Saadia's Tafsir on Shemot 34 (Parashat Ki Tisa)

Shemot 34:1

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה פְּסָל-לְךָ שְׁנֵי-לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים וְכָתַבְתִּי עַל-הַלֻּחֹת אֶת-הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עַל-הַלֻּחֹת הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר שִׁבַּרְתָּ

. . . . .

Then God said to Moses: 'Hew out two tablets of gemstone like the first ones, so that I may write upon them all the words which were upon the first two tablets — those that you broke.'

Shemot 34:2

וֶהְיֵה נָכוֹן לַבֹּקֶר וְעָלִיתָ בַבֹּקֶר אֶל-הַר סִינַי וְנִצַּבְתָּ לִי שָׁם עַל-רֹאשׁ הָהָר

. .

And be ready for the morning; and ascend in the morning to Mount Sinai, and stand there before Me upon the summit of the mountain.

Shemot 34:3

וְאִישׁ לֹא-יַעֲלֶה עִמָּךְ וְגַם-אִישׁ אַל-יֵרָא בְּכָל-הָהָר גַּם-הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר אַל-יִרְעוּ אֶל-מוּל הָהָר הַהוּא

. . .

And no person shall ascend with you, and no person shall be seen in any part of the mountain; even the flocks and the herds shall not graze in what is adjacent to it.'

Shemot 34:4

וַיִּפְסֹל שְׁנֵי-לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים וַיַּשְׁכֵּם מֹשֶׁה בַבֹּקֶר וַיַּעַל אֶל-הַר סִינַי כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתוֹ וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים

. . .

So he hewed out two tablets of gemstone like the first ones; and Moses rose early before sunrise and ascended to Mount Sinai, as God had commanded him; and he took with him the two tablets of gemstone.

Shemot 34:5

וַיֵּרֶד יְהוָה בֶּעָנָן וַיִּתְיַצֵּב עִמּוֹ שָׁם וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהוָה

. .

And God appeared in the cloud, and set His light with him there; and He called out in the name of God.

Shemot 34:6

וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהוָה עַל-פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה יְהוָה אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן--אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב-חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת

. . . .

And when the light of God passed before him, God called out: 'God! God! — the Able, the Merciful, the Compassionate, long of forbearance, abundant in grace and goodness,

Shemot 34:7

נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים נֹשֵׂא עָו‍ֹן וָפֶשַׁע וְחַטָּאָה וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה--פֹּקֵד עֲו‍ֹן אָבוֹת עַל-בָּנִים וְעַל-בְּנֵי בָנִים עַל-שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל-רִבֵּעִים

. . . .

keeping grace unto thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin — and He pardons, yet does not pardon — requiring the iniquities of the fathers together with the sons, and with the third and fourth generations.'

Shemot 34:8

וַיְמַהֵר מֹשֶׁה וַיִּקֹּד אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ

.

And Moses hastened, and fell upon the ground and bowed down.

Shemot 34:9

וַיֹּאמֶר אִם-נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי יֵלֶךְ-נָא אֲדֹנָי בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ כִּי עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף הוּא וְסָלַחְתָּ לַעֲו‍ֹנֵנוּ וּלְחַטָּאתֵנוּ וּנְחַלְתָּנוּ

. . . .

He said: 'If I have found favor with You, O Lord, let Your light travel among us — for they are a people stiff of neck; so forgive our iniquities and our sins, and choose us as Your own.'

Shemot 34:10

וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי כֹּרֵת בְּרִית נֶגֶד כָּל-עַמְּךָ אֶעֱשֶׂה נִפְלָאֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא-נִבְרְאוּ בְכָל-הָאָרֶץ וּבְכָל-הַגּוֹיִם וְרָאָה כָל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר-אַתָּה בְקִרְבּוֹ אֶת-מַעֲשֵׂה יְהוָה כִּי-נוֹרָא הוּא אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה עִמָּךְ

. . . . . . . .

He said: 'Behold, I am making a covenant — before all your people I shall perform wonders the like of which have not been created in all the world nor among the nations; and all the people in whose midst you are shall behold the work of God, that it is awesome — that which I am doing with you.

Shemot 34:11

שְׁמָר-לְךָ--אֵת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם הִנְנִי גֹרֵשׁ מִפָּנֶיךָ אֶת-הָאֱמֹרִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי

. . . .

Keep what I am commanding you this day: behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

Shemot 34:12

הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן-תִּכְרֹת בְּרִית לְיוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָּא עָלֶיהָ פֶּן-יִהְיֶה לְמוֹקֵשׁ בְּקִרְבֶּךָ

. .

Take heed lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, lest they become a snare in your midst.

Shemot 34:13

כִּי אֶת-מִזְבְּחֹתָם תִּתֹּצוּן וְאֶת-מַצֵּבֹתָם תְּשַׁבֵּרוּן וְאֶת-אֲשֵׁרָיו תִּכְרֹתוּן

. .

Rather, their altars — pull them down; and their pillars — break them; and their cultic-posts you shall cut off.

Shemot 34:14

כִּי לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל אַחֵר כִּי יְהוָה קַנָּא שְׁמוֹ אֵל קַנָּא הוּא

. .

And you shall not bow down to any other object of worship; for God — His name is 'the Punisher,' and He has the power to punish.

Shemot 34:15

פֶּן-תִּכְרֹת בְּרִית לְיוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ וְזָנוּ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וְזָבְחוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם וְקָרָא לְךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ מִזִּבְחוֹ

. . . .

Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they transgress in following after their objects of worship and sacrifice to them, and they invite you, and you eat of their sacrifice;

Shemot 34:16

וְלָקַחְתָּ מִבְּנֹתָיו לְבָנֶיךָ וְזָנוּ בְנֹתָיו אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶן וְהִזְנוּ אֶת-בָּנֶיךָ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶן

. .

and you wed your sons from their daughters, and their daughters transgress in following after their objects of worship, and they lead your sons astray as well.

Shemot 34:17

אֱלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה-לָּךְ

And a cast object of worship — do not make for yourself.

Shemot 34:18

אֶת-חַג הַמַּצּוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר--שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִךָ לְמוֹעֵד חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב כִּי בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב יָצָאתָ מִמִּצְרָיִם

. . .

The festival of unleavened bread — keep it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread as I have commanded you, at the time of the month of the barley-harvest, for in it you went out from Egypt.

Shemot 34:19

כָּל-פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם לִי וְכָל-מִקְנְךָ תִּזָּכָר פֶּטֶר שׁוֹר וָשֶׂה

. .

Every firstborn of the womb belongs to Me; and whatever male your livestock brings forth, from the firstborn of the cattle and of the flocks.

Shemot 34:20

וּפֶטֶר חֲמוֹר תִּפְדֶּה בְשֶׂה וְאִם-לֹא תִפְדֶּה וַעֲרַפְתּוֹ כֹּל בְּכוֹר בָּנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה וְלֹא-יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם

. . .

And the firstborn of the donkeys — redeem it with a ewe-lamb; and if you do not redeem it, then slaughter it by the neck. And all the firstborn males of your sons — redeem them; and they shall not appear before Me empty.

Shemot 34:21

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תִּשְׁבֹּת בֶּחָרִישׁ וּבַקָּצִיר תִּשְׁבֹּת

. .

Six days you shall labor, and on the seventh day you shall rest — even at the time of plowing and of harvest, you shall rest.

Shemot 34:22

וְחַג שָׁבֻעֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה לְךָ בִּכּוּרֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים וְחַג הָאָסִיף--תְּקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה

. . .

And the festival of weeks — observe it for yourself, at the time of the first of the wheat harvest; and the festival of the ingathering, at the end of the year.

Shemot 34:23

שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה--יֵרָאֶה כָּל-זְכוּרְךָ אֶת-פְּנֵי הָאָדֹן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. .

Three times in the year shall all your men appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.

Shemot 34:24

כִּי-אוֹרִישׁ גּוֹיִם מִפָּנֶיךָ וְהִרְחַבְתִּי אֶת-גְּבֻלֶךָ וְלֹא-יַחְמֹד אִישׁ אֶת-אַרְצְךָ בַּעֲלֹתְךָ לֵרָאוֹת אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה

. . . .

For I shall cut off nations from before you, and I shall widen your territory; and no one shall seize anything from your land when you ascend to appear before God your Lord — three times in the year.

Shemot 34:25

לֹא-תִשְׁחַט עַל-חָמֵץ דַּם-זִבְחִי וְלֹא-יָלִין לַבֹּקֶר זֶבַח חַג הַפָּסַח

.

You shall not slaughter My Passover-offering over leaven; and you shall not leave over the fat of My festival-offering until the morning.

Shemot 34:26

רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ תָּבִיא בֵּית יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא-תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ

. .

The choicest firstfruits of your land — bring them to the house of the sanctuary of God your Lord; and you shall not eat flesh with milk.'

Shemot 34:27

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה כְּתָב-לְךָ אֶת-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי עַל-פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כָּרַתִּי אִתְּךָ בְּרִית--וְאֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל

. .

And God said to Moses: 'Write down for yourself this word, for by means of it I have made this covenant with you and with the sons of Israel.'

Shemot 34:28

וַיְהִי-שָׁם עִם-יְהוָה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה--לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתָה וַיִּכְתֹּב עַל-הַלֻּחֹת אֵת דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית--עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים

. . . . .

And he remained there before God forty days and forty nights; he ate no food and drank no water; and He wrote for him upon the two tablets the words of the covenant — they being the Ten Words.

Shemot 34:29

וַיְהִי בְּרֶדֶת מֹשֶׁה מֵהַר סִינַי וּשְׁנֵי לֻחֹת הָעֵדֻת בְּיַד-מֹשֶׁה בְּרִדְתּוֹ מִן-הָהָר וּמֹשֶׁה לֹא-יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו--בְּדַבְּרוֹ אִתּוֹ

. . . . .

And when Moses descended from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he descended from the mountain — Moses did not know that the light of his face had begun to radiate when God had spoken with him.

Shemot 34:30

וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן וְכָל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-מֹשֶׁה וְהִנֵּה קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו

. . .

And Aaron and the rest of the sons of Israel saw Moses — and behold, the light of his face was radiating; and they were afraid to approach him.

Shemot 34:31

וַיִּקְרָא אֲלֵהֶם מֹשֶׁה וַיָּשֻׁבוּ אֵלָיו אַהֲרֹן וְכָל-הַנְּשִׂאִים בָּעֵדָה וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵהֶם

. . .

Until Moses called to them; and Aaron and the rest of the nobles of the assembly returned to him, and Moses spoke with them.

Shemot 34:32

וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן נִגְּשׁוּ כָּל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְצַוֵּם--אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אִתּוֹ בְּהַר סִינָי

. .

And after that, the rest of the sons of Israel drew near; and he commanded them all that God had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

Shemot 34:33

וַיְכַל מֹשֶׁה מִדַּבֵּר אִתָּם וַיִּתֵּן עַל-פָּנָיו מַסְוֶה

.

And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he placed a veil over his face.

Shemot 34:34

וּבְבֹא מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ יָסִיר אֶת-הַמַּסְוֶה עַד-צֵאתוֹ וְיָצָא וְדִבֶּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת אֲשֶׁר יְצֻוֶּה

. . . .

And Moses, whenever he entered before God to receive His address, would remove the veil until his departure; then he would go out and speak to the sons of Israel all that he was commanded.

Shemot 34:35

וְרָאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה וְהֵשִׁיב מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַמַּסְוֶה עַל-פָּנָיו עַד-בֹּאוֹ לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ

. . .

So that the sons of Israel would see Moses' face — that the light of his face was radiating; then he would put the veil back upon his face, until the time of his entering to receive His address.