שמות רבה מ״אShemot Rabbah 41

Section 1א׳

וַיִּתֵּן אֶל משֶׁה כְּכַלֹּתוֹ, כָּךְ פָּתַח רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בַּר אַבָּא (דניאל ט, ז): לְךָ ה' הַצְּדָקָה וְלָנוּ בּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים, מַהוּ כֵן, אָמַר רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַצְּדָקָה מַבִּיטִים אָנוּ מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁלָּנוּ וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ בּשֶׁת פָּנִים, אֵין לָנוּ שָׁעָה שֶׁאָנוּ בָּאִין בִּזְרוֹעַ אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָנוּ מוֹצִיאִין אֶת מַעַשְׂרוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו, יב): כִּי תְכַלֶּה לַעְשֵׂר, מַה כְּתִיב בַּסּוֹף (דברים כו, טו): הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי גָּדוֹל כֹּחָן שֶׁל מוֹצִיאֵי מַעַשְׂרוֹת שֶׁהֵן הוֹפְכִין אֶת הַקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה הַשְׁקִיפָה, לְשׁוֹן צַעַר הוּא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות יד, כד): וַיַּשְׁקֵף ה' אֶל מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם. וְכֵן בִּסְדוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יט, כח): וַיַּשְׁקֵף ה' עַל פְּנֵי סְדֹם, חוּץ מִזּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי גָּדוֹל כֹּחָן שֶׁל מוֹצִיאֵי מַעַשְׂרוֹת שֶׁהֵם הוֹפְכִים דְּבַר אֲרִירָה לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמְּךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָנוּ מַבִּיטִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ יֵשׁ לָנוּ בּשֶׁת פָּנִים, כֵּיצַד הוּא הַדָּבָר, אֶלָּא בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם נוֹתֵן שָׂדֵהוּ לַאֲרִיסוּת וְהוּא נוֹתֵן זֶרַע וְנוֹתֵן פְּעֻלָּה וְהוּא חוֹלֵק עִמּוֹ בְּשָׁוֶה, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁתַּבַּח שְׁמוֹ וְיִתְעַלֶּה זִכְרוֹ, אֵינוֹ כֵן, אֶלָּא הָעוֹלָם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (תהלים כד, א): לַה' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ, הָאָרֶץ שֶׁלּוֹ, הַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ, וְהוּא מוֹרִיד גְּשָׁמִים וּמַפְרִיחַ טְלָלִים כְּדֵי לְגַדְּלָם, וְהוּא מְשַׁמְּרָם, וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה כָּל דָּבָר, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ שֶׁתִּתֵּן לִי אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה מַעֲשֵׂר, אֶחָד מֵחֲמִשִּׁים תְּרוּמָה, הֱוֵי: לְךָ ה' הַצְּדָקָה וְלָנוּ בּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר לָנוּ בּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים, וְשֶׁלְּךָ הַצְּדָקָה. יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבְרִים בַּיָּם, וְכַסְפּוֹ שֶׁל פֶּסֶל מִיכָה עוֹבֵר בַּיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה י, יא): וְעָבַר בַּיָּם צָרָה, וְהָיָה הַיָּם נִקְרַע לִפְנֵיהֶם, הֱוֵי: לְךָ ה' הַצְּדָקָה וְלָנוּ בּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן נָאֶה הָיָה לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְלוֹמַר (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, שֶׁמָּא נָאֶה הָיָה לָהֶם לוֹמַר (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶתְמָהָא, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיָה משֶׁה יוֹרֵד מִלְּמַעְלָן, אָמַר לוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (שמות לב, יז): קוֹל מִלְחָמָה בַּמַּחֲנֶה, אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה (שמות לב, יח): אֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת גְּבוּרָה, (שמות יז, יא): וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל. (שמות לב, יח): אֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת חֲלוּשָׁה, (שמות יז, יג): וַיַּחֲלשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, מַהוּ (שמות לב, יח): קוֹל עַנּוֹת אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ, קוֹל חֵרוּפִין וְגִדּוּפִין אֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעַ, אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה עָמְדוּ וּפֵרְשׁוּ אוֹתָהּ (נחמיה ט, יח): אַף כִּי עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ זֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֶלְךָ מִמִּצְרָיִם, חָסֵר כְּלוּם, מַהוּ (נחמיה ט, יח): וַיַּעֲשׂוּ נֶאָצוֹת גְּדֹלוֹת, חֵרוּפִין וְגִדּוּפִין שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, וְאַחַר כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ לֹא הָיָה הַמָּן צָרִיךְ לֵירֵד, אֶלָּא מַה כְּתִיב (נחמיה ט, כ): וּמַנְךָ לֹא מָנַעְתָּ מִפִּיהֶם, הֱוֵי: לְךָ ה' הַצְּדָקָה וְלָנוּ בּשֶׁת הַפָּנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי שָׁלוֹם וְדַיֶּךָ עַד כָּאן וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹטְלִין מִן הַמָּן וּמַקְרִיבִין לִפְנֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, יט): וְלַחְמִי אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָךְ סֹלֶת וָשֶׁמֶן וּדְבַשׁ הֶאֱכַלְתִּיךְ וּנְתַתִּיהוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ, וְחוֹזֵר וְיוֹרֵד בַּיּוֹם הָאַחֵר, הֱוֵי: לְךָ ה' הַצְּדָקָה, דָּבָר אַחֵר, לְךָ ה' הַצְּדָקָה, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמְדִין לְמַטָּה וְחוֹקְקִים עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים לְהַכְעִיס לְיוֹצְרָם, כְּדִכְתִיב (שמות לב, ד): וַיִּקַּח מִיָּדָם וַיָּצַר אֹתוֹ בַּחֶרֶט, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹשֵׁב לְמַעְלָן וְחוֹקֵק לָהֶם לוּחוֹת לָתֵת לָהֶם חַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּתֵּן אֶל משֶׁה כְּכַלֹּתוֹ, הֱוֵי: לְךָ ה' הַצְּדָקָה.

“He gave to Moses, as He concluded speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of Testimony, stone tablets, written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18). “He gave to Moses, as He concluded.” Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began in this way: “With You, Lord, is the righteousness, and with us the shame” (Daniel 9:7). What is the reason that this is so? Rabbi Neḥemya said: Even when we are performing acts of righteousness, we look at our actions and we experience shame. There is no time that we come with demands, other than when we are taking out our tithes, as it is stated: “When you conclude tithing” (Deuteronomy 26:12). What is written at the end? “Look from Your holy abode, from the heavens, [and bless Your people Israel, and the land that You gave us]” (Deuteronomy 26:15). Rabbi Alexandri said: Great is the power of those who take out tithes, as they transform a curse into a blessing. You find that everywhere that looking is written in the Torah, it is an expression of distress, just as it says: “The Lord looked at the camp of Egypt” (Exodus 14:24). Likewise in Sodom, as it is stated; “He looked over Sodom” (Genesis 19:28), except for this one. Rabbi Alexandri said: Great is the power of those who take out tithes, as they transform a cursed matter into a blessing, as it is stated: “Look from Your holy abode, from the heavens, and bless Your people Israel.” Rabbi Neḥemya said: Even when we are looking at our actions we experience shame. How is this manifest? The way of the world is that a person gives his field for sharecropping, and [the sharecropper] provides the seed and provides the labor, and divides it with him equally. But the Holy One blessed be He, may His name be praised and His mention exalted, is not so, but rather, the world and everything that is in it is His, just as it says: “To the Lord is the earth and all it contains” (Psalms 24:1). The land is His, the produce is His, He causes rain to fall and dew to rise to grow them, He protects them, and He does everything. The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I told you to give me only one-tenth as tithe, one-fiftieth as teruma.’ That is, “with You, Lord, is the righteousness, and with us the shame.” Rabbi Yehuda says: With us the shame and with You the righteousness; Israel was crossing the sea and the silver for the idol of Mikha was crossing the sea, as it is stated: “Trouble will cross the sea” (Zechariah 10:11), and the sea was split before them. That is, “with You, Lord, is the righteousness, and with us the shame.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It was befitting for our ancestors to receive the Torah and to say: “Everything that the Lord spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). But was it befitting for them to say: “This is your God, Israel”? (Exodus 32:4). The matter is astonishing! At that moment, Moses was descending from above. Joshua said to him: “There is the sound of battle in the camp” (Exodus 32:17). Moses said to him: “There is not the sound of a cry of valor [gevura]” (Exodus 32:18), [as in]: “It was, when Moses raised his hand, Israel prevailed [vegavar]” (Exodus 17:11), “and there is not the sound of a cry of weakness [ḥalusha]” (Exodus 32:18), [as in:] “Joshua weakened [vayaḥalosh] [Amalek]” (Exodus 17:13). What is “the sound of a cry, I hear”? (Exodus 32:18). It is the sound of cursing and blaspheming that I hear. The members of the Great Assembly stood and explained it: “Even when they made themselves a cast figure of a calf and said: This is your God who took you up from Egypt, and they performed great offenses” (Nehemiah 9:18), is there anything missing? What is “and they performed great offenses”? These are the cursing and blaspheming that were there. After everything they did, the manna should not have fallen; however, what is written? “You did not withhold Your manna from them” (Nehemiah 9:20). That is, “with You, Lord, is the righteousness, and with us the shame.” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: That would be sufficient, but furthermore, they would take the manna and sacrifice it before the idol, as it is stated: “My bread that I gave you, fine flour and oil and honey that I fed you, you placed it before them for a pleasing aroma” (Ezekiel 16:19), but it would again fall on the next day. That is, “with You, Lord, is the righteousness.” Another matter, “with You, Lord, is the righteousness,” Rabbi Levi said: Israel was standing below and hewing an idol to anger their Maker, as it is written: “He took it from their hand and he fashioned it with a sculpting tool” (Exodus 32:4), and the Holy One blessed be He was sitting above and hewing the tablets for them to grant them life, as it is stated: “He gave to Moses, as He concluded [speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God].” That is, “with You, Lord, is the righteousness.”

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיִּתֵּן אֶל משֶׁה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יח, טז): מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ, מַתָּנָה שֶׁאָדָם נוֹתֵן מִשֶּׁלּוֹ יַרְחִיב לוֹ, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאָבִין רַמָּאָה וכו' [כמו שכתוב במגלת אסתר במדרש] עַד שֶׁנָּטְלוּ אוֹתוֹ וְהוֹשִׁיבוּהוּ אֶצְלָם, לְקַיֵּם מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ, זֶה אַבְרָהָם, כְּשֶׁרָדַף אַחַר הַמְּלָכִים יָצָא מֶלֶךְ סְדוֹם לִקְרָאתוֹ אָמַר לוֹ (בראשית יד, כא): תֶּן לִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻשׁ קַח לָךְ, אָמַר אַבְרָהָם (בראשית יד, כב כג): הֲרִמֹתִי יָדִי אֶל ה', אִם מִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרוֹךְ נַעַל, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה אוֹמֵר אִם מִחוּט, חַיֶּיךָ בּוֹ בַּלָּשׁוֹן אֲנִי מְקַלֵּס אֶת בָּנֶיךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד, ג): כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ. אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ: עַד שְׂרוֹךְ נַעַל, בּוֹ בַּלָּשׁוֹן אֲנִי מְקַלֵּס אֶת בָּנֶיךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ז, ב): מַה יָּפוּ פְעָמַיִךְ בַּנְעָלִים, הֱוֵי: מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה לְהָבִיא נְדָבָה לַמִּשְׁכָּן, מַה כְּתִיב (שמות לו, ג): וְהֵם הֵבִיאוּ אֵלָיו עוֹד נְדָבָה בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לִשְׁנֵי בְקָרִים הֵבִיאוּ כָּל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, מַה זָּכוּ לְהַרְחִיב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת גְּבוּלָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יב, כ): כִּי יַרְחִיב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת גְּבֻלְךָ, שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, הֱוֵי: מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן אוֹמֵר שְׁלשָׁה דְּבָרִים נִתְּנוּ מַתָּנָה, הַגְּשָׁמִים וְהַמְאוֹרוֹת וְהַתּוֹרָה. גְּשָׁמִים מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כו, ד): וְנָתַתִּי גִשְׁמֵיכֶם בְּעִתָּם. מְאוֹרוֹת מִנַּיִן, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית א, יז): וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם. תּוֹרָה מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּתֵּן אֶל משֶׁה. וְרַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר אַף שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כו, ו): וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ.

Another matter, “He gave to Moses,” that is what is written: “A person’s giving expands for him [and will bring him before great men]” (Proverbs 18:16). A gift that a person gives from his own [possessions] expands for him. There was an incident involving Avin the deceiver until they took him and seated them in their midst, to realize: “A man’s giving expands for him.” Another matter, “a person’s giving expands for him,” this is Abraham. When he pursued the kings, the king of Sodom emerged to greet him and said to him: “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself” (Genesis 14:21). Abraham said: “I have raised my hand to the Lord…not a thread or a sandal strap” (Genesis 14:22–23). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You say: “Not a thread,” as you live, with that same expression I will laud your descendants, as it is stated: “Your lips are like a scarlet thread” (Song of Songs 4:3). You said: “Or a sandal strap,” with that expression, I will laud your descendants, as it is stated: “How fair are your feet in sandals”’ (Song of Songs 7:2). That is, “a man’s giving expands for him.” Another matter, “a man’s giving expands for him,” this is Israel. When Moses said to them to bring a contribution for the Tabernacle, what is written? “They brought him more contributions each morning” (Exodus 36:3). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: In two mornings they brought all the materials [needed for] the Tabernacle. What did they merit? That the Holy One blessed be He would expand their boundaries, as it is stated: “When the Lord your God will expand your boundary” (Deuteronomy 12:20); of each and every one of them. That is, “a man’s giving expands for him.” Rabbi Yonatan says: Three matters were given as a gift [matana]: The rains, the lights, and the Torah. Rain, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “I will provide [venatati] your rains in their time” (Leviticus 26:4). Lights, from where is it derived? As it is written: “God set [vayiten] them in the firmament of the heavens” (Genesis 1:17). Torah, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “He gave [vayiten] to Moses […the two tablets of Testimony].” Rabbi Azarya says in the name of Rabbi Shimon: Peace, too, as it is stated: “I will provide [venatati] peace in the land” (Leviticus 26:6).

Section 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיִּתֵּן אֶל משֶׁה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי ב, ו): כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה מִפִּיו דַּעַת וּתְבוּנָה, גְּדוֹלָה הַחָכְמָה וּגְדוֹלָה מִמֶּנָּה הַדַּעַת וּתְבוּנָה, הֱוֵי: כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה, אֲבָל לְמִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֵב, מִפִּיו דַּעַת וּתְבוּנָה. רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְרַבִּי לֵוִי חַד מִנְהוֹן אָמַר לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְעָשִׁיר שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֵּן בָּא בְּנוֹ מִבֵּית הַסֵּפֶר מָצָא תַּמְחוּי לִפְנֵי אָבִיו, נָטַל אָבִיו חֲתִיכָה אַחַת וּנְתָנָהּ לוֹ, מֶה עָשָׂה בְּנוֹ אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא מִזֶּה שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ פִּיךָ. מֶה עָשָׂה, נְתָנוֹ לוֹ, וְלָמָּה, עַל שֶׁהָיָה מְחַבְּבוֹ נָתַן לוֹ מִתּוֹךְ פִּיו, הֱוֵי: כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה, וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא מְחַבְּבוֹ יוֹתֵר, מִפִּיו דַּעַת וּתְבוּנָה. וְהָאֶחָד אוֹמֵר, מָשָׁל לֶעָשִׁיר שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֵּן, בָּא מִבֵּית הַסֵּפֶר וְנָתַן לוֹ מָנָה, אָמַר לוֹ בְּנוֹ אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא מִן הַפִּיצְטָלִין שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ פִּיךָ, נָטַל וְנָתַן לוֹ מִתּוֹךְ פִּיו, הֱוֵי: כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה, אֶלָּא מִפִּיו דַּעַת וּתְבוּנָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַר סִינַי לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הָיוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים לִשְׁמֹעַ הַדִּבְּרוֹת מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן חָמָא שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים שָׁאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לִרְאוֹת דְּמוּתוֹ וְלִשְׁמֹעַ מִפִּיו הַדִּבְּרוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שיר השירים א, ב): יִשָּׁקֵנִי מִנְּשִׁיקוֹת פִּיהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן חָמָא שׁוֹמְעִין לְשׁוֹטֶה מַה שֶּׁהוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה צָפוּי וְגָלוּי לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁעֲתִידִין יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחַר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹת הָעֵגֶל, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אֵינִי שׁוֹמֵעַ לָהֶם עֲתִידִין הֵם לוֹמַר לֹא תָבַעְנוּ בְּיַד משֶׁה אֶלָּא שֶׁיַּרְאֵנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דְּמוּתוֹ וִידַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹא יְהֵא לָהֶם פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לוֹמַר שֶׁמִּפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ מִפִּיו וְלֹא רָאִינוּ דְּמוּתוֹ לְפִיכָךְ עָשִׂינוּ לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים, אֶלָּא מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה הֲרֵינִי מַרְאֶה לָהֶם דְּמוּתִי וּמְדַבֵּר עִמָּהֶם פֶּה אֶל פֶּה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כ, א): וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר, הֱוֵי: כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה. וַיִּתֵּן אֶל משֶׁה, הֱוֵי: מִפִּיו דַּעַת וּתְבוּנָה, שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָהֶם תּוֹרָה מִפִּיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

Another matter, “He gave to Moses,” that is what is written: “For the Lord grants wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6). Great is wisdom, but greater than it are knowledge and understanding. That is, “for the Lord grants wisdom,” but to those whom He loves, “from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Rabbi Yitzḥak and Rabbi Levi, one of them said: To what is the matter comparable? To a wealthy man who had a son. His son came from school and saw a tray before his father. His father took one piece and gave it to him. What did his son do? He said to him: ‘I want only from the one that is in your mouth.’ What did he do? He gave it to him. Why? Because he loves him, he gave him what was in his mouth. That is, “for the Lord grants wisdom,” and to anyone whom He loves more, “from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” And one said: It is analogous to a wealthy man who had a son who came from school, and he gave him a portion. His son said to him: ‘I want only from the biscuit that is in your mouth.’ He took and gave him from his mouth. That is, “for the Lord grants wisdom,” but, “from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Another matter, “for the Lord grants wisdom,” you find that when Israel stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, they requested to hear the commandments from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He. Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen ben Ḥama said: Israel made two requests of the Holy One blessed be He; to see His likeness and to hear the commandments from His mouth, as it is written: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” (Song of Songs 1:2). Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen ben Ḥama said: Does one accede to every request of a fool? Yet it was known and revealed before the Holy One blessed be He that after forty days Israel was destined to craft the calf. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I do not accede to their request, they are destined to say: Did we not demand through Moses that the Holy One blessed be He show us His likeness and speak with us?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘So they will not have recourse to say that it is because we did not hear from His mouth and did not see His likeness that we crafted a god for ourselves. Rather, what will I do? I will show them My likeness and speak to them mouth to mouth,’ just as it says: “God spoke these matters, saying” (Exodus 20:1). That is, “for the Lord grants wisdom.” “He gave to Moses,” that is, “from His mouth come knowledge and understanding,” as the Torah was given to them from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He.