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Why does the Torah (תורה) present two seemingly contradictory accounts of the Sinai revelation, one in Parshas Yisro and one in Parshas Mishpatim? The shiur develops a fundamental distinction: Yisro describes the original plan where Bnei Yisrael would hear through Moshe, while Mishpatim records what happened after they demanded "ritzoneinu liros es malkeinu"—to hear directly from Hashem (ה׳) like Moshe did, achieving a prophecy with full bodily faculties rather than prophetic trance.
The shiur addresses a fundamental textual problem: Parshas Yisro and Parshas Mishpatim both recount the Sinai revelation, yet they present vastly different tones and details. Yisro depicts terror, trembling, thunder and lightning—a fearsome encounter where the people withdraw. Mishpatim describes the people drawing closer, seeing Hashem (ה׳), eating and drinking. Moreover, Mishpatim reveals critical details absent from Yisro: Moshe writing a Sefer Torah (תורה) from Bereishis through Sinai on the fourth of Sivan, reading it to the people, building an altar, offering sacrifices, and sprinkling blood in a covenant ceremony. Most significantly, Mishpatim records the people saying "na'aseh v'nishma," yet in Yisro they only said "na'aseh." Rabbi Zweig explains that these are not contradictory accounts but two qualitatively different levels of revelation. Parshas Yisro describes Hashem's original plan: the Jewish people would experience prophecy like all other prophets—through visions while in a prophetic trance, with bodily faculties negated. Moshe would receive directly from Hashem, and they would overhear. This is what Hashem proposed on day three of Sivan.
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Parshas Yisro 19:9-20:18, Parshas Mishpatim 24:1-11
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