זוהר שמות — דף קצב ע”א

Aaron had good intentions in the affair of the calf, but many among Israel associated themselves with it in their hearts. Moses came and purified the holy people from this sin by making them drink the water. Aaron commanded them to remove their golden earrings to delay the action and wait for Moses. But the error was that he took the gold directly from their hands, because had the sorcery operated from the ground it would have been neutralized. The calf emerged because Aaron took the gold from their hands, and Scripture criticizes this.