<b>Another explanation of the verse: And God spoke (Exod. 20:1).</b> Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: <i>Then did He see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out</i> (Job 28:27), and after that is written: <i>And unto man He said</i>. The Torah teaches us that if you are a student of the law, you must not be so presumptuous as to speak before the congregation until you have reviewed the matter two or three times.
It is related that the sexton once called upon R. Akiba to read the Torah before the congregation, but he was unwilling to ascend (to read). His pupils said to him: “Our master, did you not teach us that it is <i>thy life and the light of thy days</i>? Why then do you refuse to ascend?” He answered: “By the Temple service! I refused to read the portion only because I have not reviewed the chapter two or three times, and no one is permitted to recite the words of the Torah until he has reviewed them two or three times by himself.” And so we find that though the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the power to respond to all His creatures,<sup class="footnote-marker">16</sup><i class="footnote">Perhaps: “He has the power to respond (to any objections), and yet reviewed the lesson first.”</i> and the Torah was as clear to Him as a single star,<sup class="footnote-marker">17</sup><i class="footnote">Or: “a single mark.”</i> when He was about to give it to Israel, it is written concerning Him: <i>Then did He see it, and declare it; He established it</i> (Job 28:27), and after that it is written: <i>And unto man He said:</i> Similarly it is stated <i>And God spoke all these words</i>—to Himself. And that is followed by <i>saying</i>.