What are the connotations of the Pasuk "Vayotzei Moshe es ha'Am Likras ha'Elokim"?
Rashi: It means that Hashem went 1 to greet Yisrael, like a Chasan goes to greet his Kalah 2 (and that nothing should divide betwen Yisrael and their Creator - Rashi in Machzor Vitri). 3
Seforno: It means that Moshe took Yisrael to greet Hashem's celestial retinue that preceded Him. 4
Or ha'Chayim: It appears that the people were terrified to approach the mountain, 5 so Moshe led them out of the camp and stood them at the foot of the mountain so that they should receive the Torah standing.
Yerushalmi Shekalim, 1:1: It implies that Yisrael were lax in going to receive the Torah and that Moshe had to push them. 6
Gur Aryeh: "Likras" implies two going to greet each other.
Rashi (bid.): Which explains why not even animals were permitted to be on the mountain.
Seeing as Hashem only descended upon Har Sinai in Pasuk 20 (Seforno).
Yerushalmi(Ibid.): Yet when it came to sending spies, they all came rumming - as the Torah records in Devarim, 1:22. What a disgrace!
What is the definiton of "Tachtis ha'Har"?
Rashi #1: It means 'at the foot of the mountain'.
Rashi #2 (citing Shabbos, 88a) and Targum Yonasan: It means 'underneath the mountain' 1 - Hashem raised the mountain over their heads like a barrel. 2
This raises the question why the Torah does not then write 'Tachas ha'Har'?
And warned them that if they do not accept the Torah, they will be buried on the spot (Shabbos, 88a) - even though they had already declared 'Na'aseh ve'Nishma' (See Sifsei Chachamim). See also Oznayim la'Torah, who learns it from the word "Vayisyatzvu be'Sachtis ha'Har" (instead of 'Vayatzev ... '), though he interprets the Chazal differently Refer also to 19:17:3:1***
How can we say that Hashem forced Yisrael to accept the Torah, seeing as "Vayisyatzvu" implies that they stood there willingly?
Oznayim la'Torah: This can be explained with the well-known Rambam in Hilchos Gerushin, 2:20 - that a forced Get is Kasher because the husband really wants to act in accordance with the Halachah, only the Yeitzer ha'Ra steps in and tries to stop him. Consequently, when Beis-Din force him to comply, they are merely removing the Yeizter ha'Ra, leaving him to do what he really wants to do. Here too, having declared "Na'aseh ve'Nishma!' Yisrael really wanted to accept the Torah, and it was to remove the Yeitzer ha'Ra, who was trying to cause Yisrael to change their minds by making them afraid of the fire, the thunder and the lightening, 1 that Hashem held the mountain over their heads, leaving them to stand underneath the mountain 2 on their own volition. 3
Tosfos, in Shabbos, 88a.
Interestingly, the Midrash Tanchuma writes that Hashem raised the mountain and Yisrael went and stood underneath it.
Oznayim la'Torah: With this explanation, we can also understand the Gemara in Avodah Zarah, which relates how Hashem did not answer the Nochrim when they complained that Hashem did not force them when He offered them the Torah - like he forced Yisrael. Of course he didn't. Yisrael had already said 'Na'aseh ve'Nishma!', a proof that they wanted to accept the Torah. Whereas for the Nochrim, who had already refused Hashem's offer, to accept the Torah under duress, would have been meaningless.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that Hashem raised the mountain over their heads. But such an acceptance of Torah (amidst coercion) is invalid?
Shabbos 88a: That is why the Gemara there explains that later, in the days of Achashverosh, they accepted it 1 willingly. 2
Gur Aryeh (in Pasuk 17): Torah is crucial; It is therefore correct to give it through coercion, which is a higher level of acceptance. Also refer to 19:4:4:4**.
Refer to 19:17:3:1.
Refer to 19:18:152:1 & 2.
Moshav Zekenim: Even though Moshe made a B'ris with Yisrael and imposed an oath on them - See Devarim 29:11 and Sotah 37b, that was also considered coercion, or that was only with regard to idolatry. They accepted the entire Torah out of love only in the days of Achashverosh.
See Torah Teemimah, nmote 36.
Rashi writes that Hashem raised the mountain over their heads. Why was this necessary, seeing as they had already declared 'Na'aseh Venishma'?
Hadar Zekenim and Riva (both in Pasuk17) and Moshav Zekenim #! (in Pasuk 17, citing the Midrash Tanchuma): They had accepted only the written Torah, 1 whereas Hashem forced them to accept the oral Torah.
Riva (citing Tosfos Shabbos 88a DH Kafah): Hashem forced them to prevent them from retracting when they saw the great fire and their Neshamos left them.
Moshav Zekenim #2: They already accepted only what they were commanded at Marah, but not what Hashem will add. 2 Yisrael received two crowns only later, when they said "Na'aseh Venishma" (Mahari).
Moshav Zekenim #3 citing Bechor Shor: They meant, "Na'aseh", the Aseres ha'Dibros; and as for whatever else Hashem commands us, "Nishma" - 'We will see what we can bear'.
Moshav Zekenim #4 (citing R. Elchanan): They retracted from Na'aseh Venishma, like it says in Shabbos (88b) that at every Dibur, Yisrael retreated 12 Mil, and angels pushed them back. Also, it says (verse 8) "all that Hashem said, we will do", and not 'all that Hashem will say'.
Gur Aryeh: Refer to 19:18:151:2.
Lev Eliyahu (p.167, from Maharal): Hashem wanted us to know that without Torah, man is like a vicious animal.
Riva: If so, why does the Gemara in Avodah Zarah 2b state that the nations will complain that Hashem did not force them too? They did not accept the written Torah! R"A: They thought that they will be rewarded for the written Torah that they have, and complained that they were not forced to acept the oral Torah.
The Pasuk of 'Na'aseh Venishma' is only written later - in 24:7. Consequently, as opposed to most commnetaries, this exlanation maintains that at this stage, they had only said 'Na'aseh' - in keeping with Pasuk 8 (PF).
