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Three month after emerging from the Egyptian bondage, the Israelites gather around Mount. Sinai, and Moses climbed up to hear God's words: "You have seen how I punished the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings, bringing you over. And Now, if you listen to my commands, and kept your side of our contract, you shall be my special people, apart from all other people, because I own the whole land. And you shall be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation." When Moses the delivered this divine message to the people surrounding the mountain they responded: "Anything God commands us, we shall carry out!" God then ordered the people of Israel to wash and clean, refrain from sexual intimacy, and surround the mountain, but not climb on it. And God appeared with lightning and thunder, and a loud horn (shofar) was heard, and the people trembled. Moses climbed up, and conversed with God who warned him again not to have anyone climb up. Moses went back down, was joined my Aaron, climbing the mountain, and receiving the Ten Commandments.