Ki Tisa

In this week’s parsha, we learn about Moshe pleading with Hashem for forty days to forgive the Jewish people after committing the sin of the golden calf. And finally on Yom Kippur Hashem forgiving the Jews and granting them the second set of tablets.

After receiving the tablets as Moshe comes down from the mountain approaching the nation, the pasuk says, וַיַּ֨רְא אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן וְכָל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־משֶׁ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה קָרַ֖ן ע֣וֹר פָּנָ֑יו וַיִּֽירְא֖וּ מִגֶּ֥שֶׁת אֵלָֽיו, “Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses and behold the skin of his face had become radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.”(Shemot 34:30).

A perplexing question is asked on this pasuk. This is the second time Moshe is bringing the tablets down and only now the Torah says that his face was radiant and the Jews were afraid to come near him. How come the first time he brought the tablets down, the Torah didn’t mention that Moshe’s face had become radiant and the Jews were afraid to come near him?

There are only two possibilities, either Moshe’s face was radiant the first time just like the second time and there was nothing new the second time, then the question would be why only now the Torah says that his face had become radiant and the Jews were afraid to come near him? Or, the first time Moshe’s face had not become radiant. If so, the obvious question is how come the first time Moshe’s face didn’t become radiant? After all, our Rabbis tell us that the spiritual level of the first set of tablets was on a much higher level than the second set of tablets. If so, how come Moshe’s face didn’t become radiant after receiving the first set?

Sefer Shem Mishmuel gives the following answer, the fact that Moshe gave over his life for the Jewish people after committing the sin of the Golden Calf to the point that he asked Hashem either He would forgive the nation or erase Moshe’s name from the Torah, Moshe merited that the shechinah of Hashem resides on him after receiving the second set much more than when receiving the tablets the first time.

Even though the first set was on a much higher level, but Moshe’s level as a person was not as high as when he received the second set. The second time Moshe’s body and soul were much elevated because of his own hard work for the Jewish people and were ready to accept the shechinah of Hashem to the point that his face had become radiant. As opposed to the first time, that the spiritual experience of receiving the tablets was on a much higher level but Moshe’s body and soul were not ready to identify with the shechinah as much.

The lesson is obvious for us. How much is our obligation to work towards the well-being of the Jewish nation? And how much value Hashem gives to a person who is willing to work so hard towards this lofty goal? May we have the merit to always look for ways to help our Jewish brothers and sisters.