When Klal Yisrael stood at the foot of Har Sinai, they pledged their eternal devotion to Hashem with their seminal declaration of Naaseh v’Nishma, “We will do and we will listen!” Their obedience to the Almighty and His Torah was affirmed and ratified with these words. Alas, forty days later, they broke their trust by betraying their promise, offering their allegiance instead to a molten calf of their own creation. This marked the nadir of disloyalty. Hashem stated that He would put an end to this recalcitrant people. Such people did not deserve a commutation of Hashem’s desired decree. (Nevertheless,…
