Torah Trivia for Parshah 21. Ki Tissa (Questions Only) 118.6.25
1.) Who is counted within the census that Adonai commands, within this Parshah, and how much is each person commanded to offer?
2.) From what material is the washbasin made, wherein Aaron and his sons wash hands and feet before approaching either the Mishkan or the altar?
3.) What are the ingredients to be included within the anointing oil utilised for the Mishkan, and all its items and accessories, as well as Aaron and his sons; and what are ingredients are to be included within the incense for the Mishkan?
4.) Who is selected to craft the materials for the Mishkan and all the tools and accessories within, and around, the Mishkan: a.) Bezalel; b.) Oholiav; c.) Aaron; d.) Avihu, Nadav, Eliazar, and Ithamar; e.) All Levites; and/or f.) Yoshua?
5.) From what objects does Aaron construct the golden calf? (earrings of wives and children)
6.) What intention does Adonai initially proclaim after the Israelites’ establishment of the golden calf, how does Moshe respond, and what does Adonai subsequently decide to do?
7.) What is Moshe’s immediate response when seeing the golden calf: a.) Moshe joyfully waves his arms and shouts, “Party over here!”; b.) Moshe raises up a cup and proclaims, “L’Chaim!”; c.) Moshe wails aloud and tears his garments; d.) Moshe crawls into the fetal position and severely sobs; e.) Moshe sits and waits patiently for all the Israelites to fall asleep and then spikes all the manna and wine with lethal doses of quail urine; and/or, f.) Moshe shatters the stone tablets?
8.) What is Aaron’s response to Moshe’s question regarding the golden calf: a.) Aaron calmly proclaims, “Chill out, Daddy-O, and try some of this;” b.) Aaron recoils, twists, and innocently exclaims, “Did I do that?”; c.) Aaron desperately explains, “The people make me do it, giving me the gold; so I just throw some in the fire, and this animal simply emerges.”; d.) Aaron gathers together all the Levites and starts to sing, “We goin run this town, tonight! Ay-ay-ayyy!”; e.) Aaron immediately drops everything and sprints, full speed, out of the camp and back towards Egypt; and/or, f.) Aaron leans back and retorts, “So what.”?
9.) From what vantage point does Moshe witness Adonai?
10.) What are 6 proclamations that Adonai makes whilst passing by Moshe: a.) “The Lord! The Lord!”; b.) “A God compassionate and gracious,”; c.) “Slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,”; d.) “Extending kindness to the thousandth generation,”; e.) “Forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;”; and/or, f.) “yet (Adonai) does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”?
11.) Which general and/or specific mitzvah/ot does Adonai exclude amidst Adonai’s conferring of the second set of stone tablets to Moshe: a.) the prohibition from making idols; b.) observing Pesach; c.) consecrating first-born males to Adonai; d.) observing Shabbat; e.) observing Shavuot; f.) observing Sukkot; g.) the offering of first fruit; h.) prohibition from boiling a goat in milk of the goat’s mor (mother); i.) the death penalty for sorcery; and/or, j.) prohibition from bearing false witness against another Israelite?
12.) What does Moshe cover when immediately returning from the mountain after receiving the second set of stone tablets: a.) Moshe covers the well of water, to hide it from rival tribes; b.) Moshe covers the top of his tent with dolphin skins; c.) Moshe covers the children of Israel with the blanket of his righteousness, providing spiritual protection, discipline, and healing; d.) Moshe covers his neck with a thick, gold chain made from the previous golden calf; and/or, e.) Moshe covers his staff, preventing it from turning back into a snake?
Answer: The answer is: “f.)”: Moshe covers his face with a veil because of the glow that emits from his face upon communing with Adonai:
“So (Moshe) came down from Mount Sinai. And as (Moshe) came down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the Pact, (Moshe) was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with (Adonai). Aaron and all the Israelites saw that the skin of (Moshe’s) face was radiant; and they shrank from coming near him. But (Moshe) called to them, and Aaron and all the chieftains in the assembly returned to him, and (Moshe) spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he instructed them concerning all that the Lord had imparted to him on Mount Sinai. And when (Moshe) had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face..
“Whenever (Moshe) went in before the Lord to speak with (Adonai), he would leave the veil off until he came out; and when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see how radiant the skin of (Moshe’s) face was. (Moshe) would then put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with (Adonai).” Shemot 34:29 – 35.
Torah Trivia for Parshah 21. Ki Tissa (with Answers)
1.) Who is counted within the census that Adonai commands, within this Parshah, and how much is each person commanded to offer?
Answer: Every man, age 20 years and up, is to be counted, and is to offer a half shekel, approximately 5 grams (1/5 of an ounce) of silver:
“Everyone who is entered in the records, from the age of twenty years up, shall give the Lord’s offering;” Shemot 30:14;
“This is what everyone who is entered in the records shall pay: a half-shekel by the sanctuary weight—twenty gerahs to the shekel—a half-shekel as an offering to the Lord.” Shemot 30:13.
2.) From what material is the washbasin made, wherein Aaron and his sons wash hands and feet before approaching either the Mishkan or the altar?
Answer: The washbasin is made from copper:
“Make a laver of copper and a stand of copper for it, for washing; and place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar.” Shemot 30:18.
3.) What are the ingredients to be included within the anointing oil utilised for the Mishkan, and all its items and accessories, as well as Aaron and his sons; and what are ingredients are to be included within the incense for the Mishkan?
Answer: The anointing oil is to consist of: myrrh, cinnamon, aromatic cane, cassia, and olive oil; and the incense is to consist of: stacte, onycha, galbanum, frankincense, and salt:
“The Lord spoke to (Moshe), saying: Next take choice spices: five hundred weight of solidified myrrh, half as much—two hundred and fifty—of fragrant cinnamon, two hundred and fifty of aromatic cane, five hundred—by the sanctuary weight—of cassia, and a hin of olive oil. Make of this a sacred anointing oil, a compound of ingredients expertly blended, to serve as sacred anointing oil.” Shemot 30:22 – 25;
“And the Lord said to (Moshe): Take the herbs stacte, onycha, and galbanum—these herbs together with pure frankincense; let there be an equal part of each. Make them into incense, a compound expertly blended, refined, pure, sacred.” Shemot 30:34 – 35.
4.) Who is selected to craft the materials for the Mishkan and all the tools and accessories within, and around, the Mishkan: a.) Bezalel; b.) Oholiav; c.) Aaron; d.) Avihu, Nadav, Eliazar, and Ithamar; e.) All Levites; and/or f.) Yoshua?
Answer: This is somewhat of a trick question; actually, all Israelites (or, technically, all Israelites with skills) are selected to craft the Mishkan and the aggregate of the tools and accessories therewithin, and surrounding, the Mishkan; however, Bezalel is specifically identified as “the” craftsman, and Oholiav is specifically identified as his assistant:
“The Lord spoke to (Moshe): See, I have singled out by name Bezalel son of Uri of Hur, of the tribe of (Yudah). I have endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft; to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, to cut stones for setting and to carve wood—to work in every kind of craft. Moreover, I have assigned to him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have also granted skill to all who are skillful, that they may make everything that I have commanded you:” Shemot 31:1 – 6.
5.) From what objects does Aaron construct the golden calf? (earrings of wives and children)
Answer: Aaron constructs the golden calf from the earrings of the Israelite wives and children:
“Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf.” Shemot 32:2 – 4.
6.) What intention does Adonai initially proclaim after the Israelites’ establishment of the golden calf, how does Moshe respond, and what does Adonai subsequently decide to do?
Answer: Adonai initially communicates the intention to obliterate the Israelites and to establish Moshe and his descendants as a mighty nation upon the Earth; Moshe advocates on behalf of the Israelites; and, Adonai subsequently communicates the intention to abstain from annihilating the Israelites:
“The Lord further said to (Moshe), ‘I see that this is a stiffnecked people. Now, let Me be, that My anger may blaze forth against them and that I may destroy them, and make of you a great nation.” Shemot 32:9 – 10;
“But (Moshe) implored the Lord his God, saying, “Let not Your anger, O Lord, blaze forth against Your people, whom You delivered from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand. Let not the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that (Adonai) delivered them, only to kill them off in the mountains and annihilate them from the face of the earth. Turn from Your blazing anger, and renounce the plan to punish Your people. Remember Your servants, (Avraham), (Yitzak), and Israel, how You swore to them by Your Self and said to them: I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and I will give to your offspring this whole land of which I spoke, to posses forever.’” Shemot 32:11 – 13;
“And the Lord renounced the punishment (Adonai) had planned to bring upon (Adonai’s) people.” Shemot 32:14;
Although, there is the later description of Adonai intending to erase the transgressors from Adonai’s record (Shemot 32:33), sending a plague upon the Israelites (Shemot 32:35), commanding the removal of ornaments from the Israelites (Shemot 33:5), and lowering the position of the Israelites in commanding the Israelites to march from Mount Sinai (Shemot 33:1).
7.) What is Moshe’s immediate response when seeing the golden calf: a.) Moshe joyfully waves his arms and shouts, “Party over here!”; b.) Moshe raises up a cup and proclaims, “L’Chaim!”; c.) Moshe wails aloud and tears his garments; d.) Moshe crawls into the fetal position and severely sobs; e.) Moshe sits and waits patiently for all the Israelites to fall asleep and then spikes all the manna and wine with lethal doses of quail urine; and/or, f.) Moshe shatters the stone tablets?
Answer: f.) Moshe shatters the stone tablets upon the ground:
“As soon as (Moshe) came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.” Shemot 32:19.
8.) What is Aaron’s response to Moshe’s question regarding the golden calf: a.) Aaron calmly proclaims, “Chill out, Daddy-O, and try some of this;” b.) Aaron recoils, twists, and innocently exclaims, “Did I do that?”; c.) Aaron desperately explains, “The people make me do it, giving me the gold; so I just throw some in the fire, and this animal simply emerges.”; d.) Aaron gathers together all the Levites and starts to sing, “We goin run this town, tonight! Ay-ay-ayyy!”; e.) Aaron immediately drops everything and sprints, full speed, out of the camp and back towards Egypt; and/or, f.) Aaron leans back and retorts, “So what.”?
Answer: The answer is: “c.)”:
“Aaron said, ‘Let not my (leader) be enraged. You know that this people is bent on evil. They said to me, ‘Make us a (deity) to lead us; for that man (Moshe), who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.’ So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off!’ They gave it to me and I hurled it into the fire and out came this calf!’” Shemot 32:22 – 24.
9.) From what vantage point does Moshe witness Adonai?
Answer: Moshe witnesses Adonai pass by him, as Moshe is situated within a crevasse of a rock, atop Mount Sinai:
“And (Adonai) answered, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name Lord, and the grace that I grant and the compassion that I show. But,’ (Adonai) said, ‘you cannot see My face, for man may not see Me and live.’ And the Lord said, ‘See, there is a place near Me. Station yourself on the rock and, as My Presence passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.’” Shemot 33:19 – 23;
“Be ready by morning, and in the morning come up to Mount Sinai and present yourelf there to Me, on top of the mountain.” Shemot 34:2;
“So (Moshe) carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, taking the two stone tablets with him. The Lord came down in a cloud; (Adonai) stood with him there, and proclaimed the name Lord.” Shemot 34:4 – 5.
10.) What are 6 proclamations that Adonai makes whilst passing by Moshe: a.) “The Lord! The Lord!”; b.) “A God compassionate and gracious,”; c.) “Slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,”; d.) “Extending kindness to the thousandth generation,”; e.) “Forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;”; and/or, f.) “yet (Adonai) does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”?
Answer: The answer is “all the above,” Shemot 34:6 – 7.
11.) Which general and/or specific mitzvah/ot does Adonai exclude amidst Adonai’s conferring of the second set of stone tablets to Moshe: a.) the prohibition from making idols; b.) observing Pesach; c.) consecrating first-born males to Adonai; d.) observing Shabbat; e.) observing Shavuot; f.) observing Sukkot; g.) the offering of first fruit; h.) prohibition from boiling a goat in milk of the goat’s mor (mother); i.) the death penalty for sorcery; and/or, j.) prohibition from bearing false witness against another Israelite?
Answer: The answer is: “i.)” and “j.)”: the death penalty for sorcery and the prohibition from bearing false witness are explicitly communicated elsewhere within the Torah; all the other mitzvot listed, as well as some additional mitzvot, are explicitly included within this Parshah; Shemot 34:17 – 26.
12.) What does Moshe cover when immediately returning from the mountain after receiving the second set of stone tablets: a.) Moshe covers the well of water, to hide it from rival tribes; b.) Moshe covers the top of his tent with dolphin skins; c.) Moshe covers the children of Israel with the blanket of his righteousness, providing spiritual protection, discipline, and healing; d.) Moshe covers his neck with a thick, gold chain made from the previous golden calf; and/or, e.) Moshe covers his staff, preventing it from turning back into a snake?
Answer: The answer is: “f.)”: Moshe covers his face with a veil because of the glow that emits from his face upon communing with Adonai:
“So (Moshe) came down from Mount Sinai. And as (Moshe) came down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the Pact, (Moshe) was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with (Adonai). Aaron and all the Israelites saw that the skin of (Moshe’s) face was radiant; and they shrank from coming near him. But (Moshe) called to them, and Aaron and all the chieftains in the assembly returned to him, and (Moshe) spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he instructed them concerning all that the Lord had imparted to him on Mount Sinai. And when (Moshe) had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face..
“Whenever (Moshe) went in before the Lord to speak with (Adonai), he would leave the veil off until he came out; and when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see how radiant the skin of (Moshe’s) face was. (Moshe) would then put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with (Adonai).” Shemot 34:29 – 35.
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Discussion Questions:
What may be some intrinsic, esoteric, telepathic, metaphysical connexions between Adonai’s command to Moshe for the Israelites to build the altar amidst the Mishkan, and Aaron’s thought to build the altar for the golden calf? What is the dissonance and contradiction between these two occurrences, and what is the symmetry and synonymity within these occurrences; and what may be similar considerations regarding the Israelites’ mere solicitation for an object/idol to worship?
Within Shmot 32:8, Adonai references the Israelites by stating, “They have so quickly abandoned…”; what do the actions of the Israelites, in constructing the golden calf, reveal about apparent, fundamental characteristics within human nature; and particularly the difficulty in maintaining discipline and Faith? How can such difficulty be evidenced within some ordinary, and even contemporary, behaviour; and what are some solutions for effectively resolving such difficulties?
Why does Moshe advocate so vehemently for the Israelites? Might he offer such vigilant advocacy nearly 40 years later, after experience repeated rebellion and challenges from the Israelites? And what is the nature of Adonai’s offer to specifically raise the descendants of Moshe; is this a specific test for Moshe, and, if Adonai offers to raise Moshe’s descendants in this instance, why does Adonai previously, and subsequently, elevate Aaron’s descendants?
How does Moshe grind the gold of the calf into powder, and how does he “make” the Israelites drink it?
Is Aaron’s explanation to Moshe consistent with the previous description of events surrounding the formation of the golden calf? Do Levites similarly participate within formation of the golden calf; and how much of a shift is the Levites’ stand on the “side” with Moshe)? are Levites considered Holy because of the eradication of idol worshippers amidst the Israelites, or do the Levites eradicate the Israelite idol worshippers because of the previous designation of being Holy?
Much like the response to the Amalekites, how can there be a “recording” of the erasing of the history of a people or a phenomenon? What actually does “erasing the history” mean; is it simply a perpetual curse?
Is there any connexion between the golden calf and the glowing of Moshe’s face when returning to the Israelites from atop Mount Sinai?
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