Reflections from Rabbi Ellis

Ki Tisa is the ninth of the eleven Parhsiot of the book of Shemot - Exodus. This week G!d finishes instructing Moshe how to build the Mishkan and gives him the ten commandments. Just before Moshe turns to return to the Children of Israel with the two tablets of law in his hands, G!d tells him the worst news ever. The Children of Israel have gone astray. Less than two months after hearing G!d tell us not to worship foreign gods we go and do just that.

Ki Tisa is remembered as the Parsha where the Children of Israel sin with the golden calf. As such it is just about the worst Parsha. We do have two Parshiot that are full or curses and fairly unpopular, but the sin of the golden calf takes the cake for the worst part of the Torah. As such we forget that this is also the most remarkable Parsha, because of the closeness that Moshe reaches with G!d in it.

Shmote, the second book of the Torah, is where we learn about who the Children of Israel are, who G!d is and what we mean to each other. In Shmote we define the roles, responsibilities and limits of our relationship with each other. In order for us to have a productive relationship with G!d there are three things that we need.

First we need to know that G!d is there and cares for us. G!d has what he has to do for us and we have what we have to do for him. In Egypt G!d started revealing this aspect of his love to us through the plagues. It was fully revealed when G!d split the Red Sea. The first way G!d established his relationship with us was through redeeming us from Egypt.

After the splitting of the Red Sea we then headed to Sinai, where G!d gave us the Torah. Revelation was not what either side thought it would be. It was loud, intense and incomplete, regardless it established a new aspect in our relationship with G!d, revelation. G!d has a will, it is knowable and he has made it known to us. At Sinai G!d established the second pillar in his relationship with the Children of Israel, revelation.

Finally, we come to this week’s Parsha. We are still at Sinai, but we are down below and G!d is up above. We have sinned, defiled ourselves and are full of guilt while G!d is loyal, pure and enraged. G!d’s anger is not at what we’ve done to him, but what we have done to ourselves. G!d sees those who he loves debasing themselves and causing themselves more and more suffering. G!d’s love conquers his anger and he forgives us. It’s amazing and he doesn’t do it alone. Throughout our Parsha Moshe has been begging and chiding G!d to promise that he will always forgive us, his children. The sin of golden calf is the opening that allows Moshe to fix this third and most essential pillar of our relationship with G!d, forgiveness.

Shabbat Shalom!