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Summary of Parasha & Halacha Shiur on Ki Tissa by Rav Yehoshua Sova
In this Parasha we read about the sin of the golden calf. This sin was caused by a disconnect between the Jews and Hashem, as the Gemara compares this to a bride leaving her Huppah for another man. That’s why the Midrash says they made 13 calves, one for each Shevet, because they weren’t united.
The Poskim discuss whether we can make forms of lions, calves etc. as a Shul decoration and the like, and if a Shul already has such items is it permissible to remove them or is it a form of desecration.
Hacham Ovadia in Yehave Daat writes that, while only a carved-out form of a man and not a drawing is a problem of crafting a form which is akin to Avodah Zara, still the Ohr Zarua writes that drawings in a Shul can distract people from the Tefilla. Accordingly, the Maharam M’Rottenburg writes that one shouldn’t draw pictures in the Siddur. Maran in his Teshuvot Avkat Rochel and the Hida both strongly condemn having elaborate pictures and drawings in a Shul, that can distract people from the Tefilla. It goes without saying that one shouldn’t bring a phone into a Bet Kenesset.
Furthermore, Hacham Ovadia writes that it is not called an act desecration of the Shul to take these designs away because it is meant to rectify the Kavana. He cites the Tzvi Tiferet who says that even sewing special designs unto the Parochet or Sefer Torah can be a distraction. [He cites the Nehar Afarsemon who jokingly remarked that the lions aren’t the ones who have to uphold the ten commandments but rather the people!] Hacham Ovadia concludes that although Maran in Shulhan Aruch writes that its permitted, nevertheless the Be’er Moshe writes that L’Chatehila – preferably – one should refrain from such things.