Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Ki Tissá
We read this week at length the story of how the absence of Moshe Rabeinu led the nation to “Create” a new “intermediary” between them and G’d: The infamous golden calf.
At the conclusion of Moshe Rabeinu praying and pleading, he is instructed by Hashem:
וְעַתָּ֞ה לֵ֣ךְ ׀ נְחֵ֣ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם אֶ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ לָ֔ךְ הִנֵּ֥ה מַלְאָכִ֖י יֵלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וּבְי֣וֹם פׇּקְדִ֔י וּפָקַדְתִּ֥י עֲלֵהֶ֖ם חַטָּאתָֽם׃
“Go now, lead the people where I told you. See, My messenger shall go before you. But when I make an accounting, I will bring them to account for their sins.”
The basic explanation is that Hashem will “suspend” but not “clear” the sentencing due for the golden calf episode. Sounds as good as one could have hoped for.
The revered Rebbe of Klausenburg* has an amazing and positive approach to the above verse:
The Rebbe’s interpretation is that G’d said in the above verse to Moshe Rabeinu: “if and when you (as a nation, or individuals) commit serious sins, I will remember, that I did already establish the idea of forgiveness for the major sin of the golden calf, and hence, it became a precedent for forgiveness on (m)any future misbehaviour by us“.
I personally take a lot of strength from this “warm” interpretation.
Shabbat Shalom and best wishes
Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld
*Klausenburger Rebbe was a famous man who lost his entire family (wife & 11 children!) during the Holocaust but has risen from the ashes to rebuild, not only his own home, but a thriving community and a large medical complex keeping all Halachot, while treating Jews and Arabs, in Netanya, Israel.