B"H
Monday, 13 Adar 1, 5776 / February 22, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
In this week's Parsha, Ki Tisa, we read about one of the gravest sins committed by the Jewish people - the sin of the Golden Calf. This took place only forty days after the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. As a result, Moshe broke the original Two Tablets. Only later, after G-d forgave the sin of the Golden Calf, did G-d give him a second set of Tablets.
Q.How did they come to make the Golden Calf only forty days after they received the Torah?
A.When Moshe went up Mount Sinai he told them that he will be up for forty days. However, in Judaism, the day begins with the night before (Like Shabbat which begins Friday night). Thus, because he went up during the daytime, the day he went up was not a full day and was not to be counted. The people mistakenly began the count from the day Moshe went up instead of the day after. As a result, they figured that the forty days ended one day earlier and they thought that Moshe was not returning.
The Torah tells us that, "And the people saw that Moshe delayed coming down from the mountain, so the people gathered around Aaron and they said to him, "rise up and make for us gods that shall go before us; for as for Moshe, the man that brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."
Aaron knew that Moshe would descend from the mountain, so to delay them, he said, "Go and bring the golden rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters."
Aaron figured that the women will refuse to give their jewelry and this would delay them until Moshe came down from the mountain. However, when the women didn't let them have their jewelry, the men took their own golden jewelry and brought them to Aaron.
Q. How is it possible that Aaron, the High Priest, would make the Golden Calf?
A. According to the Midrash, Aaron knew that if the people build an idol on their own, they would complete it quickly. Therefore, he took charge of the job and thus tried to postpone them until Moshe returned. Aaron took the gold and threw it into fire, but unfortunately, out came the Golden Calf!
Q. Why did the form of a calf emerge from the fire?
A. Before Joseph died, he commanded that his bones be taken out of Egypt and be buried in Israel. After Joseph died, Pharaoh had Joseph's coffin placed in the Nile River so that no one could find him. Pharaoh thought that, without Joseph, the Jewish people would not be able to leave Egypt.
When the time for the Exodus came, Moshe went to the Nile and put in a plate which had the words, "Come up ox" written on it, for, in Jacob's blessings, Joseph is likened to an ox. Immediately, Joseph's casket rose to the surface and was taken out with them when they left Egypt. Someone amongst the people had this plate and threw it into the fire with the gold, and a Golden Calf emerged.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY