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The first of the Ten Commandments is "I am the L-rd
your G-d" (Ex. 20:2). The Midrash Rabba teaches us that the Ten
Commandments were more important to G-d than the creation of the world. This is
made apparent through the story of Creation beginning with the second
letter of the alef-beit, the letter beit - in the word " Bereishit",
"In the Beginning"; the first word of the Ten Commandments, " Anochi",
"I", begins with an alef, the first letter of the alef-beit.  | | " Creation is divided into four categories: inanimate, plant, animal, and human" | | |
The Sages taught that "noises and lightning"
preceded the Ten Commandments. The Hebrew word for noise or voice is "kol".
A total of five "voices" were heard. The faculty of voice or speech is
special because it reveals to others what one is thinking or feeling. Also,
there are different kinds of speech: a commanding voice, explanatory words, etc.
Without "voicing" something, these thoughts would remain concealed. So too,
these five voices heard at Mt. Sinai were different types of revelations of G-dliness.
Also, the number five is significant. Much of the creation is based on the
number four. G-d used His four-letter name "Y-H-V-H" in His creating of the
world. Creation is divided into four categories: inanimate, plant, animal, and
human. So too, there are four spiritual worlds: Emanation ( Atzilut),
Creation ( Beriya), Formation ( Yetzira), and Action ( Asiya). | | " ...G-d revealed Himself from a level superceding Creation itself..." | | |
If the giving of the Torah would have been preceded by
four voices, it would have signified G-d's revelation from the level of the
boundaries of Creation. Five voices, however, shows us that G-d revealed Himself
from a level superceding Creation itself. This lofty level of holiness is
attainable by each and every Jew today. When we delve into Torah, we can
actually tap into this lofty level of G-dly revelation.
In preparation for the giving of the Torah, G-d says,
"...I brought you to Me!" (Ex. 19:4). Chassidut explains that through the giving
of the Torah, the Jewish people were raised to an unprecedented spiritual
height, as it says, "Face to face G-d spoke to you" (Deut. 5:4). This is despite
the fact that just a short time before we were at the lowest possible spiritual
level, enslaved in Egypt, the pit of immorality. This elevation could only
happen through the direct involvement of G-d. Yet, the Lubavitcher
Rebbe asks, if we were so high, why does the verse say, "...you shall stand at
the bottom of the mountain" (Ex. 19:17)? This is to remind us that the
purpose of the giving of the Torah is that each of us will take on the challenge
of the physical world to transform it from the lowest to the highest spiritual
level, making it a dwelling place for G-d. Until the Torah was given,
spirituality and physicality were incompatible. The cataclysmic event of the
giving of the Torah initiated the possibility for the Jews to instill G-dliness
in a physical world.
When Mashiach comes, we will actually be able to see
how spiritually saturated the material world will be. There was a taste of this
special reality at Mt. Sinai. As soon as the Ten Commandments began, the entire
world was totally silent... "No bird chirped...and no ox bellowed..." The first
commandment was heard emanating from all directions. Every part of Creation
revealed G-d's dominion over the world in preparation for His giving of the
commandments.
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