The story of the Golden Calf is a seminal one in Jewish history. The people’s apostasy, G-d’s anger and Moses’ breaking the tablets, followed by reconciliation and a second set of tablets, have formed the basis for many different interpretations and even ideological disputes. The Golden Calf incident can be seen as an unmitigated disaster, leading to various problems throughout Jewish history, or a necessary adjustment to unrealistic expectations, that lead to a more mature relationship between Israel and G-d. Echoes of these differing interpretations can all be found in Rashi’s commentary. One interesting idea that he brings at length concerns the purpose of G-d’s revelation to Moses of His thirteen attributes. This great theophany, where Moses sees more of G-d than anyone then or since, had at its heart the needs of Israel. Indeed, one of Rashi’s central themes throughout his commentary on the Torah, is that G-d reveals himself to Moses only for the sake of the Jewish people. On this occasion, G-d wishes to teach Moses a specific lesson about his relationship with His people. Moses had averted G-d’s threat to destroy Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf, by recourse to the ‘merit of the fathers’. Invoking the righteousness of the Patriarchs, he prays for the children. The Patriarchs, as it were, have left money in the bank which their children can draw on in times of need. But what happens when the money is gone and the account overdrawn? Moses may believe that there is then no more hope. Therefore G-d reveals to him His thirteen attributes, an inexhaustible supply of credit with G-d. The Jews no longer need to rely only on the merit of their ancestors. They can now, through the medium of proclaiming or reminding G-d of, the thirteen attributes, access G-d’s mercy and forgiveness directly. The sin of the Golden Calf and its aftermath have, then, served to change the relationship between G-d and Israel. The newly liberated Jews who had before relied on the deeds of their father’s can now stand on their feet and have their own relationship with G-d. This idea teaches us an important lesson. Tradition and precedent are important in Judaism. They are the basis of what we are as Jews. Yet the Torah must be accepted by each generation anew. We must form our own relationship with G-d and our own understanding of Torah based on today. We must adhere to the tradition but also learn and interpret the Torah in a way relevant to our generation.

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Sidra Statistics

Parshat Ki-Tissah

·         has 139 verses ;

·         is the 9th in Exodus, 21st in the Torah

·         longest in Exodus, 9th longest in the Torah

·         has 4 pos + 5 neg = 9 mitzvot.