The Eclipse, the Hafetz Hayim, the Date, and Gematrias

The recently translated words of the Hafetz Hayim (found here, here, here, and here) about the solar eclipse that was visible in his town of Radin in 5687:

The Chofetz Chaim continued “Hashem has implanted in his creation the phenomenon of a solar eclipse, as a means of refuting those misguided souls, who believe in other immortal powers. The time comes when the sun is eclipsed, so that we all know and internalize; the sun is a creation and not a creator! And us mankind…we’re no different.”

 It is therefore interesting that all synagogues read in the morning of the solar eclipse in 5777 (Devarim 17:2-4):

ב  כִּי-יִמָּצֵא בְקִרְבְּךָ בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ:  אִישׁ אוֹ-אִשָּׁה, אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת-הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה-אֱלֹהֶיךָ--לַעֲבֹר בְּרִיתוֹ.	2 If there be found in the midst of thee, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that doeth that which is evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing His covenant,
ג  וַיֵּלֶךְ, וַיַּעֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ, לָהֶם; וְלַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אוֹ לַיָּרֵחַ, אוֹ לְכָל-צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם--אֲשֶׁר לֹא-צִוִּיתִי.	3 and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have commanded not;
ד  וְהֻגַּד-לְךָ, וְשָׁמָעְתָּ; וְדָרַשְׁתָּ הֵיטֵב--וְהִנֵּה אֱמֶת נָכוֹן הַדָּבָר, נֶעֶשְׂתָה הַתּוֹעֵבָה הַזֹּאת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.	4 and it be told thee, and thou hear it, then shalt thou inquire diligently, and, behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel;

Now, this eclipse occurred on 29 Av, which happens to be the same date that Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Mt. Sinai for the third time.  This ascent is alluded to by the verse (Devarim 10:10):

י  וְאָנֹכִי עָמַדְתִּי בָהָר, כַּיָּמִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים--אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה; וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוָה אֵלַי, גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַהִוא--לֹא-אָבָה יְהוָה, הַשְׁחִיתֶךָ.

10 Now I stayed in the mount, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me that time also; the LORD would not destroy thee.

and as Rashi notes there, it's referring to the 3rd ascent. Seder Olam says that this occurred on 29 Av.

I find it interesting that the gematria of this verse above (Devarim 10:10) equals 3880, which is the same gematria as the entire Devarim 17:3 plus the first word of Devarim 17:4 (והגד).

It's as if HKB"H was validating the Hafetz Hayim's reason for getting excited over the eclipse.