A Thought on Parshas Ki Tisa
A Thought on Parshas Ki Tisa
"...ha'ashir lo yarbeh..."
"...the wealthy may not give more..." (30:15)
Everyone in the desert had to donate to the community fund, and each one had to give the same amount. This was in order to determine, indirectly, the census of the nation by counting the coins, each one of which corresponded to one adult male, Hence, a rich man could not give more nor a poor man less. But - what if someone did not give? The census tally would be inaccurate.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel writes that Moshe Rabbeinu struggled with this possibility. He asked HaShem if there might be an independent measure, and external criterion, to compare with the coin total. Such a measure would either validate or not match the tally.
He puts together the following calculation, based on midrashic formulas: Moshe Rabbeinu was told by HaShem to take the first letter from each of the twelve tribal names. Reuven and Shimon begin with reish and shin which equal 500. From Naftali, Yehuda, Yissachar and Yosef, the nun with yud three times equals 80. So far that is 580. From Zevulun, Gad, Asher, Binyanim and Dan we have zayin, gimel, alef, bais and dalet which add up to 17 giving a grand total of 597. Now, we always say that there were 600 thousand men in the desert, but we know that three thousand of them perished post-egel. As for the lamed of Levi which would have represented 30 (meaning 30 thousand), this is not included in the validation formula since Levi was never counted in the census. The head-letter of each tribal head validated the head count.
* * * * * *
"...ach es Shabsosai tishmoru..."
"...but the Sabbath must still be kept..." (31:13)
Despite the supreme importance of building a mishkan, the Torah stresses that it may not be constructed during Shabbos. Given that the Shabbos involves serious work prohibitions, why might we have assumed that the mishkan might override its sanctity?
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel suggests that we might have assumed that whereas the building of the mishkan is only a mitzvas aseh which does not have the power to override more complex prohibitions such as Shabbos, it is really in the category of "aseh gadol" - a great commandment (for example, bris mila and korban Pesach are in that category of "great mitzvos" and have the power to override Shabbos). Why might I have thought that the temple is also in that class of "great mitzvos"?
He answers that we learn in Pirkei Avos 1:2 that the world stands on three pillars - Torah, Worship and Kindness. I would have assumed that one could override Shabbos, if needed, in order to learn Torah, to be charitable, and to prepare for supreme worship as would have been facilitated through constructing a Temple. This is why we have our above verse, which teaches us that whereas those three pillars are supreme essentials, Shabbos takes precedence over them. This certainly sheds a magnificent light on how truly vital and precious our prayer, learning and kindness are. To think that they might have overridden Shabbos had it not been for this verse! Henceforth, regard your learning, helping, and praying as "great mitzvos"!
* * * * *
"... zachor l'Avraham l'Yitchak u'l'Yakov..."
"...please remember the three forefathers.." (32:13)
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel probes the deeper secrets of Moshe's plea to save the Jewish people. With what was he bargaining or negotiating that HaShem, ka'va'yachol might set aside the decree of annihilation r'l? Why does he single out three three patriarchs and ask that HaShem remember them?
Basing his interpretation on midrashic sources, Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel considers that there might have been three forms of severe punishment which the Jews could have succumbed to: sraifa (death by fire), hereg (beheading) or galus (exile). This was his plea: if they are considered to be deserving of sraifa - remember Avraham who was willing to die by fire when he was cast into the furnace in Ur Kasdim. If they deserve hereg - remember Yitzchak who was willing to be slaughtered at the akeida. If they deserve galus - remember Yakov who endured exile as he left his father's home for the land of Charan. This was the meaning of Moshe's prayer for remembrance of the three Avos. He pleaded that their specific devotions serve as merits to set aside the need for their descendants to undergo parallel suffering r'l. As long as zchus Avos prevailed, we were protected from such national tragedies.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel demonstrates for us his skill with remez - the hidden allusions of the Torah, with drush - the homiletic expounding of the interface between the Torah's structural and moral lessons, and with sod - the foundational essences which run beneath the overt message of the verses. Food for thought; reflection for the senses; inspiration for the transcendent spark within.
Wishing you the delights of Shabbos, in mind, heart and soul. D Fox
"...ha'ashir lo yarbeh..."
"...the wealthy may not give more..." (30:15)
Everyone in the desert had to donate to the community fund, and each one had to give the same amount. This was in order to determine, indirectly, the census of the nation by counting the coins, each one of which corresponded to one adult male, Hence, a rich man could not give more nor a poor man less. But - what if someone did not give? The census tally would be inaccurate.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel writes that Moshe Rabbeinu struggled with this possibility. He asked HaShem if there might be an independent measure, and external criterion, to compare with the coin total. Such a measure would either validate or not match the tally.
He puts together the following calculation, based on midrashic formulas: Moshe Rabbeinu was told by HaShem to take the first letter from each of the twelve tribal names. Reuven and Shimon begin with reish and shin which equal 500. From Naftali, Yehuda, Yissachar and Yosef, the nun with yud three times equals 80. So far that is 580. From Zevulun, Gad, Asher, Binyanim and Dan we have zayin, gimel, alef, bais and dalet which add up to 17 giving a grand total of 597. Now, we always say that there were 600 thousand men in the desert, but we know that three thousand of them perished post-egel. As for the lamed of Levi which would have represented 30 (meaning 30 thousand), this is not included in the validation formula since Levi was never counted in the census. The head-letter of each tribal head validated the head count.
* * * * * *
"...ach es Shabsosai tishmoru..."
"...but the Sabbath must still be kept..." (31:13)
Despite the supreme importance of building a mishkan, the Torah stresses that it may not be constructed during Shabbos. Given that the Shabbos involves serious work prohibitions, why might we have assumed that the mishkan might override its sanctity?
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel suggests that we might have assumed that whereas the building of the mishkan is only a mitzvas aseh which does not have the power to override more complex prohibitions such as Shabbos, it is really in the category of "aseh gadol" - a great commandment (for example, bris mila and korban Pesach are in that category of "great mitzvos" and have the power to override Shabbos). Why might I have thought that the temple is also in that class of "great mitzvos"?
He answers that we learn in Pirkei Avos 1:2 that the world stands on three pillars - Torah, Worship and Kindness. I would have assumed that one could override Shabbos, if needed, in order to learn Torah, to be charitable, and to prepare for supreme worship as would have been facilitated through constructing a Temple. This is why we have our above verse, which teaches us that whereas those three pillars are supreme essentials, Shabbos takes precedence over them. This certainly sheds a magnificent light on how truly vital and precious our prayer, learning and kindness are. To think that they might have overridden Shabbos had it not been for this verse! Henceforth, regard your learning, helping, and praying as "great mitzvos"!
* * * * *
"... zachor l'Avraham l'Yitchak u'l'Yakov..."
"...please remember the three forefathers.." (32:13)
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel probes the deeper secrets of Moshe's plea to save the Jewish people. With what was he bargaining or negotiating that HaShem, ka'va'yachol might set aside the decree of annihilation r'l? Why does he single out three three patriarchs and ask that HaShem remember them?
Basing his interpretation on midrashic sources, Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel considers that there might have been three forms of severe punishment which the Jews could have succumbed to: sraifa (death by fire), hereg (beheading) or galus (exile). This was his plea: if they are considered to be deserving of sraifa - remember Avraham who was willing to die by fire when he was cast into the furnace in Ur Kasdim. If they deserve hereg - remember Yitzchak who was willing to be slaughtered at the akeida. If they deserve galus - remember Yakov who endured exile as he left his father's home for the land of Charan. This was the meaning of Moshe's prayer for remembrance of the three Avos. He pleaded that their specific devotions serve as merits to set aside the need for their descendants to undergo parallel suffering r'l. As long as zchus Avos prevailed, we were protected from such national tragedies.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel demonstrates for us his skill with remez - the hidden allusions of the Torah, with drush - the homiletic expounding of the interface between the Torah's structural and moral lessons, and with sod - the foundational essences which run beneath the overt message of the verses. Food for thought; reflection for the senses; inspiration for the transcendent spark within.
Wishing you the delights of Shabbos, in mind, heart and soul. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 7:22 PM
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