(יא) וְנָתַתִּ֥י מִשְׁכָּנִ֖י בְּתוֹכְכֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תִגְעַ֥ל נַפְשִׁ֖י אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (יב) וְהִתְהַלַּכְתִּי֙ בְּת֣וֹכְכֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּהְיוּ־לִ֥י לְעָֽם׃
(11) I will establish My abode in your midst, and I will not spurn you. (12) I will be ever present in your midst: I will be your God, and you shall be My people.
וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
And YHWH God formed the human, of dust from the ground; he blew into his nostrils the breath of life and the human became a living being.
וּבְרָא יְיָ אֱלֹהִים יָת אָדָם עַפְרָא מִן אַדְמְתָא וּנְפַח בְּאַפּוֹהִי נִשְׁמְתָא דְחַיֵּי וַהֲוַת בְּאָדָם לְרוּחַ מְמַלְלָא:
Adonoy Elohim then formed the man, dust from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life. And so man became a speaking soul.
(כו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וְנָשָׂ֥אתִי לְכׇל־הַמָּק֖וֹם בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃ (כז) וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
(26) And יהוה answered, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty innocent ones, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” (27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes:
(ג) וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣ו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ {ס}
(3) Now Moses himself was very humble, more so than any other human being on earth.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־יְהֹוָה֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי גַּ֤ם מִתְּמוֹל֙ גַּ֣ם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּ֛ם מֵאָ֥ז דַּבֶּרְךָ֖ אֶל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֧י כְבַד־פֶּ֛ה וּכְבַ֥ד לָשׁ֖וֹן אָנֹֽכִי׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו מִ֣י שָׂ֣ם פֶּה֮ לָֽאָדָם֒ א֚וֹ מִֽי־יָשׂ֣וּם אִלֵּ֔ם א֣וֹ חֵרֵ֔שׁ א֥וֹ פִקֵּ֖חַ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א אָנֹכִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ וְעַתָּ֖ה לֵ֑ךְ וְאָנֹכִי֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִם־פִּ֔יךָ וְהוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּֽר׃
Moshe said to YHWH:Please, my Lord,no man of words am I,not from yesterday, not from the day-before, not [even] since you have spoken to your servant,for heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue am I! YHWH said to him:Who placed a mouth in human beingsor who [is it that] makes one mute or deafor open-eyed or blind?Is it not I, YHWH? So now, go!I myself will be with your mouthand will instruct you as to what you are to speak.
(כז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן לֵ֛ךְ לִקְרַ֥את מֹשֶׁ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּ֑רָה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַֽיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֛הוּ בְּהַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וַיִּשַּׁק־לֽוֹ׃ (כח) וַיַּגֵּ֤ד מֹשֶׁה֙ לְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֛ת כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלָח֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ת כׇּל־הָאֹתֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽהוּ׃
(27) יהוה said to Aaron, “Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.” He went and met him at the mountain of God, and he kissed him. (28) Moses told Aaron about all the things that יהוה had committed to him and all the signs about which he had been instructed.
(ד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י מַמְטִ֥יר לָכֶ֛ם לֶ֖חֶם מִן־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְיָצָ֨א הָעָ֤ם וְלָֽקְטוּ֙ דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ לְמַ֧עַן אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ הֲיֵלֵ֥ךְ בְּתוֹרָתִ֖י אִם־לֹֽא׃...(ו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן אֶֽל־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל...(ז) וּבֹ֗קֶר וּרְאִיתֶם֙ אֶת־כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּשׇׁמְע֥וֹ אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּתֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְנַ֣חְנוּ מָ֔ה כִּ֥י (תלונו) [תַלִּ֖ינוּ] עָלֵֽינוּ׃
(4) And יהוה said to Moses, “I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day’s portion—that I may thus test them, to see whether they will follow My instructions or not...(6) So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, saying...(7)"and in the morning you shall behold the glory of יהוה, because [God] has heard your grumblings against יהוה. For what are we that you should grumble against us?"
(א) אַל־תְּבַהֵ֨ל עַל־פִּ֜יךָ וְלִבְּךָ֧ אַל־יְמַהֵ֛ר לְהוֹצִ֥יא דָבָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְאַתָּ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַל־כֵּ֛ן יִהְי֥וּ דְבָרֶ֖יךָ מְעַטִּֽים׃
(1) Keep your mouth from being rash, and let not your throat be quick to bring forth speech before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; that is why your words should be few.
פָּתַ֤חְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ לְדוֹדִ֔י וְדוֹדִ֖י חָמַ֣ק עָבָ֑ר נַפְשִׁי֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה בְדַבְּר֔וֹ בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֙יהוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מְצָאתִ֔יהוּ קְרָאתִ֖יו וְלֹ֥א עָנָֽנִי׃
I opened the door for my beloved,But my beloved had turned and gone.I was faint because of what he said.-dI sought, but found him not;I called, but he did not answer.
...וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַֽיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֛הוּ בְּהַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וַיִּשַּׁק־לֽוֹ׃
...נַפְשִׁי֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה בְדַבְּר֔וֹ בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֙יהוּ֙...קְרָאתִ֖יו...׃
[All texts below adapted from Ariel Evan Mayse, Speaking Infinities, U Penn, 2020]
[[156] Revelation at Sinai was an intimate, loving encounter between God and Israel. The Maggid describes the experience in erotic, evocative terms, e.g. "He went and met him at the mountain of God and he kissed him" (Ex. 4:27b). In the Maggid's teaching, at Sinai Israel is so overwhelmed and aroused by this love that their souls break free and reach out for the Divine. "My soul burst out because of what he said...I reached out...I called out..." (Song of Songs 5:6b)
(ג) וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣ו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ {ס}
בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי
[149] For the Maggid, the uniqueness of Moses and his prophetic capacity is most visible in the fact that he was the one who delivered the primordial Torah into language....The key to Moses singular vision of God was his humility. "...Moses himself was very humble, more so than any other human being on earth (Numbers 12:3)." The prophet's modesty was a kind of imitatio dei, enabling his limited self to become filled with the infinite expanse of the true Self. (Cf. his obvious linguistic deficit and limitations in Ex. 4:10-16)
...וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
וְנַ֣חְנוּ מָ֔ה
אַל־תְּבַהֵ֨ל עַל־פִּ֜יךָ וְלִבְּךָ֧ אַל־יְמַהֵ֛ר לְהוֹצִ֥יא דָבָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְאַתָּ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַל־כֵּ֛ן יִהְי֥וּ דְבָרֶ֖יךָ מְעַטִּֽים׃
[55] Self-transcendence is the key to unlocking the spiritual power of language. A worshipper who considers himself to be "something," seeing his language as an autonomous faculty is nothing more than a finite container incapable of receiving the diving presence. This is true even of Abraham, who regarded himself as dust and ashes (Gen. 18:26-27), and did not achieve Moses' level (Ex. 16:7). Only by thoroughly breaking down the walls of the ego is one transformed into a vessel capable of holding the infinite Divine. This...[turns] his words into an expression of God's sacred language. If you have not undergone this transformation, the Maggid reminds his readers, "let not your throat be quick to bring forth speech before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth...your words should be few (Ecclesiastes 5:1)."
וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
וּבְרָא יְיָ אֱלֹהִים יָת אָדָם עַפְרָא מִן אַדְמְתָא וּנְפַח בְּאַפּוֹהִי נִשְׁמְתָא דְחַיֵּי וַהֲוַת בְּאָדָם לְרוּחַ מְמַלְלָא:
[55] The human being must worship God solely through the sacred quality of language with which he has been infused (Cf. Gen 2:7 and Onkelos). Yearning to return to its holy source, shekhinah or the indwelling aspect of the Divine is offered back to God through acts of human devotion. This ecosystem of breath, a constant recycling of sacred energy, is made possible through the intertwining of language that is both human and divine.
APPENDIX:
Maggid's Kabbalistic Outlook [149, 151, 228 Ariel Evan Mayse]
"Moses grasped [divinity] through the name Y-H-V-H, the all-encompassing vitality." [MlDY, no. 132, p.228] The Tetragrammaton represents four worlds, Hochmah (Wisdom beyond language), Binah (World of Thought/Machsheyvah), Tiferet (World of Thought becoming Audible/Kol), and Shechina (World of Voice becoming Speech/Dibbur). Moses possessed an understanding and an apprehension of God the likes of which was achieved by no other prophets. He had access to the divine name Y-H-V-H, the liminal point that is a bridge between the linguistic structures of Torah and the prelinguistic fountain of divine energy, and for this reason it was he who could bring theTorah into speech...thus mediating between the infinite preexistent Torah and the Scripture he delivered at Sinai. With the first act of divine self-limitation into Hokhmah, alluded to by the letter yod, God's essence was still unformed and prelinguistic, only taking on the shape of the letters as it entered into the realm of Binah, associated with the first Heh of God's name. This stage represents the formation of the world, but the revelation of his essence was still unstable and incomplete, like a thought before it has been expressed in verbal language. Moses, associated with Tiferet and the Vav of Y-H-V-H, finally drew God's essence into language and brought it into speech.