When Moses pleaded for mercy for the children of Israel in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf, he mentioned the exodus from Egypt. He sought thereby to defend Israel by noting that in Egypt, whence they came, the worship of animals was pervasive.

Moses said to God: “Why shall Your wrath be enflamed against Your people, whom You took out of the land of Egypt?” (Exodus 32:11). What led Moses to mention the exodus from Egypt in this context? Moses said: Master of the Universe, from where did You take the Israelites out? You took them out from Egypt, where the Egyptians all worshipped lambs. Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: This can be explained by means of a parable of a wise man who opened a perfume shop for his son in a marketplace of prostitutes. The street had its impact, the profession [which perforce involves interactions with women] had its impact, and the fact that the lad was a young man had its impact – he went astray. His father came and caught him with prostitutes. The father began to shout, and said: I am going to kill you. The father’s close friend was there, and said to the father: It is you who led the lad astray, and yet you are shouting at him! You forsook all professions and you taught him only perfumery. You forsook all the streets and you opened a shop for him specifically in a marketplace of prostitutes. So said Moses: Master of the Universe, You forsook the entire world, and You enslaved Your children specifically in Egypt, who worshipped lambs. Your children learned from them, and they too crafted the calf. Therefore, Moses said: “Whom You took out of the land of Egypt” – know from where You took them out. (Shemot Rabba 43)