The Shofar Growing Stronger as Moses Speaks

"And the sound of the shofar grew louder and exceedingly strong" (Exodus 19:19). In the way of the world, the longer a sound continues, the weaker it becomes. But the One who spoke and the world came into being is not so. Rather, the longer the sound continues, the stronger it grows. So too, the longer the masters of Torah go on, the more settled their understanding becomes. And so it says, "With aged men is wisdom" (Job 12:12). "Moses would speak, and God would answer him with a voice." Rabbi Eliezer says: Great honor did the Omnipresent allot to Moses, for the Omnipresent would not speak until Moses said to Him, "Speak, for Your children have already accepted Your words upon them with joy." Rabbi Akiva says: How do we know that with the voice and the power and the sweetness with which Moses heard, he made Israel hear? Scripture says, "Moses would speak, and God would answer him"—certainly. Why then does it say "with a voice"? This teaches that with the voice and the power and the sweetness with which Moses heard, he made Israel hear.