Parshat Yitro:
The Four Stages of
Ma'amad Har Sinai
Shiur by Menachem Leibtag
Presentation by Ronni Libson
Chapter 19
4 sections:
I.
Proposition (19:1-8)
II.
Preparation (19:9-15)
III.
Revelation (19:16-19)
IV.
Limitation (19:20-25)
Proposition (19:1-8)
If: You will obey Me faithfully and keep My Covenant
Then: You shall be for Me a 'mamlechet Kohanim v'goy kadosh.."
Theme of Sefer Breishit:
Bnei Yisrael will be a 'model' nation ------
to represent God ----------------------------------to all mankind --------------------------------------------------Before receiving Torah Bnei Yisrael must:
 Confirm readiness to obey God's commandments
 Recognize that mitzvot will facilitate achievement of Divine goal
Bnei Yisrael accept these terms:
Preparation (19:9-15)
Next step after accepting proposal - receive mitzvot
God first addresses how Bnei Yisrael will receive mitzvot:
 Moshe will be intermediary conveying mitzvot to Bnei Yisrael
 Bnei Yisrael will 'overhear' God's communion with Moshe to
strengthen belief that laws come from God
Expect Moshe to convey message to Bnei Yisrael (as in 19:7)
Instead:
Never tells what Bnei Yisrael responded, just that Moshe relayed
the people's response back to God!
Rashi
Adds line to narrative:
Bnei Yisrael don't
accept original plan
Demand to hear the
Dibrot directly from God
Structure of pasuk:
Bnei Yisrael’s response (second half) relates to God's plan for
Matan Torah (first half)
Look at God's response to understand Bnei Yisrael's request:
New plan for Matan Torah!
Plan A: Moshe will act as intermediary (19:9)
Plan B: Bnei Yisrael themselves will see God (19:11)
Change
of plan
Now Bnei Yisrael require 3 days of preparation
- higher level of spiritual readiness
Can Bnei Yisrael reach this level?
 If so, why doesn't God suggest this in the first place?
 If not, why does God now agree to their request?
Revelation (19:16-19)
Plan A or Plan B?
 Intensity of "hitgalut" - may reflect intense level of Plan B
 Description of a "thick cloud" covering Har Sinai - God's
description of Plan A (19:9)
Bnei Yisrael
frightened
Remain in camp rather than
gather at Har Sinai
Moshe brings them from camp to Har Sinai:
Description of "hitgalut":
 Mountain covered with smoke - Plan A
 God's descent onto the mountain - Plan B
What was Moshe saying?
What was God answering?
If Moshe was
saying Dibrot
Plan A (Moshe intermediary, people
'overhearing' a “kol” from God)
If not
What is Moshe saying and what is God
answering?
Rashi:
First two Commandments
Plan B
Last eight Commandments
Plan A
Pasuk refers to last 8 commandments
Ramban:
Pasuk describes conversation between God and Moshe
recorded in psukim that immediately follow (19:20-25)
Limitation (19:20-25)
Plan A:
 God appears at top of mountain to Moshe alone
 Bnei Yisrael prohibited from seeing "lest they die"
God limits His revelation to the top of the Mountain
Another story at Har Sinai:
God reverts
from Plan B
back to Plan A
People were frightened and
overwhelmed by intense
experience of "hitgalut"
Story of Bnei Yisrael being frightened - “yirah” story
Out of place!
Should be in chapter 19, not chapter 20
Ramban:
Entire “yirah” parshia (20:15-18) took place earlier, before Matan
Torah
Described in Devarim:
Explains why immediately afterward in chapter 19 are a
set of psukim describing this limitation of God's "hitgalut"
before Matan Torah actually begins
Rashi and Chizkuni:
The “yirah” story (20:15-18 ) took place during Matan Torah, between
the first two and last eight commandments
First two Commandments
(20:2-5)
first person
God commands Bnei Yisrael
directly
Explains transplantation
of “yirah” story from
chronological location to
chapter 20
Last eight Commandments
(20:6-14)
third person
Less direct form of communication
– through Moshe
Cannot record it before Dibrot
(story took place during Dibrot)
Cannot record it in proper
place (cannot break up the
Dibrot, a single unit)
Torah records it immediately after the Ten Commandments
Description of Matan Torah in Devarim:
Plan B
Plan A
Both plans were carried out
Why is Torah unclear as to the details of Matan Torah?
Ambiguity
intentional
Reflects the very nature of
man's encounter with the Divine
Must constantly strive to come as close
to God as possible
“ahava”
Must constantly retain an awareness of
God's greatness and recognize his own
shortcomings and unworthiness
“yirah”
Man
Plan A
God's original
plan for
Matan Torah
Man is unable to
directly confront
the "Shchinah"
Uses Moshe
as an
intermediary
Plan B
Bnei
Yisrael’s
request
Desire to come as close as
possible to Har Sinai and to
encounter the "Shchina" directly
Plan B - Ideal
Expression
of "ahavat
Hashem"
Plan A - Reality
Ambiguity in Torah’s presentation
Torah emphasizes the need to find the proper balance
between realism and idealism when serving God
Why does God give in to Bnei Yisrael’s request?
Bnei Yisrael – similar to a child
Despite clear incapability to perform a given
task, desire to accomplish is the key to growth
Wise parent will
allow child to try
even though
child will fail
Better one recognize the limits of
his capabilities on his own rather
than be told by others that he
cannot accomplish
As Bnei Yisrael struggle to maintain the proper balance between
"ahava" and "yirah," God must guide and they must strive