[(Lev. 16:1:) AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.] All four of [Aaron's sons] deserved to die; but Moses prayed for them, and his prayer produced half an answer . When? When Israel made the calf, what is written there (in Deut. 9:20)? AND THE LORD WAS ANGRY ENOUGH WITH AARON TO DESTROY (rt.: ShMD) HIM. Destruction (rt.: ShMD) can only be annihilation. Thus it is stated (in Amos 2:9): I DESTROYED (rt.: ShMD) THEIR (the Amorites') FRUIT ABOVE. When Moses prayed, his prayer produced half an answer .

[(Lev. 16:1:) AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.] The Holy One said to him: Aaron, did I not write this in my Torah (in Exod. 22:8 [9]): IN EVERY CASE OF MISAPPROPRIATION, WHETHER FOR A BULL…. Do you not remember what you did with the bull, as stated (in Ps. 106:20): THUS THEY EXCHANGED THEIR GLORY FOR THE IMAGE OF A BULL?⁶¹ 54b. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR AN ASS. This refers to the Egyptians, about whom it is written (in Ezek. 23:20): WHOSE FLESH IS LIKE THE FLESH OF ASSES. You (Egyptians)⁶² made for them a calf, whom they worshiped, [as stated] (in Numb. 11:4): THEN THE RABBLE⁶³ WHICH WAS IN THEIR MIDST. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR A SHEEP (seh). This refers to Israel, as stated (in Jer. 50:17): ISRAEL IS A SCATTERED FLOCK (seh). (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR A GARMENT. i.e. that one about which it is written (in Is. 3:6): YOU HAVE A GARMENT; YOU SHALL BE OUR LEADER.⁶⁴ (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) OR ANY LOSS, since it is written of them (i.e., of Israel in Jer. 50:6): MY PEOPLE WERE LOST SHEEP. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) OF WHICH ONE SAYS: THIS IS IT. This refers to them when they said (in Exod. 32:8): {THIS IS YOUR GOD} [THESE ARE YOUR GODS], O ISRAEL. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) THE CASE OF BOTH PARTIES SHALL COME BEFORE GOD. This refers to Moses of whom it is written (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH, in that Moses sat in judgment over them. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) THE ONE WHOM GOD CONDEMNS. This refers to the judges, of whom it is written (in Exod. 22:27 [28]): YOU SHALL NOT CURSE A GOD NOR A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.⁶⁵ (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) SHALL PAY HIS NEIGHBOR DOUBLE. This refers to the two sons of Aaron. Ergo (in Lev. 16:1): AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.

footnotes: ⁶¹ See Numb. R. 9:47. For alternate interpretations of Exod. 22:8 [9] that use the same form, see BQ ⁶² The parallel account in Numb. R. 11:47 explains that it was the Egyptians who enticed Israel to make the golden calf. ⁶³ I.e., the Egyptians who joined Israel in the Exodus. ⁶⁴ According to Numb. R. 9:47, the allusion is to Israel having made the golden calf their king. ⁶⁵ See above, Exod. 2:1, and the note there.