This week’s parsha is ki tisa. It is the famous story of the golden calf. After seeing the golden calf created because of doubt in Hashem, Moses throws down and destroys the Ten Commandments in anger. Within this episode of the parsha, stubbornness is clear. The people of Israel are clearly very stubborn for rushing to build a golden idol when in doubt of Hashem.
Although Aaron helped build the golden calf, Rashi says that Aaron tried to delay the creation of the calf as long as he could, in order to weaken their stubbornness. Rashi says that “Aaron tried to busy them with tasks. He said "Remove the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives," and thought it would be difficult for the women to part with their jewelry, but that didn't delay them much.
Aaron further tried to weaken Israels’ stubbornness by insisting that he build the calf himself. This would take longer than if everyone helped, and Aaron hoped that Moses will return before he finishes. When Aaron states “tomorrow is the feast to G-d”, he was further delaying the celebration to the idol, according to Rashi. He believes that Aaron was talking about Hashem, since he was certain Moses would return by then.
However, according to Jonathan Sacks, the chief rabbi of the UK, perhaps this stubbornness will not always be bad. In this parsha, Moses refers to Israel as a "stiff-necked people." This is believed to mean stubborn. Perhaps, Sacks says, Moses is referring to their stubborn faith. He says "just as they stubbornly betrayed You with the Golden Calf, so too will they stubbornly keep their faith in You in the future."
Rabbi Yaakov Sinclair syas that stubbornness can be an extremely dangerous trait, for it can foil any attempt to improve our situation. Stubbornness enters a person’s mind and limits him from any other possibility other the one on which he has set his mind.
If the people of Israel had only waited longer, then perhaps the story of our people would be different. However, their stubbornness in wanting to pray to an idol overcame them. This parsha warns against such strong stubbornness, and shows what happens when it is not contained.
