parsha bit: Yitro

[cellio]

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi taught: When Moshe ascended Har Sinai to receive the torah, the heavenly court challenged the Holy One, blessed be he, asking how he could give his precious torah to flesh and blood. The Almighty commanded Moshe to answer them. Moshe asked: "Sovereign of the universe, what is written in this torah?" "I am the Lord thy God, who brought you out of Egypt." Moshe asked the angels: "Did you go down to Egypt? Were you enslaved by Paro?" Again he asked what is written in the torah. "You shall have no other gods." Moshe asked the angels: "Do you dwell among idolaters, that this is a risk for you?" What else is written? "Remember the sabbath and keep it holy." Moshe asked: "do you do any work from which you need to rest?" What else? "Honor your father and mother." "Do you even have fathers and mothers?" He continued in this vein until the angels conceded. (Shabbat 88-89)

This is somewhat abridged, but I didn't want to overstay my welcome, so to speak.