The day after the Revelation (7th Sivan), Moshĕh was again summoned to the top of the Mountain:

Adonai’s Glorious Presence had settled on the Mountain at Sinai and the Cloud had covered it for six days (Adonai’s Glorious Presence seemed to b'nei Yisraél like a devouring fire at the top of the Mountain). Then, on the 7th day [of the month], He called to Moshĕh and so Moshĕh entered the cloud and ascended the Mountain—Moshĕh remained on the Mountain for 40 days and 40 nights” (Sh'mot 24:16-18).


The Mishnah (Treatise Ta'anit, ch.4, para. 6) records that

Five calamities befell our ancestors on 17th Tammuz and five more on 9th Av... on 17th Tammuz, the luḥot were smashed...


…and the g'mara (folio 28b) explains

On 17th Tammuz, the luḥot were smashed—what is the source for this? It was taught: the Decalogue was given to Yisraél on 6th Sivan... and on the 7th, Moshĕh ascended the Mountain, as it is written: “...He called to Moshĕh on the seventh day...” (Sh'mot 24:16) and, immediately after that, it is written “...so Moshĕh entered the cloud and ascended the Mountain; Moshĕh remained on the Mountain for 40 days and 40 nights” (Sh'mot 24:18).
Reckon the last 24 days of Sivan [i.e. from the 7th to the 30th inclusive] and the first 16 days of Tammuz—so those forty days were completed on 17th Tammuz. He then descended and came to the camp and smashed the luḥot... as it is written, “when he was approaching the camp, he saw the calf... and he threw the luḥot from his hands, smashing them at the foot of the Mountain” (Sh'mot 32:19).


This computation is based on a very literal reading of the phrase “40 days and 40 nights”, i.e. each day together with its the night that follows it (otherwise the text should have said “40 nights and 40 days”). It is also assumed that the months of that year followed the pattern of months in a regular lunar year, i.e. Nisan—30 days, Iyyar—29 days, Sivan—30 days, Tammuz—29 days, Av—30 days, Ĕlul—29 days, Tishri—30 days, etc. Thus, if the first of the “40 days” was 7th Sivan, then 30th Sivan would have been the 24th day, and the first 16 days of Tammuz would have made up the 40 days; but “forty days and forty nights” would not have been completed until the morning of 17th Tammuz.

After smashing the luḥot, Moshĕh immediately set about dealing with the calf-idol and those who had been worshipping it (Sh'mot 32:26-29). The narrative then continues

The following day, Moshĕh said to the people, “You have committed a grievous sin; now I shall go [back] up to Adonai—maybe I will be able to make atonement for your sin”. So Moshĕh returned to Adonai and said: “Oh, please... this people has committed a grievous sin, making golden idols for themselves; but even now, if only You will tolerate their sin...” (Sh'mot 32:30-32)


Moshĕh made this second ascent of the Mountain on 18th Tammuz (the day after his return from his first ascent) and he remained there for a second period of 40 days and 40 nights:

"Then I threw myself down before Adonai just as I had done the first time—[for] 40 days and 40 nights... because of all your sins that you had committed, doing what is wrong in Adonai’s sight and provoking His Rage” (D'varim 9:18)


Applying the same computation as before, the second period of 40 days is found to comprise the last 12 days of Tammuz (from the 18th to the 29th inclusive) and the first 28 days of Av, so that they would have been completed in the morning of 29th Av; on that day, God became partially reconciled with Yisraél and sent Moshĕh down from the Mountain with instructions to carve a second pair of luḥot, “just like the first ones that you smashed” (Sh'mot 34:1, D'varim 10:1). This he did, returning to the top of the Mountain the next morning, 30th Av (Sh'mot 34:4, D'varim 10:3); Moshĕh spent a third period of 40 days and 40 nights there (D'varim 10:10)—30th Av, the whole month of Ĕlul (29 days), and the first 9 days of Tishri 2449; it was thus in the morning of 10th TishriYom Kippur, the eternal “Forgiveness Day”—that, finally, God was fully reconciled with Yisraél, forgave them completely, and gave Moshĕh the second pair of luḥot.


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Last Edited By: ProfBenTziyyon Tue, 29-May-12 06:58:23. Edited 5 times.