I’m watching Law & Order, episode 1000 BCE.
The Scene: an impressive courtroom quite different from most. This one is particularly large and has a group of about three thousand defendants sitting on one side. On the other side, at the table usually reserved for the prosecution, I see an unusually large contingency of prosecutors. I recognize Rashi, Ramban, Arbravanel and many others. Also represented at that table are Midrash and Talmudic writers.
On the other side I find just one lawyer representing the defense: Judah Ha-Levi, who is sitting all by himself.
On the bench there’s no one. However there’s something strange about the impressive chair usually filled by a judge, it’s lit up in a strange way.
The rest of the courtroom is filled by scholars and rabbis; I recognize Nehama Leibowitz, and in awe I recognize Moses sitting by himself.
For the prosecution, Rashi, played by Sam Waterston who normally plays District Attorney Jack McCoy, rises up from his chair and calls Aaron Ha-Cohen to the stand.
Aaron, after affirming the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, seats himself behind a wooden balustrade.
Rashi begins with the simple question: “How could this disaster happen before you?”
Aaron: “They asked me to supply them with a leader like Moses, not an actual g-d.”
Rashi concludes: “Didn’t they acknowledged other g-ds as well?” He then turns to the jury , doesn’t wait for Aaron to answer the question and says: “Acknowledge, can only apply to actual worship of idols.”
I see Ramban and other prosecutors nodding their heads in agreement.
“Objection!” cries out Judah Ha-Levi, as he jumps out of his chair, “Heresay...”
No sign from the bench.
Rashi turns to Aaron and asks: “Did you not give them the idea to use gold?”
Aaron: “They said, rise, make us a g-d.” “And I said whoever has gold, strip it off and give it to me and I threw it into the fire.”
Aaron looks at Moses in the audience and says: “Do not be annoyed with me”.
Avraham b. Ha Ramban hands over a note to Benno Jacob. On it I see the words:
The Almighty Judge said to Moses: “Your people have corrupted themselves”, not My people. Only by exclusively worshipping Him did they qualify to be called “His people...”.
Benno Jacob, approves of this opinion by nodding.
Judah Ha-Levi approaches Aaron for questioning. He paces back and forth between the Jury box and Aaron as if to say; “How am I going to make my case without further prosecuting the defendants?”
The camera zooms in on the witness and we see Aaron sweat profusely. He has the look of a man who knows he’s a conspirator of idolatry.
Judah: “How many souls were involved here?”
Aaron: “Three thousand, give or take.”
Judah: “And how many souls do you count among Am Israel?”
Aaron: “Six hundred thousand, give or take.”
The prosecution feverishly is taking notes.
Judah Ha-Levi: “Isn’t idolatry common among other Nations?”
Without waiting for Aaron to answer he continues:
“Weren’t you privy to idolatry among the Egyptians during your years in Mitzrayim?”
“Isn’t it normal for people to expect to have a physical example of their g-d?”
Rashi, clearly amused shoots Ramban a note: “If that’s all he’s got, he’s losing the case.” Ramban agrees.
I’m interrupted by a commercial break.
As we come back to the program, the prosecution is back asking Aaron questions.
“How was it possible that within forty days after the Sinai Revelation with one of the commandments clearly stating: “I’m the Lord - Thou shall have no other g-ds but me”, still ringing in their ears, they did seek other g-ds?”
Aaron hesitates to answer.
I watch the doors of the court room open and in walks a man named Shadal who makes his way quietly over to Judah Ha-Levi. Without saying a word he shakes Judah’s hand and joins him.
Shadal hands Judah a note stating: “G-d did not say- They have turned away from me - indicating that they have not abandoned the worship of G-d in favor of other g-ds.
The prosecution continues.
Isaac Arama for the prosecution.
To Aaron: “Did you not think that when Moses broke the two tablets, written by Ha-Shem himself, something so dire had happened for him to do this?”
He continues: “Did Moses do this to shock you or to shame you?”
Ramban takes over. He’s not concerned over finding a motivation for the Divine decision to wipe out the transgressors. He disagrees with Tanna debei Eliyahu that G-d never gave the order. It is a Divine decree and that’s sufficient for him.
Ramban calls Moses to the stand.
Ramban examines Moses: “I want to go back to something here, everyone knows that you, Moses, are an outstanding leader but not a g-d. Yet they asked - Since Moses has left us, let us make G-d. They did not ask for a g-d-calf representing the supreme powers of life and death but merely a substitute for Moses’ leadership. - would you agree?”
Moses: “So it was...”
Commercial break, I’m watching a spot about Egyptian cotton claiming to be the best in the world.
Back to the program and the closing statements have begun. Judah Ha-levi paces back and forth again.
He passionately addresses the Jury; “All the people in those times worshipped images....The people were left waiting for Moses to come down without having changed their clothes since the Revelation. They had remained as they were, waiting for Moses who was forty days late, not having taken any food for himself and having left them with the intention of returning the same day.”
As I’m watching this I can’t help but think - this is still no reason to build yourself a golden calf. And I’m wondering, why didn’t they give it a catchy name? All other idols in those days had them. For idolators they did a half-job, plus for a show like Law & Order, it would have made the point that much more.
As the credits roll up, we see the large group of defendants being led away. Aaron catches up with Moses as they slowly leave the room.
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