It is not written here, “they abandoned [averu] the path that I commanded them,” but rather, “they have quickly deviated [saru] from the path” (Exodus 32:8). When they were in Sinai they were lilies and roses; now they have become foul [saryut], they became liars. They did not spend even one or two hours,22They did not remain loyal to God for even a short time. but they deviated immediately. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for eleven days, and for twenty-nine days they were calculating how to craft the calf, as it is written: “Eleven days from Ḥorev” (Deuteronomy 1:2).
And then they came to the path [derekh] of Esau – “via [derekh] Mount Seir” (Deuteronomy 1:2).23Esau dwelled in Seir (see Genesis 36:8–9) and is therefore sometimes called Seir. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for twenty-nine days, and for eleven days they were calculating how to craft the calf, as it is written: “Eleven days from Ḥorev via [derekh] Mount Seir,” that they performed an act of Seir.24They acted like Esau for eleven days in that they planned on crafting the golden calf.
Another matter: “Mount Seir” – just as Esau cursed and blasphemed, they too were cursing and blaspheming before the idol. Just as Esau worshipped idols, they too did so. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai says: They were with the Holy One blessed be He for one day. From where is this derived?
It is as Micah explicates: “Yesterday, My people arose as an enemy” (Micah 2:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Yesterday you said: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), and today: “This is your god Israel” (Exodus 32:4)?’ Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Two days, as it is stated: “My people has forgotten Me for days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32).
How many are days? Two.25This is the minimum number that can be implied by the plural term days. Rabbi Yona said: The source is from another verse, as it is stated: “They seek Me daily [yom yom]” (Isaiah 58:2).26The verse is understood to mean that they sought God for two days, as the term day [yom] is stated twice.