๐ฌ #ThisWeeksTorahPortion
๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฅ๐: Ki Tisa, Ki Tissa, Ki Thissa, or Ki Sisa (ืึดึผื ืชึดืฉึธึผืืโ โ Hebrew for “when you take,” the sixth and seventh words, and first distinctive words in the parashah) is the 21st weekly Torah portion (parashah) in the annual cycle of Torah reading and the ninth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah tells of building the Tabernacle, the incident of the Golden calf, the request of Moses for God to reveal God’s Attributes, and how Moses became radiant.
๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐: Exodus 30:11-34:35
๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: ๐ฌWhew this weekโs Torah portion is packed with many very important items such as Sabbath, the building of the Tabernacle and more but I want to focus in on the Golden Calf incident. Itโs strange that after experiencing freedom, the parting of the Red Sea and more the Israelites would want to create a golden calf idol to worship. They experienced various miracles from Yahweh directly and yet when Moses is gone for a short while they create a golden calf and have a big party (which also included some not safe for children or work activities get what I am saying family ๐ ). Often even when we experience Yahwehโs power we return to the mental slavery of idolatry this is why you must fight for your deliverance and realize freedom is not just a physical change but a mental one. Never become so proud due to your breakthrough that you think you canโt fall.
Two stories come to mind concerning the golden calf incident:
1. Last February I met a young woman from the Maasai Tribe of Kenya as I was in the 125th African market getting dresses tailored and the market manager introduced us while I was waiting. She started to share about her culture and said that her Elder uncle told her: โYes the Maasai are Israelites but we decided to leave after the golden calf incident because we wanted to still worship the calf and this is why the calf is important to us even today.โ I was shocked but looking at humanity today I could believe that some would rather leave and not go to the promised land if it meant giving up their idols. Havenโt we all done this at one point in our lives? Some may say no Maasai are Hamitic but I am just reporting and respecting the oral history of this woman and her family. She wanted to tape her story for me to share but our schedules didnโt align. The point is the spiritual lesson: will you abort the journey to your promise to continue in idolatry? I am not condemning the Maasai or judging them because all of us have family history where our ancestors have let Yahweh down hence the exile. I am just sharing to give us a lesson to consider.
2. I try to stay away from mixing politics and the Torah portion but I canโt ignore that less than a week ago a gold statue of Donald Trump was made for a conference he was speaking at and many saw similarities to the golden calf and now this weekโs Torah portion includes the golden calf and the judgement for worshipping it. Vote for whoever you want but donโt make any politician your idol. Even if the golden statue was Biden, Obama, etc it would be wrong. Family be aware of all idolatry.
๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐: https://globaltravelauthors.com/masai-the-lost-tribe-of-israel/
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: What idolatry are you returning to in your life?
๐ ๐๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐๐คโ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ก ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง!