(לד) וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּכְב֣וֹד יי מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃ (לה) וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד יי מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
(34) the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of יי filled the Tabernacle. (35) Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of יי filled the Tabernacle.
How could it be that Moshe was able to go up on Mount Sinai and speak with God "face-to-face" but unable to stay in the Mishkan when God's presence filled it?
רש׳׳י:
כל זמן שהיה הענן עליו – לא היה יכול משה לבוא, נסתלק הענן – נכנס משה ומדבר עמו.
Rashi:
Whenever the cloud had settled on the Tent of Meeting, Moshe was unable to enter the space, but when the cloud departed, he went in and God communicated with him.
אבן עזרא:
ולא יכול משה לבוא – באותה שעה, עד שקרא אליו השם מאהל מועד, כי כן כתוב (ויקרא א׳:א׳)
Ibn Ezra:
Moshe could not enter the Tent of Meeting at that moment until the Lord called to him from within, as the verse describes in Leviticus 1:1.
ר׳ שמשון רפאל הירש:
כשם שנאמר בסיני: ’וישכן כבוד ה׳ על הר סיני ויכסהו הענן׳ וגו׳ (לעיל כד, טז), כנ עתה – לאחר שהתורה מצאה בית דירה עלי אדמות בין בני האדם – נעשה המשכן למקום גילוי כבוד ה׳ בארץ.
לקיים מה שנאמר במזמור המדבר על התגלות ה׳ (תהילים סח, יח): ׳ה׳ בם סיני בקדש׳, הווי אומר: ׳ה׳ נכנס לקרבם, ומכאן ואילך סיני יימצא במקדש׳.
וכשם שנאמר בסיני: ׳ויכסהו הענן ששת ימים ויקרא אל משה ביום השביי מתוך הענן’ (לעיל כד טז), כן גם כאן נאמר תחילה (פסוק לה): ׳ולא יכל משה לבוא׳ וגו׳, ורק לאחד מכן (ויקרא א,א): ׳ויקרא אל משה וידבר אליו מאהל מועד.’
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch:
The Torah describes an earlier scene when it states, "The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh, [God] called to Moshe from within the cloud" (24:16). Similarly now, after the Torah had been given a home among human beings, the Tabernacle became the location for God's revelation on earth. This explains the Psalm that talks about God's revelation, stating, "the Lord is among them as at Sinai in holiness" (Ps. 68:18). For God entered the community of Israel at Sinai, but later could be found in the Tabernacle. And just as regarding Sinai the verse states, "The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai...On the seventh, [God] called to Moshe," here too the text first declares that "Moshe could now enter the Tent of Meeting," and only subsequently does the Torah relate that "The Lord called to Moshe. From the Tent of Meeting [God] spoke to him." (Lev. 1:1).
Questions for thought:
- Rashi does not answer the question. In fact, he seems to reinforce it. Based on what we know about Rashi's understanding that the Mishkan was a response to the golden calf, how do you think he might answer the question?
- How does Ibn Ezra resolve the problem? How do you think Ibn Ezra and Rashi would each understand God's accessibility to Moshe following the incident of the golden calf?
- Rav Hirsch expands on Ibn Ezra's approach and may go even further by demonstrating some amazing parallels. What are they and what message is embedded in those parallels?