Hashem said to Moshe (when the Jewish people sinned with the Golden Calf): 'Go, descend ("Red"), because the nation which you took out of Egypt has become corrupt."

(Shmot 32:7)

Then Hashem said to me: "Arise, descend ("Red") quickly from here, for the people that you took out of Mitzrayim has become corrupt."

(Devarim 9:12)

Rav Zeira said: "Even parts of the Torah that seem like little slivers ("Kotzin") are actually tremendous mountains ("Tilei Tilim"). They can destroy the entire world if they are not preserved.... [For instance,] in the verse (Devarim 12:4), 'Hear O Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is *One* (Alef Chet Dalet),' if the Dalet of Echad is changed into a Reish by erasing the little sliver that distinguishes between the written form of the two letters, it can cause the destruction of the entire world (because the verse would read, "Hashem is *another*). In the verse (Shemot 34:14): "Do not bow down to a *another* (Alef Chet Reish) G-d ," if the Reish of Acher is changed into a Dalet by adding a little sliver, it can cause the destruction of the entire world (because the verse would then read, "Do not serve the *one* G-d").

(Vayikra Rabba, 19:2)

Our belief in Hashem as expressed in these two verses depends entirely on a minute sliver -- a "Kotz." The Ba'al HaTurim (Devarim 6:4) explains that this is why the Dalet of "Echad" and the Reish of "Acher," in the verses quoted by the Midrash, are written Masoretically on a larger scale than normal in a Torah scroll. It is done to emphasize the importance of preserving the difference between those letters -- of not dropping the Kotz from the Dalet or adding a Kotz to the Reish.

In a broader sense, this teaching can be applied to our daily lives. When a person performs a Mitzvah for the purpose of personal gain (i.e., in order to become wealthy or famous), he is not serving "Hashem Echad." He is serving wealth, or honor -- he has made himself a "Hashem Acher!" If a person refrains from what he perceives as a wrongdoing when the act is actually a positive one (for instance, by not saving a life in violation of the Shabbat), he shows that the verse which prohibits bowing to a God which is "Acher" applies the G-d which is "Echad" as well.

The Gemara tells us (Sanhedrin 38b) that when Adam sinned by eating from the Tree of Knowledge, he "denied the omnipotence of Hashem." He sinned, thinking that it would be possible to "hide" his actions from Hashem. He was misreading the Dalet for a Reish, not fully appreciating "Hashem Echad" ("Hashem is One; He fills all of Creation"). Because of this sin, Hashem -- following in the path that Adam had chosen for himself -- hid His Presence from us in this world, making it so considerably easier to sin than it had originally been.

This, says the Bnei Yisaschar, is the curse of " 'Kotz V'Dardar' (Dalet, Reish, Dalet, Reish) shall sprout for you." After the sin, "Kotz" (a sliver) will "sprout" on the Reish of "Acher," causing it to be confused with a Dalet. Likewise, "Kotz" (Kof, Vav, Tzadi, which have a numerical value of 196) will sprout on the Dalet of Echad (Dalet = 4), causing people to confuse it with a Reish (Reish = 4+196=200).

Rav Sholom Gold (of Kehillat Zichron Yosef, Har Nof, Jerusalem) added that before Hashem gave the Torah, He told Moshe, "Red Ha'Ed Ba'Am" -- "Go down and inform the people (to take care not to approach too close to the mountain)" (Shmot 19:21). Again in Shmot 19:24, immediately prior to the Giving of the Torah, Hashem says to Moshe, "Go, descend ('Red')" -- the exact same words that He told Moshe Rabbenu after the Sin of the Golden Calf. Hashem wanted to warn Moshe that the people had not yet reached the proper spiritual height to fully grasp the significance of the occasion. For this reason, only forty days later, the Jews sinned by making themselves a Golden Calf. Hashem warned Moshe, "Red," -- make sure that the people do not confuse the Reish with the Dalet!

The verse (Shmot 17:16) states, "Hashem lifts His hand in oath to swear by His Divine Throne that He is waging a war against Amalek throughout the generations ("Mi'Dor Dor" -- Dalet Reish Dalet Reish). The war against Amalek is waged to stop him from causing a confusion of the Dalet and the Reish -- from persuading us to serve "Acher" instead of the "Echad."

Haman the Amalekite attempted to fulfill his people's mission by destroying the entire nation of Israel. Hashem foiled his plans, and in the end it was Haman who was hanged on a tree (Megilat Esther 7:10). We may point out that according to the Midrash (Esther Rabba 9:2), the various trees argued among themselves as to which should have the privilege of hanging Haman. It was the thornbush ("Kotz") which eventually won. As the Midrash concludes, "Along came the thornbush and said: "I would like to hang this despicable person, for I am called "Kotz" and he (Haman) is also a "Kotz." It is proper that the Kotz be hanged upon a Kotz." Haman had attempted to change the Dalet into a Reish by adding a "Kotz." When he failed, he was punished measure for measure by being hanged on a Kotz.

Rabbi Gold pointed out that we celebrate Haman's downfall during the month of Adar (Alef, Dalet, Reish). At this time, we work on strengthening our perception of Hashem Echad and not bowing down to an El Acher. The mission of Adar is to learn to differentiate between the Dalet and the Reish, and through this, to reveal the "Alef," (which, having a numerical value of one, represents the Creator) whose Oneness will finally be revealed to all when Amalek is completely destroyed.