(ח) פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בְחִידֹת וּתְמֻנַת ה' יַבִּיט וּמַדּוּעַ לֹא יְרֵאתֶם לְדַבֵּר בְּעַבְדִּי בְמֹשֶׁה.
(8) with him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD doth he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?’
What questions do you have about this verse?
Fox
Mouth to Mouth I speak with him,
in plain sight, not in riddles,
and the form of YHWH (is what) he beholds
OJPS
With him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord doth he behold;
NJPS
With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly, and not in riddles and he beholds the likeness of the Lord.
Targum Onkelos
ממלל עם ממלל ממלילנא עימיה בחיזו ולא בחדון ובדמות יקרא דה' מסתכל
Speech with speech I spoke with him, with a vision and not with riddles, and he sees the likeness of the glory the Lord.
What's the difference between Fox and Targum Onkelos? How do the differences change the meaning of the verse?
(יא) וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וְשָׁב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וּמְשָׁרְתוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר לֹא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל.
(11) And the LORD spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he would return into the camp; but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.
How do you understand the difference (if any) between פה אל פה and פנים אל פנים?
(א) פה אל פה. אמרתי לו לפרוש מן האשה והיכן אמרתי לו, בסיני (דברים ה, כז) לך אמר להם שובו לכם לאהליכם, ואתה פה עמד עמדי:
Mouth to mouth I told him to separate from the woman. And where did I tell him? At Sinai [where I said] “Go say to them, ‘Return to your tents’ - But as for you, stand here with me”
How does Rashi understand the nature of the relationship between God and Moses?
Robert Alter on Exodus 33:11
And the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his fellow.
These two idioms for direct communication cannot be literally true because the burden of what follows in this chapter is that no man, not even Moses can see God’s face. The hyperbole is in all likelihood a continuation of the visual perspective of the people so clearly marked in verses 8-10: as it appears to the Israelites from their vantage point in front of their tents, Moses conversing with the pillar of cloud is speaking to God as a man speaks to his fellow.
Describe Alter's approach to the text in one word.
How does Alter understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?
(א) פה אל פה אדבר בו. הטעם בלא אמצעי
Without a middleman.
How does Ibn Ezra understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?
(א) פה אל פה אדבר בו שהנבואה אליו היא בלתי תרדמת חושיו:
Mouth to mouth I will speak to him. That the prophesying to him is not only in a deep sleep.
How does Sforno understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?
J. Milgrom
Mouth to mouth By direct revelation (Ibn Ezra) and while fully conscious (Sforno). This expression is synonymous with “face to face” in Exodus 33:11 and Deuteronomy 34:10. Both expressions imply a dialogue: The prophet is the intercessor for his people as well as the conveyor of God's word. The image is that of a royal house in which only the most trusted servant has regular access to the monarch. Such ones are literally called, “those who see the face of the king (2 Kings 25:19).
How does Milgrom understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?
Malbim
Mouth to mouth: The Shechina speaks from [Moshe’s] mouth.
How does Malbim understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?
Or Hachaim
When God speaks about appearing to the prophets (b’halom), this does not mean that they actually dream; rather it describes the impact of God’s communications to such prophets being similar to that of people who experience a dream while asleep. God always communicated with his prophets while the latter were awake. Only Moses was able to maintain his regular posture when God communicated with him; he did not prostrate himself or go into convulsions as did other prophets. Neither did he receive such communications in the form of a riddle or parable. Every communication Moses received from God was crystal clear, requiring no further elaboration. This is what the Torah means when it describes such communication as פה אל פה אדבר בו “ I speak with him mouth to mouth”
How does Or Hachaim understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?
Eryl W. Davies
With him I speak mouth to mouth: This expression occurs only here in the OT, and RSV’s rendering is to be preferred to NRSV’s ‘face-to-face’ (cf. NEB, NIV), which represents a different wording in the Heb. (cf. Exod. 33:11; Dt. 34:10). The point made here is that whereas God had communicated with other prophets through the refractory medium of visions and dreams (v. 6), he had revealed his will to Moses in a more direct and explicit fashion. Moses is thus portrayed here as more than primus inter pares, for no other prophet was accorded such an elevated status as the mediator of Yahweh’s will. The notion that Moses enjoyed a unique and intimate relationship with God is a recurring motif in the Pentateuch, and is reflected in such passages as Exod. 33:7ff; Dt. 5:4f.
How does Davies understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 33:11
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face. Rather, “He spoke with Moses face to face” - after Moses’ request in v. 18.
How does Ibn Ezra understand the nature of the relationship between Moses and God?