Ratzon, a desire to serve Hashem, is a very high level, and many blessings and much success come from it.
It states (19:9) 'ה ֶלא ָםָעה ֵידִּבְר ֶתא ֶהׁמֹש וַיַּגֵּד, "Moshe relayed the words of the nation to Hashem." Rashi explains that initially, the plan was for Hashem to teach the Torah to Moshe Rabbeinu, as the nation would stand by and watch this great revelation. Then Moshe would repeat the lessons of Torah that he heard from Hashem to Bnei Yisrael. However, the nation argued that they wanted Hashem to speak directly to them. They said, "There is no comparison between one who hears from the mouth of the shaliach to when one who hears from the mouth of the King.... ַ לְ כֵּנוּמ ֶתא לִרְאוֹת רְ צוֹנֵנוּ, We want to see our King."
Hashem instructed the nation that they must sanctify themselves. Rashi explains that since Hashem would speak to them, as they requested, they needed to prepare for this significant revelation.
We can learn from this episode the strength of desire. The Jewish nation desired to hear the Torah directly from Hashem's mouth, and Hashem agreed to do as they requested.
Desire of the Mountains
The Midrash states, "When Hakadosh Baruch Hu came to give the Torah in Sinai, mountains ran and fought with one another. This one said, The Torah should be given on me. Another said The Torah should be given on me.... Tavor came... Karmel came... Hakadosh Baruch Hu said... Avodah zarahs were placed on all of you. I desire to give the Torah on Har Sinai because it never had avodah zarah on it."
We can also answer that Hashem wanted to wait another day for the sinners who were banished from the clouds of glory. They were tired from the travels because they didn't have the clouds of glory to assist them. From this we learn how much Hakadosh Baruch Hu cares about every Yid. They are all beloved before Him; therefore, Matan Torah was delayed for a day so these people could properly rest up and be prepared for kabbalas haTorah.
Torah is Given Every Day
In birchas haTorah, we say התורה נותן, "Who gives the Torah," in the present tense. The Taz (Orach Chaim 47:5) explains that this is because Hashem gives us the Torah every day.
The Midrash (Yalkut Yeshayah 391) states, "It will occur in the future that Hakadosh Baruch Hu will come to Har Tavor and Har Karmel to build the Beis HaMikdash on them." The Satmar Rebbe zt'l (Shavuos p.127) explains that there's another Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 99:1) that tells us that Har Tavor and Har Karmel desired the Torah to be given on them. This desire would be paid off in the future because the Beis HaMikdash will be built on them.
Here is a kal v'chomer: If a דומם, an inanimate object, merits greatness because of desire, certainly a human being will receive very high levels for his good desires to keep the Torah.
Desire and Preparation
Chazal (Shabbos 86:) say, "On the first day [that they came to Midbar Sinai] Hashem didn't tell them anything because they were weak from the travel (דאורחא חולשא)." The question is, why were they tired? The clouds (the ענני הכבוד) went before them to make the journey easy and comfortable. Why were they tired?
Sifsei Tzaddik (Shavuos #59) explains that דאורחא חולשא means they were אהבה חולת, ill from love, which is a very high and precious level before Hashem. Hakadosh Baruch Hu didn't want to interrupt or disturb their yearning and love, so He pushed off the preparations for matan Torah until the next day.
Torah is Always New
Rashi (19:1) writes, "We should consider the Torah new as if it was given just today." When we study Torah and keep the mitzvos, they shouldn’t seem like old information or old rituals given to us years ago. We should imagine that Hashem gave us the Torah and mitzvos today. This is why the Torah states (19:1) ַזֶּהה בַּיּוֹם ִינָיס ִדְבַּרמ בָּאוּ , "On this day, they arrived in the desert of Sinai," instead of ההוא ביום, "On that day". "This day" means we should consider the Torah new each day.
This lesson is also a lesson in ratzon, the desire to serve Hashem. Rebbe Tzaddok HaKohen zt'l points out that the pasuk (19:1) ִינָיס ִדְבַּרמ בָּאוּ ַזֶּהה בַּיּוֹם, "On this day, they arrived in the desert of Sinai" refers to six or seven days before matan Torah! Rebbe Tzadok explains that although the Torah wasn't given on that day, the nation desired the Torah on that day. So should we create a new desire for Torah each day.
Reb Tzaddok HaKohen supports his lesson from the Psikta on this pasuk (19:1) בָּאוּ ַזֶּהה בַּיּוֹם ָיִםִצְרמ ֶץֶרֵאמ ֵלָאְרׂיִש בְּנֵי ֵאתלְצ ִׁיְׁלִישַּשה ֶׁשבַּחֹד ִינָיס ִדְבַּרמ , "In the third month of Bnei Yisrael's departure from Egypt, on this day they arrived in Midbar Sinai." The Psikta explains that ִׁיְׁלִישַּשה ֶׁשבַּחֹד stands for חדש בא, comes new. This means that on this day, Klal Yisrael had a new desire for the Torah. This desire is what we want to be renewed every day.
Rebbe Tzadok HaKohen writes, יהיה שתמיד להם שהיה סיני למדבר שבאו הזה היום כמו זה חשק לישראל הנפלא החשק , "Yisrael should always have this desire, like the day that they came to Midbar Sinai, that they had a wonderful desire [for Torah]."
