Parshat Ki Teitzei

This Parasha deals with the horrific sin of the Golden-Calf. HaShem commanded Moshe to count the “Heads” of Bnei-Yisrael, “רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל”, by way of giving a half Shekel as a Terumah. This comes to teach us that the heads of the nations are the ones who will be responsible for their people. We notice here that HaShem spoke only of Bnei-Yisrael and not the “Erev Rav” (the Egyptians converts) who joined the people of Israel after the ten plagues. We see in the Torah that HaShem refers to the Erev-Rav (“ערב רב”) in two terms, “Amecha” “עמך“ (your people speaking to Moshe following the Golden Calf sin) and “Am” (“עם“ - just a nation). To the people of Israel, however, HaShem refers to as Bnei-Yisrael (the sons of Israel/Yaakov) and “Ami” (עמי“ - My nation). From here we learn that the Erev-Rav, the converts, were the ones that started the sin. The words “Ki Tisa” (“כִּי תִשָּׂא”) also comes to teach us that by counting Bnei-Yisrael, HaShem will provide blessings and save many of them due to the giving of Terumah as it is known as “Kofer Nafsho” (“כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ” - ransom for their soul). It is interesting to point out that the numerical value of the word “Shekel” (“שֶׁקֶל“) is 430, same as the numerical value of the word “Nefesh” (“נַפְשׁ“), and same as the number of years of the exile, as promised to Avraham.

We know that righteous leaders are ready to “sacrifice” themselves in order to save the entire Bnei-Yisrael, as Moshe did several times when Bnei-Yisrael sinned. HaShem counted Bnei-Yisrael after every time a severe punishment was brought upon them, but he also blessed them at the same time. HaShem is like a shepherd whose flock was attacked by a pack of wolfs, and after the attack he counts them and brings them closer to Him with love and extra care. This amazing way of counting provides the people of Israel much needed blessings and elevation. The word “Tisa” (“תשא”) means to lift up.

We see here a beautiful way of taking an earthly material, the silver, and using fire, a heavenly light, to create a coin. HaShem ordered Moshe not to count them by numbers rather by giving a half Shekel; the Midrash tells us that evil-eye has power over numbers. We know that when King David counted Bnei-Yisrael (by numbers) without HaShem’s permission, many of them died. The Half-Shekel equaled twenty גרה “Gerah” to teach us that we are only obligated to give twenty percent of our god given money to Tzedakah.

We can count our people for a Minyan (10) in ways of blessings, using common blessing such as the blessing on bread, “Hamotzi Lechem” ("המוציא לחם מן הארץ"), as it has ten words in it. The reason such blessing has the number ten in it is also to teach us of the tenth “Ma’aser” we give as Terumah. There are many other blessings containing ten words to help us count without using numbers. Our Sages taught us that the “evil eye” rules the numbers and we should never count our fellows-jews with numbers. We know that to be truth as King David counted Bnei-Yisrael and many died. It is worth noting here that in this Parasha the Aliyah of the Kohen and the Aliyah of the Levi are the longest readings in the Torah; almost half of the entire Parasha. The reason for this is because the tribe of Levi did not take part in the Golden-Calf sin, and always kept with HaShem. Now and then, they atone for the entire Bnei-Yisrael, by not embarrassing them with an Aliyah for this Torah reading, as the story of the Golden-Calf appears within the first two Aliyot.