Parsha

Refuah Sheimah: Chaim Moshe ben Esther, Yehuda Baruch ben Sarah, Stephen Waczkiewicz (Shimon ben Sarah), Yossefa (Josie) "bat Sharon", Rafael ben Gladis e Esther Bracha "bat Sarah".

Continue praying for: Teddy Welz, Miriam (Mariana) "bat Zulay", Adina (Heidi) "bat Sarah" e Yosefa (Josie) "bat Sharon"

Pray for the  "Refuah Shleima"  (rapid recovery) of "  our community" . May G-d deliver us from this crisis quickly and grant a full recovery to those who are sick, Amen!

Ki Tisa

Exodus 30:11 - 34:35

The Torah portion includes: instructions for taking a census (by each person donating a half shekel); instructions to make the Washstand, Anointing Oil, and The Incense for the Mishkan, the Portable Sanctuary; appointing Betzalel and Oholiab to head up the architects and craftsmen for the Mishkan; a special commandment forbidding the building of the Mishkan on Shabbat (people might have thought that they would be allowed to violate the Shabbat to do a mitzvah ...).

The Torah portion continues with the infamous story of the Golden Calf.  The people wrongly calculated that Moses was late in coming down from Mt. Sinai and the people were already seeking a replacement for him by making the Golden Calf (there is a big lesson in patience for us here).  Moses sees them dancing around the calf and expressing anger he breaks the Two Tablets; he then punishes the 3,000 wrongdoers (less than .1% of the 3 million people), pleads to G-d not to wipe out the people, requests to see the Divine Glory, and receives the second set of Tablets of the Ten Commandments.

The Torah states regarding the gathering of gold to make the Golden Calf:

"And Aharon (Moses' brother and the Cohen Gadol, High Priest) said to them, 'Remove the golden earrings which are on the ears of your wives, sons and daughters, and bring them to me."  (Exodus 32:2)

How is it possible that Aharon would help make an idol?

Aharon's intentions were righteous.  This is what he said to himself: "Now that Moshe has not returned, if I will appoint Caleb or Nachson as the leader in Moshe's absence, when Moshe returns they will not be eager to give up their position of leadership. This will cause a major quarrel.  If I do not appoint anyone as leader, they will choose a leader themselves and this will also cause a major quarrel.  If I will assume leadership until Moshe returns, perhaps he will feel when he comes back that I tried to usurp his position.  Therefore, until Moshe returns I will keep them busy with talk about making a meaningless golden calf.  The women will be reluctant to give up their jewelry and therefore I will be able to stall for time."

This is an incredible lesson on judging people favorably!  Next time you see someone doing something absolutely inexplicably despicable, before condemning him for his behavior, ask yourself, "What positive motivations and intentions could he possibly have had?"  Maybe if you were to know his true motivations, you'd realize that he meant nothing wrong and even tried to prevent something negative from happening.

"This they shall give, everyone that passes among them that are numbered (in the census), half a shekel of the holy shekel ..." (Exodus 30:13).

How was Moses to know what is the "holy shekel"?

The Almighty showed Moses a coin of fire. This symbolizes that money has similarities with fire. Fire has the potential to give warmth and to help people prepare food. Fire can also destroy property and even lives. Similarly, money can build and it can destroy. A person can ruin his life and the lives of others in his pursuit of money. If money is utilized properly, one can help many people with it and can help your Rabbi build worthwhile institutions.

No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reason for having passed through it.

It isn't your position that makes you happy or unhappy -- it's your disposition. 

Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels good. 

Do not play with words because life is not a game. Stand with the truth because torat emet (G-d's word is true). And the truth only hurts those who live in lies.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Ovadiah Tank

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Rabbi Tank is a professor at the American Jewish College in New York, where he teaches classes on Talmud, Jewish History, and Contemporary Jewish Law. Rabbi Tank is dedicated to finding modern utility and meaning in ancient wisdom texts and is pleased to provide spiritual, cultural, social and educational programming to communities around the world. 

Rabbi Tank was educated at Yeshivas in New York and Miami. He studied Biblical Archeology at Bar Ilan University and Jewish Studies at Harvard University. Rabbi Tank has a Bachelor degree in Business Administration and he is also graduated in International Economic Development from the University of Oxford. 

Rabbi Tank is actively involved in peace negotiations and relief operations. Rabbi Tank is the director of international affairs at the World Jewish Confederation in the United States and He is member of the White House National Religious Leaders , an Executive Office of the President of the United States in Washington, D.C.