whom, returning from a long stay over sea, he addressed in the
language the son had acquired in a foreign land. So God addressed
Israel in Egyptian, because it was the language they spoke. At the
same time Israel recognized in this word "Anoki," that is was God
who addressed them. For when Jacob had assembled his children
around his death-bed, he warned them to be mindful of the glory of
God, and confided to them the secrets that God would hereafter
reveal to them with the word "Anoki." He said: "With the word
'Anoki' He addressed my grandfather Abraham; with the word
'Anoki' He addressed my father Isaac, and with the word 'Anoki' He
addressed me. Know, then, that when He will come to you, and
will so address, you, it will be He, but not otherwise." [209]

When the first commandment had come out of the mouth of God
thunder and lightning proceeded from His mouth, a torch was at
His right, and a torch at His left, and His voice flew through the
air, saying: "My people, My people, House of Israel! I am the
Eternal, you God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."
When Israel heard the awful voice, they flew back in their horror
twelve miles, until their souls fled from them. Upon this the Torah
turned to God, saying: "Lord of the world! Hast Thou given me to
the living, or to the dead?" God said: "To the living." The Torah:
"But they are all dead." God: "For thy sake will I restore them to
life." Hereupon He let fall upon them the dew that will hereafter
revive the dead, and they returned to life.

The trembling of heaven and earth that set in upon the perception
of the Divine voice, alarmed Israel so greatly that they could
hardly stand on their feet. God hereupon sent to every one of them
two angels; on lay his hand upon the heart of each, that his soul