Aaron's Role in The Golden Calf
When the Jews left the land of Egypt they were on the 49th level of Tuma. When the Jews came to Mount Sinai, they had reached the 49th level of purity. So how can The Jews descend to the level of The Golden Calf? How is it possible that Aaron the high priest was capable in leading these people to make a golden calf? In addition how come Aaron wasn't punished like the rest of the people who were involved in this worship?
The Bible states (Exodus 32:1-6) that The people saw that Moses had delayed in descending from the mountain, and the people gather around Aaron. Make for us a god. This was caused due to the error in counting the days in which Moses would return back to the Jews after he accepted the two tablets. Thus the Jews approached Aaron to make them a god, because they believed Moses wasn't coming back.
So in response to this request Aaron the high priest, told all of the Jews to bring the gold and the bring it to him so that he may form this "Golden Calf". Rashi states (32:6) that since Aaron saw Hur killed. Aaron knew that is he stalled the Jews he would be able to allow Moses to descend from the mountain and a crisis would have been adverted. Aaron also assumed the fact that he asked for the gold of the woman, which this would stall because people are always resistant to give up their valuables.
The Talmud in Sanhedrin states (7a) What did Aaron see? He saw that Hur was slaughtered before him on that day, and if I don't listen to them I will fulfill the Prophecy that a Navi and a Priest shall not be killed on one day. Therefore, he foresaw that it was easier to be forgiven for this sin then the other sin.
Many commentaries see this action of Aaron as an action, which should be praise while others see it as a disgrace and that we shouldn't give Aaron any credit here. Rav Jeremiah suggests that when Aaron saw the people bring the gold he stated the fist sentence of psalm 123.
The Midrash Rabbah states that when Moses came down from Sinai he was upset at Aaron.
Moses was a major character in the fact that he was the reason his son, Adam, became the man that he had become. “If just once in all my born days you’d say a good thing to me” (Fast 3), Moses stated. Moses wanted Adam to be raised the way that Moses was raised and respect it. Adam did not like how strict his father was to him and did not want to be raised like he was. “Maybe it’s time I just went and did something without my father”
At that time God said to me, [Moses]: 'carve out for yourself two tablets of stone, like the first ones, and come up to me to the mountain, and make for yourself an ark o...
Moses was a Hebrew who was raised with Egyptian upbringing and education. As he grew he either knew that he was an Israelite or simply sympathized with Israelites in bondage. We know this by the action he took when he saw an Egyptian guard beating on a Hebrew slave. Moses interfered, killed the guard, and buried him. So Moses fled Egypt to Mount Sinai out of fear. This is the location in which God revealed his personal name to Moses and called upon him to lead his people out of the land of Egypt.
Moses spends forty years following the instructions of God throughout Exodus. However, in Numbers, God tells him to speak to the rock and it will bring them water. Instead of speaking to the rock, he strikes it with his staff, like he did previously in Exodus. When he does not directly follow the instructions he was given, God responds by saying, “‘Because you were not faithful to me in showing forth my sanctity before the Israelites, you shall not lead this community into the land I will give them,’” (Numbers 20:12). Moses ends up being able to see the Promised Land, but never being able to set foot inside
The mighty act of lord had two interpretations, the first one that were, that they were attacks against the deities of Egypt and the second one being that they were meant to teach Israel that the God of Creation was the God who had delivered them from Egypt.
Like Odysseus, Moses was at one with the gods. In Moses' case it was only
Exodus is concerned with the relationship aspect of the Patriarchal promises. Sometimes this relationship is expressed in various ways such as a blessing or guidance. By saying "I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob", He showed that he is faithful. He is faithful to His promises, such as God promised to give the Jews the land. When Moses turns to God's promises, he is in essence saying, “God we are not worthy of your blessings, we are here because of you, and we depend on you.” God acted as a parent towards a child. He wanted the best for His children. He, out of love for his children responded to them in different ways. At times he was tough, at other times gentle. Sometimes he enforced the rules and other times he would bend them depending on the occasion. Sometimes he denied his children of certain things and other times he gave openhandedly. He wants to love us and take care of us. Moses learned from God’s parenting skills. God taught lessons to his people as a parent would do. He also rescued his children when they were in trouble by defeating the powerful Egyptians and brought us out so that we could be his people.
In Exodus chapter 3, Moses is instructed by God to bring his people out of Egypt and be a key figure in God’s redemptive plan. This would require Moses to approach Pharaoh and demand the release of his people (Ex.6:10-11). God hardened the Pharaohs heart, this may not seem logical but it gave opportunity for God to show is power and glory. (Ex.10:1-2) As a result, God sent ten terrible plagues attacking Egyptian deities, economics and agriculture.
Moses says that God also became angry with him and condemned him to die in the desert by not allowing him to fulfill the dream of knowing the longed-for Promise Land (Deut 1: 37 – 38). God 's anger was so great that He, thirty-eight years later, when they arrived in Canaan, and all the Israelites had already been punished, Moses attempted to ask God to let him in, thinking that his anger had passed, but God answered with a definite no. God said to Moses, "‘Let it suffice you; speak no more to me of this matter" (Deut. 3: 23 – 28). He could not convince God to allow him to put a foot in the Promised Land. The question here is: why was God angry with Moses? What did he have to do with this story? Scholars have come with different theories, but they do not find a definitive answer. Some of them attempt to find something to blame Moses for, but apparently their attempt is inconclusive. Other think that this consisted of sending the spies to explore the country instead of trusting in God. Other believe that it was not to have accompanied the explorers. Another group thought that it was because he did not know how to pacify the Israelite rebellion as a good leader would
The Mosaic Covenant from exodus is a promise made between God and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. To begin with, the pattern of the covenant is very similar to other ancient covenants of that time because it is between God and his people. In the textbook, it explains how the Hebrews have struggled with the pharaoh around 1250 B.C.E. Moses, who was a prince that grew up in the household of the pharaoh, ran away. After returning he led the Hebrew slaves at the bottom of Mount Sinai. God spoke to the Hebrews who he freed them and explained the Ten Commandments. In addition, a quote form the readings “ I am the lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” (Judaism, pg. 397) This quote is the first commandment stating that he,
This section of exodus focuses on Moses, an Israelite who was raised as an Egyptian, who has fled from Egypt after the Pharaoh tried to kill him for killing an Egyptian man. By Exodus 3:1 Moses is married to Zipporah daughter of Jethro who gives him a job working as a shepherd. While tending to his animals Moses arrives at Horeb also known as Mount Sinai or the Mountain of God. Here Moses has his first theophany with God in the form of a burning bush. During this passage God talks to Moses telling him what he needs to do: go to Egypt and convince the Pharaoh to let the Egyptians go by performing a series of miracles. What god is asking Moses to do is intimidating. At this time the Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt who had a powerful army and the Israelite’s weren’t going to be easy to convince that God sent him. Despite the “signs” Moses is reluctant to take the role beca...
Even though God saw people as evil, he wanted to show his grace. He wanted to separate certain people in the world as His chosen people. “He wanted a chosen people: 1. To whom He might entrust the Holy Scriptures. 2. To be His witness to the other nations. 3. Through whom the promised Messiah could come” (Mears 47). This covenant is made between God and Abram. This covenant marks the beginning history of Israel, God’s chosen people.
Moses convinced the Pharaoh to let his people go giving the Hebrews the chance to escape and showed his people the wonders of God.
The covenant relationship between God and his people began with Abraham. Abram received a call from God asking him and the Lot to go to Canaan. God said he would make them a great nation, but then when he arrives to Canaan, Abram separates from the Lot by God’s request. In Chapter 15 of Genesis, God begins the covenant with Abram promising him descendants, a child, and land. Abram and God then sealed the covenant by Abram walking through the animal halves. When Abram agreed to the covenant with God, God renamed him Abraham.
However, there are few differences in the accounts of his life between the Quran and the Bible. One is the adoption of Moses into the palace. In the biblical account, pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses but in the Quran, the wife of the pharaoh adopted him. Similarly, the order of plagues and the nature of plagues that afflicted the people of pharaoh in the Quran and the Bible differ. In conclusion, despite these minor differences, the Quran and biblical accounts of the role, life, purpose, and figure of Moses are similar with several lessons, which can help us become better people in our society.