Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 32/רמב"ן על שמות ל״ב

אאֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ אֱלוֹהוֹת הַרְבֵּה אִוּוּ לָהֶם. כִּי זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, וְהָיָה מוֹרֶה לָנוּ הַדֶּרֶךְ נַעֲלֶה בָּהּ, לֹא יָדַעְנוּ מֶה הָיָה לוֹ, עַתָּה צְרִיכִין לֶאֱלוֹהוֹת הַרְבֵּה אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ל"ב:א'). וְאֵין לְשׁוֹנוֹ מְכֻוָּן. אֲבָל הַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה הוּא מַפְתֵּחַ לָדַעַת נָכוֹן עִנְיַן הָעֵגֶל וּמַחְשֶׁבֶת עוֹשָׂיו, כִּי בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל סְבוּרִים שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, וְשֶׁהוּא בְּכֹחוֹ עָשָׂה לָהֶם הָאֹתוֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִים, וּמַה טַעַם שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה מִמֶּנּוּ נַעֲשֶׂה אֱלֹהִים. וְעוֹד, כִּי בְּפֵרוּשׁ אָמְרוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ, לֹא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נוֹתְנִין לָהֶם חַיִּים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אֲבָל הָיוּ מְבַקְשִׁין מֹשֶׁה אַחֵר, אָמְרוּ, מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהוֹרָה לָנוּ הַדֶּרֶךְ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד הֵנָּה, שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּסָּעִים ע"פ ה' בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה (במדבר ט כג), הִנֵּה אָבַד מִמֶּנּוּ. נַעֲשֶׂה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה אַחֵר שֶׁיּוֹרֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ לְפָנֵנוּ ע"פ ה' בְּיָדוֹ. וְזֶה טַעַם הַזְכִּירָם מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָנוּ, לֹא הָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָם, כִּי יִצְטָרְכוּ לְאִישׁ אֱלֹהִים: וְכֵן תּוּכַל לְהָבִין זֶה מִתְּשׁוּבַת אַהֲרֹן אֶל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ "מֶה עָשָׂה לְךָ הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי הֵבֵאתָ עָלָיו חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה" (שמות ל"ב:כ"א), וְהָיְתָה תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ "וַיֹּאמְרוּ לִי קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ', וָאֹמַר לָהֶם לְמִי זָהָב הִתְפָּרָקוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ לִי וָאַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ" (להלן פסוקים כג כד) וְהִנֵּה אַהֲרֹן מִתְנַצֵּל לְמֹשֶׁה וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ "אַל יִחַר אַף אֲדֹנִי" (שמות ל"ב:כ"ב), וְהוּא כְּמוֹסִיף עַל חַטָּאתוֹ פֶּשַׁע, שֶׁאוֹמֵר כִּי הֵם בִּקְשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וַעֲשָׂאָהּ לָהֶם בְּיָדָיו, וְלָמָּה לֹא יִחַר אַפּוֹ, וּמַה חֲטָאָה גְּדוֹלָה מִזּוֹ:
אֲבָל הָעִנְיָן כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי, שֶׁלֹּא בִּקְשׁוּ הָעֵגֶל לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם לְאֵל מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה, וְקִבְּלוּ עֲבוֹדַת אֱלֹהוּתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם, אֲבָל יִרְצוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם בִּמְקוֹם מֹשֶׁה מוֹרֶה דַּרְכָּם, וְזֶהוּ הִתְנַצְּלוּתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, טָעַן כִּי לֹא אָמְרוּ לִי רַק שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם בִּמְקוֹמְךָ אֲדֹנִי, שֶׁלֹּא יָדְעוּ מֶה הָיָה לְךָ, וְאִם תָּשׁוּב אִם לֹא, וְלָכֵן הֵם הָיוּ צְרִיכִין לְמִי שֶׁיּוֹרֶה לָהֶם דַּרְכָּם כָּל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה אַתָּה עִמָּהֶם, וְאִם אוּלַי תָּשׁוּב יַעַזְבוּהוּ וְיֵלְכוּ אַחֲרֶיךָ כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה: וְכֵן הָיָה הַדָּבָר, כִּי כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ הָעָם אֶת מֹשֶׁה מִיָּד הִנִּיחוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל וּבָעֲטוּ בּוֹ, שֶׁהִנִּיחוּ לוֹ לְשָׂרְפוֹ וְלִזְרוֹת עֲפָרוֹ עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם, וְלֹא הָיָה מֵהֶם חוֹלֵק עָלָיו כְּלָל. וְכֵן תִּרְאֶה שֶׁלֹּא הוֹכִיחָם, וְלֹא אָמַר לָהֶם כְּלוּם, אֲבָל בְּבוֹאוֹ בַּמַּחֲנֶה וַיַּרְא אֶת הָעֵגֶל וּמְחֹלֹת מִיָּד בָּרְחוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהוּא לָקַח הָעֵגֶל וַיִּשְׂרֹף אוֹתוֹ וַיַּשְׁקְ אוֹתוֹ לָהֶם וְלֹא מֵאֲנוּ כְּלָל. וְאִלּוּ הָיָה לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים, אֵין דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁיַּנִּיחַ אָדָם מַלְכּוֹ וֵאלֹהָיו לִשְׂרֵפַת אֵשׁ, הֵן יִשְׂרֹף אֶת תּוֹעֲבָתָם לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִסְקְלוּהוּ:
וְהִנֵּה אַהֲרֹן הוּא אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא הַצּוּרָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי הֵם לֹא אָמְרוּ לוֹ מַה יַעֲשֶׂה שׁוֹר אוֹ כֶשֶׂב אוֹ עֵז וְזוּלָתָם. וְזֶהוּ מַאֲמַר הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ (סנהדרין סג) מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאִוּוּ לֶאֱלוֹהוֹת הַרְבֵּה, כִּי הֵם לֹא יָדְעוּ בַּמֶּה יִבְחֲרוּ וְאֵיזֶה הַטּוֹב לָהֶם. וְהַכַּוָּנָה לְאַהֲרֹן הָיְתָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ בְּמִדְבַּר חֹרֶב שְׁמָמָה, וְהַחֻרְבָּן וְשִׁמְמוּת עוֹלָם יָבוֹאוּ מִן הַצָּפוֹן, כְּדִכְתִיב (ירמיה א יד) "מִצָּפוֹן תִּפָּתַח הָרָעָה עַל כָּל יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ", שֶׁאֵין הַכַּוָּנָה בְּמֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל בִּלְבַד, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵרָאֶה בַּנִּגְלֶה מִן הַכָּתוּב, אֲבָל כִּי מִן הַשְּׂמֹאל תָּבֹא מִדַּת הַדִּין לְעוֹלָם לְהָשִׁיב עַל כָּל יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ כְּרָעָתָם. וְהִנֵּה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַמֶּרְכָּבָה אָמַר "פְּנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם" (יחזקאל א י), וְלָכֵן חָשַׁב אַהֲרֹן כִּי הַמַּחְרִיב יוֹרֶה דֶּרֶךְ מְקוֹם הַחֻרְבָּן כִּי שָׁם כֹּחוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, וּבִהְיוֹתָם עוֹבְדִים שָׁם לָאֵל יְעָרֶה רוּחַ מִמָּרוֹם, כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱצַל עַל מֹשֶׁה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר "חַג לַה' מָחָר", שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָעֲבוֹדוֹת וְהַזְּבָחִים לַשֵּׁם הַמְּיֻחָד לְהָפִיק רָצוֹן מִמֶּנּוּ אֶל בַּעַל הַצּוּרָה, כִּי בִּהְיוֹתָהּ לִפְנֵיהֶם יְכַוְּנוּ אֶל עִנְיָנָהּ: וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ לִמְּדוּ אוֹתָנוּ הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה, וְהֵם שֶׁגִּלּוּ סוֹדוֹ, אָמְרוּ (שמו"ר ג ב, מב ה, מג ח) "רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי", אָמַר לוֹ הקב"ה לְמֹשֶׁה, מֹשֶׁה אַתָּה רוֹאֶה רְאִיָּה אַחַת וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת, אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן בָּאִין לְסִינַי וּמְקַבְּלִין תּוֹרָתִי, וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה הֵיאַךְ מִתְבּוֹנְנִין בִּי שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹצֵא בִּקְרוֹנִין שֶׁלִּי שֶׁאֶתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סח יח) "רֶכֶב אֱלֹהִים רִבֹּתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן", וְשׁוֹמְטִין אֶחָד מִטֶּטְרָאמוֹלִין שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁכָּתוּב (יחזקאל א י) "וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל", וּמַכְעִיסִין אוֹתִי בּוֹ טֶטְרָאמוֹלִין, אַרְבַּע פְּרָדוֹת, טֶטְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹן יָוָן אַרְבַּע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (נזיר ח:) טֶטְרָאגוֹן אַרְבַּע. מוּלִין - פְּרָדוֹת, כְּמוֹ מוּלָאוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבִּי (שבת נב.). מָשָׁל לְאַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת הַנּוֹשְׂאוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה. וּבְוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה (י ג) שֶׁאָמַר אַהֲרֹן מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁאֲנִי בּוֹנֶה אֲנִי בּוֹנֶה אוֹתוֹ לִשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הקב"ה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל"ב:ה') "וַיִּקְרָא אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמַר חַג לַה' מָחָר", חַג לָעֵגֶל מָחָר אֵין כָּתוּב כָּאן, אֶלָּא לַה': וְר"א אָמַר כִּי בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה אֱלֹהִים כָּבוֹד חוֹנֶה בְּצוּרַת גְּוִיָּה. וְאִם תָּשִׂים לִבְּךָ אֶל הַמַּסָּע הָרִאשׁוֹן (שמות י"ד:י"ט) תָּבִין זֶה. וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשָׂה הָעֵגֶל בִּמְלֶאכֶת חָכְמַת הַמַּזָּלוֹת לִהְיוֹת בְּצוּרָתוֹ חוֹנֶה כָּבוֹד, אֵין הַדָּבָר רַק שֶׁעָשׂוּ הַצּוּרָה לְכַוֵּן בַּעֲבוֹדָתָהּ אֶל עִנְיָנָהּ. וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (לעיל יג כא, יד יט) סוֹד הַמַּסָּע הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְחָלִילָה שֶׁרָצָה אַהֲרֹן לְהִדָּמוֹת אֵלָיו, רַק מִמֶּנּוּ יִקַּח שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַסָּעָם מִצַּד הַמִּדָּה הַהִיא. וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין:

1MAKE US A GOD WHO ‘YEILCHU’ (SHALL GO — in the plural) BEFORE US. “They wished to have many gods. FOR THIS MOSES, THE MAN THAT BROUGHT US UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, and used to show us the way we were to go, WE KNOW NOT WHAT IT BECOME OF HIM. Now we need many gods which shall go before us.” This is Rashi’s language.But his language does not fit [the verse, since Scripture indicates only that they wanted a leader in place of Moses, but not gods]. Rather, this verse is the key to understand the incident of the golden calf, and the thought of those who made it. For it is known that the Israelites did not think that Moses was a god, and that he did for them the signs and wonders through his own power. So what sense is there in their saying, “since Moses is gone from us, we will make ourselves gods?” Moreover, they clearly said, make us, ‘elohim’ who shall go before us — and not a deity who should give them life in this world or in the World to Come. Instead, they wanted another Moses, saying: “Moses, the man who showed us the way from Egypt until now,²⁵⁶ being in charge of the journeyings at the commandment of the Eternal by the hand of Moses,²⁵⁷, 9:23. he is now lost to us; let us make ourselves another Moses who will show us the way at the commandment of the Eternal by his hand.” This is the reason for their mentioning, Moses, the man that brought us up, rather than saying “the G-d who brought them up,” for they needed a man of G-d.²⁵⁸ You can also understand this matter from Aaron’s answer to Moses our Teacher, when he asked him, What did this people do unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them,²⁵⁹ to which Aaron replied, And they said unto me: Make us a god etc. And I said unto them: Whosoever hath any gold, let him break it off; so they gave it to me; and I cast it into the fire.²⁶⁰, Verses 23-24. Now Aaron was apologizing to Moses and saying to him, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot,²⁶¹, Verse 22. and yet here he was speaking as if adding rebellion unto his sin,²⁶² saying that they asked of him an idol and he made it for them with his hands! So why should Moses’ anger not burn against him! What greater sin than this is there?But the matter is as I have stated, that they did not want the calf to be for them in place of a god who killeth and maketh alive,²⁶³ whom they would take upon themselves to serve as a deity; instead, they wanted to have someone in place of Moses to show them the way. And this was the apology of Aaron. He argued that “they merely told me that I should make them elohim who would go before them in your place, my lord, because they did not know what had happened to you and whether you would return or not. Therefore they needed someone who would show them the way as long as you were not with them, and if perchance you would return they would leave him and follow you as before.” And so indeed it happened, for as soon as the people saw Moses, they immediately left the calf and rejected it, and they allowed him to burn it and scatter its powder upon the water,²⁶⁴ and no one quarrelled with him at all. Similarly you will note that he did not rebuke the people nor say anything to them, and yet when he came into the camp and he saw the calf and the dancing,²⁶⁵ they immediately fled from before him; and he took the calf and burnt it [and scattered its powder upon the water] and made them drink of it, and yet they did not protest at all. But if the calf were to them in place of a god, it is surely not normal that a person should let his king and god be burnt in fire. Lo, if one burn their abominations before their eyes, would they not stone him?²⁶⁶ Now it was Aaron who brought forth this shape, for they did not tell him what he should make, whether a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat,²⁶⁷ or other forms. It is this which is the intention of the saying of the Sages who said,²⁶⁸ “The verse teaches us that they wished to have many gods,” For they did not know what to choose and which one would be best for them.Now Aaron’s intention was as follows. Because Israel was in a wilderness, a desolate wasteland, and destruction and everlasting desolation come from the north, as it is written, Out of the north the evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land,²⁶⁹ the reference being not merely to the king of Babylon, as can be seen clearly from Scripture,²⁷⁰, Verse 15: For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north etc. but rather [the intent of the verse is to state] that the attribute of justice comes to the world from the left,²⁷¹ to requite upon all the inhabitants of the land according to their evil; and since in the account of the Divine Chariot it is said, and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side²⁷² — therefore Aaron thought that the destroyer [the ox, which was to the left, i.e. the north] points to the place of destruction where its great power is centered, and when worshipping G-d through there the spirit will be poured from on high,²⁷³ just as it was put upon Moses. It is for this reason that Aaron said, Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Eternal,²⁷⁴ meaning that the services and the sacrifices would be to the Proper Name of G-d in order to obtain His favor upon the power [symbolized by] this image,²⁷⁵ for, it being before them, they would direct their thoughts towards the purport thereof [and thus would be able to mitigate the destructive forces of the wilderness].It is our Rabbis who have taught us this interpretation, and it is they who have revealed the secret thereof. Thus they have said:²⁷⁶ “‘Ra’oh ra’ithi’ (I have surely seen) the affliction of My people.²⁷⁷ Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses: ‘Moses, you see them in one appearance, and I see them in two appearances.²⁷⁸, translated “I have surely seen.” You see them coming to Sinai and accepting My Torah, and I see them contemplating Me and how I came forth in My ‘travelling coach’ to give them the Torah, as it is said, The chariots of G-d are myriads, even thousands upon thousands,²⁷⁹ and they will unhitch one of My tatromulin,²⁸⁰ (living creatures) in the Divine Chariot as described by Ezekiel (Chapter 1), which, as stated in Psalms quoted above, were also seen at the Revelation on Sinai. The sense here is thus that “they will unhitch one of the four chayoth (creatures) in My Chariot, and worship it.” of which it is written, and the face of an ox on the left side,²⁷² and bring Me to anger with it.’” Tatromulin means “four mules,” for tetra in Greek means “four,” just as the Rabbis have said,²⁸¹ [“If a person vowed, ‘I will be a Nazir] tetragon,’ he becomes [a Nazir for a period of] four times;” mulin means “mules,” just as in the expression, “The mula’oth (mules) of Rabbi’s house²⁸² [used to go out with their bits on the Sabbath].” The word tatromulin is thus used as a symbol of the four chayoth (living creatures) who carried the Divine Chariot.²⁸³ And in Vayikra Rabbah [10:3] [we find the Midrash stating] that Aaron said, “Since I am building the altar, I will build it to the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Eternal.’²⁷⁴ It is not written here, ‘Tomorrow shall be a feast to the calf,’ but to the Eternal.”Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that elohim in this case [Arise, make us ‘elohim’] means that Aaron should make them “something visible and corporeal on which the glory would rest. And if you will pay attention to the first journey,²⁸⁴ etc. (Bachya). you will understand this.” But this does not appear to me to be correct, since the calf was not made according to the manner of those proficient in the art of the constellations, so that the glory or some spiritual influence should dwell upon it; rather, the figure was made so that when the people would worship it they would direct their thoughts to the purport thereof [as explained above]. Now I have already explained²⁸⁵ the secret of the first journey, and far it be from Aaron that he should want to be likened to him. Instead, his desire was merely to take of [the tatromulin, as explained above] so that their journeys [in the wilderness] should be on the side of that attribute. The student learned [in the mysteries of the Cabala] will understand.

אפָּרְקוּ נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב בָּחַר זָהָב וְלֹא כֶּסֶף, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהוּא מוֹרֶה עַל מִדַּת הַדִּין, וּמַרְאֵהוּ כְּמַרְאֵה אֵשׁ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ עוֹד (יומא מה.) "זְהַב פַּרְוָיִם" שֶׁדּוֹמֶה לְדַם פָּרִים. וְלָכֵן נַעֲשָׂה בֵּית הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כֻּלּוֹ זָהָב, וְכֵן מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת, וְכֵן הַכְּרוּבִים, וְדָרְשׁוּ בָּהֶם (מכילתא יתרו י ג) שֶׁאִם עֲשָׂאָן שֶׁל כֶּסֶף הֲרֵי הֵן כֵּאלֹהֵי כֶסֶף וֵאלֹהֵי זָהָב. וְגַם דְּמוּת עֵגֶל בַּזָּהָב יוֹתֵר מִן הַכֶּסֶף:

1PULL OFF THE GOLDEN RINGS. He selected gold and not silver, because gold indicates the attribute of justice, its appearance being as the appearance of fire,²⁸⁶ just as the Rabbis have said,²⁸⁷) is found in II Chronicles 3:6. “gold of parvayim, gold which is like the blood of bullocks.” It is for this reason that the House where the sacrifices were brought was made wholly of gold, as also the altar of incense²⁸⁸ and the cherubim,²⁸⁹, 25:18. and the Rabbis have interpreted [the verses to mean]²⁹⁰, 20:23. that “if they made them of silver [and not of gold] they are like gods of silver and gods of gold.” Even the form for the calf they made of gold rather than of silver.

אוַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ גַּם זֶה הַכָּתוּב יוֹרֶה אוֹתָנוּ, כִּי אֵין טִפֵּשׁ בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁיַּחְשֹׁב כִּי הַזָּהָב הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם הוּא אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, אֲבָל אָמְרוּ כִּי כֹּחַ הַצּוּרָה הַזֹּאת הֶעֱלָם מִשָּׁם: וְהִנֵּה לֹא תִּמְצָא שֶׁיֹּאמַר בָּעֵגֶל בְּשׁוּם מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, כִּי הֵם מוֹדִים בְּמִי שֶׁאָמַר "אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם" (שמות כ':ב'), כִּי שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל הוּא הַמּוֹצִיא אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם, אֲבָל יֹאמְרוּ בִּמְקוֹמוֹת רַבִּים אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ, כִּי יִקְחוּ זֶה בִּמְקוֹם הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה הַמַּחֲרֶבֶת יָם הַשָּׂמָה מַעֲמַקֵּי יָם דֶּרֶךְ לַעֲבֹר גְּאוּלִים (ישעיה נא י) וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו כא כב) "וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר אֹכֵל עֵשֶׂב", וְשָׁם נֶאֱמַר "שָׁכְחוּ אֵל מוֹשִׁיעָם עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת בְּמִצְרָיִם נִפְלָאוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ חָם נוֹרָאוֹת עַל יַם סוּף" (שם פסוק כא), שָׁכְחוּ דְּבָרוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּם, וְהִנֵּה עָבְרוּ עַל "לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי" (שמות כ':ג'), כַּאֲשֶׁר רָמַזְתִּי שָׁם, וְתָבִין זֶה:

1AND THEY SAID, THESE ARE THY GODS, O ISRAEL, WHICH BROUGHT THEE UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT. This verse also will teach you [that they had no intention of worshipping it as an idol], for there is no fool in the world who would think that this gold which was in their ears²⁹¹ is that which brought them up out of the land of Egypt. Rather, they said that the power of that figure brought them up out of there. Thus you will find that in no place does it say of the calf, “which brought us ‘out’ of Egypt,” for they acknowledged Him Who said, I am the Eternal thy G-d, who brought thee ‘out’ of the land of Egypt,²⁹² and that it was by His Great Name that He delivered them from there. Instead, they said in many places who brought thee ‘up,’ for they took it to be in place of the great hand²⁹³, 14:31. — that dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over.²⁹⁴ It is with this intention that Scripture says, Thus they exchanged their Glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth grass,²⁹⁵ and there it is said, They forgot G-d Who had delivered them, Who had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, terrible things by the Red Sea.²⁹⁶, Verses 21-22. They forgot His word which He commanded them. Thus they transgressed the prohibition, Thou shalt have no other gods before Me,²⁹⁷ as I have hinted there, and you will understand this.

אוַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן טַעַם זֶה הַכָּתוּב שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָם בְּרַע (שמות ל"ב:כ"ב) מְכַוְּנִים אֶל הָעֵגֶל, וְקָם וּבָנָה מִזְבֵּחַ, וְקָרָא "חַג לַה' מָחָר", שֶׁיִּזְבְּחוּ לַשֵּׁם הַמְּיֻחָד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה הוּא לִשְׁמוֹ, וְלֹא יִבְנוּ הֵם מִזְבְּחוֹת לַבֹּשֶׁת, וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה כַּוָּנָתָם בַּזְּבָחִים בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ: וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁאָמַר "מָחָר" לְהַאֲרִיךְ לָהֶם, אוּלַי יָבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְיַעַזְבוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל, וְהֵם הִשְׁכִּימוּ בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת וַיַּגִּשׁוּ שְׁלָמִים וְלֹא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב וַיַּעֲלוּ לוֹ עוֹלוֹת וַיַּגִּישׁוּ לוֹ שְׁלָמִים, וְהָעִנְיָן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ בָּהֶם מְכַוְּנִים לְשֵׁם הקב"ה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר אַהֲרֹן, וּמֵהֶם מַשְׁחִיתִים וְזוֹבְחִים לָעֵגֶל. וְעַל אֵלֶּה אָמַר הקב"ה לְמֹשֶׁה (שמות ל"ב:ח') "וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ", כִּי הֵם הַחַטָּאִים. וְאִם אוּלַי הָיָה אַהֲרֹן הַמַּקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹת, אָמַר סְתָם וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת וַיַּגִּשׁוּ שְׁלָמִים, כִּי הוּא מְכַוֵּן לְשֵׁם ה', וְהֵם דַּעְתָּם אֶל הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ, וְהָיוּ הַבְּעָלִים מְפַגְּלִין:

1AND AARON SAW. The meaning of this verse is that Aaron saw them set on evil, intent upon making the calf, and he arose and built an altar and proclaimed, Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Eternal,²⁷⁴ so that they should bring offerings to the Proper Name of G-d upon the altar which he built to His Name, and that they should not build altars to the shameful thing,²⁹⁸ and that their intent in the offerings should be [to none] save unto the Eternal only.²⁹⁹It is possible that Aaron said, Tomorrow [shall be a feast], in order to delay them, thinking that perhaps Moses would come in the meantime and they would abandon the calf. But they rose up early in the morning and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings.³⁰⁰ Now Scripture does not say “and they offered burnt-offerings to it, and brought peace-offerings to it.” The reason for that is that there were some people amongst them who intended them to be for the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as Aaron had said, but some of them became corrupted and sacrificed them to the calf. It is with reference to this latter group that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, they have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it,³⁰¹ for it is they who were the sinners. And even if it was perhaps Aaron who performed the sacrifical rites, Scripture used an indefinite expression — saying, they offered burnt-offerings and brought peace-offerings³⁰⁰ — in order to suggest that Aaron’s intention was directed towards the Name of the Eternal, whilst they set their mind towards the calf which they had made, and thus the owners [of the sacrifices] invalidated them.

אוְטַעַם וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְשָׁתוֹ שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ כֻּלָּם כְּאֶחָד לֶאֱכֹל לְשָׂבְעָה וְשָׁתֹה לְשָׁכְרָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּ בַּחַגִּים וּבַמּוֹעֲדִים, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן קָמוּ לְצַחֵק בַּעֲצַבֵּיהֶם וּלְשִׂמְחָה, וְסִפֵּר זֶה בַּעֲבוּר מַה שֶׁאָמַר "קוֹל עַנּוֹת אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ" (שמות ל"ב:י"ח), כִּי מֹשֶׁה מְצָאָן מְשַׂחֲקִין לְפָנָיו, וַיִּגְבַּהּ לִבּוֹ בְּדַרְכֵי ה' לָקַחַת אוֹתוֹ מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם וּלְשָׂרְפוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם, וַיַּשְׁקְ אוֹתוֹ לָהֶם. וְהִשְׁלִים הַכָּתוּב כָּל מַה שֶׁעָשׂוּ בָּעֵגֶל, וְאַחַר כֵּן סִפֵּר מַה שֶׁאָמַר הקב"ה לְמֹשֶׁה "לֶךְ רֵד", אֲבָל הָיָה דִּבּוּר זֶה לְמֹשֶׁה בַּבֹּקֶר הַשְׁכֵּם כַּאֲשֶׁר הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ, וּבְרֶדֶת מֹשֶׁה יָשְׁבוּ לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְקָמוּ לְצַחֵק, וּמְצָאָם בַּשְּׂחוֹק, וְגַם זֶה רְאָיָה לְמָה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי (רמב"ן על שמות ל"ב:א'), שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לְמֹשֶׁה לֶךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ בַּיּוֹם שֶׁעָשָׂה אַהֲרֹן הָעֵגֶל וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ, שֶׁהָיָה יוֹרֵד מִיָּד, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁזָּבְחוּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ הָעָם אָז אָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁיֵּרֵד:

1AND THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND TO DRINK. This means that they all sat down together to eat and drink inordinately, as they would do at feasts and on festivals, and afterwards they rose up to make merry with their idols and indulge in revelry. Scripture tells us this on account of what Moses [later] said, the noise of them that sing do I hear,³⁰² for Moses found them acting riotously in front of him and his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Eternal,³⁰³ to take it from before them and to burn it in their presence [and scatter its powder upon the water] and make them drink of it.Now Scripture first completed the account of everything they had done with the calf, and afterwards told of what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, Go, get thee down.³⁰⁴ This communication, however, was given to Moses early that morning, when they worshipped the calf and sacrificed to it. When Moses came down from the mountain they had sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry,³⁰⁰ and he found them in revelry. This also is proof to what I have explained [that at first their intent was not to worship idols], since it was not said to Moses, Go, get thee down, for thy people have dealt corruptly³⁰⁴ on the day that Aaron made the [golden] calf and the altar, [for had they been made for the purpose of idolatry, Moses] would have come down immediately. Instead, it was only when the people sacrificed to it and worshipped it that He told Moses to go down.

אכִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ אָמַר הַשֵּׁם לְמֹשֶׁה כִּי עָשׂוּ שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת, הָאַחַת, כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, וְעִנְיַן הַהַשְׁחָתָה הֲרִיסַת בִּנְיָן, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאִישׁ כְּלִי מַשְׁחֵתוֹ בְּיָדוֹ" (יחזקאל ט א), "הִנְנִי אֵלֶיךָ הַר הַמַּשְׁחִית" (ירמיה נא כה), בָּבֶל הַהוֹרֵס כָּל חוֹמָה וּמִגְדָּל, וּפֵרוּשׁ הַהַשְׁחָתָה בְּכָאן הַדָּבָר שֶׁקָּרְאוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מְקַצֵּץ בַּנְּטִיעוֹת. וְהַשֵּׁנִי, כִּי עָשׂוּ עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ: וְהִנֵּה הָעֲבֵרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא יֵדָעֶנָּה רַק הַשֵּׁם לְבַדּוֹ שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת לֵב, וְהַשֵּׁנִית מַעֲשֵׂה הַזּוֹבְחִים הַחוֹטְאִים שֶׁבָּהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי. וְהִנֵּה רֹב הָעָם חָטְאוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, כִּי כֵן כָּתוּב וַיִּתְפָּרְקוּ כָּל הָעָם אֶת נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב, וְלוּלֵי זֶה לֹא הָיָה הַכַּעַס בְּכֻלָּם לְכַלּוֹתָם. וְהִנֵּה הַנֶּהֱרָגִים וְהַנִּגָּפִים מוּעָטִים, כִּי בְּרֻבָּם הָיָה הַחֵטְא בְּמַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי:

1FOR THY PEOPLE HAVE DEALT CORRUPTLY. G-d said to Moses that they have committed two evils.³⁰⁵ One is that thy people have dealt corruptly. The meaning of the term hashchathah (corruption) is destruction of a structure, similar to that which is said, every man with his weapon of ‘mashchetho’ (destruction) in his hand;³⁰⁶ behold, I am against thee, ‘hamashchith’ (O destroying) mountain³⁰⁷ — Babylon — which destroyed every wall and tower [of the fortified cities]. And the meaning of “the destruction” here is that which our Rabbis have called³⁰⁸ “mutilating the shoots,” [of faith, by seeking to undermine the principle of the Unity]. Secondly, they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it.³⁰¹ Now as regards the first transgression it was known only to G-d, for it is He Who knoweth the secrets of the heart,³⁰⁹ but the second one, [the open disregard of the Law] was by the sinners amongst them, as I have explained, [in bringing sacrifices to the golden calf; and that was a matter known to all]. Now most of the people shared in the sin of the incident of the calf, for so it is written, And all the people pulled off the golden pendants.²⁹¹ And were it not for this [participation of theirs in the incident], the anger [of G-d] would not have been directed against them to destroy them all. For even though the numbers of those who were killed for this sin³¹⁰. and those smitten by G-d³¹¹ were few [in comparison to the total number of the people, this was because] most of them shared in the sin only in their evil thought [and not in action], as I have explained.

בוְטַעַם אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם יוּבַן מִפָּסוּק "וַיַּסַּע מֹשֶׁה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּם סוּף" (שמות ט"ו:כ"ב), אוֹ שֶׁרָצָה לוֹמַר לוֹ כְּמַאֲמָרָם אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ "כִּי זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם", וְכֵן בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה (דברים ט יב) "אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מִמִּצְרַיִם", כִּי עַל יָדְךָ יָצְאוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵם אוֹמְרִים. וּמֹשֶׁה אָמַר בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ "אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה" (שמות ל"ב:י"א), כִּי אַתָּה לְבַדְּךָ הוּא הַמּוֹצִיא, כִּי לְךָ הַכֹּחַ וְהַגְּבוּרָה, כִּי "בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל" יְמִין ה' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ, "וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה" יְמִין ה' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב (שמות ט"ו:ו'). וְכֵן אָמַר "בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל וּבִזְרוֹעֲךָ הַנְּטוּיָה" (דברים ט כט), כַּאֲשֶׁר רָמַזְתִּי (לעיל טו ו ד"ה ימינך) בְּסוֹד מִדַּת הַזְּרוֹעַ:

2THAT THOU [i.e., Moses] BROUGHTEST UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT. This is to be understood in the light of the verse, And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea.³¹² Or it may be that G-d wanted to tell it to Moses in the same way as the people had said it — for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt.³¹³ Similarly, in the Book of Deuteronomy, He said, thy people that thou hast brought forth out of Egypt,³¹⁴ meaning that through you [Moses] they have gone out of Egypt, as they say. But in his prayer Moses said, that Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand,³¹⁵ meaning that You alone are the One Who took them out of Egypt, for Yours is the might and the power; for it was with great power that Thy right hand, O Eternal is glorious in power,³¹⁶ and with a mighty hand Thy right hand, O Eternal dasheth in pieces the enemy.³¹⁶ Similarly it is said, by Thy great power and by Thy outstretched arm,³¹⁷ as I have hinted at³¹⁶ in connection with the secret of the attribute of the Arm.

אוְאֵין טַעַם שֶׁיֹּאמַר הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְאֶכְעֹס, כִּי אִם לֹא חָרָה אַפּוֹ עֲדַיִן אֵיךְ יֶחֱרֶה אַפּוֹ אַחֲרֵי שֶׁיַּנִּיחֶנּוּ מֹשֶׁה, אֲבָל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט שֶׁיֹּאמַר הַנִּיחָה לִּי וַאֲכַלֵּם בַּחֲרוֹן אַפִּי, כְּדֶרֶךְ "הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם" (דברים ט יד): וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת, הַנִּיחָה רַחֲמַי, וּמִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁלִּי תִּתְחָרֶה בָּהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם בָּהּ, כִּי עִמִּי אֵין לָהּ רְשׁוּת בָּהֶם, וְזֶה טַעַם וַיְחַל מֹשֶׁה אֶת פְּנֵי ה' אֱלֹהָיו וְהוּא כְּטַעַם "אֶת פְּנֵי הָאָדֹן ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות ל"ד:כ"ג) וְכָךְ הִזְכִּיר בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה (דברים ט כו) ה' בְּאָלֶ"ף דָּלֶ"ת וְיוֹ"ד הֵ"א אַחֲרָיו. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה "וַיְחַל" מִלְּשׁוֹן תְּחִלָּה, בִּין וְתֵדַע:

1NOW THEREFORE LET ME ALONE, THAT MY WRATH MAY WAX HOT AGAINST THEM. The meaning of this cannot be “let Me alone and I will become angry,” for if His anger had not been aroused yet, why should it wax hot as soon as Moses leaves Him alone? But in line with the plain meaning of Scripture the meaning thereof is: “leave Me, and I will consume them in My burning anger,” similar in thought to the expression, let Me alone, and I will destroy them.³¹⁸, Verse 14.By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], the verse means: “My mercy will subside, and My attribute of justice will wax hot against them and I will consume them with it, for with Me [i.e. when the attribute of mercy is before Me], it³¹⁹ has no power over them.” This is the meaning of the expression, And Moses besought the face of the Eternal his G-d,³²⁰ (“face of”) alludes to the attribute of justice (Bachya). being similar in usage to the expression, the face of the Lord Eternal G-d, the G-d of Israel.³²¹ And so Moses mentioned [in his prayer] in the Book of Deuteronomy, O G-d Eternal³²² — first the name of G-d with Aleph Dalet,³²³ which alludes to the attribute of justice. followed by the name of Yod Hei.³²⁴ It is possible that the word vay’chal (and he besought) is of the root t’chilah (beginning).³²⁵ [of the root t’chilah, meaning “beginning” or “first”], because [in the order of the attributes as they are arranged from lowest to highest, the one of justice] is nearest to us” (Ricanti). See also Bachya, in my edition, Vol. II, p. 332. Understand it and you will know.

אלָמָה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ הִנֵּה בַּחֵטְא הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה הָיָה רָאוּי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל דֶּרֶךְ וִדּוּי וּתְחִנָּה, כְּעִנְיַן "אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה" (שמות ל"ב:ל"א), וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֶזְרָא וּכְהִתְוַדֹּתוֹ עַל מַעַל הַגּוֹלָה (עזרא י א). וְאֵין טַעַם שֶׁיֹּאמַר "לָמָּה ה'". וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ (בשמו"ר מג ז ט) מִתְעוֹרְרִים בָּזֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַהַגָּדוֹת לְהַזְכִּיר כַּמָּה טְעָמִים לְמַעֵט הַחֵטְא לְפָנָיו: וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת יֹאמַר לָמָּה תִּתֵּן רְשׁוּת לְמִדַּת הַדִּין לִהְיוֹת שׁוֹלֶטֶת בְּעַמְּךָ, כִּי אַתָּה הוֹצֵאתָ אוֹתָם לְשִׁמְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים בָּהֶם, וּבְמִדַּת הַדִּין עַל שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם: וְהַתְּפִלָּה הַזֹּאת, לָמָה ה', לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ מִצְרַיִם, נִרְאֶה בֶּאֱמֶת כִּי זֹאת הַתְּפִלָּה הִיא אֲשֶׁר הִזְכִּיר בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה (דברים ט כו) "וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה' וָאֹמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ", כִּי עִנְיַן הַתְּפִלָּה שָׁוֶה בִּשְׁנֵיהֶם. וְהִנֵּה הִזְכִּיר כָּאן הַתְּפִלָּה קֹדֶם רִדְתּוֹ מִן הָהָר וְשָׁם הִזְכִּירָהּ אַחֲרֵי רִדְתּוֹ מִן הָהָר: וְדַעַת ר"א כִּי מֹשֶׁה לֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיְתָה ע"ז בֵּינֵיהֶם, אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ "הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם" (שם ט יד) הִתְבּוֹנֵן כִּי הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בּוֹ וְיָרַד וּבִעֵר הָעֵגֶל וְשָׁב לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בָּאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, וְאֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה:
וְאֵין דַּעְתִּי כֵּן, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁעָשָׂה בְּשׁוּבוֹ הִיא אֲשֶׁר יְסַפֵּר "אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה" (שמות ל"ב:ל"א), וְאִם הַכֹּל תְּפִלָּה אַחַת שֶׁעָשָׂה בְּאַרְבָּעִים הַיּוֹם אַחֲרֵי שׁוּבוֹ לָהָר, לָמָּה יְחַלֵּק אוֹתָהּ, וְיַזְכִּיר כָּאן (שמות ל"ב:י"א-י"ג) מִקְצָתָהּ וְאַחֲרֵי הַיְּרִידָה (שמות ל"ב:ל"א) יַזְכִּיר הַמִּקְצָת הָאַחֵר (שמות ל"ב:ל"א) אֲבָל הֵן שְׁתֵּי תְּפִלּוֹת. וְלָכֵן נִרְאֶה, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם, מִיָּד חִלָּה פְּנֵי הַשֵּׁם וְלֹא אֵחַר כְּלָל, כִּי הָיָה יָרֵא פֶּן יָצָא הַקֶּצֶף מִלִּפְנֵי ה' וְיָחֵל הַנֶּגֶף לְכַלּוֹתָם כְּרֶגַע, וּמִיָּד אָמַר לָמָה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ. וְכָךְ מָצָאתִי בְּאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת רַבָּה (מ"ב:א') אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אִם מַנִּיחַ אֲנִי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵרֵד לִי אֵין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל תְּקוּמָה בָּעוֹלָם, אֲבָל אֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁאֲבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, מִיָּד הִתְחִיל מֹשֶׁה לְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם סָנֵגוֹרְיָה וְכוּ'. וְהִנֵּה הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִחַם הַשֵּׁם עַל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַהֲרֹג אוֹתָם וּלְכַלּוֹתָם, לֹא שֶׁנִּתְרַצָּה לָהֶם, רַק שֶׁאָמַר נִחַמְתִּי לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה כָּלָה. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ פְּנַאי יָרַד מֹשֶׁה וְשָׂרַף אֶת הָעֵגֶל וְהָרַג עוֹבְדָיו וְאַחַר כֵּן אָמַר לָעָם אֶעֱלֶה אֶל ה' אוּלַי אֲכַפְּרָה בְּעַד חַטַּאתְכֶם (שמות ל"ב:ל'), שֶׁיִּמְחֹל לָכֶם: אֲבָל בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה סִפֵּר הָעִנְיָן בְּסֵדֶר אַחֵר, כִּי אַחֲרֵי דְּבַר ה' שֶׁאָמַר "הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם", אָמַר "וָאֵפֶן וָאֵרֵד" (דברים ט כו) וְהַטַּעַם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה מְסַדֵּר לָהֶם שָׁם כָּל חֲטָאֵיהֶם וְהַטֹּרַח שֶׁטָּרַח עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהִנֵּה סִפֵּר מַה שֶׁעָשׂוּ בְּחוֹרֵב בָּעֵגֶל (שמות ל"ב:י"ב-ט"ז), וְשֶׁהֻצְרַךְ הוּא לְשַׁבֵּר הַלּוּחוֹת (שמות ל"ב:י"ז), וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה (שמות ל"ב:י"ח-י"ט), וְגַם עַל אַהֲרֹן (שמות ל"ב:כ'), וְשֶׁטָּרַח לִשְׂרֹף אֶת הָעֵגֶל (שמות ל"ב:כ"א), וְסִפֵּר מַה שֶׁעָשׂוּ בְּתַבְעֵרָה וּבְמַסָּה וּבְקִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה (שמות ל"ב:כ"ב), "וּבִשְׁלֹחַ ה' אוֹתָם מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ" (שמות ל"ב:כ"ג). וְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁהִשְׁלִים "מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם עִם ה' מִיּוֹם דַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם" (שמות ל"ב:כ"ד), חָזַר (שמות ל"ב:כ"ה-כ"ט) אֶל עִנְיַן תְּפִלּוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר הִזְכִּיר, וְסִדֵּר אֶת שְׁתֵּי הַתְּפִלּוֹת וְאָמַר "וָאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי ה' אֵת אַרְבָּעִים הַיּוֹם וְאֶת אַרְבָּעִים הַלַּיְלָה אֲשֶׁר הִתְנַפָּלְתִּי כִּי אָמַר ה' לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם, וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה' וָאֹמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ" וְגוֹ' כְּאוֹמֵר הֻצְרַכְתִּי לְהִתְנַפֵּל לִפְנֵי ה' בַּעֲבוּרְכֶם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה אָמַר ה' לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם, עַד שֶׁהִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי אֵלָיו אַל תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ. וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ לְהַזְכִּיר הַתְּפִלָּה הַשֵּׁנִית, כִּי כְּבָר אָמַר שֶׁאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם הִתְנַפֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי גַּם בְּכָאן לֹא הִזְכִּירָהּ, כִּי מִי יוּכַל לִכְתֹּב כַּמָּה תַּחֲנוּנִים וּבַקָּשׁוֹת אֲשֶׁר הִתְנַפֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם:
וְאִם תָּבִין מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי תַּכִּיר בָּאֱמֶת שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁתֵּי תְּפִלּוֹת, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה חִלָּה אֶת פְּנֵי ה' אֱלֹהָיו (שמות ל"ב:י"א), וּבַסּוֹף הִתְנַפֵּל לִפְנֵי ה' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְבָּאֵר בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' (שמות ל"ב:ל"א): וְהִזְכִּיר בְּמִשְׁנֵה הַתּוֹרָה (דברים שם בפסוק כ) "וּבְאַהֲרֹן הִתְאַנַּף ה' וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל גַּם בְּעַד אַהֲרֹן בָּעֵת הַהִיא", וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר בְּכָאן זֶה כְּלָל, וְזֶה לִכְבוֹד אַהֲרֹן, כִּי לֹא רָצָה מֹשֶׁה לְהַזְכִּיר בְּחַיָּיו שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לִתְפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יֵבוֹשׁ, וְשָׁם אַחֲרֵי מוֹתוֹ הוֹדִיעֵנוּ הָאֱמֶת. וְזֶה הַסֵּדֶר הַנָּכוֹן בַּפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הָאֵלֶּה:

1ETERNAL, WHY DOTH THY WRATH WAX HOT AGAINST THY PEOPLE? Now when Moses prayed about this great sin, it would have been fitting that he do so by way of confession and supplication, similar to what he said later on, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin,³²⁶ and just as Ezra prayed and confessed³²⁷ because of the faithlessness of them of the captivity,³²⁸, 9:4. and there is no reason why he should say, why doth the Eternal etc.? Our Rabbis, prompted by this [difficulty], have in various homiletic ways³²⁹ tried to mention several reasons for Moses’ minimizing the sin before Him.By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], Moses is saying: “Why do You give permission to the attribute of justice to hold sway over Your people, for You have taken them out of the land of Egypt for the sake of Your Name with the attribute of mercy ruling over them, and with the attribute of justice upon their enemies.”Now this prayer — Why doth the Eternal… Wherefore should the Egyptians speak³³⁰ — appears really to be the very same prayer he mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy, And I prayed unto G-d and I said: O Eternal G-d, destroy not Thy people,³³¹ for the purport of the prayer is alike in both cases, the difference being only that here Scripture mentioned the prayer before it told us that he came down from the mountain, and there Moses mentioned it after it tells us that he came down from the mountain. But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra’s opinion is that Moses did not pray for Israel as long as the idol was among them;³³² but only when G-d told him, Let me alone, that I may destroy them,³¹⁸, Verse 14. and he realized that the fate [of the people] was dependent upon him, did he go down the mountain and destroy the calf, and then he returned to pray for forty days, there being no strict chronological order in the narrative of the Torah. But I do not agree with this opinion. For the prayer he recited upon his return to the mountain [after he had cleansed the camp of the idol] is the one which he mentions, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin.³²⁶ And if it is all one prayer³³³ which Moses said during the forty days after he returned to the mountain, why does Scripture divide it, mentioning here [in Verses 11-13] part of it, and after he had come down, mentioning the other part [in Verses 31-32]? Rather, these are two separate prayers. Therefore it appears that when G-d told him Let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them,³³⁴ Moses immediately besought the face of the Eternal and did not delay at all, for he was afraid lest the wrath go out from G-d and the plague would begin³³⁵ and consume them in a moment,³³⁶, Verse 10. therefore at once he said, Eternal, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people? Similarly I found it in Eileh Shemoth Rabbah:³³⁷ “Said Moses: ‘If I leave Israel [to their fate] and go down the mountain, they will never have a restoration again. Instead I will not move from here until I seek mercy for them.’ Immediately Moses began pleading on their behalf etc.” Thus he prayed for them and G-d repented of the evil which He said³³⁸ to kill them and destroy them. That does not mean that He was [completely] reconciled with them, but at least He said, “I have repented, I will not destroy them.” And now that Moses had time, he went down the mountain and burnt the calf, and punished its worshippers, and afterwards he said to the people, I will go up unto the Eternal, perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin,³³⁹ so that He should entirely forgive you. However, in the Book of Deuteronomy Moses narrated the account in another order, stating that after G-d had told him, Let Me alone, that I may destroy them,³⁴⁰ he said, So I turned and came down.³⁴¹, Verse 15. The reason [for this change in the account of the narrative] is that Moses was listing to them there all their transgressions, and the pains he took for them. Thus he told them of the golden calf they had made in Horeb,³⁴², Verse 8. on account of which he had to break the Tablets of the Law and to pray for them forty days and forty nights, and also for Aaron,³⁴³, Verse 20. and how he was put to the trouble of burning the calf. Then he continued to tell what they had done at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah,³⁴⁴, Verse 22. And when the Eternal sent them from Kadesh-barnea;³⁴⁵, Verse 23. and after he finished, Ye have been rebellious against the Eternal from the day that I knew you,³⁴⁶, Verse 24. he went back to the matter of his prayers which he had mentioned, and set down in order the two prayers, saying, So I fell down before the Eternal the forty days and forty nights that I fell down; because the Eternal had said He would destroy you³⁴⁷, Verse 25. — until I prayed, destroy not Thy people.³⁴⁸, Verse 26. It was not necessary for him to mention the second prayer³⁴⁹, etc. because he had already said there that he prayed for them forty days, and even here it does not mention [all the prayers he recited], for who can write down the many supplications and entreaties that he prayed for them during the forty days. And if you will understand what I have explained, then you will really comprehend that there were [here] two prayers, for at first he besought the face of the Eternal his G-d, and at the end [i.e., after he came down the mountain and burnt the golden calf etc. and then returned to the mountain], he fell down before the Eternal for forty days,³⁴⁷, Verse 25. as it is explained in the section, and Moses returned unto the Eternal.³⁵⁰Now in the Book of Deuteronomy he mentioned, Moreover the Eternal was very angry with Aaron… and I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.³⁵¹ This he did not mention here at all for the sake of Aaron’s honor, for Moses did not want to mention in Aaron’s lifetime that he had been dependent upon his prayer, in order that he should not feel ashamed.³⁵² But there [in the Book of Deuteronomy] after Aaron’s death, he informed us of the truth. This is the correct order in these Scriptural sections.

אוְהַלֻּחֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הַלּוּחוֹת בַּפָּסוּק "וַיִּתֵּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה" (שמות ל"א:י"ח), כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר "כְּתוּבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים". אֲבָל הִזְכִּירוֹ בְּכָאן לְסַפֵּר בְּמַעֲלָתָן, לוֹמַר כִּי לֹא נִמְנַע מֹשֶׁה בְּכָל זֶה מִלְּשַׁבֵּר אוֹתָם, כִּי חָרָה לוֹ בִּרְאוֹתוֹ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָרַע הַהוּא, וְלֹא יָכוֹל לְהִתְאַפֵּק. אוֹ כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהִזְכִּירוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (בשמות רבה ט יא) שֶׁפָּרַח הַכְּתָב עַתָּה בְּבוֹאוֹ בִּגְבוּל הָעֵגֶל בִּמְקוֹם הַטֻּמְאָה וְהַחֵטְא:

1AND THE TABLETS WERE THE WORK OF G-D. It would have been proper for Scripture to mention everything connected with the work of the Tablets of the Law in the verse, And He gave unto Moses [… the two Tablets of the Testimony],³⁵³ as He said [there], written with the finger of G-d.³⁵³ It is, however, mentioned here in order to tell of their high distinction [that they were the work of G-d], thus stating that despite all this Moses did not hesitate to break them, because he was angered upon seeing that evil sight and he could not restrain himself from breaking them. Or the matter may be as our Rabbis have mentioned,³⁵⁴ that the writing vanished from the Tablets as he approached the border [of the camp] where the calf was, the place of defilement and transgression.

אוְטַעַם קוֹל עַנּוֹת אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ אֵינֶנּוּ מִפְּנֵי יְדִיעָתוֹ הַדָּבָר, כִּי הָיָה אוֹמֵר קוֹל עַנּוֹת הוּא, אֲבָל הַטַּעַם כִּי מֹשֶׁה אָב בְּחָכְמָה הוּא וּמַכִּיר נִגּוּנֵי הַקּוֹלוֹת, וְאָמַר כִּי קוֹל עַנּוֹת הוּא הַנִּשְׁמָע אֵלָיו וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ בַּהַגָּדָה (במדרש רבה קהלת ט יא) שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לִנְהֹג שְׂרָרָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ מַבְחִין בֵּין קוֹל לְקוֹל. וְהִנֵּה מֹשֶׁה בְּעַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה לֹא הִגִּיד הָעִנְיָן לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, כִּי לֹא רָצָה לְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל אָמַר לוֹ כִּי קוֹל שְׂחוֹק הוּא:

1THE NOISE OF THEM THAT SING DO I HEAR.³⁵⁵ The meaning of this is not that Moses knew the matter to be so, for in that case he would have said, “It is the noise of them that sing” [instead of saying, “do I hear”]. Rather, its meaning is that since Moses was the father of wisdom,³⁵⁶ 1. See also in Vol. I, pp. 9-10. and recognized the musical character of all sounds, he said that it was a noise of singing which was being heard by him. The Rabbis have likewise said in an Agadah³⁵⁷ that Moses told Joshua, “Is it possible that one who is destined to be the leader of Israel cannot distinguish between the different kinds of sounds?” Now Moses in his great humility did not tell Joshua the cause of the noise, as he did not want to speak of the disgrace of Israel, and so instead he told him that it was a noise of merriment.

אוַיִּזֶר עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה דַּק לֶעָפָר זְרָקוֹ עַל פְּנֵי מֵי הַנַּחַל הַיֹּרֵד מִן הָהָר וְהִשְׁקָה אוֹתָן מֵאוֹתָן הַמַּיִם. וְאֶפְשָׁר כִּי הַזָּהָב הַשָּׂרוּף שֶׁאֵינֶנּוּ נִתַּךְ, אֲבָל הוּא שָׂרוּף, וְנִטְחַן עַד אֲשֶׁר דַּק, כַּאֲשֶׁר הִזְכִּיר ר"א, קַל הוּא עַל פְּנֵי מַיִם, עַל כֵּן הָיָה צָף וְהִשְׁקָהוּ לָהֶם. אוֹ הָיָה זוֹרֶה אוֹתוֹ עַל הַנַּחַל מְעַט מְעַט, וְשׁוֹאֵב וּמַשְׁקֶה לָהֶם טֶרֶם יִשְׁקַע. אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מִמַּעֲשֵׂה הַנִּסִּים. וְהִנֵּה רָצָה לְבַזּוֹת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, טָחַן הָאֱלוֹהַּ שֶׁלָּהֶם וְהִכְנִיסוֹ בְּבִטְנָם שֶׁיּוֹצִיאוּהוּ בָּרְעִי וּבַצּוֹאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ל כב) "תִּזְרֵם כְּמוֹ דָוָה צֵא תֹּאמַר לוֹ". וְעַל דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ע"ז מד.) עוֹד נִתְכַּוֵּן לְבָדְקָם כְּסוֹטוֹת וְצָבְתָה בִּטְנָם וְנָפְלָה יְרֵכָם, וְהוּא הָאֱמֶת:

1AND HE STREWED IT UPON THE WATER, AND MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DRINK IT. After grinding the golden calf to a fine powder, he scattered it on the surface of the stream which came down from the mountain, and made the people drink of those waters. It is possible that gold burnt in fire does not melt, but instead when placed therein is charred and can be ground to powder, as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra mentioned.³⁵⁸ This powder was light upon the face of the waters,³⁵⁹ and therefore it floated, and he made them drink of it. Or it may be that he scattered it upon the stream in small quantities, and then drew the water and made them drink it before the gold powder sank in the stream. Or perhaps it was a miraculous event. Thus he wanted to disgrace their deeds by grinding their god to powder and bringing it into their bellies to issue as excrement, something like it is said, Thou shalt put them [i.e., the graven images] far away as one unclean; thou shalt say unto it: ‘get thee hence.’³⁶⁰ In the opinion of our Rabbis³⁶¹ he also intended to put them to the test in the same way that faithless wives were tried,³⁶² [so that those guilty of having worshipped the golden calf] would have their bellies swell and their thighs fall away.³⁶³, Verse 27. This is the truth.

אמֶה עָשָׂה לְךָ הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי הֵבֵאתָ עָלָיו חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה כַּמָּה יִסּוּרִים סָבַלְתָּ שֶׁיִּסְּרוּךָ עַד שֶׁלֹּא תָּבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם חֵטְא זֶה. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ל"ב:כ"א). וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, כִּי הַחֵטְא הַזֶּה מִן הַחֲטָאִים שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר. וְאוּלַי אָמַר לוֹ כֵּן לְהַגְדִּיל אַשְׁמָתוֹ. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כִּי הוּא כְּמוֹ "מֶה עָשִׂיתִי מֶה עֲוֹנִי וּמֶה חַטָּאתִי לִפְנֵי אָבִיךָ כִּי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת נַפְשִׁי" (שמואל א כ':א'). יֹאמַר, מַה שִׂנְאָה הָיְתָה לְךָ עִם הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי סִבַּבְתָּ לְהַשְׁמִידָם וּלְכַלּוֹתָם. וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה אַהֲרֹן לָהֶם לְאִישׁ מוֹכִיחַ וְלִמְכַפֵּר (שמו"ר ג כא), וְהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיָּחוּס וִירַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם, אָמַר לוֹ כֵּן. כְּלוֹמַר, נָהַגְתָּ עִמָּהֶם כְּאוֹיֵב הֶחָפֵץ בְּרָעָתָם, לֹא פָּשְׁעוּ וְלֹא חָטְאוּ לְךָ. וְהִנֵּה הָיָה רָאוּי מֹשֶׁה לְהַאֲשִׁים אוֹתוֹ תְּחִלָּה עַל חַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא הוּא, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יַאֲשִׁים אוֹתוֹ עַל אַשְׁמַת הָעָם, וְיֹאמַר, אֵיךְ חָטָאתָ הַחֲטָאָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת לֵאלֹהִים, וְגַם הִכְשַׁלְתָּ רַבִּים וְהֵבֵאתָ עֲלֵיהֶם חֲטָאָה גְּדוֹלָה, אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה בְּעַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ נָהַג כָּבוֹד בְּאָחִיו הַגָּדוֹל וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר לוֹ רַק מִכְשׁוֹל הָעָם. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁגַּם מֹשֶׁה נָכוֹן לִבּוֹ בָּטוּחַ בְּצִדְקַת אָחִיו שֶׁכַּוָּנָתוֹ לֹא הָיְתָה רָעָה, אֲבָל עַל אַשְׁמַת הָעָם הֶאֱשִׁים אוֹתוֹ, כִּי הָיָה רָאוּי לְהוֹכִיחָם וְהֵם נִכְשְׁלוּ עַל יָדוֹ. וְהוּא הֵשִׁיב שֶׁהִטְעוּהוּ בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם:

1WHAT DID THIS PEOPLE UNTO THEE, THAT THOU HAST BROUGHT SO GREAT A SIN UPON THEM? “How many pains did you endure, and how much suffering did they inflict on you, before you brought this sin upon them?” This is Rashi’s language. But it does not appear to me to be correct. For this transgression [of idolatry] is of the kind for which one must sacrifice one’s life and submit to death rather than transgress it [and from Rashi’s words it would appear that if Aaron had suffered much it was permissible for him to make it]. Perhaps Moses told him so in order to magnify his guilt.The correct interpretation appears to me to be that this is like the verse, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?³⁶⁴ Moses is thus saying: “What hatred did you have for this people, that you have [almost] brought about their destruction and annihilation?” Moses told him this because Aaron had served them in the function of one who reproves³⁶⁵ and atones for them, and he should have had compassion and mercy on them [and should have made them desist from their course of conduct]; thus the meaning is: “You conducted yourself towards them as an enemy who desires to see their calamity, when they had neither sinned nor transgressed against you.” Now the proper order would have been for Moses to blame him firstly for the sin which he himself had done, and then to charge him for the sin which he brought upon the people, saying: “how did you do this great sin against G-d, causing also many people to trespass, and bringing a great sin upon them?” Moses, however, in his humility showed respect towards his elder brother, and only mentioned to him the stumbling of the people. It is possible that Moses’ heart was steadfast, trusting³⁶⁶ in the righteousness of his brother [and he assumed] that his intention was not a bad one, [and therefore he did not reprove him for his own conduct]; but for the people’s guilt he did blame him, for he should have reproved them, and thus they stumbled because of him, — and Aaron replied that they deceived him with their words.

אאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת הָעָם כִּי בְרָע הוּא יֹאמַר כִּי הֵם בְּדֶרֶךְ רָעָה, כִּי אָמְרוּ לִי לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם מוֹרֵה דֶּרֶךְ בִּמְקוֹם אֲדוֹנִי עַד שׁוּבוֹ אֵלַי אוּלַי יָשׁוּב, וְנָתְנוּ לִי הַזָּהָב וָאַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ וְהִנֵּה יָצָא לָהֶם הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה, כִּי הֵם חָשְׁבוּ בּוֹ מַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וְיִזְבְּחוּ לוֹ. וּבַעֲבוּר שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה אַהֲרֹן לְהַאֲרִיךְ בְּסֻרְחָנָן, קִצֵּר וְאָמַר "וַיֵּצֵא הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה", שֶׁיָּצָא לָהֶם הָעִנְיָן הָרַע הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אֲדוֹנִי רוֹאֶה:

1THOU KNOWEST THE PEOPLE, THAT THEY ARE SET ON EVIL. Aaron is saying: “They proceeded along the path of evil. They told me to make them a guide in the place of my lord until he returns to me, for perhaps he will return, and then they gave me the gold and I cast it into the fire³⁶⁷ and behold there came out this calf for them, for they had an evil intention as to the gold, [and wanted] to worship it and sacrifice to it.” But because Aaron did not want to speak at length about their corruption, he spoke briefly and said, and there came out this calf,³⁶⁷ meaning, “there came out for them this evil matter that my lord sees.”

אוְטַעַם וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת הָעָם לוֹמַר כִּי אע"פ שֶׁהִתְנַצֵּל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא פָּשַׁע בָּהֶם רָאָה מֹשֶׁה בְּלִבּוֹ אֶת הָעָם כִּי פָרֻעַ הוּא, כִּי גוֹי אֹבַד עֵצוֹת הֵמָּה וְאֵין בָּהֶם תְּבוּנָה, כְּעִנְיַן "וַתִּפְרְעוּ כָל עֲצָתִי" (משלי א כה), כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "כִּי הִפְרִיעַ בִּיהוּדָה וּמָעוֹל מַעַל בַּה'" (דהי"ב כח יט): כִּי פְרָעֹה אַהֲרֹן וּבִטֵּל מֵהֶם כָּל עֵצָה וּמוּסָר, וְהִנֵּה הֵם כַּצֹּאן הַנְּפוֹצִים עַל הֶהָרִים (מלכים א כ"ב:י"ז) בְּלֹא יוֹעֵץ וּמַדְרִיךְ. וְאָמַר זֶה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ הֵם חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁהָעֵגֶל מוֹרֶה לָהֶם הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְהִנֵּה הֵם כְּאִלּוּ אֵין לָהֶם עֵצָה וְלֹא יֵדְעוּ הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָּהּ וְהַמַּעֲשֶׂה אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּן, כִּי מֵהֶם חֲשָׁבוּהוּ לְטוֹבָה, כְּפִי סְבָרָתָם, וּמֵהֶם לְרָעָה גְּמוּרָה, וְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם פּוֹנֶה לְדַרְכּוֹ:

1AND MOSES SAW THAT THE PEOPLE WERE ‘PHARUA’ (BROKEN LOOSE). The meaning of this is that although Aaron defended himself and said that he was not at fault with them, yet Moses knew in his heart that the people were broken loose — For they are a nation void of counsel, and there is no understanding in them.³⁶⁸ It is similar to the expression, ‘vatiphr’u’ (and ye have set at nought) all my counsel,³⁶⁹ and similar also to the verse, for ‘hiphria’ (he had cast away restraint) in Judah, and acted treacherously against the Eternal.³⁷⁰ [Thus the verse is stating that Moses saw] that Aaron had let the people loose, and left them without any counsel and instruction, so that they became like sheep scattered upon the mountains³⁷¹ without counsellor and guide. Scripture stated this [especially] because they had thought that the calf would be their guide, but in fact they appeared as if they had no counsel, not knowing the way wherein they must walk, and the deeds they must do,³⁷² for some of them intended it for the good, according to their way of thinking, and others intended it for real evil [i.e., outright idolatry], and thus each one went his own way.

בוְאָמַר לְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָמֵיהֶם כִּי אֲפִלּוּ אוֹתָם אֲשֶׁר אֵין מַחְשַׁבְתָּם רָעָה יוֹצִיאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְדוֹרוֹת שֶׁמֶץ וְדִבָּה, וְהִנֵּה כָּל הָעָם פְּרוּעַ עֵצָה וּמוּסָר, מֵהֶם לְרָעָה, וּמֵהֶם לְהֵעָלוֹת עַל שְׂפַת לָשׁוֹן וְדִבַּת עָם. וְאָמַר זֶה כְּנֶגֶד אַהֲרֹן, לוֹמַר כִּי לְכֻלָּם חָטָא. וְזֶה כְּדַעַת אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על שמות ל"ב:כ"ה) שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם "לְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָמֵיהֶם" - "לְאַפָּקָא שׁוֹם בִּישׁ בְּדָרֵיהוֹן". וּלְפִי שֶׁאָמַר "בְּדָרֵיהוֹן" נִרְאֶה שֶׁרָצָה לְפָרֵשׁ כִּי הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ יִהְיֶה שֶׁמֶץ רָעָה בְּדוֹרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי יֹאמְרוּ לֹא לְחִנָּם עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל וַעֲבָדוּהוּ, רַק שֶׁיָּדְעוּ בּוֹ כִּי הוּא אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וּמָצְאוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ תּוֹעֶלֶת לָהֶם, וְאַף אֲנַחְנוּ נַעֲשֶׂה כֵּן, כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ לְעָבְדוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה הַדָּבָר בְּיָרָבְעָם שֶׁאָמַר "רַב לָכֶם מֵעֲלוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם" (מלכים א י"ב:כ"ח), רָאָה מֹשֶׁה כִּי לְדוֹרוֹת יִפְשְׁעוּ בּוֹ:

2L’SHIMTZAH B’KAMEIHEM’ (FOR A DERISION AMONG THEIR ENEMIES). This means that even those who had no evil design [in the affair of the golden calf] will be slandered throughout the generations by the evil report of their enemies, who will say that the whole people were bereft of counsel and instruction; some [of the nations] will say it for a purely evil purpose, and others will merely say it in the lips of the talkers, and the evil report of the people.³⁷³ Moses said this with reference to Aaron, meaning that he sinned towards all [i.e., even towards those who did not really intend to sin in the matter of the golden calf]. This is in accordance with the opinion of Onkelos who translated l’shimtzah b’kameihem — “to give them a bad name in their generations.” However, since Onkelos rendered it “in their generations,”³⁷⁴ as meaning “for an evil report” is in agreement with the above interpretation. However, that which Onkelos said “in their generations” shows that his intent is that even throughout the generations in Israel this affair will become a source of evil, as is explained further on. it would seem that his intention was to explain that the calf which they made will become a cause of evil talk throughout the generations of Israel, for they will say: “It was not in vain that our fathers made the calf and worshipped it, for they knew that it was this which brought them up out of the land of Egypt, and they found worshipping it to be to their benefit, so we will do likewise, it being better for us to serve it;” as indeed happened in the case of Jeroboam who said, Ye have gone up long enough to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.³⁷⁵ Moses thus saw how the incident of the calf would remain a cause for sin throughout the generations.

גוְשִׁמְצָה עִנְיַן דִּבָּה רָעָה הוּא לְדִבְרֵי אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על שמות ל"ב:כ"ה), וְהוּא לָשׁוֹן מֻרְגָּל בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁמֶץ פְּסוּל (פסחים ג:). וְאוּלַי לְדַעְתָּם מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "וַתִּקַּח אָזְנִי שֵׁמֶץ מֶנְהוּ" (איוב ד יב), שֶׁלָּקְחָה אָזְנוֹ פְּגַם הָאָדָם וְדֹפִי שֶׁבּוֹ, לוֹמַר אַף כִּי שֹׁכְנֵי בָתֵּי חֹמֶר אֲשֶׁר בֶּעָפָר יְסוֹדָם (שם פסוק יח יט). וְכֵן "מַה שֵּׁמֶץ דָּבָר נִשְׁמַע בּוֹ" (שם כו יד), שֶׁאֵין בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו דֹּפִי וְדִבָּה כְּלָל רַק שֶׁבַח וּתְהִלָּה. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט שֶׁמֶץ לְשׁוֹן מִעוּט, לָקְחָה אָזְנִי מְעַט הֵימֶנּוּ, וּמַה שֵּׁמֶץ דָּבָר נִשְׁמַע בּוֹ, שֶׁכָּל הַנִּשְׁמָע וְהַנֶּאֱמָר בְּכֹחַ הָאֵל וּגְבוּרוֹתָיו דָּבָר מוּעָט הוּא כְּנֶגֶד גֹּדֶל מַעֲשָׂיו. וְכֵן לְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָמֵיהֶם, יֹאמַר כִּי פְּרָעֹה אַהֲרֹן לָעָם לְמַעֵט אוֹתָם בְּאוֹיְבֵיהֶם, כִּי הֶעָוֹן הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה יַמְעִיטֵם בִּפְנֵי אוֹיְבֵיהֶם, אוֹ יַמְעִיט זְכוּתָם בְּבוֹאָם בַּמִּלְחָמָה עִם אוֹיֵב, וְהוּא כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כט טו) "וְהִמְעַטְתִּים לְבִלְתִּי רְדוֹת בַּגּוֹיִם", אוֹ כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י כד) "יַסְּרֵנִי ה' אַךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט אַל בְּאַפְּךָ פֶּן תַּמְעִטֵנִי":

3Now shimtzah according to Onkelos means “evil report,” it being a common term in the language of our Rabbis, such as “a shemetz (a blemish of) descent.”³⁷⁶ Perhaps according to their³⁷⁷ opinion, that which Scripture states, and mine ear received a ‘shemetz’ thereof,³⁷⁸ also means that his [i.e., Eliphaz the Temanite’s] ear received knowledge of man’s blemish and imperfection, saying, Behold, He putteth no trust in His servants, and His angels He chargeth with folly; how much less them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in dust.³⁷⁹, Verses 18-19. Similarly, and what ‘shemetz davar’ is heard of Him³⁸⁰, 26:14. means that of all His ways there is nothing deserving of reproach or censure, but only praise and adoration.In line with the plain meaning of Scripture shemetz means “little.” Thus [and mine ear received a ‘shemetz’ thereof³⁷⁸ means] that his ear received but a whisper thereof. And what ‘shemetz davar’ is heard of Him³⁸⁰, 26:14. means that whatever is heard and said about G-d’s strength and His powers, is but a minute amount in relation to the greatness of His deeds. Similarly, l’shimtzah b’kameihem means that Aaron had uncovered the people, thus enabling their enemies to diminish them, for this great sin would lessen them in the eyes of their enemies, or reduce their merits when coming to battle with the enemy, something like that which is said, and I shall diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations,³⁸¹ or as it is said, O Eternal, correct me, but in measure; not in Thine anger, lest Thou diminish me.³⁸²

אוְטַעַם וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה דָּבֵק בְּמָה שֶׁאָמַר, כִּי כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אֶת הָעָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְשִׁמְצָה וּלְקַלָּסָה בְּאוֹיְבֵיהֶם, וְזֶה חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, עָמַד בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה וְקָרָא בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל מִי לַה' אֵלָי, וְהָרַג בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא כָּל עוֹבְדֵי הָעֵגֶל כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשָּׁמַע הַדָּבָר בְּקָמֵיהֶם, וְיִתְקַדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם בָּהֶם תַּחַת הַחִלּוּל שֶׁעָשׂוּ:

1AND MOSES STOOD IN THE GATE OF THE CAMP. This is connected with what is said in the preceding verse, thus stating that when Moses saw that the people would be a source of derision and disgrace amongst their enemies, and would thereby profane the Name of G-d, he stood in the gate of the camp and called out loudly, Whoso is on the Eternal’s side, let him come unto me; and they killed publicly all those who worshipped the calf, so that the matter be heard about amongst their enemies, and G-d’s Name would thus be sanctified, in place of the profanation that they had caused.

אוְטַעַם כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁחָשְׁבוּ עוֹבְדֵי הָעֵגֶל לִזְבּוֹחַ לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהִנֵּה מִדַּת הַדִּין פּוֹגַעַת בָּהֶן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁקִּצְּצוּ בַּנְּטִיעוֹת. וְעוֹד, כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹהִים הוּא (דברים א יז). וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה אָמַר בַּלְּוִיִּים "כִּי הִבְדִּיל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶתְכֶם מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל" (במדבר טז ט), כִּי הָעֲבוֹדָה לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלִשְׁמוֹ נִבְדְּלוּ בַּזְּכוּת הַזֹּאת:

1THUS SAITH THE ETERNAL, THE G-D OF ISRAEL. The reason for this expression³⁸³ — the Divine Name which denotes the attribute of justice. is that since the worshippers of the calf had intended to sacrifice to the G-d of Israel, therefore the attribute of justice extracted punishment from them, because they “mutilated the shoots” [of faith],³⁸⁴ and besides, for the judgment is G-d’s.³⁸⁵ It is for this reason that he [Moses], said of the Levites, for the G-d of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel,³⁸⁶ for the Service is to the G-d of Israel, and to His Name they were separated by virtue of this meritorious deed.

בשִׂימוּ אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵכוֹ הָיוּ עוֹבְדֵי הָעֵגֶל רַבִּים וְלֹא יוּכְלוּ לַהֲבִיאָם לְב"ד, עַל כֵּן צִוָּה לְכָל בְּנֵי לֵוִי לַחְגֹּר חַרְבָּם, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סנהדרין מה:) שֶׁאִם אֵין אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַהֲמִיתוֹ בְּמִיתָה הָאֲמוּרָה בּוֹ אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַהֲמִיתוֹ בְּכָל מִיתָה שֶׁתּוּכַל. וְהִנֵּה זֶה הוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה לְקַדֵּשׁ הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בָּהֶם הַתְרָאָה, כִּי מִי הִתְרָה בָּהֶם, אֲבָל הָיוּ בְּנֵי לֵוִי מַכִּירִים בְּאֵלּוּ הַנֶּהֱרָגִים שֶׁהֵם הָיוּ עוֹבְדָיו: וְעַל דַּעַת הָאוֹמֵר (יומא סו:) עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה בִּידֵי אָדָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ל"ב:כ'), נֹאמַר שֶׁצִּוָּה אוֹתָם לַחְגֹּר חַרְבָּם לִתְפֹּשׂ אוֹתָם וְלַהֲבִיאָם לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה אוֹ סַנְהֶדְרִין, וַאֲשֶׁר מְצָאוּהוּ בְּעֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה הֲרָגוּהוּ בִּסְקִילָה כְּמִשְׁפַּט עוֹבְדֵי ע"ז, אוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה מִיתָתָם בְּסַיִף כְּעִיר הַנִּדַּחַת. וְהִנֵּה כָּל בְּנֵי לֵוִי הָיוּ לַה' וּמַתְרִים בָּעָם שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ לוֹ, כִּי אַהֲרֹן לֹא צִוָּה לָחֹג בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כְּדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר (יומא שם) זִבַּח וְקִטֵּר בְּסַיִף, גִּפֵּף וְנִשֵּׁק בְּמִיתָה, שָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ בְּהִדְרוֹקָן, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת יוֹמָא. וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל מַעֲשֵׂה שָׁעָה, כִּי אֵין מְגַפֵּף וּמְנַשֵּׁק בְּמִיתָה לְדוֹרוֹת (סנהדרין ס:):

2PUT YE EVERY MAN HIS SWORD UPON HIS THIGH. Since there were many worshippers of the calf, and they could not have all been brought to the court, therefore Moses commanded all the sons of Levi to put on their swords, in a similar way to that which our Rabbis have said,³⁸⁷ that if you cannot administer to the guilty the specific kind of death mentioned for his case, you may execute him by any means that you can. Now this procedure was a decision only for an emergency, in order to sanctify G-d’s Name, since those who worshipped [the calf] had not been forewarned [of the death penalty], for who had warned them beforehand? The sons of Levi, however, recognized those whom they killed as the worshippers of the calf. And in the opinion of the Sage who says³⁸⁸ that if there were witnesses [to the act of idolatry] and forewarning of the penalty, the offender’s death was by hand of man, as Rashi wrote,³⁸⁹ then we shall interpret the meaning of the verse to be that Moses commanded the sons of Levi to put on their swords and take hold of the offenders by force and bring them to court before Moses or before the Sanhedrin. Those who were found to have worshipped the calf in the presence of witnesses and with forewarning, were then put to death by stoning, as is the punishment of those who worship idols, or perhaps their death was by the sword, as is the punishment of a whole city gone astray.³⁹⁰ Thus all the sons of Levi remained loyal to G-d, and it was they who had warned the people not to worship the calf or sacrifice to it, seeing that Aaron had only commanded to hold a feast to the Eternal alone, as I have explained.³⁹¹The correct interpretation³⁹² is in accordance with the opinion of the Sage who says:³⁸⁸ “Those who slaughtered or burnt the sacrificial portions [to the calf] were punished by the sword;³⁹³ those who embraced and kissed it, were punished with death [by the hand of Heaven]; those who merely rejoiced in their heart, were afflicted with dropsy,” as is stated in Tractate Yoma.³⁸⁸ Thus it was all a decision under circumstances of emergency, because embracing or kissing an idol does not make one liable to death [by the hand of Heaven] in all future generations.

גוְטַעַם וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו שֶׁלֹּא תַּחְמְלוּ וְלֹא תָּכֹסּוּ עַל אָח וְרֵעַ וְקָרוֹב. וְטַעַם כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵינֶנּוּ מִמִּצְוַת "זוֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם" (שמות כ"ב:י"ט), כִּי אֵין אֵלּוּ חַיָּבִין מִיתָה מִן הַדִּין, אֲבָל הִיא מִצְוָה שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה וְלֹא נִכְתְּבָה, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִחַם הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד עַל הָרָעָה צִוָּה אוֹתוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה רוֹצֶה שֶׁאֲכַלֶּה אוֹתָם תַּהֲרֹג אַתָּה אֶת עוֹבְדָיו בְּסַיִף, כְּדֶרֶךְ "קַח אֶת כָּל רָאשֵׁי הָעָם וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם לַה' נֶגֶד הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁב חֲרוֹן אַף ה' מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל" (במדבר כה ד) וְהִנֵּה זֹאת הַמִּצְוָה כְּמִצְוַת "זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' מְלֹא הָעֹמֶר מִמֶּנּוּ" (שמות ט"ז:ל"ב). וּכְבָר הִזְכַּרְתִּי (לעיל י ב, יא א) כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם:

3AND SLAY EVERY MAN HIS BROTHER. This means that they were not to spare nor conceal³⁹⁴ brother, friend, or relative. And the meaning of the expression, Thus saith the Eternal, the G-d of Israel: [Put ye every man his sword…] is not [as Rashi has it, a command] based upon the verse, He that sacrificeth unto the gods shall be utterly destroyed,³⁹⁵ since these worshippers of the calf were not strictly liable to death [as has been explained above], but it was a command said to Moses by the Almighty which was not written in the Torah; for when the Glorious Name³⁹⁶ repented of the evil,³⁹⁷ He commanded Moses, “Since you do not want Me to destroy them, you should slay its worshippers by the sword,” similar to that which is said, Take all of the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto the Eternal in face of the sun, that the fierce anger of the Eternal may turn away from Israel.³⁹⁸ This commandment is thus similar to the one in connection with the manna, where it is said, This is the thing which the Eternal hath commanded: Let an omerful of it be kept etc.³⁹⁹ I have already mentioned⁴⁰⁰, 10:2, and 11:1. similar instances.

אוְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ל"ב:ל"ב) אִם תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם הֲרֵי טוֹב וְאֵינִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ מְחֵנִי, וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי, וְזֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר, וְכֵן הַרְבֵּה. מִסִּפְרְךָ, מִכָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ עָלַי שֶׁאֵינִי כְּדַאי לְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים. וְא"כ מַה תְּשׁוּבָה הֱשִׁיבוֹ הקב"ה "מִי אֲשֶׁר חָטָא לִי אֶמְחֶנּוּ מִסִּפְרִי", וְאֵין אַחֵר לִמְחוֹת מִסִּפְרוֹ. וְאוּלַי יֹאמַר אֵין אֲנִי מוֹחֶה אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁחָטָא לִי וְאַתָּה לֹא חָטָאתָ לִי, וְזֶה אֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן: ור"א אָמַר (אבן עזרא על שמות ל"ב:ל"ב) כִּי "מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ", כְּמוֹ "דִּינָא יְתִב וְסִפְרִין פְּתִיחוּ" (דניאל ז י) וְהַסְּפָרִים לְדַעְתּוֹ הֵם מַעַרְכוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁגְּזֵרוֹת הַשְּׁפָלִים תְּלוּיִין בָּהֶם, וְאָמַר "מִי אֲשֶׁר חָטָא לִי אֶמְחֶנּוּ מִסִּפְרִי", לוֹמַר לֹא אֶמְחֶה אוֹתְךָ רַק אֶמְחֶה מִן הָעָם הַחַטָּאִים אֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ לִי בְּמַחְשַׁבְתָּם וְלֹא נֶהֶרְגוּ, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ל"ב:ל"ה) "וַיִּגֹּף ה' אֶת הָעָם":
וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, כִּי מִלְּבַד הַנֶּהֱרָגִים בְּחֶרֶב בְּנֵי לֵוִי וְהַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה הָיוּ רֹב הַקָּהָל חוֹטְאִים לוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי (רמב"ן על שמות ל"ב:ז'): וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי, כִּי מֹשֶׁה אָמַר וְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם, בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ, וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי נָא תַּחְתָּם מִסֵּפֶר הַחַיִּים וְאֶסְבֹּל אֲנִי עָנְשָׁם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה נג ה) "וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ מוּסַר שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ עָלָיו וּבַחֲבֻרָתוֹ נִרְפָּא לָנוּ", וְהקב"ה הֱשִׁיבוֹ, הַחוֹטֵא אֶמְחֶה מִסִּפְרִי, וְלֹא אוֹתְךָ שֶׁלֹּא חָטָאתָ:

1YET NOW, IF THOU WILT FORGIVE THEIR SIN. Rashi comments: “If You forgive their sins — well and good, and I do not say to you ‘Blot me out.’ But if not, blot me out. This is thus an abbreviated verse. There are many cases similar to it. Out of Thy book — this means out of the whole Torah; so that people should not say about me that I was not worthy [successful] to seek mercy for them.” But if so, what was the answer that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to Moses — Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book⁴⁰¹ — since there was no one else to be blotted out of His book [i.e. the Torah, since they are not mentioned therein to begin with]? Perhaps [Rashi] will interpret it thus: “I shall only blot out [from My Torah] those who have sinned against Me, and you have not sinned against Me.” But this is not correct.Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that the expression out of Thy book which Thou hast written is like, The judgment was set, and the books were opened,⁴⁰² “the books” in Ibn Ezra’s opinion being the dispositions of the heavenly bodies upon which the fate of the lower creatures depends. And G-d answered, Whosoever had sinned against Me, him will I blot out from My book,⁴⁰¹ which means: “I will not blot you out, but I will blot out from among the people those sinners who have sinned against Me in their thoughts, and were not killed by the sons of Levi.” It is with reference to this that it is said, And the Eternal smote the people.⁴⁰³ — This interpretation [of Ibn Ezra] does not appear to me to be correct, for besides those killed by the sword of the sons of Levi and those who died in the plague, most of the people had sinned against Him, as I have written.⁴⁰⁴In my opinion [the interpretation of the verse is as follows]: Moses said, “Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin in Thine mercies [— well and good]; but if not, blot me out in their place from the book of life, and I will share their punishment,” it being similar to what Scripture says, But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities; the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed.⁴⁰⁵ And the Holy One, blessed be He, answered Moses: “I will erase from My book [of life] whosoever sinned, but not you, for you have not sinned.”

אוְעַתָּה לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת הָעָם כִּי אַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּחַמְתִּי מִלְּכַלּוֹתָם נְחֵם אַתָּה אֶל אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ, אֶל מְקוֹם הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהָאֱמֹרִי וְגוֹ', אֲבָל לֹא רָצָה לְהַזְכִּיר כֵּן שֶׁזֶּה דֶּרֶךְ כַּעַס, כְּאוֹמֵר מַה שֶׁדִּבַּרְתִּי לְךָ אֶעֱשֶׂה לִכְבוֹדְךָ, אֲבָל לֹא אֶשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם, כִּי בְיוֹם פָּקְדִי וּפָקַדְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם חַטָּאתָם, אֶפְקֹד אוֹתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם אַחֲרֵי בּוֹאָם אֶל הָאָרֶץ, וְזֶה רֶמֶז לָעֵת שֶׁיִּגְלוּ מִמֶּנָּה, אוֹ לְמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סנהדרין קב) שֶׁאֵין לְךָ פּוּרְעָנוּת שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ אֻקְיָא מֵעֲוֹן הָעֵגֶל:

1AND NOW GO, LEAD THE PEOPLE. [G-d is saying here:] “Since I have repented from destroying them, lead them unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee — to the place of the Amorite, the Canaanite, etc.” However, He did not want to mention this expressly, for this was said in a manner of anger, as if to say: “What I have said to you, I shall do in your honor, but I will not forgive them their sin, for in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them — I will visit it upon them even after they come to the Land.” This was an allusion to the time of the exile, or to what our Rabbis have said⁴⁰⁶ that “No punishment [ever comes upon Israel] in which there is not a small part for the sin of the golden calf.”

אוַיִּגֹּף ה' אֶת הָעָם לֹא סִפֵּר הַכָּתוּב כַּמָּה הָיוּ הַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר סִפֵּר הַנֶּהֱרָגִים בְּיַד בְּנֵי לֵוִי, וְכַאֲשֶׁר פֵּרֵשׁ בַּמַּגֵּפָה שֶׁל דְּבַר קֹרַח (במדבר יז יד), וְשֶׁל בַּעַל פְּעוֹר (שם כה ט). אוּלַי לֹא מֵתוּ בְּמַגֵּפָה אַחַת, אֲבָל נְגָפָם ה' לָמוּת בְּלֹא עִתָּם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב "כִּי אִם ה' יִגָּפֶנּוּ אוֹ יוֹמוֹ יָבֹא" (שמואל א כ"ו:י'). וְאוּלַי לֹא חָשַׁשׁ לִמְנוֹתָם, כִּי כֵן לֹא מָנָה הַמֵּתִים בְּתַבְעֵרָה (במדבר יא א) וּבְקִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם יא לג) "וַיַּךְ ה' בָּעָם מַכָּה רַבָּה מְאֹד". אֲבָל הַנּוֹפְלִים עַל יַד בְּנֵי לֵוִי פֵּרֵט לִכְבוֹדָם, לוֹמַר שֶׁהָרְגוּ רַבִּים בָּעָם וְלֹא פָּחֲדוּ מֵהֶם כִּי עַל ה' בָּטְחוּ:

1AND THE ETERNAL SMOTE THE PEOPLE. Scripture does not state how many died in this plague, as it stated the number of those that fell by the hand of the sons of Levi,⁴⁰⁷. and as it mentioned in the case of the plague about the matter of Korah,⁴⁰⁸. and in connection with the Baal of Peor,⁴⁰⁹, 25:9: And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand. the reason perhaps being that those here did not all die in one plague, but they were smitten and died prematurely, something like it said, but the Eternal shall smite him, or his day shall come to die.⁴¹⁰ Perhaps Scripture did not bother to number them, for similarly it did not number those that died in the plague at Taberah,⁴¹¹ and at Kibroth-hattaavah, where it says, and the Eternal smote the people with a very great plague.⁴¹², 33. Those that fell, however, through the sons of Levi He counted in their honor, thus saying that they slew many of the people but yet they did not fear them, for they trusted in the Eternal.

בוְאָמַר עַל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל: שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מִן הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִים לוֹ וְהַזּוֹבְחִים לוֹ, אֲבָל הָיוּ מִן הָעוֹשִׂים אוֹתוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר מִן הַנִּקְהָלִים עַל אַהֲרֹן וְהַמְּבִיאִים לוֹ הַזָּהָב. וּבַעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁנֶּעֶנְשׁוּ עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, לֹא עַל עֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וְהֵם לֹא עֲשָׂאוּהוּ, פֵּרֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָהֶם אַהֲרֹן בְּמִצְוָתָם. וְאוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על שמות ל"ב:ל"ה) תִּרְגֵּם "עַל דְּאִשְׁתַּעֲבַדוּ לְעִגְלָא דַּעֲבַד אַהֲרֹן", יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר כִּי הַמְּגַפְּפִים וְהַמְּנַשְּׁקִים וַחֲפֵצִים בּוֹ הֵם שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמַּגֵּפָה, וְאוּנְקְלוֹס לֹא יִתֵּן בְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה אֶחָד לִשְׁנַיִם. וְכֵן "כָּל אֲשֶׁר עֹשִׂים שָׁם הוּא הָיָה עֹשֶׂה" (בראשית לט כב) תִּרְגֵּם "וְכֹל דְּעָבְדִין תַּמָּן עַל מֵימְרֵהּ הֲוָה מִתְעֲבֵד": וְהַמַּגֵּפָה הַזֹּאת הָיְתָה אַחֲרֵי שֶׁהָרַג מֹשֶׁה הָעוֹבְדִים וְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם, וְאָמַר "וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי נָא", כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהָיָה מוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם רִחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם הקב"ה, וְאָמַר לוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹתָם אֶל הָאָרֶץ וְשֶׁיִּשְׁלַח עִמָּהֶם מַלְאָךְ, וְרָצָה לְנַכּוֹת לָהֶם מִן הֶעָוֹן הַגָּדוֹל כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ רְאוּיִים לָזֶה, וְשָׁלַח הַמַּגֵּפָה הַזֹּאת בָּהֶם, אוֹ שֶׁגָּזַר עֲלֵיהֶם כֵּן וְהֵחֵל הַנֶּגֶף: וְאַחֲרֵי זֶה חָזַר וְאָמַר לוֹ (שמות ל"ב:א') "עֲלֵה מִזֶּה אַתָּה וְהָעָם", לוֹמַר כִּי הַמַּגֵּפָה לֹא תִּמְחֶה חַטָּאתָם לְשָׁכְנִי בְּתוֹכָם, וְהִזְכִּיר "אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב", וְאָמַר (שמות ל"ב:ב') "וְגֵרַשְׁתִּי אֶת הַכְּנַעֲנִי" וְגוֹ', כִּי בַּעֲבוּר הַמַּגֵּפָה שֶׁהֵבִיא אוֹ גָּזַר עֲלֵיהֶם נִמְחָה קְצָת חַטָּאתָם, וְנִתְרַצָּה לָהֶם מְעַט לְהַזְכִּיר זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם וְשֶׁיְּקַיֵּם לָהֶם הַשְּׁבוּעָה לַהֲבִיאָם אֶל אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ, וְרָמַז לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא תִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא תֵּחָנֵף תַּחַת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ מִפְּנֵי חַטָּאתָם, וְשֶׁיְּגָרֵשׁ כָּל שִׁשָּׁה הָעֲמָמִים שֶׁהֻבְטְחוּ מִתְּחִלָּה עֲלֵיהֶם: וְאָמַר דֶּרֶךְ רִצּוּי (שמות ל"ב:ג') כִּי לֹא אֶעֱלֶה בְּקִרְבְּךָ, לְטוֹבָתְךָ, פֶּן אֲכֶלְךָ בַּדָּרֶךְ, בְּקֹשִׁי עָרְפְּךָ. וְהִנֵּה בְּכָאן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתֵּי פֻּרְעָנִיּוֹת, הָאַחַת שֶׁלֹּא יַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּתוֹכָם, וְהַשֵּׁנִית שֶׁיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָךְ לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה עַד שֶׁיְּגָרֵשׁ אֶת הָאֻמּוֹת, אֲבָל אַחַר שֶׁיִּרְשׁוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ לֹא הִבְטִיחָם אֲפִילּוּ בְּמַלְאָךְ לַעֲזֹר לָהֶם, כִּי לְכָךְ הִזְכִּיר "בַּדָּרֶךְ". וְעַל כָּל זֶה אָמַר (שמות ל"ב:ד') "וַיִּשְׁמַע הָעָם אֶת הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה וַיִּתְאַבָּלוּ וְלֹא שָׁתוּ אִישׁ עֶדְיוֹ עָלָיו", כַּאֲבֵלִים:
וְהִנֵּה הַשֵּׁם רַחְמָן מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, וְכַאֲשֶׁר רָאָה שֶׁהִתְאַבְּלוּ חָזַר וְאָמַר בְּדֶרֶךְ רַחֲמִים "אֱמֹר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות ל"ב:ה'), כִּי עַד עַתָּה הִזְכִּיר "עַמְּךָ" (שמות ל"ב:ז') וְ"הָעָם" (שמות ל"ב:א'), וְעַתָּה יַזְכִּירֵם בִּשְׁמָם הֶחָבִיב, וְצִוָּה לֵאמֹר לָהֶם כִּי לְטוֹבָתָם לֹא אֶעֱלֶה בְּקִרְבָּם שֶׁלֹּא אֲכַלֶּה אוֹתָם כְּרֶגַע, אֲבָל הֵטִיבוּ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לְהִנָּחֵם וּלְהִתְאַבֵּל עַל חַטָּאתָם, וְכֵן יַעֲשׂוּ תָּמִיד, וְאֵדְעָה מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָהֶם, כְּלוֹמַר אֶפְקֹד חַטָּאתָם לְדַעְתִּי, כְּפִי הִתְאַבְּלָם וְהִנָּחֲמָם עַל עֲוֹנָם, כִּי אֲנִי בּוֹחֵן לֵב וְחוֹקֵר כְּלָיוֹת. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת יִהְיֶה וְאֵדְעָה מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָּךְ כִּי בְּדַעַת הָרַחֲמִים יַעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ "וְאִם לֹא אֵדָעָה" (בראשית יח כא). וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּיו (שם כ ד"ה זעקת):

2BECAUSE THEY MADE THE CALF. This means that they were not amongst those who worshipped it or sacrificed to it,⁴¹³ but they were the men who “made” it, that is to say, they were the ones who gathered around Aaron and brought him the gold. Now since Scripture states that they were punished for making the calf, not for worshipping it, and in reality they did not make it, it explains further, which Aaron made, meaning that Aaron made it at their command.But Onkelos translated [the expression, because they ‘made’ the calf], “because they ‘worshipped’ the calf which Aaron made.” By this Onkelos intended to explain that the ones who died in the plague were those who embraced and kissed it, and were pleased with the calf. Now [although the same term asah (“did”) is mentioned in both cases, because they ‘made’ the calf, which Aaron ‘made’], Onkelos did not feel obliged to translate both alike [but instead he translated: “because they ‘worshipped’ the calf, which Aaron ‘made’ “]. A similar case [of Onkelos’ rendition] is the verse, and whatsoever they ‘did’ there, he was the ‘doer’ of it,⁴¹⁴ which he translated: “and whatsoever they did there ‘was done’ by his command.”⁴¹⁵This plague occurred after Moses had punished the worshippers and prayed for Israel, saying, and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book.⁴¹⁶ For because Moses had shown his readiness to give his life for them, the Holy One, blessed be He, had mercy upon them, and told him to bring them up to the Land, and that He would send an angel before them;⁴¹⁷ but since He wanted to take away from them part of the great sin, in order that they should be worthy [to go up to the Land], He sent upon them this plague. Or it may be that He had decreed this plague upon them [before Moses’ prayer] and the plague had already begun, and after that He said again to Moses, Go up hence, thou and the people,⁴¹⁸, Verse 1. meaning, that the plague will not blot out their sin from before Me so that I should again dwell in their midst. He mentioned though, unto the land of which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,⁴¹⁸, Verse 1. and further said, and I will drive out the Canaanite, etc.;⁴¹⁷ for on account of the plague which He brought or decreed upon them, part of their sin was blotted out, and He was partially appeased to them, in remembering the merit of the patriarchs, and [promising] that He would fulfill to them the oath He had taken to bring them unto a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey.⁴¹⁹ Thus He hinted to Moses that the earth [i.e., the land of Canaan] would not become corrupt⁴²⁰ nor would it be defiled under the inhabitants thereof⁴²¹ on account of their sin, and that He would drive out all the six nations whose land they were originally promised.⁴²² And He also said by way of pacification, for I will not go up in the midst of thee,⁴²³ this being to your benefit, lest I consume thee in the way,⁴²³ because of your stiff-neckedness.Thus there were here two punishments for Israel: firstly, that He would not cause His Divine Glory to dwell amongst them, and secondly, that He would send an angel before Moses until the nations would be driven out; but He did not promise them after they would inherit the Land even an angel to help them, for this is why He mentioned in the way [lest I consume thee ‘in the way’]. It is with reference to all this that Scripture says, And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man put on him his ornaments⁴²⁴, Verse 4. — just as mourners. But G-d is merciful, abounding in compassion, and when He saw that they mourned, He said again by way of mercy, Say unto the children of Israel etc.,⁴²⁵, Verse 5. for up till now He had used the terms, thy people,⁴²⁶ and the people,⁴¹⁸, Verse 1. but now He mentioned them by their beloved name, and He commanded Moses to tell them that it was to their benefit that He would not go up in their midst, in order that He should not consume them in one moment. However, they have done well in repenting and mourning for their sin. So should they always do, and I will know what to do unto them.⁴²⁵, Verse 5. That is to say, I will visit their sin in accordance with My knowledge of their mourning and repenting their sin, since it is I Who tries the heart and searches the kidneys.⁴²⁷By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the expression, that I may know what to do unto thee⁴²⁵, Verse 5. means that He will do unto them in the knowledge of mercy, similar to what is said, and if not, I will know,⁴²⁸ as I have already explained.⁴²⁹, Verse 20. Vol. I, p. 245.