שמות רבה מ״בShemot Rabbah 42

Section 1א׳

וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה לֶךְ רֵד, רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בַּר אַבָּא פָּתַח (משלי כה, יד): נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִן, (משלי כה, טו): בְּאֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם יְפֻתֶּה קָצִין, מִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר לִתֵּן מַתָּנָה לַחֲבֵרוֹ וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנָהּ לְמָה הוּא דוֹמֶה, לִנְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְלִבְרָקִים שֶׁהֵם בָּאִים וּגְשָׁמִים אֵינָם יוֹרְדִין, זֶה הָיָה דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּסִינַי הָיוּ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁל זְקֵנִים וְכֵן שֶׁל בַּחוּרִים וְכֵן שֶׁל נְעָרִים וְכֵן שֶׁל נָשִׁים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ לְסִינַי וְקִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מַלְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְעָנוּ כֻלָּם קוֹל אֶחָד וְאָמְרוּ (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, הֲרֵי קוֹל שֶׁהָיָה קוֹל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ לַמִּדְבָּר עָבְרוּ עַל הַכֹּל וְשִׁחֲתוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כֵּן אָמַר לְמשֶׁה: לֶךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְךָ, וְאֵין שִׁחֵת אֶלָּא שֶׁחִבְּלוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים לב, ה): שִׁחֵת לוֹ לֹא בָּנָיו מוּמָם. וְלֹא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים עָשׂוּ בִּלְבָד אֶלָּא גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, וְאֵין שְׂחוֹק הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶלָּא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. וּמִנַּיִן לִשְׂחֹק שֶׁהוּא שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ב, יד): יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ. וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לט, יז): בָּא אֵלַי הָעֶבֶד הָעִבְרִי לְצַחֶק בִּי וגו'. וְלֹא הָיָה שָׁם גָּדוֹל מֵחוּר וְהָרְגוּ אוֹתוֹ, זוֹ שִׁיטַת אַבָּא הַדּוֹרֵשׁ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֶךְ רֵד, בְּזַעַף. אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה דִּבֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּנֶגְדוֹ דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין דִּבּוּר הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶלָּא דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית מב, ל): דִּבֶּר הָאִישׁ אֲדֹנֵי הָאָרֶץ אִתָּנוּ קָשׁוֹת. אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה רָאָה משֶׁה לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שֶׁהֵם עוֹמְדִים וּמְבַקְּשִׁים לָצֵאת וּלְחַבֵּל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר משֶׁה אִם מַנִּיחַ אֲנִי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵרֵד אֵין לָהֶם תְּקוּמָה לְעוֹלָם, אֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁאֲבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, מִיָּד הִתְחִיל מְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם סָנֵיגוֹרְיָא, אָמַר לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יֵשׁ לִי זְכוּת לְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם, אָמַר לוֹ רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם הִזָּכֵר לָהֶם כְּשֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתָּ לִתֵּן תּוֹרָה לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו וְלֹא קִבְּלוּהָ וְיִשְׂרָאֵל קִבְּלוּהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יט, ח): וַיַּעֲנוּ כָל הָעָם יַחְדָּו וגו'. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָבְרוּ עַל הָעֲשִׂיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ וגו', אָמַר לוֹ הִזָּכֵר לָהֶם כְּשֶׁהָלַכְתִּי בִּשְׁלִיחוּתְךָ לְמִצְרַיִם וְאָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם שִׁמְךָ, מִיָּד הֶאֱמִינוּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לִשְׁמֶךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, לא): וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם, מִיָּד (שמות ד, לא): וַיִקְדוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ. אָמַר לוֹ עָבְרוּ עַל הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הִזָּכֵר לְבַחוּרֵיהֶם שֶׁשְּׁלַחְתִּים וְהִקְרִיבוּ לְפָנֶיךָ זְבָחִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד, ה): וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת נַעֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ עָבְרוּ עַל הַזְּבִיחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הִזָּכֵר לָהֶם מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ בְּסִינַי (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אָמַר לוֹ עָבְרוּ עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, הֱוֵי: נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִן, בִּטֵּל משֶׁה מִיָּד אֶת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, הֱוֵי: בְּאֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וגו'.

“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. 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. 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, is nothing other than idol worship, 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. 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).

Section 2ב׳

הִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִתֵּן לְמשֶׁה שְׁבִילִים שֶׁיְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, מִנַּיִן, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְמַעְלָה כָּתוּב (שמות לב, ז): לֶךְ רֵד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות לב, ט): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה, וְאֵין אֲמִירָה אֶלָּא לָשׁוֹן רַךְ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּלִבּוֹ עַל חֲבֵרוֹ וְהוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהִתְפַּיֵּס לוֹ וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ אֱמֹר לִי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן עָשִׂיתָ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע משֶׁה מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דְּבָרִים רַכִּים הִתְחִיל מְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, יא): וַיְחַל משֶׁה וגו'. לֶךְ רֵד, אָמַר לוֹ, רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם, אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ לִי (שמות יט, כד): וְעָלִיתָ אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן עִמָּךְ, וְכֵן (שמות כד, א): וְאֶל משֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל ה', וְכָאן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: לֶךְ רֵד, אָמַר לוֹ לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדְךָ אַתָּה עוֹלֶה לְכָאן אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד בָּנַי, אָמַרְתִּי לַזָּקֵן שֶׁלָּהֶם (בראשית כח, יב): וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ, מַהוּ בּוֹ, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ, כְּשֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָּנֶיךָ צַדִּיקִים הֵם מִתְרוֹמְמִים בָּעוֹלָם וְעוֹלִים, וְכֵן שְׁלוּחֵיהֶם מִתְעַלִּים עִמָּהֶם, וּכְשֶׁהֵם יוֹרְדִים, הֵם וּשְׁלוּחֵיהֶם בִּירִידָה. לֶךְ רֵד, לָמָּה, (שמות לכ, ז): כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, אָמַר לוֹ הוֹאִיל וְחָטְאוּ, אַתָּה וָהֵם בִּירִידָה.

The Holy One blessed be He began providing Moses with paths for him to ask for mercy on their behalf. From where is this derived? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Above it is written, “Go descend,” and thereafter, it says: “The Lord said [vayomer] to Moses: I have seen this people” (Exodus 32:9). Saying [amira] is nothing other than gentle words. This is like a person who has a grudge against another and seeks to reconcile with him, and he says to him: ‘Say [emor] to me what I did to you that led you to do so.’ When Moses heard gentle words from the Holy One blessed be He, he began asking for mercy on their behalf, as it is stated: “Moses implored…” (Exodus 32:11). “Go descend” – [Moses] said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “Ascend, you and Aaron with you” (Exodus 19:24), and likewise, “to Moses He said, ascend to the Lord” (Exodus 24:1), and now You say: “Go descend”?’ He said to him: ‘It is not for your honor that you ascend to here, but rather due to the honor of My children. I said to their grandfather: “Behold, angels of God were ascending and descending on it [bo]” (Genesis 28:12). What is bo? Rather, this is what I said to him: When your descendants will be righteous, they are elevated in the world and ascend, and their emissaries are elevated with them. When they descend, they and their emissaries are in descent.’ “Go descend” – why? “For your people…have acted corruptly.” He said to him: ‘Because they sinned, you and they are in descent.’

Section 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֶךְ רֵד, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן נִתְנַדָּה משֶׁה וְנִזְעַף, וְאֵין רֵד אֶלָּא נִדּוּי, וּמֵהֵיכָן אַתָּה לָמֵד, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֶחָיו שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מְכָרוּהוּ וְהָלְכוּ לְנַחֵם אֲבִיהֶם וְלֹא נִתְנֶחָם, אָמְרוּ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ עָשָׂה לָנוּ יְהוּדָה שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי בִּקֵּשׁ לֹא מָכַרְנוּ אוֹתוֹ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָמַר לָנוּ אַל תַּהַרְגוּהוּ וְשָׁמַעְנוּ לוֹ, אִלּוּ אָמַר לָנוּ אַל תִּמְכְּרוּהוּ נִשָּׁמַע לוֹ, אֶלָּא אָמַר לָנוּ (בראשית לז, כז): לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים, וְעָמְדוּ וְנִדּוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לח, א): וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִיא וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו, וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ יְרִידָה מִצַד אֶחָיו. וּמַה וַּיֵּרֶד הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן נִדּוּי אַף רֵד הָאָמוּר כָּאן נִדּוּי, מָשָׁל לִמְדִינָה שֶׁשָּׁלְחָה פְּרֻזְבּוּטִיס לְעַטֵּר לַמֶּלֶךְ עַד שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ עָמְדוּ בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה וְכָפוּ אֶת הַצְּלָמִים וְרָגְמוּ אֶת הָאִיקוֹנִין, עָמְדוּ גְּדוֹלֵי הַמְדִינָה וְכָתְבוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ, וְנִכְנְסוּ הַכְּתָבִים עַד שֶׁלֹא הָלַךְ הַפְּרֻזְבּוּטִיס לְהִכָּנֵס לְעַטֵּר לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ וכו'. כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, וְכִי עַמּוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה הָיוּ, אֶלָּא זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (הושע ז, יג): אוֹי לָהֶם כִּי נָדְדוּ מִמֶּנִּי שֹׁד לָהֶם כִּי פָשְׁעוּ בִי וְאָנֹכִי אֶפְדֵּם וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים, מִמֶּנִּי הָיוּ פּוֹרְשִׁים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אוֹי לָהֶם כִּי נָדְדוּ מִמֶּנִּי, יֵשׁ אָדָם מַחֲלִיף דָּבָר רַע בְּדָבָר טוֹב, אָדָם שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לְפָנָיו מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת וְשִׁיחוֹר, מַנִּיחַ הַמַּרְגָּלִיּוֹת וְנוֹטֵל הַשִּׁיחוֹר, וְהֵם מַנִּיחִים לַחַיִּים שֶׁל עוֹלָם וּבוֹחֲרִים בַּמֵּתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קטו, ה): עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ. שֹׁד לָהֶם, שֶׁבֶר עָתִיד לְהַגִּיעָם, וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים, וּמַה כְּזָבִים דִּבְּרוּ עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אָמְרוּ וְכִי עִמָּנוּ הָיָה עָסוּק עִם עַצְמוֹ הָיָה עָסוּק, לְעַצְמוֹ פָּדָה וְלֹא פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ז, כג): מִפְּנֵי עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ לְּךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם גּוֹיִם וֵאלֹהָיו, רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי (נחמיה ט, יח): זֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ. רַבִּי חַגַּי בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר זֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שִׁתְּפוּ אוֹתוֹ עִמָּהֶם, וְאָמְרוּ אֱלוֹהַּ וְהָעֵגֶל פָּדָה אוֹתָנוּ, וּמְכַזְבִים בִּי, וְאָנֹכִי אֶפְדֵּם וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ עָלַי כְּזָבִים, אַף אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינָם עַמִּי, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ.

Another matter: “Go descend” – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Moses was ostracized and rebuked. “Descend” is nothing other than ostracism. From where do you derive this? When Joseph’s brothers sold him and they went to console their father, he was not consoled. They said: It was Judah who did all these things to us, for had he not sought it, we would not have sold him. Just as he said to us: ‘Do not kill him,’ and we heeded him, had he said: ‘Do not sell him,’ we would have heeded him. Instead, he said to us: “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37:27). They stood and ostracized him, as it is stated: “It was at that time, Judah descended from his brothers” (Genesis 38:1). It should have said only: “Judah went”; he was in descent from his brothers. Just as “descended [vayered]” that is stated there connotes ostracism, so too, “descend [red]” that is written here connotes ostracism. This is analogous to a province that sent an emissary to crown the king. Before he arrived, the residents of the province overturned the idols and stoned the images [of the king]. The prominent leaders of the province wrote to the king. The missives entered before the emissary entered to crown the king. The king said to him… “Your people…have acted corruptly” – were they Moses’s people? Rather, that is what the verse said: “Woe to them, as they have wandered from Me; plunder upon them, as they rebelled against Me. I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies about Me” (Hosea 7:13). They were separating themselves from Me, as it is stated: “Woe to them, as they have wandered from Me.” Is there a person who exchanges a good item for a bad item? A person before whom they place gems and coal, would he forsake the gems and take the coal? But they forsake the living of the world and opt for the dead, as it is stated: “They have eyes, but do not see” (Psalms 115:5). “Plunder upon them” – calamity is destined to befall them. “But they have spoken lies about Me” – what lies did they speak about the Holy One blessed be He? Rabbi Akiva expounded: They said: Was He engaged with us? It was with Himself that He was engaged. He redeemed Himself; He did not redeem us, as it is stated: “Nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt” (II Samuel 7:23). The Rabbis say: “This is your god [that took you out of Egypt]” (Nehemiah 9:18) – it redeemed us. Rabbi Ḥagai ben Elazar says: It is not written here, “this is your god,” but rather, “these are your gods” (Exodus 32:4) – they included Him with them and said: God and the calf redeemed us. They lie about Me; [thus,] “I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies about Me.” I, too, say that they are not My people. That is why it is stated: “For your people…have acted corruptly.”