Moses Mightier Than Angels at Sinai and the Tent of Meeting

Rabbi Tanchum ben Chanilai says: (Psalms 103:20) "Mighty in strength" — this is Moses, for there is none mighty in strength like Moses. For Israel stood before Mount Sinai and were not able to hear the sound of the divine speech, as it is said (Deuteronomy 5:22[25]): "If we continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer, we shall die." But Moses was not harmed — to teach you that the righteous are greater than the ministering angels, for the ministering angels are not able to hear His voice; rather they stand and seethe and are terrified, while the righteous are able to hear His voice. As it is said (Joel 2:11): "And the Lord utters His voice before His army, for His camp is very great, for mighty is the one who carries out His word." "His camp" — these are the angels, as it is said (Genesis 32:3[2]): "This is the camp of God." And likewise it says (Daniel 7:10): "Thousands upon thousands ministered to Him." And who among them is the strongest? The righteous, as it is said (Joel 2:11): "for mighty is the one who carries out His word" — this is the righteous one who carries out His word. And who is this? This is Moses, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Make a Tabernacle. And he hastened and made it, and he stood by himself outside, for he was afraid to enter the Tent of Meeting, as it is said (Exodus 40:35,38): "And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting … for the cloud of the Lord was upon the Tabernacle." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is not the way of Moses, who toiled over the Tabernacle, that he should stand outside while I stand inside; rather, behold, I will call him to enter. Therefore it is written (Leviticus 1:1): "And He called to Moses." Behold how mighty is the strength of the righteous, that they are able to hear His voice! And likewise it is written concerning Samuel (1 Samuel 3:10): "And the Lord came and stood and called as at other times: Samuel, Samuel; [and Samuel said: Speak, for Your servant hears]." Therefore David said (Psalms 103:20): "Mighty in strength, who carry out His word, hearkening to the voice of His word." And if you say that when He spoke with Moses He spoke in a low voice, and therefore he was able to hear — He spoke only in the voice of the giving of the Torah, by which they heard His voice and died at the first utterance, as it is written (Deuteronomy 5:22[25]): "If we continue to hear …." And likewise it says (Song of Songs 5:6): "My soul departed when He spoke." And whence do we know that He spoke in the voice of the giving of the Torah? For it says (Psalms 29:4-5): "The voice of the Lord is in power, the voice of the Lord is in majesty, [the voice of the Lord breaks cedars]." And likewise it says (Numbers 7:89): "And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him" — the voice that he had heard at the giving of the Torah. And so He spoke at each and every utterance, and at each and every saying. Lest you say that Israel were hearing the voice from outside — Scripture teaches (Numbers 7:89): "and he heard the voice" — he alone heard the voice. And since He was speaking in a loud voice, why did they not hear? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed concerning the utterance that it should go forth and travel to Moses, and the Holy One, blessed be He, made for it a path by which the utterance went forth until it reached Moses, and it was not heard here or there, as it is said (Job 28:25): "to make a weight for the wind" — that every utterance that goes forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, [is all by weight]. And likewise it says (Job 28:26): "and a way for the thunder of voices" — that the Holy One, blessed be He, made a way for that voice, that it should go forth to Moses alone, as it is said (Leviticus 1:1): "And He called to Moses, and the Lord spoke to him" — to him it was heard, and not to another. Therefore it is said (Psalms 103:20): "Mighty in strength, who carry out His word."