The story goes that when it came time for God to reveal the Torah, all the mountains in the world began to vie for the honor. Imagine them, these colossal peaks, practically jostling for position, each one declaring its worthiness.
As Legends of the Jews, that incredible compilation of rabbinic tales, tells us, each mountain had its own argument. One would boom, “Upon me shall the Shekhinah of God rest!” (The Shekhinah, by the way, is the divine presence, the immanent aspect of God that dwells among us). Another would retort, “No, upon me! I am the one destined for this glory!”
Mount Tabor, for instance, boasted to Mount Hermon, “During the Flood, all the other mountains were submerged, but my peak remained above the waters! I am the highest, therefore I deserve to bear the Shekhinah!”
Hermon wasn't about to back down. "When Israel crossed the Red Sea," it countered, "I lowered myself between the shores, allowing them to pass through dry-shod! Not even their clothes got wet thanks to me!” Talk about a mic drop moment!
And then there was Mount Carmel, sitting quietly by the sea, thinking, “Well, if the Shekhinah decides to rest on the water, it will surely choose me. And if it stays on land, I'm right here too!” Talk about playing it cool!
But here's the twist: a voice from heaven thundered, “The Shekhinah will not rest upon these high and proud mountains! God does not want the divine presence to dwell on mountains that quarrel amongst themselves and look down upon one another. He prefers the low mountains, and Sinai, the smallest and most insignificant of them all, is where the Shekhinah will rest."
Can you imagine the other mountains' reactions? "Is it possible," they asked God, "that you're being partial? Will we receive no reward for our good intentions?"
God, in His infinite wisdom, responded, “Because you strived in My honor, you will be rewarded. On Tabor, I will grant aid to Israel at the time of Deborah, and on Carmel, I will give aid to Elijah."
So, what's the message here? Why Mount Sinai? The answer lies in humility. God chose the smallest, most unassuming mountain to receive the Torah, a powerful lesson in the importance of modesty and humility. It wasn't about size or stature, but about inner qualities.
As we find in Midrash Rabbah, it's a reminder that true greatness isn't about outward appearances, but about inner character. And even when we strive for good but don't achieve the outcome we expect, our efforts are still recognized and rewarded in unexpected ways. Just like those other mountains, each played a part in the unfolding story of the Jewish people.