What exactly does this term mean?

Abarbanel suggests that Joshua did not know that the golden calf had been built. Hearing sounds, he assumed it was that of war. Moshe, aware of the reality of the situation, responds that it was not the sound of war, but rather “it was simply the sound of people making a noise.” For Abarbanel, anot simply means “noise.”

Ramban suggests that anot describes the type of noise being heard. Moshe “was reluctant to speak disparagingly of Israel. So he told him [Joshua] that it was the noise of merriment.” For Ramban, anot means a joyous song. As Nechama Leibovitz explains, “Moshe would never denounce his people unless it were for the purpose of reproving them….He was reluctant to let Joshua have the ‘latest news’ of their disgrace.”

Another thought comes to mind. Joshua may have indeed known what happened. He may have been telling Moshe that the Jews have rebelled, and in fact, are prepared if you will, to go to war with God. Joshua’s words then make sense: “There is a sound of battle in the camp.”

Moshe responds that he understands the actions of the people to be very different. He states that he does not hear the voice of victory or defeat as Joshua does, but he hears the voice of a nation painfully crying out. From this perspective, the word anot comes from the word enui which means “affliction”; the people were afflicted and confused. They were confused about their relationship to God and were in deep conflict about belief.

For Joshua, the cry means that the Jews were rebelling. Kol milchama, “the sound of battle” not only reflected the actions of the people, but was also advice to Moshe that he should take up arms in response to the challenge.

Moshe, who hears the cry as the confused state of belief of the people, believed that the reaction should be to bring the Jews back through love and care.

While it is true that Moshe takes strong action and shatters the Tablets and thousands of Jews die, it must be remembered that it is God’s thirteen attributes of mercy that brings about the giving of the second set of Tablets. (Exodus 34:6-7)

The message: When seeing someone struggle with faith, we should hear a cry rather than rebellion and respond with love and mercy.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Avi Weiss