2002
Before the Fall: The Census, the Sabbath, and the Tablets
Exodus 30:11-34:35
At the beginning of this week's parasha, Ki Tisa, God addresses Moses on Mount Sinai and instructs him regarding: (1) a census of the Israelites to help pay for maintaining the Tent of Meeting; (2) Betzalel and Oholiab, Israelites whom God has chosen to be the chief artisans for the building of the Tabernacle; and (3) observing the Sabbath as a sign of the covenant between God and the people. He then gives Moses the tables inscribed with the Ten Commandments.
Exodus 31:12-18
12) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
13) Speak to the Israelite people and say: Nevertheless, you must keep My sabbaths, for this is a sign between Me and you throughout the ages, that you may know that I the LORD have consecrated you.
14) You shall keep the sabbath, for it is holy for you. He who profanes it shall be put to death: whoever does work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his kin.
15) Six days may work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does work on the sabbath day shall be put to death.
16) The Israelite people shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout the ages as a covenant for all time:
17) it shall be a sign for all time between Me and the people of Israel. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and the seventh day He ceased from work and was refreshed.
18) When He finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the Pact, stone tablets inscribed with the finger of God.
Your Torah Navigator
1. Why does God instruct Moses about observing Shabbat just prior to giving him the tablets? Is there a pecking order of commandments?
2. How does the repetition of the commandment in verses 14 and 15 differ?
3. How does the violation of the Sabbath cause the "death" of a community?
4. Why do we sing versus 16 and 17 (Veshamru) every Shabbat?
A Word
The most well know section of Ki Tisa is undoubtedly the portion following the exchange on the mountain between God and Moses. After receiving the law, Moses descends the mountain to find that the people have constructed an idol, a golden calf, in their impatience while waiting for him.
Much has been written and said about the particulars of the golden calf story and its role in the receipt of the law and the development of Moses' character, but I believe that the power of that story is only enhanced by the prior dialogue on the mountain between God and Moses on the covenant of Shabbat. While the story of golden calf does point out the flaws in the Israelites ("it is a stiff-necked people"), the covenant with God over Shabbat transcends the incident in the desert. Ultimately, the Israelites do receive the law and do enter the Promised Land.
The legacy they leave us is that we are partners in perfecting the world. Shabbat, which is so linked to the creation of the world, is our part of the bargain. Thus, when we observe Shabbat we both enhance our lives as well as finish the work of creation.
So when you sing Veshamru this Shabbat think about Moses and the Israelites and how their struggle in the desert continues to enrich our lives and the world today.
Prepared by David S. Liebschutz, Executive Director, Hillels of Northeastern New York.