Mark Call

The Torah parsha titled ‘Ki Tisa,’ (Exodus 30:11 through chapter 34) is not only ‘feature-packed,’ but includes one of the most important, and tragic, turning points in all of Scripture.

And it also includes one of the most notable chiasms in the Bible, too (although Mark prefers the more descriptive Hebrew term, ‘atbash.’) And, again, the ‘flashing red tag’ emphasizes the importance of something that has been ignored, but fits the pattern – and the point – of the story.

The Erev Shabbat reading:

There are a number of vital questions raised in this week’s parsha, but one that should perhaps resonate the MOST with us today is, “Why did Aaron go ALONG?” After all, Scripture indicates he was culpable, because he made the golden calf.

Today we have different high priests of an even more transparently fake god trying to force people to worship something arguably more akin to what comes out of the back end of a different kind of cow. But it’s the same Idolatrous Lie: ‘This is your ‘god’, Oh, AmeriKa!’

Aaron took the gold and crafted an idol. What about us?

Ki Tisa: Why Did Aaron Go Along? How About US? …Knew, or Should Have Known”