Hello kollel!
I'm not sure where to point this question but the commentary here seemed a good place. I was learning a Sefer from rav fisher which mentioned the idea that the shine on Moshe's face was from the leftover ink of the second tablets. My question is from the gemara here and other places (even implied in the Torah) the luchot were chakak, which seems more an idea of chiseling than of writing.
So, do we say the writing with a quill somehow engraved, or if it's a matter of chiseling why is there a discussion of ink at all?
Thank you!
Josh
Shalom Josh,
It's good to hear from you again. Your question is a very good one.
You are correct that from the plain reading of Midrash Shemos Rabah 47:6 it sounds like the ink came from the writing of the Luchos, but in Midrash Tanchuma it seems that the ink was from Moshe writing the Torah, not the Luchos. In Devarim Rabah 3:12 it says, "Amar Reish Lakish, ha'Torah she'Nitnah l'Moshe, Orah (its skin) Shel Esh Levanah (was of white fire), v'Kesuvah b'Esh Shechorah (and it was written with black fire), v'Chatumah b'Esh (and it was sealed with fire), u'Melufefes b'Esh (and surrounded with fire), uch'she'Hayah Kosev (and when Moshe was writing the Torah), Kinach Es ha'Kulmus b'Se'aro (he wiped off the pen on his hair), umi'Sham Natal Ziv ha'Panim (and from this he received the shine on his face)."
This Midrash speaks in lofty terms, some of which are touched upon by the Ramban in his Hakdamah to the Torah. The upshot is that the ink came from Moshe's writing of the Torah, while the Luchos themselves were Chakikah.
I hope this helps a bit.
Kesivah v'Chasimah Tovah,
Aharon Steiner