daf bit: Sotah 5

[cellio]

Two short teachings from the g'mara in today's daf:

Rabbi Avira (or maybe Rabbi Eleazar) said: Come and see that the manner of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that of human beings. The manner of human beings is for the lofty to take notice of the lofty but not of the lowly, but the Holy One is lofty and takes notice of the lowly, as it is said: though the Lord be high, yet he has respect unto the lowly (Ps 138:6).

Rabbi Yosef said: Man should always learn from the mind of his Creator, who ignored all the mountains and heights to descend to Mount Sinai, and ignored all the beautiful trees to abide in a bush. (5a)

(The g'mara presents these in the opposite order and not adjacent; this sequencing is mine.)

Comments

[hlinspjalda.livejournal.com]

So Mount Sinai is a lowly mountain! Whenever I see the pictures, I always wonder about that. Now it makes sense.

[cellio]

I have heard that Sinai is not the tallest mountain, and I vaguely recall (but can't cite) a teaching saying this was to show humility. This g'mara does seem to strengthen that claim, doesn't it?