Why here and in Pasuk 15, did Moshe hold the Luchos with both hands - even though he was descending the mountain, whereas the second Luchos he held in one hand - even though he was ascening the mountain - as the Torah writes in Ki Sissa, 34:4 and later in this Parshah, in 10:3?
Oznayim la'Torah #1: Because he brought down the first Luchos after receiving the bad news that they were worshipping the golden calf - which weakens a person, 1 whereas he carried the second ones up the mountain after being told that Yisrael were forgiven, which restored his strength.
See Oznayim la'Torah for sources.
Why is the 'Yud' missing from "Va'ashlichem"?
Ba'al ha'Turim (citing the Yerushalmi) 1 : To teach us that the 'Yud' (the Aseres ha'Dibros) flew out of the Luchos (and, because the Luchos became too heavy for Moshe to hold, they fell).
Why did Moshe insert the breaking of the Luchos here?
Ramban #1: As part of the series of sins for which Moshe is rebuking Yisrael, he is pointing out the severity of the Chet ha'Eigel, to the point that, when he saw the people rejoicing before the Calf, he could not restrain himself from breaking the Luchos. 1
Ramban #2: To inform them how he had been Moser Nefesh on their behalf, by breaking the (Divinely-written) Luchos for their good. 2
Ramban: In any event it was necessary to mention it, in order to tell them about the second Luchos (at the beginning of chapter 10).
Ramban (citing Midrash Rabah), Da'as Zekenim and Rosh (both on Pasuk16): 'It is better for them to be judged as 'a single woman' (by destroying their Kesubah) who was Mezanah, than as 'a married one.' (Which is why Hashem thanked Moshe for breaking the Luchos. See the last Rashi in the Torah and Targum Yonasan later on 10:1).
Bearing in mind that Moshe was already holding the Luchos, why does the Torah write "Va'espos bi'Shenei Luchos"?
Rosh (in Pasuk 16): Because Hashem was holding two Tefachim of the Luchos, Moshe held two Tefachim on the other end, and two Tefachim were in the middle (Sh'mos Rabah 47:6). Moshe now seized them and broke them.
Or ha'Chayim: Because, initially, the Luchos held themselves, 1 and it is only when they came in the vicinity of the Eigel that Moshe needed to grab hold of them to stop them from falling.
Alshich: Before Chet ha'Egel, the Luchos were so spiritual that it was almost not applicable to mention 'holding' them.
Ha'Kesav veha'Kabalah #1: Because initially, when Hashem told Moshe to descend the mountain, he intended to leave the Luchos behind. He reconsidered however, and took them to break them in front of the people, to let them know what they lost.
Ha'Kesav veha'Kabalah #2 (citing Avos d'R. Nasan 2): When Moshe saw the Eigel, he turned back. However, when the seventy elders saw the Luchos, they ran and held onto one end of them. 2 But Moshe overpowered them and took them from their grasp.
RS"R Hirsh: Initially, Moshe was a mere carrier of the treasure deposited with him. Now he seized them to do what he decided to do with them (break them).
Ha'amek Davar: Because, since Moshe was holding them in both hands, it was all but impossible to cast them down with force as planned, and the Torah is telling us here that miraculously he was able to take hold of them ith both hands 3 and cast them down.
Nedarim, 38a: Moshe needed to hold on to them firmly in order to cast them down with force and smash them. 4 8.
Yerushalmi Ta'anis, 4:5: Because when they came in the vicinity of the Eigel ha'Zahav, they wanted to fly away and he had to hold on to them tightly. 5
As the Torah indicates n Pasuk 15, where it writes "u'Shenei Luchos ha'Beris Al Sh'tei Yadai".
It implies that they all held them at once, which is a miracle, since they were smaller than a person. Seventy people cannot gather around one person and touch him at once! (PF).
Presumably, this is because, had he removed one hand, due to their weight, they would have dropped to the ground.
As opposed to the Yerushalmi, which explains that the letters that were engraved on the Luchos made them lighter and enabled Moshe to carry them, and that, when the letters flew away, they became too heavy for him to hold and he dropped them. The word "va'Ashabrem" however, implies that he threw them down forcefully. Perhaps Moshe could not hold them up, but he was able to propel them towards Yisrael, so they would see them break ? "va'Ashabrem le'Eineichem." (PF). See answer #8 and refer to 9:17:4:1.
According to the Gemara in Nedarim, 38a (See answer #2 to previous question) how could Moshe possibly cast down the Luchos which were made of marble and measured six cubic Tefachim)?
Nedarim, 38a: Hence Chazal said that Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu only rests His Shechinah on someone who is strong, wealthy, wise and humble ? ?strong?, we learn from the current Pasuk.
What are the connotations of "Va'ashabrem le'Eineichem"?
Rashi This was the Torah's ultimate praise of Moshe Rabeinu. 1
Rashbam: Refer to Sh'mos, 32:19:2:5 and note.
Targum Yonasan and Pesachim, 87b: It implies that they saw (something wondrous when Moshe smashed the Luchos - Rashi) the letters flying back to Heaven from where they came. 2
