The Seven Voices Of The Torah

The master said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "And all the people saw the voices and the torches" (Exodus 20:15)? Now are voices something that can be seen? Rather, "all the people saw the voices": those voices of which David said, "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders" (Psalms 29:3) and onward. "The voice of the LORD is in power" (Psalms 29:4), and Scripture says, "By the strength of my hand I have done it" (Isaiah 10:13), and it says, "My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth" (Isaiah 48:13). "The voice of the LORD is in majesty" (Psalms 29:4), and the verse says, "Splendor and majesty are His work, and His righteousness endures forever" (Psalms 111:3). "The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars" (Psalms 29:5): this is the bow that shatters the cypress trees and the cedar trees. "The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire" (Psalms 29:7): this is the one who makes peace between the water and the fire, for it hews out the power of the fire and prevents it from licking up the water, and also prevents the water from extinguishing the fire. "The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness" (Psalms 29:8), as it is said, "And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and to his seed forever" (Psalms 18:51), more than the wilderness. "The voice of the LORD makes the hinds to calve and strips the forests bare, and in His temple everyone says, Glory" (Psalms 29:9), and it is written, "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field" (Song of Songs 2:7). From this you learn that the Torah was given with seven voices, and in all of them the Lord of the world was revealed to them, and they saw Him; and this is what is written, "And all the people saw the voices."