Ki Tissa
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Yasher Koach
Here is the draft of my D'var Torah for tomorrow, when we read Parashat Ki Tisa and the story of the Golden Calf. When someone has an honor to the Torah, we say to them: Yasher koach. This is a Yiddish-y inflection for yishar kochacha. Koach is strength and there are two views of what… Continue reading
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Two Very Different Takes on Ki Tisa — Olympics and Ideas
Here are a couple of things I published through my Times of Israel blog, that jump off from Parashat Ki Tisa, the story of the Golden Calf and the breaking/remaking of the tablets of the Ten Commandments: "Give Ideas a Chance" – exploring what it means to be serious about ideas as guides for life "Wholeness, Not Brokenness:… Continue reading
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Introducing: E-Maggid
A few years ago, I sent out a series of weekly e-mails I called "e-Heschel", drawn from the writings of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. I am calling the next, similar project "e-Maggid." A maggid was a Chasidic teacher, often who traveled from place to place, who told stories or shared particular teachings. These weekly thoughts… Continue reading
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Parashat Ki Tissa: Counting Money, Counting Heads
This week the parasha opens with a fascinating verse. Rather than tell you my interpretation of it, this time I will walk through how a person might approach a verse and uncover questions and themes for interpretation. Parashat Ki Tissa begins with an instruction about counting heads and counting money: First attempt at translation: … Continue reading
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Parashat Ki Tissa — What Don’t You Believe In?
Parashat Ki Tissa is about two profound spiritual crises. To use a Talmudic phrase, shnayim she-hem echad — two that are really one. The more famous one is the Golden Calf. When Moshe has been away on top of Mt. Sinai for forty days and forty nights, the people ask Aharon to make them "a… Continue reading
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