Daf 84b (דַּף פ״ד ע״ב)

Rabbi Yitzchak said, they were of Sanpirinon stone (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, שֶׁל סַנְפִּירִינוֹן הָווֹ), and they were two stones (וּתְרֵין אַבְנִין הֲווֹ). And those stones were sealed (וְאַבְנִין הֲווֹ סְתִימָאן). Kudsha Berikh Hu blew upon them with a wind (נָשַׁיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּרוּחָא), and they spread out and were engraved into two tablets (וְאִתְפָּשְׁטוּ וְאִתְגַּלְּפוּ תְּרֵין לוּחִין). Rabbi Yehudah said, they were like Sanpirinon (ר׳ יְהוּדָה אָמַר, כְּעֵין סַנְפִּירִינוֹן הֲווֹ), for it implies, as it is written, “They were the work of Elohim” (שֶׁהוּא אֶבֶן טוֹבָה, מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב: מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה).

He said to him, if so-this Sanpirinon, which is a precious stone more valuable than all others-is it not a product of Kudsha Berikh Hu? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הָכִי, סַנְפִּירִינוֹן דָּא דְּהוּא אַבְנָא טָבָא יַקִּירָא מִשְּׁאָר אַבְנִין, לָאו עוֹבָדָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִינּוּן) He said to him, how do we establish the phrase “They were the work of Elohim”? Precisely they (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּמַה אוֹקִימְנָא מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה הֵמָּה דַּיְיקָא). Rather, come and see: it is written, “And the tablets were the work of Elohim” (אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב: וְהַלֻּחֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים), it says the tablets-but not “and the stones were the work of Elohim” (הַלֻּחֹת כְּתִיב, וְלֹא כְּתִיב: וְהָאֲבָנִים מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה).

Rabbi Shimon said, it is all one (אָמַר ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן: כֹּלָּא חַד הוּא), but these two tablets existed before the world was created (אֲבָל אִלֵּין תְּרֵין לוּחִין עַד לָא אִתְּבְּרֵי עָלְמָא הֲווֹ), and they were removed on the eve of Shabbat (וְאִסְתַּלְּקוּ מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת), and Kudsha Berikh Hu formed them (וְעָבַד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and they were His work (וְעוֹבָדוֹי הֲווֹ). From what were they made? It was taught: from that supernal dew that flows from Atika Kadisha (מִמַּה אִתְעָבִידוּ תָּנָא: מֵהַהוּא טַלָּא עִלָּאָה, דְּנָגִיד מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא). And when it flows and extends to the Field of Holy Apples (וְכַד נָגִיד וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ לַחֲקַל דְּתַפּוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין), Kudsha Berikh Hu took two drops from it (נָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תְּרֵין כִּפּוֹרֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ), and they condensed (וְאִתְגַּלִּידוּ), and they became two precious stones (וְאִתְעָבִידוּ תְּרֵין אַבְנִין יַקִּירִין). He blew into them (נָשַׁב בְּהוּ), and they spread into two tablets (וְאִתְפָּשְׁטוּ לִתְּרֵין לוּחִין). This is what is written: “They were the work of Elohim, and the writing was the writing of Elohim” (דָּא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה, וְהַמִּכְתָּב מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא), as it is written (Devarim 9) “Written by the finger of Elohim” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב: כְּתוּבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים).

It was taught: “The finger of Elohim” -that finger ascends to ten (תָּנָא: אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים-הַהוּא אֶצְבַּע סָלִיק לַעֲשָׂרָה), as it is said, “It is the finger of Elohim” (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר: אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִיא). And each and every finger ascends to ten (וְכָל אֶצְבַּע וְאֶצְבַּע סָלִיק לַעֲשָׂרָה), until a complete hand was formed (עַד דְּאִתְעָבִיד יְדָא שְׁלֵימָתָא), as it is written (Shemot 14) “And Yisrael saw the great hand” (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה).

Rabbi Yehudah said, “Engraved upon the tablets”-the stones were hollowed through, and could be seen from both sides, engraved with carved engraving (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת, נְקִיבָן הֲווֹ אַבְנִין, וְאִתְחֲזִיאוּ לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין, חָרוּת גִּלּוּפָא דִּגְלִיפִין). Rabbi Abba said, from this side the opposite side was visible, and it was read from here what was written on the other side (אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא, מֵהַאי סִטְרָא אִתְחָזֵי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְאִתְקְרֵי מֵהָכָא, מַה דִּכְתִּיב בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא).

Rabbi El'azar said, they were written by miracle, for all who saw them would testify that surely the writing was of Elohim, for no person in the world could comprehend how they appeared (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, בְּנִס הֲווֹ כְּתִיבִין, דְּכָל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא הֲווֹ אַמְרִין וְסָהֲדִין, דְּהָא מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּהָא כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לָא יַכְלִין לְמִנְדַּע לוֹן כְּמָה דַּהֲווֹ). To those who say the stones were hollowed-does it say “engraved in the tablets”? It says “upon the tablets” (לְדַעְתַּיְיהוּ דְּאִינּוּן דְּאַמְרִין נְקִיבִין הֲווֹ, מִי כְּתִיב חָרוּת בַּלֻּחֹת עַל הַלֻּחֹת כְּתִיב). Rather, it was taught: five voices were on the right, and five on the left (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא: חֲמִשָּׁה קָלִין אִינּוּן לִימִינָא, וְחַמְשָׁא לִשְׂמָאלָא), and those on the left were included in the right (וְאִינּוּן דִּשְׂמָאלָא כְּלִילָן בִּימִינָא), and from the right were seen those on the left (וּמִן יְמִינָא אִתְחָזוּן אִינּוּן דִּשְׂמָאלָא), and here all was right (וְהָכָא כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ יְמִינָא), and these were included in those (וְאִתְכְּלִילָן אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), and whoever was on this side saw to the other side and read those letters (מַאן דְּהֲוָה בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, חָמֵי לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְקָרֵי לוֹן לְאִינוּן אַתְוָון).

For we have learned: the left became right, as it is written (Devarim 33) “From His right hand, a fiery law for them” (דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן: שְׂמָאלָא אִתְחֲזָר יְמִינָא, דִּכְתִּיב מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ), and therefore, “The writing of Elohim it was, indeed” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ: מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא וַדַּאי). How so? Whoever was on this side read from this: “I am Hashem your Elohim” (הָא כֵּיצַד: מַאן דְּהֲוָה מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, הֲוָה קָרֵי בְּדָא: אָנֹכִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ), and from those letters he saw and read “You shall not murder” (וּמֵאִלֵּין אַתְוָון הֲוָה חָמֵי וְקָרֵי: לֹא תִּרְצָח), he read “You shall have no other gods before Me” (הֲוָה קָרֵי: לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ), and saw and read “You shall not commit adultery” (וַהֲוָה חָמֵי וְקָרֵי: לֹא תִּנְאָף), and read “You shall not take the name of Hashem your Elohim in vain” (וַהֲוָה קָרֵי: לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַשָּׁוְא), and saw and read “You shall not steal” (וַהֲוָה חָמֵי וְקָרֵי: לֹא תִּגְנֹב), and all was from this side-and so too for all the others-from the other side, and all were interwoven this with that in this manner (וְכֹלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, וְכָךְ לְכֻלְּהוּ, וּכְדֵין מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ כְּלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא). This is what is written (Shemot 32) “It was the writing of Elohim” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא), truly the writing of Elohim (מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא וַדַּאי).

“And Moshe went down to the people and spoke to them” (Shemot 19) (וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם). Rabbi Yose said, what is this saying that is written, “And he spoke to them,” without it saying what he said? (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, מַהִי אֲמִירָא דָּא דִּכְתִּיב: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם, וְלָא כְּתִיב מַה קָּאָמַר). Rabbi Yitzchak said, come and see: this is the way of the world-when joy comes to a person, or when pain comes (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, תָּא חֲזֵי: אָרְחָא דְּעָלְמָא הוּא, כַּד אָתֵי חֶדְוָותָא לְבַר נָשׁ אוֹ כַּד אָתֵי צַעֲרָא), until he understands it, he cannot bear it (עַד לָא יָדַע מִנֵּיהּ, לָא יָכִיל לְמִסְבַּל), for the heart is startled in the moment (דְּהָא לִבָּא אִתְפְּרַח לְשַׁעֲתָא). But once he understands it, he is firm in his stance and can bear it (וּכְדֵין יָדַע מִנֵּיהּ, קָאֵים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ וְיָכִיל לְמִסְבַּל). All the more so here (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן הָכָא), some say: and here was not like that (נ״א: וְהָכָא לָאו הָכִי), for Moshe told them everything that was to come afterward (דְּהָא מֹשֶׁה אָמַר לוֹן כָּל מַה דֶּהֲוָה לְבָתַר), and their hearts were overwhelmed by the words, and they could not bear it (וְאַתְקִיף לִבַּיְיהוּ בְּמִלִּין, וְלָא יָכִילוּ לְמִסְבַּל). How much more so if he had said nothing to them (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי לָא אָמַר לוֹן מִידִּי).

Therefore, “he spoke to them” at first (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and their hearts were strengthened (וְאִתְתַּקַּף לִבַּיְיהוּ), and afterward, “And Elohim spoke” (וּלְבָתַר: וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים). And even with all that, they were not able to bear it (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, לָא יָכִילוּ לְמִסְבַּל), for we have learned (דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן), Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rabbi Yose: when they heard the word of Kudsha Berikh Hu, their souls flew out (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, כַּד שָׁמְעוּ מִלָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, פַּרְחַת נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ), and the souls of Yisrael ascended (וְסַלְּקָא נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), until the Throne of His Glory, to cleave there (עַד כּוּרְסֵי יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ, לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא תַּמָּן).