The Fireworks Before The Main Act Devarim begins the mussar that Moshe tells Bnei Yisrael before he dies. In it, Moshe warns Bnei Yisrael to remain loyal to HaShem, and repeats many of the individual mitzvos. The Chizkuni (Devarim 11;26) points out that there was a very deliberate order here. Before repeating any of the mitzvos, Moshe first speaks to Bnei Yisrael about the subject of Yiras Shamayim in general. In fact, it is not until parshas Re’eh that the repetition of individual mitvos begin.
The theme is that Yiras Shamayim is the basis for Torah and Mitzvos, as the Gemara says in a few places (eg Shabbos 31a-b). This is exactly how HaShem ordered the proceedings at Matan Torah too. First, He showed us the awesome spectacle of Har Sinai with its thunder and lightning, to instill within us a new degree of Yiras Shamayim, and only then did we get the rest of the indivudial mitzvos. The message for us is to do mitzvos, but realize that they go hand in hand with increasing one’s Yiras Shamayim and awareness of HaShem.
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The Only Mitzva That Hashem Needs To Pay Cash On Delivery “Hashem Elokecha Imach Lo Chasarta Davar; Hashem was with you in the Midbar and you lacked nothing (Devarim 2:7).” The Imrei Yitzchok asks that the beginning of the pasuk already said this in different words, why does the second half of the pasuk repeat it?
He answers that there is a mitzva to pay a worker on the day he completes the job, and it is an aveira to delay. If so, how is it that “Schar Mitzva B’Hai Alma Leka; Hashem does not reward us for doing mitzvos in this world,” when He has a Chiyuv to pay immediately? The answer is that the halacha is if you hire someone through a Shaliach, and not personally, then the issur does not apply. Therefore, Hashem who gave the mitzvos through Moshe Rabbeinu is not obligated to pay right away, and instead he saves it for our benefit in Olam HaBa.
This applies to only 611 mitzvos. However the Mitzva of Emuna which Hashem said himself on Har Sinai when He said, “Anochi Hashem Elokecha,” and, “Lo Yihiyeh,” does require immediate payment. In this world we live off the schar of our emunah. The beginning of the pasuk tells us that Hashem sustained us in the Midbar. The end of the pasuk explains why. “Hashem Elokecha Imach” because we had emuna in Hashem. Therefore, he needed to pay us and, “Lo Chasarta Davar.”
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Isn’t Shavuos The Day of Kabalas HaTorah? In Parshas Emor when the Torah discusses the Yom Tov of Shavuos, it makes no mention at all that we are celebrating the day that we received the Torah. All it talks about is the completion of the Sefira and the special Korban we bring that day. Why is this, asks the Kli Yakar?
He answers that Chazal tell us that Kabalas HaTorah should be daily event. Each day we should open up our Gemara, and we should learn with the enthusiasm of receiving a present for the first time and playing with it, “כאילו אותו היום קיבלה מהר סיני”, as if that day we received it from Har Sinai.
The Kli Yakar says that although the Torah doesn’t talk about Kabbalas HaTorah explicitly, the entire Korban of the day is all about this concept of Kabalas HaTorah. The Torah refers to the Korban Shtei HaLechem as “Mincha Chadasha”, a new present, referring to the idea that the Torah is to be regarded as a new present each day.
Furthermore, says the Kli Yakar, although Chametz represents the Yetzer Hara, the Shtei HaLechem is made of Chametz. The reason is that when Moshe wanted to bring the Torah down to Am Yisroel, the Malachim did not let him. Moshe’s winning argument was that since the Torah is the antidote to the Yetzer Hara as Chazal say, “בראתי יצר הרע בראתי לו תבלין”, I created a Yetzer Hara and I created a remedy to protect people, therefore the place for the Torah is in this world where the Yetzer roams free, and not in Shamayim which is totally pure. So in essence, says the Kli Yakar, by not referring to Kabbalas HaTorah on Shavuos, the Torah is imbuing in us the real Kabalas HaTorah and the purpose of Kabbalas HaTorah.
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Why Always “Zecher Yetzias Mitzrayim” and Not “Zecher Har Sinai” We find in the Torah that many mitzvos are Zecher L’Yetzias Mitzrayim. We don’t find mitzvos that are Zecher L”Maamad Har Sinai. Rav Aharon Kotler asks, since the whole point of leaving Mitzrayim was to receive the Torah, aren’t we focusing on the wrong thing? Mitzrayim is only a means to the end of receiving the Torah. Shouldn’t we be concerned with remembering Har Sinai?
He answers that memories are needed for something that happened in the past and isn’t here right now. We can’t move the past forward, so we take ourselves back in time. This applies to Yetzias Mitzrayim where remembering is appropriate. However says Rav Aharon, Ma’amad Har Sinai is something that can happen every moment of every day. When a person learns the way he should, that moment itself is no less than when we stood by Har Sinai. He proves this from the gemaros where we find Tanaim learning Torah and consumed in fire, such as Rebbi Eliezer and Rebbi Yehoshua at the Bris Milah of Elisha ben Avuya (Yerushalmi Chagiga 2:1) and Yonason ben Uziel where birds flying overhead were burned by the fire (Succah 28a).
We see from hear that limud hatorah BiKedusha UB’Tahara can actually bring the same Kedusha of Ma’amad Har Sinai right here and right now. Even people with short memories can constantly enjoy hearing the words of Hashem anytime anywhere! (Kol MeiHeichal – Shavuos 5766)
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Matan Torah — How it Happened
The chain of events surrounding the giving of the Torah is very difficult to follow, because, according to Rashi’s understanding, the verses are not arranged chronologically, and a number of jumps must be made in order to reconstruct the sequence of events. The difficulties begin with the fifth aliya of Yisro (the sequence of events surrounding Yisro himself is a separate issue), and continue until the end of Ki Siso. The following outline should help to understand the order of events:
1. On Rosh Chodesh Sivan the Jews arrive at the wilderness of Sinai. (19:1; cf. Rashi).
2. Early the following morning, the 2nd of Sivan, Moshe goes up Mt. Sinai for the first time. He is instructed to offer the Jews the opportunity of accepting the Torah, and of becoming a holy people. (19:3-6).
3. That same day Moshe descends and assembles the elders and passes on the message. The entire people respond in unison that whatever HaShem says, they will do. (19:7-8).
4. On the morning of the 3rd of Sivan Moshe again ascends the mountain to bring the people’s response to HaShem. (19:8; cf. Rashi).
5. On this occasion he is told that on the day of Matan Torah HaShem will speak to him (i.e. to Moshe alone) from the midst of a thick cloud. The people will bear witness to this event, and this will establish the authenticity of Moshe’s prophecy forever. (19:9; according to Lavush Ora, but see Gur Aryeh for a different understanding).
6. `Moshe’s descent, as well as his subsequent conversation with the people is not described in the verses, but is inferred by Rashi from HaShem’s response in verse 10 (see paragraph 8 below). The people seem to have protested against hearing Matan Torah second hand from Moshe, and insisted on hearing it from HaShem directly. (Rashi 19:9).
7. On the 4th of Sivan Moshe returns to the mountain to bring the people’s request to HaShem. (The latter half of 19:9).
8. During this same encounter, HaShem informs Moshe that if the people insist on hearing for themselves, they must purify themselves on the 4th and 5th in order to receive the Torah on the 6th. In addition, Moshe is to instruct the people how close they may approach the mountain during the revelation, and for how long the restriction is to last. (19:10-13; cf. Rashi).
9. This is the same conversation with HaShem that is mentioned in Parashas Mishpatim (24:1-2; cf. Rashi ad loc), where Moshe is told that he, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and the elders are all to ascend on the day of the revelation, but that only Moshe will approach the cloud.
10. Still on the 4th of Sivan, Moshe descends, and informs the people of the command to purify themselves on these days. According to Rabbi Yose, Moshe interpreted days mentioned in paragraph 8 as two complete days in addition to the 4th, the delaying Matan Torah until the 7th of Sivan. (19:14-15; cf. Rashi and Shabbos 87a).

11. This is the same conversation with the people described in Mishpatim, when Moshe reminds the people of the Seven Noachide Laws, and the laws received at Mara. The people agree to keep all of HaShem’s commandments. Moshe writes down all of the Torah from Bereishis until this point. (24:3-4; cf. Rashi).
12. On the 5th of Sivan Moshe builds an altar at the base of the mountain. Offerings are made. Moshe reads the book he has written to the people, who respond, “We will do and we will hear.” The blood of the sacrifices is sprinkled on the altar on behalf of the people. (24:4-8; Rashi ad loc. and cf. Rashi 19:11).
13. On the 6th of Sivan, or the 7th according to Rabbi Yose, Moshe leads the people to the base of the mountain. We are informed, parenthetically, that during Matan Torah the people are destined to hear only two commandments directly. As for the others, Moshe will speak and HaShem will amplify his voice. (19:16-19; Rashi).
14. HaShem reveals his throne upon the mountain and summons Moshe. Moshe is told to warn the people again not to approach the mountain. Moshe protests that the people have already been warned. HaShem tells him that he must do so nevertheless. Then he is to return to the mountain. Aharon and the first born, who are the priests at this point, are to approach, each according to his level. (19:20-24: Rashi).
15. Moshe descends and passes on the information. (19:25).
16. Moshe’s return to the mountain, together with Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and the elders, is described in Mishpatim (24:9). This is the assent foretold above, paragraph 9. During Matan Torah, Nadav, Avihu and the elders gaze inappropriately. Their punishment is postponed until another occasion, in order not to detract from Matan Torah. (24:10-11; Rashi).
17. Matan Torah itself, the pronouncement of the 10 Statements, is in Yisro. All of the 10 were said in a single word, then HaShem repeated and explained each one individually. (20:1-14; Rashi).
18. The people heard the first two explained, but then were overwhelmed and requested that Moshe hear the rest and relay them to the people. (20:15-17; Rashi ad loc. and cf. Rashi 19:19).
19. At this point the people back off. Moshe alone enters into the thick cloud (20:18), just as HaShem had said would happen (see paragraph 5). (Moshe’s descent after hearing the 10 Statements is not described in the text).
20. After Matan Torah, Moshe is commanded to approach HaShem, and to remain with him to receive the stone tablets. Moshe ascends, accompanied part way by his disciple, Yehoshua. Aharon and Chur are left in charge. (24:12-14).
21. At this point, six days are mentioned, during which the cloud is present on the mountain, before Moshe is invited to enter. Rashi brings two opinions: a) These are the previous six days, the seventh being the day the 10 Statements were pronounced, after which he is invited to enter the cloud. Or b) These Six days begin after Matan Torah, and comprise the first six days out of the forty. (24:15-18; Rashi).
22. This ascent takes place on the 7th of Sivan. (Rashi 32:1). Moshe remains on the mountain for 40 days and nights. (24:18).
23. During these 40 days Moshe receives the laws commanded at the end of Yisro and the bulk of Mishpatim. (20:19 until 23:33; see Rashi on 31:18).
24. The end of the 40 days is described in Ki Sisa. When he is finished speaking, HaShem gives Moshe the tablets. (31:18).
25. On the 16th of Tammuz the people come to the mistaken conclusion that Moshe is overdue. The Golden Calf is made. Aharon declares a festival to HaShem for the next day. (32:1-5; Rashi).
26. They get up early on the morning of the 17th of Tammuz to worship the Calf (32:6).
27. HaShem tells Moshe to descend because of the Calf. Moshe descends. When he sees the Calf he casts down the tablets and breaks them. He grinds up the Calf and makes the people drink it. The Levites are ordered to kill the idolaters. (32:7-29).
28. On the 18th of Tammuz Moshe ascends the mountain to seek atonement for the people (according to Rashi, Shemos 18:13 and Devarim 9:18, although in Shemos 33:11 he says that Moshe came down on the 17th of Tammuz, burnt the Calf on the 18th and went back up on the 19th, see Gur Aryeh for an explanation). HaShem tells Moshe that from now on the Shechina will not be with them. (Shemos 32:31 until 33:3)
29. Moshe descends on the 29th of Av (Rashi, Devarim 9:18). He informs the people that the Shechina will not be with them. The people mourn. (Shemos 33:4-6, Rashi).
30. We are informed that from the time of the sin of the Calf, Moshe has moved his tent out of the camp (33:7-11). There in his tent Moshe now pleads with HaShem that the Shechina should go with them. HaShem agrees. Moshe asks to see HaShem’s glory, and HaShem agrees. Moshe is instructed to carve two new tablets, and to prepare to return to the mountain the next morning. (33:12 until 34:3).
31. On Rosh Chodesh Elul Moshe once more ascends the mountain. (Rashi Shemos 33:11 and Devarim 9:18) He is instructed in the 13 Attributes of Mercy, and warned that we must not make covenants with the Canaanites, but we must shatter their altars. (34:4-17)
32. Rashi informs us that during this third period on the mountain the building of the tabernacle was commanded (Rashi 31:18), but he does not specify at what point. Perhaps he would place parshios Truma, Tetzavei and the beginning of Ki Sisa (25:1 until 31:17), between 34:17 and 34:18. Thus the discussion of what to do to the Canaanite altars (leading up to 34:17) would be followed by the instructions for making a tabernacle and altar for HaShem. And the discussion of Shabbos in verses 31:12-17, would be followed by the discussion of the festivals (the usual association), 34:18-26.
33. In verse 34:27 Moshe is informed which parts of the Torah may be written down and which may not (Rashi). He remains on the mountain for forty days and nights, as he did before, by the end of which HaShem has rewritten the Ten Commandments on the tablets that Moshe has carved (see Rashi to 34:1). He descends with the second tablets on Yom Kippur, his face glowing with “rays of splendor”. (34:29-35; Rashi).

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