Parsha Ki Sisa with Safta Laya
This is a shortened version of an Action Packed Parsha
(Please note the numbers…Why?)
1) The people of Israel are told to contribute exactly 1/2 a shekel of silver to the Sactuary (Mishkan).
2) Instructions are given regarding the water basin, the incense and anointing oil for the Mishkan
3) Betzalel and Aholiav are in charge of the building of the Mishkan because they are ‘wise-hearted.’
4) The people are commanded to keep the Shabbat.
5) Moshe doesn’t return from Har Sinai in time, so the people make a golden calf and worship it.
6) Moshe comes down the mountain carrying the Tablets engraved with the 10 commandments. He sees the people dancing around the golden calf, he throws the tablets down and they smash. He destroys the golden calf, and has all those people who were responsible for it, killed.
7) Moshe asks Hashem to forgive the Jewish people because they are a ‘stiff-necked nation’. Hashem forgives them, however, the sin of the Golden calf is felt for many generations.
8) Moshe prepares a new set of Tablets, goes back up the mountain to get them re-inscribed by Hashem with his finger (‘etzbah’ on the 2nd Tablets)
9) Moshe is granted a vision of the 13 attributes of Mercy.
10) Moshe’s face is shining so much from talking to G-d (he is radiant), so he must cover his face with a veil, and he comes down the mountain to teach the Laws to the Jewish people.
Machatzit HaShekel
Hashem tells Moshe that he should count the Jewish people, not by a headcount, – but by collecting a half a shekel from each male above the age of 20- then count the shekels.
This is the method to be used anytime the Jews were to be counted. Counting the Jewish people was an act of love.
Just like the owner asks the shepherd to count his sheep, the more the Jews, increase, the more the honor of Hashem increases.
It is a custom not to count people; 1+2+3+. Why?
Because it is said that when things are counted, it gives the ‘Ein Hara’ a grasp over it and it can lead to ‘bad things’.
(There is a story that when King David had the nation counted directly, a plague broke out killing thousands). The half a shekel, was also a ‘forgiveness’ for any wrong doings. The ‘Machatzit Shekel’ symbolizes that each Jew is only a partial unit that must join the assembly to complete it. It keeps people humble- knowing we are all the same- no one is more important that the next. Whether you are rich or poor. It was also a form of Tzeddakah, which leads to humility- when a person feels humble, he/she learns to serve Hashem more carefully with intention of recognizing that He is the one who created our Universe.
Moshe was unsure of the exact size of the Machatzit HaShekel (Half Shekel) so Hashem showed him a coin made from fire- with weight and the dimensions, and told Moshe that each person should give a coin ‘like this’.
Each Shekel equaled 20 Gerah’s or 4 Zuz, which equaled one silver ‘Manah’coin. Later in history, the zuz was raised to equal 6 Manah. The shekel value was called ‘Shekel Hakadosh’- the holy Shekel. These coins were refered to as ‘Bekka’.
Shemen HaMischa
Hashem tells Moshe to create holy anointing oil (for anointing the Kohen Gadol) with components compounded from the finest quality of spices making it a perfumed compound, where each element absorbed the fragrance from the other created by an expert perfumers using the art of skilled mixing.
It included:
1) Shemen Zayit– Olive oil- used to soak spices after they had been soaked in water.
2) Muhr Dror– pure Myrrh
3) Kinamon Bosen – Fragrant Cinnamon,
4) Kareh Bosen -a variety of Cane- Sugar that has a fragrance,
5) Kidah– Cassia – the root of a herb.
Ketoret HaSamim
Hashem tells Moshe to take aromatics and create an incense formular and burn it twice daily on the golden altar. It should be well blended, holy, pure and have the status of ‘Holy of Holies’. The Ketoret incense contained 11 main spices.
1) Nataf (Balsam Sap)-(70 mana)
2) Shichelet- Onycha -(70 mana)
3) Chelbona- Galbanum (70 mana)
4) Levona-(70 mana) (the 4 main ingredients had 70 mana- weight)
5) Muhr- Myrrh
6) Kutza- Cassia
7) Shibolet Nerd- Spikenard,
8) Carkum- Saffron
9)Koshet- Costus
10) Kelupha-Aromatic Bark
11) Kinamon – Cinamon.
There were other ingredients as well- including wine, salt, flowers, soap…and a secret herb to cause the smoke of the Ketoret to pillar up in a straight column. No honey or ‘leven’ were added (honey symbolizes unnecessary luxuries and leven symbolizes haughtiness).
Cinnamon is the Bark of a tree, and there are parts that taste and smell only like wood, so it needs to be carefully selected – only the parts that have a fragrant smell and a good taste.
We read about the Ketoret- ‘Pitum HaKatoret’ everyday at the start of Shachrit and in the Mincha services. The incense gave great pleasure to Hashem, and we read it every day to give Hashem that pleasure too. It is known as a segula for wealth, easy livelihood, saves us from the ‘evil eye’, saves from harsh judgements, nullifies bad thoughts and gains a portion in This World and The World to Come and more…
Fun Activities
Our focus this week is on our Sense of Smell.
Take the time out to notice and purposefully smell different things- spices, flowers, fruit, foods, clothes-good smells and bad smells, inside, outside…
As they say, “Stop and smell the Roses”. Hashem gave us our noses to smell and it is said that is the one sense that with prevail with us, so we can smell the fragrances of the Garden of Eden. It is so interesting that it is often the first sign of Covid 19- losing our sense of smell!
Activity to do with children/ adults: ‘Identify the smell’– Blindfold the person/ child and present different smells and see if they can identify the smell, good smells, bad smells, interesting smells….- (hint-smelling coffee in between neutralizes the sense of smell for the next smell presented)
Be creative and have fun!
So take the time to become aware of you sense of smell this week- go around sniffing and smelling everything- it’s a different activity – ( even though people might think it a bit strange.)
Hashem insisted and commanded us to have Shabbat in this week’s Parsha- giving us time, to smell, taste, take time to reflect and connect to Him. There is even a blessing for a fragrant smell:
“Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the Universe, who creates species of fragrance”. (Baruch ata Hashem Elohainu, Melech Haolam,Borei Minei Besamim)
The Sense of Smell
The Torah relates that Hashem created Adam out of the earth and ‘He breathed into his nostrils ‘the Soul of Life’. Smell has the unique ability to reach our soul, soothing it and creating a connection with our inner most selves. Smell is one of our strongest senses and it has the power to move us in a way that no other sense can. The Hebrew word for Breath is ‘Nesheemah’, and is similar to the word for ‘Soul’- Neshama. Our spiritual life force comes from by air and respiration. The Talmud says ‘smell is that which the Soul benefits from and the body does not.’ The smells of family favorite foods connect us to memories and emotions,- like chicken soup, freshly baked Challah. When we make Havdalah after Shabbat, we smell the sweet spices that comfort our soul.
Fun Foods
The one spice that is both in the Shemen HaMischa, (anointing oil) and the Ketoret HaSamim (Incense formula to burn daily on the altar) is Cinnamon (and the most common easily accessible good tasting spice) and ‘Cane’ -Sugar.
Ideas for this week:
1) Make pancakes and sprinkle then with cinnamon and sugar. Can make them before Shabbat, warm them up , and serve with syrup, choc spread, topped with a combination of cinnamon and sugar mixture- YUM!
2) Make cinnamon buns, or ‘easy’ hands on Cinnamon and Sugar Rugelach/ Pastries with puff pastry. Make Cinnamon and Sugar combination in a bowl, Roll out the puff pastry, cut into squares, brush with egg or water, sprinkle the cinnamon /sugar mixture over the square and roll up gently ( either in long roll , slice and make individual cinnamon buns, or roll up from the corner of the square to the next corner (rugalach shape) Paint with egg/ water,- put in a medium oven, and bake until golden brown.
3) Making an Edible ‘Half Shekel‘ (Machatzit HaShekel)
Melt Chocolate and pour into small round moulds (if you have). Place in freezer to harden. Unmould, and with icing/ white choc… write on each one 1/2 symbolizing the half shekel. Give each family member one either at the beginning or end of the meal- a great talking point as to the significance of that ‘Half Shekel’ and what it means…
Have a great Shabbat, Be creative and make it meaningful!
Love Safta Laya.
P.S check out this weeks Parsha video!
Well done!