The Women's Role in Creating Jewish Community - Parshas Ki Sisa

Full Summary

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. Rabbi Zweig traces the women's commitment to community back to Miriam, who challenged her father Amram when he divorced his wife due to Pharaoh's decree. Miriam argued that separating from wives was worse than Pharaoh's decree because it eliminated all future children, not just the males. The women also prepared musical instruments in Egypt, anticipating the redemption and community celebration. The chelbena (galbanum) in the incense offering had a bad smell, representing the wicked who must be included in communal prayers and fast days. Rabbi Zweig rejects the traditional explanation that the wicked are included to make the righteous look good, instead arguing that true community requires concern for every individual, including those who have gone astray. The Golden Calf incident involved creating multiple idols for different tribes, essentially attempting to break up the unified Jewish community into separate entities. The women refused to participate because they understood this threatened the community structure they had worked to build. Their reward was exemption from work on Rosh Chodesh, which celebrates the communal mitzvah (מצוה) of establishing the calendar. Rabbi Zweig emphasizes that community is not merely about numbers but about commitment to every individual. He cites the Talmudic principle that Yehoshua ben Gamla's establishment of schools for orphans - though providing second-rate education compared to father-son learning - saved Torah (תורה) from being forgotten. This demonstrates that excluding even one percent of the population destroys the entire community. The definition of Jewish community requires institutions caring for every individual, as the Rambam (רמב"ם) states that no Jewish community existed without charity funds. The Yom Kippur service begins with inviting even the wicked to join prayers, emphasizing that true community means inclusion and concern for all Jews, regardless of their current spiritual level.