The Midrash explains that the word לֵאמֹר—“to say”—in the verse that introduces the Ten Commandments is not an instruction to repeat what is being said, as לֵאמֹר generally indicates. Rather, in this instance, לֵאמֹר means, “to respond,” meaning that Bnei Yisrael responded to G‑d after each of the Ten Commandments. The subject of their response, however, is a matter of debate. According to Rabbi Akiva, they responded “Yes!” to both the positive commandments and the prohibitions, indicating their willingness to comply with whatever G‑d demanded. Rabbi Yishmael disagrees and says that they responded “Yes!” to the positive mitzvos, indicating their willingness to fulfill those commandments, and “No!” to the prohibitions, indicating that they would refrain from what is forbidden.
This debate is, in essence, a commentary on the nature of the mitzvos and what our primary focus in their fulfillment must be. Should our emphasis in the observance of a mitzvah be on experiencing its unique message and effect on our lives and on the world, or on the common theme shared by all the mitzvos—simply, that their observance fulfills the will of G‑d?
Rabbi Yishmael believes that the ultimate purpose of a mitzvah’s observance is the refinement of the individual (and the world) that each mitzvah causes. He therefore asserts that as the Jewish people heard each commandment, they sensed its unique purpose and effect. In line with their experience, their responses alternated between “Yes!”, expressing their excitement to implement the positive mitzvos in their lives, and “No!”, voicing their aversion to the wrongness of the prohibitions.
Rabbi Akiva, in contrast, maintains that the highest form of worship is the transcendence that can be experienced through mitzvos. This is found equally in refraining from transgression as it is in fulfilling the positive commands—they are all opportunities to surrender ourselves to G‑d and His will. Rabbi Akiva therefore asserts that the Jewish people at Sinai experienced this transcendent nature of mitzvos, and appropriately responded a uniform, affirmative “Yes!” to all ten commandments.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 6, pp. 124–125
