"Vayifen Vayeired Moshe min ha'Har". What are the connotations of the word "Vayifen"?
R. Bachye (citing R. Chananel): It means that,just as he ascended the Mountain facing the Cloud, so too did he descend facing the Cloud. 1 2
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It means that Moshe turned round and descended the mountain, 3
R. Bachye: Like the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kipur - in Yoma 52b, and Sh'lomoh ha'Melech by the Bamah in Giv'on - See R. Bachye who elaborates further and R. Chavel's footnotes. Refer also to note in answer #2.
R. Bachye: And we know that the Shechinah was still on the Mountain when Moshe decended from the Pasuk in Devarim 9:15 "Va'eifen Va'eired min ha'Har ve'ha'Har Bo'er ba'Eish u'Shetei Luchos be'Yadi".
Oznayim la'Torah: Because, not only was he descending the mountain, but he was also carrying the Luchos, and, had he walked backwards, he would have slipped and the Luchos would have fallen. Otherwide, bearing in mind the Gemara in Yoma 53aa, that requires a Talmid who takes leave of his Rebbe is obligated to exit backwards facing him as he leaves the room, he would have descended the Mountain backwards. See Oznayim la'Torah who elaborates further.
Knowing that the people were worshipping the Golden Calf, why did Moshe return with the Luchos? Why did he not break the Luchos there and them?
Seforno: He figured that, once he returned, they would do Teshuvah; in the event that they would not, he would break the Luchos in front of them, 1 and that that would shock them into doing Teshuvah.
Refer to 32:19:1:2-5.
Maharsha #1 (in Chidushei Agados Yevamos 62a, citing a Midrash): He taught Yisrael that even if one hears Lashon ha'Ra from a trustworthy source, one may not accept the testimony and act on it.
Maharsha #2 (Chidushei Agados Yevamos 62a, citing Ikarim 80:15): What a person sees is more painful than what he knows [without seeing].
Moshav Zekenim (in Pasuk 9): He brought the Luchos down, because he thought that only the Eirev Rav was sinning, 2 and he broke them when he came close and saw 3 everyone swearing in the name of the Eigel.
Refer to 32:19:2:1.
It seems that Moshe knew that Hashem planned to destroy Yisrael, since he Davened for "Amcha" and the seed of the Avos! Perhaps he thought that they were liable merely for not protesting (PF).
Perhaps he saw this through awesome Chochmah or Ru'ach ha'Kodesh. At Matan Torah, they "saw the voices" (20:15) (PF).
What does the Torah mean when it writes "Kesuvim mi'Shenei Evreihem ... "?
It means that they could be read from both opposite sides?
How can one read engraved letters from two opposite sides?
Rashi and R. Bachye #1: It means that miraculously, they could be read from both opposite sides. 1
R. Bachye: It implies that there are two sides to the Torah - Niglah (the Torah that is revealed) and Nistar (the Torah that is concealed). 2
See Sifsei Chachamim.
R. Bachye: As the Pasuk writes in Mishlei 28:11 "Tapuchei Zahav Im Maskiyos Kesef" and in Iyov 11:6 "Ki Kiflayim le'Sushiyah".
Why does the Torah describe the Luchos here as "Luchos ha'Eidus"?
Refer to 32:16:4:1 & 2.
Oznayim la'Torah: Moshe knew that Yisrael's Emunah was weak, often doubting that Hashem was in their midst - which was why they made the Eigel. Consequently, he often performed miracles to strengthen it. In fact, he brought down the miraculous Luchos, with the carved out 'Mem' and 'Samech' standing in thin air 1 - in spite of the Chet ha'Eigel, in order to demonstrate to them that Hashem was in their midst and that He had taken them out of Egypt, and was going in their midst to teach them Torah and Mitzvos.
Assuming that the letters flew out from the Luchos only after Moshe broke them - Refer to 32:19:1:3*.
