By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
SAN DIEGO — A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away…)
I was an ozer (Counselor-in-Training) at Camp Ramah in Ojai, California for a summer. One of the senior counselors made an indelible impression upon me. He was a nice guy and a good counselor, but he could go from blazing anger to embracing kindness in a matter of seconds. If one of his campers did something wrong he was on top of them in an instant, but after he had scolded them, he began kidding around with them and made them laugh.
I remember thinking to myself: here is a counselor who truly cares about his kids. He knows how to keep them in line, but also makes sure that they know he loves them.
The same was true of the Biblical Moses. Upon returning from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments, Moses found the Israelites celebrating around the Golden Calf they had made in his absence. He was infuriated by their lack of faith and patience and threw the tablets to the ground, shattering them.
God is not too pleased either. God said to Moses, “Now, let me be, that My anger may blaze forth against them and that I may destroy them [all of the Israelites], and make of you a great nation.” (Ex. 23:10)
Moses immediately calmed down. Instead of accepting God’s offer to make him the progenitor of a new great nation, he not only interceded for Israel, but cast his fate with them: “Alas, the people are guilty of a great sin in making for themselves a god of gold. Now, if You will forgive their sin [well and good]; but if not, erase me from the record which You have written.” (Ex. 32:31-32)
God acceded to Moses’ request. God did not destroy the entire people, but only punished those who participated in the building of the calf: “He who has sinned against Me, him only will I erase from My record. Go now, lead the people where I told you. See, My angel shall go before you…” (Ex. 32:33-34)
Moses was enraged by the Israelites’ behavior, but he still loved them. As soon as he heard that God wanted to punish them for the sins of a few, he stepped in to protect them. His love quenched his anger.
It is easy to become angry at those we love. This is only normal. We must always remember, however, to make sure that our displeasure is quickly extinguished by our love.
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Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue. He may be contacted at leonard.rosenthal@sdjewishworld.com