Comentario sobre Deuteronómio 9:8

ALSO IN HOREB YE MADE THE ETERNAL ANGRY. Before even beginning to explain to them the Torah, he [Moses] reproved them for the sins which caused them evil and which were not forgiven: he mentioned the affairs of the spies, and the waters of Meribah. Afterwards he explained the Ten Commandments and the section of the Unity of G-d [Sh’ma], and he admonished them with many exhortations against idolatry; he cautioned them concerning the commandments in general, and he said that they [the commandments] are all good and, in consequence of [observing them] all the good will come to them, and then he commences to explain the individual commandments. But before he mentioned any of the commandments specifically he returned to reprove them and to visit upon them all their iniquities¹²⁷Amos 3:2. which they had committed from the time they received the Torah and henceforth. But the complaints they made before the Giving of the Torah — when they were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea,¹²⁸Psalms 106:7. and the people murmured at Marah,¹²⁹Exodus 15:24. and in Alush¹³⁰Numbers 33:14. See Ramban Exodus 16:1 (Vol. II, p. 217) that it was in Alush that murmuring took place. — he did not mention to them, because, from the time that they received the Torah, they were more obligated to hearken to the voice of G-d Who made a covenant with them. Therefore, he began here, Also in Horeb ye made the Eternal angry, and he mentioned to them the affair of the [golden] calf, which I have already explained.¹³¹Exodus 32:1 (Vol. II, pp. 549-553).

ובחורב הקצפתם, Moses underlines the serious nature of this negative characteristic known as “stiff-necked,” by reminding the people that even at Mount Sinai when G’d had already decided to wipe them out, (verse 14 our chapter) G’d had justified this by referring to their stiff-necked nature. He had not decreed death for them on account of a specific and horrific sin, but on account of their attitude which bode ill for the future, indicated that such a people was not capable of becoming true penitents.

In Choreiv you angered Hashem. Moshe went on at length to refute two false ideas. The first is that you are certain that you will not worship idols. Even at Choreiv, that special occasion, you angered Hashem. Secondly you believe that even if you do worship idols you will not be exiled. But “Hashem was infuriated with you to destroy you,” even though since the beginning of creation He loved you… Moshe went on at length to show that there is nothing which prevents the judgment of Hashem’s attribute of strict justice.