אל תקרב הלום לא הגיע עדיין למעלתו הגדולה בנבואה, כי בהר סיני נגש אל הערפל אשר שם האלהים (שמות כ׳:כ״א). וכן ענין הסתרת פנים, שעדיין לא עלה למה שנאמר בו ותמונת ה' יביט (במדבר יב ח): APPROACH NOT HITHER. Moses had not yet reached the highest degree of prophecy, for at Mount Sinai he drew near unto the thick darkness where G-d was.148Further, 20:18. This also accounts for the hiding of his face [in this instance], for he had not yet reached that high [degree of prophecy of] which it was said of Moses, and the similitude of the Eternal doth he behold.149Numbers 12:8.
כי המקום אשר אתה עומד עליו אדמת קודש הוא אע''פ שהיה רחוק מן הסנה הזהירו בזה, כי נתקדש כל ההר ברדת השכינה אל ראש ההר כאשר בשעת מתן תורה, ומשה בהר היה כי שם עלה, שנאמר ויבא אל הר האלהים חרבה (שמות ג׳:א׳), והסנה היה בראש ההר, והנה כלו קדוש ואסור בנעילת הסנדל, וכך אמרו בכל מקום שהשכינה נגלת אסור בנעילת הסנדל (שמו''ר ב יג), וכן ביהושע, וכן הכהנים לא שמשו במקדש אלא יחפים (יהושע ה טו): FOR THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST IS HOLY GROUND. Even though Moses was far from the bush, the angel warned him [not to approach], for the whole mountain became sanctified when the Divine Presence came down upon the mountain—top, just as it did at the time of the Giving of the Torah.150Further, 19:20. Now Moses was on the mountain for he had ascended thereto, as it is said, and he came to the mountain of G-d, unto Horeb,151Verse 1. and the bush was on the top of the mountain.152Accordingly we must understand that before the burning of the bush began, Moses had already gone up on the mountain but not to its top. It was later when he desired to approach the top of the mountain to see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt, that he was warned not “to approach.” Had he not been on the mountain at all, the warning should have been not “to come up.” Thus the entire site became holy and therefore the wearing of sandals was forbidden. A similar case is found in Joshua.153Joshua 5:15. Likewise, the priests ministered in the Sanctuary only while barefoot.