No community start suggestion yet.
Why does Rashi (רש"י) emphasize that the people miscalculated when Moshe would return from Sinai, counting only days but not nights? Their error reveals a deeper rejection of the lunar cycle, which represents the dynamic separation-and-reunion that sustains relationships. Women's natural connection to monthly cycles protected them from the Golden Calf because they understood that meaningful relationships require periodic withdrawal, not constant presence.
This shiur examines Rashi (רש"י)'s revolutionary interpretation of the Golden Calf incident in Parshas Ki Sisa, fundamentally changing how we understand this catastrophic event. The analysis begins with Rashi's commentary on the verse "Va'yar ha'am ki voshesh Moshe" (Exodus 32:1), where the people saw that Moshe was delayed in descending from Mount Sinai. According to Rashi, when Moshe ascended the mountain, he told them he would return after forty days. However, the people made a critical error in their calculation - they counted the day of his ascent as day one, whereas Moshe meant forty complete days starting from the next day. This led them to expect his return on the 16th of Sivan when he was actually scheduled to return on the 17th. The profound question emerges: why is this timing miscalculation so central to understanding the Golden Calf? Even if they made an honest mistake, they still committed the grave sin of idolatry. What difference does their error in time calculation make to the severity of their transgression?
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Ki Sisa 32:1
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
