THE 1310 Lecture 15

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Sinai Covenant

We are beings of worship and desire
- Israelites ask Aaron to make a "god" for them
  - Calf as proxy for the Lord (breaks first commandment)
- Aaron plays an active role, but abdicates when later questioned by Moses
- Worship "festival" ... hints at deeper shenanigans
Note: It's okay to make things, but it's not okay when the things we make become the objects of worship
God alerts Moses: "Your people, whom you brought out from Egypt"
- Moses acts as mediator on people's behalf and responds:
  1. Not my people, but your people, God
  2. Don't ruin your reputation as a God who freed them only to kill them in the wilderness
  3. Remember your Covenant with Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac.
Moses is shocked when he sees the people
- breaks tablets as sign of already-broken covenant
- Grinds down calf and makes people drink it: "Is this what you want‽ Here, taste it! Do you like it?"
- Levites rally to Moses

Sin is an obstacle for God
- He can't draw near to where there is sin and evil
- We push him away, and he won't force himself upon us
- God is all-good, and sin/evil is absence/perversion of good.
  - absence of good would cause pain (and death) if pure goodness came close.
God says an angel will lead the way
- Exclusive intimate relationship with Moses from now on (face-to-…back? - Ex 33:18-23)
Moses will eventually foretell a "new prophet like [himself]"
Reinstatement of covenant with new set of tablets, but not written by God's finger this time.

Priestly act: priest offers bull (for self) and goat (for people) in atonement for sins
Blood used to cleanse the holy of holies
- Sins of people somehow find their way into the inner sanctuary
- Blood is cleansing?
Sins conferred onto head of another goat, the "scapegoat," which is sent out into the wilderness
Ritual unburdening of Israel's guilt.
- outlet for a fundamentally human problem
- We all sin, and we all yearn for unburdening when we feel guilt/contrition
- Ritual brings with it an experience of love (like when we ~~sing~~ yell "Happy Birthday" to at someone)