Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 34:31/רמב"ן על שמות ל״ד:ל״א
אוַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵיהֶם לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה הוּא כָּל הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה. וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן נִגְּשׁוּ, אַחַר שֶׁלִּמֵּד לַזְּקֵנִים חוֹזֵר וּמְלַמֵּד הַפָּרָשָׁה אוֹ הַהֲלָכָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ל"ד:ל"ב). וְאֵינוֹ כֵן, אֲבָל יֹאמַר הַכָּתוּב כִּי בְּצֵאת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרָאתוֹ רָאוּ קַרְנֵי הַהוֹד פָּחֲדוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו וְחָזְרוּ אֲחוֹרַנִּית, אוּלַי חָשְׁבוּ שֶׁהָיָה שָׁם כְּבוֹד הַשֵּׁם, אוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי עֶלְיוֹן עִמּוֹ, וּפָחֲדוּ פֶּן יִפְרֹץ בָּהֶם ה', וְקָרָא לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה, וְשָׁבוּ אֵלָיו אַהֲרֹן וְכָל הַנְּשִׂאִים הַהוֹלְכִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, וְדִבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם וּבִשְּׂרָם בִּסְלִיחַת עֲוֹנָם וּבַלּוּחוֹת שֶׁהוֹרִיד. וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן רָאוּ כָּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הוּא מְדַבֵּר עִם הַנְּשִׂיאִים וְנִגְּשׁוּ לְפָנָיו כֻּלָּם, וְאָז צִוָּה לָהֶם כָּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' אִתּוֹ בְּהַר סִינָי, וְהוּא עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת הַשְּׁנִיּוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ, וְכָל הַנֶּאֱמָר לוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה, "שְׁמָר לְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם" (שמות ל"ד:י"א) עַד סוֹף הַפָּרָשָׁה (שמות ל"ד:כ"ו), כִּי הִגִּיד לָהֶם שֶׁצִּוָּהוּ לִכְרֹת עִמָּהֶם בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה עַל פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וְהַכָּתוּב קִצֵּר בָּזֶה וְסִפֵּר הָעִנְיָן בִּכְלָל. וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן אָמַר (שמות ל"ד:ל"ג) כִּי כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר אִתָּם כָּל הָעִנְיָן הַנִּזְכָּר, וְנָתַן עַל פָּנָיו מַסְוֶה, כִּי הִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּשׁוּבָם אָחוֹר כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו, אוֹ הִגִּידוּ לוֹ. וְאַחַר שֶׁסִּפֵּר מַעֲשֵׂה הַיּוֹם הַהוּא אָמַר וּבְבֹא מֹשֶׁה (שמות ל"ד:ל"ד), וְזֶהוּ הָעִנְיָן הַהוֹוֶה, לוֹמַר שֶׁנָּהַג כֵּן כָּל יָמָיו עִמָּהֶם:
1VA’YEDABEIR MOSHEH’ (AND MOSES SPOKE) TO THEM. “This whole section denotes a [continuing] present action [thus making the sense of the verbs: ‘and Moses used to speak…’ ‘and they used to come near…’]. 32. AND AFTERWARDS ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CAME NIGH. After Moses had taught the elders, he would again teach the section or the specific law to the Israelites.” All this is Rashi’s language. But it is not so [that this section describes a continuing occurrence — whenever Moses spoke to Israel]. Rather, Scripture is stating that when all Israel went forth to meet him [upon his descent from the mountain with the second Tablets], they saw the beams of glory streaming from his face, and they were afraid to come nigh him552 and stepped backwards. Perhaps they thought that the Glory of G-d was there, or that the angels of Him on high were with him, and they feared lest the Eternal break forth upon them.553 Then Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the princes, who walked before them returned unto him,554 and Moses spoke to them words of peace,555 and told them the tidings of the forgiveness of their sin and of the Tablets he brought down. And afterwards when all the children of Israel saw that he was speaking with the princes of the congregation, they all came near to him, and then he commanded them all that the Eternal had spoken with him in Mount Sinai,556 these being the second Ten Commandments that He gave him, and all that was said to him from the beginning of, Observe thou that which I am commanding thee this day,557 to the end of the section; for he told them that G-d had commanded him to make a covenant with them after the tenor of these words.558, Verse 27. Scripture, however, shortened the account and narrated the matter in general terms. Then Scripture says that when Moses had done speaking with them the whole subject mentioned, he put a veil upon his face,559 for he understood that upon his return [from the mountain] the skin of his face sent forth beams,560 or perhaps they told it to him. Finally, after having told the account of the events of that day, Scripture states, But when Moses went in before the Eternal etc.561 It is this part of Scripture that represents the continuing action, meaning that so did Moses conduct himself with them all the days.562 section (from Verses 31 to 35) represents a frequentative action. According to Ramban this applies only to Verses 34-35.Vayakheil