1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before my face.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not murder.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19 And they said unto Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
20 And Moses said unto the people, “Fear not: for God has come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that you do not sin.”
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the Lord said unto Moses, “Thus you shall say unto the children of Israel: 'You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
23 You shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall you make unto you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth you shall make to me, and shall sacrifice thereon your burnt offerings, and your peace offerings, your sheep, and your oxen; in all places where I record my name I will come unto you, and I will bless you.
25 And if you will make me an altar of stone, you shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if you lift up a tool upon it, you have polluted it.
26 Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed thereon.'”
In addition to the commentary by Rashi, we have the following by Sforno which is indicative, and the next by Chiz.
h.לא יהיה לך אלוהים, even though you accepted My Kingdom, you must not at the same time also attribute divine qualities to any other servant of Mine. A violation of this commandment is cited in Kings II 17,33 (the subject being the Samarians, a people transplanted by the king of Assyria from Babylon, Chamass, etc., to where the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom had lived before being exiled by the Assyrians under Tiglat Pilesser. These people are reported as “worshipping the G’d of Israel (as they now were within what they considered to be His domain.) But at the same time they also worshipped other deities. The priest sent by the king of Assyria to teach these Samarians the Jewish religion considered their worshipping the G’d of Israel as quite useless. He told them that unless they worshipped the G’d of Israel exclusively they would likely continue to suffer the incursions of lions, etc.
h.על פני. It is intolerable to honour the servant in the presence of the Master. If that is so with masters and servants that are mortal, how much more so is it true of Eternal G’d and His underlings.
Chizkuni writes, “אלהים אחרים, “other deities,” This translation is incorrect. The correct translation is: “deities worshipped by others.” If they are so useless why do they have the title: “deity?” According to Rabbi Yossi in the Mechilta chapter 6 on this verse, (a dissenting voice there) explains the need for G-d to say: לא יהיה לכם אלוהים אחרים, as follows: He said it so that the gentiles would not have a pretext to say that if these “deities” had been called by their individual names in the Torah, instead of simply “non gods,” this would be proof that G-d had had need of them for some purpose at some time. (and, point 2 -ed) There had indeed been a time when man had referred to such “deities” by the same title as G-d; this happened during the generation of Enosh, a grandson of Adam, when the Torah in Genesis 4,26, reported: 'אז הוחל לקרא בשם ה, “at that time some people called (other forces) by the name that had been reserved until then for G-d.” When that happened, one third of the earth’s landmass was flooded by the oceans rising. [a minideluge as a warning to mankind. Ed.]”
Comment on Chizkuni: This is directly comparable to calling God by another name, such as JC Penny, or referring to the powers or actions of God as God himself, such as worshiping the Sun instead of the creator of the Sun. This is a rationale to use a more direct Hebrew translation such as “before my face;” – we look beyond the powers and seek the creator; we do not allow the perception of a created being to replace God – even as if he was wearing a mask – such as the request for the golden calf to intercede, even only in place of Moses. (As an aside then, were the rabble rousers planning on making a cult out of worshipping Moses at some point?)
Chizkuni's aside: “אחרים, according to Rabbi Eliezer, in the same paragraph of the Mechilta, the expression elohim acheyrim means that they coined new names for new deities constantly, i.e. when one proved impotent, they exchanged it for another. If a deity made of gold had proved worthless they substituted one made of silver. He derives this from when Moses said in Deuteronomy 32,17: חדשים מקרוב באו, “new ones, which had come into existence only lately.””
On the topic of “before my face,” we read “על פני, before Me. We can understand this expression in connection with what Maimonides writes in chapter nine of his Hilchot Yessodey Hatorah that a prophet established credibility as a true prophet if, when he asks the people to disregard one of G'd's commandments on a temporary basis only, that commandment is not one involving idolatry. Anyone tampering with any law involving idolatry automatically disqualifies himself as a prophet. The word על פני means “at any time.” Inasmuch as G'd is eternal there would be absolutely no time frame during which the prohibition of idolatry could be suspended.”
(also: The word יהיה implies that an Israelite having idolatrous thoughts would invent such a deity.)
h.לא יהיה לך אלוהים אחרים על פני, “You are not to have any other deities in My presence.” We are not to accept any of G’d’s agents, forces, known as Elohim as deities for ourselves, nor any of the horoscopes as guiding our fates. The word אחרים “others,” [which might suggest that there are such. Ed.] is explained in Sifri Eikev section 43 as justified by the fact that they are “different, false” to those who serve them. Another explanation of the meaning of the word אחרים: the deities whom people serve differ from day to day or from year to year. One day they worship gold, another day they worship silver, a third day they worship wood. The principal reason they are called אחרים is that they derive whatever power they are presumed to possess from אחרים, from “other” sources, they have absolutely no power of their own. This is spelled out in Exodus 34,14, לא תשתחוה לאל אחר, “do not worship a deity which derives its power from another (alien) source!” You are to bow down, i.e. worship only the true source of power, the G’d of Israel who does not derive His power from an external source. This is also the way our sages (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1,45) interpret Isaiah 44,6 ומבלעדי אין אלו-הים, “there is no god that exists independently of Me.”
He writes “ על פני, ‘in My presence.” According to the plain meaning of the text this means “in addition to My essence.” It is similar in meaning to Samuel II 17,11 ופניך הולכים בקרב “and you yourself are marching into battle.” An alternate meaning of the words על פני may be a reference to the direction, the place to which G’d turns. Seeing that G’d turns to every direction, is all-present, this means that we must not turn to deities in any direction.”
In this sense, before my face would need to assume that there is some place where God has no power or effect (there is no such place; since he turns in every direction). Therefore, the granting of worship to an idol “before God's face” is an insinuation that God is not all-powerful. There is no place (literally) for such a thing. Other commentaries will note that even if an idol is created and not worshipped (or that there is no intention of worshipping it) it would violate this policy. There is no space (not even in thoughts – the lord will punish israel “for their thoughts” (see Or haChaim above).
Simply put, “'לא יהיה לך וגו, for I alone took you out of Egypt.”
The meaning here is that the essential nature of God is the exodus from Egypt, where he had revealed his arm to Israel to make them his witnesses; any other platform of theology or expression of God is denied by this commandment; also for all time (see above and ogther such as Siftei Chakhamim) as God is timeless.
On the idea of “before my face,” we see “על פני, “in My presence.” We find a similar use of the expression על פני when Eleazar and Ittamar are appointed as priests in the presence of their father Aaron (Numbers 3,4). Here too, the meaning is the same as if the Torah had written לפני, “before Me.” This expression is used in all instances when we are reminded that there is nothing that is hidden from the Lord, and though He is not manifest, nothing does not occur in His presence. The reason why the Torah does not warn against prostrating oneself to idols here, is that it had already included this in verse five which is a conceptual continuation of not making idols mentioned in verse four. ”
Tur HaAroch: “ אלוהים אחרים, “other deities.” We must not admit that there are such other deities, even if we refuse to pay any tribute to these supposed deities. It is noteworthy that when the Torah forbids the making of such symbols, such images of other supposed deities, it does not dignify them with the title “other gods, or other deities,” but simply tells us not to make אלוהי מסכה, (Exodus 34,17). There is a subtle difference, in that the making for commercial purposes of a symbol to serve others, when such a symbol is known to be serving others as a deity or symbol of such. When making a symbol of one’s own deity the Torah wants it understood, in addition to the examples mentioned in our verse, that even a symbol of our true faith is totally forbidden to be made. If the Torah had not forbidden to make something אחר, something else, something that is not divine, as a symbol of one’s faith, this would be equivalent to admitting that such a notion would be credible, though foolish. The very idea of עושה אלוהים is laughable, as only The Creator could imbue anything created with divine power if He wanted to, not any creature.”
Commentary: (and he does not want to – as stated – there is no need, as Israel are his witnesses)
In fact we find, that this is one of the most important commandments in the Torah (one may say in all seriousness it's “number one”!) Daat Zkenim on Leviticus 25:55:2 writes, “אני ה' אלוקיכם, “I am the Lord your G–d.” We also have the corresponding negative commandment: לא תעשו לכם אלילם, “do not make idols for yourselves!” Why is the repetition of this commandment appropriate at this juncture? Seeing that G–d has just promised us that He will redeem us from exile, He provides the reason why, in spite of everything, He feels compelled to do so. After all, at least we have been loyal in observing the law not to make idols for ourselves. (Exodus 20,3)”
Commentary: In religious debate, the open door is the belief in a monotheistic God. This is similar to the story of Abram, who determined there was a monotheistic God. If God is accepted and known to be monotheistic, then the door is open for future discussion and learning. It is the least, the minimal level of understanding from which we may proceed.
h.וידבר אלהים AND GOD SPAKE — The word אלהים is a term for a judge. Since there are chapters in the Torah of such a character that if a person observes the commands contained therein he will receive a reward and if he never observes them at all) he will not receive punishment on their account, one might think that the Ten Commandments are also of such a character (that no punishment will follow upon the infringement of them); therefore Scripture expressly states, “God spake” — God Who is Judge, exacting punishment (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:1:1).
h.את כל הדברים האלה ALL THESE WORDS — This statement (that God spake all these words) tells us that the Holy One, blessed be He, said all these words in one utterance, something that is impossible to a human being to do — to speak in this manner. Now if this be so, why does Scripture again say the first two Commandments, אנכי and לא יהיה לך? But the explanation is that He repeated and expressly uttered each of these two commandments by itself (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:1:1).
h.לאמר lit., TO SAY — This expression teaches us that they answered to that which required the reply “Yea” (אנכי) by “Yea” and to that which required the reply “Nay” (לא יהיה) by “Nay” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:1:1).
h.אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים WHO HAVE BROUGHT THEE OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT — That act of bringing you out is alone of sufficient importance that you should subject yourselves to Me. Another explanation: because He had revealed Himself to them at the Red Sea as a mighty man of war and here He revealed Himself as a grey-beard filled with compassion, as it is stated in connection with the Giving of the Law, (Exodus 24:10) “and there was under His feet as it were a brick-work of sapphire”, which is explained to mean that this (the brick-work) was before Him at the time of their bondage; “and there was as the essence of heaven” (i. e. joy and gladness) when they had been delivered (cf. Rashi on Exodus 24:10), thus the Divine Glory changed according to circumstances, — therefore He stated here: Since I change, appearing in various forms, do not say, “There are two divine Beings”; it is I Who brought you forth from Egypt and Who appeared to you at the Sea (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:2:2). Another explanation: because they then heard many voices, as it is said (v. 15) “the people heard the voices (הקלות)” — voices coming from the four cardinal points and from the heavens and from the earth — therefore God said to them, “Do not say there are many Deities”. — Why did God say in the singular אלהיך, “Thy God”, (as though speaking to one person alone)? To afford Moses an opportunity to speak in defence of Israel at the incident of the golden calf. This, is exactly what he did say, (Exodus 32:11) “Wherefore, O Lord, doth Thy wrath glow against Thy people”, for not to them didst Thou give the command, “There shall be to thee no other gods” but to me alone! (Exodus Rabbah 43:5)
h.מבית עבדים OUT OF THE HOUSE OF SLAVES — This means, from the house of Pharaoh where ye were slaves to him. Or perhaps it only says “from the house of slaves” in the sense of a house belonging to slaves to that the words imply that they were slaves to slaves (a most abject form of slavery)! But elsewhere it states, (Deuteronomy 7:8) “He redeemed thee from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt”, so that you must now admit that they were slaves of the king and not slaves to slaves and the meaning is: from the house where you were slaves (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:2:5).
h.לא יהיה לך THERE SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE [OTHER GODS] — Why is this said? Does not the preceding verse state: I — and no other — shall be thy God? But since it states immediately after this, “Thou shalt not make unto thee [any graven image etc.]” I might say that I have only a prohibition that one may not make such gods; whence could I know that one may not retain an idol that has already been made? Perhaps there is no such law! Therefore it states here: “there shall not be unto thee” (thou shalt not have other gods) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:1.)
h.אלהים אחרים OTHER GODS — which are not gods, but others have made them gods over themselves. It would not be correct to explain this to mean “gods other than Me”, for it would be blasphemy of the Most High God to term them gods together with Him (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:1). Another explanation of אלהים אחרים : they are so called because they are other (i. e. strange) to those who worship them; these cry to them but they do not answer them, and it is just as though it (the god) is another (a stranger) to him (to the worshipper), one who has never known him at all (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:1).
h.על פני BEFORE ME — i. e. so long as I exist; and these apparently superfluous words are added in order that you may not say that no one received any command against idolatry except that generation which went forth from Egypt (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:2).
h.פסל A GRAVEN IMAGE — it is so called because it is chiselled out (the root פסל has this meaning).
h.וכל תמונה lit., OR ANY LIKENESS i. e. the likeness of any thing אשר בשמים THAT IS IN THE HEAVENS.
h.אל קנא A JEALOUS GOD — He is jealous to exact punishment, and does not pass over His rights by pardoning idolatry (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:5:1). Wherever: the expression קנא occurs it signifies in old French emportement, English zeal, — determining to exact punishment.
h.לשנאי OF THEM THAT HATE ME — This must be explained in the same sense as the Targum takes it: when they retain in their hands (follow the example of) the evil doings of their ancestors (Sanhedrin 27b); and He keeps (stores up) the mercy which a person does to give a reward for it to the thousand generations of that person’s descendants. It follows, therefore, that the measure of good (reward) is greater than the measure of punishment in the proportion of one to five hundred, for the former is threatened only to four generations whilst the latter is bestowed upon thousands (two thousands at least) (Tosefta Sotah 4:1; see Rashi on Exodus 34:7).
h.Who stores the loving-kindness — that a person does, in order to reward him, for two thousand generations. Consequently [God’s] measure for reward is greater than His measure for punishment by five hundred times, because one is for four generations and the other for two thousand [generations].
h.לשוא IN VAIN — for no valid reason, idly. What is a שבועת שוא, an oath taken for no valid reason? If one takes an oath declaring something, the nature of which is evident, to be different from what it is: e. g., swearing about a stone pillar that it is of gold (Shevuot 29a).
h.זכור — This word REMEMBER which opens this commandment here and שמור “observe” which opens it in Deuteronomy (5:12) were spoken in one utterance. Similar is, (Exodus 31:14) “Everyone that profaneth it (the Sabbath) shall surely be put to death”, which apparently is in contradiction with (Numbers 28:9) “And on the Sabbath day [ye shall offer] two lambs”, a command necessitating actions which, if done for any other purposes on the Sabbath, would involve a profanation of that day. Similar is, (Deuteronomy 22:11) “Thou shalt not wear a garment of two kinds, [as of woollen and linen together]” and (Deuteronomy 22:12) “Thou shalt make thee tassels”, for the performance of which command wool and linen may be employed in combination. Similar is, (Leviticus 18:16) “The nakedness of thy brother’s wife” (the prohibition of marriage with her), and (Deuteronomy 25:5) “her husband’s brother shall come unto her” (he shall marry her). — This is the meaning of what is said (Psalms 62:12) “One thing did God speak, these two things did we hear” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:8:1). זכור — This word expresses the verbal action without any reference to a particular time (the infinitive), similar to, (Isaiah 22:13) אכול ושתו “to eat and to drink”; (II Samuel 3:16) הלוך ובכה “to go and to weep”; and the following is its meaning: take care to remember always the Sabbath day — that if, for example, you come across a nice article of food during the week, put it by for the Sabbath (Beitzah 16a).
h.ועשית כל מלאכתך [SIX DAYS SHALT THOU LABOUR] AND DO ALL THY WORK — When the Sabbath comes it should be in thy eyes as though all thy work were done (completed), so that thou shouldst not think at all about work (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:9).
h.אתה ובנך ובתך THOU AND THY SON AND THY DAUGHTER — these latter mean the young children. Or perhaps this is not so, but it means your adult children? But you must admit that these have already been placed under this prohibition (by the word “Thou”, because the performance of this command is obligatory upon all adults to whom it was addressed). Therefore these words must be intended only to admonish the adults (implied in the term “Thou”) about the Sabbath rest of their young children (to impose upon the parents the obligation of enforcing the Sabbath rest upon them) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:10:1). This is the meaning of what we have learnt in a Mishna, (Shabbat 16:6) “A minor who is about to extinguish a fire — we do not listen to him (do not permit him to do this), because his observance of the Sabbath is a duty imposed upon you”.
h.וינח ביום השביעי AND HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY — If one may say so, He recorded rest about Himself (recorded that He rested) to teach from this an inference à fortiori as regards a human being whose work is performed only by labour and toil — that he should rest on the Sabbath day (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:11:2).
h.ברך… ויקדשהו HE BLESSED … AND SANCTIFIED IT — He blessed it through the Manna by giving a double portion on the sixth day — “double bread”; and He sanctified it through the Manna in that on it none fell (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:11:3; cf. Rashi on Genesis 2:3).
h.למען יארכון ימיך THAT THY DAYS MAY BE LONG — If thou honourest them they will be long, and if not, they will be shortened — for the words of the Torah may be explained as concise statements: from what is included in a positive statement we may infer the negative and from what is included in a negative statement we may infer the positive (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:12:2).
h.לא תנאף THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY — The term ניאוף, “adultery”, is technically only applicable to the case of a married woman, as it is said, (Leviticus 20:10) […the wife of his neighbour], the נואף and the נואפת shall surely be put to death”, and it further states, (Ezekiel 16:32) “The woman that comitteth adultery, that taketh strangers instead of her husband”.
h.לא תגנוב THOU SHALT NOT STEAL — Scripture here is speaking about a case of one who steals human beings, whilst the command (Leviticus 19:11) “Ye shall not steal” speaks about a case of one who steals money (another person’s property in general). Or perhaps this is not so, but this speaks about the case of one who money and the other about the case of one who steals human beings! You must, however, admit that the rule applies: a statement must be explained from its context. How is it in regard to, “Thou shalt not murder” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery”? Each, speaks of a matter for which one becomes liable to death by sentence of the court; similarly, “Thou shalt not steal”, must speak of a matter for which one becomes liable to death by sentence of the court, and this is not so in the case of theft of money but only in that of kidnapping (Sanhedrin 86a; cf.Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:3:13).
h.וכל העם ראים AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW — This statement teaches us that there was not a blind person amongst them. And whence may we learn that there was not a dumb person amongst them? Because it states (Exodus 19:8) “And all the people answered”. And whence may we learn that there was not a deaf person amongst them? Because it states (Exodus 24:7) “We will do and we will hear” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:15:2).
h.ראים את הקולת [THEY] SAW THE SOUNDS — they saw that which should be heard (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:15:1) — something which is impossible to see on any other occasion.
h.את הקולת THE SOUNDS which issued from the mouth of the Almighty.
h.וינעו THEY MOVED — The root נוע denotes trembling (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:15:3).
h.ויעמדו מרחק 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, as it is said, (Psalms 68:13) “The angels of the God of Hosts made them move on, move on” (Shabbat 88b).
h.לבעבור נסות אתכם signifies, in order to exalt you in the world (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:17:2) — that you may obtain a great name amongst the nations because He has revealed Himself to you in His Glory.
h.נסות has the sense of exalting and greatness, of similar meaning and root to, (Isaiah 62:10) “Lift up an ensign (נס)”; (Isaiah 49:22) “I will lift up my standard (נסי)”; (Isaiah 30:17) “as an ensign (כנס) on a hill” — and an ensign is called נס because it is something raised on high.
h.ובעבור תהיה יראתו AND THAT HIS FEAR MAY BE [BEFORE YOUR FACES] — Through the fact that you see that He is feared and dreaded you will know that there is none beside Him and you will therefore fear Him and not sin.
h.נגש אל הערפל [AND MOSES] STEPPED NEAR TO THE THICK CLOUD — within the three divisions — darkness, cloud and thick cloud (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:18:2), as it is said, (Deuteronomy 4:11) “And the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of the heaven, with darkness, clouds and dark clouds”. The ערפל is the עב הענן of which God spoke to him when He said, (19:9) “Behold I come unto thee in a thick cloud (עב הענן)” (cf. Rashi on that verse).
h.כה תאמר THUS THOU SHALT SAY — in this (the Holy) language (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:19:1).
h.אתם ראיתם YE HAVE SEEN — There is a difference between what a person himself sees and what others relate to him, for what others relate to him sometimes his heart is divided in its opinion so that he does not believe (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:19:1).
h.כי מן השמים דברתי THAT I HAVE SPOKEN [TO YOU] FROM HEAVEN — But another verse states, (Exodus 19:20) “And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai”, and thus the two verses appear to be contradictory! There now comes a third verse and harmonises them: (Deuteronomy 4:36) “Out of heaven He made thee hear His voice that He might instruct thee; and upon the earth He showed thee His great fire” — His glory was in the heavens but His fire and His power were upon the earth. Another explanation: He bent down the heavens and the heavens of heavens, and spread them out upon the mountain; similarly it states, (Psalms 18:10) “He bowed the heavens and came down” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:19:2).
h.לא תעשון אתי YE SHALL NOT MAKE WITH ME — Ye shall not make an image of My ministers that minister before Me in the heights (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:20:1).
h.אלהי כסף GODS OF SILVER — This statement is intended to lay down a prohibition regarding the Cherubim which you will make to stand with Me — that they shall not be made of silver, for if you make any alteration in them by making them of silver and not of gold they will be before me (regarded by Me) as idols.
h.ואלהי זהב AND GODS OF GOLD — This statement is intended to lay down a prohibition that one may not add to the number of two Cherubim which are prescribed: for if you make four they will be regarded by Me as gods of gold (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:20:2).
h.לא תעשו לכם YE SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELVES — Ye shall not say: Behold I will make Cherubim in the Synagogues and the Houses of Study of the same kind as I make in the House of Eternity (a term for the Temple at Jerusalem); on this account it states: “ye shall not make for yourselves” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:20:2).
h.מזבח אדמה AN ALTAR OF EARTH [SHALT THOU MAKE] — i. e. an altar attached to the earth, meaning, that they should not build an altar upon columnes or upon a base but it must rest upon the actual ground. Another explanation is, that one should fill the hollow interior of the copper altar (Exodus 27:8) with earth at the time when they encamp, and then erect it for the purpose of sacrifice (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:1).
h.תעשה לי THOU SHALT MAKE FOR ME — this implies that from its very beginning it shall be made for My Name (i. e. for the service of Me).
h.וזבחת עליו AND THOU SHALT SACRIFICE (slaughter) עליו — i. e. near it, in the same sense as, (Numbers 2:20) “and by him (ועליו) the tribe of Manasseh”. Or perhaps this is not the meaning, but it means “[thou shalt slaughter] upon it”, in its literal sense? This cannot be so, because it states, (Deuteronomy 12:27) “[And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings] as regards the flesh and the blood upon the altar of the Lord thy God”, but the slaughtering shall not be on the top of the altar (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:2).
h.את עלתיך ואת שלמיך THY BURNT OFFERINGS AND THY FEAST OFFERINGS which are from (belong to) thy flocks and thy herds. [את צאנך ואת בקרך are thus a further explanation of the words את עלתיך ואת שלמיך].
h.בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי IN ALL PLACES WHERE I MENTION MY NAME — This means: where I will give you permission to mention My Proper Name, there אבא אליך וברכתיך I WILL COME TO THEE AND I WILL BLESS THEE — I will make My Shechina rest upon thee. From this you may learn that He did not give any permission to mention (pronounce) His Proper Name except in the place where the Shechina would come — and this is the Chosen House (another term for the Temple at Jerusalem). He gave permission to the priests to pronounce His Proper Name there whilst lifting up their hands to bless the people (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:3; Sotah 38a; and Rashi on Numbers 6:27).
h.ואם מזבח אבנים AND IF (according to Rashi, AND WHEN) [THOU WILT MAKE ME] AN ALTAR OF STONES — Rabbi Ishmael said: Every time the word אם it used in the Torah it refer to some action the doing of which is optional, except in three instances. Here: ואם מזבח אבנים תעשה לי — you see that this אם is used in the sense of כאשר, “when”, the meaning being: “And when thou makest me an altar of stone, לא תבנה אתהן גזית THOU SHALT NOT BUILD IT OF HEWN STONE, for, as a matter of fact, it is obligatory upon thee to build an altar of stone, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 27:6) “of whole stones thou shalt build [the altar of the Lord thy God]”. Similarly, (Exodus 22:24) אם כסף תלוה את עמי is obligatory and signifies: “when (אם) thou lendest My people money”, and not, “if thou lendest”, because it is said, (Deuteronomy 15:8) “And thou shalt surely lend him”; consequently this אם also is used in the sense of כאשר “when”. Similarly, (Leviticus 2:14) ואם תקריב מנחת בכורים, for this refers to the meal-offering of the Omer which is obligatory and therefore the trantlation is, “And when (ואם) thou offerest the meal-offering of first-fruits”, and not, “if thou offerest”. You must therefore admit that these instances of אם are not conditional, meaning “if”, but they are absolute, and that they are used in the sense of כאשר, “when” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:22:1; Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 306; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 2:14).
h.גזית — This has the meaning of cutting (גזיזה), the stones being thus called because one hews them and cuts them with an iron tool (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:22:1).
h.כי חרבך הנפת עליה — This word כי is used here in the sense of פן, which signifies “perhaps it may be” (and it does not mean “because”) — “perhaps it may happen that thou liftest up thy iron tool above it”.
h.ותחללה THEN THOU HAST PROFANED IT — Thus you may learn that if thou liftest up thy iron tool above it thou profanest it. The reason of this it, because the altar is created (its purpose is) to lengthen man’s days and iron has been created (one of its purposes is) to shorten man’s days, it is not right that an object which shortens man’s life should be lifted up above that which lengthens it (Mekhilta, Middoth 3:4). And a further reason it: because the altar makes peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven, and therefore there should not come upon it anything that cuts and destroys. Now, the following statement follows logically, à fortiori: How is it in the case of stones which cannot see nor hear nor speak? Because that they promote peace Scripture ordains, “Thou shalt not lift up against them any iron tool!” Then in the case of one who makes peace between a man and his wife, between family and family, between a man and his fellow, how much more certain is it that punishment will not come upon him (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:22:2).
h.ולא תעלה במעלות AND THOU SHALT NOT GO UP BY STEPS [TO MY ALTAR] — When thou buildest an ascent to the altar thou shalt not construct it of steps, échelons in old French, but it shall be even (i. e. the surface shall be unbroken) and sloping (cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:5).
h.אשר לא תגלה ערותך THAT THY NAKEDNESS BE NOT UNCOVERED — because on account of these steps you will have to take large paces and so spread the legs. Now, although this would not be an actual uncovering of one’s nakedness (of the parts usually kept covered), since it is written, (Exodus 28:42) “And thou shalt make for them (the priests) linen breeches [to cover the flesh of their nakedness]”, still the taking of large paces is near enough to uncovering one’s nakedness that it may be described as such, and you would then be treating them (the stones of the altar) in a manner that implies disrespect. Now the following statement follows logically à fortiori: How is it in the case of stones which have no sense (feeling) to be particular about any disrespect shown to them? Scripture ordains that since they serve some useful purpose you should not treat them in a manner that implies disrespect! Then in the case of your fellow-man who is made in the image of your Creator and who is particular about any disrespect shown to him, how much more certain is it that you should not treat him disrespectfully! (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:23:1)