EXTRA · Supplementary classical material not numbered by Torah Temimah under this exact passuk.

Va’eschanan 4:15 · EXTRA 1

EXTRA · Parashas Va’eschanan · Passuk 4:15

The Complete Passuk

וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י לֹ֤א רְאִיתֶם֙ כׇּל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה בְּי֗וֹם דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם בְּחֹרֵ֖ב מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ׃

Take utmost care for your souls, for you saw no likeness on the day that Hashem spoke to you at Chorev out of the midst of the fire.

Source Citation

Sifre Devarim and classical midrashim on the absence of any visual form at the revelation.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כׇּל־תְּמוּנָה — לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה עַל יְדֵי דְּמוּת אוֹ צּוּרָה, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ בְּלֹא רְאִיַּת תְּמוּנָה.

English: “For you saw no likeness” — to teach you that the Torah was not given by means of any image or form, but out of the fire without the seeing of any likeness.

In context: The verse is the foundation of the absolute prohibition of representing the Divine. The revelation itself contained no visual content that could later be turned into an idol.

Type of Learning

Custom (negative implication from the absence of temunah).

What Is Learned

Because Israel saw no form at Sinai, no image of the Divine may ever be made; the revelation was purely auditory and fiery.