וָאֹמַ֤ר לָהֶם֙ לְמִ֣י זָהָ֔ב הִתְפָּרָ֖קוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ־לִ֑י וָאַשְׁלִכֵ֣הוּ בָאֵ֔שׁ וַיֵּצֵ֖א הָעֵ֥גֶל הַזֶּֽה׃
И я сказал им: у кого есть золото, снимите с него; поэтому они дали это мне; и бросил его в огонь, и вышел этот теленок.'
Pesikta DeRav Kahana
Rabbi Yonah of Botzrah opened: "When God judges, this one He brings low, and that one He raises up" (Ps. 75:8). A matrona inquired of Rabbi Yosei bar Chalafta. She said to him, "In how many days did the Holy One Blessed be He create the universe?" He said to her, "In six days, as it is written, 'For in six days Hashem created, etc.' (Ex. 31:17)." She said to him, "And what has He been sitting and doing from that time?" He said to her, "Matchmaking couples -- the daughter of so-and-so to so-and-so, the wife of so-and-so to so-and-so, the property of so-and-so to so-and-so." She said, "Is that all? Even I am able to do that. I have many slaves and many maidservants, yet in a very short time (sha'ah kalah) I can match them all up." He said to her, "This may appear easy (kalah) in your eyes, but before the Holy One Blessed be He, it is as difficult as parting the Sea of Reeds." Rabbi Yosei bar Chalafta took leave of her, and he went on his way. What did she do? She took a thousand slaves and a thousand maidservants, and stood them in row after row, and said, "This man shall marry this woman, this woman shall marry this man," and thus she matched them all up in one night. In the morning she came to them. This one's head was wounded, that one's eye was knocked out, and another's leg was broken. This one said, "I don't want her as a wife," and that one said, "I don't want him [as a husband]." She sent [a messenger] and had Rabbi Yosei bar Chalafta brought to her. She said to him, "Truly, your (pl.) Torah is fine and praiseworthy. Regarding everything that you said to me, you spoke well." He said to her, "And did I not say thus to you -- 'This may appear easy in your eyes, but before the Holy One Blessed be He, it is as difficult as parting the Sea of Reeds'? What does the Holy One Blessed be He do? He matches them against their will and not to their liking (i.e., He knows what's best for couples even if they don't yet realize it themselves). Thus it is written, 'God settles individuals in a home; He removes prisoners bakosharot*בכושרות, typically translated as "into prosperity".' What is 'bakosharot'? With crying (bechi) and singing (shirot)." Said Rabbi Berachya, [rather,] in this language, Rabbi Yosei bar Chalfta responded to her (i.e., to the question of what God has been doing since the Creation): "The Holy One Blessed be He sits and makes ladders. He causes this one to ascend, and that one to descend -- 'This one He brings low, and that one raises up' (Ps. 75:8)." Rabbi Yonah of Botrzrah and our Rabbis: Our Rabbis interpret that verse as referring to Aaron. With the word "this" (hazeh) he was brought low: "And I cast it into the fire and this (hazeh) calf emerged" (Ex. 32:24). And with the word "this" he was raised up: "This (zeh) is the offering of Aaron and his sons" (Lev. 6:13). Rabbi Yonah of Botzrah interprets that verse as referring to Israel. With the word "this" they were brought low, and with the word "this" they were raised up: With the word "this" they were brought low -- "For this (zeh) man Moses[, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him]" (Ex. 32:1). And with the word "this" they were raised up -- "[When you take a census [etc.],] this (zeh) they shall give [... half a shekel as an elevation-offering to Hashem]" (Ex. 30:12-13).
Midrash Tanchuma
R. Jonah of Bozrah and the rabbis disagreed concerning the meaning of this verse. The rabbis maintained that it refers to Aaron. Because of the word this (in the preceding verse) he was humbled, as it is said: And I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf (Exod. 32:24), and because of the word this he was exalted, as is said: This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons (Lev. 6:13). R.Jonah, however, was of the opinion that this verse refers to Israel: With the word this they debased themselves, and with the word this they exalted themselves. With the word this they debased themselves in saying: As for this man Moses (Exod. 32:1), and with the word this they exalted themselves, as it is said: This they shall give (ibid. 30:13). Scripture states elsewhere: Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people (Prov. 14:34). R. Joshua said: Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people is indicated by the fact that when Israel sinned, the nations of the world turned against them and enslaved them.
Vayikra Rabbah
“This is the offering of Aaron and his sons that they shall present to the Lord on the day he is anointed: One-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a perpetual meal offering, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening” (Leviticus 6:13).
“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons” – Rabbi Levi began: “For God is judge” (Psalms 75:8). A noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta, she said to him: ‘In how many days did the Holy One blessed be He create His world?’ He said to her: ‘In six days, as it is written: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens…”’ (Exodus 31:17). She said to them: ‘And from that time until now, what has He been sitting and doing?’ He said to her: ‘He is matchmaking; the wife of so-and-so is allotted to so-and-so, the daughter of so-and-so is allotted to so-and-so, the money of so-and-so is allotted to so-and-so.’1The reference is to money that will be allotted as a dowry. She said to him: ‘Is that all? I too can do so. I have several slaves and I have several maidservants, and I can make matches between them in a short time.’ He said to her: ‘If it appears simple in your eyes, before the Holy One blessed be He it is as difficult as the parting of the Red Sea.’ He left her and went on his way. What did she do? She sent and brought one thousand slaves and one thousand maidservants and stood them in several lines. She said to them: ‘So-and-so man shall marry so-and-so woman, and so-and-so [shall marry] so-and-so.’ She made matches between them in one night. In the morning they came to her. This one’s head was wounded, this one’s eye was gouged, this one’s elbow was shattered, and this one’s leg was broken. This one said: ‘I do not want that one.’ That one said: ‘I do not want this one.’ Immediately she sent and brought Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta. She said to him: ‘Rabbi, your Torah is true; it is fine and praiseworthy. Everything that you said, you said correctly.’ He said to her: ‘Is that not what I said to you: If it appears simple in your eyes, before the Holy One blessed be He it is as difficult as the parting of the Red Sea, as it is stated: “God settles the individuals in a home; He liberates prisoners bound in fetters [bakosharot]” (Psalms 68:7). What is “bakosharot”? It is with weeping [bekhi] and with song [veshirot]. To one who is satisfied, with song; to one who is unsatisfied, with weeping.2One who is happy with his match sings songs of praise, and one who is unhappy weeps. But the Holy One blessed be He matches them against their will and not to their liking.’3Even when it is not to their liking, God sometimes matches people up and ensures that they remain together (Matnot Kehuna).
Rabbi Berekhya said: Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta answered her in these words: ‘The Holy One blessed be He sits and crafts ladders; He elevates this one and humbles that one, as it is stated: “For God is judge; He humbles this one and elevates that one”’ (Psalms 75:8).
Rabbi Yona Botzri interpreted the verse in Israel’s regard: They were humbled with the term “this,” and they were elevated with the term “this.” They were humbled with the term “this”: “For this [man] Moses [who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what became of him]” (Exodus 32:1).4This was stated by the people immediately before committing the sin of the Golden Calf. They were elevated with the term “this”: “This they shall give, everyone who passes [among the counted: Half a shekel in the sacred shekel]” (Exodus 30:13).5This donation was given by each individual in advance of the construction of the Tabernacle. The Rabbis interpret the verse in Aaron’s regard. With the term “this” he was humbled: “I cast it into the fire and this calf emerged” (Exodus 32:24). With the term “this” he was elevated: “This is the offering of Aaron and his sons…”
“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons” – Rabbi Levi began: “For God is judge” (Psalms 75:8). A noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta, she said to him: ‘In how many days did the Holy One blessed be He create His world?’ He said to her: ‘In six days, as it is written: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens…”’ (Exodus 31:17). She said to them: ‘And from that time until now, what has He been sitting and doing?’ He said to her: ‘He is matchmaking; the wife of so-and-so is allotted to so-and-so, the daughter of so-and-so is allotted to so-and-so, the money of so-and-so is allotted to so-and-so.’1The reference is to money that will be allotted as a dowry. She said to him: ‘Is that all? I too can do so. I have several slaves and I have several maidservants, and I can make matches between them in a short time.’ He said to her: ‘If it appears simple in your eyes, before the Holy One blessed be He it is as difficult as the parting of the Red Sea.’ He left her and went on his way. What did she do? She sent and brought one thousand slaves and one thousand maidservants and stood them in several lines. She said to them: ‘So-and-so man shall marry so-and-so woman, and so-and-so [shall marry] so-and-so.’ She made matches between them in one night. In the morning they came to her. This one’s head was wounded, this one’s eye was gouged, this one’s elbow was shattered, and this one’s leg was broken. This one said: ‘I do not want that one.’ That one said: ‘I do not want this one.’ Immediately she sent and brought Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta. She said to him: ‘Rabbi, your Torah is true; it is fine and praiseworthy. Everything that you said, you said correctly.’ He said to her: ‘Is that not what I said to you: If it appears simple in your eyes, before the Holy One blessed be He it is as difficult as the parting of the Red Sea, as it is stated: “God settles the individuals in a home; He liberates prisoners bound in fetters [bakosharot]” (Psalms 68:7). What is “bakosharot”? It is with weeping [bekhi] and with song [veshirot]. To one who is satisfied, with song; to one who is unsatisfied, with weeping.2One who is happy with his match sings songs of praise, and one who is unhappy weeps. But the Holy One blessed be He matches them against their will and not to their liking.’3Even when it is not to their liking, God sometimes matches people up and ensures that they remain together (Matnot Kehuna).
Rabbi Berekhya said: Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta answered her in these words: ‘The Holy One blessed be He sits and crafts ladders; He elevates this one and humbles that one, as it is stated: “For God is judge; He humbles this one and elevates that one”’ (Psalms 75:8).
Rabbi Yona Botzri interpreted the verse in Israel’s regard: They were humbled with the term “this,” and they were elevated with the term “this.” They were humbled with the term “this”: “For this [man] Moses [who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what became of him]” (Exodus 32:1).4This was stated by the people immediately before committing the sin of the Golden Calf. They were elevated with the term “this”: “This they shall give, everyone who passes [among the counted: Half a shekel in the sacred shekel]” (Exodus 30:13).5This donation was given by each individual in advance of the construction of the Tabernacle. The Rabbis interpret the verse in Aaron’s regard. With the term “this” he was humbled: “I cast it into the fire and this calf emerged” (Exodus 32:24). With the term “this” he was elevated: “This is the offering of Aaron and his sons…”