Ki Tisa (Hebrew: כִּי תִשָּׂא, "When you take") is the ninth Torah portion of Exodus, covering Exodus 30:11–34:35. It contains the half-shekel census, the Golden Calf, Moses' intercession, and the giving of the second tablets.
The Half-Shekel Census
God commands: "When you take the sum of the children of Israel... they shall give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord" (Exodus 30:12). Each person gives half a shekel of silver as an atonement. "The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less" (Exodus 30:15). The money is used for the service of the Tabernacle.
The Laver and Anointing Oil
The Laver (כִּיּוֹר) of brass is made for the priests to wash their hands and feet before serving. The anointing oil (שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה) is compounded of myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, cassia, and olive oil. The incense (קְטֹרֶת) is compounded of stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense. "And you shall anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein... and it shall be holy" (Exodus 30:29).
The Golden Calf
וַיַּרְא הָעָם כִּי בֹשֵׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה לָרֶדֶת מִן הָהָר
"And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, 'Up, make us gods, which shall go before us.'" (Exodus 32:1)
Moses is on Sinai for 40 days. The people grow impatient and demand gods. Aaron says: "Break off the golden earrings... and bring them unto me" (Exodus 32:2). He fashions them into a molten calf. The people say: "These be your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 32:4). Aaron builds an altar and proclaims a feast. The people offer burnt offerings and peace offerings, and "rose up to play" (Exodus 32:6).
God tells Moses: "Go, get you down; for your people, which you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves" (Exodus 32:7). God says: "I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people. Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them" (Exodus 32:9–10). Moses intercedes: "Lord, why does Your wrath wax hot against Your people, which You have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power?" (Exodus 32:11). He reminds God of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. "And the Lord repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people" (Exodus 32:14).
Moses descends with the two tablets. Joshua hears the noise of the people and says: "There is a noise of war in the camp" (Exodus 32:17). Moses says: "It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear" (Exodus 32:18). Moses sees the calf and the dancing; his anger waxes hot. He casts the tablets out of his hands and breaks them beneath the mount. He takes the calf, burns it, grinds it to powder, strews it upon the water, and makes the children of Israel drink of it.
Moses says to Aaron: "What did this people unto you, that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" (Exodus 32:21). Aaron replies: "You know the people, that they are set on mischief" (Exodus 32:22). Moses stands in the gate: "Whoever is on the Lord's side, let him come unto me" (Exodus 32:26). The sons of Levi gather to him. Moses says: "Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side... and slay every man his brother... and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men" (Exodus 32:27–28). Moses returns to God and says: "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin... Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray You, out of Your book which You have written" (Exodus 32:31–32). God says: "Whosoever has sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book" (Exodus 32:33). God sends a plague upon the people.
Moses' Intercession
God tells Moses: "Depart, and go up hence, you and the people... unto the land which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob... for I will not go up in the midst of you; for you are a stiffnecked people" (Exodus 33:1–3). The people mourn. Moses pitches the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. "And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation" (Exodus 33:7). When Moses entered, the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the door. God spoke to Moses "face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend" (Exodus 33:11). Moses says: "See, You say unto me, Bring up this people... and You have said, I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight. Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way" (Exodus 33:12–13). God says: "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest" (Exodus 33:14). Moses says: "If Your presence go not with me, carry us not up hence" (Exodus 33:15). God says: "I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name" (Exodus 33:17). Moses asks: "Show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:18). God says: "You cannot see My face, for there shall no man see Me, and live" (Exodus 33:20). God places Moses in a cleft of the rock and covers him with His hand, then removes His hand so Moses sees His back.
The Second Tablets
God tells Moses to hew two tablets of stone like the first. God descends in the cloud and stands with Moses, and proclaims His name: "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty" (Exodus 34:6–7). Moses bows and worships: "If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray You, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your inheritance" (Exodus 34:9). God makes a covenant: "I make a covenant... I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth" (Exodus 34:10). God warns against making covenants with the inhabitants of Canaan and their idols. He commands the three pilgrimage festivals and the firstborn. Moses is on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights, eating no bread and drinking no water. He writes the words of the covenant on the tablets.
Moses descends with the two tablets. "Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him" (Exodus 34:29). Aaron and the children of Israel are afraid to come near him. Moses calls them; he speaks to them and commands them all that the Lord spoke. When Moses finishes speaking, he puts a veil (מַסְוֶה) on his face. When he goes in before the Lord, he takes the veil off until he comes out; when he comes out, he speaks to the people, and they see his face shining; he puts the veil on his face again.
Major themes
- Sin and repentance: The Golden Calf as Israel's great sin; Moses' intercession.
- Covenant: The breaking and renewal of the covenant; the second tablets.
- Divine attributes: God's thirteen attributes of mercy (Exodus 34:6–7).
- Mediation: Moses as mediator between God and Israel.
- Glory: Moses' shining face after seeing God's glory.
Rashi
Rashi explains that the "half-shekel" was a ransom for the soul, and that the census was done by counting the half-shekels. On the Golden Calf, Rashi notes that Aaron's intention was to delay the people until Moses returned. On God's attributes, Rashi explains each attribute in detail.
Ramban
Ramban explains that the Golden Calf was not meant to replace God but to be a visible representation (like the cherubim). On Moses' shining face, Ramban says it was a permanent transformation from his proximity to God.
Midrashic interpretations
- Shemot Rabbah 42:1: The Golden Calf was made from the earrings of men and women.
- Shemot Rabbah 43:1: Moses broke the tablets because a marriage contract (ketubah) for a bride who committed adultery is void.
- Shemot Rabbah 45:5: God showed Moses His "back" — the knot of His tefillin.
- Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 45: The calf was made from gold thrown into the fire by the "mixed multitude."
Haftarah
The haftarah (1 Kings 18:1–39) tells of Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah challenges: "How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him" (1 Kings 18:21). Fire from heaven consumes Elijah's offering. The people say: "The Lord, He is the God" (1 Kings 18:39). This connects to the theme of idolatry and true worship.
References
- Exodus 30:11 – 34:35 (Masoretic Text)
- Rashi, Commentary on the Torah
- Ramban, Commentary on the Torah
- Ibn Ezra, Commentary on the Torah
- Shemot Rabbah (Midrash)
- Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer
- The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus (Nahum M. Sarna, 1991)
- Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary (JPS, 2001)
- Sefaria.org, "Ki Tisa" (parasha)