Weekly Sidra: Ki Tisa (when you lift up)
Torah Portion: Shemot / Exodus 30:1-34:35
Haftorah: Melachim Alef / Kings I 18:1-39

Parashat Ki Tissa – Shemot / Exodus 30:11-34:35 (כי תשא — Hebrew for "when you take). We have arrived to the most famous infamous part of the entire Torah: the sin of the egel hazahav – golden calf. This parasha however is a diamond in the rough and a gold mine for Dvar Torah topics. But we will focus in the problem of idolatry. So let`s dive into the Torah portion of the week.

When the people saw that Moshe was late in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron, and they said to him: "Come on! Make us gods that will go before us, because this man Moshe, who brought us up from the land of Egypt we don’t know what has become of him." [Shemot / Exodus 32:1]

This week’s reading deals with many issues.  The one that strikes me is the incident with The Golden Calf.  HaShem had recently brought Israel out of Egypt by miraculous signs and wonders.  Yet when Moshe did not come down from the mountain the people were quick to give up on him and turn to Idolatry.

How do we react when HaShem does not respond right away?  Benei Yisrael shows that if we are not patient and leaning on HaShem, we can succumb to temptation and sin eventually besets us.

HaShem warned Cain of the very same thing: [Bereshit / Genesis 4:6:7] "Why are you distressed, And why is your face fallen? Surely, if you do right, There is uplift. But if you do not do right Sin couches at the door; Its urge is toward you, Yet you can be its master."

Thus HaShem gives us the ability to overcome, but only if we do what is right.  This can be summed up by Loving HaShem and keeping his Mitzvot (commandments).

This week is also Parashat Parah where we read of the Red Heifer [Bamidbar / Numbers 19:1-22].  In Verse 2 we read:  "Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid. You shall give it to Eleazar the priest. It shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence."

The ashses of the Red Heifer were to be used to purify anyone who came into contact with a corpse. 

What is the connection? In Life we have choices to make.. Much like the Two Cows The Golden Calf led Israel to commit Sin and Idolatry. The Red Heifer leads to purity and redemption. Which path will you choose?