וְֽאֶת־חַטַּאתְכֶ֞ם אֲשֶׁר־עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אֶת־הָעֵ֗גֶל לָקַחְתִּי֮ וָאֶשְׂרֹ֣ף אֹת֣וֹ ׀ בָּאֵשׁ֒ וָאֶכֹּ֨ת אֹת֤וֹ טָחוֹן֙ הֵיטֵ֔ב עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־דַּ֖ק לְעָפָ֑ר וָֽאַשְׁלִךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפָר֔וֹ אֶל־הַנַּ֖חַל הַיֹּרֵ֥ד מִן־הָהָֽר׃
Und ich nahm deine Sünde, das Kalb, das du gemacht hast, und verbrannte es mit Feuer und schlug es in Stücke, zermahlte es sehr klein, bis es fein wie Staub war; und ich warf den Staub davon in den Bach, der vom Berg herabstieg.—
Shenei Luchot HaBerit
ואת חטאתכם אשר עשיתם את העגל לקחתי ואשרוף אותו . "I took your sin, the calf you had made, and burned it." At first glance we must ask how it is possible to "burn a sin" as Moses says in (9,21)? I have explained on repeated occasions that every עברה performed by a person creates a "good angel, a constructive force," whereas every map, transgression, creates a "bad angel, a destructive force." Hence each respective "deed" assumes its independent existence. The repentant sinner must see to it that the destructive forces he has created will be neutralized. When Moses refers to "your sins," he refers to the destructive force created by the making of the golden calf. Moses says that he burned the destructive force thus created.