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- Hashem agrees to distinguish the Jewish people: Hashem replied that He will make a covenant that He will distinguish the Jewish people from the other nations of the land.
- List of Mitzvos:
- Banishing the Canaanite nations and idolatry: Hashem told Moshe that He will drive the Canaanite nations from the land, and that Moshe should beware not to make a treaty with them. You are to destroy their altars, statues, and trees of idolatry as Hashem is a zealous G-d who will not stand for idolatry. If you make a covenant with these nations, you may be led astray and join them in their feasts of idolatry. You may come to intermarry, and it will cause your children to stray after their G-ds.
- Do not make for yourselves molten G-ds.
- Pesach: Guard the festival of Pesach for seven days and eat Matzos in the month of spring. Do not slaughter the Pesach lamb over Chametz, or leave its meat leftover until morning.
- Bechoros: Every firstborn is Mine, the firstborn male of an ox or sheep. The firstborn donkey is to be redeemed with a sheep, or have its neck broken.
- Aliya Liregel: The Jewish people shall not come to see Me empty handed. They are to visit Hashem three times a year. Their property will remain protected during their visit.
- Shabbos: You are to work for six days and rest on Shabbos from plowing and harvesting.
- Shavuos: You are to celebrate Shavuos during the time of the wheat harvest.
- Bikurim: You are to bring first fruits to Hashem.
- Meat and milk: Do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.
Q&A on Rashi
📘 Rashi Q&A — Shemot 34:10–26
34:10 — The Covenant Renewed
Q1. What does “כֹּרֵת בְּרִית” mean?
A: God is making a covenant specifically about Moses’ request.
Q2. What are “נִפְלָאֹת” according to Rashi?
A: Acts of distinction and separation, related to “וְנִפְלִינוּ” — that Israel will be set apart from all nations.
Q3. How will Israel be distinguished from other nations?
A: God’s Divine Presence will rest only among Israel, not among the nations.
34:11 — The Nations to Be Driven Out
Q4. Why are only six nations listed here?
A: The Girgashites voluntarily left the land before Israel arrived.
34:12 — Warning Against Treaties
Q5. Why is Israel warned not to make treaties with the inhabitants?
A: Lest they become a snare and lead Israel into idolatry.
34:13 — Destroying Idolatry
Q6. What is an “אֲשֵׁרָה”?
A: A tree worshiped as an idol.
34:14 — God’s Zealous Name
Q7. What does “קַנָּא שְׁמוֹ” mean?
A: God is zealous to punish idolatry and does not overlook it.
Q8. How is “קִנְאָה” used regarding God?
A: God insists on His exclusive sovereignty and exacts retribution from those who abandon Him.
34:15–16 — Consequences of Association
Q9. Why is eating from idolatrous sacrifices considered serious?
A: It is treated as endorsement of idolatry, leading to intermarriage.
Q10. What danger does intermarriage pose according to Rashi?
A: Foreign wives will lead Israel’s sons into idolatry.
34:17 — Prohibition of Molten Idols
Q11. What does “אֱלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה” refer to?
A: Molten idols, such as the Golden Calf.
34:18 — Festival of Matzos
Q12. What does “חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב” mean?
A: The month of first ripening, when grain begins to ripen.
34:19 — Firstborn Sanctity
Q13. What does “כָּל־פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם לִי” refer to?
A: Firstborn human males.
Q14. What livestock are included in this law?
A: Male firstborn cattle and sheep that open the womb.
Q15. What does the word “פֶּטֶר” mean?
A: Opening, as in causing something to burst forth.
34:20 — Redemption Laws
Q16. Which impure animal requires redemption?
A: Only the firstborn donkey.
Q17. How is the donkey redeemed?
A: By giving a lamb to a priest, after which the donkey is permitted for use.
Q18. What happens if it is not redeemed?
A: Its neck is broken.
Q19. Why must its neck be broken?
A: Because the owner caused the priest a financial loss, so his property is lost.
Q20. How is a firstborn son redeemed?
A: With five sela’im, as stated elsewhere in the Torah.
Q21. What does “וְלֹא־יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם” mean (simple meaning)?
A: One must not appear before God on a festival without bringing an offering.
Q22. What homiletic teaching is derived from this verse?
A: By analogy, a Hebrew servant’s severance gift must equal five sela’im per type.
34:21 — Shabbat and Agriculture
Q23. Why are plowing and reaping mentioned specifically?
A: To teach adding sanctity to the Sabbatical year (before and after).
Q24. What alternative explanation do some rabbis give?
A: That only optional reaping is forbidden on Shabbat, excluding the omer harvest, which is obligatory.
34:22 — Festivals
Q25. What is meant by “בִּכּוּרֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים”?
A: The two loaves brought on Shavuot from the new wheat.
Q26. Why is this offering called “בִּכּוּרִים”?
A: It is the first wheat offering permitted from the new crop.
Q27. What is “חַג הָאָסִיף”?
A: Sukkot, when produce is gathered into the house.
Q28. What does “תְּקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה” mean?
A: The turning point of the year, the start of the coming year.
34:23 — Pilgrimage
Q29. What does “כָּל־זְכוּרְךָ” mean?
A: All the menfolk among Israel.
Q30. Why are commandments repeated in the Torah?
A: To make violators liable multiple times, for positive and negative commands.
34:24 — Security During Pilgrimage
Q31. What does “אוֹרִישׁ” mean?
A: God will drive out the nations.
Q32. Why does God promise to expand Israel’s borders?
A: So distance will require fixed pilgrimage times.
Q33. What reassurance is given regarding enemies?
A: No one will covet the land while Israel ascends to the Temple.
34:25 — Passover Laws
Q34. What is forbidden when slaughtering the Passover sacrifice?
A: Owning leaven at the time of slaughter, blood application, or eating.
Q35. What does “וְלֹא־יָלִין” mean?
A: The sacrificial parts may not remain off the Altar overnight.
Q36. What does “זֶבַח חַג הַפֶּסַח” refer to?
A: The fats and limbs designated for burning.
34:26 — First Fruits and Meat & Milk
Q37. What are “רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ”?
A: First fruits of the seven species praised in the Land.
Q38. What does “דְּבָשׁ” refer to there?
A: Date honey, not bee honey.
Q39. Why is “לֹא־תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי” written three times in the Torah?
A: To prohibit eating, benefit, and cooking meat with milk.
Q40. What does “גְּדִי” include?
A: Any young offspring of a milk‑producing animal, not only a goat.
Q41. Why does the Torah say “בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ”?
A: To exclude fowl, whose milk does not exist; their prohibition is rabbinic.
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