Overturned the mountain above them like a tub: And even though they had already first said, "We will do," before, "and we will hear" - perhaps they would retract when they would see the great fire [on the mountain], such that their souls departed. And [regarding] that which it said [that the other nations said in their defense for not accepting the Torah] in the first chapter of Avodah Zarah (2b), "Did you overturn the mountain above us like a tub" - which implies that if He had overturned [it] above them, they would not have had an answer (excuse); whereas here it said that it [itself] is a substantial caveat to the Torah: That means [that it is not an excuse, but rather a reason that would have made them guilty] for their not accepting it. But regarding their not keeping it, it would have been an [excuse].

A substantial caveat to the Torah: And [regarding] that which it said in Nedarim (25a), that Moshe made a covenant with Israel about the Torah and the commandments and had them take an oath about this; and in the chapter [entitled] Elu Ne'emanim (Sotah 37b), that they accepted all of the Torah at Mount Gerizim and at Mount Eival - Rabbenu Tam says that it was by way of a statement [from God]; so behold it is like [it was] against their will. But at the time of Achashverosh, they accepted [it] with their consent from love of the miracle. And [regarding] that which Yehoshua made a covenant with them to serve God - there they only accepted not to worship idolatry. As it is written (Yehoshua 24:), "God forbid for us to forsake the Lord"; and all of the matter [there] implies this.

Rava said, "Even so, they again accepted it at the time of Achashverosh": It is a wonder to RI. As in Megillah (7a) - concerning [the book of] Esther being [inspired by] the holy spirit - it said that Rav Yehudah said that Shmuel said, "If I had been there, I would have said to them, 'Mine is better than yours: "The Jews confirmed and accepted" (Esther 9:27) - they confirmed above that which they accepted below.'" And Rava said, "There is a refutation to all of them except for Shmuel, who does not have a refutation." But now Shmuel also has a refutation, since Rava himself establishes this verse [to be used] for another teaching; and in the first chapter of Chagigah (10a) - concerning the annulment of vows floating in the air - it is said, "They all have a refutation," and it considers that which the verse is needed for another teaching as a refutation! But if we have the version there, "Rabbah" (instead of "Rava"), it comes out well. Or also (another answer): This is what it meant in Megillah - they all have a refutation, since the other teachers pose difficulties about their reasoning, as it said over there; but Shmuel is not so difficult, but rather [only] needs the verse for another teaching.

Two crowns: The were of majesty. Therefore when Moshe took [them], the skin of his face shone.

1,200,000 descended: He expounded, two times, from its being written, "stripped themselves (vayitnatzlu)." And there are books in which it is written explicitly, "It is not stated, 'stripped (vayinatzlu),' but rather, 'stripped themselves (vayitnatzlu).'" And [this is the case] even though the trait of goodness is greater than the trait of punishment. [As] here too it is [actually] greater; since a good angel would tie two crowns, whereas an angel of destruction would only have the power to remove one.

Its fruit before its leaves: Rabbenu Tam posed a difficulty, that behold we see that it grows like other trees! So he explained that tapuach (which is usually translated as apple) means citron (etrog). And (in the Targum,) we translate, "your breath is like tapuchim" (Song of Songs 7:8), as "like the fragrance of citrons". And the fruit of the citron is before its leaves, since it resides on the tree from one year to the next. And after a year, the leaves of the previous year fall and new leaves come. And that is [the meaning of] its fruit [come] before - those leaves. Yet it is a wonder that he brings the verse (Song of Songs 2:3), "As a tapuach among the trees of the wood." As Israel is not compared to a tapuach [here], but it is rather the Holy One, blessed be He; as it is written [earlier in the same verse], "so is my beloved among the youths." He should have preferably brought the verse of, "your breath is like tapuchim."