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Episode Synopsis
Now and Forever - Theme Ki-Tisa - 5771
Now and Forever
The Shiur focuses on the the משכן in terms of the עגל being its centerpiece, and the way in which משה and the עגל, אהרון and the עגל, משכן and the עגל, and שבת and משכן are all fundamentally interrelated. We focus on how the Brit from end of Mishpatim to the end of Ki Tisa is also a recreation (just as elements of משכן are built around the עגל), and how it represents two completely different parts of existential human experience—both the nature of coming into being, and the nature of forever.
There are no “interruptions” in the story at all. Rather, in precisely the way that Adam is found to exist on two levels within the gan eden and post-gan eden context (and etz hachaim turns out to have the etz hadaat that is an integral part of its essence), the Brit at har Sinai has a “front end” and “back end”. The “mizeh umizeh” expresses the first and second luchot, one of which is תורה shebichsav, and the other תורה shebaal peh; one is “panim el panim”, and the other, “achorai.” Both, however, require Naaseh v’nishmah, a sefer habrit, and discuss exactly the same mitzvoth.
Moreover, עגל is not only related to the משכן, but also redefines our entire understanding of Brit Hatorah. The contradiction we sense at Har Sinai (which leads to a breakdown, and the failure of Eliyahu to truly be Brit) is the very contradiction within the human condition. It is the conflict between the experience of existence as coming into existence, as the now/ present, and our experience of “to be” (immortality, first luchot). These two approaches are linked to the Shammai and Hillel approaches—(debates of whether week revolves around שבת, whether it was shemayim varetz or eretz vashemayim, and whether noach l’adam shenivrah). Their approaches ultimately relate to the underlying experience of what it is to be human, which also leads us to a completely different approach to תשובה.
This week’s shiur focuses on the presence of the Mishkan with the Egel as its centerpiece, as well as the way in which Moshe and Egel, Aaron and Egel, Mishkan and Egel, and Shabbat and Mishkan are all interrelated. We also focus on how the brit of Torah at the end of parsha Mishpatim is recreated in the closing of Ki Tisa. Two aspects of the human experience come to be understood on completely different existential levels – the nature of coming into being, and the nature of forever.
(BW) There is no interruption in the story. Rather, we are seeing the front and back ends of the brit at Har Sinai, corresponding to the first and second tablets – the written and oral Torah, respectively. Both ends require a “Na’aseh V’nishma” and a Sefer HaBrit. Thus, the Egel relates not only to the nature of Mishkan, but redefines our entire understanding of the brit haTorah.
We recognize that the contradiction of standing at Sinai demands that Moshe be sensitive to two different levels of brit. (This is where Eliyahu failed, and was thereby reassigned as the Malach haBrit in order to learn the commitment necessary to manifest brit.). The essential contradiction in the human condition is between the experience of coming into existence – the “now” which we call the “present” (related to the “present” of Shabbat) – and the idea of “to be,” associated with the immortality of the first luchot. These two approaches are linked to makhlokets between Shammai and Hillel regarding the essence of Shabbat, and the order of Ma’aseh Bereishis (were the heavens created before the earth, or vice versa?)
The ultimate question is: “What does it mean to be human?” In the same way that Adam HaRishon exists on two different levels within Gan Eden and post Gan Eden, the Etz HaChayim has within it the Etz HaDa’at, and can only be achieved in the end through traversing that Etz HaDa’at. This is the nature of Teshuvah as process, with which Moshe and all the prophets must contend.
Now and Forever
The Shiur focuses on the the משכן in terms of the עגל being its centerpiece, and the way in which משה and the עגל, אהרון and the עגל, משכן and the עגל, and שבת and משכן are all fundamentally interrelated. We focus on how the Brit from end of Mishpatim to the end of Ki Tisa is also a recreation (just as elements of משכן are built around the עגל), and how it represents two completely different parts of existential human experience—both the nature of coming into being, and the nature of forever.
There are no “interruptions” in the story at all. Rather, in precisely the way that Adam is found to exist on two levels within the gan eden and post-gan eden context (and etz hachaim turns out to have the etz hadaat that is an integral part of its essence), the Brit at har Sinai has a “front end” and “back end”. The “mizeh umizeh” expresses the first and second luchot, one of which is תורה shebichsav, and the other תורה shebaal peh; one is “panim el panim”, and the other, “achorai.” Both, however, require Naaseh v’nishmah, a sefer habrit, and discuss exactly the same mitzvoth.
Moreover, עגל is not only related to the משכן, but also redefines our entire understanding of Brit Hatorah. The contradiction we sense at Har Sinai (which leads to a breakdown, and the failure of Eliyahu to truly be Brit) is the very contradiction within the human condition. It is the conflict between the experience of existence as coming into existence, as the now/ present, and our experience of “to be” (immortality, first luchot). These two approaches are linked to the Shammai and Hillel approaches—(debates of whether week revolves around שבת, whether it was shemayim varetz or eretz vashemayim, and whether noach l’adam shenivrah). Their approaches ultimately relate to the underlying experience of what it is to be human, which also leads us to a completely different approach to תשובה.
This week’s shiur focuses on the presence of the Mishkan with the Egel as its centerpiece, as well as the way in which Moshe and Egel, Aaron and Egel, Mishkan and Egel, and Shabbat and Mishkan are all interrelated. We also focus on how the brit of Torah at the end of parsha Mishpatim is recreated in the closing of Ki Tisa. Two aspects of the human experience come to be understood on completely different existential levels – the nature of coming into being, and the nature of forever.
(BW) There is no interruption in the story. Rather, we are seeing the front and back ends of the brit at Har Sinai, corresponding to the first and second tablets – the written and oral Torah, respectively. Both ends require a “Na’aseh V’nishma” and a Sefer HaBrit. Thus, the Egel relates not only to the nature of Mishkan, but redefines our entire understanding of the brit haTorah.
We recognize that the contradiction of standing at Sinai demands that Moshe be sensitive to two different levels of brit. (This is where Eliyahu failed, and was thereby reassigned as the Malach haBrit in order to learn the commitment necessary to manifest brit.). The essential contradiction in the human condition is between the experience of coming into existence – the “now” which we call the “present” (related to the “present” of Shabbat) – and the idea of “to be,” associated with the immortality of the first luchot. These two approaches are linked to makhlokets between Shammai and Hillel regarding the essence of Shabbat, and the order of Ma’aseh Bereishis (were the heavens created before the earth, or vice versa?)
The ultimate question is: “What does it mean to be human?” In the same way that Adam HaRishon exists on two different levels within Gan Eden and post Gan Eden, the Etz HaChayim has within it the Etz HaDa’at, and can only be achieved in the end through traversing that Etz HaDa’at. This is the nature of Teshuvah as process, with which Moshe and all the prophets must contend.
In God we trust