Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Ki Tissa AND GOD SAID TO MOSHE: I SEE THIS PEOPLE – AND HERE, IT IS A HARD-NECKED PEOPLE! SO NOW, LET ME BE, THAT MY ANGER MAY FLARE AGAINST THEM AND I MAY DESTROY THEM – BUT YOU I WILL MAKE INTO A GREAT NATION! MOSHE IMPLORED THE LORD HIS GOD, HE SAID: FOR WHAT REASON, O LORD, SHOULD YOUR ANGER FLARE AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE WHOM YOU BROUGHT OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT WITH GREAT POWER, WITH A STRONG HAND… AND THE LORD RENOUNCED...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Ki Tissa AND GOD WOULD SPEAK TO MOSHE FACE TO FACE, AS A MAN SPEAKS TO HIS NEIGHBOR. NOW WHEN HE WOULD RETURN TO THE CAMP, HIS ATTENDANT, THE LAD YEHOSHUA, WOULD NOT DEPART FROM WITHIN. (Shemot 33:11)   "FACE TO FACE" "Face to face" meaning: Present, without intermediary, as is written, "Let us confront each other", and this is elsewhere explained, saying, "You heard the sound of words but perceived no shape – nothing but a voice." Thus, "and God would speak to Moshe face...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parshat Ki Tissa- Para "This is what they are to give, everyone that goes through the counting: half a shekel" Said Rabbi Abba bar Aha: It is impossible to determine the nature of this people; they are asked to contribute for the calf and they do so, they are asked to contribute to the Mishkan and they comply. (Yerushalmi, Shekalim 1:1)     The Half and the Complete The symbol with which everyone expresses personal commitment to giving and doing is the Machatsit Hashekel — the half-shekel....

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat Ki Tissa (link to original page) Parshat Ki Tissa Leader and Nation by Moshe David Her The Torah portion Ki Tisa deals with, among other things, the episode of the Golden Calf. In this episode, various contradictory viewpoints are expressed regarding what are appropriate characteristics of a leader, and also regarding the thorny question of the connection between a leader and the masses. We already know from the beginning of the book of Exodus that Moses was not a man of words but rather heavy of mouth and tongue (Ex. 4:10)...