King Jeroboam and the Mask

Question

Dear Rabbi,

King JEROBOAM is mentioned in connection with a man and woman wearing masks. I am writing some work about masks in the world and I am interested in knowing more about this.

Answer

I am not familiar with the story about men and women in masks that you refer to in your question. Could you please provide me with a direct reference to the story or tell me where you read about it? King Jeroboam Ben Nabat, was the first king after Solomon. He fought for Salomon's kingdom with Rehavam. I King 12:25-33 relates that he made two golden calves for people to worship and put one in the North and one in the South of the kingdom. By so doing, he intended that that the people would not undertake the long journey to the Temple in Jerusalem, where King Rehavam was sitting in power.
So as to avoid the possibility of idol worship, the Torah forbids making any statue or figure (see for example Exodus 20: 3 and Leviticus 19: 4). In Biblical Hebrew a molten figure is called Masekha, and this may have lead to the association with mask, since Masekha is the word in modern Hebrew for mask. But please, if you have a precise story in mind, write again.

Rabbi Monique Susskind Goldberg
July 2007