The Golden Calf and God’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

Summary: TThis essay contrasts two moments in the Torah when YHWH changes direction — the Flood and the Golden Calf. In the Flood narrative, YHWH “regrets” creating humanity, while Elohim remains unchanging and focused on moral order; yet Noah’s righteousness allows renewal. In the Golden Calf episode, Moses’ intercession causes God to relent from destroying Israel, and introduces a new divine relationship in relation to His covenant based on mercy rather than pure justice. This change is expressed through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which establish a permanent covenantal path to forgiveness through repentance (teshuva). From this point onward, Judaism recognizes that while divine justice remains, it is tempered by compassion, making repentance and renewal possible for all generations.

The sequelae to the sin of the golden calf were extremely consequential to the Jewish people both in terms of their fate and the further development of Judaism. God will now change His approach to the Jewish people regarding the Covenant from one of pure justice to a mixture of justice and mercy. This can be facilitated by a formula which will become known as the Thirteen Attributes.

First, though, we need to review the story of the golden calf, focusing particularly on the actions of Aaron, Moses’ brother.

On arriving at Mount Sinai after escaping from Egypt, the people agree to forge a covenant with YHWH to become a “kingdom of priests and holy nation” (ibid 19:6). They exclaim: “Everything that YHWH has spoken we shall do!” (Exodus 19:8).

After a three-day preparatory period, Moses brings the people to the mountain to meet God and to verbally receive the Ten Commandments. This is accompanied by a fearful sound and light show:

. . . there was thunder and lightning and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of the shofer was very powerful, and the entire people that was in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people forth from the camp towards Elohim, and they stood under the mountain. Mount Sinai was smoking in its entirety because YHWH had descended upon it in the fire; its smoke ascended like the smoke of the lime pit, and the entire mountain shuddered exceedingly (Exodus 19:16-18).

The Ten Commandments are introduced by the words “Elohim spoke all these worlds saying” (ibid 20:1), although it will be Moses who speaks to the people as an intermediary of God for many of these commands.1

Moses now again ascends the mountain (Exodus 24:18) to receive instructions about the laws of the Torah and to receive two tablets of stone made by God on which He has engraved the Ten Commandments on both sides (Exodus 32:15).2 Before leaving, he appoints Aaron and Hur as caretakers (ibid 24:14). Hur is the daughter of Moses’ sister Miriam. The Torah does not announce initially how long Moses will be on Mount Sinai. It may be that Moses did not himself know, although it will turn out to be forty days and forty nights (ibid 24:18).

By the fortieth day, Moses has not yet returned to the camp and the people panic regarding his non-appearance. They cannot remain at Mt. Sinai. Neither do they wish to go back to Egypt. But to proceed to Canaan without spiritual leadership is also unthinkable:

The people saw that Moses delayed descending the mountain, and the people gathered around Aaron and said to him: “Rise up, make for us gods (elohim) who will go before us, for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt – we do not know what became of him.” Aaron said to them: “Remove the golden rings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me.” The entire people unburdened themselves of the golden rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took it from their hands and he bound it in a scarf, and made it into a molten calf; then they said: “This is your god, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Israel (ibid 32:1-4).3

How culpable was Aaron in the episode of the golden calf? Jewish commentators follow a number of directions. In view of the fact that Aaron never received punishment for his actions, and would soon even be appointed High Priest, one approach has been to completely exonerate Aaron through extenuating circumstances. Following a midrash, Rashi suggests that Aaron saw Hur murdered by the mob after opposing the people and was fearful for his own life.4 Other commentators such as Ibn Ezra, Sforno and Nachmanides follow Rashi’s approach explaining that Aaron was attempting to buy time until Moses’ returned. He asked the people for gold jewelry from their wives and children hoping they would refuse, or that this would delay matters. When they promptly complied with his request he formed a golden calf, but introduced a further delay by announcing a festival for the morrow:

Aaron saw and built an altar before it; Aaron called out and said: “A festival to YHWH tomorrow!” (Exodus 32:5).

Both Ibn Ezra and Abarbanel are in agreement that the people wanted a tangible object to worship. They were not denying that God took them out of Egypt, but as for the other nations around them they wanted a physical representation of God.5 Strictly speaking, this was not a denial of monotheism. Nevertheless, it was forbidden by the very Ten Commandments they had just received:

There shall not be unto you the gods of others before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any picture of that which is in the heavens above, and on the earth below, or in the water below the earth. Do not bow down to them nor worship them, for I am YHWH your God, a jealous God, who visits the sin of fathers upon children to the third and fourth generation for those who hate Me; but Who does kindness for thousands [of generations] to those who love Me and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:3-6).

In actuality, the Ten Commandments makes no mention of making an image of God Himself, although it can be inferred. However, it is explicitly mentioned later in Exodus 34:17 after the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes — “You shall not make yourselves molten gods.”

A novel approach is that of Nachmanides who suggests that the people were not requesting a physical representation of God to go before them, but a physical representation of a human leader. He interprets their words as “Make us judges (elohim) who shall go before us” (ibid 32:1).6 This is a very acceptable translation of the word “elohim.” The Kuzari similarly explains that the people were not seeking to engage in idolatry but wanted an image as a substitute for Moses.7 Nevertheless, this explanation does not fit well into the progression of the text.

In the future, the prophets of Israel may well regard the making of an image of God to be less grave a sin than making an image of a pagan god. When Jeroboam separated the ten northern tribes from Judah and the Davidic dynasty he created two centers for the worship of the One God via two golden calves, one in Beth El and the other in Dan I (Kings 12:28). Even though a flawed form of monotheism, this form of worship seems to have been tolerated in the Northern Kingdom, and the golden calves were never removed.8 Baal worship, on the other hand, was not tolerated by the prophet Elijah who arranged a show-down on Mount Carmel.

It is also possible that it was not only the worship of a graven image that disturbed Moses, but the partying and dancing that accompanied it. This was very typical of pagan celebrations and could have involved sexual licentiousness: “the people sat to eat and drink and they got up to revel (letzahek)” (ibid 32:6) and “it happened as he (Moses) drew near the camp and he saw the calf and the dances, that Moses’ anger burned” (ibid 32:19).

Nevertheless, God clearly regarded the matter of the golden calf with extreme gravity. Moses’ also accuses Aaron of a severe sin:

Moses said to Aaron: “What did this nation do to you that you have brought so great sin upon it?” (Exodus 32:21).

To which Aaron replied:

“Let not my master’s anger burn, you know the people, that they are disposed toward evil. They said to me: ‘Make for us gods that will go before us, for this man Moses who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what became of him.” So, I said to them: ‘Who has gold?’ They unburdened themselves and gave it to me. I cast it into the fire, and this calf emerged” (Exodus 32:22-24).

Moses also has this to say about Aaron’s culpability in a review of this episode in the Book of Deuteronomy:

The Lord was very angry with Aaron, to destroy him, but I [Moses] prayed for Aaron also (Deuteronomy 9:20).

God’s reaction to the episode of the golden calf

It is very helpful is to consider the reaction of God to the people’s sin within the framework of the two names of God YHWH and Elohim. A useful place to start this discussion is from the Noah account, since there are literary connections between the two stories.

The aspect of God described by the name Elohim never changes direction, both from the perspective of the physical laws of the universe and the moral laws governing humanity. There is considerable logic to this since the physical laws governing the universe are immutable and will remain so until the end of the time. The moral laws governing humanity are also unchangeable. This is why Elohim is regarded as a God of justice, operating as He does under the paradigm of sin and punishment.

In the Noah story, Elohim is prepared to wipe out humanity because of its corruption. The word “corruption” is mentioned three times in this Elohim-passage, presumably for emphasis:

And the earth had become corrupt (vatishoket) (וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת) before Elohim, and the earth had become filled with violence (chamas). And Elohim saw the earth and behold it was corrupted (nishchoso) (נִשְׁחָ֑תָה), for all flesh had corrupted (hischis) (הִשְׁחִ֧ית) its way upon the earth. Elohim said to Noah: “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold I am about to destroy them from the earth (Genesis 6:11-13).

On the other hand, the aspect of God YHWH is willing to change direction (see also the essay “More about the names of God”). This will happen in the flood story and also after the sin of the golden calf. It is logical that YHWH functions in this way, since YHWH is a God of relationships. If YHWH were to be unbending, there would be little reason to attempt to develop a relationship with Him. Even less so to make requests to Him within the context of prayer, since everything is predetermined and one’s prayers almost guaranteed to be ineffective.

Hence, during YHWH’s deliberations before the flood “YHWH regretted” creating man and sadly arrives at the decision to wipe out humanity:

And YHWH regretted (vayinachem) (וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם) having made man on earth, and He was pained in in His heart. And YHWH said: “I will blot out man whom I created from upon the face of the earth — from man to animal, and to birds of the sky: for I have reconsidered (nichamti) (נִחַ֖מְתִּי) having made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of YHWH” (Genesis 6:6-8).

The operative word in this passage is the Hebrew word “vayinachem.” This word can have a number of meanings, including to regret and to reconsider, but also to be comforted. At first glance, relenting and comforting would seem to have little in common with each other, but both are associated with a change in outlook to a situation, in the case of comforting from a positive perspective.

The episode of the golden calf occurred on the fortieth day of Moses’ stay on Mount Sinai and on the very day he was about to return to the camp. God tells Moses to hurry back:

YHWH spoke to Moses, "Go, descend, for your people that you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly (shiches) (שִׁחֵ֣ת). They have strayed quickly from the way I have commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf and bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and said: This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'" (Exodus 32:7-8).9

Note that the Torah uses the word shiches, acting corruptly for the actions of the people. This is the same word used in the Noah story when describing humanity’s corruption.

God continues:

YHWH said to Moses: "I have seen this people and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people. And now, desist from Me. Let My anger burn against them, and I will annihilate them; and I shall make you into a great nation." Moses pleaded before YHWH, his God, and said, "Why YHWH should Your anger burn against Your people whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great might and a strong hand? Why should Egypt say, saying: ‘With evil intent He brought them out, to kill them in the mountains, and to annihilate them from upon the face of the earth?' Relent from Your burning anger and reconsider (vehinochem) (וְהִנָּחֵ֥ם) the evil to Your nation. Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Yourself, and told them, 'I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens; and all this land which I have said, I will give to your descendants, and they will inherit it forever.'" And YHWH reconsidered (vayinochem) (וַיִּנָּ֖חֶם) regarding the evil that He had declared He would do to His nation (Exodus 32:9-14).

In response to God’s decision to annihilate the people, Moses pleas that God “reconsider” destroying His people. As a result of Moses’ arguments, YHWH does indeed “reconsider” and agrees not to destroy them. Having staved off the people’s immanent destruction, Moses descends to the camp holding the two tablets in his hands (Exodus 32:15).

Seeing the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger flares up and he throws both tablets to the ground and shatters them in front of the people, as if abrogating the covenant on behalf of God. He burns the calf, grinds it up, strews it upon the water, and makes the people drink from it. Those most involved in the calf worship, numbering 3,000 people, are killed by the Levites who have gathered to Moses. There is also a subsequent plague in the camp (ibid 32:35).

Moses now ascends the mountain again to seek further atonement:

Moses returned to YHWH and said, "Please, this people has sinned a great sin, and they have made for themselves a god of gold. And now, if you would but forgive their sin. . . ., and if not, erase me, please, from Your book which You have written." YHWH said to Moshe, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will erase from My book. And now, go, lead the people to where I have spoken to you. Behold My angel will go before you; and on a day that I make a reckoning, I will reckon to them their sin” (Exodus 32:31-34).10

And He continues:

. . . . YHWH spoke to Moses, "Go; ascend from here, you and the people that you brought up from the land of Egypt to the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I shall give it to your offspring.' I will send an angel before you, and I shall drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite, and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey, for I will not ascend in your midst, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I will annihilate you on the way.” The people heard this bad tiding and they became grief stricken, and no one donned his ornaments. YHWH said to Moses, "Say to the Children of Israel: 'You are a stiff-necked people. If for one moment, I were to go up in your midst, I would annihilate you. Now remove your ornaments and I shall know what I shall do to you." (Exodus 33:1-3, 5).

There are two disappointing tidings for the Jewish people in these announcements. First, God will not go before them to Canaan lest He annihilate them, but will send an angel instead. Moreover, He will not dwell amongst them “in your midst” in the Israelite camp. There is also no promise that the people will receive Divine protection after having conquered the Canaanites.11

After receiving this communication, the people go into mourning and remove their ornaments. Moses also moves his tent to outside the camp so that he can continue to communicate face to face with God:

Moses said to YHWH: "Look, You say to me: ‘Take this people onward,' but You did not inform me now whom You will send with me, yet You said, 'I have made you known with high repute, and you have also found favor in My eyes.' And now, please, if I have found favor in Your eyes, please let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your eyes. And see that this nation is Your people." He [YHWH] said, "My Presence shall go, and I shall provide you rest." He [Moses] said to Him, "If Your presence does not go, do not bring us up from here. For how, then, will it be known that I have found favor in Your eyes, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us? Then, I and Your people will be set apart from all the people on the face of the earth!" YHWH said to Moshe, "This matter, also, that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in My eyes and I have known you by name."

He [Moses] said, "Show me, please, Your glory." And He said, "I will pass all My goodness before you, and I will proclaim the name 'YHWH' before you, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy." He said, "You will not be able to see My face, for no human can see My face and live." YHWH said, "Behold! there is a place with Me; you shall station yourself on the rock. And when My glory passes, I will place you in the crevice of the rock, and I will cover you with My palm until I have passed. Then I shall remove My palm, and you will see my back; but My face may not be seen (Exodus 33:12-23).12

God accedes to Moses’ request. God Himself will go with the Israelite people. However,

He does not agree that Moses should see His face, as this is not possible for a living person.13

Moses is now asked to carve out two tablets and to ascend alone to Mount Sinai. It is at this time that YHWH calls out His Thirteen Attributes, describing His attributes of forgiveness:

YHWH descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and He proclaimed by name, "YHWH." YHWH passed before him, and proclaimed: "YHWH, YHWH, a merciful and gracious El (God), slow to anger, abundant in kindness and truth. Who keeps kindness to the thousandth generation, Who forgives iniquity and willful sin and error, but Who does not totally acquit, reckoning the sins of the fathers upon the sons and the sons' sons to the third and to the fourth generation. . . . He said: “Behold! I seal a covenant. Before your entire people I shall make distinctions such as have never been created in the entire world and among all the nations; and the entire people among whom you are will see the work of YHWH, which is awesome, that I am about to do with you (Exodus 34:5-7, 10).

Moses now ascends the mountain a third time for forty days, bringing with him new tablets that will soon contain the Ten Commandments. These will be identical to the first ten and also written by the hand of God. In effect, the Ten Commandments remain operative as previously, but are now accompanied by an amendment reflecting God’s mercy.

More about the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

Maimonides points out in his Guide to the Perplexed that the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are not descriptions of the essence of God, since it is impossible to describe God, but the way that He acts:

The Thirteen Attributes which are called the attributes of mercy are not attributes descriptive of His essence, but of His actions. That is to say, all these attributes refer to His actions, which are such as proceed from Him in relation to mankind in a manner corresponding to what we call acts of mercy and kindness. For all His actions are acts of loving-kindness, mercy, and goodness.14

It goes without saying that these ways of God are eternal and have been present since the beginning of time. What has changed is the way that God relates to the Jewish people in terms of His covenant:

Rather than relating to the laws of the covenant on the basis of justice alone, God will now deal with the Jewish people on the basis of either justice or mercy depending on the circumstance. The people have been unable to consistently maintain the necessary spiritual level for a relationship based solely on justice. God’s aspect of mercy has always been evident in His dealings with humanity, but was not initially applied to the covenant.

It is helpful to compare the strict and uncompromising wording of the Ten Commandments with that of the Thirteen Attributes to appreciate the changes that YHWH has introduced:15 The words marked in bold will be used for comparisons:

There shall not be unto you the gods of others before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any picture of that which is in the heavens above, and on the earth below, or in the water below the earth.(4) Do not bow down to them nor worship them, for I am YHWH your God, a jealous God, who visits the sin of fathers upon children to the third and fourth generation for those who hate Me; but Who does kindness for thousands [of generations] to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Do not take the name of Hashem, your God, in vain, for Hashem will not acquit he who takes His name in vain. (Exodus 20:3-7).

Similarly, God subsequently says:

Behold, I am sending an angel before you to watch over you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. Be careful of him, and listen to his voice; do not rebel against him because he will not forgive your transgression, for My name is within Him (Exodus 23:20-21).

Note the contrasts. The words in red are those from the Thirteen Attributes:

“A jealous God” in the Ten Commandments changes in the Thirteen Attributes to “a merciful and gracious God.”

“Who does kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love Me” in the Ten Commandments changes in the Thirteen Attributes to “abundant in kindness and truth” and “Who keeps kindness to the thousandth generation.” Whereas in the Ten Commandments His kindness that extends “to the thousandth generation” is restricted to those who love Him, this limitation is not evident in the Thirteen Attributes.

In the Ten Commandments it states: “will not acquit,” whereas in the Thirteen Attributes it is written: “Who does not totally acquit.”

Exodus (23:21) (above) states: “He [the angel] will not forgive your transgression,” whereas the Thirteen Attributes states: “slow to anger.”

It has also been noted that there is a progression in the Thirteen Attributes. At the beginning, God functions with pure mercy for all types of sins – “Who forgives iniquity and willful sin and error” (ibid 34:7). “Forgiving iniquity” is interpreted as sins committed knowingly, “willful sin” as sins committed in a spirit of defiance, “and sins” as sins committed unwittingly.16 The tone then shifts to a limitation in God’s mercy: “Who does not totally acquit, reckoning the sins of the fathers upon the sons and the sons' sons to the third and to the fourth generation (ibid 34:7). This progression allows the text to affirm the principles of mercy and justice but without eliminating either, and effectively leaves the two principles in unresolved tension.17

Until now this essay has stressed the aspect of God’s change in direction with respect to His covenant. The Talmud, on the other hand, places emphasis on the halachic aspects of the Thirteen Attributes and the ability of this formula to grant absolution from sin.

The Talmud explains:

“And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed” (Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan said:
“If this verse had not been written, it would be impossible to say it. It teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, wrapped Himself like a prayer leader and showed Moses the order of prayer. He said to him: ‘Whenever Israel sins, let them perform this order before Me, and I will forgive them’.” “YHWH, YHWH” (Exodus 34:6) – I am the same before a person sins and after a person sins and repents. “God, compassionate and gracious…” (Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yehuda said: “A covenant was made with the Thirteen Attributes that they will not return empty-handed, as it is said: “Behold, I make a covenant; before all your people I will do wonders” (Exodus 34:10).18

But just as YHWH has changed direction, so too must the Jewish people change direction in order to be the beneficiaries of His mercy. Although not explicitly mentioned in this passage, YHWH concomitantly introduces a new way for the Jewish people to deal with a merciful God, namely by engaging in the process of teshuva or repentance. The Thirteen Attributes can only be effective when accompanied by regret, contrition and repentance. Mere recitation of a formula is meaningless. Just as God “relented,” so, also, must the Jewish people. Nachmanides explains:

“‘And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed” (Ex. 34:6) – He taught him this order of requesting mercy. And the secret of the matter is that He established a covenant with them concerning these attributes, that they would always be effective for Israel. Therefore, our Rabbis said: “A covenant was established with the Thirteen Attributes that they never return empty-handed.” And the matter is not that they should merely recite them with their mouths, but rather that they should reflect upon them and understand their meaning, and humble themselves through them in their hearts, and pray accordingly.”19

Similarly, Maimonides writes in his Mishneh Torah:

If a person transgresses any of the commands of the Torah, whether a positive command or a negative command, whether willingly or inadvertently, when he repents and returns from his sin, he must confess before God, blessed be He as [Numbers 5:6-7] states: if a man or a woman commit any of the sins of man. . . they must confess the sin that they committed. This refers to a verbal confession. This confession is a positive command.20

The quotation mentioned from Numbers refers to guilt offering. However, the phrase “Any of the sins” implies that it refers to any transgression, even for those for which the guilt offering does not atone.21

There is a strong Jewish tradition that Moses came down with the second set of tablets on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) after having spent forty days and nights appealing to God in repentance. In biblical times, both sin offerings and the rituals of Yom Kippur achieved atonement when accompanied by repentance. Maimonides explains in his Mishneh Torah how this works:

. . . Those who bring sin offerings or guilt offerings must also [confess their sins] when they bring their sacrifices for their inadvertent or willful transgressions. Their sacrifices will not atone for their sins until they repent and make a verbal confession as it states: “He shall confess the sin he has committed upon it [Leviticus 5:5].”22

The situation is somewhat different on Yom Kippur since in biblical times the day itself atones for lighter sins even without repentance as a result of the ceremony of the scapegoat sent into the desert:

Since the goat sent [to Azazel on Yom Kippur] atones for all of Israel, the High Priest confesses upon it as a spokesman for all of Israel [as Leviticus 16:21] states: “He shall confess upon it all the sins of the children of Israel.” The goat sent to Azazel atones for all the transgressions in the Torah, the severe and the lighter [sins]; those violated intentionally and those transgressed inadvertently; those which [the transgressor] became conscious of and those which he was not conscious of. All are atoned for by the goat sent [to Azazel]. This applies only if one repents. If one does not repent, the goat only atones for the light [sins].22

There is another important aspect regarding the Thirteen Attributes. The Torah mentions a number of times that the Jewish people should walk in the ways of God; being merciful is one way of emulating God. Hence, Maimonides writes with respect to this:

It has been shown that the Thirteen Attributes are not essential attributes, but actions. When we are commanded to imitate them, it means that we should act in accordance with those actions. That is to say, just as He is called 'gracious,' so should we be gracious; just as He is called 'merciful,' so should we be merciful; and so with all the other attributes. This is the meaning of the dictum of the Sages: 'As He is called gracious and merciful, so be you also gracious and merciful.'"23

It needs to be appreciated how radical was the innovation of repentance or teshuva. The Torah is based on a system of reward and punishment. Repentance is the means for individuals and the community to break this cycle and start afresh.

This is very different from how the situation was considered in the pagan world. Adverse happenings were thought to be random events. Pagan gods were not interested in the welfare of individuals, the community, or even humanity in general. Humans could attempt to appease the gods by means of sacrifices that the gods would eat, but no other recourse was available to prevent or alleviate their random adverse decisions.

Before leaving the topic of the Thirteen Attributes, it is worth touching on a philosophical issue that arises from the issue that YHWH is prepared to change direction. God knows the future. Why could He not have introduced the Thirteen Attributes at the first mention of the Ten Commandments? This issue also arises in the flood story. Why did He “regret,” be “pained in His heart” and need to “reconsider”? Did he not already know what would happen!

This issue is raised by Rashi in his commentary to the story of Noah:

And he was pained in His heart — He mourned at the failure of His handiwork.. . . The following extract from the Midrash Rabbah I am writing in order that you may know how to refute the arguments of certain heretics: A gentile once asked Rabbi Joshua, the son of Korcha, saying to him, “Do you not admit that the Holy One, blessed be He, knows what is to happen in the future?” He replied, “Yes.” The gentile retorted, “But is it not written ‘and He was grieved in His heart’?” He answered: “Have you ever had a son born to you?” The reply was “Yes.” He asked (the gentile): “And what did you do?” He replied: “I rejoiced and I made others rejoice also.” The Rabbi asked him: “But did you not know that he must die?” The heathen replied: “At the time of joy, let there be joy, at the time of mourning let there be mourning”. The Rabbi then said: “Such, too, is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He: although it was clear to Him that in the end men would sin and would be destroyed, He did not refrain from creating them for the sake of the righteous men who were to issue from them” (Genesis Rabbah 27:4).24

Rashi believes that God knows the future and this is the mainstream position in Judasim. Maimonides explains that it presents no contradiction to human free will since God’s knowledge is not comparable to human knowledge, and this apparent contradiction cannot be resolved by human logic.25 However, it is by no means clear that his explanation resolves the notion of a deterministic world that is implied by God’s foreknowledge.

An exception is the view of Gersonides (Ralbag, 1288–1344) who states that God knows all possible outcomes and knows natural events and laws, but future free human choices are not yet determined and therefore cannot be known as facts.26

I am in agreement with Gersonides, since his view seems most compatible with the simple reading of the text. This direction does not negate the idea that God can engineer the future and thus can prophecy the future. God may also know what a group of individuals is likely to do based on the average of what they are thinking. Nevertheless, individual free will still trumps all.

In conclusion, the similar wording in the Noah story and the golden calf episode indicate that YHWH does change direction. In the golden calf story, we are presented with a major change in the way that YHWH relates to the Jewish people with respect to His covenant. No longer is this based solely on strict justice. Henceforth, it will be based on a combination of justice and mercy. YHWH's mercy can be facilitated by repentance.

References

Exodus 20:1 and Deuteronomy 5:22 imply that the people heard all the commandments directly from God. However, in Exodus 20:18-19 the people request that God not speak to them directly less they die. Rabbinic interpretation is that only the first two commandments were heard directly from God (TB Makkot 24a). It is noticeable that the first two commands are in the first person, while all the others are in the third person.
Cassuto suggests that details of the two tablets were recorded when Moses descended with the tablets to make it evident that they were of a size that someone could carry. The redundancy in this sentence that the tablets were “inscribed on both of their surfaces” and “they were inscribed on one side and on that” raised questions for midrashic commentators. Midrash Shemot Rabbah 47:4 suggests that the letters were cut all the way through the stone, yet were miraculously readable from both sides. Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tissa 26, suggests that the writing could be read from all directions — front, back, and sides. Cassuto suggests that half of the text was on one side of a tablet and half on the other (A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by Umberto Moshe David Cassuto, translated by Israel Abrahams, Varda Books, Illinois UJSA 2005, p418).
Cassuto explains that idols at that time were made on a wooden frame and the molten gold plating was sculptured on this frame. Hence, masecha is a molten image. This would explain how Moses was able to make the people drink from the ashes of the burnt idol in an almost a sota-like procedure (ibid 32:20). (A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by Umberto Moshe David Cassuto, translated by Israel Abrahams, Varda Books, Illinois UJSA 2005, p412).
Rashi to Exodus 32:5 following Vayikra Rabba 10:3. This explanation is no doubt occasioned by the fact that Hur is not mentioned further in the Torah after being appointed caretaker.
Ibn Ezra to Exodus 32:1 and 32:4 — “They wished for something they could see with their eyes, for they did not have faith in the invisible.” Abarbanel to Exodus 32:1 explains that the choice of a calf was influenced by Egyptian symbolism, a bull or calf representing divine strength and fertility (the Apis cult). Their sin lay in attempting to honor God through forbidden means, effectively creating a false mode of worship.
Nachmanides to Exodus 32:1
The Kuzari I:97–98 (in some editions I:96–97) by Yehudah HaLevi.
The books of Kings repeatedly condems every northern king with the words: “He walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.” This formula appears again and again (e.g., 1 Kings 15:34; 16:26; 22:52; 2 Kings 3:3; etc.) and becomes shorthand for illegitimate worship, and even a reason for the final exile of the northern tribes: “Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD… The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam… until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight…(2 Kings 17:21–2). Some of the prophets also protest. On the other hand, there is no mention in the Bible of anyone taking action about it until the time of King Josiah. He destroys the altar at Bethel, burns the high place, digs up bones and burns them on the altar, and kills the priests of the high places (2 Kings 23:15–20). However, by this time the Northern Kingdom had already fallen. It is of interest that the prophets Elijah and Elisha never denounce calf worship, although they take action against the worship of Baal.
In his commentary to Exodus 32:7, Nachmanides suggests that two types of transgressions were committed. The majority of the people acted “corruptly,” in that by bringing their gold rings they showed that they harbored false ideas. A limited number of people participated in the actual worship of the calf and they were the ones executed by the Levites.
There is discussion among commentators as to what “book” Moses is talking about and whether this is an historical book or a book of judgement. Rashi interprets it as the entire Torah. Ibn Ezra suggests it is the constellations of the heavens upon which all the decrees affecting the lowly creatures of the earth depend. Nachmanides proposes it is the Book of Life, this being a metaphorical list of people entitled to Eternal Life in the world of souls. In effect, Moses was offering to vicariously bear the punishment of all the Israelite sinners, but God would not accept this.
In mentioning “on the way,” God intimated to Moses that the angel would accompany the people only during the journey to the Land of Israel and not after this (Nachmanides to Exodus 33:1).
From the placement in the text of this communication it would seem that this took place in Moses’ tent outside the camp. However, Nachmanides to Exodus 33:7 explains that this passage took place on Mount Sinai, as verse ibid 32:30 states explicitly “And now I shall ascend to YHWH,” and the next verse follows: “Moses returned to YHWH” (ibid 32:31). Hence, the end of verse 7 is explaining the result of the tent’s removal, a result that occurred several months after it was moved. Nachmanides rejects the suggestion of Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer that Moses ascended only twice to Mount Sinai and not three times and that this communication took place in the camp, as it does not accord with the description in Deuteronomy. This issue is not a clear one and I do not explore it any further than the commentary of Nachmanides as it is not the main focus of this chapter.
This could imply that one who is no longer alive may be able to see God’s face.
Maimonides, Guide to the Perplexed I:54 (Friedländer’s edition based on Ibn Tibbon’s translation). Almost all commentators agree with Maimonides. Hence, Sforno agrees that the Thirteen Attributes describe how God governs the world rather than describing His essence. These qualities were now revealed to Israel as the principles by which He will be dealing with them in the future (Sforno to Exodus 34:6–7).. However, there are kabbalistic ideas that the sin of the golden calf was associated with a change in God’s essence. The Zohar (especially Zohar II, 124b–125a) suggests that before the sin, Israel related to God through higher, more concealed sefirotic channels (often identified with din/judgment). After the sin, new hanhagot (modes of governance) were revealed, corresponding to rachamim (mercy). These attributes are a new disclosure of divine channels activated at that historical moment. Nevertheless, kabbalists do not mean God “changed,” but that new sefirotic aspects were unveiled to Israel that had not been operative before. The Arizal, R’ Isaac Luria, built on the Zohar’s view that the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy were revealed only after the Golden Calf. (Etz Chayim, Sha‘ar 23, Sha‘ar HaYud-Gimel Middot)— “And know, that the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy were never revealed in the world until the sin of the Calf. When Israel sinned, the forces of judgment were aroused to destroy them. Then was revealed to Moses our teacher the mystery of the Thirteen Rectifications of the Beard (yud-gimel tikunei dikna). These are the channels from which mercy flows into the world to nullify judgments.” The 13 “hairs” or “strands” of the divine “beard” metaphorically describe channels where sublime mercy “drips,” filtering harsh judgment into compassion and allowing divine energy to descend to lower worlds without overwhelming them. Also transmitted by R’ Chaim Vital (Sha‘ar HaPesukim, Shemot).
“Two Sins, Two Covenants” by Rav Menachem Leibtag in Torah MiEtzion. New Readings in Tanach. Shemot, eds. Rav Ezra Bick and Rav Yaakov Beasley, Maggid Books, Yeshivat Har Etzion , 2012, p463.
The Koren Yom Kippur Mahzor. The Rohr Family Edition. Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Koren Publishers Jerusalem, 2012. p136.
Moshe Weinfeld, Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomic School (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), 191–193.
TB, Rosh Hashanah 17b.
Nachmanides to Exodus 34:6.
Maimonides Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuva 1:1.
Sifri Zuta, Naso.
Maimonides Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuva 1:1 and 2. There is debate in the Talmud (TB Sh’vuos 13a) as to whether Yom Kippur atones for a Jew’s sins irrespective of repentance. Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi maintains that this is the case whereas the other Sages maintain that Yom Kippur only atones if a person repents. There are different opinions as to how to explain the statement of Maimonides. Maimonides holds that the scapegoat has the power to atone for sins, although in the absence of repentance only for lighter sins. In the absence of the scapegoat, as in our times, Yom Kippur only atones with repentance (see Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah, Moznaim Publishing Corporation 1990, p11). Both Maimonides and Nachmanides agree that there is a biblical mandate to perform repentance.
Maimonides, Guide to the Perplexed III:53. Maimonides words are based on Sifrei Devarim 49, and Talmud Sotah 14a. Abraham was the first to walk in the way of God: “For I have cherished him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of YHWH, doing righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19). To walk in the ways of God is also mentioned in Deuteronomy 10:12, Deuteronomy 11:22, Deuteronomy 19:9 and Deuteronomy 28:9.
Rashi to Genesis 6:6.
Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed III:20.
Gersonides (Levi ben Gershom) in Milhamot HaShem (Wars of the Lord), Book III, Part 6. appearing in The Wars of the Lord, by Levi ben Gershom, translated by Seymour Feldman. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1984–1999, pp 130-160. Gersonides brings as support such biblical verses referring to God as “Now I know” (Genesis 22:12) and “I will go down and see” (Genesis 18:21).