Mount Sinai - Two Takes

(16) On the third day, as morning dawned, there was thunder, and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the horn; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. (17) Moses led the people out of the camp toward God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain (tahtit hahar). (18) Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for Adonai had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently.

"...they stood at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 19:17). Rabbi Avdimi bar Ḥama bar Ḥasa said: the Jewish people actually stood beneath the mountain (tahtit/tahat hahar), and the verse teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, overturned the mountain above the Jews like a tub, and said to them: If you accept the Torah, excellent, and if not, there will be your burial. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: From here there is a substantial reason for protest against the Torah...

(14) “O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks, in the hidden place (seter) of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet And your face is comely.”

Rabbi 'Akiva interpreted [the verse as referring to the] moment Israel stood before Mount Sinai, "My dove in the cleft of the rock," for they were hidden in the hidden place (seter) of Sinai. "Let me see, etc." As it is said, "And all the people saw the voices." (Exodus 20:15) "Let me hear your voce" - this is the sound before the [ten] commandments, as it is said, "All that Adonai has said, we will do and we will hear/obey." (Exodus 24:7). "For your voice is sweet" - this is the sound after the [ten] commandments, as it is said, "Adonai heard the sound of your words...all they said was good." (Deuteronomy 5:24) What does "all they said was good" mean? Ḥiyya bar Adda and Bar Kappara, one of them said, "good like the candles", and the other said, "good like the incense." "And your face is comely," as it is said, "The people saw and trembled and stood afar." (Exodus 20:15)