Parashas Vayakhel-Pekudei - Shabbos HaChodesh
25 Adar 5769

March 21, 2009
Daf Yomi: Bava Kama 83

Guest Author:
Rabbi Eliezer Feuer

Young Israel of Wavecrest & Bayswater

 

 

To find out more about the Young Israel of Wavecrest & Bayswater,

visit www.yiwb.org

 

"ויבאו כל איש אשר נשאו לבו וכל אשר נדבה רוחו אותו הביאו את תרומת ה׳ למלאכת אהל

מועד ולכל עבדתו ולבגדי הקדש."

 

“Every man whose heart inspired him came, and everyone whose spirit motivated him brought the portion of Hashem for the work of the Tent of Meeting, for all its labor and for the sacred vestments” (Shemos 35:21)

 

The Ramban comments that the term נשאו לבו, an inspired heart, refers specifically to the men who worked on the Mishkan. The Ramban explains that it was the inspiration of their hearts to "do" for G-d which gave them the wisdom to build such a magnificent structure.  This alone was there "education" in construction, for they never attended any school to teach them these skills.  It was these inspired people who, when called upon to do the service of

G-d, stepped forward to serve and build the Mishkan.

 

In Mishlei (6:6) the pasuk states לך אל נמלה עצל; ראה דרכיה וחכם, “Go to the ant, lazy one. See its way and

 

become wise.”  The Medrash Rabbah (Devarim 5:2) explains that an ant's life expectancy is six months and needs only a tiny amount of food to exist. Yet, the ant stores in his hole much, much more. R' Shimon Bar Yochai comments that he once found an ant's home with 300 kor (an incredibly large amount) of food! Why does the ant do this? Why does the ant spend its entire meager existence collecting food when it will die and not need the food anyways? The answer, the Medrash explains, is that "perhaps G-d will allow me to live a little longer."  

 

Yes, we mortal human beings have a lot to learn from an ant.  The ant can

 

teach us what it means to feel inspired: inspired to live, inspired to hope, inspired to grow, and inspired to store as many good deeds as we can.

 

The Mishkan symbolized inspiration.  The fact that such a magnificent structure, with all its vessels, can be constructed, even with all the complexities of making them, and in such a short period of time, is truly inspiring. The fact that the noble individuals who came with nothing but the motivation of their heart, with no experience, and no expertise, accomplished this incredible feat is amazing. All the tribes were situated around this edifice, they all saw it, and they were all able to bask in the aura of inspiration that emanated from the Mishkan. 

 

This week is Shabbos Mevorchim Shabbos Hachodesh.  In the liturgy, we beseech G-d:

חיים של ברכה, חיים של פרנסה וכו׳.

 

We beseech G-d for many things for the new moon, but we need to stress the word חיים.  We should beseech G-d for real life; not just to live, but to be full of life:  To live inspired.

 

People who live this way have the ability to build, sometimes against all odds.  The Gerrer Rebbe (R' Yisroel Alter) came to Eretz Yisroel during the second world war having narrowly escaped from the Nazis, yimach shemam.  When he succeeded his father, the Imrei Emes, and became rebbe of the Gerrer chasidim, he commented that we had a period of Rishonim, we had a period of Acharonim, and now we are in the period of bonim (builders). We must inspire the next generation, rebuild from the ashes, and restore the glory to Am Yisroel.  Indeed, he and many others chose to live and infuse others with this great trait.

 

Recently, my wife and I had the privilege to travel to Eretz Yisrael. On our return flight I sat in front of a fellow traveler. He is a ba’al teshuva and a sought-after sofer. I wondered how someone who started out as a ba’al teshuva, with no Torah knowledge, no Torah background, can become a prominent sofer in the Jewish community. I asked him to tell me his story and it truly inspired me. He told me that he did not come from a religious home. He did not have a religious role model. Asking questions and obtaining answers was very difficult for him, particularly in the area of Torah. In order to obtain tefillin for his bar mitzvah, he had to work hard, borrow money, and sacrifice enjoying activities to pay for it. He did not have a father who was willing to give it to him as a gift. NO! He had to earn it – and he did.

 

Wow! What an incredible story that is. Let us keep this story in mind, especially in these trying times, and may we merit the ultimate inspiration with the coming of Moshiach, speedily in our days.

 

Wishing you a good shabbos and a good chodesh.  

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