Giving the Torah: What Actually Happened

In this first session of our three-part series, we will introduce the subject by a quick look at the relevant verses from the Torah in Sefer Shemot and Sefer Devarim.  Then we will encounter an answer in the midrash to the question: why was it necessary to make this stupendous show of natural (and supernatural) forces at the time of the giving of the Torah? We will also ask how was it possible for all the members of the nation of Yisrael to have what seems to be a prophetic experience?  And we will find a possible answer to this in the midrash. Finally we will drill down and examine the aspect of fire (and the concomitant smoke or cloud) that is repeatedly mentioned in the verses and we will attempt to see how a number of midrashim understand this phenomenon.

I have posted here some of the midrash sources for your convenience.

In the previous, first session of this 3-part series, we introduced the subject by a careful look at the verses in the Torah that relay the narrative of what happened at Har Sinai. We read together the verses in Shemot that describe the events in “real time”, and the verses in Devarim in which Moshe Rabbeinu retold the story to the people 40 years later. We also discussed a midrash which gave an explanation of the need for this entire display of power to Yisrael standing (terrified? We’ll discuss that in this session 2) at the bottom of the mountain.

In this session, we move on to examine midrashic understandings of the two main categories of phenomena that Bnei Yisrael experienced: the visual ones–fire, cloud, mist, etc., and, time allowing, the audial ones: the sounds and the voice.

I have posted here sources for this session for your convenience.

In this final session of our three-part series, we will learn midrashim that present some of the understandings of our Sages (Hazal) regarding the extraordinary nature of the audial experiences, the sounds, that Bnei Yisrael encountered at Har Sinai. We will try to understand what might be the meanings of these extreme experiences.

Following this, and time allowing, we will read passages in midrashim of Hazal that discuss what the rest of the world experienced while Bnei Yisrael were receiving the Torah. Did life go on for them as usual, or was something different at those moments?

Finally, we will ask: on what basis did Bnei Yisrael–slaves in Mitzrayim just seven short weeks before this–merit to have the experiences about which we have been learning, and to receive the Torah? And we will find a surprising answer in one of the midrashic sources.

I have posted here sources for your convenience.