Midrash su Salmi 68:17

(Ezek. 11, 16) Yet will I be to them as a minor sanctuary. R. Samuel b. Isaac said: "This refers to the houses of study that are in Babylon." R. Elazar said: "This refers to the house of our master who is in Babylon; i.e., Rab]." Raba lectured: What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 90, 1) Lord, a place of refuge hast thou been unto us. That refers to the prayer- and learning-houses." Abayi said: "Formerly I used to learn at home, and pray at the house of Prayer; but since I heard what David said (Ps. 16, 6) Lord, I love the site of thy house, I began to study in the prayer-house also." In a Baraitha it was taught, R. Elazar ha-Kapar said: "The prayer - and learning - houses outside of the land of Israel will in the future be established in the land of Israel, as it is said (Jer. 46, 18) As Thabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel is by the sea, so shall He come, etc. Can this not be inferred through a fortiori conclusion? If Thabor and Carmel, at which only occasionally the Law was studied, are deemed within the land of Israel, how much more so will the prayer-houses and schools, at which the Law is studied, be established in the land of Israel?" Bar Kapara lectured: "What does this passage mean (Ps. 68, 17) Why watch ye enviously, ye many-peaked mountains? This means: A heavenly voice went forth and said to the mountains: 'Why should ye be jealous of Mount Sinai? Ye, all great mountains, are blemished in comparison with Sinai; for it is written Gabnunim in connection with mountains, and the same analogy of expression is used (Lev. 21, 20) A Giben (crook-backed) ." .From this," said Abaye, "we may infer that a man who is haughty is to be considered as blemished." (Fol. 31) R. Jochanan said: "Whenever you find in the Scripture a description of the greatness of the Holy One, praised be He! you find also a description of His modesty. This is written in the Pentateuch, repeated in the Prophets, and mentioned a third time in the Hagiographa. In the Pentateuch it is written (Deut. 10, 17) For the Lord your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of Lords; and immediately follows. Who executeth justice for the fatherless and the widow. It is repeated in the Prophets (Is. 57, 15) Thus hath said the High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth Eternity, whose name it Holy; and after this it is written: Yet also with the contrite and humble in spirit. The third time in Hagiographa (Ps. 68, 5) Extol him who rideth upon the heavens. The Everlasting is His name; and after this it is written: A father of the fatherless and the judge of the widows."

Another interpretation (of Numb. 1:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT. <Sinai> was called by six names: Mountain of God (as in Ps. 68:16 [15]), Mount Bashan (ibid.), mountain of peaks (ibid.), mountain of desire (HMD), Mount Horeb (Exod. 3:1; 33:6; etc.), Mount Sinai.⁴⁴Tanh., Numb. 1:7; Numb. R. 1:8. The mountain of God is <so called> because on it God sat in judgment, as stated (in Exod. 21:1): NOW THESE ARE THE JUDGMENTS⁴⁵Mishpatim. In the biblical context the word would more normally be translated ORDINANCES. WHICH YOU SHALL SET BEFORE THEM. Mount Bashan is the mountain where (sham) Holy One came (ba').⁴⁶In the Hebrew text sham and ba’ appear in the opposite order and next to each other as ba’ sham. The mountain of peaks (gavenunnim, rt.: GBN) is the mountain where he carved out and rejected⁴⁷Pasal. The word can mean both “carved” and “rejected.” In carving a statue one rejects what is chipped away. The statue itself, like Israel, is what remains. all the <other> mountains.⁴⁸See Gen. R. 109:1, which depicts the mountains contending with each other to host the revelation of the Torah and generally expands what follows. Where is it shown? <It is> just as you say (in Lev. 21:20): OR A HUNCHBACK (GBN) OR A DWARF.⁴⁹The context is a list of those rejected from serving in the priesthood. The implication here is that, unlike Sinai where the ordinances for priesthood where given, the other mountains were hunchbacks or dwarfs and therefore rejected. The mountain of desire (rt.: HMD) is <so called>, because on it the Holy One desired (HMD) to dwell, as stated (in Ps. 68:17 [16]): THE MOUNTAIN GOD DESIRED FOR HIS DWELLING. Mount Horeb (rt.: HRB) is <so called>, because upon it the sword (rt.: HRB) <of judgment> was unsheathed, as stated (in Lev. 20:10): THE ADULTERER AND THE ADULTERESS SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH, <and> (in Numb. 35:16): THE MURDERER SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH. Mount Sinai is <so called>, because on it the peoples of the world became hateful (rt.: SN') to the Holy One, and he rendered a verdict⁵⁰Gk.: apophasis. against them, as stated (in Is. 60:12): AND THE GENTILES SHALL BE UTTERLY (HRB) DESTROYED (rt.: HRB). R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of R. Johanan: AND THE GENTILES SHALL BE UTTERLY⁵¹In this repetition of Is. 60:12 the Buber text alters the word translated UTTERLY from harov to mehurav. This change also appears in the parallel text of ySot. 7:5 (21d), but not in the traditional parallel texts of Tanh., Numb. 1:7, and Numb. R. 1:8. DESTROYED. <It was> where they received a verdict.

(Numb. 1:1) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert.” [Sinai] was called by six names: Mountain of God (as in Ps. 68:16), Mount Bashan (ibid.), Mountain of Peaks (ibid.), Mountain of Desire (hmd), Mount Horeb (Exod. 3:1; 33:6; etc.), and Mount Sinai.³¹Numb. R. 1:8. The Mountain of God is [so called] because on it God sat in judgment, as stated (in Exod. 21:1), “Now these are the judgments³²Mishpatim. In the biblical context the word would more normally be translated ordinances. which you shall set before them.” Mount Bashan is the mountain where (sham) Holy One, blessed be He, came (ba').³³In the Hebrew text sham and ba’ appear in the opposite order and next to each other as ba’ sham. The Mountain of Peaks (gavenunnim, rt.: gbn) is the mountain where He disqualified all the [other] mountains,³⁴See Gen. R. 109:1, which depicts the mountains contending with each other to host the revelation of the Torah and generally expands what follows. just as you say (in Lev. 21:20), “or a hunchback (gbn) or a dwarf.”³⁵The context is a list of those rejected from serving in the priesthood. The implication here is that, unlike Sinai where the ordinances for priesthood where given, the other mountains were hunchbacks or dwarfs and therefore rejected. Mountain of Desire (rt.: hmd) is [so called], because on it the Holy One, blessed be He, desired (hmd) to dwell, as stated (in Ps. 68:17), “the mountain God desired for His dwelling.” Mount Horeb (rt.: hrb) is [so called], because upon it the sword (rt.: hrb) [of judgment] was unsheathed, as stated (in Lev. 20:10), “the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death,” [and] (in Numb. 35:16), “the murderer shall surely be put to death.” Mount Sinai is [so called], because on it the peoples of the world became hateful (rt.: sn') to the Holy One, blessed be He; and He rendered a verdict³⁶Gk.: apophasis. against them, as stated (in is. 60:12), “and the gentiles shall be utterly (hrb) destroyed (rt.: hrb).” R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of R. Johanan, “’And the gentiles shall be utterly destroyed’ – it was where they received a verdict.”