Rashi on Exodus

‫רש"י על שמות‬
Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934
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Rashi on Exodus

Chapter 1

Verse 1

‫ 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).

Verse 2

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5

‫ 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 ‫ ;האזינו‬Exodus Rabbah
1:7).

Verse 6

Verse 7

‫ 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).

Verse 8
 ‫ 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).
‫ אשר לא ידע‬WHO KNEW NOT [JOSEPH] — he comported himself as though he did not know
him (Sotah 11a).

Verse 9

Verse 10

‫ 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).
‫ 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.”)
‫ 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).

Verse 11

‫[ עליו‬THEREFORE THEY DID SET] OVER THEM (‫ עליו‬over him) i. e. over the people.
‫ מסים‬has the meaning of tribute (‫)מס‬, a forced levy of labour, so that ‫שרי מסים‬
are the officers who exact the tribute of labour from them. And what was this
tribute? That they should build store-cities for Pharaoh.
‫ למען ענותו בסבלותם‬TO AFFLICT THEM WITH THEIR BURDENS — i. e. the burdens of the
Egyptians.
‫ — 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 (
‫ — ”)הסוכן‬the treasurer appointed over the stores (Exodus Rabbah 2:1).
‫ 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.

Verse 12

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 13

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

Verse 14

Verse 15

‫( 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., ‫( ׁשֹוֵבר‬Kal) and ‫( ְמַׁשֵּבר‬Piel); ‫( ּדֹוֵבר‬Kal) and ‫ְמַד ֵּבר‬
(Piel). both having the same meaning; similarly here we may have ‫( מוליד‬the Hiphil
— without a strong Dagesh) or ‫( ְמַיֵּלד‬the Piel), both signifying one who helps to
bring to birth.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ פועה‬has the meaning of crying aloud, as (Isaiah 42:14) “I will cry (‫ )אפעה‬like a
travailing woman”.

Verse 16

‫ 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.
‫ על האבנים‬UPON THE STOOLS — the seat for the woman in the act of childbirth; in
another passage (Isaiah 37:3) Scripture terms it ‫ַמְׁשֵּבר‬. 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.
'‫ 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).
‫ וחיה‬has the same meaning as ‫ ותחיה‬THEN SHE SHALL LIVE.

Verse 17

‫ 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 ‫ ָנה‬or ‫)ָן‬
are 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, (‫“ )ַוֹּתאַמְר ָן‬An Egyptian man etc.”, which is the past tense (the Rashi
text must read here ‫( )לשון ָעַבר‬imperf. with Vau conv.), just as one would use
‫ ַוֹיאְמרּו‬if 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 (‫)ותחללנה‬
among My people” which is a past tense, the same as ‫ חללתן‬corresponding to ‫ותחללו‬
when used of men.

Verse 18

Verse 19

‫ 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”).

Verse 20

‫ ַוֵּייָטב‬means 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 (‫ )ַוֶּייָטב‬with the midwives” (to Rashi the root it ‫ ;טב‬we take it
as ‫( ;)יטב‬Lamentations 2:5) “‫ ַוָיָר ב‬for the daughter of Judah [mourning]” i. e. He
increased (made great) the mourning; (root ‫ ;ֹרב‬we take it as ‫)רבה‬. Similarly (II
Chronicles 36:20) “‫ ַוָּיָגל‬the remnant” which occurs in connection with Nebuzaradon,
i. e. he caused the remnant to be exiled; (Judges 15:4) ‫ ַוָּיָפן‬tail 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) “‫ ַוִייַטב‬in his eyes” — this means, “it
was good”. Similarly (in this verse) the people”, i. e. the people became many; (2
Kings 25:21) “‫ ַוִיָגל‬Judah”, i. e. Judah became an exile; (2:12) “‫ ַוִיֵפן‬this 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 ‫ ַוֵּיֶלְך‬and ‫ ַוֵּיֶׁשב‬and ‫ ַוַיֶר ד‬and ‫( ַוֵּיֵצא‬saying 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 ‫ ֵיֵלְך‬and ‫ ֵיֵׁשב‬and
‫ ֵיֵר ד‬and ‫ֵיֵצא‬, the ‫ י‬is a third root letter in each of these.
‫ 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 —

Verse 21

‫ 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.

Verse 22

‫ 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).

Chapter 2

Verse 1

‫ 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).

Verse 2

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

Verse 3

‫ 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”).
‫ 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).
‫ — 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).
‫ 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”.
Verse 4

Verse 5

‫ — 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”.
‫ 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?).
‫ 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 ‫ ַאָּמָתה‬, 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.

Verse 6

‫ ותפתח ותראהו‬lit., AND SHE OPENED IT AND SHE SAW HIM — whom did she see? ‫את הילד‬
THE 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 7

‫ 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).

Verse 8

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

Verse 9

‫( 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).

Verse 10

‫ 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 (‫)משחל‬
a 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 ‫ מש‬and ‫ 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 ‫ ֲהמיׁשֹוִתיהּו‬a 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 ‫ ֲהִק ימֹוִתי‬and from ‫ שב — ֲהִׁשיבֹוִתי‬and from ‫ ;ֲהִביאֹוִתי — בא‬or
one must say ‫( ַמְשִּתיהּו‬which is also a form from ‫ מוש‬used in a causative sense), just
as, (Zechariah 3:9) “And I will remove (‫ )ּוַמְׁשִּתי‬the iniquity of that land”. But
‫ ָמִׁשיִתי‬can only be derived from a word whose verbal form has a ‫ ה‬as 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 ‫ ָּבִניִתי‬and ‫ ָעִׂשיִתי‬and ‫ִצִּויִתי‬.

Verse 11

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

Verse 12

‫ 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.
‫ 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) .

Verse 13

‫ 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).
‫ נצים‬means quarelling.
‫ 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).
‫ רעך‬THY FELLOW (the word denotes one who is the equal of another) — who is as
wicked as yourself (Exodus Rabbah 1:29).
Verse 14

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

Verse 15

‫ וישמע פרעה‬AND PHARAOH HEARD IT — they (Dathan and Abiram) slandered (denounced)
him (Exodus Rabbah 1:31).
‫ 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).
[‫ וישב בארץ מדין‬AND HE ABODE IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN — the word ‫ וישב‬means he stayed
there, as (Genesis 37:1) “And Jacob abode (‫”)וישב‬.]
‫ — 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).

Verse 16

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

Verse 17

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

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 20

‫ — 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)
‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ — 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 (‫)הואלתי‬
to 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).

Verse 22

Verse 23

[‫ 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].
‫ 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).

Verse 24

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

Verse 25

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

Chapter 3

Verse 1

‫[ אחר המדבר‬HE LED THE SHEEP] BEHIND THE DESERT — in order to keep them away from
private property (‫ ֶגֵזל‬i. 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ בלבת אש‬means IN A FLAME OF FIRE, i. e. in the very heart of (‫ )לב‬the fire.

Similarly is ‫ לב‬used 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.
‫ 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).
‫ ֻאָּכל‬means DEVOURED, eaten. It is of the same grammatical form as, (Deuteronomy
21:3) “which hath not been wrought with (‫( ;”)ֻעַּבר‬Genesis 3:23) “whence he was taken
(‫)ֻלַק ח‬:

Verse 3

‫ ָאסוָּר ה‬means I WILL TURN ASIDE from here in order that I may approach thither.

Verse 4

Verse 5

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

Verse 6

Verse 7

‫ 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.

Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 10

‫ 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.

Verse 11

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

‫ 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?

Verse 12

‫ 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 עמך‬
FOR 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.

Verse 13

Verse 14

‫ 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 אהיה‬which has reference to future sorrows — has sent
me unto you”.

Verse 15

‫ זה שמי לעלם‬THIS IS MY NAME FOR EVER — The last word is written without ‫( ו‬so that
it may be read ‫ ְלַעֵּלם‬and 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).
‫ 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.
Verse 16

‫ 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?

Verse 17

Verse 18

‫ 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”.
‫ 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 ִאָּק ָר ה כה‬which means “I will be met by him yonder”.

Verse 19

‫ 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.
‫ — לא יתן‬Translate this as the Targum does: he will not give leave. Similar uses
of ‫ נתן‬followed 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.

Verse 20

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ ומגרת ביתה‬means from that woman with whom she sojourneth in one house.
‫ 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 ‫צ‬
(taking 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 (‫ )ְוִנַּסְחֶּתם‬from off your land”;
(Leviticus 26:25) “and ye shall be given (‫ )ְוִנַּתֶּתם‬into the hand of the enemy”;
(Leviticus 17) “And ye shall be smitten (‫ )ְוִנַּגְפָּתם‬before your enemies”; (Ezekiel
22:21) “And ye shall be melted (‫ )ְוִנַּתְכָּתם‬in the midst thereof”; (Jeremiah 7:10) “And
ye say, ‫ — ”ִנַּצְלנּו‬which 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 (‫ חטף‬a “snatched” sound), as, for instance, (Genesis
45:19) “and ye shall bear (‫ )ּוְנָׂשאָתם‬your father”; (Numbers 32:29) “And ye shall give
(‫ )ּוְנַתֶּתם‬them the land of Gilead”; (Genesis 17:11) “And ye shall circumcise (‫)ּוְנַמְלֶּתם‬
the flesh of your foreskin”. Consequently I am of the opinion that this letter ‫נ‬
which is vowelled with a Chirik is one of the root letters, and the grammatical
form of the noun of the same root is ‫ ִנּצּול‬which is of the strong (dageshed) forms,
just as ‫ ִּד ּבּור‬and ‫ ִּכּפּור‬and ‫ִלּמּוד‬. 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 (‫ )ְוִד ַּבְר ֶּתם‬unto the rock”; (Ezekiel 45:20) “And ye shall atone (‫ )ְוִּכַּפְר ֶּתם‬for the
house”; (Deuteronomy 11:19) “And ye shall teach (‫ )ְוִלַּמְד ָּתם‬them unto your children”.

Chapter 4

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ 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 (‫ )ִמֶּזה‬that 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”.

Verse 3

‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ 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”].

Verse 5
Verse 6

‫ 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).

Verse 7

‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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.

Verse 9

‫ — 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.

Verse 10

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

Verse 11
 ‫ 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?
‫ 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)
‫ 'הלא אנכי ה‬DID NOT I whose name is THE LORD do all this?

Verse 12

Verse 13

‫ 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)

Verse 14

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

Verse 15

Verse 16

‫ ודבר הוא לך‬means HE WILL SPEAK to the people ON THY ACCOUNT (‫)ְלָך‬. 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”.
‫ 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).
‫ לאלהים‬means a superior and chief (cf. Onkelos).

Verse 17
Verse 18

‫ 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)

Verse 19

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).

Verse 20

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ 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.
‫[ 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.

Verse 22

‫ 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:
‫[ 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).

Verse 23

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

Verse 24

‫ ויהי‬AND HE WAS — Moses was — DURING THE JOURNEY IN THE LODGING PLACE.
‫ 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).

Verse 25

‫ ותגע לרגליו‬AND CAST IT AT HIS FEET — i. e. she cast it before Moses’ feet (Talmud
Yerushalmi Nedarim 3:9).
‫ ותאמר‬AND SHE SAID, referring to her son:
‫ 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.

Verse 26

‫ 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,
‫ 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.
‫ למלות‬means on account of (‫ )ל‬the circumcision (‫)מולות‬. The word ‫ מולות‬it a noun,
and the ‫ ל‬prefixed 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).
Chapter 5

Verse 1

‫ 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)

Verse 2

Verse 3

‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ 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.
‫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).

Verse 5

‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ תבן‬STRAW — In old French estouble; English stubble. They used to knead this into
the clay.
‫ לבנים‬BRICKS — old French tuiles: English tiles, which they make from clay and dry
in the sun; sometimes they are burnt in a kiln.
‫ כתמול שלשם‬means as you have been doing UP TILL NOW (not “yesterday and the day
before” as is the literal meaning, but merely “formerly”).
‫ וקששו‬means AND LET THEM GATHER.

Verse 8

‫ ואת מתכנת הלבנים‬means the total number of bricks which each made per day when
straw was being supplied to them — that total you shall impose upon them now also,
in order that the service may be hard upon them.
‫ כי נרפים‬signifies because they have loosened themselves from the work; therefore
(this word in Rashi corresponds to ‫ על כן‬in the Hebrew text) their mind turns to
idleness and they cry out, saying, ‫ נלכה וגו׳‬LET US GO [AND SACRIFICE etc.].
‫ — מתכנת‬This word, and ‫( ותכן‬v. 18), and the words of the same root in (I Samuel
2:3) “And by Him actions are counted (‫ ”)נתכנו‬and in (2 Kings 12:12) “the money
that was counted (‫”)המתכן‬, all have the meaning of counting.
‫ — נרפים‬The work is loose (‫ )רפויה‬in their hand and neglected by them so that they
are loosened (‫ )הם נרפים‬from it. In old French retrait.

Verse 9

‫ ואל ישעו בדברי שקר‬AND LET THEM NOT REGARD VAIN WORDS — let them not think and
speak always about “words of wind” saying, “Let us go and sacrifice”. Of similar
meaning is, (Psalm 119:117) “And I will speak of (‫ )ואשעה ב־‬thy statutes
continually”. The phrase (Deuteronomy 28:37) ‫[“ למשל ולשנינה‬thou shalt become] a
proverb and a byword” we translate in the Targum by “a topic of conversation (
‫”)שועי‬, and the word ‫( ויספר‬Genesis 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 (‫;”)במשה‬
(Zechariah 4:1) “And the angel who directed his conversaion (‫ )הדובר‬upon me (‫;”)בי‬
(Deuteronomy 11:9) “To turn your conversation (‫ )לדבר‬intently upon them (‫;”)בם‬
(Psalm 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”.

Verse 10

Verse 11

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

Verse 12

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

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

Verse 13

‫ אצים‬means PRESSING.
‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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).
‫ 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 (‫)חקכם‬
IN 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.
Heb. ‫ ַוֻיּכּו‬They 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.

Verse 15

Verse 16

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

Verse 17

Verse 18

‫ 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”.

Verse 19

‫ 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,
‫ — 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.

Verse 20

‫ 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).

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ 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).

Verse 23

‫ 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”.

Chapter 6

Verse 1

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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.”.
Verse 2

‫ 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”.
‫ 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.”

Verse 3

‫ וארא‬AND I APPEARED — to the patriarchs.

‫ 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”.
‫ 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].

Verse 4

‫ 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
‫ 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.

Verse 5

‫ — 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.”

Verse 6

‫ לכן‬THEREFORE, i. e. in accordance with the tenor of that oath (cf. Exodus Rabbah
6)
‫ אמר לבני ישראל אני ה׳‬SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, I AM THE LORD Who am
faithful in My promise,
‫ 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”.
‫ סבלת מצרים‬means the encumbrance of the burdens of Egypt.

Verse 7

Verse 8

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

Verse 9

‫ ולא שמעו אל משה‬BUT THEY HEARKENED NOT TO MOSES — they did not accept his words of
comfort.
‫ 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).
‫ 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
‫ נודעתי‬actually 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”.
Verse 10

Verse 11

Verse 12

‫ 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).
‫ 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 ‫ — ֲעֵר ָלה‬stopped up so that it will
not hear; (Jeremiah 9:25) “‫ ַעְר ִלי‬in heart” — their hearts are closed so that they
will not understand; (Habakkuk 2:16) “Drink thou, also ‫ — ”ְוֵהָעֵר ל‬and 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.

Verse 13

‫ 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.
‫ 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)
‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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.

Verse 15

Verse 16
 ‫ 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).

Verse 17

Verse 18

‫ 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)

Verse 19

Verse 20

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

Verse 21

Verse 22

Verse 23

‫ 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).

Verse 24

Verse 25
 ‫ 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).

Verse 26

‫ 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).
‫ — 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.

Verse 27

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 28

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]

Verse 29

‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 30

‫ 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”.

Verse 31

Verse 32
Verse 33

Verse 34

Verse 35

Verse 36

Verse 37

Verse 38

Verse 39

Verse 40

Verse 41

Verse 42

Verse 43

Verse 44

Verse 45

Verse 46

Verse 47
Verse 48

Verse 49

Verse 50

Verse 51

Verse 52

Verse 53

Verse 54

Verse 55

Verse 56

Verse 57

Verse 58

Verse 59

Verse 60

Verse 61

Verse 62
Verse 63

Verse 64

Verse 65

Verse 66

Verse 67

Verse 68

Verse 69

Verse 70

Verse 71

Verse 72

Verse 73

Verse 74

Verse 75

Verse 76

Verse 77
Verse 78

Verse 79

Verse 80

Verse 81

Verse 82

Verse 83

Verse 84

Verse 85

Verse 86

Verse 87

Verse 88

Verse 89

Verse 90

Verse 91
Verse 92

Verse 93

Verse 94

Verse 95

Verse 96

Verse 97

Verse 98

Verse 99

Verse 100

Verse 101

Verse 102

Verse 103

Verse 104

Verse 105

Verse 106
Verse 107

Verse 108

Verse 109

Verse 110

Verse 111

Verse 112

Verse 113

Verse 114

Verse 115

Verse 116

Verse 117

Verse 118

Verse 119

Verse 120

Verse 121
Verse 122

Verse 123

Verse 124

Verse 125

Verse 126

Verse 127

Verse 128

Verse 129

Verse 130

Verse 131

Verse 132

Verse 133

Verse 134

Verse 135

Verse 136
Verse 137

Chapter 7

Verse 1

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

Verse 2

‫ 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.

Verse 3

‫ 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).

Verse 4

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

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7
Verse 8

Verse 9

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

Verse 10

‫ לתנין‬means A SERPENT.

Verse 11

‫ 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.

Verse 12

‫ 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).

Verse 13

Verse 14

‫ — 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 (‫ )ָּכֵבד‬for thee”.

Verse 15

‫ 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).

Verse 16

‫ 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.”

Verse 17

‫ 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).

Verse 18
 ‫ ונלאו מצרים‬THE EGYPTIANS SHALL WEARY THEMSELVES in seeking a cure for the waters
of the river that they may become fitted for drinking.

Verse 19

‫ 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).
‫ נהרתם‬THEIR STREAMS — These are the flowing rivers, just like our rivers in
France.
‫ — 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.
‫ — 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.
‫[ בכל ארץ מצרים‬THERE WILL BE BLOOD] THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT— also in
their bathing establishments and in the baths in their houses.
‫ — ובעצים ובאבנים‬the water which happened to be BOTH IN vessels of WOOD AND in
vessels of STONE.

Verse 20

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 23

‫[ 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.

Verse 24

Verse 25

‫ 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).

Verse 26
Verse 27

‫ — 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 ‫“ ָׁשֵלו‬a man at ease”
(Job 16:12); ‫“ ָׁשֵק ט‬a man at ease” (Jeremiah 48:11); ‫“ ]סר[ ְוָזֵעף‬a man displeased” (1
Kings 20:43), whilst ‫ ְממֵאן‬merely describes the person as refusing at some
particular moment.
‫ 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 (‫)ונגפו‬
a 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.

Verse 28

‫ ועלו‬AND THEY SHALL GO UP from the river

‫ — 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).

Verse 29

‫ 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).

Chapter 8

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ 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.

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5
 ‫ 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.
‫ 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 אעתיר‬
(without ‫)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 ‫ ֶאְעַּתר‬and ‫ ִעְתרּו‬and ‫( ְוָעַתְר ִּתי‬Kal 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 ‫ ַאְר ֶּבה‬and ‫ ַהְר ּבּו‬and
‫ ְוִהְר ֵּבִתי‬which 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 ‫ ַאְעִּתיר‬and ‫ַהְעִּתירּו‬
and ‫“ ְוֵהְעַּתְר ִּתי‬I 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) “‫ ְוֵהְעַּתְר ֶּתם‬your words against Me” — which can only mean “Ye have
multiplied” (being a transitive verb; cf. Rashi on Genesis 25:21).

Verse 6

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

Verse 7

Verse 8

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

Verse 9

Verse 10

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

Verse 11

‫ והכבד את לבו‬HE ALLOWED HIS HEART TO BE HARDENED — The word ‫ ַהְכֵּבד‬expresses 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 (‫)והכת‬
Moab”; (I Samuel 22:13) “and enquiring (‫ )ושאול‬of God for him”; (1 Kings 20:37);
“smiting (‫ )הכה‬and wounding (‫”)ופצוע‬.
‫ 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”.

Verse 12

‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ ותהי הכנם‬means the swarming was. In old French pedulier.

Verse 14

‫ 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).
‫ 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,

Verse 15

‫ אצבע אלהים הוא‬THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD — This plague is not caused by sorcery:
it is of the Omnipresent God!
‫ כאשר דבר ה׳‬AS THE LORD HAD SPOKEN — when He said, (Exodus 7:4) “Pharaoh will not
hearken unto you”.

Verse 16

Verse 17

‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 18

‫ 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”.
‫ 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”).

Verse 19

‫ ושמתי פדות‬AND I WILL MAKE A DELIVERANCE which shall serve as a division BETWEEN
MY PEOPLE AND THY PEOPLE.

Verse 20
 ‫ 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.

Verse 21

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

Verse 22

‫ 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).
‫ — ולא יסקלנו‬This must be read in the intonation of a question (although there is
no interrogative prefix ‫ )ֲה‬AND WILL THEY NOT STONE US?

Verse 23

Verse 24

Verse 25

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

Verse 26

‫ 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 ‫( ַוַיְעִּתיר‬the 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)”.

Verse 27

‫ 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).

Chapter 9

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ מחזיק בם‬means WILT KEEP HOLD OF THEM, as in, (Deuteronomy 25:11) “and layeth hold
of him etc. (...‫”)והחזיקה ב‬.
Verse 3

‫ הנה יד ה׳ הֹוָיה‬BEHOLD 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, ‫הֹוָיה‬, the latter form being similar
to ‫ עֹוָׂשה‬and ‫ רֹוָצה‬and ‫( רֹוָעה‬Fem. part. sing. Kal of ‫ ל"ה‬verbs).

Verse 4

‫ והפלה‬means HE WILL SEPARATE.

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

‫ מלא חפניכם‬HANDFULS (more lit., as much as will fill your fists), old French
joincheiz; Engl, double-handfuls.
‫ 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.
‫ פיח‬is derived from a root that signifies blowing, and it so called because the
wind blows it about and scatters it abroad.
‫ 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).

Verse 9

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

Verse 10

‫ 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.”

Verse 11
Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

‫[ 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.

Verse 15

‫ 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.

Verse 16

Verse 17

‫ עודך מסתולל בעמי‬Understand this as the Targum does: THOU TREADEST DOWN MY PEOPLE.
The word ‫ מסתולל‬is of the same derivation as ‫ ְמִסַּלה‬which 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 (‫ ִהְת‬or ‫ ִמת‬or ‫ִיְת‬
etc.) 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 ‫שר‬
in (II Chronicles 32:21) “a prince (‫ )שר‬and noble”; (Daniel 7:8) ‘‘I was
considering (‫ ”)מסתכל‬from the root ‫סכל‬, “to reflect on.”

Verse 18

‫ כעת מחר‬means AT THIS TIME (‫ ָּכֵעת‬not ‫ )ְּכֵעת‬TO-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).
‫ 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
(‫( ;”)ִהָוְלָּד ּ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”.

Verse 19

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

Verse 20

‫ הניס‬means HE MADE THEM FLEE.

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ 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).

Verse 23

Verse 24

‫[ 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).

Verse 25

Verse 26

Verse 27

Verse 28

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

Verse 29

‫ — 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).

Verse 30

‫ 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.
Verse 31

‫ 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 ‫ ֻנָּכָתה‬as being equivalent to ‫ֻהָּכָתה‬, and ‫ ֻנּכּו‬to ‫ֻהּכּו‬, but
the ‫ נ‬is a root-letter in the verb, and the word ‫ ֻנּכּו‬is of the same grammatical
form as the verb in, (Job. 33:21) “and all his bones are laid bare” ‫( ֻׁשּפּו‬i. e. Pual
of ‫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.
‫ השערה אביב‬means [THE BARLEY] STOOD IN RIPE STATE, similar in meaning to, (Song
6:11) “[to look at] the ripe plants (‫ ]באבי‬of the valley”.

Verse 32

‫ 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 אפילת‬
to signify that most remarkable wonders (‫ )פלאי פלאות‬happened to them in that they
were not smitten.

Verse 33

‫ 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.

Chapter 10

Verse 1

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

Verse 2

‫ 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”.

Verse 3

‫ לענת‬Translate as the Targum: TO BE HUMBLED. It is of the same derivation as ‫עני‬

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

Verse 4

Verse 5

‫ את עין הארץ‬means THE COLOUR OF THE GROUND.

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

Verse 6

Verse 7

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

Verse 8

‫[ 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.

Verse 9

Verse 10

‫[ 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.
‫ 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 ‘
‫ ’רעה‬is 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.)

Verse 11

‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 12

‫ בארבה‬means on account of the plague of locusts (the prefix ‫ ב‬signifies “on

account of”).

Verse 13

‫ 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).

Verse 14

‫ 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.

Verse 15

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

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

Verse 19

‫ רוח ים‬is A WEST WIND.

‫ 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)”.
‫ 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).

Verse 20

Verse 21

‫ 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.
‫ 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 ַיֵהל‬there”, which is the same as ‫לא ַיֲאֵהל‬, shall not
pitch his tent. Similar is, (II Samuel 22:40) “‫ ַוַּתְזֵר ִני‬with strength”, which is the
same as ‫“ ַוְּתַאְזֵר ִני‬And 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).

Verse 22

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

Verse 23

Verse 24
 ‫ יצג‬means SHALL REMAIN STANDING in its place.

Verse 25

‫ 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.

Verse 26

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

‫ 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.

Verse 27

Verse 28

Verse 29

‫ 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).

Chapter 11

Verse 1

‫ כלה‬Onkelos renders it by ‫גמירא‬, taking ‫ כלה‬in sense of ‫ כליל‬entirely; i. e. he

will send all of you away.

Verse 2

‫ 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).

Verse 3

Verse 4

'‫ 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).
‫ כחצות הלילה‬means, WHEN THE NIGHT IS DIVIDED (i. e., when midnight arrives). ‫כחצות‬
is 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
‫( ֵחִצי‬when 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).

Verse 5

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 6

Verse 7

‫ 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 ‫ — ”תחרץ‬then 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.
‫ אשר יפלה‬meant THAT HE MAKETH A DIFFERENCE.

Verse 8

‫ 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)
‫( אשר ברגליך‬lit., who are at thy feet) — who go after (follow) thy counsel and
ways.
‫ ואחרי כן אצא‬AND AFTER THAT I WILL GO OUT, with all my people, from thy land.
‫ ויצא מעם פרעה‬AND HE WENT OUT FROM PHARAOH — After he had concluded his words he
went forth from his presence.
‫ בחרי אף‬IN FIERCENESS OF WRATH because he (Pharaoh) had said to him, (Exodus
10:28) “Do not again see my face.
Verse 9

‫ 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.

Verse 10

‫ 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).

Chapter 12

Verse 1

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ — 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 3

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫[ 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 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 לבית‬
A LAMB FOR EACH HOUSEHOLD (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:7).

Verse 4

‫ — 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 ‫“ נותר‬left 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).
‫ במכסת‬means ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER. Similar is, (Leviticus 27:23) “The number (
‫ )מכסת‬of thy valuation”.
‫[ 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).
‫ תכסו‬means ye shall number yourselves, as the Targum renders it. (It is not to be
translated: ye shall number others.)

Verse 5

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

‫ 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).
‫ — מן הכבשים ומן העזים‬i. e. either from these (a lamb) or from these (a goat) (i.
e. the ‫ ו‬of ‫ ומן‬does 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).

Verse 6

‫ 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 (‫ ְּבָד ַמִיְך‬is
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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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".

Verse 7

‫ 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).
‫ המזוזת‬THE SIDE POSTS — These are the upright posts, one on this side of the
entrance and one on that side.
‫ 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 ‫;דשקיף‬
and from the Targum on, (Exodus 21:25) ‫“ ַחּבּוָר ה‬wheal” (a beaten spot), where ‫משקופי‬
is the rendering.
‫ 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).

Verse 8

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

Verse 9

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫[ 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.).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 10

‫ 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).

Verse 11

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

Verse 12

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ מאדם עד בהמה‬FROM MAN TO BEAST — He who first began the wrongdoing, from him began
the punishment (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:12:2).
‫ 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)).
'‫ אעשה שפטים אני ה‬I WILL EXECUTE JUDGEMENTS, I, THE LORD — I, Myself, and not by
means of a messenger (Pesikta Zotarta).

Verse 13

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ — ופסחתי‬This signifies I WILL SPARE you; similar to this is, (Isaiah 31:5)
“Sparing (‫ )פסוח‬and 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 והמליט‬
“He springs over him and delivers him” from amongst those who are being killed.
‫ 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).

Verse 14

‫[ לזכרון‬AND THIS DAY SHALL BE UNTO YOU] FOR A MEMORIAL — in future generations (i.
e. in the future).
 ‫ 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).
‫[ 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).

Verse 15

‫ שבעת ימים‬denotes a septaine (old French) of days.

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫[ 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).
‫[ 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).

Verse 16

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

Verse 17

‫ 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 הַּמּצֹות‬, the unleavened bread, but
‫[“ את ַהִּמְצֹות‬ye 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).
‫ ושמרתם את היום הזה‬AND YE SHALL GUARD THIS DAY — against work,
‫ 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.

Verse 18

‫ 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).

Verse 19

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 20

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

Verse 21

‫ משכו‬DRAW OUT — He who has sheep let him draw one out from his own,
‫ וקחו‬OR TAKE, and he who has no sheep let him purchase one in the market (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:21:2).
‫[ למשפחתיכם‬A LAMB] ACCORDING TO YOUR FAMILIES — this corresponds to ‫ שה לבית אבות‬a
lamb for the house of their fathers in verse 3.

Verse 22

‫ אזוב‬HYSSOP — a kind of herb which has thin stalks.

‫ אגדת אזוב‬A BUNCH OF HYSSOP — three stalks are called a bunch (cf. Shabbat 109b;
Sukkah 13a).
‫ אשר בסף‬means WHICH IS IN THE VESSEL, as in (2 Kings 12:14) “basins (‫ )ספות‬of
silver.”
‫ 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).
‫ 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”.

Verse 23

‫ 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).
‫ 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 (‫נתנו‬
— give him the power) to do me evil”.

Verse 24

Verse 25

‫ 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
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).

Verse 26

Verse 27

‫ 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).

Verse 28

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫[ 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).

Verse 29

‫“ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 30

‫ ויקם פרעה‬AND PHARAOH AROSE from his bed,

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 31

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

Verse 32

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 33

‫ 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).

Verse 34

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

Verse 35

‫[ 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…”
‫ 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).

Verse 36

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

Verse 37

‫ 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).
‫ הגברים‬ADULT MALES — from twenty years old and upwards (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:6).

Verse 38
 ‫ ערב רב‬A MIXED MULTITUDE — a mingling of various nations who had become
proselytes.

Verse 39

‫ 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
.‫ 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).

Verse 40

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 41

‫ 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.
Verse 42

‫ 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.
'‫ 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).
‫[ 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).

Verse 43

‫ זאת חקת הפסח‬THIS IS THE ORDINANCE OF THE PASSOVER — This chapter was spoken to
them on the 14th day of Nisan.
‫ 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).

Verse 44

‫ 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).

Verse 45

‫ תושב‬A TOLERATED SOJOURNER — this means a stranger who has settled in Palestine
(having undertaken to observe the seven precepts of the “Sons of Noah”).
‫ 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).

Verse 46

‫ 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).
 ‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 47

‫ 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).

Verse 48

‫ 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 הארץ‬but 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 49

‫ 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).

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Chapter 13

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ 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”.
‫ לי הוא‬IT IS MINE — I have acquired him for Myself through My having smitten the
first born of the Egyptians.

Verse 3

‫ 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).
Verse 4

‫ 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).

Verse 5

‫ 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”).
‫ 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).
‫ זבת חלב ודבש‬FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY — milk flows from the goats and honey
flows from the dates and from the figs.
‫ 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).

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 9

‫ והיה לך לאות‬AND IT SHALL BE FOR A SIGN UNTO THEE — i. e. the Exodus from Egypt
shall be to thee as a sign
‫ 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.
‫ על ידך‬UPON THY HAND — on the left hand; that is why the word is written ‫ ָיְד ָכה‬in
its full form (not ‫ )ָיְד ָ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 (‫)כהה‬
(Menachot 36b).

Verse 10

‫ מימים ימימה‬means FROM YEAR TO YEAR (‫ ימים‬frequently signifies a year) (Menachot

36b).

Verse 11

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 12

‫ 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).
‫ 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 רחם‬
“thou 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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).
‫ 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 (‫— חולין‬
an ordinary animal) (cf. Bekhorot 9b).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 15

Verse 16

‫ 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).

Verse 17

‫ 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”.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 18

‫ ויסב‬means HE LED THE PEOPLE ABOUT from the direct route to a circuitous route.
‫ 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 (‫( ;”)בסוף‬Isaiah 19:6) “The flags and the reeds (‫ )וסוף‬shall wither”.
‫ — 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).

Verse 19

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 20

‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ לנחתם הדרך‬TO GUIDE THEM IN THE WAY — It (the ‫ ל‬of ‫ )לנחתם‬is punctuated with
Patach, because it (the word) is like ‫( ְלַהְנחֹוָתם‬being a contracted form of this);
similar is, (Deuteronomy 1:33) “‫ ַלְר ֹאְתֶכם‬the way in which ye shall go”, which is the
same as ‫ ְלַהְר ֹאְתֶכם‬to 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.

Verse 22

‫ 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).

Chapter 14

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ 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]”.
‫ 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.
‫ 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 (‫ַמְׂשִגיא‬, is taken in the sense of ‫ ַמְׁשִגיא‬from root ‫ שגה‬to err) and then
destroyeth them” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:2:2; cf. Rashi on this passage).

Verse 3

‫ ואמר פרעה‬THEN PHARAOH WILL SAY — when he hears that they are turning back.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.”
‫ 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.

Verse 4

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 5

‫ 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).
‫[ 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).
‫ 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 ‫)ֵמֲעבֹוָד ֵתנּו‬.

Verse 6

‫ ויאסר את רכבו‬AND HE MADE READY HIS CHARIOT — he himself (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
14:6:1)
‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ בחור‬means CHOSEN. The word ‫ בחור‬is singular number — the idea is: each and every
chariot in that number was a selected one.
‫ 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).
‫ ושלשים על כלו‬means army-captains, as the Targum has it.

Verse 8

‫ 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).
‫ ביד רמה‬WITH A HIGH HAND — with high and open daring (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 14:8:2).

Verse 9

Verse 10

‫ — 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).
‫[ 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 אחריהם‬
is: 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).
‫ 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).
Verse 11

‫ 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.

Verse 12

‫[ 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)
‫ ממתנו‬means THAN THAT WE SHOULD DIE. If the word had been punctuated with a Melopum
(our ‫ חולם‬i. e. ‫ )ִמּמֹוֵתנּו‬it would have to be explained “than our death” (‫ מֹוֵתנּו‬our
death from the noun ‫ )ָמֶות‬but 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 ‫ ”מּוֵתנּו‬i. e. “that we should die”; similar is, (II Samuel 19:1) “Would
that ‫ ”מּוִתי‬in the history of Absalom, which means “that I should die”. It is an
infinitive like (Zephaniah 3:8) “Until the day ‫ קּוִמי‬for ever”, and as (II
Chronicles 18:26) “Until the day ‫ ׁשּוִבי‬in peace” — which signify ‫“ שאקום‬that I shall
arise”, and ‫“ שאשוב‬that I shall return”.

Verse 13

‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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

Verse 15

‫ 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)
‫ 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).

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18
Verse 19

‫ 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 ‫ אלהים‬really 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 20

‫ 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).
‫ ויהי הענן והחשך‬AND THERE WAS CLOUD AND DARKNESS to the Egyptians.
‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ 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).
‫ ויבקעו המים‬AND THE WATERS WERE DIVIDED — all the waters in the world (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:2:2).

Verse 22

Verse 23

‫( 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).

Verse 24
 ‫ 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.
‫ 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”.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 25

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 26

‫ וישבו המים‬means THE WATERS that were standing erect as a wall SHALL RETURN to
their places and form a cover over the Egyptians.

Verse 27

‫ לפנות בקר‬AT THE TURNING OF THE MORNING at the time when the morning turns to
come).
‫ לאיתנו‬means TO ITS ORIGINAL STRENGTH (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:27).
‫ נסים לקראתו‬FLED TOWARDS IT — because they were thrown into confusion and were
bewildered and on that account ran towards it.
'‫ 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).
‫ — וינער‬Onkelos renders this by ‫ ושניק‬which is an expression for confounding in
Aramaic, and there are many examples of it in the Agadic expositions.
Verse 28

‫ 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.

Verse 29

Verse 30

‫ 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).

Verse 31

‫ 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.

Chapter 15

Verse 1

‫ 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 (‫;”)יעשה‬
(Numbers 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).
‫ 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 תוספת‬
— I 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ — עזי וזמרת יה‬Onkelos translated this by “my might and my praise”, taking ‫ ָעִּזי‬the
same as ‫ֻעִּזי‬, and ‫ ְוִזְמָר ת‬the same as ‫ְוִזְמָר ִתי‬. 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 ‫ )ָעִּזי‬in the Scriptures except in three passages where it is,
in each case, followed by ‫וזמרת‬. In all other passages it is punctuated with ‫שורק‬
(i. e. our Kibbutz); e. g., (Jeremiah 16:19) ‫( ה' ֻעִּזי ומעזי‬Psalms 59:10) ‫ֻעּזו אליך‬
‫ אשמרה‬So, too, every word of two letters that is punctuated with a Melopum (our
‫ )חולם‬when 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, ‫ ֹעז‬and ‫;ֻעִּזי‬
‫ ֹרק‬and ‫ ֹחק ; ֻר ִק י‬and ‫ ֹעל ; ֻחִק י‬and ‫ ֻעִלי‬as in (Isaiah 14:25) “then shall his yoke (
‫ֻעּלֹו‬, from ‫ )ֹעל‬depart from him”; — ‫ ֹּכל‬and ‫ֻּכּלֹו‬, as in (Exodus 14:7) “and captains
over each of them (‫ — )ֻּכּלֹו‬from ‫ֹּכל‬. But these three examples of ‫ָעִּזי ְוִּזְמָר ת‬, 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 ‫ֻעִּזי‬
and not ‫ָעִּזי‬. 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 ‫ ָעִּזי‬is not the same as ‫ ֻעִּזי‬and ‫ ְוִזְמָר ת‬is not the same as
‫ְוִזְמָר ִתי‬, but ‫ ָעִּזי‬is a noun without a suffix of any kind, as we find in (Psalms
123:1) “The one who sits (‫ )ַהֹּיְׁשִבי‬in heaven”; (Obadiah 3:3) “The one who dwells (
‫ )ֹׁשְכִני‬in the cleft of the rock”; (Deuteronomy 33:16) “He that dwelleth (‫ )ֹׁשְכִני‬in
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 ‫ ִזְמָר ת‬of God, this was to me as a help. The word ‫וזמרת‬
is a noun in the construct state to the word which expressess the Divine Name (‫)ָיּה‬,
in the same sense as (Judges 5:23) “to the help of (‫ — לעזַר ת‬const.) the Lord”;
(Isaiah 9:18) “through the wrath of (‫ — בעברת‬constr.) the Lord”; (Ecc. 3:18)
“because of (‫ — דבַר ת‬const.) 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 ‫ויעש‬
etc.) ‫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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 3

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ ירה בים‬Onkelos translates this by ‫שדי בימא‬: HE HATH CAST IN THE SEA. The word ‫שדי‬
is an expression for “casting”. And thus, also, it says, (Exodus 19:13) ‫או ירה יירה‬
which 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.
‫ ומבחר‬AND THE CHOICEST — This word is a noun of similar form to ‫ ֶמְר ָּכב‬and ‫ ִמְׁשָּכב‬and
]‫ִמְק ָר א [קדש‬.
‫ 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).

Verse 5

‫ יכסימו‬THEY COVER THEM — this is the same as ‫ ְיַכּסּום‬and 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 ‫ ְיַכְסֻימּו‬with Melopum (‫)חולם‬.
‫ 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).

Verse 6

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ נאדרי‬The ‫ י‬is redundant as in (Lamentations 1:1) “full of (‫ )רבתי‬people . . .
princess (‫ )שרתי‬amongst the provinces”; (Genesis 31:39) “stolen (‫ )גנבתי‬by day”.
‫ 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:

Verse 7

‫ 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].
‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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 (‫ ”)ֹחֶטם‬which 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, ‫ ַחמה‬which also
signifies wrath really denotes heat (from a root ‫יחם‬, not ‫חמם‬, since the ‫ מ‬of ‫ַחָמה‬
has no Dagesh. ‫ ַחָמה‬is formed from ‫ יחם‬as ‫ֵעָד 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 ‫ קר‬cold).
‫ 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.
‫ — כמו נד‬Render this as the Targum does: like a ‫שור‬, i. e. a wall.
‫ 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 (‫[ )ַּכֵנד‬the waters of the sea]”. It is not written “He gathereth ‫”כנאד‬, but
‫”כנאד‬, and if ‫כנד‬, were the same as ‫“ כנאד‬like 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”, (‫ כבנאד‬and 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 ‫ ֹנאד‬punctuated only with a Melopum (‫)חולם‬,
as, (Psalms 56:9) “Put thou my tears into thy bottle (‫ ”)ֹנאֶד ָך‬and (Judges 4:19) “the
bottle of (‫ )ֹנאד‬milk”.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 9

‫ 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.
‫ תמלאמו‬means SHALL BE FILLED WITH THEM (not it shall fill them). ‫ נפשי‬MY SOUL — my
spirit, my desire. Do not be puzzled at a word, that expresses an idea usually
expressed by two, viz., ‫ תמלאמו‬for ‫ִּתָּמֵלא ֵמֶהם‬, for there are many examples of this
way of speaking; e. g., (Judges 1:15) “the south country ‫”ְנַתָּתִני‬, which is the same
as ‫ָנַתָּת ִלי‬, “thou hast given to me”; (Genesis 37:4) “And they were not able ‫ַּד ְּברֹו‬
peaceably”, which is the same as ‫“ ַּד ֵּבר ִעּמֹו‬to speak with him”; (Jeremiah 10:20) “My
children ‫ ְיָצאּוִני‬which is the same as ‫“ ָיְצאּו ִמֶּמִני‬have gone away from me”; (Job.
31:37) “the number of my steps ‫ ַאִגיֶד ּנּו‬which is the same as ‫“ ַאִּגיד לֹו‬I would declare
unto him”. Similarly here: ‫ תמלאמו‬means ‫“ ִּתָּמֵלא ַנְפִׁשי ֵמֶהם‬my soul shall be filled with
them”.
‫ 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 (‫( ;”)תורק‬Jeremiah 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 (‫ )הורק‬from 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.
‫ 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.”

Verse 10

‫ — נשפת‬an expression for “blowing”. Similar is (Isaiah 40:24) “He bloweth (‫)נשף‬
upon them”.
‫ צללו‬means THEY SANK, they went deep, — an expression of the same root as (Psalms
69:3) ‫“ מצולה‬the depths”.
‫ כעופרת‬LIKE LEAD: old French plomb.

Verse 11

‫ באלם‬means AMONGST THE MIGHTY, just as (Ezekiel 17:13) “and the mighty of (‫)אילי‬
the land he took away”; (Psalms 22:20) “O, thou my strength (‫ )אילותי‬hasten to my
help”.
‫ 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”.

Verse 12

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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)

Verse 14

‫ ירגזון‬means THEY TREMBLE (not they will tremble).

‫[ 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).

Verse 15

‫[ 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).
‫ נמגו‬means THEY MELTED — just as, (Psalms 65:11) “Thou makest it soft (‫)תמגגנה‬
with 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).

Verse 16

‫ תפל עליהם אימתה‬THERE SHALL FALL UPON THEM DREAD — upon those of them who are far
away (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:16:1),
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 17

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 18

‫ 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.

Verse 19

‫ כי בא סוס פרעה‬means WHEN [THE HORSES] CAME.

Verse 20

‫ 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).
‫ את התף‬A TIMBREL — an instrument for a particular kind of music.
‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ 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 it after her (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:20:2).

Verse 22
 ‫ 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.

Verse 23

‫ 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 ‫ת‬
takes the place of the ‫ ה‬which is rooted in (an integral part of) the word ‫;מרה‬
when 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.

Verse 24

‫ 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.

Verse 25

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 26

‫ אם שמע תשמע‬IF THOU WILL DILIGENTLY HEARKEN — this implies acceptance — that they
should take upon themselves the duty of performing God’s commands.
‫ תעשה‬AND IF THOU WILT DO — this implies the performance of the commands.
‫ והאזנת‬means THOU WILT INCLINE THE EAR to be punctilious in the practice of the
details.
 ‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 27

‫ 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).
‫ ושבעים תמרים‬AND SEVENTY PALM-TREES — corresponding to the seventy elders
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:27).

Verse 28

Chapter 16

Verse 1

‫ 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.

Verse 2

‫ וילנו‬AND THEY MURMURED, because the bread had come to an end.

Verse 3

‫ 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 ‫ עשותנו‬and ‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 5

‫ והיה משנה‬AND IT SHALL BE DOUBLE — for today and for tomorrow.

‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ ערב‬is the same as ‫ לערב‬AT EVENING

‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ 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).
‫ את תלנתיכם על ה׳‬this is the same as ‫ ]תלנתיכם] אשר על ה׳‬YOUR MURMURINGS WHICH ARE
AGAINST THE LORD.
‫( ונחנו מה‬lit., and we, what?) means AND WE, WHAT ARE WE accounted (of what
importance are we?),
‫ 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 ‫ ַתִּלינּו‬in 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 (‫ )ַוָיֶלן‬against Moses”, or, if there
was still a Dagesh but there was no ‫ י‬in it, so that it could be read ‫ִתּלֹונּו‬, 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 (‫ )ַוַּיִּלינּו‬against him” (where ‫ַוַּיִּלינּו‬
is the same grammatical form, so far as conjugation is concerned, as ‫ַתִּלינּו‬, but as
it has an object, ‫כל העדה‬, it cannot mean “And they murmured”, and must necessarily
mean “they made the congregation murmur).

Verse 8

‫ בשר לאכל‬FLESH TO EAT— but it does not add as it does in the next phrase ‫ִלְׂש ֹּבַע‬, “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).
‫ אשר אתם מלינים עליו‬means [YOUR MURMURINGS] WHICH YOU MAKE others who hear you
murmuring MURMUR AGAINST HIM.

Verse 9

‫ קרבו‬APPROACH [BEFORE THE LORD] — to the place where the cloud will descend.

Verse 10

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

‫ השליו‬THE QUAILS — a species of fowl which is very fatty (cf. Yoma 75b).
‫ 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).

Verse 14

‫ 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, a THIN object,
‫ 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 (‫ )מחשף‬the white”.
‫ 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”. ‫דק‬
is 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.

Verse 15

‫ מן הוא‬means this is something prepared for food, as in (Daniel 1:5) “And the king
appointed (‫ )וימן‬for them,”.
‫ כי לא ידעו מה הוא‬FOR THEY KNEW NOT WHAT IS WAS so that they could call it by its
name.

Verse 16

‫ — עמר‬the name of a measure.

‫ — מספר נפשתיכם‬The second half of the verse means ACCORDING TO (supply ‫ כ‬before
‫ )מספר‬THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WHOM A MAN HAS (‫ איש לאשר‬being the same as ‫ )אשר לאיש‬IN
HIS TENT SHALL YE TAKE AN OMER FOR EVERY HEAD (‫ ַלֻּגלֹּגֶלת‬the definite article with the
‫ ל‬having distributive force: each and every).

Verse 17

‫ 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).

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 20

‫ ויותרו אנשים‬BUT SOME MEN LEFT OF IT — Dathan and Abiram (Shemot Rabbah 24:10; cf.
Rashi on Exodus 2:13).
‫ וירם תולעים‬AND IT BRED WORMS — the word ‫ וירם‬is of the same meaning and root as
‫ִר ָּמה‬, worm.
‫ 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).

Verse 21
 ‫ 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).
‫ ונמס‬Onkelos translates by ‫ָּפָׁשר‬, 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).

Verse 22

‫ 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 ַלקטו‬, was double bread.) A Midrashic explanation is that
‫ משנה‬in ‫ לחם משנה‬signifies ‫ ְמֻׁשָּנה‬different, changed, — that day it was changed for
the better as regards its smell and its taste (Tanchuma Yashan).
‫ 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.”

Verse 23

‫ 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.
‫ למשמרת‬means as something put by (to be kept).

Verse 24

Verse 25

‫ 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).

Verse 26

‫ 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).

Verse 27

Verse 28

‫ 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).

Verse 29

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 30

Verse 31

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 32

‫ למשמרת‬means to put by.

‫ 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).

Verse 33
 ‫ צנצנת‬is an earthern flask, as it is translated in the Targum (cf. Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 16:33).
‘‫ 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.

Verse 34

Verse 35

‫ 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).
‫ אל ארץ נושבת‬TO A LAND INHABITED — after they had crossed the Jordan, [for that
territory on the other side of the Jordan was cultivated (‫ְמֻיֶׁשֶבת‬, 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 ‫יתבתא‬
which means to say ‫מיושבת‬, “settled”].
‫ 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).

Verse 36

‫[ 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).

Chapter 17

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ מה תנסון‬TO WHY DO YE TRY [THE LORD] by saying, “Will He be able to give us water
in an arid land?”

Verse 3

Verse 4

‫ עוד מעט‬YET A LITTLE means, if I wait but a little more they will stone me.

Verse 5

‫ 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?
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 6

‫ 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).

Verse 7

Verse 8

‫ 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).

Verse 9

‫ 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 (‫)ַּכֵּלם‬
from 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).
‫ וצא הלחם‬GO OUT, FIGHT — go out from the cloud and fight against him (Mekhilta
d'Rabbi Yishmael 17:9:3),
‫ מחר‬TO-MORROW, at the time of the battle, I will take my stand.
‫ 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)

Verse 10

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).
‫ חור‬HUR was the son of Miriam and her husband was Caleb (Sotah 11b).

Verse 11

‫ 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.

Verse 12

‫ 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).
‫ ויקחו‬AND THEY TOOK — Aaron and Hur took —
‫ 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).
‫( 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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).
Verse 14

‫ כתב זאת זכרון‬WRITE THIS FOR A MEMORIAL, that Amalek came to wage war against
Israel before any other nation.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 15

‫ ויקרא שמו‬AND HE CALLED HIS (or its) NAME — the name of the altar,
‫( 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).

Verse 16

‫ ויאמר‬AND HE SAID — i. e. Moses said.

‫ 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).

Verse 17

Verse 18

Verse 19

Chapter 18
Verse 1

‫ 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).
‫ יתרו‬JETHRO — He was called by seven names: Reuel, Jether, Jethro, Hobab, Heber,
Keni and Putiel. He was called Jether (from ‫“ ִיֵּתר‬to 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 (‫ )ִחֵּבב‬the 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
78 (on Numbers 10:29).
‫ 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).
‫ למשה ולישראל‬TO MOSES AND TO ISRAEL — Moses alone is of equal in importance to all
Israel (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:1:5).
‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ 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).

Verse 3

Verse 4

‫ 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).

Verse 5
 ‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ ויאמר אל משה‬AND HE SAID UNTO MOSES through a messenger (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
18:6).
'‫ 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).

Verse 7

‫ 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)
‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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).
‫ את כל התלאה‬ALL THE TRAVAIL that they had experienced at the Red Sea, and that
caused by Amalek (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:8).
‫ — 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.

Verse 9

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 10

‫ אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים‬WHO HATH DELIVERED YOU OUT OF THE HAND OF EGYPT, a hard
people,
‫ ומיד פרעה‬AND OUT OF THE HAND OF PHARAOH, a hard monarch.
‫ — 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.

Verse 11

‫ עתה ידעתי‬NOW I KNOW — I indeed knew Him formerly, but now I know Him even more
(cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:11:2).
‫[ 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).
‫ — 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).
‫ 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 (‫ )ויזד‬pottage (‫( )נזיד‬lit., something boiled)” — in the pot
wherein they had boiled, therein were they themselves boiled (Sotah 11a).

Verse 12

‫ — עלה‬Translate this according to its usual meaning: a burnt-offering, which was

burnt entire and completely.
‫ וזבחים‬AND SACRIFICES — i. e. peace-offerings.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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”.
‫ 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)
‫ 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).

Verse 14

Verse 15

‫ — כי יבא‬This is the same as ‫ כי בא‬because the people comes”, the imperfect tense
expressing continuous action.
‫ לדרש אלהים‬TO ENQUIRE OF GOD — Understand this as the Targum does: ‫למתבע אלפן‬, to
seek instruction from the mouth of the Almighty.

Verse 16

‫ כי יהיה להם דבר בא‬WHEN THEY HAVE A MATTER THEY COME (lit., “he comes”) — “He”,
viz., who has the matter comes to me.

Verse 17

‫ ויאמר חתן משה‬AND MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW SAID — By way of honour Scripture describes
him as the father-in-law of the king.

Verse 18

‫ — 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.
‫ 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).
‫ כי כבד ממך‬FOR [THIS THING] IS TOO HEAVY FOR THEE — its weight is far more than
thy strength can bear.
Verse 19

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫[ את הדברים‬AND THOU SHALT BRING] THE MATTERS — i. e. the matters of their strife.

Verse 20

Verse 21

‫ ואתה תחזה‬MOREOVER THOU SHALT PROVIDE through the Holy Spirit that is upon thee
(Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:21:1),
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ שרי אלפים‬OFFICERS OF THOUSANDS — there were six hundred such officers for the six
hundred thousand men of Israel.
‫ שרי מאות‬OFFICERS OF HUNDREDS — there were six thousand of them.
‫ שרי חמשים‬OFFICERS OF FIFTIES — twelve thousand.
‫ שרי עשרת‬OFFICERS OF TENS — sixty thousand (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:21:2,
Sanhedrin 18a).

Verse 22

‫ — ושפטו‬Onkelos translates this by ‫ וידונון‬AND LET THEM JUDGE (not “and they
judged”, as in v. 26) — the word expresses a command.
‫ 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.

Verse 23

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 24

Verse 25
Verse 26

‫ — ושפטו‬Onkelos translates by ‫“ ודינין ית עמא‬and they were judging the people”

(cf. Rashi on v. 22).
‫ — יביאון‬Onkelos translates this by ‫( מיתין‬participle) “they were bringing” (or
“they always brought”).
‫ — ִיְׁשּפּוטּו ֵהם‬This is the same as ‫ ;ִיְׁשְּפטּו‬similar is (Ruth 2:8) ‫ ֹלא ַתֲעבּוִר י‬which is
the same as ‫ֹלא ַתַעְבִר י‬. 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).

Verse 27

‫ 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).

Chapter 19

Verse 1

‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 3

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ לבית יעקב‬TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB — This denotes the women — to them you shall speak
in gentle language (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:3).
‫ 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.

Verse 4

‫ 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).
‫ 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 ‫ ואשא‬as though it were [‫ — ְוַאִּסיַע [אתכם‬viz., ‫ואטלית‬
‫“ יתכון‬and I made you travel” (cf. the Targum on ‫ ַוַּיַסע‬Exodus 15:22); he adapted the
expression in a manner that is consonant with the respect due to the Most High God.
‫ 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).
‫ ואבא אתכם אלי‬AND I BROUGHT YOU UNTO MYSELF — Explain this as the Targum does:
“and I have brought you near to My service”.

Verse 5

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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 הארץ‬FOR ALL THE EARTH IS MINE, but in My eyes and before Me they are as
nought.

Verse 6

‫ 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.
‫ אלה הדברים‬THESE ARE THE WORDS — these neither fewer nor more (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:6).

Verse 7

Verse 8

‫ 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).

Verse 9

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 10

‫ 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).

Verse 11

‫ והיו נכנים‬AND LET THEM BE PREPARED — separated from their wives (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 19:15:1; cf. Rashi on Shabbat 87a).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 12

‫ 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.
 ‫ לאמר‬SAYING — The boundary says to them, “Take care not to ascend from here and
further on” and you, too, admonish them regarding this.
‫ ונגע בקצהו‬OR TOUCH THE EXTREMITY THEREOF — i. e. even the extremity thereof.

Verse 13

‫ 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).
‫ יירה‬means HE SHALL BE THROWN BELOW to the ground, the word being similar to,
(Exodus 15:4) “He hath cast down (‫ )ירה‬into the sea”.
‫ 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).
‫ — 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).

Verse 14

‫[ 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).

Verse 15

‫ 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).
‫ 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)

Verse 16

‫ 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).

Verse 17

‫[ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 18

‫ עשן כלו‬WAS ALTOGETHER ON A SMOKE — This word ‫ ָעַׁשן‬is not a noun, because the ‫ ש‬is
punctuated with Patach, but it has the meaning of “it was doing something”, similar
to and ‫ ָאַמר‬and ‫ ָׁשַמר‬and ‫ָׁשַמע‬. On this account, its translation in the Targum is ‫ָּתֵנן‬
‫“ ֻּכֵּלּה‬it was altogether giving forth smoke” (‫ ָּתֵנן‬is a verb corresponding with the
Hebrew ‫)ָעַׁשן‬. and it does not translate it by ‫( ְּתָנָנא‬a noun denoting smoke,
corresponding to Hebrew ‫)ָעָׁשן‬. But wherever else the word ‫ עשן‬occurs in Scripture it
is punctuated with Kametz because it is a noun.
‫ 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).

Verse 19

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 20

‫ 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).
Verse 21

‫ העד בעם‬signifies, WARN THEM not to ascend the mountain.

‫ 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,
‫ 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).
‫ — 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.

Verse 22

‫ וגם הכהנים‬AND THE PRIESTS ALSO — the first born sons also, through whom the
sacrificial service was carried out (Zevachim 115b),
‘‫ 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
‫ יתקדשו‬LET THEM BE PREPARED to remain at their post,
‫ 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.

Verse 23

‫ 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.

Verse 24

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ פן יפרץ בם‬LEST HE BURST FORTH UPON THEM — Although it (the word ‫ )ִיְפָר ץ‬is
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).

Verse 25

‫ ויאמר אליהם‬AND HE SPOKE UNTO THEM this warning.

Chapter 20
Verse 1

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ 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)
‫ 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).

Verse 3

‫ 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.)
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ פסל‬A GRAVEN IMAGE — it is so called because it is chiselled out (the root ‫ פסל‬has
this meaning).
‫ וכל תמונה‬lit., OR ANY LIKENESS i. e. the likeness of any thing ‫ אשר בשמים‬THAT IS
IN THE HEAVENS.

Verse 5

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 6

Verse 7

‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ — 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).

Verse 9

‫[ 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).

Verse 10

‫ 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”.

Verse 11

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 12

‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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”.
‫ 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).

Verse 14

Verse 15

‫ 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).
‫[ 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.
‫ את הקולת‬THE SOUNDS which issued from the mouth of the Almighty.
‫ וינעו‬THEY MOVED — The root ‫ נוע‬denotes trembling (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
20:15:3).
‫ 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).

Verse 16

Verse 17

‫ 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.
‫ 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 ‫נס‬
because it is something raised on high.
‫ 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.

Verse 18

‫[ 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).
Verse 19

‫ כה תאמר‬THUS THOU SHALT SAY — in this (the Holy) language (Mekhilta d'Rabbi
Yishmael 20:19:1).
‫ 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).
‫ 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) .

Verse 20

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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 וברכתיך‬
I 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).

Verse 22

‫ 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).
‫ — 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).
‫ — 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”.
‫ 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 is, 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 is: 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).

Verse 23

‫ 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).
‫ 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)

Chapter 21

Verse 1

‫ 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, ‫“ ואלה‬and 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 הדברות‬
They 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ 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)
‫ 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).
‫ לחפשי‬means INTO FREEDOM (i. e. ‫ חפשי‬is a noun like ‫ ֹחֶפׁש‬but having a redundant ‫י‬
at the end).

Verse 3

‫ 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) בכנפו‬being 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”.
‫ 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).
‫ אם בעל אשה הוא‬IF HE BE MARRIED to an Israelite woman (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21:3:2),
‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ 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).

Verse 5
 ‫ את אשתי‬MY WIFE — the Canaanitish handmaid mentioned above.

Verse 6

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.)
‫ 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).

Verse 7

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ לעם נכרי לא ימשל למכרה‬means that neither the master nor the father has a right to
sell her to another Jewish man (Kiddushin 18a),
‫ 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).

Verse 9

‫ 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).
‫[ 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).

Verse 10

‫ אם אחרת יקח לו‬IF HE TAKE HIM ANOTHER WIFE — besides her,

‫ 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.
‫ שארה‬means FOOD;
‫ כסותה‬means what the literal sense of the word is:RAIMENT;
‫ ענתה‬means THE MARITAL DUTY (Ketuvot 47b).

Verse 11

‫ 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.
‫ 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 ‫בגרות‬
since 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).

Verse 12

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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).
‫ 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 ‫ ַצִיד‬and that
of the former ‫ְצִד ָיה‬, whilst the participle of the verb “lying in wait” is ‫ צֹוֶד ה‬and
that of the other is ‫ָצד‬. 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 ציד‬i. 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
‫ צדה‬could be taken to mean, “he did not turn aside (‫ ”)ִצֵּד 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”.
‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 14

‫ 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 זה‬Scripture therefore states here: “if a man acts intentionally (
‫ — ”)יזיד‬but not in error (‫“ ;)שוגג‬against his fellowman (‫ — ”)רעהו‬but not against
a heathen; “to slay with guile (‫ — ”)בערמה‬thus 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 15

‫ 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).
‫ אביו ואמו‬means either his father or his mother (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21:15:2).
‫ מות יומת‬SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH — by strangulation (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
21:15:4).
Verse 16

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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)].

Verse 17

‫ 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.
‫ 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 בו‬Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:17:3;
Sanhedrin 66a).

Verse 18
 ‫ 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).
‫ ונפל למשכב‬BUT KEEPETH HIS BED — The meaning is as the Targum gives it: ‫ויפל‬
‫“ לבוטלן‬and he falls into inactivity”, i. e. he falls into an illness that prevents
him from working.

Verse 19

‫( 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).
‫[ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ — ורפא ירפא‬Translate it as the Targum does: he shall pay the physician’s fee.

Verse 20

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 22

‫ וכי ינצו אנשים‬IF MEN STRIVE with each other and one intended to strike the other
and inadvertently struck the woman (Sanhedrin 79b).
‫ 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 (‫;”)יתנגפו‬
(Isaiah 8:14) “but for a stone of dashing (‫)נגף‬.
‫ ולא יהיה אסון‬AND YET THERE BE NO MISCHIEF — no further mischief with the woman
(Sanhedrin 79b).
‫ 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).
‫( 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 (‫ )וענשו‬him an hundred shekel of silver”.
‫ 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),
‫ ונתן‬THEN HE SHALL GIVE — i. e. the man that struck the woman shall give the value
of the offspring.
‫ בפללים‬ACCORDING TO THE DECISION OF THE JUDGES (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:23:9).

Verse 23

‫ ואם אסון יהיה‬AND IF THERE BE ANY FURTHER MISCHIEF — in the case of the woman,
‫ 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).

Verse 24
 ‫ 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).

Verse 25

‫ 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).
‫ 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 ‫( החובל‬Bava 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 26

‫[ 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).
‫[ 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).

Verse 27

Verse 28

‫ 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).
‫ 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”.

Verse 29

‫[ 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).
‫ והועד בבעליו‬AND IT HATH BEEN TESTIFIED TO HIS OWNER — ‫( הועד‬from the root ‫ )עוד‬is
an expression for warning through witnesses (Bava Kamma 24a), as in, (Genesis 43:3)
“the man hath solemnly forewarned (‫ )ָהֵעד ַהִעד‬us”.
‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 30
 ‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 31

‫ או בן ינח‬WHETHER HE HAVE THRUST A SON — a son who is a minor;

‫ 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).

Verse 32

‫ אם עבד או אמה‬IF [AN OX SHALL THRUST] A MANSERVANT OR A MAIDSERVANT — Canaanitish

servants (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:32:1).
‫ 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.

Verse 33

‫ וכי יפתח איש בור‬AND IF A MAN SHALL OPEN A PIT which was covered over, and he now
uncovered it.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 34
 ‫ 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.
‫[ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 35

‫ 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).
‫ שור איש‬means ‫ שור של איש‬THE OX OF A MAN (i. e. ‫ שור‬is in construct state to the
word ‫)איש‬.
‫ 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 ‫תם‬
is 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).

Verse 36

‫ 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)
.‫ מועד‬HE SHALL SURELY PAY AN OX [FOR THE OX] — i. e. the full damage.
‫ 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.

Verse 37

‫[ 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).
‫ תחת השור … תחת השה‬FOR THE OX … FOR THE LAMB — The text repeats the words ‫ שור‬and
‫ 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).

Verse 38

Chapter 22

Verse 1

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
Verse 2

‫ 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
‫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.
‫ 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.

Verse 3

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 4

‫ כי יבער … בעירה ובער‬All these terms are connected with the word ‫ בעיר‬which
signifies “cattle”, as in (Numbers 20:4) ‫“ אנחנו ובעירנו‬we and our cattle" .
‫ 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).
‫ בשדה אחר‬means ‫ בשדה של אחר‬IN THE FIELD OF ANOTHER MAN (not “in another field”,
when it would be punctuated ‫ְּבָׂשֶד ה‬, for ‫ ִּבְׁשֵד ה‬is the construct form).
‫ 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).

Verse 5
 ‫ 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.
‫ ומצאה קוצים‬AND CATCH IN THORNS —chardons in old French
‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ וגנב מבית האיש‬AND IT BE STOLEN OUT OF THE MAN’S HOUSE — i. e. according to his
statement),
‫ אם ימצה הגנב ישלם‬IF THE THIEF BE FOUND HE — the thief — SHALL PAY ‫ שנים‬DOUBLE to
the owner (to the bailor not to the bailee) (Bava Kamma 63b).

Verse 7

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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,
‫ 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).
‫ 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 זה‬is 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).

Verse 9

‫ 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 רואה‬NO ONE SEEING IT that could testify in
this matter

Verse 10

‫ 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. —
‫ ולקח בעליו‬AND THE OWNER OF IT SHALL ACCEPT IT — i. e. shall accept the oath (Bava
Kamma 106a),
‫ ולא ישלם‬AND HE — the bailee — SHALL NOT PAY HIM (the bailor) anything, not even
the capital (‫)קרן‬.

Verse 11

Verse 12

‫ אם טרף יטרף‬IF IT BE TORN IN PIECES — by wild beasts.

‫ יביאהו עד‬THEN LET HIM BRING WITNESSES that it has been torn in pieces by accident
and he shall be freed from liability.
‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 14

‫ 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).
‫ אם שכיר הוא‬IF IT BE HIRED — i. e. if the ox has not been borrowed but hired, ‫בא‬
‫ בשכרו‬THEN 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).

Verse 15

‫ 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 ‫( שדל‬the Pael conjugation) in Aramaic being the equivalent of
‫ ִּפָּתה‬in Hebrew.
‫ 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).

Verse 16

‫ 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).

Verse 17

‫ 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 ‫מכשפה‬
Scripture speaks of what is usually the case; for it is women who mostly practise
witchcraft (Sanhedrin 67a).
Verse 18

‫ — 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)].

Verse 19

‫ ָלֱאֹלִהים‬means TO IDOLS — If the word (a noun) were punctuated ‫ֵלאֹלִהים‬, with Tzéré
under the first ‫ ל‬it would be necessary to define it more closely by adding the
adjective ‫ = אחרים‬strange (gods — idols); now, however, that it says ‫ ָלֱאֹלִהים‬it 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., ‫ ְלֶמֶלְך‬a king, ‫ְלִמְד ָּבר‬, to a desert, ‫ָלִעיר‬, to a city, it must be explained to which
king, to which desert, to which city. The same is the case if the ‫ ל‬or ‫ ב‬has a
Chirik instead of a Sheva which happens when they are placed before a word
beginning with Sheva, as e .g., in ‫ ִלְמָלִכים‬for kings, ‫ִלְר ָגִלים‬, 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 ‫“ ַלאֹלִהים‬to 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 ‫ ַלֶּמֶלְך‬and ‫ ַלִּמְד ָּבר‬and ‫ ָלִעיר‬it is quite plain
which king one is speaking of, and similarly in the case of ‫“ ָלִעיר‬to the city”, it
is quite plain of which city one is speaking. In the same way, ‫ָלֱאֹלִהים‬, 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 ָבֱאֹלִהים‬, “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).
‫ 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).

Verse 20

‫ — 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 (‫ )מוניך‬with their own flesh”.
‫ ולא תלחצנו‬NOR OPPRESS HIM — by robbing him of money (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
22:20).
 ‫ 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.

Verse 21

‫ 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).

Verse 22

‫ 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”.

Verse 23

‫ 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).

Verse 24

‫ אם כסף תלוה את עמי‬IF THOU LEND MONEY TO ANY OF MY PEOPLE — R. Yishmael 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 lendeth etc.”).
‫ 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”!
‫ את העני עמך‬Look at thyself as though thou art the poor man (Midrash Tanchuma
6:15)].
‫ 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.
‫ נשך‬is what is called in Rabbinical Hebrew ‫( רבית‬from ‫ רבה‬to increase). It is
called ‫“ נשך‬biting”, 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).

Verse 25

‫ 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)].
‫ 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).

Verse 26

‫ כי הוא כסותה‬FOR THAT IS HIS RAIMENT — i. e. his upper garment;

‫ שמלתו‬means HIS SHIRT (the ‫ שמלה‬for the skin);
‫ 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).

Verse 27

‫ 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).

Verse 28

‫[ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 29

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 30

‫ 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).
‫[ 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.
‫ 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).

Chapter 23

Verse 1

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 2

‫ 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 ַר ב‬, “thou shalt not speak against the chief of the
judges, meaning that one should not give an opinion different from that given by
the ‫ מופלא‬of 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 ‫ ִר יב‬is here written without and therefore
may be read, ‫אחרי רבים להטות — ;ַר ב‬, 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.
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;
‫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).

Verse 3

‫ 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.”

Verse 4

Verse 5

‫ כי תראה חמור שנאך וגו׳‬IF THOU SEE THE ASS OF HIM THAT HATETH THEE etc. — ‫ כי‬here
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).
‫ — 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) “‫ ויעזבו‬Jerusalem 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 ‫כי‬
is, (Deuteronomy 7:17, 18) ‫ כי תאמר בלבבך רבים 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ — אבינך‬from the root ‫“ אבה‬to long for”, “to desire” — one who is poverty-stricken
and longs for all the good things which he lacks.

Verse 7

‫ 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 may 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).
 ‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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).
‫[ 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).
‫ — ויסלף‬render it as the Targum does: ‫“ ויקלקל‬makes bad”, “perverts”. ...
‫ 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.

Verse 9

‫ 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).
‫[ אח נפש הגר‬FOR YE KNOW] THE SOUL OF A STRANGER — how hard it is for him when
people oppress him.

Verse 10

‫ 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).

Verse 11

‫ תשמטנה‬THOU SHALT LET IT REST — by not tilling it (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael

23:11:1),
‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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”.
Verse 12

‫[ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ והגר‬means a ‫גר תושב‬, a proselyte settler (one who renounces idolatry and thus
acquires limited citizenship in Palestine).

Verse 13

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 14

‫ רגלים‬means TIMES. Similar is, (Numbers 22:28) “that thou hast smitten me these
three times (‫”)רגלים‬.

Verse 15

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 16

‫ וחג הקציר‬AND THE FESTIVAL OF HARVEST — this is the Feast of Weeks,

‫ 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).
‫ וחג האסף‬AND THE FESTIVAL OF THE INGATHERING — that is the Feast of Tabernacles.
‫ 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 (‫ ָהָחג‬is a
Talmudical term for the Feast of Tabernacles) they are gathered into the barns on
account of the rain that is then due.

Verse 17

‫ 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).
‫ כל זכורך‬means all the male population among you.

Verse 18

‫ 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 חגי‬NEITHER SHALL THE FAT OF MY SACRIFICE REMAIN away from the altar
(cf. the Targum).
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), —
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).

Verse 19

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 20

‫ 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).
‫ 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 ‫“ ִּכֵון‬to 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 (‫ )ְמֻכָּון‬that on the earth (Midrash Tanchuma, Mishpatim 18)

Verse 21

‫ 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”.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 22

‫ — וצרתי‬render this as the Targum does: I will distress.

Verse 23

Verse 24

‫[ הרס תהרסם‬BUT] THOU SHALT UTTERLY OVERTHROW THEM — those gods.

‫ מצבתיהם‬THEIR MONUMENTS — stones which they set up (root ‫ )נצב‬before which to
prostrate themselves.

Verse 25

Verse 26

‫ לא תהיה משכלה‬THERE SHALL NOTHING BE BEREAVED OF YOUNG, if you will act according
to My will.
‫ משכלה‬BEREAVED OF YOUNG — A woman who miscarries or who buries her children at a
very early age is called ‫משכלה‬.

Verse 27
 ‫ והמתי‬I WILL CONFOUND — This is equivalent to ‫( ְוָהַמְמִּתי‬i. 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: ‫ ְוַהֹּמִתי‬which is of
the same derivation as, (Isaiah 28:28) “and the wheel of his cart makes a confused
noise (‫( ;”)המם‬Ecclesiastes 2:20) ‫ְוַסֹּבִתי‬, “and I turned about” which is of the same
derivation as, (I Samuel 7:16) “and he went round (‫ )וסבב‬to Bethel”; (Psalms 116:6)
‫“ ַד ֹּלִתי‬I 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 (‫ )ַחֹּקִתיְך‬upon the palms
of my hand”, of the same derivation as, (Judges 5:15) “things engraved (‫ )חקקי‬in
the heart”; (I Samuel 12:3) ‫“ את מי ַר ֹּצִתי‬whom 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 ‫ ְוֶאְק ַטל‬, 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 ‫ְוַהַמִּתי‬, as, (Numbers 14:15) “Now if Thou shalt kill (‫ )ְוַהַמָּת‬this 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 ‫ ִּתי‬in
‫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.
‫ ערף‬NAPE OF THE NECK — i. e. they will flee before you and so turn the napes of
their necks to you.

Verse 28

‫ 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.

Verse 29

‫ שממה‬DESOLATE — empty of human beings, for you are but few and not sufficient to
fill it all up.
‫ ורבה עליך‬means, [LEST THE ANIMALS OF THE FIELD] MULTIPLY AGAINST THEE.

Verse 30

‫ 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”.
Verse 31

‫ ושתי‬is of the root ‫ שית‬or ‫שות‬. The ‫ ת‬is dageshed, because it comes in place of
two ‫’ת‬s (‫תי‬-‫ — )ושת‬one 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).
‫ עד הנהר‬UNTO THE RIVER — the Euphrates.
‫ וגרשתמו‬means AND THOU SHALT DRIVE THEM OUT.

Verse 32

Verse 33

‫ 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).

Verse 34

Verse 35

Verse 36

Verse 37

Verse 38

Verse 39

Verse 40

Verse 41

Verse 42
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Verse 44

Verse 45

Verse 46

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Verse 49

Verse 50

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Verse 131
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Verse 133

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Verse 141

Verse 142

Verse 143

Verse 144

Verse 145
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Verse 147

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Verse 149

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Verse 160
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Verse 175
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Verse 177

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Verse 190
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Verse 202

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Verse 204
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Verse 215

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Verse 219
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Verse 221

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Verse 231

Verse 232

Verse 233

Verse 234
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Verse 236

Verse 237

Verse 238

Verse 239

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Verse 243

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Verse 245

Verse 246

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Verse 249
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Verse 251

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Verse 263
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Verse 265

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Verse 278
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Verse 293
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Verse 308
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Verse 310

Verse 311

Verse 312

Verse 313

Verse 314

Chapter 24

Verse 1

‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ ונגש משה לבדו‬AND MOSES ALONE SHALL STEP NEAR unto the thick darkness (cf. Exodus
20:18).

Verse 3

‫ ויבא משה ויספר לעם‬AND MOSES CAME AND RELATED TO THE PEOPLE — on that same day
(the 4th of Sivan).
‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ 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).
 ‫ וישכם בבקר‬AND ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING — on the fifth of Sivan (cf. Rashi on
Exodus 19:11) (Shabbat 88a).

Verse 5

‫ את נערי‬THE LADS — the first-born sons (Zevachim 115b; Onkelos).

Verse 6

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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 העם‬
to denote “on behalf of the people”, i. e. he poured it out to atone for the
people.

Verse 9

Verse 10

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
 ‫ — וכעצם‬Translate it as the Targum does: “as the appearance”.
‫ לטהר‬means FOR BRIGHTNESS AND CLEARNESS.

Verse 11

‫ ואל אצילי‬AND UPON THE NOBLES — these were Nadab and Abihu and the elders —
‫ 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).
‫ 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). —
‫ אצילי‬means “the great men”, as, (Isaiah 41:9) “I called thee from the chief men (
‫ )אציליה‬thereof”; (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.

Verse 12

‫ ויאמר ה’ אל משה‬AND THE LORD SAID TO MOSES — after the Giving of the Law,
‫ עלה אלי ההרה והיה שם‬COME UP TO ME INTO THE MOUNTAIN AND REMAIN THERE forty days.
‫[ 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.

Verse 13

‫ 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 משה‬
MOSES 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫[ 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.
‫ מי בעל דברים‬HE WHO HAS ANY MATTER TO DO — i. e. he who has any law-suit.

Verse 15
Verse 16

‫ 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) —
and that the word ‫ ויכסהו‬in the phrase ‫“ ויכסהו הענן‬the cloud covered him” or
covered “it” means that it covered the mountain.
‫ 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).

Verse 17

Verse 18

‫ בתוך הענן‬INTO THE MIDST OF THE CLOUD — This cloud was thick like smoke and God
made a path for Moses through it (Yoma 4b).

Chapter 25

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ ויקחו לי תרומה‬THAT THEY TAKE ME A HEAVE OFFERING — “Me” means to the glory of My
Name (Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 1).
‫ תרומה‬is something set apart (cf. Onkelos); the meaning is: let them set apart from
their possessions a voluntary gift in My honour.
‫ — 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).
‫ 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 פקודי‬
(Exodus 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 ‫תרומתי‬
“My 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.
Verse 3

‫ 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.

Verse 4

‫ ותכלת‬AND BLUE PURPLE — wool dyed with the blood of the ‫( חלזון‬a kind of shell-
fish), the colour of which was greenish-blue (Menachot 44a).
‫ וארגמן‬AND RED PURPLE — wool coloured with a kind of dye the name of which is ‫ארגמן‬
‫ — ושש‬this is what we call LINEN (Yevamot 4b).
‫ ועזים‬is GOATS’ HAIR; therefore Onkelos translates it by ‫ ּוְמַעֵּזי‬which denotes
something that comes from the goats — not the goats themselves, for the Aramaic
translation of ‫ עזים‬is ‫ִעַּזָּיא‬.

Verse 5

‫ מאדמים‬RED — they were dyed red after having been tanned.

‫ 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 (‫ )ָׂשׂש‬and prides
itself in its colours (‫( )גונא‬Shabbat 28; Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 6).
‫ 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).

Verse 6

‫ שמן למאר‬OIL FOR THE LIGHT — “clear olive-oil … to make the flame ascend
continually”).
‫ 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.).
‫ 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 ‫קטרת‬
signifies raising vapour (‫ )קיטור‬and a column of smoke.

Verse 7

‫ אבני שהם‬ONYX STONES — two were required there for the needs of the “ephod” which
is mentioned in ‫( ואתה תצוה‬Exodus 28:6ff.).
‫ 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”.
‫ 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.

Verse 8

‫ 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.

Verse 9

‫ ככל אשר אני מראה אותך‬ACCORDING TO ALL THAT I AM SHOWING THEE here, ‫את תבנית המשכן‬
THE 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 10

‫ 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.

Verse 11

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 12

‫ — ויצקת‬a term used of casting metal, as the Targum has it.

‫ — 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).
‫ 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.
‫ צלעו‬means THE SIDE OF IT.

Verse 13

‫ בדי‬means STAVES.

Verse 14

Verse 15

‫ לא יסרו ממנו‬THEY SHALL NOT DEPART THEREFROM for ever (cf. Yoma 72a).

Verse 16

‫ — ונתת אל הארן‬It must be explained as though it were written ‫בארון‬: [AND THOU
SHALT PUT] INTO THE ARK,
‫ 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).

Verse 17

‫ — כפרת‬A cover for the ark which was made open on top. He laid it upon it, flat
like an ordinary slab.
‫ 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 handbreadth (Sukkah 5a).

Verse 18

‫ כרבים‬CHERUBIM — They had the form of a child’s face (Sukkah 5a).

‫ 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.
‫ מקשה‬batediz (beaten work) in old French Similarly we have (Daniel 5:6) “and his
knees knocked (‫ )נקשן‬one against another”.
‫ קצות הכפרת‬means THE EXTREMITIES OF THE COVER.

Verse 19

‫ 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”.
‫ 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.

Verse 20

‫[ 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.

Verse 21

‫ 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).

Verse 22

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 23

‫ קמתו‬THE HEIGHT THEREOF — i. e. the height of its legs together with the thickness
of the table-board.

Verse 24

‫ 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).

Verse 25

‫ — 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 26

Verse 27

‫ לעמת המסגרת תהיין הטבעת‬OVER AGAINST THE RIM SHALL THE RINGS BE — inserted in the
legs over against the extremities of the border.
‫ לבתים לבדים‬FOR PLACES FOR THE STAVES — These rings shall be receptacles in which
to put the staves.
‫ לבתים‬means for the purpose of being (to serve as) receptacles for the staves, as
the Targum has it: places for the staves.

Verse 28

‫ — ונשא בם‬The word ‫ ונשא‬is a passive (Niphal) form; the meaning is: THAT THE TABLE
MAY BE BORNE BY THEM.

Verse 29

‫ 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).
‫ 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”.
‫ — 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).
‫ — 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 ‫קשתיו‬
(connected 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 30

‫ 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).

Verse 31

‫ 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).
‫ — 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 (‫ )נקשן‬one against another”.
‫[ 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 ‫ַּתֲעֶׂשה‬
“thou shalt make” (Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 3)
‫ — ירכה‬the foot (the base) below, which was made in form of a box, three legs
coming out from it underneath.
‫ — 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.
‫ — 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.
‫ 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.
‫ ופרחיה‬AND ITS FLOWERS — Figures were made on it in the shape of flowers.
‫ 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.

Verse 32

‫[ 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.

Verse 33

‫ — משקדים‬Understand this as the Targum has it, ‫ְמָצְיִר ין‬, chased. They were
“modelled” in the way that is done on gold and silver vessels, a kind of work
called in old French nieller.
‫ שלשה גבעים‬THREE GOBLETS, projecting from each branch,
‫ כפתור ופרח‬AND A KNOB AND A FLOWER was also on each branch.

Verse 34

‫ ובמנרה ארבעה גבעים‬AND IN THE CANDELABRUM SHALL BE FOUR CUPS — i. e, on the 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.
‫ משקדים כפתריה ופרחיה‬GOBLETS MODELLED, WITH THEIR KNOBS AND THEIR FLOWERS (or it
may be translated also: GOBLETS, MODELLED WITH THEIR KNOBS AND FLOWERS — The word
‫ משקדים‬being separated from the preceding by an ‫ אתנחתא‬seems to belong to the next
words, to ‫כפתוריה ופרחיה‬, but the fact that in the preceding verse it had been used
of the goblets only suggests the reading ‫גביעים משקדים‬. This is one of the five
verses in Scripture the syntactical construction of which is undecided: it is not
clear whether one should read ‫ גביעים משקדים‬or ‫( משקדים כפתריה ופרחיה‬Yoma 52b).

Verse 35

‫ וכפתר תחת שני הקנים‬AND THERE SHALL BE A KNOB UNDER TWO BRANCHES — The 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).

Verse 36

Verse 37

‫ את נרתיה‬ITS LAMPS — a kind of small bowls into which the oil and the wicks were
put.
‫ 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.

Verse 38

‫ — 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
‫ 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 ‫מחתה‬
is fougère (feuchière) in old French, as in, (Isaiah 30:14) “to rake (‫ )לחתות‬fire
from the hearth.”

Verse 39
 ‫ 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).

Verse 40

‫ 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).
‫ אשר אתה מראה‬WHICH WAS SHOWN THEE — Translate as the Targum does: ‫דאת מתחזי בטורא‬
which thou hast been shown on the mountain. If it were punctuated with Patach (
‫ )ַמְר ֶאה‬it would mean which you show to others,” now, however, that it is punctuated
with ‫( חטף קמץ‬our ‫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 ‫ ַמְר ֶאה‬and the passive participle ‫)ָמְר ֶאה‬.]

Chapter 26

Verse 1

‫ ואת המשכן תעשה עשר יריעת‬MOREOVER THOU SHALT 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.
‫ 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 ‫שש‬
“six”). Consequently the four materials intertwined into one thread gave a twenty-
four-fold thread (Yoma 71b; Baraita DeMelekhet HaMishkan ch. 2).
‫ 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).

Verse 2

Verse 3

‫ תהיין חברת‬SHALL JOIN TOGETHER — They sewed them together with a needle, each five
separately.
‫ 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.
Verse 4

‫ ללאת‬are lacels in old French Similarly Onkelos translates it by ‫ענובין‬, which has
the meaning of “looping.”
‫ 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.
‫ —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.”

Verse 5

‫ — 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 ‫“ ֶנֶגד‬opposite” 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.

Verse 6
 ‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ יריעת עזים‬CURTAINS OF ‫ — עזים‬i. e. GOATS HAIR (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:4).

‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫[ 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.

Verse 9

‫ וכפלת את היריעה הששית‬AND THOU SHALT DOUBLE THE SIXTH CURTAIN which was additional
in these upper curtains over and above the lower curtains,
‫ 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.

Verse 10

Verse 11

Verse 12

‫ 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 ‫אהל‬
used 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 העדפת‬
“the half curtain that exceeded”). This
‫ תסרח על אחרי המשכן‬SHALL HANG OVER THE BACK OF THE TABERNACLE — to cover the two
cubits of the boards that were left bare.
‫ 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.
Verse 13

‫ 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,
‫ 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,
‫ 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).

Verse 14

‫[ 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).

Verse 15

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 16

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 17

‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 18

‫ 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.

Verse 19

Verse 20

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ 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.
‫ תעשה ששה קרשים‬THOU SHALT MAKE SIX BOARDS — thus you have 9 cubits in the breadth.

Verse 23

‫ 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.

Verse 24

‫ 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).
‫ ויחדו יהיו תמים‬AND THEY SHALL BE COUPLED TOGETHER — ‫ תמים‬has the same meaning
here as ‫ תאמים‬in the phrase immedialely preceding.
‫ על ראשו‬ABOVE THE HEAD OF IT — i. e. of each board.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 25

‫ 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.
Verse 26

‫ בריחים‬are BOLTS, as the Targum translates it: ‫ ;עברין‬in old French esparres.
‫ 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.

Verse 27

Verse 28

Verse 29

‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 30
‫ והקמת את המשכן‬AND THOU SHALT SET UP THE TABERNACLE — after it is completed set it
up. ...
‫ 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.

Verse 31

‫ פרכת‬is a term denoting a partition; in the language of the Sages (in Rabbinical
Hebrew) ‫ פרגוד‬is something which separates the king from the people (Berakhot 18b).
‫ תכלת וארגמן‬BLUE PURPLE, AND RED PURPLE — every material was intertwined in each
strand by six threads (Yoma 71b).
‫ 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.
‫ כרבים‬CHERUBIM — i. e. he shall make on it figures of different creatures.

Verse 32

‫ 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).

Verse 33

Verse 34

Verse 35

‫ 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).
Verse 36

‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ — רקם‬This word is the name of the workman (an embroiderer), not the name of the
trade (embroidery). The Targum therefore should be ‫“ עובד ַצָּיר‬work of an
embroiderer,” not ‫“ עובד ִצּיּור‬work of embroidery.” The size of the screen was the
same as the size of the partition veil, viz., 10 cubits by 10 cubits.

Chapter 27

Verse 1

‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 3

‫ — סירתיו‬a kind of pot.

‫ 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 ‫ַּד ֵּׁשן‬
would 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 ‫“ — ”ִעְּצמֹו‬has
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.
‫ 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.
‫ ומזרקתיו‬AND ITS BOWLS, in which to receive the blood of the sacrifices.
‫ 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).
‫ 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 (‫)חתיה‬
they 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?”
‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ 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.

Verse 5

‫ 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.

Verse 6

Verse 7

‫[ בטבעת‬AND THE BARS SHALL BE BROUGHT] INTO THE RINGS — into the four rings made
for the grate (v. 4).

Verse 8

‫ 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.

Verse 9

‫ 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 ‫ִמְכָּבר‬, which it renders by the singular ‫ ;סרדא‬this is because they, both the
hangings and the grate, are riddled with holes like a sieve.
‫ לפאה האחת‬FOR ONE SIDE — the entire side (not only the corner; cf. Rashi on Exodus
26:18) is called ‫פאה‬.
Verse 10

‫ ועמדיו עשרים‬AND TWENTY COLUMNS THEREOF — There was a space of five cubits between
one column and the other
‫ 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 ‫ — ו‬one 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.
‫ ווי העמדים‬are the hooks already mentioned.
‫ 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 (‫ חבושים‬lit., bound)” which latter word the Targum
renders by ‫חשוקים‬.

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

‫ 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 ‫ֲאחֹוַר ִים‬, the buttocks, the back-side. The East
is therefore called ‫ קדם‬because 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.”
‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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).

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

‫ 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.

Verse 18

‫ ארך החצר‬THE LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSURE — i. e. its north and south sides which run
from east to west, SHALL BE A HUNDRED CUBITS.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 19

‫ 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.
‫ יתדת‬PEGS — 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.”.

Verse 20

‫ 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.”
‫ 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).
‫ להעלות נר תמיד‬TO CAUSE THE LIGHT TO BURN (lit., to ascend) CONTINUALLY — he must
enkindle it until the flame ascends by itself (Shabbat 21a).
‫ תמיד‬CONTINUALLY — doing something every night, as is described here, may be
termed ‫תמיד‬, continually, just as you speak of (Numbers 27:6) “The continual (‫)תמיד‬
burnt-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).

Verse 21

‫ 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).

Chapter 28

Verse 1

‫ ואתה הקרב אליך‬AND THOU TAKE TO THEE after the work of the Tabernacle is finished.

Verse 2

Verse 3

‫ 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

Verse 4

‫ חשן‬A BREAST-PLATE — an ornament borne in front of the heart.

‫ 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 (‫)ויאפוד‬
him 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 (‫)מעילים‬
were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled”.
‫ — מעיל‬This was a kind of shirt and so, too, the ‫כתונת‬, except that the ‫ כתונת‬was
worn immediately on the body and ‫ מעיל‬is a term for the outer shirt.
‫ תשבץ‬A QUILTED [INNER GARMENT] — made with ‫ משבצות‬as ornaments. These ‫ משבצות‬were
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 (‫ )משבצות‬of gold.” In old French they call them castons.
‫ — מצנפת‬a kind of domed helmet which they call cofea in old French, for in another
passage (v. 40) it calls them ‫ מגבעות‬which we translate in the Targum by ‫כובעין‬,
helmets.
‫ — ואבנט‬This was a girdle upon the inner-garment, and the ephod was the girdle
over the outer-garment, just as we find it stated in the description of the order
in which they were donned: (Leviticus 8:7), “And he put upon him the inner-garment
(‫ )כתנת‬and girded him with the belt (‫ )אבנט‬and clothed him with the mantle (‫)מעיל‬
and put the ephod (‫ )אפוד‬upon him.”
‫ בגדי קדש‬lit., GARMENTS OF THE HOLY THING — i. e. from the heave-offering that is
sanctified (‫ )מקדשת‬to My Name shall they make them (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 1
10).

Verse 5

‫ והם יקחו‬AND THEY SHALL TAKE — Those men, wise in heart (cf. v. 3), who are to
make the garments shall receive from the donors ‫ את הזהב ואת התכלת‬THE GOLD AND THE
BLUE PURPLE, in order to make the garments of them.

Verse 6

‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ 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.
‫ 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 (‫)ַבָּיַּזע‬,”
i. e. they shall not gird themselves in the place where one perspires (‫)במקום זיעה‬
namely, not higher than their elbows and not lower than their loins, but only by
their elbows (Zevachim 18b).
‫ 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.

Verse 8

‫ 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).
‫ אשר עליו‬WHICH WAS UPON IT — above on the edge of the apron: this is therefore the
girdle.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 9

Verse 10

‫ 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).

Verse 11

‫ 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 ‫ ָחַר ׁש עצים‬stretcheth out a line” i. e. the worker in wood. So, also,
(Isaiah 44:12) “the worker in (‫ )ָחַר ׁש‬iron maketh an axe.” All these examples of ‫ָחַר ׁש‬
are in close connection with the words that follows them and are therefore
punctuated with Patach.
‫ 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.
‫ — על שמות‬This is the same as ‫“ בשמות‬with the names of”.
‫ 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.

Verse 12

‫ 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).

Verse 13
 ‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ שרשרת זהב‬means CHAINS OF GOLD — the word being the same as ‫( שלשלאות‬the letters ‫ל‬
and ‫ ר‬being interchangeable, as in ‫ ארמנות‬for ‫ ;אלמנות‬cf. the Aramaic ‫)ארמלתא‬
‫ מגבלות‬means AT THE END OF THE BORDER (‫ )גבול‬of the breast-plate ‫ תעשה אותם‬SHALT
THOU MAKE THEM.
‫ 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).
‫ — 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 ‫ונתת‬
used 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.

Verse 15

‫ 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.
‫ כמעשה אפד‬AFTER THE WORK OF THE EPHOD — the work of an artist and of the five
materials.

Verse 16

‫ 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).

Verse 17

‫ 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”.

Verse 18
Verse 19

Verse 20

‫ 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.

Verse 21

‫ 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.

Verse 22

‫ 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.
‫ — שרשת‬This is the same expression as the roots (‫ )ֹׁשֶר ׁש‬of 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 ‫ ַׁשְר ֶׁשֶר ת‬in the Hebrew language is the
equivalent of ‫ ַׁש ְלֶׁשֶלת‬in the Mishnaic language (Mishnah Kelim 14:3) (cf. Rashi on v.
14).
‫ — 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
‫ מעשה עבת‬means PLAITED WORK.

Verse 23

‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 24

‫ 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).

Verse 25

‫ 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
‫ 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.
‫ ונתת‬AND THOU SHALT PUT the settings.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 26

‫ על שני קצות החשן‬IN THE TWO EXTREMITIES OF THE BREAST-PLATE — These are its two
lower corners on the right and on the left.
‫ 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.

Verse 27

‫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”.
‫ ממול פניו‬TOWARDS THE FOREPART THEREOF — i. e. on the outer side.

Verse 28

‫ — וירכסו‬This is an expression for joining. Similar in meaning is, (Psalms 31:21)

“[Thou hidest them] from the ‫ ֻר ְכַסי‬of 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 29

Verse 30

‫ 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).
‫[ 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.

Verse 31
 ‫ את מעיל האפוד‬THE ROBE OF THE EPHOD — i. e. the robe over which the ephod was
placed to serve the purpose of a girdle.
‫ כליל תכלת‬signifies THE WHOLE OF IT BLUE PURPLE, meaning that there should be no
other material mixed with it (Yoma 71b).

Verse 32

‫ 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,
‫ 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.
‫ כפי תחרא‬AS IT WERE THE HOLE OF A HABERGEON — This informs us that their
habergeons had the neck-opening turned in.
‫ 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).

Verse 33

‫ רמוני‬POMEGRANATES — They were round and hollow, similar to that kind of

pomegranates which are made like (have the form of) a hen’s egg.
‫ ופעמני זהב‬AND BELLS OF GOLD — bells, together with the clappers in them.
‫ 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).

Verse 34

‫ פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון‬means a golden bell and a pomegranate next to it.

Verse 35

‫ 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).

Verse 36

‫ — ציץ‬This was a kind of golden Plate, two fingers in breadth, going round the
forehead from ear to ear (Shabbat 63b).

Verse 37

‫[ 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).

Verse 38

‫ 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.
‫[ 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.
‫ — 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).

Verse 39

‫ ושבצת‬means make them with many checkered figures, and entirely of fine linen.

Verse 40

‫ 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).

Verse 41

‫ 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).
‫[ 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.
‫ ומשחת אתם‬AND THOU SHALT ANOINT THEM — viz., Aaron and his sons, with the oil of
anointing.
‫ 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”.

Verse 42

‫ ועשה להם‬AND MAKE FOR THEM — for Aaron and his sons —
‫ מכנסי בד‬LINEN BREECHES — this makes eight garments for the High Priest and four
for the ordinary priest.

Verse 43

‫ 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,
‫ ועל בניו‬AND UPON HIS SONS, those prescribed for them.
‫ בבאם אל אהל מועד‬WHEN THEY COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT — into the Temple, and
similarly when they come into the Tabernacle.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Chapter 29

Verse 1

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 2
 ‫ 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).
‫[ בלולת בשמן‬CAKES] MINGLED WITH OIL — whilst they were still meal they poured oil
into them and mixed them up (Menachot 75a).
‫ 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).

Verse 3

‫ 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.

Verse 4

‫ ורחצת‬AND THOU SHALT WASH [THEM] — This signifies the immersion of the entire body
(cf. Targum Jonathan).

Verse 5

‫ ואפדת‬AND THOU SHALT FASTEN [THE EPHOD ON] — adorn and arrange the girdle and the
apron around him.

Verse 6

‫ גזר הקדש‬THE DIADEM OF HOLINESS — This refers to the Plate.

‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ 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).

Verse 8

Verse 9

‫ והיתה להם‬AND SHALL BE UNTO THEM This “filling of hands” shall be for an
everlasting priesthood.
‫ ומלאת‬AND THOU SHALT “FILL” by means of these following matters
‫ יד אהרן ויד בניו‬AARON’S HAND AND HIS SONS’ HANDS in the appointment and assigment
to the priesthood.

Verse 10
Verse 11

‫ פתח אהל מועד‬BY THE ENTRANCE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — i. e. in the court of the
Tabernacle which was in front of the entrance.

Verse 12

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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
‫ ואת היתרת‬This is the lobe of the liver which is called abris in old French
‫ — על הכבד‬Take with it (with the lobe) some of the liver also (cf. Sifra, Vayikra
Dibbura d'Nedavah, Section 14 8).

Verse 14

‫ 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).

Verse 15

Verse 16

‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 17

‫[ על נתחיו‬AND PUT THEM] TO ITS PIECES — i. e. together with (‫ )על‬its pieces —

added to the other pieces.

Verse 18

‫ ריח נחוח‬AS A PLEASING ODOUR — as a gratification of spirit before Me — that I

commanded and My will was carried out (Zevachim 46b).
‫ 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).

Verse 19

Verse 20

‫ — תנוך‬This is the inner cartilage which is within the ear, which they call
tendrons in old French (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 14:14).
‫ — בהן ידם‬i. e. the thumb; and the blood was placed on the middle joint (Chullin
11a).

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ 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).
‫ 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 (‫ ”)ָעָצה‬i. e. by the place where
the kidneys give counsel (‫( )ָעָצה‬Chullin 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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 ‫( מלואים‬consecration 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).

Verse 23

‫ וככר לחם‬AND ONE LOAF OF BREAD — of the cakes (mentioned in Exodus 29:2) (Menachot
78a).
‫ וחלת לחם שמן‬AND ONE PIERCED CAKE OF OILED BREAD — of the “saturated" kind.
‫ 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.

Verse 24

‫[ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 25

‫ על העלה‬BESIDES THE BURNT OFFERING — besides the first ram which you had already
offered up as a burnt offering.
‫ 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).
‫ אשה‬AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE given over to the fire.
‫ לה׳‬TO THE LORD — to the Name of the Omnipresent.

Verse 26

Verse 27

‫ 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.
‫ הונף‬WHICH IS WAVED — an expression for moving to and fro in a horizontal
direction; venteler in old French
‫ הורם‬WHICH WAS HEAVED — an expression for moving up and down.

Verse 28

‫ 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.
‫ כי תרומה הוא‬FOR IT IS A HEAVE OFFERING — i.e. the breast and the shoulder form a
heave-offering.

Verse 29

‫[ לבניו אחריו‬SHALL BE] FOR HIS SONS AFTER HIM — for him who comes after him in
this high office.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 30

‫ שבעת ימים‬SEVEN DAYS in succession, on such a High Priest’s installation,

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
[‫ — 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.].

Verse 31

‫ 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).

Verse 32

‫ פתח אהל מועד‬BY THE ENTRANCE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — the whole court is thus named
(cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:11).

Verse 33

‫ ואכלו אתם‬AND THEY SHALL EAT THOSE THINGS i. e. Aaron and his sons because they
are the “owners” of them (cf. Pesachim 59b).
‫ אשד כפר בהם‬THROUGH WHOM THERE WAS EXPIATED everything that was strange and
objectionable.
‫ למלא את ידם‬TO INITIATE THEM INTO OFFICE by means of this ram and bread.
‫ לקדש אתם‬TO SANCTIFY THEM — for by means of this initiation-sacrifice they were
installed and sanctified to the priesthood.
‫ 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).

Verse 34

Verse 35

‫ 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).
‫ אתכה‬is the same as (another form of): ‫“ אֹוָתך‬thee”.
‫ שבעת ימים תמלא ידם‬SEVEN DAYS SHALT THOU CONSECRATE THEM in this manner and by
means of these sacrifices on each day.

Verse 36

‫ 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).
‫ — 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 ‫( ַחַּטא‬hence it is followed by the preposition ‫“ על‬upon”).
‫ ומשחת אתו‬AND THOU SHALT ANOINT IT with the oil of anointing: every anointing was
done in the form of a Greek Chi (X).

Verse 37

‫ 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).

Verse 38
Verse 39

Verse 40

‫ 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).
‫[ 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).
‫ רבע ההין‬THE FOURTH PART OF A HIN — three logs.
‫ 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.

Verse 41

‫ 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”.

Verse 42

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 43
 ‫ 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.
‫ ונקדש‬AND IT — the Tabernacle — SHALL BE SANCTIFIED,
‫ בכבדי‬BY MY GLORY — for my Shechina shall rest there. A Midrashic comment is: Read
not here ‫“ ִּבְכבֹוִד י‬by My Glory”, but ‫ִּבְכבּוַד 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).

Verse 44

Verse 45

Verse 46

‫ לשכני בתכם‬means under the condition that I may dwell in the midst of them.

Chapter 30

Verse 1

‫ מקטר קטרת‬FOR THE BURNING OF INCENSE — to raise smoke (‫ )קיטור‬on it, viz., the
smoke of incense.

Verse 2

Verse 3

‫ 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).
‫ זר זהב‬A CROWN OF GOLD — an emblem of the crown of priesthood (Yoma 72b).

Verse 4

‫ 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”.
‫( והיה‬lit., “and it shall be”, not “they shall be”) — i. e. the making of these
rings (this ring-work) shall be (shall serve) —
‫ לבתים לבדים‬FOR PLACES FOR THE STAVES — i.e. the ring shall serve as a place for
the stave (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:27).

Verse 5
Verse 6

‫ לפני הכפרת‬BEFORE THE PARTITION VEIL — 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.

Verse 7

‫ 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.
‫ 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 ‫“ העלאה‬causing 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”).

Verse 8

‫ ובהעלת‬means when he kindles them by making their flame ascend (cf. Rashi on
Exodus 27:20 and on Numbers 8:2).
‫ 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).

Verse 9

‫ 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),
‫ 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.
‫ ועלה ומנחה‬means, nor burnt offering nor meal-offering. The ‫ עולה‬is an offering of
an animal or bird; ‫ מנחה‬is one of bread.

Verse 10

‫ וכפר אהרן‬AND AARON SHALL MAKE EXPIATION — This refers to the placing of the blood
upon the horns of the altar.
‫ 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”.
‫ 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).
‫[ קדש קדשים‬IT IS] MOST HOLY — the altar is sanctified for offering on it these
things alone and not for any other sacrificial service.

Verse 11

Verse 12
 ‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 13

‫ 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).
‫[ 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 (‫ )יעבר‬under the rod”; (Jeremiah 33:13) “the flock shall pass
again (‫ )תעברנה‬under the hands of him that counteth them”.
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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).

Verse 15

‫ 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 it 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).

Verse 16

‫ 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.
‫ על עבדת אהל מועד‬FOR THE SERVICE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — i. e. for the sockets
that were made of it (the expiation money).

Verse 17

Verse 18

‫ כיור‬A LAVER — like a large pot with teats which discharged water by the way of
their openings.
‫ — וכנו‬Understand this as the Targum renders it: ‫ בסיסה‬ITS BASE, i. e. a stand
specially made for the laver.
‫ לרחצה‬TO LAVE WITHAL — This, of course, refers to the laver and not to the base.
‫ 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.

Verse 19

‫ 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.

Verse 20

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫[ 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.

Verse 21

‫ימתו‬ ‫ ולא‬THAT 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.

Verse 22

Verse 23

‫ בשמים ראש‬PRINCIPAL SPICES — i. e. excellent ones.

‫ 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.
‫[ 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.
‫ 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) ‫ֹבֶׂשם‬
‫ 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).

Verse 24

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 25

‫ 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 ‫ ֶר ַק ח‬in (Song
8:2) “I would cause thee to drink of the mixed wine (‫ ”)מיין הרקח‬and ‫ ֶר ַגע‬in (Exodus
33:5) “one moment (‫”)ֶר ַגע אחד‬, and it is not a participle like (Isaiah 51:15) “[I am
the Lord] who stireth up (‫ )רֹוַגע‬the sea”, or (Isaiah 42:5) “Who spreadeth forth (
‫ )ֹרַק ע‬the 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.
Thus ‫( רקח מרקחת‬lit., a mixing of a mixture) means a compounding effected by
skilled art and perfect mixing.
‫ מעשה רקח‬THE WORK OF A COMPOUNDER — ‫ ֹרֵק ַח‬is the name given to a workman skilled in
this matter.

Verse 26

‫ 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).
Verse 27

Verse 28

Verse 29

‫ 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 ‫ משח‬is 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).

Verse 30

Verse 31

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
Verse 32

‫ 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”.
‫ על בשר אדם לא ייסך‬UPON MAN’S FLESH SHALL IT NOT BE POURED — anything from that
selfsame oil (which Moses had prepared).
‫ 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).
‫ ובמתכנתו‬is a term denoting amount, as (Exodus 5:8) “the quantity (‫ )מתכנת‬of
bricks”. Similar is the word ‫ מתכנת‬used of the incense (v. 37).

Verse 33

‫ ואשר יתן ממנו‬WHOSOEVER PUTTETH ANY OF IT — of that made by Moses (Keritot 5a)
‫ על זר‬UPON A STRANGER — when it is not required for installing a person into the
high-priesthood or kingdom (Keritot 5b).

Verse 34

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ — 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).
‫ סמים‬means other SPICES also.
‫ 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).
‫ 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. ‫ ְלַבד‬,‫ – )ָּבָד ד‬they shall be “one equal with one”: they shall be the one
the same as the other.
Verse 35

‫ 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 (‫)המלחים‬
were 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 36

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 37

‫ במתכנתה‬means, according to the quantity of spices used by Moses.

‘‫ 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.

Verse 38

‫[ 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).

Chapter 31

Verse 1

Verse 2

‫ קראתי בשם‬I HAVE CALLED BY NAME — to accomplish My work — BEZALEL.

Verse 3

‫ חכמה‬WISDOM is what a person hears from others and learns (makes his own).
‫ תבונה‬UNDERSTANDING is understanding a matter by one’s own intelligence deducing
it from the things one has already learned.
‫ דעת‬means holy inspiration.

Verse 4

‫ לחשב מחשבה‬lit., TO DEVISE DEVICES — this refers to the weaving of an artist’s

work.
Verse 5

‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ 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.

Verse 7

‫ 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.

Verse 8

‫ 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.

Verse 9

Verse 10

‫ 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.
‫ בגדי השרד‬GARMENTS OF SERVICE — Some explain ‫ שרד‬to mean work and service (cf. ‫שרת‬
to 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.

Verse 11

‫ 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 “‫”קדש‬
(that part of the Tabernacle or Temple in front of the ‫קדש קדשים‬.

Verse 12

Verse 13

‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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.
‫ ונכרתה‬SHALL BE CUT OFF [FROM AMONG HIS PEOPLE] by God, if no such warning had
been given (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 31:14:3).
‫ מחלליה‬means, whosoever treats it as ‫חול‬, ordinary, in so far as its sanctity is
concerned.

Verse 15

‫ שבת שבתון‬denotes, reposeful rest and not rest of a casual character.

‘‫ 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).

Verse 16

Verse 17

‫ וינפש‬AND WAS REFRESHED — Take it as the Targum renders it: ‫“ ונח‬and He rested”.
Every form of ‫ נפש‬is derived from the noun ‫ֶנֶפש‬, soul; the idea is, that one calms
his soul and takes breath when one reposes after the toil 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.

Verse 18

‫ 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).
‫ 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 ‫ככלתו‬
is 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).
‫ לדבר אתו‬TO SPEAK WITH HIM the statutes and the judgments contained in the section
beginning with ‫( ואלה המשפטים‬ch. Exodus 21 ff.).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Chapter 32

Verse 1

‫[ 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”.
‫[ 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).
‫ 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).
‫[ 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.

Verse 2

‫[ 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).
‫ פרקו‬is an imperative plural derived from ‫ פרק‬which is used for the singular, just
as ‫ ָּבְר כּו‬is derived from ‫ פרקו( ָּבֵר ְך‬and ‫ ברכו‬are both masculine imperative Piel).

Verse 3

‫ 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 ‫ ויפרקו‬but 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.
‫ את נזמי‬is the same as ‫מנזמי‬, (they unloaded themselves from their pendants), (‫את‬
having 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.

Verse 4

‫ — 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 5

‫ 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.
‫ ויבן מזבח‬HE BUILDED AN ALTAR to put them off.
‫ 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., ‫ַוָיֶבן‬, he realized (taking the
word as from the root ‫בון‬, to understand, to realize) ‫ ִמָּזבּוַח לפניו‬from him who lay
slaughtered before him (‫ מזבח‬is vowelled to be read as ‫ )ִמָּזבּוַח‬what 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 6

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 7

‫ וידבר‬AND [THE LORD] SAID — This term ‫ דבר‬when not followed by a word of the root
‫ אמר‬implies censorious speech, as (Genesis 42:7) “And he spake (‫ )וידבר‬roughly (
‫ )קשות‬unto them”.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 8

Verse 9

‫ 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.

Verse 10

‫ 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).

Verse 11

‫ 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)

Verse 12

‫ והנחם‬AND REPENT — form another resolution, viz., to do them good,

‫ על הרעה‬INSTEAD OF THE EVIL You have thought to bring upon them.

Verse 13

‫( 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 14

Verse 15

‫ משני עבריהם‬ON BOTH THEIR SIDES could the letters be read, and this constituted a
miraculous piece of work (Shabbat 104a).

Verse 16

‫[ 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).
‫ — חרות‬The expressions ‫( חרת‬which occurs only here in Scriptures) and ‫ חרט‬have the
same meaning, both of them signifying engraving; entailler in old French

Verse 17

‫ ברעה‬means WHEN THEY WERE SHOUTING for they were shouting for joy and making
merry.

Verse 18

‫ 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!”.
‫ קול ענות‬means, the sound of blasphemy and cursing (Shemot Rabbah 41:1) which
distress (‫ ַעֵּנה‬to vex, to grieve) the soul of him who hears them — even when they
are only related to him.

Verse 19

‫ 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).
 ‫ תחת ההר‬BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN — i. e. at the foot of the mountain.

Verse 20

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 21

‫ 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!

Verse 22

‫[ 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.

Verse 23

Verse 24

‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 25

‫ 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”.
‫ לשמצה בקמיהם‬means, that this thing would become an ignominy for them in the mouth
of all who will rise against them.

Verse 26

‫ מי לה' אלי‬means, WHOEVER IS FOR THE LORD let him come TO ME.
‫ 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).
Verse 27

‫ 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.
‫ אחיו‬HIS BROTHER from the same mother, but from a different father, and who was
therefore an ordinary Israelite and not a Levite (Yoma 66b).

Verse 28

Verse 29

‫ מלאו ידכם‬CONSECRATE YOURSELVES — You who are killing them (your own relatives)
will by this very act install yourselves as priests of the Omnipresent God,
‫ כי איש‬FOR EVERY MAN among you will consecrate himself ‫ בבנו ובאחיו‬BY HIS SON AND
HIS BROTHER (by their death at his hand).

Verse 30

‫[ 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.

Verse 31

‫ 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)

Verse 32

‫ 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.
‫ 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.

Verse 33

Verse 34

‫ אל אשר דברתי לך‬OF WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN UNTO THEE — Here we have an instance of ‫לך‬
connected 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 לו‬
for Adonijah” (cf. Rashi on that verse).
‫ הנה מלאכי‬BEHOLD, MINE ANGEL [SHALL GO BEFORE THEE] — My messenger, not Myself.
‫ 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).

Verse 35

‫ ויגף ה' את העם‬AND THE LORD PLAGUED THE PEOPLE — 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).

Chapter 33

Verse 1

‫ 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”.
‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ 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).

Verse 3

‫ ארץ זבת חלב ודבש‬UNTO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY do I bid you to bring
them up.
‫ כי לא אעלה בקרבך‬BECAUSE I WILL NOT GO UP AMONG THEE, therefore I say to thee, I
will send an angel before thee.
‫ 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.
‫ אכלך‬is an expression for ‘‘destroying”.

Verse 4

‫ הדבר הרע‬THIS EVIL THING — that the Shechina would not dwell nor go with them.
‫[ 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).

Verse 5

‫ 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.
‫ ועתה‬AND NOW — This punishment shall be inflicted upon you now, at once, viz.,
that you should put off your ornaments from you.
‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ את עדים מהר חורב‬means THEIR ORNAMENT which they possessed from (‫ִמ‬, from — in
consequence of what happened at) MOUNT HOREB.

Verse 7

‫ ומשה‬AND MOSES, from the time of the sin and henceforth,

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ יצא אל אהל מועד‬WENT OUT UNTO THE APPOINTED TENT — ‫( ֵיֵצא‬the imperfect) has here
the meaning of ‫( יֹוֵצא‬the 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.

Verse 8

‫ — והיה‬This expresses an action continually going on (“and it used to be”),

‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 9

‫ — 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 ‫ ִמַּד ֵּבר‬to him” (= ‫מתדבר‬, with
assimilated ‫)ת‬, and it does not read there, ‫ְמַד ֵּבר‬, “speaking to him”. Where the
reading is ‫ ִמַּד ֵּבר‬its 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 ‫ְמַד ֵּבר‬, it implies that the King was
conversing with the ordinary man.

Verse 10

‫ והשתחוו‬AND THEY PROSTRATED THEMSELVES to the Shechinah.

Verse 11

‫ 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.
‫ 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.
‫ ושב אל המחנה‬AND HE RETURNED TO THE CAMP — The translation in the Targum is: ‫ְוָתִיב‬
‫( 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 משה‬
thus: 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).

Verse 12

‫ראה אתה אמר אלי‬ SEE. 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)
‫לא הודעתני וגו׳‬ ‫ אתה אמר אלי וגו׳ ואתה‬THOU 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 23:20) “And I will send an angel before thee” is not
“letting me know”, for I am not satisfied with it.
‫ 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”.

Verse 13

‫ 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.
‫ 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 חן‬accordingly is: that I may find out (‫ )אמצא‬how great is the reward
attendant on this “finding of grace”.
‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ 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.

Verse 15

‫ 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.

Verse 16

‫ 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).
‫ 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 (‫)והפלה‬
between the cattle of Israel etc.”

Verse 17

‫ 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.

Verse 18

‫ 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.

Verse 19

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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,
‫ 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).

Verse 20

‫ 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.

Verse 21

‫ 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 ‫מקום‬
Scripture 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).

Verse 22

‫ בעבר כבדי‬WHEN MY GLORY PASSETH BY – i. e. when I shall pass before you.

‫ 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.
‫ 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 כפי‬by ‫“ 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.

Verse 23

‫ 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,
‫ 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).

Chapter 34

Verse 1

‫ 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).
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).

Verse 2

‫ נכון‬means PREPARED.

Verse 3

‫ 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).

Verse 4
Verse 5

‫ 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.

Verse 6

‫ 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).
‫ 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.
‫ ארך אפים‬SLOW TO ANGER — He defers (‫ )מאריך‬His anger and does not hasten to punish
— it may be that the sinner will repent.
‫ ורב חסד‬AND ABUNDANT IN MERCY — to those who need mercy because they have not
sufficient merits to be saved by them.
‫ ואמת‬AND TRUTH — faithfully rewarding those who perform His will.

Verse 7

‫ נצר חסד‬means God keeps (stores up) the mercy which a person does in His presence,
‫ לאלפים‬TO THOUSANDS — to two thousand generations (the plural, “generations”, and
“two” is the least that this can imply; cf. Rashi on Exodus 20:6).
‫ — עונות‬These are sins committed presumptuously (with premeditation). ‫ — פשעים‬These
are sins committed rebelliously.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 8

‫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.

Verse 9

‫ 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”.
‫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).

Verse 10

‫[ כרת ברית‬BEHOLD, I] MAKE A COVENANT about this.

‫ — אעשה נפלאת‬The word ‫ נפלאת‬is an expression of the same meaning as ‫ונפלינו‬
(Exodus 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.

Verse 11

‫ 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).

Verse 12

Verse 13

‫ — אשריו‬An ‫ אשרה‬was a tree which they worshipped.

Verse 14

‫ 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 ‫ ַק ָּנא‬that of a zealot, implies: He
maintains (insists upon) his superiority over other gods, and punishes His enemies
(those who worship idols).

Verse 15

‫ 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).

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

‫ חדש האביב‬THE MONTH OF ABIB — the month of early ripening — the month when the
grain is in its first stage of ripening.
Verse 19

‫ כל פטר רחם לי‬EVERY FIRST OFFSPRING OF THE WOMB IS MINE amongst human beings,
‫ 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.
‫ 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 ‫תזכר‬
expresses 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”).

Verse 20

‫ ופטר חמור‬AND THE FIRST OFFSPRING OF AN ASS [THOU SHALT REDEEM] — but not that of
any other unclean animal (Bekhorot 5b).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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 ריקם‬
“thou 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.

Verse 21

‫ 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).

Verse 22

‫[ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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 ‫אסף‬
here means bringing in (and not, collecting), as (Deuteronomy 22:2) “thou shalt
gather it (‫ )ואספתו‬into thine house” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:16 and on Genesis
49:29).
‫ 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.
‫ תקופת‬is a term denoting going round.

Verse 23

‫ 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.

Verse 24

‫ 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.
‫[ 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.

Verse 25
 ‫ 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).
‫ ולא ילין‬NEITHER SHALL [THE SACRIFICE OF THE FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER] REMAIN OVER
NIGHT — Understand this as the Targum renders it: ‫ בר ממדבחא‬... ‫“ … ולא יביתון‬There
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).
‫ 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).

Verse 26

‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).

Verse 27

‫[ את הדברים האלה‬WRITE THOU] THESE WORDS — These words, but you are not permitted
to write down the “Oral Law” (Gittin 60b).

Verse 28

Verse 29

‫ 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.
‫ 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).

Verse 30

‫ 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)

Verse 31

‫ הנשאים בעדה‬THE PRINCES IN THE CONGREGATION — is the same as the more usual
expression ‫נשיאי העדה‬, the princes of the congregation.
‫ 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).

Verse 32

‫ 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.

Verse 33

‫ 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.

Verse 34

‫ 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 ...

Verse 35

‫ 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.

Chapter 35

Verse 1

‫ 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).

Verse 2

‫ 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).

Verse 3

‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ זה הדבר אשד צוה ה׳‬THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED me, ‫ לאמר‬TO TELL
you.

Verse 5

‫[ 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.

Verse 6

Verse 7
Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 10

Verse 11

‫ את המשכן‬THE TABERNACLE — The lower curtains which were visible within the building
are called ‫משכן‬.
‫ את אהלו‬ITS TENT — this is the covering of goats’ skins which was made to serve as
a roofing.
‫ ואת מכסהו‬AND ITS COVERING — the covering of rams’ skins and tachash skins.

Verse 12

‫ 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 ‫ ָמָסְך‬or
‫ְסַכְך‬. 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]”.

Verse 13

‫ 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.

Verse 14

‫ ואת כליה‬AND ITS VESSELS — the tongs and snuff-dishes.

‫ נרתיה‬ITS LAMPS — luces in old French — bowls into which the oil and the wicks
were placed.
‫ 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).

Verse 15

‫ 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.

Verse 16

Verse 17

‫ 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).
‫ 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]”.

Verse 18

‫ 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.
‫ מיתריהם‬THEIR CORDS to bind with.

Verse 19

‫ 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.

Verse 20

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ על הנשים‬means with the women and closely following them.

‫ חח‬is a circular golden ornament placed upon the arm; it is the ‫ צמיד‬which is
often mentioned in Scripture (cf. e. g., Numbers 31:50).
‫ כומז‬was a golden ornament worn by the women upon their private parts, Our Rabbis
explain the name ‫ ּכּוָמז‬as [an acrostic]: ‫ַּכאן ְמקֹום ִזָּמה‬, [meaning] here is the place
of licentiousness. (cf. Shabbat 64a).

Verse 23

‫ 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.

Verse 24

Verse 25

Verse 26

‫[ 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).

Verse 27
 ‫ 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).

Verse 28

Verse 29

Verse 30

‫ חור‬HUR was the son the Miriam (Sotah 11b; cf. Rashi on Exodus 24:14).

Verse 31

Verse 32

Verse 33

Verse 34

‫ 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).

Chapter 36

Verse 1

Verse 2
Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5

‫ מדי העבדה‬means more than is sufficient for the needs of the work.

Verse 6

‫ ויכלא‬is an expression for withholding.

Verse 7

‫( 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.
‫ 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).

Chapter 37

Verse 1

‫ 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).

Chapter 38

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5
Verse 6

Verse 7

‫ נבוב לחות‬HOLLOW WITH TABLETS — ‫ נבוב‬signifies hollow, similar to, (Jeremiah

52:21) “And the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow (‫”)נבוב‬.
‫ — 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).

Verse 8

‫ 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 הצבאת‬
“the 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.
‫[ אשר צבאו‬THE WOMEN] WHO CAME IN CROWDS to bring their contribution.

Verse 9

Verse 10
Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

‫[ 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.

Verse 19

Verse 20

Verse 21

‫ 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.
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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).
‫ 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.

Verse 22

‫ 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 ֻצָּוה‬Bezaleel
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
to 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).

Verse 23

Verse 24

‫[ 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).

Verse 25

Verse 26

‫( בקע‬from ‫ ָּבַק ע‬to split) is the name given to a weight of half a shekel.
‫ 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.

Verse 27

‫ לצקת‬means as the Targum has it: ‫לאתכא‬, TO CAST.

‫ 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).

Verse 28

‫[ 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”.

Chapter 39

Verse 1

‫ 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.

Verse 2

Verse 3

‫ 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).

Verse 4

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7
Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 10

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 20

Verse 21

Verse 22
Verse 23

Verse 24

Verse 25

Verse 26

Verse 27

Verse 28

‫ ואת פארי המגבעות‬means the beauty of the high caps — this is equivalent to: the
beautiful high caps.

Verse 29

Verse 30

Verse 31

‫ 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.

Verse 32

‫ 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].

Verse 33

‫ 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 (‫ — ”)הוקם‬was erected by itself.
This is a Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma 2:11:11.

Verse 34

Verse 35

Verse 36

Verse 37

Verse 38

Verse 39

Verse 40
Verse 41

Verse 42

Verse 43

‫ 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).

Chapter 40

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

‫ 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).

Verse 4

‫ וערכת את ערכו‬AND SET ITS ROWS — the two piles of the show-bread.

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

Verse 9
Verse 10

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

Verse 19

‫ ויפרש את האהל‬AND HE SPREAD THE TENT The ‫ אהל‬is the curtains of goats’ skins.

Verse 20

‫ את העדות‬THE TESTIMONY — the Tablets.

Verse 21

Verse 22

‫ 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).
‫ — ירך‬This must be understood at the Targum renderd it: ‫צדא‬. The real meaning is
“thigh”, but the side of anything is just like the thigh which is at a person’s
side.

Verse 23
Verse 24

Verse 25

Verse 26

Verse 27

‫ 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.]”.

Verse 28

Verse 29

‫ 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.
‫ את העלה‬THE BURNT OFFERING — the daily burnt offering.
‫ 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 …]”.

Verse 30

Verse 31

‫ 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).

Verse 32

‫ — ובקרבתם‬This is equivalent to ‫ובקרבם‬, and has an imperfect sense, the same as

‫כשיקרבו‬. when they were approaching.
Verse 33

Verse 34

Verse 35

‫ 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 הענן‬For (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).

Verse 36

Verse 37

Verse 38

‫[ 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.