Weekly Parsha

Mazal Tov to: Bianca Welikson on her birthday and Itzi & Esther Flohr on their wedding yesterday nigth at Keren Menachen, Brooklyn NY.

Pray for Refuah Sheimah: Stephen Waczkiewicz (Shimon ben Sarah), Yossefa (Josie) bat Sharon, Rafael ben Gladis and Esther Bracha bat Sarah.

Continue Praying for: Teddy Welz, Miriam (Mariana) bat Zulay, Adina (Heidi) bat Sarah and Yosefa (Josie) bat Sharon.

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 Children of Israel shall observe the Sabbath, to make the Sabbath an eternal covenant for their generations."

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 God not to wipe out the people, requests to see the Divine Glory, and receives the second set of Tablets of the Ten Commandments.

"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 build worthwhile institutions.

Learn from yesterday, plan for tomorrow and live each moment of today!

"And in the heart of each person who had a wise heart I have given wisdom" (Exodus 31:6).

Why does the Torah make having a wise heart a prerequisite for the Almighty granting wisdom?

From here we see that a person needs wisdom to merit acquiring wisdom. What is this wisdom? It is the heartfelt desire for more wisdom!

We can have a picture of what this desire is from the desire of Haman (in the Purim story) for honor. He was second to the king in power and the entire population of 127 countries bowed to him. Nevertheless, when Mordechai refused to bow down to him, he said that all his honor was as nothing since he was missing one person's honor. So, too, a person who has a deep love of wisdom feels a strong lack for any wisdom he is missing. When you have this love for wisdom, the Almighty will grant you greater wisdom!

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

Shabbat Shalom

R. Tank

Online Learning

FREE: Jewish Law ( Two Halachot per day)

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Please email RabbiTank@ajc.education or WhatsApp +1 (917) 834-4770 for more information. 

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

Rabbi Tank was educated in Chabad Yeshivas in New York and Miami. He has got a Degree in Biblical Archeology from Bar Ilan University and a Harvard Degree in Judaic Studies. He got his Bachelor's in Business Administration and he also earned a degree in International Economic Development from the University of Oxford. 

Rabbi Tank works with active involvement in peace negotiations and humanitarian relief operations an he is a Member of the National White House Faith Leaders, an Executive Office of the President of the United States.

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