A proposal

מאת: אבנר רמו

אל: avnerramu @ aol.com

After the event of the “golden calf” which was associated with feasting, dancing and making merry (Ex 32:6, 19) we read:
וירא משה את-העם כי פרע הוא: כי-פרעה אהרן לשמצה בקמיהם.
“And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose--for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies” (Ex 32:25).

It is not clear why this event would be a “derision among the enemies” of Israel who themselves worshiped idols and were not even present when this event took place in the wilderness near Mount Sinai. It is therefore suggested that the unique expression: לשמצה בקמיהם (leshimtsah beqamehem) is a letter-substitution error of:
לשמחה בצלמיהם (lesimkhah betsalmehem) - “for celebration in their idols.”