33b (ל״ג:ב׳)

That is to say (יִרְצֶה), since My Presence shall go with you, that is enough for you (כֵּיוָן שֶׁפָּנַי יֵלֵכוּ עִמְּךָ, זֶה דַּי לְךָ), for through them I shall give you rest (שֶׁבָּהֶם אָנִיחַ לָךְ). And then Moshe answered Him (וְאָז הֵשִׁיב לוֹ מֹשֶׁה), “If Your Presence does not go” (Exodus 33) (״אִם אֵין פָּנֶיךָ הֹלְכִים), with the intention being that there are two types of Panim-faces (שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי פָּנִים): faces of mercy (פָּנִים שֶׁל רַחֲמִים), and faces of wrath to consume the enemies (וּפָנִים שֶׁל זַעַם לְכַלּוֹת בָּהֶם הַשּׂוֹנְאִים), and this is what Moshe said (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה): I too desire that the faces of wrath accompany us to destroy the enemies (גַּם אֲנִי רוֹצֶה שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ עִמָּנוּ פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם לְכַלּוֹת הָאוֹיְבִים). And this is what he said, “If Your Presence does not go” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״אִם אֵין פָּנֶיךָ הֹלְכִים).

And the secret of these Panim [faces] we alluded to above in the Birkat Kohanim (וְסוֹד אֵלּוּ הַפָּנִים רָמַזְנוּ לְמַעְלָה בִּבִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים). And then the Holy One Blessed Be He answered him, “Also this thing which you have spoken” (וְאָז הֵשִׁיב לוֹ הקב״ה ״גַּם אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ), concerning these Panim [faces] (מֵאֵלּוּ הַפָּנִים), this too I shall do (גַּם זֶה אֶעֱשֶׂה).

Therefore He said “also” (Gam) to include more (וְלָכֵן אָמַר ״גַּם״, שֶׁהוּא מְרַבֶּה). And this I shall do because “you have found favor in My eyes and I have known you by name” (וְזֶה אֶעֱשֶׂה בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁ״מָצָאתָ חֵן בְּעֵינַי וָאֵדָעֲךָ בְּשֵׁם). And until now we do not find that the Holy One Blessed Be He answered Moshe concerning the question that he had asked-that He should make known to him that path which He had concealed from him (וְעַד עַתָּה לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁהֵשִׁיב הקב״ה לְמֹשֶׁה עַל שְׁאֵלָתוֹ שֶׁשָּׁאַל שֶׁיוֹדִיעֶנּוּ אוֹתוֹ דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהֶעֱלִים מִמֶּנּוּ), which is the Name of His Glory, may He be blessed (שֶׁשֵּׁם כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), for in that gate there is more than in the other forty-nine gates (שֶׁיּוֹתֵר יֵשׁ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַשַּׁעַר מִמָּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּמ״ט שְׁעָרִים). And the Holy One Blessed Be He returned and answered him concerning the Panim [faces] (וְהקב״ה חוֹזֵר וּמֵשִׁיב לוֹ עַל הַפָּנִים), and said to him: “I shall make all My goodness pass before your face” (וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ ״וַאֲנִי אַעֲבִיר כָּל טוּבִי עַל פָּנֶיךָ) (Exodus 33) the intention is, the Panim [faces] through which I bestow goodness, those I shall pass before your face (הַכַּוָּנָה, הַפָּנִים שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בָּהֶם טוֹבוֹת, אוֹתָם אַעֲבִיר עַל פָּנֶיךָ), and I shall teach you by which path you shall benefit from them (וַאֲלַמֵּדְךָ בְּאֵי זוֹ דֶרֶךְ תֵּהָנֶה מֵהֶם).

And this is what He said, “And I shall proclaim the Name of Hashem before you” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״וְקָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם ה׳ לְפָנֶיךָ), that He would teach him by which path to call upon them so that the Holy One Blessed Be He would bring him benefit through them (שֶׁיְּלַמֵּד אוֹתוֹ בְּאֵי זוֹ דֶרֶךְ יִקְרָא אוֹתָם שֶׁיְּהֵא מֵטִיב לוֹ הקב״ה בָּהֶם). And this is what He said, “And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,” etc (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן״ וְגוֹ).

But that path which you said, that I should teach you (אֲבָל הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֲלַמְּדְךָ), you are not able to learn it (לֹא תוּכַל לִלְמָדָהּ), for it is inevitable that in that path you will behold Panim [faces] of wrath (לְפִי שֶׁהֶכְרֵחַ הוּא שֶׁתִּרְאֶה בְּאוֹתוֹ דֶּרֶךְ פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם), and you will not be able to see them and live (וְלֹא תוּכַל לִרְאוֹתָם וּלְחִיּוֹת), and this is what He said, “You shall not be able to see My face” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאוֹת אֶת פָּנָי) (Exodus 33), but you will see the other things which are for good (אֶלָּא תִּרְאֶה הַדְּבָרִים הָאֲחֵרִים שֶׁהֵם לְטוֹבָה), and this is what He said, “And you shall see My back” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחֹרָי) (Exodus 33), meaning, the other things which are for good (יִרְצֶה, הַדְּבָרִים הָאֲחֵרִים שֶׁהֵם לְטוֹבָה). For in Him, may He be blessed, we cannot attribute face and back (כִּי בּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לֹא נוּכַל לְיַחֵס פָּנִים וְאָחוֹר), but “back” means: the other things (אֶלָּא ״אֲחֹרָי״ רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר: הַדְּבָרִים הָאֲחֵרִים).

If so, what the Holy One Blessed Be He agreed to with Moshe was (אִם כֵּן, מַה שֶּׁהִסְכִּים הקב״ה עִם מֹשֶׁה הוּא), that He would show him the Panim [faces] through which He bestows good (שֶׁיַּרְאֶה לוֹ הַפָּנִים שֶׁמֵּטִיב בָּהֶם), not the Panim [faces] of wrath (לֹא הַפָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם). And this is what it says, “And he called in the Name of Hashem” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ה׳) (Exodus 34), meaning, that the Holy One Blessed Be He Himself called with that Name, in order to teach Moshe (יִרְצֶה, שֶׁהקב״ה בְּעַצְמוֹ קָרָא בְּאוֹתוֹ שֵׁם כְּדֵי לְלַמֵּד לְמֹשֶׁה).

And behold, it would have been fitting that He mention the middot immediately (וְהִנֵּה מִן הָרָאוּי הָיָה שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר כָּאן הַמִּדּוֹת מִיָּד), so why did He return to say again, “And He called”? (וְלָמָּה חָזַר לוֹמַר פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת ״וַיִּקְרָא) Rather, the intention is that He came to explain with what Hashem passed (אֶלָּא הַכַּוָּנָה, שֶׁבָּא לְפָרֵשׁ בַּמֶּה עָבַר ה׳), and it said “upon His face” (וְאָמַר ״עַל פָּנָיו), meaning, He did not pass with all of His Panim (יִרְצֶה, לֹא עָבַר עִם כָּל הַפָּנִים), for if so, it would have been impossible for Moshe to live (שֶׁאִם כֵּן לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיֶּחְיֶה מֹשֶׁה), as it says, “For no man shall see Me and live” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי) (Exodus 33). Rather, with what did He pass? With those Panim [faces] mentioned above-those are the radiant Panim [faces], not Panim [faces] of wrath (אֶלָּא בַּמֶּה עָבַר בְּעִנְיָן אוֹתָם פָּנִים שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהֵם הַפָּנִים הַמְּאִירִים, לֹא פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם). For this He said above, “And I shall cover you with My hand until I pass” (שֶׁלָּזֶה אָמַר לְמַעְלָה ״וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי עָלֶיךָ עַד עָבְרִי) (Exodus 33), so that he not see those Panim [faces] of wrath (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה אוֹתָם פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם).

And now that Hashem, may He be blessed, had already taught him His middot, he said, “Let now my Lord go in our midst” (וְעַתָּה שֶׁכְּבָר לִמְּדוֹ ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ מִדּוֹתָיו, אָמַר ״יֵלֵךְ נָא אֲדֹנָי בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ) (Exodus 34), which contains both plague and blessing (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ מַכָּה וּבְרָכָה).

That is to say (יִרְצֶה), since they are stiff-necked, when they see that from the very same middah by which blessing comes to Yisrael (שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף, כְּשֶׁיִּרְאוּ שֶׁמֵּאוֹתוֹ מִדָּה עַצְמָהּ שֶׁבָּא לָהֶם הַבְּרָכָה), comes also the plague to the nations (בָּא לָאוּמּוֹת גַּם כֵּן הַמַּכָּה), through this they shall believe in Hashem (בָּזֶה יַאֲמִינוּ בַּה׳). And we do not fear the judgment that is in the Name Adonai (וְאֵין אֲנַחְנוּ יְרֵאִים מִן הַדִּין שֶׁבְּשֵׁם אֲדנ״י), for already we have the middot of mercy which You have taught us (שֶׁכְּבָר יֵשׁ לָנוּ הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁל רַחֲמִים שֶׁלִּמַּדְתָּנוּ). And this is what he said: “for it is a stiff-necked people, and You shall forgive,” etc (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״כִּי עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא וְסָלַחְתָּ״ וְגוֹ) (Exodus 34).

For this judgment applies only to the nations (שֶׁזֶּה הַדִּין אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לָאֻמּוֹת), as the verse says: “And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of Hashem, for it is awesome” (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״וְרָאָה כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ אֵת מַעֲשֵׂה ה׳, כִּי נוֹרָא הוּא״) (Exodus 34), meaning, it is awesome to the nations (יִרְצֶה, שֶׁהוּא נוֹרָא לָאֻמּוֹת). And afterward it says: “Guard yourself lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are coming,” and so forth (וְאָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ ״הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תִּכְרֹת בְּרִית לְיוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָא עָלֶיהָ״ וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 34), until: “For you shall not bow down to another god,” and so forth (עַד ״כִּי לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל אַחֵר״ וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 34).

And in Acher [another] (אַחֵר), there is an enlarged Reish (וּבְ״אַחֵר״ יֵשׁ רֵי״שׁ רַבְּתִי), to teach Yisrael: Do not think that, because I have taught you the middot [attributes] through which I bestow goodness upon creatures (לְהוֹרוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: אַל תַּחְשְׁבוּ שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁלִּמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁאֲנִי מֵטִיב בָּהֶם לַבְּרוּיוֹת), that if you serve idolatry, they will benefit you as well (שֶׁאִם תַּעַבְדוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁיְּהַנּוּ לָכֶם). For in this matter you will not be judged according to these attributes of mercy (כִּי בַּזֶּה הָעִנְיָן לֹא תִּהְיוּ נִדּוֹנִים בְּאֵלּוּ הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁל רַחֲמִים): “For Hashem—Jealous is His Name” (כִּי ה׳ קַנָּא שְׁמוֹ) (Exodus 34).

And even though, when you recite the middot [attributes], after “Hashem, El” you immediately say “Compassionate” (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּשֶׁאַתֶּם מַזְכִּירִים הַמִּדּוֹת, אַחַר ״ה׳״ ״אֵל״ מִיָּד אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים ״רַחוּם״), which is the Reish—if you serve idolatry (שֶׁהוּא הָרֵי״שׁ – כְּשֶׁתַּעַבְדוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), then, in the place where the mercies of Hashem, may He be blessed, ought to have increased upon you, had you been good (בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁרָאוּי שֶׁיֵּרְבּוּ עֲלֵיכֶם רַחֲמֵי ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ אִם הֱיִיתֶם טוֹבִים), now evil will increase upon you—this too through a Reish—because of the idolatry (עַתָּה תִּרְבֶּה עֲלֵיכֶם הָרָעָה, שֶׁהִיא גַּם כֵּן בְּרֵי״שׁ, בִּשְׁבִיל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), which is the “another god” (שֶׁהוּא ״אֵל אַחֵר״).