Rabbi Yitzhak then opened [his discourse] after him, and said, "and Moses gathered all the Congregation of the children of Israel..." Why did he gather them? In order to give them the laws of Shabbat as before [at Marah].

For before Israel worshipped the golden calf, He gave them the Shabbat. And this is what the mixed multitude did not keep. When they heard the verse "between Me and the children of Israel", (Ex. 31:17) they said, "But from us this [the Shabbat] is withheld!" [The mixed multitude misunderstood and thought that they were excluded from this mitzvah.] Quickly "the people gathered themselves together against Aaron" (Ex. 32:1) [to create the Golden Calf] and many [Israelites] followed after them [the mixed multitude to also sin]. And after those [sinners] died, Moses gathered the Congregation of Israel alone, and gave them the laws of Shabbat as before, as is written: "six days shall work be done..." (Ex. 35:2)

"You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations." (Ex. 35:3) Here there are most high mysteries revealed to those in possession of supernal wisdom. The colleagues have already expounded on the secret of Shabbat, yet this mystery was given to the wisest men, for it is a very high secret.

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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