Parshas Ki Sisa (Parah) 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 18 hours ago
- 2 min read
וירא העם כי בשש משה לרדת מן ההר ... ויאמרו אליו קום עשה לנו אלהים אשר ילכו לפנינו (לב-א)
The Chet Haegel, sin of the Golden Calf, stands as one of the greatest calamities to ever befall Klal Yisroel. Many churbanos have come over time from this tragic circumstance. A simple but fundamental question must be asked. How is it possible that the Dor Deah, the generation who heard Hashem’s voice at Har Sinai, could succumb to a sin so severe? Moreover, how did they continue to sin repeatedly while in the Midbar as recounted in the following Parshiyos?
Many Seforim including Rishonim grapple with this paradox. One approach is based on the following Mashal: A Russian Jew was traveling late into the night. Exhausted, he finally came upon an inn and knocked on the door hoping for a place to rest his weary bones, however he was told there was no space. The man begged, perhaps there was some straw he could use, until eventually the innkeeper admitted that the last spot had gone to a Russian soldier who was now lying drunk on the floor. The two rolled the soldier over and the Yid went to sleep peacefully. The next morning, he overslept. Panicked, he hurriedly dressed and ran toward the train station. Suddenly, he caught sight of a frightening reflection: A Russian soldier’s uniform in the window! Terrified, he exclaimed, “If the Russian soldier is here, I must run back and wake myself before I miss the train!”
This foolish man’s mistake is often our own. Instead of looking inward and identifying ourselves by who we truly are, we define ourselves by our external “clothes.” What a tragic error. We are the Am Hanivchar, the chosen children of Hashem! The Maharal M’Prague zt”l explains that Bnei Yisroel did not fully internalize who they had become when they received the Torah at Har Sinai. While living a miraculous existence they failed to realize that they themselves were now living with Hashem in their midst. Although the revelation had changed them, it had not become part of their inner identity. Because of this they were able to sin. This is a central theme on Purim, as well. We wear costumes because we are reminded to live with our innermost Pnimiyus. Let us remember this idea as we begin to prepare for the upcoming Yom Tov of Pesach.