|
 ASBEE
Home Page > Learning > Tanach/Bible
> Exodus/Shemot > Parashat
Ki Sisa > Questions and Possible Answers
Questions and Possible Answers for Parashat Ki Sisa,
(Exodus ch. 30,v.11-ch.34)
1.Parashat Teruma spoke of
the tabernacle. Parashat Tetzaveh speaks of the priestly vestments and
dedication ceremony. What do the 7 topics of the beginning of Ki Sisa ch.
30-1 have in common?
The seven topics after the dedication ceremony and before the sin of
the golden calf are; 1) The golden incense altar, 2) the half shekel
obligation of each Israelite toward the tabernacle service, 3) the laver
for the priests to wash their hands and feet, 4) the making of the
anointing fragrant oil, 5) the spices for incense, 6) the appointment of
the two artists and architects for the tabernacle and its vessels, 7)
the holiness of Shabbat, the Israelites' special sign that G-d created
the world.
What they have in common is that they all have the word
"holy" in
them, except for #2. The altar (#1) is really part of last week's
dedication ceremony. It atones for sins once a year like some of the
previous vestments and ceremonies. Atonement appears in #1 and 2. #2-6 are
all preparatory for the building of the tabernacle and its
functioning. Shabbat is found both before and after the golden calf
incident (ch. 35, v. 2). The portion of Terumah was just about the
vessels of the tabernacle. Tetzaveh was about vestments and the
dedication ceremony. The 7 sections are miscellaneous. Except for #1,
the incense altar, none of the topics belong in the previous 2 portions.
Overall, we have portions of tabernacle (mishkan) surrounding the story
of the calf, but laws of Shabbat immediately before and after the calf
story. The structure looks like this:
2 portions on tabernacle
--Shabbat--golden calf--Shabbat--
2 portions on tabernacle
2. ch. 32, 1-6, 22-4: How could Aaron have sinned so egregiously?
We can try to find ways of exonerating Aaron. We can suggest that he
only intended to stall until Moshe returned. Perhaps he imagined that
the people would not heed him when he asked them to take off their
wives' and children's earrings. In fact, the text goes out of its way to
point out that they did not bring their family's earrings, but their own
(maybe they couldn't convince their families (midrash) or maybe they
were so enthused that they gave their own). Perhaps he didn't intend it
to be a deity, but rather a replacement for Moshe's leadership.
Another approach gives Aaron full blame for the catastrophe. The
problem with this interpretation is that if he indeed committed this
sin, how do we imagine that he later merited being the high priest?
Perhaps he did sin egregiously but the outcome proves the overwhelming
power of Moshe's prayers. We learn in Deuteronomy, Moshe's recounting of
the exodus, that he prayed to G-d not only to save the nation, but
specifically to save Aaron as well (9, 20).
Or perhaps Aaron's selection as priest shows the incredible
righteousness of Aaron. He was generally so pure and humble that even a
sin of this gravity was not enough to make him unworthy of priesthood.
(Rabbi Angel alluded to this option in a recent sermon.) What was his
great merit? When Moshe was chosen by G-d to lead the nation, Aaron, the
elder brother could have been jealous or upset. Moshe was concerned about
Aaron's feelings, and asked that Aaron lead in Moshe's stead. G-d
testified to Moshe that Aaron is thrilled for Moshe. He is a man utterly
free of jealousy and pettiness. The main trait of a priest\Cohen is his
love of others.
Another approach would argue that such sins are not erased. In G-d's
self-description (34, 7), He says that He does not erase sins but is
patient with sinners. Aaron may have been tolerated as the High
Priest\Cohen Gadol, but he was eventually punished severely. As the
tabernacle was erected, his two sons died. What their crime was is not
clear (Leviticus 10, 1-2). When it happened, Aaron was silent. He was
silent because he is pious and wouldn't question G-d's actions. He is
also silent because he cannot complain to G-d who spared him from an
earlier death. It could also be that he is simply not a very good
leader. He did the best he could, which wasn't good at all. G-d didn't
punish him because he did the best he could.
3. How could G-d have changed His mind? ch. 33-34.
In our story, G-d never really changed His mind. When G-d says to
Moshe that he should leave Him alone and allow Him to destroy the
Israelites, He obviously was not hoping that Moshe would leave Him alone.
On the contrary, G-d desires the prayers of the righteous (says the
Talmud). Furthermore, G-d wished to destroy the Israelites after the sin
before the earthly courts did their part. As soon as Moshe and the
Levites did their share to punish the sinners (32, 26-8), G-d was much
more amenable to forgiveness.
The specific reasons listed for G-d's "changing His mind"
were that 1)
the Egyptians would be led to assume that G-d is cruel and sadistic,
redeeming Israel only to slaughter them in the desert, and 2) for the
sake of the vow to the forefathers. Obviously, G-d was well aware of
both these points. However, He is also forever aware of the fact that
His nature is not to erase sins and to punish the wicked. It is up
to
us humans to emphasize His traits of mercy and compassion. That is also
the meaning of prayer. We try to bring out G-d's merciful qualities over
His punitive ones. |
|
