The parsha opens with a commandment to Aaron: “Take for yourself a calf, a young male of cattle for a sin offering.” Rashi explains that this is to inform Aaron that Hashem grants atonement to him through this calf for the Golden Calf that he made. Why does Aaron need atonement at all? We know the Parah Aduma was a kaparah for the aigel, as it is said, “The mother will come and clean up the mess of the child.”
Rav Yehuda Tzadka, Rosh Yeshivat Porat Yosef in Jerusalem, shares an insight. There were three types of sins that took place by the Golden Calf: 1) People who prostrated themselves to the aigel were killed by the sword. 2) Those who only worshiped in their hearts passed away in the plague that took place after the grinding of the aigel. People drank it with water and died, just like a Sotah who dies as they drink the water. 3) For those people who did not protest against the actions that took place during the aigel, the kaparah was the Parah Aduma. Group #1 violated in their heart and action, group #2 only in their heart, and group #3 lacked the protest against evil. Aaron was not in any one of these groups. His violation was in action but not in heart, as his intention was to stall the people until Moshe would return in the hope of preventing the sin. He brought a korban in this week’s portion as a kaparah for his “sin.”
This seems to imply that Aaron did a sin and needed atonement. That cannot be possible because his thoughts were pure, and even his actions were to stall the people. When the aigel was miraculously created in the fire, Aaron was shocked. This was not what he expected to happen; he expected the gold to simply melt. Even his action was not sinful.
The Talmud (Kedushin 39b) teaches us that if one has good intentions without action, Hashem will attach an action to his intention. When one has a negative intention with a positive action, Hashem won’t include the negative intention with the action. Here, Aaron's intention and action were good. It was Hashem Who threw him a curve ball that produced the aigel, causing great embarrassment to Aaron. How do we rectify the pain of Aaron for all of eternity and inform the world of his innocence?
The parsha opens that it was on the eighth day of the Meluim. The number eight always signifies something that is above nature, like the eight days of Chanukah and Brit Milah given on the eighth day. Additionally, it was Rosh Chodesh Nissan, and the word Nissan comes from the word nes, miracle. Hashem is showing that Aaron did not sin with the aigel. Rather, the miracle that Hashem performed made it appear as though he sinned, causing him great distress. Now Hashem is illustrating at this time, at the Mishkan, through Aaron bringing this korban, that he is innocent of any sin and is worthy of being the Kohain Gadol.
That is why Hashem commands Aaron, “Kach lecha aigel, take for yourself an aigel.” It’s for you and everyone to know with absolute clarity that you’re not at fault due to the miraculous results that caused an aigel to appear. This korban was a special opportunity for Aaron to come closer to Hashem, clear his name, and establish his purity.
RABBI ARON LANKRY
