As we’re in the midst of the Hebrew months of Adar, we get closer to Purim and begin to immerse ourselves in the complex layers of that holiday.

At the same time, we’re reading Torah portions about the building of the Golden Calf, so it’s natural to ask if these two moments in Jewish history speak to each other.

At first glance, they seem to be completely unrelated. The Golden Calf involves the slave generation liberated from Egypt, while Purim involves an exiled generation forced out of Israel. The leader of Israel at Sinai is Moses, a man chosen by God, while the leader of the Jewish people in Purim is Esther, a woman chosen by a foreign king. In fact, we could sit and count the differences for some time, an activity I highly recommend.

Yet with all the differences, it’s surprising how the core of these events convey the same message. There are many interesting midrashim that ask questions about who is to blame for the Golden Calf. Of course, Israel and Aaron are at fault, but should it stop there?

Several midrashim speak of God holding Moses responsible for the actions of Israel, even referring to the nation as “your people” when speaking to Moses. Even more interesting are the midrashim that speak of Moses holding God responsible for the Golden Calf.

According to these midrashim, Moses believes God is responsible, since God placed Israel in Egypt, a nation that worships calves, and left them there to learn from the Egyptians. In other words, what did God expect?

Similarly in the Purim story, there are many midrashim that place the Jews at the opening parties of the Megillah. In fact, the sages go one step further, stating that the utensils of the Temple were being desecrated at these parties and the Jewish people were willingly participating. The great questions of identity that arise through the Purim story can equally be attributed to a circumstance of situating Jews in the middle of a foreign culture and leaving them there.

But it’s not the trappings of foreign ideology that are the threat. Israel isn’t standing at the bottom of Mount Sinai arguing with Aaron about the benefits of Divine/human incarnation and the existential realities of Egypt. Philosophy and ideology are not what’s attracting them, just as in the Purim story there’s no debate of Persian gods and the benefits of idolatry at the parties.

The midrashim in which Moses blames God for the Golden Calf are quite specific about the problem. Moses is angry that God gave Israel so much wealth when they left Egypt. It’s that wealth that allowed them to create the Golden Calf and put their trust in a materialistic god. Who wants an invisible Creator when we can have a gold one?

Likewise in the Purim story, we see a Jewish people surrounded by opulence, royal wealth and festivities. The challenge lies in becoming too entrenched in the heights of materialism, to the point of losing touch with the core of who you are.

The midrash likens it to a man who cares for his son, washes and anoints him and hangs a purse of money around his neck. Then the man places the son in front of a brothel and walks away.

It’s not the materials themselves that are the problem. It’s what we, as a generation, choose to do with them.

Rachael Turkienicz is director of rachaelscentre.org.