GEN960 That God serves as the ideal pattern of righteousness and goodness provides the sages with a good reason to extol His scrupulous observance of the Law which He gave to His children. Kings of flesh and blood, they tell us, write laws for others, but disregard these laws themselves. The Holy One, however, sets an example of observance. Jerusalem Talmud. Rosh Hashanah I,3. He commanded that one should rise before the hoary head Leviticus 19:32, and He was the first to comply with this law. Ibid. He teaches men to pray by praying Himself. Berachot 7a. He puts on the phylacteries. Berachot 6a. He studies Torah and He teaches little children. Avodah Zarah 3b.  These imaginative and seemingly fantastic representations of God’s activities are, of course, not to be taken literally, and have a profound religious and ethical meaning…. They are, nevertheless, rendered in such a way as to serve the interests of imitatio Dei as well. … It is, after all, not man who is being imitated by God, but admirable virtues are ascribed to God, Who is best represented as their source an exemplar.  God Who is high and exalted is the paragon of humility. His concern is primarily for the lowly and humble. He is omniscient and omnipotent. Yet He consults with His angels and His prophets. The ascription of humility to God is intended to serve as an example for the rulers and the mighty among men. Sanhedrin 38b, [this verse]. (By David S. Shapiro, "The Doctrine of the Image of God and Imitatio Dei") KELLNER 134