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׃
And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and beat it in pieces, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust; and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.—
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.