫)טמאה‬.

31:10

‫ ְלפִי ׁשֶ ּנֶ' אֶ ְצלָם וְאֶת‬,‫ׁש ְּב ִבגְדֵ י ְכ ֻהּנָה מְדַ ּבֵר‬
ֶ ‫ׁשאִי ֶא ְפׁשָר לֹומַר‬
ֶ – ‫ׁשל ִמק ְָרא‬ ֶ ‫ אֹומֵר ֲאנִי – ְלפִי ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬.‫ואת בגדי השרד‬
‫ָאֲמּורין‬
ִ ‫ַָאר ָּגמָן וְתֹו ַלעַת ׁשָ נִי ה‬ ְ ‫ אֶ ּלָא ֵאּלּו ִּבגְדֵ י ַהּׂש ְָרד הֵם ִּבגְדֵ י הַּתְ ֵכלֶת ְוה‬,‫ִּבגְדֵ י הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש לְַאהֲר ֹן הַּכֹהֵן ְואֶת ִּבגְדֵ י ָבנָיו ְל ַכהֵן‬
‫ׁשנִי (במדבר ד'); ְונ ְִראִ ין‬ ָ ‫ַאר ָּגמָן ּופ ְָרׂשּו ֲעלֵיהֶם ֶּבגֶד ּתֹו ַלעַת‬ְ ‫ ְונָתְ נּו אֶל ֶּבגֶד ּתְ ֵכלֶת ּופ ְָרׂשּו ָעלָיו ֶּבגֶד‬,‫ְּבפ ָָרׁשַת ַמּסָעֹות‬
‫ וְאִ ם‬,‫ וְֹלא ֻהזְּכַר ׁשֵׁש עִּמָ הֶם‬,)‫ּׁשנִי עָׂשּו ִבגְדֵ י ׂש ְָרד ְלׁש ֵָרת ּבַּק ֹדֶ ׁש (שמות ל"ט‬ ָ ‫ַָאר ָּגמָן וְתֹו ַלעַת ַה‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנֶ' ּומִן הַּתְ ֵכלֶת ְוה‬ ֶ ,‫ּדְ ב ַָרי‬
‫ַאר ָּגמָן אֹו תֹו ַלעַת ׁשָ נִי ּבְֹלא ׁשֵׁש‬
ְ ‫ ֹלא ָמצִינּו ְב ֶאחָד ֵמהֶם‬,‫ ְּב ִבגְדֵ י ְכ ֻהּנָה מְדַ ּבֵר‬:

‫ ואת בגדי השרד‬AND THE GARMENTS OF THE SERVICE — I think — according to the
plain sense of the verse — that one cannot say that Scripture is here speaking of (referring to)
the priestly garments, because to them refer the next words: “and the garments of holiness for
Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons to minister as priests”. But these ‫ בגדי שרד‬are
identical with the garments of blue purple wool, and red purple wool, and crimson wool
which are mentioned in the chapter (Numbers IV.) giving an account of Israel’s
encampments: (Numbers 4:12) “and they shall put them in a garment of blue purple”;
(Numbers 4:13) “and spread a garment of red purple thereon”; (Numbers 4:8) “and they shall
spread upon them a garment of crimson”. And indeed my opinion appears correct, because it
is said, (Exodus 39:1) “And of the blue purple, and of the red purple, and of the crimson, they
made garments of the service (‫ )בגדי שרד‬to minister in the holiness”, and linen is not
mentioned among them (these materials). Now if Scripture were speaking of the priestly
garments it could not have omitted “linen”“, for we do not find in respect of even one of them
(of the priestly garments) mention of red purple or crimson without linen.

‫ ְואֵין לֹו ּדִ מְיֹון ַּב ִּמק ְָרא; ַו ֲאנִי אֹומֵר ׁשֶ הּוא‬,‫ׁשא‬
ָ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו לְבּוׁשֵי ׁשִּמּו‬,‫ י ֵׁש ְמפ ְָרׁשִים לְׁשֹון עֲבֹודָ ה ְוׁשֵרּות‬.‫בגדי השרד‬
‫ׁשהָיּו אֲרּוגִים ְּב ַמחַט עֲׂשּוי ִים נְ ָקבִים נְ ָקבִים לצי"דץ ְּב ַלעַז‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשל ִמ ְכּבָר‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל ְק ָלעִים וְתַ ְרּגּום‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּום‬,‫ לְׁשֹון א ֲַרּמִי‬:

‫ בגדי השרד‬GARMENTS OF SERVICE — Some explain ‫ שרד‬to mean work and service (cf.
‫ שרת‬to serve), as the Targum renders it: ‫לבושי שמושא‬, “garments for the service”. There is,
however, no other example of it (of ‫ )שרד‬in Scriptures. I, however, think that it is an Aramaic
expression, like the Targum of ‫קלעים‬, hangings, which Onkelos renders by ‫שרדין‬, and of ‫מכבר‬,
“grate”, which he renders by ‫שרדא‬, both words denoting net-work, and they are called
“garments of ‫שרד‬, net-work”, because they were woven not in the ordinary way but with the
needle (a kind of crochet-work), made with many holes; “lacies” in old French; English, net
or mesh-work.

31:11

‫ לְצ ֶֹרְך ַה ְקט ַָרת ַההֵיכָל ׁשֶ הּוא ק ֹדֶ ׁש‬.‫ואת קטרת הסמים לקדש‬:

‫ ואת קטרת הסמים לקדש‬AND INCENSE OF AROMATICS FOR THE SANCTUARY — i. e. for
the purpose of letting it (the incense) rise in smoke in the ‫ היכל‬which is the “‫( ”קדש‬that part of
the Tabernacle or Temple in front of the ‫קדש קדשים‬.

31:13

‫ ַאל י ֵ ַקל ְּבעֵינֶיָך לִדְ חֹות אֶת הַּׁשַ ּבָת‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬

ְ ‫ׁש ִה ְפקַדְ ּתִ יָך ְלצַּוֹותָ ם עַל ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְואַּתָ ה ַאעַ" ִּפ‬.‫ואתה דבר אל בני ישראל‬
‫ ִמ ְּפנֵי אֹותָ ּה מְ לָאכָה‬:

‫ ואתה דבר אל בני ישראל‬SPEAK THOU ALSO UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — AND
thou, although I have given thee charge to command them concerning the work of the
Tabernacle let it not appear a light thing to thee to set the Sabbath aside on account of that
work.

‫ ּכָל ַאכִין ו ְַרּקִ ין‬,ָ‫ׁשּבָת ַאל ּתִ ּדָ חֶה ִמ ָּפנֶיה‬

ַ ,‫ ַאעַ" ִּפ ׁשֶּתִ הְיּו ְרדּופִין ּוז ְִריז ִין ִּבז ְִריזּות ַה ְּמלָאכָה‬.‫אך את שבתתי תשמרו‬
‫ׁשּבָת מִּמְ לֶאכֶת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬ ַ ‫מִעּוטִין – ְל ַמעֵט‬:

‫ אך את שבתתי תשמרו‬BUT NEVERTHELESS MY SABBATHS SHALL YE KEEP — Even

though you be anxious and alert to do the work promptly the Sabbath nevertheless you must
not set aside on its account. The words ‫ אך‬and ‫ רק‬wherever they occur in Scripture have
limitative force (Rosh Hashanah 17b; cf. Rashi on Rosh Hashanah 17b on ‫)אכין ורקין‬. Here
Scripture intends by the word ‫ אך‬to except the Sabbath from the days on which the work of
the Tabernacle may be done.

‫ׁש ָּבח ְַרּתִ י ָבכֶם ְּב ַהנְחִילִי ָלכֶם אֶת יֹום מְנּוחָתִ י לִמְ נּוחָה‬
ֶ ,‫ אֹות ּגְדֻ ּלָה הִיא בֵינֵינּו‬.‫כי אות הוא ביני וביניכם‬:

‫ כי אות היא ביני וביניכם‬FOR IT IS A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND YOU — There is a mark of
distinction in the relation that exists between us, viz., the fact that I have chosen you by letting
you inherit for rest that day on which “I” rested.

‫ ָהאֻּמֹות ּבָּה כי אני ה' מקדשכם‬.‫לדעת‬:

‫ לדעת‬TO KNOW — (not, “for you to know”, but) for the nations of the world to know through
it, ‫ כי אני ה' מקדשכם‬THAT I AM THE LORD THAT DOTH SANCTIFY YOU.

31:14

‫ אִם י ֵׁש עֵדִ ים ְוהַתְ ָרָאה‬.‫מות יומת‬:

‫ מות יומת‬SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH by the judges if there are witnesses
testifying to the desecration and if the warning required by law had been given to the culprit
immediately before he committed the offence.

)‫ ּבְֹלא הַתְ ָרָאה (מכילתא‬.‫ונכרתה‬:

‫ ונכרתה‬SHALL BE CUT OFF [FROM AMONG HIS PEOPLE] by God, if no such warning
had been given (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 31:14:3).

‫ הַּנֹוהֵג ּבָּה ח ֹל ּבִקְדֻ ּׁשָתָ ּה‬.‫מחלליה‬:

‫ מחלליה‬means, whosoever treats it as ‫חול‬, ordinary, in so far as its sanctity is concerned.

31:15

‫ ְמנּוחַת מ ְַרּגֹו ַע וְֹלא מְ נּוחַת ע ֲָראִ י‬.‫שבת שבתון‬:

‫ שבת שבתון‬denotes, reposeful rest and not rest of a casual character.

‫ִירת קְדֻ ּׁשָתָ ּה לִׁשְמִ י ּובְמִ ְצוָתִ י‬

ַ ‫ׁשמ‬
ְ .'‫קדש לה‬:

‘‫ קדש לה‬HOLINESS TO THE LORD — The observance of its holiness shall be (it shall be
kept holy) to the glory of My Name and by My command (because I have commanded it).

31:17

‫ׁש ֵּמׁשִיב נַפְׁשֹו ּונְׁשִימָתֹו ְּבה ְַרּגִיעֹו מִּט ַֹרח ַה ְּמלָאכָה; ּומִ י ׁשֶ ּכָתּוב ּבֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ ְוכָל לְׁשֹון נֹפֶׁש הּוא לְׁשֹון נֶפֶׁש‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ְונָח‬.‫וינפש‬
‫ּׁשהִיא י ְכֹולָה לִׁשְמ ֹ ַע‬
ֶ ‫ׂשּבֵר הָאֹז ֶן ַמה‬ ַ ‫ ִהכְּתִ יב ְמנּוחָה ְּב ַעצְמֹו? ְל‬,‫ ְוכָל ָּפעֳלֹו ְב ַמ ֲאמָר‬,) '‫ֹלא י ִיעַף וְֹלא י ִיגָע (ישעיה מ‬:

‫ וינפש‬AND WAS REFRESHED — Take it as the Targum renders it: ‫“ ונח‬and He rested”.
Every form of ‫ נפש‬is derived from the noun ‫נֶפֶש‬, soul; the idea is, that one calms his soul and
takes breath when one reposes after the oil of labour. — And He of Whom it is written,
(Isaiah 40:28) “[… the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth] fainteth not nor is He
weary”, and Whose every action is accomplished by His mere command had the term
“repose” written of (ascribed to) Himself in order to make comprehensible to the human ear
what it can understand.

31:18

‫ׁשּכָן יָמִים ַרּבִים ָהי ָה – ׁשֶ ה ֲֵרי‬ ְ ‫ׂשה ָה ֵעגֶל ק ֹדֶ ם ְלצִּוּוי ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ִּמ‬ ֵ ‫ַּתֹורה – ַמ ֲע‬ָ ‫ אֵין ֻמקְּדָ ם ּו ְמ ֻאחָר ּב‬.'‫ויתן אל משה וגו‬
‫ׁשּכָן וְהּוקַ ם ּבְאֶ חָד‬
ְ ‫ ּו ְל ָמח ֳָרת הִתְ חִילּו ְבנִדְ בַת ַה ִּמ‬,‫ִּפּורים נִתְ ַרּצָה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ִ ‫ ּובְיֹום ַהּכ‬,‫בְי"ז ּבְתַ ּמּוז נִׁשְּתַ ּבְרּו הַּלּוחֹות‬
)‫ ְּבנִיסָן (תנחומא‬:
‫ ויתן אל משה וגו׳‬AND HE GAVE UNTO MOSES etc. — There is no “earlier” or “later” (no
chronological order) in the events related in the Torah: in fact the incident of the golden calf
(related in ch. 31) happened a considerable time before the command regarding the work of
the Tabernacle was given (ch. 25 and the following chapters). For on the seventeenth of
Tammuz were the Tablets broken (when the people were worshipping the calf) and on the
Day of Atonement God became reconciled with Israel (after Moses had prayed 80 days for
forgivenness; so that it is very unlikely that the command for the building of the Tabernacle
should have been given before that day) and on the next day, the eleventh of Tishri (cf. Rashi
on Exodus 33:11, at end of comment on ‫)ושב אל המחנה‬, they began to bring their contributions
for the Tabernacle which was set up on the first of Nisan. (From the seventeenth of Tammuz
until the eleventh of Tishri are almost three months — ‫( )ימים רבים‬Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa
31).

‫ ּדָ בָר‬.‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה י ָכֹול ִללְמ ֹד ֻּכּלָּה ִּבזְמַן מֻ עָט ָּכז ֶה‬
ֶ ,‫ּתֹורה ְּבמַּתָ נָה ְּכ ַכּלָה ֶלחָתָ ן‬
ָ ‫ׁשּנִ ְמס ְָרה לֹו‬
ֶ – ‫ ככלתו ּכְתִ יב – ָחסֵר‬.‫ככלתו‬
‫ׁש ְעי ָה – ַאף ּתַ ְלמִיד ָחכָם צ ִָריְך ִלהְיֹות ּבָקִ י ּבְכ"ד‬ ַ ְ ‫ֲמּורים ְּב ֵספֶר י‬
ִ ‫ּׁשטֶת ּבְכ"ד קִּׁשּוטִין – הֵן ָהא‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה ַּכּלָה מִתְ ַק‬,‫ַאחֵר‬
‫ ְספ ִָרים‬:

‫ ככלתו‬WHEN HE FINISHED [SPEAKING] — The word ‫ ככלתו‬is written defectively (without

a ‫ ו‬after the ‫ )ל‬to intimate that the Torah was handed over to Moses as a gift (note the word
‫)ויתן‬, complete in every respect, even as the bride (the word ‫ ככלתו‬is taken to be connected
with “‫”כלה‬, bride) is handed over to the bridegroom completely equipped with all she requires
— for in a period brief as this which Moses spent on the mountain, he must have been unable
to learn in its entirety every law to be derived from it. Another explanation why the word is
written defective is: just as a bride (‫ )כלה‬bedecks herself with 24 ornaments — those which
are mentioned in the book of Isaiah (ch. 3) — so a scholar (‫ )תלמיד חכם‬ought to be thoroughly
versed in the contents of the 24 books of Scripture (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 16).

‫ׁש ִּבוְאֵ ּלֶה הַּמִׁשְ ָּפטִים‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ָּפטִים‬
ְ ‫ ַה ֻחּקִים ְו ַה ִּמ‬.‫לדבר אתו‬:

‫ לדבר אתו‬TO SPEAK WITH HIM the statutes and the judgments contained in the section
beginning with ‫( ואלה המשפטים‬ch. Exodus 21 ff.).

‫ְבּורה וְחֹוז ְִרין וְׁשֹונִין אֶת ַה ֲה ָלכָה ׁשְ נֵיהֶם יַחַד‬

ָ ‫ׁשה ׁשֹו ֵמ ַע ִמּפִי ַהּג‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְמ ַלּמֵד‬.‫לדבר אתו‬:

‫ לדבר אתו‬TO SPEAK “WITH” HIM — The use of the word ‫“ אתו‬with him” teaches us that
Moses first heard the laws from the mouth of the Almighty and that then they both again
repeated each Halacha together (Exodus Rabbah 41:5).

)‫ׁשהָיּו ׁשְּתֵ יהֶן ׁשָוֹות (שם‬

ֶ ‫ לחת ּכְתִ יב‬.‫לחת‬:

‫ לחת‬TABLETS — The word is written defectively ‫( לחת‬without a ‫ ו‬between ‫ ח‬and ‫)ת‬, thus
intimating that they were both alike in every respect (Exodus Rabbah 41:6).

32:1

‫ׁש ָעלָה מ ֹׁשֶ ה ָלהָר‬ ֶ ‫ ַוּיָחִילּו עַד ּבֹוׁש (שם ג'); ּכִי ְּכ‬,)'‫ ְוכֵן ּבֹׁשֵׁש ִרכְּבֹו (שופטים ה‬,‫ לְׁשֹון אִחּור‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫כי בשש משה‬
‫ וְהּוא ָאמַר ָלהֶם‬,‫ׁש ָעלָה מִן ַה ִּמנְי ָן הּוא‬ ֶ ‫ׁשאֹותֹו יֹום‬ ֶ ‫ְבּורים הֵם‬ ִ ‫ ִּכס‬,‫ַאר ָּבעִים יֹום ֲאנִי בָא ּבְתֹוְך ׁשֵׁש ׁשָעֹות‬ ְ ‫ָאמַר ָלהֶם לְסֹוף‬
‫ַאר ָּבעִים ּבְׁשִ ְבעָה עָׂשָר‬ ְ ‫ נִ ְמצָא יֹום‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי בְז' ְּבסִיוָן ָעלָה‬ ֶ ,‫ַאר ָּבעִים יֹום ְולֵילֹו עִּמֹו – וְיֹום ֲע ִלּי ָתֹו אֵין לֵילֹו עִּמֹו‬
ְ – ‫ׁשְ ֵלמִים‬
‫ׁשה ְלכְָך ּבָא ע ְִרּבּו ְבי ָא‬ֶ ֹ ‫ לֹומַר וַּדַ אי מֵת מ‬,‫ ְוה ְֶרָאה ּדְ מּות חֹׁשְֶך ַו ֲא ֵפלָה ְוע ְִרּבּו ְבי ָה‬,‫ׂשטָן ְוע ְִרּבֵב אֶת הָעֹולָם‬
ָ ‫ ּבְי"ו ּבָא‬.‫ּבְתַ ּמּוז‬
‫ׁשּבָת (דף פ"ט); וְאִי אֶ פְׁשָר לֹומַר‬ ַ ‫ׁש ְּכבָר ּבָאּו ׁשֵׁש ׁשָעֹות וְֹלא ּבָא וְכּו' ּכִדְ אִיתָ א ְב ַמ ֶּסכֶת‬ֶ ,‫ׁשה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ָאמַר ָלהֶם מֵת מ‬,‫לָעֹולָם‬
 ‫ׁשּנֶאֱמַר ַוּי ַׁשְ ּכִימּו‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשה עַד יֹום ַה ָּמח ֳָרת‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ֹלא י ַָרד מ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשֹלא טָעּו ֶאּלָא ּבְיֹום ַה ְמ ֻעּנָן ּבֵין ק ֹדֶ ם חֲצֹות ּבֵין לְַאחַר חֲצֹות‬
ֶ
‫ ִמ ָּמח ֳָרת ַוּיַעֲלּו עֹֹלת‬:

‫[ כי בשש משה‬AND WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW] THAT MOSES DELAYED LONG —
Understand (‫ בשש‬as the Targum does, as an expression denoting “lateness”.. Similar are:
(Judges 5:28) “[Why is] his chariot so long (‫[ )בשש‬in coming]?”; (Judges 3:25) “And they
waited until it was late (‫”)עד בוש‬. For when Moses ascended the mountain he said to them (to
the Israelites): at the end of a period of forty days (i. e. on the fortieth day) I shall return
during the first six hours of the day (before noon). They thought that the day on which he
ascended the mountain (the seventh of Sivan) was to be included in this number (thus —
Sivan having 30 days — he was expected back before noon on the sixteenth of Tammuz). In
fact, however, he had said to them “after forty days” meaning complete days — forty days,
each day together with its night that precedes it — (as is the customary Jewish reckoning; cf.
Genesis 1:5: ‫)ויהי ערב ויהי בקר‬. Now, as regards the day of this ascent, its night was not part of
it that it can be reckoned as a complete day, for he ascended on the seventh of Sivan early in
the morning (cf. Rashi on Exodus 19:3); it follows therefore that the fortieth day really fell on
the seventeenth of Tammuz and not as the people had believed on the sixteenth. On the
sixteenth of Tammuz Satan came and threw the world into confusion, giving it the appearance
of darkness, gloom and disorder that people should say: “Surely Moses is dead, and that is
why confusion has come into the world!” He said to them, “Yes, Moses is dead, for six hours
(noon) has already come (‫ )בא שש = בשש‬and he has not returned etc.” — as is related in
Treatise Shabbat 89a (cf. Rashi and Tosafot there and Tosafot on Bava Kamma 82a ‫)ד"ה כדי‬.
One cannot, however, say that they erred only on account of it being a cloudy day, their
mistake consisting in not being able to distinguish between forenoon and afternoon, and that
thus they were correct in their supposition that he was to return on the sixteenth of Tammuz;
for this assumes that he really returned on the day when they made the calf, but that they were
under the impression that noon was past — for, as a matter of fact, Moses did not come down
until the following day (the day after they had made the calf), for it is said (v. 6) “And they
rose up early in the morrow, and brought up burnt offerings”— and only after wards the Lord
said to Moses (v. 7) “Go, go down; for thy people … have corrupted themselves”.

)‫ אֱלֹוהֹות ה ְַרּבֵה אִּוּו ָלהֶם (סנהדרין ס"ג‬.‫אשר ילכו לפנינו‬:

‫[ אשר ילכו לפנינו‬MAKE US GODS] WHICH SHALL GO BEFORE US — They wished to

have many gods (the words ‫ אלהים‬is to be taken as plural since the verb ‫ ילכו‬is plural; cf.
Sanhedrin 63a).

)‫ּׁש ָמי ִם (שבת פ"ט‬

ָ ‫ׂשאִים אֹותֹו ַּב ֲאוִיר ְרקִי ַע ַה‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנֹו‬
ֶ ,‫ּׂשטָן‬
ָ ‫ׁשה ה ְֶרָאה ָלהֶם ַה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ְּכמִין ּדְ מּות מ‬.‫כי זה משה האיש‬:

‫ כי זה משה האיש‬FOR AS FOR THIS MOSES — This Moses implies that Satan showed them
something that looked like Moses being carried on a bier in the air high above in the skies (cf.
Shabbat 89a).

‫ עַּתָ ה צ ְִריכִין ָאנּו ֶל ֱאלֹוהֹות אֲׁשֶר יֵלְכּו ְל ָפנֵינּו‬,‫מֹורה לָנּו ּדֶ ֶרְך ֲאׁשֶר נַ ֲעלֶה ּבָּה‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ָהי ָה‬.‫אשר העלנו מארץ מצרים‬:

‫[ אשר העלנו מארץ מצרים‬THAT MAN] THAT BROUGHT US UP OUT OF THE LAND OF
EGYPT, and who used to show us the way we had to go; now that he is dead we need gods
which shall go before us.

32:2
 ‫ ְוהֵם‬,‫ׁש ָּמא י ִתְ ַעּכֵב הַּדָ בָר ּובְתֹוְך ּכְָך י ָב ֹא מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬
ֶ ,‫ ַהּנָׁשִים ְו ַהיְלָדִ ים ָחסִים עַל ּתַ ְכׁשִיטֵיהֶן‬:‫ ָאמַר ַאהֲר ֹן ְּבלִּבֹו‬.‫באזני נשיכם‬
‫ֹלא ִהמְּתִ ינּו ּופ ְָרקּו מֵ עַל ַעצְמָ ן‬:

‫[ באזני נשיכם‬BREAK OFF THE GOLDEN PENDANTS], WHICH ARE IN THE EARS OF
YOUR WIVES — Aaron said to himself: women and children have a love for their
ornaments; perhaps the matter will be delayed because they will hesitate to give their
ornaments, and in the meantime Moses may arrive. They (the men), however, did not wait
until the women and children made up their minds but they took the ornaments off themselves
(cf. v. 3: they took off the pendants which were in their ears; there is no reference to the
pendants belonging to the women) (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 21).

‫ ּכְמֹו ּב ְָרכּו מִ ִּגז ְַרת ּב ֵָרְך‬,‫ ִמ ִּגז ְַרת ּפ ֵָרק ְליָחִיד‬,‫ לְׁשֹון צִּוּוי‬.‫פרקו‬:

‫ פרקו‬is an imperative plural derived from ‫ פרק‬which is used for the singular, just as ‫ ּב ְָרכּו‬is
derived from ‫ פרקו( ּב ֵָרְך‬and ‫ ברכו‬are both masculine imperative Piel).

32:3

‫ דישקריי"ר ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׁשנְטָלּום ֵמָאזְנֵיהֶם נִ ְמצְאּו הֵם ְמפ ָֹרקִים ִמּנִזְמֵיהֶם‬

ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬,‫ּׂשא‬
ָ ‫ לְׁשֹון ּפ ְִריקַת ַמ‬.‫ויתפרקו‬:

‫ ויתפרקו‬AND [ALL THE PEOPLE] BRAKE OFF — ‫ פרק‬is a term denoting “unloading a
burden”. Being a transitive verb one would expect ‫ ויפרקו‬instead of the reflexive form ‫ויפרקו‬
but when they took them (the pendants) off their ears they themselves became unloaded from
their pendants and therefore ‫“ ויתפרקו‬they unloaded themselves”, is the appropriate word to
use; décharger in old French, English discharge.

‫ ּכְמֹו ְּכצֵאתִ י אֶת ָהעִיר (שמות ט') – מִ ן ָהעִיר‬,‫ ּכְמֹו ִמּנִזְמֵי‬.‫את נזמי‬:

‫ את נזמי‬is the same as ‫מנזמי‬, (they unloaded themselves from their pendants), (‫ את‬having the
same meaning as ‫)מן‬, similar to (Exodus 9:29) “As soon as I am gone out ‫”את העיר‬, which
means ‫מן העיר‬, from the city.

32:4

‫ ּכְמֹו ְוהַּמִ ְטּפָחֹות‬,‫ ַּבח ֶֶרט – לְׁשֹון סּודָ ר‬,‫ִירה‬ ָ ‫ ָה ֶאחָד ַוּיָצַר – לְׁשֹון ְקׁש‬,‫ׁשנֵי ָפנִים‬ְ ‫ י ֵׁש לְתַ ְרּגְמֹו ִב‬.‫ויצר אתו בחרט‬
‫ ַּבח ֶֶרט – ְּכלֵי אֻּמָ נּות‬,‫צּורה‬ָ ‫ּׁשנִי ַוּיָצַר – לְׁשֹון‬ ֵ ‫ ְו ַה‬,)'‫ׁשנֵי ח ֲִרטִים (מלכים ב ה‬ ְ ‫ ַוּיָצַר ִּכּכ ְַרי ִם ֶּכסֶף ִּב‬,)'‫ְו ָהח ֲִריטִים (ישעיהו ג‬
‫ ּכְמֹו ּוכְת ֹב ָעלָיו ְּבח ֶֶרט אֱנֹוׁש‬,‫ַחֹורת אֹותִ ּיֹות ּבְלּוחֹות ּו ִפנְ ָקסִין‬
ֵ ‫ ְּכעֵט סֹופֵר ה‬,‫ְחֹורתִ ין ּבֹו צּורֹות ְּבזָהָב‬ ְ ‫ֶחֹורצִין ו‬ ְ ‫ַּצֹורפִין ׁש‬
ְ ‫ה‬
,‫ֶחֹורצִין ּבֹו ְּבזָהָב אֹותִ ּיֹות ּוׁשְ קֵדִ ים‬
ְ ‫ הּוא ְּכלִי ֻא ָּמנּות ׁש‬,‫ לְׁשֹון זִּיּוף‬,‫ ְוז ֶהּו ׁשֶּתִ ְרּגֵם אֻ נְ ְקלֹוס ְוצַר י ָתֵ יּה ְּבז ִיפָא‬,) '‫(ישעיהו ח‬
‫ ּו ְמזַּיְפִין עַל י ָדֹו חֹותָ מֹות‬,‫ּקֹורין ְּב ַלעַז ניי"ל‬
ִ ‫ׁש‬ ֶ :

‫ — ויצר אתו בחרט‬One can translate this in two ways. The one is: to take ‫ ויצר‬in the sense of
“tying up” (Hiphil of ‫ )צרר‬and ‫ בחרט‬in the sense of “a garment”, similar to (Isaiah 3:22) “and
the mantles and the scarfs (‫( ;”)והחריטים‬2 Kings 5:23) “and bound (‫ )ויצר‬two talents of silver in
two cloths (‫”)חריטים‬. The other way is: to take ‫ ויצר‬in the sense of “forming figures” (Hiphil of
‫ )צור‬and ‫ חרם‬as denoting goldsmiths’ tool with which they engrave and cut figures into gold,
like a writer’s stylus that incises letters on boards and tablets, as we find it in, (Isaiah 8:1)
‘‘[Take a great roll] and write on it with a man’s pen (‫”)חרט‬. This (the second explanation) is
what Onkelos means when he renders the passage by ‫ וצר יתיה בזיפא‬and he formed it with a “
‫”זיפא‬, a term which is connected with the word ‫“ זיוף‬forgery”. It is a tool with which letters
and modelled figures are engraved in gold — a kind of work which they term niel in old
French (cf. Rashi and our Note on Exodus 25:33), and by means of which seals are forged (
‫)מזיפין‬.

‫אֹומְרים‬
ִ ‫ׁשפִים; ְוי ֵׁש‬
ָ ‫ׂשאּוהּו ִב ְכ‬ָ ‫ׁשעָלּו ִע ָּמהֶם ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם ַו ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשפֵי ע ֵֶרב ַרב‬ ְ ‫ ּבָאּו ְמ ַכ‬,‫ׁשלִיכֹו לָאּור ּבְכּור‬ ְ ‫ׁש ִה‬
ֶ ‫ ּכֵיוָן‬.‫עגל מסכה‬
‫ׁשה " ֲעלֵה ׁשֹור" " ֲעלֵה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּכָתַ ב ּבֹו מ‬
ֶ ‫ ְו ָהי ָה ְבי ָדֹו ׁשֵם ְוטַס‬,‫ׁשּנִתְ ַמעְֵך ּבֹו ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּיָצָא מִּתֹוְך ּדִ ּמֹוסֵי ִּבנְי ָן‬
ֶ ,‫מִיכָה ָהי ָה ׁשָם‬
)‫ׁשלִיכֹו לְתֹוְך הַּכּור ְויָצָא ָה ֵעגֶל (תנחומא‬ ְ ‫ׁשל יֹוסֵף מִּתֹוְך נִילּוס – ְו ִה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשֹור" ְל ַהעֲלֹות אֲרֹונֹו‬:

‫ עגל מסכה‬A MOLTEN CALF — As soon as he (Aaron) had thrown it (the gold) into the fire in
a melting pot the magicians amongst the mixed multitude who had come up with them from
Egypt came and made it (the golden calf) by their magic art. There are some who say that
Micah the idolator mentioned in Judges ch. 17, was there, who had been drawn forth from the
foundations of a building in Egypt where he was nearly crushed. He had in his possession a
“supernatural name” (‫ )שם‬and a plate upon which Moses had written: “Come up, ox, come up,
ox!” in order to raise the coffin of Joseph who is compared to an ox (cf. Deuteronomy 33:17)
out of the Nile, and he cast it (the plate) into the melting pot and the calf (the young ox) came
out (‫( )ויצא העגל הזה‬Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 19).

)‫ לְׁשֹון מַּתֶ כֶת; ּדָ "ַא קכ"ה ַקנְט ְִרין זָהָב הָיּו בֹו ְּכגִי ַמט ְִרּי ָא ׁשֶ ל מַ ֵּסכָה (שם‬.‫מסכה‬:

‫ מסכה‬MOLTEN is a term connected with ‫מתכת‬, molten metal (‫ ס‬and ‫ ת‬being interchanged in
these words). Another explanation is: there were used in it (for making the golden calf) 125
talents of gold, corresponding to the numerical value of ‫מסכה‬, which is 125 (Midrash
Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 19).

‫ וְַאחַר ּכְָך‬,‫ׂשאּוהּו‬
ָ ‫ׁש ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנִ ְקהֲלּו עַל ַאהֲר ֹן ְוהֵם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשעָלּו ִמ ִּמצ ְַרי ִם הֵם‬
ֶ ‫ׁשע ֵֶרב ַרב‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬,‫ וְֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר אֵ ּלֶה אֱֹלהֵינּו‬.‫אלה אלהיך‬
)‫ ִהטְעּו אֶת יִׂש ְָראֵ ל ַאח ֲָריו (שם‬:

‫ אלה אלהיך‬THESE ARE THY GODS, [O ISRAEL] — It does not state that they said “these
are our gods, [O Israel]”; hence we may learn that it was the mixed multitude which came up
from Egypt that gathered themselves together against Aaron, and it was they who made it and
afterwards led Israel astray after it (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 19).

32:5

‫ׂשה ׂשָ טָן וְֹלא ָהי ָה‬

ֵ ‫ׁש ִה ְצלִי ַח ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ו ְָרָאה‬,)‫ׂשב (תהלים ק"ו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבְתַ ְבנִית ׁשֹור אֹכֵל ֵע‬
ֶ ,‫ׁש ָהי ָה בֹו רּו ַח ַחּי ִים‬
ֶ .‫וירא אהרן‬
‫ַמְרי‬
ֵ ‫לֹו ּפֶה לִדְ חֹותָ ם ְלג‬:

‫ וירא אהרן‬AND WHEN AARON SAW that there was the breath of life in it — as it is said
with reference to the golden calf, (Psalms 106:20) “[They changed their glory] into a
similitude of an ox that ate grass” — and he realized that Satan’s work had succeeded and that
he had no argument (lit., mouth) to put them (the people) entirely off.

‫ לִדְ חֹותָ ם‬.‫ויבן מזבח‬:

‫ ויבן מזבח‬HE BUILDED AN ALTAR to put them off.

‫ ּדְ ב ִָרים ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ ְּב ַוּיִק ְָרא ַרּבָה‬,‫ ז ֶהּו ּפְׁשּוטֹו; ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬,‫ׁשּי ַ ַעבְדּוהּו‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה ק ֹדֶ ם‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁש ָּמא י ָב ֹא מ‬
ֶ ,‫ וְֹלא הַּיֹום‬.‫ויקרא חג לה' מחר‬
‫ ְוז ֶהּו ַוּיִבֶן ִמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְל ָפנָיו – ַוּיָבֶן ִמּז ָבּו ַח ְל ָפנָיו – וְעֹוד ָרָאה‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה מֹוכִיחָם ַוה ֲָרגּוהּו‬ ֶ ‫ָרָאה ַאהֲר ֹן – ָרָאה חּור ּבֶן אֲחֹותֹו‬
‫ ז ֶה ֵמבִיא צְרֹור ְוז ֶה מֵ בִיא אֶ בֶן‬,ַ‫ וְעֹוד ָרָאה וְָאמַר אִם הֵם ּבֹונִים אֶת ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּבח‬,‫ׁשּי ִּתָ לֶה בִי ַהּס ֵָרחֹון וְֹלא ָבהֶם‬ ֶ ‫וְָאמַר מּוטָב‬
‫ ּבֵין ּכְָך ּובֵין ּכְָך מ ֹׁשֶ ה בָא‬,‫ׁש ֲאנִי בֹונֶה אֹותֹו ַו ֲאנִי מִתְ ַעּצֵל ִּב ְמלַאכְּתִ י‬ ֶ ‫ מִּתֹוְך‬,‫ ְונִ ְמצֵאת ְמלַאכְּתָ ן עָׂשּוי ְּבבַת ַאחַת‬:
‫ ויקרא חג לה׳ מחר‬AND CALLED OUT … TO-MORROW IS A FESTIVAL TO THE LORD
— to-morrow, not to-day, for he hoped that Moses might return before they would worship it
(the calf). This is the plain meaning of the verse. The Midrashic explanation of it in Leviticus
Rabbah 10:3 (— it supplies an object to the verb ‫ )— וירא‬is: Aaron saw many things; he saw
Hur, his sister’s son, who had reprimanded them, and whom they had killed. This is the
meaning of ‫ויבן מזבח‬, viz., ‫ ַויָבֶן‬, he realized (taking the word as from the root ‫בון‬, to understand,
to realize) ‫ ִמּז ָבּו ַח לפניו‬from him who lay slaughtered before him (‫ מזבח‬is vowelled to be read as
‫ )מִ ּז ָבּו ַח‬what would happen to him if he offered resistance. A further explanation of ‫ וירא אהרן‬in
the Midrash is: He saw what the situation was and said: It is better that the offence should
attach itself to me than to them. And yet a further Midrashic explanation of ‫ וירא‬is: He looked
into the matter and said: If they build this altar themselves, one will bring a clod and another a
stone and the result will be that their work will be accomplished all at once; through myself
building it and being dilatory in my work, in the meantime Moses may come.

‫ׁשה ְוי ַ ַעבְדּו אֶת הַּמָ קֹום‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּי ָב ֹא מ‬
ֶ ‫ ּבָטּו ַח ָהי ָה‬,‫ּׁש ַמי ִם‬
ָ ‫ ְּבלִּבֹו ָהי ָה ַל‬.'‫חג לה‬:

‫ חג לה׳‬A FESTIVAL TO THE LORD — not to the golden calf. In his heart it (the feast) was
for Heaven (the Lord). He felt confident that Moses would return by the morrow and that they
would worship the Omnipresent (Leviticus Rabbah 10:3).

32:6

‫ ּכְדֵ י ׁשֶ ּי ֶ ֶחטְאּו‬,‫ּׂשטָן ז ְֵרז ָם‬

ָ ‫ ַה‬.‫וישכימו‬:

‫ וישכימו‬AND THEY ROSE UP EARLY [IN THE MORNING] — Satan made them zealous in
order that they might sin, for later on in the forenoon Moses actually came down from the
mountain.

‫ׁשּנֶ' י ָקּומּו נָא ַהּנְע ִָרים‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשפִיכּות ּדָ מִים‬
ְ ‫ ּו‬,)‫ׁשּנֶ' ְל ַצחֶק ּבִי (בראשית ל"ט‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשמַע ַהּז ֶה ּגִּלּוי ע ֲָריֹות‬
ְ ‫ י ֵׁש ְּב ַמ‬.‫לצחק‬
)‫ ַאף ּכָן נֶה ֱַרג חּור (שמות רבה‬,)'‫ׂשחֲקּו ְל ָפנֵינּו (שמואל ב ב‬ ַ ‫וִי‬:

‫ לצחק‬TO PLAY — There is implied in this term besides idolatry also sexual immorality, — as
we find the word used in, (Genesis 39:17) “to mock (‫ )לצחק‬me” where unchastity is meant as
is evident from the context — and blood-shed, as it is said, (II Samuel 2:14) “Let the young
men arise and play (‫ )וישחקו‬before me; [and they caught every one his fellow by the head and
thrust his sword in his fellows side]”— here, too, Hur was assassinated (Midrash Tanchuma
3:9:20).

32:7

)‫ ּכְמֹו ַוי ְדַ ּבֵר אִּתָ ם קָׁשֹות (בראשית מ"ב‬,‫ לְׁשֹון קֹׁשִי הּוא‬.‫וידבר‬:

‫ וידבר‬AND [THE LORD] SAID — This term ‫ דבר‬when not followed by a word of the root ‫אמר‬
implies censorious speech, as (Genesis 42:7) “And he spake (‫ )וידבר‬roughly (‫ )קשות‬unto
them”.

‫ׁשה ִמּפִי בֵית ּדִ ין ׁשֶ ל מַ ְעלָה‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשעָה נִתְ נַּדָ ה מ‬
ָ ‫ ּבְאֹותָ ּה‬,)‫ׁשבִילָם (ברבות ל"ב‬
ְ ‫ ִמּגְדֻ ּלָתְ ָך – ֹלא נָתַ ּתִ י לְָך ּגְדֻ ּלָה ֶאּלָא ִב‬.‫לך רד‬
)‫(תנחומא‬:
‫ לך רד‬GO, GO DOWN from your high position; I have given you distinction only for their
sake! (Berakhot 32a). At that moment Moses was excommunicated by a decree of the
heavenly court (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 22).

‫ וְָאמ ְַרּתָ טֹוב ׁשֶ ּי ִדְ ּבְקּו‬,‫ׁש ִּק ַּבלְּתָ ֵמ ַע ְצמְָך ְוגִּי ְַרּתָ ם וְֹלא נִ ְמ ַלכְּתָ ּבִי‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא ַעּמְָך – ע ֵֶרב ַרב‬,‫ׁשחֵת ָהעָם ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר‬
ִ .‫שחת עמך‬
)‫ׁשחִיתּו (שמות רבה‬ ְ ‫ׁשחֲתּו ְו ִה‬ִ ‫ּׁשכִינָה – הֵם‬ ְ ‫ג ִֵרים ַּב‬:

‫ שחת עמך‬THY PEOPLE HAVE CORRUPTED THEMSELVES — It does not say the people
have corrupted but “thy” people — the mixed multitude whom you received of your own
accord and accepted as proselytes without consulting Me. You thought it a good thing that
proselytes should be attached to the Shechina — now they have corrupted themselves and
have corrupted others (Exodus Rabbah 42:6).

32:9

‫ ַמ ֲחז ְִרין ְקׁשִי ע ְָרּפָם ְלנֶגֶד מֹוכִיחֵיהֶם ּומְמָ אֲ נִים לִׁשְמ ֹ ַע‬.‫קשה ערף‬:

‫ קשה ערף‬STIFF-NECKED — They turn their stiffened necks towards those who reprove them
(i e. they turn their back upon them) and refuse to listen.

32:10

‫ׁשה ֲעלֵיהֶם וְהּוא אֹומֵר ַהּנִיחָה ּלִי? אֶ ּלָא ּכָאן ּפָתַ ח לֹו ּפֶתַ ח וְהֹודִ יעֹו ׁשֶ הַּדָ בָר ּתָ לּוי‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשהִתְ ַּפּלֵל מ‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ַמעְנּו‬
ָ ‫ עֲדַ י ִן ֹלא‬.‫הניחה לי‬
)‫ׁשאִם י ִתְ ַּפּלֵל ֲעלֵיהֶם ֹלא י ְ ַכּלֵם (ברבות ל"ב‬ ֶ – ‫ּבֹו‬:

‫ הניחה לי‬LET ME ALONE — So far we have not heard that Moses had prayed on their behalf
and yet He says “let Me alone!” which implies a refusal to his entreaty! But by saying this He
opened the door to him (offered him a suggestion) intimating to him that if he prayed for them
He would not destroy them (Shemot Rabbah 42:9; cf. also Berakhot 32a).

32:11

‫ ּגִּבֹור ְּבגִּבֹור‬,‫ ּכְלּום מִתְ ַקּנֵא ֶאּלָא ָחכָם ְּב ָחכָם‬.‫למה ה' יחרה אפך‬:

‫ למה ה‘ יחרה אפך‬WHEREFORE, O LORD, DOTH THY WRATH GLOW [AGAINST THY
PEOPLE] — Does anyone become jealous of another, except a wise man of a wise man or a
hero of a hero?! (Avodah Zarah 55a)

32:12

‫ׁשבָה ַאח ֶֶרת – ְלהֵיטִיב ָלהֶם‬

ָ ‫ הִתְ ַעּׁשֵת ַמ ֲח‬.‫והנחם‬

‫ והנחם‬AND REPENT — form another resolution, viz., to do them good,

‫ אֲׁשֶר חָׁשַ בְּתָ ָלהֶם‬.‫על הרעה‬:

‫ על הרעה‬INSTEAD OF THE EVIL You have thought to bring upon them.

32:13
 ‫ ּתְ נֵהּו לֹו‬,‫ ַאב ְָרהָם ֲאבִיהֶם נִתְ נַּסָה ַב ֲעׂש ָָרה נִסְיֹונֹות ַועֲדַ י ִן ֹלא קִ ּבֵל ׂשְ כָרֹו‬,‫ אִם ָעבְרּו עַל ֲעׂש ֶֶרת הַּדִ ּבְרֹות‬.‫זכר לאברהם‬
)‫ֲׂשָרה (תנחומא‬ ָ ‫ ְויֵצְאּו ֲעׂש ָָרה ַבע‬:

‫( זכור לאברהם‬lit., remember for Abraham) — If they have transgressed the Ten
Commandments, their father Abraham was tried by ten trials and has not yet received his
reward for them. Give it to him now — remember for him this merit — and let the ten trials
he successfully withstood countervail the infringement of the Ten Commandments (Midrash
Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 24; Shemot Rabbah 44:4).

‫ ז ְכ ֹר‬,‫ אִם ַלה ֲִריגָה‬,‫ׁש ָּמסַר ַעצְמֹו ִלּׂש ֵָרף ָעלֶיָך ּבְאּור ַּכׂשְדִ ים‬ֶ ‫ ז ְכ ֹר לְַאב ְָרהָם‬,‫ אִם ִלׂש ְֵרפָה הֵם‬.‫לאברהם ליצחק ולישראל‬
‫ ָמה אַּתָ ה אֹומֵר לִי וְאֶ עֱשֶ ה‬,‫ ְואִם אֵינָן נִּצֹולִין ִּבז ְכּותָ ן‬,‫ׁש ָּגלָה ְלח ָָרן‬
ֶ ‫ ז ְכ ֹר ְליַעֲק ֹב‬,‫ אִם ְלגָלּות‬,‫ׁש ָּפׁשַט ַצּוָארֹו ַל ֲעקֵדָ ה‬
ֶ ‫ְלי ִ ְצחָק‬
)‫ׁשל ֶרגֶל ַאחַת (ברבות ל"ב‬ ֶ ‫ קַל וָחֹמֶר ְל ִכּסֵא‬,‫ׁשעַת ַּכ ַעסְָך‬ְ ‫ׁשל ג' ַרגְ ַלי ִם אֵינֹו עֹומֵד ְל ָפנֶיָך ִב‬
ֶ ‫אֹותְ ָך לְגֹוי ּגָדֹול? ְואִם ִּכּסֵא‬:

‫ לאברהם ליצחק ולישראל‬REMEMBER FOR ABRAHAM, FOR ISAAC, AND FOR ISRAEL —
If they are to be punished with death by burning, remember for Abraham his merit that he
gave himself over to be burnt for Your sake (for the sanctification of the Divine Name) in Ur
(in the fire) of the Chaldees; if with death by the sword, remember for Isaac the merit that he
stretched forth his neck to the knife on the occasion of the “Binding”. If by exile, remember
for Jacob the merit that he went into exile to Haran (leaving the paternal roof in order to fulfil
his father’s command). If, however, they cannot be saved by their ancestors merit what is the
good of You saying to me, “and I will make of thee a great nation”? — if a chair with three
legs (the merits of the three patriarchs) cannot stand before You in the moment of Your wrath,
how much the less a chair with only one leg (the merits of myself alone) (Berakhot 32a).

‫ָָארץ וְֹלא ֶבה ִָרים וְֹלא ַּב ְּגבָעֹות – אֶ ּלָא‬ ֶ ‫ּׁש ַמי ִם וְֹלא ב‬ ָ ‫ׁשהּוא ָּכלֶה – ֹלא ַב‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַּבעְּתָ ָלהֶם ּבְדָ בָר‬
ְ ִ‫ ֹלא נ‬.‫אשר נשבעת להם בך‬
‫ ּו ְלי ִ ְצחָק נֶ ֱאמַר ַו ֲהקִמ ֹתִ י אֶת הַּׁשְ בּועָה‬,)‫ׁש ַּבעְּתִ י נְאֻם ה' (בראשית כ"ב‬ ְ ִ‫ׁשּנֶ' ּבִי נ‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשבּועָתְ ָך ַקּיֶמֶת לְעֹולָם‬
ְ ‫ׁשאַּתָ ה ַקּי ָם ּו‬
ֶ ,‫בְָך‬
‫ׁשּבַע לֹו ּבְאֵל ׁשַּדַ י‬
ְ ִ‫ּורבֵה (שם ל"ה) – נ‬ ְ ‫ ּו ְליַעֲק ֹב נֶ ֱאמַר אֲ נִי ֵאל ׁשַּדַ י ּפ ְֵרה‬,)‫ׁש ַּבעְּתִ י לְַאב ְָרהָם ָאבִיָך (שם‬
ְ ִ‫ ֲאׁשֶר נ‬:

‫ אשר נשבעת להם בך‬TO WHOM THOU SWAREST BY THINE OWN SELF — Thou didst not
swear to them by a thing which is perishable — neither by the heavens nor by the earth, nor
by the mountains, nor by the hills — but by Thy very Self, Who endurest forever and Whose
oath endures for ever. For it is stated that God said to Abraham, (Genesis 22:16, 17) “By
Myself have I sworn saith the Lord … [I will greatly multiply thy seed]”; to Isaac it was said,
(Genesis 26:3, 4) “and I will perform the oath which I sware by Myself unto Abraham thy
father … [and I will multiply thy seed]”; and to Jacob it was said, (Genesis 35:11) “I am God
Almighty, be fruitful and multiply”; thus to him also God swore by Himself — by God
Almighty (Shemot Rabbah 44:23).

32:15

)‫ׂשה נִּסִים הּוא (שבת ק"ד‬

ֵ ‫ ּו ַמ ֲע‬,‫ הָיּו הָאֹותִ ּיֹות נִק ְָראֹות‬.‫משני עבריהם‬:

‫ משני עבריהם‬ON BOTH THEIR SIDES could the letters be read, and this constituted a
miraculous piece of work (Shabbat 104a).

32:16

‫ׁשל ּפְלֹונִי ּבִמְ לָאכָה‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְָאדָ ם הָאֹומֵר ַל ֲחבֵרֹו ּכָל ֲע ָסקָיו‬,‫ׂשָאן; ּדָ "ַא‬
ָ ‫ׁשמָעֹו – הּוא ִּבכְבֹודֹו ֲע‬
ְ ‫ ְּכ ַמ‬.‫מעשה אלהים המה‬
‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ׁשל הַּקָ ּבָ"ה ּב‬ ֶ ‫ׁשעֲׁשּועָיו‬
ַ ‫ ּכְָך ּכָל‬,‫ּפְלֹונִית‬:
‫[ מעשה אלהים המה‬THE TABLETS WERE] THE WORK OF GOD — This means what it
literally implies: God Himself (Hebrew: in His glory) made them. Another explanation
(taking ‫ מעשה‬in the sense of “occupation”) is: Just as a man says to his fellow, “All that Mr.
So-and-so occupies himself with is only with such-and-such a work”, so is the delight of the
Holy One, blessed be He, confined to the Torah alone (cf. Proverbs 8:31 the whole of which
chapter is taken as a description of God’s relation to the Torah) (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa
16).

‫ אנטלי"יר ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׁשנֵיהֶם לְׁשֹון חִּקּוק‬

ְ ,‫ לְׁשֹון חרת וחרט ֶאחָד הּוא‬.‫חרות‬:

‫ — חרות‬The expressions ‫( חרת‬which occurs only here in Scriptures) and ‫ חרט‬have the same
meaning, both of them signifying engraving; entailler in old French

32:17

‫ׁשהָיּו מ ְִריעִים ּוׂשְמֵ חִים וְצֹוחֲקִ ים‬

ֶ ,‫ ַּבה ֲִריעֹו‬.‫ברעה‬:

‫ ברעה‬means WHEN THEY WERE SHOUTING for they were shouting for joy and making
merry.

32:18

‫ִּבֹורים הַּצֹו ֲעקִים "נִּצָחֹון" וְֹלא קֹול ַח ָּלׁשִים ׁשֶּצֹועֲקִ ים "וַי‬

ִ ‫ אֵין קֹול ַהּז ֶה נ ְִר ֶאה קֹול ֲענִּי ַת ּג‬.‫אין קול ענות גבורה‬
‫"ָאנּוסָה‬:

‫ אין קול ענות גבורה‬IT IS NOT THE VOICE OF THE CRY OF MASTERY —This sound does
not seem to be the sound of the utterance of victors who cry, “Victory!” nor is it the sound of
the defeated who cry, “Alas — let me flee!”.

‫ֶאֱמָרין לֹו‬
ִ ‫ ַה ְמ ַעּנִין אֶת נֶפֶׁש ׁשֹו ְמעָן ּכְׁשֶ ּנ‬,‫ קֹול חֵרּופִין ְוגִּדּופִין‬.‫קול ענות‬:

‫ קול ענות‬means, the sound of blasphemy and cursing (Shemot Rabbah 41:1) which distress (‫ַעּנֵה‬
to vex, to grieve) the soul of him who hears them — even when they are only related to him.

32:19

‫ַּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ ה‬,)‫תֹורה ּכָל ּבֶן נֵכָר ֹלא י ֹאכַל ּבֹו (שמות י"ב‬ ָ ‫ ָאמ ְָרה‬,‫ׁשהּוא אֶ חָד מִן ַה ִּמצְוֹות‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה ֶּפסַח‬:‫ ָאמַר‬.'‫וישלך מידו וגו‬
)‫ׁשּמָדִ ים ְואֶּתְ נֶּנָה ָלהֶם? (שבת פ"ז‬
ֻ ‫ ֻּכּלָּה ּכָאן ְוכָל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ְמ‬:

‫ וישלך מידו‬AND HE CAST [THE TABLETS] OUT OF HIS HAND — He said: “What is the
law regarding the Paschal lamb which is only one of the commandments? The Torah states:
(Exodus 12:43) “No stranger shall eat thereof”! (cf. Rashi on that verse: a stranger means one
who has enstranged himself by his doings from his Father in heaven — an apostate). “But the
whole Torah is here (written on the tablets) and all the Israelites are apostates, can I possibly
give it (the Torah) to them?!” (Shabbat 87a).

‫ ל ְַרגְלֵי ָההָר‬.‫תחת ההר‬:

‫ תחת ההר‬BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN — i. e. at the foot of the mountain.

32:20

‫ֶּזֹורין ּבָּה ּדָ גָן וְקִ ְטנִּיֹות‬

ִ ‫ ׁש‬,)'‫ ְוכֵן ּכִי ִחּנָם מְז ָֹרה ה ָָרׁשֶת (משלי א‬,)‫ ְוכֵן י ְז ֶֹרה עַל נָוֵהּו גָפ ְִרית (איוב י"ח‬,‫ לְׁשֹון נִּפּוץ‬.‫ויזר‬:

‫ ויזר‬AND STREWED IT — The verb ‫ זרה‬denotes scattering about, similar to, (Job 18:15)
“Brimstone shall be scattered (‫ )יזרה‬upon his habitation”; (Proverbs 1:17) “Surely in vain the
net is strewn (‫[ )מזורה‬in the sight of any bird]” where this expression is used because people
usually bestrew it (the net) with grain and pulse.

‫ אִם י ֵׁש עֵדִ ים ְוהַתְ ָרָאה ְּב ַסי ִף – ּכְמִׁשְ ּפַט ַאנְׁשֵ י‬,‫ׁשֹלׁש מִיתֹות נִּדֹונּו ׁשָם‬ ָ ;‫ נִתְ ַּכּוֵן ְלבָדְ קָן ּכְסֹוטֹות‬.‫וישק את בני ישראל‬
,‫ ֹלא עֵדִ ים וְֹלא הַתְ ָרָאה ְּבהִדְ רֹוקָ ן‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַוּי ִּג ֹף ה' אֶת ָהעָם‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשהֵן מ ְֻרּבִין – עֵדִ ים ּבְֹלא הַתְ ָרָאה ְּב ַמ ֵּגפָה‬
ֶ ‫עִיר ַהּנִּדַ חַת‬
)‫ׁשּבְדָ קּום ַה ַּמי ִם ְוצָבּו ִב ְטנֵיהֶם (יומא ס"ו‬ ֶ :

‫ וישק את בני ישראל‬AND HE GAVE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO DRINK OF IT — He

intended to put them to the test as faithless wives were tried (cf. Numbers 5:12—31) (Avodah
Zarah 44a). Three different death-penalties were inflicted there: It there were witnesses to the
act of idolatry and a legal warning had preceded the deed the offender was put to death by the
sword (cf. vv. 27, 28) as was the regulation regarding the inhabitants of an apostate city
(Deuteronomy 13:13—18) when there were many (as was the case here; a single idolator,
however, was subject to the death by stoning; cf. Deuteronomy 17:2—5). If there were
witnesses but there had been no caution, they were destroyed by the plague, as it is said, (v.
35) “And the Lord plagued the people”. In cases where there were neither witnesses nor
warning they were punished by dropsy — for the water which Moses gave them to drink put
them to the test and if they were guilty their bellies swelled (cf. Yoma 66b).

32:21

‫ׁשֹּלא תָ בִיא ֲעלֵיהֶם ֵחטְא ז ֶה‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּיִּסְרּוָך עַד‬
ֶ ָ‫ִּסּורים ָס ַבלְּת‬
ִ ‫ ַּכ ָּמה י‬.‫מה עשה לך העם‬:

‫ מה עשה לך העם הזה‬WHAT DID THIS PEOPLE UNTO THEE How many pains must you have
endured — it must be that they inflicted suffering on you, before you brought this sin upon
them!

32:22

‫ ּו ְבנִסְיֹונֹות ִל ְפנֵי הַּמָ קֹום‬,‫ ּבְדֶ ֶרְך ַרע הֵם הֹו ְלכִין ּתָ מִיד‬.‫כי ברע הוא‬:

‫[ כי ברע הוא‬THOU KNOWEST THE PEOPLE] THAT THEY ARE SET ON EVIL — They
always go on the wrong way and with temptations, before the Omnipresent.

32:24

‫ ּדָ בָר ֶאחָד – " ְלמִי זָהָב" ְלבַד – ְוהֵם ִמהֲרּו ְוהִתְ ּפ ְָרקּו ַוּי ִּתְ נּו לִי‬.‫ואמר להם‬:

‫ ואמר להם‬AND I SAID UNTO THEM one single thing, — simply, “Who has any gold?” —
but they hastened and broke it off from themselves and gave it to me.

‫ ְויָצָא‬,‫ׁשּיֵצֵא ָה ֵעגֶל ַהּז ֶה‬

ֶ ‫ וְֹלא י ָדַ עְּתִ י‬.‫ואשלכהו באש‬:
‫ ואשלכהו באש‬AND I CAST IT INTO THE FIRE, and I did not know that this (i. e. this living)
calf would come out, ‫ — ויצא‬BUT IT DID COME OUT.

32:25

)'‫ ּכְמֹו ּופ ַָרע אֶת ר ֹאׁש ָהאִּׁשָ ה (במדבר ה‬,‫ׁשמְצֹו ּו ְקלֹונֹו‬
ִ ‫ ְמגֻּלֶה; נִתְ ַּגּלָה‬.‫פרע‬:

‫ פרע‬means UNCOVERED — its (the people’s) shame and disgrace were revealed; the word
has the same meaning as in (Numbers 5:18) “[and the priest shall uncover (‫ )ופרע‬the woman’s
head”.

‫ ִלהְיֹות ָלהֶם הַּדָ בָר ַהּז ֶה ִלגְנּות ְּבפִי ּכָל הַּקָמִ ים ֲעלֵיהֶם‬.‫לשמצה בקמיהם‬:

‫ לשמצה בקמיהם‬means, that this thing would become an ignominy for them in the mouth of all
who will rise against them.

32:26

‫ י ָב ֹא אֵ לַי‬.‫מי לה' אלי‬:

‫ מי לה' אלי‬means, WHOEVER IS FOR THE LORD let him come TO ME.

)‫ּׁשבֶט ּכָׁשֵר (יומא ס"ו‬

ֵ ‫ׁשּכָל ַה‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬.‫כל בני לוי‬:

‫ כל בני לוי‬ALL THE SONS OF LEVI — All the sons — from this we may gather that all the
tribe of Levi remained worthy men (consequently “slay every man his brother” in the next
verse can refer only to one who was his brother from the same mother, as explained by Rashi
there) (Yoma 66b).

32:27

‫ ְוהֵיכָן ָאמַר? ז ֹ ֵב ַח ָל ֱאֹלהִים יָח ֳָרם (שמות כ"ב) – ּכְָך ׁשְ נּוי ָה ּבִמְ כִילְּתָ א‬.'‫כה אמר וגו‬:

‫ כה אמר הי וגו׳‬THUS SAITH THE LORD etc. — Where did he say so? In the command,
(Exodus 22:19) “He that sacrificeth unto any god shall utterly be destroyed”. Thus is it stated
in the Mechilta.

)‫ ֵמאִּמֹו וְהּוא יִׂש ְָראֵ ל (יומא ס"ו‬.‫אחיו‬:

‫ אחיו‬HIS BROTHER from the same mother, but from a different father, and who was
therefore an ordinary Israelite and not a Levite (Yoma 66b).

32:29

‫ַהֹורגִים אֹותָ ם – ּבְדָ בָר ז ֶה ּתִ תְ ַחּנְכּו ִלהְיֹות ּכ ֹ ֲהנִים לַּמָ קֹום‬
ְ ‫ אַּתֶ ם ה‬.‫מלאו ידכם‬:

‫ מלאו ידכם‬CONSECRATE YOURSELVES — You who are killing them (your own relatives)
will by this very act install yourselves as priests of the Omnipresent God,

‫ ִמּכֶם י ְ ַמּלֵא י ָדֹו בבנו ובאחיו‬.‫כי איש‬:

‫ כי איש‬FOR EVERY MAN among you will consecrate himself ‫ בבנו ובאחיו‬BY HIS SON AND
HIS BROTHER (by their death at his hand).

32:30

‫ ְל ַהבְּדִ יל ּבֵינֵיכֶם ּובֵין ַה ֵחטְא‬,‫ ָאׂשִים ּכֹפֶר ְו ִקּנּו ַח ּוסְתִ י ָמה ְלנֶגֶד ַחּטַאתְ כֶם‬.‫אכפרה בעד חטאתכם‬:

‫[ אכפרה בעד חטאתכם‬PERADVENTURE] I SHALL MAKE AN EXPIATION FOR YOUR SIN

— i. e. I shall put an effacing and a wiping off and a covering in front of your sin, to serve as
a barrier between you and your sin.

32:31

‫ׁשל ְל ֶמלְֶך ׁשֶ ָהי ָה מַ אֲ כִיל‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ֶ ֶחטְאּו? ָמ‬

ֶ ‫ ַמה ּיַעֲׂשּו‬,‫ׁש ַּפעְּתָ ָלהֶם זָהָב ְוכָל ֶח ְפצָם‬ְ ‫ׁש ִה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּג ַָרמְּתָ ָלהֶם‬ֶ ‫ אַּתָ ה הּוא‬.‫אלהי זהב‬
‫ׂשה ַהּבֵן ׁשֶ ֹּלא י ֶ ֱחטָא‬
ֶ ‫ ַמה ּי ַ ֲע‬,‫ׁש ֶקה אֶת ּבְנֹו ּו ְמ ַקּׁשְטֹו וְתֹולֶה לֹו ּכִיס ְּב ַצּוָארֹו ּו ַמ ֲעמִידֹו ְּבפֶתַ ח ּבֵית זֹונֹות‬
ְ ‫ּו ַמ‬:

‫ אלהי זהב‬GODS OF GOLD — Moses emphasized the word “gold” as some excuse for their
sin: It is You who have caused them to do this, for You gave them gold in abundance and
everything they wished; what else were they likely to do if not to sin? A parable: this may be
compared to a king who provides his son with food and drink, attires him with beautiful
garments and hangs a money-bag round his neck and then deliberately places him at the door
of a house of ill-fame! What else is the son likely to do if not to sin!? (Berakhot 32a)

32:32

‫ ְוכֵן ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ ְואִם ַאי ִן ְמ ֵחנִי; ְוז ֶה ִמק ְָרא קָ צָר‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי טֹוב – אֵינִי אֹומֵר לְָך ְמ ֵחנִי‬.‫ועתה אם תשא חטאתם‬:

‫ ועתה אם תשא חטאתם‬YET NOW, IF THOU WILT FORGIVE THEIR SIN — well and good:
then I do not suggest to You, “Blot me out [of Thy book], ‫ ואם אין מחני‬BUT IF NOT, BLOT
ME OUT.” This is an elliptical sentence, the words “Well and good” being omitted; of such
there are many in Scripture.

‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ִיתִ י כְדַ אי ְל ַבּקֵׁש ֲעלֵיהֶם ַרחֲמִ ים‬

ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא י ֹאמְרּו ָעלַי‬
ֶ ,‫ַּתֹורה ֻּכּלָּה‬
ָ ‫ ִמּכָל ה‬.‫מספרך‬:

‫ מספרך‬OF THY BOOK — of the entire book of the Torah; that people should not say about
me that I was not worthy enough to pray effectively for them.

32:34

)‫י״ט‬:‫ ְוכֵן לְדַ ּבֶר לֹו עַל אֲדֹנִּי ָהּו (מלכים א ב׳‬,‫ י ֵׁש ּכָאן לְָך אֵ צֶל ּדִ ּבּור ִּב ְמקֹום ֵאלֶיָך‬.‫אל אשר דברתי לך‬:

‫ אל אשר דברתי לך‬OF WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN UNTO THEE — Here we have an instance of
‫ לך‬connected with the verb ‫ דבר‬being used in place of ‫( אליך‬i. e. where ‫ לך‬actually means
speaking to, not as its usual meaning it, speaking “concerning” someone or “in the interest of”
someone as often pointed out by Rashi; cf. e. g., Rashi’s comment on Genesis 28:15). Similar
is, (1 Kings 2:19) “to speak unto him (‫ )לדבר לו‬for Adonijah” (cf. Rashi on that verse).

‫ וְֹלא אֲ נִי‬.‫הנה מלאכי‬:

‫ הנה מלאכי‬BEHOLD, MINE ANGEL [SHALL GO BEFORE THEE] — My messenger, not
Myself.

‫ׁש ֶאפְק ֹד ֲעלֵיהֶם עֲֹונֹותֵ יהֶם ּו ָפקַדְ ּתִ י ֲעלֵיהֶם מְ עַט מִ ן‬

ֶ ‫ וְתָ מִיד ּתָ מִיד ְּכ‬,‫ׁש ַמעְּתִ י ֵאלֶיָך ִמ ְּלכַּלֹותָ ם יַחַד‬
ָ ‫ עַּתָ ה‬.'‫וביום פקדי וגו‬
)‫ׁשאֵין ּבָּה קְ צָת ִמּפ ְִרעֹון עֲֹון ָה ֵעגֶל (סנהדרין ק"ב‬ ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ָהעֲֹונֹות; ְואֵין ּפ ְֻרעָנּות ּבָָאה עַל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬ ְ ‫ ֶהעָֹון ַהּז ֶה עִם‬:

‫ וביום פקדי וגו׳‬AND IN THE DAY WHEN I VISIT [I WILL VISIT THEIR SIN UPON
THEM] — At present I listen to you and will refrain from consuming them all at once — but
ever and ever throughout the ages, when I am visiting them for their sins I shall visit them at
the same time for a little of this sin in addition to their other sins for which I am then
punishing them. Indeed no punishment ever comes upon Israel in which there is not part
payment for the sin of the golden calf (cf. Sanhedrin 102a).

32:35

‫ׁש ַמי ִם ְלעֵדִ ים ּבְֹלא הַתְ ָרָאה‬

ָ ‫ מִיתָ ה בִידֵ י‬.‫ויגף ה' את העם‬:

‫ ויגף ה' את העם‬AND THE LORD PLAGUED THE POEPLE — This was death inflicted by the
heavenly Judge on those to whose offence there had been witnesses but no legal caution (cf.
Rashi on v. 20).

33:1

‫ׁשעַת ַה ַּכעַס "לְֶך ֵרד" ָאמַר‬

ְ ‫ׁשָאמַר לֹו ִּב‬ ֶ ‫ ְּכ ַלּפֵי‬,‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר ֲעלֵה; ּדָ "ַא‬,‫ אֶ ֶֶרץ יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ּגְבֹוהָה ִמּכָל ָהא ֲָרצֹות‬.‫לך עלה מזה‬
)‫ׁשעַת ָרצֹון "לְֵך ֲעלֵה" (תנחומא‬ ְ ‫לֹו ִּב‬:

‫ לך עלה מזה‬GO, GO UP HENCE — The land of Israel is situated higher than all the other
neighbouring lands, therefore it said “go up” (Zevachim 54b). Another explanation is: As a
compensation for what He had said to him (Moses) in a time of anger, (Exodus 32:7) “Go, go
down”, He now said to him, at a time of good-will, “Go, go up”.

‫ ּכָאן ֹלא נֶאֱמַר ְועַּמְָך‬.‫אתה והעם‬:

‫ אתה והעם‬THOU AND THE PEOPLE [WHICH THOU HAST BROUGHT UP] — Here —
(in contrast to Exodus 32:7) it does not say “and thy people” (the mixed multitude which thou,
of thine own accord, hast brought up from Egypt) (Midrash Tanchuma 3:9:26).

33:2

)'‫ ו' אֻּמֹות הֵם ְו ַהּג ְִר ָּגׁשִי ָעמַד ּו ָפנָה ִמ ְּפנֵיהֶם ֵמ ֵאלָיו (תלמוד ירושלמי שביעית ו‬.'‫וגרשתי את הכנעני וגו‬:

‫ וגרשתי את הכנעני וגו׳‬AND I WILL DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITE etc. — These are only six
nations whilst in Deuteronomy 7:1 seven such are mentioned! But the Girgashites, the
seventh, arose and emigrated of their own accord from before them (the Israelites) and
therefore are not mentioned here amongst those who were driven out (Jerusalem Talmud
Shevi'it 6:2; Leviticus Rabbah 17:6).

33:3

‫ ֲאנִי אֹומֵר לְָך ְל ַהעֲלֹותָ ם‬.‫אל ארץ זבת חלב ודבש‬:

‫ ארץ זבת חלב ודבש‬UNTO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY do I bid you to
bring them up.

‫ׁש ַלחְּתִ י ְל ָפנֶיָך מַ לְאְָך‬

ָ ‫ ְלכְָך ֲאנִי אֹומֵר לְָך ְו‬.‫כי לא אעלה בקרבך‬:

‫ כי לא אעלה בקרבך‬BECAUSE I WILL NOT GO UP AMONG THEE, therefore I say to thee, I

will send an angel before thee.

‫ מ ְַרּבֶה אֲ נִי ֲעלֵיכֶם זַעַם‬,‫ּׁשכִינָתִ י ְבק ְִר ְּבכֶם ְואַּתֶ ם ַממ ְִרים ּבִי‬
ְ ‫ׁש‬ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬.‫כי עם קשה ערף אתה‬:

‫ כי עם קשה ערף אתה‬FOR THOU ART A STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE, and if My Shechina were
in thy midst and thou rebelledst against Me, I might become exceedingly angry with thee and
destroy thee on the way.

‫ לְׁשֹון ִּכּלָיֹון‬.‫אכלך‬:

‫ אכלך‬is an expression for ‘‘destroying”.

33:4

‫ׁשֹורה ּומְ ַה ֶּלכֶת עִּמָ ם‬

ָ ‫ּׁשכִינָה‬
ְ ‫ׁשאֵין ַה‬
ֶ .‫הדבר הרע‬:

‫ הדבר הרע‬THIS EVIL THING — that the Shechina would not dwell nor go with them.

)‫ׂשה ְונִׁשְמָע (שבת פ"ח‬

ֶ ‫ׁשָאמְרּו נַ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ְחֹורב ְּכ‬
ֵ ‫ׁשּנִּתְ נּו ָלהֶם ּב‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְתָ ִרים‬.‫איש עדיו‬:

‫[ איש עדיו‬AND NO MAN PUT ON HIM] HIS ORNAMENT — the crowns which were given
them on Horeb when they said: (Exodus 24:7) “we shall do and hearken” (Shabbat 88a).

33:5

– ‫ אִם ֶא ֱעלֶה ְבק ְִרּבְָך ְואַּתֶ ם ַממ ְִרים ּבִי ְּב ַקׁשְיּות ע ְָר ְּפכֶם ֶאז ְע ֹם ֲעלֵיכֶם ֶרגַע אֶ חָד‬.‫רגע אחד אעלה בקרבך וכליתיך‬
‫ ְלפִיכְָך טֹוב ָלכֶם ׁשֶ אֶׁשְ לַח מַ לְאְָך‬,‫ׁשּנֶ' ֲחבִי ִכ ְמעַט ֶרגַע עַד י ַ ֲעבָר זָעַם (ישעיהו כ"ו ) – ַו ֲא ַכּלֶה אֶתְ כֶם‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשהּוא ׁשִעּור זַעְמֹו‬
ֶ :

‫ רגע אחד אעלה בקרבך וכליתיך‬WERE I TO GO UP AMONG THEE ONE MOMENT, I

SHOULD CONSUME THEE — If I were to go up amongst you and you rebelled against Me
in your stiff-neckedness I would be angry with you but one moment — for this is the duration
of His wrath (Berakhot 7a), as it is said, (Isaiah 26:20) “Hide thyself for a short moment, until
the indignation be passed” — and I would consume you; therefore it is better for you that I
should send an angel.

‫ֶּתֹורידּו עֶדְ יְכֶם מֵ ֲעלֵיכֶם‬

ִ ‫ ּפ ְֻרעָנּות זֹו ּתִ לְקּו ִמּי ָד – ׁש‬.‫ועתה‬:

‫ ועתה‬AND NOW — This punishment shall be inflicted upon you now, at once, viz., that you
should put off your ornaments from you.

‫ּׁש ְּב ִלּבִי ַלעֲׂשֹות לְָך‬

ֶ ‫ׁשָאר ֶהעָֹון ֲאנִי יֹודֵ ַע ַמה‬
ְ ‫ ִּב ְפקֻּדַ ת‬.‫ואדעה מה אעשה לך‬:
‫ ואדעה מה אעשה לך‬AND I KNOW WHAT I SHALL DO UNTO THEE — In respect to the
visitation for the remainder of the sin which still remains unpunished (cf. Rashi on Exodus
32:34) I know what is in My mind to do unto you.

33:6

‫חֹורב‬
ֵ ‫ׁש ָהי ָה ְבי ָדָ ם מֵ הַר‬
ֶ ‫ אֶת ָהעֲדִ י‬.‫את עדים מהר חורב‬:

‫ את עדים מהר חורב‬means THEIR ORNAMENT which they possessed from (‫ ִמ‬, from — in
consequence of what happened at) MOUNT HOREB.

33:7

‫ ֵמאֹותֹו עָֹון ָו ָהלְָאה‬.‫ומשה‬,

‫ ומשה‬AND MOSES, from the time of the sin and henceforth,

)‫ לְׁשֹון הֹווֶה הּוא – לֹו ֵק ַח ָאהֳלֹו וְנֹוטֵהּו מִחּוץ ַל ַּמ ֲחנֶה; ָאמַר ְמנֻּדֶ ה ל ַָרב ְמנֻּדֶ ה לַּתַ לְמִ יד (תנחומא‬.‫יקח את האהל‬:

‫ יקח את האהל‬USED TO TAKE THE TENT — ‫ יקח‬expresses an action continually going on —

he used to take his tent and pitch it without the camp. He said, “One who has been placed
under an interdict by the Master must be placed under an interdict by His disciple also” (Since
God had stated that He would not dwell amongst the people, Moses, the disciple, also felt
compelled to remove from their midst) (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 27).

)'‫ׁשּנֶ' אְַך ָרחֹוק י ִ ְהי ֶה ּבֵינֵיכֶם ּו ֵבנָיו ּכְַא ְל ַּפי ִם ַא ָּמה ּבַּמִּדָ ה (יהושע ג‬
ֶ ‫ ָּכ ִענְי ָן‬,‫ ַא ְל ַּפי ִם ַא ָּמה‬.‫הרחק‬:

‫ הרחק‬DISTANT [FROM THE CAMP] — two thousand cubits, just as it is stated, (Joshua 3:4)
Yet there shall be a space between you (the Israelites) and it (the Ark) about 2,000 cubits by
measure” (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 27).

‫תֹורה‬
ָ ‫ הּוא ּבֵית ַועַד לִמְ בַּקְׁשֵ י‬,‫קֹורא לֹו אֹהֶל מֹועֵד‬
ֵ ‫ ְו ָהי ָה‬.‫וקרא לו‬:

‫ וקרא לו‬AND HE CALLED IT — This does not mean that he so named it once for all but that
whenever he spoke of it he used to call it the tent of meeting, i. e. a meeting-place for those
who sought instruction in the Torah.

)‫ׁשכִינָה (תנחומא‬
ְ ‫ ִמּכָאן ִל ְמ ַבּקֵׁש ְּפנֵי זָקֵן ִּכ ְמ ַקּבֵל ְּפנֵי‬.'‫כל מבקש ה‬:

‫ כל מבקש ה׳‬EVERY ONE WHO SOUGHT THE LORD — Hence (from the fact that anyone
who visited Moses is described here as “one who seeks the Lord”) we may learn that he who
makes a call on (Hebrew: seeks) a scholar (‫ זקן‬is a Rabbinical term for a wise man; cf.
Kiddushin 32b: ‫ )אין זקן אלא חכם‬may be regarded as paying his respects to the Divine Presence
(Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 27).

‫ ַחב ְֵריהֶם‬,‫ׁשכִינָה‬ ְ ‫ׁשהָיּו ׁשֹו ֲאלִים ְמקֹום‬

ֶ ‫ ּדָ "ַא ְו ָהי ָה ּכָל ְמ ַבּקֵׁש ה' – אֲ פִּלּו ַמ ְל ֲאכֵי ַהּׁש ֵָרת ְּכ‬.‫ ּכְמֹו יֹוצֵא‬.‫יצא אל אהל מועד‬
‫אֹומ ְִרים ָלהֶם ה ֲֵרי הּוא בְָאהֳלֹו ׁשֶ ל מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬:

‫ יצא אל אהל מועד‬WENT OUT UNTO THE APPOINTED TENT — ‫( יֵצֵא‬the imperfect) has here
the meaning of ‫( יֹוצֵא‬the participle: cf. Rashi on ‫)יקח וכו׳‬, i. e. he used to go out. Another
explanation of ‫ והיה כל מבקש ה׳‬is: The word ‫כל‬, “every one”, implies: even the ministering
angels used to go out unto the appointed tent; whenever these enquired where was the place of
the Divine Glory their fellow-angels used to answer them: See, He (God) is in the tent of
Moses.

33:8

‫ לְׁשֹון הֹווֶה‬.‫והיה‬:

‫ — והיה‬This expresses an action continually going on (“and it used to be”),

‫ׁשה מִן ַה ַּמ ֲחנֶה ָל ֶלכֶת אל האהל‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ מ‬.‫כצאת‬:

‫ כצאת משה‬WHEN MOSES WENT OUT from the camp in order to go ‫ אל האהל‬INTO THE
TENT, ‫ יקומו כל העם‬ALL THE PEOPLE ROSE UP — they used to stand up before him and
did not sit down until he vanished from their sight (Hebrew: was hidden from them).

‫ׁשבִין עַד ׁשֶ ּנִתְ ַּכּסָה מֵ הֶם‬

ְ ‫ ְואֵין יֹו‬,‫ עֹומְדִ ים ִמ ָּפנָיו‬.‫יקומו כל העם‬:

‫ והביטו אחרי משה‬AND THEY LOOKED AFTER MOSES — Not sneeringly but out of
admiration; they exclaimed: Happy is the human being (Hebrew: one born of woman) who is
so sure that the Shechina will enter the door of his tent after him (cf. Kiddushin 33b; Midrash
Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 27, Exodus Rabbah 51:6).

‫ּׁשכִינָה תִ ָּכנֵס ַאח ֲָריו ְלפֶתַ ח ָאהֳלֹו‬

ְ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּכְָך ֻמ ְבטָח‬
ֶ ‫ׁשבַח – ַאׁש ְֵרי י ְלּוד ִאּׁשָה‬
ֶ ‫ ְל‬.‫והביטו אחרי משה‬:

And they would gaze after Moshe — in an admiring way, [saying, in effect:] “Fortunate is
one born of woman who is assured that the Shechinah will follow him into the entranceway of
his tent.”

33:9

‫ׁשמַע אֶת הַּקֹול מִּדַ ּבֵר‬ ְ ִ ‫ ּכְמֹו ַוּי‬,‫ׁשכִינָה‬

ְ ‫ׁשה ׁשֶהּוא ּכְבֹוד‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשה; ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּומִתְ ַמּלֵל עִם מ‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ּכְמֹו ּומְדַ ּבֵר עִם מ‬.‫ודבר עם משה‬
‫ ְו ַההֶדְ יֹוט ׁשֹומֵ ַע‬,‫ ּפִתְ רֹונֹו הַּקֹול מִּדַ ּבֵר ּבֵינֹו ְלבֵין ַעצְמֹו‬,‫קֹורא מִּדַ ּבֵר‬
ֵ ‫ׁשהּוא‬ ֶ ‫קֹורא מְדַ ּבֵר אֵ לָיו; ְּכ‬
ֵ ‫ ְואֵינֹו‬,) '‫אֵ לָיו (במדבר ז‬
‫ׁש ַה ֶּמלְֶך מְדַ ּבֵר עִם ַההֶדְ יֹוט‬ ֶ ‫ׁשמַע‬ ְ ‫קֹורא מְדַ ּבֵר ַמ‬
ֵ ‫ׁשהּוא‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬,‫ ֵמ ֵאלָיו‬:

‫ — ודבר עם משה‬This means the same as ‫ ומדבר עם משה‬AND HE USED TO SPEAK WITH
MOSES (The verb ‫ ודבר‬expresses the idea of an action always going on as Rashi has
explained the preceding verbs). The Targum renders it by ‫( ומתמלל עם משה‬Hithpeal) i. e. He
used to speak to Himself with (in the presence of) Moses — which is an expression of respect
used with reference to the Shechinah. A similar Hebrew expression is, (Numbers 7:89) “Then
he heard the voice ‫ מִּדַ ּבֵר‬to him” (= ‫מתדבר‬, with assimilated ‫)ת‬, and it does not read there, ‫מְדַ ּבֵר‬,
“speaking to him”. Where the reading is ‫ מִּדַ ּבֵר‬its interpretation is: The voice was speaking by
itself (i. e. it was not directed to any particular person) and the ordinary man naturally heard it
(because he was there); but where the reading is ‫מְדַ ּבֵר‬, it implies that the King was conversing
with the ordinary man.

33:10

‫ לַּׁשְ כִינָה‬.‫והשתחוו‬:
‫ והשתחוו‬AND THEY PROSTRATED THEMSELVES to the Shechinah.

33:11

‫ ּומִתְ מַ ּלֵל עִם מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬.‫ודבר ה' אל משה פנים אל פנים‬:

‫ ודבר ה׳ אל משה פנים אל פנים‬AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES FACE TO FACE —
Here too (as in v. 9) in spite of the fact that the text states “face to face” the Targum is: ‫ומתמלל‬
‫עם משה‬.

‫ּׁש ָּלמַד; ְוהַּדָ בָר ַהּז ֶה נָהַג מ ֹׁשֶ ה מִּיֹום‬

ֶ ‫ׁשה ׁשָב ֶאל ַה ַּמ ֲחנֶה ּו ְמ ַלּמֵד ַלּז ְ ֵקנִים ַמה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּנִדְ ּבַר עִּמֹו ָהי ָה מ‬ֶ ‫ לְַאחַר‬.‫ושב אל המחנה‬
‫ ּובְי"ח ׂש ַָרף אֶת ָה ֵעגֶל וְדָ ן אֶת‬,‫ׁש ְבעָה ָעׂשָר ּבְתַ ּמּוז נִׁשְּתַ ּבְרּו הַּלּוחֹות‬ ִ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְב‬ ֶ ,‫ וְֹלא יֹותֵ ר‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ׁשהּוקַם ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ִּפּורים עַד‬
ִ ‫ַהּכ‬
‫ַאר ָּבעִים יֹום ּובִּקֵׁש‬
ְ ‫ׂשה ׁשָם‬ ָ ‫ ְו ָע‬,)‫ׁשה ֶאל ָהעָם וְגֹו' (שמות ל"ב‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ַויְהִי ִמ ָּמח ֳָרת וַּי ֹאמֶר מ‬
ֶ ‫ ּובְי"ט ָעלָה‬,‫הַחֹו ְטאִים‬
,)‫ ּובְר ֹאׁש ח ֹדֶ ׁש אֱ לּול נֶ ֱאמַר לֹו ְו ָעלִיתָ בַּבֹקֶר אֶ ל הַר סִינַי (שמות ל"ד‬,)'‫ׁשּנֶ' ָואֶתְ נַּפַל ִל ְפנֵי ה' וְגֹו' (דברים ט‬ ֶ ,‫ַר ֲחמִים‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ָּבהֶם וְָאנֹכִי ָעמַדְ ּתִ י ָבהָר ַּכּיָמִים ה ִָראׁשֹונִים וְגֹו' – מָ ה ה ִָראׁשֹונִים‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשה ׁשָם מ' יֹום‬ ָ ‫ְל ַקּבֵל לּוחֹות הַָאחֲרֹונֹות – ְו ָע‬
‫ִׂשְראֵ ל ּבְׂשִמְ חָה‬
ָ ‫ אֱמ ֹר ֵמעַּתָ ה ֶא ְמ ָצ ִעּי ִים הָיּו ְב ַכעַס – ְּב ֲעׂש ָָרה ּבְתִ ׁש ְֵרי נִתְ ַרּצָה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְלי‬,‫ּב ְָרצֹון ַאף הַָאחֲרֹונִים ּב ְָרצֹון‬
‫ ַועֲׂשָ אּוהּו עַד‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ ְוי ַָרד ְוהִתְ חִיל ְלצַּוֹותָ ם עַל ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ִּמ‬,‫ ּו ָמסַר לֹו לּוחֹות ַאחֲרֹונֹות‬,‫ׁשה ָס ַלחְּתִ י‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ וְָאמַר לֹו לְמ‬,‫ׁשלֵם‬
ָ ‫ּו ְבלֵב‬
)‫ּׁשהּוקַם ֹלא נִדְ ּבַר עִּמֹו עֹוד ֶאּלָא ֵמאֹהֶל מֹועֵד (תנחומא‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ִמ‬,‫ ֶאחָד ְּבנִיסָן‬:

‫ ושב אל המחנה‬.( AND HE RETURNED INTO THE CAMP — After God had conversed with
him, Moses used to return to the camp and teach the elders what he had learned. This Moses
practised from the day of Atonement until the Tabernacle was set up, but no longer. For on
the seventeenth of Tammuz the tablets were broken, on the eighteenth he burnt the calf and
punished the of fenders, on the nineteenth he ascended the mountain, as it is said (Exodus
32:30) “And it came to pass on the morrow (the day after he had punished the wrongdoers; cf.
vv. 26—29), that Moses said unto the people”, [Ye have sinned a great sin and now I will go
up to the Lord]”. There he spent forty days and sought mercy for the people, as it is said,
(Deuteronomy 9:18) “And I threw myself down before the Lord [as at the first, forty days and
forty nights]”. These terminated on the last day of Ab (there were 11 days from the 19th to the
29th of Tammuz therefore 29 days in Ab complete the forty) and he then returned to the
people. On the first day of the New Moon of Ellul it was said to him, (Exodus 34:2) “And be
ready in the morning] and go up in the morning unto mount Sinai” — to receive the second
tablets. He again spent there the forty days of which it is stated, (Deuteronomy 10:10) “[And I
stayed in the mountain, according to the first, days, [forty days and forty nights]”. The words
‫כימים הראשונים‬, “like the first days”, cannot refer to the number of days for this is stated
immediately afterwards; they are to be joined with ‫ — עמדתי‬I stayed in the same state as on
the first days: How were the first forty days passed? In God’s good-will (because the Israelites
had not yet sinned)! So, too, the last forty days were passed in God’s good-will — from which
you must admit that the intervening forty days were passed in God’s anger. On the tenth of
Tishri God became reconciled with Israel in joy and perfect affection and said to Moses: “I
have forgiven!” and handed him over the second tablets, whereupon Moses went down and
began to command them concerning the work of the Tabernacle (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Ki
Tisa 31; Seder Olam 6; Rashi on Exodus 18:13, Deuteronomy 9:18 and also Taanit 36b).
They were occupied in its construction until the first of Nisan and from the time when it was
set up God did not converse with him any more except from the tent of meeting.

– ‫ ונצבו‬,‫ וראה כל העם – ְו ָחז ַן‬,‫ ְוכֵן ּכָל ָה ִענְי ָן‬,‫ׁשהּוא לְׁשֹון הֹווֶה‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ ּתַ ְרּגּומֹו וְתָ י ֵב ְל ַמׁש ְִריתָ א‬.‫ושב אל המחנה‬
‫ ָאמַר לֹו אֲ נִי‬,‫ׁשּי ָׁשּוב ֶאל ַה ַּמ ֲחנֶה‬
ֶ – ‫ ודבר ה' אל משה‬:‫ ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬.‫ והשתחוו – ְו ָסגְדִ ין‬,‫ והביטו – ּו ִמסְּתַ ְּכלִין‬,‫ְו ָקיְמִין‬
)‫ אִם ּכֵן מִי יַק ְִריבֵם? (תנחומא‬,‫ ְב ַכעַס ְואַּתָ ה ְב ַכעַס‬:
‫ ושב אל המחנה‬AND HE RETURNED TO THE CAMP — The translation in the Targum is: ‫וְתָ י ִב‬
‫( למשריתא‬a participle) “and he used to return to the camp”, because (as explained above) it
denotes continuous action. Similarly, he translates all the verbs occuring in this section by
participles: ‫ וראה כל העם‬he renders by ‫ ונצבו ;וחזן‬by ‫ והביטו ;וקימין‬by ‫ והשתחוו ;ומסתכלין‬by ‫וסגדין‬.
The Midrash explains ‫ ודבר ה' אל משה‬thus: And the Lord spake to Moses that he should return
to the camp. He said to him: I am angry and you are angry; if this is to remain so, who will
attract them to Me again? (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 27 and Berakhot 63b).

33:12

‫ ְר ֵאה – ּתֵ ן עֵינֶיָך ְו ִלּבְָך עַל ּדְ ב ֶָריָך‬.‫ראה אתה אמר אלי‬:

‫ ראה אתה אמר אלי‬SEE. THOU SAYEST UNTO ME — Set Thy eyes and Thy heart to Thy own
words (Think for a moment of what Thou, Thyself, hast told me)

‫ ׁשֶ אֵ ין אֲ נִי ָחפֵץ‬,‫ אֵין זֹו הֹודָ עָה‬,‫ ַו ֲאׁשֶר ָאמ ְַרּתָ לִי ִהּנֵה ָאנֹכִי ׁש ֹ ֵל ַח ַמ ְלאְָך‬.'‫אתה אמר אלי וגו' ואתה לא הודעתני וגו‬
‫ּבָּה‬:

‫ אתה אמר אלי וגו׳ ואתה לא הודעתני וגו׳‬THOU SAYEST UNTO ME [BRING UP THIS PEOPLE]
AND NEVERTHELESS THOU HAST NOT LET ME KNOW [WHOM THOU WILT
SEND WITH ME] — for what You have said to me (Exodus 33:20) “And I will send an
angel before thee” is not “letting me know”, for I am not satisfied with it.

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ָאמ ְַרּתָ לִי ִהּנֵה ָאנֹכִי ּבָא אֵ לֶיָך ְּבעַב ֶה ָענָן‬
ֶ ,‫ּׁשָאר ְּבנֵי ָאדָ ם ְּבׁשֵם ֲחׁשִיבּות‬
ְ ‫ ִהּכ ְַרּתִ יָך ִמ‬.‫ואתה אמרת ידעתיך בשם‬
)‫וְגֹו' ְוגַם ּבְָך י ַ ֲאמִינּו לְעֹולָם (שמות י"ט‬:

‫ ואתה אמרת ידעתיך בשם‬YET THOU HAST SAID, I HAVE KNOWN THEE BY NAME — I
have distinguished you from all other human beings by a characteristic (‫ )שם‬which shows my
importance in Thy eyes, for, see, Thou hast said to me, (Exodus 19:9) “Behold, I come unto
thee in a thick cloud etc.… and also in thee they shall believe for ever”.

33:13

‫ּׂשכָר אַּתָ ה נֹותֵ ן לְמֹוצְאֵ י חֵן ְּבעֵינֶיָך‬

ָ ‫ ַמה‬.‫ׁש ָּמצָאתִ י חֵן ְּבעֵינֶיָך הודעני נא את דרכך‬
ֶ ‫ אִם ֱאמֶת‬.'‫ועתה וגו‬:

‫ ועתה וגו׳‬NOW THEREFORE etc. — If it is true that I have found favour in Thy eyes, ‫הודיעני‬
‫ נא את דרכך‬LET ME KNOW THY WAY — let me know what is the reward which Thou
givest to those who find favour in Thine eyes.

‫ׁש ָּמצָאתִ י ְּבעֵינֶיָך; ּופִתְ רֹון למען‬

ֶ ‫ ְואֵדַ ע ּבָזֹו מִּדַ ת ּתַ גְמּולֶיָך – ַמה הִיא ְמצִיַאת חֵן‬.‫ואדעך למען אמצא חן בעיניך‬
‫ׂשכַר מְ צִיַאת ַהחֵן‬
ְ ‫אמצא חן – ְל ַמעַן ַאּכִיר ַּכּמָה‬:

‫ ואדעך למען אמצא חן בעיניך‬means, that I may know by this (by Your letting me know Your way)
the nature of the reward You bestow — what is this “finding of grace” which You have
granted to me (Hebrew: which I found in Your eyes). The explanation of ‫למען אמצא חן‬
accordingly is: that I may find out (‫ )אמצא‬how great is the reward attendant on this “finding of
grace”.
 ‫ וְאִ ם ָּבהֶם‬,‫ ְר ֵאה ּכִי ַעּמְָך הֵם ִמּקֶדֶ ם‬,‫ׂשה אֹותְ ָך לְגֹוי ּגָדֹול ְואֶת אֵ ּלֶה ּתַ עֲז ֹב‬ ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא ת ֹאמַר ְו ֶא ֱע‬ ֶ .‫וראה כי עמך הגוי הזה‬
‫ׁשּלִי ָּבעָם ַהּז ֶה ּתֹודִ י ֵענִי; ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דָ ְרׁשּו ּבְמַ ֶּסכֶת‬
ֶ ‫ּׂשכָר‬ ָ ‫ׁשלּום ַה‬
ְ ַ‫ ְואֶת ּת‬,‫ׁשּי ִתְ ַקּי ְמּו‬
ֶ ‫ אֵינִי סֹומְֵך עַל הַּיֹו ְצאִים ֵמ ֲח ָלצַי‬,‫ּתִ ְמַאס‬
‫ּׁשב ַה ִּמק ְָראֹות עַל ָא ְפנֵיהֶם ְועַל סִדְ ָרם ּבָאתִ י‬ ֵ ַ ‫ ַו ֲאנִי ְלי‬,)'‫ּב ְָרכֹות (דף ז‬:

‫ וראה כי עמך הגוי הזה‬AND CONSIDER THAT THIS NATION IS THY PEOPLE so that You
should not say, as You have said, (Exodus 32:10) “And I will make thee a great nation”,
whilst these (the whole people) You will abandon! Consider that they are Your nation from of
old, and if You reject them, surely I cannot rely upon it that those who are born of me will
endure — rather let me know through this people the reward that is to be paid me (by sparing
them). Our Rabbis have given a Midrashic explanation of this in Treatise Berakhot 7a but I
come (my purpose is) to explain the verses in a manner fitting to them and in their context.

33:14

)‫י״א‬:‫ ּכְמֹו ּו ָפנֶיָך הֹו ְלכִים ַּבּק ְָרב (שמואל ב י״ז‬,‫ ֲאנִי ְב ַע ְצמִי ֵאלְֵך‬,‫ׁשלַח עֹוד ַמ ְלאְָך‬
ְ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו – ֹלא ֶא‬.‫ויאמר פני ילכו‬:

‫ ויאמר פני ילכו‬AND HE SAID, MY FACE SHALL GO WITH THEE Understand this as the
Targum renders it: My Shechinah will go — I will no more send an angel with you, but I
Myself will go. ‫ פנים‬here has the sense of “Self” as in (II Samuel 17:11) “and that thou go in
the battle in thine own person (‫”)פניך‬.

33:15

‫ ּכִי עַל י ְדֵ י ַמ ְלאְָך ַאל ּתַ ֲעלֵנּו מִ ּז ֶה‬,‫ ּבְזֹו ֲאנִי ָחפֵץ‬.‫ויאמר אליו‬:

‫ ויאמר אליו‬AND HE SAID UNTO HIM — This is what I desired: for if it is to be by an angel
rather do not bring us up from here.

33:16

‫ׁשֹּלא תַ ׁש ְֶרה ׁשְ כִינָתְ ָך עֹוד עַל‬

ֶ ,‫ וְעֹוד ּדָ בָר ֲאנִי ׁשֹו ֵאל ִמּמְָך‬.‫ הלוא בלכתך עמנו‬,‫ יִּוָדַ ע ְמצִיַאת ַהחֵן‬.‫ובמה יודע אפוא‬
‫אֻּמֹות הָעֹולָם‬.

‫ ובמה יודע אפוא‬FOR WHEREIN SHALL IT BE KNOWN HERE [THAT I AND THY
PEOPLE HAVE FOUND FAVOUR IN THY EYES] — i. e. wherein shall the “finding of
favour” be known, ‫ הלא בלכתך עמנו‬IF NOT BY YOUR GOING WITH US!? And yet another
thing do I ask You: that You should not let Your Shechinah rest upon the other peoples of the
world (Berakhot 7a).

)'‫ ּכְמֹו ְו ִה ְפלָה ה' ּבֵין ִמ ְקנֵה יִׂש ְָר ֵאל וְגֹו' (שמות ט‬,)'‫ ְונִ ְהי ֶה ֻמבְּדָ לִים ּבַּדָ בָר ַהּז ֶה ִמּכָל ָהעָם (ברכות ז‬.‫ונפלינו אני ועמך‬:

‫ ונפלינו אני ועמך‬SO SHALL WE BE DISTINGUISHED, I AND THY PEOPLE — through this
very thing we shall become different from all the peoples. ‫ נפלינו‬is of the same root and
meaning as in (Exodus 9:4) “And the Lord shall make a separation (‫ )והפלה‬between the cattle
of Israel etc.”

33:17

,‫ׁשְרּי ַת הַּׁשְ כִינָה‬

ִ ‫ׁשל ִּב ְלעָם עַל י ְדֵ י‬
ֶ ‫ ְואֵין ּדְ ב ָָריו‬, ‫ׁשכִינָתִ י עֹוד עַל אֻּמֹות הָעֹולָם אעשה‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא תִ ׁש ְֶרה‬
ֶ .‫גם את הדבר הזה‬
‫ ֶאּלָא "נֹופֵל ּוגְלּוי עֵינָי ִם" ּכְגֹון ְו ֵאלַי ּדָ בָר יְגֻּנָב (איוב ד') – ׁשֹומְ עִין עַ"י ְ ׁשָ לִי ַח‬:
‫ גם את הדבר הזה‬THIS THING ALSO — that My Shechinah shall not rest henceforth upon the
other nations of the world, ‫ אעשה‬I WILL DO. And thus He did, for the prophetical words of
Balaam (the heathen prophet) were not uttered by reason of the Shechinah resting upon him,
but, as Scripture describes it, (Numbers 24:4) “[he saw the vision of the Almighty] fallen, but
with eyes uncovered” (i. e. whilst fallen into a sleep his mental eyes were open and he saw in
a dream what the Almighty was to reveal unto him) in a state of mind similar to that described
by Job (Job 4:12) “a word was by stealth conveyed (‫ )יגנב‬to me” — they (the heathen
prophets) used to hear God’s message through a medium.

33:18

‫מַראִ ית ּכְבֹודֹו‬
ְ ‫ׁשא ֹל ְלה ְַראֹותֹו‬
ְ ‫ וְהֹוסִיף ִל‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה עֵת ָרצֹון ּודְ ב ָָריו ְמ ֻק ָּבלִים‬
ֶ ‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ָרָאה מ‬.‫ויאמר הראני נא את כבדך‬:

‫ ויאמר הראני נא את כבדך‬AND HE SAID I BESEECH THEE, SHOW ME THY GLORY —

Moses saw that the hour was propitious and that his petitions were being favourably received,
he therefore made a further request — that God should let him behold a reflection of His
Glory.

33:19

‫ׁש ֲאנִי רֹוצֶה ְוצ ִָריְך ְללַּמֶדְ ָך סֵדֶ ר‬

ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,‫ׁשה אֹותְ ָך ל ְִראֹות‬ ֶ ‫ַאר‬
ְ ‫ּׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁשעָה ׁשֶּתִ ְר ֶאה ִּבכְבֹודִ י מַה‬ָ ‫ ִהּגִיעָה‬.'‫ויאמר אני אעביר וגו‬
‫ׁשאִם ּתַ ָּמה ז ְכּות ָאבֹות אֵ ין עֹוד‬ ֶ ‫ ְּכסָבּור אַּתָ ה‬,‫ׁשּנִצ ְַרכְּתָ ְל ַבּקֵׁש ַר ֲחמִים עַל יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ִהזְּכ ְַרּתָ לִי ז ְכּות ָאבֹות‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ְּכ‬
ֶ ;‫ּתְ ִפּלָה‬
‫ ֲאנִי ַא ֲעבִיר ּכָל מִּדַ ת טּובִי ְל ָפנֶיָך עַל הַּצּור ְואַּתָ ה נָתּון ּבַּמְ ע ָָרה‬,‫ּתִ ְקוָה‬:

‫ ויאמר אגי אעביר וגו׳‬AND HE SAID, I WILL MAKE ALL MY GOODNESS PASS [BEFORE
YOU] — The time has arrived when you shall see of My Glory so much as I will allow you to
see according as I wish, and therefore I find it necessary to teach you a set form of prayer. Just
now when you felt the need to pray for mercy on Israel’s behalf you besought Me to
remember the merits of the patriarchs and you thought that if the merits of the patriarchs are
exhausted there is no more hope — I will therefore cause all the attribute of My goodness to
pass before you on the rock whilst you are placed in the cave.

‫ׁשאַּתָ ה רֹו ֶאה אֹותִ י – מְ ֻעּטָף‬ֶ ‫ ְו ַכּסֵדֶ ר ז ֶה‬,‫ ְל ַלּמֶדְ ָך סֵדֶ ר ַּב ָּקׁשַת ַר ֲחמִים ַאף אִם ּתִ ְכלֶה ז ְכּות ָאבֹות‬.‫וקראתי בשם ה' לפניך‬
‫"רחּום ְוחַּנּון" יִהְיּו נַ ֲענִין – ּכִי ַרחֲמַ י ֹלא‬ ַ ‫ׁשּיַזְּכִירּו ְל ָפנַי‬
ֶ ְ ‫ ְועַ"י‬,‫ְקֹורא י"ג מִּדֹות – ֱהוֵי ְמ ַלּמֵד אֶת יִׂש ְָר ֵאל ַלעֲׂשֹות ּכֵן‬
ֵ ‫ו‬
‫ ָכלִים‬:

‫ וקראתי בשם ה׳ לפניך‬AND I WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD BEFORE THEE,
to teach you the formula when praying for mercy even though the merits of the patriarchs
should be exhausted. And according to the manner in which you see Me doing this, cloaked
— as it were — in the Talith and proclaiming the thirteen attributes of mercy, do you teach
Israel to do. And because that they will make mention before Me of the attributes: “Merciful”,
“Gracious!” thereby proclaiming that My mercies do not fail (even though the merits of the
patriarchs are exhausted) (Rosh Hashanah 17b).

‫אֶרצֶה לָח ֹן‬

ְ ֶ‫ אֹותָ ן ְּפ ָעמִים ׁש‬.‫וחנתי את אשר אחון‬:

‫ וחנתי את אשר אחון‬I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS i. e. in times

when I shall be disposed to be gracious,
‫ׂשה ָאמַר לֹו ִהּנֵה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשעַת ַמ ֲע‬
ְ ‫ ֲאבָל ִּב‬,‫ׁש ֶאחְּפ ֹץ ל ְַרחֵם; עַד ּכָאן ֹלא ִה ְבטִיחֹו ֶאּלָא עִּתִ ים ֶא ֱענֶה ְועִּתִ ים ֹלא ֶא ֱענֶה‬
ֶ ‫ עֵת‬.‫ורחמתי‬
‫ׁשאֵינָן חֹוז ְרֹות ֵריקָ ם‬ֶ ‫ָאנֹכִי ּכ ֵֹרת ּב ְִרית (שמות ל"ד) – ִה ְבטִיחֹו‬:

‫ ורחמתי‬AND I WILL SHEW MERCY — those times that I shall desire to show mercy
(Midrash Tanchuma 3:9:27). For the time being He only gave him (Moses) the promise: At
times I will answer your prayer, at times I will not answer it. But at the time this was carried
out (i. e. when He proclaimed the Attributes) He said to him (Exodus 34:10) “Behold, I make
a covenant…” (I make this irrevocable) — thus assuring him that they (the 13 Attributes of
Mercy when invoked in time of need) will never prove ineffective (Rosh Hashanah 17b).

33:20

‫ׁשַא ֲעבִיר ּכָל טּובִי עַל ָּפנֶיָך אֵינִי נֹותֵ ן לְָך ְרׁשּות ל ְִראֹות אֶת ָּפנַי‬
ֶ ‫ ַאף ְּכ‬.'‫ויאמר לא תוכל וגו‬:

‫ ויאמר לא תוכל וגו׳‬AND HE SAID, THOU CANST NOT [SEE MY FACE] — and even when I
make all My goodness pass before you I shall not allow you to see My face.

33:21

‫ ּומִּׁשָ ם ּתִ ְראֶ ה‬,‫ׁשֹּלא תִ ּז ֹק‬

ֶ ‫ׁשַא ְטמִינְָך ׁשָם‬
ֶ ‫ י ֵׁש ָמקֹום מּוכָן לִי ְלצ ְָרּכְָך‬,‫ ָּבהָר ֲאׁשֶר ֲאנִי מְדַ ּבֵר ִעּמְָך תָ מִיד‬.‫הנה מקום אתי‬
,‫ ְואֵינֹו אֹומֵר אֲ נִי בַּמָ קֹום‬,‫ וְאֹומֵר ַה ָּמקֹום אִּתִ י‬,‫ּׁשכִינָה ׁשָם מְדַ ּבֵר‬ְ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ָמקֹום‬,‫ ז ֶהּו ּפְׁשּוטֹו; ּומִדְ ָרׁשֹו‬,‫ַמה ּׁשֶּתִ ְר ֶאה‬
)‫ׁשל עֹולָם ְואֵין עֹולָמֹו ְמקֹומֹו (תנחומא‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ְמקֹומֹו‬ֶ :

‫ הנה מקום אתי‬BEHOLD, THERE IS A PLACE BY ME — On the mountain where I am

continually speaking with you there is a place prepared by Me for your sake where I will hide
you that you may not be hurt by the vision. From there you will see what you will be
permitted to see. A Midrashic explanation is that by the word ‫ מקום‬Scripture is speaking of the
place where the Shechinah is and that He therefore said, “The place is by Me” and He did not
say, “I am in the place”, because the Holy One, blessed be He, is the “place” of the Universe
(comprises the Universe) but His Universe is not His place (does not encompass Him)
(Genesis Rabbah 68:8).

33:22

‫ ּכְׁשֶ אֶ עֱב ֹר ְל ָפנֶיָך‬.‫בעבר כבדי‬:

‫ בעבר כבדי‬WHEN MY GLORY PASSETH BY – i. e. when I shall pass before you.

‫קַרּתִ י וְׁשָתִ יתִ י מָ י ִם‬

ְ ‫ ֲאנִי‬,)'‫ יִּקְרּו ָה ע ְֹרבֵי נַחַל (משלי ל‬,)‫ ּכְמֹו ַהעֵינֵי ָה ֲאנָׁשִים ָההֵם ּתְ נַּקֵר (במדבר ט"ז‬.‫בנקרת הצור‬
‫ ּכ ְִרּי ַת הַּצּור‬:‫ נִק ְַרת הַּצּור‬,‫ ִּגז ְָרה ַאחַת ָלהֶם‬,)‫ כה‬,‫ כד; ישעיה לז‬,‫(מלכים ב' יט‬:

‫ בנקרת הצור‬IN A CLEFT OF THE CRAG — ‫ נקרה‬is similar in meaning to the verbs in
(Numbers 16:14) “Wilt thou bore out (‫ )תנקר‬the eyes of these men?”; (Proverbs 30:17) “The
ravens of the valley shall pick it out (‫( ;”)יקרהו‬2 Kings 19:24) “I have digged a well (‫ )קרתי‬and
drunk strange waters”. All these have the same derivation. ‫ נקרת הצור‬thus means a place dug
out of the rock.

‫ ׁשֶ אֵ ינֹו‬,‫ׁשל מַ ְעלָה‬

ֶ ‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו "וְָאגֵין ְּבמֵימ ְִרי" ּכִּנּוי הּוא לְדֶ ֶרְך ּכָבֹוד‬,‫ׁשּנִּתְ נָה ְרׁשּות ַל ְמ ַח ְּבלִים ְל ַחּבֵל‬
ֶ ‫ ִמּכָאן‬.‫ושכתי כפי‬
‫צ ִָריְך לְסֹוכְֵך ָעלָיו ְּבכַף מַּמָׁש‬:
‫ ושכתי כפי‬AND I WILL SHELTER [THEE] WITH MY HAND — Hence it is evident that
permission has been given to the destructive agencies to wound. The Targum renders ‫ושכתי כפי‬
by ‫“ ואגין במימרי‬I will protect thee with My word” This is merely a circumlocution in a manner
more respectful to the Most High God and the Targum did not translate it literally because He
(God) does not need to cover a person with the hand actually in order to protect him.

33:23

‫ ָל ֶלכֶת מִּׁשָ ם ּו ְל ַהּלָן‬,‫ׁש ֲא ַסּלֵק ַהנְ ָהגַת ּכְבֹודִ י ִמּנֶגֶד ָּפנֶיָך‬

ֶ ‫ וְַאעֲדֵ י י ָת ּדִ ב ְַרת יְק ִָרי – ְּכ‬.‫והסרתי את כפי‬:

‫ והסרתי את כפי‬AND I WILL REMOVE MY HAND — The Targum renders this by ‫ואעדי ית‬
‫“ דברת יקרי‬I will remove the guidance of My Glory”; it means: when I shall remove the
guidance of My Glory from before thine eyes — to go right away from that place,

)'‫ׁשל ּתְ ִפּלִין (ברכות ז‬

ֶ ‫ ה ְֶרָאהּו ֶקׁשֶר‬.‫וראית את אחרי‬:

‫ וראית את אחרי‬THEN THOU SHALT SEE WHAT IS BEHIND ME — He showed him the
Tephillin-knot which is placed behind the head (cf. Berakhot 7a; Menachot 35b).

34:1

)‫ׁשה ה ְַרּבֵה (תנחומא‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּלְָך; ִמּׁשָם נִתְ ַעּׁשֵר מ‬
ֶ ‫ִירינֹון מִּתֹוְך ָאהֳלֹו וְָאמַר לֹו ַהּפְסֹלֶת י ִ ְהי ֶה‬
ִ ‫ ה ְֶרָאהּו ַמ ְחצַב ַסנְּפ‬.‫פסל לך‬:

‫ פסל לך‬HEW THEE — He showed him a quarry of sapphire in his tent and said to him: The
chips (‫ )פסל = פסלת‬shall be thine (‫)לך‬. It was from this that Moses became so rich (cf. Midrash
Tanchuma 3:9:29; Leviticus Rabbah 32:2).

,‫ׁש ָהלְַך ִלמְדִ ינַת ַהּי ָם ְו ִהּנִי ַח אֲרּוסָתֹו עִם הַּׁשְ פָחֹות‬ֶ ‫ׁשל ְל ֶמלְֶך‬ ָ ‫ ָמ‬,‫ אַּתָ ה ְּפסָל לְָך ֲאחֵרֹות‬,‫ׁשּב ְַרּתָ ה ִָראׁשֹונֹות‬ִ ‫ אַּתָ ה‬.‫פסל לך‬
‫ א ֹמַר לֹו עֲדַ י ִן‬,‫ ָאמַר אִם י ֹאמַר ַה ֶּמלְֶך ְלה ְָרגָּה‬,‫ׁשבִינָּה ְוק ַָרע ּכְתֻ ּבָתָ ּה‬ ְ ‫ ָעמַד ׁשֹו‬,‫ּׁשפָחֹות יָצָא ָעלֶי ָה ׁשֵם ָרע‬ ְ ‫מִּתֹוְך ִקלְקּול ַה‬
‫ׁשבִינָּה ּכְת ֹב לָּה ּכְתֻ ּבָה‬ְ ‫ ָאמַר לֹו ׁשֹו‬,‫ נִתְ ַרּצָה לָּה‬,‫ּׁשפָחֹות‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה ַה ִּקלְקּול ֶאּלָא מִן ַה‬ֶ ‫אֵינָּה אִ ׁשְּתְ ָך; ּבָדַ ק ַה ֶּמלְֶך ּו ָמצָא‬
‫קָרעְּתָ אֹותָ ּה אַּתָ ה ְקנֵה לָּה נְי ָר ַאחֵר ַו ֲאנִי ֶאכְּת ֹב לָּה ִּבכְתָ ב י ָדִ י; ּכֵן‬
ַ ‫ ָאמַר לֹו ַה ֶּמלְֶך אַּתָ ה‬,‫ׁשּנִק ְְרעָה ה ִָראׁשֹונָה‬ ֶ ,‫ַאח ֶֶרת‬
)‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר ְּפסָל לְָך (שם‬,‫ׁשל ַה ָּקּבָ"ה יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬ ֶ ‫ אֲרּוסָתֹו‬,‫ׁשה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשבִין ז ֶה מ‬
ְ ‫ ְוהַּׁשֹו‬,‫ּׁשפָחֹות ֵאּלּו ע ֵֶרב ַרב‬
ְ ‫ ַה‬,‫ ַה ֶּמלְֶך ז ֶה ַה ָּקּבָ"ה‬:

Another explanation of ‫ פסל לך‬is: ‫ פסל לך‬HEW THYSELF — thou hast broken the first tablets,
do thou therefore hew others. A parable: this may be compared to a king who travelled to a
remote country (more lit., to a province over-sea) leaving his betrothed at home with her
handmaids. Through the immoral conduct of her handmaids she also gained a bad reputation
(more lit., there went forth against her an evil name). Her bridesman arose and tore up the
marriage-contract saying: If the king proposes to kill her I shall say to him, “She is not yet thy
wife” (the marriage contract which might have served as evidence being destroyed. The king
made enquiry, found that the immorality had been only on the hand maids’ side and became
reconciled with her. Her bridesman then said to the king, “Write another marriage contract for
her because the first has been torn up”. Whereupon the king replied: You tore it up; do you
therefore purchase for her new paper and I will write it for her in My handwriting. So, here,
too: the King is the Holy One blessed be He, the handmaids are the mixed multitude, the
bride’s friend is Moses, and the betrothed of the Holy One, blessed be He, is Israel —
therefore it is said ‫פסל לך‬, “Hew thyself the new tablets” (Midrash Tanchuma 3:9:30).

34:2
‫ מְ ז ֻּמָ ן‬.‫נכון‬:

‫ נכון‬means PREPARED.

34:3

‫ׁש ְלטָה ָבהֶן ַעי ִן ָרעָה – אֵ ין לְָך יָפֶה מִ ן‬

ָ ,‫ׁשהָיּו בִתְ ׁשּואֹות וְקֹולֹות ּו ְקהִּלֹות‬
ֶ ְ ‫ ה ִָראׁשֹונֹות עַ"י‬.‫ואיש לא יעלה עמך‬
)‫ ַה ְּצנִיעּות (שם‬:

‫ ואיש לא יעלה עמך‬AND NO MAN SHALL GO UP WITH THEE — Because the first tablets
were given amidst great noises and alarms and a vast assembly the “evil eye” had power over
them (they did not endure) — there is no finer quality than to be unostentatious! (Midrash
Tanchuma 3:9:31).

34:5

‫ּוקְרא בִׁשְמָ א דַ ה‬
ָ ‫ מְּתַ ְר ְּגמִינַן‬.'‫'ויקרא בשם ה‬:

‫ ויקרא בשם ה׳‬AND HE CALLED BY NAME, O LORD — We render this in the Targum by, '
‫ ויקרא בשמא דה‬and he (Moses) called on the name of the Lord.

34:6

)‫ׁשּי ֶ ֱחטָא ְוי ָׁשּוב (ראש השנה י"ז‬

ֶ ‫ וְַאחַת ַאחַר‬,‫ׁשּי ֶ ֱחטָא‬
ֶ ‫ ַאחַת ק ֹדֶ ם‬,‫ מִּדַ ת ַר ֲחמִים הִיא‬.'‫ה' ה‬:

‫ ה׳ ה׳‬THE LORD, THE LORD — This is the attribute of Divine mercy. The one (the first ‫)ה׳‬
alludes to God having mercy on the sinner before he sins and the other after he has sinned and
repented (Rosh Hashanah 17b).

‫ ּכְָך‬,‫ ְוכֵן הּוא אֹומֵר ֵאלִי אֵ לִי ָל ָמה ֲעזַבְּתָ נִי (תהילים כ"ב) – ְואֵין לֹומַר ְלמִּדַ ת הַּדִ ין לָמָה ֲעזַבְּתָ נִי‬,‫ ַאף זֹו מִּדַ ת ַר ֲחמִים‬.‫אל‬
‫ ָמצָאתִ י ּבִמְ כִילְּתָ א‬:

‫ אל‬GOD — This is also an attribute of Divine mercy (it is not, as ‫אלהים‬, an attribute of stern
justice). Thus also does Scripture say, (Psalms 22:2) “My God, my God (‫אלי‬, ‫ )אלי‬why hast
Thou forsaken me?” — for surely one would not say to the attribute of stern Justice “why hast
Thou forsaken me?”! Thus have I found in the Mechilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:2:2.

‫ׁש ָּמא יַעֲׂשֶ ה תְ ׁשּובָה‬

ֶ ,‫ ַמא ֲִריְך ַאּפֹו ְואֵינֹו ְמ ַמהֵר ִלּפ ַָרע‬.‫ארך אפים‬:

‫ ארך אפים‬SLOW TO ANGER — He defers (‫ )מאריך‬His anger and does not hasten to punish —
it may be that the sinner will repent.

‫ׁשאֵין ָלהֶם זְכֻּיֹות ּכָל ּכְָך‬

ֶ – ‫ ַלּצ ְִריכִים ֶחסֶד‬.‫ורב חסד‬:

‫ ורב חסד‬AND ABUNDANT IN MERCY — to those who need mercy because they have not
sufficient merits to be saved by them.

‫ׂשכָר טֹוב לְעֹוׂשֵ י ְרצֹונֹו‬

ָ ‫ׁשּלֵם‬
ַ ‫ ְל‬.‫ואמת‬:

‫ ואמת‬AND TRUTH — faithfully rewarding those who perform His will.

34:7

‫ׁשהָָאדָ ם עֹוׂשֶ ה ְל ָפנָיו‬

ֶ .‫נצר חסד‬:

‫ נצר חסד‬means God keeps (stores up) the mercy which a person does in His presence,

‫ׁשנֵי אֲ ָלפִים ּדֹורֹות‬

ְ ‫ ִל‬.‫לאלפים‬:

‫ לאלפים‬TO THOUSANDS — to two thousand generations (the plural, “generations”, and

“two” is the least that this can imply; cf. Rashi on Exodus 20:6).

‫ׁשָאדָ ם עֹוׂשֶ ה ְל ַה ְכעִיס‬

ֶ ‫ׁשעִים — אֵ ּלּו ַהּמ ְָרדִ ים‬
ָ ‫ ְּפ‬,‫ עֲֹונֹות — אֵ ּלּו ַהּז ְדֹונֹות‬.‫עון ופשע‬:

‫ — עונות‬These are sins committed presumptuously (with premeditation). ‫ — פשעים‬These are

sins committed rebelliously.

‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו דָ ְרׁשּו מְ נַּקֶ ה‬,‫ ֶאּלָא נִפ ְָרע ִמ ֶּמּנּו ְמעַט ְמעַט‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו ְמוַּתֵ ר עַל ֶהעָֹון ְלגַמ ְֵרי‬
ֶ ‫ׁשמָע‬
ְ ‫ ְלפִי פְׁשּוטֹו ַמ‬.‫ונקה לא ינקה‬
)‫ׁשבִים (יומא פ"ו‬ ָ ‫ׁשאֵינָן‬ ֶ ‫ּׁשבִים וְֹלא יְנַּקֶה ְל‬
ָ ‫הּוא ַל‬:

‫ ונקה לא ינקה‬AND WHO WILL BY NO MEANS CLEAR THE GUILTY — According to its
plain sense this means that He is not altogether indulgent to sin (He does not entirely remit the
punishment), but little by little exacts punishment from, him (the sinner). Our Rabbis,
however, have explained: ‫ונקה‬, And he clears — He clears those who repent, ‫לא ינקה‬, He does
not clear — but does not clear those who will not repent (Yoma 86a).

)'‫ׁש ְּכבָר ּפ ֵֵרׁש ְּב ִמק ְָרא ַאחֵר לְׂשֹנְָאי (שמות כ‬

ֶ ,‫ׂשה אֲבֹותֵ יהֶם ּבִידֵ יהֶם‬
ֵ ‫ׁשאֹו ֲחז ִים ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫פקד עון אבות על בנים‬:

‫ פקד עון אבות על בנים‬VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE
CHILDREN — when they retain in their hands (follow the example of) the evil doings of
their ancestors. This must be the meaning because in another verse of a similar character it has
already been stated: of them that hate Me (cf. Exodus 20:5: Visiting the iniquity of fathers
upon the children, upon the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me (Berakhot 7a;
Sanhedrin 27b).

‫ׁש ְּבמִּדָ ה טֹובָה הּוא אֹומֵר נֹצֵר‬

ֶ ,‫ ּדֹור ְרבִיעִי; נִ ְמצֵאת מִּדָ ה טֹובָה מ ְֻרּבָה עַל מִּדַ ת ּפ ְֻרעָנּות ַאחַת ַל ֲחמֵׁש ֵמאֹות‬.‫ועל רבעים‬
)'‫ ֶחסֶד ָל ֲא ָלפִים (תוספתא סוטה ד‬:

‫ ועל רבעים‬means AND UPON THE FOURTH GENERATION — It follows, therefore, that
the measure of good (reward) is greater than the measure of punishment in the proportion of
one to five hundred, for in respect to the measure of good it says: “Keeping mercy for
thousands” (two thousands at least) (cf. Rashi above: Tosefta Sotah 4:1; see also Rashi on
Exodus 20:5).

34:8

‫ מִ ּי ָד וישתחו‬,‫ׁשמַע קֹול ַהּק ְִריָאה‬

ָ ‫ ְו‬,‫ׁשכִינָה עֹוב ֶֶרת‬
ְ ‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ ְּכׁש ֶָרָאה מ‬.‫וימהר משה‬:

‫וימהר משה‬, AND MOSES MADE HASTE — When Moses saw that the Shechinah passed by
and heard the sound of the proclamation he immediately prostrated himself.
34:9

‫ׁשה ע ֶֹרף הּוא ְויַמְרּו בְָך וְָאמ ְַרּתָ עַל ז ֹאת ּפֶן‬ ֵ ‫ׂשא עָֹון; ְואִם עַם ְק‬ ֵ ‫ׁשאַּתָ ה נֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ֵמַאחַר‬, ָ‫ׁש ִה ְב ַטחְּת‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬.‫ילך נא אדני בקרבנו‬
‫ אַּתָ ה תִ ְסלַח ַלעֲֹונֵינּו וְגֹומֵר; י ֵׁש ּכִי ּבִמְ קֹום אִ ם‬,‫ ֲא ֶכלְָך ּבַּדָ ֶרְך‬:

‫ ילך נא אדני בקרבנו‬LET MY LORD, I PRAY THEE, GO AMONG US as Thou hast promised
(cf. Exodus 33:14), since Thou forgivest iniquity. And even if it be a stiff-necked people and
they have rebelled against Thee and Thou didst on that account say, (Exodus 30:3) “lest I
consume thee in the way” — yet pardon Thou our iniquity etc. — ‫ כי‬is sometimes used in
place of (in the sense of) ‫אם‬, “if”.

‫ׁשכִינָתְ ָך עַל הָאֻּמֹות‬

ְ ‫ׁשֹּלא תִ ׁש ְֶרה‬
ֶ – ‫ זֹו הִיא ַב ָּקׁשַת ְונִ ְפלִינּו ֲאנִי ְו ַעּמְָך‬,‫ וְתִ ּתְ נֵנּו לְָך ְלנַ ֲחלָה ְמיֻחֶדֶ ת‬.‫ונחלתנו‬:

‫ונחלתנו‬. AND TAKE US FOR THINE INHERITANCE — make us a special inheritance unto
Thyself. This is the same request as that contained in (Exodus 33:16) “that we should be
different, I and thy people [from all other peoples]” — which means that You should not let
Your Shechinah rest upon the other peoples of the world (cf. Rashi on this verse).

34:10

‫ עַל ז ֹאת‬.‫כרת ברית‬:

‫[ כרת ברית‬BEHOLD, I] MAKE A COVENANT about this.

‫ׁשֹּלא תִ ׁש ְֶרה ׁשְ כִינָתִ י ֲעלֵיהֶם‬

ֶ ,‫ ׁשֶּתִ הְיּו ֻמבְּדָ לִים ּבְזֹו ִמּכָל ָהאֻּמֹות‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ְונִ ְפלִינּו‬.‫אעשה נפלאת‬:

‫ — אעשה נפלאת‬The word ‫ נפלאת‬is an expression of the same meaning as ‫( ונפלינו‬Exodus 33:16;
so that the phrase means: I will make a difference) meaning that you shall be different in this
respect from all other peoples — in that My Shechinah will not rest upon them.

34:11

‫ ּכִי ַהּג ְִר ָּגׁשִי ָעמַד ּו ָפנָה מִ ְּפנֵיהֶם‬,‫ ו' אֻּמֹות י ֵׁש ּכָאן‬.'‫את האמרי וגו‬:

‫ את האמרי וגו׳‬THE AMORITE etc. — There are only six nations mentioned here, because the
seventh, the Girgashites, arose and emigrated of their own accord (Leviticus Rabbah 17:6; cf.
Rashi on Exodus 33:2).

34:13

‫ הּוא אִילָן ׁשֶעֹובְדִ ים אֹותֹו‬.‫אשריו‬:

‫ — אשריו‬An ‫ אשרה‬was a tree which they worshipped.

34:14

‫ּופֹור ַע מֵ אֹויְבָיו‬
ֵ ‫ ְוז ֶהּו ּכָל לְׁשֹון קִ נְָאה – אֹוחֵז ְּבנִצְחֹונֹו‬,‫ ְמ ַקּנֵא ִלּפ ַָרע ְואֵינֹו ְמוַּתֵ ר‬.‫קנא שמו‬:

‫ קנא שמו‬WHOSE NAME IS ‫ — קנא‬Who is zealous (‫ )מקנא‬to exact punishment from the
sinners and is not indulgent towards idolatry. This (the above) is always the meaning of the
root ‫ קנא‬wherever it is used in connection with God. Consequently ‫ קנא שמו‬His name (His
characteristic) is ‫ ַקּנָא‬that of a zealot, implies: He maintains (insists upon) his superiority over
other gods, and punishes His enemies (those who worship idols).

34:15

‫ׁשּמִּתֹוְך ּכְָך אַּתָ ה בָא וְלֹוקֵ ַח‬

ֶ ,‫ ַו ֲאנִי ַמ ֲעלֶה ָעלֶיָך ּכְמֹודֶ ה ַבעֲבֹודָ תָ ם‬,‫ׁשאֵין עֹנֶׁש ַּב ֲאכִילָתֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ַּכּסָבּור אַּתָ ה‬.‫ואכלת מזבחו‬
)'‫ ִמּבְנֹותָ יו ְל ָבנֶיָך (עבודה זרה ח‬:

‫ ואכלת מזבחו‬AND THOU EAT OF HIS SACRIFICE — You might perhaps think that there is
no punishable offence in eating of it, this is not so, but I will account it unto you as though
you consent to his idolatrous worship because through this (through partaking of his meals)
you will be induced to take your daughters unto your sons (cf. Avodah Zarah 8a).

34:18

‫ׁשהַּתְ בּוָאה מִתְ ַּבּכ ֶֶרת ְּבבִּׁשּולָּה‬

ֶ ,‫ ח ֹדֶ ׁש ַהּבִּכּור‬.‫חדש האביב‬:

‫ חדש האביב‬THE MONTH OF ABIB — the month of early ripening — the month when the
grain is in its first stage of ripening.

34:19

‫ ּבָָאדָ ם‬.‫כל פטר רחם לי‬:

‫ כל פטר רחם לי‬EVERY FIRST OFFSPRING OF THE WOMB IS MINE amongst human
beings,

‫ׂשה – ֲאׁשֶר יִפְט ֹר זָכָר אֶת ַרחְמָ ּה‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכָל ִמ ְקנְָך ֲאׁשֶר ּתִ ּזָכָר ְּב ֶפטֶר ׁשֹור ָו‬.'‫וכל מקנך וגו‬:

‫ וכל מקנך וגו׳‬AND also ALL THY CATTLE WHICH IT (the mother animal) BRINGS FORTH
AS MALE BY AN OX OR AN ASS OPENING its womb: it means, that a male animal opens
her womb.

‫ מּוסָב עַל הַּיֹולֶדֶ ת‬,‫ׁשל ּתִ ּזָכָר לְׁשֹון נְ ֵקבָה הִיא‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן ּפֹוטֵר ַמי ִם ֵראׁשִית מָדֹון (משלי י"ז); תי"ו‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ּפְתִ יחָה‬.‫פטר‬:

‫ פטר‬is an expression denoting “opening”; similar is (Proverbs 17:14) “As if one openeth
(letteth run) (‫ )פוטר‬water so is the beginning of strife”. The ‫ ת‬of ‫ תזכר‬expresses the feminine
gender and refers to the animal in labour (i. e. the prefix is 3rd fem. sing., not 2nd masc. sing.:
the subject to ‫ תזכר‬must be supplied “the mother animal”).

34:20

‫ׁשָאר ְּבהֵמָ ה טְמֵ ָאה‬

ְ ‫ וְֹלא‬.‫ופטר חמור‬:

‫ ופטר חמור‬AND THE FIRST OFFSPRING OF AN ASS [THOU SHALT REDEEM] — but
not that of any other unclean animal (Bekhorot 5b).

‫ ּו ֶפטֶר חֲמֹור מֻּתָ ר ַּבעֲבֹודָ ה ַל ְּב ָעלִים‬,‫ׂשה לַּכֹהֵן וְהּוא ֻחּלִין ְּבי ַד ּכֹהֵן‬
ֶ ‫ נֹותֵ ן‬.‫תפדה בשה‬:
‫ תפדה בשה‬THOU SHALT REDEEM WITH A LAMB — one gives a lamb to the priest and it
remains in his possession with the character of a non-holy object (‫ — חולין‬an ordinary
animal). The firstborn ass is then permitted to the owner to be used for work (Bekhorot 9b).

‫ ְלפִיכְָך י ֻ ְפסַד מָמֹונֹו‬,‫עֹורפֹו ּבְקֹופִיץ; הּוא ִה ְפסִיד מָמֹון ּכֹהֵן‬

ְ .‫וערפתו‬:

‫ וערפתו‬THEN THOU SHALT BREAK ITS NECK — one breaks its neck with a hatchet and
so slays it (Bekhorot 10b). The reason is: he (the owner of the ass) has caused loss to the
possessions of the priest (by not giving him the lamb) therefore must he suffer loss in his
possessions (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:13:2).

)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּופְדּוי ָו ִמּבֶן ח ֹדֶ ׁש ּתִ פְדֶ ה (במדבר י"ח‬

ֶ ,‫ּׁשה ְס ָלעִים ּפִדְ יֹונֹו קָצּוב‬
ָ ‫ ֲח ִמ‬.‫כל בכור בניך תפדה‬:

‫ כל בכור בניך תפדה‬ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF THY SONS THOU SHALT REDEEM — Five
Sela’im are the ransom fixed for him, as it is said (Numbers 18:16) “And those that are to be
redeemed, from a month old shalt thou redeem [according to thy valuation, for the money of
five shekels]”. (For the whole of this verse cf. Rashi on 13:13).

‫ׁשאֵין ְּב ִמ ְצוַת ּבְכֹור ְראִ ּי ַת‬

ֶ – ‫ ְואֵינֹו מּוסָב עַל ַהּבְכֹור‬,‫ׁשל ִמק ְָרא ּדָ בָר ִּב ְפנֵי ַעצְמֹו הּוא‬ ֶ ‫ ְלפִי ּפְׁשּוטֹו‬.‫ולא יראו פני רקם‬
.‫ ּו ְכׁשֶּתַ עֲלּו ל ֶָרגֶל ל ֵָראֹות ֹלא י ֵָראּו ָפנַי ֵריקָם – ִמ ְצוָה ֲעלֵיכֶם ְל ָהבִיא עֹולַת ְראִ ּי ַת ָּפנִים‬,‫ָּפנִים – אֶ ּלָא ַאזְה ָָרה ַאח ֶֶרת הִיא‬
‫ׁשהּוא ֲחמִּׁשָ ה ְס ָלעִים מִ ּכָל‬ ֶ ‫ׁשל ֶעבֶד ִעב ְִרי‬ֶ ‫ ְל ַלּמֵד עַל ַה ֲענָקָתֹו‬,‫ׁשוָה‬
ָ ‫ ּו ֻמ ְפנֶה ִלגְז ֵָרה‬,‫ּו ְלפִי מִדְ ַרׁש ּב ַָרי ְתָ א ִמק ְָרא י ָתֵ ר הּוא‬
)‫ ְּכפִדְ יֹון ּבְכֹור; ְּב ַמ ֶּסכֶת קִּדּוׁשִ ין (דף י"ז‬,‫מִין ָומִין‬:

‫ ולא יראו פני ריקם‬AND NONE SHALL APEAR BEFORE ME EMPTY — According to the
plain sense of the verse this is an independent statement and does not refer to the firstborn just
mentioned — because in connection with the command concerning the firstborn there is no
duty of appearing before the Lord; but it is another (a separate) prohibition merely connected
by a conjunctive ‫ ו‬with the former statement and means: when you go up to the festival
gathering to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord, none shall appear before Me empty; it is
your duty to bring the burnt offering prescribed for the appearance before My face (Chagigah
7a). According to the Halachic explanation of the Boraitha this portion of the verse is
redundant (since the same commandment already appears Exodus 23:15) and is consequently
“free” (‫ )מופנה‬to be used for a ‫( גז"ש‬an analogy based on verbal similarity in two texts, viz.,
the word ‫ ריקם‬here and in the text Deuteronomy 15:13 ‫“ לא תשלחנו ריקם‬thou shalt not let him
go away ‫ — )”ריקם‬it is repeated here after the law about the first born to teach you that the
outfit given to a Hebrew slave when he leaves your service should consist of five Sela’im-
worth of each of the things (mentioned Deuteronomy 15:14: thy sheep, thy threshing floor,
and vinepress) just as the ransom of the firstborn is five Sela’im. Thus are we taught in
Treatise Kiddushin 17a.

34:21

‫ וְקָ צִיר‬,‫ׁשבִיעִית ַהּנִ ְכנָס לַּׁשְ בִיעִית‬ ְ ‫ׁשל ע ֶֶרב‬ ֶ ‫ ָלּמָה נִזְּכָר ח ִָריׁש ְו ָקצִיר? י ֵׁש מ ֵַרּבֹותֵ ינּו אֹומ ְִרים עַל ח ִָריׁש‬.‫בחריש ובקציר‬
‫ׁשׁשֶת יָמִים ּתַ עֲב ֹד ּובַּיֹום הַּׁשְ בִיעִי‬
ֵ :‫ׁשמָעֹו‬ ְ ‫ ְוכְָך ַמ‬,‫ ְל ַלּמֶדְ ָך ׁשֶּמֹוסִיפִין מֵח ֹל עַל הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש‬,‫ׁשבִיעִית‬ ְ ‫ׁשבִיעִית הַּיֹוצֵא לְמֹו ָצאֵי‬ ְ ‫ׁשֶ ל‬
,‫ ְואֵין צ ֶֹרְך לֹומַר ח ִָריׁש ְו ָקצִיר ׁשֶ ל ׁשְ בִיעִית‬,‫ׁש ֶהח ִָריׁש ְו ַה ָּקצִיר ָאסּור‬ ֶ ‫ׁשנָה‬ ָ ‫ י ֵׁש‬,‫ׁשהִּתַ ְרּתִ י לְָך‬
ֶ ‫ ַועֲבֹודַ ת ו' ַהּיָמִים‬,‫ׁשּב ֹת‬
ְ ִ‫ּת‬
‫ ְוח ִָריׁש ְו ָקצִיר ׁשֶ ֻהזְּכַר ּבֹו‬,‫ּׁשּבָת‬
ַ ‫ׁש ֵאינֹו מְדַ ּבֵר ֶאּלָא ַּב‬
ֶ ‫ ְוי ֵׁש אֹומ ְִרים‬,) ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ְכבָר נֶ ֱאמַר ׂשָדְ ָך ֹלא תִ ז ְָרע וְגֹו' (ויקרא כ"ה‬ ֶ
)'‫ּׁשּבָת (ראש השנה ט‬ ַ ‫ׁשהּוא ִמ ְצוָה וְדֹוחֶה אֶת ַה‬ ֶ ‫ יָצָא ְקצִיר הָעֹמֶר‬,‫ מֶה ח ִָריׁש ְרׁשּות ַאף ָקצִיר ְרׁשּות‬,‫ לֹומַר לְָך‬:

‫ בחריש ובקציר‬IN PLOUGHING TIME AND IN HARVEST [THOU SHALT LEAVE OFF] —
Why are ploughing and harvesting specially mentioned (since all work is forbidden on
Sabbath)? There are some of our Rabbis who say that this refers to ploughing in the year
preceding the Sabbatical year which ploughing passeth into (produces its first fruits in) the
seventh year and to harvesting grain that has reached one-third of its maturity during the
Sabbatical year which harvesting actually goeth forth into (takes place in) the eighth year, that
following the Sabbatical year; and that this statement is intended to teach you that one must
add part of the secular time to the holy time (i. e. that one must apply to a certain period
before the beginning and after the termination of the Sabbatical year the laws applicable to
that year in order to prevent its desecration). Thus, the following is what it (this verse) means:
“Six days thou mayest work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest”; but even with regard to
the six days’ work which I have permitted you there are years when ploughing and harvesting
are forbidden. This must be the meaning, referring to ploughing in the sixth year and
harvesting in the seventh, and it cannot refer to the seventh year itself for it is unnecessary to
make any mention of ploughing and harvesting in the seventh year being forbidden, for it is
already said (Leviticus 25:4) “[But in the seventh year …] thou shalt neither sow thy field
[nor prune thine vineyard]”! Others, however, hold that Scripture in this part of the text, is
only speaking of the ordinary Sabbath day, as in the first part, and ploughing and harvesting
which are specially mentioned in it as being forbidden on the Sabbath are mentioned to
suggest to you the following: What is the characteristic of ploughing? It is an optional act (no
such work being commanded anywhere in the Law)! So, too, is harvesting forbidden on
Sabbath only when it constitutes an optional act! There is, therefore, excluded the harvesting
of the barley for the “Omer” (cf. Leviticus 23:10: ye shall reap the harvest thereof) which is
obligatory and which therefore supersedes the Sabbath (occasions a suspension of the Sabbath
laws) (Rosh Hashanah 9a).

34:22

‫ׁשאַּתָ ה ֵמבִיא בֹו ׁשְּתֵ י ַה ֶּלחֶם מִ ן ַה ִחּטִים‬

ֶ .‫בכורי קציר חטים‬:

‫[ בכורי קציר חטים‬THE FESTIVAL] OF THE FIRST OF THE WHEAT HARVEST — It is so

called because on it you offer the two loaves of wheat (Leviticus 23:17).

‫ַּׂשְעֹורים הִיא‬
ִ ‫ מִן ה‬,‫ ּכִי ִמנְחַת הָעֹמֶר ַהּבָָאה ַב ֶּפסַח‬,‫ׁשל ִחּטִים ַל ִּמקְּדָ ׁש‬
ֶ ‫ׁשהִיא ִמנְחָה ִראׁשֹונָה ַהּבָָאה מִן ֶהחָדָ ׁש‬
ֶ .‫בכורי‬
)‫(מנחות פ"ד‬:

‫ בכורי‬OF THE FIRST [OF THE WHEAT HARVEST] — It is so called because it (the
offering of the two loaves) is the first meal offering which is brought in the Temple of the
new wheat crop; for the meal offering of the Omer which had already been brought on
Passover was of barley (Menachot 84a).

‫ ּכְמֹו ַו ֲא ַספְּתֹו אֶ ל ּתֹוְך ּבֵיתֶ ָך‬,‫ׁשאַּתָ ה אֹוסֵף ּתְ בּוָאתְ ָך מִן ַהּׂשָדֶ ה ַל ַּבי ִת; ֲאסִיפָה זֹו לְׁשֹון ַה ְכנָסָה ַל ַּבי ִת‬
ֶ ‫ ִּבזְמַן‬.‫וחג האסיף‬
)‫(דברים כ"ב‬:

‫ וחג האסיף‬AND THE FESTIVAL OF INGATHERING — the festival that falls at the time of
the year when you gather in thy produce from the field into the barns. The word ‫ אסף‬here
means bringing in (and not, collecting), as (Deuteronomy 22:2) “thou shalt gather it (‫)ואספתו‬
into thine house” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:16 and on Genesis 49:29).

‫ּׁשנָה – ּבִתְ ִחּלַת הַּׁשָ נָה ַהּבָָאה‬

ָ ‫ׁשהִיא ַב ֲחז ַָרת ַה‬
ֶ .‫תקופת השנה‬:
‫ תקופת השנה‬lit., [THE FESTIVAL …] THE YEARS CIRCUIT — i. e. the festival at the
coming round of the year — at the beginning of the coming (the new) year.

‫ לְׁשֹון מְ ִסּבָה ְוהַּקָ פָה‬.‫תקופת‬:

‫ תקופת‬is a term denoting going round.

34:23

‫ְַארּבַע – ְל ַחּי ֵב ְו ַלעֲנ ֹׁש עַל‬

ְ ‫ׁשֹלׁש ְּפ ָעמִים ו‬ ָ ‫ַּתֹורה נֶ ֶאמְרּו ְונִ ְכּפְלּו – ְוי ֵׁש ֵמהֶם‬
ָ ‫ׁשּבְָך; ה ְַרּבֵה ִמצְֹות ּב‬
ֶ ‫ ּכָל ַהּזְכ ִָרים‬.‫כל זכורך‬
‫ׁש ָּבהֶם ְועַל ִמנְי ַן עֲׂשֵ ה ׁשֶ ָּבהֶם‬
ֶ ‫ ִמנְי ַן לָאוִין‬:

‫ כל זכורך‬means all the males among you (cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:17 and the note thereon). —
Many precepts of the Torah are stated and then repeated, aye, some of them three times and
even four (this section, for instance, is, with a few alterations, identical with the contents of
chapter Exodus 23:12—19) in order to declare him who infringes them guilty and to punish
him for each of the number of prohibitions which are connected with them and for each of the
number of positive commands which are connected with them.

34:24

‫ַּיֹורׁש אֶת ָהאֱמ ִֹרי (במדבר כ"א) – לְׁשֹון ּגֵרּוׁשִ ין‬

ֶ ‫ ְוכֵן ו‬,)'‫ ְוכֵן ָהחֵל ָרׁש (דברים ב‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו אֲתָ ִריְך‬.‫אוריש‬:

‫ אוריש‬means as the Targum has it ‫אתריך‬, I will drive out. Similar is (Deuteronomy 2:31)
“Begin to drive out (‫ ;”)רש‬and similar is, (Numbers 21:32) “and drove out (‫ )ויורש‬the
Amorites” — all having the sense of expelling.

‫ׁשֹלֹׁש ְרגָלִים ַהּלָלּו‬

ָ ‫ ְלכְָך ֲאנִי קֹו ֵב ַע לְָך‬,‫ ְואֵינְָך י ָכֹול ל ֵָראֹות ְל ָפנַי ּתָ מִיד‬,‫ִירה‬
ָ ‫ ְואַּתָ ה ָרחֹוק ִמּבֵית ַה ְּבח‬.‫והרחבתי את גבלך‬:

‫[ והרחבתי את גבלך‬I WILL DRIVE OUT THE NATIONS BEFORE THEE] AND ENLARGE
THY BOUNDARIES — and consequently you may be far from the Chosen House (the
Temple) and you will then not be able to appear before Me continually; therefore I appoint for
you these three seasons.

34:25

)‫ֲבּורה (פסח' ס"ג‬

ָ ‫ַּזֹורק אֹו ְל ֶאחָד ִמ ְּבנֵי ח‬
ֵ ‫ׁשחַט אֶת ַה ֶּפסַח ַועֲדַ י ִן ָחמֵץ קַ ּי ָם; ַאזְה ָָרה לַּׁשֹוחֵט אֹו ל‬
ְ ִ‫ ֹלא ת‬.'‫לא תשחט וגו‬:

‫ לא תשחט וגו׳‬THOU SHALT NOT OFFER [THE BLOOD OF MY SACRIFICE TOGETHER

WITH LEAVEN] — i. e. thou shalt not kill the Passover lamb whilst leaven is still existent in
your possession. This is an admonition addressed to him who slaughters the Passover lamb, as
well as to him who sprinkles its blood or to one of the members of the party formed to eat that
lamb in company (Pesachim 63a).

)‫ּׁשחַר (זבחים פ"ז‬

ַ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרגּומֹו; אֵין לִינָה מֹו ֶעלֶת ּבְר ֹאׁש ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ְואֵין לִינָה ֶאּלָא ְּבעַּמּוד ַה‬.‫ולא ילין‬:

‫ ולא ילין‬NEITHER SHALL [THE SACRIFICE OF THE FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER]

REMAIN OVER NIGHT — Understand this as the Targum renders it: ‫ בר ממדבחא‬... ‫ולא יביתון‬
… “There shall not remain overnight away from the altar till the morning the fat of the
sacrifice” — this law of leaving the fat away from the altar overnight does not serve to
invaliditate the sacrifice if it has been placed on the top of the altar some time during the
night, even if it be not entirely burnt by morning, nor is the law about leaving the fat
overnight infringed except if it has not been placed on the altar by the dawn of the morning
(but any time during the night one may lift it up from the pavement on to the altar (Zevachim
87a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:18).

‫ ּו ִמּכָאן אַּתָ ה ָלמֵד ְלכָל ֶה ְקטֵר ֲח ָלבִים וְאֵ ב ִָרים‬,‫ֵמּוריו‬

ָ ‫ א‬.‫זבח חג הפסח‬:

‫ זבח חג הפסח‬means the pieces of its fat (which had to be burnt on the altar). From here you may
derive the law concerning all cases of burning the pieces of fat and the limbs of sacrifices (i.
e. you may derive the general rule regarding all sacrifices).

34:26

‫ א ֶֶרץ ִחּטָה ּוׂשְע ָֹרה ְוגֶפֶן וְגֹו' (דברים ח') – ּודְ בָׁש הּוא‬,‫ַארצְָך‬
ְ ‫ׁשבַח‬
ֶ ‫ֲמּורים ְּב‬
ִ ‫ּׁש ְבעַת ַהּמִינִין ָהא‬
ִ ‫ ִמ‬.‫ראשית בכורי אדמתך‬
‫מָרים‬
ִ ְ‫ּדְ בַׁש ּת‬:

‫ ראשית בכורי אדמתך‬THE FIRST OF THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THY GROUND [THOU

SHALT BRING INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD THY GOD] — but only from the seven
kinds of produce which are mentioned as an excellency of thy land (Deuteronomy 8:8) “a land
of wheat and barley and vines etc (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:3). The ‫ דבש‬mentioned in this verse is
date honey (not that of bees).

‫ ֶאחָד ַל ֲאכִילָה ְו ֶאחָד ַל ֲהנָָאה ְו ֶאחָד לְאִּסּור ּבִּׁשּול‬,‫ַּתֹורה‬

ָ ‫ׁשֹלֹׁש ְפ ָעמִים ּכָתּוב ּב‬
ָ ‫ ְו‬,‫ ַאזְה ָָרה ְל ָבׂשָר ְב ָחלָב‬.‫לא תבשל גדי‬
)‫(חולין קט"ו‬:

‫ לא תבשל גדי‬THOU SHALT NOT SEETHE A KID [IN ITS MOTHER’S MILK] — This is a
prohibition to mix meat with milk. This is written three times in the Torah: once to prohibit
the eating of such mixture, once to prohibit us from deriving any other benefit (besides eating)
from it and once to prohibit the cooking of it (Chullin 115b; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:19).

‫ׁשּגְדִ י סְתָ ם ּכָל יֹונְקִ ים‬

ֶ ָ‫ּׁש ֻהצ ְַרְך ְלפ ֵָרׁש ְּב ַכ ָּמה ְמקֹומֹות "ּגְדִ י ִעּז ִים" ָלמַדְ ּת‬
ֶ ‫ וְַאף ֵעגֶל ָו ֶכבֶׂש; ִמ ַּמה‬,‫ׁשמָע‬
ְ ‫ ּכָל ָולָד ַרְך ְּב ַמ‬.‫גדי‬
)‫ ְּבמַׁשְמָע (שם קי"ג‬:

‫ גדי‬A KID — Any tender young animal is comprehended under the term ‫גדי‬, a calf and a lamb
also. From the fact that the writer felt it necessary to state specifically in several passages “a
kid of the goat” you may learn that the term ‫ גדי‬without further definition implies any suckling
(young animal) (Chullin 113a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:19).

)‫ַּתֹורה אֶ ּלָא מִּדִ ב ְֵרי סֹופ ְִרים (שם‬

ָ ‫ׁשאֵין אִּסּורֹו מִן ה‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשאֵין לֹו ָחלָב‬
ֶ ‫ ּפ ְָרט לָעֹוף‬.‫בחלב אמו‬:

‫ בחלב אמו‬IN THE MOTHER’S MILK — A fowl is therefore really excluded from this law
since it has no milk; for the prohibition regarding it (using it with milk) is not a Biblical law
but only an enactment of the Soferim (Chullin 113a).

34:27

)'‫ׁש ְּבעַל ּפֶה (גיטין ס‬

ֶ ‫ּתֹורה‬
ָ ‫ּׁשאי ִלכְּת ֹב‬
ַ ‫ וְֹלא אַּתָ ה ַר‬.‫את הדברים האלה‬:
‫[ את הדברים האלה‬WRITE THOU] THESE WORDS — These words, but you are not permitted
to write down the “Oral Law” (Gittin 60b).

34:29

‫ִּפּורים‬
ִ ‫ׁש ֵהבִיא לּוחֹות ַאחֲרֹונֹות ּבְיֹום ַהּכ‬
ֶ ‫ ְּכ‬.‫ויהי ברדת משה‬:

‫ ויהי ברדת משה‬AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN MOSES WENT DOWN [FROM MOUNT
SINAI] — when he brought the second tablets on the Day of Atonement.

,‫ׁשה ְלק ְַרנֵי הַהֹוד? ַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ָאמְרּו מִ ן הַּמְ ע ָָרה‬ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשהָאֹור ַמ ְבהִיק ּובֹולֵט ְּכמִין ק ֶֶרן; ּו ֵמהֵיכָן זָכָה מ‬
ֶ ,‫ לְׁשֹון ק ְַרנַי ִם‬.‫כי קרן‬
)‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְוׂשַּכ ֹתִ י ַכּפִי (תנחומא‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשּנָתַ ן ַהּקָדֹוׁש ּבָרּוְך הּוא י ָדֹו עַל ָּפנָיו‬
ֶ :

‫ כי קרן עור פניו‬THAT THE SKIN OF HIS FACE BEAMED — ‫ קרן‬is an expression connected
with the word ‫“ קרנים‬horns”, and the phrase, ‫קרן אור‬, the light-“horned” , is used here because
light radiates from a point and projects Like a horn. And whence was Moses privileged to
have the rays of glory? Our Rabbis said that they originated at the time when he was in the
cave, for the Holy One, blessed be He, then put His hand upon his face, as it is said, (Exodus
33:22) “And I will shelter thee with My hand” (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 37).

34:30

'‫ּומַראֵ ה ּכְבֹוד ה‬
ְ ?‫ׁשֹּלא ָפׁשְטּו י ְדֵ יהֶם ַּב ֲעב ֵָרה ַמהּו אֹומֵר‬ ֶ ‫ׁשעַד‬ֶ ‫ׁשל ֲעב ֵָרה‬
ֶ ‫ּור ֵאה ַּכ ָּמה גָדֹול ּכֹחָּה‬
ְ ‫ ּב ֹא‬.‫וייראו מגשת אליו‬
‫ּקַרנֵי‬
ְ ִ‫ּׁשעָׂשּו אֶת ָה ֵעגֶל ַאף מ‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ִמ‬,‫ְּכאֵׁש א ֹ ֶכלֶת ּבְר ֹאׁש ָההָר ְלעֵינֵי ְּבנֵי יִׂש ְָר ֵאל (שמות כ"ד ) – וְֹלא י ְֵראִים וְֹלא ִמז ְּדַ ְעזְעִים‬
)‫ׁשה הָיּו מ ְַרּתִ יעִים ּו ִמז ְּדַ ְעזְעִים (ספרי‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשל מ‬ ֶ ‫הֹודֹו‬:

‫ וייראו מגשת אליו‬AND THEY WERE AFRAID TO STEP NIGH UNTO HIM — Come and see
how great is the power (influence) of sin! For before they streched forth their hand to sin what
does Scripture say? (Exodus 24:17) “And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like
devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel”, — and yet they
were not afraid and did not tremble! But after they made the golden calf they recoiled and
trembled even at the sight of the rays of glory of Moses! (Sifrei Bamidbar 1:8)

34:31

‫ ּכְמֹו נְׂשִ יאֵ י ָהעֵדָ ה‬.‫הנשאים בעדה‬:

‫ הנשאים בעדה‬THE PRINCES IN THE CONGREGATION — is the same as the more usual
expression ‫נשיאי העדה‬, the princes of the congregation.

‫ ּולְׁשֹון הֹוֶה הּוא כָל ָה ִענְי ָן ַהּז ֶה‬,‫ׁשל ָמקֹום‬

ֶ ‫ׁשלִיחּותֹו‬
ְ .‫וידבר משה אלהם‬:

‫ וידבר משה אלהם‬AND MOSES SPOKE TO THEM the message of the Almighty. This whole
section (i. e. all the verbs in it) denotes frequentative action (thus ‫ וידבר‬means “Moses used to
say”, ‫ ויקרא‬meant “He used to call”, ‫ נגשו‬means “they used to come near” etc).

34:32

‫ׁשה אֹו ַה ֲה ָלכָה ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל; ּתָ נּו ַר ָּבנָן ּכֵיצַד סֵדֶ ר הַּמִׁשְ נָה? מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬ ָ ‫ חֹוז ֵר ּו ְמ ַלּמֵד ַהּפ ָָר‬,‫ׁש ִּלּמֵד ַלּז ְ ֵקנִים‬
ֶ ‫ ַאחַר‬.‫ואחרי כן נגשו‬
‫ ׁשָ נָה ָלהֶם‬,‫ נִ ְכנְסּו ָבנָיו‬,‫ׁשה‬ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשב לֹו ִלׂשְמ ֹאל מ‬ ַ ָ ‫ נִסְּתַ ּלֵק ַאהֲר ֹן ְוי‬,‫ׁשה ּפ ְִרקֹו‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשנָה לֹו מ‬ָ ‫ נִ ְכנַס ַאהֲר ֹן‬,‫ְבּורה‬
ָ ‫ָהי ָה ָלמֵד ִמּפִי ַהּג‬
‫ נִסְּתַ ּלְקּו‬,‫ׁשה ּפ ְִרקָ ם‬ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשנָה ָלהֶם מ‬ ָ ,‫ נִ ְכנְסּו ז ְ ֵקנִים‬,‫ׁשה ְואִיתָ מָר ִלׂשְמ ֹאל ַאהֲר ֹן‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשב ֶא ְל ָעז ָר לִימִין מ‬
ַ ָ ‫ י‬,‫ׁשה ּפ ְִרקָם נִסְּתַ ּלְקּו הֵן‬ ֶ ֹ‫מ‬
‫ ְּבי ַד ְּבנֵי‬,‫ ְּבי ַד ַהּז ְ ֵקנִים ׁשְ נַי ִם‬,‫ׁשה ּפ ְִרקָם; נִ ְמצָא ְּבי ַד ּכָל ָהעָם ֶאחָד‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשנָה ָלהֶם מ‬ָ ,‫ נִ ְכנְסּו ּכָל ָהעָם‬,‫ׁשבּו ַלּצְדָ דִ ין‬ ְ ָ ‫ז ְ ֵקנִים י‬
)‫ ּכִדְ אִיתָ א ְבעֵרּובִין (דף נ"ד‬.'‫ַאר ָּבעָה וְכּו‬ ְ ‫ ְּבי ַד ַאהֲר ֹן‬,‫ׁשה‬ָ ‫ׁשֹל‬ְ ‫ַאהֲר ֹן‬:

‫ ואחרי כן נגשו‬AND AFTERWARDS [THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] STEPPED NIGH —

After he (Moses) had taught the elders he used again to teach the section or the single Halacha
in question to the Israelites. The Rabbis have taught: How was the system of teaching? Moses
used to learn the law from the mouth of the Almighty; Aaron entered and Moses taught him
his lesson. Now Aaron moved away and took his seat to the left of Moses. Then his (Aaron’s)
sons entered and Moses taught them their lesson. They moved away and Eleazar took his seat
to the right of Moses, whilst Ithamar sat down at Aaron’s left. The elders then entered and
Moses taught them their lesson. The elders moved away and took their seat at the side. Finally
the whole people entered and Moses taught them their lesson. Consequently what was taught
came into the possession of the whole people once, into the possession of the elders twice,
into the possession of Aaron’s sons thrice and into Aaron’s possession four times etc. — as it
is stated in Eruvin 54b.

34:33

,)'‫ וְעֹוד ִּבכְתֻ ּבֹות (דף ס‬,‫ ּבַּתַ לְמּוד (כתובות ס"ב) ְסוִי ִלּבָּה‬,‫ לְׁשֹון א ֲַרּמִי הּוא‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּבֵית ַאּפֵי‬.‫ויתן על פניו מסוה‬
‫ ַאף ּכָאן ַמ ְסוֶה ֶּבגֶד ַהּנִּתָ ן ְּכנֶגֶד ַהּפ ְַרצּוף ּובֵית ָהעֵינַי ִם; ְו ִלכְבֹוד‬,‫ לְׁשֹון ַה ָּבטָה – ָהי ָה ִמסְּתַ ּכֵל ּבָּה‬,‫ֲהוָה קָא ַמ ְסוֵה ְל ַאּפָּה‬
‫ ּובְׁשָ עָה ׁשֶ הַּמָ קֹום‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה מְדַ ּבֵר עִם יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשעָה‬ ָ ‫ וְנֹוטְלֹו ְּב‬,‫ׁשֹּלא י ִּזֹונּו הַּכ ֹל ֵמהֶם – ָהי ָה נֹותֵ ן ַה ַּמ ְסוֶה ְּכנֶגְּדָ ן‬
ֶ – ‫קַרנֵי הַהֹוד‬
ְ
‫ ּו ְבצֵאתֹו יָצָא ּבְֹלא מַ ְסוֶה‬,‫נִדְ ּבָר עִּמֹו עַד צֵאתֹו‬:

‫ ויתן על פניו מסוה‬AND HE PUT A VEIL ON HIS FACE — Render it (‫ )מסוה‬as the Targum
does: ‫בית אפי‬, a cover for his face. ‫ מסוה‬is an Aramaic expression (from the root ‫סוי‬, “to look”).
It occurs in the Talmud (Ketubot 62b) “her heart perceived (‫)ּסוי‬, and again in Ketubot 60a “
‫”הוה קא מסוה לאפה‬, where ‫ מסוה‬is an expression for looking: “he looked into her face”, i. e. he
gazed at her. Here, too, ‫ מסוה‬denotes a cloth that was put in front of the face and of the region
of the eyes. And out of reverence for the “rays of glory” — that not everybody should feast
himself on them — Moses used to put the veil in front of them (the eyes), but took it off
during the time when he spoke to Israel, and during the time when the Omnipresent conversed
with him until the moment when he was going out and also when he went out he went out
without the veil.

34:34

‫ׁשהּוא מִ סְּתַ ּלֵק מֵ הֶם‬

ֶ ‫קַרנֵי הַהֹוד ְּב ָפנָיו; ּו ְכ‬
ְ ‫ ו ְָראּו‬.‫… ודבר אל בני ישראל‬

‫ ודבר אל בני ישראל … וראו‬AND HE SPOKE UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL… AND
THEY SAW the rays of glory on his face; and when he moved away from them ...

34:35

‫ׁשּבָא לְדַ ּבֵר אִּתֹו נֹוטְלֹו מֵ עַל ָּפנָיו‬

ֶ ‫ ּו ְכ‬.‫והשיב משה את המסוה על פניו עד באו לדבר אתו‬:

‫ והשיב משה את המסוה על פניו עד באו לדבר אתו‬MOSES REPLACED THE VEIL UPON HIS FACE
UNTIL HE CAME IN TO SPEAK WITH HIM — but when he came in to speak with Him he
took it off his face.
35:1

‫ אֶ ּלָא הֵן נֶאֱ ָספִין‬,‫ׁשאֵינֹו אֹוסֵף ֲאנָׁשִים ְּבּי ָדַ י ִם‬

ֶ ,‫ וְהּוא לְׁשֹון ִה ְפעִיל‬,‫ׁשּי ַָרד מִן ָההָר‬
ֶ ‫ִּפּורים ְּכ‬
ִ ‫ ְל ָמח ֳַרת יֹום ַהּכ‬.‫ויקהל משה‬
‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו וְַא ְכנֵיׁש‬,‫עַל ּפִי ּדִ ּבּורֹו‬:

‫ ויקהל משה‬AND MOSES ASSEMBLED [ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE

CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] — on the morrow after the Day of Atonement when he came down
from the mountain. It (the word ‫ )ויקהל‬is used in the verbal form that expresses the idea of
causing a thing to be done, because one does not actually assemble people with one’s hands,
but they are assembled by his command. The Targum therefore should be ‫( ואכניש‬not ‫ וכנש‬as
some editions have).

35:2

)‫ׁשאֵינֹו דֹוחֶה אֶת הַּׁשַ ּבָת (מכילתא‬

ֶ ‫ לֹומַר‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשּבָת ְלצִּוּוי ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ִּמ‬
ַ ‫ ִהקְּדִ ים ָלהֶם ַאזְה ַָרת‬.‫ששת ימים‬:

‫ ששת ימים‬SIX DAYS [MAY WORK BE DONE] — He intentionally mentioned to them the
prohibition in reference to the Sabbath before the command about the building of the
Tabernacle in order to intimate that it does not set aside (supersede) the Sabbath (cf. Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 35:1:1).

35:3

)'‫ ְוי ֵׁש אֹומ ְִרים ְל ַחּלֵק יָצָאת (שבת ע‬,‫ י ֵׁש מ ֵַרּבֹותֵ ינּו אֹומ ְִרים ַה ְבע ָָרה ְללָאו יָצָאת‬.‫לא תבערו אש‬:

‫ לא תבערו אש‬YE SHALL NOT KINDLE A FIRE [THROUGHOUT YOUR HABITATIONS

ON THEE SABBATH DAY] — There are some of our Rabbis who say that the law about
kindling fire is singled out (more lit., goes forth from the general proposition; i. e. it is
specially mentioned here although it is included in ‫לא תעשה כל מלאכה‬, the law prohibiting all
work on Sabbath) in order to constitute it a mere negative command (thus indicating that, like
all other negative commands, its infringement is punishable by lashes but does not make the
offender liable to death as does the doing of other work on Sabbath). Others, however, say
that it was singled out in order to separate the various kinds of work comprised in the term ‫כל‬
‫( מלאכה‬thus indicating that each transgression of the Sabbath law is to be atoned for separately
if several of them have been committed at the same time and under the same circumstances)
(cf. Shabbat 70a; Yevamot 6b; Sanhedrin 35b; cf. also Pesachim 5b).

35:4

‫ לִי לאמר ָלכֶם‬.'‫זה הדבר אשר צוה ה‬:

‫ זה הדבר אשד צוה ה׳‬THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED me, ‫ לאמר‬TO
TELL you.

35:5

‫ׁשּכָן ּו ְמלַאכְּתֹו ּבִמְ קֹום ַצּוָאתָ ן‬

ְ ‫ ְּכבָר ּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י נִדְ בַת ַה ִּמ‬.‫ קָרּוי נְדִ יב לֵב‬,‫ׁשּלִּבֹו נֹודְ בֹו‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם‬.‫נדיב לבו‬:

‫[ נדיב לבו‬WHOSOEVER] IS OF A WILLING HEART — Because his heart prompts one to

generosity, he is called ‫נדיב לב‬, one who is prompted to generosity by the heart. I have already
explained the various materials which formed the contribution towards the Tabernacle and the
work done for it in the passages where the commands about them were given.

35:11

‫ י ְִריעֹות הַּתַ חְּתֹונֹות ַהּנ ְִראֹות ּבְתֹוכֹו קְרּוי ִים מִׁשְ ּכָן‬.‫את המשכן‬:

‫ את המשכן‬THE TABERNACLE — The lower curtains which were visible within the building
are called ‫משכן‬.

‫ ֶהעָׂשּוי ְלגַג‬,‫ הִיא אֹהֶל י ְִריעֹות ִעּז ִים‬.‫את אהלו‬:

‫ את אהלו‬ITS TENT — this is the covering of goats’ skins which was made to serve as a
roofing.

‫ ִמ ְכסֵה עֹורֹות אֵילִים ְוהַּתְ חָׁשִ ים‬.‫ואת מכסהו‬:

‫ ואת מכסהו‬AND ITS COVERING — the covering of rams’ skins and tachash skins.

35:12

‫ ְוכֵן ַסכְּתָ ַבעֲדֹו (איוב‬,‫ קָרּוי ָמסְָך ּו ְסכְָך‬,‫ ּבֵין ִמ ְל ַמ ְעלָה ּבֵין ִמ ְּכנֶגֶד‬,‫ ּפָרֹכֶת ַה ְּמחִיצָה; ּכָל ּדָ בָר ַה ֵּמגֵן‬.‫ואת פרכת המסך‬
)'‫ ִהנְנִי סְָך אֶת ּדַ ְרּכְֵך (הושע ב‬,)'‫א‬:

‫ ואת פרכת המסך‬means THE CURTAIN OF (that serves for) PARTITIONING — Everything
that screens an object, whether it hangs above or in front of it is called ‫ ָמסְָך‬or ‫ ְסכְַך‬. Of similar
meaning are: (Job 1:10) “[Hast Thou not] put a partition in front of him?” (‫( ;)שכת = סכת‬Hosea
2:8) “Behold I will partition off (‫ )סך = שך‬thy way [with thorns]”.

35:13

‫ׁשהּוא עָׂשּוי ּכְמִ ין ּתֵ בָה פְרּוצָה‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשהָיּו לֹו ָּפנִים ְלכָאן ּו ְלכָאן‬
ֶ ‫ עַל ׁשֵם‬,‫ ְּכבָר ּפ ֵַרׁשְּתִ י‬.‫לחם הפנים‬:

‫ לחם הפנים‬THE SHOW BREAD — I have already explained (Exodus 25:29) that it was so
called because it had two faces turning in this direction and in that, because it was made like a
case open on two sides.

35:14

‫ ֶמלְקָ ַחי ִם ּומַ חְּתֹות‬.‫ואת כליה‬:

‫ ואת כליה‬AND ITS VESSELS — the tongs and snuff-dishes.

‫ּׁשמֶן ְו ַהּפְתִ ילֹות נְתּונִין ָּבהֶן‬

ֶ ‫ׁש ַה‬
ֶ ‫ ָּבז ִיכִים‬,‫ לוצי"יש ְּב ַלעַז‬.‫נרתיה‬:

‫ נרתיה‬ITS LAMPS — luces in old French — bowls into which the oil and the wicks were
placed.

‫ מְ ג ְַרּגְרֹו‬,)‫ׁש ְּמפ ָֹרׁש ִּב ְמנָחֹות (דף פ"ו‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁש ָמנִים‬
ְ ‫ּׁשָאר‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנֶה ִמ‬
ֻ ‫ׁשהּוא ְמ‬
ֶ ,‫ ַאף הּוא צ ִָריְך ַח ְכמֵי לֵב‬.‫ואת שמן המאור‬
‫ וְהּוא ּכָתִ ית ְוז ְַך‬,‫בְר ֹאׁש ַהּזַי ִת‬:
‫ ואת שמן המאר‬AND THE OIL ALSO FOR THE LIGHT — This also required wise-hearted
men for preparing it (and therefore Scripture mentions it also after its statement v. 10 “And
every wise hearted man … shall make…”), for it was different from other oils, as it is
explained in Menachot 86a: he lets it (the olive) ripen on the top of the olive-tree etc. and thus
it (the oil) is “beaten and yet clear” as Scripture prescribes (Exodus 27:20).

35:15

‫ׁשֹּלא הָיּו ׁשָם ק ְָרׁשִים וְֹלא י ְִריעֹות‬

ֶ ,‫ׁש ִּל ְפנֵי ַה ִּמז ְָרח‬
ֶ ‫ וִילֹון‬.‫מסך הפתח‬:

‫ מסך הפתח‬THE SCREEN FOR THE ENTRANCE — the curtain that was in front of the east
side of the Tabernacle, for there were neither boards nor curtains there.

35:17

‫ ְוכֵן ּדְ ב ִָרים ה ְַרּבֵה‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי ָחצֵר קָרּוי ּכָאן לְׁשֹון זָכָר ּולְׁשֹון נְ ֵקבָה‬.‫את עמדיו ואת אדניה‬:

‫ את עמדיו ואת אדניה‬ITS COLUMNS AND ITS SOCKETS — ‫ עמדיו‬has a masculine and ‫ אדניה‬a
feminine suffix; thus ‫ חצר‬is here used as (lit., called) masculine and feminine noun. Similar it
is with many things (cf. Rashi on Genesis 32:9).

– ‫ׁש ָהי ָה חֲמִּׁשִ ים רֹחַב‬

ֶ – ‫ׁשל רֹחַב ֶה ָחצֵר‬ ֶ ‫ וִילֹון ּפָרּוׂש ְלצַד ַה ִּמז ְָרח ֶעׂש ְִרים ַאּמָה ֶא ְמ ָצעִּיֹות‬.‫ואת מסך שער החצר‬
‫ ַו ֲחמֵׁש ֶעׂש ְֵרה ַא ָּמה קְ ָלעִים ַלּכָתֵ ף‬,‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר‬
ֶ ,‫ ְוכֵן לַּדָ רֹום‬,‫ּוסְתּומִין הֵי ֶמּנּו ְלצַד צָפֹון ט"ו אַ ָּמה‬:

‫ ואת מסך שער החצר‬AND THE SCREEN FOR THE GATE OF THE ENCLOSURE — the
curtain which was hanging on the east side covering the twenty middle cubits in the width of
the enclosure which latter was fifty cubits wide. Of this fifteen cubits on the north side were
closed by hangings and so, too, on the south side, as it is said, (Exodus 27:14, 15) “The
hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits … [and on the other side shall be
hangings fifteen cubits]”.

35:18

‫ ׁשֶ ֹּלא י ָנּועּו ּבָרּו ַח‬,‫ָָארץ‬

ֶ ‫ לִתְ ק ֹ ַע ְו ִלקְׁשֹור ָּבהֶם סֹופֵי ַהי ְִריעֹות ּב‬.‫יתדת‬:

‫ יתדת‬THE PINS — in order to insert them into the ground and to fasten thereby the edges of
the curtains that they should not be moved about by the wind.

‫ ֲח ָבלִים לִקְׁש ֹר‬.‫מיתריהם‬:

‫ מיתריהם‬THEIR CORDS to bind with.

35:19

‫ׁשעַת סִּלּוק מַ ּסָעֹות‬

ְ ‫נֹורה ְו ַה ִּמזְּבְחֹות ִּב‬
ָ ‫ ַה ְּמ‬,‫ּׁש ְלחָן‬
ֻ ‫ ְלכַּסֹות הָָארֹון ְו ַה‬.‫בגדי השרד‬:

‫ בגדי השרד‬THE KNITTED GARMENTS — to cover up the Ark, the table, the candelabrum
and the altars at the time of removing and packing up the articles in the Tabernacle when they
set out on their journeyings.
35:22

(‫ עִם ַהּנָׁשִים ּוסְמּוכִין אֲ לֵיהֶן‬.‫)על הנשים‬:

‫ על הנשים‬means with the women and closely following them.

‫ וְהּוא ַהּצָמִ יד‬,ַ‫ נָתּון עַל ַהּז ְרֹוע‬,‫ׁשל זָהָב עָג ֹל‬
ֶ ‫ הּוא ּתַ ְכׁשִיט‬.‫חח‬:

‫ חח‬is a circular golden ornament placed upon the arm; it is the ‫ צמיד‬which is often mentioned
in Scripture (cf. e. g., Numbers 31:50).

)‫ ּכָאן ְמקֹום ז ִּמָ ה (שבת ס"ד‬,‫ ו ְַרּבֹותֵ ינּו ּפ ְֵרׁשּו ׁשֵם ּכּומָז‬,‫ּׁש ה‬
ָ ‫ ְּכלִי זָהָב הּוא נָתּון ְּכנֶגֶד אֹותֹו ָמקֹום ָל ִא‬.‫וכומז‬:

‫ כומז‬was a golden ornament worn by the women upon their private parts, Our Rabbis explain
the name ‫ ּכּומָז‬as [an acrostic]: ‫ּכַאן ְמקֹום ז ִ ָּמה‬, [meaning] here is the place of licentiousness. (cf.
Shabbat 64a).

35:23

‫ׁשנִי אֹו עֹורֹות אֵילִים אֹו ּתְ חָׁשִ ים ֻּכּלָם ֵהבִיאּו‬

ָ ‫ַאר ָּגמָן אֹו תֹו ַלעַת‬
ְ ‫ ּתְ ֵכלֶת אֹו‬.‫וכל איש אשר נמצא אתו‬:

‫ וכל איש אשר נמצא אתו‬AND EVERY MAN WITH WHOM WAS FOUND blue purple, or red
purple, or crimson, or rams’ skins, or tachash skins — all of them brought whatever they had.

35:26

)‫ׁש ֵּמעַל ַּגּבֵי ָה ִעּז ִים טֹווִין אֹותָ ם (שבת ע"ד‬

ֶ ,‫ הִיא ָהי ְתָ ה ָאּמָנּות י ְתֵ ָרה‬.‫טוו את העזים‬:

‫[ טוו את העזים‬AND THE WOMEN] SPUN THE GOATS’ HAIR (lit., the goats) — This
required extraordinary skill, for they spun it (the goats’ hair) from off the backs of the goats
(whilst it was still on the living animals) (Shabbat 99a).

35:27

‫ׁשּכָן ֹלא הִתְ נַּדְ בּו‬

ְ ‫ ָמה ָראּו נְׂשִיאִים ְלהִתְ נַּדֵ ב ַּב ֲחנֻּכַת ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ּבַּתְ ִחּלָה ּו ִב ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ִּמ‬:‫ ָאמַר ַר' נָתָ ן‬.‫והנשאם הביאו‬
‫ ּכֵיוָן ׁשֶ הִׁשְ לִימּו‬,‫ׁשלִימִין אֹותֹו‬ ְ ‫ ָאנּו ַמ‬,‫ּׁש ְּמ ַחּס ְִרים‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ַמה‬,‫ּׁשּמִתְ נַּדְ בִין‬
ֶ ‫ י ִתְ נַּדְ בּו צִּבּור ַמה‬,‫ּבַּתְ ִחּלָה? ֶאּלָא ּכְָך ָאמְרּו נְׂשִיאִים‬
‫ ְלכְָך‬,'‫ׁשּנֶ' ְו ַה ְּמלָאכָה ָהי ְתָ ה דַ ּי ָם – ָאמְרּו נְׂשִיאִים ֶמה ָעלֵינּו ַלעֲׂשֹות? הביאו את אבני השהם וְגֹו‬ ֶ – ‫צִּבּור אֶת הַּכ ֹל‬
)‫ׂשאִם ּכְתִ יב (ספרי‬ ִ ְ‫ ְו ַהּנ‬,‫ּׁשמָם‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנִתְ ַעּצְלּו מִּתְ ִחּלָה נֶ ְחס ְָרה אֹות ִמ‬ ֶ ‫ ּו ְלפִי‬,‫ הִתְ נַּדְ בּו ַּב ֲחנֻּכַת ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח ּתְ ִחּלָה‬:

‫ והנשאם הביאו‬AND THE PRINCES BROUGHT [ONYX STONES] R. Nathan asked, “What
reason had the princes to give their contributions at the dedication of the altar (Numbers
7:12ff.) first of all the people, whereas at the work of the Tabernacle they were not the first,
but the last to contribute?” But — replied he — the princes spoke thus: “Let the community in
general contribute all they with to give and what will then be lacking we shall supply” But
when the community gave everything needed in its entirety — as it is said, (Exodus 36:7)
“For the stuff they had was enough [for all the work to make it, and some was left]” — the
princes asked, “What can we now do?” therefore ‫ הביאו את אבני השהם וגו׳‬THEY BROUGHT
THE ONYX STONES etc. That is why they were the first to contribute at the consecration of
the altar. Because, however, they were dilatory at the beginning, a letter is missing here from
their title (thus intimating that something, viz., zeal was lacking in them): for it is written
‫ והנשאם‬instead of ‫( והנשיאים‬Numbers Rabbah 12:16).

35:30

‫מִרי ָם ָהי ָה‬

ְ ‫ ְּבנָּה ׁשֶ ל‬.‫חור‬:

‫ חור‬HUR was the son the Miriam (Sotah 11b; cf. Rashi on Exodus 24:14).

35:34

‫ׁשוָהּו ַה ָּמקֹום ִל ְב ַצ ְל ֵאל ִל ְמלֶאכֶת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן וְהּוא‬

ְ ‫ּׁשפָחֹות – ְו ִה‬
ְ ‫ּׁש ָבטִים – ִמ ְּבנֵי ַה‬
ְ ‫ׁש ַּב‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשבֶט ּדָ ן מִן ַהי ְרּודִ ין‬
ֵ ‫ ִמ‬.‫ואהליאב‬
)‫ּׁשּנֶ' וְֹלא נִּכַר ׁשֹו ַע ִל ְפנֵי דָ ל (איוב ל"ד‬ ֶ ‫ ְל ַקּי ֵם ַמה‬,‫ּׁש ָבטִים‬
ְ ‫ ִמּגְדֹולֵי ַה‬:

‫ ואהליאב‬AND OHOLIAB — he was of the tribe of Dan, of one of the lowest of the tribes, of
the sons of the handmaids, and yet the Omnipresent placed him with regard to the work of the
Tabernacle on a level with Bezalel although he was a member of one of the noble tribes
(Judah)! in order to confirm what Scripture says, (Job 34:19) “He regardeth not the rich more
than the poor” (Midrash Tanchuma 2:10:13).

36:5

‫ יֹותֵ ר ִמּכְדֵ י צ ֶֹרְך ָהעֲבֹודָ ה‬.‫מדי העבדה‬:

‫ מדי העבדה‬means more than is sufficient for the needs of the work.

36:6

‫ לְׁשֹון מְ נִיעָה‬.‫ויכלא‬:

‫ ויכלא‬is an expression for withholding.

36:7

‫ ַלעֲׂשֹות‬,‫ׁשל מִׁשְ ּכָן‬

ֶ ‫ ְלכָל ַה ְּמלָאכָה‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשל עֹוׂשֵי ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ְמלֶאכֶת ַה ֲהבָָאה ָהי ְתָ ה דַ ּי ָם‬.‫והמלאכה היתה דים לכל המלאכה‬
‫אֹותָ ּה ּולְהֹותֵ ר‬:

‫( והמלאכה היתה דים‬lit., and the work was their sufficiency — was enough for them — for all the
work) — this means the work of contributing was the sufficiency of (was enough for) the
workers at the Tabernacle, for all the work connected with the Tabernacle to make it and even
to leave some over.

)'‫ ְוהַּכֹות אֶת מֹוָאב (מלכים ב ג‬,)'‫ ּכְמֹו ְו ַה ְכּבֵד אֶת לִּבֹו (שמות ח‬.‫והותר‬:

‫ והותר‬is an infinitive similar to, (Exodus 8:11) “[But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite]
he allowed his heart to be hardened (‫( ;”)והכבד‬2 Kings 3:24) “and they smote (‫ )והכות‬Moab”
(infinitives used in perfect sense).

37:1
)‫ נִק ְֵראת עַל ׁשְמֹו (שמות רבה‬,‫ּׁשָאר ֲח ָכמִים‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנָתַ ן נַפְׁשֹו עַל ַה ְּמלָאכָה יֹותֵ ר ִמ‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬.‫ויעש בצלאל‬:

‫ ויעש בצלאל‬AND BEZALEL MADE [THE ARK] — Because he gave himself over to the
work more whole-heartedly than the other wise men it is called after his name (his name alone
is associated with the act) (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 10).

38:7

)‫ַארּבַע אֶ ְצּבָעֹות נָבּוב (ירמיהו נ"ב‬

ְ ‫ ְוכֵן ְו ָעבְיֹו‬,‫ נָבּוב הּוא חָלּול‬.‫נבוב לחת‬:

‫ נבוב לחות‬HOLLOW WITH TABLETS — ‫ נבוב‬signifies hollow, similar to, (Jeremiah 52:21)
“And the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow (‫”)נבוב‬.

‫ ְו ֶה ָחלָל ּבָאֶמְ צַע‬,ַ‫ׁשּטִים ְלכָל רּוח‬

ִ ‫ׁשל ֲעצֵי‬
ֶ ‫ הַּלּוחֹות‬.‫נבוב לחת‬:

‫ — נבוב לחת‬The word ‫ נבוב‬being in the construct state and subordinate to ‫ לחות‬the meaning of
the verse is: He made it (the altar) out of the hollow space formed by the tablets i. e. the
planks of Shittim wood mentioned in v. 1 were oil all sides and the hollow space in the middle
(thus the hollow space itself — which was filled with earth — formed the altar. Unlike the
golden altar it had no roof; cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:8).

38:8

‫ וְַאף אֹותָ ן ֹלא ִעּכְבּו מִ ְּל ָהבִיא ְלנִדְ בַת‬,‫ׁשהֵן מִתְ ַקּׁשְטֹות‬ ֶ ‫ ּבְנֹות יִׂש ְָר ֵאל הָיּו ְבי ָדָ ן מ ְַראֹות ׁשֶרֹואֹות ָּבהֶן ְּכ‬.‫במראת הצבאת‬
‫ ׁשֶ עַל‬,‫ ּכִי ֵאּלּו ֲחבִיבִין ָעלַי מִ ן הַּכ ֹל‬,‫ ָאמַר לֹו ַה ָּקּבָ"ה ַקּבֵל‬,‫ׁשעֲׂשּוי ִם ְליֵצֶר ה ָָרע‬ ֶ ‫ׁשה ָּבהֶן ִמ ְּפנֵי‬ֶ ֹ ‫ ְו ָהי ָה מֹואֵס מ‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ַה ִּמ‬
‫ הָיּו הֹולְכֹות ּומֹולִיכֹות ָלהֶם מַ אֲ כָל‬,‫ׁשהָיּו ַב ְעלֵיהֶם יְגֵעִים ַּבעֲבֹודַ ת ּפ ֶֶרְך‬ ֶ ‫י ְדֵ יהֶם ֶה ֱעמִידּו ַהּנָׁשִים ְצבָאֹות ַרּבֹות ְּב ִמצ ְַרי ִם; ְּכ‬
‫ לֹומַר אֲ נִי‬,‫ ּו ְמׁשַּדַ לְּתֹו בִדְ ב ִָרים‬,‫ ְוכָל ַאחַת רֹוָאה ַע ְצ ָמּה עִם ַּב ְעלָּה ַּבּמ ְַרָאה‬,‫ ּו ַמ ֲאכִילֹות אֹותָ ם וְנֹוטְלֹות ַהּמ ְַראֹות‬,‫ּו ִמׁשְּתֶ ה‬
‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּתַ חַת הַּתַ ּפּו ַח‬
ֶ ,‫ ּומִּתֹוְך ּכְָך ְמבִיאֹות ְל ַב ְעלֵיהֶן לִידֵ י תַ ֲאוָה ְונִז ְ ָקקֹות ָלהֶם ּומִתְ ַעּבְרֹות וְיֹולְדֹות ׁשָם‬,‫נָָאה ִמּמְָך‬
‫ׁשלֹום ּבֵין אִ יׁש לְאִׁשְּתֹו‬ ָ ‫ׁשהּוא לָׂשּום‬ ֶ ,‫ׂשה ַהּכִּיֹור ֵמהֶם‬ ָ ‫ ְונַ ֲע‬.‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְּבמ ְַרא ֹת הַּצֹובְאֹות‬ ֶ ‫ ְוז ֶה‬,) '‫עֹור ְרּתִ יָך (שיר השירים ח‬ ַ
‫ׁשה ֲֵרי נֶ ֱאמַר ּונְח ֹׁשֶת הַּתְ נּופָה‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשהֵן מ ְַראֹות ַמּמָׁש‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ִּקּנֵא לָּה ַּב ְעלָּה ְונִסְּתְ ָרה; וְתֵ דַ ע לְָך‬
ֶ ‫ׁשּבְתֹוכֹו ְלמִי‬ ֶ ‫ׁשקֹות ִמ ַּמי ִם‬ ְ ‫– ְל ַה‬
‫ ּכְָך‬,‫ׁשל ּכִּיֹור ִמּנְחֹׁשֶת הַּתְ נּופָה‬ ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה נְחֹׁשֶת‬ ֶ ָ‫ ָלמַדְ ּת‬,‫ ְוכִּיֹור ְוכַּנֹו ֹלא ֻהזְּכְרּו ׁשָם‬,‫ ַוּיַעַׂש ּבָּה וְגֹומֵר‬,'‫ׁש ְבעִים ִּכּכָר וְגֹו‬ ִ
‫ ְוכֵן ָמצִינּו ְו ַה ִּגלְיֹונִים‬.‫ מירוריי"ש ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ׁשל מ ְַראֹות‬ ֶ ‫ׁשי ָא וְהּוא תַ ְרּגּום‬ ַ ְ‫ ְוכֵן ּתִ ְרּגֵם ֻאנְ ְקלֹוס ְּב ֶמ ְחזְי ָת נ‬,‫ּדָ ַרׁש ַרּבִי ּתַ נְחּו ָמא‬
‫(ישעיה ג') – מְתַ ְרּגְמִ ינָן מֶ ְחזְי ָתָ א‬:

‫ במראת הצבאת‬OF THE MIRRORS OF THE WOMEN CROWDING — The Israelitish women
possessed mirrors of copper into which they used to look when they adorned themselves.
Even these did they not hesitate to bring as a contribution towards the Tabernacle. Now
Moses was about to reject them since they were made to pander to their vanity, but the Holy
One, blessed be He, said to him, “Accept them; these are dearer to Me than all the other
contributions, because through them the women reared those huge hosts in Egypt!” For when
their husbands were tired through the crushing labour they used to bring them food and drink
and induced them to eat. Then they would take the mirrors, and each gazed at herself in her
mirror together with her husband, saying endearingly to him, “See, I am handsomer than
you!” Thus they awakened their husbands’ affection and subsequently became the mothers of
many children, at it is said, (Song 8:5) “I awakened thy love under the apple-tree”, (referring
to the fields where the men worked). This is what it refers to when it states, ‫“ מראות הצבאת‬the
mirrors of the women who reared the hosts (‫( ”)צבאות‬Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 9). And it
was for this reason that the laver was made of them (the mirrors) — because it served the
purpose of promoting peace between man and wife viz., by giving of its waters to be drunk by
a woman whose husband had shown himself jealous of her and who nevertheless had
associated with another (cf. Numbers ch. V) thus affording her an opportunity to prove her
innocence (cf. Sotah 15b). You may know that the ‫ מראות‬mentioned in the text were really
mirrors (and that the word does not mean visions, or appearance, etc.), for it is said, (v. 29)
“And the copper of the wave-offering was seventy talents etc. … and therewith he made [the
sockets etc.]” — the laver, however, and its base are not mentioned there amongst the articles
made from that copper; hence you may learn that the copper of which the laver was made was
not a part of the copper of the weave-offering, which is the only copper mentioned as having
been contributed by the people. Thus did R. Tanchuma 2:11:9 explain the term ‫מראת הצבאת‬.
And so does Onkelos also render it: ‫במחזית נשיא‬, and this first word is the Targum translation
of ‫מראות‬, in the sense of mireors in old French, for we find that for the word (Isaiah 3:23)
“And the ‫”גליונים‬, which are mirrors, we have in the Targum the same word ‫מחזיתא‬.

‫ ְל ָהבִיא נִדְ בָתָ ן‬.‫אשר צבאו‬:

‫[ אשר צבאו‬THE WOMEN] WHO CAME IN CROWDS to bring their contribution.

38:18

‫ ְּכמִּדַ ת קַ ְלעֵי ֶה ָחצֵר‬.‫לעמת קלעי החצר‬:

‫[ לעמת קלעי החצר‬AND THE SCREEN…] ANSWERING TO THE HANGINGS OF THE

ENCLOSURE — i. e. according to the measure of the height of the hangings of the enclosure.

38:21

‫ ְונִמְנּו כָל ֵּכלָיו ְלכָל עֲבֹודָ תֹו‬,‫ ַל ֶּכסֶף ְו ַלּזָהָב ְו ַלּנְחֹׁשֶת‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬

ְ ‫ׁש ְקלֵי נִדְ בַת ַה ִּמ‬
ְ ‫ׁשה זֹו נִ ְמנּו כָל ִמ‬
ָ ‫ ְּבפ ָָר‬.‫אלה פקודי‬:

‫ אלה פקודי‬THESE ARE THE SUMS [OF THE TABERNCLE] — In this section are
enumerated all the weights of the metals given as a contribution for the Tabernacle, of silver,
gold and copper, and also there are enumerated the vessels used for every kind of service in it.

)‫ׁשל יִׂש ְָראֵ ל (תנחומא‬

ֶ ‫ׁשנֵי ח ְֻר ָּבנִין עַל עֲֹונֹותֵ יהֶן‬
ְ ‫ׁשּכֵן ִּב‬
ְ ‫ׁשּנִתְ ַמ‬
ֶ ‫ ֶרמֶז ַל ִּמקְדָ ׁש‬,‫ׁשנֵי ְפ ָעמִים‬
ְ .‫המשכן משכן‬:

‫ המשכן משכן‬OF THE TABERNACLE, EVEN OF THE TABERNACLE — The word ‫ משכן‬is
mentioned here twice in allusion to the Temple that was taken in pledge (‫ — )משכן‬as it were
— (as a security for Israel’s repentance) by being twice destroyed for Israel’s iniquities
(Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 5).

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ִהׁש ְָרה ׁשְ כִינָתֹו ּבֵינֵיהֶם‬

ֶ ,‫ׂשה ָה ֵעגֶל‬
ֵ ‫ׁשּוִּתֵ ר ָלהֶם ַה ָּקּבָ"ה עַל ַמ ֲע‬
ֶ ‫ עֵדּות ְליִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬.‫משכן העדת‬:

‫ משכן העדת‬THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY — The Tabernacle was a testimony

to Israel that God had shown Himself indulgent to them in respect to the incident of the
golden calf, for through the Temple He made His Shechinah dwell amongst them (Midrash
Tanchuma, Pekudei 6).

‫ אִיׁש אִ יׁש לְמַּׂשָ אֹו‬,‫ְהֹוריד ּו ְל ָהקִים‬

ִ ‫ׂשאת ּול‬ ֵ ‫ְסּורה ַל ְל ִוי ִם ַּבּמִדְ ּבָר – ָל‬
ָ ‫ׁשּכָן ְו ֵכלָיו הִיא עֲבֹודָ ה ַהּמ‬
ְ ‫ ּפְקּודֵ י ַה ִּמ‬.‫עבדת הלוים‬
‫ ּכְמֹו ׁשֶ ָאמּור ְּבפָ' נָׂש ֹא‬,‫ ַה ֻּמ ְפקָד ָעלָיו‬:

‫ עבדת הלוים‬THE SERVICE OF THE LEVITES — The things in the Tabernacle which were
counted and its vessels constituted the service entrusted to the Levites in the wilderness — to
carry them, to take them down and to set them up, each man according to the burden which
was assigned to him, as is set forth in the section ‫( נשא‬Numbers 4).

‫ הּוא ָהי ָה ָּפקִיד ֲעלֵיהֶם ִלמְס ֹר ְלכָל ּבֵית ָאב עֲבֹודָ ה ׁשֶ ָעלָיו‬.‫ביד איתמר‬:

‫ ביד איתמר‬BY THE HAND OF ITHAMAR — He was the officer appointed over them (the
Levites) with the duty to hand over to each “house of the father” (‫ )בית אב‬the service that
devolved upon it.

38:22

‫ אֶ ּלָא ּכָל אֲׁשֶר ִצּוָה ה' אֶת‬,‫ׁשה אֵין ּכְתִ יב ּכָאן‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ֲאׁשֶר ִצּוָה מ‬.‫ובצלאל בן אורי וגו' עשה את כל אשר צוה ה' את משה‬
‫ׁשה ִצּוָה ִל ְב ַצ ְל ֵאל ַלעֲׂשֹות ּתְ ִחּלָה‬ֶ ֹ ‫ ּכִי מ‬,‫ׁשה ְּבסִינַי‬
ֶ ֹ ‫ּׁש ּנֶ ֱאמַר לְמ‬
ֶ ‫ ִה ְסּכִי ָמה ּדַ עְּתֹו ְל ַמה‬,‫ׁשֹּלא ָאמַר לֹו ַרּבֹו‬
ֶ ‫ ֲאפִּלּו ּדְ ב ִָרים‬,‫ׁשה‬
ֶ ֹ‫מ‬
‫ ָאמַר לֹו ּכְָך‬.‫ ָאמַר לֹו ְּב ַצ ְל ֵאל ִמנְהַג עֹולָם ַלעֲׂשֹות ּתְ ִחּלָה ַּבי ִת וְַאחַר ּכְָך ֵמׂשִים ֵּכלִים ּבְתֹוכֹו‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬ ְ ‫ֵּכלִים וְַאחַר ּכְָך ִמ‬
‫ׁשּכָן ּתְ ִחּלָה וְַאחַר ּכְָך עָׂשָ ה‬
ְ ‫ׂשה ַה ִּמ‬ָ ‫ ְוכֵן ָע‬,‫ ּכִי ְּבוַּדַ אי ּכְָך ִצּוָה לִי הקב"ה‬, ָ‫ׁשה ְּבצֵל אֵ ל ָהי ִית‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ָאמַר לֹו מ‬.‫ׁשָ ַמעְּתִ י ִמּפִי הקב"ה‬
‫ ַה ֵּכלִים‬:

‫ ובצלאל בן אורי וגו׳ עשה את כל אשר צוה ה' את משה‬AND BEZALEEL THE SON OF URI etc.
MADE ALL THAT THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES — It is not stated here: ‫אשר ֻצּוָה‬
(Bezaleel made all that he had been commanded), but “[Bezaleel made] all that the Lord
commanded Moses” — even regarding such things which his teacher (Moses) did not tell
him, his own opinion was in agreement with what had been told to Moses on Sinai (Jerusalem
Talmud Peah 1:1; Bereishit Rabbah 1:14). [For Moses bade Bezaleel lo make the vessels first
and the Tabernacle afterwards but Bezaleel said to him: “Surely, it is the way of the world
(the usual way) first to build a house and then to place the household utensils in it!” He
(Moses) replied to him: “So, indeed, did I hear from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be
He”. Moses further said to him: (‫)בצלאל‬, you must have been sitting in the shadow of God (
‫)בצל אל‬, for certainly did thus God command me!” And consequently Bezaleel made the
Tabernacle first and afterwards he made the vessels (cf. Berakhot 55a).

38:24

‫ׁשל ק ֹדֶ ׁש ׁשְ ֹלׁשֶת‬ ֶ ‫ ה ֲֵרי ִּכּכָר‬,‫ ְו ַה ָּמנֶה כ"ה ְס ָלעִים‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי ַה ִּכּכָר ק"כ ָמנֶה‬,‫ׁשל ק ֹדֶ ׁש ּכָפּול ָהי ָה‬
ֶ ‫ ּו ָמנֶה‬,‫ׁשּׁשִים ָמנֶה‬
ִ .‫ככר‬
‫ׁשאֵין מַ ּגִיעִין ְל ִכּכָר‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּפְחּותִ ין ְּב ִמנְיָנָם מִג' ֲא ָלפִים‬
ֶ ‫ּׁש ָקלִים‬
ְ ‫ ְלפִיכְָך ָמנָה ִּבפְרֹוטְרֹוט ּכָל ַה‬,‫ׁש ָקלִים‬ְ ‫ ֲא ָלפִים‬:

‫[ ככר‬TWENTY NINE] TALENTS — A common kikkar contains sixty common manehs, and
the maneh of the Sanctuary (that used for purposes connected with the Temple) was double
the common maneh. Consequently the kikkar here mentioned was 120 common manehs. Now
a common maneh contained 25 Sela’im (or shekels), and the kikkar of the Sanctuary equals
three thousand shekels. That is why Scripture counts (mentions the number of) all the shekels
that are fewer than 3,000 as a separate item, because these do not together amount to a kikkar
(cf. Bekhorot 5a).

38:26

‫ּׁשקֶ ל‬
ֶ ‫ׁשל מַ ֲחצִית ַה‬
ֶ ‫ׁש ָקל‬
ְ ‫ הּוא ׁשֵם ִמ‬.‫בקע‬:

‫( בקע‬from ‫ ּבָקַע‬to split) is the name given to a weight of half a shekel.

 ‫ וְַאף עַּתָ ה ְּבנִדְ בַת הַּמִׁשְ ּכָן‬,‫ׁשּכָן ְּב ֵספֶר ַוי ְדַ ּבֵר‬
ְ ‫ׁשהּוקַם ַה ִּמ‬ ֶ ‫ ְוכְָך ָעלָה ִמנְיָנָם ַאחַר‬,‫ ּכְָך הָיּו יִׂש ְָר ֵאל‬.'‫לשש מאות אלף וגו‬
‫ ּכֵיצַד? ׁשֵׁש‬,‫ׁש ָקלִים‬ ְ ‫ׁשֹלׁשֶת ֲא ָלפִים‬ ְ ‫ׁשל‬ ֶ ‫ ּכָל ֶאחָד‬,‫ׁשל ׁשֵׁש ֵמאֹות אֶ לֶף עֹולֶה ְמַאת ִּכּכָר‬ ֶ ‫ּׁש ָקלִים‬ְ ‫ ּו ִמנְי ַן ֲח ָצאֵי ַה‬,‫ּכְָך הָיּו‬
‫ּׁשֹלׁשֶת ֲא ָלפִים וְה' ֵמאֹות ַו ֲח ִמּׁשִים ֲחצָאִ ים עֹולִים‬ ְ ‫ ְו ַה‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי ְמַאת ִּכּכָר‬,‫ׁש ֵלמִים‬
ְ ‫ׁשֹלׁש ֵמאֹות ֶאלֶף‬ ְ ‫מֵ אֹות ֶאלֶף ֲח ָצאִין ה ֲֵרי הֵן‬
‫ ֶאלֶף וְז' ֵמאֹות וְע"ה ׁשְ קָ לִים‬:

‫ לשש מאות אלף וגו׳‬FOR SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND [AND THREE THOUSAND etc.] —
Thus were the Israelites in number, and thus did their number amount to after the Tabernacle
was set up, as it is stated in the Book of Numbers (ch. II), and at this time, also, when they
contributed toward the Tabernacle they were just as many (cf. Rashi on Exodus 30:16). The
half-shekels of 600,000 amount to a hundred talents, each talents consisting of three thousand
shekels (cf. v. 25). How is this? 600,000 half-shekels are 300,000 whole shekels, making one
hundred talents and the remaining 3550 half-shekels make 1775 whole shekels, as stated in
the text.

38:27

‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו לְאַּתָ כָא‬.‫לצקת‬:

‫ לצקת‬means as the Targum has it: ‫לאתכא‬, TO CAST.

‫ ְוכָל ׁשְ ָאר‬,‫ ה ֲֵרי מֵ ָאה‬,‫ַאר ָּבעָה‬

ְ ‫ וְַאדְ נֵי ַהּפָרֹכֶת‬,‫שהֵם מ"ח ק ְָרׁשִים ְו ָלהֶן צ"ו אֲדָ נִים‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ׁשל ק ְַרׁשֵי ַה ִּמ‬
ֶ .‫את אדני הקדש‬
‫ ָהאֲדָ נִים נְח ֹׁשֶת ּכָתּוב ָּבהֶם‬:

‫ את אדני הקדש‬THE SOCKETS OF THE SANCTUARY — i. e. of the boards of the Tabernacle

(the Sanctuary) which were forty-eight boards, and for these ninety-six sockets were required.
The sockets for the partition vail were four in number, so we have altogether one hundred. As
regards all the other sockets (those of the enclosure and of the vail at its entrance) they are not
taken into account here, because “copper” was written concerning them (Scripture prescribes
that they were to be of copper).

38:28

‫ׁש ְּב ֻכּלָן ּכְתִ יב ְוצִּפּוי ָראׁשֵיהֶם ַוחֲׁשֻ קֵ יהֶם ָּכסֶף‬

ֶ ,‫ׁשל עַּמּודִ ים ֵמהֶן‬
ֶ .‫וצפה ראשיהם‬:

‫[ וצפה ראשיהם‬HE MADE HOOKS FOR THE COLUMNS] AND OVERLAID THEIR TOPS –
the tops of the columns (not of the hooks) with them (the 1775 shekels of silver), for it is said
with regard of all of them (the columns of the enclosure as well as of those of the vail at the
entrance) (v. 19) “and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets were of silver”.

39:1

‫ ׁשֶ ְּב ִבגְדֵ י ְכ ֻהּנָה‬,‫ׁשאֵין ִּבגְדֵ י ׂש ְָרד ַהּלָלּו ִּבגְדֵ י ְכ ֻהּנָה‬

ֶ ‫ ּו ִמּכָאן ֲאנִי אֹומֵר‬,‫ ׁשֵׁש ֹלא נֶ ֱאמַר ּכָאן‬.'‫ומן התכלת והארגמן וגו‬
‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה ָבהֶם ׁשֵׁש‬ ֶ ,‫ׁשעַת סִּלּוק ַמּסָעֹות‬ ְ ‫ׁש ְּמ ַכּסִים ָּבהֶם ְּכלֵי הַּק ֹדֶ ׁש ִּב‬
ֶ ‫ ֶאּלָא הֵם ְּבגָדִ ים‬,‫ ָהי ָה ׁשֵׁש‬:

‫ ומן התכלת והארגמן וגו׳‬AND OF THE BLUE PURPLE AND OF THE RED PURPLE etc. —
But there is no mention of linen here. From this fact I derive (cf. Rashi on Exodus 31:10) that
these ‫ בגדי שרד‬mentioned here were not identical with the garments of the priests, for there
was linen in the garments of the priests. But these were the cloths with which they covered up
the holy vessels at the time of removing and packing up the articles in the Tabernacle when
they set out on their journeyings which indeed had no linen in them.
39:3

‫ ַטּסִין‬,‫ אשטנ"דרא ְּב ַלעַז‬,‫ ַטּסִין הָיּו מ ְַרּדְ דִ ין מִן ַהּזָהָב‬,‫ּורדִ ידּו‬ ְ ‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬,) ‫ָָארץ (תהילים קל"ו‬ ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו לְרֹקַע ה‬.‫וירקעו‬
– ‫ וְקֹו ְצצִין ֵמהֶן ּפְתִ ילִים לְא ֶֹרְך ַהּטַס‬,‫ מ ְַרּדְ דִ ים ַטּסִין ּדַ ּקִין‬,‫ ּכָאן הּוא ְמ ַלּמֶדְ ָך הֵיאְַך הָיּו טֹווִין אֶת ַהּזָהָב עִם הַחּוטִין‬.‫ּדַ ּקֹות‬
,‫ׁשל זָהָב עִם ו' חּוטִין ׁשֶ ל ּתְ ֵכלֶת‬ֶ ‫ חּוט ֶאחָד‬,‫ׁשּנֶ' ָּבהֶן זָהָב‬ ֶ ‫ַלעֲׂשֹות אֹותָ ן ּפְתִ ילִים ּתַ עֲרֹבֶת עִם ּכָל מִין ָומִין ּבַחֹׁשֶן ְו ֵאפֹוד‬
‫ׁשבִיעִי עִם ּכָל אֶ חָד וְאֶ חָד‬
ְ ‫ ְו ַהּזָהָב חּוט‬,'‫ׁשּכָל ַהּמִינִים חּוטָן ּכָפּול ו‬ ֶ ,‫ ְוכֵן עִם ּכָל מִין ָומִין‬:

‫ וירקעו‬AND THEY DID EXTEND — ‫ וירקעו‬is of the same root and meaning as, (Psalms
136:6) “To Him that stretcheth out (‫ )לרקע‬the earth”. Render ‫ וירקעו‬as the Targum does: ‫ורדידו‬,
they extended by beating. Plates did they beat out of the gold; in old French estendre — to
extend into thin plates. Here it informs you how they wove the gold together with the woollen
threads. They beat out the thin plates and from them they cut threads along the length of the
plates to make of these threads a mixture (to mix them) with each of the different kind of
woolen threads in the ephod and the breast-plate in regard to which gold is mentioned in this
connection. One thread of gold they intertwined with six threads of blue purple, and so with
each kind of wool. For all the materials had their threads six-fold, and the gold formed the
seventh with each of them (cf. Yoma 72a).

39:28

‫ ּתִ ְפא ֶֶרת ַה ִּמגְּבָעֹות – ַה ִּמגְּבָעֹות הַּמְ פָֹארֹות‬.‫ואת פארי המגבעת‬:

‫ ואת פארי המגבעות‬means the beauty of the high caps — this is equivalent to: the beautiful high
caps.

39:31

,‫ ְועַ"י ְ ַהּפְתִ ילִים ָהי ָה מֹוׁשִיבֹו עַל ַה ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת ְּכמִין ּכֶתֶ ר; ְואִ" ֶא לֹומַר ַהּצִיץ עַל הַּמִ ְצנֶפֶת‬.‫לתת על המצנפת מלמעלה‬
‫ ה ֲֵרי‬,‫ ְו ַהּצִיץ ָהי ָה נָתּון עַל הַּמֶ צַח‬,‫ׁשּׁשָם ֵמנִי ַח ּתְ ִפּלִין‬ֶ ‫ׂשעָרֹו ָהי ָה נ ְִר ֶאה ּבֵין צִיץ ַל ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת‬ ְ ‫ׁשנִינּו‬
ָ ‫ׁשחִיטַת קָדָ ׁשִים‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ִב‬
ֶ
‫ ּו ַמהּו עַל ַה ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת ִמ ְל ָמ ְעלָה? וְעֹוד ִה ְקׁשֵיתִ י בָּה – ּכָאן הּוא אֹומֵר ַוּי ִּתְ נּו ָעלָיו ּפְתִ יל‬,‫ַה ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת ְל ַמ ְעלָה ְו ַהּצִיץ ְל ַמּטָה‬
‫ לְקָׁשְרֹו ָּבהֶן‬,‫ ּפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת ז ֶה חּוטִין הֵן‬,‫ׂשמְּתָ אֹותֹו עַל ּפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת? וְאֹומֵר אֲ נִי‬ ַ ‫ ּו ְב ִענְי ַן ַה ַּצּוָָאה הּוא אֹומֵר ְו‬,‫ּתְ ֵכלֶת‬
‫ׁש ַהּצִיץ אֵינֹו ֶאּלָא ֵמאֹז ֶן לְאֹז ֶן ּו ַב ֶּמה י ִ ְקׁש ְֶרּנּו ְב ִמצְחֹו? – ְוהָיּו קְבּועִין ּבֹו חּוטֵי תְ ֵכלֶת לִׁשְ נֵי ָראׁשָ יו‬ ֶ ‫ַּב ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת – ְלפִי‬
‫ ֶאחָד ִמ ַּמעַל וְאֶ חָד מִּתַ חַת‬,‫ׁשנֵי חּוטִין הָיּו ְּבכָל ָקצֶה ְו ָקצֶה‬ ְ ‫ ּו‬,‫ׁשהּוא בְר ֹאׁשֹו‬ ֶ ‫ׁש ָּבהֶן קֹוׁשְרֹו וְתֹולֵהּו ַב ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת ְּכ‬ֶ ,‫ּו ְב ֶא ְמ ָצעִיתֹו‬
‫ ְו ָעלָיו‬,‫ ְלכְָך נֶ ֱאמַר עַל ּפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת‬,‫ּׁשנֵי חּוטִין‬ ְ ‫ִירה ְּבפָחֹות ִמ‬ ָ ‫ ְואֵין ּדֶ ֶרְך ְקׁש‬,‫ׁשּכְָך הּוא נ ֹ ַח ִלקְׁש ֹר‬ ֶ ,‫ ְוכֵן ְּב ֶא ְמצָעֹו‬,‫ְלצַד ִמצְחֹו‬
‫ ּומֹוׁשִיבֹו עַל ַה ִּמ ְצנֶפֶת; וְַאל ּתִ תְ מַ ּה ׁשֶ ֹּלא נֶאֱמַר‬,‫ֲחֹוריו לְמּול ע ְָרּפֹו‬ ָ ‫ּׁשנַי ִם ֻּכּלָן יַחַד ֵמא‬ ְ ‫ וְקֹוׁשֵר ָראׁשֵיהֶם ַה‬,‫ּפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת‬
‫ ְועַל ּכ ְָרחֲָך ּפָחֹות‬,‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ָמצִינּו בְחֹׁשֶן ְו ֵאפֹוד ַוּי ְִרּכְסּו אֶת הַחֹׁשֶן … ִּבפְתִ יל ּתְ ֵכלֶת‬ ֶ ,‫ּפְתִ ילֵי תְ ֵכלֶת הֹואִיל ּומ ְֻרּבִין הֵן‬
,‫ ׁשֶ ְּכנֶגְדָ ן‬,‫ ּו ִבׁשְּתֵ י כִתְ פֹות ָהאֵפֹוד הָיּו ב' ַטּבְעֹות הָאֵ פֹוד‬,‫ׁשנֵי קְצֹות הַחֹׁשֶן הָיּו ב' ַטּבְעֹות הַחֹׁשֶן‬ ְ ‫ׁשה ֲֵרי ִב‬
ֶ ‫ּׁשנַי ִם ֹלא הָיּו‬ ְ ‫ִמ‬
ֶ‫ִירה ד' חּוטִין הָיּו ּו ִמּכָל ָמקֹום ּפָחֹות מִּׁשְ נַי ִם אִ"א‬ ָ ‫ּו ְלפִי ּדֶ ֶרְך קְ ׁש‬:

‫ לתת על המצנפת מלמעלה‬TO FASTEN IT ON HIGH UPON THE MITRE — and by means of
the threads he placed it on the mitre as though it were a kind of crown. It is, however,
impossible to say that ‫ לתת על המצנפת‬means to put the plate on the mitre, for in the Treatise on
the Slaughter of the Sacrifices (Zevachim 19a) we learn: His (the High Priest’s) hair was
visible between the plate and the mitre, whereon he placed the Tephillin”. Now the plate
rested on his forehead (cf. Exodus 28:38), consequently the mitre was above (on the crown of
the head) and the plate beneath (on the forehead). What then can be the meaning of “to fasten
it on high upon the mitre”? Besides, I have put another question about this: here it says, “and
they put upon it (the plate) a thread of blue purple” and in the section where the command is
given it states, (Exodus 28:37) “And thou shalt put it on a blue purple string” (so that the plate
was above the thread, not beneath it as is here commanded). I therefore say that this ‫ פתיל‬of
blue purple mentioned here was not an ornament but threads by which to tie it (the plate) on
the mitre. For the plate reached only from one ear to the other, so with what could they tie it
to his forehead? So blue purple threads were attached to it at its (the plate’s) two ends and on
the middle by means of which they tied it on and hung it on the mitre whenever this was on
his head. There were two threads on each end (of the plate) one on its upper side and the other
underneath, on the side next to the forehead and so also at the middle of it (the plate) —
because in this way it was easy to tie it on. Since, however, the way of tying a thing on is by
not less than two threads the text is justified in saying both, (Exodus 23:37) “[And thou shalt
put it] on a blue purple thread” and here “and they put upon it a thread of blue purple”. He
(the High Priest) tied both ends of all of them (of all the threads) together behind him on his
neck, and thus placed it (the plate) on the mitre. Do not be puzzled because it does not say
“threads of blue purple” seeing that there were many (three double threads altogether), for we
find the same thing in the case of the breast-plate and the ephod: (Exodus 28:28) “And they
shall fasten the breast-plate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod … with a string
(and not with strings) of blue purple” and you must admit that there could not have been less
than two strings, for at the two ends of the breast-plate were the two rings of the breast-plate
and on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod were the two rings of the ephod opposite to them.
Now according to the way the breast-plate was tied on there were four threads, and under any
circumstances with less than two it would have been impossible to tie it on, and yet Scripture
speaks of “a string” of blue purple.

39:32

‫ אֶת ַה ְּמלָאכָה ככל אשר צוה ה' וגו‬.‫'ויעשו בני ישראל‬:

‫ ויעשו בני ישראל‬AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MADE the work ‫ככל אשר צוה ה' וגו׳‬
ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES [SO DID THEY] or
[SO THEY MADE IT].

39:33

‫ ִהּנִי ַח לֹו הַּקָ ּבָ"ה‬,‫ׁשּכָן‬

ְ ‫ׁשה ׁשּום ְמלָאכָה ַב ִּמ‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ׂשה מ‬ ָ ‫ׁשֹּלא ָע‬ ֶ ‫ׁשֹּלא הָיּו י ְכֹולִין ַל ֲהקִימֹו; ּו ְלפִי‬
ֶ .'‫ויביאו את המשכן וגו‬
‫ׁשה ֶה ֱעמִידֹו; ָאמַר מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ּומ‬,‫ׁשאֵין ּכ ֹ ַח ּבָָאדָ ם ְלז ָ ְקפָן‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשֹּלא ָהי ָה י ָכֹול ַל ֲהקִימֹו ׁשּום ָאדָ ם ֵמ ֲחמַת ּכֹבֶד ַהּק ְָרׁשִים‬
ֶ ,‫ֲה ָקמָתֹו‬
'ֶ‫ ְוז ֶהּו ׁשֶ ּנ‬,‫ ְונ ְִראֶה ִּכ ְמקִימֹו וְהּוא נִזְקָף ְוקָם ֵמאֵ לָיו‬,‫ִל ְפנֵי ַה ָּקּבָ"ה אֵיְך אֶ ְפׁשָר ֲה ָקמָתֹו עַ"י ְ ָאדָ ם? ָאמַר לֹו עֲס ֹק אַּתָ ה ְּבי ָדְ ָך‬
‫ׁשּכָן (שמות מ') – הּוקַם ֵמ ֵאלָיו; מִדְ ַרׁש ַר' תַ נְחּומָ א‬ ְ ‫הּוקַם ַה ִּמ‬:

‫ ויביאו את המשכן וגו׳‬AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE [UNTO MOSES etc.], for
they themselves were unable to erect it. Since Moses had done no work in the Mishkan, the
Holy One, blessed is He, left for him the task of erecting it, for nobody was able to set it up
because of the weight of the boards which no human strength was capable of setting up.
Moses, however, succeeded in placing it in position. Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be
He, “How is its erection possible by human beings?” God answered him: “You be busy with
your hand!” He appeared to be erecting it, but in fact it set itself up and rose of its own
accord. That is why Scripture says, (Exodus 40:17) “The Tabernacle was erected (‫— ”)הוקם‬
was erected by itself. This is a Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma 2:11:11.

39:43

‫ וְהּוא אֶ חָד‬,'‫ וִיהִי נֹעַם ה' ֱאֹלהֵינּו ָעלֵינּו וְגֹו‬,‫ׂשה י ְדֵ יכֶם‬
ֵ ‫ׁשכִינָה ְב ַמ ֲע‬
ְ ‫ ָאמַר ָלהֶם יְהִי ָרצֹון ׁשֶּתִ ׁש ְֶרה‬.‫ויברך אתם משה‬
)‫ׁשּבִתְ ִפּלָה לְמ ֹׁשֶ ה (ספרא‬ ֶ ‫ְמֹורים‬
ִ ‫מִי"א ִמז‬:
‫ ויברך אתם משה‬AND MOSES BLESSED THEM — He said to them “May it be the will of
God that His Shechinah rest upon the work of your hands; ‘and let the beauty of the Lord our
God be upon us and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us’” (Psalms 90:17.) (Sifra,
Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 15) This (from ‫ ויהי נועם‬onward) is part of one of the eleven
Psalms (90—100) that are in the section beginning with, ‫( ;תפלה למשה‬Numbers Rabbah 12:9).

40:3

‫ׁשה ֲֵרי מְ ִחּצָה ָהי ְתָ ה‬

ֶ ,‫ לְׁשֹון ַה ָּגנָה‬.‫וסכת על הארץ‬:

‫ וסכת על הארן‬means AND THOU SHALT SCREEN THE ARK — ‫ וסכת‬denotes screening and
it is the correct term to use, for it (the veil) formed a partition (cf. Rashi on Exodus 35:12).

40:4

‫ ׁשְּתַ י ִם ַמע ֲָרכֹות ׁשֶ ל ֶלחֶם ַה ָּפנִים‬.‫וערכת את ערכו‬:

‫ וערכת את ערכו‬AND SET ITS ROWS — the two piles of the show-bread.

40:19

‫ הֵן י ְִריעֹות ָה ִעּז ִים‬.‫ויפרש את האהל‬:

‫ ויפרש את האהל‬AND HE SPREAD THE TENT The ‫ אהל‬is the curtains of goats’ skins.

40:20

‫ הַּלּוחֹות‬.‫את העדת‬:

‫ את העדות‬THE TESTIMONY — the Tablets.

40:22

‫ ַּב ֵחצִי ַהּצְפֹונִי ׁשֶ ל רֹחַב ַה ַּבי ִת‬.‫על ירך המשכן צפנה‬:

‫ על ירך המשכן צפנה‬UPON THE SIDE OF THE DWELLING NORTHWARD — i. e. in the

northern half of the width of the house (not by the northern wall) (Yoma 33b).

‫ׁשהּוא ְּבצִּדֹו ׁשֶ ל ָאדָ ם‬

ֶ ‫ ַּכּי ֵָרְך ַהּז ֶה‬,‫ צִּדָ א‬,‫ ּכְתַ ְרּגּומֹו‬.‫ירך‬:

‫ — ירך‬This must be understood at the Targum rendert it: ‫צדא‬. The real meaning it “thigh”, but
the tide of anything is just like the thigh which is it a person’s side.

40:27

)'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ּבַּבֹקֶר ּבַּבֹקֶר ְּבהֵיטִיבֹו אֶת ַהּנֵרֹות וְגֹומֵר (שמות ל‬

ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשח ֲִרית ְוע ְַרבִית‬
ַ .‫ויקטר עליו קטרת‬:

‫ ויקטר עליו קטרת‬AND HE CAUSED THE INCENSE OF AROMATICS TO ASCEND UPON

IT in the morning and in the evening, as it is said, (Exodus 30:7, 8) “[And Aaron shall cause
incense of aromatics to ascend thereon in fumes] every morning when he trimmeth the lamps,
[and when he trimmeth the lamps at even etc.]”.

40:29

‫ חּוץ מֵ אֹותָ ן‬,‫ׁשה ְו ִהק ְִריב ק ְָרּבְנֹות צִּבּור‬

ֶ ֹ ‫ׁשּמֵׁש מ‬
ִ ,‫ׁשּכָן‬
ְ ‫ ׁשֶהּוא יֹום ֲה ָקמַת ַה ִּמ‬,‫ּׁשמִינִי ַל ִּמּלּואִים‬
ְ ‫ ַאף ּבַּיֹום ַה‬.'‫ויעל עליו וגו‬
)'‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ק ְַרב אֶל ַה ִּמז ְ ֵּב ַח וְגֹומֵר (ויקרא ט‬
ֶ ,‫ׁשּנִ ְצטַּוּו בֹו בַּיֹום‬
ֶ :

‫ ויעל עליו וגו׳‬AND OFFERED UPON IT etc. Not only during the first seven days of the
consecration of Aaron and his sons during which Moses set the dwelling up and then
dismantled it, but also on the eighth day of the consecration which was the day of the final
erection of the dwelling for its ordinary purposes did Moses officiate and offer the
congregational sacrifices except those which had been commanded exclusively for that very
day, as it is said, (Leviticus 9:7) “[And Moses said to Aaron], approach unto the altar and
offer etc.

‫ עֹולַת הַּתָ מִ יד‬.‫את העלה‬:

‫ את העלה‬THE BURNT OFFERING — the daily burnt offering.

)‫ׁשמֶן וְגֹומֵר (שמות כ"ט‬

ֶ ‫ׁשּנֶ ֱאמַר ְו ִעּׂשָר ֹן סֹלֶת ּבָלּול ְּב‬
ֶ ‫ ּכְמֹו‬,‫ׁשל ּתָ מִיד‬
ֶ ‫ ִמנְחַת נְ ָסכִים‬.‫ואת המנחה‬:

‫ ואח המנחה‬AND THE MEAL OFFERING — The meal offering brought together with the
libation which was made with the daily burnt offering, at it is said, (Exodus 29:40) “[And
with the one lamb] (of the daily burnt offering) shall be brought a tenth deal of flour mingled
with … oil; [and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a libation …]”.

40:31

‫ ּבֹו בַּיֹום קִּדֵ ׁש מ ֹׁשֶ ה‬,‫ וְתַ ְרּגּומֹו ּו ְמקַּדְ ׁשִין ִמּנֵּה‬,‫ׁשמִינִי ַל ִּמּלּואִים ֻהׁשְוּו ֻכּלָם ִל ְכ ֻהּנָה‬
ְ ‫ יֹום‬.‫ורחצו ממנו משה ואהרן‬
‫עִּמָ הֶם‬:

‫ ורחצו ממנו משה ואהרן‬AND MOSES AND AARON [AND HIS SONS] LAVED [THEIR
HANDS] — On the eighth day of the consecration all of them mentioned here, including
Moses, were alike in respect of the priestly office. The translation of ‫ ורחצו‬in the Targum
should therefore be ‫ומקדשין‬, and they were hallowing (i. e. they then hallowed their hands and
their feet), for on that day Moses laved his hands together with them (Aaron and his sons).

40:32

‫ִקְרבּו‬
ְ ‫ ּכְמֹו ּו ְבק ְָרבָם – ּכְׁשֶ ּי‬.‫ובקרבתם‬:

‫ — ובקרבתם‬This is equivalent to ‫ובקרבם‬, and has an imperfect sense, the same as ‫כשיקרבו‬.
when they were approaching.

40:35

‫ׁשה ֶאל אֹהֶל מֹועֵד (במדבר ז')? ּבָא ַהּכָתּוב הַּׁשְ לִיׁשִ י‬ ֶ ֹ ‫ ְוכָתּוב ֶאחָד אֹומֵר ּובְב ֹא מ‬.‫ולא יכל משה לבוא אל אהל מועד‬
‫ נִסְּתַ ּלֵק ֶה ָענָן נִ ְכנָס‬,‫ׁש ָהי ָה ָעלָיו ֶה ָענָן ֹלא ָהי ָה י ָכֹול לָב ֹא‬
ֶ ‫ אֱמ ֹר ֵמעַּתָ ה ּכָל זְמַן‬,‫ׁשכַן ָעלָיו ֶה ָענָן‬
ָ ‫ְו ִהכ ְִרי ַע ּבֵינֵיהֶם – ּכִי‬
)‫ּומְדַ ּבֵר עִּמֹו (ספרא‬:
‫ ולא יכל משה לבא אל אהל מועד‬AND MOSES WAS NOT ABLE TO COME INTO THE
APPOINTED TENT — But another verse says, (Numbers 7:89) “And when Moses came into
the appointed tent [to speak with Him then he heard the voice]”! There comes, however, a
third verse and reconciles these apparently contradictory verses, for it says here ‫כי שכן עליו הענן‬
“For (or when) the cloud abode thereon (on the appointed tent)”. Hence you may say: so long
as the cloud was upon it “he was not able to come into the appointed tent”, but as soon as the
cloud disappeared he entered it and spoke with Him (Sifra, Braita d'Rabbi Yishmael 18).

40:38

‫ ָהי ָה ֶה ָענָן ׁשֹוכֵן ַּב ָּמקֹום ֲאׁשֶר יַחֲנּו ׁשָם; מְ קֹום ֲחנִּי ָתָ ן‬,‫ׁשהָיּו נֹו ְסעִים‬
ֶ ‫ ְּבכָל ַמּסָע‬.‫לעיני כל בית ישראל בכל מסעיהם‬
,‫ׁש ִּמ ְּמקֹום ַה ֲחנִּי ָה ָחז ְרּו ְונָסְעּו‬
ֶ ‫ ְלפִי‬,)‫ ְוכֵן אֵ ּלֶה ַמ ְסעֵי (במדבר ל"ג‬,)‫ ְוכֵן ַוּיֵלְֶך ְל ַמ ָּסעָיו (בראשית י"ג‬,‫ַאף הּוא קָרּוי ַמּסָע‬
‫ ְלכְָך נִק ְְראּו ֻכּלָן מַ ּסָעֹות‬:

‫[ לעיני כל בית ישראל בכל מסעיהם‬THE CLOUD WAS ON THE TABERNACLE] … IN THE
SIGHT OF ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, THROUGHOUT ALL THEIR JOURNEYS —
At every ‫ מסע‬which they made (according to Rashi this means: at every station at which they
stopped) the cloud rested upon the Tabernacle in the place where they encamped. A place
where they encamped is also called ‫( מסע‬the literal meaning of which is “journey”). Similar is,
(Genesis 13:3) “And he went on to his resting places (‫( “)למסעיו‬cf. Rashi on this verse);
similar also is, (Numbers 33:1) “These are the ‫“ — ”מסעי‬the places of encampment”. Because
from the place of encampment they always set out again on a new journey therefore all the
different stages of their journeys (including the places where they encamped) are called ‫מסעות‬.

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