משה את העגל וישרוף באש ויטחן עד אשר דק ( כי תשא לב:כ)

And Moshe took the calf, burned it in the fire, and ground it until it was fine.

The nature of fire is that it can’t burn gold; it can only melt the gold completely. Since the חטא העגל was made of gold, why does the pasuk say “וישרוף באש” that Moshe burned it?

Gold also can’t be ground, and the pasuk says “ויטחן עד אשר דק” – that it was ground to dust. And how did the Yidden allow Moshe to burn their ‘egel’? They see their idol burning, and they’re not defending themselves?

As soon as Moshe saw the ‘egel’ he told the gold, “Hashem created you above all other metals, and you allowed yourself to form into an עבודה זרה?” The piece of gold responded by turning into a solid piece of wood.

Go back to Parshas Ki Sisa