Rashi on TanakhExodus 34

Carve out for yourself. He (God) showed him a quarry of precious stone from within his tent and said to him: The [פְּסוֹלֶת — from פְּסָל] chips shall be [שֶׁלְךָ — from לְךָ] yours. From there Moshe became extremely wealthy.

Carve out for yourself. You broke the First [Tablets], you carve out others for yourself. A parable: [this is comparable] to a king who went off to a faraway land and left his betrothed with the maidservants. As a result of the immoral behavior of the maidservants her (the betrothed’s) reputation was besmirched. Her bridesman arose and tore up her marriage contract, saying: “If the king will decide to kill her I will tell him: ‘She is not yet your wife’.” [Consequently] the king investigated and found that the immoral behavior was only on the part of the maidservants. He was reconciled with her, whereupon the bridesman said to him (the king): “Write her another marriage contract for the first one was torn up.” The king replied to him: “You are the one who tore it up. You buy other paper for yourself and I will write it for her in my handwriting.” Here, too, the king is God, the maidservants are the riffraff, the bridesman is Moshe, God’s betrothed is Yisrael. Therefore it says: “Carve out for yourself.”

Be ready. [Meaning:] prepared.

No man shall go up with you. Because the first ones (i.e., the First Tablets) were [given] with great uproar and sounds and great throngs, they were affected by the evil eye. There is nothing better for you than being reserved.

And he called out the Name, Adonoy. It is translated by Onkelos: “He called out in the Name of God.”

Adonoy, Adonoy. This Name signifies the Attribute of Mercy, the first [ה' represents mercy] before [man] sins and the second, after he sins and repents.

Almighty. This [Name], too, represents the Attribute of Mercy. Similarly, it says: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” and it is not appropriate to say to the Attribute of Retribution, “Why have You forsaken me?” This I have found in Mechilta (15, 2).

Slow to anger. He puts off His anger and does not rush to exact punishment in case he (the sinner) will repent.

And abounding in kindness — to those who require kindness, for they do not have sufficient merits.

And truth. [Meaning: He can be depended upon] to reward those who do his will.

He preserves kindness. [I.e., the kindness] which the person does before Him.

For thousands. [Meaning:] for two thousand generations. [Iniquity, transgression.] עֲוֹנוֹת are sins committed knowingly; פְּשָׁעִים are sins committed for the sake of rebellion, which a person does out of spite.

He clears and He does not clear. According to its plain meaning it conveys that He does not completely waive any sin but exacts retribution for it bit by bit. But our Sages explained it: He clears those who repent and He does not clear those who do not repent.

Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. When they retain the deeds of their fathers in their hands (i.e., follow in their footsteps), as was already made clear in another verse “of those who hate Me.”

And fourth. [Meaning:] the fourth generation. Consequently it follows that the Attribute of Good (i.e., reward) is greater than the Attribute of Retribution five hundred fold for regarding the Attribute of Good it states: “He preserves kindness for [two] thousand generations.”

Moshe hastened. When Moshe saw the Shechinah passing by and heard the voice of the Proclamation, he immediately prostrated himself.

Let My Master go among us — as You promised us. Since You bear iniquity, and, therefore, if they will be a stiff-necked people and rebel against You — about which You said: “I may destroy you along the way” — You will [nevertheless] forgive our iniquity, etc. There are places where כִּי is used in place of אִם .

And take us as Your own possession. Take us to Yourself as a special possession. This is the same request as: “so that I and Your people will be distinguished,” that You not rest Your Shechinah on the nations of the world.

I hereby make a covenant — on this [request of וְנִפְלִּינוּ אֲנִי וְעַמְךָ].

I will perform wonders. [נִפְלָאוֹת] has a common derivation with וְנִפְלִינוּ, that is: that you will be set apart in this respect from all the nations of the world — that I will not rest My Shechinah on them.

The Emorites, etc. There are six nations enumerated here because the Girgashites arose and cleared out from before them.

Their asherah-trees. [אֲשֵׁרָה] is a tree that is worshipped.

Jealous is His Name. He is jealous to exact punishment and He is not indulgent. And this is the idea conveyed by “Jealously” — He is steadfast in His ascendancy and exacts punishment from His enemies.

And you will eat of his sacrifice. You might think that there is no punishment for eating it. Yet I will consider it for you as if you concur in his [idol] worship. For as a result of this (i.e., your participation in his feast) you will come to take of his daughters for your sons.

The month of ripening [grain]. [Meaning:] the month of ripening, when the grain first begins to ripen.

All that opens the womb is Mine — among human beings.

And all of your livestock that is male, etc. [Meaning:] and all of your livestock that is male of the first-born of the cattle and sheep [פֶּטֶר — “opens,” meaning:] that a male opens its womb.

That opens. A term meaning “opening.” Similarly: “As water (פּוֹטֵר) is opened so is the start of conflict.” The letter ת' of תִּזָּכָר denotes the feminine referring to the birthing animal.

The donkey that opens the womb. But not of any other unclean animal.

You shall redeem with a sheep. He must give a sheep to the kohein and it remains non-sacred in the hands of the kohein. The first-born of the donkey then is permitted to be used for work by the owner.

You must break its neck. He breaks its neck with a large knife. He caused the kohein a monetary loss, therefore, he shall suffer a monetary loss.

All the first-born among your sons you must redeem. His redemption is set at five sela’im, as it is said: “Those that are to be redeemed you shall redeem from a month old.”

And you must not appear before Me empty-handed. According to the plain meaning of the verse this is independent [of the first part of the verse] and does not refer back to the first-born, for there is no requirement in the mitzvah of בְּכוֹר to appear before God, but, rather, it is an admonition concerning something else: “And when you go up for the festival to appear [before God], you shall not appear before Me empty-handed; [but] it is a mitzvah upon you to bring the burnt-offering designated when appearing before God.” According to the midrashic explanation in the Beraisa it is a redundant verse and is “free” to be used in a gezeirah shavah, to teach about the severance pay to a Hebrew slave that it must be five sela’im worth of each kind, as is [the amount for] the redemption of a first-born. (This is found) in meseches Kiddushin.

You must cease plowing and harvesting. Why are plowing and harvesting [the only ones] mentioned? Some of our Sages say [that this refers] to the plowing of the year before the sheviis year which leads into the sheviis year, and the harvest of the sheviis year which extends into the post-sheviis year, so as to teach you that a part of the secular [year] must be added to the holy [year] (i.e., the sheviis year). Accordingly this is the meaning of the verse: “Six days you shall work but on the Seventh Day you must cease. But, of the six days’ work which I permitted to you there is a year in which plowing and harvesting are prohibited. There is no need to state [the prohibition of] plowing and harvesting of the Seventh Year for it has already been stated: “Your field you may not sow, etc.” However others [of the Sages] say that this [verse] speaks only of Shabbos, and [the fact that only] plowing and harvesting are mentioned [is] to teach you that just as the [prohibited] plowing is optional plowing so too is the [prohibited] harvesting optional harvesting, which excludes the harvesting of the omer which is obligatory and takes precedence over Shabbos.

The first crops of the wheat harvest. When you bring the “two breads” made from the wheat.

The first crops. So-called because it is the first minchah — “meal offering” which is brought to the sanctuary from the new wheat for the omer-minchah which is brought on Pesach [comes] from the barley.

The Festival of the Harvest — which falls at the time that you gather in your crop from the field into the house. The term אֲסִיפָה here denotes bringing it into the house, as in: “(וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ) bring it into your house.”

At the turn of the year — which is when the year “returns,” [i.e.] at the beginning of the following year.

At the turn. A term meaning going around and making a circuit

All your males. [Meaning:] all the males among you. [Some of the mitzvos mentioned here appear elsewhere!] Many of the mitzvos in the Torah are said and repeated. There are even some mentioned three or four times. This is to hold responsible and to punish [the transgressors] according to the number of negative precepts that they contain and according to the number of positive precepts which they contain.

I will drive out. As Onkelos translates it: “I will drive out.” Similarly: “Begin (רָשׁ) to drive out,” and similarly: “(וַיּוֹרֶשׁ) He drove out the Emorites.” All these being terms for “driving out.”

I will expand your boundaries — and, consequently, you will be far from the Temple and will be unable to appear before Me constantly. Therefore I establish for you these three festivals.

Do not slaughter, etc. Do not slaughter the korban Pesach while chometz still remains [in your possession]. This is an admonition to one who slaughters or to one who sprinkles [the blood] or to any member of the group.

Do not allow to remain overnight. As Onkelos translates: [וְלָא יְבִיתוּן לְצַפְרָא — Do not allow it to remain overnight until morning. — בַּר מִמַּדְבְּחָא — away from the altar — תַּרְבֵּי נִכְסַת חַגָּא דְפִסְחָא — the fat of the korbon Pesach]. Remaining overnight does not render it unfit if it has been on top of the altar, and the infringement of לִינָה — “remaining overnight” applies only [if left off the altar] till dawn.

The offering of the Pesach festival. [This refers to] the parts to be burnt on the altar. From here you may learn the laws of all fats and limbs that require burning.

The first fruits of your land — of the seven species which are listed in praise of your land, “a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, etc.” the “honey” [in the list] referring to date-honey.

You must not cook a kid. This is an admonition against mixing meat with milk. It is repeated three times in the Torah: once regarding eating, once regarding benefit from it, and once prohibiting the cooking of it.

A kid. Any tender young animal is included, even a calf or a sheep. From that which it is necessary [for the Torah] to explain in many places: “a goat’s kid” you may derive that a גְּדִי by itself includes all sucklings (i.e., any animal).

In its mother’s milk — to the exclusion of a fowl that has no mother’s milk, whose prohibition [against cooking it or eating it with milk] is not a Scriptural prohibition, but rather a Rabbinic decree.

Write these words down for yourself. But you are not permitted to write down the oral Torah.

And when Moshe came down. When he brought the Second Tablets on Yom Kippur.

That...had become radiant. קָרַן is a term having a common root with קַרְנַיִם (horns) because light shines out and projects as a sort of “horn.” From where was Moshe privileged to these rays of splendor? Our Sages say [that it was] from the cave where God put His Hand on his face, as it states: “And I will cover with My Hand.”

They were afraid to come close to him. Come and see how great is the effect of sin! For before they stretched out their hands to commit sin (i.e., the Golden Calf) what is stated? “And the vision of the Glory of God was like a consuming fire at the top of the mountain before the eyes of the B’nei Yisrael,” and they had no fear nor trepidation. But once they made the Calf, even from the rays of Moshe they trembled and were frightened.

Leaders of the congregation — is the same as נְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה — “the leaders of the Congregation.”

And Moshe spoke to them — the message of God. Thus this entire subject is in the present (ongoing) tense.

After that, they came close. [I.e.], after he taught the elders he would again teach that section or that law to all Yisrael. The Sages have taught: What was the order of the teaching of the Torah? Moshe would learn from the Almighty. Then Aharon would enter and Moshe would teach him his chapter. Aharon moved away and sat on Moshe’s left. Whereupon his (Aharon’s) sons would enter and Moshe would teach them their chapter. They then moved away and Elazar sat on Moshe’s right and Isamar on Aharon’s left. Whereupon the elders would enter and Moshe would teach them their chapter. The elders moved away and sat on the sides. Whereupon the entire people would enter and Moshe taught them their chapter. Consequently the lesson came into the possession of the people once into the possession of the elders, twice, into the possession of Aharon’s sons, thrice, and into the hands of Aharon, four times, etc., as it is all cited in Maseches Eiruvin.

He placed a cover over his face. [מַסְוֶה is] as Onkelos translates it: “a face cover”; it (מַסְוֶה) is an Aramaic word [meaning “to look”]. It is found in the Gemara: “Her heart (סְוִי) saw.” Also in Kesuvos (60a): הֲוָה קָא מַסְוֶה לְאַפָּהּ where it has the meaning of “looking,” i.e., he gazed at her. Here, too, מַסְוֶה refers to a cloth placed in front of the face and the area of the eyes. And out of respect to the “rays of splendor” so that they should not all become satiated by the sight, he would place the cover in front of them (his eyes). He would remove it when speaking to the Israelites and when God was speaking with him until he went out. And when he went out [to teach God’s words] he would go out without the cover —

and he would speak to the B’nei Yisrael — and they would see the “rays of splendor” in his face. And when he would leave them —

Moshe would replace the cover over his face until he would come to speak to Him. And when he came to speak with Him he would remove it from his face.