- The Israelites who have seen incredible miracles, and just committed to following God's law, somehow lose their way and resort to idol worship when Moses seems a little late from coming down from the mountain.
- Even more hard to understand is how it is possible that Aaron the brother and assistant to Moses, would stoop so low.
- Another perplexing aspect of the story is that despitAaron's involvement with the Golden Calf he still gets to be the high priest.
One explanation given to how the Israelites could do such a thing is that they were instigated by the mixed multitudes. It was those converts who are the troublemakers and lead us astray. (See Rashi and Midrash Tanchuma below)
Many commentators don't accept that Aaron sinned and offer alternative explanations. Bellow are such examples from Rashi, Chizkuni, Daat Zkenim,
However the simple pshat to me is that Aaron most definitely sinned. Either because he wanted the power or because he was afraid of the mob. However, it is possible that he repented. If he did repent, having him be in charge of sacrifices, many of which were brought to seek forgiveness would have been a powerful message of redemption and empathy. It is only someone who has sinned and repented that can fully understand true rependence.
(א) וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־בֹשֵׁ֥שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָרֶ֣דֶת מִן־הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל הָעָ֜ם עַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ ק֣וּם ׀ עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵֽלְכוּ֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי׃ (ג) וַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֶת־נִזְמֵ֥י הַזָּהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹֽן׃ (ד) וַיִּקַּ֣ח מִיָּדָ֗ם וַיָּ֤צַר אֹתוֹ֙ בַּחֶ֔רֶט וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ עֵ֣גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (ה) וַיַּ֣רְא אַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לְפָנָ֑יו וַיִּקְרָ֤א אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר חַ֥ג לַיהוָ֖ה מָחָֽר׃ (ו) וַיַּשְׁכִּ֙ימוּ֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וַיַּעֲל֣וּ עֹלֹ֔ת וַיַּגִּ֖שׁוּ שְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב הָעָם֙ לֶֽאֱכֹ֣ל וְשָׁת֔וֹ וַיָּקֻ֖מוּ לְצַחֵֽק׃ (פ)
In the Pentateuch, the contrast between legal or instructional material, on the one hand, and stories, on the other, is nowhere more starrk than in the relationship between the story of the golden calf (Exodus 32-34) and the instructions and narratives (Exodus 25-31; 35-40) that surround it. The story tells of ritual failure with disastrous consequences, while the ritual instructions and narratives around it recount fulfilling those divine instructions to the letter. The contrast becomes most excruciating in each section's characterization of the high priest: the golden calf story seems to vilify Aaron by placing him at the center of the idolatrous event, while the ritual texts celebrate Aaron and his sons as divinely consecrated priests.
(א) וַיַּרְא הָעָם כִּי בֹשֵׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה (שמות לב, א). בָּא שֵׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת. נִתְכַּנְּסוּ אַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף שֶׁעָלוּ עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל וּשְׁנֵי חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם עִמָּהֶם, וּשְׁמוֹתָם יוּנוּס וְיוֹמְבְּרוּס, שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂין לִפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה כָּל אוֹתָם כְּשָׁפִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם (שמות ז, יא). וְנִקְהֲלוּ כֻּלָּם עַל אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּקָּהֵל הָעָם עַל אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ וְגוֹ', שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה שׁוּב אֵינוֹ יוֹרֵד כְּבָר.
(1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down (Exod. 32:1). The word boshesh (“delayed”) indicates that it was the sixth hour of the day. Forty thousand people who had left with the Israelites assembled, and among them were two Egyptians named Jannes and Jambres, who had performed magical feats for Pharaoh, as it is written: And the magicians of Egypt in like manner with their arts (Exod. 7:22). All of them gathered about Aaron, as is said: And the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron and said (ibid. 32:11).
(ב) וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם יוֹם אַרְבָּעִים הָיָה בְּשֵׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת בַּיּוֹם. אָמְרוּ לָהֶם אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר: עַכְשָׁו יוֹרֵד מִן הָהָר, לֹא הִשְׁגִּיחוּ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: שֶׁעָמַד שָׂטָן וְהֶרְאָה לָהֶם דְּמוּת מִטָּתוֹ מִן הָהָר, מִמַּה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ: כִּי זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ. מִיָּד עָמַד חוּר וְגָעַר בָּהֶם. עָמְדוּ עָלָיו וַהֲרָגוּהוּ. כְּשֶׁרָאָה אַהֲרֹן כָּךְ, נִתְיָרֵא וְהִתְחִיל מַעֲסִיקָן בִּדְבָרִים, וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹקִים. וְהַכֹּל גָּלוּי לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם מַה הֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים.
(2) When Moses failed to return by the fortieth day and the sixth hour of that day, Aaron and Hur told them: “He is now descending the mountain,” (but) they did not pay attention. Some say that Satan arose and showed them the likeness of his bier on the mountain, and that is why they said: For this man Moses (ibid., v. 1). They believed that he was dead and that it was pointless to wait. Then Hur stepped forward and rebuked them. Forthwith they turned against him and slew him. When Aaron witnessed this he became terrified and sought to occupy them with other matters. But they cried out: Up, make us a god (ibid.). All was known to the Holy One Who Spoke and the World Came into Being.
Josephus, when describing the events at Sinai leaves out the Golden Calf story, and consequently the shattering of the first tablets, all together.
7. When matters were brought to this state, Moses went up again to Mount Sinai, of which he had told them beforehand. He made his ascent in their sight; and while he staid there so long a time, (for he was absent from them forty days,) fear seized upon the Hebrews, lest Moses should have come to any harm; nor was there any thing else so sad, and that so much troubled them, as this supposal that Moses was perished. Now there was a variety in their sentiments about it; some saying that he was fallen among wild beasts; and those that were of this opinion were chiefly such as were ill-disposed to him; but others said that he was departed, and gone to God; but the wiser sort were led by their reason to embrace neither of those opinions with any satisfaction, thinking, that as it was a thing that sometimes happens to men to fall among wild beasts and perish that way, so it was probable enough that he might depart and go to God, on account of his virtue; they therefore were quiet, and expected the event: yet were they exceeding sorry upon the supposal that they were deprived of a governor and a protector, such a one indeed as they could never recover again; nor would this suspicion give them leave to expect any comfortable event about this man, nor could they prevent their trouble and melancholy upon this occasion. However, the camp durst not remove all this while, because Moses had bidden them afore to stay there.
8. But when the forty days, and as many nights, were over, Moses came down, having tasted nothing of food usually appointed for the nourishment of men. His appearance filled the army with gladness, and he declared to them what care God had of them, and by what manner of conduct of their lives they might live happily; telling them, that during these days of his absence he had suggested to him also that he would have a tabernacle built for him, into which he would descend when he came to them, and how we should carry it about with us when we remove from this place; and that there would be no longer any occasion for going up to Mount Sinai, but that he would himself come and pitch his tabernacle amongst us, and be present at our prayers; as also, that the tabernacle should be of such measures and construction as he had shown him, and that you are to fall to the work, and prosecute it diligently. When he had said this, he showed them the two tables, with the ten commandments engraven upon them, five upon each table; and the writing was by the hand of God.
Philo Moses II (161) When Moses had gone up into the neighbouring mountain and had remained several days alone with God, the fickle-minded among the people, thinking that his absence was a favourable opportunity, as if they had no longer any ruler at all, rushed unrestrainedly to impiety, and, forgetting the holiness of the living God, became eager imitators of the Egyptian inventions. (162) Then, having made a golden calf in imitation of that which appeared to be the most sacred animal in that district, they offered up unholy sacrifices, and instituted blasphemous dances, and sang hymns which differed in no respect from dirges, and, being filled with strong wine, gave themselves up to a twofold intoxication, the intoxication of and that of folly, revelling and devoting the night to feasting, and, having no foresight as to the future, they spent their time in pleasant sins, though justice had her eye upon them, who saw them while they would not see, and decided what punishments they deserved.
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text/philo/book25.html
פרקו נזמי זהב, “take off the golden rings, etc.” it is clear from the fact that Aaron asked the men to take the jewelry of their wives, that his intentions were perfectly pure. He thought that if he were to suggest anyone of the leaders of the people to take the place of Moses, such a person would not be willing to give up his promotion on the following day when Moses would return and this would result in dissension and possible civil war amongst the people. On the other hand, if he were not to appear to comply with the people’s wishes by doing nothing, they would choose someone, which would lead to immediate dissension among the people. If he were to suggest that he himself would take over Moses’ position, Moses would find this difficult to accept on his return. He therefore decided to play for time, so that no action would be taken pending Moses’ return on the next day, which is what he expected. The problem would therefore resolve itself without any revolutionary changes having been taken. By suggesting that these people bring him the jewelry of their wives, he thought he would gain enough time, as suggested by Rashi. (Rashi suggested that he was sure the women would not be willing to part with their jewelry for such a purpose as making an inanimate object a replacement for Moses.)
(ג) אָמַר לָהֶם אַהֲרֹן: פָּרְקוּ נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּאָזְנֵי נְשֵׁיכֶם. אָמַר אַהֲרֹן לָהֶם דָּבָר קָשֶׁה, שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים מִתְעַכְּבוֹת בּוֹ, שֶׁהֵם רָאוּ כָּל הַנִּסִּים וְהַגְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם וּבַיָּם וּבְסִינַי. הָלְכוּ אֵצֶל הַנָּשִׁים. עָמְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְאָמְרוּ: חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שֶׁנִּכְפֹּר בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁעָשָׂה לָנוּ כָּל הַנִּסִּים וּגְבוּרוֹת הָאֵלּוּ וְנַעֲשֶׂה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמְעוּ לָהֶם, מַה כְּתִיב שָׁם: וַיִּתְפָּרְקוּ כָּל הָעָם אֶת נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב. אֲשֶׁר בְּאָזְנֵי נְשֵׁיהֶם לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם.
(3) Aaron said unto them: Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives (ibid., v. 2). Aaron told them to do this difficult thing because (he was aware that) the women would not agree to it. They had seen the miracles and the deeds that the Holy One, blessed be He, had wrought for them in Egypt, and what had transpired at the Sea of Reeds and at Sinai, and so they went to the men and said: God forbid that we should renounce the Holy One, blessed be He, who has performed all these miracles and mighty deeds in our behalf, in order to fashion an idol. The men, however, refused to listen to them: And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears (ibid., v. 3). It does not say “in their wives’ ears” but rather in their ears.
(ה) מֶה עָשָׂה אַהֲרֹן? אָמַר יִדָּחֶה הַדָּבָר עַד לְמָחָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּקְרָא אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמַר חַג לַה' מָחָר. וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת, מִהֲרוּ שָׁכְחוּ מַעֲשָׂיו (תהלים קו, יב). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, עַל יְדֵי יֵצֶר הָרָע חֲטָאתֶם. לֶעָתִיד, אֲנִי עוֹקְרוֹ מִכֶּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת לֵב הָאֶבֶן מִבְּשַׂרְכֶם (יחזקאל לו, כו).
(5) What did Aaron do then? He said: Let the celebration be delayed until tomorrow, as it is said: And Aaron made proclamation and said: “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord” (Exod. 32:5). Whereupon the Holy Spirit called out: Hasten, descend, they have forgotten what I did for them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world they have sinned because of the evil inclination within them, but in the time-to-come I will remove it from them, as is said: And I will take away the strong heart of your flesh (Exod. 36:26).
After all Moses made them drink from the powder of the golden calf to test them like a women suspected of adultery (TB Avodah Zarah 44a)
As Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai says: This verse was stated only with regard to the incident of the Golden Calf, as it is stated: “And Aaron saw this, and he built [vayyiven] an altar [mizbe’aḥ] before it…and said: Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord” (Exodus 32:5). What did Aaron see? Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet says that Rabbi Elazar says: He saw Hur, who had been appointed together with Aaron by Moses to lead the people during Moses’ absence (see Exodus 24:14), slaughtered before him, as he had protested the plan to fashion a calf and had been murdered by the people as a result. The verse is therefore interpreted not as: Aaron built an altar before the calf, but rather: He understood [vayyaven] from the slaughter [mizavuaḥ] before his own eyes; and he then called for a feast. Aaron said to himself: If I do not listen to them now, they will do to me as they did to Hur, and the verse: “Shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?” (Lamentations 2:20), will be fulfilled through me, and they will never have a remedy for such a sin. It is better for them to worship the calf, as it is possible they will have a remedy through repentance. Nevertheless, according to Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai, whoever praises Aaron for this compromise is provoking God.
A dilemma was raised before the Sages: This ulbena of the judges that Shmuel speaks of, is it a term of insolence, in that the judges are, according to Shmuel, enabling lenders to insolently collect debts that are not due to them, or a term of convenience, in that the judges are saving themselves the inconvenience of having to actually collect the debts detailed in the promissory notes? The Gemara suggests a proof: Come and hear that which Ulla said in describing the Jewish people after they sinned with the Golden Calf immediately following the revelation at Sinai: Insolent [aluva] is the bride who is promiscuous under her wedding canopy.
מַעֲשֵׂה עֵגֶל הָרִאשׁוֹן נִקְרָא וּמִתַּרְגֵּם פְּשִׁיטָא מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא לֵיחוּשׁ לִכְבוֹדָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן דְּנִיחָא לְהוּ דְּהָוְיָא לְהוּ כַּפָּרָה