This sheet on Exodus 32 was written by Sam Hollander for 929 and can also be found here
Al Het, we have sinned . . . On Yom Kippur we strike our hearts as we confess our sins. As a community we acknowledge our failings. We confess for the sin of kishinu oref, “We have sinned against you by being stiff-necked.” What does it mean to be stiff-necked? This chapter is the first time this phrase appears in the Torah. Moses ascends the mountain and in his absence the Israelites request that Aaron make them a god, the Golden Calf. God tells Moses, “I see that this is a stiff-necked people” (v.9).
Is it a sin to be stubborn? If a person is stiff-necked, then they are unable to physically turn their head to notice the consequences of their actions. Rashi explains, “They turn their stiff necks from those who reprove them and refuse to listen to them.” Stubbornness can lead us to silencing other voices. We become closed-minded to what others have to say. Although stubbornness might appear to be a helpful quality in keeping tradition and self-preservation, if we can never hear the voice of another then we lose the chance of ever recognizing our own faults.
Six times the phrase stiff-necked appears in the Torah—always in reference to the Israelites. It is an important reminder that as a community we need to be self-aware.
Today the sin of the Golden Calf might feel distant or theoretical, but in reality, our communities still face the challenge of avoiding becoming stiff-necked. We are stronger as a community when we open our minds and ears to others.
Is it a sin to be stubborn? If a person is stiff-necked, then they are unable to physically turn their head to notice the consequences of their actions. Rashi explains, “They turn their stiff necks from those who reprove them and refuse to listen to them.” Stubbornness can lead us to silencing other voices. We become closed-minded to what others have to say. Although stubbornness might appear to be a helpful quality in keeping tradition and self-preservation, if we can never hear the voice of another then we lose the chance of ever recognizing our own faults.
Six times the phrase stiff-necked appears in the Torah—always in reference to the Israelites. It is an important reminder that as a community we need to be self-aware.
Today the sin of the Golden Calf might feel distant or theoretical, but in reality, our communities still face the challenge of avoiding becoming stiff-necked. We are stronger as a community when we open our minds and ears to others.
Sam Hollander is a fifth-year rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he is also pursing a master’s degree in Jewish Education.
(ט) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף הֽוּא׃
(9) The LORD further said to Moses, “I see that this is a stiffnecked people.
929 is the number of chapters in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, the formative text of the Jewish heritage. It is also the name of a cutting-edge project dedicated to creating a global Jewish conversation anchored in the Hebrew Bible. 929 English invites Jews everywhere to read and study Tanakh, one chapter a day, Sunday through Thursday together with a website with creative readings and pluralistic interpretations, including audio and video, by a wide range of writers, artists, rabbis, educators, scholars, students and more. As an outgrowth of the web-based platform, 929 English also offers classes, pop-up lectures, events and across North America. We invite you to learn along with us and be part of our dynamic community.
To join 929's listserv for new and dynamic content each week click here
To join 929's listserv for new and dynamic content each week click here
