Now we reach the teaching of Rav Shlomo Kluger in his Sefer Imrei Shefer – the chiddush I said earlier we would arrive at, B'ezrat Hashem. We’ll explain it as best we can, although it likely deserves its own dedicated shiur.
Rabbotai, which is the greater sin: dancing around the calf and saying יִשְׂ רָ אֵל אֵ לֶּה אֱלֹהֶיך, or dancing around the calf and saying זֶה? Both are clearly wrong. But which is worse?
Rav Shlomo Kluger provides a profound answer. When you say יִשְׂ רָ אֵל אֵ לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ יך – "these are your gods, Israel" – you are not speaking of the idol alone. You are pairing it with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The proof: the pasuk says אֲשׁ ֶר הֶעֱלוּך – "who brought you up" – in the plural. If only the calf brought you out of Egypt, the pasuk should say הֶעֱלֶך – singular. The plural הֶעֱלוּך indicates: the calf together with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. This is avoda zara b'shituf – idol worship in partnership with G-d.
When you say זֶה – "this is your god" – the word זֶה points with a finger: this one, and no other. So, זֶה אֱלֹהֶיך means him (the calf) alone – not G-d. That is complete denial.
So, which is worse? The one who said זֶה. Because the one who said אֵ לֶּה at least includes Hakadosh Baruch Hu – even if incorrectly and in a prohibited form. The one who said זֶה...
