What about those OTHER Golden Calves?  

               

        Everyone knows the story about the Golden Calf, right?  Moshe is up on Har (Mt) Sinai, and the children of Israel have a Golden Calf built for them...boy, talk about an ungrateful group, right?  But there was another time in the history of the people of Israel, where the Golden Calf thing happened, and we even know the exact date it occurred.  AND, we even know the disastrous results, which affect us to this very day.

        We have to go back to the death of Shlomo HaMelech King Solomon and the split in the United Kingdom that he had ruled.  Go to Sefer Melachim, the Book of Kings - the whole story's there.  Rechovam (Rehoboam) remained King of Yehuda (Judah), which essentially was from Jerusalem, South.  Yerovam (Jeroboam) became King of Yisrael - Israel - the Northern Kingdom.  Just as a note, in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible), the (Northern) Kingdom of Yisrael (Israel) is ALSO referred to Ephraim, Yosef (Joseph) and Shomorn (Samaria).  

             Having our one people being split between two Kingdoms would have been bad enough - but Yerovam wanted to have total control over the people in his particular Kingdom. He was concerned that his citizens would travel to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) to the Bet HaMikdash (Holy Temple) over the pilgrimage festivals (to offer sacrifices) and that they would retain their loyalties to the place that HaShem (God) decided to have His presence on Earth as well as to King Rechovam.

              So, he decided that he would need to changes things - MANY things...he actually built two Golden Calves, placing them at either ends of his Kingdom - Dan in the North and Bet El in the South.  Sefer Melachim (1) Book of Kings tells us that he told his citizens: "You have been going up to Yerushalayim long enough.  This is your God O Yisrael, who brought you up from the Land of Egypt!"

Melachim (1) 12:28

            Yerovam also changed the calendar, creating his OWN holiday!  Moving Sukkot to the 8th month, instead of the 7th month.  But worshipping the Golden Calves? Wow...you could not get MORE distant from the way the people of Israel were supposed to live.           

         This occurred on the 15th day of the 8th month....BTW, that's Cheshvan, the month that just ended.  This is a date where everyone who views themselves as PART of Israel (along with their Jewish brothers and sisters) should use to repent for the actions of their ancestors.   For 26 years, I have been meeting people who have identified themselves as belonging to the people of Israel - through descent from those of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. But, I have YET to meet people who acknowledge this date and use it to educate themselves and their congregations and fellowships.  

          I have always felt you cannot simply claim to be part of the 'Tribes of Israel' if you do not own up to what sent your side of the family into galut (exile) for over 2,700+ years.      

This initiation of IDOL WORSHIP was what is referred to as, "The Sin of Jeroboam" - changing the mode of worship that the People of Israel had been commanded to follow...which was what led to the ultimate destruction of the Kingdom of Yisrael/Ephraim.  That destruction by Assyria led to the dispersal and punishment of the citizens of the Kingdom of Israel.  Being led to Assyria and from there to the very corners of the Earth.  

And now, in 2020, after barely 30+ years of people being woken to the concept that they too may be part of Israel - that process of Restoration and Reconciliation has actually begun to happen!  May we approach each other with love, caring and Mutual Respect - knowing that it is ONLY HaShem who can change us into whatever He feels we need to be.  May ALL of Israel be reunited once again and may we work together to cause it to happen speedily and in OUR days.  

                                 With love & hugs from Modi'in, Home of the Maccabees,

                                                                 Hanoch