Seeing the sounds at Sinai

בפסוק וכל העם רואים את הקולות.

On the verse "And all the people saw the sounds (kolos)."

The Sefas Emes takes up the striking verse from Matan Torah in which Bnei Yisrael are said to have "seen" the thunderous sounds at Sinai.

ראו לא כתיב אלא רואים פי' שכל מה שבנ"י רואים ומשיגים בכל דור ודור הכל מאותן הקולות כמאמר חז"ל שכל הנביאים קיבלו מסיני נבואתן.

It is not written "they saw" (in the past tense) but "seeing" (in the present) — meaning that all that Bnei Yisrael see and apprehend in every single generation is entirely from those very sounds, as Chazal said that all the prophets received their prophecy from Sinai.

The present-tense "seeing" teaches that the revelation at Sinai never ended. Every perception and grasp of the Divine in any generation flows from those original kolos — which is why Chazal say all later prophecy was already given at Sinai.

ולכן נאמר את הקולות פי' הנמשך מאלה הקולות.

Therefore it says "the sounds" (es hakolos) — meaning that which is drawn forth from these sounds.

The extra word es ("the") hints at everything that extends and flows out from those Sinai sounds across all generations, not merely the sounds heard in that one moment.

ולהבין מה דכתיב רואים ולא שומעים.

And to understand what is written, "seeing" and not "hearing."

The Sefas Emes now addresses the obvious difficulty: sounds are ordinarily heard, so why does the Torah describe them as something "seen"?

עפ"י דברי זוה"ק וארא על פסוק ושמי ה' לא נודעתי כי בשם הוי"ה ב"ה אשר בו נתנבא מרע"ה לא שייך בי' ראי' רק ידיעה.

This is based on the words of the holy Zohar in Va'eira, on the verse "but by My Name Hashem I did not make Myself known": for with the Name Havayah, blessed is He — through which Moshe Rabbeinu prophesied — the term "seeing" does not apply, only "knowing" (yedi'ah).

The Zohar distinguishes levels of revelation by Divine Names. The highest Name, Havayah, the level at which Moshe prophesied, is so transcendent that it cannot be "seen" at all; it can only be "known" — a clear, direct apprehension beyond imagery.

ולאבות כתיב וארא כו' ע"ש.

But regarding the Avos it is written "and I appeared (va'eira), etc." See there.

By contrast, the Avos experienced revelation at the level of "appearing" — a "seeing," a lower and more clouded grade of perception than Moshe's direct "knowing." See the Zohar there.

כמו כן בנ"י במתן תורה ע"י אספקלריא שרואין בה כל הנביאים עי"ז האספקלריא ראו הקולות ע"ש בזוה"ק ותבין:

So too Bnei Yisrael at the giving of the Torah, through the aspaklaria (lens of vision) through which all the prophets see — through this aspaklaria they "saw" the sounds. See it in the holy Zohar, and you will understand.

At Matan Torah, Bnei Yisrael perceived through the aspaklaria, the prophetic "lens" by which prophets behold their visions. Because their apprehension came by way of that medium of vision rather than Moshe's level of pure "knowing," the Torah aptly says they "saw" the sounds.

Summary: The present-tense "seeing the sounds" teaches that Sinai's revelation is ongoing — every apprehension of the Divine in every generation flows from those original kolos. The Torah says "seeing" rather than "hearing" because, per the Zohar, Bnei Yisrael perceived through the aspaklaria, the prophetic lens of vision (the level of "appearing" given to the Avos), as distinct from Moshe Rabbeinu's transcendent level of pure "knowing" through the Name Havayah.