The Lord Spoke Unto Moses Depart, Go Up Hence

"And the LORD spoke to Moses: Go," and so forth. This is what Scripture says: "For I will restore health to you," and so forth (Jeremiah 30:17). What is the meaning of "and I will heal you of your wounds" (Jeremiah 30:17)? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When they sinned with the calf, they sinned through Aaron, who said to them, "Whoever has gold" (Exodus 32:24). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, was appeased and wished to make known that He held nothing in His heart concerning the calf, He was appeased through Aaron, as it is said: "And he said to Aaron, Take," and so forth (Leviticus 9:2). And with Moses too: with "Go down" (Exodus 32:7) He was angry at him, and with "Go up" He was appeased. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: With the same expression by which I lowered you, with that same expression I will raise you up, as it is said: "Go up from here" (Exodus 33:1). Another interpretation: "Go up from here." What is written above the matter? "And Moses turned and went down." When they made that deed and Moses came down from the mountain and drew near to the camp and saw the calf that they had made: at the moment when the Holy One, blessed be He, had given him the tablets, they had been carrying themselves. As soon as he went down and drew near to the camp and saw the calf, the letters of the writing flew off from them, and they were found to be heavy in Moses' hands. Immediately, "the anger of Moses burned, and he cast them out of his hands" (Exodus 32:19). Come and see how great was the strength of Moses. Rabbi Yehudah said: The tablets weighed forty se'ah, and they were of sapphire, and they had been resting on his hands like a light thing. As soon as the writing flew off, they broke. What did he do? "And he took the calf which they had made and burned it in the fire," and so forth. Immediately he judged those who had gone astray, and he seated courts from the sons of Levi, who had not taken part in the deed of the calf. Anyone who had received a warning but for whom there were no witnesses, he would test with water like the suspected wife and put to death, as it is said: "And he scattered it upon the face of the water and made them drink." And anyone for whom there were witnesses and a warning, he was put to death at once, as it is said: "Slay every man his brother." And one for whom there was neither witnesses nor warning was struck down by plague, as it is said: "And the LORD struck the people," and so forth, until about three thousand men were slain. After he had purged the calf and its worshippers, he came before the Holy One, blessed be He, with supplications and petition, as it is said: "And Moses returned to the LORD and said, Oh, this people have sinned," and so forth; "yet now, if You will forgive," and so forth; "And the LORD said to Moses, Whoever," and so forth; "Now go, lead," and so forth; "and in the day when I visit, I will visit" (Exodus 32:34). "Behold, I sit in judgment over them on the Day of Atonement, and I acquit the innocent and condemn the guilty," as it is said: "and in the day when I visit." Rabbi Hanina said: Whoever says the Merciful One is one who overlooks, his own innards shall be overlooked; rather, He is long-suffering but collects His due. Thus "and in the day when I visit, I will visit." When He had judged and completed the judgment, Moses said: Master of the world, here is the calf and here are its worshippers, I have already purged them; perhaps You still hold something in Your heart against Your people. He said to him: "Go up from here." Solomon said: "Take away the dross from the silver," and so forth (Proverbs 25:4). "And I will send before you an angel," and so forth, "to a land flowing with milk," and so forth. "And when the people heard this evil tidings," and so forth. "And the LORD said to Moses, Say to the children of Israel, You are a stiff-necked people: one moment," and so forth. And how long is a moment? Rabbi Shmuel bar Abba said: One part of fifty-eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight of an hour. "And I will know what to do to you." I will give you the Day of Atonement, and it will atone for you. "And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments": those crowns that they had from Mount Horeb. "And they stripped themselves": against their will.