Ownerless like the Wilderness: (כמדבר הפקר) Cultivating Conditions for Ongoing Revelation

(1) On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, YHWH spoke to Moses in the wilderness (midbar) of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying:

(7) "...And YHWH spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai." Why specifically in the wilderness (midbar)? Whoever does not make themself ownerless like the wilderness (k'midbar hefker) is not able to acquire wisdom and Torah, therefore it is written 'in the wilderness of Sinai...'

Said Rabbi Abahu....in the name of Rabbi Yochanan...When the Holy Blessed One gave the Torah, no bird chirped, no fowl fluttered, no ox lowed, the angels did not fly, the Seraphim did not utter the Kedusha, the sea did not roar, the creatures did not speak; the universe was silent and mute. And the voice came forth “Anochi Adonai Elohecha” (I am the Infinite, your God).

(Rabbi Arthur Green translation)

"Indeed, the children of Israel have not listened to me, so how will Pharaoh, since I am a man of uncircumcised lips?" [Ex: 6:12] We have already explained that it is because Israel refused to listen that he has these "uncircumcised lips." The prophet prophesies by the power of those who listen. This is the meaning of "a prophet from your midst...[to him you shall listen]" [Deut. 18:15]; it also says: "Hear, my people, and I will speak" [Ps. 50:7]. The rabbis teach that a witness must be one who can hear.

This is what delayed the giving of the Ten Commandments. Speech was in exile as long as those who were to receive Torah had not yet readied themselves to hear the word of God. When the Torah says [of the people in Egypt] that "they did not listen to Moses" [Ex. 6:9], the Midrash says that it was hard for them to abandon their "foreign worship." Thus it is said: "No person would cast away the abominations of his their eyes." [Ezek. 20:8] This does not necessarily refer to idols, but to worship that was foreign to them.

Hearing requires being empty of everything. As it is written, "Hear daughter, and see, give ear; forget your people and your father's house." [Ps. 45:11] This is the essence of exile today as well: our inability to empty ourselves, to forget this world's vanities so that we empty the heart to hear the Source of Life speak without any distracting thought.

This is the meaning of the verse: "Do not turn after your hearts [or your eyes]." [Num. 15:39] It was because "no person would cast away the abominations of their eyes" that they walked amid "the idols of Egypt." Had they been ready to hear the word of YHWH, they would have been redeemed immediately.

Now Torah has already been given to Israel by "a great voice that did not cease." [Deut. 5:19] It has never stopped. Each day we say "Hear, O Israel, YHWH our God, YHWH is One" [Deut 6:4]; this is the voice saying: "I am YHWH your God," it has never stopped. But we have to prepare ourselves to truly hear the Shema without any distracting thought.

This is why we mention the Exodus [in the Song of the Sea] before the Shema. By being redeemed from Egypt we are emptied of all distraction and become ready to hear God's word. As the Torah reads, "They did not listen to Moses, their spirits crushed/narrow by cruel bondage." [Exodus 6:9] Meaning: their bodies were dominating [and leaving no space for] their souls and spirits.

And on Shabbat we flip this around. For an additional soul descends and every Jew empties themself before the Source. And in this way, Shabbat is an auspicious time to hear the word of YHWH.