<b>Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Exod. 32:13).</b> It is written elsewhere in reference to this verse: <i>And when they shall say to you: “Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead</i> (Isa. 8:19). Who spoke this prophetic verse? Isaiah ben Amoz. He told Israel: If the nations tell you to commit idolatry by enquiring of the ghosts and familiar spirits as we (i.e., they) do, answer them: We will inquire of our God, and you inquire of your gods. Should not a people inquire of its own god?
What is meant by <i>On behalf of the living unto the dead</i>? We leave the living to the life of the world, and we inquire of the dead through the dead. Another explanation of <i>On behalf of the living unto the dead</i>. He said to them: Normally we ask about the needs of the dead from the living, perhaps we should consult the dead about the needs of the living. Another comment on this verse. He said: Our dead are not truly dead, for it is said: <i>Let the saints exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their beds</i> (Ps. 149:5). You find that after they had erected the calf, Moses arose and recited a prayer in which he recalled the departed, as it is said: <i>Remember Abraham, Isaac</i>, etc. There were many righteous men with him among the living in the camp, yet he mentioned only the departed. If he had done otherwise, they would have perished.<sup class="footnote-marker">33</sup><i class="footnote">See above note 28.</i> Thus Solomon exclaimed: <i>Therefore I praised the dead</i> (Eccles. 4:2).
Why did he see fit to mention Abraham? After they had committed the deed (of erecting the golden calf) and Moses sought mercy in their behalf, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: How can I forgive (them)? Only yesterday I gave them the Ten Commandments and they have already discarded them. R. Simlai said: This may be compared to a king with whom a friend had left ten pearls for safekeeping. After some time the king married his friend’s daughter with those pearls. However, she lost them. The king became enraged and cried out: “I ought to kill her.” Her best friend heard this and said to the king: “My lord king, if she lost the pearls, remember that her father entrusted her pearls to you for safekeeping. Let him replace the lost pearls with another ten.” So too did Moses say to the Holy One, blessed be He: If they violated the Ten Commandments, remember their ancestor Abraham, whom you tested with ten temptations, and let him compensate for them. Hence he called to mind Abraham.
Why did he see fit to recall the three patriarchs? Moses argued: Master of the Universe, if they are to be sentenced to burning, then remember Abraham, who risked his life in the furnace of the Chaldeans for the sake of Your Holy Name; if they merit decapitation, then remember Isaac their father, who willingly stretched out his neck for slaughter for the sake of Your Holy Name; if they deserve to be exiled, recall Jacob their father, who was exiled to Haran. That is why he mentioned the three patriarchs.
<i>To whom Thou didst swear by Thine own self</i> (Exod. 33:13). You did not swear to them or to the mountains or to the valleys, for they are only Your creations: <i>Thou didst swear by Thine own self. And thou saidest unto them: “I will multiply thy seed”</i> (ibid.); why do You retract Your promise? They have violated the beginning of the commandment, but surely You cannot wish to abrogate what you will say finally: <i>Showing mercy unto the thousandth generation</i> (ibid. 20:6). Since only seven generations have passed—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Levi, Kohath, Amram, and Moses—would it be showing mercy to the thousandth generation if You destroyed them? Hence <i>the Lord repented</i> (ibid. 32:14).