Parshat Ki Tisa opens with the mitzvah of Machatzit Hashekel – the giving of a half-shekel, a topic that we’ll read once again next week in honor of Parshat Shekalim.
כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת־רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ לַה' בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם׃
When you take the count of the Bnei Yisrael to determine their numbers, each man shall give an atonement pledge for his soul to Hashem, when you count them. Thus, there will be no plague among them when you count them.
The danger of a plague exists when Bnei Yisrael are counted, and as a result we’re instructed to count indirectly, via another object. This can be achieved by way of counting stones, or branches, or any other object, but here the commandment is to use a half-shekel coin. Multiple explanations are provided as to why that is, including the half-shekel symbolizing the midpoint of the day, the time at which the Golden Calf was formed; and the value of a half-shekel being ten geira which symbolizes the Aseret Hadibrot being transgressed. In addition to facilitating a census, the half-shekel also played a role in the atonement of Bnei Yisrael after Cheit HaEiegel. Some point to the fact that only the men sinned and not the women, and thus a full shekel was not required but only a half.
Rashi points to the word תְּרוּמָה being used three times in the commandment and says this reflects the three gifts Bnei Yisrael offered towards the Mishkan: a half-shekel for the אֲדָנִים (pedestals), a half-shekel for the public Korbanot in Sefer Bamidbar, and a general gift of gold, silver, and other materials used for the Mishkan’s construction.
זֶה יִתְּנוּ – Rashi, based on the Midrash (Tanchuma Ki Tisa 9), says Moshe struggled to understand the Machatzit Hashekel, and the significance of the word זֶה – as explained by the Gemara (Menachot 29a) with regards to additional items not understood by Moshe (the Menorah, Rosh Chodesh moon, and sheratzim) – is that Hakadosh Baruch pointed with His finger to a fiery image of the coin. What was so difficult for Moshe to comprehend? This is an important question to understand. The Midrash says (Tanchuma Naso 12), Moshe failed to grasp how one could be ransomed with just a half-shekel, when one is generally willing, or expected, to give up everything they have in exchange for life. The equation did not add up for him. Hakadosh Baruch Hu responded that His ways were different, and the half-shekel was shown to Moshe. Similarly, the Midrash says, Moshe did not understand the concept of Korbanot, and how there could possibly be enough animals collected and brought in recognition of Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s kindness and mercy. There too, Hakadosh Baruch Hu responded that His ways were different, and all He wished for was for one Korban to be brought in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lastly, the same issue troubled Moshe with regards to the Mishkan.
הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ – How could Hakadosh Baruch Hu dwell in a small Mishkan when the heavens to their utmost reaches could not contain the Shechinah. Hakadosh Baruch Hu responded that all He sought was a modest dwelling, with finite dimensions, to reside with us in this world.
Similarly, Rabbeinu Bachya (Beha’alotcha) says there are four concepts Moshe Rabbeinu had trouble with which required Hakadosh Baruch Hu to point to a solution with His ‘finger’. The four items are represented by the word מִקְשָׁה and all have reference to the word זֶה: Menorah (וְזֶה מַעֲשֵׂה הַמְּנֹרָה), Korbanot – and specifically Kemitza, the act of using the middle fingers to scoop flour or grain (זֶה קָרְבַּן אַהֲרֹן), Shekalim (זֶה יִתְּנוּ), and the new moon (הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם).
I brought all of this for one point, found in Da’at Zekainim (Shemot 30:13), who bring an idea in the name of a Midrash that I personally was unable to track down in this exact language. I did, however, find the idea in a slightly different language within Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (48). Da’at Zekainim says:
רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר חֲמִשָּׁה אֶצְבָּעוֹת שֶׁל יְמִינוֹ שֶׁל הקב"ה כֻּלָּן לְיִחוּד הַגְּאֻלָּה.
Rabbi Yishmael describes the five “fingers” on G-d’s right hand, as all involved in the process of redemption.
While we know, and recite each day in Ani Ma’amin, that Hakadosh Baruch Hu has no body and no form, the employment of human characteristics such as “finger” and “hand”, or “hearing” and “seeing”, is done metaphorically to help us understand concepts otherwise impossible to grasp.
The Midrash continues, Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s smallest finger was used when showing Noach how to construct the ark that would save him and his family: אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָהּ וְזֶה. His next finger was used in Egypt, where the sorcerers recognized the source of the plagues: אֶצְבַּע אֱ-לֹהִים הִוא. His middle finger was used when inscribing the Aseret HaDibrot on the luchot: כְּתֻבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱ-לֹהִים. His fourth finger was used when showing Moshe the new moon: הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם. His thumb was used when showing Moshe the half-shekel coin: זֶה יִתְּנוּ. Finally, the Midrash says, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will use His entire hand in the future, when He will wipe out all the descendants of Yishmael and Edom, as prophesied by the prophet Micha: וְכָל־אֹיְבֶיךָ יִכָּרֵתוּ עַל־צָרֶיךָ יָדְךָ תָּרוֹם. We know it won’t be a literal hand that comes down from the sky to smite them and redeem us, but the symbolic imagine of a hand helps us internalize that Hakadosh Baruch Hu, in one blow, will take care of Yishmael and Edom, including Iran, Russia, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and all other enemies in one swoop. It doesn’t require time for Hakadosh Baruch Hu to perform this, and it will happen in the blink of an eye, speedily in our day.
As it pertains to our Parsha, one finger was used to demonstrate to Moshe Rabbeinu the nature of the gift Bnei Yisrael were to bring, and we’ll now focus on this idea of fingers, especially pertinent since we [in Israel] all just used our fingers to vote for our local representation.
The Kiyor and the Importance of Washing
Immediately after the topic of Machatzit Hashekel, another element involving (washing of the) fingers is presented. Moshe was commanded to construct the כִּיּוֹר (basin) and to place it between Ohel Mo’ed and the Mizbe’ach for Aharon and his sons to use. Five pesukim are spent on this component, and this is where Bnei Ashkenaz begin the recitation of Korbanot each day prior to Shacharit and Mincha (whereas Bnei Sepharad skip ahead and begin with the Korban Tamid). The common question asked is why the basin finds itself positioned here. All other vessels of the Mishkan were already mentioned in the previous two Parshiot, so why is this one left out and only mentioned here?
Looking closely at the other vessels, there is only one – the מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב (golden alter) used for the קְטֹרֶת – left out of Parshat Terumah and presented in Tetzaveh, and Chazal focus on this exception. The Kli Yakar says, the Mishkan and alters serve the purpose of atoning for the sins of Bnei Yisrael and bringing them closer to Hakadosh Baruch Hu – a process comprised of two parts. The first part involves sacrificing an animal to atone for the sins performed by one’s animalistic nefesh – their body. This is performed on the מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת (copper alter), whose metal relates to the audacity (עַזּוּת מֵצַח) of sinning, as found in the expression: מְשַׁקֵּר בְּמֶצַח נְחוּשָׁה. The second part of the process atones for one’s Nefesh Eloki, at a higher spiritual level, but cannot be achieved through bringing a representative animal, as the animal has no heavenly soul that descended from under the Kiseh HaKavod. Instead, the offering of the קְטֹרֶת (aromatic incense) on the מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב serves this purpose. It is offered in the morning, the time at which our Neshama is returned to us, and in the evening, when our Neshama ascends back up to Heaven. Bookending our day with the Ketoret represents our desire for the interim time to be void of all sin. As a result of these separate roles, the two alters are separated in their presentation, and the מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב appears in the next Parsha.
Given the above explanation, should the כִּיּוֹר not have been presented right next to either the מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת or מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב? They are intricately linked, after all, as the Kohanim could not offer the Korbanot or Ketoret without first washing. Why was it left out of both sections and presented only now?
The answer all commentators provide for this question is that the כִּיּוֹר was not considered one of the כְּלֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ – vessels of the Mishkan. While candles were lit on the Menorah, bread placed on the Shulchan, and Korbanot offered on the Mizbe’ach, the basin itself did not take part in any of the mitzvot in the Mikdash. The mitzvah was for the Kohanim to wash their hands and feet, and the basin was merely a tool used to ensure water was present for this step; if the basin was not available, another vessel of water could be used in its place. The כִּיּוֹר was not required and its absence did not invalidate the mitzvah for a Kohen to wash. In justifying this position, the Ramban points to the routine of Yom Kippur, when the Kohen Gadol washed his hands and feet from a קִיתוֹן שֶׁל זָהָב (golden jug). The Chizkuni says clearly, the reason this vessel was not mentioned earlier is that the function of the basin was only as something preparatory for the performance of a commandment, not the commandment itself. The Seforno, along the same lines, says the basin was not mentioned with the other vessels because it was not instrumental in attracting the presence of the Shechinah to the Mishkan. Its function was merely preparatory to the Avodah of the Kohanim.
We now understand why the כִּיּוֹר was not presented earlier, but Rabbeinu Bachya tightens the question by asking why it was instead presented alongside the Machatzit Hashekel. He answers, the reason the paragraph dealing with the כִּיּוֹר – from whose water the Kohanim washed – is mentioned immediately after the paragraph dealing with the census, is that we have a tradition that the waters in that basin were instrumental in attracting sufficient quantities of rainwater for the land of Israel. Seeing that the contributions of the shekalim were in the form of charity, and charity is instrumental in increasing beneficial rainfall, there is a linkage between the two subjects.
The כִּיּוֹר needed to be large enough and hold enough water to wash the hands and feet of four Kohanim at a time. The Midrash (Midrash HaGadol) learns this from the Pasuk indicating that Aharon, together Elazar, Itamar, and Pinchas, were to wash from it. The Gemara (Zevachim 21b) learns it from a later Pasuk indicating that Moshe, Aharon, and his sons (Elazar and Itamar) were to wash from it. The כִּיּוֹר constructed by Moshe Rabbeinu had two faucets, whereas in the Beit HaMikdash there were twelve faucets until Shlomo HaMelech stood up ten separate basins, five on each side. Im Yirtzeh Hashem, next week, we’ll focus on these details of the כִּיּוֹר.
Pat Bag HaMelech and Cleanliness Before Service
The sefer B’Yam Derech studies this topic of the כִּיּוֹר and asks two fundamental questions. Why is it that Bnei Ashkenaz open their recitation of Korbanot with this chapter? If the idea behind their recitation is כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרַת חַטָּאת כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרִיב חַטָּאת – anyone who engages in studying the law of the sin offering is ascribed credit as though he sacrificed a sin offering, why do we not get right to the point and begin with the Chatat, and then the Asham, and then the Ola? In his answer, he says to see the words of the Ramban, who says the washing was out of reverence for Hakadosh Baruch Hu, for whoever approaches the King’s table to serve, or to touch the King’s food – פַּת בַּג הַמֶּלֶך – washes his hands first. Both because hands automatically touch unclean things, and because there are some people who have impurities and dirt on their feet.
A Rav Saadia Gaon says the ten days on which Daniel, Chananya, Mishael, and Azariah refrained from eating the king’s bread were the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – the Aseret Yemei Teshuva. Rav Yitzchak Isaac Sher (1874-1952, Rosh Yeshiva of the Slabodka Yeshiva in Lithuania and Bnei Brak) suggests this is why the Tur instructs us to practice extra caution and withhold from eating pat akum during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva.
מִי שֶׁעָנָה לַחֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה בְּתוֹךְ כִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ הוּא יַעֲנֵנוּ, מִי שֶׁעָנָה לְדָנִיֵאל בְּגוֹב הָאֲרָיוֹת הוּא יַעֲנֵנוּ – In our tefillot, we can only benefit from their merit if we first connect to them by following their lead during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva (See Rav Rosenblum English Shiurim – Aseret Yemei Teshuva 5783).
B’Yam Derech asks about the nature of פַּת בַּג הַמֶּלֶך, and why the Ramban chooses this spot to mention that one washes their hands before serving a king. Is there no better proof?
The first time we encounter the concept of פַּת בַּג הַמֶּלֶך is in the book of Daniel (1:3-5):
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring some Israelites of royal descent and of the nobility, youths without blemish, handsome, proficient in all wisdom, knowledgeable and intelligent, and capable of serving in the royal palace—and teach them the writings and the language of the Chaldeans. The king allotted daily rations to them from the king’s food and from the wine he drank. They were to be educated for three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s service. Among them were the Judahites Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Nevuchadnezzar ordered that select children of Bnei Yisrael be brought to him, where they would be raised to serve in the royal palace. As we know, Daniel, Chananya, Mishael, and Azariah were part of that group, but they refused to eat from the king’s bread and asked for vegetables instead. The chief officer was hesitant to serve them vegetables alone, as they would look impoverished compared to others and the king would eventually know the officer did not feed them as instructed. Daniel responded with a challenge: “Please test your us for ten days, giving us legumes to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the youths who eat from the king’s food and do with your servants as you see fit.” The result was favorable. They looked great after ten days. In fact, they looked healthier and stronger than the others! B’Yam Derech adds a nice idea. They refrained from eating the king’s food – separate from the issue of pat akum – as the Zohar says Nevuchadnezzar was a deeply unclean individual, and his bread was treif. He had no issue eating live rabbits, and practiced his cruelty and ruthlessness by taking a bite out of them after catching them by the ears while they hopped around. Furthermore, he did so together with milk, as basar b’chalav was his favorite delicacy. The Chida points out that the word בג in פַּת בַּג הַמֶּלֶך stands for בָּשָׂר בִּגְבִינָה – meat with cheese. The bread they served Nevuchadnezzar contained this unclean mixture. B’Yam Derech closes out the idea by saying that the Ramban selected this example to teach us that if Nevuchadnezzar, dirty and despicable as he was, desired only the clean children of Bnei Yisrael to serve him, all the more so must we ensure that those who present themselves before the King of Kings are clean.
Cleanliness and Spiritual Readiness
Rav Mendel Weinbach, one of the founders of Ohr Sameach, tells a story of an encounter he had with Rav Chaim Kanievsky. During a visit with Rav Kanievsky together with his talmidim, they lined up one by one to receive a greeting and bracha from the Rav. There was one particular talmid who stretched out his hand only to have Rav Kanievsky not respond in kind. The talmid asked Rav Weinbach why that was, and it was suggested that Rav Kanievsky may have been distracted in learning and the talmid should go back in line and try again. The same thing occurred again, however. Once all the talmidim had passed by, Rav Weinbach quietly asked Rav Kanievsky why that one talmid did not receive a handshake, only to be told, “Can’t you see? He has the face of an animal!” Rav Weinbach was puzzled by the answer, and expressed, “No, I don’t see it.” Rav Kanievsky responded, “The face of an eigel, just like the Zohar says in Parshat Mishpatim.” The Zohar, there, says that one who eats basar b’chalav (meat and milk) assumes the face of an eigel. After everyone left, Rav Weinbach pulled the talmid aside and asked if this was true. He was then informed, “No, I don’t eat them together, but after eating meat I have a tremendous desire for milk chocolate and don’t wait the six hours.” B’Yam Derech says, Nevuchadnezzar dreamt that he became an animal, and this dream eventually became a reality as punishment for his sins. He turned into an animal for seven years, walking on all four, growing long nails, and assuming other animalistic traits. The lesson for us is clear – we must be extremely careful with our cleanliness when serving Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and especially Kohanim.
There is a Halacha to learn here. The Shulchan Aruch says it is a minhag to begin recitation of the Korbanot with the paragraph of the כִּיּוֹר, and Bnei Ashkenaz do exactly that. I do not know why Bnei Eidot HaMizrach do not, and instead skip right to the Korbanot. I’ve looked around but failed to find anyone who explains this practice – perhaps when there is something being skipped in davening, nobody asks any questions! The reason Bnei Ashkenaz do adopt this minhag presented in the Shulchan Aruch is that nowadays we have no Kohanim who can perform the actual ritual of Korbanot in the Beit Hamikdash, and we ask that our recitation be considered as though we have offered the sacrifices themselves: וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ. Therefore, it is fitting to open with the paragraph of the כִּיּוֹר. If the paragraphs detailing the Korbanot have temporarily taken the place of the Korbanot themselves, then we who read those paragraphs require preparatory washing just like the Kohanim. Thus, the paragraph of the כִּיּוֹר must come first. This is why the Rambam holds we should wash both our hands and feet prior to engaging in Tefilla, just as the Gemara teaches (Shabbat 50b): רוֹחֵץ אָדָם פָּנָיו יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו בְּכׇל יוֹם בִּשְׁבִיל קוֹנוֹ – A person must wash his face, his hands, and his feet every day for the sake of his Maker. The Ra’avad, however, mentions only washing of hands and not feet, and the Noda BiYehuda explains that this is because today people walk wear socks and shoes, and having soiled feet is no longer the factor it once was.
In summary of what we’ve covered so far, Hakadosh Baruch Hu showed Moshe Rabbeinu a fiery image of the half-shekel, which the Midrash says represents one of His five fingers; and the Kohanim wash the אֶצְבָּעוֹת – i.e., fingers and toes – of their hands and feet prior to serving in the Beit Hamikdash, and corresponding to this, we wash our hands prior to engaging in Tefilla. Regarding this last point, it’s worth pointing out that many belittle this step, treating it as unimportant or not worthy of true respect. They run into shul, and on the way in, quickly tap the bottom of the faucet while reciting a makeshift Yehi Ratzon that just as Moshe Rabbeinu hit the rock and water emerged, so too water should come pouring out for them. They even follow it up by rubbing their hands together fervently, despite the tap being disconnected and dry for the last thirty years! They imagine water and wash their hands imaginatively, and this does not count whatsoever! Take a washing cup, fill it up, and wash properly! As the Rambam writes: הִכּוֹן לִקְרַאת אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל – Prepare to meet your G-d, Yisrael! (Amos 4:12)
The Luchot and the Symbolism of Fingers
There is a third, and final, idea pertaining to fingers that I would like to now explore. It is found in our Parsha, in the Pasuk just preceding the episode of Cheit HaEiegel:
וַיִּתֵּן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ בְּהַר סִינַי שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת הָעֵדוּת לֻחֹת אֶבֶן כְּתֻבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱ-לֹהִים׃
And He gave to Moshe, when He finished speaking to him upon Mount Sinai, two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of G-d.
Rashi comments that the word כְּכַלֹּתוֹ is written incorrectly – without a ו after the ל – to draw our attention to the word כלה, bride, as in His bride. The handing over of the Torah to Bnei Yisrael was in the manner a groom receives his bride as a gift. Had it not been a gift, Moshe could not have learned the whole Torah in forty days. Rashi also comments on the spelling of לֻחֹת – written without a ו between ח and ת, teaching us they were both alike in every respect. Similar learnings can be found in Rabbeinu Bachya:
וע"ד המדרש שני לוחות העדות כנגד שמים וארץ כנגד חתן וכלה כנגד שני שושבינין כנגד שני עולמים.
Rabbeinu Bachya quotes the Ba’al HaTurim as saying the set of luchot correspond to four things: שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ (heaven and earth), חַתָּן וְכַּלָּה (bride and groom), the two Torahs – namely, תוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה and תוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב (Written Law and Oral Law), and the two עוֹלָמוֹת – two worlds: עוֹלָם הַזֶּה and עוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Besiyata Dishmaya, I would like to focus on three of these items: heaven and earth, bride and groom, and the two luchot; and through them reach a truly wonderful learning. In Parshat Va’eira, Rabbeinu Bachya comments on the first time the word אֶצְבַּע appears in the Torah. It appears a total of three times in that syntax, once with regards to the plague of kinim (and by extension to all the plagues), followed by twice with regards to the luchot, the first of which is quoted above and the second of which can be found in Parshat Eikev:
