Siman - Yoma Daf 4
- ויכסהו – משה או ההר
The Gemara brings a Baraisa that is in accordance with Reish Lakish, who taught that Moshe ascended into a cloud, was covered in a cloud, and was sanctified in a cloud כדי לקבל תורה לישראל בקדושה – in order to receive the Torah for Yisroel, in kedushah, as it is stated, וישכון כבוד ה' על הר סיני – and the glory of Hashem rested on Har Sinai, and the cloud covered him [Moshe] for six days. According to Rebbe Yose HaGlili זה היה מעשה אחר עשרת הדברות – This incident occurred after the giving of the Aseres Hadibrosשהיו תחלה לארבעים יום - for the [six days] were the start of the forty-day period following the giving of the Aseres Hadibros. Rebbe Akiva says וישכן כבוד ה' מראש חודש – and the glory of Hashem rested on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, prior to the giving of the Aseres Hadibros, ויכסהו הענן להר – and the cloud covered it, with the suffix "it" referring to the mountain. Rashi explains that it cannot refer to Moshe, because the six days prior to the giving of the Aseres Hadibros, Moshe was constantly ascending and descending the mountain to relay Hashem’s instructions to the people. The Baraisa continues that when the passuk states, ויקרא אל משה – And He called to Moshe on the seventh of Sivan, to impart the Aseres Hadibros, Hashem was speaking to Moshe and all the people, ולא בא הכתוב אלא לחלק כבוד למשה – and the passuk comes only to accord honor to Moshe by singling him out.
- Purging Moshe to become like a malach or to instill fear
The Baraisa continues, Rebbe Nassan says, לא בא הכתוב אלא למרק אכילה ושתיה שבמעיו – The passuk comes only to purge the food and drink from Moshe’s intestines לשומו כמלאכי השרת – to make him like the ministering angels. Rashi explains that Rebbe Nassan holds like Rebbe Yose HaGlili, that Moshe was covered by the cloud, but the passuk does not serve as a model for others who enter the machaneh Shechinah. Rather, this sequestering of Moshe, to purge his innards to resemble a malach, was unique to Moshe. Rebbe Masya ben Charash says לא בא הכתוב אלא לאיים עליו – that the passuk comes only to instill fear in Moshe כדי שתהא תורה ניתנת באימה ברתת ובזיע – in order that the Torah be given with fear, trembling and quaking, as it says, עבדו את ה' ביראה וגילו ברעדה – Serve Hashem with awe, and rejoice in trepidation. Rav Adda bar Masnah said in the name of Rav, במקום גילה שם תהא רעדה – In the place of rejoicing, such as when receiving the Luchos, there should be trepidation.
- Call to a person before speaking and not repeating what one said
It was taught in a Baraisa, the passuk states, ויקרא אל משה וידבר – And He called to Moshe and He spoke. Why did Hashem preface “speaking” with “calling”? לימדה תורה דרך ארץ שלא יאמר אדם דבר לחבירו אלא אם כן קורהו – The Torah teaches derech eretz, that a person should not say something to his friend unless he calls him. Rebbe Menasya , the grandson of Rebbe Masya, said in the name of Rebbe Menasya the Great, מניין לאומר דבר לחבירו שהוא בבל יאמר – From where do we know concerning one who says something to his friend, that he is under admonition not to repeat it to others עד שיאמר לו לך אמור – unless he says to him, “Go repeat it”? For it is stated in the passuk, וידבר ה' אליו מאהל מועד לאמר – And Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed “laimor". Rashi says that the term לאמר is expounded as a contraction of לא אמר, do not repeat.
