FOR KI SISA
SECRETS FROM THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN
Earlier this week, I received a call from a person previously unknown to me. His father had just passed away, and, like so many in this situation, he was at a loss for what to do and how to do it.
Neither he nor his father had been members in any synagogues, lately. This option was not available to him. He is also not local to me; his house is approximately 70 miles from where we live.
Since I was on my way out of town, I was also essentially unable to cater to his needs – not merely the obvious needs, but I would also be unable to deal with the emotional needs so often necessary in such a situation.
I, therefore, put this person in touch with the closest Chabad representative, and he took it professionally and expertly from there.
The above is not unusual. Inquiries of this nature typically come our way from time to time (and we all hope that these life cycle inquiries are for only happy and healthy matters). One aspect of this story, though, was unusual: How did this person obtain my number and email address? As it turns out, the deceased has a sister living in London. She happens to be a member of the synagogue in Stanmore, where my brother is the Rabbi. It did not take long to find me…
One of the goals in establishing Chabad Centers all over the globe is to be available to any person who may need attention or help for material, spiritual, religious, or emotional matters. Wherever a person may be, both physically and spiritually, the goal is to ensure the availability of the type of attention he or she may need. Moreover, because of the network of centers, Chabad can be found even for those who may not live close to them at all.
This also applies even to the one who has chosen not to be affiliated with a synagogue, or any religious institution. Despite being unaffiliated, or even alienated from the community or religion, the goal is to be there for such people as well. This is consistent with a lesson learned from the Almighty’s conduct as recorded in this week’s Torah portion, “Ki Sisa.”
The portion details the terrible offense of the Jewish people in worshiping the Golden Calf. This happened because of an unfortunate miscalculation. Moses had informed the people that he would be spending forty days on top of Mount Sinai with the Almighty. The purpose of this sojourn was to study the Torah with Him in order to teach it to the people, as the Torah chronicles elsewhere (Sh’mos (exodus) 24:12).
The Jewish people began their count on the day Moses left. Since it took Moses a while to get up the mountain, this would not be considered a full day. Moses, instead, would be returning on day forty-one, after forty full days with the Almighty.
Among the people, though, were some rabble-rousers. Towards the end of day thirty-nine, they contended that, “This man, Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what became of him.” (Sh’mos (Exodus) 32:1.) They claimed that they were now left leaderless and it was time to find a replacement for Moses. They thought gold would be just as good to worship as anything else, and they magically produced a calf made of that gold. Aaron, in the hopes of greeting Moses the next morning, called for the celebration to be held the next morning. (32:5.) They “arose early the next day, and offered up offerings.” They worshiped the calf. (32:6.)
Moses, of course, was oblivious to all this. He was up on the Mountain with the Almighty. Yet, a series of contradictory events occurred, bringing into question the harshness of the offense of the Golden Calf:
1) Despite the transgression of building the Calf, the Almighty continued studying the Torah with Moses, with the intention of transmitting these teachings to the people! 2) On day forty, when Moses was to descend the Mountain, the Almighty handed Moses the Two Tablets upon which were engraved the Ten Commandments to give to the people”! (31:18; 32:15.) Moses, in fact, smashed these Tablets after personally witnessing what the people had done. 3) Yet, in the instruction to Moses to return down to the world, the Almighty informed him that he was to “go and descend.” This implied that he was not just descending the Mountain back to the world, but also to experience a “Going” down, a spiritual descent for “your nation that you have brought up from Egypt has become corrupt.” (32:7).
There seems to be a dichotomy in the attitude towards this dreadful behavior of worshiping a Golden Calf: On the one hand, Moses continues to be taught as though nothing negative has transpired. As if to compound the issue, the Tablets are actually handed to him to pass onto these very people. At the same time, the Almighty was threatening to destroy them, and was so perturbed that even following a series of punishments meted out to these sinners (32:20;26-28), Moses still had to spend another forty days praying for their forgiveness (32:31. D’varim (Deuteronomy) 9:18-20)!
It is about never closing the door and always looking for ways to provide an opening. True, the people had behaved with a complete lack of loyalty and sensibility. The Almighty and Moses had every right to be frustrated and irritated at this open rebellion. Yet, the door is never closed to anyone seeking to return. Furthermore, as an eternal sign of connection to His people, the Tablets were sent by the Almighty through Moses, despite the obvious lowliness to which the people had descended. The Almighty Himself initiated the opportunity to return.
The lesson is clear: Even if it may seem that someone prefers to abandon that which may be deemed as spiritual and good, one must never close the door regardless of the other’s lack of spiritual awareness or devotion. Instead, one should always be available to help.
Despite Moses being told to “go down,” he eventually rose back up the mountain. While there for the third time, he was actually given extra spiritual material for the people. Similarly, by being there for another person, not only does one bring help for that person, but one is actually elevated to greater heights.
SUMMARY: Being available to all people, even those who opt out of spiritual opportunities, usually brings an advantage to all people involved.
Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos, and all the best. May the coming week bring you only good news, happy news and healthy news.