1)

How will we reconcile the current Pasuk - which compares the fire on Har Sinai to the fire of a furnace, with the Pasuk in Parshas Va'eschanan (Devarim 4:11), which describes the fire on Har Sinai as "a burning fire that reached the heart of the Heaven"?

1.

Rashi: The Pasuk in Devarim teaches us that, in reality, the Fire was much greater than that of a furnace, and the reason that the Pasuk plays it down here is because it is the way of the Torah to describe Divine actions in human terms 1 so that we should be able to connect to it.

1

Rashi: Like we find in Hoshe'a 11:10, where the Navi describes Hashem as a roaring lion, even though He is the one who enables the lion to roar in the first place.

2)

What are the ramifications of the statement, "va'Yecherad Kol ha'Har Me'od"?

1.

Oznayim la'Torah: The mountain actually trembled, it was not just an illusion (due to the thunder and lightning). a. It shot out hail-stones and flashes of lightning; 1 b. The mountain moved from its place, and Hashem held it over the heads of Yisrael. 2

1

Oznayim la'Torah (citing Targum Yerushalmi to 19:13): Which would kill anyone who attempted to ascend the mountain.

2

Oznayim la'Torah (citing Chazal): Also see Chavakuk 3:3, 3:6 (which relates to Matan Torah, and is the Haftarah on Day 2 of Shavuos in the Diaspora).

3)

Bearing in mind that Heavenly fire does not generally produce smoke - as the Gemara states in Yoma 21b, what is the significance of the "Eshen ha'Kivshan"?

1.

Moshav Zekenim #1 (citing R. Yeshayah): The smoke was to frighten Bnei Yisrael.

2.

Moshav Zekenim #2 (citing R. Yehudah ha'Chasid): Wherever there is Shechinah, there is smoke.

Sefer: Perek: Pasuk:

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