There is an expression often heard in yeshiva, לשבר את האוזן, which literally means ‘to break the ear.’ This illustration is used when someone wants to make something that he is saying more palpable for the ear to hear by giving an example or parable.
Rabbeinu Bachye uses this expression to explain how the Torah describes the sight of Ma’amad Har Sinai and the giving of the Torah in this week’s Torah portion of Yisro. The Torah states, “All of Mount Sinai was smoking because Hashem had descended upon it in the fire; it’s smoke ascended like the smoke of the furnace, and the entire mountain shuddered exceedingly” (Shemos 19:18).
Rabbeinu Bachye clarifies the meaning of the pasuk; “The smoke filled the mountain, but did not come from the fire, for the fire that exists before the Honor of Hashem does not have any smoke. When the Torah says it was like ‘the smoke of a furnace’ it’s known that the parable(mashal) isn’t exactly the same as the application (nimshal). But because we are physical beings, we can’t comprehend the intellectual esoteric unless it’s expressed in physical terms which we can relate to. To that end we find the pesukim describing the beauty of the sun and it’s raze with the beauty of man, and the pace it seems to move is compared to the flight of a warrior, as it says,'[in their midst he has set up a tent for the sun.] Which is like a groom emerging from his bridal chamber, it rejoices like a powerful warrior to run the course’ (Tehillim 19:5,6). Everyone knows there is nothing like the sun whose power is hundreds of thousands of times more than any other energy around. There is also a pasuk that compares Hashem to a lion, as it says, ‘A lion has roared; who will not fear? The L-rd Hashem has spoken; who will not prophesy’ (Amos 3:8)? The reason for this comparison is because there is no other beast as powerful as a lion. In order (lishaber es ha’ozen,) to make it more palpable to understand, to make it easier to hear. This is also why Chaza”l say (Brachos31b) ‘the words of Torah are written like the way humans speak.'”
Why would the Torah talk the way humans talk; shouldn’t the Torah be loftier? Isn’t it a lack of respect and honor to Hashem to compare Him to physical beings? Wouldn’t it be better to just keep everything esoteric, with the consideration that understanding the concept of Hashem is so beyond our capabilities that we should just accept it with blind faith? On the contrary, by giving physical properties to Hashem, even if one has in mind that it is just an example and is not anything close to what Hashem really is and does, still in all it is possible that people might perceive and misconstrue Hashem as being less than what He really is?
It must therefore be that giving examples which make it more understandable to people, and speaking in ways that are easier to comprehend, is more of an honor to Hashem than leaving the concept of Him vague and aloof. This is because our whole purpose of existence is to know Hashem, and the better understanding we have, and the closer we get to Him, the greater respect and honor that is to Hashem. The more we grasp on our level the closer we get to Him, and the more we strive to gain higher heights of understanding of Hashem and His ways, the greater the relationship we have with Him. This, in turn, creates a greater level of Kovod Shamayim [honor of Hashem in the world].
Granted, all the tools we use to understand Hashem and His ways must keep in mind His loftiness, awesomeness, and eternal reality. But with that incredible scope in mind, using our physical understanding of Him, with the approach of getting closer to Him and understand Him better, this is the greatest respect and honor to Hashem. As it says in the beginning of Mesilas Yesharim, “The foundation of saintliness, and the root of the pure service is for every person to clarify and make truthful what his obligation in this world is and what does one have to focus on during all his toil in his lifetime.”