How Israel Lost the Glory of Sinai at the Golden Calf

Another interpretation (of "Who is like the wise man?"): These are Israel, of whom it is written, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people" (Deuteronomy 4:6). "And who knows the interpretation of a matter" — these are the ones who know how to expound the Torah, forty-nine aspects for declaring a thing clean and forty-nine aspects for declaring a thing unclean. "A man's wisdom lights up his face" — Rabbi Zakkai of Sha'av said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman: You find that when Israel stood before Mount Sinai and said, "We will do and we will hear" (Exodus 24:7), the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them of the radiance of the Shekhinah. This is what is written, "And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty" (Ezekiel 16:14). But when they said at that incident of the calf, "These are your gods, O Israel" (Exodus 32:4), they became enemies of the Omnipresent. This is what is written, "And the boldness of his face is changed." And the Holy One, blessed be He, likewise changed for them the words, as it is said, "Indeed you shall die like a man" (Psalms 82:7).