Sidrah
Parashah of the week: Ki Tissa
“And he saw … and he threw the tablets from his hands shattering them” Exodus 32:19
March 13, 2025 12:15
“And he saw … and he threw the tablets from his hands shattering them” Exodus 32:19
March 13, 2025 12:15I often wonder: what is the secret to Jewish continuity and survival? How can we ensure the next generation stays connected to their Judaism and identity, especially in the aftermath of so much antisemitism and hatred against the Jews? What can be the light that we ignite against that darkness, ensuring Jewish continuity in our own families and communities?
Perhaps an episode in this week’s parashah provides some insight.
Parashat Ki Tissa tells the dramatic story of the Golden Calf. After receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, Moses descends with the tablets in hand, only to see the people dancing around an idol. In that moment, he makes a fateful decision—he shatters the tablets.
The Torah provides a curious detail: “And as he approached the camp and saw the calf and the mecholot [musical instruments] and the dancing, Moses’s anger flared, and he threw the tablets from his hands, shattering them at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 32:19).
Why was it only when he saw the instruments that Moses knew the situation was beyond repair? Surely, witnessing the Golden Calf itself was enough. What was it about the music that sealed their fate?
To understand this, we need to look at another moment of Jewish history, just weeks earlier. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, the Torah tells us: “And Miriam the prophetess… took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing” (Exodus 15:20).
There’s an interesting contrast. At the Red Sea, the women led a celebration of faith, using music to express their gratitude and connection to God. At Sinai, the men used music to celebrate an idol. This difference may explain why the women did not participate in the Golden Calf — they had already infused their Judaism with joy and meaning.
Moses understood this. If the people had simply built an idol, there might have been hope for repentance. But when he saw that they had brought joy into their idol worship, he realised the damage was much deeper.
They had taken the energy that sustains Judaism — celebration, song and joy — and directed it elsewhere.
There is a powerful lesson here. Judaism isn’t just about rules and traditions, it must be lived and celebrated. A Judaism based only on obligation can fade over time, but a Judaism infused with joy, song and meaning becomes unbreakable.
If we want Judaism to thrive — not just for ourselves but for future generations — we must move from oy to joy, ensuring that our faith is not just observed but celebrated.
Rabbi Benjy Morgan