By Avner Friedmann
The Parsha states,[1] “The people saw that Moshe was late in descending from the mountain. So the people assembled around Aharon and said to him, ‘Come! Make gods for us which shall go before us, because we don’t know what happened to Moshe, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt.'” Before ascending the mountain, Moshe told them that he would be there for forty days and return the following morning. What he meant was that he would be absent for a full forty days and nights, NOT including that same day. However, the people miscalculated and counted the day of his ascent as the first day. They therefore miscalculated the day of his return by one day too early. By noon of that day, when he did not show up, they were thrown into a panic, thinking they no longer had an intermediary to act on their behalf with HaShem. To cause even greater turmoil, Satan seized the moment and created the image of a dead Moshe being carried off to heaven.[2] Since they had been steeped in Egyptian idolatry, they sought something tangible to take Moshe’s place.
It is a natural human reaction to act hastily, without thinking things through, when panic sets in, due to loss of control or predictability. We can sometimes overreact and do things we later regret. The Sin of the Golden Calf was just such a case.
The commentators explain this tragic event in several ways, but the question still remains; how could it be that immediately following the revelation at Sinai, in which all Israel experienced, “There is nothing beside Him,”[3] that they fall so low as to worship idols!?!
The Parsha states that once the Golden calf was made, HaShem said to Moshe,[4] “Go and descend, for your people that you brought up from the land of Egypt have become corrupt.” The emphasis here is on the words, “YOUR people the YOU brought up etc.” The Kli Yakar explains[5] that this is referring to the Egyptians that Moshe converted, who joined the Jewish people in their exodus from Egypt. It was specifically this “Mixed Multitude” (The Erev Rav) who panicked, not those who were born Jews. In their minds, Moshe, the man who converted them and took them out of Egypt, was now gone. It was specifically Moshe who was responsible for taking them out of Egypt, rather then HaShem. Thus, with Moshe gone, they were fearful that because of their bad influence in Israel, HaShem would return them to Egypt. They were convinced that the only reason this hadn’t happened up until then, was out of HaShem’s respect for Moshe. Thus they sought a new intermediary with a power equal to Moshe. They believed that Aharon possessed the secret to create the new intermediary they were so desperately seeking.
The Holy Zohar[6] explains that the Mixed Multitude (The Erev Rav) were the wizards, sorcerers and necromancers of Pharaoh. Beholding the miracles and wonders performed by Moshe, that completely defied nature and that they could not duplicate; they came to him and pleaded that he accept them into the Jewish fold.
They led Moshe to believe that their intentions were for the sake of heaven. Moshe made the decision to take them out of Egypt along with the Jewish people, as it is written:[7] “Also a mixed multitude went up with them…” However, ultimately their intentions were shown not to be pure.
The Holy Zohar states that the Erev Rav seized this moment of confusion when Moshe failed (according to their calculations) to come down from the Mountain and used it for their own benefit. What was the cause of their dissatisfaction? They saw that,[8] “HaShem went before them (The Children of Israel) in a pillar of cloud by day and in the pillar of fire by night”. The Children of Israel were enveloped by the clouds of glory, but the Mixed Multitude journeyed behind them, along with the animals, outside the clouds. Moreover, they only ate the leftover Manna after it had been ground in the grindstone. This frustrated them and they decided to take action.
Their intention was to build a golden calf through sorcery and black magic. They came to Aharon and asked him to make one for them. They knew they needed his participation for their magic to work. Aharon attempted to stall them by asking them to collect the gold jewelry of the women and children.[9] He was hoping that the women would refuse to give up their jewelry and that by the time enough gold was gathered, Moshe would return. However, the Erev Rav removed their own jewelry and brought it to Aharon sooner than expected.
The leaders and chief wizards of the Erev Rav were the two sons of the wicked Balaam. In this way, they deceived Aharon and managed to get his participation.[10] As a result, the Golden Calf was formed. Seeing the Golden Calf, Aharon realized that the side of Evil was gaining strength; so he acted immediately by building an altar, as it is written:[11] “Aharon saw and built an altar before him”. The Holy Zohar states that if not for this altar, which was completed before the Erev Rav had a chance to worship the Golden Calf, the Satan would have been strengthened to the degree of taking over the world.
The verse states,[12] “HaShem said to Moshe, Go and descend, for YOUR people that YOU brought up from the land of Egypt have become corrupt… They have made themselves a molten calf…” On this verse Rashi states that, “Those who caused the sin and became corrupt are “YOUR people”, the Erev Rav, whom you accepted without consulting Me”. All three thousand men who played an active role in the Golden Calf and died by the sword of the Levites were from the Erev Rav.
The Holy Zohar[13] prophesizes that the Erev Rav would be scattered amongst the Jewish people and would be the cause of much of our troubles throughout history. Moreover, it states that immediately before the coming of Moshiach (The “Heels of Moshiach”) the Erev Rav will gain much power and become leaders and judges in Israel. Nonetheless, through trust in HaShem, turning to Him with true repentance (Teshuvah), adhering to His Torah and mitzvot and sincerely calling out to Him in prayer, HaShem will come to our rescue and save us, with the true and complete redemption, through our righteous Moshiach, speedily in our times. Amen
[1] Shemot:32:1.
[2] Rashi 32:1.
[3] Devarim 4:35.
[4] Shemot 32:7
[5] Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550-1619) On Shmot 32:1.
[6] Ki Tisa 191a-193a, and Tikunei Zohar 3, 142a.
[7] Shmot 12:38.
[8] Shmot 13:21.
[9] Shmot 32:2.
[10] See the Zohar for details.
[11] Shmot 32:5.
[12] Shmot 32:7.
[13] Nasso 125b-126a.
