(טז) וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְהִי֩ קֹלֹ֨ת וּבְרָקִ֜ים וְעָנָ֤ן כָּבֵד֙ עַל־הָהָ֔ר וְקֹ֥ל שֹׁפָ֖ר חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (יז) וַיּוֹצֵ֨א מֹשֶׁ֧ה אֶת־הָעָ֛ם לִקְרַ֥את הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ בְּתַחְתִּ֥ית הָהָֽר׃ (יח) וְהַ֤ר סִינַי֙ עָשַׁ֣ן כֻּלּ֔וֹ מִ֠פְּנֵ֠י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרַ֥ד עָלָ֛יו יְהֹוָ֖ה בָּאֵ֑שׁ וַיַּ֤עַל עֲשָׁנוֹ֙ כְּעֶ֣שֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁ֔ן וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד כׇּל־הָהָ֖ר מְאֹֽד׃ (יט) וַיְהִי֙ ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר הוֹלֵ֖ךְ וְחָזֵ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד מֹשֶׁ֣ה יְדַבֵּ֔ר וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יַעֲנֶ֥נּוּ בְקֽוֹל׃ (כ) וַיֵּ֧רֶד יְהֹוָ֛ה עַל־הַ֥ר סִינַ֖י אֶל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקְרָ֨א יְהֹוָ֧ה לְמֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָ֖ר וַיַּ֥עַל מֹשֶֽׁה׃
(16) On the third day, as morning dawned, there was thunder, and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the horn; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. (17) Moses led the people out of the camp toward God, and they took their places at the foot of the mountain. (18) Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for יהוה had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently. (19) The blare of the horn grew louder and louder. As Moses spoke, God answered him in thunder. (20) יהוה came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and יהוה called Moses to the top of the mountain and Moses went up.
The blast of the Shofar
Rashi on Exodus 19:19:1
(1) הולך וחזק מאד WAXED 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).
(1) הולך וחזק מאד WAXED 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).
וְכׇל־הָעָם֩ רֹאִ֨ים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹ֜ת וְאֶת־הַלַּפִּידִ֗ם וְאֵת֙ ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר וְאֶת־הָהָ֖ר עָשֵׁ֑ן וַיַּ֤רְא הָעָם֙ וַיָּנֻ֔עוּ וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ מֵֽרָחֹֽק׃
All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the blare of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance.
Rashi on Exodus 20:15:2-3
(2) [THEY] SAW THE SOUNDS—they saw that which should be heard, something which is impossible to see on any other occasion.
(2) [THEY] SAW THE SOUNDS—they saw that which should be heard, something which is impossible to see on any other occasion.
(3) THE SOUNDS which issued from the mouth of the Almighty.
Mechilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Bachodesh 9:1
"And all the people saw the sounds and the lightnings": They saw what was visible and heard what was audible. These are the words of R. Yishmael. R. Akiva says: They saw (what was audible) and heard what was visible.
"And all the people saw the sounds and the lightnings": They saw what was visible and heard what was audible. These are the words of R. Yishmael. R. Akiva says: They saw (what was audible) and heard what was visible.
Chizkuni, Exodus 20:15:2
(2) רואים את הקולות, “were seeing a visual image of the thunder.” The plain meaning of the verse is that even phenomena normally not subject to being seen, had become visible during the revelation. [sound waves had become visible to the naked eye.]
(2) רואים את הקולות, “were seeing a visual image of the thunder.” The plain meaning of the verse is that even phenomena normally not subject to being seen, had become visible during the revelation. [sound waves had become visible to the naked eye.]
Sefat Emet
"All the people saw the voices" ...Each one of Israel saw the root of their own life-force. with their very eyes each one saw the part of the divine soul above that lies within. They had no need "to believe" the commandments, because the saw the voices. That's the way it is when God speaks."
"All the people saw the voices" ...Each one of Israel saw the root of their own life-force. with their very eyes each one saw the part of the divine soul above that lies within. They had no need "to believe" the commandments, because the saw the voices. That's the way it is when God speaks."
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 20:15:1
All sensations join together and are processed at one point. And this is the meaning when they saw the sounds and the lighting. This drove a person to be afraid, and the voice of the shofar was something never heard before. And the mountain itself was smoke. When they saw these wonders, they trembled.
All sensations join together and are processed at one point. And this is the meaning when they saw the sounds and the lighting. This drove a person to be afraid, and the voice of the shofar was something never heard before. And the mountain itself was smoke. When they saw these wonders, they trembled.
Shemot Rabbah 5:9
And the text says: All the people saw the thunders. It's not written "thunder (hakol)," but rather "thunders (hakolot)." Rabbi Yochanan teaches that When God’s voice came forth at Mount Sinai, it divided itself into seventy human languages, so that the whole world might understand it, and every nation heard it in their own language.
And the text says: All the people saw the thunders. It's not written "thunder (hakol)," but rather "thunders (hakolot)." Rabbi Yochanan teaches that When God’s voice came forth at Mount Sinai, it divided itself into seventy human languages, so that the whole world might understand it, and every nation heard it in their own language.
Kli Yakar on Exodus 20:15:1
We have to understand how they could seen the sounds ... It sounds reasonable that each word the God spoke became palpable and tangible to the extent that it took on physical form and could be seen in the air as floating letters as if they were written in front of them.
We have to understand how they could seen the sounds ... It sounds reasonable that each word the God spoke became palpable and tangible to the extent that it took on physical form and could be seen in the air as floating letters as if they were written in front of them.
Sforno on Exodus 20:15:1
(1) רואים את, the word רואים as “seeing” is to be understood as like the same word in Kohelet 1,16 ולבי ראה, “and my heart ‘saw.’” Just as the heart cannot see, so people cannot “see” sounds. The meaning is that they understood the meaning of these sounds.
(1) רואים את, the word רואים as “seeing” is to be understood as like the same word in Kohelet 1,16 ולבי ראה, “and my heart ‘saw.’” Just as the heart cannot see, so people cannot “see” sounds. The meaning is that they understood the meaning of these sounds.
Martin Buber (1878-1965)
"All that God ever reveals in revelation is revelation. . . . He reveals nothing but Himself to man."
For Buber, the words of the Ten Commandments are secondary to revelation itself. The most important part of the Sinai moment was the way in which God revealed Godself to man.
"All that God ever reveals in revelation is revelation. . . . He reveals nothing but Himself to man."
For Buber, the words of the Ten Commandments are secondary to revelation itself. The most important part of the Sinai moment was the way in which God revealed Godself to man.
Rabbi Beth Kalisch
There is so much in this world that each of us is deaf to: so much that we refuse to hear, and so much that we are incapable of truly hearing. Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is that we are capable of growth in this regard. We can learn not to stop up our ears and our hearts; we can begin to hear perspectives that had previously never been audible to us. I think this is true of our relationships with others, and it is also true of our relationship with God.
There is so much in this world that each of us is deaf to: so much that we refuse to hear, and so much that we are incapable of truly hearing. Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is that we are capable of growth in this regard. We can learn not to stop up our ears and our hearts; we can begin to hear perspectives that had previously never been audible to us. I think this is true of our relationships with others, and it is also true of our relationship with God.
(יא) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר צֵ֣א וְעָמַדְתָּ֣ בָהָר֮ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָה֒ וְהִנֵּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֣ה עֹבֵ֗ר וְר֣וּחַ גְּדוֹלָ֡ה וְחָזָ֞ק מְפָרֵק֩ הָרִ֨ים וּמְשַׁבֵּ֤ר סְלָעִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לֹ֥א בָר֖וּחַ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאַחַ֤ר הָר֙וּחַ֙ רַ֔עַשׁ לֹ֥א בָרַ֖עַשׁ יְהֹוָֽה׃ (יב) וְאַחַ֤ר הָרַ֙עַשׁ֙ אֵ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בָאֵ֖שׁ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאַחַ֣ר הָאֵ֔שׁ ק֖וֹל דְּמָמָ֥ה דַקָּֽה׃ (יג) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיָּ֤לֶט פָּנָיו֙ בְּאַדַּרְתּ֔וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הַמְּעָרָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ ק֔וֹל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹ֖ה אֵֽלִיָּֽהוּ׃
(11) “Come out,” He called, “and stand on the mountain before GOD.”
And lo, GOD passed by. There was a great and mighty wind, splitting mountains and shattering rocks by GOD’s power; but GOD was not in the wind. After the wind—an earthquake; but GOD was not in the earthquake. (12) After the earthquake—fire; but GOD was not in the fire. And after the fire—a soft murmuring sound.ea soft murmuring sound In contrast to others “a still, small voice.” (13) When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his mantle about his face and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice addressed him: “Why are you here, Elijah?”
And lo, GOD passed by. There was a great and mighty wind, splitting mountains and shattering rocks by GOD’s power; but GOD was not in the wind. After the wind—an earthquake; but GOD was not in the earthquake. (12) After the earthquake—fire; but GOD was not in the fire. And after the fire—a soft murmuring sound.ea soft murmuring sound In contrast to others “a still, small voice.” (13) When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his mantle about his face and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice addressed him: “Why are you here, Elijah?”
Rashi on Exodus 20:1:2
(2) God said all [the Ten Commandments] in one utterance, something that is impossible to a human being to do — to speak in this manner.
Rashi then quotes Mechilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:1, offering a different rabbinic understanding: That God only said the first two commandments.
(2) God said all [the Ten Commandments] in one utterance, something that is impossible to a human being to do — to speak in this manner.
Rashi then quotes Mechilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:1, offering a different rabbinic understanding: That God only said the first two commandments.
Gershom Sholem, On Jewish Learning, ed. Nachim Glatzer, p.118
"To hear the aleph is to hear next to nothing; it is the preparation for all audible language but in itself conveys no determinate, specific meaning. Thus with his daring statement that the actual revelation to Israel consisted of the aleph, Rabbi Mendel transformed the revelation on Mount Sinai into a mystical revelation, pregnant with infinite meaning, but without specific meaning"
"To hear the aleph is to hear next to nothing; it is the preparation for all audible language but in itself conveys no determinate, specific meaning. Thus with his daring statement that the actual revelation to Israel consisted of the aleph, Rabbi Mendel transformed the revelation on Mount Sinai into a mystical revelation, pregnant with infinite meaning, but without specific meaning"
Such Silence by Mary Oliver
As deep as I ever went into the forest
I came upon an old stone bench, very, very old,
and around it a clearing, and beyond that
trees taller and older than I had ever seen.
Such silence.
It really wasn’t so far from a town, but it seemed
all the clocks in the world had stopped counting.
So it was hard to suppose the usual rules applied.
Sometimes there’s only a hint, a possibility.
What’s magical, sometimes, has deeper roots
than reason.
I hope everyone knows that.
I sat on the bench, waiting for something.
An angel, perhaps.
Or dancers with the legs of goats.
No, I didn’t see either. But only, I think, because
I didn’t stay long enough.
As deep as I ever went into the forest
I came upon an old stone bench, very, very old,
and around it a clearing, and beyond that
trees taller and older than I had ever seen.
Such silence.
It really wasn’t so far from a town, but it seemed
all the clocks in the world had stopped counting.
So it was hard to suppose the usual rules applied.
Sometimes there’s only a hint, a possibility.
What’s magical, sometimes, has deeper roots
than reason.
I hope everyone knows that.
I sat on the bench, waiting for something.
An angel, perhaps.
Or dancers with the legs of goats.
No, I didn’t see either. But only, I think, because
I didn’t stay long enough.