We have no control over the high waves or over the gale force winds

“They have strayed quickly from the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf” ( Ki Sisa , 32:8).

“A

he sin of idol worship is unlike any other sin. Even a tzaddik can occasionally fail and commit a transgression. But in the case of avodah zarah, not even a simple man will suddenly, unintentionally, commit such a sin. As Chazal explain, the evil inclination gradually convinces a person to commit one transgression one day, and something else the next, until he finally convinces him to worship idols.

“But when the Golden Calf was created, the act is described with the words saru maheir – they strayed quickly… and made … a molten calf. Who is the verse referring to? To the generation of the desert, a generation that had just witnessed the monumental event at Har Sinai. And then, suddenly, they experience a spiritual downfall, and commit the sin of idol worship. What caused them to lose their resolve and commit a sin that even simple Jews are not tempted to engage in?” (Sichos Mussar, Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz)

How could   bnei Yisrael   have committed such a terrible sin, and so suddenly?

Our Rabbis teach that the word boshesh hints at the expression bah shesh (the sixth [hour] has come). Moshe told the people he would be on Mount Sinai for forty days, and that he would return on the fortieth day to give them the Torah. When the sixth hour arrived and Moshe had not returned, Satan came and caused confusion. He sent such a thick layer of clouds that it became dark, and the people all thought that it was night. They concluded that the fortieth day had passed without Moshe’s return. Satan then made an apparition, showing the people Moshe lying in a coffin, and telling them that their leader had died. They believed Satan, and became distraught and depressed. They were desperate.

When life proceeds smoothly, and our ship is well maintained, it is very difficult to upset us. The skies are clear, we navigate the path of our journey with a compass and maps, and our destination is marked in red. We have good visibility, and the waters are calm. We are happy and so are our children. We are infused with energy, we have food to eat and clothes to wear. We have comfortable chairs to sit on.

But suddenly, a storm can develop. A strong wind and high waves violently rock our boat. The sea becomes dark and threatening. A teenager is troubled, a married daughter is having difficulties, the rebbi from the Talmud Torah wants to speak with us on the phone. Our financial state is shaky, we are fired from our job, our business stops earning a profit, we experience losses and fall into debt. Medical problems, shidduch problems, fertility problems …

There is pain, and tension, and fear, that threaten to capsize our ship.

“Chazal reveal how bnei Yisrael came to create a Golden Calf. From the moment they left Mitzrayim, Moshe was their leader, and showed them the physical and spiritual path to follow. When they suddenly thought that he was dead, they were at a total loss. They were broken and depressed over the thought that their prophet was gone, and were afraid of the lingering darkness. When people become depressed, alarmed, or startled, their spiritual resistance is affected. A person in such a state of mind may easily give up. He no longer feels any motivation to work and achieve. When this happens, he is capable of committing even the most grievous sins, sins that he would never have imagined committing before the depression set in.”

We have no control over the high waves, or over the gale force winds. But the oars and sails are ours. Let’s not fall prey to despair, and let’s not allow anxiety or fear to lead us in a negative direction. If we lose something of ourselves, let’s not risk losing everything we still have just to get it back.

A person should be very cautious, if he feels any kind of spiritual decline. He should take care not to come away more damaged by his poor emotional state than he initially was by the series of events that brought him to that state. He must never lose hope, even when he is experiencing dire troubles, and he must believe that one day his life will be better than ever.

Our faith will calm the stormy winds, and our prayers will calm the waves. Our hope will lead us to dry land. If we don’t give in to despair, we will see that we will become stronger than we were before, and will feel spiritually uplifted. If we search hard enough, we will find that we have within us the strength to keep our ship afloat and moving in the right direction.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 79)