Parshat Ki Tisa
In 32:19 Moshe gets down the mountain and is shocked by what he sees.
Why is he shocked? Hashem told him what was going on..he already davened on their behalf, so why the surprise and anger?
Even though he had acted on the info on their behalf, he did not really believe it. he could not believe it. In a sense it was Lashon Ha'Ra. No matter how reliable the info, how reliable the source, you cannot accept Lashon Ha'Ra except "l'toeles".
Moshe had a "toeles" - he had to daven for them. So he accepted it for that much, so he could daven for them. But that is it. To actually believe it, which had no other toeles, he had to assume it was not so bad or there was a mistake or something.
therefore he was surprised when he actually saw what was going on.
Showing posts with label ki tisa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ki tisa. Show all posts
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Ki Tisa: calm down first
Parshat Ki Tisa
In 32:11 Moshe begins davening on behalf of the people. He had not yet even seen what they did. he simply heard from Hashem that they had done bad and he right away begins pleading for them.
What chutzpah. How can he ask for forgiveness on their behalf when he does not even know what they did? he has not seen the extent of their sin but he is already asking for mercy???
You do not need to delay your assistance just to find out details. if there is a way to help immediately, do so and worry about the details later.
Moshe first davened. he offered his immediate solution to calm the situation. Only after the tension is broken does he need to go get the details and deal with the specifics.
In 32:11 Moshe begins davening on behalf of the people. He had not yet even seen what they did. he simply heard from Hashem that they had done bad and he right away begins pleading for them.
What chutzpah. How can he ask for forgiveness on their behalf when he does not even know what they did? he has not seen the extent of their sin but he is already asking for mercy???
You do not need to delay your assistance just to find out details. if there is a way to help immediately, do so and worry about the details later.
Moshe first davened. he offered his immediate solution to calm the situation. Only after the tension is broken does he need to go get the details and deal with the specifics.
Ki Tisa: upper management
Parshat Ki Tisa
In 32:10, Hashem tells Moshe, "Leave me alone and let my anger consume them. I will destroy them and make a great nation out of you."
Why does Hashem need Moshe's advice or permission? Moshe had not been pleading with him at that point. It was Hashem who came to Moshe, as if Moshe was not allowing it and Hashem wanted to convince Him to allow it...?
Unilateral actions are never good. You do not just do something and spring it on your people. Share the information. Consult. Ask advice. Invite the participation of others in the decision making process.
No matter how powerful a person is, such as the CEO of a company or the manager of a division or whatever, you have to confide in your managers before making big moves. That is what Hashem did with Moshe.
In 32:10, Hashem tells Moshe, "Leave me alone and let my anger consume them. I will destroy them and make a great nation out of you."
Why does Hashem need Moshe's advice or permission? Moshe had not been pleading with him at that point. It was Hashem who came to Moshe, as if Moshe was not allowing it and Hashem wanted to convince Him to allow it...?
Unilateral actions are never good. You do not just do something and spring it on your people. Share the information. Consult. Ask advice. Invite the participation of others in the decision making process.
No matter how powerful a person is, such as the CEO of a company or the manager of a division or whatever, you have to confide in your managers before making big moves. That is what Hashem did with Moshe.
Ki Tisa: Question: what is shabbos a sign for?
Parshat Ki Tisa
In 31:13 it says about Shabbos that it is a sign "Between Me and you... that I have made you holy (separate)".
In 31:17 it says about Shabbos that "Between Me and Israel it is a sign forever.."that I created the world in 6 days and on the 7th day I rested".
So what is Shabbos a sign for? That God rested on the 7th day or that the Jews are a holy and separate nation?
In 31:13 it says about Shabbos that it is a sign "Between Me and you... that I have made you holy (separate)".
In 31:17 it says about Shabbos that "Between Me and Israel it is a sign forever.."that I created the world in 6 days and on the 7th day I rested".
So what is Shabbos a sign for? That God rested on the 7th day or that the Jews are a holy and separate nation?
Ki Tisa: not standing on ceremony
Parshat Ki Tisa
In 30:18 It says, "And you should make the basin (for washing) from copper".
All the vessels in the mikdash were made from gold. Why is the washing basin the exception? Why copper?
The Seforno asks why this vessel is mentioned here at the beginning of Ki Tisa when all the other vessels were mentioned in Teruma (and a couple in Tetzaveh)?
The Seforno explains that this vessel, the washing basin, did not have the purpose of effecting Divine Presence in the Mishkan, as did all the other vessels. The basin was simply for the Kohanim to be able to prepare for the service. It was functional. Therefore, it is not mentioned with the others - because it has a different purpose.
This idea also answers my question.. The basin did not have the same purpose as the others.
The other vessels all had to made of gold because they were effecting השראת השכינה - Divine Presence. We know "there is no destitution int he place of wealth" which is why they had to be very strict about not using broken vessels, using only gold, etc.. so as not to give the appearance of any level of "עניות" - because in the process of effecting the Divine Presence, a certain level of כבוד was needed, and that required the vessels to be made of gold.
Yet the basin did not have that as its purpose. The basin was simply functional. It was not there for glory and respect. They simply had to wash their hands and feet. To do that, the basin did not have to be gold.
In 30:18 It says, "And you should make the basin (for washing) from copper".
All the vessels in the mikdash were made from gold. Why is the washing basin the exception? Why copper?
The Seforno asks why this vessel is mentioned here at the beginning of Ki Tisa when all the other vessels were mentioned in Teruma (and a couple in Tetzaveh)?
The Seforno explains that this vessel, the washing basin, did not have the purpose of effecting Divine Presence in the Mishkan, as did all the other vessels. The basin was simply for the Kohanim to be able to prepare for the service. It was functional. Therefore, it is not mentioned with the others - because it has a different purpose.
This idea also answers my question.. The basin did not have the same purpose as the others.
The other vessels all had to made of gold because they were effecting השראת השכינה - Divine Presence. We know "there is no destitution int he place of wealth" which is why they had to be very strict about not using broken vessels, using only gold, etc.. so as not to give the appearance of any level of "עניות" - because in the process of effecting the Divine Presence, a certain level of כבוד was needed, and that required the vessels to be made of gold.
Yet the basin did not have that as its purpose. The basin was simply functional. It was not there for glory and respect. They simply had to wash their hands and feet. To do that, the basin did not have to be gold.
Friday, March 09, 2007
destructive anger
Parshat Ki Tisa
The question was posed: Why did Moshe need to go up to the top of Har Sinai the second time for another full 40 days? He had just been there the first time when he learned the whole Torah, reached the spiritual highs and whatever else he accomplished up there. So when he had to go the second time why did it need to be for 40 days? It could have just been a day or two to get the new set of tablets. What was he doing there for 40 days the second time?
Neil from Modern Uberdox quotes the Sfas Emes to answer this question. The Sfas Emes explains a phenomenal answer. Briefly, he says that after the first time, Israel did a horrible sin and had gone through stages of repentance. The Torah of a baal teshuva is no tthe same as that of even a tzaddik. It is much greater. After having experienced all that happened, the first set he had already studied was no longer relevant to Bnei Yisrael. Ergo, Moshe had to go up a second time to study it all over again with a fresh approach.
I would like to suggest another answer. After Moshe came down the first time, he saw what the people had done. The passuk says he got angry and threw down and broke the tablets. We know and the mussar seforim tell us that anger is really the worst of all the bad charachter traits. Often it is based on haughtiness, though I would be hard pressed to say that about Moshe who the Torah testifies about as having been the most humble person ever.
Even if anger is not based on haughtiness, even if anger is justified, as it may have been in this case, anger is still destructive. I would like to suggest that because Moshe got angry, he "ruined" the effects of his having spent 40 days on Har Sinai learning the Torah. because of his anger, even though it was justified, he had to spend more time re-learning the Torah and refining his charachter.
The question was posed: Why did Moshe need to go up to the top of Har Sinai the second time for another full 40 days? He had just been there the first time when he learned the whole Torah, reached the spiritual highs and whatever else he accomplished up there. So when he had to go the second time why did it need to be for 40 days? It could have just been a day or two to get the new set of tablets. What was he doing there for 40 days the second time?
Neil from Modern Uberdox quotes the Sfas Emes to answer this question. The Sfas Emes explains a phenomenal answer. Briefly, he says that after the first time, Israel did a horrible sin and had gone through stages of repentance. The Torah of a baal teshuva is no tthe same as that of even a tzaddik. It is much greater. After having experienced all that happened, the first set he had already studied was no longer relevant to Bnei Yisrael. Ergo, Moshe had to go up a second time to study it all over again with a fresh approach.
I would like to suggest another answer. After Moshe came down the first time, he saw what the people had done. The passuk says he got angry and threw down and broke the tablets. We know and the mussar seforim tell us that anger is really the worst of all the bad charachter traits. Often it is based on haughtiness, though I would be hard pressed to say that about Moshe who the Torah testifies about as having been the most humble person ever.
Even if anger is not based on haughtiness, even if anger is justified, as it may have been in this case, anger is still destructive. I would like to suggest that because Moshe got angry, he "ruined" the effects of his having spent 40 days on Har Sinai learning the Torah. because of his anger, even though it was justified, he had to spend more time re-learning the Torah and refining his charachter.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
unanswered question
Parshat Ki Tisa
The Torah in 34: 18-26 goes from warning about throwing the nations out of the Land of Israel to other topics, such as the holiday of Pesach, then redeeming the firstborn calf and sheep, korban pesach, bikkurim,not working on shabbos, the holidays of shavuos and sukkos, not eating meat and milk together, etc..
What is the connection between all these things? Did it just select random laws to mention here? How does it lead from one to the other?
If you have an answer, leave it in the comments
The Torah in 34: 18-26 goes from warning about throwing the nations out of the Land of Israel to other topics, such as the holiday of Pesach, then redeeming the firstborn calf and sheep, korban pesach, bikkurim,not working on shabbos, the holidays of shavuos and sukkos, not eating meat and milk together, etc..
What is the connection between all these things? Did it just select random laws to mention here? How does it lead from one to the other?
If you have an answer, leave it in the comments
One thing leads to another
Parshat Ki Tisa
Hashem is telling the people that He is bringing them into the Land of Israel and they must chase out the nations...In 34:15 Hashem warns them, "פן תכרת ברית ליושב הארץ ... וקרא לך ואכלת מזבחו" - lest you make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land and turn after their gods and they will slaughter to their gods and will invite you and you will eat with them.
It starts off with something innocuous like getting ogether for coffee or dinner with the nice neighbor. What's wrong with eating with him - the food is kosher! he shechted the animal according to our specifications specifically so he could invite me over!! There's nothing wrong with it.
I hear myself making the above excuses for all sorts of things that are technically not wrong.
The problem is that one thing leads to another. You start off by eating dinner with him and the Torah says that it leads to worse. You develop a relationship, you get together often, your kids become good friends and end up intermarrying, and eventually your descendants are worshipping other gods. All because you made an excuse to have dinner with the guy.
That is why the Torah warns us to not to make a treaty with them and eat with them. One thing leads to another.
Hashem is telling the people that He is bringing them into the Land of Israel and they must chase out the nations...In 34:15 Hashem warns them, "פן תכרת ברית ליושב הארץ ... וקרא לך ואכלת מזבחו" - lest you make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land and turn after their gods and they will slaughter to their gods and will invite you and you will eat with them.
It starts off with something innocuous like getting ogether for coffee or dinner with the nice neighbor. What's wrong with eating with him - the food is kosher! he shechted the animal according to our specifications specifically so he could invite me over!! There's nothing wrong with it.
I hear myself making the above excuses for all sorts of things that are technically not wrong.
The problem is that one thing leads to another. You start off by eating dinner with him and the Torah says that it leads to worse. You develop a relationship, you get together often, your kids become good friends and end up intermarrying, and eventually your descendants are worshipping other gods. All because you made an excuse to have dinner with the guy.
That is why the Torah warns us to not to make a treaty with them and eat with them. One thing leads to another.
investing your own efforts
Parshat Ki Tisa
Moshe is preparing to go up to Har Sinai for the second time to get the new set of tablets. Hashem tells him (in 34:1-4) that he has to hew two new stone tablets like the first set, etc. and Moshe hewed his own stones.
Why did Moshe have to do this? He did not have to hew his own stones the first time around - Hashem gave them to him. Why the second time did he have to bring his own?
Rashi says that Hashem said because you broke the set I gave you, you have to bring your own this time.
Sometimes you get something for your kid. Maybe a toy or a book or whatever. The kid breaks the toy. Happens in my house all the time. They actually prefer dismantling the toys and seeing how they are constructed rather than actually playing with them!
So you get your kid a toy and he breaks it fairly quickly. Are you going to run out and by him a new toy right away? Usually not. You will make the kid earn it. You want the child to learn responsibility and about waste. He has to learn the value of the item and thereby treat it better in the future.
So too by Moshe. You broke it, so bring your own this time. Moshe was being taught the real value of these tablets. true he broke the first set for a good reason and it was justified. But forcing him to hew his own stones and shlep them up the mountain really teaches Moshe the value and increases his level of respect for the tablets. In general he will treat them better and with more respect the next time.
When you invest your own efforts in something, you respect it that much more.
Moshe is preparing to go up to Har Sinai for the second time to get the new set of tablets. Hashem tells him (in 34:1-4) that he has to hew two new stone tablets like the first set, etc. and Moshe hewed his own stones.
Why did Moshe have to do this? He did not have to hew his own stones the first time around - Hashem gave them to him. Why the second time did he have to bring his own?
Rashi says that Hashem said because you broke the set I gave you, you have to bring your own this time.
Sometimes you get something for your kid. Maybe a toy or a book or whatever. The kid breaks the toy. Happens in my house all the time. They actually prefer dismantling the toys and seeing how they are constructed rather than actually playing with them!
So you get your kid a toy and he breaks it fairly quickly. Are you going to run out and by him a new toy right away? Usually not. You will make the kid earn it. You want the child to learn responsibility and about waste. He has to learn the value of the item and thereby treat it better in the future.
So too by Moshe. You broke it, so bring your own this time. Moshe was being taught the real value of these tablets. true he broke the first set for a good reason and it was justified. But forcing him to hew his own stones and shlep them up the mountain really teaches Moshe the value and increases his level of respect for the tablets. In general he will treat them better and with more respect the next time.
When you invest your own efforts in something, you respect it that much more.
wrath on luchot
Parshat Ki Tisa
Moshe comes down from Har Sinai and finds Bnei Yisrael engaged in licentious and borderline idolatrous behavior around a golden calf. Enraged, he throws down the tablets and breaks them.
Why break the tablets? What benefit is there in that? They were very valuable, as we see later from when Moshe has to make a new set, and they were very holy. So why be so extreme as to break them?
I would suggest that this is similar to what we find in the gemara regarding the Beis Hamikdash - the gemera learns from a passuk in tehillim that we thank Hashem that he took out his wrath on the stones and wood of the temple rather than on the people. He could have destroyed us, the people, but instead saved us and destroyed the Temple instead.
I would suggest that Moshe did the same. Hashem wanted to destroy the people and start over. Moshe had told Hashem not to, but I think the price of that was that he break the luchot.
Moshe comes down from Har Sinai and finds Bnei Yisrael engaged in licentious and borderline idolatrous behavior around a golden calf. Enraged, he throws down the tablets and breaks them.
Why break the tablets? What benefit is there in that? They were very valuable, as we see later from when Moshe has to make a new set, and they were very holy. So why be so extreme as to break them?
I would suggest that this is similar to what we find in the gemara regarding the Beis Hamikdash - the gemera learns from a passuk in tehillim that we thank Hashem that he took out his wrath on the stones and wood of the temple rather than on the people. He could have destroyed us, the people, but instead saved us and destroyed the Temple instead.
I would suggest that Moshe did the same. Hashem wanted to destroy the people and start over. Moshe had told Hashem not to, but I think the price of that was that he break the luchot.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
effective responses
Parshat Ki Tisa
Moshe comes down from Mt. Sinai and see what the people have done. He gets angry and throws and breaks the luchos. In 32:19 it says, "ויחר אף משה וישלך מידו את הלחות".
What was the big surprise? Hashem already told him what they had done - it should have been no shock to him when he came down? Why the extreme reaction? He should already have been mentally prepared for what he would see, even possibly already with a thought out plan of action!
Sometimes, often, our reactions are spontaneous. Especially when it is a reaction of anger and shock.
For example, when your child misbehaves, you might get angry and punish the kid.
More often than not, that spontaneous anger is really selfish - you feel insulted your kid acted a certain way. You feel hurt or embarrassed. If you would wait and think about it calmly you might come up with a more effective punishment.
Moshe here had time to think about it. This was not a reaction of shock and surprise. This was planned. He felt this was the most effective response in order to teach them the severity of what they had done.
Moshe comes down from Mt. Sinai and see what the people have done. He gets angry and throws and breaks the luchos. In 32:19 it says, "ויחר אף משה וישלך מידו את הלחות".
What was the big surprise? Hashem already told him what they had done - it should have been no shock to him when he came down? Why the extreme reaction? He should already have been mentally prepared for what he would see, even possibly already with a thought out plan of action!
Sometimes, often, our reactions are spontaneous. Especially when it is a reaction of anger and shock.
For example, when your child misbehaves, you might get angry and punish the kid.
More often than not, that spontaneous anger is really selfish - you feel insulted your kid acted a certain way. You feel hurt or embarrassed. If you would wait and think about it calmly you might come up with a more effective punishment.
Moshe here had time to think about it. This was not a reaction of shock and surprise. This was planned. He felt this was the most effective response in order to teach them the severity of what they had done.
making excuses
Parshat Ki Tisa
In 32:10,11 Hashem decides He wishes to kill out the Jewish people and start over from scratch from Moshe.
How does Moshe respond to this?
He did not make excuses for the people. He did not try to rationalize what they had done. He could have argued that they made a mistake, they were led to believe Moshe was dead, they just wanted a middleman between them and God, etc. All sorts of excuses.
But he did not.
What did he do?
He right away requested a pardon. He says, it will not look good for You to destroy them. What will the Egyptians say? The forefathers? etc. In the end his arguments calmed Hashem down (so to speak).
If your boss (for example) aproaches you with a problem, often our initial response is to try to pass the blame. We make excuses. We try to weasel out of it.
Moshe shows us that accepting the facts is the right way to face the issues. Face the facts and find a way to get around and/or solve the problem. Don't make silly excuses.
Aharon, on the other hand, we see later in 32:22,23 making excuses for his participation in the affair. He should have learned from Moshe and taken the blame for what he did and moved on. Instead he got punished for it.
In 32:10,11 Hashem decides He wishes to kill out the Jewish people and start over from scratch from Moshe.
How does Moshe respond to this?
He did not make excuses for the people. He did not try to rationalize what they had done. He could have argued that they made a mistake, they were led to believe Moshe was dead, they just wanted a middleman between them and God, etc. All sorts of excuses.
But he did not.
What did he do?
He right away requested a pardon. He says, it will not look good for You to destroy them. What will the Egyptians say? The forefathers? etc. In the end his arguments calmed Hashem down (so to speak).
If your boss (for example) aproaches you with a problem, often our initial response is to try to pass the blame. We make excuses. We try to weasel out of it.
Moshe shows us that accepting the facts is the right way to face the issues. Face the facts and find a way to get around and/or solve the problem. Don't make silly excuses.
Aharon, on the other hand, we see later in 32:22,23 making excuses for his participation in the affair. He should have learned from Moshe and taken the blame for what he did and moved on. Instead he got punished for it.
delaying tactics
Parshat Ki Tisa
Moshe was late coming down from Mt. Sinai. The people were under the impression that he had died. They wanted a new leader and wanted to make what ended up being the golden calf. They approach Aharon and insist on his assistance.
In 32:2 we see Aharon instructing the people to get their wives jewelery and bring it to him.
Rashi says tha Aharon made this request as a delaying tactic. By them having to go to the wives and request jewelery, it would slow them down and give Moshe more time to return. He figured the wives would not give up the jewelery so quickly.
Sometimes it is not worth getting into a head on confrontation. A bit of subversion is useful.
But it did not help. They were more ambitious than what Aharon predicted. They went and took the jewelery without asking.
Sometimes, delaying tactics are not the way to go. Sometimes you have to take a stand.
Moshe was late coming down from Mt. Sinai. The people were under the impression that he had died. They wanted a new leader and wanted to make what ended up being the golden calf. They approach Aharon and insist on his assistance.
In 32:2 we see Aharon instructing the people to get their wives jewelery and bring it to him.
Rashi says tha Aharon made this request as a delaying tactic. By them having to go to the wives and request jewelery, it would slow them down and give Moshe more time to return. He figured the wives would not give up the jewelery so quickly.
Sometimes it is not worth getting into a head on confrontation. A bit of subversion is useful.
But it did not help. They were more ambitious than what Aharon predicted. They went and took the jewelery without asking.
Sometimes, delaying tactics are not the way to go. Sometimes you have to take a stand.
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