Today's Idol Worship

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.

Ex. 32:3  “And all the people took off their gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf…”

            Even though they knew that idol worship was prohibited, the Israelites pressure Aaron into creating that which is banned. Some have suggested that this was to be worshipped directly, or, due to Moses’ absence, as some kind of intermediary with the Invisible God. The idol is made of gold which comes from “all the people.”

Moses descends with the tablets, sees what is transpiring, and grinds the golden idol into dust, which he mixes with water and forces the Israelites to drink. This is a terrific metaphor: the sin of idol worship comes from within all the people.

We live with many forms of idolatry these days, and the TV show “American Idol” is just the least offensive of them all. We seem to idolize wealth, prestige, and power. These forms of “idol worship” are just as potentially destructive to our souls as the Golden Calf. When we “idolize” anything, we commit the sin of the Golden Calf.

 Jewish tradition teaches  moderation in all things, even in Torah study! We cannot assume that our understanding of Torah, even when enlightened by the greatest scholars and thinkers over the centuries, is ever perfect or complete. As Rabbi Ben Bag Bag said (Pirke Avot, 5:25) said, “Turn it and turn it…”  We can never  assume that all is understood of Torah, that the "rules" articulated over the centuries are fixed forever, or that new thinking about applications to modern life are ended once and forever. Otherwise, we risk turning Torah into another Golden Calf.