Hayom Yom 17 Tammuz - Difference between First Tablets and Second Tablets

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

תַּעֲנִית, סְלִיחוֹת, אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ

A fast day. The Selichos prayers and Avinu Malkeinu are recited [in the Morning Service].

חִלּוּק לוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְלוּחוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת

The difference between the First Tablets and the Second Tablets can be outlined as follows:

בַּלּוּחוֹת עַצְמָן

With regard to the Tablets themselves:

הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹקִים

The First Tablets were fashioned by G‑d;

הַשְּׁנִיּוֹת פְּסָל לְךָ

the Second Tablets were hewn by Moshe.

הַמִּכְתָּב

With regard to the writing on the Tablets:

חָרוּת עַל הַלּוּחוֹת שֶׁכִּדְרָשַׁת רַזַ"ל, עֵרוּבִין (נד. א), הוּא רַק בַּלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת

The writing was engraved (charus) on the Tablets. Our Sages comment: [“Do not read the word as charus (‘engraved’), but rather as cheirus (‘freedom’) — freedom from alien subjugation was inscribed on the Tablets”]. This quality applied only to the First Tablets.

בְּמַעֲלַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

With regard to the spiritual level of the Jewish people:

בַּלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת צַדִּיקִים, כְּשֶׁעָמְדוּ עַל הַר סִינַי פָּסְקָה זוּהֲמָתָן

When they were given the First Tablets, they were tzaddikim, for when they stood at Mount Sinai, “their impurity ceased.”

בַּשְּׁנִיוֹת בַּעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה

[At the giving of] the Second Tablets, they were baalei teshuvah.

בְּמַעֲלַת מֹשֶׁה

With regard to the spiritual level of Moshe:

בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה נִתַּן לְמֹשֶׁה אֶלֶף אוֹרוֹת בְּמַתָּנָה

At the Giving of the Torah, Moshe received a gift of a thousand spiritual lights.

וּבְחֵטְא הָעֵגֶל נִטְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ

They were taken from him at the Sin of the Golden Calf,

וְלֹא חָזְרוּ בְּלוּחוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת

and were not returned to him when the Second Tablets were given.

(רַק בְּשַׁבָּת נוֹתְנִים לוֹ כִּדְאִיתָא בִּפְרִי עֵץ חַיִּים)

(He receives them only on Shabbos, as stated in Pri Etz Chayim.)

מַעֲלַת לוּחוֹת הַשְּׁנִיּוֹת

The Second Tablets were superior

שֶׁנִּתַּן גַם כֵּן הֲלָכוֹת מִדְרָשׁ אֲגָדוֹת כו', כִּפְלַיִם לְתוּשִׁיָּה כִּדְאִיתָא בִּנְדָרִים (כב. ב)

in that (a) they were given together with laws, Midrash, and Aggados — “a double measure [of the secrets of Divine wisdom],”1[as stated in Shmos Rabbah 46:1],

וְקִרוּן עוֹר פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה

and (b) Moshe’s face became radiant.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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