Not always that which is true and real is also shining. In this week's Portion, Moshe Rabbenu is late to come down from Mt. Sinai. The People have no patience to wait, and they make the golden calf. Rabbi Yaacov Galinsky derived from this some conclusions for our time. Many times, he says, "Moshe Rabbenu is late". Whoever is identified with ancient, deep, eternal values does not always run with the daily "highway pace", does not always comply with the expectation to get everything here and now. Moshe Rabbenu is not always the wittiest and most up-to-date, and also, he does not offer magic solutions. He doesn't have "Peace Now" or justice now or security now or a calf now. And he doesn't only make promises, but mainly demands of the People to go through a prolonged, longer process.
And that which was in the past - will also be in the future, explains Rabbi Galinsky: Since then and until today, the Jewish People would be criticized for not being up-to-date enough, for not adhering to times, and therefore they should adopt faster, more accessible and more glamorous things. This is not a historic story, but a current danger. The depth and sanctity of Moshe's Torah does not always look good like the golden calf.
