Parsha Points to Ponder

Parsha Points to Ponder - Ki Tisa

1) Why does G-D say AND YOU (V’ATA) to Moshe when commanding him to appoint Aharon and his sons as the Kohanim (28:1)? G-D was already speaking to Moshe so identifying Moshe seems to be unnecessary.

2) The Torah first commands that the names of the tribes were to be engraved into the AVNEI SHOHAM, the precious stones (28:9) but then says the stones would be ON THE NAMES OF THE TRIBES which imply that the stones must be raised above the names (28:11). How can these seemingly conflicting commands be reconciled?

3) Why does the Torah say I AM HASHEM YOUR G-D twice in the same verse (29:46)?

Answers - Ponder the questions first and then look here

1) The Kli Yakar explains that the entire concern with plague afflicting the Jewish people when performing a census is based on the problem of singling out individuals. As long as we are viewed as part of the nation as a whole, we have the protection of the merit of the nation. The problem which demands a special way of counting only arises when we are singled out as individuals as captured by the use of the singular HEAD.

2) Daat Zekainim MiBaalei Hatosfot answers that since the Mishkan came to atone for the sin of the golden calf and Chur was killed while trying to stop the people from sinning with the golden calf, the Torah gives special honor to Chur in linking him to the construction of the Mishkan.

3) The Ohr HaChayim teaches that the Torah is actually teaching us something very fundamental with these words. It is revealing that the tablets of the Ten Commandments embodied the entire Torah. The verse should be read as follows: AND G-D GAVE MOSHE WHEN HE FINISHED SPEAKING WITH HIM AT SINAI. AND WHAT WAS G-D TELLING MOSHE AT SINAI? THE TABLETS WITH THE COMMANDMENTS. This teaches that the entire Torah which G-D taught Moshe was in fact an extension of those two tablets. This also explains why G-D waited to present Moshe with the tablets until now. In essence, he had not completed teaching them to him until all the halachot of the Torah were completed.

Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim and Machon Maayan in Beit shemesh and is the author of “DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and Adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith” (Feldheim) and “TIMEOUT: Sports Stories as a Game Plan for Spiritual Success” (Devora) His Hagada commentary, “FOUNDATIONS” will be published by Targum before Pesach
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