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Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

Ki Tisa: The Gift of Shabbat
By Cantor Lauren Adesnik

Moses is communing with God over 40 days and 40 nights at Mt. Sinai. One of the most pivotal moments in Moses and God’s spiritual connection occurs at God’s declaration that the People of Israel shall observe Shabbat and that this observance will serve as the symbol of the holy relationship between God and the People of Israel forever. In this parsha, this declaration later forms a central part of our Shabbat liturgy: V’shamru.

Ki Tisa teaches us that Shabbat is an anchor in our chaotic world. From the inception of our Jewish heritage, Shabbat has been the focal point defining our sacred time. According to S.A. Taub of Modzhitz, a Hasidic teacher in Poland, Shabbat is intentionally mentioned twice in this parsha to emphasize that Shabbat is about being and doing. Shabbat is both a state of being and an existence that has to be actively pursued (hence the “doing” part).

Not only is it a time for us to rest from the busy schedules of our daily life, but it is also a time to gather as communities and families. Actively gathering together in this way fosters deeper and more meaningful relationships with those we love, with the world, and with God.

Take a moment this weekend, and bask in the elevation of holy time. Pick one moment and immerse yourself in it. This is the gift of Shabbat.

Parsha Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא Torah Summary:

Moses takes a census of the Israelites and collects a half-shekel from each person (30:11-16) God tells Moses to construct a water basin and to prepare anointing oil and incense for the ordination of the priests. Bezalel and Oholiab, skilled artisans, are assigned to make objects for the priests and the Tabernacle. (30:17-31:11) The Israelites are instructed to keep Shabbat as a sign of their covenant with God. God gives Moses the two tablets of the Pact. (31:12-18) The Israelites ask Aaron to build them a Golden Calf. Moses implores God not to destroy the people and then breaks the two tablets of the Pact on which the Ten Commandments are written when he sees the idol. God punishes the Israelites by means of a plague. (32:1-35) Moses goes up the mountain with a blank set of tablets for another 40 days so that God will again inscribe the Ten Commandments. Other laws, including the edict to observe the Pilgrimage Festivals, are also revealed. (34:1-28) Moses comes down from the mountain with a radiant face. (34:29-35) Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא Ki Tisa: The Gift of Shabbat By Cantor Lauren Adesnik Moses is communing with God over 40 days and 40 nights at Mt. Sinai. One of the most pivotal moments in Moses and God’s spiritual connection occurs at God’s declaration that the People of Israel shall observe Shabbat and that this observance will serve as the symbol of the holy relationship between God and the People of Israel forever. In this parsha, this declaration later forms a central part of our Shabbat liturgy: V’shamru. Ki Tisa teaches us that Shabbat is an anchor in our chaotic world. From the inception of our Jewish heritage, Shabbat has been the focal point defining our sacred time. According to S.A. Taub of Modzhitz, a Hasidic teacher in Poland, Shabbat is intentionally mentioned twice in this parsha to emphasize that Shabbat is about being and doing. Shabbat is both a state of being and an existence that has to be actively pursued (hence the “doing” part). Not only is it a time for us to rest from the busy schedules of our daily life, but it is also a time to gather as communities and families. Actively gathering together in this way fosters deeper and more meaningful relationships with those we love, with the world, and with God. Take a moment this weekend, and bask in the elevation of holy time. Pick one moment and immerse yourself in it. This is the gift of Shabbat.

Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

This week’s Torah Portion, Ki Tisa tells the tale of the two sets of Ten Commandments. The first set were carved by God and given to Moses to bring down from Mount Sinai and present to the Children of Israel. But in the forty days of waiting for Moses to return, the Israelites had lost faith and built for themselves an idol of a Golden Calf to worship. Moses breaks that first set of Ten Commandments in anger before the people of Israel for their lack of faith and for their sin of idolatry which breaks the very commandments which God had placed in his hands.

The people repent, God’s anger is cooled, and once again Moses climbs Mount Sinai, carrying in his hands two blank tablets upon which God inscribes again the words of the Ten Commandments just like the first. The words are the same but the tablets are different in that Moses is commanded to make this second set of tablets himself unlike the first which were made by God. 

There is a lesson here for us to learn. The commandments we keep – they need to be, at least in part, the work of our own hands. We need to own them, to make them, and to take them into our heart. Because Moses made the tablets upon which God inscribed the words, we can cherish them as divine and yet see them still as the work of our hands. As it says in the song we sing after the Torah is read: 

וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל פִּי יי בְּיָד מֹשֶׁה.
“This is the Torah, which Moses placed before the Children of Israel, from the mouth of God, and by the hand of Moses.”

Parsha Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא Torah Summary:

Moses takes a census of the Israelites and collects a half-shekel from each person (30:11-16) God tells Moses to construct a water basin and to prepare anointing oil and incense for the ordination of the priests. Bezalel and Oholiab, skilled artisans, are assigned to make objects for the priests and the Tabernacle. (30:17-31:11) The Israelites are instructed to keep Shabbat as a sign of their covenant with God. God gives Moses the two tablets of the Pact. (31:12-18) The Israelites ask Aaron to build them a Golden Calf. Moses implores God not to destroy the people and then breaks the two tablets of the Pact on which the Ten Commandments are written when he sees the idol. God punishes the Israelites by means of a plague. (32:1-35) Moses goes up the mountain with a blank set of tablets for another 40 days so that God will again inscribe the Ten Commandments. Other laws, including the edict to observe the Pilgrimage Festivals, are also revealed. (34:1-28) Moses comes down from the mountain with a radiant face. (34:29-35) Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא

Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Ki Tisa – כִּי תִשָּׂא (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion”

Adonai reveals to Moses one of the greats ideals of all times, the idea of Teshuvah (repentance), we give people a second chance.

We can start fresh and a new when ever we want and need too,

Adonai will always be there to forgive us!

Adonai is full of compassion and mercy! That should be a model for us, to allow people to have a second chance, to repent, try and be compassionate and show mercy, to those who have wronged us and repented.

Parsha Ki Tisa Torah Summary:

Moses takes a census of the Israelites and collects a half-shekel from each person (30:11-16) God tells Moses to construct a water basin and to prepare anointing oil and incense for the ordination of the priests. Bezalel and Oholiab, skilled artisans, are assigned to make objects for the priests and the Tabernacle. (30:17-31:11) The Israelites are instructed to keep Shabbat as a sign of their covenant with God. God gives Moses the two tablets of the Pact. (31:12-18) The Israelites ask Aaron to build them a Golden Calf. Moses implores God not to destroy the people and then breaks the two tablets of the Pact on which the Ten Commandments are written when he sees the idol. God punishes the Israelites by means of a plague. (32:1-35) Moses goes up the mountain with a blank set of tablets for another 40 days so that God will again inscribe the Ten Commandments. Other laws, including the edict to observe the Pilgrimage Festivals, are also revealed. (34:1-28) Moses comes down from the mountain with a radiant face. (34:29-35) “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” Adonai reveals to Moses one of the greats ideals of all times, the idea of Teshuvah (repentance), we give people a second chance. We can start fresh and a new when ever we want and need too, Adonai will always be there to forgive us! Adonai is full of compassion and mercy! That should be a model for us, to allow people to have a second chance, to repent, try and be compassionate and show mercy, to those who have wronged us and repented.

Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11−34:35)

The Israelites are being counted (a census) but we are not allowed to count human beings. Humans are created in the image of God, counting us is like counting how much Divine presence is in the world. So each person gives half a Shekel “The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less” and we count the money. This money pays for the ongoing expenses of the temple.

Two lessons:

  1. We are all created equal.
  2. You want to be counted as part of the Jewish community, you need to participate in the financial burden of maintaining it.

Ki Tisa Summary:

Moses takes a census of the Israelites and collects a half-shekel from each person (30:11-16) God tells Moses to construct a water basin and to prepare anointing oil and incense for the ordination of the priests. Bezalel and Oholiab, skilled artisans, are assigned to make objects for the priests and the Tabernacle. (30:17-31:11) The Israelites are instructed to keep Shabbat as a sign of their covenant with God. God gives Moses the two tablets of the Pact. (31:12-18) The Israelites ask Aaron to build them a Golden Calf. Moses implores God not to destroy the people and then breaks the two tablets of the Pact on which the Ten Commandments are written when he sees the idol. God punishes the Israelites by means of a plague. (32:1-35) Moses goes up the mountain with a blank set of tablets for another 40 days so that God will again inscribe the Ten Commandments. Other laws, including the edict to observe the Pilgrimage Festivals, are also revealed. (34:1-28) Moses comes down from the mountain with a radiant face. (34:29-35)

Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11-34:35)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11-34:35)

Moses comes down from Sinai, sees the Israelites worshiping the Golden calf, and smashes the two tablets of covenant – the 10 commandments.
He breaks the “the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18).
He climbs again to Mount Sinai and this time God dictates and Moses writes on the two Tablets, the first set was made by God, the second set was made in partnership by God and Moses.
Only when we partner with the Divine it is not broken.