The Torah Link

PARSHA SUMMARY

Parshas Ki Sisa begins with G-d commanding Moses to take a census of the Jewish population by collecting one half-shekel piece from each male between the ages of twenty and sixty. G-d then describes to Moses the kiyor (copper wash basin) that the kohanim (priests) were to use to sanctify their hands and feet before doing the daily service. The oil used to anoint holy vessels before their initial use and the recipe of the daily portion of incense are also discussed.

The Torah then describes the terrible sin of the Golden Calf. Moses, who had been in heaven receiving the Written and Oral Law, descends from the mountain holding the Ten Commandments. Upon witnessing Jews dancing around a golden calf, he smashes the tablets on the ground. Moses prays to G-d to spare the Jews from annihilation; G-d relents. Once again, Moses ascends Mt. Sinai and remains there for forty days and forty nights. Ultimately, he returns with a second set of tablets and the promise of a renewed covenant between G-d and the Jewish People.

Staying out of the Lime-Light

When negotiations between two sides reach an impasse with both sides releasing public statements, digging in to their position, a breakthrough is often reached with when the principle players from each side go behind closed doors and complete the negotiations. Deals get done and details are hammered out a lot better and quicker when they’re hashed out in private rather than under the public glare of the TV klieg lights.

The Torah discusses this concept in this week’s Torah portion. After Moshe breaks the Tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were engraved when the Jews sinned with the Golden Calf, Moshe asks forgiveness on behalf of the Jewish People. G-d then tells Moshe to engrave another and bring them up to Sinai upon which G-d will write the Ten Commandments. However, G-d tells instructs him with another important detail: Nobody is to accompany Moshe up Mt. Sinai. No person or animal is to be found in the area of the mountain as Moshe ascends.

Why should nobody witness this auspicious event?

Rashi explains that G-d presented the first Tablets amid great publicity. The entire nation gathered ‘round Mt. Sinai, and the entire world stood still. Since it was given in public, it was tainted by the evil eye, and it suffered an ignoble end. The second tablets, which were given in private, have endured to this day. Rashi concludes by saying, “There’s nothing greater than modesty.”

We live in a very public world, inundated with PR firms, publicists, profiles on MySpace and Facebook all encouraging people to publicize their accomplishments and other details of their life to achieve fame, prominence, and success. However, this trend presents a tremendous downside, with people focusing more on their public posture than their tangible accomplishments. The Torah teaches us how keeping a lower profile is a better road to success. Aside from avoiding a spiritual evil eye, people focus better on the job at hand, rather than having to worry about what people are saying and how people will react.

President Reagan once said that things get done when nobody cares who gets the credit. This is all an outgrowth of the same concept: Things get done when people are focused on the job rather than who will get out in front of everybody to claim credit. This was the basis of our success as a nation through the second Tablets, and this is the basis of our success on a personal level too.

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