The book of Exodus and the sages of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) explore this very idea.
In (Exodus 32:7), we read, "The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend; for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly." The Midrash, specifically Shemot Rabbah, dives deep into this moment. Rabbi Tanhuma bar Abba opens with a powerful analogy from (Proverbs 25:14-15): "Clouds and wind but no rain, [is a man who glories in a false gift.] With patience, a commander is enticed." Someone who boasts about a gift they never deliver is like a storm that promises relief but brings only disappointment. The Midrash connects this to the generation of the wilderness. According to the Midrash, when the Israelites stood at Sinai, they were an impressive multitude: six hundred thousand elders, alongside equal numbers of young men, lads, and women. That’s a LOT of people! When they accepted God’s kingship, declaring in unison, "Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed" (Exodus 24:7), their voice was like thunder itself.
But then, in the wilderness, they faltered. They "violated everything and corrupted their actions." God saw this and told Moses, "Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly [shiḥet]." Shiḥet, the Midrash emphasizes, signifies a deep corruption of their deeds, mirroring the verse in (Deuteronomy 32:5): “They behaved corruptly [shiḥet], not from Him; His children, it is their blemish.” It wasn't just one mistake.
The Midrash doesn't hold back. This "revelry [seḥok]" (Exodus 32:6) wasn't innocent fun. It encompassed idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and even bloodshed. How do we know seḥok can mean such terrible things? Well, the Midrash points to examples like II (Samuel 2:14), where "play [visaḥaku]" leads to violence, and (Genesis 39:17), where Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph of intending to "mock [letzaḥek]" her, implying a violation. According to Abba, the expounder (cited by Rabbi Tanhuma bar Abba), even Ḥur, a figure of great stature, was killed during this time.
But there's another layer to this. "The Lord spoke [vaydaber] to Moses: go descend," in anger. Rabbi Yoḥanan suggests that dibur here signifies harsh words, akin to (Genesis 42:30): "The man, lord of the land, spoke [diber] harshly with us." In that moment, Moses witnessed the ministering angels rising, ready to unleash destruction upon Israel.
What did Moses do? Did he abandon his people? Absolutely not! He knew that if he left, Israel would be lost forever. So, he stood his ground and pleaded for mercy. He reminded God of their virtues: their acceptance of the Torah when Esau rejected it, their immediate faith in Egypt, the sacrifices offered by their young men. Each time, God countered with their transgressions: "They transgressed regarding the performance… They transgressed regarding the prostrating… They transgressed regarding the sacrifice… They violated it."
But Moses persisted, invoking God's own words from Sinai: "I am the Lord your God" (Exodus 20:2). Even in their betrayal, Moses saw a glimmer of their initial commitment. It was a desperate plea, a battle of wills, but ultimately, it worked. Moses, through his unwavering advocacy, "voided the punishment." This, the Midrash concludes, is the meaning of "with patience, [a commander is enticed]" (Proverbs 25:15).
What does this all mean for us? It's a reminder that we, like the Israelites, are prone to falling short. We make promises, we strive for ideals, but we often stumble. But it's also a story of redemption, of the power of advocacy, and the importance of remembering the good, even when faced with disappointment. And maybe, just maybe, it's a call to be a little more like the rain – to deliver on our promises and bring real sustenance to the world.
“The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend; for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly” (Exodus 32:7). “The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend” – Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began: “Clouds and wind but no rain, [is a man who glories in a false gift.] With patience, a commander is enticed” (Proverbs 25:14–15). One who says that he will give a gift to another but does not give it, to what is he comparable? To clouds, wind, and lightning that come, but rains do not fall. This was the generation of the wilderness. When they were in Sinai, they were six hundred thousand elders, a like number of young men, a like number of lads, and a like number of women.1The verse states that the children of Israel were “six hundred thousand men on foot besides children” (Exodus 12:37). The midrash asserts that the words “men on foot” serve to teach that there were a like number of elders, who could not travel on foot, as well as a like number of youth, who were not yet “men,” and a like number of women. When they arrived at Sinai and accepted the kingship of the Holy One blessed be He upon them, and they called out in a single voice: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); that was a voice that was a [strong, impressive] voice.2Comparable to the impressive sound of thunder that had accompanied the giving of the Torah. When they arrived at the wilderness, they violated everything and corrupted their actions. When the Holy One blessed be He saw this, He said to Moses: “Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly [shiḥet].” Shiḥet means nothing other than that they corrupted their actions, just as it says: “They behaved corruptly [shiḥet], not from Him; His children, it is their blemish” (Deuteronomy 32:5). Not only did they engage in idol worship, but they also engaged in forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. The revelry [seḥok] stated here,3“They stood to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). is nothing other than idol worship,4The midrash does not find it necessary to prove that the term seḥok can refer to idolatry, as it is clear from the context of the verse in Exodus that the people engaged in idolatry (see Maharzu). forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. From where is it derived that seḥok is bloodshed? As it is stated: “Let the lads arise and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). From where is it derived [that the term seḥok can refer to] forbidden sexual relations? As it is stated: “The Hebrew slave [whom you brought to us] came to me to mock [letzaḥek] me…” (Genesis 39:17). There was no one there greater than Ḥur, and they killed him. This is the approach of Abba, the expounder.5This is all stated by Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba, citing his father. Another matter: “[The Lord spoke [vaydaber] to Moses:] go descend,” in anger. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He spoke harsh words against him. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The speech [dibur] stated here is nothing other than harsh words, just as it says: “The man, lord of the land, spoke [diber] harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). At that moment, Moses saw the ministering angels that were rising and seeking to go out and to harm all of Israel. Moses said: If I forsake Israel and descend, they will never recover. I will not move from here until I ask for mercy on their behalf. Immediately, he began speaking in their defense. He said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I have a claim to advance in their favor.’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, remember in their regard that when You sought to give the Torah to the children of Esau, and they did not accept it, Israel accepted it,’ as it is stated: “All the people answered together [and said: Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform]” (Exodus 19:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They transgressed regarding the performance,’ as it is stated: “They have quickly deviated from the path…” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember in their regard that when I went as Your emissary to Egypt and said Your name to them, they immediately believed and prostrated themselves to Your name,’ as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31), and immediately, “they bowed and prostrated themselves” (Exodus 4:31). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the prostrating,’ as it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to it” (Exodus 32:8). ‘He said to Him: ‘Remember their young men whom I sent and they sacrificed offerings before You,’ as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered burnt offerings and they sacrificed feast offerings]” (Exodus 24:5). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the sacrifice,’ as it is stated: “They sacrificed to it” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember for them what You said at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). He said to him: ‘They violated it,’ as it is stated: “They said: This is your god” (Exodus 32:8). That is, “clouds and wind but no rain” (Proverbs 25:14). Moses immediately voided the punishment. That is, “with patience, [a commander is enticed]” (Proverbs 25:15).
