Moses Ascends and the Angels Protest the Giving of Torah

"And the LORD descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain" (Exodus 19:20). One might think He actually descended; Scripture says, "for from heaven I spoke with you" (Exodus 20:22). Why then does it say, "And the LORD descended upon Mount Sinai"? Say from now on: the heavens of the upper heavens were split, and permission was given to fire to scorch the waters, as it says, "as when fire kindles the brushwood, the fire makes water boil" (Isaiah 64:1). The lower tier descended and stood upon Mount Sinai, and He spoke with them from the heavens—these are the heavens that are above Mount Sinai. "And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up." When Moses ascended to the firmament, the ministering angels joined against him and said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the universe, what is one born of woman doing here?" He said to them, "He has come to receive the Torah." They said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the universe, be content with the upper beings, as it says, 'LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have set Your glory above the heavens' (Psalms 8:2). It is fitting; what have You to do with dwellers in the dust?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Son of Amram, return them an answer." He said before Him, "Master of the universe, can I answer Your angels?" He said to him, "Take hold of the throne and return them an answer." This is what is written, "He grasps the face of the throne and spreads His cloud over him" (Job 26:9). This teaches that He took hold of the throne and spread over him from the radiance of His cloud and shielded him, so the angels would not scorch him with their fire. And so it says, "and I will cover you with My palm until I have passed by" (Exodus 33:22). When he took hold of the throne, he said to them, "You say, be content with the upper beings. And what need have you of it?" They said to him, "What is written in it?" He said to them, "It is written in it, 'You shall have no other gods before Me' (Exodus 20:3). Are there idolaters among you? It is written in it, 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain' (Exodus 20:7). Is there commerce among you where one swears? It is written in it, 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal' (Exodus 20:13). Are there any of these traits among you? It is written in it, 'Honor your father and your mother' (Exodus 20:12). Do you have a father and a mother?" When they heard this, they said, "Master of the universe, give it to him, so that the lower beings may be content with it, for the upper beings have no need of it." This is what is written, "LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth" (Psalms 8:10). And when the ministering angels saw that the Holy One, blessed be He, had given him the Torah, they too crowned him and revealed to him their secrets. This is what is written, "You ascended on high, You led captivity captive, You received gifts among men" (Psalms 68:19). And even the angel of death, when he saw that all the angels revealed their secrets to him, he too revealed his secret to him. He said to him, "At the time the plague comes, offer incense and it is held back." When the plague began, what does it say? "And Moses said to Aaron, 'Take the firepan and put fire on it from the altar and place incense'" (Numbers 17:11). And it says, "and he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was held back." And so it says, "they shall put incense before You" (Deuteronomy 33:10).