Parashat Ki Tisa
Parashat Ki Tisa is the ninth parsha in the Book of Shemos. It contains 132 pesukim. For the Haftora the story of Eliyahu's miraculous sacrifice on Mount Carmel is read.
Contents |
Machatzit HaShekel
Hashem tells Moshe to count the Jews by collecting a half a shekel per each male above age twenty. By then calculating the total of the Jewish Nation through the counting of the coins, Moshe is able to avoid the creation of a devastating plague that could incur had he counted the actual people. Additionally the silver coins from this collection are to be used for the creation of the Adanim and Vavim in the Mishkan and will serve as a remembrance of the Jews before Hashem and as a partial rectification for the 'sin of the golden calf'.
Half a Shekel
Each shekel equaled twenty Gerahs, making each half shekel coin equal ten Gerah. Half shekel coins were minted from silver.
The Collection
Only males over the age of twenty, the age of army eligibility, were subject to the Machatzit HaShekel collection. Each individual had to submit precisely a half a shekel, not more, not less, regardless if the individual was wealthy or poor.
Kiyor HaNechoshet
Hashem tells Moshe to create a copper washstand that would be used by the Kohanim to wash their hands and feet before entering Ohel Moed or performing any rituals by the external altar. Doing either of the above without first washing the hands and feet is punishable by death. The washstand is to be placed between Ohel Moed and the altar.
Shemen HaMishcha
Hashem tells Moshe to create holy anointing oil.
Components
The Shemen HaMishcha anointing oil was only to be compounded from the finest spices using the art of the perfumer. It included....
- Shemen Zayit - Olive oil measuring one Hin
- Muhr Dror - Pure myrrh weighing 500 shekels.
- Kinhamon Bosem - Fragrant cinnamon weighing 500 shekels.
- Kaneh Bosem - Fragrant cane weighing 250 shekels.
- Kidah - Cassia weighing 500 shekels.
Anointments
One anointed these vessels became categorized as 'holy of holies' and any object that touched them became 'holy'.
- Ohel Moed - Tent of Meeting
- Aron Hadut - Ark of Testimony
- Shulchan - Table including all its vessels
- Menorah - Candelabra including all its vessels
- Mizbeach HaKetoret - Altar of incense
- Mizbeach Ha'olah - Altar of the burnt offering
- Aharon and his sons - Aharon and his four sone Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Itamar.
Exclusivity
It is forbidden to compound oil using the Shemen Hamishcha formula. Additionally it is forbidden to use this oil on anyone other then Kings and the Kohe Gadol. Anyone who transgress the above receives Karet and becomes cut off from his people.
Ketoret HaSamim
Hashem tells Moshe to create an incense formula, compounding it according to the art of the perfumer, to be burnt twice daily on the golden altar inside Ohel Moed. It should be well blended, pure, and holy.
Ingredients
The Ketoret incense contained 11 main spices. Four are written openly in the Torah and the rest are alluded to in the verse.
- Nataf - Balsam sap equaling 70 Mana
- Shichelet - Onycha equaling 70 Mana
- Chelbona - Galbanum equaling 70 Mana
- Levona - Pure frankincense equaling 70 Mana
Exclusivity
It is forbidden to compound incense using the Ketoret formula. Anyone who clones the Ketoret to smell it's fragrance, receives Karet and becomes cut off from his people.
Construction of Mishkan
Appointment of Betzalel
Hashem tell Moshe to appoint Betzalel ben Uri ben Hur from the tribe of Yehudah in charge of the Mishkan's construction. Hashem imbued Betzalel with divine spirit, wisdom, insight, knowledge and talent for all sorts of craftsmanship. He is to use his abilities to manage the master weaving, goldsmithing, silversmithing, copper work, gemstone setting and wood crafting.
Assistants
Betzalel was assisted in his job by a group of wise hearted men, while Oholiav ben Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan served as his main assistant.
Tasks
Betzalel and his helpers were to create the main structure of the Mishkan as well as its vessels and associated items. These included;
- Tent of Meeting, its covers and all elements of the Tent
- Ark of testimony
- Table and all its accessories.
- Menorah and all its accessories.
- Altar of incense
- Altar for the burnt offering and all its accessories.
- Washstand and its base
- Meshwork garments
- Garments of Aharon and his sons
- Anointing oil
- Incense
Shabbat Warning
Despite the construction of the Mishkan, the Jews are warned to guard the laws of Shabbat. Those who desecrate it will be put to death. Whoever performs work on Shabbot hid soul will be cut off from the midst of its people. Shabbat serves as an eternal sign between Hashem and the Jews, that He created the heaven and earth in sixth days, resting on the seventh day.
Chet Haegel
The Luchos
After Hashem finished speaking with Moshe on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two stone tablets of the testimony, written with the finger of God in His own inscription. Letters on the tablets were engraved and channels completely through. Yet despite this, regardless of which direction the tablets were looked at, miraculously they would be written in the correct direction.
Creation of Golden Calf
When the people saw that Moses was late in coming down from the mountain, they gathered against Aharon, and requested that he create for them a god to replace Moshe as they do not know what happened to him. Aharon asked them to gather the golden earrings from the ears of their wives, sons, and daughters and bring them to him. Instead of gathering it from their family members, the people stripped off their own golden earrings and brought them to Aharon.
Aharon took these from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool and made it into a molten calf. The people then exclaimed "These are your gods, Nation of Yisroel, who have brought you up from the land of Egypt!"
When Aharon saw this , he built an altar in front of the calf and proclaimed that tomorrow they will make a celebration. On the next day they arose early, offered up burnt offerings, peace offerings and the people sat down to eat, drink, and make merry.
Briefing of Moshe
Hashem told Moshe to go descend for the people that he had brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. For they had quickly turned away from the path that Hashem commanded them, they created for themselves a molten calf, prostrating themselves before it, slaughtered sacrifices to it, and referring to it as the gods that redeemed them from Egypt.
Annihilation Plan
Hashem tells Moshe that he has seen the Jews and they are a stiff necked people. He requests that Moshe leave him alone so His anger will be kindled and He can annihilate them. He then promises to replace them with Moshe and his descendants, making him into a great nation.
Pleading of Moshe
Moshe began pleading in front of Hashem to calm His anger. Moshe then points out that the Egyptians will then claim that Hashem just brought them out with evil intent of killing them in the mountains and to annihilate them from upon the face of the earth. Moshe then tried invoking the merit of the Avos; Avraham, Yitzchok and Yackov and the oath He swore them by His very Self made that that He would multiply their descendants like the stars of the heavens and that they would inherit Eretz Yisroel. Upon hearing this, Hashem reconsidered the evil He had said He would do to His people.
Descent of Moshe
Moshe turned and went down from the mountain holding the two Luchos in his hand. On the way he met Yehoshua, who had been waiting for his master for the past 40 days halfway up Mount Sinai. Yehoshua had heard the sounds and the commotion coming from the camp and had assumed there was a battle going on and they were cries of war. Moshe corrected him, informing him that they were neither sounds of victory nor sounds of defeat but rather sounds of blasphemy.
Breaking of the Luchos
As Moshe drew close to the camp he saw the calf and the dancing before it. Moshe became enraged, he flung the tablets from his hands, shattering them at the foot of the mountain.
Eradication of the Golden Calf
Moshe took the golden calf, burned it in fire, ground it to fine powder, then scattered its powder upon the surface of the water. He then gave the Jews to drink that water.
Accusation of Aharon
Moshe turned to Ahraon and demanded to know what the nation had to to him causing him to bring such a grave sin upon them. Aharon responded, telling Moshe not to be angry as he himself knows that the people are disposed toward evil. He then related how the people had approached him to create gods to replace Moshe and lead them after his disappearance. After which he had then requested gold, which they produced and he then threw into a fire which produced the emergence of the golden calf.
Mass Execution
Moshe saw that the people were exposed for Aharon had exposed them to be disgraced before their adversaries. He stood at the gate of the camp and requested all those that had not sinned to gather by him, calling out "Whoever is for Hashem, come to me". The entire tribe of Levi had not sinned and gathered by Moshe. He commanded them in the name of Hashem to girdle their swords and pass from one end of the camp to the other and kill all those that had sinned, including their friends, relatives and even step brother they had from the same mother. This was carried out by the Tribe of Levi and they executed 3,000 men that day.