Golden-Calf
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Colour coded details of our beloved TaNaKh:
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Please Note: Some
alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’
of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim,
having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember
the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye
shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments ofיְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the
LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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“The Golden Calf”
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
The Torah
tells the story of the ‘golden calf’ in juxtaposition to the instructions for
the building of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle represents אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s way of
spirituality. Whilst the golden calf represented man’s way of
doing evil. אֱלֹהִים - Elohim and Israel
were both striving for the same end: They were each attempting to create a
medium whereby Israel could worship אֱלֹהִים - Elohim and celebrate
their relationship with Him. However, their methods of accomplishing that ended
up very differently.
The tragic building of the golden calf was a poor substitute for the glory
of the future Tabernacle. The Torah tells about the work of making the ‘golden
calf’ to contrast it against the work of the magnificent Tabernacle.
When Aaron made the calf, he did not yet know that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim had chosen
to make him the future ‘high priest’ over Israel. When the people asked him to
make an idol for them, he took the role of priesthood himself. If he had
only waited for Moses to return, he would have learned that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim had chosen
to install him as a priest in the Tabernacle!
The people did not know that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim had ordered
them to raise a contribution of gold and precious materials for the building of
the Tabernacle. If they had waited, Moses would have told them. Instead, Aaron
told them to donate the gold of their jewellery to make the idol.
The people were to fashion the furnishings of the Tabernacle made of gold.
Instead, Aaron fashioned the idol “with a graving tool and made it into a
molten calf” ().
“And Aaron said unto them:
‘Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons,
and of your daughters, and bring them unto me’.
And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears,
and brought them unto Aaron. And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it
with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said: ‘This is thy
god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt’”. Shemot - Exodus
32:2-4.(JPS-1917 version of the Torah
The people were to build a bronze altar for burnt offerings and a golden
altar for incense. Instead, we read that “he built an altar” (Exodus 32:5) for
the idol. The people were to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings on the
altar in the Tabernacle. Instead, we read that the people “offered burnt
offerings, and brought peace offerings” (Exodus 32:6) to the idol. The
Tabernacle was to be a resting place of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s invisible
presence. Instead, the people made a visible, idolatrous representation of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim. All those
things that Israel desired, our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim had already
planned to give them!
Let me tell you a story about a girl from a poor farmer’s family, who was
ready to take a husband. Her father promised to find a perfect match for her.
He set out for a distant city to find a suitable fellow. In his absence, she
grew impatient, and she was lonely, and felt that she needed someone to provide
for her. Rather than wait for her father to return, she married the crass and
ignorant son of a local farmer. The day after having become ‘husband and wife’,
suddenly her father returned with the match he had found: a good, wealthy,
handsome suitable man, who was a well-educated young noble. Imagine the girl’s
shame and terrible disappointment, for being so stupid.
The truth is that ‘patience’ is a virtue. It is always better to wait on אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He! This is what we call (I pray) a lesson well learned!
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Note: “hebraicstudies”
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This
site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and
wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or
three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us,
especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much
a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said
the following via several of our prophets:
“Return unto Me, and I will
return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi -
Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
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is the one who gave us our Life!”
May
the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts, be with you, and
please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim -
Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
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שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben
Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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