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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.