Posted on 03/10/23
After discovering the people wildly rejoicing over the Golden Calf, Moshe throws down the Tablets and shatters them. He confronts his brother Aharon wondering how he could have brought about such a disaster. Aharon attempts to justify his predicament intimating they were instinctively predisposed to idolatry after many years in Egypt. He then alludes to their not having deemed the calf an actual god, but merely expecting it to act as an intermediary between them and G-d, as Moshe was seemingly gone — as the Midrash states the Satan projected in their minds an image of Moshe deceased — and this would serve as his replacement.
The Torah describes how Moshe perceived how the people were exposed, because Aharon had exposed them, לשמצה בקמיהם — to be the subject of derision to their enemies.(שמות לב כה רש"י שם)
Moshe goes on to summon volunteers who will wield the banner of G-d and avenge the idolaters among them in quashing the rebellion.
In condemning Aharon for exposing the nation, the casualty seems to be placed on his having caused the nation, because of their descent to idolatry, to become diminished from their formerly elevated stature in the eyes of their foes.
So what if our adversaries think less of us? Who cares? Could that be more significant of an issue than their having committed the terrible sin of idolatry?
The Chasam Sofer adds a new dimension of understanding to this chastisement of Aharon. Moshe was challenging Aharon's attempt to minimize the severity of the sin of idolatry by claiming they were not actually looking for a deity to follow as much as they were seeking a replacement for Moshe. Moshe asserts that their clearly apathetic response to his disappearance, absent of a display of any apparent emotion or eulogy over his sudden demise and loss — an indifference that even their enemies could not tolerate or fathom — exhibits a much greater character flaw than idolatry.
The Chasam Sofer suggests that Moshe sought to downplay this sad reality by zealously tackling the idolatrous offenders among them, hoping to distract attention from the greater shortcoming.
Is it the lack of gratitude that is so terrible? How is it possible that they were so callous to forget so quickly their debt of gratitude to Moshe for all that he did?
In the days of Mordechai and Esther the Jewish people undertook a swift plan of action to do Teshuva after they heard about the decree of Haman to annihilate the Jewish nation on the upcoming 13th of Adar.
In every province, wherever the King's command and his decree extended, there was great mourning among the Jew, with fasting, and weeping, ומספד — and eulogy; most of them lying in sackcloth and ashes. (אסתר ד ג)
Fasting, crying, the donning of sackcloth and placing of ashes are all elements of a healthy breakdown of our independent spirit. We sin because we are drawn to indulgence and comfort and therefore seek to diminish our material needs focusing o our spiritual pursuits. But in what way does eulogy effect repentance? Additionally, who were they eulogizing, no one had died yet?
The Talmud discusses two aspects of a eulogy.
The יקרא דשיכבי — honor of the deceased, and the יקרא דחיי — honor of the living. This is not simply a showering of accolades to soothe the deceased nor the living. In relation to the deceased, when we spotlight their 'worthiness' in context of them having been the torchbearer of G-d's will, it elevates and brings the soul closer to the Divine presence. The living is to be inspired by the proximity they had with the deceased, and the privilege they had in gaining dignity and purpose by their association with the departed, that will hopefully continue to prod them to their own destined greatness.
Perhaps the 'eulogy' of the living while still alive, though facing doom, is a contemplation of lost opportunities, and a refocusing on our own worthiness that will awaken an awareness of who we are and what we can still achieve.
In the generation of Mordechai and Esther they lapsed and wallowed in the delusional standing they had in society among the general populace, and were jolted by the quick turn of events to realize that they had lost their inherent dignity and must now restore it to its former glory.
This challenge echoed an earlier time in history.
With the apparent 'death of Moshe' — a nation that had taken for granted the quick ascension from the lowly role as slaves to becoming the freest men in the world — deemed themselves suddenly as unworthy. One who feels oneself a failure and incapable, is not likely to become inspired by others.
There is no greater disgrace than feeling worthless.
The five components of repentance: תענית שק ואפר בכי הספד — fasting, sackcloth and ashes, crying and eulogy, the first letters of these five details spell, תשובה — repentance. (Arizal)
The Shabbos we read Ki Sisa with the shameful recording of the Sin of the Golden Calf, is called in tradition, שבת בושה — a Shabbos of Shame.
The reverse of the letters תשובה spells הבושת — the shame. If we sense shame, rather than rejecting it with a fatalistic attitude of failure, we can hope to restore our greatness. (ישמח משה)
Shlomo HaMelech in Koheles states: עת ספוד— a time for eulogy, עת רקוד — a time to dance. (קהלת ג ד)
If we eulogize our lost opportunities in order to instill a healthy sense of shame that will encourage us to change, then we will merit to dance with pure joy.
The Great Alter of Slobodka was once observed gazing out of his window that faced a teeming street of people below, and was quietly murmuring, "A leibideg Bais HaKvaros — a lively cemetery". Not comprehending what he said, his disciple approached him asking him what he meant. He explained, " I knew many of the people passing in front of his window and the great qualities they possessed, yet he saw that they never actualized their greatness. It is as if they are wearing monuments that scream out, here is buried the great scholar; philanthropist; teacher; ethicist and on. Although they are physically walking, they are spiritually dead. The dead in the cemetery at the edge of the city, however, although lifeless their souls are alive, having milked their greatness during their lives!"
We read this Shabbos about the פרה אדומה — Red Heifer, that purifies us from the defilement of the dead, in preparation to cleanse ourselves so that we may yet sacrifice the Korban Pesach this year in purity.
At every funeral at the end of the eulogy we traditionally quote the verse from Yeshayahu: He has concealed death forever, and the Lord God shall wipe the tears off every face, and the shame of His people He shall remove from upon the entire earth, for the Lord has spoken. (25 8)
There is always hope, for even death is never the end.
The great Lover of Jews, Rav Kook taught that 'freedom effected its power, elevating us to the greatest heights — the giving of the Torah, we drank from the poisonous cup of the Golden Calf, in the end with all its bitterness it turned around for our benefit, to teach us that even when we falter spiritually in the most frightening way, it shall never quash the radiant holiness inherent within our exalted nation, this daughter of G-d.' (עין איה שבת פ"ט פסקא נו)
Perhaps, Aharon HaKohen sought to provoke this healthy shame that would serve to awaken within their holy souls a return to G-d's embrace.
We may be down, but never out!
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן