For the week ending 6 November 2004 / 22 Heshvan 5765
The Mission of a Mountain
Mount Tavor in the north of Eretz Yisrael was the scene of a miraculous victory of Israelite forces led by the Prophetess Devora and Barak ben Avinoam over the numerically superior and better armed forces of the Canaanites.
Since it was destined to be the site of such a great miracle, the mountain asked that the Torah be given to Israel upon it. The request was rejected, says the Midrash, because idols had been worshipped by the heathens upon it.
In the end of days, however, it will be joined with another mountain rejected for the same reason - Mount Carmel - and Mount Sinai upon which the Torah was indeed given to form the site upon which the third Beit Hamikdash will be built.