<b>And the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace (Exod. 19:18).</b> What furnace? Perhaps it is comparable to this furnace? Therefore Scripture says: <i>And the mountain burned with fire</i> (Deut. 4:11). Why then does Scripture say Of a furnace? It does so only in order to transmit to the ear that which it can comprehend. Similarly it says: <i>The lion hath roared, who will not fear</i> (Amos 3:8), yet who instilled strength and power in the lion, if not He? We describe Him by the qualities given to His creations, so that the ear may hear what it is able to comprehend. Likewise, <i>Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east; and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth did shine with His glory</i> (Ezek. 43:2). Who instilled strength and force into the waters? Was it not He? Here again we describe Him merely by the qualities possessed by His creations, so that the ear may comprehend (what it hears).

<i>When the voice of the horn waxed louder and louder</i>. Normally, if a person blows a horn, the sound becomes weaker, but in this instance <i>it waxed louder and louder</i>. Why was the sound soft at first? So that it might (safely) penetrate the ear.

Rabbi said: At the time that the Israelites stood at Sinai, all agreed with one accord to receive with joy the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, as it is said: <i>And all the people answered together, and said</i> (Exod. 19:8). And furthermore, they pledged themselves in behalf of each other. At the time the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to make a covenant with them concerning the hidden and revealed matters, they said: We will make a covenant with Thee concerning the revealed matters, but not concerning that which is hidden, lest one of us sin in secret and the entire congregation be held responsible because of him, as it is said: <i>The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us</i> (Deut. 29:28), in order that we may perform all the words of this law. Therefore, <i>God spoke all these words</i>.