Matan Torah: A Progression

(9) And Hashem said to Moses: ‘I will come to you in a thick cloud so that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever.’... (12) And you shall set boundaries around the people, saying: Be careful not to go up to the mount, or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death; ...(16) And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a horn exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled.(17) And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the bottom of the mount. (18) Now Mount Sinai was altogether on smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. (19) And when the voice of the horn got louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.

(17) בתחתית ההר AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN — Literally at the foot of the mountain. But Midrash says that the mountain was plucked up from its place and was arched over them as a cask, so that they were standing בתחתית beneath (under) the mountain itself (Mekhilta).

(20) AND THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI — One might think, then, that He actually came down upon it! Therefore it states, (Exodus 20:19) “You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven”. These two texts together teach us that He bent down the upper and lower heavens and spread them out over the top of the mountain like a bed-spread over a bed and the throne of Glory descended on it

(15) THEY SAW THE SOUNDS: they saw that which should be heard, something which is impossible to see on any other occasion

(18) AND THEY STOOD AFAR OFF: they moved back startled twelve miles, a distance equal to the length of their camp, and ministering angels came and assisted them — to bring them back...

(15) All the people saw the thunder, the lightning, the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood far away. (16) And they said to Moses: ‘You speak with us and we will listen; but don't let God speak with us, lest we die.’ (17) And Moses said to the people: ‘Don't be afraid; God is coming to pass before you, so that His fear may be upon you so that you will not sin.’ (18) The people stood far away; but Moses came towards the thick darkness where God was.

(12) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (13) You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying to them, "You must keep my sabbaths, as it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctify you... (18) And He gave unto Moses, when He had finished speaking with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

(1) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (2) ’See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; (3) and I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, (4) to devise skilful works, to work in gold, silver, and brass, (5) in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship. (6) And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

(1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together upon Aaron, and said to him: ‘Go, make us a god who shall go before us; as this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what happened to him.’ (2) And Aaron said to them: ‘Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.’ (3) And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. (4) And he took them, and fashioned them with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said: ‘This is your god, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’

(1) And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Hew two tables of stone like the first; and I will write upon the tablets the words that were on the first tables, which you broke... (4) And he hewed two tables of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.

(27) And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘You write these words, for according to these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.’ (28) And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words.

(30) And Moses said unto the children of Israel: ‘See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. (31) And has filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. (32) And to devise skilful works in gold, in silver, in brass, (33) in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of skilful workmanship. (34) And He has given him these abilities so that he may teach, both he, and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

(29) And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses did not know that the skin of his face sent forth beams while God talked with him. (30) And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face sent forth beams; and they were afraid to come near him. (31) And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him; and Moses spoke to them. (32) And afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he commanded them concerning all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. (33) And when Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. (34) But when Moses went in before the LORD that He might speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out; and spoke unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. (35) And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’face sent forth beams; and Moses put the veil back upon his face, until he went in to speak with Him.

(20) And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. (21) And they came, every one whose heart stirred him, and every one whose spirit made willing, and brought the LORD’S offering, for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all the service thereof, and for the holy garments. (22) And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing, and brought nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and girdles, all jewels of gold; even every man that brought an offering of gold unto the LORD...(29) The children of Israel brought a freewill-offering unto the LORD; every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work which the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses to be made.