Parashas Vayakhel-Pekudey/ Shabbos HaChodesh

In many Young Israel synagogues, we recite the prayer for the State of Israel and we refer to this era as Reishit Tzmihat Geulateinu, the beginning of the flowering of our redemption. 

Nevertheless, when we constantly read about the challenges that the State of Israel faces, we can become very frustrated and disillusioned.  Perhaps we can gain strength from the Biblical stories of our ancestors and recognize that they also faced similar challenges and, yet, persevered through them.

For example, the midrash Yalkut Shimoni (Shmot, Remez 417) comments on the phrase in Parshat Pekudei, “Vayavi’u et HaMishkan (Shmot 39:33), “Bnei Yisrael brought the Mishkan,” by citing the verse from Mishlei (31:25), “Oz v’hadar l’vushah vatis’hak l’yom acharon,” or “Power and beauty is her garment and thus she smiles as she approaches her final day.”  What is the connection that our Sages wish to make between these two Biblical verses?

If we follow the narrative of the building of the Mishkan, we read that “Vateikhel kol avodat Mishkan Ohel Moed” (Shmot 39:32), “All of the work of the Mishkan was finished.”  We then read “Vayavi’u et HaMishkan el Moshe,” that the people brought the Mishkan and all of the keilim to Moshe.  What is Moshe’s response?  “Vayar Moshe et kol hamelakha v’hinei asu ota kaasher tzivah HaShem, ken asu vayevarekh otam Moshe” (Ibid., 39:43), that Moshe saw all the work and behold the workers had done everything that G-d commanded so Moshe blesses them.  Finally, G-d tells Moshe that on the first day of Nissan, “Takim et HaMishkan” (Ibid., 40:2), that you will set up the Mishkan.

On the Biblical phrase, “Vateikhel kol avodat Mishkan,” the Baal HaTurim asks, why does the Torah state that kol, all, of the work of the Mishkan was finished – why use the word “kol?”  The Baal HaTurim answers that now the work of the whole world was complete.  It seems from this that the Creation of the world is a two step process.  In the first step, G-d created a home for humanity and in the second step, humanity created a home for G-d.  In fact, the Daat Mikra points out that the language used here of “Vateikhel kol avodat Mishkan” is similar to the language used for the creation of the world of “Vay’khulu hashamyim v’haaretz,” namely, that the heaven and earth were completed.  Additionally, once the workers bring the Mishkan to Moshe, we read, “Vayar Moshe et kol hamlakha,” “Moshe sees the work,” and “Hinei asu ota ka’asher tzivah HaShem kein asu,” he sees that “Behold, everything has been built exactly how G-d commanded it,” thus “Vayevarekh otam Moshe,” Moshe blessed them.  This language of Moshe blessing them is similar to how, upon completion of the work of the six days of Creation, G-d blesses the seventh day, as we read, “Vayevarekh Elokim et yom hashvi’i” (Breishit 2:3).  In sum, the first chapter of Sefer Breishit, step one, describes how G-d creates a home for humanity and when it is complete, issues a blessing. Now, in Parshat Pekudei, we see step two, how humanity creates a home for G-d, and upon its completion, Moshe also issues a blessing.

Should we then conclude that the Bnei Yisrael were immediately successful in building the Mishkan and bringing G-d into their midst?   We read that they build the Mishkan, and the midrash Yalkut Shimoni states that they finished building all the parts and the vessels on the 25th of Kislev, but then we read how they bring the Mishkan to Moshe.  Why do they bring the Mishkan to Moshe?  Are they not allowed to actually set the Mishkan up themselves? 

Rashi (Shmot 39:33) states that G-d never prohibited Bnei Yisrael from setting up the Mishkan.  In fact, they built all the keilim and they built all the parts of the Mishkan and they even tried to set the Mishkan up, but they were unable to do so because every time they tried to put it together, it fell apart. As a result, they must have been frustrated.  What was so frustrating in this case is that the Torah goes out of its way to say “Ka’asher tzivah HaShem” many times, that the workers followed G-d’s detailed instructions to a tee and yet still they couldn’t set up the Mishkan.  Moshe blesses them and tells them that although they did an excellent job, he couldn’t put the Mishkan together until the first of Nissan – more than three months later!

Now, the Bnei Yisrael had to wait for three months.  Many of them may have become disillusioned, believing that they were a failure.  According to the midrash Yalkut Shimoni, some people mocked Moshe,  saying that this so-called house of G-d will never be built, and that that Moshe wasted his time altogether, as after the sin of the golden calf, G-d would not be returning to them. Finally, however, at the end of our parshah, on the first of Nissan, Moshe is able to put the Mishkan together and the cloud of G-d descends.  Now who has the last laugh? Oz vhadar l’vushah – Moshe, who is dressed in beauty and power, vatis’hak l’yom acharon – Moshe has the last laugh – at the end of the struggle, Moshe responds with laughter.

This is our challenge.  According to our prayer for the State of Israel, we are at a stage of Reishit Tzmihat Geulateinu, a very early stage of the final redemption.  There may be ups and downs, but the key to our success and to coming closer to the final stage of the Geulah is Ka’asher Tzivah HaShem, to continue to persist “kaasher tzivah HaShem,” to recognize that as a nation we may temporarily fail just as the workers of the Mishkan did, but must wait for the day when the final Mishkan, the final resting place of G-d, will merit to be assembled.  Then, hopefully all of Klal Yisrael will fulfill the verse of vatish’hak l’yom aharon.

Shabbat Shalom

THE WEEKLY SIDRA- VAYAK'HEIL- PEKUDEY
Rabbi Moshe Greebel

The Gemarah in Shabbos 118b, speaks about serving on a committee which distributes Tz’daka (charity):
"Rabbi Yosi also said, 'May my lot be of those who collect Tz’daka, but not of those who distribute Tz’daka.'"

The collection of Tz’daka is an activity which does not in the least way, lend itself to any degree of favoritism. One simply attempts to collect as much as possible, from as many as possible. Yet, when it comes to the distribution of Tz’daka, the factor of favoritism becomes very real.

Rashi, there in the Gemarah, explains:
"…..There are times when their minds (distributors) have more compassion concerning this one (poor man), whereby, they allot to him more (Tz’daka) than is necessary, for they estimate him with generosity, and his fellow with exactness."

Displaying again, how much more serious is the distribution of Tz’daka than the collection of it, the Gemaros in Bava Basra 8b and Sanhedrin 17b both instruct:
"The Tz’daka fund is collected by two persons (jointly), and distributed by three."

While fundraising for the poor is indeed a noble and essential principle, such enterprises can also be used for fronts, in the hands of those who are less than scrupulous. Once the slightest stain of impropriety raises its ugly head, even the most generous donors quickly cease their contributions. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." While U.S. Presidents may get themselves tangled up in this common idiom, it does nevertheless, instruct that nothing can replace credibility.

Oddly enough, this very human mistrust of past impropriety, does in its own way, come to act as a partial defense for the terrible sin of the Aigel HaZahav (golden calf), as can be seen in this week’s double Sidra, regarding the contributions made to the Mishkan (Tabernacle):
"And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and ear rings, and rings, and bracelets, all jewels of gold; and every man who offered an offering of gold to HaShem." (Sh’mos 35:22)

On this Passuk (verse), the Gemarah in the Y’rushalmi Sh’kalim (chapter 1, Halacha 1), has this to say:
"Rabbi Y'huda Ben Pazi in the name of Rabbi said, 'Can this (Passuk) possibly be read, without trembling (in fear)…..?'"

What is meant by this Y’rushalmi, is that while the above Passuk speaks well of the generosity of the B’nai Yisroel, it does limit this generosity only to those who were 'willing hearted.' That is, not all the B’nai Yisroel gave. Yet, when we read of the Aigel HaZahav, we find that all the B’nai Yisroel were generous:
"And all the people took off the golden ear rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aharon." (ibid. 32:3)

And, because of the severity of this indictment of being totally generous to idolatry, while not being so for the sake of the Mishkan, our Rabbanim of blessed memory, considered the above Passuk in this week’s Sidra unreadable without trembling with fear. The Y’rushalmi continues with this disparity of generosity, through a statement by Rav Abba Bar Acha:
"It is impossible for you to comprehend the very nature of this nation (of B’nai Yisroel). When they are given over to the Aigel, they give. And, when they are given over to the Mishkan, they give."

While Rav Abba instructs that in all situations, the B’nai Yisroel were generous, the inconsistency of everyone having given to the Aigel, and only a select few having given to the Mishkan, seems to still remain unanswered. To explain this discrepancy, we turn to the celebrated Rosh Yeshiva of Chachmei Lublin, Rav Meir Shapiro (1887- 1933) of blessed memory, who offered the following.

It is very common that in charitable fundraising efforts, those who donate, do so for specific purposes, earmarking their contributions for those necessities which they feel to be the most important. It is on this condition, that their generosity is bestowed. But, in the end, it is not uncommon to discover that the donated funds were after all, spent on frivolities, and on that which was hardly necessary. It goes without saying, that such a fundraising attempt will suffer when it seeks to gather funds again.

The same is true here, expounded Rav Meir. Originally, when gold was requested for the Aigel HaZahav, the public announcement which was made, said nothing about idolatry:
"…..This is your G-d, Yisroel, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." (ibid. 32:4)

Hearing this, the B’nai Yisroel were initially under the impression that funds were to be given for a very holy purpose. After all, HaShem did bring them up out of Egypt. That is why the Passuk there reads, "And all the people took off the golden ear rings."

However, shortly thereafter, the B’nai Yisroel discovered that they were deceived- that the funds did indeed go to idolatry. That is why, continued Rav Meir, when donations were requested for the Mishkan, they were still skeptical from their experience with the Aigel, and were not all so generous, except for the 'willing hearted' among them.

And so, the B’nai Yisroel have a partial defense for the sin of the Aigel HaZahav, in that they were deceived. As well, there is another partial defense for everyone not donating to the Mishkan, due the skepticism created by the Aigel. Let us always be wary of everything that goes on about us, but let us always be Don L’Chaff Z’chus (judging meritoriously) as well.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.

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