The Holy One blessed be He began providing Moses with paths for him to ask for mercy on their behalf. From where is this derived? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Above it is written, “Go descend,” and thereafter, it says: “The Lord said [vayomer] to Moses: I have seen this people” (Exodus 32:9). Saying [amira] is nothing other than gentle words.
This is like a person who has a grudge against another and seeks to reconcile with him, and he says to him: ‘Say [emor] to me what I did to you that led you to do so.’ When Moses heard gentle words from the Holy One blessed be He, he began asking for mercy on their behalf, as it is stated: “Moses implored…” (Exodus 32:11). “Go descend” – [Moses] said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “Ascend, you and Aaron with you” (Exodus 19:24), and likewise, “to Moses He said, ascend to the Lord” (Exodus 24:1), and now You say: “Go descend”?’
He said to him: ‘It is not for your honor that you ascend to here, but rather due to the honor of My children. I said to their grandfather: “Behold, angels of God were ascending and descending on it [bo]” (Genesis 28:12). What is bo? Rather, this is what I said to him: When your descendants will be righteous, they are elevated in the world and ascend, and their emissaries are elevated with them.
When they descend, they and their emissaries are in descent.’6Thus, the term bo, which can be translated as “through him,” is interpreted as referring not to the ladder but to Jacob himself and his descendants. “Go descend” – why? “For your people…have acted corruptly.” He said to him: ‘Because they sinned, you and they are in descent.’