Golden Calf and turning 35
In just 30 days, I’ll be 35. A curious milestone, as 3+5 brings me to 8, a number of infinite cycles and new beginnings. I’m reflecting on my birth date – June 27th, 7:40pm PT, according to the Gregorian calendar. The Jewish calendar adds another perspective: I was born on the 16th of Tamuz, 5743, aligning my birthday with the evening of June 28th this year. What piqued my interest today is that on the 16th of Tamuz but in 2448, Aaron, Moses’ brother, forged the infamous Golden Calf (Exodus 32). A symbol of misplaced worship, impatience, distraction from true purpose. The contrast between this Biblical story and my own timeline feels like an invitation to another question: What idols have I unwittingly constructed? What distractions pull me away from deeper truths as I approach the next phase of life?