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Why do incense and the washbasin appear in Parshas Ki Sisa alongside the Golden Calf? The shiur argues this parsha focuses on building Jewish community, where women played the crucial role. While men despaired during slavery, women used copper mirrors to beautify themselves and encourage childbearing, ensuring Jewish continuity and earning the right to have their mirrors become the Temple washbasin.
Rabbi Zweig begins by analyzing the seemingly out-of-place elements in Parshas Ki Sisa - the incense and the washbasin (kiyor) - arguing that they actually belong here because this parsha deals with the formation of Jewish community. The counting of the Jewish people represents achieving critical mass as a community, providing security, continuity, and self-sufficiency. The washbasin was made from copper mirrors donated by the women, which Moshe initially rejected because the mirrors were used for beautification to encourage marital relations. However, God told Moshe to accept them because these very mirrors were instrumental in building the Jewish nation. While the men were demoralized from slavery, the women used these mirrors to beautify themselves and motivate their husbands to have children, ensuring Jewish continuity.
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Parshas Ki Sisa
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