What does the Torah mean when it writes "Vayir'u es Elokei Yisrael"?
Ramban #1 (citing the Ibn Ezra): They saw Hashem, but in a prophetic vision. 3
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: They beheld "the Glory of the G-d of Yisrael". 4
The Pasuk cannot be taken literally. See Tosfos Kidushin 49a DH 'ha'Metargem'.
What Moshe was shown after the sin of the Golden Calf - See Rashi there.
As in Melachim 1, 22:19 (Ibn Ezra) and in Amos, 9:1 (Ramban).
Why does the Torah refer to Hashem as 'The G-d of Yisrael'?
Ramban #1: To teach us that the merit of Yisrael their father was with them when they experienced the current vision.
Ramban #2 (according to Kabalah): Because, at Har Sinai, the Torah wrote 1 "Vayedaber Elokim", 2 it writes here that they beheld "Elokei Yisrael", to teach us that the elders saw more than the rest of the people. 3
In Yisro, Sh'mos 19:25.
With reference to the Pasuk in Va'eschanan, Devarim 5:21 "Hein Her'anu Hashem Elokeinu es Kevodo ve'es Godlo ... " (Ramban).
Who only saw 'His Great Fire' (Va'eschanan, Devarim 4:36), because their vision was partially blocked by the 'darkness and the black cloud' (Va'eschanan Devarim, 5:19). Some commentaries maintain that the Zekeinim did not approach more than the people. Refer to 5:1:1:1*.
What is the meaning of "under His Legs"?
Rashi (in Shabbos, 113b): With reference to "Elokei Yisrael", it means 'underneath Him".
Seforno: If "the G-d of Yisrael" was in the Heaven, then "under His legs" refers to the earth. 1
Targum Onkelos: It means 'underneath His Throne'.
Targum Yonasan: It means 'underneath His foot-stool'.
Moreh ha'Nevuhim (1:28): It means 'due to Him.'
In keeping wih the Pasuk in Yeshayah, 66:1 "and the earth is My foot-stool".
What was the "Livnas ha'Sapir"? What did it symbolize?
Rashi (from Mechilta d'R. Yishmael Bo, Pischa 14) and Ramban: It was a sapphire brick (placed before Hashem 1 at the time of the slavery to remind Him of Yisrael's affliction, 2 in which they needed to make bricks. 3
Seforno: It was radiance, which has no color. It hints to the human soul, which is [initially] empty of all knowledge, and is prepared to receive it through investigation by choice.
Rashbam: Beneath the Feet of the G-d of Yisrael, they saw something that resembled the whiteness of a sapphire.
Moreh ha'Nevuchim (1:28): It was the understanding that, just like radiance has no color, Hashem first created a formless matter [and later formed the world from it].
Targum Yonason: It was a sapphire brick formed from a fetus that a young girl miscarried, and it fell into the mud that she was kneading. Hadar Zekenim - during the slavery, it was in front of Him. After the redemption, He placed it under His feet, and there was light and Simchah in front of Him. Then, when the Churban occurred, He threw it to the ground. 4
Rosh: It was a 'Sh'fir' (the sac in which a fetus grows). A woman miscarried it, due to the labor in Egypt, and when Hashem wanted to drown the Egyptians in the sea and the angel of Egypt complained, Gavriel brought it up to the Heaven to recall the labor of making bricks.
Sotah, 17a: It was a brick colored Techeiles (dark blue or turquoise) which resembles the Kisei ha'Kavod. 5
As the Pasuk says in Tehilim, 91:15 "I am with them in their troubles". Ramban: This is the same vision that Yechezkel had - See Yechezkel, 1:26.
Which Hashem now showed Yisrael to demonstrate that He was with them in their troubles.
Targum Yonasan: As the Pasuk states in Eichah, 2:1 "Hishlich mi'Shamayim Eretz Tiferes Yisrael ve'Lo Zachar Hadom Raglav".
Sotah (Ibid.): With reference to the Techeles of Tzitzis, the Gemara states that Techeiles resembles the sea, the sea resembles the sky and the sky, the Kisei ha'Kavod - as the Pasuk writes in Yechezkel, 1:26 "Like the appearance of a sapphire brick, in the form of a throne".
Why does the Torah add the word "ke'Ma'aseh Livnas ha'Sapir"?
Yerushalmi Sukah, 4:3: To treach us that the Egyptians did not only make them manufacture bricks, but they made them do all sorts of labor connected with bricks.
Oznayim la'Torah: It was to demonstrate to Yisrael that the harsh slavery had achieved its effect, inasmuch as their souls had now become pure like a sapphire and brought them close to the Shechinah - that they had attained the level of angels to announce "Na'aseh Venishma" - like angels.
What is the "meaning of "u'ke'Etzem ha'Shamayim la'Tohar"?
Rashi: Refer to 24:10:6:1.
Rashbam and Targum Yonasan: It refers to the sky when it is clear of clouds.
Ramban: It refers to 'the sky that resembles 'the awesome ice' that was spread above the heads of the Chayos (ha'Kodesh)' that Yechezkel saw. 1
Seforno: It refers to the soul of the Galgal (the sphere on which heavenly bodies revolve), which is devoid of all physicality.
Hadar Zekenim: It means like the color of a saphhire that resembles the color of the sky when it is clear (dark blue). 2
See Yechezkel, 1:22. See Ramban.
Hadar Zekeinim: Since there are different appearances of sapphire.
What does "u'ke'Etzem ha'Shamayim la'Tohar" symbolize?
Rashi: There were light and joy in front of Hashem from when Yisrael were redeemed. 1
Seforno: Refer to 25:10:5:4. Just like the Nefesh of the Galgal is devoid of any physicality, so the human soul is totally non-physical.
Why did Hashem show Yisrael the sapphire brick only now and not at the Yam-Suf?
Oznayim la'Torah: Because when Yisrael - exclusively - sang the Shirah at the Yam-Suf, they were celebrating their salvation that took place there (ince Hashem does not generally celebrate the downfall of Resha'im). 1 Consequently, he waited to celebrate the Ge'ulah from Egypt, as he had informed Par'oh he would. 2 until they arrived at Har Sinai. 3
As He explicitly told the angels, when they wanted to sing Shirah too.
Refer to 24:5:2.1:1**. See Oznayim la'Torah DH 've'Sachas Raglav'.
Following Hashem's instructions at the Burning Bush "Ta'avdun es Elokim al ha'Har ha'Zeh", of which showing Yisrael the sapphire brick was part.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that a sapphire brick was in front of Hashem at the time of the slavery, to recall Yisrael's affliction, and from when they were redeemed, "uch'Etzem ha'Shamayim la'Tohar." If so, why did they see the brick at the time of Matan Torah?
R. Chaim Paltiel: One side of the brick appeared like Livnas ha'Sapir, and the other side k'Etzem ha'Shamayim. At the time of the slavery, the former side faced Hashem's face, to recall their pain, and the latter side faced down. From when they were redeemed, it was reversed.
