1. Why was Aaron willing to build the Golden Calf?
2. Why didn't he protest?
3. What was Aaron feeling/thinking during this story?
4. Is Aaron an active or a passive character?
(10) But Moses said to יהוה, “Please, O my lord, I have never been a man of words, either in times past or now that You have spoken to Your servant; I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (11) And יהוה said to him, “Who gives humans speech? Who makes them dumb or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, יהוה ? l(12) Now go, and I will be with you as you speak and will instruct you what to say.” (13) But he said, “Please, O my lord, make someone else Your agent.” (14) יהוה became angry with Moses and said, “There is your brother Aaron the Levite. He, I know, speaks readily. Even now he is setting out to meet you, and he will be happy to see you. (15) You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth—I will be with you and with him as you speak, and tell both of you what to do— (16) and he shall speak for you to the people. Thus he shall serve as your spokesman, with you playing the role of God to him.
(27) יהוה said to Aaron, “Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.” He went and met him at the mountain of God, and he kissed him. (28) Moses told Aaron about all the things that יהוה had committed to him and all the signs about which he had been instructed. (29) Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites. (30) Aaron repeated all the words that יהוה had spoken to Moses, and he performed the signs in the sight of those assembled...
2. What assumptions do you make about Aaron so far?
3. We haven't heard Aaron's voice yet. What do you think he's thinking or feeling?
2. Why is he chosen to head the priesthood?
3. From what we've read of Aaron, is he the obvious choice for the job?
4. Why would Aaron be so willing and ready to build the Golden Calf? Is he?
(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 אֱלֹהִים. וְהַכֹּל גָּלוּי לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם מַה הֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים.
(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.
(ד) אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: כְּשֶׁהֵבִיאוּ הַנְּזָמִים, תָּלָה אַהֲרֹן עֵינָיו לַשָּׁמַיִם וְאָמַר: אֵלֶיךָ נָשָׂאתִי אֶת עֵינַי הַיּשְׁבִי בַּשָּׁמָיִם (תהלים קכג, א), אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אֶת כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת, שֶׁבְּעַל כָּרְחִי אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה. הִשְׁלִיךְ לָאֵשׁ וּבָאוּ הַחַרְטֻמִּים וְעָשׂוּ בְּחַרְטֻמֵּיהֶם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: שֶׁמִּיכָה הָיָה שֶׁנִּתְמַכְמֵךְ בַּבִּנְיָן, מַה שֶּׁהִצִּיל מֹשֶׁה מִן הַלְּבֵנִים. נָטַל הַלּוּחַ שֶׁכָּתַב עָלָיו מֹשֶׁה, עֲלֵה שׁוֹר, כְּשֶׁהֶעֱלָה אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. הִשְׁלִיכוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַכּוּר בֵּין הַנְּזָמִים, וְיָצָא הָעֵגֶל גּוֹעֶה כְּשֶׁהוּא מְקַרְטֵעַ. הִתְחִילוּ אוֹמְרִים: אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. פָּתְחוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְאָמְרוּ: שָׁכְחוּ אֵל מוֹשִׁיעָם עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת בְּמִצְרָיִם (תהלים קו, כא).
(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).
(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). 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 that they demanded was known to the Holy One Who Spoke and the World Came into Being.
(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 Red Sea 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.
(4) R. Jeremiah maintained that when they brought their earrings to him, Aaron raised his eyes heavenward and declared: Unto Thee I lift mine eyes, O thou that art enthroned in the heavens (Ps. 123:1). You who know all thoughts are aware that I do this unwillingly. He tossed their earrings into the fire, and the magicians approached and performed magical feats. Some say that Micah ground the bricks that Moses had saved into the mixture, and that he took the tablet which Moses had written upon when he raised Joseph’s coffin out of the Nile and cast them into the smelting furnace amidst the earrings. Then the calf came forth leaping. As it leaped about, the people began to cry out: This is thy god, O Israel. The guardian angels then began to proclaim: They forgot God, their savior, who had done great things in Egypt (Ps. 106:21).
(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).
2. What characteristics does Aaron gain in this midrash?
3. Does this feel consistent with the Torah texts we've read?
"When the Talmud is looking at the leadership of Aharon, the rabbis ask the same question of Moshe: what happened? What did they do that you brought this great sin upon this people?! And the rabbis point out that there is something unexplained – Aaron saw “this” says the text on verse 5. What did he see? The mob had murdered Hur, another of Moshe’s helpers. The Talmud sees a hint in the words “vayiven mizbeach” which we translate as “and he built an altar”. They can be reread as “vayaven mi-zavuah” – meaning, he understood from the slaughter. Who was slaughtered by the mob? Hur, who had protested what the people were trying to do. And so he thinks to himself: better they do this than kill another person, because there is no complete repentance for murder. But the Talmud is not really satisfied with that solution, and closes with a warning: Whoever praises Aaron for this compromise is provoking God (Sanhedrin 7a).
The Talmud comes hard on Aaron because he has been put in a position of leadership and can’t do what is right, and can’t be the true leader that the people require. The people is already anxious – note the first verse: Moshe is taking too long, and they can’t wait. They can’t understand that Moshe is not the one who took them out of Egypt, but God was. And the moment they said “the man Moses, who took us out of Egypt” – Aaron, as a leader, should have been more clear regarding that faulty thought but instead asks for the earrings, trying to buy time so Moshe would come and fix the mess."
2. Do you have any sympathy for Aaron? Why or why not?
3. Put yourself in the shoes of an Israelite. What would you have wanted from Aaron in this moment of panic?
Dr. HaShem - Hi Aaron, how are you doing today?
Aaron - I’ve been better.
Dr. HaShem - Did something happen?
Aaron - I’m sure you already know.
Dr. HaShem - Why don’t you tell me anyway.
Aaron - I... made an idol.
Dr. HaShem - ...
Aaron - I didn’t want to! They all turned to me and asked me to do it! What was I going to say, no?? They would have killed me! They were, like, ravenous. They’re still mad at Moses for abandoning them and frankly, I don’t blame them! Where is he? It’s been weeks!
Dr. HaShem - It sounds like you’re really mad at your brother.
Aaron - Well yeah - he just left us! I mean I know he left to do something important at Your command which, obviously, I respect, but what are we supposed to do? Just sit here for You know how long and do nothing?
Dr. HaShem - ...
Aaron - Look, I get it. He’s Moses, rabbeinu, morienu, madricheinu. But ever since he was born it’s like “Aaron who?”
Dr. HaShem - But you are the high priest! You are the religious leader of the Israelite people!
Aaron - Only because there was no one left. Moses is our leader, Joshua is a warrior, Miriam is a woman. I was the only viable choice.
Dr. HaShem - Where do you think these feelings of inadequacy come from?
Aaron - I don’t know. I mean I’m not even introduced in the story until it’s to help Moses. At least Miriam is around during his trip down the Nile. She doesn’t get a name yet, but again, she’s a woman, so...
Dr. HaShem - So you’ve felt this way since childhood.
Aaron - Definitely. I mean Miriam is the firstborn so she gets all the responsibility and love and care from mom and dad, and Moses was born during Pharaoh’s edict so ahhhh gotta save the poor helpless baby!! But Aaron? Our not-at-risk-of-drowning, not-old-enough-to-take-on-any-responsibility-yet middle child? Feh. He can figure it out on his own.
Dr. HaShem - So when the Israelites finally turned to you for help,
Aaron - I was elated! I mean I knew it was wrong to do, but it just felt so nice to be needed by someone other than my brother, for something other than my words. They were relying on me! They wanted me to help! They didn’t turn to Miriam or Joshua or Bezalel or anyone else. It was me. They chose me.
Dr. HaShem - I chose you too.
Aaron - I guess I never really thought about it that way. It’s different coming from You.
Dr. HaShem - How so?
Aaron - I don’t know. You’d think that when God calls on you to do something it would be the greatest day ever. But it just felt like “time to go support your perfect brother Moses!” Like my entire existence is just to help him out. So when I was finally asked to do something for other people, it felt so good. I know that they were all just reacting to Moses being gone for so long and they were scared, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to be helpful. I wanted to matter. That’s why I was so willing to do something I know is wrong. But I did push the celebration of the idol until tomorrow! Maybe that was a good thing?
Dr. HaShem - Aaron, you’re a classic middle child. It was fast thinking to push the celebration. I’m going to send Moses down to break the idol and stop this madness. I understand why you did what you did, and you understand that it was wrong. Take the night off and relax. Everything will be okay.