Sunday, March 8, 2026

103

The Ariza"l connects the sin of the egel (עגל גימטריא 103) with the 103 methods of derash that Yeravam had in Toras Kohanim (which is stated in Sanhedrin on daf 103.) This why when Yeravam had his turn to the dark side he made his own version of the egel. What is the connection? The sin of the egel was that Klal Yisrael didn't feel intellectually equipped to deal with the death of Moshe Rabbenu and hence they looked for a substitute in the form of a egel which is a calf, completely submitted to the desire of their master. The tikkun is to come to a level of Torah that is beyond the natural grasp of a person (see sicha Ki Sesa 5751.) 

The number 103 has prominence in a few other places. The Zohar Terumah (162b) that the 310 worlds that are promised to the tzaddikim are split into 2 parts of the chesed side and one part of the gevurah side and a third of 310 is 103. It is pointed out by the Beis Yaakov of Ishbitz in Vayigash that the word mincha is also gematria is also 103. It would seem from these citations that the number 103 is connected with gevurah (as noted in the past there are those that associate the time of mincha with a time of din.) The Ramban (32:1) also connects the egel to the shor of the merchava which is on the left side, the midday of din. I'm not sure what the connection is with the number 103 or if this relates to the first part. 

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