Bending the Heavens

Bending the Heavens At the giving of the 10 Commandments, a Bending of the Heavens took place and God descended upon Mount Sinai.   [Exodus 19:20 (Chabad.org)] "20 The Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the peak of the mountain, and the Lord summoned Moses to the peak of the mountain, and Moses ascended." He bent down the heavens and spread them upon Mount Sinai like a garment.  Garments often represent character-traits in the Torah.  At the giving of the 10 Commandments, the garments of the Lord's loving-kindness, mercy, and truth were revealed to His chosen people.  The meeting that took place at Mount Sinai was a marriage ceremony.  The Israelites became a holy nation and joined their Bridegroom, the Lord Himself in Holy Matrimony.  Marriage vows were exchanged between the Lord and His chosen people. God spoke all these words. [Exodus 20:1 (Chabad.org)] "1 God spoke all these words, to respond:" What are all these words?  These words are the entire 10 Commandments.  God spoke all 10 Commandments in a single utterance.  After this verse, God explains each statement of the 10 Commandments individually.  With each statement, the Israelites responded, "Yes" to the positive commandments and "No" to the negative commandments.  Doesn't this remind you of an American marriage ceremony where the bride and groom respond, "I do" with each vow of the marriage covenant. Similarly, in the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth, a Bending of the Heavens took place and God spoke the entire Creation into existence in Genesis 1:1. [Genesis 1:1 (Chabad.org)] "1In the beginning of God's creation of the heavens and the earth." In the next several verses of Genesis 1, God completed the Creation with 10 individual utterances that begin with "and God said."  There is a relationship between the 10 Utterances of Creation and the 10 Commandments.  God created the world for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel (Rashi).  Israel became a nation and sealed her marriage vows with the Lord at the giving of the 10 Commandments. Like Jacob, let's prostrate ourselves before the Lord for his loving-kindness and tender mercies towards us. [Genesis 47:31(Chabad.org)] "31 And he said, "Swear to me. " So he swore to him, and Israel prostrated himself on the head of the bed." You will experience the  Bending of the Heavens in your priestly calling at this anointed service.