THOU ART TO PASS OVER THE JORDAN THIS DAY. At this time.¹ Or it means, imagine that you are passing over today.

footnotes: ¹ That is, soon. Israel did not pass over the Jordan the day that Moses spoke to them. Hence I.E.’s comment.

AS A DEVOURING FIRE. Quickly.² Scripture therefore goes on to say quickly³..

footnotes: ² When God destroys his enemies he does so quickly. ³ Scripture therefore goes on to say, so shalt thou drive them out, and make them to perish quickly

The lamed prefixed to le-min (from)⁵ literally means “to from.” Hence I.E.’s comment. in le-min ha-yom (from the day) is superfluous. There are many such instances.⁶

footnotes: ⁵ Le-min ⁶ Of superfluous letters in Scripture. See Vol. 1, p. XVII.

IN THE WILDERNESS. After they journeyed from Horeb.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ For Moses goes on to castigate them in the next verse for the sins they committed in Horeb.

FINGER. This has already been explained.⁷ is an anthropomorphism.” The Torah employs such language so that those who hear its words will understand.

footnotes: ⁷ See I.E. on Ex. 31:18 (Vol. 2, p. 654), “Scripture’s statement, with the finger of God

AT THE END.⁸. At the end or the beginning of the fortieth day.⁹ sometimes means at the beginning and sometimes at the end. See I.E. on Num. 13:25 (Vol. 4, pp. 104,105). Look. This verse shows that the golden calf was made on the day that the tablets were given to Moses.¹⁰

footnotes: ⁸ Hebrew, mi-ketz ⁹ According to I.E. the word mi-ketz ¹⁰ For God told Moses about the calf on the day He gave Moses the tablets. I.E. assumes that had the calf been made a few days earlier, God would then have told Moses to descend from the mountain.

AND I FELL DOWN. The reference is to Moses’ statement, and now I will go up unto the Lord (Ex. 32:30).¹¹.

footnotes: ¹¹ The full text of the clause (Ex. 32:30) is, and now I will go up unto the Lord, peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin

The meaning of and now I fell down is, I fell with my face to the ground.¹²

footnotes: ¹² That is, I fell on my face in prayer.

THAT TIME ALSO. For he had previously prayed for Israel when they were at the sea.¹³ Wherefore criest thou unto me (Ex. 14:15) is proof of the latter. Furthermore, Scripture states, and he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree (Ex. 15:25).

footnotes: ¹³ Hence Moses says that he also prayed for Israel when they made the golden calf.

AND I TOOK YOUR SIN. The calf is referred to by the term sin. Hence Moses goes on to explain and says, the calf.

AND BEAT IT. Into fine dust like the dust of the ground.¹⁴). I.E. explains that le-afar (to dust) should be interpreted as ke-afar (as dust) and our text interpreted, until it was as fine as dust (Weiser).

footnotes: ¹⁴ Our verse literally reads, until it was fine to dust (le-afar

AND AT TABERAH. Taberah is probably the name of a place. Israel camped there for but one day. Therefore Scripture does not mention it¹⁵. 38. The printed texts read “them,” in place of “it.” in the Torah portion Elleh Mase (These Are the Stages) (Num. 33:1).¹⁶ It is one of the thirty journeys that Israel traveled from Mount Sinai until they came to Kibroth-hattaavah (Num. 33:17),¹⁷ as I explained.¹⁸ The reason Scripture connects Taberah with Massah¹⁹ is that the people were as murmurers (Num. 11:1);²⁰ that is, they tested God.²¹ Scripture mentions Taberah before Massah²² because nothing happened to Israel at Massah.²³ Some say that Amalek came²⁴ because Israel tested God.²⁵ Scripture therefore mentions²⁶ the burning of God’s fire among them,²⁷ Amalek’s smiting of Israel’s hindmost,²⁸ and the smiting of those who lusted.²⁹ Scripture mentions the most severe punishments first.³⁰ Some say that Taberah and Massah are one and the same place.³¹ (These Are the Stages) (Num. 33:1). It is like From the top of Senir and Hermon (Cant. 4:8).³² However, my interpretation is correct.

footnotes: ¹⁵ So Vat. Ebr ¹⁶ Wherein the journeys of the children of Israel in the wilderness are recorded. ¹⁷ Which is located in Kadesh-barnea. ¹⁸ That Israel journeyed from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea (Sarim). See I.E. on Deut. 1:2. ¹⁹ Israel tested God at Massah after crossing the Red Sea. See Ex. 17:7. The incident at Taberah [where Israel murmured against God and God punished them by fire (Num. 11:3)] occurred more than a year later, after Israel had journeyed from Mount Sinai. ²⁰ In Taberah. ²¹ Which is what they did at Massah. Hence Taberah and Massah are mentioned back to back. ²² Even though Israel’s camping at Massah came before Taberah. ²³ Israel was not punished for testing God in Massah. They were punished at Taberah. ²⁴ To Rephidim and attacked Israel. ²⁵ In Rephidim. Thus Israel was punished for testing God at Massah. See Ex. 17:1-7. ²⁶ That is, mentions the places where the following punishments took place. ²⁷ At Taberah. ²⁸ At Massah. ²⁹ At Kibroth-hattaavah. ³⁰ Hence Taberah comes before Massah. ³¹ Hence Taberah is not mentioned among Israel’s journeys in the Torah portion Elleh Mase ³² Senir and Hermon are one and the same place. See Deut. 3:9.

YE BELIEVED HIM NOT. In your hearts.

NOR HEARKENED. In deed. Moses then goes back to describe the prayer which he offered.³³

footnotes: ³³ After mentioning the sins Israel committed following the making of the golden calf in verses 22-24 and castigating them in verse 24, Moses goes back to the incident of the golden calf which he mentioned earlier and describes the prayer which he offered on behalf of Israel.

THY PEOPLE AND THINE INHERITANCE. Because of their fathers.³⁴

footnotes: ³⁴ The patriarchs.

The meaning of Thy people is, it is well known that they are thy people, for You took them out³⁵ by Your great power, which You demonstrated to the world.

footnotes: ³⁵ Of Egypt.