“The world was created with ten utterances … . Could it not have been created with one utterance? This was to exact punishment from the wicked people who destroy the world that was created with ten utterances …”
R’ Yecheskel Landau, the Tzlach, cites the Tosfos Yom Tov who asks how it is possible that Hashem wishes to increase the punishment of the wicked people. We know that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is benevolent and He does only good.
However, the creation of the world with ten ma’amaros, instead of only one utterance, indeed testifies to Hashem’s compassion. Had Hashem created the world with only one word then the rosho’s transgression would be challenging the entire Torah at once. As a result, the punishment for that sin would also have to be administered in one fell swoop.
Hashem, in His kindness, created the world with ten ma’amaros, so that the transgression could be fragmented, a little for each word. Similarly, the punishment for the rosho’s offense would be meted out little by little, because otherwise it would be too difficult to withstand.
