Parashat Ki Tissa
Positive
Communal Action
The collection of
the half-shekel teaches us the importance of working together as a community.
By Laura Safran
The following article is reprinted with permission from
the UJA-Federation of New York.
The parashah of Ki Tisa deals with several topics, including
a census of the Jewish people, in which each person who donated a half-shekel
was counted; the incident of the Golden Calf; and Moses’ destroying the tablets
containing the Ten Commandments out of rage at the people’s idolatry. It ends
with Moses’ obtaining from G-d a second set of tablets, and G-d’s forgiveness
of the people for their grievous sin.
The people’s half-shekel contribution formed a communal fund
for the construction of the Tabernacle. According to a midrash, the amount
itself was chosen by G-d, who showed Moses a coin of fire and instructed him,
“like this shall they give” (Exodus 30:13). This midrash demonstrates that both
money and fire, which often are media for selfishness and destruction, may be
employed to benefit the entire community. The users’ intention determines
whether they’ll be employed for good or bad.
By contributing together, the Jewish people united in
purpose as one nation, and in doing so, strove toward the common goal of
building the Tabernacle, where they could best worship G-d. Regardless of each
person’s financial means, they attained a spiritual equality by each donating
the identical amount.
According to the Or Hachayim (Rabbi Chayim ben Atar,
1696-1742) every mitzvah, or commandment, is meant to bridge a gap that
may exist between man and G-d. Some commentators believe that the commandment
of the half-shekel occurred after the sin of the Golden Calf, and so was meant
to restore the entire people’s closeness to G-d.
The symbolic meaning of the “half” drew people’s attention
to the fact that they needed each other to build the Tabernacle. Were a wealthy
person allowed to contribute more according to his/her means, the purpose of
the half-shekel--to register the people’s common dedication to building the
Tabernacle--would have been undermined.
Another instructive part of this parashah concerns the
ingredients for the holy incense used in the Tabernacle. One of the spices to
be offered had an unpleasant aroma, from which the sages derive that for a
congregation’s prayers to be most acceptable to G-d, that community must
include the prayers of sinners.
This notion is particularly relevant to this parashah,
because the entire community, including Moses’ brother Aaron, the High Priest,
sinned by worshipping the Golden Calf. After miscalculating the time it would
take for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai, the people surrounded Aaron and
implored him to “make for us gods that will go before us.” Aaron replied,
“Remove the golden earrings which are on the ears of your wives, sons and
daughters, and bring them to me” (Exodus 32:1-2). How is it possible that
Aaron, a truly righteous man, would consent to help the people make an idol?
The Daat Zekainim, a compilation of medieval French
commentators, note that Aaron’s intentions were good. He considered the
possibility of appointing a temporary leader to calm the people, yet was afraid
that the new leader would not step down upon Moses’ return. He also thought of
appointing himself as the people’s head, but was afraid that Moses would
mistakenly think that he was trying to usurp Moses’ leadership. Therefore, he
tried to use the Golden Calf as a means of “buying time,” so as to avoid
actions that could hurt the community and its leader. Perhaps this episode
might impel each of us to consider an individual’s motivations and intentions
before judging his or her behavior.
It’s also important not to rush to judgment when a person’s
appearance seems different than usual. Near the end of the parashah, the Torah
describes Moses’ face, after he received the second set of tablets, as emitting
rays of light resulting from his closeness to G-d. From then on, when speaking
with the people, Moses would cover his face with a veil.
According to the Be’er Moshe (Rabbi Moshe Yechiel
Ha-Levi Epstein, the Ozhorover Rebbe, 1890-1971), he did so to spare them the
embarrassment of realizing the closeness with G-d that they had lost due to
their sins. We learn that even when a person is angry, he or she should be
sensitive toward others’ feelings, rather than having a judgmental attitude.
To summarize the parashah’s meaning for us: Ki Tisa
demonstrates the good that may come from communal action. Our work unites our
community in a common cause, in respect and understanding for all Jews, and in
sensitivity of the plight of those in need. We should continue to learn the
lessons taught to us by our ancestors, and remember that which binds us to them
and to our fellow Jews today.
Laura Safran is assistant director of volunteer training
and development in the Volunteer and Leadership Development Division of
UJA-Federation of New York.
