Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Job 36:5

It seems appropriate to resolve all this, through what is said and on the day that I visit, I will visit their sin upon them (Exodus 32:34). What does on the day that I visit mean? It indicates that the sin of the Golden Calf was not forgiven except because the sinners were many, and mercy is abundant for many, because the Holy One, blessed be He, has special compassion for the multitude, as it is written Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise, mighty (Job 36:5) [here understood as He does not despise the mighty community] and as it is written Should I not have pity on Nineveh, which has more than 12 myriads (Jonah 4:11), etc. And so it is concluded in the Gemara (Avodah Zarah 4b): Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, “David was not fit for that deed [with Bathsheba], nor were Israel fit for that deed [of the Golden Calf]. Why then did they do it? To teach repentance to the penitent.” And this was necessary, for if we had only been told about the many [Israel], I would say it was because mercy is abundant, etc.
According to this, this atonement only serves in a time when each person is sitting among their people, as the Shunammite woman said I dwell among my people (Second Kings 4:13). But in a time when they are counted one by one, there is concern that the counting will cause each individual to be remembered above on his own, and his record will be examined for all his merits and debts. Perhaps his merits will not outweigh his debts, and for this reason the sin of the Golden Calf, which had already been forgiven, will be remembered against him, for it was only forgiven to the many, not to individuals, and counting causes each individual to be remembered separately.
Therefore it says, on the day that I visit [pokdi], which is an expression of counting, meaning when they are counted for some purpose, then the memory of each individual person will rise before Me, and then I will visit their sin upon them, for the sin returns and awakens. Therefore, He commanded here about this ransom for his soul to atone for the deed of the Golden Calf at the time of counting, because each and every one’s place will be visited [examined]. For this reason our Sages said (Avot 2:8), “Do not separate yourself from the community.”
Therefore, those younger than 20 years old, who were not included in this count, were always dwelling among their people. That is why it says, When you lift up the head, because when the memory of each head comes before the Holy One, blessed be He, individually, therefore each man shall give, each particular man for whom there is concern that his record will be examined and it will be found that he had a part in that disgraceful act; therefore, at that time, he shall give a ransom for his soul.

The passage is written in plural form except for “and you shall gather your grain,” because it says And you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread (Exodus 23:25). The early commentators explained that serving God is better done as a community, as it says Behold, God is mighty and does not despise (Job 36:5) [read here as, Behold, God will not despise the mighty ones]. But eating is better when each person eats their bread alone and does not increase in feasts with companions. Therefore it says here, and to serve Him with all your heart, etc., [in plural] and you shall gather your grain [in singular]. For it is good when each person gathers their grain for themselves, and similarly when they sit in their house alone, as it says, when you sit in your house, when you walk on the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. For all these matters are not appropriate to say about the community as a whole.

לא כביר Not great,²⁹A. V., Feeble. quantitative; comp. כבירים many (Job 34:24), or Not great, qualitative; the meaning of the phrase is there will not be left of them any great man; comp. כביר great (Job 36:5)