From the Teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Zt”l
The events surrounding the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai are described in this week's portion, Yitro: "There were voices [thunder] and lightening...and the voice of a shofar...and the voice of the shofar...and G-d answered him by a voice." The Talmud comments: "The Torah was given in five voices." (The word "voices" appears once, and "voice" three times. Added together, they equal five.)
Every word in the Torah is significant and exact, especially in its narration of the Giving of the Torah, the single most important event in history. The Giving of the Torah is synonymous with G-d's revelation in the world; if the Torah tells us that it was accomplished in "five voices," it is obvious that this expresses something theologically essential.
The Five Different Type or Levels of Divine Revelation
The function of any "voice" is to reveal something that was previously concealed; a person utilizes his voice to express the ideas that were hidden in his mind and heart. It follows, then, that the "five voices" alluded to at the Giving of the Torah refer to five different types or levels of Divine revelation.
In general, the world is represented by the number four. The world was created through the four-letter, ineffable Name of G-d. The higher, spiritual worlds are divided into four realms: Atzilut, Briya, Yetzira and Asiya. Even the creations on the physical plane are divided into four groups: inanimate, vegetative, animal and human.
These four distinctions encompass everything in our world: The level of inanimate is the lowest, without any (visible) vitality whatsoever. Above this is the vegetative, with limited vitality. The next level upward belongs to animals, and the highest, of course, is man, who possesses the intellectual capacity to grasp profound spiritual truths. By means of his intellect, he can even grasp that there are some things that are higher than the limitations of creation.
A Level of Holiness that Transcends the World
If the Torah had been given "in four voices," it would suggest that G-d revealed Himself at Mount Sinai only as much as He relates to the framework of the natural world. However, by telling us that the Torah was given "in five voices," the implication is that G-d revealed a level of holiness that completely transcends creation's boundaries.
The number five thus represents the perfection of the natural order (the number four), with the addition of one: G-d Himself. At Mount Sinai, the very highest levels of holiness were revealed. And ever since then, whenever a Jew studies Torah, he merits to access not only the levels of holiness that pertain to the world, but even those that transcend it.
Reprinted from the Parshat Yitro 5761/2001 edition of L’Chaim Weekly. Adapted from Likutei Sichot, vol 6
