What are the ramifications of "bi'Heyos ha'Boker"?
Rashi: It implies that Hashem was there before Yisrael and was waiting for them, 1 even though it is usually the Talmid who waits for the Rav.
Rashi: The same occurred with Yechezkel - See Yechezkel 3:22 & 23.
What is the significance of the thunder and lightning that preceded Matan Torah?
Seforno: It is similar to the storm-wind which appeared to Eliyahu ha'Navi, 1 followed by an earthquake, and by a fire -- which all preceded the quiet Voice, which was the Voice of the Shechinah.
Oznayim la'Torah #1 (citing the Yalkut Shimoni): The nights in Sivan are short, and sleep is so pleasant! So Hashem sent the thunder and lightning already early in the morning to awaken them from their sleep in order to receive the Torah.
Oznayim la'Torah #2: To instill into Yisrael Yir'as Shanayim. 2
Maharal (Derush Al ha'Torah, p. 30): The thunder and lightning were a significant stage in the process 3 of accepting the Torah. Any Chochmah that a person acquires can be easily lost. Fear of sin is the foundation for Torah; without Yir'ah the edifice collapses and turns to nothing. Fear of Hashem is the goal, and the preservation, of Torah itself. Immediately preceding Matan Torah, Hashem sent thunder and lightning, etc., to generate within Yisrael the fear of Hashem.
See Melachim I 19:11 & 12.
Oznayim la'Torah: Which explains why Hashem did this, in spite of the fact that the pomp and ceremony would cause the first Luchos to be destroyed! See Rashi to Ki Sisa, Shemos 34:3.
Maharal: To review; a. The first message Moshe brought to Bnei Yisrael, was that accepting the Torah would not be difficult for them ("Im Shamo'a Tishme'u" - see 19:5:2.2:1). b. He instructed them how they should observe it, so as not to come to sin ("U'Shemartem Es Berisi" - see 19:5:2.1:1 ). c. And should they sin, they should accept punishment with love (as hinted to by "Im Shamo'a" (19:6:3.1:2 ); and their response implied in "va'Yaged Moshe Es Divrei ha'Am" (19:9:4:7)) .
What was the significance of each element that accompanied Matan Torah - thunder, lightning, heavy cloud, and the sound of the Shofar?
Maharal #1 (Tif'eres Yisrael, beg. Ch. 30, p. 88): The arrival of Torah was a Shinui - a change in the world order; it was transcendent Sechel arriving in this physical world. Any change usually brings with it further changes. 1 Because the content of Torah is self-evident and necessary, 2 it came on with great force - accompanied by thunder and lightning. These corresponded to the four classical elements 3 - thunder corresponding to air; lightning to fire; and cloud to water. (Because the Torah was now arriving from the upper realms to the lower realms, no change was evident from the fourth element, earth.) These three were actualized all at once by the sound of the Shofar - because the function of a Shofar is to actualize Kolos. 4
Maharal #2 (Derush Al ha'Torah, p. 32): Man must fear 5 Hashem; Who is All-Able to punish sin. The first three elements hint to three types of such consequences; a. At times He instills fear upon sinners, without actively punishing them (akin to thunder); b. active punishment or misfortune (like fire or lightning); c. utter destruction, leaving no remnant (like darkness of heavy cloud). d. Lest Bnei Yisrael say that if so, they are better off not accepting the Torah, 6 came the sound of the Shofar, which inspires Teshuvah.
Maharal #3 (ibid., p. 34): Acquiring Torah is difficult; Torah is transcendent Sechel. Its acquisition requires great toil, which comes from the trait of Ahavah, love. Furthermore, Torah is easily lost, and Yir'ah (fear) is required to avoid this. a. Thunder alludes to the initial prerequisite Yir'ah to precede Torah; b. Lightning tells us that Torah learning quickly fades away and is easily lost - which a person must fear greatly in order to prevent. c. The human Guf is dense like a thick cloud - the opposite of lightning - showing how difficult it is for Man to acquire Torah. d. Regarding this comes the sound of the Shofar - to connect Man to Hashem, with love. Thus, we should acquire the Torah with both Ahavah and Yir'ah. 7
Torah is not part-and-parcel of the material world order, and so its sudden appearance tore the world's systems asunder. Maharal cites Zevachim 116a - At Matan Torah, trembling seized the kings of the nations, who thought that another flood was befalling the world!
See Maharal's comments about Rashi to Pasuk 17, "Har Sinai was held over them like a barrel" (19:17:151:2 ).
Classically, the world is comprised of combinations of four elements - fire, air, water, and earth. As Maharal explains here, the first three are higher, whereas earth is considered lowest; see further in Maharal (Derech Chayim p. 29, to Avos 1:2; Be'er Ha'Golah, Be'er #5, p. 89). Compare to Maharal (Derush Al ha'Torah p. 32) - At Matan Torah, when the exalted Torah descended to the world, the upper realms descended earthwards, and the lower realms ascended upwards, becoming one. Moshe ascended up to Hashem; and Hashem descended upon Har Sinai. Concurrently, the three higher elements were manifested on the earth. The sound of the Shofar serves to gather in to Hashem, all men who are distant from Him (and Man himself is created from the earth - the lowest element). Thus, the upper and lower realms were united.
(Meaning in the physical sense, perhaps, that a Shofar takes in air, and emits a great sound, which is its actualization.) It seems from Maharal that the actualization caused by the Shofar is associated with the fourth element - earth. Perhaps that is because the earth represents growth - the earth is potential ready to be actualized (see Maharal, Tif'eres Yisrael Ch. 3). This is what took place at Matan Torah, via the three higher elements that acted upon the earth. Also see Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 1, p. 99, to Rosh Hashanah 11b) - The Shofar represents Ge'ulah. See Rav Hartman (Mechon Yerushalayim) edition of Tif'eres Yisrael, loc. cit. note 33. (EK)
Maharal continues his comments cited in the preceding question, 19:16:2:4 - the thunder and lightning came to cause fear amongst the people, to make their acquisition of Torah permanent.
"For there is no man so righteous upon the earth, who only does good and does not sin" (Koheles 7:20).
Maharal (loc. cit.): The two rationales listed here, are re-iterated by Moshe immediately after Matan Torah. a. "Ba'avur Nasos Eschem" - i.e. to uplift you and connect you to on High (a connection of Ahavah); b." ... and so that His fear shall be upon your faces, so that you not sin" (20:17) - and Yir'ah is the prerequisite to Torah.
What is the significance of the trembling that siezed Yisrael?
Oznayim la'Torah: It was the automatic result of the tone of the Shofar, as the Navi states, "Im Yitaka Shofar b'Ir, v'Am Lo Yecheradu?" (Amos 3:6).
See Ramban above, 19:13:3:2 .
What is the significance of the five Kolos (sounds, voices) mentioned in the Parshah - three in the current Pasuk ("Kolos" is plural), and two in Pasuk 19?
Berachos 6b: It teaches us that anyone who participates in the Seudah of a Chasan (in connection with whom five Kolos are also mentioned 1 - Torah Temimah) and makes him happy will merit Torah, which was given with five Kolos.
Maharal (Tif'eres Yisrael Ch. 30, p. 89): A sound verifies existence - that something is real, and it is heard by another. 2 As the Torah, the Sechel world order, now reached actualization, it was accompanied by Kolos. Torah is a complete reality; 3 the number five 4 visualizes as four rays spreading out in the four directions, and the central point in between them.
"Kol Sason v'Kol Simchah, Kol Chasan v'Kol Kalah, Kol Omerim Hodu Es Hashem ... " (Yirmeyah 33:11). See Torah Temimah, note 33, who elaborates.
In contrast, someone whose existence is incomplete is described as "Let him sit alone and be silent" (Eichah 3:28).
Maharal (loc. cit.) comments on the ensuing Gemara about gladdening a Chasan. A new Chasan now reaches complete existence; that is what calls for Simchah. As above, "Kol" means actualization, and five indicates full existence. Compare Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv Gemilus Chasadim, end Ch. 4, p. 162).
Other sources count seven Kolos; see the next two questions.
In what manner did the Voice emanate at Matan Torah?
Maharal #1 (Tif'eres Yisrael, beg. Ch. 31, p. 91): The Word of Hashem was a single Voice; which divided into seventy. From Hashem, Who is One, comes every example of many. 1 The number 7 is always used to indicate many; 2 thus 70 (seven times ten 3 ) means 'the many that become unified.'
Maharal #2 (ibid.): The Midrash tells us that initially, they heard the Voice of Hashem from all six sides at once (from four directions, from above, and from below). Then the Voice divided into seven, and then further into seventy languages. Initially, what they heard was simply 'Kol' without defined speech. As the Pasuk states, "As for wisdom, from where shall it be found?" (Iyov 28:12). Torah is Sechel from on High, above any delimitations of space - thus the Kol traversed the entire world. Even as the Voice divided into seven 4 [they did not yet comprehend it], as the Pasuk continues "... and where is the location of understanding" (ibid). When the Kol became seventy [languages], it caused the nations' souls to depart them, whereas Yisrael remained unharmed, and they understood the language and the content. 5
See Maharal (Netzach Yisrael Ch. 3, p. 15) at length. This comes to reject the philosophers' premise, that the variety in Creation would indicate that it does not come from one source. On the contrary - the many disparate components in the world, all in a state of unity, indicate that there is one Source of them all. (Also see Netzach Yisrael Ch. 10, p. 60, and Gevuros Hashem Ch. 60, p. 264; also see our notes to Shemos 12:3:1.3:2 .)
E.g., "On one path they shall go out towards you, but on seven paths they shall flee" (Devarim 28:7).
A set of ten means the combination of single units into one whole.
Maharal (Tif'eres Yisrael Ch. 66, p. 204): Corresponding to the six directions and their central point.
What was the significance of a Voice which they could not understand? See Gur Aryeh to 20:1 - The upper realm is a realm of unity; whereas the lower realm is of divergence. The Torah was therefore (initially) given from the Mouth of Hashem, in one Utterance - in accord with its true nature. Also see Rav Hartman's notes on this Maharal.
Why is the term "Kol" in our Pasuk, twice spelled Chaser, without a Vav? Later, "ha'Kolos" (20:15) is spelled Malei, with a Vav! Furthermore, why in Parshas Va'eschanan is "Kol Gadol" (Devarim 5:19) in the singular, whereas here it states "Kolos" in plural?
Maharal (Derush Al ha'Torah, p. 34): Seven instances of "Kol" appear in this section. 1 The number 7 indicates many, indicating that Hashem granted Torah to Yisrael with expansiveness. As generations passed, however, these "Kolos" diminished until but one remained. Yet as Parshas Va'eschanan states, "Kol Gadol v'Lo Yasaf" - despite the Kol of Matan Torah being diminished, it did not cease. 2 Chazal teach that all generations of Klal Yisrael stood at Har Sinai (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 3) . a. Regarding the earlier generations 3 , whose Sechel ruled over their Guf, our Pasuk uses the term "Kol" without a Vav. Such individuals take sufficient heed of even a small remark, without needing to hear powerful Kolos, etc. They also had abundant reception for Torah, as indicated by the seven "Kolos." 4 b. As for subsequent generations, the verse (20:15) writes "Kolos" out in full; because their hearts were not as receptive, it was necessary to have them hear a full, undiminished Kol. Yet they too merited an abundance of "Kolos" (plural). c. The term "Kol Gadol" (Devarim 5:19) refers to latter generations, whose hearts would open to Torah only like the eye of a needle. They must hear a "great Kol;" because their Guf rules over their Sechel, they do not have an abundance [of reception] for Torah. Although that term appears in the singular, not in the plural, it is nonetheless "unceasing" - meaning that Hashem continually grants Torah to Yisrael afresh.
Yalkut Shimoni (Tehilim, #709) counts the seven Kolos as follows - Two in our Pasuk ("Kolos u'Verakim... v'Kol Shofar"); two in 19:19; two in 20:15; and one in Parshas Mishpatim ("va'Ya'anu... Kol Echad) (24:3). See note three below. Also see Berachos 6b.
As Targum translates, "v'Lo Pasak."
Eruvin 53a: Rebbi Yochanan says - The hearts of the earlier generations were open like the entrance to the Ulam; the later generations like the entrance to the Heichal; whereas we are like the size of the eye of a mending needle. As Maharal explains - a. Some people achieve having their Sechel rule over their Guf, such that even their Guf is fully open and receptive to Torah. They are portrayed as the entrance of the Ulam - which was 20 Amos wide , double the standard size. These individuals have two receptacles for Torah (both the Sechel and Guf). b. Some people do not allow their Sechel to rule their Guf, but the Sechel itself is properly opened for Torah. Their heart is compared to the entrance to the Heichal - a standard entrance of 10 Amos. c. Some people are deep into their physicality, allowing their Guf to control their Sechel, such that they cannot receive the Torah properly. They are described has having the smallest possible opening for Torah - without which one would not be considered a person, but a mere animal, so to speak. Maharal's further comments (see below) are based on this introduction.
One may ask that our Parshah does not include all seven; unless we include subsequent Parshiyos (see note 1). Perhaps the implication is that earlier generations were receptive to all of the Kolos - even those that were missing or weak; whereas the latter generations could receive only the strong signals, they could no longer hear all seven Kolos present at Sinai. (It remains to explain why Pasuk 19, even prior to Matan Torah, writes out Kol in full with a Vav.)
