Rashi on TanakhExodus 24

He (God) had said to Moshe, “Go up.. .” This section was said before [the giving] of the Ten Commandments and it was on the 4th of Sivan that, “Go up!” was said to him.

Moshe alone shall approach — to the dense cloud (above, 20, 18).

Moshe came and told the people — on that same day.

All the words of Adonoy. [I.e.] the command to separate [from their wives] and the setting up of boundaries [at Mount Sinai].

And all the laws. [I.e.] the seven mitzvos given to the descendants of Noach [as well as the mitzvos of:] Shabbos, honoring one’s parents, the red heifer, and administering justice which were given to them in Marah.

Moshe wrote down — [everything] from Bereishis until the giving of the Torah and he also wrote down the mitzvos that they were commanded at Marah.

He arose early in the morning — on the fifth of Sivan.

The young men. [I.e.] the first-born.

Moshe took half the blood. Who divided it?! An angel came and divided it.

In the basins. There were two basins — one for half the blood of the burnt-offering, and one for half the blood of the peace-offerings so as to sprinkle them both on the people. It is from here that our Sages concluded that our forefathers entered the Covenant through circumcision, immersion and the sprinkling of sacrificial blood. [Immersion is indicated by the fact that] there is no sprinkling [that is valid] which is not preceded by immersion.

The Book of the Covenant — from Bereishis till the Giving of the Torah and the mitzvos they were commanded in Marah.

He cast. [וַיִּזְרֹק has] the meaning of sprinkling. However, Onkelos translates it [literally]: “He cast it on the altar to atone for the people.”

They saw [a vision of] the God of Yisrael. They intentionally looked and intently gazed and thereby became liable to death. But God did not want to disturb the joy [of the receiving] of the Torah and therefore waited to punish Nadav and Avihu until the day that the Mishkon was dedicated. As for the elders [He waited] until: “The people were as complainers, etc. and a fire from God burnt among them and consumed בִּקְצֵה of the camp,” [בִּקְצֵה meaning] the leaders of the camp.

Like a brickwork of sapphire. This was before Him at the time of their enslavement, as a reminder of the oppression of Israel, for they were subjugated to do brick-work.

And like the essence of heaven in purity. [This symbolizes that] when they were redeemed there was light and joy before Him.

And like the essence. וּכְעֶצֶם should be translated as Onkelos does — a term meaning appearance.

In purity. לָטֹהַר has the meaning of bright and clear.

But against the nobility. These were Nadav, Avihu and the elders.

He did not send His hand (i.e., punish). Suggesting thereby that they actually deserved that a hand be sent against them.

They envisioned God. They gazed at Him insolently [as someone who converses with a king] while engaged in eating and drinking. This is how Midrash Tanchuma explains it. But Onkelos does not translate it so. אֲצִילֵי means “the great ones,” as in: “I called you (מֵאֲצִילֶיהָ) from its great ones,” [or:] “(וַיָּאצֶּל) He made great some of the spirit,” “six ammos (cubits) in its great size.”

Adonoy then said to Moshe — after the giving of the Torah.

Come up to Me to the mountain and remain there — for forty days.

The tablets of stone, the Torah and the Commandments which I have written [in order] to teach them. All 613 commandments are implicitly contained in the Ten Commandments. Rabbeinu Saadiah specifically shows, in the אַזְהָרוֹת which he composed, for each and every one of the Commandments, the mitzvos which are associated with it.

Moshe and Yehoshua, his attendant, set out. I do not know what Yehoshua’s purpose was here. But I think that the disciple was accompanying the master until the place where the bounds of the mountain indicated that he was not permitted to go from there and on. And from there “Moshe went up” himself “to the mountain of God.” There Yehoshua pitched his tent and remained there the entire forty days for we find that when Moshe came down: “Yehoshua heard the voice of the people yelling,” indicating to us that Yehoshua was not with them.

He said to the elders — when he left the camp.

“Wait here for us — and remain here with the rest of the people in the camp so as to be prepared to render decisions for each person’s dispute.

Chur. He was Miriam’s son, and his father was Koleiv ben Yefuneh, as it is said: “Koleiv took Efras [for a wife] and she bore him Chur.” Efras is Miriam, as is cited in Sotah.

Whoever has a claim. [Meaning:] whoever has a lawsuit.

And the cloud covered it (or Him). There is a dispute among our Sages regarding this: There are some who say [that these six days] were from Rosh Chodesh — the first day [of Sivan] [until the Festival of Shavuos — the day that the Torah was given — from an old Rashi manuscript].

[and] the cloud covered it [refers —] to the mountain — [whereupon]

He called to Moshe on the seventh day — to proclaim the Ten Commandments. Really, Moshe and all the B’nei Yisroel were standing there, [yet the verse states only, “He called to Moshe”]. But [in this way] Scripture gives honor to Moshe. But there are others who say that... The cloud covered Him — refers to Moshe [and this occurred] six days after the [giving of] the Ten Commandments. And they (these six days) were at the beginning of the forty days when Moshe went up to receive the Tablets. This teaches you that whoever intends to enter the camp of the Shechinah requires seclusion for six days.

Into the midst of the cloud. This cloud was like thick smoke, but God made a path for Moshe in the midst of it.