might not depart, and on to lift the head of each, that he might
behold his Maker's splendor. They beheld the glory of God as well
as the otherwise invisible word when it emanated from the Divine
vision, and rolled forward to their ears, whereupon they perceived
these words: "Wilt thou accept the Torah, which contains two
hundred and forty-eight commandments, corresponding to the
number of the members of they body?" They answered: "Yea, yea."
Then the word passed from the ear to the mouth; it kissed the
mouth, then rolled again to the ear again to the ear, and called to it:
"Wilt thou accept the Torah, which contains three hundred and
sixty-five prohibitions, corresponding to the days of the year?" And
when they replied, "Yea, yea," again the word turned from the ear
to the mouth and kissed it. After the Israelites had in this wise
taken upon themselves the commandments and the prohibitions,
God opened the seven heavens and the seven earths, and said:
"Behold, these are My witnesses that there is none like Me in the
heights or on earth! See that I am the Only One, and that I have
revealed Myself in My splendor and My radiance! If anyone
should say to you, 'Go, serve other gods,' then say: 'Can one who
has seen his Maker, face to face, in His splendor, in His glory and
His strength, leave Him and become an idolater?' See, it is I that
have delivered you out of the house of bondage; it is I that cleaved
the seas before you and led you on dry land, while I submerged
you enemies in the depths. [210] I am the God of the dry land as
well as the sea, of the past as well as of the future, the God of this
world as well as of the future worlds. [211] I am the God of all
nations, but only with Israel is My name allied. If they fulfil My
wishes, I, the Eternal, am merciful, gracious and long suffering,
and abundant in goodness and truth; but if you are disobedient,
then will I be a stern judge. If you had not accepted the Torah, no