Saadia's Tafsir on Shemot 33 (Parashat Ki Tisa)

Shemot 33:1

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵךְ עֲלֵה מִזֶּה--אַתָּה וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלִיתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה

. . . . . . .

And God said to Moses: 'Go, ascend from here — you and the people whom you brought up from Egypt — to the land which I swore to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, saying: To your offspring I shall give it.'

Shemot 33:2

וְשָׁלַחְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מַלְאָךְ וְגֵרַשְׁתִּי אֶת-הַכְּנַעֲנִי הָאֱמֹרִי וְהַחִתִּי וְהַפְּרִזִּי הַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי

. . .

And I shall send before you an angel, by whom I shall drive out the Canaanites and the Amorites, and the Hittites and the Perizzites, and the Hivites and the Jebusites —

Shemot 33:3

אֶל-אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ כִּי לֹא אֶעֱלֶה בְּקִרְבְּךָ כִּי עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף אַתָּה--פֶּן-אֲכֶלְךָ בַּדָּרֶךְ

. . .

to a land flowing with milk and honey. For I shall not bring up My light in your midst, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I bring you to an end along the way.'

Shemot 33:4

וַיִּשְׁמַע הָעָם אֶת-הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה--וַיִּתְאַבָּלוּ וְלֹא-שָׁתוּ אִישׁ עֶדְיוֹ עָלָיו

.

And when the people heard this evil report, they grieved, and no one put his distinctive attire upon himself.

Shemot 33:5

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה אֱמֹר אֶל-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתֶּם עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף--רֶגַע אֶחָד אֶעֱלֶה בְקִרְבְּךָ וְכִלִּיתִיךָ וְעַתָּה הוֹרֵד עֶדְיְךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ וְאֵדְעָה מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה-לָּךְ

. . . . . .

And God said to Moses: 'Say to the sons of Israel: You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to bring up My light in your midst for even a single instant, I would bring you to an end. And now — proceed to remove your distinctive attire, that I may make known to you what I shall do with you.'

Shemot 33:6

וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵב

.

And the sons of Israel proceeded to remove their distinctive attire, from Mount Horeb.

Shemot 33:7

וּמֹשֶׁה יִקַּח אֶת-הָאֹהֶל וְנָטָה-לוֹ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה הַרְחֵק מִן-הַמַּחֲנֶה וְקָרָא לוֹ אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהָיָה כָּל-מְבַקֵּשׁ יְהוָה יֵצֵא אֶל-אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה

. . . . . .

And Moses would take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far from it, and call it the tent of appointment. And it was that whoever sought knowledge from God would go out to the tent of appointment which was outside the camp.

Shemot 33:8

וְהָיָה כְּצֵאת מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָאֹהֶל יָקוּמוּ כָּל-הָעָם וְנִצְּבוּ אִישׁ פֶּתַח אָהֳלוֹ וְהִבִּיטוּ אַחֲרֵי מֹשֶׁה עַד-בֹּאוֹ הָאֹהֱלָה

. . . . .

And it was, whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and station themselves — each man at the door of his tent — and they would look after Moses, until his entry into the tent.

Shemot 33:9

וְהָיָה כְּבֹא מֹשֶׁה הָאֹהֱלָה יֵרֵד עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן וְעָמַד פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וְדִבֶּר עִם-מֹשֶׁה

. . .

And it was, whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent; and God would speak with Moses.

Shemot 33:10

וְרָאָה כָל-הָעָם אֶת-עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן עֹמֵד פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וְקָם כָּל-הָעָם וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ אִישׁ פֶּתַח אָהֳלוֹ

. . .

And whenever all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent, all the people would rise together, and each man would bow down at the door of his tent.

Shemot 33:11

וְדִבֶּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל-פָּנִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר אִישׁ אֶל-רֵעֵהוּ וְשָׁב אֶל-הַמַּחֲנֶה וּמְשָׁרְתוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן נַעַר לֹא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל

. . . . .

And God would speak with Moses mouth to mouth, as a man speaks with his companion. And he would return to the camp. And his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Shemot 33:12

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה רְאֵה אַתָּה אֹמֵר אֵלַי הַעַל אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאַתָּה לֹא הוֹדַעְתַּנִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר-תִּשְׁלַח עִמִּי וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ יְדַעְתִּיךָ בְשֵׁם וְגַם-מָצָאתָ חֵן בְּעֵינָי

. . . . .

And Moses said to God: 'You know that You said to me: Bring up these people — and yet You have not made known to me whom You are sending with me. And You have said to me: I have honored your name, and you have found favor with Me.'

Shemot 33:13

וְעַתָּה אִם-נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ הוֹדִעֵנִי נָא אֶת-דְּרָכֶךָ וְאֵדָעֲךָ לְמַעַן אֶמְצָא-חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה כִּי עַמְּךָ הַגּוֹי הַזֶּה

. . . . .

And now — if I have found favor with You, make known to me Your way, that I may know You, so that I may find favor with You; and look upon Your people, this nation.'

Shemot 33:14

וַיֹּאמַר פָּנַי יֵלֵכוּ וַהֲנִחֹתִי לָךְ

.

He said to him: 'My light shall go with you, until I bring you to rest.'

Shemot 33:15

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אִם-אֵין פָּנֶיךָ הֹלְכִים אַל-תַּעֲלֵנוּ מִזֶּה

. .

He said: 'If Your light does not go with us from now, do not bring us up from here.'

Shemot 33:16

וּבַמֶּה יִוָּדַע אֵפוֹא כִּי-מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲנִי וְעַמֶּךָ--הֲלוֹא בְּלֶכְתְּךָ עִמָּנוּ וְנִפְלִינוּ אֲנִי וְעַמְּךָ מִכָּל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה

. . . . .

And by what shall it now be known that I — and Your people — have found favor with You, except by Your light going with us? So that we — I and Your people — may be set apart from all the peoples who are upon the face of the earth.'

Shemot 33:17

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה גַּם אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ אֶעֱשֶׂה כִּי-מָצָאתָ חֵן בְּעֵינַי וָאֵדָעֲךָ בְּשֵׁם

. . .

And God said to Moses: 'This thing which you have asked — I shall do as well, for you have found favor with Me, and I have honored your name.'

Shemot 33:18

וַיֹּאמַר הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת-כְּבֹדֶךָ

.

He said: 'Show me Your light as well.'

Shemot 33:19

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אַעֲבִיר כָּל-טוּבִי עַל-פָּנֶיךָ וְקָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם יְהוָה לְפָנֶיךָ וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת-אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת-אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם

. . . .

He said: 'I shall cause all My light to pass in your presence, and I shall call out in the name of God before you; and I shall show kindness to whom I show kindness, and I shall show mercy to whom I show mercy.'

Shemot 33:20

וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאֹת אֶת-פָּנָי כִּי לֹא-יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי

. .

He said: 'You are not able to behold My light, for no person can behold it and live.'

Shemot 33:21

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה הִנֵּה מָקוֹם אִתִּי וְנִצַּבְתָּ עַל-הַצּוּר

. .

And God said: 'Behold, there is a place with Me — station yourself upon the flint.'

Shemot 33:22

וְהָיָה בַּעֲבֹר כְּבֹדִי וְשַׂמְתִּיךָ בְּנִקְרַת הַצּוּר וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי עָלֶיךָ עַד-עָבְרִי

. . .

'And when My light passes by you, I shall place you in the cleft of the flint, and shall cast the shade of My cloud over you, until the first of it has passed.'

Shemot 33:23

וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת-כַּפִּי וְרָאִיתָ אֶת-אֲחֹרָי וּפָנַי לֹא יֵרָאוּ

. .

'Then I shall remove My cloud, so that you may behold the latter part of My light — but its beginnings you shall not behold.'