Ki Tisa - in The Liturgy

In The Liturgy

Some Jews read the descriptions of the laver in Exodus 30:17–21 and Aaron’s incense offerings in Exodus 30:7–8 and 30:34–36 after the Sabbath morning blessings.

Some Jews sing of the Sabbath’s holiness, reflecting Exodus 31:14, as part of the Baruch El Elyon song (zemer) sung in connection with the Sabbath day meal.

Jews recite the account of the Sabbath’s significance in Exodus 31:16–17 as the final reading concluding the blessings of the Shema before the punctuating half-Kaddish and the Amidah prayer in the Friday Sabbath evening (Maariv) prayer service. The exhortation to “observe” (V’shamru, ושמרו) the Sabbath that this reading concludes reflects God’s command in Exodus 31:13 to “keep My Sabbaths,” even to the exclusion of other apparently worthy causes. Again, Jews recite the account of the Sabbath’s significance in Exodus 31:16–17 as part of the V’shamru paragraph of the Amidah prayer in the Sabbath morning (Shacharit) prayer service. And once again, Jews recite the account of the Sabbath’s significance in Exodus 31:16–17 as part of the V’shamru paragraph of the Kiddusha Rabba blessing for the Sabbath day meal.

The second blessing before the Shema addresses God about “your people” Israel, as Moses does in Exodus 32:11–12.

Jews recite the account of how Moses brought down two tablets of stone reported in Exodus 32:15 as part of the Amidah prayer in the Sabbath morning (Shacharit) prayer service.

Some Jews refer to the inscription on the two tablets of stone reported in Exodus 32:15 as they study Pirkei Avot chapter 5 on a Sabbath between Passover and Rosh Hashanah. And thereafter, some quote Exodus 32:16 as they study Pirkei Avot chapter 6 on a succeeding Sabbath between Passover and Rosh Hashanah.

God’s characteristics of graciousness and compassion in Exodus 34:6 are reflected in Psalm 145:8 and in turn in the Ashrei prayer in the morning (Shacharit) and afternoon (Mincha) prayer services. Similarly, Jews call on God’s characteristic of forgiveness in Exodus 34:6 with the words “forgive us, our Guide” in the weekday Amidah prayer in each of the three prayer services. And again, Jews cite God’s characteristic of “steadfast lovingkindness (rav chesed)” in Exodus 34:6 in the Kedushah D’Sidra section of the Minchah service for Shabbat.

Jews recite three times the 13 attributes of mercy in Exodus 34:6–7 after removing the Torah from the Ark on Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Hoshana Rabbah.

During the Amidah prayer in the Sabbath morning (Shacharit) prayer service, Jews refer to the “crown of splendor” that God placed on Moses in Exodus 34:29.