Moses Argues God Out of Destroying Israel After the Golden Calf

"And Moses besought" (Exodus 32:11). He said before Him: Master of the Universe, why are You angry at Israel? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because they made the Calf. Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Had You commanded them, they would not have transgressed Your commandments. He said to him: But did I not command them at the Ten Commandments? Moses said to Him: Master of the Universe, You commanded me, You did not command them, for You wrote in the Ten Commandments, "I am the LORD your God" (Exodus 20:1) — a command to me and not to them; for had it been to them, You should have said, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out." [So too:] "You shall have no other gods," "You shall not take up the name of the LORD your God," "Keep the day of the Sabbath," "Six days shall you labor and do all your work," "Honor your father and your mother," "You shall not murder," "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear witness," "You shall not covet" — if so, You did not command anyone but me. And further Moses said: Master of the Universe, perhaps they made a calf but did not bow down to it? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "And they bowed down to it." He said to Him: Perhaps they bowed down to it but did not sacrifice to it? He said: "And they sacrificed to it." [He said:] And perhaps they sacrificed but did not receive it as a god? He said to him: "And they said, These are your gods, O Israel." At that moment Moses became like a sick man who has been ill thirty days and has no strength to stand on his feet. Therefore it is said "vayechal" — like illness [reading vayechal, "he besought," as from choleh, "sick"]. Another interpretation: "And Moses besought." Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, said: Master of the Universe, if they are liable to burning, remember Abraham, who was cast into the fiery furnace for love of You; and if they are liable to slaying, remember Isaac, who gave his neck to be slaughtered over the unity of Your Name; and if they are liable to exile, remember Jacob their father, all of whose days were pains in exile, as it is said, "few and evil" (Genesis 47:9) — for the sake of the fathers, forgive the sons. Another interpretation: "And Moses besought." He said before Him: Master of the Universe, far be it from You to uproot a nation such as this from the world. "Why, O LORD, should Your anger burn," etc. Remember for them what they believed at the Sea, as it is said, "And they believed in the LORD and in Moses His servant" (Exodus 14:31), and they accepted Your kingship over them willingly.