בָּעֵת הַהִיא וְגוֹ'. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: לַכֹּל זְמַן וְעֵת לְכָל חֵפֶץ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם (קהלת ג, א). זְמַן הָיָה לָעוֹלָם לְהִבָּרְאוֹת. זְמַן הָיָה לְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שֶׁיֹּאבְדוּ בַּמַּיִם. זְמַן הָיָה לְנֹחַ לְהִכָּנֵס לַתֵּבָה, וּזְמַן הָיָה לוֹ לָצֵאת מִמֶּנָּה. וּזְמַן הָיָה שֶׁיִּבָּרֵא אַבְרָהָם, וְכֵן לְכָל הָאָבוֹת. וּזְמַן הָיָה שֶׁיֵּרְדוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְמִצְרַיִם, וּזְמַן הָיָה שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִשָּׁם. וּזְמַן הָיָה שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ. וּזְמַן הָיָה שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת. וּזְמַן הָיָה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ אֲחֵרִים אוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה. הֱוֵי, פְּסָל לְךָ שְׁנֵי לוּחוֹת אֲבָנִים. אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, עֵת לְהַשְׁלִיךְ אֲבָנִים וְעֵת כְּנוֹס אֲבָנִים (שם פסוק ה). עֵת לְהַשְׁלִיךְ אֲבָנִים, אֵלּוּ הַלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת. וְעֵת כְּנוֹס אֲבָנִים, עֵת הָיָה לִפְסֹל לוּחוֹת אֲבָנִים אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: פְּסָל לְךָ שְׁנֵי לוּחוֹת אֲבָנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁהוּא מְבַעֵר פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּסָל לְךָ, שֶׁתְּהֵא הַפְּסֹלֶת שֶׁלְּךָ. רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אוֹמֵר, מֵהֵיכָן פְּסָלָן. אֶחָד אוֹמֵר, מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד פְּסָלָן. וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר, מִתּוֹךְ אָהֳלוֹ בָּרָא לוֹ מַחְצָב וּמִשָּׁם חָצַב שְׁנֵי לוּחוֹת אֲבָנִים וְנָטַל אֶת הַפְּסֹלֶת וּמִשָּׁם הֶעֱשִׁיר, שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל סְנַפִּרִינוֹן. הוּא שֶׁשְּׁלֹמֹה אָמַר, יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב מְמֻלָּאִים בְּתַרְשִׁישׁ מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים (שה״ש ה, יד). יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב, אֵלּוּ לוּחוֹת. וְכַמָּה הָיוּ בְּכָל לוּחַ. חָמֵשׁ דִּבְּרוֹת עַל לוּחַ אַחַת. וְהָיוּ עֲשׂוּיִין כְּמִין גְּלִילִים בֵּין זֶה לָזֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב. מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים, שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל סְנַפִּרִינוֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּסָל לְךָ, בִּזְכוּתְךָ, וְהוּא שֶׁלְּךָ. אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, נָתַתָּ לִי וְאַתָּה מִתְנַהֵג בָּהֶן בְּעַיִן טוֹבָה, נָתַתָּ אוֹתָהּ לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: פְּסָל לְךָ. חַיֶּיךָ, שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ מֶלֶךְ, וְאַתָּה פּוֹסֵל לְכָל מִי שֶׁתִּרְצֶה, וּמְקָרֵב לְכָל מִי שֶׁתִּרְצֶה. At that time, etc. (Deuteronomy 10:1): This is what the verse stated (Ecclesiastes 3:1), "A time and season is set for everything, for every experience under heaven." There was a time for the world to be created; there was a time for the generation of the flood to be destroyed in water. There was a time to go into the ark, and a time to exit from it. And there was a time for Avraham to be created, and so too with all the forefathers. There was a time that our fathers were to go down to Egypt, and a time for them to exit from there. And there was a time that they were to be subjugated. And there was a time for the tablets to be broken, and there was a time when others would do that act [of the golden calf]. Hence, "Carve out two tablets of stone." Shlomo said (Ecclesiastes 3:5), "A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones." "A time for throwing stones," these are the first tablets; "and a time for gathering stones," the time to carve out other tablets of stone, as it is stated, "Carve out (pesal) two tablets of stone." Rabbi Yehoshua said, "That he destroy the idols of (pesilei) their gods." Another interpretation: "Carve out (pesal) for yourself," that the remnant (pesolet) be for yourself. Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yochanan say, "From where did he carve them?" One [answered], "From under [God's] throne of glory." And the other said, "[God] created a quarry in the midst of his tent, and he quarried two tablets of stone from there. And he took the remnants from there and he became wealthy from there, since they were from sapphire." This is what Shlomo stated (in Song of Songs 5:14), "His hands are rods of gold, studded with beryl [...] adorned with sapphires.""His hands are rods of gold," these are the tablets. And how many [commandments] were on each tablet? Five commandments were on [each] tablet. And they were made with a type of rods between them, as it is stated, "His hands are rods of gold." "Adorned with sapphires," as they were made of sapphire. Another explanation: "Carve out for yourself," in your merit, and it shall be yours. He said, Moshe, [I have given it to you] (you have given it to Me), and you are behaving generously [by] giving it to them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:1), "Carve out (pesal) for yourself." By your life will I make you a king. And you shall (pesol) whoever you want, and you shall bring close whoever you want.
