Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Ki Tisa
But could there be another reason for the census appearing in this Parsha?
4 times within 5 P’sukim the word "Kofer," or "Kapara" is used. The usual translation of this word is "atonement," suggesting that by joining in a community-wide effort to maintain the Mishkan, we would be forgiven for our sins. Fair enough.
But I want to suggest that these donations are also directly linked to the sin of the Egel Zahav. The root KFR can also mean rejection, or denial of Hashem, as in "Kefira," When we chose to worship a calf – a symbol of idolatry that we knew from our days in Egypt – we were insolently insulting G-d, & so we were in dire need of saving our souls.
But why did we do it?! Why, so soon after the Exodus & Ma’amad Har Sinai, just when Moshe was bringing down the Luchot, did we have the Chutzpah to proclaim that an inanimate object was a replacement for the living G-d?
The incident of the Calf begins, "And it was when Moshe delayed his descent from the mountain…" The unusual word used here for "delayed" (the only time it appears in the Torah!) is "Boshesh." It clearly connects to "busha," or shame. The nation was so ashamed of itself & unsure of its own merit, so sure that they needed an intermediary to reach Hashem, that they freaked out when Moshe seemed to be late, & frantically created a demi-god to take Moshe’s place.
The way to restore the people’s confidence in themselves was to count them, to indicate that each & every person is valuable & counts in G-d’s eyes. The strange term the Torah uses here for counting, "Ki Tisa" - to "lift up" (the heads of the people) sends the image that we can all hold our heads up high, knowing that Hashem loves & wants us. And the fact that money is involved pits our silver against the calf’s gold & thus we are "makdim refua l’maka," we administer the antidote prior to the ailment - just as we are doing regarding Haman's payment.
So, people of Israel, hold your heads up high, don’t lose faith in yourself & don’t be "cowed" by others. Remember: YOU are golden - Hashem loves you – and you count!
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
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Various Events FOR WHOM NOT TO VOTE
Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook stressed that Israeli politics is G-dly, so I have no problem answering this common question on a Torani blog. Also, Free-Will is a G-d-given right and obligation, to "destine one's fate" (R. Soloveichik, Kol Dodi Dofek, 67), so I obviously don't tell others how to vote. But once not a few (especially young) have already asked, a couple of personal words from experience and thoughts from chazal & Rav Kook which may be of help to others, mainly for whom NOT to vote.
P'ninat Mishpat Fallout from Failure to Install Elevator – part II
based on ruling 85007 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
