The Battle of the Shark and the Duck

During the spring and summer months, many species of birds deal with the heat of the warmer climates by flying north. While there, they enjoy the cooler weather and the babies born during the season begin to develop and grow. However, with the arrival of the fall, the northern regions of the world can get bitterly cold, even in the month of September. At this time of the year, the birds set on their journey and fly south.

When the mother bird decides that the time has come to fly, it takes off. The baby birds watch the mother, see how the flight is done, and they mimic the mother. Unfortunately for them, most do not master the technique on the first try. Most fall into the water, where they serve as easy prey for those predators that want to eat them.
 

The sharks living in the water below are acutely aware of this. There is one species of shark that feeds constantly on seals. Seals are large, highly caloric, and they provide the necessary meat for the sharks to live on. However, during the month of September, these sharks forgo the plenty of the seals and they set their eyes on the birds flying south. The baby birds that fall into the water may be small but they are nutritious and they provide many of the vitamins and minerals that seals do not supply.

The scenario set up so far does not look good for the birds. These birds are about the size of a duck, they are babies, and their skills and strengths are certainly not on par with a fully grown shark. To make matters worse, these birds are unable to fly out of the water’s surface. The shark swims directly below the location of the bird. It sets its body vertically straight up, and, like a torpedo, it rushes forth at top speed. It gets closer and closer to the bird, and the bird is literally a sitting duck and easy prey. The shark’s large mouth and huge teeth approach the bird, the bird remains there ready to fight, and the question is: who wins? The surprising conclusion will astonish you, and it is precisely this shocking conclusion that we can use to explain a difficult verse that has been bothering the rishonim, achronim, and Torah commentaries for ages.

The Parsha begins: “Daber El Bnei Yisrael Veyikchu Li Terumah,” speak to the children of Israel and let them take for Me a portion (Shemot 25:2). The verse commands the Bnei Yisrael to give and contribute to the construction of the mishkan. The question that bothers all the Torah commentators is that one does not take a portion to the mishkan. Rather, one gives a portion. Why this deviation?

The Ibn Ezra explains that the Torah is speaking shorthand. In reality, what the Torah means is that one should take from his possessions and then give them towards the construction of the mishkan. However, this explanation only strengthens the question. If we need to add words to the Torah in order to read it, then the wording of the Torah is extremely difficult.

Rabbi Baruch Simon, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University and author of the sefer Imrei Baruch, explains that there is a fundamental difference between vayitnu and vayikchu. Vayitnu means giving. Vayikchu means taking. When one gives, there is preplanning. Everything goes according to plan. The person has a job, works, receives a paycheck, and gives money. This is perfectly normal, well planned, and expected. But when something is taken, there are no preplanned expectations. It just happens.  

In the battle of the shark and the duck sized baby bird, the conclusion is totally unexpected. We would expect the huge massive shark to clobber the duck, but this is not what happens. The duck survives, but not by miraculously learning to fly away. Rather, it stays, fights, and wins. At the moment when the shark’s teeth are about to grab the bird, right at the moment when we expect all hope to be gone and the bird to be lost, that’s when the bird’s salvation occurs. At that moment, when the shark is about to eat its meal, the bird moves over to the side and is saved. The shark is unable to change directions in a sharp and quick motion since it has no bones, only cartilage. Moreover, the shark is also in the midst of a torpedo motion.

Therefore, it overshoots its intended target, shifts its head above the surface of the water, and exposes its gills. The bird, knowing that the shark needs its gills to breathe, and knowing that the shark can’t sharply turn its head, then pecks at the gills. The shark then submerges itself back into the water, returns to the bottom of the sea, and tries again. The situation repeats itself until its gills are sufficiently injured and the shark retreats. 

The lesson that the small little bird has to teach us is precisely the same lesson taught by the term vayikchu. Sometimes, people want to give money, they want to contribute to a worthy cause, they really do. But, unfortunately, they do not have the means to do so. In response to this intense desire, the Torah promises us that even when times are bad and money is scarce, if we really want to do mitzvoth and give charity, we will succeed in doing so. The money will come to us so suddenly, and our ability to contribute will come so unexpectedly, that it will feel as if the money is being taken from us, without any preplanned actions on our part. 

We should take this lesson to heart and not use lack of means as a reason not to do mitzvoth.  Instead, let us desire to do mitzvoth, give charity, and may we be zocheh to receive HaShem’s help in doing so.

Good Shabbos!

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NCYI's Weekly Divrei Torah Bulletin is sponsored by the Henry, Bertha and Edward Rothman Foundation - Rochester, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Circleville, Ohio

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