5783/2023
The Two Meanings of V’Lo Yasaf
Devarim 5:18 interestingly describes Hashem’s voice at Har
Sinai as a “Kol Gadol V’Lo Yasaf.” Kol Gadol means a great voice,
but there are two ways of translating V’Lo Yasaf. Rashi first
quotes Targum Onkelos, who translates “V’Lo Yasaf,” as that
does not end. According to Onkelos, Yasaf comes from the
word “Sof,” meaning end. So Lo Yasaf, in this context, means
there is no end.
Rashi then presents an alternative translation, Lo Yasaf means
it will not repeat. This approach believes the root of Yasaf is
from the word “L’Hosif,” to add. Thus, it means the Sinai
experience will never repeat. Interestingly, Rav Saadia Gaon,
Ibn Ezra, and Rashbam agree that this is the Peshat meaning of
V’Lo Yasaf.
Why does Hashem use a phrase with an ambiguous meaning?
We suggest it is because both explanations are correct. The
Sinai experience is both everlasting and never repeating. So
how can the Har Sinai experience be both never-ending and
never repeating?
Har Sinai Revelation as a One-Time Event
On one hand, the revelation at Har Sinai is a one-time event
that will not repeat. Therefore, if someone claims that Hashem
told him He no longer obligates us to observe Shabbat, we
know that this is not true because the Torah clarifies that there
will never be a second revelation that rescinds the earlier one.
Sefer Devarim thus flatly rejects the notion of a “new
testament.” Hashem preempts such claims by clarifying that a
claim that He changed his mind from what He commanded at
Sinai is false.
In addition, the blatant clarity of Hashem’s presence, as was at
Har Sinai, will never repeat. Hashem prefers to “hide” behind
nature so that we must detect and reveal His presence.
Yishayahu HaNavi (45:15) even describes Hashem as a “Keil
Mistateir,” a God who prefers to hide.
Finally, the notion of Sinai being a one-time event conveys that
only one nation in history experienced a national revelation on
the scale of Har Sinai. Moreover, the Torah predicts that a
national revelation will never occur again. Sefer Devarim
(4:32-34) even predicts that no other nation will even claim to
have experienced a national revelation.
The Never-Ending Sinaitic Revelation
On the other hand, the Sinai revelation is everlasting. New
insights into Torah and new applications of Torah are endless
and constantly ongoing. Rashbam, in his introduction to
Parashat VaYeishev, quotes his grandfather Rashi describing
the many new Torah insights “that emerge each day.”
Today, Torah scholars introduce hundreds of new and
authentic, high-quality Sefarim on the full spectrum of Torah
topics yearly. These Sefarim are genuine because they fit
completely into the Sinaitic revelation but are fresh insights
into Hashem's revelation.
To repeat an example from an earlier discussion, a new
responsum permitting the use of electric shavers applies
traditional Torah and Talmudic law to a new invention. A
Halachic ruling well-founded in conventional sources is in
harmony with Sinaitic revelation and applies its content to
current circumstances.
The never-ending Sinaitic revelation, also explains the
tug so many faithful Jews feel towards Torah learning. Pirkei
Avot (6:2) conveys precisely this point. It states that each day a
Bat Kol (heavenly voice) goes forth from Har Sinai proclaiming
accountability for not learning or observing the Torah. The Baal
Shem Tov explains that not everyone’s soul is sufficiently
refined to hear this subtle voice. Those blessed with a drive to
endlessly study Torah tune into this powerful voice that never
ceases to emanate from Har Sinai. Those driven to observe the
Torah and encourage others to follow suit also hear this
unending Sinaitic voice.
Shinui vs. Chiddush
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik famously distinguishes between
Shinui and Chidush, change, and innovation. Authentic Torah Judaism spurns changing the Torah. Yet, at the same time, it
celebrates Chiddush, new insights into Torah.
Hashem wants us to blend the two opposing
interpretations of Kol Gadol V’Lo Yasaf. The Gemara (Chagiga
3a) teaches that “Ein Beit Midrash B’Lo Chiddush,” an authentic
Torah house of study, must produce Chiddushim, the ongoing
revelation. These Chiddushim, however, dare not cross the
boundary of changing the Torah. Heaven forbid to lift a hand
against the never changing Sinaitic revelation!
Yehuda and Tamar
The Torah uses the phrase V’Lo Yasaf in two other contexts.
The Torah uses this term in both places to express both never
ending and never repeating. Bereishit 38:26 describes Yehuda
regarding Tamar “V’Lo Yasaf Od L’Da’ata.” Rashi presents two
interpretations that Yehuda never repeated having relations
with Tamar or that he did not stop having relations with her.
How can they both be correct?
We suggest that they did not stop living together as
husband and wife, but the dysfunctional relationship of their
initial encounter ended. They continued having relations, but in
a healthy manner and not one of mutual exploitation.
Eldad and Meidad
Eldad and Meidad’s prophecy is also described
(B’Midbar 11:25) as “Vayitnabe’u V’Lo Yasafu.” Rashi again
presents both interpretations (with Onkelos translating V’Lo
Yasaf as never-ending) that they never again prophesied or
never stopped prophesying.
We suggest that Eldad and Meidad prophesied only
once. However, the impact of that one-time experience never
ceased to impact them positively and profoundly.
Conclusion - Rejecting One-Dimensional Thinking
One may ask, how can one word have two opposite meanings?
In response, we note that the Torah rejected either-or (binary)
thinking millennia before the western world caught up to this
sophisticated way of thinking. Instead, the Torah teaches that
life is not always a choice between this or that but both.
Sometimes, the Torah teaches both perspectives are true, even
if the result is a paradox. For example, the Rambam (in Perek 5
of Hilchot Teshuva), based on the Mishna in Avot (3:15),
accepts both divine foreknowledge as true and human free will
as true, despite the resultant paradox.
Similarly, twentieth-century physicists discovered that
Newtonian and quantum mechanics are both true, despite the
consequent paradox. In Euclidean geometry, parallel lines do
not meet. However, in non-Euclidean geometry, parallel lines
do meet. Paradoxically, both Euclidean and non-Euclidean are
correct. Similarly, the Ritva (Yoma 47b) characterizes the time
between sunset and nightfall (Sheki’ah and Tzeit HaKochavim)
as simultaneously day and night! Chazal likewise teach that
both versions of the Luchot were communicated by Hashem
simultaneously (Rashi to Devarim 5:11).
Thus, the Sinai revelation, the relationship between
Yehuda and Tamar, and the prophecy of Eldad and Meidad can
be never-ending and never repeating. It is not a choice of
either or. Both are correct.