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<div class="Section1"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p>This week's parashah <i>Ki Tissa</i> (</span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Shemot</i>/Exodus 30:11-34:35)</span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"> includes the all-too-familar narrative of the Golden Calf. One image in the that has intrigued me, yet is less familiar and oft forgetten, is that of Moses grinding the calf into powder, mixing it with water and forcing the people to drink it as expiation for their sin. This ingestion of the remnants of their sin holds powerful meaning within it. This is one interpretation of that moment and what it might mean.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">Shabbat Shalom,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">Steven</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><u><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><b>the truth of gold</b><br />
</span></u><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
gold<br />
before me<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">now<br />
gleaming brightly<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">holy tabernacle<br />
god's glory<br />
glowing<br />
everpresent<br />
neverseen<br />
alwaysfelt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
gold<br />
then<br />
molten <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">hot <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">burning<br />
the calf<br />
idol<br />
searing <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">image<br />
into <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">my <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">mind<br />
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">people<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">crying<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">wailing<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">this<br />
is your <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">god<br />
israel<br />
who<br />
brought you <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">out <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">of <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">gypt<br />
<br />
how<br />
could <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">we <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">believe<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">how could <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">we<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">not<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">he <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">was gone<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">we<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">felt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">fear<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">needed <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">certainty<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">where<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">there was<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">none<br />
<br />
we<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">all gave <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">gold<br />
melted <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">melded<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">merging<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">we<br />
created <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">the calf<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">from <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">our gold<br />
not <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">really<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">a god<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">it<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">was<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">us<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">blind<br />
to <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">divinity<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">truth<br />
presence<br />
only seeing<br />
false reality<br />
deaf<br />
to God’s voice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">within<br />
we only heard<br />
cries <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">screams<br />
fear <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">feeling<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">uncertainty <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<br />
gold<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">obsession<br />
i felt it<br />
feel it<br />
within<br />
bitter taste of sin<br />
infidelity<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">coursing<br />
within<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<br />
i drank <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">the waters<br />
from his hands<br />
looking <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">into<br />
his eyes<br />
burning <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">rage <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">accusation <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">contempt<br />
flooded <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">tears of<br />
sadness<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">love<br />
disappointment<br />
compassion<br />
feeling<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">all <br />
i drank<br />
our sin<br />
my sin<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">now<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">within<br />
<br />
gold<br />
given <br />
to create <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">a monster<br />
restored <br />
to forgive <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">sinner<br />
humans<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">being<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">human<br />
<br />
gold<br />
within<br />
eternally<br />
reminding <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">all<br />
past<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">is past<br />
not present<br />
still<br />
present<br />
it’s presence<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">remind me<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">do not<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;"> stop <br />
living <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">feeling <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">knowing <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">embracing<br />
the spirit <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">within<br />
the moment<br />
<br />
god<br />
i was seeking<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">you<br />
when i gave <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">my gold<br />
what i found<br />
when it was returned to <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">me<br />
forced into <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">me<br />
reminding me<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">was<br />
eternal divinity<br />
inside me<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">inside each <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">sinnersaint<br />
each human being<br />
<br />
remaining<br />
within <br />
long after <br />
sin forgiven<br />
present is past<br />
past is forgotten<br />
<br />
that is the reality<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">the turth<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">of gold<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">of god<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14pt;">within<br />
within<br />
us all<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>
<br><br>--<br>
Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to <a href="http://mindfultorah.blogspot.com/2010/03/truth-of-gold-poetic-midrash-on-parshat.html">Mindful Torah</a> at 3/05/2010 04:42:00 PM