| The Road to Sinai Why wasn't the Torah given as soon as they left Egypt? Didn't God say to Moses: "When you free the people from Egypt you shall worship at the mountain"? Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalom said: It is like a prince who has recovered from an illness. His father says, "We will give him three months to recover fully, and then we shall take him to the rabbi's house to study." In the same way, when Israel came out of Egypt, there were among them many who had been crippled by the enslavement. The Holy One said: "I will wait until they are healed, and then I will give them the Torah." -Tanhuma, Yitro What is meant by the verse "they stood beneath the mountain"? Rabbi Abdimi ben Hamam ben Hasa said: This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be, lifted the mountain over their heads like a barrel, and said: "If you accept the Torah everything will be fine, but if you don't this will be your grave!" Reish Lakish said: The Holy One said to the earth: "If Israel accepts the Torah, you will exist; if not, I will turn you back into emptiness and chaos!" -Talmud, Shabbat 88a
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When the Israelites came out of Egypt, their sickness was such that
they did not understand how much harm their slavery had caused. God waited for three
months to give them the Torah so that they could realize their
disabilities. -Rabbi Menahem of Kotzk |
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