תהלים, פרק ק״ו, פסוק כ״א

Experiencing miraculous salvation usually leaves a lasting impression, making a sudden shift to total forgetfulness a sign of profound spiritual blindness. This loss of memory among the Israelites is particularly shocking because the Exodus from Egypt and the splitting of the sea had occurred a very short time prior [אבן עזרא]. Human nature typically ensures that people remember even a single wondrous event for a lifetime. Yet, despite living through a long and continuous series of extraordinary miracles, the memory of these events was completely wiped from their hearts [חומת אנך].

The nature of their rescue highlights a specific aspect of God's relationship with the people. Their salvation was rooted entirely in His grace and kindness, as the Israelites did not deserve such intervention on their own merit [חומת אנך]. The actions taken on their behalf were not ordinary historical events, but wonderful and awesome deeds specifically enacted to deliver them [מלבי״ם].

Beyond the simple act of forgetting, this memory lapse exposes the core theological failure that ultimately led to the sin of the Golden Calf. The Israelites might have tried to justify making the calf by arguing that it was never meant to replace God. Instead, they may have viewed it merely as a mediating force to connect them to Him, much like an angel or a celestial body. However, this reasoning collapses when looking back at their time in Egypt. God acted there directly and personally, without the use of any middleman, even descending into a place filled with impurity to save them Himself. Because He delivered them directly and without any intermediary in Egypt, their sudden demand for a mediating figure in the desert completely lacked logic and justification [אלשיך].