Ki Sisa – Page 13 – Peninim on the Torah

“Hew out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones.” (34:1)

Upon descending from Har Sinai and witnessing the degradation of Am Yisrael with the Golden Calf, Moshe immediately broke the luchos. After entreating Hashem on behalf of Am Yisrael, Moshe was commanded to hew out a second set of luchos. This time Moshe was to ascend the mountain alone. The Midrash notes the disparity between the aura surrounding the giving of the first luchos and the aura surrounding the giving of the second ones. The first luchos were given amidst great publicity, before the entire nation, accompanied with thunder, lightning and smoke. Chazal point out that the first luchos were…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5755

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Ki Sisa

“And when Moshe had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.” (34:33)

Horav Moshe Feinstein z.l., takes note of the fact that Moshe did not wear the veil on his face when he taught Torah to Klal Yisrael. He infers two valuable pedagogical lessons from this fact. First, a rebbe/teacher must be able to make eye contact with his students in order to delve into their hearts and minds. He must attempt to understand every aspect of their lives. He must literally find out what makes them “tick.” A rebbe should not shy away and “hide” his face, remaining aloof from his students. He should always be accessible to them, to guide,…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5754

Sruly Schnair In 5754, Ki Sisa

“See, I have called in the name of Betzalel the son of Uri the son of Chur of the tribe of Yehudah.” (31:2)

The Daas Zekeinim explains the reason that the Torah emphasizes Betazlel’s grandfather, Chur, while it does not trace Ahaliav’s lineage to his grandfather. Chur was killed as a consequence of his role in the Golden Calf. The Mishkan served as a source of atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf. Therefore, the Torah determined that Betzalel, the unique individual designated as the prime builder of the Mishkan, should have his yichus, ancestry, delineated. His ancestry is traced to the individual whose martyred death is atoned by the Mishkan. This exposition is enigmatic. What relationship is there between Chur’s death…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5754

Sruly Schnair In 5754, Ki Sisa

“And Bnei Yisrael shall keep the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos for their generations an eternal covenant.” (31:16)

Horav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor z.l. explains the repetition of the word “Shabbos” in the following manner. How does one ensure that shimiras Shabbos, Shabbos observance, will be an everlasting covenant between Bnei Yisrael and Hashem? The pasuk responds: One must see to it that his children and generations after him will also observe it. It is not sufficient for one to simply concern himself with his own spiritual needs while neglecting his children’s simultaneous spiritual development. If this is the case, he can be certain that mitzvah observance will cease with him! One’s focus in religious observance should be “to…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5754

Sruly Schnair In 5754, Ki Sisa

“And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears.” (32:3)

Did “all the people” break off their earrings? Weren’t the sinners only a small group of malcontents? Indeed, the Midrash in Koheles expounds on the pasuk, “One man from a thousand I have found” (Koheles 7:28). The Midrash states that this is a reference to the sinners involved in the Golden Calf. Only one out of every thousand of Bnei Yisrael was really involved in the sin! Why does the Torah exaggerate the number of sinners? Horav Mordechai Ilan z.l. explains that the entire Klal Yisrael suffered a “yeridah,” spiritual decline. Had they remained on the pinnacle of faith and…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5754

Sruly Schnair In 5754, Ki Sisa

“Go down, for your people have dealt corruptly… they have made them a molten calf… and he cast out of his hand the tablets and he broke them.” (32:7,15,19)

The shattering of the luchos is probably the most impressive act performed by Moshe during his tenure as the leader of Klal Yisrael. The last pasuk in the Torah, in which Hashem portrays the climax of Moshe’s life mentions the vezjv sh, mighty hand, and the kusd trun, the great awe which Moshe wrought in the sight of all Bnei Yisrael. Chazal state that Moshe’s act of might and awe was his shattering of the luchos. It would seem that this is Moshe’s greatest epitaph. There remains a question, however, which demands a response . Why did Moshe wait to…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5754

Sruly Schnair In 5754, Ki Sisa

“And Moshe said Aharon, what did these people do to you that you have brought upon it great sin?” (32:21)

The extent of Aharon’s involvement in the sin of the Golden Calf is ambiguous. Moshe seems to blame him for “causing” the calf to be created. Indeed, before his own death, Moshe recounts how he prayed on Aharon’s behalf to effect forgiveness for him. Moshe’s prayers were only partially answered; Aharon lost two of his four sons. On the other hand, in contrast, we note that Aharon was appointed to the venerable position of Kohen Gadol. He was privileged to enter into the Kodshei Ha’Kodoshim, Holy of Holies in order to attain penance for Klal Yisrael. This notion seems to…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5753

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Ki Sisa

“And they arose early on the morrow, and they offered burnt offerings, and they brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and they rose up to (play) make merry.” (32:6)

The Golden Calf incident was Am Yisrael‘s first deviation from the Torah path. This was the first time that Bnei Yisrael supported ideals antithetical to Torah values. The relationship between the ideology of these historical sinners and their actions is typical of those who have espoused distorted thinking throughout the generations. The visions and their behavioral consquences are the same today. It is only the names and places which have changed. Horav Y. Galinsky, Shlita, notes the progressive deterioration of Bnei Yisrael’s values from the sequence of events portrayed by the pasuk. First it states, “They offered burnt offerings.”…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5753

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Ki Sisa

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe… go descend, for your people have become corrupt… they made for themselves a Golden Calf… and Hashem said to Moshe: I have seen these people and behold they are a stubborn people… and now leave Me be and let Me vent My anger and annihilate them.” (32:7,8,9,10)

The Torah lists the sins transgressed by Bnei Yisrael. They corrupted themselves, and they made a Golden Calf. They replaced service to a Divine G-d with the worship of a molten image. Hashem did not choose to destroy them, however, for these sins. Only after they are described as an obstinate people does Hashem seek to decimate them. Horav Meir Chadash, z.l., notes that stubbornness is an evil which must be totally eradicated. Obstinacy, by its very nature, is the antithesis of free will. One who doggedly refuses to accept guidance and reproach, who continues upon his chosen path of…

Home -> Ki Sisa -> 5753

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5753, Ki Sisa

“And it came to pass when he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and (the) dancing that Moshe’s anger arose, and he threw from his hands the Luchos and he broke them.” (32:19)

We must endeavor to understand what transpired when Moshe approached the camp that precipitated his angry reaction. Did he not already know the extent of Bnei Yisrael‘s transgression? The Abarbanel questions Moshe’s intentions in bringing the Luchos down only in order to break them. He responds that Moshe desired to accentuate Bnei Yisrael’s travesty and its consequences. Therefore, he broke the Luchos blatantly in front of them. The text, however, seems to imply that it was only after Moshe “came near” the camp and actually saw their conspicuous transgression that he reacted in such an intense manner. We may also…

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Back to Home -> 5755 ->

“Hew out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones.” (34:1)

“And when Moshe had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.” (34:33)

“See, I have called in the name of Betzalel the son of Uri the son of Chur of the tribe of Yehudah.” (31:2)

“And Bnei Yisrael shall keep the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos for their generations an eternal covenant.” (31:16)

“And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears.” (32:3)

“Go down, for your people have dealt corruptly… they have made them a molten calf… and he cast out of his hand the tablets and he broke them.” (32:7,15,19)

“And Moshe said Aharon, what did these people do to you that you have brought upon it great sin?” (32:21)

“And they arose early on the morrow, and they offered burnt offerings, and they brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and they rose up to (play) make merry.” (32:6)

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe… go descend, for your people have become corrupt… they made for themselves a Golden Calf… and Hashem said to Moshe: I have seen these people and behold they are a stubborn people… and now leave Me be and let Me vent My anger and annihilate them.” (32:7,8,9,10)

“And it came to pass when he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and (the) dancing that Moshe’s anger arose, and he threw from his hands the Luchos and he broke them.” (32:19)

YEARS

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

You have Successfully Subscribed!