Saadia's Tafsir on Shemot 32 (Parashat Ki Tisa)

Shemot 32:1

וַיַּרְא הָעָם כִּי-בֹשֵׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה לָרֶדֶת מִן-הָהָר וַיִּקָּהֵל הָעָם עַל-אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו קוּם עֲשֵׂה-לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ--כִּי-זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לֹא יָדַעְנוּ מֶה-הָיָה לוֹ

. . . . . . .

And when the people saw that Moses had delayed in coming down from the mountain, the people pressed upon Aaron, and said to him: 'Rise, make us an object of worship that shall go before us — for that man Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of his affair.'

Shemot 32:2

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אַהֲרֹן פָּרְקוּ נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּאָזְנֵי נְשֵׁיכֶם בְּנֵיכֶם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶם וְהָבִיאוּ אֵלָי

. . . .

And Aaron said to them: 'Remove the earrings of gold which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.'

Shemot 32:3

וַיִּתְפָּרְקוּ כָּל-הָעָם אֶת-נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶל-אַהֲרֹן

. .

And all the people removed the earrings of gold which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.

Shemot 32:4

וַיִּקַּח מִיָּדָם וַיָּצַר אֹתוֹ בַּחֶרֶט וַיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ--אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

. . . .

And he took that from them, and ordered one to shape it with a mold, and made it into a molten calf. And they said: 'This is your lord, O house of Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'

Shemot 32:5

וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו וַיִּקְרָא אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמַר חַג לַיהוָה מָחָר

. . .

And when Aaron saw that, he built an altar before it, and called out and said: 'A festival to God tomorrow.'

Shemot 32:6

וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ מִמָּחֳרָת וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת וַיַּגִּשׁוּ שְׁלָמִים וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְשָׁתוֹ וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק

. . . .

And they rose early in the morning, and offered up burnt-offerings, and slaughtered peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

Shemot 32:7

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֶךְ-רֵד--כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

. .

And God said to Moses: 'Go, descend — for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.'

Shemot 32:8

סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם--עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ-לוֹ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ-לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

. . . . . .

'They have turned aside swiftly from the way which I commanded them; and they made themselves a molten calf, and bowed down to it and slaughtered to it, and said: This is your lord, O house of Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'

Shemot 32:9

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף הוּא

. .

And God said to Moses: 'I have known that these people are stiff of neck.'

Shemot 32:10

וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְיִחַר-אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל

. . ]]

'And now, if you refrain from interceding, My anger shall intensify against them and I shall destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.'

Shemot 32:11

וַיְחַל מֹשֶׁה אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָה יְהוָה יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה

. . . . ]] ]]

And Moses supplicated before God his Lord, and said: 'O Lord, let not Your anger intensify against Your people, whom You brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand —'

Shemot 32:12

לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ מִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר בְּרָעָה הוֹצִיאָם לַהֲרֹג אֹתָם בֶּהָרִים וּלְכַלֹּתָם מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה שׁוּב מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ וְהִנָּחֵם עַל-הָרָעָה לְעַמֶּךָ

. . . .

'— lest the Egyptians say that He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them amid the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth. Turn back from the fierceness of Your anger, and pardon the affliction for Your people.'

Shemot 32:13

זְכֹר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם בָּךְ וַתְּדַבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם אַרְבֶּה אֶת-זַרְעֲכֶם כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וְכָל-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֶתֵּן לְזַרְעֲכֶם וְנָחֲלוּ לְעֹלָם

. . . . . . .

'And remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your name, and said to them: I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the sky; and all the land which I have sworn I will give to your offspring, and they shall possess it forever.'

Shemot 32:14

וַיִּנָּחֶם יְהוָה עַל-הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת לְעַמּוֹ

. .

And God pardoned the affliction which He had said He would bring upon His people.

Shemot 32:15

וַיִּפֶן וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה מִן-הָהָר וּשְׁנֵי לֻחֹת הָעֵדֻת בְּיָדוֹ לֻחֹת כְּתֻבִים מִשְּׁנֵי עֶבְרֵיהֶם--מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתֻבִים

. . .

Then Moses turned and descended from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand — the tablets written on both their sides, from within and from without.

Shemot 32:16

וְהַלֻּחֹת--מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה וְהַמִּכְתָּב מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא--חָרוּת עַל-הַלֻּחֹת

. .

And the two tablets — they were the workmanship of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved upon them.

Shemot 32:17

וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת-קוֹל הָעָם בְּרֵעֹה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-מֹשֶׁה קוֹל מִלְחָמָה בַּמַּחֲנֶה

. .

And Joshua heard the sound of the people in their clamor, and said to Moses: 'There is a sound of war in the camp.'

Shemot 32:18

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת גְּבוּרָה וְאֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת חֲלוּשָׁה קוֹל עַנּוֹת אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ

. . . .

And Moses said: 'It is not a sound that indicates victory, nor a sound that indicates defeat — rather, it is a tumult that I am hearing.'

Shemot 32:19

וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר קָרַב אֶל-הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיַּרְא אֶת-הָעֵגֶל וּמְחֹלֹת וַיִּחַר-אַף מֹשֶׁה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ מִיָּדָו אֶת-הַלֻּחֹת וַיְשַׁבֵּר אֹתָם תַּחַת הָהָר

. . . .

And when he drew near to the camp, he saw the calf and the drums; and Moses' anger intensified, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.

Shemot 32:20

וַיִּקַּח אֶת-הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ וַיִּשְׂרֹף בָּאֵשׁ וַיִּטְחַן עַד אֲשֶׁר-דָּק וַיִּזֶר עַל-פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. .

And he took the calf which they had made, and burned it with fire, and ground it with the file until it was fine; and he scattered it upon the face of the water, and made the sons of Israel drink it freely.

Shemot 32:21

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-אַהֲרֹן מֶה-עָשָׂה לְךָ הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי-הֵבֵאתָ עָלָיו חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה

. . ]]

And Moses said to Aaron: 'What did these people do to you, that you brought upon them a great sin?'

Shemot 32:22

וַיֹּאמֶר אַהֲרֹן אַל-יִחַר אַף אֲדֹנִי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת-הָעָם כִּי בְרָע הוּא

. . .

He said: 'Let not my lord's anger intensify — you know the people, that they are prone to evil.'

Shemot 32:23

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לִי--עֲשֵׂה-לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ כִּי-זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם--לֹא יָדַעְנוּ מֶה-הָיָה לוֹ

. . . .

'They said to me: Make us an object of worship that shall go before us — for that man Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of his affair.'

Shemot 32:24

וָאֹמַר לָהֶם לְמִי זָהָב הִתְפָּרָקוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ-לִי וָאַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ וַיֵּצֵא הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה

. .

'So I said to them: Look, who has gold? — bring it to me. And they removed it and gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.'

Shemot 32:25

וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הָעָם כִּי פָרֻעַ הוּא כִּי-פְרָעֹה אַהֲרֹן לְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָמֵיהֶם

. . .

And when Moses saw the people — that they were exposed, since Aaron had laid bare those of standing among their adversaries —

Shemot 32:26

וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיֹּאמֶר מִי לַיהוָה אֵלָי וַיֵּאָסְפוּ אֵלָיו כָּל-בְּנֵי לֵוִי

. . .

Moses stood at the gate of the camp, and said: 'Who is for God — let him come to me.' And all the sons of Levi gathered to him.

Shemot 32:27

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂימוּ אִישׁ-חַרְבּוֹ עַל-יְרֵכוֹ עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר בַּמַּחֲנֶה וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ-אֶת-אָחִיו וְאִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ וְאִישׁ אֶת-קְרֹבוֹ

. . . . . .

And he said to them: 'Thus says God, the God of Israel: Let every man among you gird his sword, and go and return from gate to gate within the camp, and let every man slay even his brother and his companion and his kinsman.'

Shemot 32:28

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי-לֵוִי כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה וַיִּפֹּל מִן-הָעָם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ

. .

And the sons of Levi did as Moses had commanded them; and there fell of the people on that day approximately three thousand men.

Shemot 32:29

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה כִּי אִישׁ בִּבְנוֹ וּבְאָחִיו--וְלָתֵת עֲלֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה

. . .

And Moses said to them: 'Fulfill your obligation today to God — every man even against his son and his brother — and may there come upon you today a blessing.'

Shemot 32:30

וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה וְעַתָּה אֶעֱלֶה אֶל-יְהוָה אוּלַי אֲכַפְּרָה בְּעַד חַטַּאתְכֶם

. . ]] . .

And it was on the morrow, Moses said to the people: 'You have committed a great sin. And now I will go up to God — perhaps I may seek forgiveness for your sin.'

Shemot 32:31

וַיָּשָׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם אֱלֹהֵי זָהָב

. . . ]] .

And Moses returned to God and said: 'O Lord, these people have indeed committed a great sin, and made for themselves an object of worship of gold.'

Shemot 32:32

וְעַתָּה אִם-תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם וְאִם-אַיִן--מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ

. .

'And now, if You will forgive their sin — and if not, then erase me from Your register which You have written, and I shall have rest.'

Shemot 32:33

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה מִי אֲשֶׁר חָטָא-לִי אֶמְחֶנּוּ מִסִּפְרִי

. .

And God said to him: 'Whoever has sinned against Me — him I shall erase from My register.'

Shemot 32:34

וְעַתָּה לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת-הָעָם אֶל אֲשֶׁר-דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ--הִנֵּה מַלְאָכִי יֵלֵךְ לְפָנֶיךָ וּבְיוֹם פָּקְדִי וּפָקַדְתִּי עֲלֵהֶם חַטָּאתָם

. . . .

'And now, go — lead the people to the place of which I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; and on the day of My reckoning, I shall call them to account for their sins.'

Shemot 32:35

וַיִּגֹּף יְהוָה אֶת-הָעָם עַל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת-הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אַהֲרֹן

. .

And God struck among the people on account of what they had done — the calf which Aaron had made.