After learning the yesod of אָ ז – sin and atonement through the same vehicle – let us turn to what Rabbeinu Bachya teaches at the opening of Vayakhel, citing the Midrash (Lekach Tov). The Midrash asks: why does the Parsha say ַ קְ ה ֵ ל מ ֹ שׁ ֶ ה ו ַ י – Moshe gathered – rather than the traditional formulation of דַּבֵּר אֶל כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל? The answer is, because in Parshat Ki Tisa, the language used for the sin was ִקָּהֵל הָעָם עַל אַהֲרֹן וַי – The people gathered against Aharon. Let the gathering of Moshe – ַקְהֵל מֹשׁ ֶה אֶת כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וַי – come and atone for the gathering of Cheit HaEigel.
Secondly, Moshe says ֹאמֶ ר אֲלֵהֶם אֵלֶּה הַדְּ בָרִ ים וַי – He said to them: these are the things. Let this statement come and atone for the sin's statement of ֹאמְרוּ אֵלָיו קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים וַי – They said to him: arise, make us gods.
Thirdly, the word אֵ לֶּה appears in the command for Shabbat – אֵלֶּה הַדְּ בָרִ ים. Let this instance of אֵ לֶּה come and atone for the sin's יִ שְׂ רָ אֵ ל אֱ ל ֹהֶ יך אֵ לֶּה – These are your gods, Israel.
Fourth, the golden donations for the Mishkan – זְהַב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשׁ ֶת. Let the gold of the Mishkan come and atone for the gold of the Golden Calf.
The Midrash adds two more: Moshe said עֲשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ – Make Me a sanctuary. Let this instance of עֲשׂוּ come and atone for קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים. And Moshe said זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשׁ ֶר צִוָּה ה' – This is the thing that Hashem commanded. Let זֶה come and atone for מֹשׁ ֶה הָאִישׁ לֹא יָדַעְנוּ מֶה הָיָה לוֹ זֶה כִּ י – For this Moshe, the man – we do not know what has become of him.
Every word. Every phrase. Every detail of the sin of Cheit HaEigel has a corresponding tikkun in Parshat Vayakhel. The gathering of Moshe in place of the sinful gathering. The "saying" in place of the sinful "saying." אֵ לֶּה in place of אֵ לֶּה. Gold in place of gold. Make a Mishkan in place of "make us gods." This that Hashem commanded in place of "this Moshe – we don't know where he went."
The Midrash puts it beautifully: חָטְאוּ בְּזֶה לָקוּ בְּזֶה וּמִתְנַחֲמִים בְּזֶה – They sinned through this, were punished through this, and are consoled through this.
