Scroll to Scroll:

Todays Parsha #21: Ki Tissa (When You Take)

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (Tetzaveh):
1) How can we know the exact measurement of a cubit? Is there more than one
kind?
ZERETH (28:16) = span. Josephus and other authorities call this the length of a
spread out hand, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky, which is also half
a cubit (9 inches).
There were two kinds of cubits which were used. The common cubit of 18 inches
and the royal cubit of 20.67 inches. The longer cubit is given by Ezekiel (43:13) as
being equal to the shorter cubit plus an additional hand breath, or the length of 4
fingers (1 Kings 7:26), thus accounting for the extra 2.67 inches (certainly over 2
and under 3 inches for an average adult). This is identical in length to the royal
cubit that Moshe knew as a prince of Egypt. For more information on that topic,
please read, Secrets of the Great Pyramid, by Peter Tomkins.

2) Because the size of hands and arms varies from person to person, is it impossible
to posit a consistent length of a cubit over the full period of Biblical history?
True or False? Why or why not?
FALSE. It is important to note that the minor variability of the length of
various body parts does not necessarily preclude the reed (6 cubits), cubit,
span and hand-breadth measurements from being precise. Reason being,
YHWH clearly said to Moshe, See that you make everything according to
the pattern I showed you on the mountain, which includes the
measurements in some absolute form!
3) How specifically might the true length of a cubit been accurately passed down
throughout the generations if in fact it were a completely fixed measurement?
It is unclear as to whether the 18 inch smaller cubit and the hand breath were based
on Moshes own body measurements or perhaps Adams, but either way YHWH
clearly knows His intended dimensions and passed them on to Moshe via vision.
Finally, once that vision was achieved, Moshe could have manufactured the precise
and perfect length of the 6 cubit long reed mentioned in Ezekiel 40 and 43 and
alluded to in Revelation 11. As long as new reeds were copied to the precise length
of the originals, there is no issue of losing this valuable data.
One of the key proofs of an 18 inch cubit, is the description by Josephus of arms
or cloisters extending from the Valley of the Cheese Makers to the Valley of
1|Page

Kidron, beginning with the outer court of the Temple. This geographical length is
exactly 600 feet or 7200 inches, which at 18 inches per cubit gives us the 400 cubits.
Josephus then adds
221

These cloisters belonged to the outer court, and were located in a deep valley,
and had walls that reached four hundred cubits [in length], and were built of square
and very white stones, the length of each stone was twenty cubits, and their height
six cubits. This was the work of King Solomon, who first of all built the entire
temple. (Antiquities, 20:221)

4) In our Haftorah portion we got detailed measurements of the Temple from

Ezekiel that seems to be echoed both in Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11.
However, there is another secret place in the NT where one of these measuring
details is linked to a famous miracle. Where is this secret place and what is the
detail?
The measuring reed of 6 cubits in Ezekiel 43 and Revelation 11 is directly
linked to place called Reed City, or Qatneh in Aramaic. In English we know
this place as Cana, where Yshua turned water into wine.
5) Without really lecturing or overtly persuading them, how is Paul using the
challenges of his own experience to in effect teach the Philippians?
Pauls overall tone is cordial to this assembly because he is grateful to them
for their prior assistance to him. However, though his tone is positive, in
terms of enumerating problems that they have, Paul is not holding back
either. What he tends to do is to turn negatives into positives, such as when
he talks about how great it will be when Epaphroditus is leading them rather
than how bad the current leadership is. Another positive based technique
though is what Paul does here, and that is to use himself as an example for
their faults. He is in effect saying, Hey, I used to do this wrong and I am so
happy I dont do that anymore rather than, YOU need to stop this sin
now!
That is why he says that he is forgetting what is behind me and focusing on
what is before me, in front of me, as a way of telling the Philippians they
need to do likewise. That is also why he again shows the positive RESULT of
what change will bring rather than the negative consequences of remaining
as they are, hence the phrase, Let those who are PERFECT have those
views meaning of course, to agree with him. Paul doesnt have to say that
those who DISAGREE with him on these points are flawed, but then again,
he doesnt have to. Also, once more everything he is saying must be put into
the context of his current circumstances being imprisoned in Rome as he
writes this letter. Paul knows he can in effect trade on their sympathies to
exhort them to the next level. Its kind of like saying to them indirectly, You
think you have problems? Im in JAIL and yet I am more worried about you
doing X.
2|Page

1) Meaning of Parsha title/summary of contents.

Ki-Tissa means you will take, referring to what Israel is to do when it takes a
census of all the people. Most censuses in the ancient world are used for the purposes
of taxation. This census is no different, except the tax is not for an emperor, but for
YHWHs Tabernacle. This innocent start though is misleading as it will then
progress from those details to the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, only to
culminate in disaster when Israel worships the golden calf. In a sense it parallels the
pattern we saw with Yitro, except instead of preparation of infrastructure leading to
enlightenment it leads to despair and grief. Fortunately though the portion does also
end on a hopeful note.
2) Read Parsha (English-Exodus 30:11-34:35). Play by Play commentary.

Vayedaber YAHWEH el-Moshe lemor.

Ki tisa et-rosh beney-Yisra'el lifkudeyhem venatnu ish kofer nafsho
l'YAHWEH bifkod otam velo-yihyeh vahem negef bifkod otam.
3) Point out key Hebrew words/terms. Color Commentary.
Note on 30:11, a few rabbinic sources believe this section comes after the sin of the
Golden Calf however this is a minority position and personally I am inclined to
follow the chronology as given since there is no strong evidence of the need to do
otherwise.
KI TISA ET ROSH BENEY YISRAEL LIFKUDEYHEM VANATNU KOFER
NAFSHO LYAHWEH BIFKOD OTAM VELO-YIHYEH VAHEM NEGEF
BIFKOD OTAM (30:12) = When you take a census of the Israelites to determine
their numbers, each one shall be counted by giving an atonement offering for his
life. In this manner, they will not be stricken by the plague when they are counted.
Literally this is when you lift up their heads, as in order to count them. This is the
origin of HEAD TAX since most censuses are used for taxation purposes.
ZEH YITNU KOL HAOVER AL HA PKUDIM MACHATSIT HA-SHEKEL
BESHEKEL HAKODESH ESRIM GERAH HA-SHEKEL MACHATSIT HASHEKEL TRUMAH LYAHWEH (30:13) = Everyone included in the census must
give a half shekel. This shall be by the sanctuary standard, where a shekel is 20
gerahs. It is half of such a shekel that must be given as an offering to Elohim. A
gerah is the same measure as a MAAH or 1.14 grams, so a shekel is 22.8 grams or
about .8 ounces.
VEATAH KACH LECHA BESAMIM ROSH MORE-DEROR CHAMESH
MEOT VEKINMON BESEM MACHTSITO CHAMISHIM UMATAYIM
3|Page

UKNEH-VOSEM CHAMISHIM UMATAYIM (30:23) = You must take the

finest fragrances, 500 [shekels] of distilled myrrh, [two] half portions, each
consisting of 250 [shekels] of fragrant cinnamon and 250 [shekels] of fragrant cane.
Myrrh, or MOR in Hebrew, is a gum resin produced from trees. It is the same root
(the WORD that is) as MAROR (bitter) because of its taste, but it has a very
pleasant fragrance. This makes it a great symbolic gift for Yshuas birth because
the sweetness is reminiscent of the happy occasion of the Nativity and bitterness of
his death.
HIN (30:24) = very close to an English gallon, .97 gallons or 3.6 liters.
ISH ASHER YIRKACH KAMOHU VAASHER YITEN MIMENU AL-ZAR
VENICHRAT MEAMAV (30:33) = If a person blends a similar formula, or places
it on an unauthorized person, he shall be cut off [spiritually] from his people. To be
cut off spiritually is to be divorced from the center of worship in Israel, away from
ones family and tribe. It can also refer to dying too young or before having
children.
VAYOMER YAHWEL EL-MOSHE KACH LECHA SAMIM NATAF
USHCHELET VECHEL BENAH SAMIM ULEVONAH ZAKAH BAD BEVAD
YIHYEH (30:34) = Yahweh said to Moses: Take fragrances such as balsam, onycha
galbanum, and pure frankincense, all of the same weight, as well as [other specified]
fragrances. One of the additional fragrances alluded to here is SPIKENARD, the
expensive perfume that the woman anoints Yshuas head and feet with at the house
of Shimon the Pharisee. In addition, Rabbinic tradition tells us they believe there
were seven additional spices referred to here, bringing the total to eleven. They
also note that the ingredients for the incense formula are given in MANEH, or 100
shekels, equivalent to 5 pounds. When you add up all the MANEH that are required
for the mixture, it comes to 365, so that each individual 100 shekel mixture could be
offered on each day of the solar year. If true, it obviously proves the Hebrews also
reckoned in solar time, as well as lunar time.
VEASITA OTAH KTORET ROKACH MAASEH ROKEACH MEMULACH
TAHOR KODESH (30:35) = Make [the mixture] into incense, as compounded by a
master perfumer, well-blended, pure and Set-Apart. The Rabbis say the salt being
mentioned is from the Dead Sea area and is linked to Sodom. What is interesting to
me is that in Hebrew and Aramaic the same spelling (MELKH) can refer to salt as
well as vanish/vaporize which happened to Sodom. See Isaiah 51:6.
REEH KARATI VESHEM BETSALEL BEN-URI VEN-CHUR LEMATEH
YEHUDAH (31:2) = I have selected Betzalel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the
tribe of Judah. There is a lot of great symbolism in the meanings of these names!
a) Betzalel = In the shadow of El
b) Uri = Fiery/my light
4|Page

c) Hur = hole
So, in the shadow of El is My fire/light. Or, in the Shadow of El (is His) Son called
My light. The name Hur (hole) is one reason why the Rabbis think he died while
trying to stop Israel from sacrificing to the Golden Calf, perhaps during the time the
earth split open to consume the wicked. I should also point out that Betzalels name
has the numerical value of 153, the same number of fish caught at the end of
Yochanans Gospel.
KOL CHACHAM LEV (31:6) = all wise of heart (literal reading). While many
translate the phrase as naturally talented, the original Hebrew suggests a great
depth. Generally Judaism, especially of the mainline Orthodox variety, emphasizes
reason and intellectual pursuit through study. There are historical reasons for this,
most notably several high level debacles including false mystical messiah like
Shabbatai Tzvi, but this phrase in Torah appears to bring a sliver of Jewish
emotionalism and joy back to the fore. If one is wise of HEART as opposed to
MIND, they are great at what they do, love what they do and have what they do
mean a great deal to others. This is one of the pillars of a successful life, one of the
few things Solomon praises as long lasting in Ecclesiastes where almost everything
else is vanity of vanities.
ACH ET-SHABBOTAY TISHMORU (31:13) = You will surely (or still,
nevertheless) keep My Shabbats. The Rabbis have an interesting view here, as
reflected on bible.ort.org, they suggest the meaning here is that even when building
the Tabernacle and following other commandments, the command to rest on
Shabbat trumps those. However, there are at least a few occasions when that is not
the case. I note with interest that the priests are ordained for 8 straight days,
including a Shabbat. Also the Israelites give 12 straight days of offering for the
Tabernacle, including Shabbat there also. In Joshuas case, they went to war under
direct command from Abba YHWH on the seventh day when Jericho fell, but they
still enforced the ban on not profiting on Shabbat by commanding no booty be taken
from the city, and when one man was caught disobeying that command, he was
executed. So I think the halacha is one of rest, unless Abba YHWH commands an
exception for whatever reason in Scripture. Even when that happens however, it is
still possible that only one aspect of Shabbat is suspended while others remain in
force, so one must be exceedingly careful!
UVAYOM HASVII SHAVAT VAYINAFASH (31:17) = and on the day of the
Shabbat, he withdrew into his soul/core being/life force. All these meanings are
possible with the Hebrew word NEFESH. Moshe literally withdrew into himself on
the Shabbat, which is only proper.
VAYITEN EL-MOSHE KECHALOTO LEDABER ITO BEHAR SINAY SHNEY
LUCHOT HA-EDUT EVEN KETUVIM BEETSBA ELOHIM (31:18) = When He
(YHWH) finished speaking to Moshe on Mount Sinai He gave him two tablets of
the testimony written by the finger of Elohim. According to Lekach Tov, the tablets
5|Page

were made of sapphire to match the pavement of Abba YHWHs throne that Moshe
saw in a vision. This makes sense to me because, as we have already seen, Exodus
24:10 is probably pointing to the sapphire shade of blue for the tzit-tzit, and now
that idea seems strengthened by having the Ten Commandments themselves on
sapphire stone. Other authorities point out that the word SAPPIR in Hebrew is also
related to the words for BOOK (sefer) and vision. So perhaps there is a mystical
thread underneath all this to tell us of a Vision of the Book. However, I could not
find an instance in Tanakh where this word was used for vision so I may need
more research on this one.
VAYIKACH MIYADAM VAYATSAR OTO BACHERET VAYAASEHU EGEL
MASECHAH VAYOMERU ELEH ELOHEYCHA YISRAEL ASHER
HEELUCHA MEERETS MITSRAYIM (32:4) = He took [the rings] from the
people, and had someone form [the gold] in a mold, casting it into a calf. [Some of
the people began to] say, 'This, Israel, is your god, who brought you out of Egypt.'
These were the extremists in the crowd to be sure, but others may have thought
Abba YHWH could have been worshipped that way through the idol. There is no
way of knowing how many had which point of view but both were horrible and
sinful. One interesting aspect though with the way Bible.ort.org renders this is
suggesting that OTHERS, not Aaron, said, Tomorrow will be a feast to YHWH.
However, the Hebrew seems pretty clear to me that the entire hateful bit of speech
here belongs solely to Aaron.
VAYAR AHARON VAYIVEN MIZBEACH (32:5) = When Aaron saw this he
built an altar. According to Rashi and Targum Yonatan, Aaron has just seen Hur get
killed for trying to stop the production of the Golden Calf.
VAYEDABER YAHWEH EL-MOSHE (32:7) = And said Yahweh to Moshe. This
pronouncement which starts here is believed by many rabbis to have happened on
the 17th day of Tammuz, which will be cursed later as the same day that Babylon
breached the outer walls of Jerusalem, leading to the destruction of the Temple 3
weeks later on 9 Ab.
LAMAH YOMERU MITSRAYIM LEMOR BERAAH HOTSIAM LAHAROG
OTAM BEHARIM ULECHALOTAM MEAL PENEY HA-ADAMAH SHUV
MECHARON APECHA VEHINACHEM AL-HARAAH LEAMECHA (32:12) =
Why should Egypt be able to say that You took them out with evil intentions, to kill
them in the hill country and wipe them out from the face of the earth. Withdraw
Your display of anger, and refrain from doing evil to Your people. But another way
to translate with evil intentions (beraah) is against the power of Ra which in a
way is worse. Moshe may be suggesting something very scandalous: That Abba
YHWH and Ra would supposedly agree that the Hebrew slaves were useless and
Abba YHWH just took them off Ras hands! Sometimes the names of deities,
though false, could be mentioned in their refutation or degradation. Or, if Moshe
was not saying that directly, his word choices may have opened that up as a possible
meaning for Abba YHWH to interpret as such, but Moshe could say, No, I meant
6|Page

evil intentions. If this is the case Moshe is being most brilliant, even for him.
MECHOLOT (32:19) = Dancing, or perhaps can also mean drums or dancing
with a drum or timbrel as Miriam did in Exodus 15.
VAYASHK ET-BENEY YISRAEL (32:20) = and made the sons of Israel drink it.
This parallels the use of bitter waters that bring a curse being applied to an
adulteress per Numbers 5. Israel had committed spiritual adultery by worshipping
the Golden Calf and saying it brought them out of Egypt.
BEKAMEYHEM (32:25) = Moses realized that the people had actually been
restrained. Aaron had restrained them, doing only a small part of what the outspoken
ones [had demanded]Bible.ort.org rendering. One can only imagine how the
situation could have been even worse! What did Aaron restrain them from doing?
Perhaps Aaron was trying to mitigate Abba YHWHs wrath by declaring tomorrow
will be a festival unto YHWH! or perhaps there would have been human sacrifices
or other abominations best left unsaid. In any case, it was still extremely evil in
Abba YHWHs eyes, and He was ready to wipe them out for it. Or, as I translate it,
they were not restrained at all but had gotten out of control.
MILLU YEDEYCHEM (32:29) = fill your hands, but the same words can mean
ordain yourselves, i.e. through the laying on of hands as Moshe did for Joshua. If
this is an ordination it is a very grave one as the Levites here are literally going to
fill their hands with the blood of idolaters, in many cases, from their own immediate
families. Similarly, when Nadav and Abihu die for their sins, their father Aaron and
the remaining brothers are not allowed to mourn their deaths but must stay focused
on their anointing as priests. As harsh and horrible as this sounds, and it is, the fact
is Israel was on the brink of extinction if they didnt get the seriousness of this
situation. Hence some had to die for the rest to continue in covenant.
VAYASHAV MOSHE EL-YAHWEH (32:31) = Moshe went back up to Yahweh.
Dovetailing with the tradition that Moshe was told of Israels idolatry on 17
Tammuz as we discussed earlier, this return to Sinai would have been either on 18
or more likely 19 Tammuz (Rashi), from which we count 40 more days for Moshe
to commune with YHWH. That means he will return on 1 Elul. However, for both
the Golden Calf incident and this one, my dates are actually somewhat later.
VEIM AYIN MECHENI MISFRECHA ASHER KATAVTA (32:32) = If not,
please blot me out of the book You have written. This most likely refers to the
Torah itself, as opposed to some attempts to turn it metaphorically into blot me out
of Your memory which of course is impossible since Abba YHWH never forgets
anything! It also does not mean blot me out of the book of life or kill me but
rather must be taken literally as take me out of Your story of Your Torah which
would cause the entire structure of the redemption to fall apart.
VEATAH LECH NECHEH ET-HAAM EL ASHER DIBARTI LACH HINEY
MALACHI YELECH LEFANEYCHA UVEYOM POKDI UFAKDETI ALEHEM
7|Page

CHATATAM (32:34) = Now go; you still have to lead the people to [the place] that
I described to you. I will send My angel before you. Still, when I grant special
providence to the people, I will take this sin of theirs into account. The Rabbis
agree that this is the same Messenger mentioned in Exodus 23:20-23. To me, that
means that is another reference to Yshua in pre-incarnate form.
VAYISHAM HAAM ET-HADAVAR HARA HAZEH VAYIT ABALU VELOSHATU ISH EDYO ALAV (33:4) = When they heard this bad word/news, the
people began to mourn and stopped wearing jewelry. These were people left over
from the Golden Calf incident. But rabbinic legend says the men and women of
Israel received crowns and other jewels at Sinai when they exclaimed, All that
YHWH has commanded we will do! Then they say a Messenger came down and
took the jewelry back when they began building the Golden Calf. Perhaps that
legend was inspired by this passage.
VEDIBER YAHWEH EL-MOSHE PANIM EL-PANIM KAASHER YEDABER
ISH EL-REEHU VESHAV EL HAMACHANEH UMESHARTO YEHOSHUA
BIN NUN NAAR LO YAMISH MITOCH HAOHEL (33:11) = Yahweh would
speak to Moses face to face, just as a person speaks to a close friend. [Moses] would
then return to the camp. But his aid, the young man, Joshua son of Nun, did not
leave the tent. The Rabbis believe that Joshua is young compared to Moshe. Moshe
is 80 years old whereas Joshua, they say is about 42. The word NAAR in every
other place is meant to designate a male 19 years old and under and when they turn
20 they are called ANASH. However, the Rabbis point out that NAAR also has a
very rare secondary meaning here that means retainer or attendant or even
protg making the servant significantly younger than the master. In the case of
Isaac and Ishmael, since neither of them are retainers to Abraham, when this word
is applied to them it must be due to their youth.
However, in the case of Joshua I believe he actually is only 19 years old at Exodus,
because he also called attendant by another Hebrew word SHARATH in this same
verse. Therefore since the attendant meaning is already taken by this other
Hebrew word, to my mind it is most logical to conclude that NAAR is used in its
majority sense, as a man under 20 years old, but since Joshua very quickly goes to
war against the Amalekites, it is likely he was on the cusp of turning 20.
VAYOMAR PANAY YELECHU VEHANICHOTI LACH (33:14) = My Presence
will go before you. Now the Messenger (Yshua) is withdrawn and YHWH Himself
is going before Moshe directly.
PANEYCHA (33:15) = Your Face. In this instance Moshe is asking for Father
Yahs actual Presence to go with themhe is apparently not satisfied with just
having the Messenger lead them.
VAYOMER YAHWEH EL-MOSHE PSOL LECHA SHNEY-LUCHOT AVANIM
KARISHONIM VECHATAVTI AL-HALUCHOT ET-DEVARIM ASHER HAYU
AL-HALUCHOT HARISHONIM ASHER SHIBARTA (34:1) = Yahweh said to
8|Page

Moses, 'Carve out two tablets for yourself, just like the first ones. I will write on
those tablets the same words that were on the first tablets that you broke. The
Rabbis believe that this was on 1 Elul. 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain later
and Moshe comes down on 10 Tishri, Yom Kippur. See Seder Olam 6, Exodus
34:28 and Deuteronomy 10:10.
VAYERED YAHWEH BEANAN VAYITYATZTEV IMMO SHAM VAYIKRA
VESHEM YAHWEH (34:5) = And Yahweh revealed Himself in a cloud and it
stood there with [Moshe]. [Moshe] called out in the Name of Yahweh. This of
course proves that Moshe did feel he could use the Name that had been revealed to
him in Exodus 3:14-16. This also leads inexorably to the conclusion that the
command Moshe gave on taking the Name in vain was clearly not a ban on its
pronunciation but against its substitution and being used as a curse. This idea is
reinforced in the next line.
VAIYAAVOR YAHWEH AL PANAV VAYIKRA YAHWEH YAHWEH EL
RACHUM VECHANNUN ERECH AP-PAYIM VEERAV CHESED VEEMET
(34:6) = And passed by Yahweh before his [Moshes] face and proclaimed
Yahweh, Yahweh, All-powerful, merciful and kind, slow to anger possessing great
quantities of love and truth. So here now Abba YHWH Himself is celebrating His
Name and His attributes to Moshe.
VECHAG SHAVUOT TAASEH LECHA BIKUREY KTSIRE CHITIM
VECHAG HAASIF TIKUFAT HASHANA (34:22) = Keep the Festival of
Shavuot though the first fruits of your wheat harvest and also keep the Harvest
Festival at the turn of the year. As we have spoken on often, teshuvah and tekuwfa
refer to the turns, not ends of the year. These are the Hebrew words for equinoxes.
Earlier in Exodus (23:16) we are told this is Ingathering at the going out of the
year proving that the Israelites were counting from the fall for their civil year and
the spring for their sacred year.
RESHIT BIKUREY ADMATECHA TAVI BEYT YAHWEH ELOHEYCHA LOTEVASHEL GEDI BACHALEV IMO (34:26) = Bring the first fruits of your land
to the Temple of Yahweh your Elohim. Do not [eat] goats meat cooked in milk of
its own mother. Notice the prohibition is only with respect to goats meat, not all
forms of meat. The chances of any meat though being boiled in the same milk of its
mother today is almost impossible for those of us who buy food at supermarkets.
The Rabbis ignore the fact that Abraham served milk and meat to YHWH and two
messengers in Genesis 18 and there is no way around the fact that Abraham brought
both the milk and the meat at the same time. Bible.ort.org deliberately ignored
GEDI (goat) in their translation to make it sound that all meat could not be prepared
in this manner.
VAYOMAR YAHWEH EL-MOSHE KTOV-LECHA ET-HADEVARIM
HAELEH KI AL PI HADEVARIM HAELEH KARATI ITCHA BRIT VEET
YISRAEL (34:27) = Yahweh said to Moses, 'Write these words down for yourself,
since it is through these words that I have made a covenant with you and Israel.'
9|Page

This is because the covenant was broken when the Golden Calf so nearly identical
words to Exodus 23:10-23 were needed to re certify the terms. The alternative was
Israel being wiped off the face of the earth.
VAYEHI BEREDET MOSHE MEHAR SINAY USHNEY LUCHOT HAEDUT
BEYAD MOSHE BERIDETO MIN HAHAR UMOSHE LO-YADA KI KARAN
OR PANAV BEDABRO ITO (34:29) = Moses came down from Mount Sinai with
the two Tablets of the Testimony in his hand. As Moses descended from the
mountain, he did not realize that the skin of his face had become luminous when
[YHWH] had spoken to him. The word KARAN can mean rays of light as it does
here or horns. It was this latter meaning that caused countless anti-semitic
depictions of Jews having horns on their heads, including one famous small statue
of Moshe done by Michelangelo.
Torah Question of the Week:
Why must rich and poor alike pay the shekel tax, with that amount not
being fixed to their different income?
END PART ONE

10 | P a g e

PART TWO: THE HAFTORAH

Why must rich and poor alike pay the shekel tax, with that amount not
being fixed to their different income?
Because this is for the ransom of lives at Yom Kippur, and each life is
equally precious in YHWHs sight, regardless as to their economic status.
The tax was easily payable even by the poorest of Israelites.
Bonus Teaching:
Take Two Tablets and Call Me in the Morning!
This Torah portion of Ki-Tissa is definitely on the more massive side I believe,
actually dividing itself thematically into what could very well be two full Torah
portions. Part 1 would be chapters 30-32, culminating with the worship of the Golden
Calf. Part 2 then commences with a private and very angst ridden encounter between
Abba YHWH and Moshe where instant annihilation is avoided for the nation but the
punishment is deferred, not commuted, for a later time. Everyone except for Joshua
and Caleb who came out of Egypt will die in the wilderness, and Moshe himself will
also meet the same fate as the rebels, but that is not clear at this moment.
However, since Part 1 is covered in the Torah Thought for the Week, I want to focus
here on Part 2 and yes, I know I am taking this out of order, but you perhaps may
chalk it up to too many sips of wine at toasts of Blessed be Mordechai! and
Cursed be Haman! Even the Orthodox cut loose on Purim after all. Four cups of
wine at Pesach doesnt have anything on Purim!
But if this weeks intervention of Purim explains the party and the drinks, then maybe
the frustration Moshe goes through here in Ki-Tissa explains the headache and
hangover. In fact, its probably a good thing an entrepreneur in the Sinai Peninsula
didnt open up a club called The Watering Hole at Rephidim or Moshe could have
faced some serious temptation to deal with his problems in a less than kosher way.
In fact, from where I sit, this is the biggest headache of them all for Moshe, in a
career that spans eight decades. But it also presents an extremely painful and
interesting test for Israel.
Imagine this scenario for a second. You have been found guilty of a capital offense
and are hereby sentenced to life banishment in the wilderness until you die or the 40
years ends, and then you still die. There is no chance of pardon, rehabilitation or
parole.
Got the image? Now let me ask you this question: What would you do in that
situation? Would you become fatalistic and party, not knowing how much longer you
11 | P a g e

have to live and knowing for certain you are dying in the desert no matter what?
Would you get depressed and want to take your life all the sooner? Or might you get
angry at others, blaming them for your death sentencehey Yah it wasnt me, the
guy just looked like me okay? Uh, yeah, thats the ticket! (Ive been told Jon Lovitz
kind of looks like me so I feel justified in taking some of his shtick every now and
then.)
Or maybe, worst of all, you might blame Abba YHWH and call Him unfair and try to
pull a Jonah, running out of His jurisdiction? Hey caravan! Wait up man
The point is, there are a lot of understandable reactions, and almost all of them are
understandably bad choices. And yet, in the midst of all this darkness and doubt there
is some hope for Israel, if not this generation, then maybe the next one.
As Exodus 33 opens, we get this instruction
(Exo 33:1) Mar-Yah spoke to Mosha, "Depart, go up from here, you and
the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land
of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Ya'aqub, saying, 'I will
give it to your seed.'(Exo 33:2) I will send an angel before you; and I will
drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite,
the Hivite, and the Yebusite:(Exo 33:3) to a land flowing with milk and
honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you, for you are a stiff-necked
people, lest I consume you in the way."
(Exo 33:4) When the people heard this evil news, they mourned: and no one
put on his jewellery. (Exo 33:5) Mar-Yah said to Mosha, "Tell the B'nai
Yisrael, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into your midst
for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your
jewellery from you, that I may know what to do to you.'"(Exo 33:6) The
B'nai Yisrael stripped themselves of their jewellery from Mount Horeb
onward. (AESV Torah Translation)
What an odd situation where we have
1) The command to leave Mount Sinai to get back to their ancestral land
2) BUT, Father Yah says, I really should just kill you nowwait a minuteIll
just kill you later so get moving
3) By the way, did I mention, you guys are all really, really stubborn?
4) Give Me your gold! Give it to Me now! No more Golden Calves for you!
And after all that, Israel swallows their collective pride and obeys. Perhaps they are
relieved they are not all dying as a race that day. Perhaps they also feel relieved that
their children wont pay for their stupidity, so sure, lets get closer to that land and
12 | P a g e

keep it together, for the sake of the kids you understand. Israel is in covenant, like a
marriage, and this here is the worse and poorer part of the for better or worse, for
richer or for poorer vows. Father Yah has espoused them and He is not happy. I
think its also as close as we get in Torah to the parental maxims of Do as I say, not
as I do and, Because I said so, thats why!
Of course, this really is no laughing matter, because as we all know Father Yah has
just cause for His feelings right now, but as I said, those details are for the other
Torah Thought for the Week at the end.
So for now, let us focus on these very odd events that twist and turn about so much
that now even Moshe is frustratedat Father Yah!
(Exo 33:12) Mosha said to Mar-Yah, "Behold, you tell me, 'Bring up this
people:' and you have not permitted me to know whom you will send with
me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor
in my sight.' (Exo 33:13) Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight,
please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor
in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people." (AESV Torah
Translation)
And perhaps at this moment Father Yah relents His angerbut only for a moment
as He focusses on the one Israelite who didnt fail him here. And He knows Moshe
does have a right to be frustrated. After all the man literally could say, Hey, I didnt
ask for thisin fact I turned You down 5 times! The fact that Moshe doesnt say
thatwhen clearly almost anyone else in his position would havespeaks to his
great humility and restraint. And that is why the next bunch of lines is all about how
Abba YHWH is going to grant Moshe all sorts of special favors. No Moshe, dont go,
He seems to be saying, stay in My Book, look, I am going to show you...Me!
But first, you Moshe have to do something for Me: Take two tablets and call Me in
the morning
(Exo 34:1) Mar-Yah said to Mosha, "Chisel two stone tablets like the first:
and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which
you broke. (Exo 34:2) Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning
to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.
(Exo 34:3) No one shall come up with you; neither let anyone be seen
throughout all the mountain; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that
mountain."
(Exo 34:4) He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; and Mosha rose up
early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Mar-Yah had
commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets. (Exo 34:5) Mar-Yah
descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of
Mar-Yah. (Exo 34:6) Mar-Yah passed by before him, and proclaimed, "Mar13 | P a g e

Yah! Mar-Yah, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in
loving kindness and truth, (Exo 34:7) keeping loving kindness for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear
the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the
children's children, on the third and on the fourth generation." (AESV Torah
Translation)
The question is, did Father Yah feel in a sense guilty or compelled to follow
Moshes wishes here? I dont necessarily want to take it that far, but I do think it is
fair to say that Moshes dedication and humility was so great and constant that for a
moment Abba YHWHs love for Moshe outweighed His more than justified anger at
2 million other people.
And as a result of all of this, through Moshes hangover moment, the very angst of
the matter made it an example for eternal remembrance, both by Israel who could
have just as easily decided to pack it in, lay down and die, and by the rest of us who,
when we encounter problems in our own life, have no idea how good we really have
it by comparison!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled Haftorah portion

Vayehi yamim rabim udvar-YAHWEH hayah el-Eliyahu

bashanah hashlishit lemor lech hera'eh el-Ach'av
ve'etnah matar al-peney ha'adamah.
Vayelech Eliyahu lehera'ot el-Ach'av vehara'av chazak beShomron.
4) Haftorah portions (English), and discuss common themes with Torah
portion. (1 Kings 18:1-39). Extemporaneous commentary.
5) Renewed Covenant Portion (English) 2 Corinthians 3:1-8:
You are our epistles in verse 2 is literally about sending Torah out through
them! See Torah written on the heart in verse 3, and comp to Jeremiah
31:33.
Ministration = meshemshaneh is related to SHEMESH (sun) and SHAMASH
(ministration), dovetailing with the relationship between the priests and the sun that
we saw in the answers to last weeks portion. Note in verse 8 how that idea is
amplified between the word and glorya term often applied to celestial objects or
the heavens. It is also deeply linked thematically to life versus the ministration of
death.
14 | P a g e

2 Corinthians 3:3
6) Paul is clearly referencing Jer_31:33, indicating Torah is being written upon the
heart. See also Eze_18:31; Eze_36:26-28.
2 Corinthians 3:6
7) Again a reference to Jer_31:33. See also Mat_26:28.
8) The "letter" and "Spirit" are not opposites. In 2Co_3:1 Rav Shaul begins by
explaining how a "letter" in itself is not sufficient for his purposes, and how those in
Corinth are not epistles written with ink, but in the Spirit of Elohim. The letter points
out flaws. When we study the letter, sins of the weak flesh are exposed; our "natural"
man is condemned to death to create a new birth according to YHWH's Spirit.
Christian theology, however, teaches the "letter" refers to Torah, and that Torah is
contrary to the spiritual man, which is a rather evil theology considering that
mainstream Christians are already keeping over 60 percent of Torah. See How much
Torah do Christians already keep? in Appendix. Torah contains righteous directives
of how to live and love, as well as the Covenant of promise that necessitates
Mashiyach. In this discourse Rav Shaul is juxtaposing condemnation as a function of
the letter; he is most certainly not discrediting the Torah of YHWH as it pertains to
the Spiritual Man (Rom_7:14; Rom_8:4). Torah is the Word of YHWH: "For it is
not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this WORD you shall
prolong your days in the land" (Deu_32:47).
2 Corinthians 3:7
9) Shemot/Exo_34:29 "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount
Sinai with the two tablets of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the
mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him."
6) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (We should
follow Eliyahus example when dealing with those who actively oppose our
faith and who try to take it from us.)
7) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion from AENT (Rather than an article,
read footnote 8 on page 540 instead.)
STUDY QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED NEXT WEEK
1) When Aaron submits to the peoples request to build a Golden Calf, he also
reveals a very subtle form of betrayal by ignoring what aspect of the Hebrew
calendar?
2) Where would Aarons idea for this subtle betrayal have been drawn from?
What inspired it?
15 | P a g e

3) What do earlier details about Aaron tell us that also relate to his failure in this
Torah portion?
4) How did the Israelites in effect devolve into becoming Egyptians? Hint: The
answer is not as simple as saying they reverted to paganism with the Golden Calf
but because of what happens after they worship the Golden Calf.
5) What detail in the famous confrontation of Eliyahu vs. the prophets of Baal
disproves a long standing rabbinic tradition?
Torah Thought for the Week
How the Golden Calf Betrayal Lives On
This weeks portion deals with one of the most painful events in all of Israels long
and torturous history: The worshipping of the Golden Calf. This betrayal though
exists on many distinct yet inter-related levels, from the abandonment of Abba
YHWH and His Torah just freshly given, to family betrayal at the core Moshes inner
circle. The Golden Calf stands as a moment of corporate or national rebellion as
much as it is the cruelest and most personal of grief that Moshe has gone through up
until this point in his life.
Leaving the obvious issue of idolatry aside for the present, let us focus clearly on
what the Golden Calf represents in other aspects and how this relates to the family
betrayal that will manifest again by Numbers chapter 12.
Like many other pagan cultures in the Middle East, the Egyptians viewed the young
bullcalled Apis in their mythologyas a sign of fertility and prosperity. The
mystery cults surrounding Apis and similar gods would in fact climax with the
Mithras religion in Persia,
where people would venerate a god who was born of a
virgin on December 25th by standing in a pit and having bulls blood dumped on
them.
But lets stay on Egypt at this time in their history. The fertility/prosperity of the
young bull cultus is of course reinforced by it being a GOLDEN calf. More
specifically, the gold came from the Egyptians as Abba YHWH predisposed their
hearts to compensate Israel for their labor, though this was never the intent of
Pharaoh Ahmose the First, when he enslaved the Israelites. The gold was to celebrate
Israels freedom under the just precepts of their Creator and instead it became a
passport to return to slavery under the Egyptians once more.
It was a slavery borne from a return to paganism, which Israel would spend many
centuries in their future struggling to shake off. And the fact of the matter is, the
person who is most responsible is not, as we would say in modern parlance, from the
usual suspects.
Dathan and Korah may have been nasty men, but their nature was hardly surprising to
Moshe and they were not directly involved, at least as far as the Torah text is
concerned, with this incident. Although, I also find it hard to believe said rebellion
with the Golden Calf didnt please them nonetheless.
But where do we lay the blame of the Golden Calf incident? Was it simply a matter
of group hysteria with no one person to blame? I dont think so, at least not fully. It
16 | P a g e

is true of course that certain rebellious tendencies were very likely to manifest in
some way at this time.
But on the other hand, every rebellion needs one indispensable personkind of
like a cross between George Washington and ha-satanto either inspire or enable a
rebellion of this kind. And on that score, the blame almost completely rests on one
man
1 When the people saw that Moses was a long time before coming down the
mountain, they gathered round Aaron and said to him, 'Get to work, make us a
god to go at our head; for that Moses, the man who brought us here from
Egypt -- we do not know what has become of him.' 2 Aaron replied, 'Strip
off the gold rings in the ears of your wives and your sons and daughters,
and bring them to me.' 3 The people all stripped off the gold rings from their
ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He received what they gave him, melted
it down in a mold and with it made the statue of a calf. 'Israel,' the people
shouted, 'here is your God who brought you here from Egypt!' 5 Observing
this, Aaron built an altar before the statue and made this proclamation,
'Tomorrow will be a feast in Yahweh's honor.' (Exodus 32:1-5 NJB)
Did Aaron feel pressured by the crowds who were asking after his brother and
commanding Aaron to build them an idol? Of course he did. But it was NOT the
crowds who said to melt down their gold, Aaron did. And it was not even the
crowds who went forward and built that calf and altarAaron did. He knew the
craftthey did not. So without his assistance, the sinful plot could not go forward.
Torah is clear on this point in more than one place.
35

And Yahweh punished the people for having made the calf, the one Aaron
had made. (Exodus 32:35 NJB)
And, as if all this were not bad enough, it was Aaron who proclaimed a feast day,
allegedly in Abba YHWHs honor but how could it be since it was idolatrous in
nature?
If the crowds did anything, it was in effect to go to Aaron for COUNSEL, and Aaron
could have given them reassurance that Moshe would soon return. He could have led
by example and proclaimed a national prayer for their missing leader. He could
have encouraged the elders of Israel to teach the people the Torah they had up until
that point while they waited for Moshe. There are dozens of things of this nature that
Aaron could have done, yet he chose the way of betrayal and paganism.
Sure, we could argue that the people also betrayed YHWH and His servant Moshe
because that too is true. But who was the indispensable person here? Who was the
one person who, but for his failures in judgment the rebellion would not likely have
taken place or been as widespread? Who has the death of 3000 Israelites on his head,
if not Aaron?
The fact that Moshe though remained focused on doing his job amid this fraternal
disaster does not in any way detract from Aarons guilt. Rather it only adds to
Moshes virtues as a lesser man would have focused on his own grief and not on
interceding for the survival of the entire nation. This is why Abba YHWH clearly
17 | P a g e

says that Moshe found great favor in His eyes, because that gift of focus and humility
was, in that horrible moment, among the greatest displays of virtue ever demonstrated
by the human race.
And yet, consider this matter Aaron even more than we have talked about up until
now. Aaron had been Moshes spokesmanwhat we might term today as his public
relations guy. Aaron was also second in command when Moshe went up to the
mountain. When Moshe faltered at part of his mission, it was Aaron who rose to fill
in the gap as a brother and as a co-laborer for truth.
But now apparently Aaron has been in leadership too long and has spoken in Moshes
name one time too often, because as surely as Abba YHWH lives, there is absolutely
nothing worse in life, save perhaps the death of a spouse or a child, than the betrayal
of a beloved brother, and it is not just confined to this incident either
1

Miriam, and Aaron too, criticized Moses over the Cushite woman he had
married. He had indeed married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, 'Is Moses the
only one through whom Yahweh has spoken? Has he not spoken through us
too?' Yahweh heard this. 3 Now Moses was extremely humble, the humblest
man on earth.
4

Suddenly Yahweh said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, 'Come out, all three of
you, to the Tent of Meeting.' They went, all three of them, 5 and Yahweh
descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He called
Aaron and Miriam and they both came forward. 6 Yahweh said: Listen to my
words! if there is a prophet among you, I reveal myself to him in a vision, I
speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses; to him my whole
household is entrusted; 8 to him I speak face to face, plainly and not in riddles,
and he sees Yahweh's form. How, then, could you dare to criticize my servant
Moses?
9

Yahweh's anger was aroused by them. He went away, 10 and as soon as the
cloud left the Tent, there was Miriam covered with a virulent skin-disease,
white as snow! Aaron turned to look at her and saw that she had contracted a
virulent skin-disease. 11 Aaron said to Moses: 'Oh, my Lord, please do not
punish us for the sin we have been foolish enough to commit. (Numbers
12:1-11 NJB)
At least in this case, Aaron does offer direct repentance for his part in this sin, which
may mean that perhaps he learned somewhat of a lesson from the Golden Calf
debacle. According to the prophet Micah (6:4), it seems both Aaron and Miriam were
restored by His grace. But what may have worked for Aaron and Miriam did not
always work for others who followed after their example
9

Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his
heel against me. 10 But You, O Yahweh, be gracious to me and raise me up,
that I may repay them. 11 By this I know that You are pleased with me,
18 | P a g e

because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me. 12 As for me, You
uphold me in my integrity, and You set me in Your presence forever. 13
Baruch Yahweh, (blessed be Yahweh), the Elohim of Israel, from everlasting
to everlasting. Amen and Amen. (Psalm 41:9-13)
Yshua haMashiyach also quoted this Psalm shortly before his crucifixion in
Yochanan 13:18. This means that the object of the Psalms scorn, like Aaron and as
being now applied to Yehudah Skaryota (Judas Iscariot), was thought of as a great
friend and perhaps even as a brother, making that act of evil all the more hurtful and
raw at a personal level.
Surely these things did not stop happening with Yshuas betrayal 2000 years ago,
but it continues, whether by swords or bullets or even by cyberspace, even unto the
present moment. Once again, in Aarons case at least, he appears to have been
forgiven and was restored to his former grace, and certainly that is an outcome worth
praying for, to not rejoice in the fall of an enemy.
But it is also possible to have an outcome like Judas who, even after showing some
repentance still hung himself and had his innards shed on the Field of Blood.
However, lest I leave you with that as a final image here, let me close instead with a
brief paraphrase of a story I like and hear about during the Days of Awe, or the
period between Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur.
The story goes that there were two rabbis who were talking about a particular man
because each rabbi had a prophetic vision about him. The first rabbi, a young man of
limited experience but great zeal for Torah and Israel said, See that man over there?
Behold, I had a vision that before this day is out, a serpent hiding behind that rock
over there will strike and kill him.
The second rabbi, a much older and more experienced leader said, My son, I had a
similar vision to yours, but with one difference. And with that, the old rabbi took
the young rabbi to the rock they each saw in their dreams. He lifted it out of the way
and there was in fact a serpent there, but it was dead.
I dont understand elder, the younger rabbi said. The vision I got was so clear that
I was sure it had to be true.
The old man answered, It was true my son, but this is what you dont know. This
man was supposed to die today by snake bite as you saw, but this morning when he
got up he gave generously to the poor and nourished the widow and the orphan. He
also repented of his many sins. Because of this, Elohim killed the snake, so that the
man might continue a better life.
The story closes with a line something like this: Our sins bring us all to the brink of
destruction, but prayer, repentance and forgiveness cancel the harsh decree.
19 | P a g e

May all those who follow in the footsteps traitors come to repentance and find life.
But if not, let all believers of Torah truth know that
17

No weapon formed against you will prosper and any voice raised against
you in court you will refute. Such is the lot of the servants of Yahweh, the
saving justice I guarantee them, declares Yahweh. (Isaiah 54:17)
Im Andrew Gabriel Roth and thats your Torah Thought for the Week!
Next week we will be exploring Vayachel or Exodus 35:1-38:20. Our Haftorah
portion will be 1 Kings 7:40-50, and our Renewed Covenant portion will be Hebrews
9:1-14. Stay tuned!

20 | P a g e