<b>And the Lord spoke unto Moses: “Depart, go up hence” (Exod. 33:1).</b> This is what Scripture says in allusion to this verse: <i>For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds</i> (Jer. 30:17). What is meant by <i>I will heal thee of thy wounds</i>? R. Joshua the son of Levi said: When they transgressed by means of the golden calf, they sinned through Aaron, who said to them: <i>Whosoever hath any gold</i> (Exod. 32:24). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them and desired to make known to them that He bore no resentment over the fashioning of the calf, He desired to do so through Aaron, as is said: <i>And He said unto Aaron: “Take thee a bull calf for a burnt offering”</i> (Lev. 9:2).
Similarly, since He had indicated His wrath through the words <i>Go, get thee down</i>, He became reconciled with him through the words <i>Depart, go up hence</i>. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: With the very expression (with which) I humbled you, I will exalt you, as is said: <i>Depart, go up hence</i>. Another comment on <i>Depart, go up hence</i>. What is written previously concerning this matter? <i>And Moses turned, and went down from the mountain</i> (Exod. 32:15). After they had performed the wicked deed, Moses descended from the mountain and, as he approached the camp, observed the golden calf they had made. Until that moment, the tablets that the Holy One, blessed be He, had given him had been virtually self-borne, but as he descended the mountain, approached the camp, and saw the calf, the letters flew from the tablets and they became heavy in the hands of Moses. Forthwith, <i>Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hand</i> (ibid., v. 19).
Observe how strong Moses was. R. Judah said: The tablets weighed as much as forty measures of wheat and were made of sapphire, yet they were like some small object in his hand. When the writing flew off, he shattered them. What did he do then? <i>He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire</i> (ibid., v. 20). Then he began to search for the guilty ones. He convened a court from amongst the tribe of Levi, for they had not participated in fashioning the calf. All who appeared before the court but were not testified against underwent the water test, as a woman suspected of unfaithfulness is tested.<sup class="footnote-marker">35</sup><i class="footnote">The drinking of the bitter water to determine whether she was faithful to her husband.</i> <i>And strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it</i> (ibid.). Everyone against whom witnesses testified that they were involved were put to death at once, as is said: <i>Slay every man his brother</i> (ibid., v. 27). And everyone against whom witnesses did not testify that he had been involved was smitten by the plague, as it is said: <i>And the Lord smote the people</i> (ibid., v. 35). Finally about three thousand men were put to death.
After the calf and its worshippers were destroyed, he came before the Holy One, blessed be He, pleading and beseeching, as it is said: <i>And Moses returned unto the Lord and said: “Oh, this people have sinned … yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin</i> (ibid., vv. 31–32). And the Holy One, said unto Moses: <i>Whosoever hath sinned against Me … and now, go and lead the people unto the place</i> (ibid., v. 33). <i>In the day when I visit, I will visit their sins upon them</i> (ibid., v. 34); that is, I shall sit in judgment against them on the Day of Atonement. Then the guiltless will be exonerated and the guilty will be condemned, as is said: <i>In the day when I visit</i>, etc. R. Hanina said: Whoever says the Lord is lax (in dispensing) justice, may his bowels become loose. He is simply long-suffering. Hence, <i>In the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them</i>. After he judged them and carried out the verdict, he called out: Master of the Universe, the calf and those who worshipped it have already been consumed. Perhaps you have something else against Your people? He replied: <i>Depart, go up hence</i>. Therefore Solomon said: <i>Take away the dross from the silver</i> (Prov. 25:4).
<i>I will send an angel before thee … unto a land flowing with milk and honey … if I go in the midst of thee, even for a moment, I shall consume thee</i> (Exod. 33:2, 5). How long is <i>a moment</i>? R. Samuel the son of Abba maintained: It is one fifty-eighth thousandth, six hundred and fiftieth part of an hour. <i>That I may know what to do unto thee</i> (ibid.). I will give them the Day of Atonement that it may atone for them. <i>And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments</i> (ibid., v. 6). (The ornaments) were the crowns which they had received at Mount Horeb. <i>And they stripped themselves of them</i>—unwillingly.