In Parshat Shmot, (Shmot 3: 1-5) we read about Moshe’s encounter with the burning bush:
Moshe tended the sheep of his father-in-law Yitro, the Kohen of Midian. He led the sheep to the edge of the wilderness and came to Har HaElokim (the mountain of God), to Chorev. An angel of God appeared to Moshe in the heart of the fire in the midst of the sneh (thorn-bush). He looked and behold the bush was on fire, but the bush was not being consumed. Moshe said, “I must turn aside and investigate this sight. Why doesn’t the bush burn?” When God saw that Moshe turned aside to see, He called to him from the midst of the thorn-bush, and said, “Moshe, Moshe.” Moshe said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not come any closer. Take your shoes off your feet, because the place upon which you are standing is holy ground.”
Rashi explains that the spot was called Har HaElokim (the mountain of God) because of what was destined to occur there. Ibn Ezra adds that Moshe wrote “the mountain of God” to show its future holiness as it will later be called Har Sinai (Mt. Sinai).
The fact that Moshe is being told to take off his shoes shows that the spot where the bush is burning is holy. This holiness is also connected to the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. As we read in Shmot 19:23: “Moshe replied to God, ‘The people cannot climb Mount Sinai. You Yourself warned us to set a boundary around the mountain and sanctify it.’”
According to Ibn Ezra and Chizkuni, the source of the name Mount Sinai “Har Sinai” comes from the “Sneh HaBoer”, the burning bush.
Just as the bush was on fire, so too was the mountain on fire when B’nai Yisrael received the Torah (Shmot 19:18):
The entire Mount Sinai was enveloped with smoke, for God had descended upon it in fire. Its smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace and the entire mountain trembled violently.
Since the spot was so holy, B’nai Yisrael stayed away from the mountain. The only other time where we read about anybody going to Har HaElokim, Chorev is Eliyahu HaNavi.
We meet up with the mountain again in Melachim I Chapter19, when Eliyahu HaNavi had to flee from Jezebel (King Achav’s wife). Eliyahu didn’t even feel secure in Be’er Sheva which was outside of Ahav’s control. He went a day’s journey into the wilderness yet that was still not far enough and he was still in a state of despair. Eliyahu felt that his life was over until an angel gave him food and drink so that he would have enough energy to walk for 40 days and 40 nights after which he ended up at Har HaElokim, Chorev.
In Melachim I 19:9 we read:
He (Eliyahu) reached “HaMeara,” the cave, and spent the night there; then behold, the word of God came to him…
Abarbanel points out that the fact that it is called “the cave” implies that it was a known cave, the same place as “nikrat hatzur”, the cleft of the rock where God’s presence passed before Moshe in Shmot 33:22 after the sin of the Golden Calf:
When My Glory passes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I pass by.
Despite the enormity of the sin of the Golden Calf, Moshe pleaded successfully for God’s mercy.
Eliyahu, however, wanted the people to be punished and therefore God told him (verse 11) to go out:
The word of God then said, “Go out of the cave and stand on the mountain…”
Ralbag points out that God showed Eliyahu three destructive forces- earthquake, wind and fire which He could have used to punish and destroy Israel. However, God was not interested in destroying Israel despite the severity of their deeds.
Mount Sinai was the holy spot where both Moshe and Eliyahu received their prophetic visions before being sent out on their missions.
