בתלתא אמר להו מצות הגבלה; בארבעה עבוד פרישה. ורבנן סברי — בתרי בשבא איקבע ירחא, בתרי בשבא לא אמר להו ולא מידי משום חולשא דאורחא; בתלתא אמר להו: ״ואתם תהיו לי״; בארבעה אמר להו מצות הגבלה; בחמשא עבוד פרישה. מיתיבי: ״וקדשתם היום ומחר״, קשיא לרבי יוסי!
On the 3rd day of the week, God said to them the mitzva of setting boundaries around Mount Sinai. On the 4th day of the week, the husbands and wives separated from one another. And the Rabbis hold: On the 2nd day of the week Rosh Chodesh was established, and on the 2nd day of the week God did not say anything to them due to the weariness caused by their journey. On the 3rd day of the week, God said to them: “And you should be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation; these are the words that you should speak to the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:6). On the 4th day of the week, God said to them the mitzva of setting boundaries around Mount Sinai. On the 5th day of the week, the husbands and wives separated from one another. The Talmud raises an objection: Doesn’t the verse state: “And YHWH said to Moses: Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow and let them wash their garments” (Exodus 19:10), indicating that the husbands and wives were separated for only two days? This is difficult according to the opinion of R' Yosei, who said earlier that the separation was for 3 days.