Parshat Ki Tissa

The Other Golden Calves

This week's parsha sees the ultimate betrayal. Only a few months previously, God had brought Israel out of Egypt with tremendous miracles, culminating with the splitting of the Red Sea. Seven weeks later, God revealed Himself to the entire people and gave them the Ten Commandments. They began with the words: "I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt" (Shemot 20:1).

Yet, when Israel created the Golden Calf they proclaimed: "This is your god O Israel, who has brought you up from the land of Egypt" (ibid 32:4).

What is interesting is that Israel makes this very same proclamation just over 400 years later.

The northern tribes had just broken away from the rule of Rechavam, the Davidic king. Yeravam, the Northern Kingdom's newly crowned king, is worried that his secession would be short lived as his people's spiritual center continued to be Jerusalem. Therefore, he created his own spiritual centers: "The king took counsel and made two golden calves, and he said to them, saying, 'It is far for you to go up to Jerusalem; here are your gods, O Israel, that have brought you up from the land of Egypt'" (I Melachim 12:28).

Once cannot help but notice this parallel. For the second time in history, Israel has created golden calves and they make the same declaration about them being the gods who brought Israel out of Egypt. The Soncono commentary on Melachim asks whether it is possible that this formula was peculiar to calf-worship. However, surely these words would remind Israel of their previous apostasy and would teach them that these gods that Yeravam created were false and calamitous?

Perhaps however, these words were not actually said by Yeravam. What does this mean?

When the Tanach records conversations, it does not normally quote the exact words. Conversations were likely to be much longer, but the Torah just brings the summary, or the main points it wants us to learn. Indeed, the Daat Mikra commentary writes that only when the Torah uses the Hebrew word "לאמר" - "saying", is it giving an exact quote. Otherwise the, Torah just brings the main ideas.

Therefore, rather than asking why Yeravam said what he said, we should be asking why the author of Sefer Melachim quotes Yeravam as saying: "Here are your gods, O Israel, that have brought you up from the land of Egypt."

It is possible that Yeravam did not say those words. Indeed, he would have been very foolish to say so. However, the prophet wants us to realize that Yeravam understood that he was not merely making a political decision to stabilize his own rule. The prophet wants us to know that Yeravam and the people fully appreciated that he was turning Israel into apostates on the same degree as the Golden calf apostasy.

If the Prophet would have quoted Yeravam's actual words, we, the reader would not have understood that Yeravam and the people were making a huge apostasy. We would have thought that he was just making a political decision. However, by bringing the quote from our parsha, we, the reader, now understand that Yeravam was fully aware of the great evil that he was doing.

Last year's Sedra Short on Parshat Ki Tissa, entitled: "The Golden Calf" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2008/02/parshat-ki-tissa-golden-calf-israel.html

Another Sedra Short on Parshat Ki Tissa, entitled: "Counting the People" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2007/03/parshat-ki-tissa-counting-people-moshe.html

A further Sedra Short on Parshat Tissa entitled: "Blood Money" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2006/03/parshat-ki-tissa-blood-money-this.html

Parshat Shmini

Aharon's Shame

It's the eighth day of the consecration of the Mishkan. There have been seven days of practice runs, with Moshe setting it up and performing the service (See VaYikra Ch. 8). However, this eighth day is to be its official opening, with Aharon running the proceedings. Moshe tells the expectant people who have all gathered: "The glory of the Lord will appear to you" (VaYikra 9:6).

However, Aharon seems a little hesitant. "Moses said to Aaron, "Approach the altar…So Aaron approached the altar" (ibid 7-8).

Rashi explains that "Aharon was ashamed and was scared to go forward" (Rashi on ibid) so Moshe needed to reassure and encourage him. The Ramban says that when Aharon saw the altar he actually saw the image of a bull (Ramban on ibid).

What is Aharon so unsure about?

In order to answer this question, we must first appreciate the day's tension. Israel has been building the Mishkan for six months. The whole purpose of the Miskan was so that God will "dwell amongst them" (Shemot 25:8). This is the day on which they will discover whether their hard work and sacrifice will come to fruition. Will God's presence actually rest on the Mishkan, or will it be an empty shell, signifying that God is not with them.

The man they all look towards is the high priest, Aharon. Yet Aharon has good reason to doubt himself. The previous time he acted as the people's mediator to God ended in disaster as he built the Golden Calf (ibid 32:5).

And now everywhere he goes, he is having flashbacks. Moshe tells Aharon that as his first act as high priest on that eight day is to "take for yourself a bull calf as a sin offering" (VaYikra 9:2).

While sin offerings are normally female sheep or goats, in this instance, Aharon must take a young calf. Rashi explains that is to show that he has been forgiven for the golden calf. However, for Aharon it is a reminder of his sin and rather than seeing that the positive, he sees the altar as an image of a calf. He asks himself whether he really is forgiven. Perhaps the gold on his clothing is another reminder.

However, Moshe reassures him: "Approach the altar and perform your sin offering and your burnt offering, atoning for yourself and for the people, and perform the people's sacrifice, atoning for them, as the Lord has commanded" (ibid 7).

Note how Moshe says: "atoning for yourself and for the people" and then just "perform the people's sacrifice, atoning for them". Moshe tells Aharon to bring the sin offering for you and the people, for the sin of the Golden Calf, but in reality, it is only the people that need atoning, his actions needed no atoning.

Indeed Aharon was vindicated: "fire went forth from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the altar, and all the people saw, sang praises, and fell upon their faces" (ibid 24).

Last year's Sedra Short on Parshat Shemini, entitled: "Aharon's Four Sons" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

Another Sedra Short on Parshat Shemini, entitled: "How They Died" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html

Parshat Ki Tissa

The Golden Calf

Israel witnessed frightening events when God revealed Himself to Israel at Sinai (See Shemot Chapter 20). They then saw Moshe go up the mountain into the eye of the storm, without any food or provisions. He had not been seen since.

Israel's reaction was "Make us a god (elohim) that will go before us, because this man Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt we don't know what has become of him".

This is strange, because if they wanted a replacement for god, Moshe's disappearance is irrelevant.

We have therefore to alternatives to understanding the people's requests:

The people thought the Moshe was a god
The people wanted a replacement for Moshe

It is easy to understand why the people may have thought that Moshe was a divine being. The people had seen Moshe perform signs, the ten plagues to Egypt, the splitting of the Red Sea, the falling of the Manna and the water from the rock. Despite Moshe's insistence that they worship God, the people, with a primitive understanding of religion, may have still believed that he was a god.

However, even if the people did not think that Moshe we can still understand their request as a seeking a replacement for Moshe. If so, then why do the people ask for a

Within, Sefer Shemot, we have numerous examples where the word elohim, does not necessarily mean, God, but leader:

"Then his master shall bring him to the judges (elohim), and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post" (21:6).

"The plea[s] of both parties shall come to the judges (elohim), [and] whoever the judges (elohim) declare guilty shall pay twofold to his neighbor (22:8).

However, the most telling is:

"The Lord said to Moses, "See! I have made you a lord (elohim) over Pharaoh, and Aaron, your brother, will be your speaker" (7:1).

While it is also possible that Pharaoh also saw Moshe as a god, it is clear that God did not. Therefore, the word elohim does not necessarily mean God.

Therefore, by calling for the Golden Calf, Israel did not seek to replace God Himself, only Moshe. The problem, however, is that once the calf was ceated, the people forgot that it was merely a medium, but a god itself.
Last year's Sedra Short on Parshat Ki Tissa, entitled: "Counting the People" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
Another Sedra Short on Parshat Tissa entitled: "Blood Money" appears at http://parshablog.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html