Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Ki Sisa – Shevi’i: Moshe returns with the second Luchos and a shining face (Shabbos, 18th Adar)

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Shevi’i

  • Hashem told Moshe to write the above words.

  1. Moshe returns with the second Luchos and a shining face:
  • Moshe was with Hashem for 40 days and nights. He did not eat bread or drink water, and he wrote on the Luchos the ten commandments, the words of the covenant.
  • Moshe descended the mountain with the two Luchos in his hand and he did not know that his face radiated due to that Hashem spoke to him. The Jewish people saw the radiance on Moshe’s face and they feared approaching him. Moshe called them and they came and Moshe commanded them all that he was told by Hashem on Har Sinai.
  • When Moshe completed speaking with them, he placed a mask on his face. When Moshe came to speak with Hashem he would remove the mask until his departure, and then go command the Jewish people that which he was told. The Jewish people would see the radiance on Moshe’s face. Moshe would return the mask to his face until his next meeting with Hashem.

Shemot 34 – Rashi-Based Questions & Answers

Verse 27

Q1. Why does God say, “Write these words,” according to Rashi?
A1. Rashi explains that “these words” refers specifically to the Written Torah, implying that Moses was not permitted to write down the Oral Torah, which was to be transmitted orally.

 

Verse 28

Q2. What extraordinary physical condition did Moses experience during the 40 days and nights on Sinai?
A2. Moses neither ate bread nor drank water during the entire 40 days and 40 nights he was with God.

 

Q3. What did Moses write at the end of this period?
A3. He wrote the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments, on the second set of tablets.

 

Verse 29

Q4. When exactly did Moses descend from Mount Sinai with the second tablets?
A4. Rashi states that Moses descended on Yom Kippur.

 

Q5. What happened to Moses’ face, and what was Moses unaware of?
A5. The skin of Moses’ face became radiant, but Moses himself was not aware of this change.

 

Q6. Why does the Torah use the word קָרַן (radiant), and what does it imply?
A6. Rashi explains that קָרַן is related to קַרְנַיִם (“horns”), because light projects outward like horns.

 

Q7. According to the rabbis cited by Rashi, what was the source of Moses’ radiant glory?
A7. It came from the moment when God shielded Moses with His hand in the cave, as stated earlier: “I will shield you with My hand.”

Verse 30

Q8. How did Aaron and the Israelites react when they saw Moses’ radiant face?
A8. They were afraid to approach him.

 

Q9. What moral lesson does Rashi derive from their fear?
A9. Rashi teaches that this demonstrates the power of sin: before the Golden Calf, the people were not afraid of God’s consuming fire, but afterward they recoiled even from Moses’ reflected glory.

 

Verse 31

Q10. Whom did Moses teach first when conveying God’s words?
A10. Moses taught Aaron first.

 

Q11. Who are “the leaders of the community” (הַנְּשִׂאִים בָּעֵדָה)?
A11. Rashi explains that this phrase means the same as נְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה—the recognized leaders of Israel.

 

Q12. In what tense does Rashi understand this whole passage?
A12. Rashi explains that it is written in a continuous present tense, describing Moses’ regular practice.

 

Verse 32

Q13. Why does the verse say “after that, all the Israelites would draw near”?
A13. Because Moses repeated the teaching: first to the elders, and afterward to the entire nation.

 

Q14. What teaching method of Moses do the rabbis describe?
A14. Moses learned from God, then taught:

  • Aaron (4 times total)
  • Aaron’s sons (3 times)
  • The elders (2 times)
  • The people (1 time)

This ensured deeper mastery for leadership.

 

Verse 33

Q15. What is a מַסְוֶה according to Rashi?
A15. It is a veil placed over the face, as translated by Onkelos (בֵּית אַפֵּי).

 

Q16. Why does Rashi connect מַסְוֶה to Aramaic terms meaning “looking” or “perceiving”?
A16. To explain that the veil covered the face and eyes, preventing others from gazing at Moses’ radiance.

 

Q17. Why did Moses wear the veil when not teaching?
A17. Out of respect for the divine radiance, so people would not derive personal pleasure from gazing at it unnecessarily.

 

Verse 34

Q18. When did Moses remove the veil?
A18. When he entered to speak with God and when he taught the Israelites.

 

Q19. What did Moses do immediately after leaving God’s Presence?
A19. He went out without the veil and told the Israelites exactly what God commanded him.

 

Verse 35

Q20. What did the Israelites observe when Moses spoke to them?
A20. They saw that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant.

 

Q21. When did Moses replace the veil?
A21. After finishing teaching, until he entered again to speak with God.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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