Parshas Ki Sissa 5767

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

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G-d commanded Moshe to take a census of the Jewish people. Although this order is mentioned before the sin of the Golden Calf, it was actually instructed after the plague had killed many of the participants in the sin. Rather than counting the people themselves, they were ordered to give a half shekel each, and the coins were then counted. The half-shekel served as atonement for the nation.

After the great revelation at Sinai, Moshe told the nation that he would return from the top of the mountain after forty days. The people miscalculated Moshe’s words and began the counting from the moment he left. In fact, however, Moshe had meant for the forty days to begin from the next morning, marking a complete forty days and nights. When Moshe had not returned by noon of the fortieth day of their calculations, they feared that he would not return at all. The people clamored around Aharon to make them an image as a replacement for Moshe. Although Aharon had no intention of sinning, he feared for his life. The Midrash says that Chur, Miriam’s son, tried to stop the people and was murdered.

Aharon told the people to bring their gold to him. He thought he could procrastinate until Moshe returned. The people, however, rushed to bring him their gold. Aharon took the gold and threw it into a fire. Miraculously, a golden calf appeared by itself.

Only a minority of the nation, three thousand people, actually served the Golden Calf as a god. These instigators were actually from the Mixed Assembly who had joined the Jews when they left Egypt, and were not from the main body of the nation. The majority of the others only viewed it as a physical representation of something with which they could connect to G-d, to take the place of Moshe. Yet this too was considered a serious sin, because it marked a lack of trust and belief in the way G-d wanted the people to relate to Him.

The people were all punished on various levels, according to their involvement. Only the Levites and the women, who had not been involved with the Calf at all, were spared from punishment. The Levites were chosen to serve in the Temple instead of the firstborn, and the women were given Rosh Chodesh, the New Moon, as a monthly holiday.

“Moshe stood at the gateway...and said, ‘Whoever is for G-d, join me!’ and all the sons of Levi gathered around him.” (Ex. 32:26)

When Rav Shimon Schwab was a student, he visited the Chafetz Chaim. The elderly Rav mentioned that he was a kohain (from the priestly clan). He asked the young Rav Schwab if he was a kohain too.

Rav Schwab answered in the negative. The Chafetz Chaim asked, “Why not?”

The confused student explained that his father was not a kohain. Again the Chafetz Chaim asked, “And why not?”

The young Rav Schwab did not know what to answer. The Chafetz Chaim smiled. “I want to teach you something. Many years ago, when Moshe called to the people, ‘Whoever is for G-d gather around me,’ my ancestors responded, and yours didn’t. That’s why till today, I am a kohain and you are not. The decision of a single moment can have eternal implications. Make sure the next time that call is made, you respond accordingly.”

Did You Know...

Cooking is prohibited on Shabbos even if it is not directly on a fire. For example, one may not put uncooked spices into a hot bowl of soup, as they will be cooked. If the soup is transferred from one bowl to another, the spices may be added, as the transferring cools it sufficiently that it will no longer cook.

If a solid food has already been cooked, it is permitted to "re-cook" it by putting it into something hot. Our salt and sugar today are pre-cooked, and thus may be put into hot foods.

Liquids may not be re-heated, even if they were already cooked before, unless they still retain some of their original heat.

One should not pour hot water into a wet cup, since the droplets of water will be cooked.