Why Moses Was Humbler Than Every Person and the Angels

"Now the man Moses was very humble" (Numbers 12:3) — for he heard the words [spoken against him] and said nothing to them, but kept silent; yet the Holy One, blessed be He, was concerned for the honor of Moses and demanded redress for the insult done to him. "Very humble" — humble in his mind, or is he not [called] humble except with regard to money? But it has already been said, "Carve out for yourself" (Exodus 34:1), [meaning] that the chips should be yours, and those stones that he carved were of sapphire, and from there Moses became rich [so it cannot be that he was "humble," i.e., poor, in money]. And if you should say he was humble in his body, that he was weak — but he came down upon Sihon and Og and slew them. Rather, [he was] humble in his mind, for he would hear his own disgrace and not answer back. "More than any person (adam)" — one might think [more humble than] the ministering angels, who are called "adam," as it is said, "and the likeness of their faces was the face of a man (adam)" (Ezekiel 1:10) — [that] he was humble. Therefore it is said "upon the face of the earth (adamah)," and not [more than] the ministering angels, concerning whom it is said, "And one called to another and said" (Isaiah 6:3). What did it mean to say [by this]? That each and every angel says to its fellow, "You speak first, for you are greater than I."