Parshat Terumá reveals the design originating in the priesthood within the project of spiritual Israel. However, such a design can only be understood in its depth when analyzing the event that reshaped radically: the sin of the Golden Calf.
In its initial state, the priesthood had a universal character; subsequently, after the crisis of the Golden Calf, was restricted to a specific structure. Similarly, the Torah went from being a direct revelation and immediately adopt a codified form and mediated. Therefore, it does not only change the function of priests, but also the spiritual architecture of the human access to the divine presence.
This study examines, in the light of the Torah, the Talmud and the literature kabbalistic, how the sin of the Golden Calf transformed the priesthood, redefined the structure of the Torah and reconfigured the link between the human and the divine.
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I. The original design: a priestly nation
In his conception, first, the plan did not contemplate a elite separate, but the consecration collective of all the nation as an entity priestly.
The Torah expresses with clarity:
“And ye shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
(Exodus 19:6)
Therefore, the priesthood was not confined to one tribe in particular; rather, it was the spiritual state ideal of the people.
Within this framework, the function priestly fell particularly in the firstborn:
“Conságrame all the firstborn.”
(Exodus 13:2)
In symbolic terms, the firstborn, embodied the first channel of connection between the human and the divine, acting as a mediator natural in every family.
In addition, this paradigm above Sinai. Abel offered sacrifices acceptable (Genesis 4:4); later, Noah rose offerings after the flood (Genesis 8:20); also, Abraham built altars in different moments of his spiritual voyage (Genesis 12:7). In consequence, the Sinai does not instituted the priesthood, but was revealed in national dimension.
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II. The Torah original: registration and divine freedom ontological
During the revelation sinaítica, Israel received the first tables:
“The tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God.”
(Exodus 32:16)
These tables represent an exceptional level of revelation, characterized by its origin, absolutely divine.
In this sense, the Talmud teaches:
“Don't read ‘recorded’ (jarut), but ‘freedom’ (jerut).”
(Eruvin 54a)
Thus, the first Torah is not operated solely as legislation outside, but as the freedom of ontological registered in the reality itself. Not limited to reporting; transformed the spiritual condition of the receiver.
Similarly, the Midrash and the Zohar describes the Torah as fire black-on-white fire. While the white fire, symbolizes the infinite light, the black represents the letters that delimit and channel the light. Before the sin of the Golden Calf, the access to such brightness was more immediate and less mediated.
III. The sin of the Golden Calf: fracture and reconfiguration
However, in Exodus 32 is produced a decisive break.
The construction of the Golden Calf was not only an act of idolatry; it entailed the establishment of an artificial channel that replaced the channel divine legitimate. As a result, the spiritual equilibrium reached in the Sinai is fractured.
Moses descended, and broke the tables:
“And he cast the tables out of his hands, and broke.”
(Exodus 32:19)
Subsequently, the Talmud says that this action received divine approval:
“Well done because they were broken.”
(Shabbat 87a)
Therefore, the withdrawal of the first tables was not arbitrary, but consistent with the inability of the people to sustain such a high level of direct revelation.
IV. The first-born to the tribe of Levi
From that moment on, the priesthood he experienced a structural transfer.
In the previous stage, the priestly office belonged to the firstborn son; after the Golden Calf, was assigned to the tribe of Levi:
“I have taken the levites in place of all the firstborn.”
(Numbers 3:12)
This move was in direct response to the crisis idolatrous. Given that the levites were not involved in the sin, which were designated for the sacred service. In consequence, the priesthood ceased to be a universal condition, and it became an institution delimited.
V. The second tables, and the encoding of the Torah
After the break, God commanded:
“Cut for yourself two tablets of stone.”
(Exodus 34:1)
Unlike the first, these tables incorporate human participation through Moses. Therefore, the disclosure adopts a mode mediated.
According to the Midrash, with the second tables emerge halachot, midrash, and aggadot. In this way, the Torah acquires strata interpretive and requires development of hermeneutics. Thus was born the structure encoded that characterized the later development of rabbinic judaism.
VI. Pardes: the architecture interpretative
The tradition systematizes the levels of interpretation in the schema of the Pardes:
- Peshat — literal sense
- Remez — dimension allusive
- Derash — interpretation exegetical
- Sod — secret dimension
In the words of the Zohar:
“The Torah has body, soul and the soul of the soul.”
(Zohar III, 152a)
Therefore, the level of Sod was approaching the revelation primal, although it remains veiled behind layers performing successive.
VII. The Tzadik label as the axis spiritual
The book of Proverbs states:
“The Tzadik is the foundation of the world.”
(Proverbs 10:25)
Also, the Zohar states:
“The Tzaddik sustains the world.”
(Zohar I, 59b)
In this conceptual framework, the Tzaddik works as an axis, spiritual and channel of the divine light, as access to deep levels of the Torah, and links to the manifest with the occult.
VIII. Moshiach and the restoration eschatological
Finally, the prophets announced a restoration in the future:
“I will put My Torah within them and write it upon your heart.”
(Jeremiah 31:33)
“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of YHWH.”
(Isaiah 11:9)
According to the Zohar, at that time the secrets of the Torah will be revealed. In consequence, the messianic era involves the recovery of the original level prior to the sin of the Golden Calf.
IX. Terumá and the Mishkán: institutionalization of access
In this context, Parshat Terumá describes the construction of the Mishkán as a structural response to the fall.
The Mishkán establishes not only a physical space but a hierarchical system of access to the divine presence. Thus, following the loss of direct access, you will implement a model mediated and regulated. This model enables you to hold the relationship with the divine within of a spiritual reality already transformed.
X. Conclusion: a transformation triple
The sin of the Golden Calf generated three key modifications:
In the first place, he transformed the priesthood, which moved from universal to restricted.
In the second place, alter the nature of the Torah, that evolved from direct revelation to revelation encoded.
In the third place, amended the access to God, which is no longer immediately to become mediated by prophets and cohanim.
All in all, the prophets and the sages emphasize that this condition is not final. The Torah original was not cancelled, but for the evening. Therefore, the spiritual process consists in crossing the outer layers to rediscover the inner light that remains latent.
Ultimately, that is the purpose of the priesthood, and, simultaneously, the profound purpose of the Torah.
