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that the calf was not, in fact, a sub-
stitute for God, but for Moses, their
prophet.
In Exodus 32:1, the people tell
Aaron that they desire a god to go
before them to replace Moses, who
has vanished on the fiery mountain-
top. A few verses later, Aaron pres-
ents them with the calf, but then
declares a festival for the Lord.
It is Moses, rather than God,
decade ago, my wife and I
whom they seek to replace. The clas-
spent a month traveling
sical commentators reject the notion
through Nepal and India
that Israel could actually have
— where my brother was
viewed this idol as God.
working for the American
Rashi said it was initially
Jewish Joint Distribution
the non-Israelite riffraff
Committee in Bombay.
who accompanied Israel
There was a surfeit of
and worshipped this idol.
squalor and beauty juxta-
Rambam writes, Not
posed in a way that dizzied
even the biggest idiot in
the mind. In addition, the
the world could believe
polytheistic Hindu culture
that this gold that had
that was evident in shrines
been in their ears (i.e. ear-
in the streets, in taxis and in
rings) had brought them
temples had a disorienting
out
of Egypt." Rambam
RABBI DANIEL
effect upon us. It felt like we
states
that the people
NEVINS
had been transported back
hoped
only that this idol
Special to the
into antiquity and suddenly
might
convey
some of
Jewish News
confronted by a paganism in
God's holy spirit, even as
all of its power.
Moses the prophet had
Each morning as I donned tefillin
shared God's spirit with them.
and said traditional Jewish prayers in
What Israel clearly yearned for
my hotel room, the words of Aleinu
was a visible reminder of God's pres-
and other prayers that contrast of
ence and a guide for their perilous
monotheism with idolatry suddenly
journey through the wilderness. In
seemed urgent in a way I had never
their panic, they violated the second
known.
commandment and nearly destroyed
The encounter with polytheism
the covenant which was still fresh
clarified other things as well. As I
with promise.
looked at the Hindu temples, I
Radical monotheism, which
couldn't help but notice a peculiar
reflects any physical incarnation or
feature. For each One of the Hindu
representation of the infinite God, is
gods, there was a statue outside his
an extremely challenging discipline.
temple, not of the god, but of its
Although we have grown less tempt-
carrier — usually an animal that
ed by classical idolatry, we may have
served as the pedestal for that partic-
compensated with a deadening of
ular deity.
spiritual yearning. We do not need
For example, outside the temples
an idol, but we do need to struggle
to Shiva, there would be a statue of
each day to feel God's commanding
a bull called Nandi, who served as
presence.
that god's carrier. I am no scholar of
The words of Torah must assume
Hinduism, and I have little under-
the power of revelation; the per-
standing of the role of these carriers.
formance of mitzvot must usher us
But that encounter gave me a clue
into God's presence. Only such an
about one of the most perplexing
intensive practice of Judaism can
stories in the Torah, I refer to the
raise us above the realm of idolatry
incident of the Golden Calf, which
or apathy. ❑
features prominently in this week's
portion.
What was Israel's intent in build-
ing the Golden Calf? Did they really
believe that this calf was their god
In confronting other cultures,
— their creator and redeemer? If we
W hat have you learned about
read the passage closely, it emerges
your own?
Daniel Nevins is a spiritual leader at
Congregation Adat Shalom.

Shabbat Parah
Parshah Ki Tissa:
Exodus 30:11-34:35;
Numbers 19:1-22;
Ezekiel 36:16-38.

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