Parashas Vayakhel

In this week’s parashah, Moshe conveys to the Bnei Yisrael the commandments to donate materials for and the Mishkan and the Bigdei Kehunah and to create them, and they proceed to quickly fulfill those commandments.

Moshe prefaces those commandments with the command to observe the Shabbos, in order to teach the Nation that they may not violate Shabbos in order to construct the Mishkan.

Interestingly, when Hashem instructed Moshe, Hashem first gave the details of the Mishkan and the Begadim, and only then told him about Shabbos. Why did Moshe switch the order?

Let’s raise another question:

According to Rashi, the commandment to build the Mishkan took place on the 11^th of Tishrei, following Moshe’s descending with the Second Luchos, more than 80 days after the Jews had made the eigel. Why, then, does the Torah tell us about the cheit ha’eigel out of sequence, just before Moshe tells the Jews about the Mishkan, rather than at the end of Parashas Mishpatim?

Perhaps these questions can be resolved as follows:

The Mishkan was the abode Shechinah on earth, the spiritual epicenter of the universe. Additionally, it bore witness to the world that, even after the eigel, Hashem rested His Presence among the Jewish Nation (Rashi, Vayikra 24:3).

What could be greater than the Mishkan?!

Normally, Moshe would certainly have told the Bnei Yisrael about the Mishkan immediately, and then tell them about Shabbos, just as Hashem had told it to him.

But he had a concern.

The cheit ha’eigel indicated the Nation’s desire to connect to Hashem through a physical manifestation. So long as he, Moshe, was there, they saw him as their intermediary. When he was, in their minds, delayed in returning from Sinai, they quickly turned to creating a golden replacement god/leader, flouting the first two Commandments.

Now the Nation was being told to build a Sanctuary that would, as it were, be the physical abode of the Shechinah. Had Moshe first told them about the Mishkan, it would arouse their holy fervor to connect with the Divine through this physical structure; it would reinforce their belief that some physical means were necessary to achieve deveikus. Furthemore, he was concerned that they might now ignore the laws of Shabbos to hasten its construction, since that was the only way truly connect with Hashem.

Instead, Moshe first reiterated to them the laws of Shabbos, impressing upon them the need to connect with Hashem and kedushah through the way we behave:שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִהְיֶה לָכֶם קֹדֶשׁ, six days shall your work be done, and the seventh day will be holy for you. To become sanctified, we need only to follow the Torah, we do not need tangible creations.

It is through following the mitzvos that they would merit to become holy and thereby host the Shechinah; building a Mishkan while trampling on Shabbos would leave them with a tent devoid of sanctity.

It was because of the sin of the eigel that Moshe reminded the Jews about Shabbos before teaching them about the Mishkan, and that may be why the Torah juxtaposes the episode of the eigel with Moshe’s commanding the Nation about the Mishkan.

May we all live lives that will bring the Shechinah to this world.

Gut Shabbos.

Ki Sisa

In this week’s parashah, we learn many details about the cheit ha’eigel, the sin of the Golden Calf.

The nation – actually, the erev rav , those not fully committed to subservience to Hashem (see Rashi 32:4) – saw that Moshe was (according their erroneous calculation) delayed in descending from Har Sinai and they demanded that Aharon establish a new god, or intermediary, to lead them.

Aharon suggested that they collect gold, which they quickly do. Aharon melts the gold, and the Golden Calf emerged. The erev rav announces: אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, this is your god, Israel, that delivered you from the Land of Egypt.

In an effort to prevent the nation’s worshiping the idol, Aharon suggested they wait until the next day before paying it tribute, and they agree. Aharon was hopeful that Moshe would descend before the celebration would commence, but that was not to be.

Early the next morning the Nation gathered to pay homage to their new god with sacrifices, food, drink, debauchery and merriment.

Hashem tells Moshe that the Jews had sinned and threatens to destroy the Nation. Moshe pleads for Hashem’s forgiveness, which is partially granted, and descends from the mountain carrying the Tablets.

The Torah then shares with us an exchange that took place between Moshe and his disciple,Yehoshua:  וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת קוֹל הָעָם בְּרֵעֹה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל מֹשֶׁה קוֹל מִלְחָמָה בַּמַּחֲנֶה: וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת גְּבוּרָה וְאֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת חֲלוּשָׁה קוֹל עַנּוֹת אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ:, And Yehoshua heard the sound of the Nation in its shouting, and he said to Moshe: “There is the sound of battle in the camp.” And Moshe said: “This is not the sound of the shout of victory, nor is it the sound of the shout of defeat. It is the sound of blasphemy and sacrilege that I hear. (32:17-18, see Rashi)

What lesson is there in this exchange that leads the Torah to spend two entire pesukim recording it?

In every generation – every few years, in fact – “activists” appear, declaring ki vosheish Moshe, that the Torah leaders are tarrying. That the gedolei Yisrael are failing the Nation. That they are being derelict in their duties. That we need new leadership, which these activists are glad to provide.

The Gold Calf that had clearly done nothing for the Jews – it had just come into existence – yet it was declared to have been the true redeemer of the Jews. Similary, these “activists” arrogate to themselves roles of religious and social leadership.

Sometimes, the Rabbis of the “activists” seek, like Aharon, to mollify them in the hope that things will be resolved. More often then not, these efforts fail.

But even though we may be outside that camp – just as Yehoshua was – we hear from the distance the sound of the nation in its shouting and might say to ourselves there is the sound of battle in the camp. We may think someone is standing up to help our fellow Jews, and perhaps they have a good point. Maybe their arguments are cogent. Perhaps the new approaches, though untraditional, are what we need.

In these two verses, the Torah tells us that our ears are not properly attuned. Moshe – and his heirs, the Gedolei Yisrael of each generation – are the only ones sensitive enough to distinguish the nuances of the sound. We must turn to them for guidance. More often than not, history has shown that these new causes reflect neither the sound of the shout of victory, nor the sound of the shout of defeat, but the sound of blasphemy and sacrilege.

A friend of mine once heard what he thought was an amazing kabalistic breakthrough from a non-observant self-proclaimed Kabbalist. The friend called his Rebbe to share this new concept. His Rebbe offer him this pithy reply: “If Hashem wanted to share a profound Torah insight with the world, this non-observant fellow would not be the messenger.”

A lesson of these verses is that we dare not rely on our own limited range of hearing to pass judgment on new causes, approaches, ideas and ideologies. It is the gedolei Yisrael who must tell us which “sound” is a mask for blasphemy and which “sound” is an echo the authentic “Voice of Hashem that breaks cedars” (Tehillim 29:5)

May Hashem continue to grant us their guidance.

Gut Shabbos.

A Quick Thought -- Parashas Tetzaveh

In this week’s parashah,  the Torah introduces the mitzvos of making the bigdei kehunah with the following statement: וְאַתָּה הַקְרֵב אֵלֶיךָ אֶת אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְאֶת בָּנָיו אִתּוֹ מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכַהֲנוֹ לִי אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, And you, bring near to yourself Aharon your brother and his sons with him, from the Children of Israel, to make him a Kohen for me… (28:1).

Just what does this mean? The garments – and the Mishkan, for that matter – were not yet made. Where was Moshe to “bring them close”? What was he to do?

If it is simply telling us that the garments had to be made for these individuals (to their measurements, etc.), the instructions in the appropriate verses (v. 2 for Aharon, v. 40 for his sons) would have been adequate.

In Parashas Shemos (4:14) we learned that the “anger of Hashem burned” against Moshe for having continuously demurred from being the messenger to save the Jews. His punishment, Rashi there tells us (citing Chazal), is that although Moshe was to have been the Kohen and Aharon the Levi, now their roles were to be reversed.

We may understand our verse to mean that Hashem is telling Moshe “bring them near to yourself,” fill your heart with love for them, so that you will not feel any slight as they are designated to be the ones who do the Service as Kohanim.

Alternately, Hashem is telling Moshe: Attah, you, do you want to know why your brother and his children, rather than you and your descendants, are being chosen to do My Service for eternity? Hakreiv eilecha, bring it close to you – it is because of you. Had you not angered me by refusing My mission – even though you did so out of humility and with the best intentions – you and your progeny would have been designated for this lofty role.

We must certainly always be abundantly aware of our weaknesses and shortcomings; we must be humble and flee kavod. But there are times in life that we are given a role to play. Those are not positions of honor, but of responsibility; as Rabban Gamliel puts us (see Horios 10a-b): “You think that by appointing you to a position of authority I am giving you mastery? I am giving you servitude (to the people)!”

At those times, we must make sure to take advantage of the opportunities being presented to us. If we fail, we stand to forfeit our destiny for generations to come. But if we rise to the challenge, we have fulfilled our mission, and that is, after all, our purpose on this world.

May we always be granted the wisdom to recognize and fulfill our mission, and may we be zocheh to be marbeh kevod Shamayim in all that we do.

Gut Shabbos

A Quick Thought -- Parashas Terumah

In this week’s parashah  we learn (Rashi 35:21, 40) that he construction of the Menorah was so complex, that despite being given its details — and being shown the vision of a Menorah of fire — Moses remained perplexed. So Hashem instructed him to throw a block of gold into a fire and the Menorah emerged, fully formed (see “the book,” page 90 :-) ) .

Let us consider this for a moment: In reality, was the Menorah beyond Moshe’s comprehension, or not?

If it was within his ability to grasp it, why did he not? After all, this is Moshe Rabbeinu, who has achieved 49 of the 50 levels of understanding, who was as close to an angel as possible, who understood all of the Torah in its full intricacy, depth and breadth. Rav Chaim of Volozhin explains that Moshe kibeil Torah Mi’Sinai, he fully received  everything that was transmitted. Their was no falloff or loss between the Giver and the recipient. So why would he not have applied himself to understand this?

On the other hand, If the construction of the Menorah was was beyond Moshe’s ability to grasp it, why would Hashem, the Creator who was fully aware of Moshe’s intellectual capabilities, have tried to explain something that Moshe would be unable to comprehend? And if it wouldn’t help anyway, why would He show Moshe a Menorah of fire?

When Chazal tell us that Moshe could not fully comprehend the construction of the Menorah, they never imply that there was any fault on Moshe’s part. So why then did Hashem command him this?

Perhaps it is to teach a vital lesson in studying Torah and mitzvah observance.

In giving Moshe a command that was beyond his grasp, Hashem is telling us “Try your best, don’t give up. If one approach doesn’t work, try another way. And if, after you have tried, you still fail to understand what you are learning or to fulfill the mitzvah you were attempting to fulfill, you still have done My Will. And like the block of gold that I turned into delicate, intricate Menorah, I will take your efforts and transform them into beautiful mitzvos.”

There’s a well-known insight from the Chofetz Chaim: When we make a siyum upon the completion of a masechta, we say “anu ameilim v’heim ameilim; anu ameilim umekablim sachar, v’heim ameilim v’einam mekablim sachar, we toil (in Torah and mitzvos) and they toil; we toil and receive reward, but they toil and do not receive reward.” The question is obvious: Doesn’t everyone get compensated for their work?

He explains that if a shoemaker spends hours making a pair of shoes, but they do not fit properly, the shoemaker doesn’t get paid. He is not paid for the toil, but for producing results. When a person toils in doing Hashem’s Will, however, he is rewarded for his efforts.

May it be Hashem’s Will that we never become discouraged, and that our efforts and deeds always find favor before Him.

Gut Shabbos and a gutten Chodesh. Don’t forget: Mishenichnas Adar marbin besimchah, and this year we have a double-dose.