Rabbi Joshua son of Levi said: After God, blessed be He, had given the Law to Moses, and Moses had come down from heaven, Satan said: "Lord of the universe, where hast Thou put the Torah? To whom hast Thou given it?"

The Lord replied, "I have given it to the Earth."

So Satan went to the Earth and said, "Where hast thou put the Torah which the Lord, blessed be He, has given thee?"

The Earth replied: " 'God understandeth the way thereof' (Job 28.23), This means that the Lord, blessed be He, knows everything. But I have not the Torah."

Then Satan went to the Sea and said, "Oh Sea, where hast thou put the Torah which the Lord, blessed be He, has given thee?"

The Sea replied, "'The Torah is not with me'" (ibid. v. 14).

Then Satan went to the uttermost depth of the earth and said, "Where hast thou put the Torah which the Lord, blessed be He, has given thee?"

The abyss of the earth replied, " 'It is not in me' " (ibid.).

So Satan went all over the earth searching for the Torah, for the Lord had told him that He had given it to the earth.

Then Satan went to the dead and the lost and asked them: "Where have you put the Torah which the Lord has given you?"

And they replied, "Verily we have heard of it with our ears, but we know nothing more" (cf. Ps. 54.2).

Then Satan came again before the Lord, blessed be He, and said, "Lord of the universe, I have searched the whole earth, but I have not found the Torah."

Then the Lord said unto him, "Go to Moses, the son of Amram, to whom I have given it."

Then Satan went to our master Moses and said, "Moses, where hast thou put the Torah which the Lord has given thee?"

And Moses replied, "How dost thou come to ask me about the Torah? Who am I and what am I that the Lord should give me the Torah?"

When the Lord, blessed be He, heard that Moses would not admit that he had received the Torah, He said, "Thou art a liar. Why dost thou deny that I have given thee the Torah?"

And Moses replied, "Lord of the universe, the Torah is a desirable object, it filleth with joy him who is engaged in studying it. Thou rejoicest over it and studiest it Thyself every day. How then can I boast and say that I have received the Torah? It is not seemly for a man to boast of anything, even though he has reason to do so. On the contrary, it is better that he should be humble."

And the Lord said, "Since thou humblest thyself, and dost not wish to claim the honor of having received the Torah, it shall, as a reward, be called by thy name."

This is why it is written, "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, and keep the Law of Moses" (Mal. 3.22).