Ki Tissa

Ki Tissa, Exodus 30:11-34:35
Shabbat Parah

Veiling And Unveiling

Moses was sensitive to the needs of the people, changing his appearance in order to enhance their ability to communicate with him.

When Moses returns from Mount Sinai after forty days and nights, he descends with more than just the second set of luchos (tablets).

Moses brings the very Shechinah (divine presence) with him as well.

The Torah teaches that after receiving the Law, Moses’ face shone. The Daas Zekeinim Mibaalei Tosafos (collection of comments by the Tosafists of the 12th and 13th centuries in France and Germany) explains that the luminosity of Moses face was, in fact, the light of the Shechinah. Hashem transferred the splendor of His presence to Moses in order to assure a post-golden-calf Klal Yisrael (people of Israel) that no other leader was as worthy as Moses. Subsequently, they unanimously received him as their leader.

Fearing the Light

When the Jews saw the light, however, they became fearful and reluctant to approach Moses. They kept their distance from him. Rashi comments that before the sin of the golden calf the Jews were able to withstand the Shechinah on Mount Sinai in all its glory and holiness. But now they were unable to endure mere beams of light from Moses face. From this we see the debilitating effect of sin.

In an attempt to lure them back, Moses veiled his face in their presence. He only removed the veil when conversing with Hashem.

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Tetzaveh-Shabbat Zachor

Tetzaveh, Exodus 27:20 – 30:10
Shabbat Zachor 

  

Moses's Absence

Parashat Tetzaveh foreshadows the connection the Children of Israel will have with God after the death of Moses.

 Hashem [God] continues His instructions for the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), which will bring the people of Israel into intimate, uninterrupted conjunction with Him.

It is a well-known observation that, from the beginning of Exodus until the beginning of Deuteronomy, there is not a Parashah in which Moses is not mentioned, except for Parashat Tetzaveh, which is always read close to the seventh day of Adar, the anniversary of Moses's death.
Avoding His Name

The Torah seems to go out of its way in order to avoid calling Moses by name.

Instead, three times he is addressed with the word ve'atah--"and you":

ve'atah te'tzaveh--And you shall command the Children of Israel that they take for you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the Tent of Meeting outside the curtain which is before the [Ark of] the Testimony, shall Aaron and his sons arrange it from evening to morning before Hashem, an eternal statute for their generations on behalf of the Children of Israel (Exodus 27:20-21).

ve'atah hakrev--And you shall bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him from among the Children of Israel, that he may minister to Me: Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar, the sons of Aaron. And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother for glory and splendor (28:1-2).

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Terumah

Exodus 25:1−27:19

On The Way To Sanctity

The sanctification process of materials for the Tabernacle and Temple teaches us that everything has the potential to be used for holiness.

 The purpose of the Exodus was always more than the liberation of the Hebrew slaves; it was the establishment of a physical existence in which Hashem would reign.

And, at the center of that existence, would be the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the portable sanctuary:

And they shall make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exodus 25:8).The establishment of the Mishkan will make it possible for Hashem's Presence to dwell in the midst of the people.

Every aspect of the Mishkan teaches us how to serve Hashem.

How to Serve Hashem

The Mishkan would be the result of the collective efforts of the entire nation of Israel. It would be constructed from donations of their possessions and skills, and dedicated to the service of Hashem:

And Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the Children of Israel that they take for Me (v’yikchu li) a donation; from each man whose heart makes him willing shall you take My donation’ (Exodus 25:1-2).

Of course, one cannot really "give" to Hashem, since the whole world is His:

To Hashem are the earth and all that fills it, the habitation and those who dwell in it (Psalms 24:1).
Instead, one takes that which Hashem provides and devotes it to Him.

Rashi's Views

Rashi's comment on the words v’yikchu li is famous for its brevity, and has stimulated much discussion by his commentaries: that they take for Me: for Me--for My Name.

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Mishpatim

Mishpatim, Exodus 21:1-24:18, Shabbat Sh’kalim 

Murder And Atheism

In claiming power over human lives, a murderer denies that God alone possesses that power.

 "He who smites a man and [the man] dies shall surely be put to death."

A Houston, Texas newspaper published the story of a young Eastern lawyer who complained to an old Texas Judge about the Texas way with crime. "I don't understand Texas justice," said the lawyer. "You will suspend the sentence of a convicted murderer, but you will hang a horse thief."

The old judge rang a spittoon with a stream of tobacco juice. "Sorry," he replied, "I reckon that's cause we got men that need killin’, but we ain't got no horses that need stealin’."

A Gruesome Crime Murder is a gruesome crime. From time immemorial, when Cain first murdered his brother Abel, great cynicism has been embedded in the warped minds of those who would kill.

A cynicism stemming from atheism. If these murderers could not create life, they would flourish on destroying it. Feeling hapless to the power of the Almighty, they would rob Him of his image. If they could not conquer the King, they would overpower his children.

One cannot separate the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" from the second commandment, "Thou shalt not have any other gods before Me." Undermining God through murder is tantamount to worshipping those gods that others have created.

The Talmud speaks disparagingly of a court that brings hands down a death sentence but once in seventy years. It is considered a "killer court." Even once in seventy years, is far too frequent for moral men to dispense such judgment. The Torah finds it exceedingly difficult to delegate authority for capital punishment to an array of righteous and learned scholars and judges because, in the final analysis, they, too, are flesh and blood.

Just as no horse needs stealing, practically no man needs killing at the hands of mortal man. Only the Almighty can bring a deluge, a plague, a famine.

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