the Torah to the people. [205]

This was the sixth revelation of God upon earth since the creation
of the world. The tenth and last is to take place on the Day of
Judgement.

The heavens opened and Mount Sinai, freed from the earth, rose
into the air, so that its summit towered into the heavens, while a
thick cloud covered the sides of it, and touched the feet of the
Divine Throne. [206] Accompanying God on one side, appeared
twenty-two thousand angels with crowns for the Levites, the only
tribe that remained true to God while the rest worshipped the
Golden Calf. On the second side were sixty myriads, three
thousand five hundred and fifty angels, each bearing a crown of
fire for each individual Israelite. Double this number of angels was
on the third side, whereas on the fourth side they were simply
innumerable. For God did not appear from one direction, but from
all four simultaneously, which, however, did not prevent His glory
from filling the heaven as well as all the earth. [207]
In spite of these innumerable hosts of angels there was no
crowding on Mount Sinai, no mob, there was room for all the
angels that had appeared in honor of Israel and the Torah. They
had, however, at the same time received the order to destroy Israel
in case they intended to reject the Torah. [208]

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

The first word of God on Sinai was Anoki, "It is I." It was not a
Hebrew word, but and Egyptian word that Israel first heard from
God. He treated them as did that king his home-coming son,