Ki Tissa
Exodus 30:11-34:35
Précis: The parasha begins with a census of the people, accomplished by the collection of a half shekel. We then return to a description of Tabernacle items, including the basin, anointing oil, and incense. The holy work of building the Tabernacle is to be interrupted by Shabbat. Then we return to narrative. Moses is given the two tablets and he descends from Mount Sinai. There he sees the people worshipping the Golden Calf. The tablets are smashed and the evil doers are punished. Moses returns up the mountain, and we next have the articulation of the 13 attributes of God. Moses carves a new set of tablets, and returns to the People, his face radiant.
Exodus 32:1 “When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make us a god who shall go before us from the land of Egypt - we do not know what has happened to him.’”
The wording of this verse is unusual. What, exactly, did the people “see?” For context, prior to Moses’ ascent up Mount Sinai, they were used to his presence, and with that presence, an on-going series of miraculous events. Moses has disappeared, and where were the miracles that signal God’s presence and protection in the midst of the wilderness? To give this thought some credence, it is noted that the Hebrew phrase we translate here as “the people saw” can also be translated as “the people feared.”
The People demand the creation of an idol. Is this to replace God? Or is it more likely that they were seeking a replacement of Moses, who had successfully interceded with God on their behalf? This is the conclusion which Nachmanides makes. To take Moses’ place, they approach his brother Aaron. Aaron, however, is characterized (by tradition) as a man of peace, of conflict avoidance (shalom bayit). He is not the prophetic leader his brother is. For the sake of peace, Aaron agrees to manufacture an idol, the Golden Calf. As a result, Moses comes down at God’s command, sees what’s occurring, and destroys the first tablets.
The difference of leadership between Aaron and Moses is stark. Aaron is the negotiator, Moses the stern master. The people are looking for a leader who they can trust, a leader who they can believe in. Aaron’s leadership is focused on keeping the people together, a not insignificant task. Moses teaches us that leadership comes from having the courage of one’s convictions, and allowing others to see that courage. In these days where it is common to question the real leadership ability of our elected officials, there just might be some important lessons to consider here.
