TorahSweets – The Best – Parshas Ki Sisa
TorahSweets- The Best
Guest post by JewishByte Contributor, Rabbi Yosef Tropper of CloseToTorah.com
The sin of the Golden Calf, found in this Parsha, brought the Jew’s victorious exodus to a screeching halt.
The Torah records the event for us to learn its lesson. I believe that an examination of the contents of the entire Parsha will show one underlining theme meant to be learned from the terrible sin.
כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל… (ל:יב). “When you count the Jews…” (30:12).
Many of the commentators explain that the Jews only sinned with the Eigel as a result of a misconception regarding their own standing. They were truly on a high level as a result of witnessing the Ten Plagues and Hashem’s splitting the Red Sea to save them. They had stood at Mount Sinai and heard the Ten Commandments and now they were waiting for their leader to come down from Sinai after forty days. They allowed the Satan to convince them that Moshe was dead and they needed a leader.
Their mistake was not only in miscounting the forty days, but additionally they erred terribly in not recognizing their own greatness. Truthfully, they did not need an intermediary to connect them to Hashem. The worship of the Golden Calf showed however, that they did not see their own-self worth, their own individual greatness. This was part of the sin. They lowered themselves by going after an idol of witchcraft.
Indeed, the theme of the entire Parsha is one stressing personal greatness and the recognition that Hashem desires for us to serve Him according to our individual abilities.
To illustrate: The collection of the Shekalim, which was a fixed half shekel per person, despite economic standing, made a powerful statement that Hashem doesn’t view quantity, but rather the quality of service in our hearts.
The Kiyor, basin, made out of copper mirrors, was donated by the woman. Moshe was reluctant to accept them, as they had been used by the women to beautify themselves for their husbands. Hashem told him that on the contrary, as conduits for actions done L’Shem Shamayim, for the sake of heaven, they were the most beautiful gift! Every Kohen must wash his hands from it before serving Hashem in the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash!
The Ketores, contained “Chelbanah, Galbanum, a terribly bad smelling herb, to hint that even the sinners of the Jews have a portion and connection to Hashem.
All of the skilled workers came and offered their talents for the construction of the Mishkan.
The Jews were reminded of keeping Shabbos, the day which binds the family unit and Jewish people.
When Moshe came down from the mountain to find that the nation had sinned, his student Yehoshua greeted him and said that the nation’s noises sounded as if there was a war. Moshe replied harshly, no, it is the sound of rebellion against Hashem, someone who wants to be a leader of Klal Yisrael must be able to discern the different sounds! Why is this the time for such harsh words?
The meaning behind Moshe’s rebuke, I believe, is in the same vein as the entire Parsha. A leader must understand clearly the different aspects of life and of the nation in order to direct them properly. In fact, when Yehoshua was finally appointed as Moshe’s successor, the verse specifically credits him as someone who understood each individual! (See Bamidbar 27:18 and Rashi).
Moshe himself demonstrated his understanding of the importance of serving Hashem to his fullest. He begged Hashem to forgive the Jews and thus merited to bring down the concept of the Thirteen Traits of Hashem’s Mercy. Moshe then made his biggest request ever by asking to “see” Hashem, and was granted the most a human could achieve.
In fact, the entire Parsha begins by noting that every Jew is counted!
I believe that the lesson of the Parsha is clear. We strive to serve Hashem to the best of our ability on our own personal level.
Extra Short and Sweet - Increased Joy
“Mi’Shenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha, when we enter the month of Adar, we increase our happiness (Taanis 29a)! The following Dvar Torah is not out-dated, it is most relevant! Yes, Purim has come and gone, but that is exactly what I wish to discuss.
This phrase is mistakenly thought to only apply from the first day of Adar until Purim, half way through the month! However, in truth, those days are really only a warm-up! Our Simcha is supposed to grow every day and carry us all the way to Pesach, which in turn carries us through the year and back to Purim again!
Rashi (there) sates, “Adar begins the miraculous days of Purim and Pesach”! The Gemara specifically learns that when there are two Adars, we celebrate Purim in Adar Shaini, closest to Nissan, so that the redemption of Purim and Pesach will be together!
Mordechai himself decreed a fast on the day of Pesach, stating that if the Jews weren’t saved by Hashem, there would be no one alive to celebrate Pesach the next year! Also, Haman was executed on Pesach!
May we merit to feel the joy grow exponentially and to use these special and joyous days to grow closer to Hashem and to appreciate all of His kindness and miracles!
Rabbi Yosef Tropper is a Rebbi at the New Baltimore Yeshiva; Personal tutor and mentor; and a weekly contributor at Closetotorah.com. We are proud to bring his Divrei Torah and words of inspiration to the greater Baltimore Jewish Community as a guest on JewishByte.info.
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