Breaking the Law
Ki Tissa’
finds Moses still receiving commandments from Hashem on Mt.
Sinai Ark
of the Pact; Hashem inscribes the instructions on two tablets and signs his
name. Moses descends the mountain, presumably excited to give these teachings
to the Israelites, who have been peacefully waiting. To his horror, the
Israelites and Aaron have made a golden calf, which they are now worshipping as
their god. Hashem brings a plague upon the people and Moses prays for the L-rd
to forgive them. The L-rd brings Moses back up to inscribe the lessons again on
a new pair of tablets.
Imagine how
disappointed and angry Moses was to see the misbehavior of the Israelites. How soon
they had forgotten of their rescuing from their bondage in Egypt .
It made Moses angry to destroy the tablets with Hashem’s signature. Tractate
Shabbat Daf 89 offers an interesting take. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said that
Satan showed the Israelites a vision of Moses’ coffin in the heavens and being
that the time that he was to return had passed, they believed that he was dead.
They told this to Aaron and committed the sin of the golden calf. It is
understandable to not be in your right mind when someone you have great respect
for is gone, especially when you are then “alone” in a place that you have
never been. But we can learn from this event. Sure, we can follow and learn
from a righteous person, but remember that they are just mortals. Also, keep
your life in check as someone may be “following” you and you may not even
realize.
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