Daf 193a (דַּף קצ״ג ע״א)

Come and see, what is written (תָּא חֲזֵי, מָה כְּתִיב): “And Aharon saw, and he built an altar before it” (וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו) (Exodus 32). O holy Ḥasid, how much your will was for good (אִי חֲסִידָא קַדִּישָׁא, כַּמָה רְעוּתָךְ הֲוָה לְטָב), and you did not know to guard yourself (וְלָא יַדְעַת לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא). For when he cast it into the fire (כֵּיוָן דְּאַרְמֵי לֵיהּ בְּנוּרָא), the power of the Sitra achra was strengthened there in the fire (אִתְתָּקַּף חֵילָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא תַּמָּן בְּנוּרָא), and the form of an ox emerged (וְנָפַק דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּשׁוֹר), as it has been said, from the two draw-downs of the Sitra achra (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר בִּתְרֵין מְשִׁיכִין דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). Immediately: “And Aharon saw” (מִיַּד וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן). What is “And Aharon saw” (מַהוּ וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן)? He saw that the Sitra achra was strengthened (חָמָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא אִתְתָּקַּף). Immediately: “And he built an altar before it” (מִיַּד וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו) — for if he had not hastened and built that altar, the world would have returned to destruction (דְּאִלְמָלֵא דְּאַקְדִּים וּבָנָה מִזְבֵּחַ דָּא, עָלְמָא אִתְהַדָּר לְחָרְבָּנָא).

Like a bandit who came forth to strike and kill men (לְלִסְטִים דְּהֲוָה נָפִיק לְקַפְּחָא וּלְקָטְלָא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), he saw the legion of the King (חָמָא לִגְיוֹנָא דְּמַלְכָּא), that the bandit came forth with great strength (דְּהַהוּא לִסְטִים נָפַק בְּחֵילָא תַּקִּיף). What did the legion do (מָה עֲבַד הַהוּא לִגְיוֹנָא)? He joined with the King to go forth on the road (אִשְׁתָּדַּל בַּהֲדֵי מַלְכָּא לְנָפְקָא בְּאָרְחָא). And that legion drew him on the road, until that bandit, going on the way, saw the form of the King standing before him (וּמָשִׁיךְ לֵיהּ הַהוּא לִגְיוֹנָא בְּהַהוּא אָרְחָא, עַד דְּאָזִיל הַהוּא לִסְטִים בְּהַהוּא אָרְחָא, חָמָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא קָאִים קָמֵּיהּ). When he saw the King walking before him on the way (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל קָמֵּיהּ בְּאָרְחָא), immediately he was terrified and turned back (מִיַּד נִרְתָּע וְאַהְדָּר לַאֲחוֹרָא).

So too, “And Aharon saw” that the Sitra achra was strengthened (כַּךָ וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן דִּסְטָר אַחֲרָא אִתָּקַף), he took hold in medicine (אָחִיד בְּאַסְוָותָא), and strengthened himself in the side of holiness, and set it before it (וְאַתְקִיף בִּסְטַר קְדוּשָׁה וְשַׁוֵּי לֵיהּ קָמֵיהּ). When the evil side saw the image of the King standing before it (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא דְּקָאִים קָמֵיהּ), immediately it turned back (מִיַּד אַהְדָּר לַאֲחוֹרָא), and its power and strength were weakened (וְאִתְחַלָּשׁ תֻּקְפֵּיהּ וְחֵילֵיהּ). For it had been strengthened (דְּהָא אִתְתָּקַּף), but immediately “And he built an altar before it” (מִיַּד וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו), and this altar was strengthened, and the Sitra achra weakened (וּמִזְבֵּחַ דָּא אִתְגַּבָּר, וְאִתְחַלָּשׁ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא).

Come and see what is written (תָּא חֲזֵי מָה כְּתִיב): “And Aharon called and said, Tomorrow is a festival to Hashem” (וַיִּקְרָא אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמַר חַג לַיְיָ מָחָר) (Exodus 32). “A festival to Hashem,” and not to the calf (חַג לַיְיָ, וְלָא לָעֵגֶל). And to the side of holiness he acted, and to the side of holiness he called and said (וְלִסְטַר קְדוּשָּׁה עֲבַד, וְלִסְטַר קְדוּשָּׁה קָרָא וְאָמַר). And this was medicine which he hastened (וְדָא אַסְוָותָא אַקְדִּים), for if he had not done this, the world would not have stood in its existence (דְּאִלְמָלֵא דְּעָבַד דָּא, לָא קָאִים עָלְמָא עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ). Yet with all this, the wrath did not depart from Aharon (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, לָא שָׁכִיךְ רוּגְזֵיהּ מֵאַהֲרֹן), even though he did not intend for evil (אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְכַּוָון לְבִישׁ). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): Aharon, these two sorcerers have drawn you into what they wanted (אַהֲרֹן, תְּרֵין חַרְשִׁין אִלֵּין מַשְׁכוּ לָךְ לְמַּה דְּבָעוּ). By your life, two of your sons shall fall, and for this sin they will be seized (חַיֶּיךָ, תְּרֵין בְּנָךְ יִפְּלוּן, וְעַל חוֹבָא דָּא יִתְפָּסְקוּן). Some say: “and for this sin they will be seized” (ס״א וּבְחוֹבָא דָּא יִתְפָּסוּן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And with Aharon, Hashem was very angry to destroy him” (וּבְאַהֲרֹן הִתְאַנַּף יְיָ מְאֹד לְהַשְׁמִידוֹ) (Deuteronomy 9). What is “to destroy him” (מַאי לְהַשְׁמִידוֹ)? These are his sons (אִלֵּין בְּנוֹי). As you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And I destroyed his fruit from above” (וָאַשְׁמִיד פִּרְיוֹ מִמַּעַל) (Amos 2) — the fruit of a man are his sons (דִּפְרִי דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּנוֹי אִינּוּן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Aharon set that altar before it (אַהֲרֹן שַׁוֵּי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו), and the calf remained behind (וְעֶגְּלָא תָּב לַאֲחוֹרָא). His sons placed the Sitra achra before it (בְּנוֹי שַׁווּ לִסְטַר אַחֲרָא לְפָנָיו), and the side of holiness was turned back (וּסְטָר קְדוּשָּׁה אַהְדָּר לַאֲחוֹרָא), as it is written: “And they offered before Hashem” (דִּכְתִּיב, וַיַּקְרִיבוּ לִפְנֵי יְיָ) (Leviticus 10) — “before Hashem” they placed it (לִפְנֵי יְיָ שַׁווּ). They were seized in this sin (אִתְפָּסוּ בְּחוֹבָה דָּא).

Aharon thought that meanwhile Moshe would come (אַהֲרֹן חָשַׁב, דְּבֵין כַּךְ יֵיתֵי מֹשֶׁה). And because of this, Moshe did not destroy that altar (וְעַל דָּא הַהוּא מִזְבֵּחַ לָא סָתִיר לֵיהּ מֹשֶׁה). For if it had been as people think (דְּאִילּוּ הֲוָה כְּמָה דְּחַשְׁבִין בְּנִי נָשָׁא), the first thing Moshe would have needed to do was to break that altar (מִלָה קַדְמָאָה דְּאִבָעֵי לְמֹשֶׁה, לְנַתְּצָא לְהַהוּא מִזְבֵּחַ אִצְטְרִיךְ), as the prophet Iddo prophesied against the altar of Beit-El, and his prophecy was upon that altar (כְּמָה דְּנַבֵּי עִדּוֹ עַל מִזְבֵּחַ דְּבֵית אֵל, וּנְבוּאָתֵיהּ עַל הַהוּא מִזְבֵּחַ הֲוָה). But here it was another matter, as has been said (אֲבָל הָכָא מִלָה אַחֲרָא הֲוָה כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And it is written: “And he took the calf which they made” (וּכְתִיב, וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָעֵגֶּל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ), and it is not written: “And he broke the altar” (וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיִּנְתֹּץ אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ).

Come and see: “And Aharon called” (תָּא חֲזֵי וַיִּקְרָא אַהֲרֹן). He proclaimed with a loud voice and said (אַכְרִיז אִיהוּ בְּקָלָא וְאָמַר). It is written here: “And he called and he said” (כְּתִיב הָכָא וַיִּקְרָא וַיֹּאמַר), and it is written in Yonah: “And he called and he said” (וּכְתִיב בְּיוֹנָה וַיִּקְרָא וַיֹּאמַר) (Jonah 3). Just as there it was a proclamation for judgment (מָה לְּהַלָּן כָּרִיז לְדִינָא), so too here it was a proclamation for judgment (אוּף הָכָא כָּרִיז לְדִינָא). “A festival to Hashem tomorrow” (חַג לַיְיָ מָחָר) — a prophecy in that spirit of the altar (נָבֵּי נְבוּאָה בְּהַהוּא רוּחַ דְּמִזְבֵּחַ), that judgment was destined to rest upon them (דְּזַמִּין דִּינָא לְשַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ). “A festival to Hashem” — to execute judgment upon them (חַג לַיְיָ, לְמֶעְבַּד בְּכוּ דִּינָא). And there were three judgments (וּתְלַת דִּינִין הֲווֹ): one, “And Hashem struck the people” (חַד, וַיִּגּוֹף יְיָ אֶת הָעָם) (Exodus 32); and one, through the sons of Levi (וְחַד, בִּבְנֵי לֵוִי); and one, when he gave the children of Yisrael to drink (וְחַד, דְּאַשְׁקֵי לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). And this is: “A festival” — through the sons of Levi (וְהַיְינוּ חַג דִּבְנֵי לֵוִי). “To Hashem” — for “And Hashem struck” (לַיְיָ, דְּוַיִגּוֹף יְיָ). “Tomorrow” — that Moshe gave them to drink (מָחָר, דְּאַשְׁקֵי לוֹן מֹשֶׁה). And at night in that night, and on the morrow, they were found swollen and dead (וּבִיתוֹ בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא, וּלְמָחָר אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ נְפִיחִין וּמֵתִין). And those waters churned in their bowels all that night (וְאִינּוּן מַיִין הֲווֹ מְכַשְׁכְּשִׁין בִּמְעֵיהוֹן כָּל לֵילְיָא), and in the morning they were found dead (וּבְצַפְרָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מֵתִין). And on this it is written: “A festival to Hashem tomorrow” (וְעַל דָּא חַג לַיְיָ מָחָר). And all the healing Aharon did was because it is written: “And he built an altar before it” (וְכָל אַסְוָתָא דְּעָבַד אַהֲרֹן, בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): That altar was of holiness (ההוא מִזְבֵּחַ דִּקְדוּשָּׁה הֲוָה), as it is written: “And he saw the calf and the dances” (דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּרְא אֶת הָעֵגֶּל וּמְחוֹלוֹת) (Exodus 32), and altar is not written (וְאִלּוּ מִזְבֵּחַ לָא כְּתִיב). For Aharon surely knew, as it is written: “One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed, except to Hashem alone” (דְּהָא אַהֲרֹן מִנְדַּע הֲוָה יָדַע, דִּכְתִּיב זֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם בִּלְתִּי לַיְיָ לְבַדּוֹ) (Exodus 22). Surely Aharon was saved in a good time, by speaking for himself (וַדַּאי אִשְׁתְּזִיב אַהֲרֹן בְּעֵיטָא טָבָא דְּדָבַר לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ). And all was with a perfect good will, for he did not intend for evil (וְכֹלָּא בִּרְעוּתָא שְׁלִים טָב, דְּלָא אִתְכַּוָּין לְבִישׁ).

Rabbi El'azar said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Father, surely so it is, and Yisrael were not guilty (אַבָּא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא הֲווֹ). But Yerov‘am, who made calves (אֲבָל יָרָבְעָם דְּעָבַד עֲגָלִין), behold Yisrael were guilty, and made a calf (הָא יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ, וְעֵגֶל עָבְדוּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Surely so, and it has already been established (וַדַּאי, וְאוּקְמוּהָ). But Yerov‘am sinned and caused others to sin (אֲבָל יָרָבְעָם חָטָא וְהֶחטִיא), and not as they say (וְלָאו כְּמָה דְּאָמְרוּ). For surely he did an evil sin and sinned against the kingdom (דְּוַדַּאי חוֹבָא בִּישָׁא עָבֵד וּבַמַּלְכוּת חָטָא).p1-65