he sin of idol worship is unlike any other sin. Even a tzaddik can occasionally fail and commit a transgression. But in the case of avodah zarah, not even a simple man will suddenly, unintentionally, commit such a sin. As Chazal explain, the evil inclination gradually convinces a person to commit one transgression one day, and something else the next, until he finally convinces him to worship idols.
“But when the Golden Calf was created, the act is described with the words saru maheir – they strayed quickly… and made … a molten calf. Who is the verse referring to? To the generation of the desert, a generation that had just witnessed the monumental event at Har Sinai. And then, suddenly, they experience a spiritual downfall, and commit the sin of idol worship. What caused them to lose their resolve and commit a sin that even simple Jews are not tempted to engage in?” (Sichos Mussar, Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz)
How could bnei Yisrael have committed such a terrible sin, and so suddenly?
Our Rabbis teach that the word boshesh hints at the expression bah shesh (the sixth [hour] has come). Moshe told the people he would be on Mount Sinai for forty days, and that he would return on the fortieth day to give them the Torah. When the sixth hour arrived and Moshe had not returned, Satan came and caused confusion. He sent such a thick layer of clouds that it became dark, and the people all thought that it was night. They concluded that the fortieth day had passed without Moshe’s return. Satan then made an apparition, showing the people Moshe lying in a coffin, and telling them that their leader had died. They believed Satan, and became distraught and depressed. They were desperate.
Create a free account to keep reading.
