Vayakhel; Exodus 35:1-38:20 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger
This weeks Parasha reviews the instructions to build the Tabernacle. It enumerates again just as the past three-weeks portions have done, the details of the design and the intricacies of building the very dwelling place of God.
The portion begins however, with an admonishment to observe Shabbat. Moses assembled the entire congregation of the Children and Israel and said to them
On six days work may be done but the seventh day shall be holy for you (Ex. 35:1-2). Curious enough since the rest of the portion is filled with descriptions of the design and the materials used to build everything from the outer walls, to the carrying poles to the holy utensils used in the sacrificial rituals such as the laver, altar, menorah, and ark itself.
But as we learned in Parshat Terumah and this portion reinforces this notion, that everyone who is filled with the spirit of wisdom and craftsmanship will be involved in the actual building of the tabernacle. Everyone whos heart moves him/her will bring gifts for the tabernacle and those whose are filled with Divine inspiration will be involved in the actual execution of the holy design. They will be under the direction of Bezalel and his assistant Oholiab. But the craftsmen will be every wise-hearted man whose heart God has endowed with wisdom, everyone whose heart inspired him to approach the work to do it (Ex. 36:2). Clearly, those who had the dedication and knowledge and skill for such execution and design would be involved in this crucial community task and especially those who were Divinely inspired. This enthusiasm and this dedication to the task of building the holy tabernacle could lead to an obsessive and passionate desire to focus all attention and effort on the execution of the Divine plan to the exclusion of all else. Their zealous commitment to the details of the plan for the building of the tabernacle might cause them to disregard the mitzvot in a day-to-day fashion. How often do we hear of stories of the inspired artist or writer who works feverishly around the clock without interruption on a painting or story?
The engineers and artisans who will build the sanctuary as well as the the Children of Israel must be reminded that the Divine dwelling space must not be built in violation of any of the Divine commands. Thus Moses reminds the entire assembly of the Children of Israel of the central idea of Shabbat rest and refraining from workeven holy work at the outset of this portion.
And in our world that goes non-stop 24/7 it is comes as a good reminder, an ancient reminder that we human beings are not made to go at such a pace. God created us in the Divine image and even God needed a day of rest from that work. How much the more so each one of us. So take a Sabbath from email and Internet. Turn off your cell phone for 24 hours at Friday sundown until Saturday sundown. We can at least do what God didand take a rest. Disconnect from the pace but in turn you will see that it might even connect you to God!
Posted by Lee at March 1, 2005 11:12 AM
