March 13, 2009 (Rabbi Garten)
Parasha Ki Tisa - The dramatic center of this weeks parasha
is the building of the
eigel zahav - 'the Golden Calf.' The
commentators debate what is it that the people of Israel really want when
they ask Aaron, "Come make us a God." Some of our ancestors believe that
the Israelites are afraid that Moses will not return to them from the mountain,
and need a physical presence to go before them if Moses abandons them.
Some believe that even though the people have seen the power of the "God who
brought you out of Egypt," they want more than one God. While they have left the land of Egypt, has not left them.
If we look closely, we see that the need for idols of wealth are still with us. The hit TV show American/Canadian Idol has just began its new season. The winner maybe picked for the title by the public, but the contestants really want only one thing: the recording contract. They don't want to be simply judged the most popular, or the most skilled. They want to be wealthy. They want the pot of Gold at the end of the show. Those who watch the show also love the thought that the winner will fulfill their dreams of wealth. Idols are always a statement of what we hold most dear.
However, what interest me the
most in this story is that the Israelites seem to need something shiny,
bright and made of precious metal for their idol. They demand a God of
GOLD. The material used to measure wealth. They want an idol which
will say to the world that we have enough money to shower it upon our deity;
they seem to need a symbol of that which they most painfully want: wealth and
power.
If we look closely, we see that the need for idols of wealth are still with us. The hit TV show American/Canadian Idol has just began its new season. The winner maybe picked for the title by the public, but the contestants really want only one thing: the recording contract. They don't want to be simply judged the most popular, or the most skilled. They want to be wealthy. They want the pot of Gold at the end of the show. Those who watch the show also love the thought that the winner will fulfill their dreams of wealth. Idols are always a statement of what we hold most dear.
Right
now the world is struggling with terrible economic times. Much of the
cause of this was the pursuit of Idols of Gold. The greed and deception
of some in the name of 'idols of Gold' has led to pain for many. Just
as the Israelites gave in to their worship of Gold, so too have many in
our world given in to 'Idols of Gold.'
This week's Parasha teaches us that real
wealth is not weighed in ounces of Gold. It is faith in our leaders, faith
in our history, faith in our people and faith in our God that makes us
wealthy.