Netziv (Shemos 32:2) Aaron said to them, “You men, take off the gold.” The Jews had been commanded not to make gods of silver and gods of gold. Not to make a silver form to aid in G-d guiding them or when they prayed for their needs. Nor should they make a gold form for this purpose It is important to note this is not considered actual idolatry that they had been prohibited by the Ten Commandments. This is not making a god but only an intermediary to provide guidance while they still believed that G-d was all powerful but that He gave this form the role of intermediary as a guide or leader. Thus this constituted a new prohibition after Sinai that even as an intermediary it was prohibited and Aaron and the Jewish people were unaware of it. To have an intermediary was not a problem as they used angels as intermediaries.The problem was making a gold or silver intermediary. Thus they erred in making the Golden Calf
Seems a chiddush to give blanket heter to use angels as intermediaries
ReplyDeleteThe classic meforshim all go out of their way to minimise the sin. Ibn Ezra writes an whole essay on why they didn't sin. The reason? Probably because Hashem said He would wipe them all out, and make a new nation out of Moshe. So this work is to give more power to Moshe's position, ie to keep the people alive - since we do not need a mekatreg.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we don't need the idea of a new israel or replacement Israel for our sins, which was and is part of Xtian theology.
Play close attention to the Torah's test.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Eloh-m doesn't always mean God. It's certainly frequently used to refer to either idols or judges. Second, the masses asked for a replacement for Moshe Rabeinu, not for another God so even when the verse says "These are your 'elohecha' that brought you out of Egypt" it could be referring to a position of authority, not God Himself.