Reference for Avodah Zarah 8:17

וא"ר יהושע בן לוי לא עשו ישראל את העגל אלא ליתן פתחון פה לבעלי תשובה שנאמר (דברים ה, כה) מי יתן והיה לבבם זה להם ליראה אותי כל הימים וגו'

Joshua b. Levi further said: The Israelites made the [golden] calf only in order to place a good argument in the mouth of those who do teshuvah (repentance), as it is said, “Would that it were possible that this heart would stay with them and they would revere me forever” (Deuteronomy 5:25).

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