Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L
To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/
To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Please consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!
For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.com
The Israelites Request Moshe as a Buffer
Moshe relates how G-d spoke the Ten Commandments from the mountain and inscribed them onto two stone tablets which He gave to Moshe. Moshe describes G-d's voice as being strong and ceaseless, meaning that He did not need to take breaths between words the way humans do. Another reading of לֹא יָסָף (which is translated to mean "ceaseless" but literally means "does not add") is that G-d never again revealed Himself the way He did that day.
Moshe goes on to say that after the Israelites heard G-d's voice from the darkness from the burning mountain, they approached Moshe and affirmed that G-d had shown them His glory and greatness and that they had witnessed G-d speaking to them and were awed at how they still remained alive. Yet they were concerned that hearing anymore would be too much for them to handle and that the fire would consume them as they felt they had shirked the impossibility of remaining alive after hearing the voice of G-d.
Moshe reminisces forlornly how they had asked him to serve as an intermediary between G-d's speech and them.
Moshe felt weakened by their request since it distressed him that they didn't portray more excitement about communicating directly with G-d. G-d however affirmed that their request was correct and in fact said that He wished that they would maintain this awe towards Him and His commandments forever.
He instructed Moshe to tell them to return to their tents while Moshe stayed behind and G-d would speak the rest of the commandments which they were to keep in the Land of Israel.
G-d had told Moshe at that time that the Israelites should not add or subtract from the commandments and that keeping them will lead to longevity in the land of Israel and to them having fear of G-d and to becoming more populous.
Va'Eschanan, 5th Aliya