כי תשא // תפילת משה

The Holy One blessed be He began providing Moses with paths for him to ask for mercy on their behalf. From where is this derived? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Above it is written, “Go descend,” and thereafter, it says: “The Lord said [vayomer] to Moses: I have seen this people” (Exodus 32:9). Saying [amira] is nothing other than gentle words. This is like a person who has a grudge against another and seeks to reconcile with him, and he says to him: ‘Say [emor] to me what I did to you that led you to do so.’ When Moses heard gentle words from the Holy One blessed be He, he began asking for mercy on their behalf, as it is stated: “Moses implored…” (Exodus 32:11).
“Go descend” – [Moses] said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “Ascend, you and Aaron with you” (Exodus 19:24), and likewise, “to Moses He said, ascend to the Lord” (Exodus 24:1), and now You say: “Go descend”?’ He said to him: ‘It is not for your honor that you ascend to here, but rather due to the honor of My children. I said to their grandfather: “Behold, angels of God were ascending and descending on it [bo]” (Genesis 28:12). What is bo? Rather, this is what I said to him: When your descendants will be righteous, they are elevated in the world and ascend, and their emissaries are elevated with them. When they descend, they and their emissaries are in descent.’ “Go descend” – why? “For your people…have acted corruptly.” He said to him: ‘Because they sinned, you and they are in descent.’

Another matter, “Lord, why is Your wrath enflamed against Your people?” Moses said: ‘Did You not say to me as follows: “Because your people has acted corruptly” (Exodus 32:7)? “Your people” has sinned, but not My people? If my people sinned, Your people have not sinned.’ That is, “why is Your wrath enflamed against Your people?”
Another matter, “Lord, why is Your wrath enflamed against Your people?” This is analogous to a king who entered his house and found his wife embracing a wooden figurine, and he became angry. His attendant said to him: ‘Were it capable of begetting children, it would be appropriate for you to be angry.’ The king said to him: ‘This item has no capability in this matter; however, I seek to teach her not to act in this way.’ So too, God said: ‘I know that it lacks substance; however, let them not say that they may craft idols.’ [Moses] said to Him: ‘If it lacks substance, why are You angry at Your children?’ That is, “why is Your wrath enflamed against Your people?”
“That You took out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 32:11). Why did he see fit to mention the exodus from Egypt here? Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, from where did You take them out? From Egypt, where they were all worshippers of lambs.’ Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: This is analogous to a wise man who opened for his son a perfume shop in a marketplace frequented by prostitutes. The alleyway had its effect, the craft had its effect, and the lad, as a young man, had his effect, and he went astray. His father came and caught him with the prostitutes. The father began to shout and say: ‘I will kill you!’ His friend was there and said to him: ‘You caused the lad to stray and you are screaming at him? You forsook all the crafts and taught him only perfumery. You forsook all the alleyways, and opened a shop for him only in the marketplace frequented by prostitutes.’ So too, Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, You forsook the entire world and You enslaved Your children only in Egypt, where they were worshippers of lambs. Your children learned from them and they, too, crafted a calf.’ That is why he said: “That You took out of the land of Egypt” – know from where You took them out.

והנחם AND REPENT — form another resolution, viz., to do them good,