By Rav Reuven Tradburks
The first third of the Parsha concludes instructions concerning the Mishkan. The rest of the Parsha is the story of the Golden Calf, concluding with reconciliation and forgiveness.
The first aliyot are amongst the longest in the Torah; the first is 44 verses, the second 47. The remaining 5 aliyot combined are 48 verses.
1st aliya (30:11-31:17) All are to give a half shekel to be an atonement. Through these funds, the offerings are brought – and hence, all are represented through them, as a remembrance and an atonement. A wash basin of copper is to be made. It is placed outside the Mishkan area, near the altar. The Cohanim must wash their hands and feet before service. Make spiced anointing oil. Use it to anoint the Mishkan, all its utensils and the Cohanim. This recipe is not to be made for personal body lotions. Make incense to place in front of the ark, the place that I will Meet you. This incense is holy of holies. It is not to be made for your olfactory pleasure. I have called Bezalel and filled him with the Divine spirit to master all means of craftsmanship, in metals and in materials. He, with Ohaliav, will fashion all the things for the Mishkan that I have commanded. Tell the people to keep Shabbat, as it is a sign between Me and them for all time, that I am the One who sanctifies them. Do not do any melacha. It is an eternal sign for them that in six days I made the world and in the seventh ceased.
This very long aliya is in order that the entire story of the Golden Calf is in the Levi aliya, the second, as the Leviim did not participate in the Golden Calf.
The instructions for the building of the Mishkan have been completed. As have the instructions for the Cohen’s garments. The instructions here are all preparations. Have all these things ready for when the Mishkan is built.
The Kohanim were required to wash before the service. Hands and feet. Rashi says: put your right hand and right foot together and pour the water over both at once. Water is a recurring theme in the Torah. Hearkening back to creation. Verse 2 of the Torah: And the spirit of G-d hovered over the waters. Water is a symbol of going back to Creation; a restart, reboot, recreation, fresh start. But sometimes we immerse in the water; here, we don’t go into the water, we pour the water on ourselves.
Going into the water is submission; I let go of my autonomy and submerge myself into the water. Here, the Kohen is in charge. He pours the water. Pouring is assertive; immersing is submissive. Holiness is created not only by submission but also by man’s assertiveness. Man both submits to and partners with G-d in creating holiness.
Anointing the utensils through special spiced oil, fragrant olive oil is another expression of man’s role in creating holy utensils.
Washing and anointing indicate that holiness needs to be created, to have preparation. We know this from Shabbat. There is an expression: those who cook on Erev Shabbat, have food to eat on Shabbat. But what it means is: if Shabbat is to be holy, truly a holy day, it requires preparation. Man partners in the creation of the holiness of Shabbat, through preparation and through Kiddush. And this is true for all the holy days, the chagim of the year. They all have preparation time. Pesach, well, no need to outline the preparations needed there. Shavuot has the Sefira leading to it. Tisha B’av has the 3 weeks. Rosh Hashana has the month of elul. Sukkot has Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Even Purim has Taanit Esther.
Holiness is cultivated, nurtured, anticipated. Prepared.
2nd aliya (31:18-33:11) While Moshe is on the mountain receiving the luchot, the people below are making a golden calf. G-d tells Moshe that his people have made a golden calf. He wants to destroy them and begin anew with Moshe. Moshe pleads on their behalf. G-d relents. Moshe descends with Divinely inscribed tablets. When he sees the golden calf he smashes the tablets. Moshe confronts Aharon. Aharon explains what happened. At the behest of Moshe, the Leviim punish the 3,000 guilty. Moshe ascends the mountain. He admits the sin of the people, asking for forgiveness. And if not, remove me from the book. G-d counters that those who sin will be the ones to be erased. Now, go, led by My angel and lead the people to the Land. For I will not be in your midst lest you be destroyed. The people are distraught. Moshe moves the tent of meeting to outside of the camp, for there G-d will now speak with him. A cloud descended when G-d spoke with Moshe. The people saw and bowed. G-d spoke to Moshe face to face, as people do.
The dominant theme of this very rich and complex story is the theme of forgiveness. The Torah has been the story of G-d’s reach for man. It culminated in the intimate revelation at Sinai. The Mishkan is to be an enduring point of contact between man and G-d. This story too is not the story of sin, but the story of G-d’s reach for man in spite of man’s sin.
Very little is said about the sin; but many many verses describe the forgiveness. The story is not the story of sin. It is the story of the love that endures after the sin. The people are not destroyed. The march to the Land of Israel continues. G-d continues to speak to Moshe. Sin, idol worship no less, will happen; but He does not give up on man.
3rd aliya (33:12-16) Moshe challenges G-d: If I have found favor in your eyes, tell me Your ways. That way I can act properly, for this is, after all, Your people. G-d: I will guide you. Moshe: Don’t move us from here unless Your Face goes with us.
This is my favourite aliya in the Torah. Along with the next. This section is the Torah reading for Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach and Sukkot.
This is the fullest, richest interaction between G-d and Moshe that we are privy to overhear. Moshe wants to know G-d’s ways. And he’s not alone in that one. How are we going to work out this Divine-human interaction? Because You are here and You are not. Moshe seeks closeness. G-d demurs. Moshe presses. We want your Face.
4th aliya (33:17-23) G-d: I will do as you say. Moshe: show me Your kavod, Your glory. G-d: I will pass before you, will call My name before you, show mercy to whom I choose to show mercy to. You cannot see My face and survive. Stand in the nook in the rock; I will pass in front of you. You will see My back but My face you will not see.
G-d acquiesces to Moshe’s demand for closeness. To a point. Moshe presses on. Not just Your Face. Who are You? I want Your fullness, Your glory. G-d does not back off. I will reveal but with limits: glimpses from behind need suffice. This exchange is what we all sense in the challenge of this world. We see but we don’t. We perceive, but from behind. We want a peak but must live without.
5th aliya (34:1-9) G-d instructs Moshe to make a second set of tablets. Moshe ascends the mountain by himself. G-d descends in a cloud and he calls: G-d, G-d, Merciful… the 13 attributes of mercy. Moshe bows. And says: please be in our midst, for though the people are obstinate, forgive their sins.
When G-d descends and he calls – who is the he. Is it He or is it he? Is it G-d or Moshe? Does Moshe plead with G-d for mercy? Or does G-d Himself call out His own Name? The Talmud says that G-d is the One speaking. He teaches Moshe the 13 attributes of mercy. While that sounds odd – He is calling His own Name – in the previous aliya, He told Moshe he was going to do that. Verse 33:19: I will pass in front of you and I will call in the Name of G-d before you.
6th aliya (34:10-26) G-d responded: I am making a covenant. You will see signs and wonders, G-d’s work that is awesome. You keep what I command. Don’t make a pact with the people in the land, for it will lead to you worshipping idols, and to marriage with them. Keep our festivals, our Shabbat, our laws in our Temple.
The march to the land of Israel continues. Sin, a really bad sin, a disappointing national sin was the golden calf. But the most crucial point of the story is the resumed march to the land. Forgiveness.
7th aliya (34:27-35) Moshe was in the mountain 40 days, writing the second set of the 10 commandments. As he descended with the tablets, his face shone. The people were afraid of him. Moshe instructed them in all that G-d spoke with him on the mountain. Moshe covered his face when he was with the people, uncovering it when G-d spoke with him.
This most intense of parshas ends with an even more sublime image. Moshe’s encounter with G-d is written all over his face. Proximity to the Divine cannot leave one unchanged.
Rabbi Reuven Tradburks is the director of Machon Milton, our English Language Conversion Course in Jerusalem