“The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend; for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly” (Exodus 32:7). “The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend” – Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began: “Clouds and wind but no rain, [is a man who glories in a false gift.] With patience, a commander is enticed” (Proverbs 25:14–15). One who says that he will give a gift to another but does not give it, to what is he comparable? To clouds, wind, and lightning that come, but rains do not fall. This was the generation of the wilderness. When they were in Sinai, they were six hundred thousand elders, a like number of young men, a like number of lads, and a like number of women.1The verse states that the children of Israel were “six hundred thousand men on foot besides children” (Exodus 12:37). The midrash asserts that the words “men on foot” serve to teach that there were a like number of elders, who could not travel on foot, as well as a like number of youth, who were not yet “men,” and a like number of women. When they arrived at Sinai and accepted the kingship of the Holy One blessed be He upon them, and they called out in a single voice: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); that was a voice that was a [strong, impressive] voice.2Comparable to the impressive sound of thunder that had accompanied the giving of the Torah. When they arrived at the wilderness, they violated everything and corrupted their actions. When the Holy One blessed be He saw this, He said to Moses: “Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly [shiḥet].” Shiḥet means nothing other than that they corrupted their actions, just as it says: “They behaved corruptly [shiḥet], not from Him; His children, it is their blemish” (Deuteronomy 32:5). Not only did they engage in idol worship, but they also engaged in forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. The revelry [seḥok] stated here,3“They stood to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). is nothing other than idol worship,4The midrash does not find it necessary to prove that the term seḥok can refer to idolatry, as it is clear from the context of the verse in Exodus that the people engaged in idolatry (see Maharzu). forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. From where is it derived that seḥok is bloodshed? As it is stated: “Let the lads arise and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). From where is it derived [that the term seḥok can refer to] forbidden sexual relations? As it is stated: “The Hebrew slave [whom you brought to us] came to me to mock [letzaḥek] me…” (Genesis 39:17). There was no one there greater than Ḥur, and they killed him. This is the approach of Abba, the expounder.5This is all stated by Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba, citing his father. Another matter: “[The Lord spoke [vaydaber] to Moses:] go descend,” in anger. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He spoke harsh words against him. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The speech [dibur] stated here is nothing other than harsh words, just as it says: “The man, lord of the land, spoke [diber] harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). At that moment, Moses saw the ministering angels that were rising and seeking to go out and to harm all of Israel. Moses said: If I forsake Israel and descend, they will never recover. I will not move from here until I ask for mercy on their behalf. Immediately, he began speaking in their defense. He said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I have a claim to advance in their favor.’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, remember in their regard that when You sought to give the Torah to the children of Esau, and they did not accept it, Israel accepted it,’ as it is stated: “All the people answered together [and said: Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform]” (Exodus 19:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They transgressed regarding the performance,’ as it is stated: “They have quickly deviated from the path…” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember in their regard that when I went as Your emissary to Egypt and said Your name to them, they immediately believed and prostrated themselves to Your name,’ as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31), and immediately, “they bowed and prostrated themselves” (Exodus 4:31). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the prostrating,’ as it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to it” (Exodus 32:8). ‘He said to Him: ‘Remember their young men whom I sent and they sacrificed offerings before You,’ as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered burnt offerings and they sacrificed feast offerings]” (Exodus 24:5). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the sacrifice,’ as it is stated: “They sacrificed to it” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember for them what You said at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). He said to him: ‘They violated it,’ as it is stated: “They said: This is your god” (Exodus 32:8). That is, “clouds and wind but no rain” (Proverbs 25:14). Moses immediately voided the punishment. That is, “with patience, [a commander is enticed]” (Proverbs 25:15).
The Holy One blessed be He began providing Moses with paths for him to ask for mercy on their behalf. From where is this derived? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Above it is written, “Go descend,” and thereafter, it says: “The Lord said [vayomer] to Moses: I have seen this people” (Exodus 32:9). Saying [amira] is nothing other than gentle words. This is like a person who has a grudge against another and seeks to reconcile with him, and he says to him: ‘Say [emor] to me what I did to you that led you to do so.’ When Moses heard gentle words from the Holy One blessed be He, he began asking for mercy on their behalf, as it is stated: “Moses implored…” (Exodus 32:11). “Go descend” – [Moses] said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “Ascend, you and Aaron with you” (Exodus 19:24), and likewise, “to Moses He said, ascend to the Lord” (Exodus 24:1), and now You say: “Go descend”?’ He said to him: ‘It is not for your honor that you ascend to here, but rather due to the honor of My children. I said to their grandfather: “Behold, angels of God were ascending and descending on it [bo]” (Genesis 28:12). What is bo? Rather, this is what I said to him: When your descendants will be righteous, they are elevated in the world and ascend, and their emissaries are elevated with them. When they descend, they and their emissaries are in descent.’6Thus, the term bo, which can be translated as “through him,” is interpreted as referring not to the ladder but to Jacob himself and his descendants. “Go descend” – why? “For your people…have acted corruptly.” He said to him: ‘Because they sinned, you and they are in descent.’
Another matter: “Go descend” – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Moses was ostracized and rebuked.7He was distanced from God and sent down from the mountain, like one who is sent away in shame from a human court. “Descend” is nothing other than ostracism. From where do you derive this? When Joseph’s brothers sold him and they went to console their father, he was not consoled. They said:8The brothers said to each other. It was Judah who did all these things to us, for had he not sought it, we would not have sold him. Just as he said to us: ‘Do not kill him,’ and we heeded him, had he said: ‘Do not sell him,’ we would have heeded him. Instead, he said to us: “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37:27). They stood and ostracized him, as it is stated: “It was at that time, Judah descended from his brothers” (Genesis 38:1). It should have said only: “Judah went”; he was in descent from his brothers.9The reason it states “Judah descended” is to indicate that he did not merely leave. His brothers stripped him of his elevated status and ostracized him. Just as “descended [vayered]” that is stated there connotes ostracism, so too, “descend [red]” that is written here connotes ostracism. This is analogous to a province that sent an emissary to crown the king. Before he arrived, the residents of the province overturned the idols and stoned the images [of the king]. The prominent leaders of the province wrote to the king.10They informed him of what had occurred. The missives entered before the emissary entered to crown the king. The king said to him…11The text of the midrash does not include the end of the sentence, but the point is that the king turned back the emissary and informed him that he would not be seen due to the disloyal conduct of the residents of his province. “Your people…have acted corruptly” – were they Moses’s people? Rather, that is what the verse said: “Woe to them, as they have wandered from Me; plunder upon them, as they rebelled against Me. I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies about Me” (Hosea 7:13). They were separating themselves from Me, as it is stated: “Woe to them, as they have wandered from Me.” Is there a person who exchanges a good item for a bad item? A person before whom they place gems and coal, would he forsake the gems and take the coal? But they forsake the living of the world12The true, living God, who gives life to the entire world. and opt for the dead, as it is stated: “They have eyes, but do not see” (Psalms 115:5).13In worshipping the golden calf, the people chose an inanimate object over God. “Plunder upon them” – calamity is destined to befall them. “But they have spoken lies about Me” – what lies did they speak about the Holy One blessed be He? Rabbi Akiva expounded: They said: Was He engaged with us? It was with Himself that He was engaged. He redeemed Himself; He did not redeem us, as it is stated: “Nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt” (II Samuel 7:23). The Rabbis say: “This is your god [that took you out of Egypt]” (Nehemiah 9:18) – it redeemed us. Rabbi Ḥagai ben Elazar says: It is not written here, “this is your god,” but rather, “these are your gods” (Exodus 32:4) – they included Him with them and said: God and the calf redeemed us. They lie about Me; [thus,] “I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies about Me.” I, too, say that they are not My people. That is why it is stated: “For your people…have acted corruptly.”
Another matter: “Go descend”; Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “I will distress the people” (Zephaniah 1:17) – this is Moses; “and they will walk like the blind” (Zephaniah 1:17) – these are Israel. Why? “Because they sinned against the Lord” (Zephaniah 1:17), as they said: “These are your gods, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). “Their blood will be spilled like dust” (Zephaniah 1:17), as it is stated: “Pass to-and-fro from gate to gate in the camp, [and each man slay his brother, and each man his neighbor, and each man his relative]” (Exodus 32:27). “And their flesh [ulḥumam] like dung” (Zephaniah 1:17), as they were killed and their flesh was cast away like dung. Rabbi Levi said: In Arabia, they call flesh laḥma.14This is stated as proof that the relatively obscure term ulḥumam in the verse means flesh. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to him, “Go descend,” Moses’s face blackened, and he became like a blind man due to the troubles, and he did not know from which place to descend. The ministering angels sought to kill him.15They were jealous that the Torah had been given to Moses to transmit to human beings rather than given to the angels. They said: ‘This is the time to kill him.’ The Holy One blessed be He knew what the ministering angels sought to do to him. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo, in the name of Rabbi Ḥanan bar Yosef, in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Aivu: The Holy One blessed be He opened a small opening for him beneath His throne of honor and said: “Go descend,” as it is stated: “The Lord said to me: Rise, descend quickly from here” (Deuteronomy 9:12). Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai: When Moses came to descend, the ministering angels came to kill him. What did he do? He grasped the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, and the Holy One blessed be He spread His garment over him so they would not harm him, as it is stated: “He grasps the surface of His throne and spreads [parshez] His cloud over it” (Job 26:9). What is parshez? It is an acrostic for: He spread [paras], the Merciful [raḥum] Almighty [Shadai], the aura [ziv] of His cloud over him.
Another matter: “Go descend [red]” – Rabbi Meir says: They require discipline [mardut]. From where is it derived that this is what He said to him? You know it from what the Holy One blessed be He said to him, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: I have seen this people and behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 32:9). A person does not say that so-and-so is stiff-necked unless he requires discipline. The Rabbis say: What is “go descend”? They require discipline. This supports Rabbi Meir. Know that it is so; come and see that when Moses descended, what did he say to them? “Moses stood at the gate of the camp and said: Whoever is for the Lord, [to me].… And he said to them: So said the Lord, God of Israel: [Each man, place his sword upon his thigh. Pass to and fro from gate to gate in the camp and each man slay his brother and each man his neighbor and each man his relative]” (Exodus 32:26–27). Where do you find that He had said that to him? “Go descend.” What is “descend”? They require discipline. Another matter: “Go descend” – Rabbi Avin said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: Do not consider it grave that I said to you “go descend” from here, as two, three times I descended, as it were, from Heaven to earth in order to see the corruption of the people, as it is stated: “The Lord descended to see the city and the tower” (Genesis 11:5); “Come let us descend [and confound their language there]” (Genesis 11:7);16These two verses are in the context of the Tower of Babel. “I will descend and see” (Genesis 18:21).17This is in the context of the destruction of Sodom. You, too, “go descend” – it is sufficient for a servant to be equal to his Maker. When Moses saw this, he said: There is no forgiveness.18Upon hearing that God compared the people to those who created the Tower of Babel and to the Sodomites, Moses despaired of the possibility of forgiveness for Israel. The Holy One blessed be He knew what was in Moses’s heart and called to him to placate him. He said: ‘Did I not already say to you when you were at the bush what they are destined to do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said: I have seen [rao ra’iti]” (Exodus 3:7). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You see a single sighting, but I see two sightings. You see them coming to Sinai and receiving My Torah, but I see that after I come to Sinai to give them the Torah, and I return in My chariot drawn by four animals, they will look at it and take one of them and anger Me with it, as it is stated: “The face of an ox to the left of the four of them” (Ezekiel 1:10). They will anger me with it, as it is stated: “They exchanged their Glory for the form of bull.” (Psalms 106:20). Alternatively: “I have seen [rao ra’iti] [the affliction of My people]” (Exodus 3:7) – what is “the affliction of My people”? This is the congregation of the calf.19Some commentaries (see, e.g., Maharzu) substitute the word sound [kol] for congregation [kahal]. Thus, the midrash connects the phrase “the sound of a cry [kol anot] do I hear” (Exodus 32:18) with the “affliction [oni]” God heard when the Israelites were in Egypt. In any event, the point is that God redeemed Israel from Egypt despite knowing that they would commit the sin of the golden calf. Rao ra’iti, this is the sighting that was there, and this is the sighting that is here.20The midrash connects the God’s seeing the affliction of the Israelites in Egypt with His seeing that the people were stiff-necked, stated in context of the sin of the golden calf (see Exodus 32:9). Here too, the point is that God redeemed Israel from Egypt despite knowing that they would commit the sin of the golden calf. All this is meant to assuage Moses’ fears that Israel could not be forgiven.
“Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly” – it is not written here, “the people,” but rather, “your people.” Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, since when are they my people?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘They are your people. When they were still in Egypt I said to you: “I will take out My hosts, My people” (Exodus 7:4). I said to you not to mix the mixed multitude with them. You, who were humble and upright, said to Me: One always accepts penitents. But I knew what they were destined to do; I had said to you, no, but I performed your will.21Originally God said not to accept the mixed multitude, but He then acquiesced to Moses’ request that they be accepted, due to Moses’ argument (see Rabbi David Luria). It is they who crafted the calf, as they were idolaters; it is they who crafted it and caused My people to sin.’ See what is written: It is not written here, “this is our God,” but rather, “this is your god, [Israel]” (Exodus 32:4), as the proselytes who ascended with Moses, it was they who crafted it, and said to Israel: “This is your god, [Israel].” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly.”
It is not written here, “they abandoned [averu] the path that I commanded them,” but rather, “they have quickly deviated [saru] from the path” (Exodus 32:8). When they were in Sinai they were lilies and roses; now they have become foul [saryut], they became liars. They did not spend even one or two hours,22They did not remain loyal to God for even a short time. but they deviated immediately. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for eleven days, and for twenty-nine days they were calculating how to craft the calf, as it is written: “Eleven days from Ḥorev” (Deuteronomy 1:2). And then they came to the path [derekh] of Esau – “via [derekh] Mount Seir” (Deuteronomy 1:2).23Esau dwelled in Seir (see Genesis 36:8–9) and is therefore sometimes called Seir. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for twenty-nine days, and for eleven days they were calculating how to craft the calf, as it is written: “Eleven days from Ḥorev via [derekh] Mount Seir,” that they performed an act of Seir.24They acted like Esau for eleven days in that they planned on crafting the golden calf. Another matter: “Mount Seir” – just as Esau cursed and blasphemed, they too were cursing and blaspheming before the idol. Just as Esau worshipped idols, they too did so. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai says: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for one day. From where is this derived? It is as Micah explicates: “Yesterday, My people arose as an enemy” (Micah 2:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Yesterday you said: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), and today: “This is your god Israel” (Exodus 32:4)?’ Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Two days, as it is stated: “My people has forgotten Me for days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32). How many are days? Two.25This is the minimum number that can be implied by the plural term days. Rabbi Yona said: The source is from another verse, as it is stated: “They seek Me daily [yom yom]” (Isaiah 58:2).26The verse is understood to mean that they sought God for two days, as the term day [yom] is stated twice.
Another matter: “They have quickly deviated” (Exodus 32:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: You took the wrong path at the outset. A person who sets out on the path walks two or three mil and errs in the third. Does he err in the first? So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: Could you not have strayed on the second or the third, that [you strayed] on the first? This is astonishing. Rabbi Meir says: It was not even one day. Rather, as they were standing at Sinai they said with their mouths: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), but their hearts were directed to idol worship, as it is stated: “But they deceived Him with their mouth” (Psalms 78:36). Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Idi: “I saw, and, behold, you had sinned against the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 9:16) – it was regarding the Lord your God that you sinned.27It was not simply a transgression, but rather, a sin regarding their very faith in Him. The Holy One blessed be He said: I gave you the Ten Commandments for your honor: “You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal” (Exodus 20:13), and so with all of them. Did you have to sin only with the one regarding Me, as it is stated: “I saw, and, behold, you had sinned against the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:16)? This is astonishing. Rabbi Abbahu said: “Eleven [aḥad asar] days from Ḥorev” (Deuteronomy 1:2) – in the one that is special [meyuḥad] among the ten [asara] you sinned; regarding My name, which is one and is the beginning of all the commandments: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). Another matter: “They have quickly deviated” (Exodus 32:8) – Rabbi Yona said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Any prophet who stood, would say the prophecy of another. Why would he say the words of another? It was in order to confirm his prophecy. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He would relate only to his own prophecy, except for Moses, who said all the words of the prophets and his own. Anyone who would prophesy, it was based on the prophecy of Moses. He said all of the commandments, except for two that the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel with His mouth: “I am [the Lord your God]” (Exodus 20:3) and “you shall not have [other gods before Me]” (Exodus 20:2). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Did you have to sin only with what I commanded you?’ Rabbi Shimon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: This is analogous to a king who betrothed a noblewoman with two gems that he gave her directly from his hand to hers, and he then sent another eight by means of his emissary. While she was cavorting with her paramour, she lost the two gems that the king had given her. When the king discovered that she lost them, he expelled her from his home. Her attendant came to placate the king. He said: ‘My lord the king, when will you find one as praiseworthy and beautiful as her?’ The king said: ‘Heavens! I gave her two gems directly from my hand to hers, and sent her another eight through you. Should she not have lost [two of] yours, or three, or even all of them? But she was so scornful toward me that she lost those gems that I gave her directly from my hand to hers!’ That is what the Holy One blessed be He says to Jeremiah: “For My people have performed two evils” (Jeremiah 2:13). Was it two that they performed? Was that a reason to overlook twenty-two?28Twenty-four sins are enumerated in Ezekiel 22, yet Jeremiah says that they were held accountable only for two (see Etz Yosef; Maharzu). What is “for My people have performed two evils”? “I am [the Lord your God]” (Exodus 20:3) and “you shall not have [other gods before Me]” (Exodus 20:2). That is, “they have quickly deviated from the path that I commanded them” (Exodus 32:8). “They crafted for themselves a molten [masekha] calf” (Exodus 32:8) – Rabbi Tanḥum ben Ḥanilai said: There were one hundred and twenty-five talents of gold in the calf, the numerical value of masekha, mem – forty, samekh – sixty, kaf – twenty, heh – five. Rabbi Levi says in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: One hundred and twenty talents, the numerical value of masakh,29Mem – forty, samekh – sixty, kaf – twenty = 120 as he removes the heh.30He does not include the numerical value of the heh because it does not make a sound (Etz Yosef; see also Rabbi David Luria). Another matter: Rabbi Ami said: You have woven a bad weave for the generations.31In the midrash, the Hebrew phrase is followed here by its translation into Aramaic. The point is that the sin of the golden calf causes suffering throughout the generations, as the punishment for this sin is meted out gradually over time. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is an expression meaning noblemen [sardeyotin], masekha.32They viewed the calf as a leader and guide, similar to a nobleman, more than as an actual god (Matnot Kehuna). The Holy One blessed be He said: That is how I will heal33Heal is masei in Aramaic, which the midrash is reading into the word masekha. them, as it is stated: “They crafted for themselves a molten calf” (Exodus 32:8).34God says that He will allow them to atone for their sin by donating and fulfilling the rituals of the red heifer, just as they donated gold to the construction of the golden calf (Etz Yosef).
“The Lord said to Moses: I have seen this people and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 32:9). “The Lord said to Moses: I have seen this people, [and behold, it is a stiff-necked people]” (Exodus 32:9) – what is, “behold, it is a stiff-necked people”? Rabbi Yehuda ben Polvaya said in the name of Rabbi Meir: They were deserving of being beheaded. Rav Yakim said: There are three impudent ones. The most impudent among the beasts is the dog; among the birds, the rooster; and among the nations, Israel. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Redifa said in the name of Rabbi Ami: You think that this is derogatory, but it is only in their praise: Either Jewish or hanged.35A Jew will not desert his faith even upon penalty of death. Rabbi Avin said: Even today, outside of the Land of Israel, they call Israel the stiff-necked nation. Rav Naḥman said: Know that they are difficult. When the Holy One blessed be He came to give them the Torah, what is written in their regard? “It was on the third day, when it was morning, [there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and the voice of a horn exceedingly loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled]” (Exodus 19:16). The Holy One blessed be He said: I will show them all My miracles; if only it will be effective. “Behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now, let Me be and My wrath will be enflamed against them and I will destroy them” (Exodus 32:9–10) – was Moses restraining the Holy One blessed be He, that He says: “Let Me be”? Rather, to what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who became angry with his son. He took him in to a chamber and began preparing to strike him. The king was shouting from the chamber: ‘Let me be so I may strike him!’ The [son’s] tutor was standing outside. The tutor said: The king and his son are inside the chamber. Why is he saying: Let me be? It is because the king wishes that I will go and placate him regarding his son. That is why he is shouting: Let me be. So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Now let Me be.” Moses said: It is because the Holy One blessed be He wants me to placate Him regarding Israel; that is why He is saying: “Now, let Me be.” Immediately he began asking for mercy for them. That is, “Moses implored the Lord his God” (Exodus 32:11).
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה לֶךְ רֵד, רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בַּר אַבָּא פָּתַח (משלי כה, יד): נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִן, (משלי כה, טו): בְּאֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם יְפֻתֶּה קָצִין, מִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר לִתֵּן מַתָּנָה לַחֲבֵרוֹ וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנָהּ לְמָה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִנְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְלִבְרָקִים שֶׁהֵם בָּאִים וּגְשָׁמִים אֵינָם יוֹרְדִין, זֶה הָיָה דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּסִינַי הָיוּ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁל זְקֵנִים וְכֵן שֶׁל בַּחוּרִים וְכֵן שֶׁל נְעָרִים וְכֵן שֶׁל נָשִׁים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ לְסִינַי וְקִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מַלְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְעָנוּ כֻלָּם קוֹל אֶחָד וְאָמְרוּ (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, הֲרֵי קוֹל שֶׁהָיָה קוֹל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ לַמִּדְבָּר עָבְרוּ עַל הַכֹּל וְשִׁחֲתוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כֵּן אָמַר לְמשֶׁה: לֶךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְךָ, וְאֵין שִׁחֵת אֶלָּא שֶׁחִבְּלוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים לב, ה): שִׁחֵת לוֹ לֹא בָּנָיו מוּמָם. וְלֹא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים עָשׂוּ בִּלְבָד אֶלָּא גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, וְאֵין שְׂחוֹק הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶלָּא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. וּמִנַּיִן לִשְׂחֹק שֶׁהוּא שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ב, יד): יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ. וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לט, יז): בָּא אֵלַי הָעֶבֶד הָעִבְרִי לְצַחֶק בִּי וגו'. וְלֹא הָיָה שָׁם גָּדוֹל מֵחוּר וְהָרְגוּ אוֹתוֹ, זוֹ שִׁיטַת אַבָּא הַדּוֹרֵשׁ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֶךְ רֵד, בְּזַעַף. אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה דִּבֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּנֶגְדוֹ דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין דִּבּוּר הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶלָּא דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית מב, ל): דִּבֶּר הָאִישׁ אֲדֹנֵי הָאָרֶץ אִתָּנוּ קָשׁוֹת. אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה רָאָה משֶׁה לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שֶׁהֵם עוֹמְדִים וּמְבַקְּשִׁים לָצֵאת וּלְחַבֵּל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר משֶׁה אִם מַנִּיחַ אֲנִי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵרֵד אֵין לָהֶם תְּקוּמָה לְעוֹלָם, אֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁאֲבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, מִיָּד הִתְחִיל מְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם סָנֵיגוֹרְיָא, אָמַר לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יֵשׁ לִי זְכוּת לְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם, אָמַר לוֹ רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם הִזָּכֵר לָהֶם כְּשֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתָּ לִתֵּן תּוֹרָה לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו וְלֹא קִבְּלוּהָ וְיִשְׂרָאֵל קִבְּלוּהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יט, ח): וַיַּעֲנוּ כָל הָעָם יַחְדָּו וגו'. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָבְרוּ עַל הָעֲשִׂיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ וגו', אָמַר לוֹ הִזָּכֵר לָהֶם כְּשֶׁהָלַכְתִּי בִּשְׁלִיחוּתְךָ לְמִצְרַיִם וְאָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם שִׁמְךָ, מִיָּד הֶאֱמִינוּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לִשְׁמֶךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, לא): וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם, מִיָּד (שמות ד, לא): וַיִקְדוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ. אָמַר לוֹ עָבְרוּ עַל הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הִזָּכֵר לְבַחוּרֵיהֶם שֶׁשְּׁלַחְתִּים וְהִקְרִיבוּ לְפָנֶיךָ זְבָחִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד, ה): וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת נַעֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ עָבְרוּ עַל הַזְּבִיחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הִזָּכֵר לָהֶם מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ בְּסִינַי (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אָמַר לוֹ עָבְרוּ עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, הֱוֵי: נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִן, בִּטֵּל משֶׁה מִיָּד אֶת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, הֱוֵי: בְּאֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וגו'.
“The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend; for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly” (Exodus 32:7).
“The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend” – Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began: “Clouds and wind but no rain, [is a man who glories in a false gift.] With patience, a commander is enticed” (Proverbs 25:14–15). One who says that he will give a gift to another but does not give it, to what is he comparable? To clouds, wind, and lightning that come, but rains do not fall. This was the generation of the wilderness. When they were in Sinai, they were six hundred thousand elders, a like number of young men, a like number of lads, and a like number of women.1The verse states that the children of Israel were “six hundred thousand men on foot besides children” (Exodus 12:37). The midrash asserts that the words “men on foot” serve to teach that there were a like number of elders, who could not travel on foot, as well as a like number of youth, who were not yet “men,” and a like number of women. When they arrived at Sinai and accepted the kingship of the Holy One blessed be He upon them, and they called out in a single voice: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); that was a voice that was a [strong, impressive] voice.2Comparable to the impressive sound of thunder that had accompanied the giving of the Torah. When they arrived at the wilderness, they violated everything and corrupted their actions.
When the Holy One blessed be He saw this, He said to Moses: “Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly [shiḥet].” Shiḥet means nothing other than that they corrupted their actions, just as it says: “They behaved corruptly [shiḥet], not from Him; His children, it is their blemish” (Deuteronomy 32:5). Not only did they engage in idol worship, but they also engaged in forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. The revelry [seḥok] stated here,3“They stood to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). is nothing other than idol worship,4The midrash does not find it necessary to prove that the term seḥok can refer to idolatry, as it is clear from the context of the verse in Exodus that the people engaged in idolatry (see Maharzu). forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. From where is it derived that seḥok is bloodshed? As it is stated: “Let the lads arise and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). From where is it derived [that the term seḥok can refer to] forbidden sexual relations? As it is stated: “The Hebrew slave [whom you brought to us] came to me to mock [letzaḥek] me…” (Genesis 39:17). There was no one there greater than Ḥur, and they killed him. This is the approach of Abba, the expounder.5This is all stated by Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba, citing his father.
Another matter: “[The Lord spoke [vaydaber] to Moses:] go descend,” in anger. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He spoke harsh words against him. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The speech [dibur] stated here is nothing other than harsh words, just as it says: “The man, lord of the land, spoke [diber] harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). At that moment, Moses saw the ministering angels that were rising and seeking to go out and to harm all of Israel. Moses said: If I forsake Israel and descend, they will never recover. I will not move from here until I ask for mercy on their behalf. Immediately, he began speaking in their defense. He said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I have a claim to advance in their favor.’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, remember in their regard that when You sought to give the Torah to the children of Esau, and they did not accept it, Israel accepted it,’ as it is stated: “All the people answered together [and said: Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform]” (Exodus 19:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They transgressed regarding the performance,’ as it is stated: “They have quickly deviated from the path…” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember in their regard that when I went as Your emissary to Egypt and said Your name to them, they immediately believed and prostrated themselves to Your name,’ as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31), and immediately, “they bowed and prostrated themselves” (Exodus 4:31). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the prostrating,’ as it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to it” (Exodus 32:8). ‘He said to Him: ‘Remember their young men whom I sent and they sacrificed offerings before You,’ as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered burnt offerings and they sacrificed feast offerings]” (Exodus 24:5). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the sacrifice,’ as it is stated: “They sacrificed to it” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember for them what You said at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). He said to him: ‘They violated it,’ as it is stated: “They said: This is your god” (Exodus 32:8). That is, “clouds and wind but no rain” (Proverbs 25:14). Moses immediately voided the punishment. That is, “with patience, [a commander is enticed]” (Proverbs 25:15).
הִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִתֵּן לְמשֶׁה שְׁבִילִים שֶׁיְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, מִנַּיִן, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְמַעְלָה כָּתוּב (שמות לב, ז): לֶךְ רֵד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות לב, ט): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה, וְאֵין אֲמִירָה אֶלָּא לָשׁוֹן רַךְ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּלִבּוֹ עַל חֲבֵרוֹ וְהוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהִתְפַּיֵּס לוֹ וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ אֱמֹר לִי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן עָשִׂיתָ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע משֶׁה מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דְּבָרִים רַכִּים הִתְחִיל מְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, יא): וַיְחַל משֶׁה וגו'. לֶךְ רֵד, אָמַר לוֹ, רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם, אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ לִי (שמות יט, כד): וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן עִמָּךְ, וְכֵן (שמות כד, א): וְאֶל משֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל ה', וְכָאן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: לֶךְ רֵד, אָמַר לוֹ לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדְךָ אַתָּה עוֹלֶה לְכָאן אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד בָּנַי, אָמַרְתִּי לַזָּקֵן שֶׁלָּהֶם (בראשית כח, יב): וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ, מַהוּ בּוֹ, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ, כְּשֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָּנֶיךָ צַדִּיקִים הֵם מִתְרוֹמְמִים בָּעוֹלָם וְעוֹלִים, וְכֵן שְׁלוּחֵיהֶם מִתְעַלִּים עִמָּהֶם, וּכְשֶׁהֵם יוֹרְדִים, הֵם וּשְׁלוּחֵיהֶם בִּירִידָה. לֶךְ רֵד, לָמָּה, (שמות לכ, ז): כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, אָמַר לוֹ הוֹאִיל וְחָטְאוּ, אַתָּה וָהֵם בִּירִידָה.
The Holy One blessed be He began providing Moses with paths for him to ask for mercy on their behalf. From where is this derived? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Above it is written, “Go descend,” and thereafter, it says: “The Lord said [vayomer] to Moses: I have seen this people” (Exodus 32:9). Saying [amira] is nothing other than gentle words. This is like a person who has a grudge against another and seeks to reconcile with him, and he says to him: ‘Say [emor] to me what I did to you that led you to do so.’ When Moses heard gentle words from the Holy One blessed be He, he began asking for mercy on their behalf, as it is stated: “Moses implored…” (Exodus 32:11).
“Go descend” – [Moses] said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “Ascend, you and Aaron with you” (Exodus 19:24), and likewise, “to Moses He said, ascend to the Lord” (Exodus 24:1), and now You say: “Go descend”?’ He said to him: ‘It is not for your honor that you ascend to here, but rather due to the honor of My children. I said to their grandfather: “Behold, angels of God were ascending and descending on it [bo]” (Genesis 28:12). What is bo? Rather, this is what I said to him: When your descendants will be righteous, they are elevated in the world and ascend, and their emissaries are elevated with them. When they descend, they and their emissaries are in descent.’6Thus, the term bo, which can be translated as “through him,” is interpreted as referring not to the ladder but to Jacob himself and his descendants. “Go descend” – why? “For your people…have acted corruptly.” He said to him: ‘Because they sinned, you and they are in descent.’
דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֶךְ רֵד, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן נִתְנַדָּה משֶׁה וְנִזְעַף, וְאֵין רֵד אֶלָּא נִדּוּי, וּמֵהֵיכָן אַתָּה לָמֵד, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֶחָיו שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מְכָרוּהוּ וְהָלְכוּ לְנַחֵם אֲבִיהֶם וְלֹא נִתְנֶחָם, אָמְרוּ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ עָשָׂה לָנוּ יְהוּדָה שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי בִּקֵּשׁ לֹא מָכַרְנוּ אוֹתוֹ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָמַר לָנוּ אַל תַּהַרְגוּהוּ וְשָׁמַעְנוּ לוֹ, אִלּוּ אָמַר לָנוּ אַל תִּמְכְּרוּהוּ נִשָּׁמַע לוֹ, אֶלָּא אָמַר לָנוּ (בראשית לז, כז): לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים, וְעָמְדוּ וְנִדּוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לח, א): וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִיא וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו, וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ יְרִידָה מִצַד אֶחָיו. וּמַה וַּיֵּרֶד הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן נִדּוּי אַף רֵד הָאָמוּר כָּאן נִדּוּי, מָשָׁל לִמְדִינָה שֶׁשָּׁלְחָה פְּרֻזְבּוּטִיס לְעַטֵּר לַמֶּלֶךְ עַד שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ עָמְדוּ בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה וְכָפוּ אֶת הַצְּלָמִים וְרָגְמוּ אֶת הָאִיקוֹנִין, עָמְדוּ גְּדוֹלֵי הַמְדִינָה וְכָתְבוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ, וְנִכְנְסוּ הַכְּתָבִים עַד שֶׁלֹא הָלַךְ הַפְּרֻזְבּוּטִיס לְהִכָּנֵס לְעַטֵּר לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ וכו'. כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, וְכִי עַמּוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה הָיוּ, אֶלָּא זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (הושע ז, יג): אוֹי לָהֶם כִּי נָדְדוּ מִמֶּנִּי שֹׁד לָהֶם כִּי פָשְׁעוּ בִי וְאָנֹכִי אֶפְדֵּם וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים, מִמֶּנִּי הָיוּ פּוֹרְשִׁים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אוֹי לָהֶם כִּי נָדְדוּ מִמֶּנִּי, יֵשׁ אָדָם מַחֲלִיף דָּבָר רַע בְּדָבָר טוֹב, אָדָם שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לְפָנָיו מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת וְשִׁיחוֹר, מַנִּיחַ הַמַּרְגָּלִיּוֹת וְנוֹטֵל הַשִּׁיחוֹר, וְהֵם מַנִּיחִים לַחַיִּים שֶׁל עוֹלָם וּבוֹחֲרִים בַּמֵּתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קטו, ה): עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ. שֹׁד לָהֶם, שֶׁבֶר עָתִיד לְהַגִּיעָם, וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים, וּמַה כְּזָבִים דִּבְּרוּ עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אָמְרוּ וְכִי עִמָּנוּ הָיָה עָסוּק עִם עַצְמוֹ הָיָה עָסוּק, לְעַצְמוֹ פָּדָה וְלֹא פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ז, כג): מִפְּנֵי עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ לְּךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם גּוֹיִם וֵאלֹהָיו, רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי (נחמיה ט, יח): זֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ. רַבִּי חַגַּי בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר זֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שִׁתְּפוּ אוֹתוֹ עִמָּהֶם, וְאָמְרוּ אֱלוֹהַּ וְהָעֵגֶל פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ, וּמְכַזְבִים בִּי, וְאָנֹכִי אֶפְדֵּם וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים, אַף אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינָם עַמִּי, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ.
Another matter: “Go descend” – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Moses was ostracized and rebuked.7He was distanced from God and sent down from the mountain, like one who is sent away in shame from a human court. “Descend” is nothing other than ostracism. From where do you derive this? When Joseph’s brothers sold him and they went to console their father, he was not consoled. They said:8The brothers said to each other. It was Judah who did all these things to us, for had he not sought it, we would not have sold him. Just as he said to us: ‘Do not kill him,’ and we heeded him, had he said: ‘Do not sell him,’ we would have heeded him. Instead, he said to us: “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37:27). They stood and ostracized him, as it is stated: “It was at that time, Judah descended from his brothers” (Genesis 38:1). It should have said only: “Judah went”; he was in descent from his brothers.9The reason it states “Judah descended” is to indicate that he did not merely leave. His brothers stripped him of his elevated status and ostracized him. Just as “descended [vayered]” that is stated there connotes ostracism, so too, “descend [red]” that is written here connotes ostracism. This is analogous to a province that sent an emissary to crown the king. Before he arrived, the residents of the province overturned the idols and stoned the images [of the king]. The prominent leaders of the province wrote to the king.10They informed him of what had occurred. The missives entered before the emissary entered to crown the king. The king said to him…11The text of the midrash does not include the end of the sentence, but the point is that the king turned back the emissary and informed him that he would not be seen due to the disloyal conduct of the residents of his province.
“Your people…have acted corruptly” – were they Moses’s people? Rather, that is what the verse said: “Woe to them, as they have wandered from Me; plunder upon them, as they rebelled against Me. I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies about Me” (Hosea 7:13). They were separating themselves from Me, as it is stated: “Woe to them, as they have wandered from Me.” Is there a person who exchanges a good item for a bad item? A person before whom they place gems and coal, would he forsake the gems and take the coal? But they forsake the living of the world12The true, living God, who gives life to the entire world. and opt for the dead, as it is stated: “They have eyes, but do not see” (Psalms 115:5).13In worshipping the golden calf, the people chose an inanimate object over God. “Plunder upon them” – calamity is destined to befall them. “But they have spoken lies about Me” – what lies did they speak about the Holy One blessed be He? Rabbi Akiva expounded: They said: Was He engaged with us? It was with Himself that He was engaged. He redeemed Himself; He did not redeem us, as it is stated: “Nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt” (II Samuel 7:23). The Rabbis say: “This is your god [that took you out of Egypt]” (Nehemiah 9:18) – it redeemed us. Rabbi Ḥagai ben Elazar says: It is not written here, “this is your god,” but rather, “these are your gods” (Exodus 32:4) – they included Him with them and said: God and the calf redeemed us. They lie about Me; [thus,] “I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies about Me.” I, too, say that they are not My people. That is why it is stated: “For your people…have acted corruptly.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֶךְ רֵד, רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (צפניה א, יז): וַהֲצֵרֹתִי לָאָדָם, זֶה משֶׁה, (צפניה א, יז): וְהָלְכוּ כַּעִוְרִים, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָמָּה (צפניה א, יז): כִּי לַה' חָטָאוּ, שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. (צפניה א, יז): וְשֻׁפַּךְ דָּמָם כֶּעָפָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, כז): עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לְשַׁעַר בַּמַּחֲנֶה. (צפניה א, יז): וּלְחֻמָם כַּגְּלָלִים, שֶׁנֶּהֶרְגוּ וְהָיָה בְשָׂרָם מֻשְּׁלָךְ כַּגְּלָלִים הַלָּלוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּעֲרָבְיָה קוֹרִין לְבִשְׂרָא לַחְמָא. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֶךְ רֵד, חָשְׁכוּ פָּנָיו שֶׁל משֶׁה וְנַעֲשָׂה כְּסוּמָא מִן הַצָּרוֹת וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מֵאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם לֵירֵד, וְהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְבַקְּשִׁים לְהָרְגוֹ, אָמְרוּ הֲרֵי הַשָּׁעָה לְהָרְגוֹ, יָדַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָה הַמַּלְאָכִים מְבַקְּשִׁים לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֶלְבוֹ בְּשֵׁם רַב חָנָן בַּר יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר אַיְּבוּ, פָּתַח לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פִּשְׁפֵּשׁ מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא כְבוֹדוֹ, וְאָמַר לֶךְ רֵד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ט, יב): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי קוּם רֵד מַהֵר מִזֶּה. רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אִלְעָאי אָמַר כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא משֶׁה לֵירֵד בָּאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים לְהָרְגוֹ, מֶה עָשָׂה אָחַז בַּכִּסֵּא שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּפָרַשׂ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טַלִּיתוֹ עָלָיו שֶׁלֹא יְחַבְּלוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כו, ט): מְאַחֵז פְּנֵי כִסֵּא פַּרְשֵׁז עָלָיו עֲנָנוֹ, מַהוּ פַּרְשֵׁז נוֹטָרִיקוֹן: פָּ'רַשׂ רַ'חוּם שַׁ'דַּי זִ'יו עֲנָנוֹ עָלָיו.
Another matter: “Go descend”; Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “I will distress the people” (Zephaniah 1:17) – this is Moses; “and they will walk like the blind” (Zephaniah 1:17) – these are Israel. Why? “Because they sinned against the Lord” (Zephaniah 1:17), as they said: “These are your gods, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). “Their blood will be spilled like dust” (Zephaniah 1:17), as it is stated: “Pass to-and-fro from gate to gate in the camp, [and each man slay his brother, and each man his neighbor, and each man his relative]” (Exodus 32:27). “And their flesh [ulḥumam] like dung” (Zephaniah 1:17), as they were killed and their flesh was cast away like dung. Rabbi Levi said: In Arabia, they call flesh laḥma.14This is stated as proof that the relatively obscure term ulḥumam in the verse means flesh.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to him, “Go descend,” Moses’s face blackened, and he became like a blind man due to the troubles, and he did not know from which place to descend. The ministering angels sought to kill him.15They were jealous that the Torah had been given to Moses to transmit to human beings rather than given to the angels. They said: ‘This is the time to kill him.’ The Holy One blessed be He knew what the ministering angels sought to do to him. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo, in the name of Rabbi Ḥanan bar Yosef, in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Aivu: The Holy One blessed be He opened a small opening for him beneath His throne of honor and said: “Go descend,” as it is stated: “The Lord said to me: Rise, descend quickly from here” (Deuteronomy 9:12). Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai: When Moses came to descend, the ministering angels came to kill him. What did he do? He grasped the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, and the Holy One blessed be He spread His garment over him so they would not harm him, as it is stated: “He grasps the surface of His throne and spreads [parshez] His cloud over it” (Job 26:9). What is parshez? It is an acrostic for: He spread [paras], the Merciful [raḥum] Almighty [Shadai], the aura [ziv] of His cloud over him.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֶךְ רֵד, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר מַרְדּוּת הֵם צְרִיכִים, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ כֵּן, מִמַּה שֶּׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ט): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא, אֵין אָדָם אוֹמֵר פְּלוֹנִי קָשֶׁה אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ מַרְדּוּת. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ מַהוּ לֶךְ רֵד, מַרְדּוּת הֵם צְרִיכִים, מְסַיֵּעַ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי מֵאִיר, וְתֵדַע לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּרַד משֶׁה מָה אָמַר לָהֶם (שמות לב, כו כז): וַיַּעֲמֹד משֶׁה בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיֹּאמֶר מִי לַה', וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהֵיכָן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ כָּךְ לֶךְ רֵד, מַהוּ רֵד, מַרְדּוּת הֵם צְרִיכִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֶךְ רֵד, אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה אַל יֵרַע לְךָ עַל שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ לֶךְ רֵד מִכָּאן, שֶׁהֲרֵי שְׁתַּיִם שָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים כִּבְיָכוֹל יָרַדְתִּי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם לָאָרֶץ בִּשְׁבִיל לִרְאוֹת בְּקַלְקָלַת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יא, ה): וַיֵּרֶד ה' לִרְאֹת אֶת הָעִיר וְאֶת הַמִּגְדָּל, (בראשית יא, ז): הָבָה נֵרְדָה, (בראשית יח, כא): אֵרְדָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה. אַף אַתָּה לֶךְ רֵד, דַּיּוֹ לָעֶבֶד לִהְיוֹת שָׁוֶה לְקוֹנוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה כֵּן אָמַר אֵין סְלִיחָה, יָדַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה וְקָרָא אוֹתוֹ לְפַיְסוֹ, אָמַר לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ עַד שֶׁאַתָּה בַּסְּנֶה מַה שֶּׁעֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, ז): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' רָאֹה רָאִיתִי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה אַתָּה רוֹאֶה רְאִיָה אַחַת וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת, רוֹאֶה אַתָּה אוֹתָם בָּאִים לְסִינַי וּמְקַבְּלִים תּוֹרָתִי, וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁאָבוֹא לְסִינַי לִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וַאֲנִי חוֹזֵר בְּטֶטְרָאמוּלִין שֶׁלִּי שֶׁהֵן מִתְבּוֹנְנִין בּוֹ וְשׁוֹמְטִים אֶחָד מֵהֶן וּמַכְעִיסִים אוֹתִי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל א, י): וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְֹּׂמֹאול לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן, וְהֵם מַכְעִיסִים אוֹתִי בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו, כ): וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רָאֹה רָאִיתִי וגו', מַהוּ עֳנִי עַמִי, זֶה קְהַל הָעֵגֶל. רָאֹה רָאִיתִי הִיא הָרְאִיָה שֶׁלְּהַלָּן הִיא הָרְאִיָה שֶׁכָּאן.
Another matter: “Go descend [red]” – Rabbi Meir says: They require discipline [mardut]. From where is it derived that this is what He said to him? You know it from what the Holy One blessed be He said to him, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: I have seen this people and behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 32:9). A person does not say that so-and-so is stiff-necked unless he requires discipline. The Rabbis say: What is “go descend”? They require discipline. This supports Rabbi Meir. Know that it is so; come and see that when Moses descended, what did he say to them? “Moses stood at the gate of the camp and said: Whoever is for the Lord, [to me].… And he said to them: So said the Lord, God of Israel: [Each man, place his sword upon his thigh. Pass to and fro from gate to gate in the camp and each man slay his brother and each man his neighbor and each man his relative]” (Exodus 32:26–27). Where do you find that He had said that to him? “Go descend.” What is “descend”? They require discipline.
Another matter: “Go descend” – Rabbi Avin said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: Do not consider it grave that I said to you “go descend” from here, as two, three times I descended, as it were, from Heaven to earth in order to see the corruption of the people, as it is stated: “The Lord descended to see the city and the tower” (Genesis 11:5); “Come let us descend [and confound their language there]” (Genesis 11:7);16These two verses are in the context of the Tower of Babel. “I will descend and see” (Genesis 18:21).17This is in the context of the destruction of Sodom. You, too, “go descend” – it is sufficient for a servant to be equal to his Maker. When Moses saw this, he said: There is no forgiveness.18Upon hearing that God compared the people to those who created the Tower of Babel and to the Sodomites, Moses despaired of the possibility of forgiveness for Israel. The Holy One blessed be He knew what was in Moses’s heart and called to him to placate him. He said: ‘Did I not already say to you when you were at the bush what they are destined to do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said: I have seen [rao ra’iti]” (Exodus 3:7). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You see a single sighting, but I see two sightings. You see them coming to Sinai and receiving My Torah, but I see that after I come to Sinai to give them the Torah, and I return in My chariot drawn by four animals, they will look at it and take one of them and anger Me with it, as it is stated: “The face of an ox to the left of the four of them” (Ezekiel 1:10). They will anger me with it, as it is stated: “They exchanged their Glory for the form of bull.” (Psalms 106:20).
Alternatively: “I have seen [rao ra’iti] [the affliction of My people]” (Exodus 3:7) – what is “the affliction of My people”? This is the congregation of the calf.19Some commentaries (see, e.g., Maharzu) substitute the word sound [kol] for congregation [kahal]. Thus, the midrash connects the phrase “the sound of a cry [kol anot] do I hear” (Exodus 32:18) with the “affliction [oni]” God heard when the Israelites were in Egypt. In any event, the point is that God redeemed Israel from Egypt despite knowing that they would commit the sin of the golden calf. Rao ra’iti, this is the sighting that was there, and this is the sighting that is here.20The midrash connects the God’s seeing the affliction of the Israelites in Egypt with His seeing that the people were stiff-necked, stated in context of the sin of the golden calf (see Exodus 32:9). Here too, the point is that God redeemed Israel from Egypt despite knowing that they would commit the sin of the golden calf. All this is meant to assuage Moses’ fears that Israel could not be forgiven.
לֶךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, הָעָם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָא עַמְּךָ, אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם מִנַּיִן הֵם עַמִּי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַמְּךָ הֵם, שֶׁעַד שֶׁהָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ (שמות ז, ד): וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת צִבְאֹתַי אֶת עַמִּי, אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ שֶׁלֹא לְעָרֵב בָּהֶם עֵרֶב רָב, אַתָּה שֶׁהָיִיתָ עָנָו וְכָשֵׁר אָמַרְתָּ לִי לְעוֹלָם מְקַבְּלִים הַשָּׁבִים, וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה הֵם עֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת, אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ, לָאו, וְעָשִׂיתִי רְצוֹנְךָ, וְהֵם הֵם שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל, שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְהֵם עָשׂוּ אוֹתוֹ וְגָרְמוּ לְעַמִּי לַחֲטֹא. רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שֶׁהַגֵּרִים שֶׁעָלוּ עִם משֶׁה הֵם עֲשָׂאוּהוּ וְאָמְרוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לְכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לְמשֶׁה: לֶךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ.
“Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly” – it is not written here, “the people,” but rather, “your people.” Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, since when are they my people?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘They are your people. When they were still in Egypt I said to you: “I will take out My hosts, My people” (Exodus 7:4). I said to you not to mix the mixed multitude with them. You, who were humble and upright, said to Me: One always accepts penitents. But I knew what they were destined to do; I had said to you, no, but I performed your will.21Originally God said not to accept the mixed multitude, but He then acquiesced to Moses’ request that they be accepted, due to Moses’ argument (see Rabbi David Luria). It is they who crafted the calf, as they were idolaters; it is they who crafted it and caused My people to sin.’ See what is written: It is not written here, “this is our God,” but rather, “this is your god, [Israel]” (Exodus 32:4), as the proselytes who ascended with Moses, it was they who crafted it, and said to Israel: “This is your god, [Israel].” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly.”
עָבְרוּ מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא (שמות לב, ח): סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּסִינַי הָיוּ שׁוֹשַׁנִּים וְרָדִין, עַכְשָׁו נַעֲשׂוּ סַרְיוּת, נַעֲשׂוּ כַּזָּבִים, לֹא עָשׂוּ לֹא שָׁעָה וְלֹא שְׁתַּיִם אֶלָּא מִיָּד סָרוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי, אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם הָיוּ עִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה יוֹם הָיוּ מִתְחַשְּׁבִים הֵיאַךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הָעֵגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים א, ב): אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחֹרֵב, וְאַחַר בָּאוּ לְדַרְכֵי עֵשָׂו (דברים א, ב): דֶּרֶךְ הַר שֵׂעִיר. וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, עֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה יוֹם הָיוּ עִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם הָיוּ מִתְחַשְּׁבִין הֵיאַךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת הָעֵגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחֹרֵב דֶּרֶךְ הַר שֵׂעִיר, שֶׁעָשׂוּ מַעֲשֵׂה שֵׂעִיר. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַר שֵׂעִיר, מָה עֵשָׂו מְחָרֵף וּמְגַדֵּף, אַף הֵם מְחָרְפִים וּמְגַדְּפִים לִפְנֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, מָה עֵשָׂו עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים אַף הֵם עָשׂוּ כֵן. וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי אִלְעָאי אוֹמֵר, יוֹם אֶחָד הָיוּ עִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכֵּן מִיכָה מְפָרֵשׁ (מיכה ב, ח): וְאֶתְמוּל עַמִּי לְאוֹיֵב יְקוֹמֵם, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶתְמוֹל אֲמַרְתֶּם (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, וְהַיּוֹם (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אָמַר שְׁנֵי יָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ב, לב): וְעַמִּי שְׁכֵחוּנִי יָמִים אֵין מִסְפָּר, כַּמָּה יָמִים שְׁנַיִם. וְרַבִּי יוֹנָה אָמַר טַעְמָא מִפָּסוּק אַחֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נח, ב): וְאוֹתִי יוֹם יוֹם יִדְרשׁוּן.
It is not written here, “they abandoned [averu] the path that I commanded them,” but rather, “they have quickly deviated [saru] from the path” (Exodus 32:8). When they were in Sinai they were lilies and roses; now they have become foul [saryut], they became liars. They did not spend even one or two hours,22They did not remain loyal to God for even a short time. but they deviated immediately.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for eleven days, and for twenty-nine days they were calculating how to craft the calf, as it is written: “Eleven days from Ḥorev” (Deuteronomy 1:2). And then they came to the path [derekh] of Esau – “via [derekh] Mount Seir” (Deuteronomy 1:2).23Esau dwelled in Seir (see Genesis 36:8–9) and is therefore sometimes called Seir. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for twenty-nine days, and for eleven days they were calculating how to craft the calf, as it is written: “Eleven days from Ḥorev via [derekh] Mount Seir,” that they performed an act of Seir.24They acted like Esau for eleven days in that they planned on crafting the golden calf.
Another matter: “Mount Seir” – just as Esau cursed and blasphemed, they too were cursing and blaspheming before the idol. Just as Esau worshipped idols, they too did so. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai says: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for one day. From where is this derived? It is as Micah explicates: “Yesterday, My people arose as an enemy” (Micah 2:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Yesterday you said: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), and today: “This is your god Israel” (Exodus 32:4)?’ Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Two days, as it is stated: “My people has forgotten Me for days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32). How many are days? Two.25This is the minimum number that can be implied by the plural term days. Rabbi Yona said: The source is from another verse, as it is stated: “They seek Me daily [yom yom]” (Isaiah 58:2).26The verse is understood to mean that they sought God for two days, as the term day [yom] is stated twice.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, סָרוּ מַהֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא הִקְשַׁתֶּם אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, אָדָם שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ מְהַלֵּךְ שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שְׁלשָׁה מִלִּין וְטוֹעֶה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁמָּא מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן הוּא טוֹעֶה. כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא הָיָה לָכֶם לִסְרֹחַ לֹא בַשֵּׁנִי וְלֹא בַשְּׁלִישִׁי אֶלָּא מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֶתְמָהָא. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר אַף לֹא יוֹם אֶחָד הָיָה, אֶלָּא הָיוּ עוֹמְדִים בְּסִינַי וְאָמְרוּ בְּפִיהֶם (שמות כד, ז): נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, וְלִבָּם הָיָה מְכֻוָּן לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עח, לו): וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם. רַבִּי הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אִידֵי אָמַר (דברים ט, טז): וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה חֲטָאתֶם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּלַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם חֲטָאתֶם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת נָתַתִּי לָכֶם לִכְבוֹדְכֶם, (שמות כ, יג): לֹא תִרְצָח, לֹא תִנְאָף, לֹא תִגְנֹב, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם, לֹא הָיָה לָהֶן לַחֲטוֹא אֶלָּא בְּשֶׁלִּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ט, טז): וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה חֲטָאתֶם לַה', אֶתְמְהָא. רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ אָמַר, (דברים א, ב): אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחֹרֵב, בַּמְיֻחָד שֶׁבָּעֲשָׂרָה חֲטָאתֶם, בִּשְׁמִי שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד שֶׁהוּא רֹאשׁ לְכָל הַדִּבְּרוֹת (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, סָרוּ מַהֵר, רַבִּי יוֹנָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר, כָּל נָבִיא שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד הָיָה אוֹמֵר נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, וְלָמָּה הָיָה אוֹמֵר דְּבַר חֲבֵרוֹ, לְבָרֵר נְבוּאָתוֹ. וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר לִנְבוּאָתוֹ הוּא נִזְקָק, חוּץ מִמּשֶׁה שֶׁאָמַר כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים וְשֶׁלּוֹ, וְכָל שֶׁהָיָה מִתְנַבֵּא מֵעֵין נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה הָיָה. וְכָל הַדִּבְּרוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר, חוּץ מִשְׁנַיִם שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲמָרָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִפִּיו, אָנֹכִי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא הָיָה לָכֶם לַחֲטוֹא אֶלָּא בַּמֶּה שֶׁצִּוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ מַטְרוֹנָה בִּשְׁתֵּי מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת מִיָּד לְיָד, וְחָזַר וְשָׁלַח לָהּ עוֹד שְׁמוֹנֶה עַל יְדֵי שְׁלוּחוֹ, עִם שֶׁהָיְתָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת עִם אוֹהֲבָהּ אִבְּדָה אֶת שְׁתֵּי הַמַּרְגָּלִיּוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁאִבְּדָה אוֹתָן טְרָדָהּ מִבֵּיתוֹ. בָּא לוֹ שׁוֹשְׁבִינָהּ לְפַיֵּס לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵימָתַי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא מְשֻׁבַּחַת וְנָאָה כְּמוֹתָהּ. אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אִי שָׁמַיִם שְׁתֵּי מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת נָתַתִּי לָהּ מִיָּדִי לְיָדָהּ וְשָׁלַחְתִּי לָהּ עַל יָדְךָ שְׁמוֹנֶה, לֹא הָיָה לָהּ לְאַבֵּד אֶת שֶׁלְּךָ אוֹ שָׁלשׁ אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ כֻּלָּם, אֶלָּא כָּךְ הָיְתָה בּוֹסֶרֶת עָלַי שֶׁאוֹתָן שְׁתֵּי מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָהּ מִיָּד לְיָד אִבְּדָה אוֹתָן, הוּא שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לְיִרְמְיָה (ירמיה ב, יג): כִּי שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת עָשָׂה עַמִּי, וּשְׁתֵּי רָעוֹת עָשׂוּ לְכָךְ וִיתֵּר עַל כ"ב, וּמַהוּ כִּי שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת עָשָׂה עַמִּי, אָנֹכִי, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ, הֱוֵי: סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם. עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה, רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בֶּן חֲנִילָאי אָמַר מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה קַנְטָרִין שֶׁל זָהָב הָיָה בָּעֵגֶל מִנְיַן מַסֵּ"כָה. מ' אַרְבָּעִים, ס' שִׁשִּׁים, כ' עֶשְׂרִים, ה' חֲמִשָּׁה. רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אוֹמֵר מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים קַנְטָרִין, מִנְיַן מָסָ"ךְ, שֶׁהוּא מַעֲבִיר ה'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי מַסֵּכָה רָעָה הִסַּכְתֶּן לַדּוֹרוֹת, מִשְׁתֵּי בִּישָׁתָא אִישְׁתִּיתֵין לְדָרַיָיא. וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר לְשׁוֹן סַרְדְּיוֹטִין הוּא, מַסֵּכָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כָּךְ אֲנִי מְרַפֵּא אוֹתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה.
Another matter: “They have quickly deviated” (Exodus 32:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: You took the wrong path at the outset. A person who sets out on the path walks two or three mil and errs in the third. Does he err in the first? So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: Could you not have strayed on the second or the third, that [you strayed] on the first? This is astonishing. Rabbi Meir says: It was not even one day. Rather, as they were standing at Sinai they said with their mouths: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), but their hearts were directed to idol worship, as it is stated: “But they deceived Him with their mouth” (Psalms 78:36).
Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Idi: “I saw, and, behold, you had sinned against the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 9:16) – it was regarding the Lord your God that you sinned.27It was not simply a transgression, but rather, a sin regarding their very faith in Him. The Holy One blessed be He said: I gave you the Ten Commandments for your honor: “You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal” (Exodus 20:13), and so with all of them. Did you have to sin only with the one regarding Me, as it is stated: “I saw, and, behold, you had sinned against the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:16)? This is astonishing.
Rabbi Abbahu said: “Eleven [aḥad asar] days from Ḥorev” (Deuteronomy 1:2) – in the one that is special [meyuḥad] among the ten [asara] you sinned; regarding My name, which is one and is the beginning of all the commandments: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2).
Another matter: “They have quickly deviated” (Exodus 32:8) – Rabbi Yona said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Any prophet who stood, would say the prophecy of another. Why would he say the words of another? It was in order to confirm his prophecy. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He would relate only to his own prophecy, except for Moses, who said all the words of the prophets and his own. Anyone who would prophesy, it was based on the prophecy of Moses. He said all of the commandments, except for two that the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel with His mouth: “I am [the Lord your God]” (Exodus 20:3) and “you shall not have [other gods before Me]” (Exodus 20:2). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Did you have to sin only with what I commanded you?’
Rabbi Shimon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: This is analogous to a king who betrothed a noblewoman with two gems that he gave her directly from his hand to hers, and he then sent another eight by means of his emissary. While she was cavorting with her paramour, she lost the two gems that the king had given her. When the king discovered that she lost them, he expelled her from his home. Her attendant came to placate the king. He said: ‘My lord the king, when will you find one as praiseworthy and beautiful as her?’ The king said: ‘Heavens! I gave her two gems directly from my hand to hers, and sent her another eight through you. Should she not have lost [two of] yours, or three, or even all of them? But she was so scornful toward me that she lost those gems that I gave her directly from my hand to hers!’ That is what the Holy One blessed be He says to Jeremiah: “For My people have performed two evils” (Jeremiah 2:13). Was it two that they performed? Was that a reason to overlook twenty-two?28Twenty-four sins are enumerated in Ezekiel 22, yet Jeremiah says that they were held accountable only for two (see Etz Yosef; Maharzu). What is “for My people have performed two evils”? “I am [the Lord your God]” (Exodus 20:3) and “you shall not have [other gods before Me]” (Exodus 20:2). That is, “they have quickly deviated from the path that I commanded them” (Exodus 32:8).
“They crafted for themselves a molten [masekha] calf” (Exodus 32:8) – Rabbi Tanḥum ben Ḥanilai said: There were one hundred and twenty-five talents of gold in the calf, the numerical value of masekha, mem – forty, samekh – sixty, kaf – twenty, heh – five. Rabbi Levi says in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: One hundred and twenty talents, the numerical value of masakh,29Mem – forty, samekh – sixty, kaf – twenty = 120 as he removes the heh.30He does not include the numerical value of the heh because it does not make a sound (Etz Yosef; see also Rabbi David Luria).
Another matter: Rabbi Ami said: You have woven a bad weave for the generations.31In the midrash, the Hebrew phrase is followed here by its translation into Aramaic. The point is that the sin of the golden calf causes suffering throughout the generations, as the punishment for this sin is meted out gradually over time. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is an expression meaning noblemen [sardeyotin], masekha.32They viewed the calf as a leader and guide, similar to a nobleman, more than as an actual god (Matnot Kehuna). The Holy One blessed be He said: That is how I will heal33Heal is masei in Aramaic, which the midrash is reading into the word masekha. them, as it is stated: “They crafted for themselves a molten calf” (Exodus 32:8).34God says that He will allow them to atone for their sin by donating and fulfilling the rituals of the red heifer, just as they donated gold to the construction of the golden calf (Etz Yosef).
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה מַהוּ וְהִנֵּה עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן פּוֹלְוָיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מֵאִיר רְאוּיִים הֵן לְהֵעָרֵף. אָמַר רַב יָקִים שְׁלשָׁה חֲצוּפִים הֵם חָצוּף בַּחַיָּה כֶּלֶב בָּעוֹף תַּרְנְגוֹל וּבָאֻמּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר רַדִּיפָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַמֵּי אַתָּה סָבוּר שֶׁהוּא לִגְנַאי וְאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְשִׁבְחָן אוֹ יְהוּדִי אוֹ צָלוּב. אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין עַד עַכְשָׁו קוֹרִין אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ הָאֻמָּה שֶׁל קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהֵם קָשִׁים כְּשֶׁבָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה מַה כְּתִיב בָּהֶם (שמות י״ט:ט״ז): וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיֹת הַבֹּקֶר אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַרְאֶה לָהֶם כָּל נִסַּי וּלְוַאי לֶהֱנֵי וְהִנֵּה עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָּהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם וְכִי משֶׁה הָיָה תּוֹפֵשׂ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר הַנִּיחָה לִי אֶלָּא לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁכָּעַס עַל בְּנוֹ וְהִכְנִיסוֹ לְקִיטוֹן וּמַתְחִיל לְבַקֵּשׁ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ וְהָיָה הַמֶּלֶךְ מְצַעֵק מִן הַקִּיטוֹן הַנִּיחָה לִי שֶׁאַכֶּנּוּ וְהָיָה פַּדְגּוֹג עוֹמֵד בַּחוּץ אָמַר הַפַּדְגּוֹג הַמֶּלֶךְ וּבְנוֹ לִפְנִים בַּקִּיטוֹן לָמָּה הוּא אוֹמֵר הַנִּיחָה לִי אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ מְבַקֵּשׁ שֶׁאֵלֵךְ וַאֲפַיְסֶנוּ עַל בְּנוֹ לְכָךְ הוּא מְצַעֵק הַנִּיחָה לִי כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִי אָמַר משֶׁה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוֹצֶה שֶׁאֲפַיֵּס עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפִיכָךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִי מִיָּד הִתְחִיל לְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים הֱוֵי וַיְחַל משֶׁה אֶת פְּנֵי ה' אֱלֹהָיו:
“The Lord said to Moses: I have seen this people and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 32:9).
“The Lord said to Moses: I have seen this people, [and behold, it is a stiff-necked people]” (Exodus 32:9) – what is, “behold, it is a stiff-necked people”? Rabbi Yehuda ben Polvaya said in the name of Rabbi Meir: They were deserving of being beheaded. Rav Yakim said: There are three impudent ones. The most impudent among the beasts is the dog; among the birds, the rooster; and among the nations, Israel. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Redifa said in the name of Rabbi Ami: You think that this is derogatory, but it is only in their praise: Either Jewish or hanged.35A Jew will not desert his faith even upon penalty of death. Rabbi Avin said: Even today, outside of the Land of Israel, they call Israel the stiff-necked nation.
Rav Naḥman said: Know that they are difficult. When the Holy One blessed be He came to give them the Torah, what is written in their regard? “It was on the third day, when it was morning, [there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and the voice of a horn exceedingly loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled]” (Exodus 19:16). The Holy One blessed be He said: I will show them all My miracles; if only it will be effective.
“Behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now, let Me be and My wrath will be enflamed against them and I will destroy them” (Exodus 32:9–10) – was Moses restraining the Holy One blessed be He, that He says: “Let Me be”? Rather, to what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who became angry with his son. He took him in to a chamber and began preparing to strike him. The king was shouting from the chamber: ‘Let me be so I may strike him!’ The [son’s] tutor was standing outside. The tutor said: The king and his son are inside the chamber. Why is he saying: Let me be? It is because the king wishes that I will go and placate him regarding his son. That is why he is shouting: Let me be. So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Now let Me be.” Moses said: It is because the Holy One blessed be He wants me to placate Him regarding Israel; that is why He is saying: “Now, let Me be.” Immediately he began asking for mercy for them. That is, “Moses implored the Lord his God” (Exodus 32:11).