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Parsha KI TISA

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Jonathan Muskat

Mar 5, 2018, 8:28 PM

My Drasha at the AIPAC Shabbaton: We Are All One Family

The following is a summary of my drasha that I delivered at the AIPAC Shabbaton this past Shabbat. Parshat Ki Tissa is one of the most dramatic parshiyot in the entire Torah. It tells a story of the ultimate betrayal...

Mar 2, 2018, 10:38 PM

Ten Steps to Self-Mastery

Parshat Ki Tissa 5778 We have all had experiences when we have had to have a difficult conversation with a spouse, an employee, a child or a student, and have noticed no change in their behavior afterwards. Sometimes the conversation...

William Hamilton

Mar 2, 2018, 10:36 PM

Being for a cause, or being in a cause

The Golden Calf had been made and worshiped at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Yet by the end of its drama captured in this week’s portion of Torah we surprisingly draw nearer to God’s essence. True, intense experiences can...

Mar 2, 2018, 5:28 PM

Out of many, one [Parshat Ki Tissa]

Suddenly, I felt myself awakened during a flight by a rather startling question. Someone wanted to see my tzitzit (ritual fringes). Still half asleep, I partially unbuttoned my shirt, showing the aggressive inquisitor the tzitzit. I thought that perhaps...

Feb 28, 2018, 8:32 AM

“Vacation” Parashat Ki Tisa 5778

Israelis go on two types of holidays. One type is called a “tiyul”, or “excursion”. A tiyul is spent overseas seeing as many sights as possible in the allotted time. The other type of holiday is called a “nofesh”,...

Ben-Tzion Spitz

Feb 27, 2018, 12:06 AM

Ki Tisa: Safety of the Crowd

Comrades! We must abolish the cult of the individual decisively, once and for all. -Nikita Khrushchev God instructs Moses to count the nation of Israel. However, the methodology of the counting is unusual. God instructs Moses to count by collecting...

Ariel Ben Avraham

Feb 25, 2018, 7:09 PM

Parshat Ki Tisa: Knowing God’s way and glory

“And now, if, I pray You, know You; so that I find grace in Your eyes and consider that this nation is Your people’.” (Exodus 33:13) Moses had spent quite some quality time with the Creator before he asked...

Mordechai Soskil

Mar 22, 2017, 10:55 PM

The Jerusalem Marathon and the Golden Calf

In the last few months I've had a couple of pretty amazing experiences. A month ago I went to Budapest with a team of colleagues to teach at a Jewish school there. And right now I'm on a plane...

William Hamilton

Mar 17, 2017, 7:41 PM

I’ve got your back

If someone would have told you a year ago, “The following setbacks are going to happen to you in the coming year: you’ll lose your job, a close friend’s marriage is going to fall apart, a family-member will be...

Mar 17, 2017, 4:56 PM

Resisting Fear: Ki Tissa and Torah From America

Commentators have long been disturbed and perplexed by the question, how is it that the Children of Israel, having just experienced God's Redemption and witnessed God's Power, could so quickly turn to avodah zarah (idolatry) in this week's Torah...

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