Approach the Alter (9:7).
Because Aharon had sinned in deed in the incident of the Cheit Ha’eigel, but his intentions had been purely for Hashem’s sake, his calf was sacrificed as a korbon chatas, which atones for sins of action.
The people, though, sinned in thought, for they truly wished to serve the Golden Calf; so, their calf was brought as a korban olah, which atones for sins of thought.
The Midrash says that the image of an ox appeared to Aharon, so he feared to approach the mizbe’ach. Moshe told him not to be afraid, but to go to the mizbe’ach. On this, Ramban explains that we should not think that the mizbe’ach actually appeared to Aharon in the image of an ox. Rather, Aharon – in his extreme piety – always dwelt upon the thought of his sin, the Cheit Ha’eigel.
Moshe therefore told him now to approach the mizbe’ach without fear, for Hashem had forgiven him. (The Weekly Midrash – Tzenah U’re’enah)
Reprinted from this week’s email of The Weekly Vort
