Chasidut for Pirkei Avot 5:1

To understand the matter further, we will precede it with the mishnah from Pirkei Avot 5:1: “The world was created through ten statements, and what does that mean to teach… except to collect from the wicked etc.” We must understand the fact that the world was created through ten statements in order to augment the punishment of the wicked, who destroy a world as great as this that was created through ten statements – which makes no sense since the world could have been created through a single statement; it is inconceivable that the Blessed Creator, who is a faithful God without wrongdoing, would create us through ten statements in order to augment the punishment of the wicked.

Sermon on Parashat Bereshit
In Midrash Tehillim, it says, “’The beginning of Your words gives light’ (Psalms 119:130) – the beginning of Your words in the Creation was (Genesis 1:3), ‘Let there be light’; From there, ‘You make the fools understand,’ and they will begin with words of Torah” – and Rashi on Psalms cites this midrash. And it appears that his words can be elucidated according to the Mishnah (Avot 5:1), “With ten utterances the world was created, etc.” And see the book, Orchot Tzaddikim, as he explains that the teacher [of this mishnah] had two questions: One is, what was the benefit of having informed us that the world was created with ten utterances? And also, why was it created with ten utterances? And he answered about the first question, that an evildoer should know to be careful not to sin – for his punishment will be great, since he is destroying the world that was created with ten utterances. And about the second question, he answered that it is to give a goodly reward to the righteous. But that itself is difficult – why should the evildoer be punished with a severe punishment? As what does it matter that it was created with ten utterances, was He not able to have created it with one utterance? For if a craftsman makes a utensil in ten days that he could have made in a day, is his payment any greater as a result; and does one who breaks it have to pay any more? Likewise is it difficult – why should the righteous receive any more reward [as a result of this]? And see what he writes.