Author Topic: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...  (Read 3522 times)

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Offline muman613

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Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« on: February 13, 2014, 12:39:37 AM »
Shalom JTF readers,

This week we are reading the portion called Ki Tisa. This portion starts out great, the people contribute a 'half shekel' for the construction of the Tabernacle and the artisans begin to craft the vessels for the Sanctuary...

But Moses did not return from the mountain at the time the people expected him. The people began to worry and imagine that Moses had died and they were left without someone to guide them through the desert. Some of the people, we are told the Erev Rav (those non-Jews who wanted to go out from Egypt with us who had done a basic conversion) are the ones who instigated it, decide that they need an 'intermediary' in place of Moses and demand that a 'Golden Calf' be built and it declared to be the 'G-d of Israel'. Of course we all know that this is tantamount to idolatry, and when Moses is told by Hashem to go down from the mountain because the people are sinning, Moses goes down and witnesses this great sin.

Moses breaks the tablets, and goes to beg Hashem for mercy on the people. Hashem had decided to completely destroy the Jewish people and start a new people from Moses. But as we learned last week, Moshe would have none of that, even stating that he would rather be taken out of the Torah than have the Jewish people destroyed.

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2833/jewish/Ki-Tisa-in-a-Nutshell.htm

Quote


The people of Israel are told to each contribute exactly half a shekel of silver to the Sanctuary. Instructions are also given regarding the making of the Sanctuary’s water basin, anointing oil and incense. “Wise-hearted” artisans Betzalel and Aholiav are placed in charge of the Sanctuary’s construction, and the people are once again commanded to keep the Shabbat.

When Moses does not return when expected from Mount Sinai, the people make a golden calf and worship it. G‑d proposes to destroy the errant nation, but Moses intercedes on their behalf. Moses descends from the mountain carrying the tablets of the testimony engraved with the Ten Commandments; seeing the people dancing about their idol, he breaks the tablets, destroys the golden calf, and has the primary culprits put to death. He then returns to G‑d to say: “If You do not forgive them, blot me out from the book that You have written.”

G‑d forgives, but says that the effect of their sin will be felt for many generations. At first G‑d proposes to send His angel along with them, but Moses insists that G‑d Himself accompany His people to the promised land.

Moses prepares a new set of tablets and once more ascends the mountain, where G‑d reinscribes the covenant on these second tablets. On the mountain, Moses is also granted a vision of the divine thirteen attributes of mercy. So radiant is Moses’ face upon his return, that he must cover it with a veil, which he removes only to speak with G‑d and to teach His laws to the people.

And as usual we will start with the latest posting from Rabbi Richman of Temple Institute:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2014, 12:57:47 AM »
Our recently discovered friend Rabbi Levi Chazen talked about Ki Tisa a few years ago...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2014, 01:08:55 AM »
Ok, how about a deep Kabbalah thought from none other than the Great Gadol Rabbi Ginsburg, the teacher of both Rabbi Trugman and Rabbi Katz... Rabbi Yitzok Ginsburg is quite a Chocham (Sage/Wise).

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2014, 01:20:48 AM »
Rabbi Chaim Miller of TorahInTen gives us some Chassidic thoughts on the portion:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2014, 01:34:25 AM »
Rabbi Yehuda Moses from Los Angeles gives a short talk on Ki Tisa for TorahAnyTime.com...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2014, 01:45:03 AM »
Rabbi Richman, a few years ago, discussed the meanings and motivations behind the golden calf...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2014, 01:52:07 AM »
Only recently have I begun watching Rabbi Spalter from Chabad of Florida... Here he talks for about an hour..

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2014, 02:55:01 AM »
Ok, now for something not entirely different, but different enough to warrant notice...



I noticed this video is not correct according to the Torah. They did not wait for seven days for Moses to return... Moses came down when he said he was coming down, the people had miscounted by a day.
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2014, 12:23:02 AM »
Rabbi Maimon of Breslov Torah talks about our portion:



Please note that we do not read 'Parsha Parah' maftir this year during Ki Tisa... Since we are in a leap year, in the first month of Adar I, we do not start reading those parshiot. According to HebCal we will be reading Parsha Parah on March 22 when we read the portion 'Shmini'...

http://www.hebcal.com/hebcal/?year=2014&month=x&yt=G&v=1&nh=on&nx=on&mf=on&ss=on&s=on&i=off&lg=a&vis=on&d=on&c=on&m=50&.cgifields=nx&.cgifields=nh&.cgifields=mf&.cgifields=ss&.s=Create+Calendar
« Last Edit: February 14, 2014, 01:45:21 AM by muman613 »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2014, 12:41:23 AM »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Video Study for Parsha Ki Tisa : The Golden Calf.... Our bad...
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2014, 03:41:44 AM »
Alright, this isn't a video, but it is a good lesson regardless... Rabbi Frand, from Torah.org, wrote the following:

http://www.torah.org/learning/ravfrand/



The People Did Not Mourn The Loss of Moshe Rabbeinu

Parshas Ki Sisa contains the story of the grievous sin of making a Golden Calf. Whether or not the incident involved actual idolatry is a matter of discussion among the commentaries. However we explain this incident, it is certainly something that should not have occurred.

How did this come about? People became impatient. They saw that Moshe Rabbeinu was delayed in returning from the mountain. Rashi explains based on Chazal that everyone had in mind that Moshe Rabbeinu was supposed to come down at a certain time. When Moshe was late, the people started getting nervous.

To compound the problem, the Satan, through his powers, made there appear a tremendous sense of doom in the world. It became dark and cloudy -&nd ash; all to create the impression that Moshe Rabbeinu was dead. This is how it happened. The people were not just panicking for no reason. It was not just that Moshe was late. It was much direr than that. They actually thought he was dead: "This man Moshe –- we do not know what happened to him." They felt the world was teetering because of the demise of Moshe and they urgently felt the need for a new leader. The Calf was not supposed to be a deity – it was supposed to be their leader.

When Moshe finally did come down from Mt. Sinai, he saw the people dancing around the Golden Calf. Let us understand Moshe's reaction to this scene. This is transpiring mere hours after the nation "learned" that their leader was dead. Would it not be proper that there should have been some period of mourning for the loss of Moshe?

This was the man who took them out of Egypt. This was the man who could have stayed in the palace of Phara oh and not cared about his brethren. Should there not have been some period of mourning? Rather than mourning they are dancing around the Calf! They are having a party!

When the Almighty told Moshe that He was prepared to destroy the Jewish nation "and make you into a great nation", what would have been the normal reaction of any human being? "You bet! Right on! They deserve it – they are a bunch of ingrates who did not even have the decency to at least observe a period of mourning for me! These people are a lost cause."

What was Moshe's response? The Medrash Tanchuma sites his answer to the Almighty: Let a thousand like Moshe die rather than one finger nail be removed from Israel." This teaches that the leader of Israel, like Moshe, was so devoted to the nation that in spite of all the grief he just had from them, his concern for his people overweighed everything else.

There is only one type of relatio nship in the world that is comparable to this – the relationship between a parent and a child. Baruch Hashem, we should all have nachas from our children, but sometimes children can do things to their parents that are so insensitive, that are so hurtful, and yet time and time and time again the parent will look the other way and be interested in the welfare of the child. This was the relationship between Moshe Rabbeinu and Klal Yisrael – as the nursemaid carries the suckling child. Mothers have this tremendous capacity to take a lot of grief and a lot of aggravation and still be mothers.

This was not a job for Moshe. This was his people. Therefore, he was willing to overlook insult and injury. We see the same concept from a Ramban in this week's parsha. In response to Yehoshua's comment that he heard "the sound of war in the Camp", Moshe responded: "It is neither the sound of strength nor is it the sound of weakness; it is simply a so und that I hear." [Shmos 32:18]. The Ramban writes that Moshe Rabbeinu was attuned to the nuances of screaming. He could tell what types of screams were emerging from the camp. This was not the sound of war, this was something else. The Medrash Rabbah says that Moshe's statement was an implied criticism of his disciple. "Yehoshua, you are going to be the future leader of Israel. You must be able to discern the differences between the various cries (kolos) you hear."

Again, the mother-child relationship is an appropriate analog to this example. Until a baby begins to talk, it is often very frustrating for parents to try to determine what a baby wants when it starts crying. But experienced mothers who know their children for a certain time can distinguish between the various types of crying the baby does. This cry means the baby is hungry. This cry means the baby is in pain. This cry means the baby is wet. This cry means the baby is just generally irritable. To the average listener, the cry is upsetting but they have no idea what it means. A mother can discern the different types of crying. This is the type of leader Moshe Rabbeinu was. He could discern the different cries of the Children of Israel. Just as a mother has inexhaustible patience for her child, so too, Moshe had inexhaustible patience for Klal Yisrael.
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14