ואל אצילי. כמו ומאציליה. ולא הזכיר זקנים להכנים עמהם נדב ואביהוא: AND UPON THE NOBLES. The word atzile (nobles of) is similar to the word u-me’atzilehah (from its nobles).33Translated according to I.E. See I.E. on Is. 41:9. The term elders34Verse 1 tells us that the elders accompanied Moses. Hence I.E.’s comment. is not used because the term nobles include Nadab and Abihu.35Who also accompanied Moses. Nadab and Abihu were nobles, not elders. See Rashi and Ramban.
וטעם לא שלח ידו. כי ראו השם הנכבד ולא מתו. כאשר אפרש בפסוק כי לא יראני האדם וחי. [HE LAID NOT HIS HAND.] Its meaning is: that they saw God and did not die, as I will explain in my comments on the verse for man shall not see Me and live (Ex. 33:20).
וטעם ויאכלו וישתו. שירדו שמחים מההר [AND DID EAT AND DRINK.] They came down from the mountain happy.
ויאכלו זבחי שלמים שזבחו נעריהם AND DID EAT. The peaceofferings which their young people sacrificed.
וישתו בשמחה ורבי יהודה הלוי אמר כי טעם ויאכלו. כי הוצרכו שיאכלו אע"פ שנהנו מזיו השכינה. והזכיר זה בעבור משה שחיה ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה בלא אכילה ככתוב בפ' אחרי זאת: AND DRINK. In happiness. Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi says that the meaning of and did eat is, they had to eat even though they enjoyed the splendor of God’s presence. Scripture mentions this because Moses lived for forty days and forty nights without eating and drinking, as is noted in the next section.36Verse 18. Actually verse 18 only tells us that Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days. However, Deut. 9:9 tells us that Moses did not eat or drink during those forty days.