Rabbi Hoshaya said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, the ministering angels erred concerning him and sought to proclaim “holy” before him. This is analogous to a king and a governor who were in a chariot, and the residents of the province wanted to salute the king by proclaiming: Domine.39O Lord. But they did not know which one he was. What did the king do?
He pushed him [the governor] out of the chariot, and then they all knew that he was the governor. So, when the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, the ministering angels erred concerning him and sought to proclaim “holy” before him. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He cast a deep slumber upon him, and everyone then knew that he was [merely] a man.
That is what is written: “Desist from man, who has breath in his nostrils, for in what way is he worthy?” (Isaiah 2:22).