משנה מסכת אבות פרק ה משנה א
בעשרה מאמרות נברא העולם ומה תלמוד לומר והלא במאמר אחד יכול להבראות אלא להפרע מן הרשעים שמאבדין את העולם
שנברא בעשרה מאמרות וליתן שכר טוב לצדיקים שמקיימין את העולם שנברא בעשרה מאמרות
By ten acts of speech was the world made. And what does Scripture mean [by having G-d say say ten times]? And is it not so that with a single act of speech [the world] could have been brought into being? But it is to exact punishment from the wicked, who destroy a world which was created through ten acts of speech, and to secure a reward for the righteous, who sustain a world which was created through was created through ten acts of speech.
Suggested Discussion Questions:
According to this source, why was the world made by ten acts of speech? What does this explanation teach us about Judaism’s views of the world and its relationship to morality?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)