Miracles are your testimonies, etc. Moses said (Deuteronomy 5:23), "For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire, as we have, and has still survived?" Thus he told the Israelites, "Know that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the heavens, He did not create them with a voice, and when He created the earth, He did not create it with a voice, nor did any nation hear the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He.
When did His voice become audible? When He gave the Torah. And so it says (Psalms 29:5-7), 'The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.' All the voices [of nature] are for what purpose? That the Holy One, blessed be He, may give strength to His people. And it is written (Exodus 19:19), 'And the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder.'
Therefore David said, 'Out of all the voices, the miracles that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed with Israel come.' What were those miracles? The miracles of the Torah. Hence it says, 'Miracles are your testimonies.'
And it says (Psalms 139:6), 'Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.' Therefore, 'my soul keeps them.' And it says (Proverbs 4:13), 'Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.' If you keep the Torah, your soul will keep you.
Hence it says, 'Therefore my soul keeps them.' 'May your opening utterances shed light'--what is 'opening utterances shed light'? They are the words of Torah. And it says (Psalms 19:9), 'The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.'
And it says (Proverbs 6:23), 'For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light.' Hence it says, 'May your opening utterances shed light.' The words of Torah open to each other like openings and doors. This is the Torah, as it is said: "Happy is the man who listens to me, etc." Woe to the wicked who God punishes not because they did evil, but because they did not follow the Torah.
As it is said: "How long will you love simplicity, you foolish ones? Reprove my reproof, etc." "I also will laugh at your calamity, etc." At that time they will call upon me, but I will not answer. "Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of my counsel, etc." For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, etc. They should have come to the Torah, which would have made them wise.
As it is said: "The testimony of the Lord is faithful, making the simple wise, etc." Therefore it is said: "Your word is a lamp to my feet, etc." "My soul longs for it, etc." "I open my mouth wide and pant, etc." "I have longed for your commandments, etc." Just as snakes shed their skin, people shed their mouths for gossip. As it is said: "They waited for me as for the rain, and opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain, etc." "Why is rain the Torah?"
Moses says: "My teaching shall drop like the rain, etc." Therefore it is said: "I open my mouth wide and pant, etc." Just as snakes crave the wind, I craved your Torah.