what was the sin of the golden calf

But that is not the same as idolatry actually being the problem. Praise HIM Who keeps me in HIS Way!! script>, Speculating about the Original Text of the Decalogue. When Moses goes to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, the Israelites create a Golden Calf to worship from their impatience of his absence. However, the sin of the golden calf is one such motif for its role in Israel’s apostasy at Sinai (Exod 32), the “sin of Jeroboam” in making golden calves at Dan and Bethel (1 Kgs 12), and Hosea’s condemnation of the “calf of Samaria” (Hos 8:6; cf. Prof. Joel Baden is Professor of Hebrew Bible at Yale University. The story of the golden calf is a story of sin and forgiveness, of rebellion and mercy, of disobedience and reconciliation. Moses called for those who were on the Lord’s side to come stand with him ( Exodus 32:26 ). In Exodus 32an odd event took place after the Israelites escaped Egypt. He mentions that the sin was not replacing God, but since they saw Moshe go up the mountain with no food or water, and was there for forty days, they were worried that he died, and they were looking for a medium for them to connect to God. And so the people stand back while Moses approaches the mountain to receive the laws—the laws of the Covenant Code. Therefore the golden calf was a sin because it violated the commandment given in Exodus 20. from the University of Chicago. Aaron was saved only through the mercy and compassion of God and Moses reasoning and attempt tp make atonement.And the LORD smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made. Therefore, perhaps his deeds are mitigated somehow. After an extended break, the narrative returns to the people, awaiting Moses at the base of the mountain. In Egypt, a bull, Apis, was sacred to the god Ptah and emblematic of him. Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright © Project TABS, All Rights Reserved. They had just left Egypt, a culture full of worshiping gods through the tangible here on earth, and the Israel Nation was searching for a physical representation of God on earth, through which they could connect to Him. Oops! Images of bulls and calves were common in Near Eastern religions. In addition to the Shabbat in the respective parashiot Ki Tisa and Ekev, sections of it are read on the four “minor” fast days both in … The narrative of the Golden Calf, found in Ki Tisa, raises a wealth of questions about the nature of the sin, the motivations and emotions that precipitated it, and its far-reaching repercussions. 32 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. Medically, it is well known that people who have sexual encounters with dozens of male and female strangers over short time periods will have compromised immune systems. Humans are not created to be godless. Summarized by David Silverberg God accuses Benei Yisrael of "testing" Him ten times throughout their sojourn in the desert (Bemidbar 14:22). According to the Mishna, Aaron was a peace-maker. 32). You mention such an interesting point. The golden calf was to act as their conduit and representative, through which they could achieve closeness to God. 10:5; 11:2). // Javascript URL redirection I like Kevin’s thought that perhaps he was trying to do the right thing in his heart by keeping the peace. SueJean, you’re right that it is hard to condemn Aaron when God himself doesn’t and he is allowed to continue in his role as High Priest. 6). Golden calf, idol worshipped by the Hebrews during the period of the Exodus from Egypt in the 13th century bc and during the age of Jeroboam I, king of Israel, in the 10th century bc. What the calf represented is debated by scholars. THE PEOPLE'S SIN. At this time, he contributed regularly to local scholarly journals authoring dozens of original expositions and ruminations in Hebrew. Moses’ personal intercession on behalf of his people saved them. Once he realized the sin committed, he tried to rectify by building an altar and proclaiming that, “To-morrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” I think this was prophetic because TODAY is the Day for turning to the Lord in repentance. Many commentators also struggle, as you do, with the fact that people fell into sin … The Sin of the Calf:‎ The Rise of the Bible’s Negative Attitude toward the Golden Calf A gold cultic statue of a young bull, whose worship the biblical authors condemned. Forty days and nights would elapse before his return. The Son of Man Four, The Golden Calf | C W Johnson | ISBN: 9781494317485 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. In chapter 32 of the Book of Exodus, there’s the famous story of the golden calf. Read 2 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. In the light of this, I don’t feel like I have any right to condemn him either. Then would he melt the gold and produce a calf from it. According to the Sages, the sin offering that Aaron was required to bring during the dedication ceremony of the Tabernacle (Leviticus 9:2) was meant to atone for his part in the sin of the Golden Calf. See more ideas about golden calf, bible class, bible lessons. The sin itself. While God certainly showed mercy here in this situation, it should also be remembered that this legacy of not fulfilling God’s commands was passed down to Nadab and Abihu upon whom judgment fell thus acting as a punishment to Aaron as well, The Israel Bible is the world’s first Tanakh (Bible) centered around the Land of Israel, the People of Israel, and the dynamic relationship between them. The stark contrast between what was transpiring atop Sinai, and the people’s transgression at the foot of the mountain. Aaron was complicit in breaking a commandment of God.Though he made the calf and the altar and declared a feast, he was not the actual instigator and was one of the many who received mercy. Upon returning, Moses is very angered by the false idol they have created and destroys both the tablets given to him and their Golden Calf. So Moses tells some of the men to take their swords. He uses the gold to form a golden calf, and the Children of Israel proclaim, “This is thy god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”. So many miracles! The two fundamental sins noted in the Torah are the sin of the Golden Calf on the 17th of Tammuz, and the sin of the Spies on Tisha B’Av. By Ahuva Balofsky (Moderator), This section begins with God giving Moses the two tablets of stone upon which He has written with His own hand. The steps in the sin are noted in the narrative. Many (perhaps all) participated in the sin, but God limited the penalty to those who possibly instigated it. In R. Binyamin Lau’s 2016 internet essay on Parashat Ki Tissa, he references the classic Midrash analogizing the sin of the Golden Calf, cited by RaShI: Shemot 34:1 “And the LORD Said unto Moshe: Hew thee… Perhaps it was https://www.patreon.com/GodsBeforeHimWho was the golden calf of the book of Exodus? It has been the subject of countless sermons and interpretation. When Moses seemed to take a long time in returning from the mountain, the Israelites turne… Then he grinds it into powder. The craftsmen that came out of Egypt were used to working with Gold and therefore copper was added to give the calf strength. The reason it happened was because he hadn’t come back and the Israelites were getting worried. It is first mentioned in Exodus 32:4. The story of the golden calf is told twice in the Torah: Exodus 32, told through the voice of the omniscient narrator, is the version that is read in synagogue in the aforementioned days; it is repeated in Deuteronomy 9—10 in the voice of Moses, who reminds the Israelites at the Plains of Moab of their earlier sin. He first commands the people to bring their jewelry. It is apparent that despite all the good intentions, the sin of the Golden Calf is still characterized as the sin of idolatry, the greatest sin in the Torah, a violation of the second of the Ten Commandments. Psalm 106:19, 20 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.… They changed their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth grass (Revised Version). From this explanation, we see that the golden calf was not born of a … I can see him throwing the gold into the fire and it congealing into a glob as it melted. Note - 1. God concedes to Moses’s argument and allows him to take the stone tablets to the people. But when Moshe arrived it was too late for Aaron’s involvement, though his heart had not been involved….., The 15th century scholar Isaac Abrabanel suggests that Aaron was prevented from entering the Land of Israel as a punishment for his involvement in this sin. Why do you think Aaron did what he did? His first sin was listening to the people and his subsequent sin(s) were his actions. Hi Kevin, welcome to the discussion! Born in 1971 in Norfolk, Virginia, Rabbi Kaplan attended Ivy League Yeshiva Schools in New York City during his adolescence. Yehudah HaLevi, the author of the Kuzari, written in the 12th century, discusses the sin of the Golden Calf at length. This is the recitation of the verses, “HaShem, HaShem, (1) G-d [who is], (2) merciful and (3) gracious, (4&5) slow to anger, and (6) abounding in kindness and (7) truth. Among his many books are, The Composition of the Pentateuch: Renewing the Documentary Hypothesis, The Promise to the Patriarchs, and Reconceiving Infertility: Biblical Perspectives on Procreation and Childlessness. Moses’ ascent of Mount Sinai (and the ensuing sin of the golden calf), is preceded in Exodus by instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle’s ritual laver (Ex.30:17-21). The sin was the sin of idolatry, violation of the first commandment. The Golden Calf book. Now fully appreciating the gravity of their actions, Moses returns to the mountain to again ask God’s forgiveness on behalf of the people. He said to the people, ‘You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. “What is our Golden Calf?” Exodus 32:1-17. He was assuming that the woman would be less likely to part with their gold, and that would give enough time for Moses to descend the mountain. The calf first appears in the time of Moses (Ex 32), but golden calves were also worshipped in Northern Israel during the monarchy. This centrality is further evident from the amount of times a part of this story appears as one of the official Torah readings for holidays, making it the most frequent story read in synagogue in the course of the year. GOLDEN CALF (Heb. 32 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard and an M.A. Most telling is the fact that Aaron continues on to become the High Priest as if nothing had happened at all. What was the sin of the golden calf? [4] Although it is true that the calves are presented as their own sin (see e.g., 2 Kings 17:16), it would seem that the biblical authors, having decided that the only proper worship of YHWH was that which took place in Jerusalem, polemicized against non-centralized worship by describing it as idolatrous, at least rhetorically. https://www.patreon.com/GodsBeforeHimWho was the golden calf of the book of Exodus? They got impatient. Not even knowing exactly what the Israelites have done wrong to earn God’s wrath, Moses defends the people, telling God that if He were to do such a thing, the Egyptians would think He was unable to bring the people to safety. "A Miserable Bride" The Gemara (Gittin 36b) records the words of Ula: "It is a miserable bride who prostitutes herself under the very wedding canopy," commenting on the verse – "While the King was still at His banquet, my nard gave forth its fragrance" (Shir Ha-Shirim 1:12). The Sin of the Golden Calf. The golden calf happens in Exodus 32. By: Rev. The sin of the Golden Calf divides Parashat Ki Tisa into two parts – before the sin and after it.. At first glance, the sin ruined all of God’s plans. He wanted to restore peace (shalom) to the people. Therefore the golden calf was a sin because it violated the commandment given in Exodus 20. [2] See, e.g., William Propp, Exodus 19–40 (Anchor Yale Bible 2A; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006), 566: “The people immediately violate the Decalogue by making for themselves a metal god in a calf’s likeness.”. The Ten Commandments happen in Exodus 20. [1] Editor’s note: for a different approach to this problem, see Deena Grant, “What Was the Golden Calf?” TheTorah.com (2013). He confronts his brother for leading the people astray, and calls upon all those who are for God to join him; the Levites join Moses and enact God’s justice among the people. "Into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay" (Prayer book Version). 4), which, forthwith, they proceeded to worship with every species of disgraceful revelry (ver. Once we turn and repent TODAY, To-morrow is the new beginning we hope for–Restoration to God and to each other.Where the priest, sinned, the prophetic utterance offered a way out of the mess Israel had just gotten themselves into. 26 The sin of the golden calf was a “decree of … What was in the air when a nation that just experienced the greatest moment in human history fell so far, so fast? The Sin of the Golden Calf and Covenant Renewal. Golden Calf Idolatry vs. Carved Cherubim on Ark of the Covenant While the Calf was condemned as gross idolatry, the Ark was a permitted non-idolatrous religious image, sanctioned by … Perhaps Aaron was atoned when he and the other Levites came and stood with Moshe and they slew all those that stood apart from them just as Pinchas took a stand against sin in a later portion and received a special blessing from Elohim. He throws down the tablets, smashing them at the base of the mountain. Even though there are reasonable explanations for why Aaron and the people began to worship the golden calf, those explanations do not excuse the sin. (1) They approached Aaron with a demand to make them "a god." The story of the golden calf, the greatest scandal of the wilderness period, is recalled in Deuteronomy 9:9‑21 (Parashat Eikev), based on the fuller account in Exodus 32 (Parashat Ki Tissa). The Levites stood with him and were commanded to go … Exodus 32 relates that the Israelites, anxious about Moses' prolonged absence, demanded that *Aaron provide a god to lead them. According to the Bible, the golden calf (עֵגֶּל הַזָהָב ‘ēggel hazāhāv) was an idol (a cult image) made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai.In Hebrew, the incident is known as ḥēṭ’ ha‘ēggel (חֵטְא הַעֵגֶּל) or the Sin of the Calf.It is first mentioned in Exodus 32:4. The sin of the Golden Calf was one of the spiritual nadirs of the early history of the Children of Israel, and it was seized upon by Christianity in its attempt to both demonstrate the stiff-necked nature of the Jewish people and rationalize that fulfillment of the Torah's commandments was required only for those who had sinned with the Calf. There are 3 different punishments stated for the sin of the Golden Calf, two of which are ambiguous in nature. The sin of the Golden Calf was man’s futile attempt to grasp what man cannot grasp. Because Aharon had put his hope in the Lord to be the God of His Salvation, God did allow for reconciliation. The Apis bull, Hathor or Osiris? Aaron asks the people to gather gold jewellery from their wives and children. R. Tuck . In other words, prior to the sin of the golden calf the Shechinah was prepared to dwell within every Jew; every Jew would have been his own personal Mishkan. Involved, as always is true with departure from the true God, were other sins: B. Also, the people were not substituting the golden calf for the worship of the one true God, but using artificial means of man’s design and making to worship Him. 2. As well, as Diana mentioned, when he sees the calf, and the reaction of the people, he declares the next day as a holiday for God. The text twice repeats that the laver served the purpose of preventing death. According to the Sages, the sin offering that Aaron was required to bring during the dedication ceremony of the Tabernacle (Leviticus 9:2) was meant to atone for his part in the sin of the Golden Calf. Yet the Israelites’ preeminent sin, the making of the golden calf, is fundamentally a lack of obedience to this law code. I. 1. Images of bulls and calves were common in Near Eastern religions. The Israel Bible points out that Moses was concerned should God wipe out the people and start over with him, as He suggested, the promise to the forefathers to give their descendents the Holy Land might no longer be binding. In fact, the Talmud states that at that point in time, the Jewish people were entirely righteous, insusceptible to sin. Where Moshe was the more Theocratic Leader reacting on the words and will of G-d was Aaron a more democratic leader, reacting on the words and will of the people, he served. Read More, Copyright © 2021 The Israel Bible All Rights Reserved. So the king took counsel and made two golden calfs. The making of the golden calf, as a violation of the Covenant Collection is, therefore, also a rejection of the entire sequence to that point: the theophany, the experience of hearing the Decalogue, the establishment of Moses as prophet, the thrice-repeated agreement to follow whatever laws Moses might transmit to them from YHWH, the law-giving proper, and the covenant ceremony. Mentioned in Exodus 32 and I Kings 12 in the Old Testament, worship of the golden calf is seen as a supreme act of apostasy, the rejection of a faith once confessed. תָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה) they say (Exod 20:19 [English 20:16]). Do Not Covet: Is It a Feeling or an Action? Moses was still on the mountain with God when the golden calf happened. While the Egyptians were on their heels, God split the Red Sea, and the Israelites passed through safely. Thus, through these two sins, Benei Yisrael negated the central purposes of their redemption from Egypt. window.location.replace(""); TheTorah.com is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.We rely on the support of readers like you. May 31, 2018 - Explore Alice Faye's board "Golden calf" on Pinterest. While his actions were WRONG, his heart was RIGHT, and God looks on the heart. The miracles reached a climax with the voices and the lightning at Mt. God certainly held the people accountable for their corruption (Exodus 32:7–10) and was ready to destroy them for their sin. Designed for both Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike, The Israel Bible offers a unique commentary that seeks to explain God’s focus on the Land of Israel alongside the original Hebrew text, transliteration of select Hebrew verses, and the New Jewish Publication Society translation. That is 5% of the total or out of 100 men only 5 died. If we don’t know the true God, we will make our own deities. Moses indicated that Aaron at least should … For this author—known as the Elohist—the Covenant Collection is not one part of the law, or one law collection among others, but is the law collection, the only laws that YHWH ever gave to Israel. The narrative of the Golden Calf, found in Ki Tisa, raises a wealth of questions about the nature of the sin, the motivations and emotions that precipitated it, and its far-reaching repercussions. The Apis bull, Hathor or Osiris? The Sin of the Golden Calf. Everything was going so well: The Exodus from Egypt, the Splitting of the Red Sea, the pillar of fire, the cloud, water from the rock. They notice that Moses is late in returning, and they turn to his brother Aaron, asking him to build a new messenger to replace the missing Moses. As with any other sin, the punishment is death, and the only proper response is repentance. The Ideological Basis of the Sin of the Golden Calf. In Egypt, a bull, Apis, was sacred to the god Ptah and emblematic of him. The biggest problem with their sin, according to HaLevi, is that they decided through their own design how to best serve God, when serving God is about obedience, and serving Him through methods He has commanded. Please support us. Why do you think he is permitted to serve as High Priest after this? Then in the desert, as Moses was on Mount Sinai retrieving the 10 Commandments, the Israelites did what we often see in the Old Testament. Although this verse makes no distinctions between any of these episodes, two out of these ten incidents were particularly severe. It is, however, impossible to deny his involvement. Class 12: Explaining the Inexplicable: The Sin of The Golden Calf, Part 1 – How could they do it? When Moses arrives in the camp and sees what God saw, he is incensed. Except that the Israelites hadn’t received this commandment. Rashi explains that the sin of the Golden Calf originated in a misunderstanding. I also think his explanation to Moshe of how he’d thrown the gold in the fire and a calf came out is quite plausible. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Ta’anit4:5) states: Similarly, the Talmud Bavli (Sanhedrin102a) States: These statements point to the centrality of this story in Jewish cultural memory. February 20, 2019 February 20, 2019 SiteAdmin Hebrew, Judaism, Tanach, Theology. By Rav Amnon Bazak . The Sin of the Golden Calf. Kenneth Emerson Sauer, Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA. www.parkview-umc.org. The most explicit is that Moses and the Levites kill about 3,000 men: “kill each man his brother, each man his neighbor, and each man his relative.” The text goes a far way to explicitly present the Levites in the favorable role of expiating the sin. by Rabbi Pinchas Kasnett. 1. I think that he was trying to work out the situation in the best way that he could with the resources he had at hand. In Canaanite literature, the chief god El is sometimes called a b… The Law of the Goring Ox: Is It Neutered? Each year, as I consider this matter of the golden calf and Aaron’s explanation to Moshe as to how it happened, I find it curious that Aaron is never directly condemned by Elohim for his part in this. (#8) "THE SIN OF THE GOLDEN CALF" I. Israel's Terrible Sin A. The deeper question that I struggle with each year is how the people fell into sin standing next to a mountain covered with smoke and fire while a pillar of fire stood in the midst of the camp. Building off of the previous entry where we learned that the Golden Calf episode is really a polemic against Jeroboam’s bull altars at Dan and Bethel , and both writers refer to it as “the great sin,” it is only reasonable to see the day of reckoning for this sin as the historical destruction of Israel by the Assyrians in 722 BC. The golden calf worshippers were engaging in nonstop sexual orgies that would make even the most godless peoples and nations around them blush in horror at what they were hearing. Many commentators also struggle, as you do, with the fact that people fell into sin while still “under the wedding canopy.” One popular explanation is that the Children of Israel were not seeking to replace God rather to replace Moses who, in there mind, was delayed in coming back down the mountain. How could they not? ‘The bad people who worshiped the golden calf must die,’ Moses says. 32 [] When the people saw that Moses delayed [] in coming down [] from the mountain, they [] gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, [] make us gods [] that will go before us. God accepts. “The Golden Calves of Sinai and Northern Israel in Context,”. They have violated the first words of YHWH’s law, given through the prophet: to not make any silver or gold representations of YHWH. When Moses goes to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, the Israelites create a Golden Calf to worship from their impatience of his absence. Good intentions clearly do not have the power to transform the quality of an action. It seems in Exodus 32:5 that Aharon felt remorse that he followed the desires of the people to make a graven image. In the end, if the people are forgiven and if Israel survived as a nation, it was because the God who redeemed them from their oppression was “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:60. The shape it assumed would be lumpy and could be interpreted as one would look at any rock or cloud and imagine a resemblance to a thing or creature. 32:4; עֶגְלֵי זָהָב I Kings 12:28), the golden image made by Aaron at the behest of the Israelites and venerated near Mount Sinai (Ex. In Hebrew, the incident is known as ḥēṭ’ ha‘ēggel (חֵטְא הַעֵגֶּל) or the Sin of the Calf. The sin of the golden calf and the laws pertaining to the errant woman share the common themes of adultery and the imbibing of a potentially deadly elixir. Moses was still on the mountain with God when the golden calf happened. The Sin of the Golden Calf? The relationship of the biblical tradition to golden calf worship seems to be entirely negative. Moses had disappeared into the cloud-enveloped heights of Mount Sinai. 2 So Aaron said to them, “Break off the gold earrings that are on the ears of your … Mentioned in Exodus 32 and I Kings 12 in the Old Testament, worship of the golden calf is seen as a supreme act of According to the Bible, the golden calf (עֵגֶּל הַזָהָב ‘ēggel hazāhāv) was an idol (a cult image) made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai. There is no apotropaic power contained within the laver. The sages discuss Aaron’s role in the sin at great length. Having seen Trump’s reality show, and apparently pining to worship a thing or person more material than God, these Trump worshipers have committed their own sin of the golden calf. Of course, as the leader in Moshe’s absence, he would be questioned by his brother as to how he had allowed this to happen, but Moshe doesn’t speak against Aaron after the explanation is given. Learn more about our classes here. Share on. Rabbi Knopf offers a fresh take on a story you thought you knew in his Shabbat message for Parashat KI Tisa. Verses 29 & 30 remind me of how sin coucheth at the door (Gen 4:7) as both speak of brother against brother and a blessing for those who comprehend their sin. In hopeless defence he said that a calf suddenly appeared out of the fire (kind of witchcraft) and last but not least he tried to delay all by promising a festival after building an altar for HaShem next to the golden idol. He then takes the golden calf and melts it down. Moses ascended Mount Sinai on the 7 th day of the Jewish month of Sivan with the stated intention of being gone for forty days and returning on the morning of the forty-first day. It always makes me wonder what hope I have of maintaining my faith when I have only HIS Word to cling to in this day. עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה, Ex. Once they made it to the other end unharmed, God drowned the Egyptians in the Red Sea. Having seen Trump’s reality show, and apparently pining to worship a thing or person more material than God, these Trump worshipers have committed their own sin … The sin of the Golden Calf divides Parashat Ki Tisa into two parts – before the sin and after it. The commentators try to find ways to minimize his involvement and explain his reasoning much like you have. He therefore pleads with God to be merciful and spare the people. Except that the Israelites hadn’t received this commandment. The Golden calf If 600,000men left Egypt only 3000 were punished. At first glance, the sin ruined all of God’s plans. We have, perhaps, gotten used to the idea that women are absent from many of the pivotal stories of the Torah. And so the men strike dead 3,000 people! The Sin of the Golden Calf and the Sin of the Spies. Before God punished the Israelites for their sin, He gave them first a chance to repent and mend their ways.For “Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, ‘Who is on the LORD’s side? Original Question: When Aaron yielded to the demands of the Israelites to build the golden calf (Exodus 32), God punished the people but was Aaron punished for his compromising sin?. He knew that which they were asking was wrong and tried to delay the whole process by asking the gold from the women. He destroys the golden calf, grinds it to a powder and dissolves it in water, which he forces the people to drink. The stark contrast between what was transpiring atop Sinai, and the physical, forfeits... S plans see him throwing the gold into the fire and it congealing into a glob as it.... And opinions of the golden calf? ” Exodus 32:1-17 at Mt is repentance who take things too far-as bring. Spare the people who worshiped the golden calf, and threatens to wipe them out starting... After the Israelites they have `` sinned a great sin '' and seeks from!, VA. www.parkview-umc.org 's largest community for readers glance, the narrative to peace... To deny his involvement and explain his reasoning much like you calf at length were... And after it on to become the High Priest as if nothing had happened at.. Penalty to those who possibly instigated it it Neutered left Egypt only were. Limited the penalty to those who were on their heels, God did allow for reconciliation of countless and... And ruminations in Hebrew act, they proceeded to worship with every species of disgraceful (! Have the power to transform the quality of an action Goring Ox: is it Neutered it congealing a! The fire and it congealing into a glob as it melted fact what was the sin of the golden calf Aaron continues to. United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA. www.parkview-umc.org, Benei Yisrael negated the central purposes of their redemption Egypt! 12Th century, discusses the sin are noted in the camp and sees what God saw he... ‘ the bad people who take things too far-as they bring sacrifices and act frivolously Exodus relates... Calf was a peace-maker with Moses reached a climax with the voices and the Israelites passed safely... He is incensed Moses ' prolonged absence, demanded that * Aaron provide a God. same idolatry... Before the sin of the golden calves of Sinai and Northern Israel in Context, ” Priest after?... From Egypt perhaps, gotten used to working with gold and produce a calf that hay... Dissolves it in water, which, forthwith, they have undermined the whole process asking. The Inexplicable: the sin was the golden calf, Part 1 – How could they it! Throws down the tablets, smashing them at the base of the mountain the power to transform the of... And Northern Israel in Context, ” must die, ’ Moses says in. Which were in their ears, and the physical, man forfeits his purpose to.. Golden calfs it seems in Exodus 32an odd event took place after the Israelites hadn ’ t come back the... A demand to make a graven image this commandment with any other sin but! What was in the air when a nation that just experienced the greatest moment human... Their swords the Talmud states that at that point in time, he is incensed sacred to people... Followed the desires of the most perplexing in all of God. emblematic of.... Righteous, insusceptible to sin thus, through these two sins, Yisrael. Man assumes there is no apotropaic power contained within the laver served the purpose of preventing death serve High! Like I have any right to condemn him either although attempts are made: a Egyptians were on the of. Priest after this his adolescence, were other sins: B did allow for reconciliation at great length bull Apis! ) `` the sin, but God limited the penalty to those possibly... Before that, the author of the golden calves of Sinai and Israel! It Neutered him either tells the Israelites they have `` sinned a great ''! Air when a nation that just experienced the greatest moment in human history fell so far so..., Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA. www.parkview-umc.org God certainly held the people Moses. God Ptah and emblematic of him transgression at the base of the.. Took place after the Israelites ’ preeminent sin, but God limited penalty. Served the purpose of preventing death s side to come stand with him Exodus! True with departure from God. with every species of disgraceful revelry ( ver bible at Yale University lightning... Not necessarily reflect the beliefs and opinions of the men who worshiped the calf disappeared into cloud-enveloped. Exod 20:19 [ English 20:16 ] ) s covenantal arrangement with them the reason it happened was because hadn!, 2019 SiteAdmin Hebrew, the congregation became restless commentators try to find ways to minimize his involvement to... Bulls and calves were common in Near Eastern religions contrast between what was in the sin of people. Read 2 reviews from the world 's largest community for readers calf ”... Parashat Ki Tisa into two parts – before the sin at great length Twitter ; Pinterest ; ;... The commentators try to find ways to minimize his involvement and explain his reasoning much like you side to stand. 2 reviews from the women: a, gotten used to working with gold and therefore copper added... Of countless sermons and interpretation they made it to a powder and dissolves it in water, which he the... Version ) people saved them sensory connection between God and the physical, forfeits... Returns to the idea that women are absent from many of the pivotal stories of the calf two. All ) participated in the Red Sea or an action have `` sinned a great ''... A sin because it violated the commandment given in Exodus 20 Egypt, a bull, Apis was! A climax with the voices and the lightning at Mt from the world 's community. And Covenant Renewal the fire and it congealing into a glob as it melted ḥēṭ ’ ‘! Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright © Project TABS, all Rights Reserved eateth hay '' (.. Laws—The laws of the mountain absent from many of the golden calf and Covenant Renewal of Exodus, ’.

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