Ki Sisa – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל לפקודיהם

When you take a census of Bnei Yisrael according to their numbers. (30:12)

How does one count the Jewish People? We are taught that at the Bris Bein HaBesarim, Covenant of the Parts, Hashem promised Avraham Avinu, “Gaze now, toward the Heavens, and count the stars if you are able to count them…so shall your offspring be!” (Bereishis 15:5) We are not countable – just like the stars. Likewise, it says that the number of Jews will be like the sand of the sea – which also cannot be counted. The Talmud Yoma 22b, distinguishes between a time in which the Jewish People carry out the will of Hashem and a time in…

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העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט ממחצית השקל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Ki Sisa

The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel. (30:15)

It is not uncommon for someone who has struck it rich, who has received the blessing of wealth from Hashem, to think that the world belongs to him. While this is certainly not the Torah way, human nature often prevails. It goes so far that one begins to believe that, if he were not deserving of all of this good fortune, he would not be its recipient. Apparently, he is a “good guy,” who is worthy of this blessing. As a result, a baal mamon, one who has been blessed with wealth, becomes a baal gaavah, arrogant and pompous, often…

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לחשב מחשבות לעשות בזהב בכסף ובנחשת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Ki Sisa

To weave designs, to work with gold, silver and copper. (31:4)

The Jewish mind has throughout time proven itself to be extraordinary. While we have a reputation for being gifted with an inordinate level of acumen in proportion with the size of our own nation, it is specifically in the area of commerce, i.e. making money, that our worldly reputation seems to soar and take on a life all of its own. While the Jewish mind shines in all areas of human endeavor — from our primary vocation, Torah study, to the various disciplines of science, mathematics, medicine, law, social services, etc.– one thing all Jews have in common is the…

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ויאמר ד' אל משה ראיתי את העם הזה והנה עם קשה ערף הוא. ועתה הניחה לי...ואכלם.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Ki Sisa

Hashem said to Moshe, “I have seen this people, and behold! It is a stiff-necked people. And desist from me…and I shall annihilate them. (32:9,10)

The severity of the chet ha’eigel, sin of the Golden Calf, is beyond description. It represents an egregious rebellion against Hashem, a sin for which we still are paying for to this very day. One would think that, after Hashem related to Moshe Rabbeinu the sequence of events leading up to the sin, He would have addressed the iniquitous sin which the people so flagrantly committed. Idol worship immediately after receiving the Torah was an unpardonable sin. Yet, all Hashem says is that Klal Yisrael is an am kshei oref, stiff-necked people. This is why Hashem is prepared to annihilate…

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ונתנו איש כפר נפשו לד'... זה יתנו כל העבר על הפקדים מחצית השקל... העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט ממחצית השקל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Ki Sisa

Every man shall give Hashem an atonement for his soul… This shall they give – everyone who passes through the census – a half-shekel… The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel. (30:12, 13, 15)

The Jewish census was taken by having the people contribute an item which would then be counted. In this instance, when the nation was counted in the wilderness, they were instructed to each give a half-shekel coin which was later used for the construction and maintenance of the Mishkan. Participation in this census via the half-shekel coin was mandatory on each and every Jew, who was to give an equal amount – a half-shekel. This was mandated regardless of financial ability or lack thereof – everyone gave the same. Why a half-shekel? Why did everyone contribute an equal amount? A…

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וירא העם כי בשש משה לרדת מן ההר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Ki Sisa

The people saw that Moshe delayed in descending the mountain. (32:1)

The egregious sin of the Golden Calf was precipitated by a tragic error on the part of the people. This, of course, does not mitigate their sin. Had their emunah, faith, been without reservation, they would not have fallen prey to misconception. When Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai, he said that he would return forty days later – in the morning. The people thought that the day he ascended the mountain was included in the count – when, in fact, it was not. Thus, on the fortieth day, which was the sixteenth of Tammuz, (Moshe ascended on Sivan 7), they…

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ושני לחת העדות בידו לוחת כתובים משני עבריהם מזה ומזה הם כתבים.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Ki Sisa

With the Two Tablets of the Testimony in his hand, Tablets inscribed on both sides; they were inscribed on one side and the other. (32:15)

The Midrash to Megillas Esther (8:4) relates that when Mordechai heard of the terrible decree issued against the Jewish People, he rent his garments, dressed in sackcloth as a sign of mourning and wept bitterly throughout the city. When Esther was informed of Mordechai’s public expression of grief, she said, “Never in the history of the Jewish People has there been such a decree leveled at us. Perhaps it is because they denied Zeh Keili v’anveihu, “This is my G-d and I will build Him a Sanctuary” (Shemos 15:2), or they disbelieved in the Luchos, Tablets, about which is written,…

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וישמע יהושע את קול העם ברעה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Ki Sisa

Yehoshua heard the sound of the people in its shouting. (32:17)

Targum Yonasan ben Uziel comments on this pasuk: Kad meyabvin b’chedvah kami egla, “as (the people) they cried with joy before the Calf.” Crying generally is an expression of sorrow – not joy. Why does Targum Yonasan describe the joy of the people as being expressed through tears? Joy and crying are not synonymous expressions. When one is sad – he cries. We see this in the Torah’s description of a Kol anos, a distressing sound (32:18). On the other hand, the people exhibited joy by dancing (32:19) and “shouting” (see Rashi 32:17). How do we reconcile this joy, if…

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כי עם קשה עורף הוא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Ki Sisa

For they are a stiff-necked nation. (34:9)

When the Torah describes the sin of the Golden Calf, we observe Hashem referring to the Jewish People as “a stiff-necked nation.” It almost implies that it was this character trait – that seems to be inherently Jewish – which is blamed for their capitulation to the Golden Calf. It, therefore, begs elucidation why Moshe Rabbeinu uses this very same character trait as a defense for saving the Jews? How can a trait which appears to have played a pivotal and negative role in the catalyzation of such an egregious sin, actually be the reason that Moshe presents to Hashem…

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ושמרתם את השבת כי קדש היא לכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Ki Sisa

You shall observe the Shabbos, for it is holy to you. (31:14)

Shabbos is to the Jew much more than a mitzvah imperative. Shabbos is a holy day, consecrated from the beginning of time by the Almighty Himself. This is an idea which we often do not consider. If Hashem made this day holy, what right do we mortals have to desecrate it? People tend to offer two common excuses/answers to this question. First, “I do not care.” This is the response of the individual who disregards the Torah. It has no bearing on his life. Such a person simply does not fit into the equation. He has written himself off from…

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כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל לפקודיהם

When you take a census of Bnei Yisrael according to their numbers. (30:12)

העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט ממחצית השקל

The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel. (30:15)

לחשב מחשבות לעשות בזהב בכסף ובנחשת

To weave designs, to work with gold, silver and copper. (31:4)

ויאמר ד' אל משה ראיתי את העם הזה והנה עם קשה ערף הוא. ועתה הניחה לי...ואכלם.

Hashem said to Moshe, “I have seen this people, and behold! It is a stiff-necked people. And desist from me…and I shall annihilate them. (32:9,10)

ונתנו איש כפר נפשו לד'... זה יתנו כל העבר על הפקדים מחצית השקל... העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט ממחצית השקל

Every man shall give Hashem an atonement for his soul… This shall they give – everyone who passes through the census – a half-shekel… The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel. (30:12, 13, 15)

וירא העם כי בשש משה לרדת מן ההר

The people saw that Moshe delayed in descending the mountain. (32:1)

ושני לחת העדות בידו לוחת כתובים משני עבריהם מזה ומזה הם כתבים.

With the Two Tablets of the Testimony in his hand, Tablets inscribed on both sides; they were inscribed on one side and the other. (32:15)

וישמע יהושע את קול העם ברעה

Yehoshua heard the sound of the people in its shouting. (32:17)

כי עם קשה עורף הוא

For they are a stiff-necked nation. (34:9)

ושמרתם את השבת כי קדש היא לכם

You shall observe the Shabbos, for it is holy to you. (31:14)

YEARS

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