Measurements of the Egal Hazahav

Rashi tells us that the עֵגֶּל הַזָהָב  (golden calf) was made of 125 kanterin of gold. [Rashi on Shemos 32:4]. Targum Yonasan says a kanter is the same as a kikar.  Rashi says that a kikar is normally sixty maneh  This is the smaller measure of a kikar.  However, when the kikar when used to measure objects for the Mishkan (Tabernacle) or the Beis HaMikdash (Large Temple) it was equal to 120 maneh. [Rashi on Shemos 38:24]. This is the larger measure of a kikar. 

Question:

A. How many maneh of gold was used for the golden calf if measured in kikarim?  Give the answer for both the smaller and larger measure of a kikar. 

Answer:

A. kanter = kikar

    Large:  125 kanterin x 120 = 15,000 maneh

    Small: 125 kanerin x 60 = 7,500 maneh.

Question:

B. A maneh is twenty five sela’im. How many sela’im of gold were used for the golden calf?  Give the answer for both the smaller and larger measure of a kikar. 

Answer:

B. Large : 15,000 maneh x 25 = 370,000 sela’im

    Small: 7,500 maneh x 25 = 187,500 sela’im

Question:

C. A sela is the same as a shekel. [Rashi Shemos 38:24] A Shekel is 0.51troy oz. (Chazon Ish Yoreh Deah 182:19) What was the weight calf in troy ounces? Give the answer for both the smaller and larger measure of a kikar. 

Answer:

C. Large: .51oz x 370,000 shekels = 188,700 oz.

     Small: .51oz x 187,500shekels = 94,350 oz.

Question:

D. The volume of one troy oz. is 0.1 cubic inches. What was the volume of the golden calf. Give the answer for both the smaller and larger measure of a kikar. 

Answer:

D. Large 18,870 cubic in

    Small 9,435 cubic in

Question:

E. If this amount of gold was put into a cube, what would the dimensions of the cube in inches (to the nearest 100th of an inch) Give the answer for both the smaller and larger measure of a kikar. 

Answer:

E. Large:  318,870 cubic in = 26.62 inches

    Small:  39,435 cubic in= 21.13 inches

Question:

F. In order to get some idea of the size of the golden calf let’s imagine that that gold was put into a block where the height was twice the width and the length was twice the height. What is the height, length and width of that cube in inches? Give the answer for both the smaller and larger measure of a kikar. 

Answer:

F. Width = x; Height = 2x; Length = 4x

   Volume = Width * Height * Length

   Volume = x * 2x * 4x

   Volume = 8x3

   Volume/ 8 = x3

   3Volume/ 8 =  x

Large 

18,870 cubic in

318,870/ 8 =  x

13.3115094372 =x

 

Width = x; Height = 2x; Length = 4x

Width = 13.3115094372; Height = 2 * 13.3115094372 ; Length = 4* 13.3115094372

Width = 13.3115094372 inches; Height = 26.62302 inches ; Length = 53.24604 inches

Small 

9,435 cubic in

39,435 / 8 =  x

10.5653520419 = x

Width = x; Height = 2x; Length = 4x

Width = 10.5653520419; Height = 2 * 10.5653520419 ; Length = 4* 10.5653520419

Width = 10.5653520419; inches; Height = 21.1307 inches ; Length = 42.26141 inches