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Why did 80% of Jews refuse to leave Egypt despite the miracles? The shiur explains that God's offer to leave required abandoning security for an uncertain future. The only rational explanation: God guaranteed eternal Jewish survival. Moshe's argument after the Golden Calf—"the Egyptians will say You took them out with evil intent"—reminds God that this guarantee was implicit in the Exodus offer, and the Thirteen Attributes reaffirm this unbreakable covenant.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a profound question about the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (Hashem (ה׳), Hashem kel rachum v'chanun) that appear in Parshas Ki Sisa. Why do we recite these attributes when taking out the Torah (תורה) on Yom Tov? More fundamentally, how could saying these words grant forgiveness for the terrible sin of the Golden Calf? Judaism is not a religion of magic formulas—so what is the substance behind these words? The shiur examines Moshe's seemingly absurd argument to prevent God from destroying the Jewish people after the Golden Calf. Moshe tells God: "Why should the Egyptians say You took them out with evil intention, to kill them in the mountains?" This argument appears ridiculous on its face. God had performed tremendous miracles in Egypt, split the Red Sea, provided manna and water in the desert, protected them with clouds of glory—and after all this kindness, the people committed idolatry. How could anyone claim God had evil intentions? What kind of argument is this to save the Jewish people?
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Parshas Ki Sisa 32:11-14
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