"And they envied Moses in the camp. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, 'The Israelites were counted in the wilderness instead of Moses, and Dathan was appointed in Moses' place, and Abiram was appointed in Aaron's place, as it says, 'It is a leadership position.' Therefore, they envied Moses. And what caused their own destruction?
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, and covered the assembly of Abiram. They made a golden calf in Horeb, as it says, 'You raged against [God] at Horeb.' Rabbi Meir said, 'There are places where it is called the 'calf of anger.'' Rabbi Shimon said, 'At Horeb they accused [God], and at Horeb they were acquitted,' as it says, 'And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments.'
And they exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox. Rabbi Papayas said, 'It was the image of the celestial ox.' Rabbi Akiba said to him, 'Enough, Papayas! Is it not written, 'He eats grass?' How then can you maintain that the celestial ox is without horns and without hoofs at the time when it eats grass?'"...