Jewish kings, too, it was the third, Solomon, whom God
distinguished before all others. The number three plays a
particularly important part in the life of Moses. He belonged to the
tribe of Levi, which is not only the third of the tribes, but has a
name consisting of three letters. He himself was the third of the
children of the family; his own name consists of three letters; in
his infancy he had been concealed by his mother throughout three
months; and in the third month of the year, after a preparation of
three days, did he receive the Torah on a mountain, the name of
which consists of three letters. [179]

THE GENTILES REFUSE THE TORAH

The mountain on which God made his revelation bears six names:
It is called the Desert Sin, because God there announced His
commandments; it is called the Desert Kadesh, because Israel was
sanctified there; the Desert Kadmut because the pre-existing Torah
was there revealed; the Desert Paran because Israel there was
greatly multiplied; the Desert Sinai because the hatred of God
against the heathens began there, for the reason that they would
not accept the Torah; and for this same reason is it called Horeh,
because the annihilation of the heathens was there decreed by God.
[180] For the wrath of God against the heathens dates from their
refusal to accept the Torah offered them.

Before God gave Israel the Torah, He approached every tribe and
nation, and offered them the Torah, that hereafter they might have
no excuse to say, "Had the Holy one, blessed be He, desired to give
us the Torah, we should have accepted it." He went to the children
of Esau and said, "Will ye accept the Torah?" They answered Him,