Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah

Sforno on Exodus 32:25/ספורנו על שמות ל״ב:כ״ה

אכִּי פָרוּעַ הוּא. מְגֻלֶּה וּמְפֻרְסָם לָרוֹעַ בְּהִתְגַּלּוֹת לִבּוֹ בָּזֶה.
1כי פרוע הוא, they are totally corrupt, committing their sins in public without shame. The public deeds reveal their deep-seated corruption.
בכִּי פְרָעֹה אַהֲרֹן. גִּלָּה שֶׁאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶם צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁאִם הָיוּ שָׁם צַדִּיקִים עוֹזְרִים לְאַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר נִקְהֲלוּ עָלָיו, לֹא הָיָה אַהֲרֹן עוֹשֶׂה הָעֵגֶל כְּלָל.
2כי פרעה אהרן, Aaron had brought to light the fact that there are no righteous people among them. Had there been any righteous people among them, surely they would have come to the assistance of Aaron so that Aaron would not have been forced to have a share in this golden calf at all.
גלְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָמֵיהֶם. לְשֵׁם רַע בֵּין אוֹיְבֵיהֶם, שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֶמְנוּ בִּבְרִיתָם וְשֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם אֵין עוֹשֶׂה טוֹב אֵין גַּם אֶחָד, וְשֶׁלֹּא נָשְׂאוּ פְּנֵי נָבִיא וְנָשִׂיא בְּתוֹכָם. וְזֶה כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא כֻלָּם וְלֹא רֻבָּם נִקְהֲלוּ עַל אַהֲרֹן, הָיוּ כֻלָּם לְשִׁמְצָה עַל שֶׁלֹּא מִחוּ בַּקָּמִים.
3לשמצה בקמיהם.Giving them a bad name among their enemies. Israel’s enemies would say about them that they had breached their covenant with their Lord, and that there was not a single one among them who was a good person, and that they did not even heed the instructions of their prophets. Even though only a small minority had ganged up on Aaron, the entire people’s reputation would now be dragged through the mud.