אֲנִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה חֹקֵ֥ר לֵ֖ב בֹּחֵ֣ן כְּלָי֑וֹת וְלָתֵ֤ת לְאִישׁ֙ כדרכו [כִּדְרָכָ֔יו] כִּפְרִ֖י מַעֲלָלָֽיו׃ (ס)
Ako, ang Walang-Hanggan, ang sumisiyasat ng puso at sumusubok ng mga bato ng kalooban, upang gantihan ang bawat tao ayon sa kanyang mga lakad, ayon sa bunga ng kanyang mga gawa.
Ramban
BECAUSE THEY MADE THE CALF. This means that they were not amongst those who worshipped it or sacrificed to it,413Above, Verse 8. but they were the men who “made” it, that is to say, they were the ones who gathered around Aaron and brought him the gold. Now since Scripture states that they were punished for making the calf, not for worshipping it, and in reality they did not make it, it explains further, which Aaron made, meaning that Aaron made it at their command.
But Onkelos translated [the expression, because they ‘made’ the calf], “because they ‘worshipped’ the calf which Aaron made.” By this Onkelos intended to explain that the ones who died in the plague were those who embraced and kissed it, and were pleased with the calf. Now [although the same term asah (“did”) is mentioned in both cases, because they ‘made’ the calf, which Aaron ‘made’], Onkelos did not feel obliged to translate both alike [but instead he translated: “because they ‘worshipped’ the calf, which Aaron ‘made’ “]. A similar case [of Onkelos’ rendition] is the verse, and whatsoever they ‘did’ there, he was the ‘doer’ of it,414Genesis 39:22. which he translated: “and whatsoever they did there ‘was done’ by his command.”415Thus Onkelos translated the same form of the verb once in the active tense and once in the passive.
This plague occurred after Moses had punished the worshippers and prayed for Israel, saying, and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book.416Verse 32. For because Moses had shown his readiness to give his life for them, the Holy One, blessed be He, had mercy upon them, and told him to bring them up to the Land, and that He would send an angel before them;417Further, 33:2. but since He wanted to take away from them part of the great sin, in order that they should be worthy [to go up to the Land], He sent upon them this plague. Or it may be that He had decreed this plague upon them [before Moses’ prayer] and the plague had already begun, and after that He said again to Moses, Go up hence, thou and the people,418Ibid., Verse 1. meaning, that the plague will not blot out their sin from before Me so that I should again dwell in their midst. He mentioned though, unto the land of which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,418Ibid., Verse 1. and further said, and I will drive out the Canaanite, etc.;417Further, 33:2. for on account of the plague which He brought or decreed upon them, part of their sin was blotted out, and He was partially appeased to them, in remembering the merit of the patriarchs, and [promising] that He would fulfill to them the oath He had taken to bring them unto a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey.419Above, 3:8. Thus He hinted to Moses that the earth [i.e., the land of Canaan] would not become corrupt420See Genesis 6:11. nor would it be defiled under the inhabitants thereof421Isaiah 24:5. on account of their sin, and that He would drive out all the six nations whose land they were originally promised.422Above, 3:8. And He also said by way of pacification, for I will not go up in the midst of thee,423Further, 33:3. this being to your benefit, lest I consume thee in the way,423Further, 33:3. because of your stiff-neckedness.
Thus there were here two punishments for Israel: firstly, that He would not cause His Divine Glory to dwell amongst them, and secondly, that He would send an angel before Moses until the nations would be driven out; but He did not promise them after they would inherit the Land even an angel to help them, for this is why He mentioned in the way [lest I consume thee ‘in the way’]. It is with reference to all this that Scripture says, And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man put on him his ornaments424Ibid., Verse 4. — just as mourners. But G-d is merciful, abounding in compassion, and when He saw that they mourned, He said again by way of mercy, Say unto the children of Israel etc.,425Ibid., Verse 5. for up till now He had used the terms, thy people,426Above, 32:7. and the people,418Ibid., Verse 1. but now He mentioned them by their beloved name, and He commanded Moses to tell them that it was to their benefit that He would not go up in their midst, in order that He should not consume them in one moment. However, they have done well in repenting and mourning for their sin. So should they always do, and I will know what to do unto them.425Ibid., Verse 5. That is to say, I will visit their sin in accordance with My knowledge of their mourning and repenting their sin, since it is I Who tries the heart and searches the kidneys.427See Jeremiah 17:10.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the expression, that I may know what to do unto thee425Ibid., Verse 5. means that He will do unto them in the knowledge of mercy, similar to what is said, and if not, I will know,428Genesis 18:21. as I have already explained.429Ibid., Verse 20. Vol. I, p. 245.
But Onkelos translated [the expression, because they ‘made’ the calf], “because they ‘worshipped’ the calf which Aaron made.” By this Onkelos intended to explain that the ones who died in the plague were those who embraced and kissed it, and were pleased with the calf. Now [although the same term asah (“did”) is mentioned in both cases, because they ‘made’ the calf, which Aaron ‘made’], Onkelos did not feel obliged to translate both alike [but instead he translated: “because they ‘worshipped’ the calf, which Aaron ‘made’ “]. A similar case [of Onkelos’ rendition] is the verse, and whatsoever they ‘did’ there, he was the ‘doer’ of it,414Genesis 39:22. which he translated: “and whatsoever they did there ‘was done’ by his command.”415Thus Onkelos translated the same form of the verb once in the active tense and once in the passive.
This plague occurred after Moses had punished the worshippers and prayed for Israel, saying, and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book.416Verse 32. For because Moses had shown his readiness to give his life for them, the Holy One, blessed be He, had mercy upon them, and told him to bring them up to the Land, and that He would send an angel before them;417Further, 33:2. but since He wanted to take away from them part of the great sin, in order that they should be worthy [to go up to the Land], He sent upon them this plague. Or it may be that He had decreed this plague upon them [before Moses’ prayer] and the plague had already begun, and after that He said again to Moses, Go up hence, thou and the people,418Ibid., Verse 1. meaning, that the plague will not blot out their sin from before Me so that I should again dwell in their midst. He mentioned though, unto the land of which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,418Ibid., Verse 1. and further said, and I will drive out the Canaanite, etc.;417Further, 33:2. for on account of the plague which He brought or decreed upon them, part of their sin was blotted out, and He was partially appeased to them, in remembering the merit of the patriarchs, and [promising] that He would fulfill to them the oath He had taken to bring them unto a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey.419Above, 3:8. Thus He hinted to Moses that the earth [i.e., the land of Canaan] would not become corrupt420See Genesis 6:11. nor would it be defiled under the inhabitants thereof421Isaiah 24:5. on account of their sin, and that He would drive out all the six nations whose land they were originally promised.422Above, 3:8. And He also said by way of pacification, for I will not go up in the midst of thee,423Further, 33:3. this being to your benefit, lest I consume thee in the way,423Further, 33:3. because of your stiff-neckedness.
Thus there were here two punishments for Israel: firstly, that He would not cause His Divine Glory to dwell amongst them, and secondly, that He would send an angel before Moses until the nations would be driven out; but He did not promise them after they would inherit the Land even an angel to help them, for this is why He mentioned in the way [lest I consume thee ‘in the way’]. It is with reference to all this that Scripture says, And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man put on him his ornaments424Ibid., Verse 4. — just as mourners. But G-d is merciful, abounding in compassion, and when He saw that they mourned, He said again by way of mercy, Say unto the children of Israel etc.,425Ibid., Verse 5. for up till now He had used the terms, thy people,426Above, 32:7. and the people,418Ibid., Verse 1. but now He mentioned them by their beloved name, and He commanded Moses to tell them that it was to their benefit that He would not go up in their midst, in order that He should not consume them in one moment. However, they have done well in repenting and mourning for their sin. So should they always do, and I will know what to do unto them.425Ibid., Verse 5. That is to say, I will visit their sin in accordance with My knowledge of their mourning and repenting their sin, since it is I Who tries the heart and searches the kidneys.427See Jeremiah 17:10.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the expression, that I may know what to do unto thee425Ibid., Verse 5. means that He will do unto them in the knowledge of mercy, similar to what is said, and if not, I will know,428Genesis 18:21. as I have already explained.429Ibid., Verse 20. Vol. I, p. 245.
Radak
ויאמר, when Esau heard that his brother had used subterfuge to obtain the blessing by making his hands appear as if they were hairy, he said: הכי קרא שמו יעקב, “he was called the crooked one for good reason!” The letter ה at the beginning of the word הכי serves as confirmation of something, as if to say: “truly!” We find it used in a similar sense in Kings I 21,19 הרצחת וגם ירשת!, “ You not only murdered but meant to inherit!” Or, Numbers 20,10: המן הסלע הזה! “from this very rock!” Esau said that Yaakov had truly deserved the name they had given him at birth. Actually, the word יעקב has two connotations; one is connected to deviousness, deceit, as in Jeremiah 17,10 עקוב הלב , “the heart is full of deceit;” or, also from Jeremiah 9,3 כי כל אח עקוב יעקב, “every brother takes advantage.” On the other hand, the word also is derived from עקב, heel, not a negative connotation at all, but possibly a positive one, suggesting humility, modesty, the opposite of pushiness. Yaakov combined both qualities.