Honor of the Heavenly Serpent G-d cares more for the honor of the righteous that of His own.
From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
The Living Well The flowing spring in the well filled and overflowed in all directions-- it divided into 13 streams. Translated and annotated by Rahmiel-Hayyim Drizin from PaRDeS HaBahir