שְׁמוֹת / shemos / shemot / Exodus 30:11-34:35
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Parsha narrative overview here.
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Aharon’s Story:
“Make us an idol!” the people cried, when Moshe was long gone.
“He’s just a guy who’s served us well, but it’s time for us to move on.”
I hemmed and I hawed, I didn’t know what Hashem would want me to do,
And finally, I thought I’d stall them ‘till Moshe himself could come through.
“He’s just a guy who’s served us well, but it’s time for us to move on.”
I hemmed and I hawed, I didn’t know what Hashem would want me to do,
And finally, I thought I’d stall them ‘till Moshe himself could come through.
“Who has gold?” I asked of them, expecting that they would quail.
But instead, they came, hands full of gold, each man came without fail.
“Where’s it from?” I asked but I already knew deep inside,
They’d ripped it from their wives’ own ears, a place they couldn’t hide.
But instead, they came, hands full of gold, each man came without fail.
“Where’s it from?” I asked but I already knew deep inside,
They’d ripped it from their wives’ own ears, a place they couldn’t hide.
“I’ll have no part,” I said, “of this,” but my life was on the line.
If I didn’t make them an idol now, the head they’d have would be mine.
If I throw the gold in the fire, I thought, then we’d see what occurred;
Perhaps the gold would just disappear – the outcome that I preferred.
If I didn’t make them an idol now, the head they’d have would be mine.
If I throw the gold in the fire, I thought, then we’d see what occurred;
Perhaps the gold would just disappear – the outcome that I preferred.
“Now look!” I shouted and cast the gold deep in the fiery flames,
Looking around to see who watched – knowing Hashem knew their names.
But what do you think sprang from the fire? A calf, glowing and warmed,
And all of those people stood about, staring at their gold, transformed.
Looking around to see who watched – knowing Hashem knew their names.
But what do you think sprang from the fire? A calf, glowing and warmed,
And all of those people stood about, staring at their gold, transformed.
I cried out “Here is Hashem!” to them, knowing it couldn’t be true –
Hoping to show that this wasn’t the One who’d brought their great rescue.
“This is Hashem,” I shouted out, “who brought you from slavery.”
I thought that they might laugh aloud – how crazy could they be?
Hoping to show that this wasn’t the One who’d brought their great rescue.
“This is Hashem,” I shouted out, “who brought you from slavery.”
I thought that they might laugh aloud – how crazy could they be?
But instead they woke up early, bright and early the very next day,
“We have to daven, to dance and sing – this calf has shown us the way!”
I stood aside and watched in shock as their prayers grew wild and loud;
I stood at the edge and took it all in, trying not to anger the crowd.
Moshe’s Story:
“We have to daven, to dance and sing – this calf has shown us the way!”
I stood aside and watched in shock as their prayers grew wild and loud;
I stood at the edge and took it all in, trying not to anger the crowd.
Moshe’s Story:
Well, I was up on the mountainside still, speaking closely with Hashem.
“Descend,” Hashem said, “go down and see the evil now among them.”
I walked slowly down the slope, two luchos, engraved, in my hands,
Stopped in shock to stare at the people who’d heard Hashem’s commands.
“Descend,” Hashem said, “go down and see the evil now among them.”
I walked slowly down the slope, two luchos, engraved, in my hands,
Stopped in shock to stare at the people who’d heard Hashem’s commands.
“How could you do this?” I wailed, and cast down those tablets of stone.
I stood on the hill and I waited and wept – but for Yehoshua, alone.
But then I remembered Hashem’s faithfulness and I knew I had to act.
“Who is for Hashem?” I called; the kohanim rushed to join in the pact.
I stood on the hill and I waited and wept – but for Yehoshua, alone.
But then I remembered Hashem’s faithfulness and I knew I had to act.
“Who is for Hashem?” I called; the kohanim rushed to join in the pact.
“If Hashem can forgive these people who stumble and fall, make mistakes,
Then surely I can’t turn my back now, although my heart certainly breaks.
I will return, back up to Hashem, to demand that He spare you your lives;
Remind Him of His holy oath – to our Avos and their righteous wives.”
Then surely I can’t turn my back now, although my heart certainly breaks.
I will return, back up to Hashem, to demand that He spare you your lives;
Remind Him of His holy oath – to our Avos and their righteous wives.”
“Erase me from your book,” I told Hashem, up close face-to-face.
“If you wipe out these people now, it would be the greatest disgrace.”
He’d sworn to our ancestors on His holy name to hold us always dear,
And though I trembled, I stood my ground, hardly feeling my own fear.
“If you wipe out these people now, it would be the greatest disgrace.”
He’d sworn to our ancestors on His holy name to hold us always dear,
And though I trembled, I stood my ground, hardly feeling my own fear.
As I forgave them, Hashem did too – He granted my deepest desire;
With brand new luchos, carved out myself, not - like the first ones - by fire.
“The Torah is not in shomayim,” I learned, “it’s right down here on earth.”
And so I went down, luchos in hand: a clean slate, my people’s rebirth.
With brand new luchos, carved out myself, not - like the first ones - by fire.
“The Torah is not in shomayim,” I learned, “it’s right down here on earth.”
And so I went down, luchos in hand: a clean slate, my people’s rebirth.
(images from MiBereshit, a series of parsha sheets and other resources available in numerous languages here)
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