Parshas Ki Sisa

The Alter Rebbe
(30:12) “When you raise up the head of the Jewish people, lifkudeihem — according to their numbers.” When Hashem is pokeid, when He remembers the sins of the Jewish people and punishes them, thereby arousing them to teshuva (repentance), and this “raises up” the head of the Jewish people. As it is known, love of Hashem ordinarily pertains to the part of the soul that is invested in the body, called “foot.” But the love of Hashem known as “klos ha’nefesh” (expiration of the soul) pertains to the aspect of the soul that remains above, called the “head.”

A baal teshuva (repentant) can be inspired with a great love of G-d, for he was once far away in a spiritual desert. Through teshuva the “head” of the Jewish people (i.e., the higher aspect of the soul) is raised.

(Torah Ohr)

The Mitteler Rebbe
The word “lifkudeihem” has two meanings: 1) their numbers, and 2) to recall, as it says in the parasha, “and on the day I will remember them, I will recall their sin.”

This is why it says “when you raise up the head ... lifkudeihem.” Even when they are “recalled,” which refers to Hashem’s aspect of judgment, there will be a “raising of the head” right afterwards. This shows how the “right draws near” after the “left pushes away.” The rejection of the “left pushes away” is not a true distancing, ch’v, but a descent for the purpose of ascent, a preparation for the “right draws near” that follows. This is like a father who, after distancing his son with the “left pushes away,” draws him close and hugs him with the “right draws near.”

(Maamarei Admur HaEmtza’i)

The Tzemach Tzedek
“Carve for yourself two tablets of stone.” Rashi: Hashem showed Moshe a sapphire quarry in his tent and said to him, “the leftovers will belong to you.” Thus Moshe became very wealthy.

The goodness and pleasure of Torah has two aspects: 1) the spiritual pleasure of grasping the wisdom of Torah, from which the souls of tzaddikim take pleasure in Gan Eden, and 2) the influence and physical pleasure in this world with actual “riches and honor.” This pleasure is the “leftovers” relative to spiritual pleasure. Moshe became rich through the “leftovers” of the Luchos...

(Ohr HaTorah)

The Rebbe Maharash
“And Hashem said to Moshe, carve out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones.” Our Sages say (regarding the second tablets), “He said — I will give you halacha, Midrash and Aggada, etc.” This seems to oppose how the Sages describe the first tablets as being greater than the second ones?

If the Jewish people hadn’t sinned with the golden calf, they could have refined the world solely through the five books of the Torah and the book of Yehoshua, because when they stood at Sinai paska zuhamasan (they became pure, reverting to the level of Adam HaRishon before the sin). But because of the sin of the golden calf, their spiritual level fell. Thus, in order to refine the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they needed the second tablets, which were given along with halacha, Midrash and Aggada. In this sense, the first tablets were, in fact, greater, because with them the Jewish people had no need for [the extra refinement associated with] Aggados and Midrashim.

(Seifer HaMaamarim 5634)

The Rebbe Rashab
“When you raise up the head of the Jewish people according to their numbers, each man shall give an atonement for his soul to G-d...”

To understand this in spiritual terms:

“When you raise up the head of the Jewish people” — in order to reveal the G-dliness of the soul...

“each man shall give an atonement for his soul” — a redemption for the soul, as it says “Tziyon will be redeemed with judgment,” that is, redeeming the soul from the animal soul through judgment, by judging and crushing oneself. However, this on its own is not enough; it must be “for Hashem.” The animal soul itself must be transformed into G-dliness.

This is the idea of the half-shekel coin — that one takes the power of the animal soul and gives it to Hashem. By doing so his “head will be raised,” that is, there will be a revelation of the root and source of the soul.

(Seifer HaMaamarim 5770)

The Rebbe Rayatz
(34:9) “Because they are a stiff-necked people forgive them.”

Why is the fact that Yisroel is “stiff-necked” a reason for forgiveness?

The meaning of the verse is as follows: The Jewish people are characterized by good traits, such as compassion, shame, and kindness, which are considered to be “stiff-necked.” That is, they are expressed with great energy and force, and not just in a manner of fulfilling an obligation. This is why they deserve forgiveness.

(Seifer HaSichos 5700)

The Rebbe MH”M
“A half-shekel coin.” Why half? To teach us that a Jew on his own is only a “half.” Who can complete him? 1) Hashem and 2) another Jew.

The two answers complement one another. When a person helps another, together the two become “one whole.” By doing so, he merits Hashem’s blessing and becomes “whole” through his cleaving to Hashem.

(Sicha Pikudei 5741)