Parashat Ki Tisa

Exodus 30:11-34:35

Dickens begins his novel "A Tale of Two Cities" with a groundbreaking sentence: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” This phrase could well be applied to this parashah. God appoints the best and most skilled artist, Bezalel, whom, according to we read, had endowed him with abundant ingenuity and ability to build and beautify the Mishkan. Each one of the members of the Bnei Israel community will contribute what better of themselves to build it. And what happens? that in a moment of carelessly build their own god, an idol made of molten metal. It was the worst they could have done.

Moses gets out of control and lashes out at his People, unleashing his fury. After having placated the wrath of God, Moses is the one who finds himself unable to contain himself. Is God who must control him this time and teach him to be patient, and so he passes in front of him and mention His Name twice. According to Rashi, once to show his compassion for future transgressors, and another, to show compassion to those who transgress and they repent. In bRosh Hashanah we also read that God is a Tzaddik in his "manners", but that, when it comes to acting, is always "Hesed", kind.

A good lesson that should not go unnoticed. Maybe we tend to judge ourselves ourselves and others too demanding, but just as important is such demand such as that we act with kindness, that we use the best of ourselves themselves in the worst times.