Shalom Rav.
No Cholek that the whole Parasha (end of Mishpatim) from Pasuk 12 to 15 is speaking about Moshe going up to Mount Sini after Maamad Har-Sini (Sifte Chachamim on the Pasuk "VaYikra El Moshe BaYom HaShevii"). The end of the Parasha is also for certain speaking about those 40 days Moshe was up there, after Matan Torah.
Why then there is a must (to one opinion) that Pasuk 16 "VaYishkon Kevod Hash-m" before Maamad Har-Sini?
Thanks in advance.
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Yedidya Israel,
System Administrator.
Let me begin with a brief summary of the story of "Matan Torah", the giving of the Torah:
On the sixth (or seventh) day of Sivan Hash-m gave the Ten Commandments to Klall Yisroel. Afterwards, Moshe Rabainu went up to heaven for a period of forty days and nights, concluding with his coming down with the first set of Luchos.
Placed into this story seemingly out of place is Posuk 16 "Vayishkon K'vod Hash-m", "The glory of Hash-m rested upon Har Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days." R' Yosi Haglili learns that this posuk is referring to the time after the giving of the Ten Commandments. The Gemara asks, according to his explanation the forty days and nights that Moshe was in heaven would culminate on the 23rd of Taamuz and not on the 17th, as we know it should. R' Yosi Haglili answers that the first seven days that Moshe remained secluded on Har Sinai are included in the forty. However, this means that Moshe was not in heaven the full forty days as the posuk says. Perhaps this is why R' Akiva learns that the posuk is referring back to before the giving of the Ten Commandments, to the week before Matan Torah. This allows for Moshe to be in heaven the full time the Torah says he was, and still come down on the 17th of Taamuz with the first set of Luchos.
D. Schloss