An Echo

An echo

The intent of the Medrash’s statement that the voice had no echo can be appreciated through an understanding of the physical mechanics of an echo:

An echo is similar to a reflection. Just as a reflection of light in a mirror occurs when the light cannot penetrate and reverberates back to the viewer, an echo works in a similar manner. When the sound reaches a place that it does not penetrate, it reverberates and creates an echo similar to a ball that bounces off of a wall.

However, when the Almighty proclaimed “I am the lord your G-d,” there was no echo in the voice. The words of G-d permeated the entirety of creation to the extent that there was naturally unable to be a reverberation to the sound.

Thus, the reason that there was no echo was not due to the weakness of the voice, but due to its strength. Because the voice was “a great voice, which did not cease” and permeated every crevice of creation, there was therefore naturally no echo. The entirety of creation absorbed G-d’s words.