You remember the story. Moses is up on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah, and the Israelites, feeling abandoned, panic and create a golden idol to worship. Big mistake.
Shemot Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Book of Exodus, delves into the aftermath of this disaster in its 43rd section. It all begins with the verse “Moses implored” (Exodus 32:11), and sees it not just as a simple act of pleading, but as a profound intervention.
The text interprets the verse “The fury of a king is angels of death” (Proverbs 16:14) as being about Moses himself. : God’s fury was intense after the Golden Calf incident. He sent "angels of destruction" to punish Israel, according to Shemot Rabbah. But then comes the second half of that verse: “and a wise man will appease it.” Who’s the wise man? Moses, of course! He steps up to reconcile the Israelites with God, their Father in Heaven. He stood in the gap, arguing for mercy.
But the commentary doesn't stop there. It offers another interpretation, drawing on Proverbs 29:8: “Cynical men will agitate a city, but wise men will assuage wrath.” In this reading, the "cynical men" are the Israelites, who "fanned the flames of fury" by creating the Golden Calf. Rabbi Asi even says that "there is no generation that does not take an ounce from the act of the calf." In other words, every generation feels the repercussions of that sin. We still grapple with the consequences of those choices, even today.
But again, hope appears. The "wise men" who assuage wrath? That’s Moses again! He suppressed God’s fury with his powerful plea on behalf of the Israelites. He didn't just beg for forgiveness; he wrestled with the Divine, arguing for compassion and understanding.
So, what does this all mean for us? Moses’s actions, as described in Shemot Rabbah, show us the power of intercession, the importance of standing up for what's right, even when facing overwhelming odds. And perhaps most importantly, it reminds us that even after monumental mistakes – like, say, building and worshipping a golden idol – there’s always a chance for reconciliation, for a new beginning. Even when we, or those around us, "agitate the city," there is still the possibility for wise people to assuage the wrath.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Where are the Moses figures today? And how can we, in our own lives, strive to be a force for reconciliation and healing in a world that often feels consumed by fury?