05 March 2026
馃挘讝讛 诇讗讘讚 讗转 讛注转讬讚 砖诇 讻诇 讛讚讜专讜转: 诪砖讗 讞专讬祝 诪专讛"讬 讛讙讗讜谉 专讘讬 讞讬讬诐 驻专抓 讘专诪谉 诪住讻谞讛 讛谞讜专讗讬转 讘驻讙注讬 讛讟讻谞诇讜讙讬讛
馃挘This is losing the future of all generations: A sharp warning from Rabbi Chaim Peretz Berman about the terrible danger posed by the ravages of technology
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Was this not said about: Cars, phones, radio, television, tapes, the old computers, now the new computers, now digital phones, ai, measles and missiles, and covid? Somehow we are limping along. Did i miss anything?
Reb Neuberger: The Hand of God
THE HAND OF G-D
My dear friends, we have witnessed the hand of G-d.
On Shabbos morning, at perhaps the exact moment we were reading Parshas Zachor in the shuls of Israel, the chief enemy of G-d in the world -- the fountain of hatred and cruelty, the man whose entire life consisted of trying to destroy the Children of Israel G-d forbid – that man was killed by the army of Israel. In doing so, the state of Israel fulfilled a Biblical mitzvah in front of the eyes of the world!
Not only that, but the Prime Minister of Israel had publicly stated, before Shabbos, “on the eve of Chag Purim, we will stand together, and – with G-d’s help – we will ensure the eternity of Israel.” This appears to me to be an act of monumental significance. I call your attention to the fact that the Prime Minister publicly invoked the name of G-d.
I am writing on Sunday morning, Adar 12, having spent much of Shabbos in a bomb shelter. The sirens continue this morning, which shows the amazing hatred of Amalek, who, despite the loss of their chief and many high officials, persist in their desire to destroy us, G-d forbid.
But we are Bnai Yisroel, who say, “al tira … do not fear sudden terror or the holocaust of the wicked when it comes. Plan a conspiracy and it shall be annulled …. For G-d is with us. Even until your old age I shall endure. I created you and I shall bear you. I shall endure and rescue.” (Tefilla)
“Rabbi Yitzchak taught: In the year in which Moshiach will be revealed, all the nations of the world will be in conflict. The King of Persia will quarrel with the King of Arabia and … the King of Persia will destroy the entire world. The nations will be confused and agitated and will be seized with fear and pains like the pangs of birth. Israel too will be agitated, saying ‘What shall we do?’ [at which time, Hashem will say to them,] ‘My Children! Do not fear … for the time of your redemption has come!” (Yalkut Shimoni as seen in The Book of Our Heritage)
Why actually do they hate us? If you would ask them, they could not answer you! They would call you “The Great Satan,” but they could not explain why they want to obliterate us or even what “The Great Satan” means!
I am reminded of the incident, some fifty years ago, when I was confronted in a deserted subway car by two brutes who were chanting, “Why didn’t Hitler kill all the Jews?” But when I walked up to them and stood two inches from their faces, it became clear that they had no idea what a Jew is! They literally started shaking! It turned out that they were cowards who lost their tongues when confronted by a Yid who was one-half their size.
Our enemies have no idea why they hate us.
The answer is that they hate us because it is decreed in Shomayim.
The entire world situation is a message from Heaven.
For years, I have tried to understand exactly what Hashem expects of us on Purim. Recently, I saw a fascinating booklet by Rabbi Yaakov Hillel Shlita”h, which clarified the inyanim of Purim, inyanim upon which our lives depend!
Chazal tell us that Hashem held Har Sinai over our heads, saying, in effect, “If you accept the Torah, fine. But if not” you will be buried under the mountain. (Sanhedrin 88a) But Am Yisroel had just said, “na’ase v’nishma,” accepting upon themselves the Torah! (Shemos 24:7) Why did Hashem have to threaten us?
The Ohr Hachaim explains: Bnai Yisroel at Har Sinai had comparatively little difficulty accepting the Written Torah. But the Oral Torah was different. For in effect they said, “who … can uphold a Torah such as this [oral Torah] that has no maximum measure? …. For in every generation, the Sages may pass new … enactments….” (Ohr Hachaim on Shemos 19:5).
Rabbi Hillel continues: in the days from Har Sinai until the destruction of Bayis Rishon, “the people were living in their own land; they had the Temple and they had the prophets.” But, after the destruction, in the terrible darkness of Golus, “we are in exile and all these spiritual assets are gone. All we have left is the beauty and sanctity of a page of Gemara.” It was at this time that we found that, without the Oral Torah in its endless depth, we could not survive. As Chazal teach us, “Since the day that the Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed, Hakadosh Baruch Hu has nothing in His world but the four amos of halachah.” (Berachos 8b)
Rabbi Hillel explains further: All we have to guide us now are the words of our Sages as they apply to each new situation. The transition to this new reality occurred in the time of Purim. “Mordechai was uniquely positioned to recognize the need for the transition to intensive, in-depth study of the Oral Tradition and to implement it. He was one of the last prophets … and, at the same time, one of the early Anshe Knesses Hagdolah, the Torah authorities of the new era, who would lead the nation in the years ahead. Under his leadership, the Jews willingly accepted the yoke of the Oral Torah….”
My friends, as we stand at this monumental moment in history, we must thank the Al-mighty G-d, King of the Universe, for saving His precious children. Despite the ridicule of our enemies and even our own brethren, we have clung to this Torah of Truth with all our strength, “b’chol levavcha … with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our resources!” On Purim we say, “kimu v’kiblu,” taking upon ourselves again what we had already accepted in the days of Moshe. (Shabbos 88a) It is this acceptance which will enable us to survive until the Great Redemption. This is a Purim for the ages!
“Mishenichnas adar marbim b’simcha … with the coming of Adar -- and the destruction of evil -- joy has increased.” Through our dvaykus with Hashem’s infinite Torah, may we soon witness the Dawn of the day of complete salvation, the day on which all our enemies will be defeated forever and we will have endless “light and gladness, joy and honor.”
Hostile missiles over Israel
Phone alerts from the Israeli Army (under bottom picture)
GLOSSARY
Bayis Rishon: the First Temple
Bnai Yisroel: the Children of Israel
Chazal: the rabbis of the Mishna and the Gemara
Dvaykus: unity, oneness
Golus: exile
Hakadosh Baruch Hu: Hashem, G-d
Har Sinai: Mount Sinai
Inyanim: topics in the Torah
Shomayim: the next world, the World of Truth
Shushan ha Bira: the capital of Persia, where the Purim story occurred
Tefilla: prayer
Rabbi Wein: Ki Tisa
Quote of the Week
“Even though we have computers and cell phones today and our ancestors were not so equipped, the lessons of our ancestors and their safeguards in Jewish and general life should not be easily dismissed today”
(Rabbi Wein, J Post )
WEEKLY PARSHA FROM THE DESTINY ARCHIVES
Ki Tisa 5774/2014
Ki Tisa 5774/2014
Though the main topic of this week's parsha is certainly the fateful and nearly fatal incident of the Golden Calf, the opening subject of the parsha also bears study and insight. We see throughout the Torah that there is an emphasis placed on counting the numbers of Jews that left Egypt, those that existed in the Sinai desert and finally, those that arrived in the Land of Israel.
In this week's parsha the Torah provides us with the “Jewish” way of counting the people of Israel. We do not count people directly but rather indirectly, as is the case of the half-shekel tax that was imposed by Divine commandment at the beginning of this week's parsha. The number of Jews present and accounted for was arrived at by counting the number of half-shekels that were collected.
We also see later in Jewish history, at the time of King Saul, when he wanted to conduct a census of Israel he did so by having everyone donate a sheep. He then counted the sheep, again not counting the people directly. Even when we count the ten people necessary for a prayer quorum we do not count them directly but rather only by counting the number of words that appear in a certain verse in the Bible.
The Talmud teaches us that King David was found guilty and punished for counting the people directly during his reign. Why is the Torah so interested in the numbers of Jewish population? And why is the Torah so loath to count people in a direct manner?
Even today, the census here in Israel, unlike the ones I remember in the United States, is taken indirectly and no one has ever appeared at my door here in Jerusalem to count how many people live in our home. Apparently this is the “Jewish” way of determining population numbers, always in an indirect fashion.
I think that the lesson here is fairly obvious. No two people are alike and each one is really number one by himself or herself. There is no number two because there is no one else like number one. The uniqueness of every individual is one of the axioms of Jewish life and thought. While people may appear to be similar they are never identical.
Fingerprints and DNA testify to this phenomenon in the physical world. In the spiritual and personal world of our souls, personalities, creativity and accomplishments are unique to each one of us. We are all different for so have we been created by the Lord.
The Torah treats every individual as special and because of this, places a emphasis on the numbers of the Jewish people. Look and see how many different people exist within us and yet somehow we are all connected and part of the great whole that is the people of Israel! By counting people directly we somehow minimize their individual qualities and uniqueness.
The Torah, which is interested always in promoting individuality and creativity, counts us many times to indicate our importance, but never directly. The Talmud teaches us that the greatness of God can be seen in the fact that all human beings are stamped from the same die and yet no two are alike.
The Torah wishes us to understand and appreciate this lesson and transmit it to our lives through our actions and attitudes, our behavior and sensitivities. By so doing we “raise our heads” – ki tisa et rosh bnei yisrael - and become worthy of the Lord counting us amongst the eternal people of Israel.
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Berel Wein
Purim: The Life Changing Promise of The Chasam Sofer About The Time Between The 2 Megilla Readings
Purim: DeJa Vu All Over Again - The Earthshattering Approach of the Midrash Talpios
Eliezer Meir Saidel: Screening – Ki Tisa
Screening – Ki Tisa
讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ֵ讬 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 诇ֹ讗 转ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 诇ָּ讱ְ. (砖诪讜转 诇讚, 讬讝)
In this week's parsha we read about the sin of the egel. When Am Yisrael made the egel, the passuk says 讜ַ讬ַּ注ֲ砖ֵׂ讛讜ּ 注ֵ讙ֶ诇 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 (砖诪讜转 诇讘, 讚). Later HKB"H tells Moshe that Am Yisrael have sinned and again the phrase used is 注ָ砖ׂ讜ּ 诇ָ讛ֶ诐 注ֵ讙ֶ诇 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 (砖诐, 讞). Towards the end of the parsha HKB"H warns Am Yisrael, when they conquer Eretz Yisrael, not to enter into pacts with the inhabitants of Canaan and to not worship their gods. This is followed by our passuk above 讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ֵ讬 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 诇ֹ讗 转ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 诇ָּ讱ְ.
In the Ten Commandments on Har Sinai, HKB"H commands us 诇ֹ讗 转ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 诇ְ讱ָ 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 讜ְ讻ׇ诇 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛 (砖诪讜转 讻, 讙). What is the difference between a 驻ֶ住ֶ诇, a 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛 and a 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛?
A 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 is a sculpture (专砖"讬, 砖诪讜转 讻, 讙). It begins with a rough chunk of raw material (wood, metal, clay, etc.). This rough form is then sculpted, using tools such as hammers, chisels, gouges etc. into the final, sculpted form.
A 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛 is a picture (专砖"讬, 砖诐). The difference between a 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 and a 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛 is that a 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 is a 3-dimensional representation and a 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛 is a 2-dimensional representation, such as a sketch, painting, photograph, etc. Pictures may simulate depth but they are in essence 2-dimensional.
A 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 is also a 3-dimensional object, but unlike a 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 which is sculpted, a 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 is cast by pouring into a mold. For example, melting metal and pouring it into a mold, or pouring liquid plaster into a mold and leaving it to set until solid.
I would like to concentrate on the 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 form in this shiur, for two reasons. Firstly, because the egel in this week's parsha is a 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛. Secondly, we have just celebrated Purim, the festival of masks and disguises. We will see later that there is a connection between the modern Hebrew use of the word 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛, meaning "mask" and the Torah's use of the word, meaning "cast form". The Torah uses a different word for mask – 诪ַ住ְ讜ֶ讛 (砖诪讜转 诇讚, 诇讙), mentioned at the end of our parsha, when Moshe covers the light radiating from his face with a mask.
The Sforno (砖诪讜转 诇讚, 讬讝) explains that a 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 is not simply casting a liquified version of a substance into a mold and allowing it to solidify - there is more to it than that. The Sforno refers to 讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ֵ讬 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 as "talismans" (讟ָ诇ִ住ְ诪ָ讗讜ֹ转) and says that the purpose of casting (as opposed to sculpting) is that the final form is achieved instantaneously and not in stages. Those who make 讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ֵ讬 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 do so at exact, specific times correlating to star constellations in the belief that the form they are making acquires "powers" from the star constellation. This is why the entire form has to be created instantaneously at the precise moment.
When Moshe confronts Aharon and asks why he helped Am Yisrael to make the egel, Aharon replies 讜ָ讗ֹ诪ַ专 诇ָ讛ֶ诐 诇ְ诪ִ讬 讝ָ讛ָ讘 讛ִ转ְ驻ָּ专ָ拽讜ּ 讜ַ讬ִּ转ְּ谞讜ּ 诇ִ讬 讜ָ讗ַ砖ְׁ诇ִ讻ֵ讛讜ּ 讘ָ讗ֵ砖ׁ 讜ַ讬ֵּ爪ֵ讗 讛ָ注ֵ讙ֶ诇 讛ַ讝ֶּ讛 (砖诪讜转 诇讘, 讻讚). In a previous shiur (Ki Tisa 2022) we discussed how Aharon used this as a delaying tactic, thinking that Am Yisrael would not "part with their brass" so quickly and he could save time and Moshe would return before they actually got around to making the egel. For the purposes of this shiur, however, we will use this passuk to illustrate the method of preparing the 注ֵ讙ֶ诇 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 – throwing gold into the fire, melting it and creating the egel. According to Rashi (砖诪讜转 诇讘, 讚) the final form was created from the molten gold by witchcraft, either by sorcerers who were part of the erev rav or by Micha. Another possibility is that they poured this molten gold into a mold in the form of an egel.
The Sforno above continues (in reference to all types of idols – 驻ֶ住ֶ诇, 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛, 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛) that they are all forbidden, even if the person creating them does not have the intent to serve them as idols, but simply uses them as a good luck charm. HKB"H does not want us to use any form of "intermediary" in our service of Him, as it says 讜ַ讗ֲ谞ַ讞ְ谞讜ּ 诇ֹ讗 谞ֵ讚ַ注 诪ַ讛 谞ַּ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 讻ִּ讬 注ָ诇ֶ讬讱ָ 注ֵ讬谞ֵ讬谞讜ּ (讚讘专讬 讛讬诪讬诐 讘, 讻, 讬讘). Our thoughts have to be focused directly toward HKB"H, not through some man-made "apparatus".
According to some opinions (讻讜讝专讬 讗, 爪讝; 专诪讘"谉 砖诪讜转 诇讘, 讗) Am Yisrael had no intention to worship the egel as an idol. They thought that Moshe was dead and they sought a replacement for Moshe, a tangible, visible "something/someone" to lead them and intercede for them with HKB"H. The Ibn Ezra (砖诪讜转 诇讘, 讗) says that the vast majority of Am Yisrael had no intention to worship avodah zara. It was only a very small group who actually sacrificed to the egel – those executed by Moshe when he returned from Har Sinai and broke the luchot.
I have not seen this perush in any of the sources, but in the 注ֲ砖ֶׂ专ֶ转 讛ַ讚ִּ讘ְּ专讜ֹ转 mention is made only of 诇ֹ讗 转ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 诇ְ讱ָ 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 讜ְ讻ׇ诇 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛 and not 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛. The latter is only first mentioned after the sin with the egel. Perhaps Am Yisrael might have thought that making a form by sculpting or drawing was forbidden, but by casting was not forbidden. This is an attempt 诇ִ诇ְ诪ֹ讚 讝ְ讻讜ּ转 on Am Yisrael, although the Midrash (讜讬拽专讗 专讘讛 驻专砖讛 讻讚, 讛) says that the commandment 诇ֹ讗 讬ִ讛ְ讬ֶ讛 诇ְ讱ָ 讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ִ讬诐 讗ֲ讞ֵ专ִ讬诐 注ַ诇 驻ָּ谞ָ讬 (砖诪讜转 讻, 讘) comes to include 讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ֵ讬 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛, so I am not sure this is a good argument.
Until now everything is clear. HKB"H wants our connection with Him to be direct, not via any "middleman/middle-thing".
There is only one small problem with all of the above and that is parshiyot Truma and Tetzaveh. These parshiyot deal with building the Mishkan. The Mishkan is FILLED with objects that seem to fit the exact description of all the forbidden things above.
For example, above the Aron HaBrit you have two Kruvim, two figures that resemble angels, with faces of children, one male and one female and wings covering their faces (讝讛专 拽诪讞, 讗). The Kruvim have to be made 诪ִ拽ְ砖ָׁ讛, a solid unit, not numerous pieces stuck together. There are only two ways to make such a thing - taking a solid chunk of gold and sculpting out the shapes, or making a mold in that shape and pouring molten gold into the mold. That is exactly what 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 and 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 are!
If that is not enough, in the first Beit HaMikdash, Shlomo HaMelech added an additional set of Kruvim, besides those on the 讻ַ驻ֹּ专ֶ转. The Gemara (讘讘讗 讘转专讗 爪讞, 注"讘) describes these two additional Kruvim as each being 5m high!
This is the question asked by the Abarbanel 讘ְּ注ִ谞ְ讬ַ谉 讛ַ讻ְּ专讜ּ讘ִ讬诐 砖ֶׁ爪ִּ讜ָּ讛 讬ִ转ְ讘ָּ专ַ讱ְ 诇ַ注ֲ砖ׂ讜ֹ转 注ַ诇 讛ַ讻ַּ驻ֹּ专ֶ转, 讻ִּ讬 讛ִ谞ֵּ讛 讬ִ专ְ讗ֶ讛 砖ֶׁ讛ָ讬ָ讛 注讜ֹ讘ֵ专 讘ָּ讝ֶ讛 注ַ诇 诇ֹ讗 转ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 诇ְ讱ָ 驻ֶ住ֶ诇 讜ְ讻ָ诇 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛 讗ֲ砖ֶׁ专 讘ַּ砖ָּׁ诪ַ讬ִ诐 诪ִ诪ַּ注ֲ诇讜ֹ 讗ֲ砖ֶׁ专 讘ָּ讗ָ专ֶ抓 诪ִ转ַּ讞ַ转. 讜ְ讗ֵ讬讱ְ 爪ִ讜ָּ讛 讗讜ֹ转ָ诐 诇ַ注ֲ砖ׂ讜ֹ转 诪ָ讛 砖ֶׁ讛ֻ讝ְ讛ֲ专讜ּ 注ָ诇ָ讬讜? (砖诪讜转 讻讛, 讗).
In fact, the Gemara (讬讜诪讗 谞讚, 注"讘) says that when the goyim destroyed the 2nd Beit HaMikdash and they saw the images of the Kruvim on the Parochet, they were dumbfounded – "The Jews have these graven images in their holy of holies?"
So, how do we resolve this seeming conflict?
Before getting to the bottom line, we need to examine the fundamental function of the Beit HaMikdash in this world. At least 95% of my shiurim revolve around some aspect of the Mikdash and its purpose. Each "nut and bolt" has deep symbolism and meaning and is an essential cog in the "machine".
The purpose of the physical Beit HaMikdash in this world is to connect Heaven and earth, to connect the Heavenly Mikdash with the Mikdash within each one of us 讻ְּ注ִ讬专 砖ֶׁ讞ֻ讘ְּ专ָ讛 诇ָּ讛ּ 讬ַ讞ְ讚ָּ讜 (转讛讬诇讬诐 拽讻讘, 讙).
The Beit HaMikdash is a microcosm of the paradox that is our world. The purpose of creating our world is in order that HKB"H's Shechina can reside in our world. How do you take something that is infinite, like the Shechina, and limit it to a finite, physical world? Obviously, there is no way we humans can understand such a reality, it is beyond our understanding. Humans are experiential beings, we perceive things according to our physical experience – what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch. How is it possible to perceive something metaphysical experientially?
The answer is that we humans are also a paradox. We are at the same time finite and infinite. HKB"H created us so that we have a finite, physical component and also an infinite, metaphysical component (a neshama). The finite part of us perceives experientially, through our five senses. The infinite part of us, perceives metaphysically, through our neshama. Our purpose in life is connecting the two, bringing down the metaphysical into the physical so that they work in tandem and not at odds with each other. Again, 讻ְּ注ִ讬专 砖ֶׁ讞ֻ讘ְּ专ָ讛 诇ָּ讛ּ 讬ַ讞ְ讚ָּ讜 – within ourselves.
The only way we humans can possibly perceive metaphysical reality is by experiencing some physical "manifestation" of it that hints to its essence, while at the same time accepting that the physical manifestation is only an infinitesimally small part of the true metaphysical reality.
How can we perceive metaphysical concepts like angels, the 讻ִּ住ֵּ讗 讛ַ讻ָּ讘讜ֹ讚, the Shechina, etc. with our limited human understanding? HKB"H provides certain "blueprints" that echo and reflect the metaphysical concepts, infinitesimally, in a way our human minds can comprehend. In 转ּ讜ֹ专ַ转 讛ַ拽ַּ讘ָּ诇ָ讛 this concept is called 转ּ讜ֹ专ַ转 讛ַ爪ִּ诪ְ爪讜ּ诐.
This is the structure of the earthly Beit HaMikdash. It is a set of blueprints of metaphysical concepts, downsized to infinitesimal proportions to accommodate our human limitations of understanding. They are Heavenly blueprints designed by HKB"H Himself for that specific purpose. The purpose of each component and each blueprint in the Beit HaMikdash is for us to perceive metaphysical realities of HKB"H, within our human limitations.
Case in point, the Aron HaBrit with the Kruvim above it on the Kaporet. When the Kohen Gadol enters the Kodesh HaKodashim to offer the Ketoret on Yom Kippur, he prostrates himself in front of the Aron HaBrit. He is not bowing down to the Aron chas veshalom, he is not worshipping the Aron chas veshalom – he is using the Aron experientially to try to comprehend the infinity that is HKB"H within the limits of his human understanding. The Kohen Gadol is prostrating before HKB"H directly, he is worshipping HKB"H directly, with the understanding that he can never possibly comprehend the true reality of HKB"H. This is how the Abarbanel answers his own question above (砖诪讜转 讻讛, 讬).
This is the purpose of the Beit HaMikdash. These physical manifestations of the metaphysical blueprints are limited to the Beit HaMikdash alone. Our experiential perception is limited to only these blueprints that HKB"H specifically commanded us to use – to them alone! and only in that place alone.
We are forbidden to use any other experiential manifestation, other than those created by HKB"H Himself or those that HKB"H commanded us to make, according to His blueprints. We are forbidden to associate with them any special powers and worship them chas veshalom. We are also forbidden to use them as intermediaries between us and HKB"H chas veshalom.
The danger is that if we decide, on our own, to create our own experiential manifestations, or even to duplicate those same manifestations from the Beit HaMikdash, but outside the confines of the Mikdash – that we will end up using them in the wrong way. The only reason that they are harmless in the Beit HaMikdash itself is because the Shechina resides there, it is a protective environment that prevents us from going astray.
This is how the Malbim explains it (砖诪讜转 诇讚, 讬讝). A person should not say "It is too far to travel to the Beit HaMikdash. Instead, I will make for myself my own private set of Kruvim like they are in the Mikdash and bow down before them as if I were performing the same action in the Mikdash". For this reason, HKB"H tells us – "Do not do this. You must travel to the Beit HaMikdash three times a year (on the Shloshet Regalim) to see the 'face' of HKB"H". Therefore, the Gemara (驻住讞讬诐 拽讬讞, 注"讗) says 讻ָּ诇 讛ַ诪ְ讘ַ讝ֶּ讛 讗ֶ转 讛ַ诪ּ讜ֹ注ֲ讚讜ֹ转 讻ְּ讗ִ诇ּ讜ּ 注讜ֹ讘ֵ讚 注ֲ讘讜ֹ讚ָ讛 讝ָ专ָ讛 砖ֶׁ谞ֶּ讗ֱ诪ַ专 - 讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ֵ讬 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 诇ֹ讗 转ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 诇ָּ讱ְ. If you disrespect the festivals, you will end up worshiping avodah zara. The one leads to the other.
The sin of the egel, according to those who say that it was simply an attempt to replace Moshe, not HKB"H Himself – is that they made their own manifestation – they were not commanded by HKB"H to do so. That is forbidden. Moshe was an intermediary, but he was sent by HKB"H. When HKB"H Himself sends an intermediary then it is legitimate, otherwise it is not.
According to the other opinion, Am Yisrael mamash served the egel, as if it were a replacement for HKB"H Rachmana litzlan, which is obviously forbidden.
This is the ikar of the prohibition to make our own 驻ֶ住ֶ诇, 转ְּ诪讜ּ谞ָ讛, 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛.
According to the above, the root of the word 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 is 谞ָ住ַ讱ְ, meaning pouring/casting.
The word 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 can also be attributed to a different root 住ֹ讻ֶ讛, meaning covering/obscuring (like in the word 住ֻ讻ָּ讛). This hints to the fact that the 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 obscures direct contact with HKB"H, which is why it is forbidden.
It is not coincidental, therefore, that "masks" are associated with Purim, because by pouring and drinking 讬ֵ讬谉 谞ֶ住ֶ讱ְ at Achashveirosh's party, Am Yisrael ended up erecting masks between them and HKB"H. This resulted in a reciprocal response of HKB"H hiding his face from Am Yisrael, 讛ֶ住ְ转ֵּ专 驻ָּ谞ִ讬诐. The true symbolism, therefore, of masks on Purim is not continually obscuring your face and remaining incognito, but rather initially covering your face to arouse curiosity and then revealing your face for all to see. The revealing is the ikar, not the covering.
There is an entire topic of discussion related to the above and that is the place of "culture" and "art" in Judaism. Are we allowed to paint, sculpt, take photographs, etc. or are these a prohibition of the above commandments? This topic is enough to fill more than one shiur on its own, but here I will just bring the bottom line.
The prohibition is against creating these things for the purposes of worshiping them or using them as intermediaries to HKB"H. In the time of Ezra HaSofer, they practically abolished the yetzer hara for avodah zara and today there are very few instances where people bow down to talismans, statues and pictures. They are mostly limited to the Christian and Hindu faiths where people actually worship and bow down to them.
For the most part today, art is not part of a religious ceremony, it is to create or to reflect beauty in the world. Rav Kook zt"l (讗讬讙专讜转 讛专讗讬讛, 拽谞"讞) says 讻ָּ诇 讛ַ诪ֶּ专ְ讞ָ讘 讛ַ讙ָּ讚讜ֹ诇 砖ֶׁ诇 讛ַ谞ּ讜ֹ讬 讜ְ讛ַ讛ִ讚ּ讜ּ专, 讛ַ讬ֹּ驻ִ讬 讜ְ讛ַ爪ִּ讬ּ讜ּ专, 诪ֻ转ָּ专 诇ְ讬ִ砖ְׂ专ָ讗ֵ诇. According to this view, not only is such activity permitted, it increases the glory of HKB"H in the world 讻ָּ诇 诪ַ讛 砖ֶּׁ讘ָּ专ָ讗 讛ַ拽ָּ讚讜ֹ砖ׁ 讘ָּ专讜ּ讱ְ 讛讜ּ讗 讘ָּ注讜ֹ诇ָ诪讜ֹ, 诇ֹ讗 讘ְ专ָ讗讜ֹ 讗ֶ诇ָּ讗 诇ִ讻ְ讘讜ֹ讚讜ֹ (讗讘讜转 讜, 讬讗). There are some who are makpid when it comes to reproducing the human form, animals, plants and celestial bodies, especially in the sculpted form.
As stated above, it is also forbidden to make your own personal duplicates/models of components of the Mikdash. However, this prohibition applies to exact duplicates and those which are used specifically for the purposes they served in the Mikdash (like a Menorah identical to that in the Mikdash in every dimension and detail, which is used for actual lighting). If, however, you make alterations to the original structure and/or you use them for purposes of teaching and researching, there is no prohibition. We use models of the keilim to teach people in our workshops and this is permissible.
Regarding wearing jewelry, such as a Magen David, Beit HaMikdash pendant, etc. which are symbols of identification, not objects of worship, there is no prohibition. The only consideration relates to societal gender norms. If the societal norm is that only one gender wears such jewelry, then the opposite gender is not permitted to wear them. If, however, the societal norm is that both genders wear it, then it is permissible for either gender.
To end off the shiur, I would like to talk about a different type of 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛. I am referring to screens – TV screens, computer screens and cellphone screens. Another possible root of the word 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 is 诪ָ住ָ讱ְ referring to the aforementioned types of screens.
Obviously, the prohibition in the Torah did not directly address these types of 诪ַ住ֵּ讻讜ֹ转 (诪ָ住ַ讻ִ讬诐 actually), but the underlying principles may be applied to them equally. If a person turns their use of the TV or computer screen into some kind of "religious ritual" that competes with or encroaches on a person's time that may be better used for more lofty things, like doing mitzvot or studying Torah, then that is not a positive thing. If "screen time" is part of a person's parnasa, or part of their essential relaxation time needed to be able to function – then obviously there is no problem with that.
Which brings me to the final type of screen – the smartphone. If HKB"H had any kind of screen in mind when He formulated 讗ֱ诇ֹ讛ֵ讬 诪ַ住ֵּ讻ָ讛 诇ֹ讗 转ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 诇ָּ讱ְ, it would probably have been the smartphone. The recent generation has been reared with the premise that HKB"H created humans with a missing appendage and to compensate for that we have invented smartphones. Smartphones have almost become a "body part" that we cannot live without. Try to separate a person from their smartphone for a few hours and you will see what I mean.
There is no inherent problem with smartphones per se, the problem lies in our abuse of them. Smartphones are increasingly becoming tools of obscuration. It is almost impossible for a family to sit together at a gathering, such as a meal, visit, etc. without one or more members "bowing" their heads, fixated on their smartphone. It has become almost impossible to walk in the street without someone crashing into you because they are fixated with their smartphone and do not see what is going on around them. I will not even get into the subject of driving with smartphones and how dangerous they are. They invade every space, the home, the shul, the school and not in a good way.
I pity anyone who is not a religious Jew, because at least we get one day of the week where they are not a factor. I especially pity the younger generation who were born into a reality of smartphones and do not realize that there is life beyond them.
To be sure smartphones do have their place and function, but we have not yet learned how to regulate that sufficiently. Humanity and specifically Jewish society have yet to set acceptable societal and halachic norms for smartphone use and a pivotal point will be our passuk above.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
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