Descend the mountain because YOUR nation that YOU took out of Egypt has become corrupt (Chapter 32 verse 7, after the sin of the Golden Calf).

At this point the Chumash should drop from your hands, you should be taken aback and ask yourself: Whose people are they? Who took them out of Egypt? How many times since the beginning of the book of Exodus have we read that we are GOD’S nation, and that GOD took us out of Egypt with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm?

The Malbim notes that this is the only time that Bnei Yisrael are referred to as Moshe’s people.

You could almost hear God saying to Moshe - THESE ARE YOUR KIDS! YOUR NATION SINNED!

Rashi gives perhaps the harshest and most fascinating explanation. Rashi records a snippet of a Midrash in Shemot Rabbah and offers the following commentary: Moshe, these are literally YOUR PEOPLE that sinned, the “Erev Rav” - the masses or riffraff that you decided to take out of Egypt without consulting me. It was your decision to take them, your fault!

A look at the actual Midrash that Rashi is quoting reveals a slightly different, fuller, and even more interesting version of the dialogue between God and Moshe. I believe that when properly appreciated, it will also provide some measure of vindication for Moshe.

According to the Midrash: God tells Moshe: go down because your people have sinned. So Moshe turns to God and says “NOT MY PEOPLE, all yours!” But God replies - Moshe don’t you remember, when you were still in Egypt, I instructed you to take my people (tzivotai) out of Egypt, and didn’t I tell you not to take the “erev rav” with you?! But you, Moshe - you were an “anav vekasher”- a humble straight person, and you said to me - (le’olam) forever we should accept Shavim, those who want to return. And I knew, said God, what was going to happen and I told you - don’t do it, don’t take them; but you, Moshe, you said no and I acquiesced. You took them but now look what happened. Those same people were the instigators of the Chet Ha’egel. They sinned and took part of my nation down with them.

This is an incredibly powerful Midrash with a very important message.

Powerful - because Moshe argues with God on behalf of the people and wins. His love for and dedication to Bnei Yisrael is evident. It is a part of Moshe that we see from the text itself. After the sin God turns to Moshe with a proposition; why don’t I destroy Bnei Yisrael and start again with you? The first batch didn’t come out well, so let’s dump them and start again. Every year when I read this episode, this dialogue, I think to myself, WOW, this is Moshe Rabbeinu at his best. Committed, dedicated and protective of his children, Moshe stands up to God and says, no! Why are you getting so angry? What will the Egyptians think? Remember the covenant that you sealed with the patriarchs - it almost seems like the reason is irrelevant and secondary to the stand that Moshe takes, NO GOD YOU CAN’T DESTROY THEM!

This is an all or nothing proposition - my fate is eternally tied to MY people! This is Moses at his very best Powerful!

It is also powerful because it speaks to whom we are meant to reach and teach and take along with us as we journey towards God.

To understand this message of the Midrash, we need to understand 2 things:

1.  What are they arguing about?

2.  Why does Moshe win? Why does God give in?

In modern terms, it appears that Moshe and God are arguing about “educational philosophy” and whether to take a minimalist approach or a maximalist approach.

God argues the minimalist approach - only take out Tzivoati - my people, the ones that will succeed, and leave the erev rav alone, they will amount to nothing and will ultimately have a negative affect on the rest of the nation.

Moshe argues the maximalist approach - everyone who wants gets a chance to join an education and us - we are one people and we neglect no one. Are there risks? Sure, but they are risks that are worth taking! The erev rav must come as well!

And Moshe wins the day! Admittedly, I am not painting God in the best possible light but I will fix that in a moment.

Moshe Rabbeinu understood that we don’t only take the ones that we know will succeed. We are one interconnected people, even the “Erev Rav” and everyone needs to be at Har Sinai to receive the Torah.

Judaism and its messages can touch everyone and everyone has the potential to spiritually connect to God, no matter the current state of affairs. AND it is our responsibility to see that they get that chance.

If so, what is God’s argument? How do we defend His position and rehabilitate God? Didn’t God create man in his image and invest each human being with that spiritual potential? Doesn’t he agree that we are all capable and worthy of redemption?

What I really believe is going on in the Midrash is as follows - it is not so much an argument as it is 2 different perspectives:

From the divine perspective, where everything is objective and black and white, the argument of “don’t take them or don’t teach them is” is valid. If we knew with 100% certainty that all of our efforts with A or B would be for naught, totally useless, then we could say sure don’t teach them, count them out.

And Moshe tells God, that might work well in heaven but that approach does not work in my world, where things are more gray than black and white and no one can ever be certain what the future will hold.

In this world it is always worth the effort and always worth the risk.

Because every Jew is important, and every Jew needs to have a connection to the Torah!

Sure there are dangers and risks but the endeavor is worth it.

And God agrees and gives in.